Stop Buying These “Essentials”!

I have to be honest! Since the Circuit Breaker (CB) period started, I have been purchasing essentials (such as sanitary napkin and coffee) and non-essentials (such as make-up and jade roller) online. Online shopping prevents me from being exposed to the possible dangers of the coronavirus. However, I felt that its convenience can trap me.

I had to become more aware of my spending patterns. I gave myself a maximum limit of twice a month to purchase my needs and wants online. This way, I will be able to track my parcels and spending more efficiently.

Two nights ago, Lazada had a Flash Sale on Apple Airpods. I had been eyeing this product for a long time and have been waiting for the perfect occasion to splurge on it. Despite its 20% drop, I decided to seek the advice of my partner. His opinion is of utmost importance to me. Thankfully, his voice of reason prevented me from purchasing the device that I will likely get tired of after several months. He helped me save S$200 that night.

There are many ways to save money. You can reduce your online shopping tendencies, expand your businesses, or invest in stocks. Every little bit counts when you are trying to save money during the CB period. If you have not realized it yet, here are some “essential” things that you should stop buying.

#1: AIR FRESHENER PLUG-INS

Ahhh air fresheners! Air freshener plug-ins have been all the rage in the 1990s. Those pine-shaped air fresheners may be doing more harm than good. According to the environmental testing company called IndoorDoctor, many air fresheners contain a type of chemical known as phthalates as well as formaldehyde. Phthalates are known to interfere with the body’s production of testosterone and have been associated to reproductive abnormalities, says the nonprofit National Resources Defense Council.

For Singaporeans who have pets, the use of air fresheners may feel essential. You need to find an alternative to keep your household fresh. Try creating scented candles by using natural essential oils. Start with this tutorial.

#2: BOTTLED WATER

Singapore’s tap water is generally safe for drinking. On some instances, you may encounter a poor-tasting water due to the chlorination or discolored water. Chlorination is necessary to keep the water safe from pathogens (i.e., bacteria and viruses).

Not only does plastic bottled water add up to the plastic waste, but it also adds up to your costs. Save more by refilling your tumbler or jug from the tap. Ensure that you bring this tumbler or jug while you are out of the house too.

#3: PLASTIC UTENSILS

Yes! Disposable utensils enable you to lessen the time spent on dish washing. However, this cheap and convenient item may add pollution to our environment. Help the future generation by reducing the plastic waste.

Use metal utensils and straws wherever you go. There is a metal utensils and straws set in Lazada, which will cost you about S$7.99.

#4: DISCOUNTED ITEMS

Just because an item is on sale does not mean that you really need it. I know how attractive a Flash Sale can be. In fact, I saved a lot of money from buying my Christmas gifts through Flash Sales. However, problem may start when you purchase several on-sale items without planning to do so.

Image Credits: unsplash.com

If you do not need and want the item, skip it. Are you willing to pay for it in full price? If so, then it highlights your essential need for it. Keep these in mind!

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Phoon Huat shows us how to make the popular Basque Burnt Cheesecake the easy way

Here’s Phoon Huat’s version of the famous Basque Burnt Cheesecake that has taken the world by storm. Super simple, great for beginners!

Find all ingredients on RedManShop.com.

Find recipe here: https://www.redmanshop.com/dims/basque-burnt-cheesecake

Ingredients:

  • Royal Victoria Cream Cheese 450 gm (Product Code: 67061)
  • RedMan Caster Sugar 120 gm (Product Code: 1417)
  • RedMan Eggs 3 eggs (Product Code: 12088)
  • RedMan Vanilla Essence 2 tsp (Product Code: 67722)
  • RedMan Corn Flour 7 gm (Product Code:1201)
  • Grand Fermage Whipping Cream 220 gm. (Product Code: 58611)
  • Round Cake tin with removable base 1 pc (Product Code: 50010)

Steps:

  1. Whisk cream cheese and sugar until creamy.
  2. Add eggs one by one followed by the vanilla essence. Whisk till creamy.
  3. Add the sieved corn flour and mix well.
  4. Add the whipping cream and mix till combined.
  5. Line the 6″ cake tin with a removable base with baking paper on the bottom and sides.
  6. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200 degrees Celsius for 40-45mins.
  7. Once baked, let cool at room temperature completely before setting in fridge for at least 2 hours.
  8. When time to serve, remove from cake tin and enjoy!

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7 Exercises You Can Do At Home While In Quarantine

As new COVID-19 cases continue to emerge in the country, the World Health Organization has urged individuals to stay healthy while in self-quarantine. In Singapore, all fitness centers and stadiums have been closed. Running outdoors does not require wearing a mask. However, walking outside of your house does.

Staying at home for prolonged periods of time can pose a significant challenge for remaining physically active. Do not succumb to the negative health effects of sedentary behavior! Exercise at home!

#1: JUMP ROPE

There is a reason why boxers incorporate the classic jump rope to their training. It improves a range of skills such as balance, stamina, endurance, and coordination. Not to mention, this lightweight and tangle-resistant rope is adjustable for different heights.

#2: MEDICINE BALL

While I will not require you to spend a huge amount of money on a full set of medicine balls, you may invest in one or two of them. Medicine balls are about the size of a Basketball, but can weigh from 2 to 30 pounds. Use these weighted balls to support your ab exercises. Ultimately, it is fantastic for building your upper-body power. Try throwing it against the wall or to a partner.

#3: CARDIO WORKOUT

For only 7 minutes, you will be able to compete a full-body workout using the free app called Seven. According to the website: “Seven’s workouts are based on scientific studies to provide the maximum benefit in the shortest time possible.” Tailor-made workouts target your goal areas to make sure you get the most out of your training.

#4: RESISTANCE BANDS

Resistance bands are cheap, convenient, and light. They retail for about S$3.90 at Decathlon. Toss a couple of resistance bands in your drawer to enjoy the 20 to 50 pounds of resistance in aid of your strength training. Research about the poses that you can do with it.

#5: 3-MOVE CARDIO CHALLENGE

Created by Eisinger, this 3-Move Cardio Workout for beginners will help you get your day started. It consists of the skater, three-point toe touch, and flutter kick. If you are starting out, try each move for 30 seconds with a pause of 30 seconds in between. You may increase the length of each move as you get the hang of these exercises.

Full workout here.

#6: PILATES

My mother is a Pilates instructor. She believes that a Pilates workout is helpful for your core and glutes muscles. Small and controlled movements are essential to hone specific muscles. Complete the 10-minute Pilates workout once or twice a week.

Full workout here.

#7: YOGA

I am a firm believer of the benefits of rhythmic breathing with a series of flowing movements. This practice is called Yoga. Empty your mind as you focus on the physical aspects of this discipline. Moreover, you will be able to enhance your flexibility and balance. Since I cannot practice Hot Yoga anymore, I delight myself with a couple of Yoga exercises found in YouTube. Choose a video length and a difficulty level that you are most comfortable in.

Start small with EkhartYoga:


You are now looking to the future with hope and expectations. What better investment could you make than with your own health?

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Singapore Eateries That Can Deliver To Your Doorstep

As one of my parents reach the ripe age of 50, we have planned a special celebration that will gather all our loved ones. Enter COVID-19! The pandemic has halted several gatherings such as graduations, weddings, and funerals. With that being said, my parent’s birthday is no exemption.

We need to be creative as it will happen in two weeks time. Thankfully, there are several local businesses that host their delivery services through various apps such as foodpanda and GrabFood. Foodpanda is helping business owners by speeding up the on-boarding process and by offsetting related fees.

GrabFood has signed up hundreds of F&B businesses to its food and goods delivery platforms over the past month. Moreover, they help small local businesses by creating the “Local Heroes” icon. This will increase the visibility of highly-rated small businesses.

If you are not part of these apps, you may consider the following food websites that offer delivery services islandwide.

#1: SHO YAKITORI

Website: click here

Satisfy your Japanese food cravings by placing an order at Sho Yakitori through their Whatsapp number: +6596409321. Sho Yakitori specializes in Unagi (eel), Hitsumabushi, Yakitori, and Sushi. They offer bento sets and sides too. Surely, my sister will will place many orders of Japanese food during the circuit breaker period.

#2: NAGA IMO

Website: click here

Another Japanese restaurant that flourishes through its delivery services is Naga Imo. Naga Imo is originally located at Club Street. It serves a wide variety of Japanese dishes, which you can get by contacting them at 9638 8182 or 8595 5111. Orders above S$60 are free of charge.

#3: SOCIAL PLACE

Website: click here
Best known for serving contemporary Chinese cuisine and dim sum, Social Place is a restaurant hailing from Hong Kong. From now until May 4, Social Place is offering takeaway and delivery services with a minimum order of S$50. This comes along the S$7 delivery fee. For orders of S$100 and above, delivery fees will be waived.

Delivery hours span from 11:30 am to 8:30 pm daily. You may order through the website.

#4: MENYA KOKORO

Website: click here
Sorry for flooding you with Japanese restaurants, but Menya Kokoro is worth mentioning. It specializes in mazesoba. Mazesoba is a type of dry, mixed noodles. It is currently doing deliveries in the Tanjong Pagar area with a minimum order of S$25 and no delivery charge.

Delivery hours span from 11:00 am to 8:45 pm daily. Order by contacting
+65 6443 1727 or +65 9392 2466.

#5: 928 YISHUN LAKSA

928 Yishun Laksa is a hawker stall in Yishun that sells delicious laksa. Delivery services spanning from 10:30 am to 6:30 pm from Monday to Saturday are currently exclusive to Yishun and Khatib. The delivery fee is S$5.

The laksa’s friendly prices come in two sizes:

Small: S$3.00
Big: S$3.50

Image Credits: unsplash.com

You can add ingredients at S$0.50 extra or cockles for S$1 more. To order, contact Glen on WhatsApp at 9278 8282 and complete the payment via PayNow or PayLah.

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5 Free Classes To Take During Circuit Breaker Period

Learning new skills often take a toll on your time, effort, and money. Fortunately for you, the current circumstance has put time in your favor. Put it to good use by taking up one or two free online classes that will enrich your skills. Moreover, you can add this newly acquired information to your resume and get more chances of moving ahead.

#1: ACQUIRE A GOOGLE CERTIFICATE

Website: https://learndigital.withgoogle.com/digitalgarage

Did you know that you can get a be a Google-certified digital marketer without paying a cent? Well, Google’s Digital Garage allows you to take 26 structured topics from how to build your online shop to the meaning of web analytics. It is an online academy that lets you dive into the ABCs of digital marketing. Each topic has several videos that give you a run-down of the topic and short quizzes to test your understanding of each one.

You must complete every topic to attain the 26 badges. Then, you must pass the final MCQ quiz to become a Google-certified digital marketer! Having “Google” on your resume sure sounds beautiful in the eyes of any Singaporean office. Give it a try!

#2: BROWSE THROUGH COURSERA

Website: https://www.coursera.org/collections/popular-free-courses

Coursera has a plethora of free and paid classes taught by top instructors from some of the world’s best universities and educational institutions including Stanford, Penn, Johns Hopkins, Duke, Columbia, and Yale. You can earn degrees and certifications through this website.

Topics range from personal development to data science. Each course consists of videos, quizzes, projects, and more. You can earn certificates to qualify for your work or an upcoming promotion. Nonetheless, it is an efficient way to pass time.

#3: TRAIN IN MICROSOFT

Website: https://support.office.com

How many of you have put “proficient in Microsoft Office” in your resume? I am guilty myself. Howeover, there is a legitimate training grounds for Microsoft Office. Training includes unlocking functions of Word, Powerpoint, and Excel.

Simply watch the video lessons that will give you a step-by-step guide through all the possible functions of the Microsoft Office. This way, you can be a wiz at Microsoft Office.

#4: EARN A FACEBOOK BLUEPRINT

Website: https://www.facebook.com/business

Interestingly, Facebook has its own online course. Facebook Blueprint allows you to get a crash course on Facebook and Instagram advertising.

These courses span a variety of topics, so you can get your pick from knowing more about Facebook ads to knowing more about Facebook Live. Worry not about the length of the course as all topics are divided into bite-sized information explained through paragraphs and photographs. You will be rewarded with a downloadable certificate upon completion of each course.

#5: LEARN HOW TO ANIMATE

Website: https://www.khanacademy.org/partner-content/pixar

Last but not the least is Pixar In A Box. We are all familiar with the heartwarming animation films produced by Pixar. However, are you familiar with what goes on behind the scenes? In this free course, you will be able to learn the art of storytelling, animation, and hair stimulation directly from Pixar staff.

In a series of online video lessons, you will get to digest topics in simple language. You will be able to animate bouncing balls, build a swarm of robots, and make virtual fireworks explode. This collaboration between Pixar Animation Studios and Khan Academy is sponsored by Disney.

BONUS: NTUC LearningHub has partnered with GO1 to offer Singaporeans free online courses until May 31, 2020. This initiative was launched last April 11. Courses vary from Change Management to Data Analytics. These are designed for bite-sized learning, so you will not be overwhelmed. Learn at your own pace and your own schedule by visiting ntuc.mygo1.com.

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