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How to make the best out of your last $300?

Experts estimate that more than 90% of the diseases are stress related. And rapid aging is probably another negative by-product of sustained elevated stress levels. While eradicating anxiety and stress altogether in fast-paced Singapore may be unrealistic, indulging in therapeutic treatments and one’s favourite hobbies can certainly help to manage stress.

Continuing from the article “How to maximise your life with a $3,000 paycheck”, this article is the last in a five-part series and it will zoom in to the ways of deriving the ultimate satisfaction and gratification from life with the last 10% or $300 of a $3,000 salary.

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1. A short getaway to Johor Bahru

While it is a well-known fact that JB is a shopping and food haven, many may still feel that it is not worth a hassle to beat the checkpoints and commit to the distant travel. However, depending on one’s schedule and opportunity cost, the huge cost savings are hardly resistible. Indeed, food, accommodation, wares and massage services are priced at a steep discount to those in Singapore, especially when the favorable exchange rate persists. Therefore, it may be more sensible and economical to shop in the foreign land to maximize your spending power.

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2. Go online shopping

Being economically vibrant and prosperous is honorable, but it is not without its costs. Prohibitively high rental and labour costs in Singapore have created much hardship for local businesses, and consequently, the consumers who have to bear the inflated price tags. However, it pays to be technologically savvy. The major growth spurt of online retailers has simply thrived on a low-cost but high-quality principle. Furthermore, online businesses are easily accessible, which enables effortless comparisons. And it is precisely this unmitigated flow of information that heightens competition and further drives down our bills. So, time to hitch on to this modern trend if you haven’t!

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3. Learn a fun skill

Learning is limitless. By continually expanding your knowledge and skills, you gain others’ respect while becoming an increasingly invaluable asset to their lives (and of course, you are the greatest beneficiary of your own abilities). It does not have to always be intellectual. It could be an indispensable skill that most people overlook. Thankfully, this gap is plugged by LessonsGoWhere, an online marketplace that brings exciting and enriching lessons covering a diverse blend of 9 categories from baking to photography to an aspiring community. Who knows if one day, the new skill may even change your entire course of life and carve out a rewarding career niche?

What do you need a $300 emergency fund for?

Unexpected events happen from time to time. Some could be delightful while others may be distressing. However, leaving things to luck may not always yield an optimal outcome. Indeed, it is prudent to set up an emergency fund to hedge against uncertainties. Since it is a form of protection, the earlier you recognise the need for this fund, the greater control you will have over your destiny.

Continuing from the article “How to maximise your life with a $3,000 paycheck”, this article is the fourth in a five-part series and it will be looking at the uses of the 10% or $300 emergency fund in coping with many of the life’s surprises – be it pleasant or unpleasant.

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1. Health Insurance

One of the most debilitating episodes in life is to be afflicted with a chronic or acute disease such as kidney failure or cancer. While the majority of people do not experience such traumatic events, it is nevertheless difficult – if not impossible – to predict if you are the ill-fated one. This is when health insurance is one of the best bets (in the legion of insurance products) before the tragedy strikes. For fresh graduates who are in their twenties, the premiums are pretty affordable and the payouts are formulated attractively. For example, PRUshield extra offers an all-round protection where the insured gets to enjoy coverage from the very first dollar.

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2. Medical Consultation

As a typical health insurance policy often does not insure against minor ailments such as the common flu, cough or fever, it is thus essential to save up an adequate amount for ad hoc medical expenses. Having said that, it is a heartening news that many employers provide subsidized medical care to their employees. Still, it is a virtuous practice to be readily available to render financial assistance to the medical needs of one’s family members.

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3. Repair Cost

Occasionally, humans may not be in good shape. But so do our ubiquitous electronic devices, ranging from smartphones to laptops. While most consumer electronics are covered with warranty, it usually excludes personal damage that may arise from negligence or other causes. Therefore, it is crucial to take such accidental cost into account.

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4. Celebration

Joyous parties and festivals occur periodically. It could be an invitation to your superior or colleague’s wedding or baby shower. It could also be part of the family or societal culture to soak in the fun for festivals such as the Mid-Autumn Festival. It is a time where close friends and families get together and wallow in the festive exuberance, developing stronger rapport and splurging on their loved ones and themselves.

3 ways to look for the best in people

Some people we know adopt generally negative and cynical attitudes towards others, but in doing so, they fail to realize that they have missed out on the joys of life. These people sometimes impose self-righteous beliefs on to others and form judgments of how others should behave. They keep close tabs on people’s mistakes rather than focusing on the positive experiences all of you can create and share. And such behaviours potentially strain friendships and social ties.

On the other hand, if everyone recognizes the fact that life has its own struggles, we could be more forgiving and compassionate. We can alleviate our own suffering while not adding to others’ emotional burden by being positive and looking for the best in people in 3 ways.

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Cultivate a compassionate attitude in which we are empathetic, receptive, understanding, and loving towards others. We all have independent minds that think differently due to disparate cultural and social influences. Most of the time, there isn’t a clearly superior or inferior viewpoint. It is thus often in our best interest to expose ourselves to the universe of diverse ideas and beliefs and learn the beneficial ones through methodical comparison and evaluation. At the same time, when we cultivate compassion instead of negativity, we become closer to the people we love and care about and experience a greater sense of moral fulfilment within ourselves.
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Understand everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses and seek to recognise and complement people’s strengths instead of being unduly obsessed with their weaknesses. More often than not, it reaps far more extraordinary results by spending one’s limited time and resources on building strengths than minimising weaknesses.
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Put yourself in other’s shoes and think from their angle. Always think of how you would want to be treated. Do you like somebody to nitpick your mistakes? If not, the best way to solve a problem is rarely blame shifting or lashing out on others. Instead, maintaining a cool-headed composure and providing constructive (rather than destructive) feedback would be a much more effective remedy. This speeds up learning, resolves the issue and gains other’s favour.

It is important to accept that we create and shape the world we want to live in. If we want others to be compassionate, considerate and understanding, we have to first be comfortable with exhibiting these traits. If we want others to discover and augment our strengths, we should first have a stake in developing others’ strengths and bringing them success. The old adage “don’t do unto others what you don’t want others to do unto you” still holds unwaveringly. Start appreciating what others have as opposed to getting sore at what they lack could be the first step. Every effort to make the world a more congenial place to live in counts.

Eating Out? Make Healthier And Cheaper Choices In Just 5 Ways

With the influx and the variety of the restaurants, cafes, and other eateries island-wide, it is always a good time to dine out at the Red Dot. But…this does not mean that you can freely eat unhealthily or splurge a lot.

Here are 5 ways to work around it:

1. MAKE IT A HABIT TO SEARCH IN ADVANCE

Before dining in the restaurant, make it a habit to check their menu online. Websites such as sg.openrice.com, yelp.com.sg, or hungrygowhere.com can help you locate a restaurant, identify its menu, and give you an estimate of the average spending. This will help you make tastier, healthier, and cheaper decisions.

2. CONSIDER ORDERING A MEAL

Imagine being in an affordable buffet with all the calorie-rich food available at your arm’s length. It sounds tempting doesn’t it? Yet your health may be at cost. Instead of always opting for a buffet, consider ordering a single meal that is packed with nutrients!

3. DISTANCE YOURSELF FROM THE APPETIZERS

Even if the restaurant appetizers are free, do your best to skip it as some of it are packed with calories. Appetizers are also made to fool your brain unto consuming more food that you intend.

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4. CHEW SLOWLY

Indulge and savour the taste of your food. Eating slowly will help you realize that you are actually satiated. Thus, you will eat and purchase just enough or even less.

5. CHOOSE YOUR DESSERTS AND SALADS WISELY

I know I am not the only one who shares a deep fondness for desserts. A delectably sweet cake drizzled with tasty toppings can make you hungry for more. Although it is tempting, it is important to watch your sugar intake. Opt for lighter dessert choices such as sorbets or fruits. As for the salads, be mindful of the creamy toppings and the dressings.

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With these simple ways, your tummy and your wallet will definitely be happy!

How to maximize your relationships with $300

Most of us know the immense power a strong social relationship can unleash. Social ties can have a colossal impact on our thinking, experiences and behaviors and they form a pivotal social support for our physical and mental health. Nonetheless, in the course of building a relationship, ensuring its sustainability is key where we do not overstrain our financial resources.

This article – the second in a five-part series that continues from “How to maximize your life with a $3,000 paycheck”- will thus be looking at the different ways to optimize a $300 monthly “bonding budget”.

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Offering inexpensive treats in office

Spending at least 8 hours every workday in the office is not an exactly enjoyable and eventful affair. Every initiative to keep your colleagues’ chins up – no matter how insignificant in your opinion – is in fact a great form of encouragement. And it does not cost much, probably 10% of the $300 “bonding budget” or $30? Offering to pay for drinks or buying your co-workers snacks or sandwiches could be your first crowning move. It kick-starts the culture of reciprocity and good things will naturally come your way.

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Play a sport

Studies have shown that exercise may play a therapeutic role in addressing psychological disorders such as depression and prevent chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases. But that is not all. Sports can also yield vast social benefits and help to strengthen interpersonal relationships through the myriad of fun-filled interactions. Allocating $100 to the booking of courts, admission tickets to sport facilities, participation in running events and energy drinks and bars should be more than sufficient. Taking part in the POSB PAssion Run for Kids 2015 could be your first step to embarking on a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle while contributing to the fund-raising efforts for the less fortunate children.

A free ActiveSG membership is an icing on the cake. All Singaporeans and Permanent Residents who sign up for it are credited with ActiveSG$100 to be used for sports programmes and entrance fees for the swimming pools and gyms at various Sports Centres island-wide.

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Invest in get-together meals and games

Weekends are perhaps the perfect time for friends and families to relax and unwind by indulging in a food and drink galore while playing the popular board games. Classic board games like Monopoly, Scrabble and UNO are still great fun. But the number of new games has exploded in recent years as a community of independent designers and publishers has been steadily producing innovative, intriguing and alluring games offering experiences emulating the most sophisticated gaming hardware. So put the remaining $170 to good use by purchasing board games which possess enduring benefits and inviting friends over for a potluck.

In reality, there are many more ways to create special and lasting memories with the people you love and care about. What is more important is often not the means to do it, but the willingness to do it.

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