7 Ways To Make The Most Out Of Your Weekend

Who says you need to break the bank to have an awesome weekend? Here are seven weekend ideas that you can dive into:

1: CREATE A SCAVENGER HUNT

Spice up your weekend by creating an exciting scavenger hunt. Start by gathering group of people in one area. Then, divide the group into two. Act as the game master who will hide all the items around the vicinity.

Add an exciting twist to your scavenger hunt by letting each player bring a unique item related to a given theme. For instance, you may have a BTS-themed Scavenger Hunt complete with all the BT21 collectibles! Set a timer and enjoy the hunt. A friendly competition never hurt anybody!

2: VOLUNTEER TO BABYSIT

Parents, admit it! You all need a break every once in a while. Not to mention, many single parents hardly ever get a chance to unwind. This is why most of them would jump on a chance to let someone babysit their children for a day.

If you are passionate about taking care of kids and being surrounded by them, consider volunteering to babysit for a friend or a relative. Spend the day by doing arts and crafts or by visiting the nearby playground.

3: SHOP AT FLEA MARKETS

Expand your wardrobe without breaking your budget by investing in sustainable fashion. Fortunately for you, Singapore has a wealth of flea markets with items selling for as low as S$2.

Begin your search by checking out the Fleawhere and The Luggage Market. Fleawhere is a market organizer known for its regular flea parties at Lucky Plaza. In fact, it will be holding the 7th edition of the “Daebak Sale” this June 29 (Saturday). The Daebak Sale offers affordable items from your favorite Instagram Influencers. All items are under S$12! Check out www.fleawhere.com for more details.

Let us move on to The Luggage Market. As the name suggests, you will be greeted by a huge sight of vendors carrying luggages. These luggages are filled with preloved clothing ranging from S$2 to S$5. These insanely low prices attract crowds from far and wide. Visit the Grand Link Square on a Sunday to check it out!

4: GO ON A WALKING TOUR

See what is beyond the four walls of your cubicle by exploring the great outdoors! Get up close and personal with nature as you embark on any one of the National Parks’ walking or cycling trails.

Feast your eyes as you spot large numbers of biodiversity and hundreds of bird species that most trails provide. Whether you prefer a long seamless walk in a chain of hills or a peaceful cycling experience off the city, there is definitely a suitable trail for you. Learn more about the trails at
www.nparks.gov.sg.

5: MAKE A TIME CAPSULE

Treasure life’s precious moments by creating a time capsule that you will open a decade from now. A time capsule, often put in a small box, houses preserved articles or records of your present-day life. You can either put a polaroid selfie, a piece of clothing, or a heartfelt letter inside. Be as creative as you can when filling it up!

The fun never stops now! Imagine how you will react upon seeing the changes that happened in a span of 10 years.

6: REVAMP YOUR FLAT

There is a way to change your home’s entire look in a snap. You read that right! Simply rearrange the key elements – the furniture and decorations. Try moving the couch to a different wall or a table to a different corner.

You will be surprised to see how fresh a room looks just by moving a piece of furniture into different positions or angles.

7: PUSH STRESS AWAY

Whether you like it or not, stress is inescapable. Use the weekend to freshen up your mind in time for the weekday grind. One of the ways that you can overcome stress is by practicing the basic meditation technique. Best of all? It does not cost a cent!

Watch this short video to know the essential information on how to meditate:

Sources: 1 & 2

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How To Beat The Holiday Spending Traps

As Labour Day approaches, the holiday promotions are in full swing! Shoppers everywhere are bound to be pummeled by the retail and other service promotions. Not every deal is a good one. Some are simply put there to confuse you. This is why, you have to beware of these 5 holiday spending traps.

ATTRACTED BY THE FREEBIES

Do you really want a free canister after purchasing three boxes of cereal? That is too much for a single consumer! You see, freebies usually come with a price. A free voucher to be used later on sounds like a sweet deal! However, it requires shoppers to drop some money first.

Be careful with retailers who encourage you to spend more to get a product or a service that you would not actually have bought.

TANGLED BY THE HIDDEN COSTS

Decorations and food are typical categories that affect your holiday budget. Aside from this, there are other hidden costs that can sail your budget elsewhere.

More often than not, the holiday season is sprinkled with hidden costs. For instance, Christmas Day comes with postage for holiday-themed cards or packages. You are bound to send some gifts to your loved ones, clients, or supervisors. Not to mention, some offer host or hostess gifts.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Thus, you must determine how much money you are willing to spend on a certain holiday. Create a budget and stick to it. Allow a small portion of your budget to cushion unexpected or hidden holiday costs.

DISTRACTED BY THE SELF

I, for one, am eager to purchase personal gifts when I spot some tempting holiday sales. Great Singapore Sale can lure me to spend more money on self-gifting. However, self-gifting can quickly turn to overspending.

If you have room in your budget to accommodate these impulse buys, go for it. Otherwise, you must take note of what you want and assign to others as a wish-list. Many will be grateful for the heads up!

PARDONED BY REWARDS

Just because you can get rebates from shopping does not mean that you have to spend regularly! Credit cards can help consumers to get more bang for their buck. But, this desire to acquire rewards should not justify the act of mindless spending.

Paying the interest on a balance you cannot afford to pay off cancels out the value of your accumulated rewards. Thus, you must use your rewards in conjunction with a savvy holiday spending plan.

CONSUMED BY PRESSURE

Holiday spending is influenced by the expectations of other people or the expectations of oneself. Retailers know that you are shopping under pressure and some may take advantage of it. This is a big one!

Retailers know that you do not want to fight the crowds who line up in Orchard Road. You would rather get out as fast as possible than to get bombarded by a huge number of people, right? Well, this is why they conveniently display the sale items in the middle of the aisles and near the checkout line. Do not give in!

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Even expert shoppers can get tangled with these holiday shopping traps! So, keep these in mind for Labour Day shopping.

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4 Ways To Waste Your Money On Designer Goods

#1: BY SKIPPING ON LESSER KNOWN DESIGNERS

It comes as no surprise that a luxury fashion brand novice is familiar with Chanel, Prada, and Louis Vuitton. Do you know other brands beyond these three? Some lesser known designers, such as Ermenegildo Zegna and Mary Katrantzou, have been flourishing for years. Are you aware of their existence?

You see, you may come across some quality products from designers that you have not heard of. It is important to focus on the quality and craftsmanship of a product before seeking out renowned designer brands solely for their namesake. Consider this tip on your next trip to the thrift shop!

#2: BY NOT CONSIDERING THE CHEAPER ALTERNATIVES

Being a fan of a well-known luxury designer is not a problem! You may look for cheaper alternatives such as bridge lines or lower-cost brands within the designer’s realms. Let me start with bridge lines. The term describes the collaboration between a high-end designer and a lower-priced retailer. Initially, the designer creates a collection. Then, the retailer will use its resources to manufacture the designs massively and affordably. For example, H&M’s collaboration with Alexander Wang produced cheaper alternatives compared to buying directly from the designer.

Next is the lower-cost brands. When scanning the racks of your favorite department store or thrift store, you will probably notice that some brand names seem familiar. This is because high-end designers thought of a way to tap the mass market. They offered lower-cost brands. Marc by Marc Jacobs and REDValentino are both lower-cost versions of the main brand, which gains you the same amount of prestige. Please note that these brands are often selling trendier items, made without the strict quality standards of the main brand.

#3: BY NOT CONSIDERING YOUR STYLE PERSONALITY

Throughout the years, we each develop a personal style or a clothing preference at the very least. Whether your style is attractive or not, everything is debatable. A worthy investment for me may be rubbing for you. Nonetheless, you are wasting money if you are taking away the personal elements of having your own style.

Do not lose individuality and uniqueness by investing on items solely for their brand names. People become obsessed with the designer brands that they forget what they are actually looking for.

#4: BY TAKING ON A DIY PROJECT

When purchasing a pre-loved designer bag or wallet, you must find the best one possible. Yes! You may love crafting or DIY projects, but a dirty or a broken item is not going to do you much good. A broken strap or a missing stud may be fixed by your local repair shop – at an additional cost. Are you really getting a good deal?

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Maximize your dollars’ worth by checking the quality of the handbag or wallet. Pull out the lining and look for holes. Are there missing straps or details (e.g., gemstones or studs). Smell the item too! If an item has a lingering smell of cigarette smoke, you may skip on it. It is nearly impossible to remove a potent smell!

Sources: 1 &  2

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4 Affordable Places To Haul Korean Fashion

You cannot deny that Koreans paved the way when it comes to fashion-forward streetwear. Aside from looking Instagrammable anytime and anywhere, Koreans wear polished and surprisingly effortless outfits.

As such, Singaporeans have been inspired to embrace the growing trend. The easiest way to acquire K-fashion apparel is to purchase directly from Korean online shops. However, are there other ways to make a Korean fashion haul in Singapore?

With a variety of options, where can you find affordable and minimalist chic K-fashion apparel in Singapore? Read through the list to find out!

#1: ZALORA SINGAPORE

You read that right, one of Singapore’s leading online shops offer K-fashion. As a company, Zalora saw how its regional sales for its Korean fashion and beauty categories doubled every season since 2014. The demand attracted them to carry more Korean labels.

Their goods are either made in Korea or inspired by Korean trends. For instance, you may purchase an adorable blouse for as low as S$8.90.

#2: H:CONNECT

One cannot miss the global presence of H:Connect! It has hundreds of stores in South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, and China. It is essentially Korea’s answer to H&M. That being said, it houses a variety of apparel from summer dresses to comfortable jeans.

Drop by the Bugis Junction branch to search for a cute brunch dress!

#3: StyleupK

Looking for the same outfits worn by K-pop idols? Look no further than StyleupK. This online korean fashion shop partners with many korean fashion brands and ships directly from Korea to your home. Also, check out their local Singapore SG instock collection for faster local delivery too! Brands include ADLV, Ambler, Romantic Crown, AQO Studiospace.

#4: TWEE

With its first flagship opening at the heart of Singapore’s shopping hub, Orchard Road has gotten a TWEE-upgrade. TWEE carries both Korean fashion and beauty products. You can only expect vibrant changing room visits as there are over 400 designs suited for both men and women. These collections or designs update every month. Imagine the possibilities that said variety can bring!

Image Credits: facebook.com/OfficialTweeSG

What’s more? You can stock up on SUPERFACE’s beauty must-haves or Korean runway-inspired clothing and accessories.

Sources: 1 & 2

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How To Deal With Friends Who Are Big Spenders

With about 183,737 millionaires and over a thousand of insanely rich people in Singapore, you will come across some big spenders in your lifetime. Some of these people may be considered as your friends. How can you socialize with these people, if you cannot spend money as freely as they can?

KEEPING UP WITH THE NEIGHBORS

When you are surrounded with rich friends who love to splurge, it is understandable to feel envious at times. However, you must not linger excessively on this thought. The mere act of comparison can exhaust your energy. Constantly comparing what you have or what you do not have can contribute to your attitude towards money.

You must accept the fact that you are not as wealthy as your friends. What’s more? Keeping up with them can be detrimental to your finances. Apply the Negative Visualization exercise instead. Negative visualization entails imagining what will happen to your life if you have nothing. How can you survive without a job or without a spouse to support you? Doing this exercise will make you realize how blessed you truly are.

SOCIALIZING WITHOUT SPENDING

While your friends may be fulfilled with every swipe of their plastic cards, this may not be the case for you. Resist overspending by avoiding temptations. Opt for entertaining activities that do not require you to break the bank.

Outdoor activities such as cycling or hiking require little money to release some happy hormones (i.e., endorphins). You may also book a yoga class or a trip to the museum. Have a cup of coffee or tea afterwards.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Do your best to enjoy intimate and inexpensive settings that will take spending off the table. Indulging in fancy restaurants or spa appointments occasionally is perfectly fine. These are some of life’s pleasures that are worth paying for, anyway.

SAYING NO TO FREELOADERS

Economically speaking, there is a considerable division between you and your affluent friends. They may be capable to cover your expenses but, you should never ask them to do so. Only accept their help during special occasions.

If they offer to lend you some cash, contemplate on whether you can pay them back or not. Discuss the payment procedures and terms surrounding it. Do not feel bad if your friend suddenly takes back the offer. Ultimately, you must not take advantage of someone’s generosity.

When all is said and done, try to give something simple in return. You may present a token of your gratitude or treat him or her out to a delicious meal.

COMMUNICATING IN AN OPEN MANNER

If you are constantly hanging out with big spenders, you need to be transparent with them. It is easy to talk about current events or Korean bands, but it is challenging to discuss about money. Even the best of friends can be drive apart due to money matters. Few people can openly admit that they cannot afford something. Feelings of shame can take over.

While spending money is typically associated with power, your wallet will thank you after being open to your affluent friends. Tell them that you cannot afford another hundred-dollar dinner two nights in a row. Genuine friends will back off once you let them know that you cannot spend money as freely as they can.

FOCUSING ON FRIENDSHIPS ALONE

Genuine friendships focus on the relationships between people rather than their net worth. Your income or capacity to generate money does not define your identity. If your friends belittle you because of your financial limitations, then you must reconsider your relationships with them. Is it healthier to disconnect? Is it better find friends who are more accepting of your financial situation? Ponder on these. Remember that genuine friends will help you rise up, and not drag you down!

Image Credits: pixabay.com

It may be difficult to rebuild your relationships at first, but you are always better off hanging out with friends who do not rub their wealth in your face. Surround yourself with people who will serve as your financial inspirations. Learn and ask tips from them regarding management of cash flow, investment portfolio, and business.

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