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S’Pore Yuletide Shopping Do’s & Don’ts

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Whether you are figuring out how to dodge awkward questions from your relatives or are planning your gift list, this article can help you navigate through the maze of holiday campaigns and attractive sales. Remember, the Yuletide shopping season will be even more cutthroat than the last. You best come prepared!

#1: SHOP SAFELY

Are you excited drop by the Orchard Road? When shopping at the mall, look for stores or businesses that offer safety precautions for its customers and staff. These precautions include enforcing face mask policy, offering hand sanitizers at the entrance, encouraging social distancing, and providing contact-free payment options. Do you part in keeping the community safe by staying at home or by refraining from shopping if you feel unwell.

#2: SHOP AHEAD OF TIME

The massive growth of online shopping and deliveries will likely put an additional strain on the logistics that are already reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic. Many customers have come to expect shipping delays over the past months, but these delays could become worse during the last few months of the year. Not to mention, the effect of the Yuletide season.

Thus, it is best to shop ahead of time. Plan your gift giving list and complete your Yuletide shopping. You can also opt for the store pick-up option. Some retailers such as Samsung and Uniqlo Singapore help alleviate shipping delays by offering the store pick-up option. Customers may purchase the goods online and pick them up in the store to avoid waiting for deliveries.

#3: DO NOT FORGET TO CHECK THE PRICES

Despite your best intentions, the perfect gift may come with a hefty price tag. If you find that a gift can blow your budget, you may use your smartphone to check whether there are better deals elsewhere. Look into websites that post deals such as Money Digest or go to price comparison websites like iPrice.

#4: CREATE A GAME PLAN

Avoid biting into the holiday temptations by creating a game plan before you complete your Christmas or New Year shopping. Make a list of the gifts that you need to buy for the people whom you love the most. Weigh whether you can purchase these gifts online or in-store.

By equipping yourself with a list, you will be able to navigate through the busy malls. If you still have trouble resisting items that are not on your list, consider leaving your credit cards at home. Bring enough cash for your purchases.

#5: DO NOT MAX OUT YOUR CARDS

Your credit card utilization rate is a vital part of your credit score. It refers to how much you currently owe divided by your credit limit. Thus, you must use your credit card wisely to prevent damage to your credit score. Do not get us wrong! It is understandable to have a higher balance over the holidays. However, please try to keep your utilization rate as low as possible. You can either spend less money, use cash for small purchases, or make multiple credit cards payments in a month.

#6: ENSURE ONLINE SECURITY

It is important to educate yourself about shopping securely, given that many people have experienced data breaches over the past years. Monitor your credit and financial accounts regularly and exercise caution when submitting your personal information. Is it secure to provide your credit cards details over the phone? Can you click a random link sent through your spam folder? Be careful!

By proactively guarding your identity and sensitive information, you may be able to prevent fraud from ruining your holidays.

#7: DO NOT SPEND MORE THAN WHAT YOU HAVE

Do not let the flashy advertisements and the pressures of the season to tempt you to go into debt. The holidays can still be a joyous season even if you do not have gifts for everyone. If you do not have enough money for gifts, there is no shame in giving homemade gifts or being present in the celebration. Sometimes, the best gift is spending quality time with the ones you love.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

May these Yuletide spending tips help you survive the season with your wallet still intact!

Sources: 1 & 2

7 Tips for Achieving Mind-Body Balance

Health is not merely the absence of diseases; it is a state of optimal well-being and wholeness. This includes the food you eat, the relationships you build, the jobs you fulfill, and your life experiences.

Aiming for balance in your mind, body, and soul is a good place to start. Below are seven ways to help you begin the process.

#1: AVOID SITTING FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME

Given our current situation, many Singaporeans are working from home. Try to stand or walk around while you work. Take a few minutes to refresh your mind and body. Sitting for extended periods of time was linked to diabetes and heart diseases.

#2: READ AND LEARN MORE

Learning does not stop once you get out of school. Open your mind to new possibilities by taking online classes, reading books, watching documentaries, and attending workshops. Cultivate a heart that yearns for lifelong learning.

#3: MEDITATE ON A DAILY BASIS

Meditation improves concentration, memory, mood, sleep, and creativity. All it takes is a few minutes per day to start reaping its benefits. You may even ask your friends to partake in a 30-Day Meditation Challenge with you.

#4: EXERCISE REGULARLY

Apart from meditation, regular exercise offers benefits for both your mind and body. A complete fitness plan includes exercises to develop cardiovascular conditioning, strength training, and flexibility. Get at least 15 to 30 minutes of moderate to fast-paced exercises each day.

#5: DISCONNECT FROM TECHNOLOGY

Our society heavily depends on technology such as laptops and smartphones. Our busy lifestyles glued to our devices can cause detrimental effects on our overall health. Which is why people are tapping into the concept of mindfulness. Try unplugging for the weekend. Start by giving yourself an hour of mindfulness (i.e., no devices allowed).

#6: TAKE A RESTFUL SLEEP

Restful sleep is vital to having energy and optimal well-being. Take a restful sleep of about 7 hours per night. When you are well-rested, you can approach stressful situations in a calmer manner.

#7: CREATE LOVING RELATIONSHIPS

Research showed that a good social network has numerous physical and mental health benefits. Social support can keep you from feeling isolated, inadequate, or lonely. Your friends and family can give you advice on how to manage your problems.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Sources: 1 & 2

Best Places To Get Plant-Based Meat Alternatives In Singapore

Over the weekend, I had the chance to meet up with a childhood friend. With her contagious personality and unwavering enthusiasm, she encouraged me to try the plant-based options at Starbucks. You read that right! Starbucks, of all places, introduced me to the wonderful world of plant-based meat alternatives.

To my surprise, the dish resembled the flavors and texture of the real meat. I expressed how eager I am to try another plant-based dish and my friend said: “If you think about it, meat primarily gets its taste from its herbs and spices.” My curiosity grew and I began to search for other vegan creations offered by restaurants and supermarkets in Singapore.

Through the innovation of companies and startups, the vegan scene is thriving with its amazing plant-based meat products. Read this article for the best brads and where to find them.

#1: IMPOSSIBLE FOODS

When the well-renowned plant-based meats by Impossible Foods graced our sunny shores in 2019, it won the hearts of many with its beef-like flavor and texture. Two years later, it became a center of many dishes such as burgers, pizzas, and even curry puffs.

Image Credits: facebook.com/ImpossibleFoods

Craving for the OG plant-based meats? Satisfy your hunger with Impossible Foods’ selection at FairPrice, Cold Storage, or RedMart. Its Impossible Beef (340g) retails for S$11.90 at these stores.

Website: impossiblefoods.com

#2: QUORN

Let us move the spotlight from California’s Impossible Foods to United Kingdom’s Quorn. Quorn sells a wide variety of vegetarian meat products including vegan fish fingers, crispy nuggets, burgers, sausages, and more. Their products are made from a fermented protein that is derived from the fungus that grows in soil.

Image Credits: facebook.com/Quornfoods

What separates Quorn from the rest is its competitive prices. For instance, a 336g packet of Quorn Sausages retails for just S$6 on RedMart. Quorn is available at most supermarkets including Cold Storage and FairPrice.

Website: quorn.sg

#3: IKEA

Let’s face it! Many Singaporeans drop by IKEA to eat their Swedish meatballs rather than to buy a list of furniture. Instead of braving the crowds, you can taste their plant-based alternative at the safety of your own home. Take home a frozen bag of plant balls for S$8.50 (12 pieces), S$10.50 (16 pieces), or S$12.50 (20 pieces). These plant balls are made of nourishing ingredients such as yellow pea protein, oats, and potatoes.

Image Credits: Lara Isabella Parry via facebook.com

Visually, these plant balls resemble the Swedish meatballs. Order a plate of 8 plant balls with mashed potato and mixed vegetable for S$6.50 to see for yourself!

Website: ikea.com

#4: BEYOND MEAT

From beef patties to ground beef, you can easily recreate your favorite meal dish with the plant-based meats offered by Beyond Meat. Australian company Beyond Meat’s plant-based products not only look and taste like meat, but they also cook in a similar fashion. Best of all? All their products are made without gluten or soy.

Image Credits: facebook.com/beyondmeat

Beyond Meat products are available at the local restaurants such as Porta and Wolf Burgers and supermarkets such as FairPrice, Cold Storage, and RedMart. Grab a 453g pack of minced beef for S$19.95 at FairPrice or S$19.67 at RedMart.

Website: beyondmeat.com

BOTTOMLINE

These plant-based meat substitutes can affect your wallet, your body, and the environment. Sticking with non-processed food like vegetables, grains, nuts, fruits, and tofu can help you save more money as meats tend to be relatively expensive. Incorporating these plant-based meats to your diet can affect your budget too depending on your frequency of cooking and your brand of choice. Plan your meals wisely.

At the end of the day, items made with plants are nutritious and versatile. Do not be afraid to explore other vegan options in Singapore!

Sources: 1, 2, 3

5 Cheapest Delivery Services In Singapore

Thanks to technology, running an e-commerce store or a small business has become more manageable. Online shopping applications and social media platforms help business owners to reach consumers islandwide – and even worldwide. In addition, some courier services provide pick-up options wherein they can collect the items from you. This option makes it possible to operate a business without leaving the safety of your own home.

While we do not need to solely rely on SingPost to ship our items, the issue now is the multiple options for delivery services. Which courier should you choose? Will your parcels be shipped in time and intact?

To help you decide, here are five delivery services that you can choose from. Keep the size of the parcel in mind!

For small parcels: Postage-paid solutions such as PolyM, SmartPac, or Ninja Pack are incredibly convenient. Simply put your item/s in, seal the pack, and drop it off.
For bulky parcels: Qxpress’ next-day delivery provides the cheapest rates for bulky or heavy items. Check out their rates below.
For huge parcels: When it comes to van or lorry deliveries, you cannot skip on Lalamove or GetVan.

FOR SMALL PARCELS

A. EZIE App

Enjoy the cheapest deliveries in Singapore! (only from $2.89) EZIE’s ambition is to help eCommerce sellers to grow and scale their online businesses by providing tailored eCommerce solutions.

Their eCommerce solutions portfolio is tailored to eCommerce multichannel services to help our customers selling on multiple online channels (ie: Lazada, Shopee, Shopify, etc.) and includes:

Logistics (on-demand B2C shipping & fulfillment services),
Multichannel Order management solution,
Multichannel Customer service,
Multichannel Sales / Marketing services,
Financial and Insurance Services.

No min. order is required. Free door-to-door deliveries are available in EZIE!
For more information, visit their website.

B. SINGPOST

SingPost is the country’s forefront in mail and logistics solutions. As a well-established courier, SingPost offers cheap rates for small parcels that weigh up to 2kg, 324 x 229 x 65mm.

Forget about queueing at the post office! You can ship your small parcel through convenient options such as the PolyM and the SmartPac. PolyM (no tracking) is a local postage-paid packaging that delivers your parcel directly to the letterbox. While, the SmartPac (with tracking) is a prepaid postage service that comes with free packaging and letterbox delivery. Delivery takes about 2 to 3 working days.

Fees:
PolyM S$2
SmartPac S$3.20
SmartPac Box S$3.80

For more information, visit singpost.com.

C. NINJAVAN

NinjaVan’s Ninja Packs are postage-paid polymailers that come in different sizes. Best of all? It does not have a weight limit unlike other couriers. You can put all the items you want in the bag, which makes it ideal for delivering small yet heavy items such as books. After preparing your Ninja Packs, you can quickly drop it off at the Ninja Point. Track your parcel as it is being shipped. Delivery takes about 1 to 3 days.

Oh, by the way! The only downside about using this is that it comes in packs of 5 when you purchase it online. Online orders below S$50 will have to pay S$1.90 for postage. Individual packs can only be bought onsite at selected locations.

Fees:
XS 230 x 170mm S$3.17 (S$3.60 – padded)
S 350 x 250mm S$3.50 (S$4.00 – padded)
M 470 x 330mm S$3.90 (S$4.48 – padded)

For more information, visit packs.ninjavan.co..

FOR BULKY PARCELS

QXPRESS

If you are planning to have your bulky or heavy parcels delivered, you can go for Qxpress. Qxpress accepts parcels for up to 30kg! Its standard Qxpress Delivery is a next-day service that offer deliveries for a variety of sizes such as 5kg, 20kg, and 30 kg. It is an affordable solution for shipping bulkier items that do not fit in a SmartPac or a Ninja Pack.

Are you in a hurry? Then, select the Qxpress Quick Delivery (same day delivery) which costs about S$5.99/km. This is only practical for short distance deliveries.

Fees:
5kg S$4.30
10kg S$6.90
15kg S$9.90
20kg S$12.90
25kg S$15.90
30kg S$19.90

For more information, visit: qoo10.sg/shop/qxpress.

Image Credits: unsplash.com

FOR HUGE PARCELS (VAN & LORRY DELIVERIES)

A. GETVAN

GetVan specializes in huge and heavy deliveries that are completed instantly and on-demand. The only exception is the Extra Large lorry, which you have to book 2 hours in advance. The fee includes loading and unloading time, but does not include the driver’s help. You will need to load all the items yourself by default. To get the driver’s help, you must pay an additional fee of at least S$15.

When comparing the published rates, you will notice that GetVan generally charges lower base rates compared to Lalamove. However, it has higher per-km fees. It is wise to weigh your options and to consider getting GetVan for short distance (van/lorry) deliveries.

Fees:
Send (car) $25++
Regular (small van) $35++
Large (large van) $40++
Extra Large (14ft lorry) $70++

For more information, visit:getvan.com.sg/goods.

B. LALAMOVE

Lalamove is one of the most popular delivery service provider in Asia. Although it is best known for its vans and lorries, Lalamove has a full suite of vehicles such as cars and motorcycles. Use these vehicles for moving smaller items, instantly!

You do not have to wait by your doorstep the entire day because you can book their services on-demand. The driver will also help you to load the goods. So, you can definitely buy the second-hand washing machine on Carousell.

Fees:
Motorcycle $10 + $0.35/km (8kg, 40 × 25 × 25 cm)
Car $12 + $1/km (20kg, 70 × 50 × 50 cm)
MPV $19 + $0.50/km (50kg, 110 × 80 × 50 cm)
1.7m Van $30 + $0.50/km (350kg, 160 × 120 × 100 cm)
2.4m Van $38 + $0.50/km (500kg, 230 × 120 × 120 cm)
10ft Lorry $42 + $0.75/km (1 ton, 290 × 140 × 170 cm)
14ft Lorry $79 + $0.75km (2 tons, 420 × 170 × 190 cm)

For more information, visit: lalamove.com.

Image Credits: unsplash.com

With the help of these reliable and cheap courier services in Singapore, online resellers are presented with the opportunity to grow their small businesses. Since buyers will be able to enjoy the lowest possible rates for quality service, this sounds like a win-win!

(Disclaimer: Terms and Conditions apply per courier. Fees may be subject to change. Please visit the courier’s website for more information.)

Source: 1 & 2

Use the 5-step ‘Spiral Method’ as an alternative to Google search

In this modern-day era, the average person goes straight to the Google search bar to find new information. But do you know that Google may not be the best way to learn new things?

Well, more than half of the information written online is rewritten content. Let’s also not forget about the high marketing spend certain companies are pumping into every month to rank their websites up on the first page of Google.

This is the reason why we would like to introduce to you a five-step approach called the ‘Spiral Method’ to help you gain a new perspective in learning new things. Consider this as an alternative to Google if you would like.

In short, the ‘Spiral Method’ is made of 15 to 20 meetings with people in your network and their extended connections. At the start, you may not get as much learning data. However, it progresses into something deeper as you advance to your 10th meeting and beyond.

Please also note that we’re not asking you to ditch Google. Google can still act as your supplemental tool and learning partner. Just in case you get conflicting views from the industry experts you’ve spoken to, you can always confirm it with the content on Google search.

Without further ado, let’s show you how the five-step ‘Spiral Method’ works.

#1: Pick your topic and reach out

Image Credits: unsplash.com

When you head to Google, chances are that you already have a topic in mind. If you have a couple of questions in your thinking cap, you may want to pick on the ones that matter and sub-categorize them accordingly.

Next, instead of typing the keywords in your search bar, go to your social media or LinkedIn and take a good look at your connections. You don’t have to pick out 15 people at once because referrals can come into play later. Just select at least five to eight people and then reach out politely, asking for a short 30-minute conversation on your decided topic.

#2: Prioritise big concepts from the get-go

Life often throws us lemons. But the smart people use it to make lemonade with a tinge of sweetness. Depending on who you meet, you may be bombarded with lots of valuable information from the get-go. It’s okay even if you don’t remember down to the exact details.

The idea at the beginning is that you prioritize big theories surrounding your chosen topic. Think of it as the main takeaways from each conversation. At the start, don’t stress yourself over being an expert at the topic you’re researching. At this stage, you’re just trying to be a bit smarter and more informed. You could even tap on keywords that you’ve not heard before and use them as the basis to dig deeper.

#3: Be brave to request referrals

Image Credits: unsplash.com

At the end of every conversation you have with an expert or industry personnel, thank them for their time but don’t leave it at just that. Be brave to ask for referrals so you can turn one connection into other relevant contacts. If you think it might be impolite to reach out to these new contacts personally, request a short introduction to ease you into your newfound relation.

#4: Keep up with the conversations until you’ve met 15 to 20 specialists

Remember what we mentioned in the introduction about the ‘Spiral Method’? The approach is essentially made of 15 to 20 meetings with people in your network and their extended connections. Hence, keep up with the conversations until you’ve met about 15 to 20 industry experts.

As you reach your 10th conversation, you might have gathered some key concepts or keywords which require some research into. Don’t be afraid to use Google to do some reading up before you go on your next meeting with your 11th connection and beyond. The last thing you want to do is to rush into conversations without doing the necessary read-up on selected concepts beforehand.

Also, as you expand your network and receive referrals from your existing connections, you will be more likely to meet niche experts in the field. Remember to ask for the latest trend or where your particular subject is heading towards in the near future. These people have been in the market for an extended period and can be trusted with their predictability over what’s out on the worldwide web.

#5: Track your progress and recall the information you’ve learned throughout your conversations

Image Credits: unsplash.com

As we come to a close, be aware that it is absolutely normal for your learning rate to slow down as you progress. As a good gauge, about 60% of the information you hear may be new, while the other 40% is what is already ingrained in your mind by the 5th meeting.

Depending on the chosen topic and the people you meet, some spiral approaches may be at a faster or slower rate than others. That is why it’s essential that you track your progress by recalling the information you’ve picked up throughout your conversations.

Hopefully, by your 15th conversation, you would have maxed out your professional knowledge regarding that subject and no longer have to continue setting up meetings any further. But if there’s a need to continue, then go ahead until you’ve reached the peak point where there’s no need to speak to anyone anymore.

There‘s more to researching than just relying on Google. Try using the ‘Spiral Method’ next time!

#1: Pick your topic and reach out

#2: Prioritise big concepts from the get-go

#3: Be brave to request referrals

#4: Keep up with the conversations until you’ve met 15 to 20 specialists

#5: Track your progress and recall the information you’ve learned throughout your conversations

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