Budget-Friendly Ways To Enjoy Milk Tea Regularly

As a tea enthusiast who enjoys a daily sip of milk tea, you must devise a plan to satisfy your addiction without harming your budget. Here are just some tips that you can apply:

#1: KNOW WHERE TO PURCHASE

Bubble milk tea originated in Taiwan, whereby the “bubble” refers to the fizz it creates after shaking. As a point of comparison, I focused on the basic pearl milk tea. The cheapest Pearl Milk Tea product in Singapore is offered by Woobbee (for S$2.90). It is made of black tea and black pearls. Drop by one of Woobbee’s three outlets namely: Tanjong Pagar Plaza, Shaw Tower, and Chinatown Point. Second to this is Gong Cha. Its Pearl Milk Tea costs about S$3.20.

#2: HUNT FOR THE CHEAPEST DEALS

Singapore is blessed with a variety of websites offering huge coupons, vouchers, or deals. One of these websites is Deals Singapore. Deals Singapore offers discounted deals getaways, watches, food, beauty products, and lifestyle services. For S$5, you can grab two Partea drinks for the price of one. The voucher includes two Brown Sugar Pearl Milk Tea with fresh milk. You may purchase a couple of these vouchers and review it afterwards. What’s more? You may resell the voucher too.

#3: MAKE YOUR OWN MILK TEA

You can either purchase an instant milk tea mix and add some ice or make your own Hong Kong-style milk tea. Fairprice Online sells the Gold Kili 3 in 1 Instant Milk Tea, which includes 30 packets for S$4.20. You may also purchase the Super 3 in 1 Instant Milk Tea, which includes 25 packets for S$4.95.

On the other hand, Hong Kong-style milk tea involves three ingredients: a cup of water, a can of condensed milk, and 2 tablespoons of black tea leaves. Start by combining the tea leaves and water in a pan over medium heat. Bring this to a low boil and let it simmer for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and put the condensed milk. Return to boil and let it simmer for another 3 minutes. Strain the mixture and serve.

Image Credits: thespruceeats.com

MODERATION IS THE KEY

I, for one, am addicted to milk tea. However, many experts suggest that you should not start the day with a cup of milk tea.

According to Shilpa Arora, a Macrobiotic Health Coach, “Tea has potent antioxidants catechins and epicatechins, but adding milk cuts down the amount of these antioxidants making this otherwise healthy drink a source of inflammation and acidity. Also, adding sugar makes it even worse.”

Since milk can make the tea acidic, it is recommended to indulge with moderation!

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How to recoup from the 11.11 sales shopping disaster

Lelong lelong!

What’s better than a Great Singapore Sale? The 11.11 crazy Singles’ Day sales.

If you’re an avid fan of online shopping, you wouldn’t have been spared from the numerous “virtual” billboard signs plastered on your favourite e-commerce shopping platforms, screaming descriptions claiming to offer the biggest and largest deals of the year.

Even if you’re not, you’re not spared either. Virtually every social media platform would have had advertisers interrupt your viewing pleasure with attention-seeking colours to tempt you to shop, shop, shop.

I hate to admit it, but even I have fallen prey to such sales tactics.

Have you accumulated too much credit card charges during the 11.11 sale? Here’s how you can make yourself feel better – choose to repay your credit card outstanding amount with a credit card balance transfer card that has a short-term loan tenure at 0% interest with $0 processing fees.

What is a balance transfer?

Simple logic – the lower the interest rate, the less you have to repay your credit card charges. Balance transfers involve a transfer of funds from a high-interest credit card to a lower-interest card.

This is where the Standard Chartered Credit Card Funds Transfer card comes in.

Some of the Standard Chartered Credit Card Funds transfer card features include:

  • Loan tenure of 6-12 months
  • 0% interest rate during tenure
  • Exclusive 0.9% processing fee, which can be offset by $220 cash back, for new Standard Chartered cardmembers
  • Flexible repayment amounts
  • Comes together with a Standard Chartered Unlimited card

Instead of having to suffer from high interest charges for loan amounts that can be fully repaid in a short period, i.e. 6-12 months, you can now pay them off without these incurring these interest fees and putting an even greater dent on your shopping expenses.

Find out more about the Standard Chartered Credit Card Funds Transfer card on the SingSaver website.

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How To Shield Yourself From Grab’s Surge Pricing

As a country whose location is near the Equator, Singapore experiences “dry and wet days” throughout the years. Generally speaking, the dry months last from March to August. While, the wet months typically span from September to February. Its tropical climate makes the weather unpredictable.

The most convenient way to travel while it is raining is through a personal or a public car. There is no denying that hailing a cab becomes difficult when it is raining! What’s more? You may experience surge pricing when hailing a cab or booking a Grab car. Surge pricing is the adjustment of ride prices to match driver supply and rider demand. During periods of excessive demand where there are not enough drivers on the road (i.e., rainy weather), Grab increases its normal fares.

To combat this issue, insurance cooperative NTUC Income launched the product Droplet last October. Droplet is a pioneer when it comes to protecting the commuters against unpredictable surge pricing on ride-hailing platforms. Further down the road, it aims to cover other platforms aside from Grab. Just wait for their announcements by the end of the year.

HOW DOES IT WORK

Reap the benefits of Droplet by purchasing the rainsurance at least a day ahead of your rides. The premium will be no more than S$9.60 for the day. You can submit as many ride receipts for claim and receive a maximum of S$50 in a day. Commuters who buy the Droplet coverage closer to the forecast of rain are likely to pay a higher premium that those who purchase the premium cover in advance.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

To buy the insurance, you must select a date range that you would like to receive coverage. Then, you must send your claims by forwarding your E-Receipt through email (to [email protected]).

As of now, Droplet only covers rides booked on the Grab app. It will pay up to 60% of your trip fare or the cancellation fee should it be raining at the point of pickup.

THE BOTTOM-LINE

This post shall end with a statement from NTUC Income.

“Droplet is a blue-sky response to consumers’ pain point – surge pricing due to rain – when they book a ride on ride-hailing platforms. In Singapore, where an average of 167 days of rainfall can be expected a year, consumers can now meaningfully address this pain point with insurance cover by Droplet.”

It is exciting to see how insurance products sync with the modern times. Hopefully, other insurers will be as innovative as this one for the commuters to enjoy the benefits of having options.

Sources: 1 & 2

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Create A Beginner’s Makeup Bag For Under S$100

With a wide array of makeup products available on the market, it is hard to know what you actually need. Whether you are new to the cosmetics scene or ready to start a new kit, here are some of the essential products that you need to invest on.

THE ESSENTIAL PRODUCTS

1. Foundation

Foundation covers the imperfections of your skin. When choosing the right foundation, you must match the color with your neck and chest. Then, understand your skin type to decide between a powder or a liquid formula. People with dry skin can greatly benefit from liquid foundation or hydrating powder. People with oily skin can will look best with matte foundation or powder products.

2. Blush

The blush’s primary function is to give you a subtle glow or a healthy-looking skin. A hue that generally flatters every complexion is a rose blush containing hints of brown. Apply the blush correctly by smiling and locating the apples of your cheeks. If you are using a powder foundation, it is recommended to use a powder blush. If you are using a liquid foundation, stick with a cream blush.

3. Eye-shadow

Using an eye-shadow palette in a strategic manner can transform your entire look to suit your outfit. Experiment with the range of colors and types (i.e., matte or shimmer). Nude tones such as taupe and brown are universally flattering. While, muted purple and gray tones such as mauve and plum are classically beautiful.

4. Lips

Image Credits: pixabay.com

One of the most sought-after cosmetic products is the lipstick! Red and nude hues enhances your natural shade of pucker. Personally, I prefer Mac’s Russian Red and Twig shades. Selecting a sheer tone of lip product will minimize the chances of a mismatch as your natural pout will shin through.

THE THRIFTY MIX & MATCH

COMBO #1 (TOTAL: S$84.90)

A. Eyes/Cheeks/Lips/Face – Hydrate, Illuminate, and Glow Kit by Tarte (S$65)
This kit includes a highlighter palette that can double as your eye-shadow, a lip balm for a subtle color, and a setting mist for a 12-hour coverage.

B. Face – Pressed Powder Foundation by L.A. Colors (S$10)

C. Lips/Cheeks – Dear Darling Water Gel Tint by Etude House (S$9.90)

COMBO #2 (TOTAL: S$50.85)

A. Eyes – Matte Eyeshadow by L.A. Colors (S$11.05)

B. Lips/Cheeks – Dear Darling Water Gel Tint by Etude House (S$9.90)

C. Face – Miracle Touch Foundation by Max Factor (S$29.90)

Image Credits: pixabay.com

COMBO #3 (TOTAL: S$64.90)

A. Eyes/Cheeks/Lips – Nudies All Over Face by Nudestix (S$45)
A great tip to help you save money is to splurge on a product that can be used for more than one purpose. This versatile product even includes a brush and a mirror. My favorite shades include “In The Nude” and “Naughty N’ Spice”.

B. Face – Fit Me Matte+Poreless Liquid Foundation by Maybelline (S$19.90)

Sources: 1 & 2

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iSwitch: Stand A Chance To Win 1 Year Free Electricity For Your Household While Paying Less For Your Electricity Bill When You Switch To iSwitch.

With the first phase of the Open Electricity Market (OEM) rolled-out on 1st November, households with postal codes that begin from 58 – 78 now have the opportunity to switch electricity providers. This means that you can now choose plans from electricity retailers like iSwitch instead of getting your power supply from SP Group alone, very much like choosing a mobile phone plan.

However, with the many retailers that debuted with the launch of OEM, it may be very confusing to select the right plan for your household. To make things simpler for consumers, iSwitch will be promoting the two most popular price plans – Fixed Price Plan and Discount Off Regulated Tariff (DOT).

  • Fixed Price Plan – Paying a fixed rate for electricity throughout your contract term with your selected retailer.
  • DOT – Enjoying a fixed discount off the existing tariff during your contract term.

Why Choose iSwitch?

iSwitch offers a seamless switching process, and for those who wishes to switch to iSwitch, the application process can be easily done online. Simply select the plan of your choice, fill up all information needed in the application process and the iSwitch team will do the rest. This online sign up takes less than 2 minutes to complete!

iSwitch prides themselves in excellent customer service where they have a dedicated team for consumers to contact them through email, hotline and Facebook for those that happen to face any issues during application. Customer service is an important core in their business so you can set your mind at ease knowing you have a trusted retailer to rely on.

For those of you who wish to be play a part in environmental sustainability, this is for you!  iSwitch is committed in carbon footprint reduction. Consumers who sign up through its website can proudly claim to use Green Certified Electricity at no additional cost. If you are wondering how they do that, iSwitch programme, ‘iSwitch2Green’, monitors your energy usage and calculates the amount of carbon emissions your household is responsible for. After doing so, they would then buy Carbon credits issued by United Nations certified projects on your behalf. In addition, iSwitch also goes green by offering only paperless billing where consumers are notified every month via email. For those who are keen to sign up with an environmentally friendly retailer that promotes green certified energy, iSwitch is one of the few to consider.

iSwitch Fixed/DOT Price Plans

iSwitch offers a comprehensive range of price plans with flexible contract periods, and if you are intending to make the switch, here are some price plans which may interest you:

Super Saver Discount (24 Months)

Enjoy 21% discount on your regulated tariff with the Super Saver Discount plan. This discount is limited to a 24 Months contract. Here is an example of how much you would save if you selected this option over a 24 Months period:

iPromo – iPad (36 Months)

iPromo – iPad is a time limited plan by iSwitch. The 1st 500 sign ups in Zone 1,2,3 and 4 get a complimentary iPad and 5% (exc. GST) Discount Off Regulated Tariff! If you have been eyeing for an iPad, you should consider this unique and time limited plan! As of now, the plan is still available for sign ups, so fastest fingers first!

‘Chope’ The Rate (24 Months)

A Fixed Rate plan offers a lower rate of $0.1720/kWh (exc. GST) / $0.18404/kWh (inc. GST)  for 24 Months.

All plans that iSwitch offers require a 1-month bill equivalent security deposit. iSwitch absorbs transmission loss and also absorbs carbon tax!

For those who sign up with iSwitch online, your plan also comes with a free green certified electricity at no cost, a free air-condition servicing and a free AIA Personal Accident Protection plan. Those who make payment through POSB Everyday Card would also get a 1% rebate.

Multiple Payment Options

Payment for your iSwitch plans can be easily made with the multiple payment options they offer such as AXS kiosks, credit or debit cards, or even GIRO, whichever suit your needs.

To easily track your usage and bills, iSwitch allows its consumers to log in personally into their iSwitch accounts or the iSwitch Mobile App to check them on the go.

iSwitch Rewards

Besides enjoying cost savings from your plan, iSwitch also have a point rewards system where you can earn points to receive rebates on your bill. Some examples where you can earn points would be selecting GIRO as a payment method which would let you earn 25 points (equivalent to $2.50) or renewing your plan (100 points or $10). Referring a friend will instantly earn you SGD 50 rebate off your electricity bill (limited to the first 500 referrals).

iSwitch ‘Switch & Win’ Campaign

In conjunction with the nationwide roll-out of OEM, iSwitch has launched a campaign for those who sign up with iSwitch would stand a chance to walk away with 1 year of free electricity. For those who think this is only for those in Zone 1, do not be disheartened as ‘Switch & Win’ would be selecting a winner from all 4 zones, that means there would be 4 winners! All sign-ups made between 1st November 2018 to 30th June 2019 will automatically be in the running to qualify for this promotion, so switch and win today!

For more information about ‘Switch & Win’ campaign, click here.

iSwitch, Your Electricity Retailer

iSwitch aims to place their consumers in the forefront, by providing as many lifestyle perks as they can like those in their price plans. For those who are intending to change to an electricity retailer but do not have an opportunity to due to the different zones, do keep iSwitch in mind as they would not disappoint with its deals and savings. And for those who falls under Zone 1 and wish to join iSwitch now, you may head over to their website to check out the savings, promotions and plans that they are currently offering!

For more information on iSwitch, do visit their website – https://iswitch.com.sg/residential/, or their Facebook page.

 

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