MoneyDigest - Personal Finance, Lifestyle, Money Saving Tips

Surefire Ways To Save Money On Beauty Products

Most consumers believe that beauty expenses are “needs” rather than “wants”. This is why they do not look for ways to save money. However, you can still pamper yourself and save money at the same time.

Consider these four tricks:

SPOT THE DUPES

If you have been accustomed to using high-end cosmetics and salon-quality hair products, your beauty expenses may take a toll on your budget. Stop ignoring the inexpensive products at the drugstore! Challenge yourself to downgrade at least two products and see if the cheaper option is an acceptable alternative.

Let as take a look at the makeup products to put things into perspective. In the beauty world, dupes refer to the affordable options similar to the expensive products. Dupes carry similar shade, texture, and results with the “original”. For instance, you may amp up your lashes for less by purchasing the Rimmel Scandaleyes Reloaded Mascara at Watsons. This is way cheaper than its competitor – the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara at Sephora. Get more dupes by following @Dupethat on Instagram.

WIDEN YOUR SEARCH

As I mentioned above, the drugstore holds several gems waiting to be discovered. Widen your search for inexpensive alternatives by considering unconventional locations such as the “dollar store”. Purchase general items at Value Dollar or Daiso Singapore. General items include facial cotton pads, hair clips, manicure kits, and beauty sponges. People who do not have sensitive skin may try some of the cosmetics available at these stores.

FACE YOUR STASH

Using the available beauty products is probably the easiest money-saving trick in the book! Begin by creating a realistic inventory of your cosmetics before moving on to your skin care and hair care items. Narrow your collection by removing any unnecessary duplicates. Do you really need six identical red lipsticks or a dozen of face masks?

Aside from avoiding duplicates, you must avoid the harmful effects of unusable products. I am referring to the beauty products that are already expired or tarnished. Check for the products’ dates, the formula consistency, and the packaging condition. You do not want your hair oil leaking all over your purse.

BEAT THE GIMMICKS

Do not be tempted by flashy gimmicks and clever infomercials.

Are you looking forward to grab the new stainless steel mascara by Hourglass Cosmetics? Well, the 78-dollar instrument (about S$109) aims to catch you attention and to make you perceive that it improves the mascara. However, “innovative” products like this are almost always wasteful. Do you really want to waste your money on a tool that resembles a screw?

Master hairstylist Pasquale Caselle once said: “It (infomercial) is a specifically written script portrayed by models and actors so, you think you must have that product. Remember, no product is good for everybody all the time, as they would have you believe.” Please research on the beauty product first before buying it.

Sources: 1 & 2

Learn About The Essence Of Money By Watching These Films

Money is all around us. Thus, it comes as no shock that this subject sparked the imagination of countless screenwriters. Their works either graced the small or the silver screen. Many movies surrounding money or finance creates dramatic performances and universal themes. You could learn a thing of two from these films.

Without further ado, here are some “money movies” that are actually worth your time…

THE IMPORTANCE OF CREATING AN EMERGENCY FUND

Several articles I wrote stressed on the importance of establishing an emergency fund (e.g., Clever Ways To Build A Sufficient Emergency Fund). Widen your understanding by perceiving life through the lenses of George Bailey.

One of the most beloved films of all time, “It’s A Wonderful Life (1946)” teaches us about the effect money can have over us. Its follows the journey of George Bailey who led a seemingly perfect life in Bedford Falls. He was the head executive of a local financial institution – the Bailey Bros. Building and Loan Association. Everything changed on a Christmas Eve when an employee lost the $8,000 bank deposit. George had to face serious criminal charges for embezzlement. The financial crisis took a toll on him and he contemplated suicide.

If George set up an emergency fund, his financial crisis would have been alleviated significantly. An emergency fund aims to cushion personal financial dilemma such as bankruptcy, unemployment, or theft. He was a thrifty individual, but he did not consider to pay himself first.

Realistically speaking, chronic stress is a possible reaction to monetary woes. Do not hesitate to seek professional help when necessary.

THE FRUITS OF DETERMINATION

Pursuit of Happyness (2006) holds a special place in my heart. I would never forget the quote that Will Smith’s character delivered. He said: “Don’t ever let someone tell you, you can’t do something. Not even me. You got a dream, you got to protect it.” Naysayers and jealous people are inevitable in a competitive field such as ours. Not letting them get in the way of your success is just one moral lesson in the movie.

The movie beautifully paints rags-to-riches tale. Will Smith portrays the character named Christopher Gardner. Christopher was a salesman who struggled to make ends meet for his family. The height of their financial crisis led to the abandonment of his son. Against these depressing odds, he maintained a positive outlook. He took an unpaid internship to become a stockbroker. He would make about 200 calls a day! His determination and persistence shined through. These two factors are vital, if you want to thrive in life.

Christopher’s ability to find solutions in the face of financial adversity is truly inspirational.

THE EFFECTS OF GREED

The 1987 Wall Street flick conveyed the superb message that every dream has its price. The story centers on a young, desperate, and impatient stockbroker who is willing to do anything just to reach the peak. He was willing to step on his integrity to gain power. The characters embodied that greed is good, is right, and is necessary.

Let us define greed (pertaining to wealth) first. Psychologists have a definition for excessive love of money. They stated that it is about needing money for its own sake. Contrary to the need for money to satisfy personal and social goals. Greed, for the lack of a better term, is bad.

You are likely to commit mistakes, the more you are emotionally attached to money. You develop several biases when you are clouded with greed. For instance, “money lovers” were more likely to believe that savings could wait. Oh! Talk about not building a nest for the golden years.

This movie may be a classic, but its lessons are still relevant today.

Sources: 1, 2, & 3

How To Quickly Sell Your Property In Singapore

You can sell your property in a faster pace by combining strategy with a little dedication. Consider these tips:

SET AN ATTRACTIVE STAGE

There is something that you cannot deny. We all heard the saying: “You never get a second chance to make a first impression”. The essence of this statement is clear. The second and succeeding impressions are not as pervasive as the first! Most people dwell on the first meetings or interviews to create consistency. It is up to you to make a stellar introduction of your home.

Home staging is the process of transforming your property into an appealing “show flat” before listing it on the market. It is important when there is a surplus of properties in a relatively slow market. Begin by making minor tweaks such as adding flowers in the living room or by making major tweaks such as re-painting the entire flat. Doing these things will help increase the perceived value of your property.

If you have a shortage of creative juices, consider hiring companies that offer Home Staging Services such as the Singapore Furniture Rental. Singapore Furniture Rental usually accessorizes the flats with neutral colors as it can attract the highest number of potential buyers or tenants.

MARK THE RIGHT PRICE

It is no secret that sellers typically underrate or overrate their beloved properties. Swaying in either of the two directions can lead to losing a significant amount of money. Let us start by dictating an elevated price point. Quoting too high can discourage the buyers from grabbing your offers.

Let us focus on the other side of the coin. Singaporean buyers are becoming more prudent. So, a low price point is immensely attractive. However, you are at risk of earning almost nothing as you need to cover fixed and unforeseen fees.

It is difficult to get the price right without sufficient resources. Widen your knowledge by browsing through the local property websites. Renowned sites include Asia’s premier iProperty and SPH’s very own Singapore Real Estate Exchange. After your digging online, gather information from a couple of experienced agents. You have to hire one that could easily give the reasonable price for your property.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

DEPERSONALIZE AND DECLUTTER

Imagine tagging your spouse along with you for nest hunting. You came across a decent flat at Yishun. During the open house, you were greeted by colorful walls filled with wedding pictures. It does not stop there. The bedroom is garnished with baby photos. Yes! Everything is adorable. However, it highlighted the “real” owners of the home. It was hard for you to focus on the other features of your potential home.

Do you see why depersonalization plays a crucial part to sales? Take down the family photos, political ornaments, religious items, and other personal materials. The prospective buyers need to picture their lives in the home…not yours!

Remove excess furniture and rubbish while you are it. The fewer things there are, the larger the space will look. Aim for that.

SHOWCASE IT ONLINE

How can people know more about your property if you do not publicize it? Make it easy for potential buyers to view your wonderful home by becoming more flexible with your schedule. Let people visit in different times of the day. Furthermore, you may consider making an online listing.

It is safe to say that when you are selling your home beyond 2017, a significant fraction of the target market will be Millennials. Take advantage of technology as Millennials fall between ages 18 to 35. List your property on social portals like Facebook and Carousell. Or, you may list it directly on property websites such as propertyguru.com.sg and 99.co.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Remember to attach high quality photographs to boost your chances!

Sources:1, 2, & 3

Useful Tips On Raising Financially Savvy Kids

According to Investopedia, financial literacy is the “ability to use knowledge and skills to make effective and informed money management decisions”. It is an area that is often skipped in the formative educational system. As parents, it is your job to fill in the gaps.

Educating your kids to make wise money decisions earlier on will affect their finances in the long run. Consider taking these financial steps:

CONVEY THE VALUE OF MONEY

Encourage your children to absorb the value of money by using tangible examples. For instance, you may employ counting games for toddlers. Grab a pack of M&M’S and have your kids sort each one by color. Let them count how many pieces are available per color.

Once they can discriminate, introduce them to the different denominations of Singaporean money. The difficulty level of your lessons shall increase with their ages. Older children learn best with realistic examples such as an educational trip to the nearby grocery.

Take a conscious effort in providing them information about money. And, be ready to answer their countless questions. Children are innately curious after all!

SET THE RULES ON ALLOWANCE

The idea of giving an allowance is something that many Asian parents embrace wholeheartedly. While it can be a controversial subject, some experts believe that children can learn how to handle their own money by having allowance. Begin by making weekly allotments and cutting it short to bi-weekly allotments for preteens. Limiting the allotments will help your child to continually be challenged. They must think of ways to make their allowance last longer.

The next step is creating a budget with your preteens and teens. Sit down with your older children and enumerate their streams of incomes and expenses. Highlight the importance of distinguishing between the needs and the wants.

OPEN A CHILDREN’S SAVINGS ACCOUNT

What better way to teach your kid about the value of savings than by opening his or her very first account? Children nowadays were blessed with technology. This means that they can simply review their account balances and transactions online. Watching their account decline over time can instill wiser spending choices. While, watching the account grow can motivate them to save more.

Dwell on are the essence of withdrawals and deposits as well as the safety procedures of online banking. There are several local children’s savings account such as ePOSBkids Account and OCBC Mighty Savers Programme. Both do not require a minimum deposit.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Sources: 1 & 2

5 Significant Signs That You Aren’t Right For The Job

Not everyone is blessed with their ideal occupation. However, you should not spend most of your life enduring a job that you are not satisfied with. I hope that you long-term goal is to secure a position that suits your personality and lifestyle.

On that note, here are five telltale signs that you are not suited for the job.

#1: YOU ARE CONSISTENTLY SHOWERED WITH POOR FEEDBACK.

As a university student, I had a friend who waited tables during the term break. He was transparent about his working experience. He said that he had no prior experience related to this. His fellow waiters were happy to receive decent incentives. However, he often receives poor customer comments and lower tips. The consistent negativity surrounding his performance took a toll on his confidence. Needless to say, he stopped working for that restaurant.

Let us look at the situation with shiny “objective lenses”. I knew my friend’s work ethics were good based on our group assignments. The constant negative feedback might not be due to his work ethics. And, the entire restaurant is not conspiring against him!

The solution is simple – being honest. He needs to be honest with himself. His knowledge and skills were just not suited for the job.

#2: YOU LACK MOTIVATION TO FINISH YOUR TASKS.

If you are looking for distinct “red flags” that you are not suited for your position…look no further! One of the first few flags that you may notice is your lack of motivation. When you cannot seem to complete all your tasks, this indicates that something is incredibly wrong.

Are you blankly staring at the tremendous deadlines? Or, perhaps you feel that every project seems pointless? Recognize the lapses in your motivation levels and address it.

#3: YOU DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE LEADERSHIP STYLE.

Roughly 50% of the participants left the job to get away from their bosses, a study found. Whether you want to admit it or not, your relationship with the boss plays a pivotal role in your work experience. Tension may rise in several areas including employee autonomy, corporate social responsibility, leadership styles, and methods of communication. A horrible boss can make your job miserable no matter how much you enjoy its scope.

The initial interview is the perfect place to start. If you realized that your potential boss’s values and approach does not mesh with your personality, there is a significant chance that you will end up unfit for the job.

#4: YOU FEEL OUT OF PLACE.

As a child, I used to play the game called “The Boat Is Sinking”. The premise of the game can be easily absorbed. The game-master dictates how many passengers can board the boat. He or she can mutter any number, as long as the people present are sufficient (e.g., group yourselves into 2). The game ends when most people were booted out and the winners unite. Picture this game as it is parallel with the workplace dynamics.

In the workplace, we have a tendency to create divisions. You gravitate towards the group whom you trust. If your group or organization is in one page and you are in another, it may be time to explore change. Otherwise, your ideas may be completely ignored. Not identifying with the vision of the organization endangers the person-position match.

#5: YOU BECOME A STRESSED OUT MACHINE.

Employees who successfully fit the bill play to their own strengths. Whatever they are doing comes naturally to them. For the ill-fitted employees, tasks require more effort and energy. Their roles ask for strong attention to details and ability to follow precise instructions. They may feel like their job becomes stagnant or robotic.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Constantly feeling dragged to go to work or feeling overwhelmed by your tasks can be a hint of unhappiness. Please address the situation.

Sources:1, 2, & 3

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