MoneyDigest - Personal Finance, Lifestyle, Money Saving Tips

Cheap Investment Opportunities In Singapore

Many Singaporeans think that should accumulate a significant amount of wealth before investing in the stock market. Well, let me prove you wrong! You can start investing with as little as S$100.

This seemingly low amount has three investment options. Choose wisely!

OPTION #1: REGULAR SHARES SAVINGS (RSS)

Regular Shares Savings plans (RSS) are also called monthly investment plans. Your mere S$100 can turn into a stock on the Singapore Exchange (SGX) as long as you commit to it monthly. Simply open an RSS plan with one of the four leading banks in Singapore. For instance, you may choose OCBC bluechip investment or POSB Investment-Saver.

The broker for the financial firm will invest your fixed amount based on the instructions you gave. I may instruct the broker to invest to Strait Times (STI) every month or to other bluechip companies. Do your research before spending! The best part about it is that you have full control over your investment decisions. What’s more? Your instructions can be submitted online thru the bank’s platform.

OPTION #2: UNIT TRUSTS

One a scale of risk taking, you may fall under the conservative end. Fortunately for you, you can invest your money in unit trusts. Unit trust works by combining money from a set of investors. The pool of money will then be invested by a professional fund manager. The professional fund manager will have control over your investment.

Nonetheless, you must educate yourself about the type of unit trusts wish to invest in. Unit trusts can be bought for about S$100 in various local banks.

OPTION #3: ROBO-ADVISORS

The future is upon us! Investors can use robo-advisors to allocate their assets in the portfolio. Robo-advisors automatically help investors by tapping on the formulas to manage their assets.

It is a relatively new system in Singapore. Hence, there are only a few brands to choose from. For instance, you may hop to Smartly or AutoWealth. However, the latter has a minimum investment of S$3,000 while the former does not. These two platforms use different algorithms to arrive at optimal solutions. Moreover, these platforms can charge up to 1% per annum for managing your money. The fee is calculate based on the percentage of the total portfolio held in your account.

Source: dollarsandsense

Best Personal Loans in Singapore with the Lowest Interest Rates (for 2019)

OCBC, HSBC and Standard Chartered offer the lowest interest personal loans in Singapore, available exclusively on SingSaver.

Editor’s note: Personal loan and bank rates are subject to change. Last updated 7 October 2019.

Whether it’s due to an emergency or simple cash flow management, most of us will need a personal loan at some point. Personal loans do get a bad reputation sometimes, but if you understand how to manage cash flow and know how to take advantage of promotional interest rates, they can be used to your advantage.

The most important factor when deciding on a personal loan is the interest rate for the personal loan. The lower the interest rate, the better. This is especially true if you need to borrow a large amount. Interest rates being offered via SingSaver are often lower than the ones being offered by the bank but also take note that ultimately, the final loan interest rate will also take into account your credit score, salary and repayment history.

Also pay attention to any admin or processing fees involved (sometimes, they are waivable), annual fees, how quickly you can get your cash as well as the monthly instalments to be repaid. Here’s a quick guide on the dos and don’ts when applying for a personal loan. We’ve compared the lowest interest rate personal loans available on the market right now and shared them below.

S$20,000 LOAN WITH 3-YEAR TENOR

Bank Loan	Flat Annual Interest Rate	Effective Interest Rate (p.a)	Processing Fees	Monthly Payment
OCBC Personal Loan	3.5%*	7.27%	$200	$614
HSBC Personal Loan	3.7%*	7.00%	$200 (min of $88)	$617
SCB CashOne Personal Loan	3.88%*	7.97%	$199 (waived as cashback)	$620
NEW SCB CashOne Fee Free Personal Loan	4.38%*	8.2%	None	$630

*Exclusive rate only available on SingSaver

1. OCBC Personal Loan

Enjoy the low interest rate of 3.5% p.a. (EIR 7.27% p.a.) — the lowest in the market currently — when you apply for an OCBC Personal Loan. This rate is exclusive for new to OCBC loan customers who apply via SingSaver. In addition, receive up to $320 in Capitaland vouchers with a minimum loan amount of $8,000. (Note: existing OCBC loan customers will be offered an interest rate from 4.7% p.a)

The downside for this loan is there’s a one-time processing fee of 1% of the loan amount. So if you’re looking at a $20,000 loan amount, that will be a processing fee of $200.

Do note that you will need to open an OCBC Credit Card or OCBC EasiCredit account to service your loan. Your maximum credit limit will be 6x your monthly salary if you’re earning $120,000 a year and above (if not, it will be 4x your monthly salary). Click the “Apply Now” button below, which helps you apply for both the credit account and cash loan all at once.

SingSaver Exclusive Rate

This low rate of 3.5% p.a. (EIR 7.27% p.a.) for your OCBC Personal Loan is exclusive to customers who apply through SingSaver and is not available on the bank’s own website.

Eligibility

Nationality	Age	Minimum Annual Income
Singaporean or Permanent Resident (PR)	21 – 65 years old	S$30,000 and above
Foreigners (residing in Singapore)	21 – 65 years old	S$42,000 and above

2. HSBC Personal Loan

If you’re looking at a loan tenor of 2 to 4 years, the HSBC Personal Loan offers the best annual interest rate of 3.7% p.a. (EIR 7% p.a.) for all income levels above S$30,000 per annum. This interest rate is only available on SingSaver and cannot be found on HSBC’s own website.

The HSBC Personal Loan also offers the longest loan tenor on the market — you can spread out your payments over up to 7 years. Enjoy a waiver of the S$88 processing fee as part of your welcome offer.

Loan amounts range from a minimum of S$5,000 to a maximum of 4x your monthly salary. If your annual income exceeds S$120,000, you can borrow up to 8x your monthly salary, or a maximum of S$200,000.

Foreigners residing in Singapore will need a minimum annual income of S$40,000, and may borrow up to 2x their monthly income, or a maximum of S$100,000.

Nationality	Age	Minimum Annual Income	Other requirements
Singaporean or Permanent Resident (PR)	21 – 65 years old	S$30,000 and above	N.A.
Foreigners (residing in Singapore)	21 – 65 years old	S$40,000 and above	Employment Pass with at least 12 months’ validity

3. Standard Chartered CashOne Personal Loan

With a guaranteed flat interest rate of 3.88% p.a. (EIR from 7.63% p.a.), regardless of loan amount or tenure, the Standard Chartered CashOne Personal Loan is one of the best options in the market.

There are no processing fees for this loan but Standard Chartered charges an annual fee of S$199 (waivable for the first year). Subsequently, a S$50 fee waiver will also be awarded (in the form of a cashback) from the second year onwards if all payment is received by the due date for the past 12 months.

What’s more, you can now get instant approval and loan disbursement – no more waiting 3-5 working days to receive your cash! From now till 29 February 2020, you can also receive an Apple AirPods worth $239 when you apply for a minimum loan of $10,000!

Nationality	Age	Minimum Annual Income	Other requirements
Singaporean or Permanent Resident (PR)	21 – 65 years old	S$30,000 and above	N.A.
Foreigners (residing in Singapore)	21 – 65 years old	S$60,000 and above	• Foreigners must be holders of P1, P2 or Q type Singapore Employment Passes • Q Pass holders must have minimum 1-year validity remaining on their passes

4. NEW Standard Chartered ‘Fee Free’ CashOne Personal Loan

For a limited time between now until October 31, Standard Chartered are offering a fee-free personal loan with a flat interest rate of 4.49% (EIR from 8.4% p.a.). It comes with:

annual fee permanently waived
no early redemption fee (after 9 months)
instant approval and cash if you apply via MyInfo
$160 cashback for successful applicants with minimum $20,000 loan

As there is no “lock-in” period, this limited offer is ideal for people looking for a fuss-free (and fee-free!) product as a means for investment or quick emergency cash.

Nationality	Age	Minimum Annual Income	Other requirements
Singaporean or Permanent Resident (PR)	21 – 65 years old	S$30,000 and above	N.A.
Foreigners (residing in Singapore)	21 – 65 years old	S$60,000 and above	• Foreigners must be holders of P1, P2 or Q type Singapore Employment Passes • Q Pass holders must have minimum 1-year validity remaining on their passes

If you’re still undecided, we’ve compared all the personal loans being offered by banks so you can easily compare the various terms and conditions. Compare and apply through SingSaver now and save more with exclusive welcome gifts and better interest rates.

Alternatively, check out our summary of the Best Personal Loans in Singapore 2019 for our recommendations of the best loans based on different needs.

This article first appeared on Singsaver.com.sg.

How To Become A Great E-Commerce Seller

Technology advancements paved way to the invention of e-commerce. E-commerce is the activity of buying or selling something via the Internet. From Instagram to Carousell, various websites and apps enable Singaporeans to practice e-commerce. That being said, here are tips on how to become the best online seller out there!

STEP #1: DEFINE YOUR BRAND

What are you willing and not willing to sell? What are the teens buzzing about these days? Pearl hair-clips or vintage headbands? How about the working adults? Are herbal oils in demand for pain management? Before you decide on putting a collection of products online, you must do your research.

Image Credits: unsplash.com

Look for sellers that offer the same products and see which products are on top. This ensures that your products are attractive and in demand without having to lose money in the process. As you diversify your product range and start selling more, you may need to find a warehouse.

STEP #2: NARROW DOWN THE COSTS

Opening a physical store entail a painfully long list of operation costs. It comprises of rent, interior design, electricity, utility, and other expenses. Not to mention, you have to maintain the overall look of your brick and mortar store.

Fortunately for you, you have avoided these expenses by opening an online store. You must start your business right by deciding which costs are necessary. Cut down unnecessary costs such as hiring additional staff.

STEP #3: OPEN AN ACCOUNT

To become an e-commerce seller, you can either open your own website or sign-up under an established one. For instance, you may set up a seller’s account at Lazada. It is easy!

As a prospective seller, you must provide basic contact information about yourself and the shop that you want to open. Next, you have to list down your products using Lazada’s Store Builder app. Ensure that you build appealing pages to increase client engagement. Lastly, you have to provide legitimate documentation. This documentation includes:

a. Your Business Registration Certificate or Business Owner Identification (NRIC),
b. Your list of directors,
c. A bank statement, and
d. GST letter (if applicable)

STEP #4: MARKET YOUR BRAND

Last but not the least, you must increase the visibility of your brand. Already established e-commerce websites have a lot of traffic, so you are at an advantage. You do not have to shell out more marketing budget. Nonetheless, you can always promote your products or services on Facebook and on Instagram.

Image Credits: unsplash.com

I cannot deny that many Singaporeans turn to social media for product or service reviews. So, make these reviews count!

4 Philippines Best Beaches

Are you planning a vacation to the Philippines this summer? Well, this country has a lot to offer; it’s like a small paradise on earth.

The country is like no other place on the planet. It has more than 7,500 islands with 2000 of them being inhabited. The area is full of beautiful sceneries and world-class beaches from Coron to El Nido.

The country offers one of the longest white sand coastlines in the world. Be sure to visit one of these beaches, and you’ll love the experience.

El Nido, Palawan

El Nido Island has one of the best beaches in Palawan. Its extraordinary splendor and ecosystem make it your ideal destination this summer.

The place is commonly known as the Philippines’ last frontier. It features as the 14^th beach among CNN’s top 100 beaches in the globe.

The island has over 50 white sand beaches, three marine habitats and five types of forests. It also a home to different bird species. Its waters are rich in marine life including dugongs, dolphins and over 100 species of fish.

You can visit this island and its fabulous beaches from December through March. At this time, the weather is dry and beautiful, plus the visitors are few translating to fewer rates.

Coron Island, Palawan

Coron Island is a gem of natural beauty in the world. It boasts of steep limestone cliffs, seven mountain lakes, and white sand beaches. It’s also a popular scuba diving site with Forbes travel magazine listing it among the ten best locations around the globe.

Even better, behind the majestic rock formations, there’s a secret lagoon with crystal-green waters and white-sand shores. This hidden beach is a paradise. You must get here either by swimming through the sea tunnel or climbing over the cliffs.

Panglao Island, Bohol

The island boasts of crystal clear blue waters and white sand beaches. The diving sites are among the best in the world. You’ll also find different species of marine life here.

Statistics from Panglao Biodiversity Project claim that the island has more marine life than Japan and the Mediterranean Sea combined.

Some of the famous beaches on this island are Alona, Doljo, and Dumaluan. Be sure to visit the area during the dry and cool season from December through to March.

Palaui Island, Cagayan

According to CNN, Palaui Island is at number 10 of their top 100 best beaches in the world. It describes the beach as a raw beauty where nature unfolds with fauna and flora, white sands, volcanic rocks, and abundant marine life.

When visiting this island, don’t expect to get any hotel or luxury item here. If you have to stay, look for a homestay or go camping at the beach. Don’t forget, camping near the lighthouse is illegal.

Conclusion

Philippines is among the leading vacation locations in the world. It has thousands of inhabited and uninhabited islands. Each of these islands has a lot to offer, including white sand beaches and the best scuba diving sites in the world. Plan a visit today, and you’ll not regret it.

4 Practical Tips On Making Your Online Business Successful

With a growth mindset, you aim to expand your online business in many ways! For starters, you want it to be more profitable than ever. All these goals can be possible once you employ the necessary changes. Remember that building a successful online business is a marathon and not a sprint! Nothing good happens overnight.

#1: WORD OF MOUTH

Millennials consume everything at a fast rate! When we want something, we want it now. With the digital consumer culture, it is best to create a positive online community. Post your clients’ feedback and tagged photos.

Singaporeans turn to the web for reviews on businesses and other services. Get positive word of mouth by providing professional service, monitoring your online presence, and giving back to the community. You may partake in or host charity events once a year.

#2: STOREFRONT OF YOUR BUSINESS

You have a fantastic product and a bulletproof selling process. It is time to design your own website. When creating your own website for your online business, you must keep things simple. You have about five seconds to grab someone’s attention. Otherwise, you will never see them again!

Ensure that you keep things simple by choosing two plain fonts and by making navigation clear. Collect as many email addresses as you can by offering promotions at the front page. Lastly, make buying accessible within one or two clicks. Ultimately, you must think of your website as your storefront. You have to make it eye-catching and consumer-friendly.

#3: POWER OF EMAIL MARKETING

As I have said above, you may collect as many email addresses as you can. Use these e-addresses to test the power of email marketing. It is such a strong tool to turn your potential consumers into loyal buyers. Allowing them to subscribe in your mail-list gives you permission to send regular promotions or new product updates. You are developing a long-lasting relationship with your client. Make each email count!

Email marketing is beneficial not only because it is cheaper that print marketing, but also because it is 100% measurable. You will be able to track whether you hit the target or not.

#4: EXPANSION OF THE CLOUD

With a startup business like yours, you can benefit from no-cost programs such as the “cloud” (e.g., Google Drive). Storing your files in one digital place will you monitor your gains and losses. The major advantages of using the cloud are its accessibility and its cost-effectiveness.

You will be able to access your business accounts and accounting files from anywhere and anytime using cloud-based applications. This way, you no longer have to pay for other applications.