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Useful Tips On Raising Financially Savvy Kids

According to Investopedia, financial literacy is the “ability to use knowledge and skills to make effective and informed money management decisions”. It is an area that is often skipped in the formative educational system. As parents, it is your job to fill in the gaps.

Educating your kids to make wise money decisions earlier on will affect their finances in the long run. Consider taking these financial steps:

CONVEY THE VALUE OF MONEY

Encourage your children to absorb the value of money by using tangible examples. For instance, you may employ counting games for toddlers. Grab a pack of M&M’S and have your kids sort each one by color. Let them count how many pieces are available per color.

Once they can discriminate, introduce them to the different denominations of Singaporean money. The difficulty level of your lessons shall increase with their ages. Older children learn best with realistic examples such as an educational trip to the nearby grocery.

Take a conscious effort in providing them information about money. And, be ready to answer their countless questions. Children are innately curious after all!

SET THE RULES ON ALLOWANCE

The idea of giving an allowance is something that many Asian parents embrace wholeheartedly. While it can be a controversial subject, some experts believe that children can learn how to handle their own money by having allowance. Begin by making weekly allotments and cutting it short to bi-weekly allotments for preteens. Limiting the allotments will help your child to continually be challenged. They must think of ways to make their allowance last longer.

The next step is creating a budget with your preteens and teens. Sit down with your older children and enumerate their streams of incomes and expenses. Highlight the importance of distinguishing between the needs and the wants.

OPEN A CHILDREN’S SAVINGS ACCOUNT

What better way to teach your kid about the value of savings than by opening his or her very first account? Children nowadays were blessed with technology. This means that they can simply review their account balances and transactions online. Watching their account decline over time can instill wiser spending choices. While, watching the account grow can motivate them to save more.

Dwell on are the essence of withdrawals and deposits as well as the safety procedures of online banking. There are several local children’s savings account such as ePOSBkids Account and OCBC Mighty Savers Programme. Both do not require a minimum deposit.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Sources: 1 & 2

5 Significant Signs That You Aren’t Right For The Job

Not everyone is blessed with their ideal occupation. However, you should not spend most of your life enduring a job that you are not satisfied with. I hope that you long-term goal is to secure a position that suits your personality and lifestyle.

On that note, here are five telltale signs that you are not suited for the job.

#1: YOU ARE CONSISTENTLY SHOWERED WITH POOR FEEDBACK.

As a university student, I had a friend who waited tables during the term break. He was transparent about his working experience. He said that he had no prior experience related to this. His fellow waiters were happy to receive decent incentives. However, he often receives poor customer comments and lower tips. The consistent negativity surrounding his performance took a toll on his confidence. Needless to say, he stopped working for that restaurant.

Let us look at the situation with shiny “objective lenses”. I knew my friend’s work ethics were good based on our group assignments. The constant negative feedback might not be due to his work ethics. And, the entire restaurant is not conspiring against him!

The solution is simple – being honest. He needs to be honest with himself. His knowledge and skills were just not suited for the job.

#2: YOU LACK MOTIVATION TO FINISH YOUR TASKS.

If you are looking for distinct “red flags” that you are not suited for your position…look no further! One of the first few flags that you may notice is your lack of motivation. When you cannot seem to complete all your tasks, this indicates that something is incredibly wrong.

Are you blankly staring at the tremendous deadlines? Or, perhaps you feel that every project seems pointless? Recognize the lapses in your motivation levels and address it.

#3: YOU DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE LEADERSHIP STYLE.

Roughly 50% of the participants left the job to get away from their bosses, a study found. Whether you want to admit it or not, your relationship with the boss plays a pivotal role in your work experience. Tension may rise in several areas including employee autonomy, corporate social responsibility, leadership styles, and methods of communication. A horrible boss can make your job miserable no matter how much you enjoy its scope.

The initial interview is the perfect place to start. If you realized that your potential boss’s values and approach does not mesh with your personality, there is a significant chance that you will end up unfit for the job.

#4: YOU FEEL OUT OF PLACE.

As a child, I used to play the game called “The Boat Is Sinking”. The premise of the game can be easily absorbed. The game-master dictates how many passengers can board the boat. He or she can mutter any number, as long as the people present are sufficient (e.g., group yourselves into 2). The game ends when most people were booted out and the winners unite. Picture this game as it is parallel with the workplace dynamics.

In the workplace, we have a tendency to create divisions. You gravitate towards the group whom you trust. If your group or organization is in one page and you are in another, it may be time to explore change. Otherwise, your ideas may be completely ignored. Not identifying with the vision of the organization endangers the person-position match.

#5: YOU BECOME A STRESSED OUT MACHINE.

Employees who successfully fit the bill play to their own strengths. Whatever they are doing comes naturally to them. For the ill-fitted employees, tasks require more effort and energy. Their roles ask for strong attention to details and ability to follow precise instructions. They may feel like their job becomes stagnant or robotic.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Constantly feeling dragged to go to work or feeling overwhelmed by your tasks can be a hint of unhappiness. Please address the situation.

Sources:1, 2, & 3

Setting Financial Boundaries With Dependent Relatives

It is alright to help your relative out of a one-time financial jam. However, if this person relies on you on a regular basis, his or her actions are indicative of financial abuse. Stand your ground by setting clear boundaries.

ACCEPT YOUR EMOTIONS

Honesty plays a crucial part in establishing financial boundaries. Begin by identifying the family members who frequently ask you for money. Examine how you really feel about their requests. There are several emotions that you can experience such as frustration and guilt. These emotions can overshadow your judgment of the situation.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Regardless of what happened in the past, it is time to make a stand for the future of your finances. Do so by addressing your own negative and positive emotions first.

CONVEY YOUR FINANCIAL PHILOSOPHY

When understanding your financial philosophy, include your personality and lifestyle. Communicate this said philosophy when the dependent relative borrows money. Are you a person who values helping others in ways that do not involve money? As long as you bring your relatives back on their feet, I respect your decision.

Discussing your monetary views is uncomfortable. But, it is something that you must work on. You may take the subtle route by saying: “I wish I could help, but my finances are not allowing me to do that at the moment.” To take the direct route, say: “No! I do not believe in wasting my hard-earned money on that.”

LEARN TO BE A FAIR NEGOTIATOR

Let me send a wake-up call to you! Avoid feeling pressured to signing a contract or loaning cash just because the other party is your relative. Whether there are two or more people involved in the decision, negotiating is important if all the parties are to succeed.

Highlight what you are willing and not willing to do with your finances. While these people may have good intentions, you need to be fair to yourself and your finances.

PUT EVERYTHING IN WRITING

Cultivate a habit of having your financial agreements in writing. Protect yourself against legal issues by getting your deals, offers, and other financial agreements in writing. People who respect you and your financial boundaries will not have a problem with this.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

When family members are involved, money is usually tangled with issues. It is up to you to deal with these issues by setting clear boundaries. Feel free to share the positive and negative ways that money has been used in your family.

Sources: 1 & 2

Why Clarke Quay is the best place in the CBD to have your lunch

Known for its buzzing night life, Clarke Quay has as much to offer in the day as at night. With more than 20 promotions offered for lunch, you can reward yourself with a mid-day break with artisan food. Be it Asian cuisine, Western delights or local tastes, Clarke Quay has a smorgasbord of lunch options to choose from!

Cast away your Monday Blues!

Come every first Monday of the month, catch 1-for-1 deals at selected outlets. Participating outlets include Fremantle Seafood Market, Talay Thai and more.

Affordable Lunch Sets from $10++.

With lunch sets that begin from $10++, you can now grab Xiao Chen Gu Shi’s Chicken Rice set, Hooters’ signature Wings & Fries, Fremantle Seafood Market‘s Seafood Aglio Olio or choose between 1- to 3-course meals at Hot Stones.

For $15++, you can also catch (pun intended) Catch Beer & Batter’s Signature Ale Battered Fish & Chips, Muchos’ Mexican Quesadillas, a taste of Balinese cuisine at Bayang, Tomo Izakaya and Hutong. Cannot go without a beer to accompany your lunch? McGettigan’s Irish beers and Harry’s are excellent lunch options with $15++ sets. (Beers are not included in lunch promotions.)

Try these new kids on the block.

You can’t miss the all-time favourite Phad Thai from Talay Thai, known for its new Thai Tapas concept. VLV Singapore, Red House Seafood, Da Miao Hotpot and Philly Shack are some of the other F&B outlets that have also recently sprung up in Clarke Quay. In case you haven’t heard of Philly Shack, they are home to the authentic Philadelphia Cheesesteak, or Philly Cheesesteak, as they are more commonly known.

Ideal business lunch venue.

If you’re looking for a quality dining location to host your business lunches, upmarket VLV offers a 7-course set lunch, which features their speciality “Duo of Dim Sum” and “Sweet & Sour Chilean Seabass”. Peony Jade also offers a 5-course set lunch, with its upmarket food items at only $25++ per pax! Their signature smoked duck with black peppercorn sauce, cappuccino pork spare ribs garnished with almond flakes, crabmeat bouillon with golden mushroom, spicy sze chuan ma po tofu are some of the items not to be missed.

Happy Hour at lunch.

Because why not? Experience a modernized Irish pub experience at McGettigan’s Irish bar. Catch Beer & Batter and Harry’s are some of the other pubs and restaurants open from mid-day, so in case you need a quick perk-me-up, Clarke Quay’s myriad of choices have got you covered!

Near the CBD, less time travelling

Surrounded by the business districts of City Hall, Raffles Place and Dhoby Ghaut, Clarke Quay is a prime location for a quick bite, or a leisurely lunch date with your colleagues.

Kids dine for FREE every SUNDAYS!

We know Sunday is a family day. Come Sunday from 12pm to 3pm, for every every 2 paying adults, 1 kid gets to dine for free at restaurants such as VLV Singapore, Hot Stones, Fremantle Seafood Market, Talay Thai, Catch Beer & Batter and McGettigan’s.

Enjoy free parking from 12.30pm – 1.30pm from Monday to Friday, excluding Public Holidays.

Enjoy free parking from 12.30pm – 1.30pm from Monday to Friday, excluding Public Holidays.

CapitaStar members are rewarded

All CapitaStar members will also receive 3 times bonus STAR$* for your lunch receipts at Clarke Quay.

Family free game

Every alternate Sundays in the month of April, there will be free games for families and it will be an excellent time to reconnect and bring the family together!

What are you waiting for? Make a reservation for your next lunch date!

For more information, please visit www.clarkequay.com.sg/lunch

*Terms & conditions apply, information is accurate at the time of print, please check with individual outlets for details.

How To Ace A Last-Minute Job Interview

A few days ago, my friend approached me with a career dilemma. He needs to prepare for two consecutive interviews in less than 20 hours. Rescheduling was not an option as he enthusiastically agreed to both parties. He managed to move his schedule around to have a day off. But, will he be able to handle the pressure of two companies that are vying for his attention?

The answer is YES! It is possible to survive this significant day.

All he had to do was to maximize his limited time. This is what I recommended him to do:

DO YOUR RESEARCH

As with most things in life, it pays to come prepared. Spare at least 10 minutes of your time to research about the company and the position that you are applying for. Review the company’s visions, objectives, locations, awards, and offerings (products or services) with a fine-tooth comb. You must have a system of thorough searching for keywords that you may highlight on the interview.

Moreover, it is crucial to read about the responsibilities and characteristics of the ideal candidate. Visualize yourself as a Sales Associate applicant for Honda Singapore. You managed to browse through the company’s social profile and official website. It paid off as you were asked about the new Honda Accord. A less informed applicant will not be able to answer the questions correctly.

Image Credits: facebook.com/HondaSingapore

ENUMERATE YOUR UNIQUE SELLING POINTS

What factors differentiate you from your competitors? The answers on your mind are your Unique Selling Points (UPS). In the entrepreneurial sense, UPS refers to the qualities that a certain brand has and others don’t. Focus on your personal skills and other qualifications that other candidates are less likely to have.

Your blogging skills may come in handy when making narratives as a teacher. And, your communication skills may help you fit into an office with diverse employees. Put emphasis on these stellar qualities to make a lasting impression during your interview.

HAVE THE RIGHT DIRECTIONS AND DETAILS

What is worse than having limited time to prepare? Well, not being able to reach your destination because you were lost. This is why you must get the accurate location of your interview. Do not forget to leave early to cushion unforeseen events (e.g., traffic jam or MRT breakdown) that may consume your time. Use the navigation app called Waze, if necessary!

Image Credits: pixabay.com

For a hassle-free interview, know the name and the contact details (i.e., handphone number or email) of the interviewer beforehand.

Sources: 1, 2 , & 3

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