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!
Christmas is just around the corner. While searching for the perfect gift, keep in mind that you must also be financially-savvy. You may be tempted to go over your budget since this holiday only come once a year. But, your gifts need not to be expensive to make your loved ones smile! Here are 7 Awesome Christmas Gift Ideas under $50.
FOR THE WANNABE FIT FRIEND
US$29.95 or S$39.53. Buy it here.
The Wake up Workout Alarm Clock is the perfect gift for that person who wants to lose weight, but is too lazy to get up the bed. This alarm clock only shuts off after you have done 30 reps of consecutive bicep curls. The dumbbell-shaped alarm clock has a countdown timer on one side, which counts the number of reps you have done. Even the motion sensors inside can detect how many bicep curls you have done only if you swing it right. So, it will be really hard for you to cheat!
Wake up Workout Alarm Clock via GadgetsandGear.com
Since the Coachella Music Festival, the trend has been leaning towards the gypsy or bohemian style. This Jeweled Hair Decor by H&M will surely make your sister stand out from the crowd. Don’t worry about its fitting because its silver chains have an adjustable length up to 63 cm.
Busy moms who are always stressed with tight deadlines need pampering too! With this Wild Argan Oil Beauty Bag by The Body Shop, your mom will feel beautiful from head to toe. It is consist of an Argan Oil shower gel, body butter, body scrub—all imported from Morocco. Best of all? The cost of youthful skin won’t hurt your wallet.
Wild Argan Oil Beauty Bag via TheBodyShop.com.sg
FOR YOUR PHILOSOPHER DAD
S$21.86, Outliers Book. S$21.83, Tipping Point Book. Buy it here.
Indulge your deep thinking dad with the best-selling books by Malcolm Gladwell. Personally, I recommend the “Outliers: Story of Success”, and the “Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference”. Not only will he thank you for this interesting read but it will change his view of the world too.
Nothing beats a custom-made gift such as a Personalized Name or Word Necklace from MyLittleBow shop. You may use his or her nickname, your secret code or your term of endearment. It will make your girlfriend, boyfriend or best friend feel that you have really thought of them. Orders take about 3 weeks to be ready, so be sure to place your order early!
FOR YOUR COFFEE/TEA LOVING BOSS
US$14.95 or S$19.73. Buy it here.
This heat sensitive battery mug glows green once you pour hot beverage on it. Then, the battery turns black once your coffee or tea is cool enough to sip. The battery will also appear empty once you’ve finished all of its contents, and it’s time to refill. Your boss will surely appreciate this thoughtful reminder.
Battery Mug via GadgetsandGear.com
FOR THE PROUD SINGAPOREAN
S$20, Badges. S$22, Canvas Totes. Buy it here.
The Little Dröm Store sells Badges and Canvas Totes for several types of Singaporean. From the Precise (Zhun zhun guni hoon), to the Champion (Kiasu), and the Composed Singaporean (Steady Pom Pipi), this store has it all for you! The badges are available in 16 different designs, which you may check out here.
Kan Cheong Spider Badge via TheLittleDromStore.com
While, their totes (fits A4 folders) are available in 8 designs namely: Stylo Milo, Siao On, Jiak Gan Tang, Steady Pom Pipi, Chop Chop Curry Pok, Kan Cheong Spider, Kiasu, and Huat ah. These adorably designed and hilariously clever badges and totes will make you feel closer to home.
In order to decide on how much you shall save, first you must be aware of how much you are spending.
Expenses can be categorized as either fixed or variable. Fixed expenses remain the same every month or year due to Singapore’s laws and Company service-provider terms (e.g. Hand Phone Plan, or HDB Rent). Variable expenses include food, entertainment, clothing, and other expenses that may change every month or year. The challenge now is for you to choose on which expenses you can reduce.
Recording all your expenses, no matter how big or small they may be, can help you plan your budget wisely. This is why; here are the 5 Money Management Apps for all your devices. Best of all? These are handy and FREE!
Expensify app helps you record your daily transactions, hourly rate, mileage, and generate expense reports. Its SmartScan feature allows you to upload photos or capture your receipts for easy bookkeeping. It also helps you minimize information errors that you may encounter when writing everything down.
Another top rated money tracker in Google Play store is the Expense Manager app. It is raved to be simplistic and very easy to use. You may record the type of purchase, the type of payment, the purchasing price, the company the item was purchased from, and the date. The app also allows you to manage multiple accounts in various currencies, to email account activities, and to save it on your SD card.
MoneyWise app combines minimalist design with powerful functionality. It may seem minimal but it can do a lot! It allows you to generate charts or graphs, track budgets or spending, and create regular account backups. Conveniently, you may export data in CSV or HTML formats that you may send to others via email.
POCKET EXPENSE PERSONAL FINANCE (Available on IPhone and IPad)
Pocket Expense Personal Finance app combines all your financial accounts together so it can track all your bills and set your budgets. This app lets you categorize your transactions through its calendar view. It is the perfect way to organize your income and expense because of its user-friendly and simplistic interface. But most importantly, it is password protected.
Mint app manages your personal finance accounts (credit cards, loan and investment) on one place through your fingertips. With Mint, you can track your spending, develop a monthly budget, receive bill reminders, and save more money. It is also accessible online through its website. What’s more? It sends online alerts if you’ve gone over your budget.
With all these awesome money management Apps, the power to budget and save money is in your fingertips! Make wise money tracking a habit! You won’t regret it.
At times visitors who come to my house will often ask me: “That’s a cute poodle, how much did you paid for it?”
I would reply “I adopted it.” and almost certainly i would get a standard response: “You mean you got that puppy for free? I’m so envious. I want one myself too!”
Think twice.
Many people who walks into a pet shop will first walk into the pets area and peek into those glass windows to admire the dogs, rodents and fishes. These animals are so cute that everyone would wish to own one as a pet. The thing is they often don’t know the true financial cost of owning a pet and underestimate the overall expenses – not to mention the emotional cost when your pet is sick or when its time is up.
To help you work out the cost of owning these companion animals, let us take a look at the real cost of owning them.
1. Dogs & Pups
Lifespan: 10-17 years
One time costs:
Purchase price: $1.5K-$4K (Depending on the size and breed)
Spaying/Neutering: $300-$500
Leash/Collar/Cage & other accessories:$100-300
Disposing: $300-$500
Recurring cost (Yearly):
Food: $300-$500
Treats: $100-$200
Grooming: $200-$300
Shampoo: $30-50
Vet: $200-$800
Toys: $100-$200
Total costs: Approximately $20-30K
2. Cats and kittens
Lifespan: 15-20 years
One time costs:
Purchase price: $300-$1K (Depending on the size and breed)
Total costs: Largely varies, depending on what type and species you are getting
A final word to anyone who is getting a pet after this: Don’t buy a pet on impulse. Make sure you have the time to look after it and do not abandon your pets!
With rising costs in Singapore, house, car, transport costs has climbed faster than your wage increment. Even basic necessity like food is not spared. Where can you get a bowl of noodle for 50 cents or a packet of chicken rice for a dollar nowadays?
No, I’m not going to tell you which Kopitiam to find those cheap eats. Because there isn’t –
Perhaps you can still get them from the Primary School’s canteen.
We are talking about restaurants in Singapore that offers the most value food without hurting your wallet. What’s worse is when you are being slapped with GST and service charge. I know how you feel when you thought you have spent $20+ for your food and you get billed for $30.
Don’t you want to spend more and still want to enjoy dining in a restaurant?
To get your moola worth of dining experience, let’s take a look at some of the restaurants below which offers the most value meals. By most value, we mean you get the most bang for your buck without compromising quality and quantity. Restaurants that offers cheap eats but at small portion don’t meet our selection criteria.
1. Saizeriya Ristorante E Caffe
Where can you get your pasta fix for $5.90 in a restaurant nowadays? Saizeriya offers a wide ranging Italian foods from pasta to pizza at affordable price. There are also hotplates offering pork, chicken and beef steak coupled with potato wedges, corns and sunny side egg with the lowest priced at $5.90. No, it is not a typo and i have not forgotten to add a ‘1’ – it’s $5.90 and not $15.90.
Wait, so a 2 person meal will cost $20+ after GST and service charge? You’ll be surprised that you end up paying less than $20 as there is no GST and service charge.
Estimated cost for 2 Pax: $15
2. Nakajima Suisan Grilled Fish
(Photo Credit: duhville.com)
If you have not heard of this place, i’m not surprised. Hidden in a corner of Takashimaya’s foodcourt at the basement, you will usually witness a queue outside Nakaijima Suisan during peak hours. At first glance, it looks like an ordinary Japanese food store selling grilled fishes that is placed alongside stores that sell Katsu, Udon and Ramen.
When you browse the menu, you will see a wide variety of grilled fishes set and they are reasonably priced.
Try their signature Gindara (Cod) Teriyaki and you’ll be taken back by the freshness and sweetness of the fish. The succulent white meat melts in your mouth and makes you eat smaller portion so that you can extend your enjoyment to the fullest.
They have other grilled dishes such as Saba, Salmon, Meiro, Sawara and Squid grilled nicely with different sauces such as Mirin, Teriyaki and Saikyo where diners are spoilt for choices.
The set comes with miso soup, tofu with bonito flakes, appetiser and salad.
It costs around $8.50 for a grilled saba lunch set and $11.50 for a grilled salmon set.
They only charge you a 7% GST excluding the 10% service charge which makes it an affordable dinner or lunch fix in the town area.
Estimated cost for 2 pax: ~$25-30
3. Swee Choon Tim Sum
(Photo Credit: lifebesiderunning.blogspot.com)
Swee Choon has been around for 50 years and they serve different kind of Hong Kong and Shanghai Dim Sum. You will definitely see items such as your usual Siew Mai, Har Gow, Char Siew Pau on the menu.
Don’t miss out the salted egg yolk custard bun! The custard ozzes out on your first bite so make sure you savour every drops of it!
Their standard item are priced around $2-$3 and they also serve cooked items such as Horfan, Fried Rice and other Zi Char food.
This place is good for late night supper as they close around 2am.
They don’t charge you 10% service charge so you’ll save on that.
Estimated cost for 2 pax: $20
4. Little Vietnam Restaurant & Cafe
(Photo Credit: Burpple.com)
This is one of the popular casual Vietnamese restaurants in Singapore. You can find authentic Vietnamese food such as your Pho and Vietnamese Rice Roll at affordable price.
It costs around $6-7 for a bowl of Beef Pho.
You can also try their Com Tan (Broken Rice with Grilled Lemon Grass Pork Chop with a sunny side up) which is a favourite of mine.
There is no GST or service charge so expect to pay less than $20 for 2 pax.
5. Kim Dae Mun
(Photo Credit: phyllistan.blogspot.com)
If you are in town and crave Korean food, drop by Kim Dae Mun which is located at Concorde Hotel level 2.
Their highly raved Spicy Chicken set cost $6.50 and you have the option to choose brown rice to go with it. The set also comes with two sides where you can choose kimchi, cucumber slice or anchovies.
Pair it with a bowl of kimchi soup and you will walk out of the place feeling hearty and satisfied.
Estimated cost for 2 pax: $13-$15
6. The Wicked Garlic
(Photo Credit: Burpple.com)
Craving for Italian food but on a budget? Look no further to The Wicked Garlic. You can get your usual Italian fares like pasta, pizza and risotto but what stands out is the price. Most of their pizza and pasta are priced below $10 and the portion and quality are not compromised.
Your Margherita and Hawaiian pizza cost $8.70 for a 10′ and did i mentioned their pizza are hand-made?
For pasta lovers, you can consider their Aglio Olio at $4.70 – top that off with 5 huge gigantic prawns for an additional $6.00. I will take that.
7. Standing Sushi Bar (8 Queen Street)
(Photo Credit: aspoonfulofsoul.blogspot.com)
You are missing out the good stuff if you have not heard of Standing Sushi Bar.
What? Do i have to stand and consume my food? Is it cheap?
No, you don’t have to “stand” as there are seats around for you to enjoy your food.
If you are having Monday blues, make a trip to Standing Sushi Bar located at 8 Queen Street for their promotional $3 salmon sashimi. It’s not 1 slice but 5 think slices! They have a similar promotion on Thursday night.
End off by washing down the goodness lingering in your mouth with a $2 sake or $5 Asahi Beer and Umeshu.
8. Aston’s
(Photo Credit: Foodstreetdirectory.com)
This place don’t need any introduction. Aston has been around since 2005 and open its first shop in a coffeeshop before moving into a flagship store and expanding to 27 stores as at November 2014.
Aston served quality Western fares such as your fish & chips and steaks, with your own choice of hot and cold sides ranging from fries, onion rings, salad, baked beans, potato wedges and even tasty rice.
It’s simply great food at great price.
It costs less than $10 for most of their mains. If you want to slightly indulge and go for a steak, it’s not too bad for a Prime Ribeye Steak at $16.90.
9. Taste of Thailand
(Photo Credit: joonelovesfood.blogspot.com)
Taste of Thailand was formerly located at Sembawang Shopping Centre before moving to Yishun’s industrial canteen.
Not too much of an authentic Thai cuisine but rather cheap and affordable Zi Char dishes. There are still Tom Yum soup and Pineapple Fried Rice for those who insists on a Thai fares.
Be warned though – come early on a weekend evening or you will be joining the long queue to watch other diners enjoy the value for money eats.
Their deep fried calamari is chewy and tasty – goes well with the red and green chilli sauce they specially made themselves.
Don’t leave this place without trying their signature Deep Fried Fish. Drench it with the sauce that comes with it and you will go thumbs up!
It ends up costing about $40 for a family of five, which works out to be less than $10 a person, pretty value-for-money i would say.
10. Nakhon Kitchen
(Photo Credit: Yelp.com.sg)
Next on the list, Nakhon Kitchen is another Thai restaurant with wallet friendly price tag.
You might think it is cheap because the quality is compromised or the serving size is small but you are wrong.
The long queue on a Saturday lunch hour is a testament of how popular they are.
If you are a fan of Pad Thai, it costs $5 for a yummy plate of rice noodles top with prawns, squids and tofu.
Try their green curry chicken for $8 and Tom Yum soup for $6 and you will understand why this place make it into the list.
