Lifestyle & Hobbies Archives | Page 137 of 159

Exciting Places To Explore At Bugis Area With S$30 In Your Pocket

The Bugis Area, spanning from Bras Basah to Fort Canning, is not only rich in business establishments but is also abundant in cafes, bookstores, museums, and activities that you and your companions can enjoy. Even with a budget of only S$30!

1. FOR DELECTABLE DESSERTS

In 2014, a Japanese dessert shop called Tai-Parfait graced Singapore at the Bugis Junction. Brought by Dining Innovation Singapore, Tai-Parfait boasts its Taiyaki – a Japanese original fish-shaped pancake filled with sweet red bean paste…for only S$2.20. What’s more? You can also put ice cream, fruits, and other toppings on your dessert.

For example, you may try the Matcha Azuki Tai-Parfait for S$5.50. It is a chocolate-filled Taiyaki topped with Matcha cream, Green Tea ice cream, and Azuki. Sounds delicious, doesn’t it?

Image Credits: https://www.facebook.com/TaiParfait

Image Credits: www.facebook.com/TaiParfait

Go ahead and get your very own Tai-Parfait desserts at Bugis Junction, #B1-03A.

2. FOR BODY TONING AND MUSCLE STRENGTH

Have you wanted to burn more calories without having extreme muscle stress? Then, try water exercises, especially the Aqua Spin. Aqua Spin, suited for all levels, is believed to fight diabetes and obesity. Aside from this, your blood circulation, muscle strength, and cardiovascular fitness will improve.

A session will not cost you a fortune as a one-time trial is priced at S$25. Spin away at YWCA Fort Canning Lodge (Swimming Pool at Level 3), 6 Fort Canning Road, Singapore 179494!

3. FOR THE GENUINE BOOKWORM

The Bras Basah Complex is the one-stop-shop for budget printing services and cheap books. The bookstores here are filled with a myriad of non-fiction books, fiction books, magazines, textbooks, children’s books, graphic novels, and so much more! Support the Evernew Bookstore’s book fairs that offer second-hand books for as low as S$2-5!

Image Credits: https://www.facebook.com/evernewbook

Image Credits: /www.facebook.com/evernewbook

With prices as low as that, how can a genuine bookworm ever leave?

4. FOR THE LOVE OF TOYS

A visit at the MINT (Moment of Imagination and Nostalgia with Toys) Museum of Toys will help you relive the treasured memories of your childhood. With its collection of over 50,000 vintage toys originating from over 40 countries as far as United Kingdom, Bulgaria, and Germany, it is no surprise that the value of the entire museum is over S$5 million.

Admission rates are as follows:

Children (Aged 2-12): $7.50

Senior Citizens (Aged 60 years and above): $7.50

Adults: $15.00

Interestingly, some of the toys that you may see are the 1903 Steiff Teddy Bear and the 1953 Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Set.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8epZlJ73GVY

For more information about the MINT Museum, check out emint.com.

Sources: 1 & 2

Excellent Places To Find Low-Cost Uniquely Singaporean Souvenirs

If you are traveling Singapore for the first time or if you are visiting relatives overseas, it is great to have a uniquely Singaporean keepsake with you. Looking for the keepsake or souvenir can be a challenge when your budget and time are constricted. But, not anymore! The key is to find the famous bargain shopping places that can be easily accessed. Thus, your shopping trip will only take a few hours of your day.

With that in mind, here are places where you can find affordable Singapore souvenirs:

1. LUCKY PLAZA

There is no doubt in my mind that bargaining is widely acceptable in mostly all the shops at Lucky Plaza. This shopping center is conveniently located at Orchard Road so, you can simply drop by while you are cruising along the huge stretch of malls. The varieties of souvenirs that you can buy are abundant with a price starting from S$2.

2. PENINSULA PLAZA

Nearby the tourist spots such as Asian Civilisations Museum, the Esplanade Theatres, St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Parliament House, and Funan DigitalLife Mall, Peninsula Plaza proves to be a go-to shopping center for cheap keepsakes such as magnets, postcards, bags, and key chains. The prices of these keepsakes range from about S$3-25.

Image Credits: Riza Nugraha via Flickr with Creative Commons License

3. BUGIS STREET

A well-known bargain hub located opposite Bugis Junction is called Bugis Street. It houses a variety of shops that sell souvenirs such as clothing, bags, accessories, cups, magnets, chocolates, stamps, and so much more. The prices of these items range from about S$3-30. You may freely bargain with some stall owners.

Now, if you have no idea what to get for your friends and family, you may try to shop for these items:

1. SINGAPORE PRESSED PENNIES

Almost all the popular tourist attractions have automatic pressed penny machines where it is priced at about S$2 per penny. The engraved design of the coin features the name of the place where the souvenir was taken. For example, it is available at Universal Studios Singapore, National Museum of Singapore, Singapore Zoo, and Gardens By The Bay.

2. ANYTHING WITH THE MERLION

The Merlion represents the roots of Singapore being a “Lion City” with its lion head while the body of a fish represents Singapore’s dawn as a fishing village. With a souvenir featuring the national icon – the Merlion, your gift recipient will surely appreciate where it came from. Prices of Merlion merchandise such as chocolates, key chains, magnets, snow globes, mugs, and picture frames range from S$2-20.

Image Credits: instagram.com/agoncilloanna

These Merlion-based are available at all souvenir shops.

Bargain Hunting: Singapore’s Greatest Shopping Events

If you want to avoid shopping crowds and busy stores, why not shop online? You can easily experience hassle-free shopping and still get the best discounts, if you know when and where to shop. If you don’t want to miss out on the biggest discounts of the year, make sure you keep yourself updated with the most popular shopping events in Singapore.

The Great Singapore Sale (GSS)

Dates: 29 May – 26 July

There’s no better time to be a bit more carefree with money than during the Great Singapore Sale (GSS). Acclaimed Singapore’s biggest sale of the year, GSS is one of the top shopping holidays for both retailers and customers. Singapore Retailers Association (SRA), official organiser of the event, teamed up with MasterCard to provide Singaporeans with amazing opportunities to save money during the festival – shoppers are invited to use dedicated coupon codes and discounts on flights, hotel accommodation, fashion, electronics and various online services. The festival is full of attractive events, including Singapore Restaurant Month, International Jewellery Expo or Food Festival. What’s most important though, promotions live up to customer’s expectations – you can get even 70% off on a wide range of products. In addition, customers who participate in the event can enter daily giveaways and stand a chance to win daily prizes (detailed information can be found on the event’s official website).

The Great Online Shopping Festival (GOSF)

Dates: 02 – 04 February

Created by Google, The Great Online Shopping Festival came to Singapore right after its commercial success in India. The idea behind the event was to convince online retailers and shopping platforms to release great discounts in order to push their sales. Google partners with big ecommerce sites and shopping websites who will provide a special promotional offer for these two days only – coupon codes, gifts with purchases, free shipping, extra off sales, competitions and much more. GOSF is also supported by DBS and SingPost who joined the organiser to facilitate the participation in the event. In result, shoppers are spoilt with a massive number of promotion codes applicable via website or mobile devices and are offered a huge range of discounted services and products that are equally satisfactory. The shopping festival lasts only two days but it’s filled with opportunities to save money and win prizes on a daily basis. Shoppers must act quickly not to miss out.

Black Friday & Cyber Monday

Dates: 27 – 30 November

Those two major shopping events and the busiest shopping days of the year originated in the USA and quickly gained great international popularity. Black Friday and its online counterpart Cyber Monday provide retailers with an opportunity to increase sales before Christmas and customers with a chance to save money and do some early shopping on a budget. Even though Singaporeans invented their own version of Cyber Monday – GOSF – these shopping events are still celebrated by a number of local online retailers. Cross-border shoppers should stay tuned and keep their eyes wide opened, especially if they plan to seek bargains from outside of Singapore. Plenty of online retailers release free worldwide delivery codes so that international consumers can also benefit and make some savings during sales period.

Participate in the Singapore’s online shopping craze from the comfort of your home and spoil yourself, as these events will bring you the best that online shopping has to offer.

The impatient bargain hunters can visit Picodi.sg and browse a wide range of online coupons to Singapore’s online stores. The website updates its listing of coupons on a daily basis, so grab a deal and start shopping!

Save Money On Clothing Alterations By Mastering These Simple Stitches

Tailoring or sewing services in Singapore can range from S$5-40 depending on the type of clothing article. For instance, altering straight-cut jeans range from S$5-12 while altering of jackets can range from S$12-36. Some of the prices are too much if you asked me. You might as well buy a new one.

Aside from the costs, the standard waiting time for its collection can last from 1-14 days. And, if you do not have the time, you might as well buy a new one.

To avoid this dilemma, it is important to master some simple stitches that you can immediately use as the need rises. Do not fret if you have zero knowledge on sewing because mastering the basics can be done at home. All you have to do is to browse through the free tutorial videos available online. Here are the simple stitches you may start with:

1. RUNNING OR STRAIGHT STITCH

The easiest and the simplest of all the stitches in this list is the running stitch, otherwise known as the straight stitch. This stitch involves taking the needle repeatedly under then over. You shall see the thread forming a line throughout the fabric. This is useful for repairing torn out parts of the pockets or sleeves.

2. WHIPSTITCH

Let us “up the ante” a little bit with the diagonal techniques of whipstitch. A whipstitch is typically used to sew to separate pieces of material together. It is perfect for altering or repairing trousers, sleeves, and jackets because it leaves nearly invisible traces of thread. Follow this video to learn about the fascinating whipstitch:

3. SEW A BUTTON

A usual situation that needs immediate repair is clothing that lacks buttons. Learning how to sew a button is quick and uncomplicated. The first thing you must do is to choose a suitable button and a matching thread. You may check if the manufacturer has included an additional button. Then, be guided by this short video:

4. SEW A HEM

From your table cloth to your boxers and gowns, hems are found on most common articles of clothing and fabric. This is why it is important for you to be familiarizing on how to sew a hem in case yours gets loose or in case you want to make your own. You can either use a catch stitch (i.e., exposed) or a slip stitch (i.e., invisible) to sew a hem. Learn how to make these two stitches, here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMqK-fNrCrM

Sources: 1 & 2

5 Ways To Take Charge And Save Money On Technology

Living in the 21st century where technology is a quintessential part of our lives, it is hard to find someone without a mobile phone. There is no doubt in my mind that technology improved our lives, making it easier and faster to communicate, shop, develop, search, and so much more.

Even though it is dependable, technology can cost a lot! Your wallet can empty as quickly as your battery empties. Luckily for you, there are ways to avoid excessive spending on technology…

1. NEEDS BEFORE WANTS

Do you really need an expensive action camera just to take great selfies? Or how about a state-of-the-art computer set-up just to browse the Internet? There is no point on spending on the most expensive gadgets and accessories if you will not maximize its use. So, the first step you must take is to evaluate your needs and understand how the device works. During this process, you have to be honest with yourself.

2. SELL YOUR OLD DEVICES OR EQUIPMENTS

If there is a growing desire to upgrade to the latest technology then, try selling your devices or equipments. This will give you little to enough money to help purchase the new device you have been eyeing on. eBay, Gumtree, and Carousell are just some platforms where you can find some interested buyers.

Image Credits: epSos .de via Flickr with Creative Commons license

3. PURCHASE ONLINE

Aside from getting rid of your old devices or equipments online, you may also get a great deal there (i.e., whether it is through a wholesaler or an online coupon). You can compare the prices of the online shops to what is available on the physical shops, only to find that most of the times, online shops offer the cheaper prices. Furthermore, you just saved on the costs of transportation you would have paid if you went to the stores.

4. GET CREATIVE

Although the variety of the homemade accessories you can make are thin, it does not hurt to give it a chance. You are still saving money anyway. For instance, you may use a white top sheet as a diffuser, a white wall to bounce light from a flash, and a Styrofoam board as a reflector. All it takes is your imagination and creativity.

5. LOOK FOR ALTERNATIVES

Just because a renowned company announced a huge product launch does not mean that you have to buy it. If your technology basket is already sufficient then, there is no need to buy a new one. Also, if the new product does not satisfy your budget then, you do not have to buy it now. Pretty soon, the prices of this thing will drop, just be patient.

But, if you are really in need of a specific gadget immediately, say an action camera like GoPro (US$340/S$455), consider getting a cheaper alternative such as the HTC Re (US$159/S$213), the Polaroid XS100i HD (US$129/S$173), or the Sony HDR-AS20/B (US$149/S$199).

Sources: 1 & 2

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