Smart Money Hacks for 2024

As we step into the final weeks of 2023, it’s time to break free from old financial habits and embrace money-saving strategies that can boost your income and savings.

ALWAYS HAVE A SHOPPING LIST

Heading into a grocery store without a plan can be a recipe for overspending. We’ve all been there, wandering aimlessly and ending up with a cart full of things we didn’t really need. Avoid this by always carrying a shopping list with you. Having a clear plan in place will help you stick to your budget and make wiser purchasing decisions.

Image Credits: unsplash.com

SEPARATE YOUR SAVINGS ACCOUNT

If impulse shopping has been an issue for you in the past, it’s essential to protect your savings from unnecessary spending. Keep your savings in a separate account, entirely distinct from your day-to-day spending. By creating this barrier, you make it more difficult to dip into your savings impulsively, promoting a healthier financial discipline.

MONITOR YOUR EXPENSES

Stay in control of your finances by cultivating a habit of tracking your expenses. Whenever you receive a paycheck, record it in your budget’s income category. Likewise, make sure to log every expenditure, whether it’s filling up your gas tank or treating yourself to a delightful charcuterie night. By keeping a close eye on your spending, you’ll be able to identify areas where you can save and make necessary adjustments to stay on track.

DELETE SHOPPING APPS

Did you know that 4 out of 5 Singaporeans give in to impulse purchases? With 54% of consumers admitting that shopping on mobile devices has led to increased spending, it’s time to take control. Cut down on impulsive buying by removing those shopping apps from your phone. Instead, opt for online shopping from your laptop or desktop where you can be more intentional with your purchases.

PRACTICE MINDFUL BUYING

Before you hit that “buy” button, take a moment to reflect. Ask yourself, “Is this the right time to make this purchase?” Give yourself some space between the desire to buy and actually making the purchase. Set a specific timeframe for consideration; for instance, commit to not checking out for 24 hours or even a few days after adding items to your cart. This simple money hack can be truly game-changing.

REGULAR BUDGET CHECK-INS

Whether you have ambitious financial goals as a family or just want to stay on top of your finances, communication is key. Schedule regular budget check-ins, either on a weekly or monthly basis, and involve everyone responsible for the family’s finances. By doing so, you can make informed decisions, track your progress, and work together towards achieving your financial objectives. Effective communication about family finances is vital, regardless of your specific goals.

CREATE A MINI-BUDGET FOR UNEXPECTED EXPENSES

No matter how well you manage your finances, there will inevitably be times when unexpected expenses arise. Rather than panicking and derailing your entire budget, it’s best to have a plan in place to handle these situations.

Consider creating a microbudget specifically for handling short-term unexpected expenses. Set aside a portion of your savings to serve as an emergency fund. This way, when unexpected costs arise, you can dip into this fund without disrupting your regular budget or long-term financial goals.

AVOID FREQUENT PHONE UPGRADES

Resist the temptation to constantly upgrade your mobile phone just to keep up with others. Telecommunication companies may entice you with appealing upgrade offers, but remember that you’ll end up paying for that phone through your monthly contract. Instead, focus on choosing a phone that meets your needs and holds its value over time, allowing you to save money in the long run.

REMOVE STORED CREDIT CARD INFORMATION

Increase your mindfulness and avoid impulsive online shopping by refraining from storing your credit card details on websites. When you have to enter your credit card information each time you make a purchase, it provides an essential pause to consider if the expense is necessary.

Image Credits: unsplash.com

Additionally, by not saving your details, you reduce the risk of potential hacking and unauthorized access to your accounts. Keep your online shopping experiences deliberate and secure.

Sources: 1,2, 3, & 4

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How to Efficiently Overcome Money Worries in Singapore

With many people facing added mental, emotional, and financial stress, our overall health has never been more important. If you’ve been feeling less than yourself lately, you’re not alone. It’s normal to feel burnt out from everything that’s been going on. Unfortunately, burnout can extend to all parts of your life—from work to family and everything in between, including your finances.

Symptoms of Financial Stress:
There are obvious symptoms of financial stress that we can identify when we experience significant situations in our lives, as well as more subtle signs of burnout that can make problem-solving seem impossible. Watch for these signs and symptoms of financial burnout:

a. Constantly thinking about your budget, or lack thereof.
b. Feeling stressed about where your money is coming from and where it’s going.
c. Feeling guilty, exhausted, depressed, or overwhelmed about your finances.
d. Feeling cynical or apathetic towards your financial goals.
e. Lack of sleep or increased anxiety just thinking about money.

GET ORGANIZED

What’s the best way to help you stay on top of your finances? Get your finances organized and focus on the future! Understand the finer details of your finances, like when you get paid, when your bills are due, your monthly budget, and your savings. Find an organizational tool that works for you—whether that’s in an app, spreadsheet, or journal. We have lots of great resources to help you get started!

SET UP AUTO-PAYMENTS

If you haven’t set up monthly auto payments yet, why not? Take the guesswork out of your monthly payments so you never feel strapped for cash or worried about making payments on time. Keep track of your upcoming payments in your money diary so you’re aware of what’s coming in and going out of your bank account each week. And then don’t forget to check your bank statements at the end of each month to make sure your payments went through!

TALK TO SOMEONE

When you’re facing money problems, there’s often a strong temptation to bottle everything up and try to go it alone. Many of us even consider money a taboo subject, one not to be discussed with others. You may feel awkward about disclosing the amount you earn or spend, feel shame about any financial mistakes you’ve made, or be embarrassed about not being able to provide for your family. But bottling things up will only make your financial stress worse. In the current economy, where many people are struggling through no fault of their own, you’ll likely find others are far more understanding of your problems.

Keeping money worries to yourself only amplifies them until they seem insurmountable. The simple act of expressing your problems to someone you trust can make them seem far less intimidating.

DEVISE A SOLUTION

Brainstorm ideas with your family or a trusted friend or consult a free financial counseling service. You may decide that talking to credit card companies and requesting a lower interest rate would help solve your problem. Or maybe you need to restructure your debt, eliminate your car payment, downsize your home, or talk to your boss about working overtime.

EMBRACE YOUR DAILY ROUTINE

Get up at your normal time and stick to your usual routine. If you lose your routine, it can affect your eating – you may stop cooking, miss breakfast because you’re still in bed, or eat snacks instead of having proper meals.

LIVE A LITTLE

Image Credits: unsplash.com

Don’t make the mistake of budgeting out fun! Budgeting, like dieting, is all about balance and choosing moderation over deprivation. If you restrict yourself too much, you’ll feel unmotivated and less likely to see your financial goals through. Make sure to incorporate fun with friends, date nights, and “splurges” like spa days, haircuts, or coffee runs. Acknowledge your hard work by rewarding yourself when you need to.

Sources: 1 & 2

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Receive S$180 cash or S$190 CapitaLand voucher and more when you open a Tiger Brokers Account

New to Tiger Brokers and not yet a customer? Great news because by opening an account during the promotion period, you will have 3 bites of the cherry to bag incredible welcome gifts. Here’s how the promotion mechanism works!

SingSaver’s Exclusive Offer

As the table shows, a new customer who signs up for a Tiger Brokers account via SingSaver and meets the eligible criteria receive up to 3 different types of welcome gifts, i.e. Welcome Gifts 1A or 1B, 2 and 3. Yes, you read it right, the SingSaver and Tiger Brokers welcome gifts are stackable.

Follow this step-by-step guide to ensure you do not miss out on Welcome Gifts 1 and 2 that are fulfilled by SingSaver.

  1. Step 1: Click on this URL and submit an application for a Tiger Brokers account during the Promotion Period (13 Nov – 20 Dec 2023, both days included)
  2. Step 2: Follow the link in the email sent to you, select your reward of choice and submit your Rewards Redemption Form.
  3. Step 3: Fund your account with the minimum required amount (US$1,000 if you are aiming for a larger welcome gift) within the Promotion Period

Note that lucky draw winners at the SingSaver 101! Milestone Giveaway will be announced on SingSaver’s contest winners page by 7 June 2024.

On the other hand, Reward 3 will be fulfilled by Tiger Brokers and is only valid till 22 Nov.

What is Tiger Brokers?

SG_Tiger Brokers_STK_Tiger Brokers

Tiger Brokers is a leading global online broker founded in 2014. Listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange, it uses next-generation technology to enable clients to trade a wide range of securities across multiple global markets and currencies.

Customers enjoy commission-free trades on US, HK, SG and China A stocks and has access to real-time market data and detailed analysis to make informed decisions. With offices in Singapore and other cities, it provides instant account opening capabilities as well as 24/7 customer support. It is also licensed by Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).

Sign up for Tiger Brokers

So what are you waiting for? Open an account right away and fund an initial minimum of USD1,000 to start your investing journey with Tiger Brokers. In doing so, let’s also not forget that you will be in store to receive the amazing welcome gifts offered by SingSaver and Tiger Brokers as summarized below!

Receive S$120 upsized cash via PayNow or S$140 Capitaland voucher when you open a Tiger Brokers account and fund any amount. Fund at least USD 1,000 on your account, or transfer in stocks of the same value from another brokerage, to snag an additional S$60 cash (S$180 total) via PayNow or a S$190 Capitaland Voucher. Valid till 20 Dec 2023. T&Cs apply.

Also get up to USD 888 worth of prizes and 8% p.a. bonus interest when you deposit and trade with your Tiger Brokers account. Valid till 22 Nov 2023. T&Cs apply.

Plus, get 3x chances to win your share of up to S$200,000 in prizes in our epic 101! Milestone Giveaway, including S$5,000 bonus cash each week on top of ongoing promotions! T&Cs apply

 

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Get a FREE Apple iPad 9th Gen 10.2 Wifi 64GB (worth S$503.65) when you apply for selected cards from now till 30 Nov 23

Bring home a brand new Apple iPad, Dyson Supersonic™ hair dryer & more

There’s no better time to sign up for a credit card. This November, SingSaver will be offering new cardmembers who sign up for a credit card with a free Apple iPad 9th Gen, Dyson Supersonic™ hair dryer and more. 

SingSaver has been around since May 2015 and they have simplify the decision-making process and enables users to find the best financial products that align with their specific needs and preferences. With its comprehensive database of credit cards, loans, savings accounts, and more, SingSaver provides users with the tools they need to navigate the complex landscape of financial products.

For those who are unfamiliar with SingSaver, you can check out their reviews on Google:

 

Choose from the credit cards below:

Citi PremierMiles Card

Earn your miles faster with one of the best cards for your travel needs. The Citi PremierMiles Card lets you redeem from the widest range of airlines, where 1 Citi Mile = 1 Mile, with KrisFlyer, Asia Miles, Qantas, Qatar, Flying Blue, and more.  With no caps on miles earned, redeem your miles for flights, hotels and merchandises.

  1. Earn 1.2 miles for every S$1 spent on all your eligible purchases with your Card
  2. Earn 2 miles for every S$1 equivalent in foreign currency spent overseas on eligible purchases
  3. Complimentary access to over 1,300 airport VIP lounges twice per calendar year with Personalised Priority Pass membership card. Priority Pass membership is on application basis and reserved for Principal cardholders only.

Welcome gift: Receive an Apple iPad 9th Gen 10.2 Wifi 64GB (worth S$503.65) or Dyson Supersonic (worth S$699) or Dyson V8 Slim Fluffy (worth S$509) or S$300 cash via PayNow

Requirements: Activate and spend a minimum S$500 within 30 days of card approval

Citi Cash Back Card

Keep this card in your wallet. The Citi Cash Back Card is one of the best cash back card in the market, offering a whopping 8% cash back on your Groceries and Petrol, and 6% on dining, daily, worldwide. Subject to cash back cap of S$80 across all retail spend per statement month with a min. spend of S$800 per statement month.

Imagine this: every $800 spends get you $80 cash back in a month.That works out to be almost a thousand dollar of cash savings in a year!

Welcome gift: Receive an Apple iPad 9th Gen 10.2 Wifi 64GB (worth S$503.65) or Dyson Supersonic (worth S$699) or Dyson V8 Slim Fluffy (worth S$509) or S$300 cash via PayNow

Requirements: Activate and spend a minimum S$500 within 30 days of card approval

Citi Rewards Card

The Citi Rewards Card is a must-have card for those who always shop online using credit cards. Imagine earning 10X Rewards^ (4 Miles) for every S$1 spent online each time you shop.

  • Enjoy 10X Rewards^ (4 Miles) on online and retail purchases at Lazada, Qoo10, TANGS and more.
  • Earn 10X Rewards* (4 Miles) on rides with Grab, ComfortDelGro, Gojek and more
  • Earn 10X Rewards^ (4 Miles) on online food delivery
  • Earn 10X Rewards^ (4 Miles) on online groceries

Earn 1X Reward on all other spend.

Welcome gift: Receive an Apple iPad 9th Gen 10.2 Wifi 64GB (worth S$503.65) or Dyson Supersonic (worth S$699) or Dyson V8 Slim Fluffy (worth S$509) or S$300 cash via PayNow

Requirements: Activate and spend a minimum S$500 within 30 days of card approval

Citi Cash Back+ Mastercard® 

Not to be confused with the Cash Back Card, the Citi Cash Back+ Mastercard® is a new product launched by Citibank this year which offers a competitive 1.6% cashback on all spend categories with no cap and no minimum spend. In other words, you can accumulate as much cashback as you want each time you swipe you card. It does not expires and you can redeem it instantly on-the-go with Citi Pay with Points or for cash rebate via SMS.

Welcome gift: Receive an Apple iPad 9th Gen 10.2 Wifi 64GB (worth S$503.65) or Dyson Supersonic (worth S$699) or Dyson V8 Slim Fluffy (worth S$509) or S$300 cash via PayNow

Requirements: Activate and spend a minimum S$500 within 30 days of card approval

How to redeem your rewards:

  1. Search for any of the cards that matches your spending habits
  2. Click on Apply Now and Enter your email address on the new page (SingSaver will be sending the redemption instructions here. Check SPAM folder if you don’t receive any emails)
  3. Click Start Application / Apply with Myinfo
  4. Complete the application form from the bank and remember to take a screenshot upon completion so you can take note of the application reference number (ARN). Here’s where to find it.
  5. Submit your Rewards Redemption Form with your Application Reference Number and Choose your preferred rewards and submit the form.
  6. Important: If you did not received the Rewards Redemption Form, please check your SPAM folder in your email OR drop and email to [email protected] with your application details.
  7. Once you fulfill all the requirements (i.e. meeting the $500 mininum spend in 30 days from card approval), please allow some time for SingSaver and the bank to validate. Click here to understand more about the process.

You can click here to check the rewards redemption status.

For redemption follow-ups and enquiries, drop an email with your details to [email protected]

This promotion is not affiliated, associated, authorized, endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with Apple, Dyson or any of its subsidiaries or its affiliates. The names Apple, Dyson as well as related names are registered trademarks of their respective owners.

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Claim a guaranteed reward worth USD100 from now till 30 Nov 23

Webull, a leading online brokerage platform, is thrilled to announce its latest user acquisition campaign, and it’s your chance to claim an incredible guaranteed reward worth USD100! From now until November 30th, simply sign up with Webull, fund your account with just S$0.01, and maintain that balance for 30 days to seize this amazing opportunity.

Your Guaranteed Reward: 10 Free Fractional Shares Worth Between USD10 to USD500

Just fulfill two easy steps:

  1. Get FREE 5 Shares: Sign up for an account with Webull here and fund any amount from S$0.01
  2. Get FREE 5 Shares: Maintain your account for 30 days with at least the same balance of $0.01 (can be more)

When you meet the first requirement, you’ll receive an exclusive reward of 5 free fractional shares, each worth between USD10 and USD500. This means you’re guaranteed to walk away with at least USD50 in reward, and for those who are lucky enough, may walk away with an incredible USD2,500!

That’s not all! To meet the second requirement, you just need to maintain your balance for 30 days with at least the same amount and you will be rewarded with an additional 5 free fractional shares! That’s equivalant to another cool USD50 in guaranteed reward! (or up to USD2,500 for the lucky ones)

Steps by steps guide on how to redeem the offer

  1. Sign up for an account with Webull here
  2. Tap on 5X Your Rewards Now
  3. Fill in your mobile number to receive an OTP
  4. Download the Webull app
  5. In the Webull app, log in and tap on Open Account (*Tip: Sign up with SingPass for a faster, fuss-free process or you can do it manually without using SingPass)
  6. Account will usually be approved within 24 hours (Usually takes a few minutes)
  7. Once your account is approved, fund your account with a minimum of $0.01.
  8. To make a deposit, click Webull logo at bottom center, then click “Deposit Now”. After that, choose your deposit method. (eDDA or FAST Transfer is recommended as they are faster)

Once your account has a minimum balance of $0.01, you will find your 5 free shares under My Rewards. Just tap on Claim to receive your rewards. You are guaranteed to walk away with fractional shares valued between USD10 to USD500 per chance.

You will receive an additional 5 free shares when you maintain the fund of at least $0.01 for 30 days.

Webull believes in offering you total freedom, which is why there’s no minimum deposit required, and you’re not obliged to make any investments. Plus, you can sell the shares, convert it to SGD (about S$135) and withdraw the cash into your bank account, so you can use your rewards in any way you see fit.

Want more? Claim another guaranteed USD100 with USD3K deposit

For a limited time only, Webull is also giving away up to USD2000 to users who make an accumulated deposit amount of between USD3000 to USD100,00. Simply fund your account with the minimum amount and activate Moneybull to claim the offer. Note: You do not need to invest in Moneybull to redeem the offer. Simply funding the minimum amount and activating Moneybull will do. e.g. Claim a USD100 cash voucher (can be converted to cash for withdrawal) with a USD3,000 deposit.

Why Webull?

  • Advanced Trading Tools: Access advanced trading tools and real-time market data to make informed decisions.
  • Commission-Free Trading: Enjoy commission-free trading on stocks, options, and ETFs, so you can maximize your profits.
  • User-Friendly Interface: Our intuitive app and website make investing simple for both beginners and experienced traders.
  • Global Market Access: Invest in a wide range of assets, from US stocks to cryptocurrencies, and expand your investment horizon.

Don’t miss out on this limited-time offer to supercharge your investment journey. Sign up with Webull today, fund with just S$0.01, and secure your guaranteed reward of at least USD100, or potentially up to USD5000!

 

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