1 Singapore dollar can now get you 1.05 Aussie dollar
Planning for a trip to Australia? This is a good time to visit the money changer.
The Singapore dollar rose to a 4-month high against the Australian dollar since the last time it hits S$1.00 = A$1.051 in January this year.
If we look at the 10-year chart, you can see that it is near its peak.
The decline of the Australian dollar is probably due to the result of the trade war between China and US. Australia’s economy is dependent on exports of its natural resources and a dampen China’s growth prospect will definitely affect the dollar.
If you are a prospective student going to Australia for your studies, good for you.
Whether you like it or not, you are expected to know what you want to do for the rest of your life the minute you graduate from secondary school. It is understandable to strive for the highest paying field or job possible. However, that is not always the case.
If you were to invest money at a young age, you can build a nest that is enough to sustain a comfortable lifestyle in your adult years. This may lessen the pressure you feel when choosing a career path. To begin your investment journey, you must read books aimed at young investors.
PERSONAL MONEY MANAGEMENT
Cary Siegel put an interesting twist to money management with the book entitled: “Why Didn’t They Teach Me This in School? 99 Personal Money Management Principles to Live By”. To Siegel, proper money management in accordance to the economy is an important lesson that the youth shall know. He imparts this knowledge by dividing his lessons into 99 principles. Said principles include investing, housing, spending, debit, credit, and budgeting. I, for one, am curious why these practical life skills are not taught in today’s curriculum.
You will get a sense of how to handle the financial aspects of your life as you read along. By combining solid advice on money and adulthood, your curiosity will be widened.
COMMON SENSE INVESTING
Looking for the perfect investment book for young adults? Search no further as John Bogle’s “The Little Book of Common Sense Investing” details the fundamentals of investing! It describes a plain approach that anyone can implement to achieve above average returns.
For people who are risk-takers, his methods may seem too simple. Consider studying further. After all, Warren Buffett included this book on his recommended reading list.
THE WARREN BUFFETT WAY
There is a reason why Warren Buffett’s name cannot be erased in the list of legendary investors. You see, he adapted his own investing style that lasted throughout the years.
It goes without saying, his results have been extraordinary!
His strategy was encapsulated in a book entitled “The Warren Buffett Way”. This books highlights how he invested in the past and in the present. For the young adult who wants to invest in businesses, the insight into Buffett’s thought process is of tremendous value.
MAKE MORE MONEY THAN YOUR PARENTS
Before Christmastime, a financial book from The Motley Fool entertainment was released to serve as the perfect Christmas gift for young adults. First and foremost, The Motley Fool is a “multimedia financial services company that has made investing fun and easy for millions of people since it was founded in 1993”. It aims to share information on how to efficiently manage your money.
David Gardner’s “The Motley Fool Investment Guide for Teens: 8 Steps to Having More Money Than Your Parents Ever Dreamed Of” is not as funny as it sounds. It is a piece of literature that gives you a guide to outperform your parents’ current professional success. It provides teens with a road map for sketching a financial journey from investing to saving or from budgeting to spending. Ultimately, it reminds the youth that every money spent is an investment. You have to make it count!
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The books listed above offer practical and understandable suggestions, solutions, and hacks about finance. I hope that these books may serve as an inspiration when you start your investment journey. Good luck!
Getting around Singapore can either be a breeze or a storm. It is up to you to weigh your options. Nonetheless, you may use this guide to travel from one place to another without a personal vehicle.
PLAN YOUR TRIP AHEAD
To budget your transportation expenses, you may plan your trip ahead of time. You can use fare calculators to complete the task. With an extensive collection of MRT lines and bus services, you may not be able to memorize each route or fare.
Know the most affordable way to get to your destination by checking GoThere.sg. You may also download the lite version of the app for free or plan your route the latest MRT map.
DO NOT TAP OUT
There will be days when you cannot hold your pee any longer! Not to mention, there will be times when nature calls at the worst places.
If you find yourself within the CBD area, simply alight at Bugis station and use the toilet within its gantry area. This will save you money without having to tap out. As this toilet is meant for the people who need it most (e.g., PWDs), please exercise courtesy.
CHOOSE YOUR CABIN WISELY
All our movements inside the train station are fueled by time. There are times when you have to settle with the cabin in front of you. Otherwise, the door will shut! Then, you have to endure the distance from your cabin to the escalator.
When you have time to spare, choose your cabin wisely. Avoid the mini “pilgrimage” by entering the cabin that opens directly to the escalator at your exit. A nifty app called Singapore MRT Lah 2.0 may help you. This app lists the quickest routes out of the train station. See for yourself!
ENJOY FREE WIRELESS CONNECTIVITY
Commuting can be boring for some. Thus, these people may turn to their phones for entertainment. Spiraled into the online abyss, you may encounter some ads. You do not know how much data a video ad can consume! So, reduce your mobile data consumption by tapping into areas that offer free WiFi spots.
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Simply download the Wireless@SG app via the App Store or Google Play. Register to enjoy free wireless connectivity at a variety of stations.
Your path to frugality has two options: you can either cut down your expenses or expand your income. Without a doubt, doing these two options simultaneously can increase your chances of achieving your long-term financial goals.
Establishing an online business is a great way to earn that extra money!
UTILIZE YOUR EXPERTISE
Whether you are an experienced real estate agent or a financial consultant, you can utilize your expertise by becoming an online consultant. The beauty of this is that it does not have to consume much of your time. Help individuals or companies to grow and work more efficiently. Consultancy is taking the world by storm because people would rather pay someone to help them than make their own costly mistakes.
SELL DIGITAL COURSES
It is amazing how you can create and sell your own courses with just a few clicks of a button. Digital courses map out the future and many budding entrepreneurs turn to it for reference.
Do you have to be a master in your field to become a digital instructor? No! All you need to do is to share your knowledge on a particular field and be two steps ahead of your audience. Digital courses can be built through websites such as Teachable and Kajabi. Go ahead! Try navigating through these websites now.
BECOME A GRAMMAR NAZI
I, myself, am caught in a cycle of writing and proofreading. Sometimes, I catch myself editing the past articles that I have written. Proofreading is a task best left to professionals. Writers, business owners, and alike will benefit from editors or proofreaders.
Offer your editing services by advertising it on Gumtree or Craigslist. You can also post on social media while targeting the undergraduate and graduate students.
SEW YOUR WAY UP
If you have a knack for sewing or tailoring, you may offer your services online. You see, some people pay for as much as S$30 for a simple stitching problem. You can offer a friendlier rate that will compete with the existing market.
More so, you may build an online business that sells your sewed products such as sweaters or scarves. Go one step further by offering tailoring classes at a cost.
BECOME A SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
Social media managers are trending at the moment. There is plenty of money to be circulated using Facebook, Google, and Instagram ads. Thus, businesses need someone to facilitate their online presence. Even with your smartphone, you can complete this job during your downtime.
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You can either take online training courses to pick up the skill or learn it through free YouTube videos. With your determination and commitment, you will be able to pick up the social media management skill.
Instagram plays an integral part in our lives. For many Singaporeans, they treat Instagram (IG) as an catalog showcasing the latest in lifestyle and beauty. It allows retailers to use the word-of-mouth marketing strategy to build their clientele.
With about 75% of online businesses taking part, to miss out on IG can be a bad idea. You need to swim with the waves of time! That being said, you must optimize you must start with optimizing your Instagram profile.
BEAUTIFY YOUR INSTAGRAM BUSINESS PROFILE
Let’s face it! It is human nature to judge based on appearance. Thus, you must optimize your Instagram Business Profile. Spend as much time and effort needed to curate an aesthetically pleasing Instagram feed. Do not forget to include the following elements:
A. Profile Picture allows your consumers to identify your brand easily. So, choose a logo with the highest resolution.
B. Bio lets your consumers know exactly what you can offer. Keep your description clear and concise with a touch of wits or humor.
C. URL section in the bio encourages the consumers to click your website in a snap! Attach a link to shop to increase the drive of traffic to your website.
USE TESTIMONIALS AND FEEDBACK
Parade the people who believe in your brand by checking out the tagged photos. Post your consumers’ photos with their feedback to entice your audience. This phenomenon is called the Social Proof, whereby people respond positively to what others enjoy and avoid what others dislike.
A testimonial photo seems more authentic and reliable as you are giving the shoppers a real sense what the product looks like. Moreover, you may set up an Instagram Story Highlight that includes all the tagged or feedback photos.
REACH YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE
It comes as no surprise that using Instagram ads can help sell your products or services. With continued changes to the Instagram algorithm and heightened competition to have your content be seen, Instagram ads are crucial to your marketing strategy. Select a specific target audience to optimize it.
A business profile allows you to set up an ad, to control how much you spend, and to select the length of an ad. It allows businesses to choose target options that best suit their needs. For example, I can choose to target the people in Changi Airport to sell my “Bali Unforgettable Travels” book.
It is easiest to run ads by promoting posts you have shared on Instagram. Select the post you want to boost by hitting the “Promote” button upon posting. Set up your audience and your budget. Double-check the details before hitting the “Confirm” button.
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I suggest that you start with a small budget and run the ad for a few days to test things out. Once you are happy with the results, you can expand its running duration. Track how your ad is performing by clicking “View Results” in the bottom left corner of your ad. It helps to boost the photos that best represents your brand or photos that include some Instagram influencers!
