Times have changed but Giant’s ‘Lower Prices That Last’ is here to stay

We’re more than halfway into Q1 of 2023. Are you feeling the pinch from the 8% GST increase?

If yes, we’ve got exactly what you need to ease you into the GST hike—Giant’s ‘Lower Prices That Last’.

By maintaining hundreds of fresh and supermarket groceries at the same low prices each day, the ‘Lower Prices That Last’ initiative was established by Giant during the pandemic to aid Singaporeans in getting through the challenging phase.

But as we exit the pandemic, Giant continues to uphold their pledge by offering the same pocket-friendly pricing on hundreds of daily necessities given inflation and the recent GST increase. That means they still have your favorite items at a lower price:

  • Royal Gala Apples at 5 for $2
  • Any 3 for $2 Leafy Greens (Sio Peck Chye / Kang Kong / Chye Sim / Sharp Spinach / Red Spinach / Round Spinach)
  • Minced Pork at $0.90/100g
  • Mac Taste Kaya 410g at $2.50
  • Meadows Home 3ply Printed Bathroom Tissue 10R/20R at $5.95/$8.85

In fact, they’ve added additional ‘Lower Prices That Last’ items that many of us consider necessities.

New items added to ‘Lower Prices That Last’

Ecuador Vannamei Prawns

No recipe can’t satiate your prawn cravings, whether you prepare these Ecuador Vannamei Prawns seared, pan-fried, or simply boiled the healthier way. 1 kg of these goodies only costs you $10 and that’s about up to 50 pieces for you to use throughout your homecooked meals.

Perdigao / Seara Frozen Whole Chicken Griller 1kg

It’s not hard to prepare a full chicken. Leave the chicken whole or cut it up; grill it, bake it to perfection in the oven, or even better, fry it up extra crispy for a mid-day snack. You can also try a hand at cooking Korea’s samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) with Perdigao / Seara Frozen Whole Chicken Griller. This dish is customarily consumed by Koreans during the harshest summer days to maintain their energy levels and regulate their body temperatures with the environment. Refer to this samgyetang recipe and let’s get cooking.

Giant Jasmine Fragrant Rice

After a long day at work, nothing compares to a steaming bowl of rice with your favorite home-cooked dishes. Now you can, with ‘Lower Prices That Last’. We guarantee you and your wallet will feel content and fuller.

Top Power Detergent

Top’s color protection keeps colors vibrant and stops color fading. No matter the weather, clothes still smell great when dried indoors since the washing cycle gets rid of the bacteria that cause odors. In addition, the smart Japanese formulation effortlessly removes difficult stains. With its effective cleaning capabilities, no more extended soaking is necessary. And you know what’s best? You can get it at the same low price of $10.95 every day at Giant.

Super 3-in-1 Coffee

Purchase this special mix to significantly improve your days ahead. Super, a 3-in-1 coffee inventor, is skilled in combining the ideal components to provide a harmony of flavor, fragrance, and smoothness. With only $5.50 for a pack of 30/35 sticks, you can get to taste the best coffee beans, premium creamer, and sugar used by Super. Be rest assured of your morning cup.

Dettol Anti-Bacterial Body Wash Twin Pack

Dermatologically proven to offer 24-hour germ protection, Giant presents to you this Dettol Anti-Bacterial Shower Gel in a saver pack of 2. Your skin will feel healthy and fresh after using this carefully formulated pH-balanced product, especially amid Singapore’s unpredictable weather forecast. There is a fragrance for everyone because it comes in a variety to choose from.

Every little bit of money saved counts as we ease into the GST hike, and thanks to Giant’s ‘Lower Prices That Last’, we can enjoy more value for less on hundreds of our staple groceries. Look out for the “finger heart icon” to enjoy more essentials at the BEST VALUE both in-store and on the Cart app.

Happy shopping and more savings to all of us. Spread the good news!

 

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6 Must-Have Beauty Products Under S$50

Despite the influx of new products that hit the beauty market each week, there are certain products that will go down in history as truly the best, complete with their devout followings. Many of these products start at affordable prices which fall under the S$20, S$30, and S$50 mark. Intrigued yet?

Although it’s easy to get carried away and drop by the nearest makeup store to spend the bulk of your paycheck, save your money on these cult-loved products that are worth every dollar!

#1: ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS CLEAR BROW GEL, S$18 MINI-SIZE & S$42 FULL-SIZE

This pocket-friendly Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel is lightweight and long-lasting. If you are waiting for a sign to grab it, this is it! Like a clear topcoat for brows, this brush-on gel sets the product and keeps the hair in place. You can achieve clean and polished arches in no time!

#2: TARTE SHAPE TAPE ULTRA CREAMY CONCEALER, S$22

Tarte’s iconic shape tape concealer gives your face the instant life it needs. The creamy formula helps create definition all over the face with ease, thanks to its applicator. It is also crafted with ingredients such as antioxidants, salicylic acid, and vitamins.

#3: RARE BEAUTY STAY VULNERABLE GLOSSY LIP BALM, S$33

Glosses by Rare Beauty come in gorgeous neutral shades and feel as hydrating as your favorite lip balm. Be sure to reap the effects of its lotus, gardenia, and white waterlily. The balm’s beautiful packaging is a plus too!

Image Credits: unsplash.com

#4: BENEFIT COSMETICS 24-HR BROW SETTER INVISIBLE BROW GEL, S$26 MINI-SIZE & S$47 FULL-SIZE

The Benefit Cosmetics 24-HR Brow Setter Invisible Brow Gel blows its competitors out of the water with its comb-like wand that achieves the lamination-like effect. One tube can take you a few months even with near-daily wear.

#5: SUPERGOOP! PLAY 100% MINERAL SUNSCREEN LOTION SPF 50, S$24

To ensure that you minimize your skin damage, do not forget to bring sunscreen lotion, or stick with you wherever you go. Supergoop! Play 100% Mineral Sunscreen Lotion can be reapplied every two hours or after 80 minutes of swimming or sweating. Best of all? It’s fragrance-free, gluten-free, paraben-free, and sulphate-free.

#6: FENTY BEAUTY MATCH STIX MATTE CONTOUR SKINSTICK, S$49

Yet another Fenty Beauty best-selling product, the Match Stix Matte Contour Skinstick comes with its light-as-air formula to help contour, conceal, and correct parts of your face. This buildable, creamy-to-powder stick has blendable finish that does not crease. Moreover, it comes with many shades to ensure that you use the ideal stick for your skin tone.

 

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How to Save Money to Grow Your KPop Merch Collection

Fangirls and fanboys show their love for their idols in different ways. While some fans show their loyalty by attending every concert, others show their appreciation by purchasing KPop merchandise. Buying albums is one of the best ways to support their idols as it will help the singers or bands to hit top spots in the physical and digital music charts.

To help you get started in buying and saving for KPop merchandise (merch), here is an easy guide:

CHOOSE EITHER OFFICIAL OR UNOFFICIAL MERCH

There are two types of KPop merch – official and unofficial goods. The former is released by the KPop star’s entertainment company. Official merch includes albums, photo books, lightsticks, concert items, and DVDs. A percentage of the sales will go straight to your idols. The latter is usually cheaper than the former. The unofficial goods are fan made and will support the fans’ small businesses. Unofficial goods include fanarts printed on shirts, mugs, stationery items, and keychains.

SCOUT FOR DISCOUNTS

Always keep a lookout for discounts on shops that offer KPop merchandise. Start by scanning online to see whether these stores have posted their recent promotions and events on their websites and social media pages. You can also inquire locally by asking physical merchants whether they have an upcoming promotion. Compare their rates to Singapore marketplaces to ensure that you get the best deals.

KNOW WHERE TO SHOP

KPop merchandise is available on international websites such as Amazon and YesAsia. Items are also available in physical stores such as Infinity Kpop (City Gate) and House of Kpop (Orchard Road). You must first identify the merchandise that you are looking for. Then, do your research on the prices offered by the physical and online stores. Choosing the cheapest places to purchase your desired items will help you save a considerable amount of cash.

MANAGE YOUR CASH

If you are planning to purchase the newest album by ENHYPEN or NewJeans, allot a specific budget by planning ahead. To avoid using your credit cards or borrowing money that is not yet in your hands, you can save up for the coveted item.

For instance, you are expecting that you’ll be getting your salary in a few days, so you decided to pre-order the merchandise and pay for it later. Once you receive your salary, you may experience cash shortage because of your fixed expenses. Having a plan helps avoid overspending and debts.

RESIST THE MARKETING TRAPS

Marketers want you to spend money by targeting their ads to the people who are able to shell out their cash in Kpop merchandise. They have this mentality of: “Don’t go broke but also buy, buy, buy.” It is the marketing department’s job to sell you items, even if you do not need them. So, do your best to resist the marketing traps.

Image Credits: unsplash.com

If your savings are not enough to fund your attendance at all the concerts or your eagerness to collect all your idol’s albums, do not let the marketers sway you. Find price-comparison websites to get the best deals before purchasing goods featuring BTS, Jessi, BLANKPINK, and so on.

Sources: 1 & 2

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6 Undeniable Reasons Why You Should Buy Luxury Makeup

Over the last decade, the beauty industry has exploded into a multi-billion-dollar industry. Dermatologists, beauty experts, and celebrities alike are launching their own high-end beauty brands. Not to mention, drugstore makeup widened their range of beauty products. You have probably once thought why do some makeup products, which all appear to be similar at first glance, carry different price tags?

Well, some products may seem like an investment, but the benefits are vast. If you are considering investing in luxury or high-end makeup, here are some reasons why it is beneficial to spend more on the products that you apply to your face.

#1: PRODUCTS ARE LONGER LASTING

You will keep reaping the rewards for much longer when you invest in luxury facial serum, body oil, or fragrances. Luxury brands offer richer, deeper, and more premium kind of beauty experience that comes with longer lasting results. When you invest in high-end beauty, you pay for ingredients that are meant to last.

#2: BETTER INGREDIENTS WERE USED

Drugstore beauty brands may have active ingredients such as retinol, hyaluronic acid, and glycerin. However, the amount can be negligible compared to luxury brands. Luxury brands offer pure, authentic ingredients, which may be harder to source. While both high-priced and low-priced products can have the same ingredients, the former tend to have more potent ingredients.

Karen Kagha, a Los Angeles-based board-certified dermatologist, shared that she “like for the ingredients and studies/results to inform my opinion about a product’s performance.” She highlighted that many luxury brand names have combined effective ingredients and great branding over the years.

#3: QUALIFIED CONSULTANTS ARE READY TO HELP

When purchasing luxury makeup, there is always somebody qualified to help you both before and after the sale. Whether you are in the physical store or purchasing online, you can chat or live chat with the beauty consultant to help you find a product that suits your skin best. Apart from the premium ingredients, you are investing in the expertise of these beauty consultants too.

Some of the typical queries of customers are finding the right color to purchase the right foundation and finding the correct style of lipstick to suit one’s lips. Brands that offer beauty products at a cheaper rate are generally self-serving and provide no aftercare if you need further help afterwards.

#4: PRODUCTS COME WITH QUALITY PACKAGING AND APPLICATORS

Luxury makeup looks more pleasing when you pull them out of your bag. Apart from its attractive exterior, it is unlikely that high-end makeup will come with a smashed palette, product faults, and broken mechanism. These products come with quality brushes or appropriate applicators instead of the standard widely produced sponges. These applicators make a dramatic difference in how your face will look and how well you apply the products.

#5: LUXURY CAN MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD

Strategic marketing is a big part of luxury brands. Luxury brands spend a chunk of their budget to entice customers all over the world. The packaging or how the product dispenses can make the consumer feel good about their makeup. The feeling of exclusivity and value should not be discounted as it can help boost someone’s overall confidence!

#6: WE ALL DESERVE A BIT OF LUXURY

Whether you have been saving up for a luxury makeup item or have extra money to spend, you deserve a bit of luxury. With the mask mandate slowly easing, our face is the first thing that people see when we meet them. Take care of your face by putting quality products that will last long. Do not be shy to walk inside the luxury beauty stores at The Shoppes Marina Bay Sands and simply enjoy the experience. If you have enough money saved up and you are not hurting your credit score, you can treat yourself to luxury beauty items every once in a while.

Image Credits: unsplash.com

Start and end your day feeling beautiful – because you are!

Sources: 1, 2, 3, & 4

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Is It Cheaper to Go Healthy in Singapore?

The rise of social media influencers in recent years made healthy living trendy again. Quinoa meals and Tracy Anderson-esque workouts are no longer limited to celebrities. From salad bars to cold-pressed juices, we are increasingly surrounded by healthy lifestyle options trying to get us to convert.

Before you embark on this significant lifestyle change, you need to understand the monetary costs and benefits of having a healthy lifestyle. When friends or co-workers tell me they do not eat healthily because it is more expensive, I get it! A simple salad can cost S$10 to S$20 if you are dining at a restaurant. In comparison, a hawker centre meal costs about S$5, while a fast-food set meal averages to S$6.

At a glance, it makes more financial sense to choose the less healthy options. However, spending a little more money on healthy, balanced meals goes a long way. For starters, eating healthy lowers the risks of being diagnosed with diet-related chronic diseases such as diabetes and high cholesterol. Moreover, numerous studies have shown that a healthy diet helps manage one’s mental health and stress.

On that note, let us discuss how much it costs to choose the healthier options in Singapore.

#1: HEALTHY EATING

The inconvenient truth of converting to a healthier lifestyle is – you’ll have to learn how to cook. Contrary to popular belief, eating healthy is not limited to boiled chicken breasts and eggs for the rest of your life. Eating healthy steers away from processed food, empty-calorie meals, and sugar-rich treats.

A 2021 article estimated the amount you will spend weekly when you make regular, semi-healthy, and healthy meals in Singapore. According to the article, a regular meal costs S$114.62, a semi-healthy meal costs S$129.65, and a healthy meal costs S$171.10. Based on these calculations, healthy meals cost S$56.48 more than the regular meals and S$41.45 more than the semi-healthy meals. Although the prices for produce and ingredients have increased today, this article gives us a taste of the differences between healthier and least healthier meals.

Eating healthy may not be a cure-all, but it can help you lower down the chance of getting diet-related illnesses. The additional costs of eating healthy meals per week sound like a better deal than dealing with the medical costs attached to diet-related illnesses.

#2: HEALTHY VICES

One of the first things that pops to mind when talking about lifestyle vices is smoking. A packet of cigarettes costs about S$13. If you consume one pack of cigarettes a day, that could take you back by S$195 per month. In a year, you will have spent about S$2,340. Isn’t that insane? Successfully kicking this harmful habit to the curb could potentially reward you with a holiday trip overseas.

Instead of subscribing to harmful vices, you can incorporate healthy vices into your lifestyle. Healthy vices include regular sun exposure (your source for Vitamin D), adequate sleep (at least 7 hours for adults), and getting massages (to help reduce the secretion of stress hormones).

#3: HEALTHY TRANSPORTATION

It is no secret that owning a car in Singapore comes with a hefty price tag. Apart from the petrol and parking, you must shell out money for its maintenance. For others, their additional transportation expenses include taking a cab or Grab on weekdays. If you are serious about getting in shape, then you can walk whenever possible.

If it’s too hot, you can take public transport for a portion of your journey and walk the rest of the way to work. Think of all the money you will be able to save and the pounds (lbs) you will lose if you can keep this going.

Image Credits: unsplash.com

Consistency is key in maintaining a healthier lifestyle. Do not assume that eating healthy meals for only two weeks will have positive effects to last a lifetime. In fact, if you take dramatic dietary changes frequently, you will be putting your body through unnecessary stress. Enjoy the health benefits of eating and living well by making consistent and conscious choices. Do not give up and stick to your plan!

Sources: 1, 2, & 3

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