Exciting Places To Explore At Bugis Area With S$30 In Your Pocket

The Bugis Area, spanning from Bras Basah to Fort Canning, is not only rich in business establishments but is also abundant in cafes, bookstores, museums, and activities that you and your companions can enjoy. Even with a budget of only S$30!

1. FOR DELECTABLE DESSERTS

In 2014, a Japanese dessert shop called Tai-Parfait graced Singapore at the Bugis Junction. Brought by Dining Innovation Singapore, Tai-Parfait boasts its Taiyaki – a Japanese original fish-shaped pancake filled with sweet red bean paste…for only S$2.20. What’s more? You can also put ice cream, fruits, and other toppings on your dessert.

For example, you may try the Matcha Azuki Tai-Parfait for S$5.50. It is a chocolate-filled Taiyaki topped with Matcha cream, Green Tea ice cream, and Azuki. Sounds delicious, doesn’t it?

Go ahead and get your very own Tai-Parfait desserts at Bugis Junction, #B1-03A.

2. FOR BODY TONING AND MUSCLE STRENGTH

Have you wanted to burn more calories without having extreme muscle stress? Then, try water exercises, especially the Aqua Spin. Aqua Spin, suited for all levels, is believed to fight diabetes and obesity. Aside from this, your blood circulation, muscle strength, and cardiovascular fitness will improve.

A session will not cost you a fortune as a one-time trial is priced at S$25. Spin away at YWCA Fort Canning Lodge (Swimming Pool at Level 3), 6 Fort Canning Road, Singapore 179494!

3. FOR THE GENUINE BOOKWORM

The Bras Basah Complex is the one-stop-shop for budget printing services and cheap books. The bookstores here are filled with a myriad of non-fiction books, fiction books, magazines, textbooks, children’s books, graphic novels, and so much more! Support the Evernew Bookstore’s book fairs that offer second-hand books for as low as S$2-5!

With prices as low as that, how can a genuine bookworm ever leave?

4. FOR THE LOVE OF TOYS

A visit at the MINT (Moment of Imagination and Nostalgia with Toys) Museum of Toys will help you relive the treasured memories of your childhood. With its collection of over 50,000 vintage toys originating from over 40 countries as far as United Kingdom, Bulgaria, and Germany, it is no surprise that the value of the entire museum is over S$5 million.

Admission rates are as follows:

Children (Aged 2-12): $7.50

Senior Citizens (Aged 60 years and above): $7.50

Adults: $15.00

Interestingly, some of the toys that you may see are the 1903 Steiff Teddy Bear and the 1953 Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Set.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8epZlJ73GVY

For more information about the MINT Museum, check out emint.com.

Sources: 1 & 2

 

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Cheap Ways To Boost Your Creativity Now

You do not have to be as smart as Einstein or as rich as Gates to think creatively. With these few tricks up your sleeve, you can show your own creative side in no time:

1. READ A BOOK OR TWO

If you are fishing in an unfamiliar territory, it is advisable to educate yourself. Do this by reading a book or two about creativity or creative thinking. Try Austin Kleon’s modern take on creativity. With his visually pleasing illustrations and simple vocabulary, you will surely understand what he wants to convey in his books entitled “STEAL LIKE AN ARTIST: 10 THINGS NOBODY TOLD YOU ABOUT BEING CREATIVE” and “SHOW YOUR WORK!: 10 THINGS NOBODY TOLD YOU ABOUT GETTING DISCOVERED”. Both books are available at Popular Bookstore for as low as S$20.87.

2. HAVE YOUR OWN CREATIVE SPACE

Assign a place where you can freely create. This does not have to be a fancy space. A tiny corner with art materials, CDs, or a laptop will do. It is important that you decorate this space yourself.

Image Credits: Karen Cox via Flickr with Creative Commons License

Image Credits: Karen Cox via Flickr with Creative Commons License

3. PAINT THE ROOM BLUE OR GREEN

Color Psychology dictates that colors can help enhance our cognitive tasks such as concentrating and creative thinking. So, paint your room with the colors of our home planet – blue and green!

Blue has physically and mentally calming effects that will help you open your thoughts. On the other hand, green signifies growth and harmony. Putting these colors together shall stimulate your creativity even more.

4. ENVISION THE PROBLEM DIFFERENTLY

In the “Candle Problem” presented by psychologist Karl Duncker, participants were given a candle, a box of thumbtacks, and a book of matches. They were asked to affix a lit candle to the wall without having a single drop of wax on the table below. There are a couple of possible solutions yet, only one will work (know the solution, here).

To arrive at the answer, you must envision the problem differently. Do not limit the function of these said objects too. Relax and examine the problem in varied ways before you begin working.

5. EXERCISE

Previous literature has shown that exercise increases creative thinking due to its ability to pump up the heart and put people in a positive mood. So, when you are having a writer’s block, try to run a few blocks, it may help you have a long-awaited “Eureka!” moment. Jog outdoors, it’s free anyway.

6. ACTIVATE YOUR SENSES

Last but not the least is to activate your senses. You can explore the local libraries, museums, gardens, and zoos. Tickets to these places range from S$0-32. But, that is a small price to pay to enrich your imagination.

Now, if you are still looking for a no-cost way to activate your senses, you can listen to Mozart. According to a book entitled: “The Mozart Effect,” listening to classical music specifically by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart can increase concentration, creativity, and other cognitive functions. His music repertoire is available for free on YouTube.

Sources: 1 & 2

 

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Save Money On Clothing Alterations By Mastering These Simple Stitches

Tailoring or sewing services in Singapore can range from S$5-40 depending on the type of clothing article. For instance, altering straight-cut jeans range from S$5-12 while altering of jackets can range from S$12-36. Some of the prices are too much if you asked me. You might as well buy a new one.

Aside from the costs, the standard waiting time for its collection can last from 1-14 days. And, if you do not have the time, you might as well buy a new one.

To avoid this dilemma, it is important to master some simple stitches that you can immediately use as the need rises. Do not fret if you have zero knowledge on sewing because mastering the basics can be done at home. All you have to do is to browse through the free tutorial videos available online. Here are the simple stitches you may start with:

1. RUNNING OR STRAIGHT STITCH

The easiest and the simplest of all the stitches in this list is the running stitch, otherwise known as the straight stitch. This stitch involves taking the needle repeatedly under then over. You shall see the thread forming a line throughout the fabric. This is useful for repairing torn out parts of the pockets or sleeves.

2. WHIPSTITCH

Let us “up the ante” a little bit with the diagonal techniques of whipstitch. A whipstitch is typically used to sew to separate pieces of material together. It is perfect for altering or repairing trousers, sleeves, and jackets because it leaves nearly invisible traces of thread. Follow this video to learn about the fascinating whipstitch:

3. SEW A BUTTON

A usual situation that needs immediate repair is clothing that lacks buttons. Learning how to sew a button is quick and uncomplicated. The first thing you must do is to choose a suitable button and a matching thread. You may check if the manufacturer has included an additional button. Then, be guided by this short video:

4. SEW A HEM

From your table cloth to your boxers and gowns, hems are found on most common articles of clothing and fabric. This is why it is important for you to be familiarizing on how to sew a hem in case yours gets loose or in case you want to make your own. You can either use a catch stitch (i.e., exposed) or a slip stitch (i.e., invisible) to sew a hem. Learn how to make these two stitches, here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMqK-fNrCrM

Sources: 1 & 2

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You’d Be Surprise At How Much YouTube’s Grandest Stars Make (Hint: Up To 8 Figures)

Gone are the days that we rely on MTV to show as the latest music hits. Nowadays, with a stroke of the keyboard, we can just browse our favorite music video and play it on the loop. This was made possible by a website called YouTube.

Since its inception, YouTube has paved way for local stars like Justin Bieber or Ryan Higa to emerge in the worldwide scene. It is surely incredible that the founders named Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim created it about a decade ago. In 2006, Google bought it for US$1.65 billion – a price that we currently know as a serious bargain! Good move for Google indeed.

As the rise of the visitors coming to YouTube increase, the revenue of the renowned YouTube stars also increase. Personally, I am curious to know their yearly earnings. With the combination of the recent data available, here are the estimate yearly earnings of YouTube’s brightest. But bear in mind that YouTube takes 45% of the ad revenue. And, these numbers exclude that.

4. SMOSH

The comedy tandem behind the SMOSH is consisting of Anthony Padilla and his friend, Ian Hecox. They usually do amusing sketches, lip-sync videos, or just about anything funny they find on the web. This attracted 20,686,912 subscribers with about 4 billion total views! If you are shocked with those numbers then, brace yourself as they make an estimate of US$336,000-$5.4 million yearly.

3. BLUCOLLECTION

In 2010, BluCollection ToyCollector‘s maker had created children-friendly videos in English, Portuguese, and Español. These children-friendly videos are purely unboxing, trying out, and reviewing of toys and play sets. Interestingly, his collection of videos had attracted about 2,158,228 subscribers and a total of over 3 billion views! Well, those numbers added to an estimate of US$585,200-$9.4 million yearly earnings.

2. PEWDIEPIE

One of my all-time favorite YouTubers is PewDiePie. Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg (real name) lives the life he dreamt. He is making money on doing what he wants: playing video games. With the most number of subscribers on the list (37,436,585 subscribers), PewDiePie’s humorous commentary videos have garnered about 9 billion views! It has been estimated that he makes about US$896,100-$14.3 million yearly.

1. FUNTOYZCOLLECTOR (Previously: DISNEYCOLLECTORBR)

A channel filled with videos of a simple premise: to unbox and demonstrate the toys made by Disney, Pixar, and so on. With a staggering amount of 4,774,148 subscribers and a total of over 6 billion views, FunToyzCollector proves to be one of YouTube’s elite. She has an estimate of US$1 million-$16.6 million yearly.

How Does One Get There?

In 2014, New York Times did a case study of a full-time YouTube channel creator named Olga Kay. Olga has nearly a million subscribers to date. And, at that time, she has earned about US$100,000-$130,000 per year. Her earnings are brought by the combination of advertising, sponsorships, and merchandising. Her channel cost include hiring an editor that is paid about US$500-$700 a week.

To put the advertising revenue in perspective, a video with ads makes about US$7.60 per 1,000 ad views. That is a down rate compared to US$9.35 per 1,000 ad views in 2012. Furthermore, YouTube gets 45% from the total ad revenue.

With the diminishing rates of ads and all the effort put into production, Olga shares to New York Times that: “But we think if we were coming to YouTube today, it would be too hard. We couldn’t do it.”

Although being a YouTube star is a viable career, it may not be for everybody.

Sources: 1,2, & 3

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5 Ways To Take Charge And Save Money On Technology

Living in the 21st century where technology is a quintessential part of our lives, it is hard to find someone without a mobile phone. There is no doubt in my mind that technology improved our lives, making it easier and faster to communicate, shop, develop, search, and so much more.

Even though it is dependable, technology can cost a lot! Your wallet can empty as quickly as your battery empties. Luckily for you, there are ways to avoid excessive spending on technology…

1. NEEDS BEFORE WANTS

Do you really need an expensive action camera just to take great selfies? Or how about a state-of-the-art computer set-up just to browse the Internet? There is no point on spending on the most expensive gadgets and accessories if you will not maximize its use. So, the first step you must take is to evaluate your needs and understand how the device works. During this process, you have to be honest with yourself.

2. SELL YOUR OLD DEVICES OR EQUIPMENTS

If there is a growing desire to upgrade to the latest technology then, try selling your devices or equipments. This will give you little to enough money to help purchase the new device you have been eyeing on. eBay, Gumtree, and Carousell are just some platforms where you can find some interested buyers.

Image Credits: epSos .de via Flickr with Creative Commons license

Image Credits: epSos .de via Flickr with Creative Commons license

3. PURCHASE ONLINE

Aside from getting rid of your old devices or equipments online, you may also get a great deal there (i.e., whether it is through a wholesaler or an online coupon). You can compare the prices of the online shops to what is available on the physical shops, only to find that most of the times, online shops offer the cheaper prices. Furthermore, you just saved on the costs of transportation you would have paid if you went to the stores.

4. GET CREATIVE

Although the variety of the homemade accessories you can make are thin, it does not hurt to give it a chance. You are still saving money anyway. For instance, you may use a white top sheet as a diffuser, a white wall to bounce light from a flash, and a Styrofoam board as a reflector. All it takes is your imagination and creativity.

5. LOOK FOR ALTERNATIVES

Just because a renowned company announced a huge product launch does not mean that you have to buy it. If your technology basket is already sufficient then, there is no need to buy a new one. Also, if the new product does not satisfy your budget then, you do not have to buy it now. Pretty soon, the prices of this thing will drop, just be patient.

But, if you are really in need of a specific gadget immediately, say an action camera like GoPro (US$340/S$455), consider getting a cheaper alternative such as the HTC Re (US$159/S$213), the Polaroid XS100i HD (US$129/S$173), or the Sony HDR-AS20/B (US$149/S$199).

Sources: 1 & 2

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