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8 Excuses Young People Use To Justify Their Spending

Admit it…when you are about to make a remorseful purchase, you will rationalize your spending with a whole lot of things. Oh how lovely it feels when you’ve refreshed your whole wardrobe! But, it may not be wise for your finances in the long run.

From being stressed to needing to look good for a special occasion, here are 8 Excuses Young People Use To Justify Their (Unnecessary) Spending…

1. I HAD THE WORST DAY. I DESERVE THIS.

Isn’t it the worst feeling in the world when you’ve studied so hard for a final exam and failed the next day or when you’ve prepared so hard for a crucial presentation and choke the minute you went up on stage?

Certainly, it can change your mood negatively. Too boost your self-esteem you will buy the prettiest lipstick from MAC cosmetics or a new phone.
2. CELEBRATING MY GOOD GRADES, NEW JOB, or NEW APARTMENT

Since you have been promoted from your job, you better get a new coffee table, work dress, or a sparkly jewelry. You definitely feel that you shouldn’t look like old self. You want to embody an up-gradated version of yourself. Version 2.0!

3. I AM SO STRESSED. RETAIL THERAPY PLEASE!

That moment when you feel cannot do it anymore. You feel helpless and stressed with the situation you have been given. Hence, you will dive into retail therapy and drown yourself with material things to make you feel better. You may also swipe an expensive massage from your Visa Card. Ohh la la!

4. BEING AT MY PARENTS’ HOUSE SAVED ME ENOUGH MONEY.

After spending a week at your parents’ house you rationalize that you’ve saved so much money from eating home cook meals and using your their utilities. It helped you save enough money that you can now spend on the stuff you like.

5. SINCE I AM SPENDING, I MIGHT AS WELL GET THE BEST.

You feel that your money is more worth it if you bought nothing but the best beer, blouse, shoes, or concert tickets. After all, it is your own money.

Image Credits: Amélie Verleene via Flickr

6. THE “JUST THIS ONCE” PHENOMENON

You will be quick to purchase when everything is on sale and the item you like only has one size left…and it is your size! Just this once (you tell yourself).

Then you will feel that you have been eating too much processed food or instant noodles while you are living in your dorm. So, you will eat somewhere pricey but super nice for a change. Just this once.

7. I NEED TO LOOK GOOD FOR MY BF, GF OR MYSELF

The urge to buy an expensive article of clothing due to the constant need to look good for your boyfriend, girlfriend or yourself. Other than that, the person you dislike might be in the reunion party you will attend. You feel that it will be nice to show him/her how amazing you look now.

8. IT IS OKAY TO SPEND AS LONG AS I AM HAPPY.

Along with the previous excuses above, many have fallen prey to this statement: “It is okay to spend as long as I am happy”.

For instance, you went to a Game Console store with a single goal in mind—to buy the new GTA V XBOX game. But, you walk out the store with 2 games in hand (that is a 100% over your budget). At least you are happy!

Image Credits: Jason Devaun via Flickr

I hope that by knowing these excuses, you will be aware and more cautious in your daily spending. 🙂

Free and Fun Health and Fitness Apps

Everyone knows that keeping fit and healthy isn’t exactly the most fun thing in the world (unless you’re one of the minority of us that truly enjoys torturing yourself exercising in Singapore’s excessively hot climate – in which case, you definitely have more willpower than me). It can be very difficult for most of us to just get our butts off the couch and do something about our fitness. Thankfully, app makers have noticed this, and have tried to make apps more fun to motivate us to exercise. Most of these apps involve some sort of “cute” element, social/competitive element, gaming elements, or just try to make being healthy easier. Hopefully with all of these new apps, your new year’s resolution of being fit and healthy will be easier to achieve!

1. Plant Nanny

Free
Available for iPhone, Android and Windows Phone

Water occupies 70% of our body weight, and yet water is something that we might not get enough of each day. Everyone knows that we’re supposed to drink 8 glasses of water a day, but how many of us actually remember to do so? Now you can track how much water you’re drinking with the adorable Plant Nanny app! Plant Nanny calculates how much water you need to drink per day according to your weight and activity level. As you drink, your adorable little plant gets watered as well, growing from a little sapling to an adult plant! Easily input how much water you’re drinking, with the type of cup you’re using as well as the ml, and never forget to drink again with Plant Nanny’s reminders. With many different cartoon plants to choose from, you’ll never be bored of drinking water!

2. SleepBot

(Image credit: prmac.com)

Free
Available for iPhone and Android

In busy Singapore, it almost doesn’t matter if you’re a student or working professional – you’re bound to not be getting enough sleep. Here comes SleepBot to the rescue! SleepBot is a Smart Alarm with Motion & Sound Tracker to track your sleeping patterns. SleepBot logs your sleep for you, and lets you know if you’re getting the quality sleep time your body needs. You may be waking up many times in the night or having a fitful sleep without even knowing, but SleepBot through its motion and sound tracking, will allow you to find out. SleepBot also tracks your sleep debt, so you know exactly how much you have to catch up on. With its handy charts, logging your sleep patterns is a piece of cake. Simply plug it in, and fall asleep.

3. Nexercise and/or Fitocracy

(Image credit: www.arizonafoothillsmagazine.com)

Nexercise: Free
Available for iPhone (Challenges by Nexercise) and Android (NexTrack)
Fitocracy: Free
Available for iPhone and Android

The cool thing about both of these apps is that they essentially make fitness a game. Not a 1-player game either, but a game you can play with your friends. Choose from the many workouts and fitness moves in the apps or log your own workouts for points and exp. Accumulate enough, and you reach the next level, gaining badges along the way. Compete with your friends, and see who can score the most points while working out! The competition and achievements will keep working out from becoming boring, and allow you to motivate yourself better!

4. Blogilates

(Image credit: http://www.alwayswith.nl)

Free
Available for both iPhone and Android

Blogilates, the free app for the popular Blogilates YouTube and web phenomenon is something that really complements her free videos. In addition to allowing you to keep up with Cassey Ho, Blogilates founder, the app also has an “Instagram” like forum inbuilt, which allows you to post pictures and connect with everyone else on the app! The incredibly supportive community will be there throughout all of your progress pics as you gradually get fitter and fitter.

5. Just Dance Now

(Image credit: itunes.apple.com)

Free
Available for both iPhone and Android

Just Dance Now isn’t your traditional fitness app – but it IS a tremendous amount of fun. Just Dance Now is a dancing game much like Para-Para that you can play, using your smartphone as a controller (much like how the Wii is used). You will need a connection to a television, computer, tablet or stream the game on screen from the synced website. It has a good number of free songs to try (with a daily limit of 3), and the best thing is that you can even play with your friends! While dancing may not be the same as weightlifting, anything that gets you onto your feet and moving can only be a good thing for your body!

6. RunKeeper and/or equivalent run mapping apps

(Image credit forums.appleinsider.com)

Free
Available for both iPhone and Android

RunKeeper and other equivalent apps (MapMyRun, Nike+ Running, Strava) just to name a few are apps that log the distance you run and map it for you using your phone’s GPS. Some of these apps also allow you to connect with the community and your friends. Most also come with features like tracking your pacing and other fitness objectives. Many people have even creatively used such apps to “draw” gigantic pictures with their running routes!

BONUS: Zombies, Run!
~S$5

(Image credit: http://www.windowscentral.com/)

Available for both iPhone and Android

Zombies, Run! is worth a try just for its unique and interesting design. It’s both a fitness running app, AND a game. Zombies, Run! puts you in the shoes of a runner outrunning the zombie apocalpyse. This app comes with a fully featured storyline, allowing you to immerse yourself in the game (with audio recordings of the storyline that simulate the sounds of being chased by zombies), and it has been said to get people’s hearts pumping in more than one way! You can collect items for your missions while you’re out on your run, and then use those items to upgrade your base to protect yourself from zombies. This app is not just fun, but apparently incredibly effective at motivating people to run (as seen by the sheer number of positive reviews).

What are some of your favourite “fun” apps for fitness? Let us know! We all need a good reason to motivate ourselves into being healthy!

How Much “Ang Bao” Money Shall You Give This Chinese New Year?

The festivity of the Chinese New Year is about a month away. Abundant food, family reunions, and little red packets called “Ang Bao” will grace Singapore once again.

These red packets are usually given during social gatherings such as weddings or the holidays. Its color embodies “good luck” that is supposed to ward off the evil spirits.

Married couples usually give these red packets to single people (e.g. children or work colleagues). Its history is rooted from the Chinese belief that you achieve the “adult status” once you get hitched. So, the newfound status comes with the privilege to distribute “Ang Baos” to those who still remain single or are younger.

Image Credits: Paul via Flickr

Since Singapore is a mixture of different cultures, we as a nation have created practices centering “Ang Bao” gifting. It is not uncommon to have marriages between two different races, leading to traditional practices being modified or ignored. But aside from the Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, Filipinos and South Koreans have similar customs.

A simple survey on TheAsianParent Facebook Page showed that readers usually give out S$2- S$80 to children in 2014. Furthermore, “S$4” was avoided due to its similarity to the word “death” in many dialects.

Ultimately, PerfectWeddings.sg showed that economy and income status affects the money given. During good economy, it was common to receive “Ang Baos” with a minimum of S$6 each for children but economic recession urged its reduction to S$2 each. Since, economic downturn affects the whole country, there was no judgment in the amount you give.

To help you find the right amount to give…here is a concise “Chinese New Year Ang Bao Market Rate 2014” chart by PerfectWeddings.sg :

As you can see, a red packet containing a minimum of S$2-S$20 is common to give for children, while it ranges to about S$8- S$88 for parents. Your in laws will not take it against you if you give them S$88 in the New Year. Lastly, you may give the same amount of money to your friends or colleagues’ children as you did with your own children.

5 Clever Ways To Save Money on Coffee

Personal Finance Consultants may argue that the money you spend on small purchases (e.g. cup of Starbucks coffee) add up together and redirect towards a huge expenses. Assuming it costs $5 per cup, you are spending over $70 in a week. This is why you can save thousands of dollars in two years if you reduced your caffeine expense.

5 Clever Ways To Save Money on Coffee…

1. DO NOT EQUATE PRICE TO QUALITY

A blind taste test by New York Magazine’s Adam Platt showed that people prefer the inexpensive Dunkin Donuts coffee to the upscale Starbucks coffee. Even though it is expensive, it does not mean it tastes good. So, try the small coffee shops across your office.

Image Credits: Cherrysweetdeal via Flickr

2. MAKE YOUR OWN BREW

Coffee beans are cheaper than Starbucks; try to make your own to save a significant amount of money. If you are feeling creative, buy black coffee and add your own mixture of milk, cream, and sugar.

3. GIFT CARDS

Fish for discounted gift cards on Ebay or Carousell. This may not be worth your time if you are an occasional coffee drinker. But, if your caffeine habit is emptying your pocket, this tip will save you quite a bit.

4. LOOK FOR COFFEE DEALS ONLINE

Discover coffee or coffee maker deals online. Deals Singapore is currently having a 33% off deal on CEO Lingzhi Coffee while Groupon is having a 30% off deal on Philips Coffee Maker.

Image Credits: Alan Levine via Flickr

McDonalds may have “free coffee Mondays” so follow them on Facebook or Twitter.

5. REDUCE YOUR CAFFEINE INTAKE

Lastly, one sure-fire way to help you save a significant amount of money is to reduce your coffee intake. I know it takes a lot of willpower at first but it gets better as time passes.

Do it gradually, you cannot force this process or you will experience symptoms of withdrawal (i.e., headache, depression or nausea). Eliminate a cup per day.

Reducing your caffeine intake will not only increase your savings but it will also increase your survival. It decreases your risk of hypertension and increases calcium absorption to help keep your bones and teeth strong.

6 Free Music Streaming Services in Singapore

For those of us that are music lovers, buying all those new albums or new tracks on iTunes can really add up over the years! Also, you may not always have your entire song library backed up with you wherever you may go. Free music streaming services therefore fill that void, allowing us to easily find the music we want to listen to, regardless of where we are or what device we are using. Most of the below services come with a free and paid subscription version.

1) Spotify

Spotify, which finally came to Singapore in 2013, is one of the most popular free music streaming services in the world. Available online or on smart phones, you can access millions of songs easily.

Spotify comes in free and ad-free premium versions.

2) Grooveshark

Grooveshark is another popular streaming service based in the US, boasting 15 million tracks, and a free and paid subscription model.

3) Deezer

Deezer is a music streaming service that boasts over 35 million tracks that comes in a web version and also for your smart devices. For M1 subscribers, you may want to take advantage of the partnership offer between M1 and Deezer that allows you to get the premium subscription at a lower rate.

4) Soundcloud

Frequently used by indie or new and upcoming artists, Soundcloud can sometimes be the only place where you can find high quality versions of tracks uploaded by smaller artists. Soundcloud also allows you to comment at any point of time in the song, so when you listen to one of the tracks, you can see the comments of other users in realtime as they listen to the song.

5) 8tracks

8tracks is for lovers of mixtapes and anyone who wants to share their custom playlists with their friends. 8tracks is widely used as anyone can create and share mixtapes of 8 tracks or more easily online. This is a good way for you to discover new music that your friends are listening to, and you can easily search the site for any mixtape that matches your current mood. Just put it on and forget about it, and enjoy the music!

8tracks is availabe online and has free apps for Android/iphone.

6) Youtube

Lastly, although not a service specifically dedicated to streaming music, you can often find quite a few songs uploaded on Youtube through the official channels for the artists. The crucial difference is that on Youtube, you are able to watch the music video for the song as well, enhancing your auditory experience. Perhaps more importantly for Asian music lovers, it can often be difficult to find free streaming music for Asian music such as Cpop or Kpop or Jpop – and you might have more luck on Youtube than the other more western dominated music streaming services.

There are many other good streaming services that come in paid versions only. One that you should perhaps take note of is KKBox, which caters specifically to the Asian market.

Hopefully through these tips, you’ll be able to save money purchasing songs and put some of that money towards going to concerts instead!

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