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Quirky accommodations worldwide to add to your travel bucket list

Are you ready to enjoy a fun and memorable vacation? Are you bold and prepared for an adventure a little off the beaten path?

Well, not quite yet with the ongoing pandemic. Staycations will do for now, but there’s nothing wrong with looking forward to “vaccine passports”. We’ve searched the globe looking for some of the most interesting, weird, and just plain quirky accommodations around the world.

Let’s venture forward right away!

#1: Dog Bark Park Inn B&B, United States

Price: from S$170+/night

Idaho might not be on your radar as a vacation destination. Still, this American state boasts beautiful mountain landscapes and tranquil recreation areas – not to mention some of the best potatoes on earth.

This is all nice enough, but Idaho also happens to host one of the unique hotels out there: the Dog Bark Park Inn B&B. The Airbnb accommodation is situated on the edge of Cottonwood.

If you have ever dreamt of living with a giant beagle, this is the right holiday space for you. This Airbnb offers guests two bedrooms, one bathroom, a balcony with a view, and a friendly wag.

#2: SiloStay, New Zealand

Price: from S$220+/night

Next up, we have this special accommodation in the shape of a silo. Do you know what a silo is? It is a structure used in agriculture to store grain or fermented feed.

SiloStay is sited in Little River, near Christchurch, New Zealand. It is built with green technology and eco-friendly systems throughout the location and conveniently located a short walk from the Little River Rail Trail. You’re just a stone’s throw away to an art gallery and a local cafe.

Guests will be housed in rooms that come with a kitchenette, electric blankets, and satellite television. SiloStay is a unique place for travellers to unwind after a long day of enjoying all that Christchurch offers.

#3: Huilo Huilo Montaña Mágica Lodge, Chile

Price: from S$240+/night

The South American nation is home to the Huilo Huilo Biological Reserve, a natural wonderland in the heart of the forest. There, visitors can stay at the Huilo Huilo Montaña Mágica Lodge.

Unlike an ordinary vacation space, the Montaña Mágica Lodge is built to blend in with the landscape. Shaped like a mountain and covered in natural vegetation, this lodge is absolutely distinctive.

While it may look like part of the wilderness and shabby outside, don’t judge the book by its cover. The accommodation features a spa & wellness centre and an indoor pool. By booking a stay here, you can chill out in your cosy room and enjoy soothing garden views with daily breakfast.

#4: V8 Hotel Classic Motorworld Region Stuttgart, Germany

Price: from S$250+/night

If an escape to the forest isn’t for you, perhaps this particular listing in Germany is more appealing. The hotel sits right in Böblingen, a town of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. You will be within a 30-minute drive to Stuttgart.

Boasting some of Germany’s sophisticated cultural attractions such as ballet and opera, Stuttgart hosts some of the top sights, including the Mercedes Benz Museum and Porsche Museum.

There’s no more attractive place for car lovers to stay in Böblingen than the V8 Hotel Classic Motorworld. This 4-star hotel is a masterwork of Bauhaus design and features an automotive theme. Guests can sleep in beds made from classic cars and enjoy uniquely themed rooms.

If you can’t afford to drive in luxury, sleep in it.

#5: Dasparkhotel, Austria

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Price: from S$440+/night

Dasparkhotel is a unique new hotel venture just a 15-minute drive from Linz. You may wish to pack light as the Dasparkhotel is quite minimalist in design. Guests will stay in cosy, barrel-shaped rooms that were previously used as sewage pipes.

It is furnished with a mattress, storage, a lamp, and a power outlet for your devices. Travellers wishing to see the River Danube up close and personal won’t be disappointed when staying at the Dasparkhotel Ottensheim. That’s because the rooms face out to a creek flowing into River Danube.

It’s hard to imagine a weirder place to stay than in a recycled drainpipe! But we’re not yet done with our list.

#6: The Caves, Jamaica

Price: from S$900+/night

Have you taken a vacation to the Caribbeans? Jamaica is one of the finest countries in this beautiful region, and we’re saving the best for the last. The setting at The Caves is uniquely close to the ocean and a perfect retreat for couples.

Unwind in your private cottage, wander down to the resort’s bar made from two limestone caves, or relax and soak in their cliffside hot tub. Take the stairs down to the water and enjoy the magnificent view of the ocean, or take a walk to Seven Mile Beach to swim and watch the sunset.

Or you can also enjoy a round of golf at the nearby Negril Hills Golf Club or head to the Kool Running Waterpark just a 15-minute drive away. There’s no better way to enjoy Jamaica than The Caves.

Final Thoughts

We can’t travel at the moment, but travel will resume someday.

The next time you’re planning your holiday, consider staying at one of these weird but refreshing accommodations. Chain hotels and resorts can be comfortable, but memories made at these quirky and unique locations will last you a lifetime!

2020 was a bust. If you haven’t done anything about your personal finances then, you could just blame it on the COVID-19 pandemic.

But it’s 2021.

And it looks like we’re going to have to live with COVID-19 for a while.

So if you’re still living from paycheck to paycheck.

Or maybe you’re still putting off investing for your future.

Or you haven’t bought insurance to protect yourself and your loved ones…

Well, it’s time to stop making excuses this year and do something about it! And all you need is one day!

Be Part of Singapore’s Largest Personal Finance Festival

It’s 2021, and Seedly is back to help YOU take control of your personal finances with Seedly Personal Finance Festival 2021 — the LARGEST personal finance festival in Singapore — that is happening on Saturday, 10 April 2021, 10am to 5pm.

On Monday, 1 March 2021 only, enjoy 50% OFF Seedly Personal Finance Festival 2021 tickets:

All Access Pass at $5 (usual price $10)

The first 2,000 ticket sign-ups will also get a limited edition goodie bag worth $55!

Act fast because the tickets for Seedly Personal Finance Festival 2020 were sold out within 5 hours!

What Is Seedly Personal Finance Festival 2021 About?

Seedly Personal Finance Festival 2021 is Singapore’s largest personal finance festival where you can learn to take control of your personal finances in one day.

You can expect keynotes, discussion panels, and workshops on various topics like:

Investment strategies (disruptive sectors, stocks, REITs, robo-advisors)
How to decide between BTO, Resale, EC, or Condo
What type of insurance do you really need
Cryptocurrency
Family planning and saving as a couple
Feng shui tips and hacks to optimise your career
Global outlook of global and Singapore’s economy
How to be a CPF multi-millionaire
How to plan a cost-effective wedding
Credit card hacks and the future of miles
Alternative career paths
And more…

All of these will be presented in an actionable and simple manner by an international line-up of experts, industry titans, and leaders from the personal finance space like:

Catherine D. Wood, Founder, CEO & CIO of ARK Invest
Jamus Lim, International Economist & Associate Prof of Economics, ESSEC Asia-Pacific
Goh Wei Choon and He Ruiming, Co-founders of The Woke Salaryman
Liu Tianwei, CEO & Co-founder of Xfers
Dora Seow, Country Head Singapore, Franklin Templeton
Loo Cheng Chuan, Founder of 1M65

To sweeten the deal, there’re even lucky draws where you can stand a chance to win $3,200 worth of prizes and staycations from 6 luxury hotels!

Sort out your personal finances and get a chance to relax at a swanky hotel like Capella, Marina Bay Sands, or Andaz for free? Sounds like a fiscally responsible decision.

Where and When Is Seedly Personal Finance Festival 2021?

Due to COVID-19, Seedly Personal Finance Festival 2021 will be held virtually on Saturday, 10 April 2021, 10am to 5pm.

Where to Buy Tickets for Seedly Personal Finance Festival 2021?

Just head over to the Seedly Personal Finance Festival 2021 website and buy your tickets on 1 March 2021 to enjoy the 50% discount off an All Access Pass!

Singapore’s journey with electric cars started as early as 1994

Do you know that the question of whether electric vehicles (EVs) can replace petrol and diesel vehicles in Singapore was examined since 1994?

Ex-Nominated Member of Parliament Kanwaljit Soin suggested the possibility of Singapore being one of the world’s first cities to increase the use of EVs.

To that, former Environment Minister Mah Bow Tan said that his ministry was monitoring EVs’ development in other countries. He added that Singapore would look into their use in our little red dot when such vehicles are commercially feasible.

Indeed, many years have passed, and there has been fast growth in the EV industry. This includes improvements in battery and charging technologies.

According to a Bloomberg report in December 2020, the price of battery packs for EVs is falling so much that manufacturers may be able to devise vehicles similar to combustion engine models without tax rebates.

News has it that two years from now, the average price per kilowatt-hour for a lithium-ion battery pack will cost only US$101.

And to bring our attention back to what’s happening presently, Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat announced in his Budget speech on Feb 16 that there will be more incentives to encourage EVs’ early adoption.

Here’s a quick look if you’ve missed out on that piece of news:

Image Credits: CNA

You may also be interested in reading our recent article on custom ordering a Tesla Model 3 online from S$112,845 (excluding COE).

Meanwhile, here’s a look at Singapore’s journey with EVs from 2009.

2009

Government authorities began to create an EV task force to determine benefits, nationwide costs, and feasibility of such vehicles on our sunny island.

2011

Two years later, the task force started EV test-bedding, putting us as one of the world’s first cities to test EVs at the systems level. There were only three outdoor and two indoor charging stations and nine such vehicles then.

2012

Image Credits: electrive.com

A study was initiated to look into the impact of EV charging on the electricity grid just a year after. Three electric Renault Kangoos were used to aid testing. The EV test-bed also increased with more charging stations and EVs on the road.

2014

2014 marks the start of the EV car-sharing programme trial with 1,000 EVs. The task force then had an RFI (request for information) for companies to submit proposals for the test. They were keen to examine whether a one-way car-sharing model was a possible option.

2016

This was the year where a secondhand Tesla Model S imported from Hong Kong was slapped with a S$15,000 carbon surcharge. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) later relooked at the case and commented that they were in talks with Tesla engineers to see if the Model S was tested correctly.

2017

Image Credits: The Business Times

HDT Singapore Taxi introduced Singapore’s first fleet of e-taxis. BlueSG was also selected from the 2014 RFI exercise to run a fleet of 1,000 EVs. This was in alignment with Singapore’s car-lite vision as it would reduce dependence on private vehicles. The task force also had plans to facilitate 2,000 charging points across Singapore then.

2019

Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk asserted that our government has been unsupportive of EVs. To that, former Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli responded that Singapore is keen to consider solutions that will address climate problems instead of lifestyle ones.

He also shared the difficulty of having enough charging stations in Singapore, considering a high percentage of our population living in high-density public housing. He added that hydrogen was a better long-term solution.

2020

As part of Singapore’s efforts to fight climate change and transit to a low-carbon, low-emissions economy, Mr Heng revealed in Budget 2020 that EV buyers would get a discount of up to 45 per cent on the additional registration fee, with a S$20,000 cap.

He said that Singapore is placing a bet on electric vehicles because it is the most assuring technology. It was also made known that Singapore had plans to phase out ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles. This would pave the way to cleaner energy by 2040.

These were the three measures highlighted to help Singapore achieve its aim:

Widening public charging infrastructure for EVs
Enhancing incentives to promote early EV adoption
Relooking road tax methodology for cars starting January 2021

2021

an EV charging station with a BMW parked

Image Credits: capitaland.com

Finally, this year, the government unveiled the inter-ministerial Singapore Green Plan 2030. This initiative would steer Singapore to be more environmentally sustainable over the next decade.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong also wrote in a Facebook post that Singapore residents could look forward to more electric vehicles on the roads. New goals pertaining to cleaner energy and lowering Singapore’s overall carbon footprint were added:

More EV charging points (60,000 to be exact) by 2030
All newly registered cars need to be of cleaner-energy models from 2030

With that said, Mr Heng also announced on Feb 16 the hiked petrol duty rates as Singapore steps up to fight climate change. Here are the numbers to note:

Premium grade petrol: 79 cents/litre, up by 15 cents/litre.
Intermediate grade petrol: 66 cents/litre, raised by 10 cents/litre.

For visual learners, this might be more informative:

Image Credits: todayonline.com

If you’re not ready to make the switch right away, that’s okay. Not everyone is prepared to jump on the EV ownership bandwagon. However, it would make sense to start thinking about it, considering the changing times.

7 challenges to help you save more money

Are you beginning to plan for your financial future? Or are you hoping to make a down payment on a big purchase or preparing to start a family?

Saving money is an integral part of personal finances, but it can be hard to refine and practice. For some, saving money can feel downright impossible! However, with practice and patience, you can turn a new leaf on your money-saving journey.

Need some motivation? Building up your savings account can be easier if you take on these money-saving challenges that are sure to guide you to more excellent financial health in the near future.

#1: Introduce a “no extra spend” week

One of the hardest things to do when saving money is figuring out where in your budget that extra cash will come from.

Cutting out excess spending can be a great way to create more cash flow, but it’s important to ease into it so you don’t become overwhelmed and give up too quickly. Try setting aside a single week and limit all your spending to absolute essentials: bills, groceries, and any necessary transport costs.

#2: Exercise the 1% trial

Image Credits: blackthorn.io

The 1% challenge is a well-known financial trend to help get in the habit of automatically setting aside a portion of your income every month for your savings.

Determine a small percentage of your monthly income (be it 1%, 5%, or even 10%) and arrange an automatic transfer that pulls that money into your savings account as soon as your paycheck lands. Over time, that will build up into some substantial added savings!

#3: Clear out your food pantry

Especially since the pandemic has made food delivery so inviting, it can be hard to remember what’s left in your food pantry. We know just how it feels like as foodpanda-ing or dapao-ing something is much faster and convenient.

But still, you want to force yourself to clean out all the food in your cupboards and intentionally cook or use up everything you have been storing for too long. This will aid you to save money and make more space in your kitchen!

#4: Borrow, don’t buy

Image Credits: thespruce.com

Are you struggling with the need to bring in new items but don’t want to spend the cash? Try swapping out buying for borrowing for a month.

Every time you feel the urge to purchase something new, see if a friend or coworker (or even a close neighbour) has a version you can borrow. You would be surprised by how much money you save just by sticking to this principle!

#5: Set aside your spare change

Do you use a lot of cash daily? Start saving even more of that money by designating a certain amount as your spare.

For example, it can be a simple S$1 coin. Every time you receive S$1 from your favourite aunty at the Kopitiam, drop it into a piggy bank. These spare change can add up!

Check out a range of visually appealing piggy banks from Lazada here if you need help getting started.

#6: Give yourself 52 weeks

Image Credits: unsplash.com

Other than the 1% challenge introduced earlier, the 52-week challenge is also one of the most famous money-saving techniques.

It has you begin setting aside a small (and increasingly growing) amount of money every week. That money sits in a jar or drawer and increases with every new week when you add to it. The best thing is that you just need to start with a dollar from the first week.

Keep increasing a dollar as you go (S$2 in the second week, S$3 in the third, and so on), and by the end of your 52-week challenge, you would have saved a little less than S$1,400!

Or if you think you can raise your game, why not go for the 365-day difficulty instead? This means rather than saving an amount each week; you do it for every single day of the year. But do set a realistic amount lest you backslide and abandon the whole challenge altogether.

#7: Sell your stuff online

There are several platforms to sell your stuff online. Ladies with neverending piles of clothes can try selling their clothes with Refash. Simply pack, send, and receive cash or credit in 30 days! Click here for more information.

For more general kinds of stuff, you can check out Carousell if you haven’t already. I’ve personally sold a couple of items on the Singapore-based app and think it’s a rather innovative platform for buyers and sellers to interact.

Or since most of us own a Facebook account, why not try Facebook Marketplace? You can easily create a listing under various categories, including home goods, pet supplies, and even properties for rent/sale.

Beware of scammers, though.

Final thoughts

a woman standing in front of a kitchen cupboard

Image Credits: ediblecommunities.com

You don’t have to take on the abovementioned challenges all at once since that would be overwhelming. Pick and partake in the ones you think are interesting and feasible. For example, after reading this article, why not put down your phone and start emptying your food pantry?

Little actions can lead to unexpected outcomes. Keep at it!

An economist says these 3 countries are poised to prosper in the next 10 years

With the new year’s arrival and a new president in the United States, international cooperation and trade are sure to be very different this year than in the past.

Because of the anticipation that looms behind future developments, we must pay attention to the up and rising economies, which may directly or indirectly affect us.

According to economist Kaushik Basu, three countries might just live up to expectations in their development process. They are South Korea, Vietnam, and Mexico.

South Korea is an advanced economy, so there’s no doubt about it. As for Vietnam and Mexico, the World Bank deems the two as a lower-middle-income economy and upper-middle-income country, respectively. There’s good reason to believe that both countries will exceed others over the next decade.

Without further ado, let’s dive into some of the reasons South Korea, Vietnam, and Mexico are set for success.

#1: South Korea

Image Credits: unsplash.com

South Korea is one of the safest picks.

Despite the 1997 East Asian financial crisis that affected the country’s two-decade-long growth run since the final few years of Park Chung-hee’s presidency during the late 1970s, South Korea’s investment in human capital is finally paying off.

For instance, in 2019, South Korea had about 3,319 patent applications per million population. To put that number into perspective, Japan only had 1,943 while China and the United States had 890 and 869, respectively. As such, South Korea is beating out some of our world’s top power economies.

The East Asian country was also the first country to begin a 5G campaign that covered the entire nation in April 2019, aiming to take a 15 per cent share of the global 5G market by 2026.

Furthermore, South Korea has taken steps to solve a pressing issue worldwide – teacher selection. Because of the good benefits of teaching, South Korea has attracted various talents into its education industry.

As such, the former chief economist of the World Bank expects South Korea’s per capita income to overtake Japan within the next decade.

#2: Vietnam

Image Credits: unsplash.com

When Vietnam’s economy finally changed from a command economy to more of a market-oriented model, that was the catalyst that would help transform Vietnam into the top three fastest-growing economies.

Since 2010, Vietnam has kept up with its sustained growth. It has enacted policies that make trading and foreign investments far more accessible, such as cutting tariff rates and investing in human capital.

Additionally, Vietnam’s successful handling of the pandemic situation has produced a 2.9 per cent economic growth in 2020, a period where most global economies suffered. As incoming international investments flow into Vietnam, the sky’s the limit for the country’s development as one of the world’s leading manufacturing hubs.

#3: Mexico

Image Credits: departures.com

Despite the toll that the pandemic has taken upon Mexico, the presidency of Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) in 2018 has brought new hope to the country.

This is because he began Mexico’s “Fourth Transformation”, an economic plan that will bring prosperity, growth, and a lower wealth gap between the rich and poor. Similarly to South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in, AMLO opted to live outside of the official presidential mansion, sending a symbolic message to the people.

Furthermore, Mexico will most likely be another global manufacturing hub due to arrangements such as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). With the USMCA in place, Mexico stands a chance to integrate its economy with the other two powerful forces.

Together, the trilateral agreement brings capital, labour force, and technology to the table, which can outshine China. Mexico has indeed a huge potential for growth in the years to come.