MoneyDigest - Personal Finance, Lifestyle, Money Saving Tips

7 Budget-Friendly Ways To Organize Your Kitchen

Imagine a disorganized kitchen with tools clustered and mess everywhere. You might be motivated to cook more if it was not so disorganized. Okay, perhaps not. But, you wouldn’t it be nicer to have a clean and organized kitchen space? Upon realizing this, keep in mind that although this is time-consuming…it is all worth it!

1. MAKE AN INVENTORY

To get organize, start by determining what you have and arranging these items based on their functionality. Create an inventory wherein the items on top are the ones you use often and the ones you need the most.

2. EVALUATE THE ITEMS

After making an inventory with specific ranking, look at the items on the lower end and evaluate whether you are going to toss or donate them. Toss items that are helplessly broken or cannot be repaired. Then, donate the items that you underused or have too much of (e.g., three pots of the same size and color).

3. BRING OUT THE ESSENTIALS

Increase accessibility by placing the essential items and products such as knives, cutting board, and oil, near the stove and sink. It does not make sense to put these overly used items inside the drawer.

4. MAKE IT REACHABLE

I generally hear homemakers say: “You must put the kitchen items within reach. If you do not see them, you would not use them.” It is totally sensible. Avoid losing money to rotten potatoes or other expired products by making these items reachable. For instance, you my keep the potatoes in a basket near the cutting board.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

5. GROUP ITEMS BY TYPE

Keep the kitchenware of the same kind together. All the pans should be in the same cabinet or drawer as well as all the baking sheets. Arrange items from smallest to biggest and cluster their “group mates” close by. This way, it will be easier to locate items without messing with the kitchen.

6. USE THE WALLS WELL

Create space by making use of the kitchen walls. Hang up shelves or pegs to keep your utensils, dish towels, spices jars, small bowls, and pot holders on plain sight. You may purchase IKEA’s GRUNDTAL shelves that range from $15.90 to $19.90.

7. CHECK YOUR KITCHEN REGULARLY

After you arranged everything to your liking, value your efforts by regularly going through your drawers, shelves, cabinets, and cupboards once every 2-3 months. Make sure everything is on its right place. This shall only take up a few minutes of your time.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

Sources: 1 & 2

Prevent High Turnover Rate By Knowing 4 Common Reasons Why Singaporean Employees Quit

I do not have to throw statistics to claim that some Singaporean companies are experiencing trouble in retaining their employees. Losing money to hire a new talent over and over again seems to be inevitable because of the perceived dissatisfaction in the workplace. Last year, the aspects of work of 5,000 Singaporean employees were studied by Singapore Human Resources Institute. They found that on average, the employees were considered “Under Happy” at work.

Prevent the high turnover rate by instilling alterations in the working conditions. Often times, employees are just hungry for change. Start with these 4 issues that you can juggle on:

1. HORRIBLE BOSS

The competitive cost of living in the country affected the demand for faster output. In return, this can create a toxic workplace wherein employees suffer from burnout or depression. Adding a horrible boss into the mix will only worsen the situation.

Image Credits: Vocab Ninja via Flickr

In 2012, JobsCentral conducted a survey including the responses of 3,299 employees and 256 hiring managers. A whopping 31% of the respondents said that they do not have satisfying boss-worker relationship. This is because of the following reasons: lack of advancement opportunities (87.5%), lack of autonomy (80.6%), and work demands (71.1%). So, if you want your priced employee to stay, warn the boss against these poor practices.

2. LOW OPPORTUNITIES FOR CAREER GROWTH

Career growth does not only help the employee personally but also financially. An employee maybe happy at his or her current position but in need of bonuses to cover the rising costs. A limit in growth can decrease the motivation and purpose of the employee to strive for more. For some the limit is unacknowledged and it is famously called as the “glass ceiling”. Therefore, companies shall create tangible career paths.

3. LOW SALARY

I cannot deny the fact that salary is a common factor for an employee to draft his or her resignation. In fact, 61% of Singaporean employees felt that were underpaid and overworked compared to the existing market rates. CPF deductions and domestic expenses will be deducted to the baseline salary afterwards. This leaves no room for retirement funds or any type of savings.

Solution! Companies: make room for increments no matter how small it may seem. Individuals: do not hesitate to ask for a raise.

4. OFF-BALANCE BETWEEN WORK AND LEISURE

When we work as hard as we do, we only deserve to play hard too! According to a survey, 57% of Singaporeans said they would rather have a work-life balance over higher pay. Take notes from the CEO of I-Search Worldwide – Mr. Richard Hoon who sets aside the Friday evenings for the staff to gather and chat with complementary food and beverage. It is his way to help the employees ease into the relaxing weekends ahead.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

6 Simple Ways To Organize Your Finances Now

In a sea of bills and taxes, its huge waves may drown one. Building a strong money boat to hold you and your finances together through organization is the key. Organizing your personal finances enables you to save more money and time. Start with these simple ways:

1. KEEP TRACK OF YOUR FINANCES DIGITALLY

Firstly, you must be aware of your spending patterns and exactly how much you are spending per month and per annum. A surefire way to organize your personal finances is to keep track of it by using a Smartphone App or computer software. Find the perfect (and Free) money management app for you here. Or, download reliable money management software called Money Dance or Mint. These digital tools will help you decide how much you shall save and help you to highlight the unnecessary expenses.

2. DESIGNATE A PLACE FOR BILLS

Never forget where you put the bills or what their due dates are by designating one place for them. Some bills arrive by electronic mail while some arrive by postal mail. You have to decide whether you are going to file all your bills in a tangible box or in a computer folder. For physical storage of bills, you may purchase the S$0.90 PAPPIS brown box from IKEA that is created to hold A4 size papers. Label the box accordingly and keep it in a safe place. While for virtual storage of bills, make scanned copies of those that arrive in the mail and put them into a labeled folder in your computer or laptop.

3. PREPARE FOR YOUR BILLS

At the beginning of the month, make a list of the bills you are expecting to receive. Put it on your working desk or create a file for it. This way, you will not pay a bill twice even if you received it simultaneously by e-mail and postal mail.

4. PAY THE BILLS IMMEDIATELY

Always charged for late payment? Try paying bills immediately. Since you are prepared for the bills earlier on, you may have available money in the bank to pay it the same day as you received it. If you have automatic payment scheduled and you still received a billing statement, call your bank or creditor.

5. CUT DOWN THE NUMBER OF YOUR FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS

In a world filled with a certain bank account card for all your needs, most people have several number of financial accounts. The complication starts when the credit card for travel, for petrol, and for shopping bills at the same time. Also, you may have different bank accounts for higher interest, minimal fees, and rebates. More than being complicated, the constant shuffling between these accounts can get messy. This is why you must reduce the number of your accounts.

6. SET REALISTIC FINANCIAL GOALS

Develop a habit of financial goal setting to know where you are going and to plan how you can get there. Write down your financial goals with a trusted witness and contemplate the monetary milestone you would like to accomplish in the next 2 to 5 years. Track down your monthly progress.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

Sources: 1 & 2

Top 5 Websites in Singapore to Book Flight Tickets

Have you ever had to plan a business or personal trip in minutes? If so, you must have thanked technology for offering you the advantage of booking your tickets online. It’s a simple yet necessary service that allows people to get the ticket booking done by exploring all the options and without leaving the comfort of their homes.

If you are a newbie who has never booked a flight ticket over the internet then you should have a look at the top 5 websites in Singapore to book flight tickets as these websites will come in quite handy when you have to book your tickets instantly the next time around.

1. Expedia

https://www.expedia.com.sg/

It’s a cool website that is quite easy to understand and helps you get done with the reservations within a few seconds. You also have the benefit of getting your hands on some standard and last minute deals that will save you some money. Who wouldn’t like to save some money? Huh?

2. Agoda

http://www.agoda.com/

This is another cool website for newbies. The best part about this website is its simplicity. Everything is written in a simple language and some steps are clearly mentioned so that even a person who is not so computer friendly can book the tickets within a few seconds. They also offer flight tickets on an urgent basis.

3. Zuji

http://www.zuji.com.sg/

This website is renowned for offering everything with regard for your travel, be it flight tickets or car hire. You can even get customized and exclusive deals in your inbox which will assist you to get started with your travel plans earlier than you would have thought. After all, you wouldn’t want to let go of an exclusive money saving package, Would you?

4. Singapore Airlines

http://www.singaporeair.com/

Singapore Airlines can help you to plan your entire trip at a single place. You can find hotels, get travel insurance, avail Singapore tours and do much more. They also have a very active promotions section that can help you understand about their service offerings and deals in detail. All you need to do is click on the deal you find suitable and get done with the entire tour planning within a few moments.

5. Thai Airways

http://www.thaiairways.com/

Last but certainly not the least; Thai Airways is another website that makes online flight booking a pleasant experience. The website has to offer great deals and updates the users on great happenings various places like exploring Chiang Mai as well as updates the users on latest happenings in the Airline industry. This website is a must visit for travel lovers as it has a lot more to offer than simple airline tickets.

The specialty of all these websites is that they offer flight tickets on priority basis so even if you are in a bit of a rush, you can trust these websites to offer affordable tickets in short order without getting scammed. Just try them once and you’ll agree that they are certainly the best websites in Singapore to book flight tickets.

(This article is brought to you by CouponzGuru.)

Plan For Your Retirement In These Upcoming CPF Roadshows

Are you prepared for what the future holds?

Many of us who have just started joining the workforce have the notion that that saving for retirement can start in later years and the main priority is to focus on current needs and wants such as upgrading to a nicer home, getting a new car and travelling once a month.

The hard truth, however, will eventually catch up with us when we are in our 40s and 50s when we realised that our retirement savings is hardly enough to provide for our long term needs.

There is never a “good” time to start planning for our retirement. But there are advantages to starting early. If you start early, you will have a longer time horizon and that means more time to grow your savings. If you have made investments, a long term horizon will also help to ride out short-term price fluctuations on your investments.

But, if you start late, you will have to work harder at growing your retirement savings. If you cannot afford to lose money, you should avoid investments that come with higher risks. You may even need to think of delaying retirement provided you remain employable. – MoneySense.gov.sg

Unsure of how to plan for your retirement? Visit the upcoming roadshows organised by The Central Provident Fund Board (CPFB) to pick up insightful tips.

Event Date	Event Time	Venue
28 to 30 August 2015	11:00AM to 06:00PM	Bedok Mall
13 September 2015	11:00AM to 06:00PM	Toa Payoh HDB Hub
10 October 2015	11:00AM to 06:00PM	Jurong Point
31 October 2015	11:00AM to 06:00PM	Ang Mo Kio Center Stage
14 November 2015	11:00AM to 06:00PM	Braddell Heights Community Hub

Hear from celebrity and entrepreneur Irene Ang and financial expert Christopher Tan, CEO of a financial advisory firm as they discuss retirement planning. Win prizes at various game booths when you test your financial knowledge too!

Visit www.cpf-bigrchat.sg to find out more

For enquiries on the roadshows, please email the organiser at [email protected]

Search the site