4 Tips to Deal with Debt When Married

“Home life ceases to be free and beautiful as soon as it is founded on borrowing and debt.” – Henrik Isben

One of the most common issues that individuals bring into a marriage is debt. Money is high on the list of topics that couples fight about, and it is the among the top reasons why couples get divorced. Financial issues increase marital discord and stress.

If you are worried about marrying someone with debt, you must realize that you can help each other out. You are a team!

#1: BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT YOUR DEBT

Be honest about your debt situation. Hiding debt from your spouse before the wedding is simply a horrible idea. Your partner needs to know your economic situation and vice versa. You can only make shared decisions after talking about money.

#2: CREATE DECISIONS AS A TEAM

Married individuals have many financial arrangements to make. After discussing your pre-existing debt, decide how you will move forward together. Consider the following questions:

a. How will each partner contribute to the household bank balance?
b. Are you going to combine assets by opening a joint account?
c. What kind of investments will you make?
d. How do you plan to tackle previous debt?

#3: SET A MONEY DISCUSSION NIGHT

The key to surviving marriage and debt is to set a budget as a team. Find a quiet place and sit down for a discussion before next month begins. It may seem like a simple solution, but it is the answer to many money issues in marriage.

#4: NEVER PLAY THE BLAME GAME

Once you are married, you must work together to eliminate your debt. “My” debt turns to “our” debt. Having this perspective creates a significant difference.

an asian couple arguing

Image Credits: Asia Wedding Network

#5: CONSIDER PERSONAL LOAN TO RELIEVE SOME FINANCIAL BURDEN

Prudent use of personal loans can save you more in the long run, especially if you’re currently saddled with severe credit card debt or are facing a financial emergency that could wipe out your savings. Ultimately, the only way to prevent bad debt from snowballing is to have the discipline to control your spending until your loan is repaid. If you find yourself in any of the above situations and are looking for a personal loan to help relieve some of your financial burden, be one of the first 2 applicants daily to have your 1st year’s interest (up to S$550) covered by SingSaver. Click here to learn more. Offer until 21st Mar 2022. T&Cs apply.

Stick to the plan and motivate each other. Living without debt is not easy, but it is worth it.

Sources: 1 & 2

Read More...

6 Savvy Financial Tips for Young Adults

Managing finances can be challenging, especially when you are navigating through different conflicts such as budgeting with an entry-level salary or carrying a hefty student loan debt.

Focusing on the fundamental financial strategies will enable you to strengthen your financial position. Work towards achieving your goals and financial success with these savvy tips.

#1: ESTABLISH YOUR EMERGENCY FUND

The importance of building an emergency fund has been the subject of many financial articles. After all, it is one of the most vital financial tasks that you can accomplish as a young adult. An emergency fund is a pool of money that you can earmark for unforeseen expenses.

When unexpected life events occur, the emergency fund acts as a cushion for your finances. For instance, you can use your emergency fund to pay for expenses that come with sudden job loss or appliance breakdown. The amount that you will save depends on the stability of your job, the debts you have, and your income. Experts recommend saving about six months’ worth of living expenses. You can allot at least 2% of every paycheck to accumulate this amount.

#2: GET BASIC HEALTH AND LIFE INSURANCE

Financial literacy involves understanding how to prevent and manage financial issues as they arise. To help you deal with unexpected expenses, you may get yourself insured. Educate yourself about the different insurance products available on the market right now.

Get yourself insured while your premiums are low (i.e., mainly due to your age). If you have dependents, consider getting term insurance to protect them in the event that you become permanently disabled or you pass away.

#3: KNOW WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES

Stay on top of your budget plan by knowing where your money goes. Ensure that your expenses do not exceed your income. As you may be earning with a starting salary, keeping your recurring monthly expenses low can save you significant money over time.

Once you see how the cost of your morning coffee or take-away dinner adds up, you will realize that making small changes to your daily expenses can have a big impact on your financial situation.

#4: PAY OFF THE CREDIT CARD BALANCES

Searching for the lowest interest rates when comparing loan terms can help you save a substantial amount of money over time. You can pay off your credit card balances each month, so you do not get trapped by the interest charges. You can look for a credible expert such as a credit counselor if necessary.

#5: MAKE INFORMED FINANCIAL DECISIONS

Examine your personal needs and goals. Make informed financial decisions by studying the potential outcomes of your options. There are trade-offs between your short-term and long-term goals. For instance, purchasing a car can impact your savings for retirement.

Therefore, you must invest in items that will improve your earning abilities. You can invest in a good suit, an educational advancement, and a set of electronic devices to help you in your job hunting.

#6: LEARN SELF-CONTROL

As a young adult, learning the art of delayed gratification is easier said than done. However, personal finances are easier to manage when you have self-control.

Effortlessly purchasing an item on credit is possible, but the best step is to wait until you have saved up enough money for your purchase. Do you really want to pay interest on a pair of designer shoes?

Image Credits: unsplash.com

Please do not carry more cards than you can keep track of. This savvy tip is crucial for creating a healthy credit history.

Sources: 1 & 2

Read More...

10 Ways of Helping Your Kid Learn Faster

Learning isn’t an overnight process. Before discovering their fullest potentials, children have a very long way to go. And, if you are wondering whether there are ways you can help your kid learn smarter and faster, you are at the right place.

In this post, we’ll dive deeper into the different ways your child can learn faster and study smart. But, you never know, maybe you’ve got a little Einstein in your child. Below are the ten proven strategies you can adopt to help your child learn faster and score straight As. To give your child an experience of the methods below, why not bring them to Newtonshowcamp, a kids camp in Singapore where they will be encouraged to learn? The instructors use playful and fun ways and state-of-the-art learning methods to ensure your kid gets as much knowledge as possible.

1. Gamification of Learning

Using gamification is a great strategy to make your child’s learning an efficient process. In gamification, the learning process is turned into a process. For instance, you can teach your child how subtraction and addition work by playing a shop with your child being the customer and you being the shopkeeper. Your kid will learn how to subtract and add through working out whether the change is correct.

Children learn best when having fun and are stimulated, making gamification of learning an effective strategy. That is why in our Easter camp, we will have different interactive learning games to teach your kids mathematics, chemistry, languages, and even sciences.

2. Ensure They Get Enough Sleep

If your children do not get enough sleep, regardless of the number of hours they put into religiously completing their or reading every night, all that excellent work will be in vain. Sleep is incredible and powerful for helping a child study. Hence, ensure you’ve created a sleeping schedule that your kid follows religiously. They should get at least eight hours of sleep each night.

To show you how critical sleeping is to a kid’s learning, the researchers have established that the child loses about two years of brain function by missing an hour of sleep.

Research has also established that an A student sleeps 15 minutes more every night than a B student and 30 more minutes than a C student. Therefore, to help your kid become a star student, ensure you set a strict bedtime each night. Make sure the child has got eight hours of sleep. Prohibit them from using devices or a screen one hour before they go to bed.

3. Using Learning Frameworks

To help your child study effectively, you must understand the learning process and use frameworks. The “Learning Pit” is among the most effective learning frameworks. It describes the learning process when your child starts overconfident; they realize they aren’t understanding and quickly get discouraged. However, they begin to understand and comprehend through encouragement, dividing the concept into several simple parts and repetition. After conquering the new knowledge, your child feels triumphant. We’ve implemented this framework in our Easter camp, and it works very well in all students.

Through understanding the learning pit, you enhance your child’s learning process, preparing them for the struggle ahead, reassuring, and helping them move past the difficult stage to learn.

4. Instilling Self-confidence

Self-confidence is a vital value for your child. Anything starts from believing, and smart children first believe they are smart long before they become so. Self-confidence is a powerful value where an average kid believes they can do something better or are good at something. Therefore, they spend more time performing it and aren’t intimidated by the difficulties. They get a lot of satisfaction from the activity to the extent that they overachieve.

By believing that your child can succeed and instilling self-confidence in them, you can make your child a star student.

Although this might sound far-fetched, it has research backing. Researchers Lenore Jacobson and Rosenthal did an experiment in which they told teachers they had several gifted students in their class while these students were randomly selected. When the “gifted” students’ IQ was tested one year later, their IQ was found to have improved by 22 points. By partaking in various activities in this kid’s camp in Singapore, your child’s self-confidence will be enhanced through multiple multilevel activities.

5. Enroll your Child Into Music Lessons

Teaching your child to play musical instruments is a highly effective method of boosting how they perform academically. Through learning how an instrument is played, your child enhances their short-term memory, reasoning skills, and concentration abilities. All these have one thing in common; improving the academic performance levels.

In research by researchers from VU University, Amsterdam147 children in a range of Dutch schools were put through a structured musical curriculum featuring practical and theoretical instruction. Two and a half years later, the researchers analyzed the results and established that the academic outcomes of the students who participated in musical lessons improved considerably compared to students who didn’t. So, if you want to help your kids learn faster, pick up a guitar, violin, piano, or any other instrument and teach them to play.

6. Sports and Exercises

Most parents that want their kids to achieve academic excellence believe that sports distract and make their kids too tired for effective studies. However, this is a mistaken belief that might take a toll on the child’s academic performance. While it might make sense intuitively, scientific research shows the contrary. Children who exercise regularly and participate in sports can focus for extended periods, overcome daily challenges effectively, and outperform their inactive peers in standardized tests.

In a study conducted by a group of researchers from Germany on people’s ability to learn post- and pre-exercise, it was found that after exercise, people had a 20% more effectiveness of learning new vocabulary than before the workout. Hence, to ensure that your kid has a higher sense of well-being and learns more effectively in the class, ensure they exercise several times a week and participate in sports.

7. Memory Development

Ensure you use various techniques to develop your child’s memory and cognitive sense. It doesn’t matter the amount of effort your child puts into learning if they can’t recall information under pressure. Fortunately, there are several known hacks to improve the memory ability of your child, like mnemonics. Below are the best known and effective mnemonics:

  • Method of Loci: You can associate words or things with places your kid has strong memories of.
  • Acronyms: Every letter in the word begins a phrase, and every phrase describes a certain concept.
  • Rhymes: Teach your child to create rhymes by tapping into their musical sense. This will help them recall key pieces of information and concepts.

Start using these mnemonics and teach them to your child. Then, they will never struggle with remembrance during an exam.

8. Ensure Your Kid Doesn’t Fear Making Mistakes

It has been commonly said that “you aren’t learning if you aren’t making mistakes.” One of the main reasons a child’s learning stalls or regresses is that they fear making mistakes or looking stupid. However, that avoidance of making mistakes or fearing to appear stupid hurts your child’s ability to learn.

The only way of learning and improving in any skill is by adjusting and trying new things. At Newtonshow camp, kids interact with robotic materials and even assemble one themselves. They also participate in various Lego competitions to boost their confidence. Whenever your child tries something new, it is normal to find setbacks and make many mistakes. Always remember, the more mistakes your child makes, the higher the opportunity to improve.

Therefore, to ensure effective learning in your child, make them know that failing and setbacks are all part of learning. Actively encourage your kids to take risks, fail, and adjust. Never let your child fear failing. Whenever they fail or make a mistake, correct them calmly and repeat the task until they understand and improve their skills.

9. Ensure That Your Child Associates With The Right Crowd

Do you worry that your child may fall into the wrong group and pick some bad habits? It is a concern for many parents. Most parents fear their kids will turn to other unhealthy activities and stop learning/studying. Although this was purely on the parent’s intuition in the past, science has proven that the worrying parents were right.

According to a study of Dartmouth college students, it was found that whenever a poorly-performing student having low grades started sharing rooms with top-achieving students, they also started performing better. The poor student is inspired by the star student, leaving their old habits and striving to achieve their very best through learning hard.

10. Reward Your Child

Associating positive emotions with learning is among the most effective methods of getting your child to study. But, how can you do that? The simple answer is through rewards. If getting an A in mathematics means your kid will get their favorite thing or a toy they’ve been dreaming of, they will put an extra effort into their studies.

However, physical treats aren’t the only way of rewarding your kid. Compliment them and celebrate their small wins. For example, if your kid has solved a mathematical problem, compliment them and show or tell them how proud of them you are. At Newtonshow Camp, whenever a child finishes an activity, they are rewarded in various ways, and there is a grand reward for the overall best camper.

Your child wants to make you happy when all is said and done. Hence, by setting up a good reward structure, your kid feels extra affection, and knowing they will be appreciated after achieving something, they might turn into a star student.

Conclusion

All the above strategies and methods of helping your children learn faster aren’t a one-size-fits-all method. Some parents might choose another route while others may try them. Before using the above methods to help your child learn more quickly, ensure both of you have a conversation surrounding them. Remember, learning isn’t an overnight process, and every step is vital in building your child’s fun learning Journey. Newtonshowcamp is the one place where your child may experience most of the above strategies first-hand.

Read More...

Top 8 drinks to soothe your Covid19/Post vaccination symptoms

Looking for drinks to help soothe your Covid19 symptoms or re- vitalize yourself after your post vaccination fever?

Here’re some hot-selling cooling drinks for you with the lowest price in the market from ezbuy. Over 30% off + Free Home Delivery with min $20 spending, whilst stock last!

  1. UFC Coconut Water 1000ml x 12 – $29.90, $2.49 per bottle (Supermarket Price $3.60 per bottle)

Shop Here

  1. HSC Oldenlandia Water 325ml x 24 – $13, $0.54 per can (Supermarket Price $1 per can)

Shop Here

  1. 100 Plus Original Isotonic Drink 320ml x 24 – $10.99, $0.46 per can (Supermarket Price $0.58 per can)

Shop Here

  1. Cooltopia Three Legs Flavoured Cooling Water 320ml x 24 – $26.90 (Usual Price $34.90), $1.12 per bottle

Shop Here

  1. Pocari Sweat Ion Supply Isotonic Drink 500ml x 24 – $22 (Usual Price $29), $0.92 per bottle

Shop Here

  1. Suntory C.C. Lemon Vitamin Lemon Soft Drink 330ml x 24 – $18.80 (Usual Price $36.90), $0.78 per can

Shop Here

  1. Jia Jia Herbal Tea 300ml x 24 – $11.50, $0.48 per can, (Supermarket Price $1 per can)

Shop Here

  1. H-TWO-O Original Non-Carbonated 300ml x 24 – $11.49, $0.48 per can, (Supermarket Price $0.70 per can)

Shop Here

Aside from drinks, you may also find household products, food & snacks, and home appliances that are currently having attractive promotions!

Shop for more products and information from ezbuy here.

Read More...

5 Compelling Reasons to Do Business in Singapore

asians having a discussion

Over the years, Singapore has been recognised by multiple international organisations as one of the easiest places in the world to run a business. Singapore has consistently placed at or near the top of the World Bank’s ease of doing business rankings, taking the number 2 spot behind New Zealand in 2019. The 2020 Global Business Complexity Index ranked Singapore as the second most business-friendly country in Asia and the 18th worldwide, placing it ahead of other major players from the region such as China, India, and Korea.

Singapore’s large and multifaceted business ecosystem clearly confirms its status as a centre for entrepreneurship in Asia. Thousands of multinational corporations, among them major names like Facebook, Google and Uber, have established their Asia Pacific headquarters in the Lion City. The city is also home to one of the most vibrant and rapidly growing start-up communities in the world, with an estimated 55,000 start-up businesses currently operational.

But what exactly makes Singapore an ideal place for both local and foreign entrepreneurs to operate successful businesses? Read on for an in-depth look into five major contributing factors to the city’s exceptional business-friendliness.

Abundant Support for New Businesses

The Singapore government consistently puts forward policies that encourage business growth and innovation. Hence, small business owners who are curious about the availability of Singapore startup grants, tax incentives, and other assistance schemes will find themselves with a plethora of options when it comes to government support. Within certain preferred industries, the government may also subsidise labour costs for new businesses. It’s also worth noting that all these offered benefits are available equally to both local and foreign organisations.

In addition to government support, business owners seeking to open in Singapore can tap into the city’s vibrant venture funding community. At present, over 150 venture capital funds operate out of Singapore. Start-ups in industries with promising growth potential are deemed especially attractive targets for venture capital investments. Examples of these favoured sectors include financial technology, e-commerce, biotechnology and advanced manufacturing.

Fast and Efficient Business Setup

Singapore’s business regulations and setup processes are among the most efficient, streamlined, and transparent in the world. These processes are fully digitised and can be completed in no more than one or two working days in most cases, making it easy for business owners to begin setting up their operations even if they are not yet in Singapore. Company setup costs, registration fees, and the required minimum issued capital are likewise fairly low as compared to other locations in the region.

Business owners can also be assured that the regular compliance requirements they will have to submit annually are equally streamlined and easy to complete.

Highly Productive Workforce

The top-class quality of Singaporean education is well-known all over the world, reinforced by generations of high-performing, high-achieving graduates. Singaporean students are trained to apply themselves to their work with discipline and diligence, qualities which go on to serve them well throughout their professional lives. Whether they’re stationed at home or abroad, workers from Singapore are known to make cooperative, productive, and highly competent employees.

Singapore’s liberal, inclusive, and meritocratic immigration policies also bring in a large pool of talent from overseas. Foreign professionals should have no difficulty acquiring and maintaining the necessary work visas or applying for permanent residence (PR) status. In fact, the country’s thriving expatriate community currently accounts for almost one-third of its workforce. 

One major contributing factor to the productivity of the Singaporean workforce is the fact that English is the lingua franca in most business settings. This facilitates easy and productive communication between individuals from a variety of cultural and professional backgrounds. Workers are thus primed to approach their jobs with a far-reaching, global perspective. An all-inclusive culture that prioritises interpersonal harmony and collaboration also helps to boost company productivity on the whole.

Major Centre for Innovation in Asia

Organisations and companies seeking to develop innovative solutions to pressing, contemporary problems will find a welcoming home in Singapore. The Lion City has grown over the years into one of the most innovative cities in the world, now hosting a diverse business environment that embraces every kind of company from small start-ups to booming multinationals. 

Many global R&D labs for leading Fortune 500 companies are based in Singapore, and spaces like business parks and innovation centres are also abundant in the city. This environment allows businesses of different sizes to collaboratively create, test, and commercialise innovative products and solutions on a global scale.

Gateway to Southeast Asia

Business experts today see Asia as a global centre of opportunity and a major driver of global economic growth. Many estimate that by 2030 the region will account for over half of the world’s middle-class population and drive the majority of demand for consumer goods. Hence, companies all over the world are looking for ways to expand into the region and tap into the immense profitability of Asian markets.

Singapore is strategically located in the middle of Southeast Asia, making it an ideal gateway for businesses seeking to deepen their Asian presence. The city also boasts superior connectivity and infrastructure, allowing businesses to form meaningful connections both in the region and across the rest of the world.

Whatever your particular industry, offerings, and business goals, you’ll surely do well to consider Singapore as a business destination. The country’s inclusive business environment and innovation-friendly policies could make the Singaporean government a trustworthy and productive partner for your company in the long term.

 

Read More...