7 Exciting Activities You can Enjoy with Your Family at the Beach

BAC MY AN BEACH

Many people love going to the beach to relax, swim, and sunbathe. However, some people get bored easily with these ordinary activities. There are numerous exciting activities you can enjoy at the beach.

What’s more, you can even take your entire family for a fun day out at the beach, and enjoy more than just resting and relaxing. Here are 7 activities you can engage in with your family at the beach.

1.     Collecting Seashells

Seashells are available in almost all beaches. While this activity sounds easy, you should prepare for your adventure adequately for maximum experience. Get a container to put your shells. You can choose a bag, a pail, or even a bowl depending on how much shells you plan to collect. Ensure your shells do not have live animals inside.

Remember, collecting live shells is against the law in various beaches across the world. Adhere to the laws of the country you are visiting when on holiday. Clean your shells once you get back home or to your hotel. You can make the activity more fun by identifying the shells and naming each type of shell you collect. Make it an exciting and learning activity for the children.

2.     Splash the Water

Young children get excited at the sound of splashing water, an activity which has been practiced for ages. Adults can also participate in water splashing, an activity which is not as simple as it may sound. What you need is have everyone hold as much flat and smooth stones as their arms can hold. Head over to the shoreline and throw the stones one by one. The aim of this activity is getting the least bounces before the stones drift down the bottom of the ocean.

3.     Enjoy a Beach Barbecue Party

The beach is an ideal place to enjoy your barbecue sausages and chicken wings while marveling at the rolling waves. Besides, it is a perfect time to bond with your family and enjoying the cool sea breeze.

However, not all places allow barbecue parties. If you are staying at a beach club Bali, talk to the management and have them organize a party for you and your family. You will find it more fun. After all, all you will need to do is pay for the service and get served at your convenience.

4.     Go Crab Catching

With a bucket of water and a net in hand, proceed to the rock pool and allow your children to enjoy catching crabs. Join them and catch as many as possible. You can use this as a learning activity as well. Once you are done, return the crabs back to the sea.

5.     Make a Raft

Outdoor activities give children an opportunity to think and be creative. Excite their adventure feelings by constructing a raft. You will require an object that can float such as driftwood, which you can easily find at almost any beach. Get a string. You can search for a strong seaweed and execute the plan. Your children will not only love it, but they may just give you the captain of the sea title.

6.     Enjoy a Picnic

While you can easily find different types of food beside the beaches, they can be quite expensive. Rather than buying expensive food, you can organize a picnic and pack home prepared food and drinks. What’s more, your own food is much healthier and filling.

Your children will also enjoy eating while having fun. Remember, some beaches discourage alcoholic drinks. Carry water or juice instead just to be on the safe side. Ensure to store your food in a properly insulated cooler and eat fast to avoid contamination and food poisoning.

7.     Listen to Music or Read Your Favorite Book

Reading a book or listening to music while at the beach can be exciting. What with the lovely sunset, amazing waves, lovely environment, and the soft sand beneath your feet? The beach is the perfect place to listen to some lovely songs while you chill and relax away from the hustles and bustles of the city. Carry your earphones and get lost in a momentary world of your own.

Finally

Enjoying fun times with your family at the beach can be both exciting and adventurers. Head to the beach and watch your kids engage in exciting activities. You can choose to relax, go swimming, or join them in performing their fun activities.

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How To Not Get Scammed While Shopping Online

Whether a victim shops from an unverified website or replies to a phishing email, online shopping scams are transactions that can take advantage of you. Avoiding these scams starts with the awareness of its existence and reading the fine prints!

Maximize Your Credit Card Protection

As an international payment platform, PayPal is subjected to the presence of schemes. More often than not, PayPal scams happen when victims are made to believe that they are paying through PayPal. Scammers mimic the PayPal website and its confirmation email to lure their preys.

Or, “interested buyers” may send fake confirmations that the payment has been made. This will prompt you to ship your product.

Stay vigilant! The PayPal community highlights that they will never send an email asking for the following:

* full bank or credit card number,
* debit card PIN number,
* driver’s license numbers,
* a listing of your email addresses,
* a listing of your physical addresses
* your full name,
* your password to PayPal or any other accounts, and
* the answers to your security questions

Shop At Legitimate Sites

It goes without saying that the first thing you have to ensure is the credibility of the website. You must check if the URL begins with an “https”. Having this means that the website is secured. The “s” indicates an additional layer of security known as the SSL or Secured Socket Layer.

For websites you have not heard about, it is recommended to read reviews about the company and its products. You may also make a small initial purchase to see whether the company is legitimate or not. This way, you can feed your curiosity while staying on the safe side.

Beware Of “Too Good To Be True” Offers

Three years ago, I was rummaging through several websites to find an iPhone model and price that I am comfortable with. I realized that I have to be cautious when it comes to filthy cheap deals. There are hundreds of those online! After purchasing, I checked the authenticity of an iPhone through its manufacturing numbers as well as through the Apple support. Much like this scenario, you must steer away from out-of-this-world offers.

Consider your health and wellness as a top priority while shopping online. Do not believe grandiose claims or get sucked into fake offers.

Sources: 1, 2, & 3

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Why Are Apple iPhones So Expensive?

Whenever Apple releases a new iPhone, it has been a tradition for Singaporean consumers to queue up in the nearest Apple retailer. Apple fans participate in a childish display of smartphone rivalry between iPhone and its Android smartphone counterparts. Whichever side you are on, one thing remains the same. iPhones are so expensive!

Its hefty price is probably due to a combination of the following factors.

#1: GAINING FULL CONTROL

Whether you like it or not, an Apple iPhone comes with its own “ecosystem”. Apple designs and engineers not only the hardware of the phone, but also its software. The company gains a full control of your user experience.

Buying an iPhone entails purchasing its built-in apps and services such as Wallet, Pages, iMessage, FaceTime, and iCloud. Competitors may argue that they have similar features, but most of them rely on Android operating systems made by different companies including Google. It is natural for Apple to raise the prices of its phones as making both the hardware and software of a phone is resource intensive!

#2: MARKETING IT WELL

One cannot deny that Apple has brilliant marketing strategies. It positions itself as a higher-end product above its competitors. It became a status symbol for Singaporeans of the modern generation. This branding has worked thus far. However, I cannot be certain about its future.

You may be under the impression that iPhone sales are growing. That is not always the case! For the last few years, iPhone’s sales growth has been 5 % or less.

#3: HAVING SOFTWARE ASSURANCE

When purchasing an iPhone, you are also paying for the longevity of its software. I am referring to the consistent iOS updates and upgrades. These updates and upgrades can be downloaded by the owners of previous generation iPhones and iPads too. For instance, I still receive the latest software updates and upgrades from my iPhone 6.

Although Google releases Android upgrades periodically, these may not be readily available for many Android smartphones. This is due to the fact that there is a wide variation in hardware features, software types, and manufacturer preferences between Android smartphones. This resulted in a shorter software assurance, especially for older or less popular smartphone models.

#4: PRODUCING IS COSTLY

Apple iPhones are made of costly components such as the Gorilla Glass. This is why the overall product costs of iPhones are higher than many of its competitors. Although an Android smartphone has similar or better specifications than an iPhone, the latter is still costlier to built.

As a case study, let us put a spotlight on the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. iPhone 6 costs about US$200 to US$247 to manufacture. While, an iPhone 6 Plus ranges between US$216 to US$263 to produce. The production costs alone can increase the selling price!

Image Credits: pixabay.com

As of 2019, owning a new iPhone has never been more expensive. It is probably due to the aforementioned elements and more.

Sources: 1,2,& 3

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Why Are Cars So Expensive In Singapore?

A city with growing population and limited space cannot afford a massive traffic jam. This is why the Singapore government invest billions of dollars each year on public transportation. The government aims to make it reliable, inexpensive, efficient, and accessible for all. With this objective comes the restriction of private transportation. Since 1990, the Certificate of Entitlement (COE) complemented with tax and duties have been introduced to regulate car ownership and road usage.

There is no such thing as a cheap car! Even an upper middle class Singaporean will tell you that owning and maintaining a car is no easy feat!

So, why are cars so expensive in Singapore? For starters, it involves several factors.

#1: Open Market Value

You may have noticed that the price-tags of a certain car varies from country to country. These varying degrees of prices start a baseline. In our case, the baseline is the Open Market Value or OMV. The OMV will soon be boosted by the Additional Registration Fee and the Certificate of Entitlement. Imagine if we paid cars in terms of its OMV!

#2: Additional Registration Fee

As I said, your car purchase will be subjected to the ADF. ADF or Additional Registration Fee comes after the Registration Fee and the OMV. You see, it is a form of tax imposed to all cars during registration. The calculation of ARF depends heavily on the OMV of the vehicle.

Currently, the ARF is calculated as follows:

For the first $20,000, 100% of the OMV
For the next $30,000, 140% of (OMV-20000)
Above $50,000, 180% of the (OMV-50000)

Please refer to the full list at lta.gov.sg.

#3: Excise Duty And GST

People pay for additional taxes on specific goods sold within Singapore such as petrol, alcohol, and cigarettes. This tax is called Excise Duty.

The Excise Duty on cars is 20% of the OMV. Once this is calculated, a 7% GST will be added on both the OMV and the Excise Duty. It sounds confusing, right? Let me illustrate it for you!

For instance, a car has an OMV of S$49,113. It will incur and Excise Duty of S$9,822 (20% of S$49,113) and a GST of S$4,125 (7% of S$49,113 + S$9,822).

#4: Certificate Of Entitlement

Certificate of Entitlement or CEO is infamous for bumping one’s car expenses. Even Singaporeans who cannot drive would know what it means. It is a certificate that allows a car to be driven for 10 years. Essentially, COE is driven by the market’s supply and demand. COE prices can elevate during periods of high car demand and vice versa.

In 2013, the COE was a whopping S$97,889 (Category E). In today’s market, COE prices go between S$40,000 to S$50,000.

#5: Car Dealers’ Margin

It comes as no surprise that the car dealers have a portion for their own overheads. The profit they own for selling cars is called the dealers’ margin.

It could range from as little as 15% for affordable brands to as high as 50% for luxury brands.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Your job is to calculate all these factors together. Then, ask yourself whether owning a car in Singapore is worth it or not!

Sources: 1 &2

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Delicious And Affordable Bars In Singapore

What better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day or any other occasion than with a drink or two? There is need to be terrified of the hefty prices attached with alcoholic beverages! In fact, there are bars and restaurants in Singapore that offer cheap booze.

CHUPITOS SHOTS BAR

The first on this list, Chupitos, will spoil you with choices of about 130 drinks. Maximize your money by going there during Happy Hour. From 6:30PM to 9PM daily, selected house pours, shots, and beers are only S$6! This discounted rate includes Heineken, Hoegaarden, Baby Irish Coffee, Blue Canary, and so on. What’s more? Ladies get a complimentary shot with every pair of shooters (e.g., Key Lime Pie or Mango Margarita) purchased on Wednesdays.

Image Credits: facebook.com/thechupitosbar

Location: 3B River Valley Road, Clarke Quay, #01-05, Singapore 179021
Contact: The Chupitos Bar

BAR BAR BLACK SHEEP

Looking for a cool place to hangout that offers cheap prices overall? Search no further than the Bar Bar Black Sheep! Its mere branding will draw your attention. It captured mine!

Bar Bar Black Sheep

This is the original coffee shop bar in Singapore.

Posted by Ladyironchef on Sunday, February 26, 2017

Let us go back to the booze. Bar Bar Black Sheep sells a pint of Kronenbourg Blanc and Tetley’s English Ale at about S$13. Half-pints of beers (e.g., Carlsberg and Blanc) start at S$7 only. When it comes to food, it stays true to the North Indian, Thai, and Western fusion. Fortunately for us, there are four outlets islandwide. Simply head down to the one closest to you!

Location: Cluny Court, 501 Bukit Timah Road, #01-05C, Singapore 259760
Contact: 6763 4757

THE PIT RESTAURANT & BAR

Nestled in Holland Village is a humble gem called The Pit Restaurant & Bar. It might not be the fanciest place on the list, but it offers an incredibly friendly price for a glass wine. You cannot go wrong with the house pour wine at about S$10 a glass. Do not get me started with the Happy Hour prices!

For an upgraded experience of your favorite Chardonnay or Merlot, you can pay the premium house pour price of about S$12.

Location: 21 Lor Liput, Singapore, 277733
Contact: 6468 3468

Image Credits: facebook.com/thepitrestaurantandbar

My father was wrong! There are places offering cheap booze. You just have to know where to look.

Source: Yahoo News

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