Combining running, swimming, and biking gear expenses…some people spend more in competing for Triathlons than others. If you will adopt these 6 Simple Ways, you may significantly lower your financial expense of training and joining in triathlons.
1. EXPLORE YOUR CHOICES
Don’t just rely on the sports shops in the malls that sell Triathlon gear, also explore good prices in the Internet such as: Bike Plus Singapore, Ebay, Amazon,Treknology Bikes 3 Singapore, and Carousell. Online stores have sales and clearance of their last year stocks where you can save money. It is important to shop around, and compare prices before purchasing to get the best deal.
2. REGISTER EARLY
Take advantage of the lower early-bird fee for Triathlon events. If you wait for the last minute, then you will have to pay more! Also, choose races that fit your budget and capacity.
Image Credit: bradleypjohnson via Flickr
3. SHARE YOUR TRIATHLON RESOURCES
Share your Triathlon books and other racing magazines with a group of friends. What’s more? The Internet is full of free training videos and tips that you may repeatedly watch in the convenience of your home. You may also watch it on hand phone anytime and anywhere!
4. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE TOWN’S SPORTS FACILITIES
You may train your swimming skills in the Town’s swimming stadium, which costs about $2. Another great and cost-free way to train your cycling and running skills is to park hop across the lush greeneries of the Park Connector Network.
Park Connector Network connects all the parks in North East, East, North, South, West and Central Region. You can download the walking trail or cycling trail here.
5. SAVE ON TRAVEL EXPENSES BY CAR POOLING
With the price of gas and taxi fares, consider car pooling together with others to the Triathlon events. Enjoying a chat before the race will help you calm your nerves.
6. LASTLY, DON’T BUY THE UNNECESSARY
For instance, there’s no reason to purchase a swimming cap because every time you register for a Triathlon, they will most likely give it to you for free.
Aside from renting a bike in the racing venue, you may covert your road bike into a Tri bike. Do this by making a few position adjustments, and by adding aerobars and aerowheels. You didn’t have to buy a new bike plus you save more money!
Image Credits: Jimmy Harris via Flickr
There are more ways to save money as a Triathlete (e.g., making your own hydration drink), you just have to be diligent, clever, and resourceful!
When was the last time you wanted to learn something, just because you wanted to? Do you remember the sense of wonder, the burning enthusiasm, that “EUREKA” feeling when you finally understood something or could see how you could apply it to real life? Life-long learning is certainly something that is espoused by experts and governments all across the globe, but have you considered the cost of learning these new skills or bits of knowledge? While the desire to learn may be high, the price of the education required to allow you learn might be even higher. We don’t want you to lose your passion to learn though. Here are 5 great apps and sites where you can learn for free!
Duolingo
Want to learn a new language, and learn for free? Duolingo offers 8 languages and counting. Both a website and an online app, Duolingo allows you to learn for free in the comfort of your own home, and on the go! Duolingo allows you to learn the language in a fun and easy way, as learning a language is turned into a game, with different levels and quizzes to beat! You can also set your own targets and goals, so the app can remind you to pick up the pace if you’ve been a bit slow lately. I’m learning how to speak and read French using Duolingo, so I can attest to its effectiveness and interactivity. Juste essayer (Just try it)!
Code Academy
Want to be the next Mark Zuckerberg, but don’t know how? Learn for free at Code Academy! Code Academy offers classes in 6 different programming languages, so you can definitely be well versed in all kinds of programming, and still be able to learn for free without having to go to a coding or programming school of any sort! Code Academy gives you feedback and awards for completing milestones, and also give you programming glossaries during tutorials you don’t get too lost when doing it! There are also forums for you to learn and share with fellow programmers. Some courses have a sandbox function, allowing you to test out your programmes and codes to see if they really work, so you can experiment in the safety of the sandbox environment!
Never thought that you could learn from free when it came to design? Think again, because with Planet Photoshop, you’re provided with a whole lot of user created resources and guides on how to use Photoshop! These range from basic tutorials for the really newbie beginners (like me) to specific guides on how to produce different effects.
Khan Academy
“Learn for free” takes a whole new level with Khan Academy. Khan Academy offers variety of subjects and courses to choose from. It even offers exam preparation courses, such as SAT preparation, so if you’re a student preparing for an exam, these online courses would definitely help you ace these tests, as you would have practiced your thought processes and internalised the knowledge.
Imagine the amount of money you pay for your school education. If you’re a university student, you would be spending at least 7k a semester paying for school fees. Imagine if you could learn all what you learnt in university for free! Coursera links up with universities all around the globe to provide these educational services, so one day you might be taking a class from Harvard or Yale right in the comfort of your own home! You can also learn at your own pace, as there isn’t anyone to chase for your work or to push you, so you have to be independent and take initiative to do complete your Coursera assignments!
In the next fifteen years, 20% of the population in Singapore will be aged 65 and above. That figure is astonishing when you put this into perspective: there will only be 2 citizens in the working age band (aged 20-64) for each elderly citizen.
Singapore is not too far away from Japan as one of the fastest ageing population in Asia. With low fertility rate and later marriages, Singapore faces the challenge of a declining working population and stagnant economy.
With the increase in the number of elderly to 900,000 in 2030, healthcare and long-term costs are expected to rise alongside.
The concern of whether our 3M (Medishield, Medisave and Medifund) healthcare system is adequate to address the impact of a silver tsunami should be reviewed.
Besides the 3M approach to healthcare, what about the costs of long-term care (LTC) after being discharged from hospital? LTC refers to those with chronic medical conditions that has rendered them severely disabled to the extent of not being able to perform 3 out of the 6 activities of daily living which include washing, dressing, toileting, transferring, feeding and mobility.
The Eldershield scheme is designed to provide financial protection for long term care which seeks to provide a cash payout of $300 or $400 per month for a period of 5 to 6 years.
The question is if that amount is sufficient? Let’s take a look.
Inpatient care:
Community Hospital
You may be discharged from the hospital but that doesn’t mean you have fully recovered. You will need additional inpatient care such as therapy and rehabilitation, nursing care and the need of caregiver to provide help with daily living. The estimated cost is around $8,000 – $9,000 a month. There are government subsidies between $1,800 to $7,000 a month which you can apply for.
Nursing Home
These are for patients who cannot take care of themselves in their own home and need significant assistance. It costs around $1,200 – $3,500 a month. You can tap into government subsidies and Medifund for selected homes only.
Respite
Those that require temporary help can apply for respite care costing around $100-$150 a day.
Inpatient hospice care
Patients who suffered from serious and progressive diseases may need extra attention from a highly trained medical team.
It costs around $7,000 a month payable via Medisave.
Day centres:
Day rehabilitation centre
Suitable for patients who need therapy to regain the ability to perform daily tasks. Estimated cost: $700-$1,000
Dementia day care centre
Estimated cost: $700-$850
Hospice day care centre
Patient with cancer and life limiting disease. Estimated cost $700-$850
Care services at home:
Home medical service:
For those with mobility issues, home medical service is an option and cost around $130-$200 per visit
Home nursing:
Suitable for bedridden patients. Estimated cost: $80 per visit
Home therapy:
Estimated cost: $100-$150 per visit
Home help:
Patient who live alone and can’t leave their home will need some assistance which cost around $100-$150 per visit
Hospice medical/nursing home care:
Suitable for cancer patients. Estimated cost: $150-$220 per visit
Cost of informal family care
In a study by NUS, 80% of informal care for the elderly was provided by family member. That is to say, elderly who can’t afford to look after themselves financially will need assistance from their loved ones. These duties usually have a negative impact on the caregiver with majority of them having to make work accommodations, take leave of absence or to turn down a promotion.
It also changes the family dynamic of the caregiver as they have less time for their own family which can strain the relationship between spouse and children.
Ways to pay for it
Fortunately our government values our Pioneer Generation and has various schemes in place to help shoulder the burden of long term care cost. Here are some options:
Medisave: Medisave can be used to pay for the expenses at approved community hospitals, hospices, day rehabilitation centre.
Medifund Silver: Forms a safety net and to be used as last resort for elderly who can’t afford basic healthcare. It has been extended to include non-residential intermediate and long term care (ILTC) services.
Eldershield: Cash payout of $300-$400 a month to help defray living costs
Personal Savings: You may have to tap into personal savings should your long term care cost exceed the total benefits you can claim
Foreign Domestic Worker (FDW) Grant & Levy: A monthly grant of $120 to support families who hire a foreign domestic worker
Senior Mobility and Enabling Fund (SMF): Subsidies for assistive devices, specialised transport and consumables
Enhancement for Active Seniors (EASE): Home modifications to make it more conducive and safe for them
Pioneer Generation Disability Assistance Scheme: PioneerDAS provides $1,200 a year to help pioneer with their care need
Interim Disability Assistance Program for the Elderly (IDAPE): Provide $150 or $250 a month for a maximum of 72 months for those who are not eligible for Eldershield due to age or pre-existing condition
Subsidy for intermediate & long-term care (ILTC): Eligible patients can claim for subsidies through mean-testing and depends on the per capita monthly household income
Tis the season to be jolly, so why not give yourself some peace of mind by spending less on Christmas decorations? Christmas decorations are only used once a year, after which they’ll be stored somewhere at the back of your store room, never to be seen again until the next Christmas, or thrown in the garbage after a brief few days of splendour. Do you really want to spend a bomb on Christmas decorations that are only going to be up for a short while? Why not check out these places around Singapore where you can get cheap and beautiful Christmas decorations!
While Spotlight may be more well-known among mothers and craft hobbyists for their wide range of craft materials and fabrics, they also stock a wide range of Christmas decorations, from wall hangings to hanging globes. Most of these Christmas decorations are available in bulk, so you can buy a whole lot of Christmas decorations all in one shot, saving you the hassle of having to go to different stores to get enough numbers of different types.
Besides the ready-made Christmas decorations available, Spotlight also provides guides that are available on their site, www.spotlight.com.sg, for projects that users can do to create their very own Christmas decorations, using the materials available at spotlight! If you’re really looking to save money on Christmas decorations, DIY is the way to go!
At Daiso, everything goes for $2, so be prepared to feel a very strong inclination to splurge the moment you step in the store. Their “everything for $2” rule applies to their Christmas decorations as well, with things like stockings and ornaments going for $2. Whether all of these Christmas decorations are worth the $2 is up to your discretion though, as there are some really good deals, and some items that are really small and don’t really look like they live up to the $2 price tag.
One of the great Swedish imports alongside ABBA, Ikea is famous for being a lifestyle products giant, selling furniture, home décor, and various home necessities at low, low prices! Fortunately for us, they also stock Christmas decorations, which would be perfect for the Christmas season! A trip to Ikea is an adventure in itself, so get your Ikea shopping bag ready to pile all the Christmas décor in. As usual, all the Ikea Christmas décor and products are tastefully designed, so you’re definitely getting the bang for your buck this Christmas.
Address (Tampines Branch): 60 Tampines North Drive 2, Singapore 528764
If you don’t mind taking the time travel a bit out of the way, check out Yeo GM Trading if you want to get Christmas decorations for less! They sale Christmas decorations wholesale, so you can pretty sure that what you’re getting is as cheap as you get can get for that kind of quality. If you prefer to shop from the comfort of your own home, they also have a website for you to refer to at your own leisure.
They provide delivery services too for a fee, depending on which part of Singapore you live in. If you decide to make a huge bulk order though, they provide free delivery for orders above $200. Perfect if you have a whole house to decorate, but you don’t have time to go down to a shop to buy Christmas decorations.
Address: Blk 1 Rochor Rd #01-550, Rochor Centre, Singapore 180001
Hsen Global Pte Ltd
While the previous store had a website to complement their physical store, Hsen Global operates primarily through its website, http://www.adamevestyle.com, which lists a large variety of Christmas decorations which customers can choose from.
All their Christmas decorations are sourced from their factory in China directly, which lets them sell their Christmas decorations are dirt cheap prices! All the better for us I must say. Do choose wisely, as the quality of some of the products might be somewhat dubious. But hey, you get what you pay for.
So there you have it, all you need to liven up your home this holiday. Have a good time decorating, and Merry Christmas!
One of the widely used Social Messenger App in Singapore (especially for the youngsters), is Snapchat. Recently, Snapchat has unveiled its new feature called Snapcash that allows its users to send money to their Snapchatting friends.
We all know how Snapchat works: you take a photo or a video of yourself; you send it to your friend; and, seconds later, it will disappear as though it never existed. So, will sending money be as quick as that?
Snapchat partnered with Square, Inc. to revolutionize fast mobile money transfer. Square is a company, which permits individuals and merchants in the United States, Canada, and Japan to accept offline debit and credit cards on their iOS or Android smartphone or other tablet devices.
Snapcash via blog.snapchat.com
For now, Snapcash is only available to users in the United States who have debit cards and are 18 or older.
How does it work?
Users must enter their banking details to a Square account first. Then, to send cash, Snapchatters must type the dollar sign with the amount (e.g., $12), and click the green button. This shall be done through a private message.
The good thing is that Snapcash messages don’t automatically disappear. Although, once you send money through, there is no way to cancel the transaction. So, be careful.
Another cool way to send money is by using the app’s “swipe-to-send” feature by typing three dollar sign into the chat window, like this video below:
Oh, it’s like tossing play money around—except it is real!
Snapcash is fast, fun, and incredibly simple. At least that is what Snapchat says. What do you think? Is it a good idea to bring this feature in Asia?
Anna Agoncillo
MoneyDigest
