Affordable Summer Looks And Fashionable DIY Ideas

Since Singapore is geographically located near the equator, it is relatively hot all year round. With no particular period for summer, it is cool to dress the part while you go out and while you travel.

1. REVAMP YOUR DULL FLATS

Exude the summer vibe to your shoes by decorating it with bright laces or ribbons. Simply place a large amount of glue to your shoes and even it out with a bristled paint brush. Once everything is laid out nicely, push the lace down on the top. Place the “scalloped” portion of the lace on the curves to keep everything uniform and to avoid overlaps. Using your scissors, cut the excess lace around the edges of the shoes. Try to make all your lines as straight as possible.

Purchase inexpensive laces or ribbons at Spotlight Singapore.

Image Credits: dreamalittlebigger.com/post/shoesday-tuesday-fun-lacy-flats-revamp.html

Image Credits: dreamalittlebigger.com

2. HAVE A COTTON ON HAUL

Indulge on Cotton On’s sale items that are suitable for the hot weather. For women, you may purchase the Caged-back Cami that is fitted and detailed to stay cool and ready for spontaneous workouts. It retails for only S$5. Pair this with comfy denim shorts and gorgeous Coco Sandal. The Coco Sandal, that comes in multiple colors, retails for only S$10.

Men on the other hand can enjoy the breeze running through their slim Anchor Tank (S$10). You can pair it with just about anything from swimming shorts to skinny denim jeans.

3. PURCHASE TIMELY ACCESSORIES

To complete your overall look, purchase appropriate summer accessories such as sunglasses and hats. UV-protective tinted lenses are best to beat the hit. Adding a dash of style with the S$9.90 sunglasses from H&M would not hurt your wallets (for women and men)! And as for Bohemian hats and sun visors that will cost you less than S$10, shop at qoo10.sg.

4. BLEACH YOUR OLD SHORTS

Tired of your denim shorts? Turn it up a notch by giving it a stylish ombre look. To do so, soak your shorts in water first then dip it into a mixture of bleach and water. Let the mixture hit up to three inches below where you want it to reach as it will run upwards eventually. Set it in place for 30 minutes and rinse it out with white vinegar and water. Lastly, you must wash and dry your trendy ombre shorts. Pair it with jewel wedges or a neon top to embrace the summer colors!

A liter of bleach is sold for only S$1.10 at FairPrice.

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6 Things To Consider Before Buying The More Affordable HDB Flats

1. THE SIZE

When purchasing a flat, put the foreseen future to the equation. For instance, you must consider a bigger flat if you are moving in with your parents or planning to have kids soon. Planning in advance will help ease your stress and avoid the hassle of acquiring another home.

2. THE LOANS

Be open and honest with your credit score as your chances of getting a loan is affected by it. Consider how you can budget your income in order to support your family and pay fully for your loan through the years.

3. THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Your new HDB flat comes with a different environment – study it. You do not deserve to live next to a neighbor who throws parties every night or one who is constantly bothered by loan sharks. You deserve to live in a place where you can come home safely. As much as you can, talk to your potential neighbors and follow your guts about the place.

4. THE INSPECTION

Although you are purchasing a new flat, it does not hurt to have someone inspect it. This is not only to ensure the true value of the home but also to ensure that everything is working perfectly. This helps you save money for unwanted repairs. Look no further for an inspector as HDB provides this service for a price.

5. THE PRIORITIES

As a client, you must determine what you really want in a pad. Are the available facilities and specifications in lined with your priorities and wants? If not, are you ready to compromise? It is difficult to get everything you desire in a flat but your necessities should be on the top priority.

6. THE PRICE

Good news: HDB flats had become more affordable since 2013! According to the Housing & Development Board, the proportion of a household’s monthly income used to repay the loan installment decreased from 24% in 2013 to 19% in 2015. In fact, 8 out of 10 first-time buyers of new flats in non-mature estates were able to fully repay their monthly mortgage installments using only their CPF savings over the past 3 years. In the end of the house hunting, it truly comes down to the price.

It is best to compare the prices of the flats in the area before making a decision. This price must include other factors such as facilities in the building, quality of construction, specifications of the flat, and more. You must understand that the cheapest flat may not necessarily be the most economical option.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (CC0 Public Domain)

Image Credits: pixabay.com (CC0 Public Domain)

Sources: 1, 2, & 3

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10 Incredibly Easy and Clever Ways To Save Money

1. MOVE TO A BANK WITH HIGHER INTEREST

If you are looking for a new bank to open a savings account with, choose a bank that has the most beneficial perks and the highest interest rates. Check out “2016’s Most Profitable Savings Accounts In Singapore” to get an idea.

2. USE COUPONS WHEN SHOPPING

Couponing is a strategy used by a shopper to pay less in shopping for groceries, tickets, and more. Get coupons for dining, leisure, toys, pets services, and just about anything at cuponation.com.sg or groupon.sg.

3. PLAN AHEAD

Aside from making a grocery list and sticking by it, it is good to trust your routines by having the previous receipt along when you shop. With that receipt, you can tell when something is on sale. That is when you must stock up.

4. CHOOSE YOUR FRIENDS

It is best to surround yourself with people who share the same financial values as you, especially those who are frugal by nature. Filter out toxic financial relationships and know the 6 Kinds Of Friends Who Can Positively Influence Your Finances.

5. STAY HEALTHY

Eliminate your consumption of snacks, chips, and sweets. These types of food are not only unhealthy but they are also costly. Who knew that making healthier choices can help you save more?

6. SELL YOUR COLLECTIBLES

If you had spent hundreds of dollars on collectible items, you can start selling them now and use those funds to reach your financial goals. Try selling your items to the worldwide marketplace platform of eBay and Gumtree.

7. CONSUME THE LEFTOVERS

Save the unconsumed food when you either ordered too much restaurant food or when you cooked excessively. Revamp the dish by topping fresh greens, juicy fruits or leftover slices of chicken.

8. UNPLUG REGULARLY

Even if you turn off the switches, your appliances and electronics will continue to consume energy and spike your tariff. So reduce your bills by unplug your cables and electronics when not in use.

9. REPAIR YOUR OWN CLOTHING

Instead of tossing your shirt because of the missing buttons, sew new buttons that perfectly match the old ones. Learning and mastering the basic sewing stitches can help you save money and extend the life of your favorite clothing.

10. USE FREE AND OPEN-SOURCE SOFTWARE

Stop paying hundreds or thousands of dollars on programs that can be obtained for free with the same level of performance, quality, and reliability. Use free and open-source software such as the packages on this list.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (CC0 Public Domain)

Image Credits: pixabay.com (CC0 Public Domain)

Sources: 1, 2, & 3

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Amazingly Free Ways To Boost Your Online Security

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Cybersecurity (or online security) is defined as the measures taken to protect a computer or a computer system against unauthorized access or attack. Those who gain unauthorized access to the data in the computer or the system are usually called as hackers.

Recently, I had been a victim of a Facebook malware attack. For those of you who are less tech savvy, a malware is any software used to collect sensitive information, harm computer operations, gain access to private devices or display undesired advertising. Needless to say, the experience was daunting and I had to take immediate actions. Firstly, I downloaded anti-malware softwares. Secondly, I changed all my passwords and added an extra layer of security. Lastly, I added other extensions that improved my privacy.

To avoid this scenario, here are some helpful ways to strengthen your virtual shield:

1. ADD THE PRIVACY BADGER

Remember the undesired advertising that I was talking about? You can block that as well as other third-party trackers by adding the browser extension called Privacy Badger for S$0. To the advertisers, it is as if you suddenly disappeared!

2. SCAN WITH MALWAREBYTES

As your information is golden, keep it safe with an internet security and anti-malware software called Malwarebytes. The free version will scan your entire computer, detect any malwares, and remove all the infections. Scans for the most dangerous and newest threats are done in the process.

3. FILTER YOUR EMAIL

Filter your email contents by not opening the spam mail. To avoid downloading virus or other malware, only open attachments that were given by your friends, family, partners, and clients. Delete the previous emails that are no longer needed so that no one can use them.

4. SECURE YOUR BROWSING

To make your browsing more secure, download the HTTPS Everywhere extension. It encrypts your communications to major websites on Firefox, Chrome, and Opera. Get it for free at eff.org/https-everywhere.

5. SEARCH WITH DUCKDUCKGO

Search engines, especially those with big names, track your search history and build personalized profiles to provide results based on your search history. To escape from this “filter bubble”, you must switch to a search engine that does not track your every move. Emphasizing on protecting the user’s privacy, DuckDuckGo is always my go-to safe search engine!

Image Credits: pixabay.com (CC0 Public Domain)

Image Credits: pixabay.com (CC0 Public Domain)

Yes! It is totally free with no sign-in requirements.

Sources: 1,2, 3,& 4

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Lethal Credit Card Mishaps You Must Avoid

A recent study showed that 85,352 Singaporeans have unsecured debt and missed payments attached to their credit card bills. Whether it is due to untidiness or carelessness, these missed payments increase the charges and interest rates to further trap you into a vicious debt cycle.

These credit card mistakes are lethal as it causes great destruction to your finances.

SETTLING YOUR BILLS LATE

One of the most harmful credit card mishaps are late payments. Not only are you bound to pay the “late payment charges” but you also have to pay interest rates for some banks. Interest rates elevate your outstanding balance with each passing day.

For example, if the minimum payment is not received upon the due date, you will have to pay S$60 for your DBS Live Fresh Card and S$80 for your OCBC 365 Credit Card. If you pay your outstanding balance by the due date of your statement and there are no additional balances from the previous statements then you will pay no charges.

Solution: Stay organized to keep up with your bills. Set aside some time in the beginning of the month to make a list of the bills you are expecting to receive. Put it on your working desk or create a file for it. It is safer to pay the bills at least two days before the due date.

Alternatively, you can get your payments automated. 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.

GETTING INFLUENCED BY THE PERKS

A number of Singaporeans are swayed by the credit card companies because of the free gifts and the attractive reward system they offer. While there is totally nothing wrong with desiring these things, it is a mistake to choose a card for its benefits alone. These “free gifts” you receive upon signing up usually come with several terms and conditions.

For example, credit card company A offers you a free luggage as a welcoming gift. However, you have to fulfill the minimum purchase of S$1,500 to claim this gift. If you cannot accomplish this within the given amount of time then your “gift” will no longer be received.

Solution: Before choosing a credit card, you must compare its entire features as well as its fine print. In the fine print, you will discover the different charges, limits to rebates and terms of the welcoming gift.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (CC0 Public Domain)

Image Credits: pixabay.com (CC0 Public Domain)

CLOSING OUT YOUR CARDS

Closing out your cards because they are underused or because you had finally paid off your entire balance may not be the best move for your credit score. Remember, two important elements of the credit score are the utilization rate and the average age of your credit accounts. The goal is to have a long credit history and a low utilization rate. Both of these elements are affected if you closed out your cards.

Solution: Keep your credit cards in a safe place and make a purchase every once in a while to demonstrate that you are a good steward of your card. Immediately pay off the balance too.

Sources: 1, 2, 3, & 4

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