3 Great Dates On A Budget

Romance is expensive. Flowers, gifts, dinner dates. Let’s not even talk about the mega money-guzzling consumer event known as Valentine’s Day. If you’re the kind of person who needs to save money, sometimes being romantic can be a bit hard, or maybe not even an option. However, if you know the right places to go, having a great date and being able to save money don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Here we have 3 great date ideas, so you can save money and have a good time.

For The Nature Lover

  Does your boyfriend or girlfriend love nature? Is the forest his or her second home? Then maybe the both of you should check out Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

 

Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is one of the best places to go in Singapore if you’re into nature, and want to be able to observe it right from inside. The best part of this is that admission is free, so you’re able to save money!

Sungei Buloh Wetland reserve is one of the few protected mangrove areas in Singapore that are actually easily accessible to the general public, thanks to the wooden walkways that span the reserve. If you’re feeling a bit more adventurous and don’t mind getting your shoes dirty, there are some sections of the reserve where you can walk on the mud without sinking in all the way, so do take not where they are if you want to talk a walk on the wild side without looking like a swamp creature from the waist down.

Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve offers many quiet places where you and your significant other and walk along in peace and enjoy nature together as well. There are many rest stops along the broad walks where you can just sit down and enjoy the view, and maybe have a meal if you brought along some food for a picnic! Save money, enjoy nature, have a good time. Sounds like a perfect combination for the budget nature lover, don’t you agree?

For the culture vulture

Enjoying the arts can be a costly affair, and make it hard to save money. Concert tickets at the Esplanade can cost a bomb, and don’t even talk about buying art. Even artwork at the recent Affordable Art Fair could cost in the thousands. Don’t fret, there are many alternatives where you can save money though, like at the Singapore Art Museum

 

The Singapore Art museum houses a wide variety of artworks, some which are permanent, and some of which are only featured during exhibitions which are only up for a certain period of time. Admission is free if you’re a Singapore citizen or PR, so both of you you can enjoy the wonder of art and still save money!

Guided tours at the Singapore Art Musuem are available around twice a day, so if you’re new to the place and want insights from a seasoned person in the art scene, joining a guide group is the way to go. If you have concerns about wanting to save money, don’t worry the guided tour is free as well! Alternatively, you could also talk a walk around the museum yourself, and take your time slowly strolling through the exhibitions with your significant other and appreciate art together!

For the film junkie

  If you think about it, watching a movie in Singapore can be pretty expensive. On a weekend, tickets for two can cost up to 25 bucks, and this doesn’t include the drinks and popcorn. If your girlfriend or boyfriend is a film junkie, watching movies every single week can take a toll on your wallet. How are you supposed to save money like that? Why not check out MovieMob?

 

Movie Mob is a company that organises free outdoor moving screenings. All you have to do is sign up for their mailing list at www.moviemob.sg, and receive updates regarding the latest free movie screenings in Singapore! Being able to watch free movies on a regular basis sure sounds like a great way to save money if you or your partner is a film junkie.

On their website, you can vote for the movies you want, and the movie with the most votes will be screened. While you may not be able to watch exactly the movie you want, you can be sure that there will be variety of movies as each time the movie screened will be different. Being able to watch so many different movies while still being able to save money means you can also splurge a bit more on food and snacks. After all, this isn’t your usual cinema hall with strict rules on the food you can bring in.

The venues where they hold these free move screenings will vary. Sometimes they are held in carparks or open spaces where you can drive into as well, so you can have a quaint open air movie experience in your car, just like in America in the early 1900s! Romantic and allowing you to save money, this date idea seems hit the spot doesn’t it?

 

Now you know how to have a great time while still being able to save money, why don’t you? Get out there with your boyfriend or girlfriend and work that charm!

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Where to shop till you drop without hurting your wallet

It’s not always easy to save money when you shop. After all, the basic idea behind shopping isn’t to save money, but to spend it. Some of the nicest things out there (like branded goods) cost a hefty dime. It’s no wonder so many young Singaporeans are not shopping themselves into debt, buying things they want, but don’t need, at astronomical prices. However, there is an option for those who are less picky and want to save money: thrift shopping! Thrift shopping refers to the buying of 2nd hand items at much lower prices. While it takes some effort to find good buys while thrift shopping, you’ll occasionally find treasures here and there. I once got a pair of branded shoes for less than 10 dollars! Here are some places you can go to indulge in your shopping habit without breaking the bank.

New2U Thrift Store

Hidden in the middle of Bras Basah, Bugis and Dhoby Ghaut, this little gem is the go-to place for students and workers in the area who want to save money. Comparatively more accessible that most other thrift stores, New2U is located in the Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations (SCWO). Being right in the heart of the arts and culture district of Singapore, New2U doesn’t disappoint when it comes to the selection of items available, with many of the clothes they sell being vintage pieces at bargain prices. All proceeds go to SCWO initiatives.

Address: 96 Waterloo Street, Singapore 187967

 

Salvation Army Praiseheaven Family Megastore

If you want to check out the ultimate heaven of thrift store goodness, come down to the Salvation Army Praiseheaven Family Megastore! Notice that everything here is all neat and organised, it’s just like a department store, except everything here is second-hand, or was donated in bulk because they were damaged or not appropriate for selling. For those who want to save money on everything under the sun, this has to be the place to be. Spanning across 2 floors, the Family Megastores sells everything from clothes to furniture, so be prepared to spend a long, long time going through every single there is.

Address: 500 Upper Bukit Timah Road Singapore 678106

Shop@RedCross

Not as widely publicised or as well-known as the other thrift stores in Singapore, Shop@Redcross nonetheless stocks a wide range of items as well, similar to the Family Megastore, so it’s great for people who want to save money on a wide range of items. While slightly out of the way (it’s located in the middle of a private housing estate), the journey there is well worth the effort. They also have regular Bazaar days, where they bring in a lot more items and even more discounted prices! I just went down to Bazaar last month, and scored myself a pair of shoes for less than 10 bucks!

Address: 62 Jalan Khairuddin (Opera Estate)

 

Granny’s Day Out

 

If you’re looking for more vintage, eclectic finds, and don’t mind paying a higher premium for them, make a visit to Granny’s Day Out. It isn’t the conventional thrift store in the sense that all its items are dirt chip, but they are definitely cheaper than what you find in stores for the same quality, so you’re still able to save money! After all, this mix of goods are specially chosen by the store owners from all across the world, and lovingly restored. So while you may be paying a higher price than usual for a thrift store, you will definitely be getting your money’s worth, because what you get will definitely be unique!

Address: 3 Coleman Street, #03-25 Peninsula Shopping Centre, S179804, Singapore

 

Carousell

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Sometimes the best things are right under your nose, or in the case in your pocket. If you can’t find the time to make your down to any thrift store or vintage store whatsoever but still want to save money shopping, check out the Carousell app! Carousell

is an online marketplace where users can sell and buy 2nd have items from each other. All you need to do is make an account and you’re ready to go! There are different product sections, and also a search function, so it’s easy for you to find what you need and want, quickly!

Address: Itunes App Store

 

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