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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
When it comes to designer and high-end goods, we want to have what we cannot afford. And, a sales person with a snobby attitude only adds the extra kick of exclusiveness.
A recent study by the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business showed that customers who are treated with poor service are more likely to buy something as long as the brand is adequately renowned and luxurious.
The study entitled “Should the Devil Sell Prada?” had its participants to imagine that they are interacting with different kinds of sales associates. Then, they rated their feelings (i.e., desiring to buy or not to buy) toward the associated designer brands. Interestingly, participants reported increased feelings of want after being treated badly.
The eagerness to buy the item increases as the desire to be exclusive and to be judge positively sets in. This goes to show that people want to prove that they are capable of buying the luxury item and that they are worth more than the salesperson might think.
Darren Dahl, the co-author of the prior study, said that the outcomes were based on a combination of factors.
1. RIGHT KIND OF STORE
Image Credits: angelo via Flickr
In order for the “snob effect” to work, a sales person must accurately represent an upscale brand. For instance, being arrogant in a Gucci store works more than being arrogant in a 7-11 store.
2. RIGHT KIND OF LOOK
Another factor in whether or not a customer is swayed by a poor customer service is the sales associate’s appearance. The sales associate must play the part of a high-end brand ambassador decked out with their own brand’s product/s.
Image Credits: Steve wilson via Flickr
As the song by Jimmy James called “Fashionista” goes: “you have to show a look, have a look, or give a look.” Faces should be pleasing or attractive.
Hence before buying a designer item, rethink whether you can really afford it, whether you really want it, and whether you are trapped in the service’s “rude spell”.
It’s a fresh year, and you know what this means – an entirely new season of concert line ups!
With the latest acts such as Ed Sheeran and Charli XCX hitting Singapore’s shores in the upcoming few months, the concert buzz is certainly spreading fast on our Facebook and Twitter feeds. Naturally, there is good reason for such palpable excitement. In cosy little Singapore, it’s not everyday that you see big-name international artistes gracing our lands (in fact, it’s still a common misconception that Singapore is a part of China – read: we are most certainly not!!)
Perhaps it is for this very reason that not many international performers actually do stop by Singapore for a quick vocal display, and coupled with the dire lack of space in our lovely little red dot, that leads us to the tiresome problem of exorbitant concert tickets. In fact, a single Category E ticket can cost as much as $88! While the anticipation may be understandable, a night out at a concert in Singapore can easily set you back a hundred or two if you are not careful with your finances. This certainly does not bode well, especially if you do not have the spare cash to spend, or if you’ve been strung on a tight budget.
Of course, the most financially savvy method would be to not attend a concert at all.
But hey, if you’re a huge fan of that particular artiste or band, the temptation to get down to see their performance live can certainly be a difficult one to resist indeed! If you have sufficient loose change lying around – I say, go for it, or you might regret having missed out on a chance to see your favourite band performing live three years down the road (lord knows how many regrets I have held back in my concert-attending indecisions).
That being said, being willing to set down a hundred bucks or two to attend a concert should definitely not equate to letting your financial senses go for the night. In fact, when the concert adrenaline sets in, it will only be too easy for you to make the wrong financial choices and spend beyond your means!
As such, here’s how to save money for the typical concert goer! After all, nobody ever said that you can’t have your concert euphoria, and yet save yourself from spending unnecessarily at the same time. Read on for tips to save money at concerts!
Concert shows are usually announced well before the actual show dates themselves. As such, there are usually 3 to 4 months for you to purchase your tickets before the concert actually begins.
For shows that are smaller in scale – in which the organisers expect good attendance at best, but not necessarily a sell-out arena, there are typically early bird promotions in which you can get your concert tickets at $10-$20 off their usual prices!
These early bird promotions usually apply only for the first 2 weeks window, after the ticket sales first open. Or perhaps, the promotion may only be limited to the first 100 seats or so – it really boils down to the organiser’s discretion, but it’s a good chance for you to save some money if you’re an avid fan of that particular performer.
As such, if you happen to get wind of an upcoming performance, note down the date at which the box office opens, and purchase your concert tickets as soon as possible to take advantage of any early bird ticket deals! Plus, buying your tickets early would also mean getting access to better seats. Unless, of course, you’re getting tickets for a moshpit – no helping you there, let’s just hope that you’re really adept at squeezing under people’s arms – but on the brighter side, you still get to save an easy 10 bucks!
2. If you can’t get your tickets early, then buy them reaaaaally late
If you’re a hardcore fan who happened to miss the early bird promotion, but you have a dire wish to attend the concert, then you might wish to ignore this bullet point, and go ahead to purchase your tickets at full price!
On the contrary, if you are in no way desperate to attend the show (perhaps merely keen, but not over eager), then maybe you might want to take a chance, and buy your concert tickets only a day or two before the performance itself. Now, this is certainly not a foolproof method – in fact, it’s entirely subject to your luck. But if you’re truly lucky, you may be able to manage to secure a good ticket at a significantly lower price!
See, there are many people who often purchase concert tickets on a whim, only to realise much later that the show coincides with another important event; say, the driving test that they have been awaiting for half a year! In such cases, they will probably attempt to sell off their tickets before the show itself to try to salvage some money, and not let the ticket go entirely to waste.
If you know a friend who is trying to sell off a pair of tickets for a performance by a band you like at a lower price, you can most certainly consider buying them! In fact, you are on very close terms with said friends, you may even muster an attempt to shamelessly bargain for further discounts (note: you might incur some short-term wrath, but what are friends for, right?)
Alternatively, you can try your luck on platforms such as Ebay or Carousell where last minute sellers might be desperately trying to peddle off tickets which they will not use. As a word of advice, always request for a meetup to receive the tickets in person. If the tickets are being sent through mail, it would be direly unpleasant if they were to go missing due to mishandling, or if you’ve just become the fresh victim of an online scam. Uh-oh.
During performances, it can be easy to succumb to the urge to get a large box of crunchy popcorn, or a refreshing swig of ice cold beer. While this may be entirely appealing in concept, it is only after the spontaneity and concert hype has worn off that you’ll realise you’ve been completely ripped off.
Concert venues often retail snacks and drinks, but at astoundingly high prices that are way beyond their worth. In fact, such snack fronts often sell simple popcorn boxes for as much as $8, or a basic can of soft drinks for an exorbitant $3 or more!
Instead, have a good, filling meal before the concert itself. Being sufficiently sated would help to dispel any urges to further indulge in any finger food or gassy drinks – all of which could add up to unnecessary costs.
Personally, I see no reason why – just switch on the torchlight in your phone and wave it about as a faux light stick, and you’ll achieve the same effect. Then again, if lightsticks are totally straight up your alley, don’t let me stop you!
But here’s how you can avoid getting ripped off at concert venues.
You can buy your own lightsticks prior to the start of the concert for a better deal. In fact, for just $2, you can purchase a pack of two large lightsticks that can last up to several hours on end. Why buy lightsticks for $10 each at concert venues, when you can easily get them for one-fifth of the price at Daiso!
If you’re a solo concert goer, you can even offer up the spare lightstick in the pack to a random stranger and make a fast friend or two at the concert!
5. Buy your concert merchandise only after the concert
(Image credit: flickr.com)
Admittedly, concert merchandise can be part of the hype – there’s just something oddly appealing about owning an exclusive concert band tee that lends you some fan credit.
However, concert merchandise sold at concerts held in Singapore can be terrifyingly expensive. In fact, a simple tshirt can cost as much as $60! Not to mention, other apparels such as hoodies, or parkas, may be sold, and these apparels may cost even more to as much as $100. If you’re out to save money, perhaps buying concert merchandise wouldn’t be your best bet to building up a loaded bank account.
That being said, if you’ve been hankering to own a piece of band merch for ages, here’s how you can get them at a lower price – buy your concert merch only after the concert!
If the merchandise does not sell well, it is likely that stockists will be desperate to clear stock while everyone is well on their way home. As such, you might find that some band merch booths may have slashed the prices down slightly, and you’ll be able to get a piece of the merch pie at a good deal.
Else, you can opt for surfing through second hand platforms like Carousell or Ebay to purchase merchandise that some fans may have bought on a whim, but no longer seem to need. In fact, you may even attempt to haggle the price down slightly to secure yourself a fantastic buy!
6. Better yet, don’t buy any concert merchandise!
(Image credit: wikimedia.org)
Alternatively, you may search up any local fanclubs a month or two before the concert. If you’re in luck, the fanclub may have came up with some self-designed band merch for wear at the concert. While such merchandise may not be authentic, you’ll still have something tangible to commemorate your concert experience with.
Plus, such novelty items that have been conjured up by fanclubs usually sell for much less – around the $10-$15 range, as most fanclubs are not out to profit.
In fact, some of the ‘merchandise’ designed by local fanclubs may be more artistic in design than the actual band tees you’ll find at the concert venue itself – truly a great way to pay less, for more!
