Going to the market with NTUC Vouchers

Save! - About $130/yr if you spend about $50/week at NTUC.

The long and the short of it:

Buy NTUC vouchers at a discount and use said vouchers to shop at NTUC. Remember to use your card to get LinkPoints.

Only applicable if you are not spending over $500/month using the OCBC NTUC Visa Plus! card which is only available to NTUC Union members. Cos that combo gets you can even better rate.

Local tips!

Check out Gumtree, Carousell, HWZ and the usual forums for people trying to cash in their vouchers. Just be careful of deals that sound too good to be true. Don't get scammed.

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Now that you've whet your appetite doing some frugal groceries shopping, here's a more advance level challenge. Using vouchers at NTUC.

Not many people know this yet or don't bother with it, but you can still receive NTUC LinkPoints when you shop using NTUC vouchers. (I've checked with them on email and have tested this out so it works as of 4 April 2014)

So where's the extra savings? Well, there are usually people on forums such as Gumtree, HWZ and Carousell looking to cash in their vouchers. NTUC vouchers should go for at least a 5% discount on those forums. Sometimes, the vouchers may even go for 10% off. Just make sure collection is not out of the way otherwise your 5% savings will end up enriching SMRT or SBS!

A word of caution - Don't get scammed!

If the offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

An example would be a super good voucher offered at 40% discount but requires you to do payment via internet banking or Western Union and they will mail the vouchers over afterwards. There is a risk that the seller will run off with your money.

Cash On Delivery (COD) is the safest or paypal (Should be able to claw back payments).

If it's Yellow let it Mellow, if it's Brown Flush it Down

Save! $20 per year on flushes

The long and the short of it

If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown, flush it down.

Local tips!

Use outside toilets also can.

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The common adage - If it's Yellow let it Mellow, if it's Brown Flush it Down... Just how much can you save?


This is a bit unhygienic but if you do practice it, it can save you about 2-3 flushes a day but with today's water saving toilet bowls, you'll only end up saving about $20 a year. It's not a lot and honestly doesn't seem to be worth it considering that you run the risk of stinking up the home.

So here's a better way. Save your waste water to do manual rinses and flushes. Where to get the waste water you say?

1. From brushing your teeth and washing your face each morning. (I can fill close to half a bucket just with this.) Though you might think eeeewwwww water from my mouth?! Remember where that water is going... into the toilet bowl... Not exactly a clean place either.
2. From the washing machine (might be a little stinky with the soap smell but ok once it's been diluted with water from other sources)
3. From washing vegetables (not meat hor. The oil is not good for your toilet plumbing.)
4. From mopping the floor

And if I could, I would also save my shower waste water but alas, I think my family will freakout if I stopper the drains to pump out water after each shower!

I've been doing this for a few months now and there is little to no smell, the bowl water will look a bit cloudy but I can live with that.



What can I say, I hate waste and it's just sinful to use good drinkable water to wash down our crap. It's a sin I say!

This is quite advanced so do it only if you can stand it!

Bar the soap

Save! Maybe $50 per year? Cos shower gels are *&(%#! expensive as hell while bar soaps are cheaaaapppppp!!!

The long and the short of it

Go for the bar soap.

Local tips!

Don't drop it in camp next to an indian fella!
Heh heh heh just kidding...
(No offense ah my fella indian countrymen :p The cheena babi in me just couldn't resist this stereotypical toilet humour.)

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This is simple and probably more for males cos it's about daily no fuss maintenance and they usually heck care beauty labels etc one.

STOP USING LIQUID SHOWER GEL!

Just use the bar soap. It's more or less the same and it costs at least 10x cheaper. You'll save a tonnes of moolah just by making this switch.
They are also easy to store and you can buy in bulk too to save even more.

You just can't stack those bottles of liquid shower gels

AND to further minimize waste, just slap your new bar soap onto the last slivers of the old bar soap and they will merge into one. Totally zero wastage.

Shower gels you still need to open the cap and put your finger in to dig... if you know what I mean...

So happy together...

Same for the soaps you use to wash your hands. Get a bar soap. Bloody cheap.

Save more on groceries by not buying from supermarkets!

Save! $5-10 depending on what you buy for groceries and how much food you go through each month.

The long and the short of it

Go direct to suppliers or pseudo suppliers for certain groceries. Especially pantry items.

Local tips!

Look up Phoon Huat or Kwong Cheong Thye. These are the two I know. If you know more, please share!

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When you think about groceries shopping you think supermarkets such as NTUC, Giant, Mustafa, Sheng Siong or even the wet market. For most items yes, it will be cheaper to get at the supermarkets but there are some items that can be gotten cheaper at... the suppliers of course!

I've looked up and did a rough comparison and if you're buying the following, it's actually cheaper to get from... Phoon Huat!!!! (HUAT AH!)

Items that are definitely cheaper:
- Unsalted butter (if you bake)
- Sun dried tomatoes
- Cooked whole beans
- Nuts (raw or otherwise) *heard victoria market carries them at good prices too but haven't checked. Thing is, confirm cheaper than supermarkets can le.
- Vinegars
- Oils
- Frozen fruit meats
- CHEESE!!!! OMG GOD DAMN CHEAP! (Ok not cheap but cheaper. Soooo much cheaper)
(1kg Mozzarella is only $11.80! Eat till cheese come out of the ears!)

Just be sure to call them before you head down so you don't make a wasted trip and plan your journey so your cost savings don't end up spent on petrol or the bloodsucking SMRT and SBS. I personally like the Aljunied MRT branch cos its super big and tends to have items in stock. Calling before hand is important.

Phoon Huat catalogue here but no price list. Sadz.

On the other hand, Kwong Cheong Thye is where you can get your chinese / asian cooking sauces and also other ingredients. However, they only have 1 retail outlet near Aljunied MRT.

My mum only goes there to buy the Yu Sheng veges and sauces for CNY (HUAT AH!!!)
I saw other nuts and assorted pantry items too.

Cooking saving hack Part 1 - Planning to eliminate waste

Save! Maybe about $0.50 on heating and water per cook, depending on how frequent you cook and the proportions. If you cook often, this adds up.

The long and the short of it

Plan your meals so you only need to cook once in awhile and have little to no waste. It's also more environmentally  friendly!

If you cook pasta, cook it with a stew to use the starch water.

Save any fat rendered out from crisping bacon or roasting chicken.

Local tips!

Use sturdy reusable plastic food containers to freeze your stews and meals for another day.

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I hate food wastage and I try my best to use up all and I mean all that I put in the pans. I just hate throwing out anything in the kitchen. The best way for processed food bits is to the compost heap (which I don't have and don't know how to start... yet) or into the stomach.

Fat Drippings
Starting off, I save all fat drippings and freeze them to use in mashed potatoes, bruschetta, salads or for simple stir-fries. Chicken fat, bacon fat whatever fat that's rendered off, I pour off and save. These drippings are flavor bombs and can and should be reused! There are entire forums dedicated to this (e.g. Chowhound, SeriousEats, CookingJunkies)
You might say the fat is unhealthy etc but you should just listen to common sense, which is to have everything in moderation.

As long as you're not drinking it by the gallon, you'll be fine...

Image taken from Butterbeliever, like many a home chef converted, also thinks like I do!

Pasta Water
For awhile now, I have been thinking of how to save my pasta water as I hate to pour them into the sink since:
1) it's a waste of about 2-3 litres of good clean food grade water (the horrors of waste!)
2) starch being starch, it might clog the drain

So I thought, since I love to do up big batches of stews and need water and starch from potatoes to thicken them, I might as well cook these two meal items together. Cooked pasta water becomes the water base for stews and the pasta starch will also help to thicken the stew! 
2-in-1 ah!
Just moderate the salt level accordingly i.e. use less salt in the pasta water.

So now, I try my best to plan pasta with a stew. Then I'll partition the stew into plastic food containers (reusable ones mind you) and freeze them for later consumption.

Frozen foods can last indefinitely but the tasty stews normally don't last more than 2 weeks. Just remember to thaw the stew first before you pop it in the microwave. No point wasting good energy heating up frozen food. Let Singapore's sunny weather do that for you.

So this is a simple cooking hack. Save energy, save your pockets and save the Earth.


What are some of your cooking hacks to save on gas and food waste?
Share them with me in the comments section!

Toothpaste - No need to be so excited and squirt too much

Save... Not sure but you should be able to cut down your toothpaste usage by at least half. Maybe around $3 a month?

The long and the short of it

Don't use that much toothpaste. Just a pea size amount will do.

Local tips!

Small ang moh pea hor. Not the ginormous edamame pea

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This ad just screams! "More toothpaste = better!" Why not just empty the whole tube in each brush!

Advertising is at the same time one of the best and worst things to happen.


Above is a typical toothpaste advertisement and oh it's so nice to brush with a whole toothbrush slathered with that minty fresh toothpaste. It's like the only way to keep your pearly whites... well... white.

Actually... no!


This is actually how much toothpaste you need!

That's still too big a pea but at least my toothpaste now lasts me longer than a week

Toothpaste is basically an abrasive (think very fine mobile sandpaper) and a small amount will be enough to do the job since abrasives don't dissolve. A small pea sized dollop will do!

Still not convinced? Here's an article by HowStuffWorks.

And lastly, do your teeth a favor. Cut back on the whiteners. They whiten your teeth by eroding your old coffee/tea/smoke stained enamel to reveal the fresh new shiny white layer beneath.
Use whitening toothpaste often enough and you'll erode your teeth away. So don't!
Whiteners are expensive too so that's a doubly good.

Eat less save more

Save! Potentially a lot. Maybe about half of your food spend

The long and the short of it

Cut down on your meal portions because we are all eating too much....

Local tips!

Order less side dishes. Don't order "value" meals.

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This is more philosophy and method than a good deal kind of post. 

We all eat way too much now in this modern, affluent society. That's why diabetes and gout are on the rise. Both are "rich man" diseases. Rich in the sense that we can fill our bellies and not have to go hungry. A very low bar.

So to combat health problems from eating too much and save our bellies and our wallets, we should all try to cut down on consumption. 

For e.g.

• When ordering Cai Fan 菜饭, aim for just 2 side dishes instead of the usual 3. 
• Always avoid taking the meal options in fast food outlets and just buy 1-2 individual items. 

These actions may just save you a few cents but you're treating your body and wallet so much better.

Try it. Start slow.
Do frugal Fridays!
Where you subtract one item off your lunch since you've the weekend to look forward to so a bit of "misery" in smaller food portions shouldn't hurt that much!

Work your way to a slimmer self and a fatter wallet!
Better for your heart and mind too :D

Getting a haircut (not the salary kind)

Save! $6.20 per trip to the barber and if cut your hair once a month, that's $74.40 a year!

The long and the short of it

Mainly for those who don't need a VIP treatment for their tresses.
Get your haircut or trimmed at Snip Avenue. $3.80 haircuts. Nuff' said.

Local tips!

Plan your trip. Head down during your off days in the weekday mornings or afternoons cos the quene can get quite busy in the evenings and weekends. Otherwise, bring a book or something.

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If you need a simple haircut, nothing beats Snip Avenue now for their price. It's a cheap ass $3.80. 

Nothing is cheaper except maybe the Tekong barber.

Image taken from Alanchow76's Blog

I've been getting my hair cut there for about a year now and it's saved me quite a bit. I used to the go for those QB House types which used to cost $10 and now cost $12! So this is saving me quite a bit.

Pros:
- Cheap. Damn cheap. Cannot be cheaper cheap.- Many branches

Cons:
- Only for a simple haircut. Any other hair treatments etc will be costly. So go there for simple haircuts. Nothing more. (Sorry girls!)
- Long queues during peak hours and they will pick to allow the high value customers go first which is understandable. They need to make money too. So go during the off peak hours hor or be prepared to wait.
- Messy. So go have a haircut and be prepared to head home to bathe. 

Update!
Just got my haircut there and one more thing to take note. Be very clear you're just there for a haircut. The hairdresser I was assigned to was quite pushy and kept saying I had an oily scalp and thinning hair at the top of my head to scare me into getting a shampoo or hair products.

Be firm but polite. Just nod and say "uh" Get your hair cut and leave. $3.80 gotta face some hard selling for the price lah.

Their branches can be found here.

1-for-1 Cathay movie tickets

Save! Potentially $10.50 per movie ticket. 

The long and the short of it

Download the Nets Savers App and use the Cathay movie deal

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Another movie offer for film fanatics!

Go download this neowh!!! NETS Savers App (iPhone or Android)

(The app will prompt you to sign up. The dumb software then proceeds to crash when I tried to sign up numerous times. Don't say I never tried hor. But hell the offers do not require a sign in! So... Huat ah!)

How to use:

• Navigate to this image 

Should be easy to find right... should be idiot proof

• Flash to the cashier (the image... not your privates... hur hur hur) and pay using your Nets @ Flashpay card
• Make sure your Nets @ Flashpay card has enough value. If not, top it up at the atm or translink counter or whatever can be used to top up ezlink cards. 
• Promo till 30 June 2014 or while stocks last (what does this even mean???)
  
• Valid at all Cathay cinemas and all days Mon-Sun and holidays!(Hosay ah!)
• Valid for blockbusters, sneak previews and opening day of new movies! (Hosay ah! x 2)
• Must buy over the counter
• Not valid for 3D or special movies like movie marathons ah, film festivals ah... 
• 1 redemption per customer (Easy lar... split the purchase. Everyone has smart phone nowadays what)
• Cannot combine with other promos (Like seriously do you need another promo?)

Nets @ FlashPay really winning me over now. Many sweet deals!
Their sweet Taxi deal

Nets @ FlashPay for taxi rides

Save! Potentially $0.2-1 per taxi ride. If taxi like a tai-tai but with corporate slave-minion pay, spending $200 a month on taxi, then you save $10 a month. That's $120 a year. 

The long and the short of it

If you take taxi often (read, spend more than $30 a month), use Nets @ FlashPay for trips costing more than $6 (haha where got taxi rides so cheap nowadays! Sobz)

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Was on TODAY newspaper ok! So should be legit

If you take taxi often or will occasionally kena a very chor (expensive) taxi fare, this will help you to save a little bit of your money.


Basically, Nets @ FlashPay will give you a 5% rebate when you pay using their card. However, there is a $0.30 fee. So if your taxi fare runs above $6, the 5% rebate earned will be greater than the $0.30 fee. 

Now why go through all the trouble to get another card? Cos this card always acts as an ezlink card and can be topped up just the same.
Basically to me, this is another ezlink card. Quacks like a duck, it is a duck lor.

Got bee one.

How to use:

• Offer runs till 31 Dec 2014 (always important to note the end date)
• Need to hit $30 a month on taxi rides. With taxi fares being so expensive now, $30 is damn easy to hit. It just takes 3 x $10 rides. 
• Rebates are capped at $10 a month (That's if you spend $200 a month on taxi... Which is a lot.
• Rebates can be redeemed only 2 months after they are issued. E.g. you pay for the taxi fare in April, you get to redeem in June.
• Once rebates can be redeemed, you got 3 months. So in the earlier example, you got till Sept to redeem
• Redeem at the Add Value Machines at bus interchanges and MRT stations.

Add Value Machine

Downside - If you don't have a card yet, each card costs $12. Has $7 value and $5 non-refundable card deposit. :( 

BUT this is standard. Same as ezlink card. What to do? LL

And if you don't know already, the Nets @ FlashPay got other benefits. 

My other posts here - sweet 1-for-1 Cathay movie tickets deal

Simple way to save on public transport

Save! Potentially $5? I'm seriously not sure how much cos luck play a large part.

The long and the short of it

Sign up for the Insinc and just use public transport as per normal.

Local tips!

Well none. More like reassurance. This thing (actually a research study) is backed by LTA! (Ah Gong's initiative ok!)

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Way back in 2012 or was it earlier, LTA basically commissioned a research project to run this programme called Insinc to gather data and reward people for participating and riding public transport.

It's all very government conspiracy theory like but hey! They're giving out moolah for your travel information so why not?
Wait wait wait, isn't my privacy at stake you say? Well, sorry folks, ezlink cards have been and can be used to detect where you are already without you signing onto Insinc. Remember you need to give your IC when buying ezlink cards? Yessssshhh...

Anyway, it's simple, sign up here to be in the programme and they will run this weird ass super math equation casino like game in which you will probably win something if you take public transport long enough.

Sign up here - Insinc.sg

Already $3.6mil given out so far and I personally have gotten about $9 from using it for... oh maybe 3yrs. Yes it's loose change but hey, that $3 can buy me a meal ok. 
Must be cheapo to be rich some day. 

PS: the programme was slated to end by Dec 2013 but seems like they are still getting good demand and LTA is continuing it indefinitely. So just jump in lah. Cost you nothing.

Milk the NS IPPT for what its worth

Save! Potentially Earn $200 extra on top of your incentive for a complete extra 20 RT cycle. 

The long and the short of it

This is obviously only for born and bred Singaporean males with jobs that allow them to leave work early. And are also fit enough to Pass or get Silver or Gold in the first place.

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Face it. If you're a born and bred Singaporean male (or 2nd generation PR), you gotta do NS and that &*%#(@$% shit sucks bricks. So why not milk the system for what its worth.

This here only works for the fit fit kind.

If you Pass your IPPT or get any of the Silver or Gold incentives, you can squeeze out even more just by failing your IPPT first and going for a full 20 session RT before passing on your last session of RT IPPT session.

Why do this? Cos you'll get off work earlier on certain days to go exercise and MINDEF will pay you to exercise. MINDEF actually pays you ~ $16 for each RT or IPT session you attend. It's actually to offset your travel expenses so the savings won't be that much, maybe $10 per session instead?
  
That's still a stinking good deal. And also a damn stinking chao way to earn extra money.
And there's quite a number of people doing it already. I'm talking about those obviously damn fit people who run 10min under at RT sessions. Damn obvious can!

BYO Popcorn

Save! Potentially $8 per movie trip. That's a savings of $96 a year assuming 1 movie a month for an average moviegoer.

The long and the short of it

BYO popcorn!

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Popcorn prices are just ridiculous. It's mark up is probably... oh... about 1000000%. 

Seriously! Have you ever checked out how much one packet of dry unpopped corn kernels cost? Even the super bloody atas brand kind in atas supermarket cost only $5.80 for a box of 4 servings!

If you pop the corn yourself from scratch then the mark up just becomes ridiculous.

So if you have a microwave, learn how to pop your own corn and BYO. You have a bag right? Use it. Be a ninja!!!!!

 

Recipes:

- http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/perfect_popcorn/

- http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/perfect-popcorn-recipe.html

(I love Alton Brown!)

- http://www.recipegirl.com/2011/10/13/how-to-pop-popcorn-on-the-stove/

(You don't even need a freaking microwave to pop corn but ok lah not as convenient.)

Uber App new launch and their amazing offer

Save! Potentially $20-40, depending on how many friends you can get. Basically you're offsetting your taxi ride using Uber's promotional launch sign-up deal. 

The long and the short of it

Sign up for Uber App with a referral code and also start referring friends! No referral code, no $20 hor.

So use my referral code! 
ya3yu
You can sign up using this link here.

(Disclaimer: I will get $20 when you use Uber to hail a ride, only when you actually use it. But hey! $20 is not bad ok for both you and me.)

Note: Uber rides are more expensive than normal cab rides. Duh. So plan your ride so you get it free rather than spend a bomb instead. (Hence this post is under Advance)

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So whenever a new launch takes place, there are usually some deals tottered out to attract sign-ups, first customers etc. 

The big thing now would be Uber, which is basically a customized private driver service. It's a tech start up that's trying to shake up taxi services here. They have already been established in the States and are making a foray into Southeast Asia. I'm not too sure how that would work here. But hey, not my main concern here. They are offering a service and giving me something to use their service. How? Read on!

 

Since they are new in Singapore, they need users and are now doling out moolah to get people to use their app. In fact, they are giving out $20 to every new sign up who uses an existing referral. (My referral code is ya3yu. Link here - https://www.uber.com/invite/ya3yu)

 

iPhone App download - here 

Android App download - here

 

Signing up for the App nets you $20 of Uber moolah. You can then start referring friends, family, strangers... Each referral will potentially net you $20. POTENTIALLY. Cos the $20 will only be credited when that other person uses the Uber service.

 

My cheapo senses are tingling! Here's how to use this to maximise your dollars. 

There are 2 types of Uber fares:

1) UberX - no frills and cheaper

2) Uber Black (or just Uber on the app) - more prestigious and more expensive

 

Since you have $20 now, you can just use that for short rides to hard to reach areas or when you just want to have a little bit of luxury. Short distances using Uber Black (or just Uber on the app) should not exceed $20. (Use their fare calculator hor.)

I know UberX is cheaper but the quick scans that I did show very little cabs so my guess is, fewer cab drivers are willing to take up Uber's offer. So even if its cheaper, you get no cabs. No point right...

 

Here's their website and more importantly, their fare types and some inking of their fare structures.

DO NOTE:

• They will farm for your credit card and address cos you need to input those details to open an account and for Uber to charge to your card for the services. They're giving $20 so this to me, is a fair exchange.
• Base fare is $7. Min fare $12. Per km above 18km/hr is $2.25 while under 18km/hr is $0.85 so the driver has a major incentive to avoid gridlock type jams.
• Flat rate from CBD to Airport $50
• Flat rate from Airport to CBD $55
• No ERP or peak hour surcharges

If you're a techie or still curious about Uber, you can read more about them here - Tech in Asia UberX Beta

Movie prices that are so 1990s

Save! Potentially $5 per movie ticket. That's a savings of $60 a year assuming 1 movie a month for an average moviegoer. But... if you're a movie nut like me, this works out to massive savings.

The long and the short of it

Sign up for the GV Mr Popcorn card and watch movies on Tuesdays!

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If you've lived in Singapore since the 1990s, you'll be like me and lament that movie ticket prices are going through the roof. I still remember the good old days when you could get a movie at $4 (this was at the then new Yishun GV cineplex). Those days are now long gone (as with $1 chicken rice).

However, GV has an offer out there that only a few people know of, that is the $6.50 Movie Tuesday offer for GV Movie Club members. 

Here's the most important part of the T&C for the GV membership:

13. How do I enjoy my members' price of $6.50 movie tickets every Tuesday?
Simply log in to purchase your tickets online or at any GV Box Office. Members' priced tickets cannot be issued from telephone bookings and AXS Stations as those channels are not able to identify you as a member beforehand.
Member's price applies to all regular films and is not valid on "eve of" and "day" of Public Holiday. Please note that members' price cannot be enjoyed in conjunction with any other promotions or discounts.

You just need to sign up, which is, of course FREE! (Otherwise why would I recommend it right...) 

Sign up here. Get the card and start watching movies on Tuesdays!

$6.50 for a movie ticket! *Giggles like a kid high on smack*

Now... to scheme on how to smuggle in home made popcorn...

BYO Mug Kopitiam version

Save! About $1 per meal which works out to an average of $288 a year assuming 6 meals a week that you eat out at a coffeeshop or hawker.

The long and the short of it

BYO drinks or make your  own kopi / teh in the office or at home!

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Another simple no brainer though I suspect many will find this hard to do.
BYO drinks to your meals. It's simple and so obvious.

Every coffeeshop owner will run the drinks stall. You know why? Because that stall's profit margins are the highest! Ever thought about the cost price of that coca-cola can drink? I betcha it's probably $0.20 or less! The mark-ups are mad.

So save your wallet from being gutted. BYO drink or even better, drink plain tap water (bottled water does not count and is equally wasteful!)

If you need to have your caffeine fix, BYO to the office and have your beverage back at your desk. It's still way cheaper. The cost savings really builds up.
An example is fellow money saver AK from ASSI who's saved an amazing $9,216 over 16yrs! (His How I earned $9,216 with a mug? article) He's one committed fella!

Now why did I say many will find this hard to do? Because of peer pressure. When everyone buys a drink with their meal you will feel pressured. Resist! Persevere!

Starbucks Citibank Credit Card Offer *ENDED*

Save! $5 per $20 top up. (That 25% is a lot btw!)

The long and the short of it

Use Citibank CC to top up your Starbucks card. Top up $20, get $5 off straight away. If you don't have one, just your friend.

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This is another great offer that's going on right now. For every $20 you spend using the Citibank CC, you get $5 straight away. That's a 25% discount! Where else can you get such a good deal?!

Furthermore, there's Citibank rebate points on top of this discount so it stacks. This can also stack with this now if you have one of these Paypass activated Mastercard - Free $20 Starbucks card

If I had a Citibank CC (sadly I don't so the cheapskate me shall use my friend's card and I'll just pay my friend.), I would be using it to top up my card to $100 so I may use it for the rest of the year. Topping up $20, $20, $20, $20, $20 each time. But don't follow me. Scale accordingly to your usage. And the usual applies, get this before they end the promo which should be 30th April 2014.

*EDIT - Was just at the Starbucks outlet at Metropolis (so batman) and the barista told me the offer was pulled as of 1st April! Wah lao! Sadness.

If you want to get their card can consider this one here - SMRT card only because it's giving a $20 rebate on each new application. The other option is some other card for a luggage which... isn't that great. Though honestly, both freebies aren't that good.

Free $20 Starbucks card for select Citibank credit card holders

Earn! $20 for using a credit card to purchase your usual stuff

The long and the short of it

Use select Citibank credit card to pay for regular stuff. Do this 5 times via the MasterCard PayPass contactless thingy and get your $20 Starbucks card.

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Short and simple one here.

I'm seeing a lot of banks doling out MasterCard PayPass offers and my guess is, they are just starting to roll this out and are giving out goodies to get people onboard.

So this frugal tip is to use the following select Citibank credit cards:

• Citibank Rewards World MasterCard

• Citibank Paragon World MasterCard

• Citibank DIVIDEND World MasterCard

Make PayPass purchases for 5 times.

Then you will get a $20 Starbucks card.

If you already have a Starbucks card, you can probably hawk this via a forum for $18. Still a good sum to get.
Use this only if you are already holding onto those cards, otherwise... wait for a better offer to sign up for their credit cards.

Valid till 30 April 2014 and limited to the first 5000 redemption.
Details here - Citibank Tap and Pay $20 Starbucks card

inSing app Voucher mania

Save! Probably about $10 or more depending on how long before the vouchers run out.

*Ok they have thrown in the towel. I think they bled too much from giving out too many vouchers liao. Announcement here

The long and the short of it

Download the app and accumulate points on it by reading their "articles" and liking stuff on FB through their app to redeem vouchers!

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Here's another free money giving app - inSing Po!nts app.
(Yes the name is horrigible but what the heck, they are giving away stuff. Is it beneath me to support bad design? Nope! Gimme gimme gimme!)

Basically, you sign up for an account and accumulate points via a few way and then use those points to redeem for vouchers. Free vouchers = savings so yeah!

Ways to accumulate points include:

• Reading inSing "articles" (basically rehashed news / content since originality is dead nowadays. Sigh.)
• Liking FB posts through on their app (it's a bit weird and inception-y cos you're using a social platform to enter another social platform to be social. Gah! I won't ever understand this...)
• Liking their redemption items
• Posting lame comments on their redemption items page. (choice comments include... "Coffee", "Last day", "Zzz", They are getting smarter", "more coffee"... and the list goes on.)

So far I've managed to redeem about $9.8 worth of Ya Kun vouchers (yeah free kopi!) and $5 city cab / Comfort Cab vouchers. 

Get the iPhone app here - inSing Po!nts
Get the Google play version here - inSing Po!nts

Money from your shopping mall - CapitaStar points

 Save! - About $50/yr if you spend about $200/week at malls 

Update! You can now scan using your phone! So easy and hassle free so you have absolutely no excuse not to do this.

The long and the short of it

Sign up for CapitaStar and use it to accumulate points. 

Local tips!

Sign up for the CapitaStar programme, always spend above $20 (Get extra toilet paper or chocolate if you need to top-up or plan your mall runs) and scan your receipts, scan your receipts, scan your receipts.

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CapitaMalls really wants your money and is working hard to increasing the footfall in their malls. Their CapitaStar program essentially throws money (Loose change is also money ok) at you for buying stuff in their malls.

You can scan at their booths to earn points for every $20 spent in each receipt and you can redeem $5 Capitaland voucher for every 5,000 points earned. Each $1 nets you 5 points so that's basically an extra savings of 0.5% on top of whatever discounts and offers you get.

Yes yes. 0.5% isn't much to crow about but hey this 0.5% is FREEEEEEE. You can be buying important daily essentials like toilet paper may even be on discount! Think of all the discounts you can stack!

For gamers out there, it's like having a +2 enchanted sword that stacks with a +5% attack speed buff.

If you're still not convinced, here's an example of how much you can save.

If you spend $50 a week, you will save $12 annually.

If you spend $100 a week, you will save $24 annually.

If you spend $200 a week, you will save $48 annually.

It's not hard to hit $200 in groceries a week for a family of 4. Even more so if you eat out once a week. Every cent counts!

Yes, you will spend some time queuing for the machines to scan your receipt but hey, freeeeee money! Is my 5min worth the few cents savings? Yes it is. Unless you're earning boatloads of cash per month and have no time for meals. And since I'm not loaded. Yet. I shall slowly working my way up by saving and so should you. And I don't know you, but I would go as far as to pick up someone else's discarded receipt from the trash to scan. You don't have to do that by-the-way.

P.S. There's even some lame mini-games during promotional periods which means you get a chance to save even more if you're lucky enough to win anything. I've personally won $10 from these games. It's lame but hey, I won't argue with free money!

Really free money from Maybank

Save! Earn! $180 if you preserve all the way till the end of the year.

The long and the short of it

Sign up for a Maybank saving account, maintain at least a $500 average daily balance* and use that account to pay for your other credit card accounts. 

Local tips!

Combine this with savings from other credit card offers. Duh!
And for a super chao (smelly) combo, use your family members. Get your ah ma, ah gong, mother, father, sister, brother to sign up an account and use their account to pay off credit cards.

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This is one damn hosay good deal now. It's like one of those mother-of-all good deals kind. This is really free money. Not some bullshit sign up for loans to get rebates crap or spend to save rubbish.

Basically, Maybank is offering a cash rebate of $0.10 whenever you pay for credit card bills via internet banking. It's to any, I repeat, ANY credit card from ANY bank.
So this is a gold mine. You don't even need to use Maybank's credit cards. So basically this is a combo that stacks. Plus there's some lucky draw thing too!

Ok so what's the catch? Well, surprisingly there is no catch, except you need to spend time doing a boring repetitive task to earn that money.

So to make things easier to digest, the key points of this offer are listed below:

•  Cap of $20 issued out per Maybank account each month. It's max $10 for payments to Visa and another $10 for payments to Mastercard. So that makes $20 maximum each month per account.
•  Each payment has to be minimum $5. 
•  To hit that $10, you need to submit 100 payments. No sweat, break down your  transactions to 100  x $5 for each card type and you earn $20 a month. FOC. 

(Well technically not FOC, you will spend ~1hr to do the 100 transactions so you're earning $10/hr wages. Still... it's a chance to earn some moolah. Kinda easy money too.)

So what do you need to do?
1) Sign up for a Maybank saving account. You have to head down to a branch. They can settle that for you on the spot and takes about 1hr to be safe. Internet banking will be available within 2 weeks. 
2) Start using it to pay your credit card bills. 
3) Magic money comes in at the end of the month :D

Read more about it here - Other Banks' Credit Card Payment Cash Back Feature and Lucky Draw

Offer runs till Dec 2014. So you have till the end of the year to enjoy this gravy train.

Note that the offer is for credit cards only. Debit cardholders can weep.

Added note on 16 April 2014
Another way to look at this is at a bank interest rate angle. Say you deposit $12k into the account for paying your credit card bills, maxing out the $20 rebate for Mastercard and Visa ($500 x 2 card companies x 12 mths), that's $240 a yr.
That's 2% returns for that $12k. Better interest rate than any other bank without all that hassle of salary deposits, cannot draw down etc.

Oils oils oils ooohlala

Save! - About $5 per meal so if you do the maths, let's say we have this once every 2 weeks, that's about $130 per year... though I think it's a bit hard to eat too much tuna and sun-dried tomatoes

The long and the short of it

Eat the tuna, save that oil for a pasta or omelette later. Works the same way for anchovies or sun-dried tomatoes.

Local tips!

Ayam brand tuna FTW cos all the other brands suck bricks and are pretty much inedible, keep the oil for some pasta or omelette (Basically white people food).

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Packing oils used in common pantry items is one of the most overlooked areas in frugal cooking. Think of that can of tuna with its luscious tuna infused oil, or that jar of sun-dried tomatoes sitting in that yellow sunny liquor of flavor. How many times have you scooped out the ingredients and tossed out the flavor bank that are the oils, steeped in and concentrated with all the flavors of the ingredients?

So reconsider saving these oils and reusing them in pastas and omelettes for a quick meal or snack. Below are some suggestions that would make some decent dishes.

Tuna pasta

Cook your pasta in some nicely salted water before tossing the cooked pasta in some flavorful tuna oil to get some nice and nutritious tuna pasta together with whatever goodness that has come from the fish. Good enough to stand on its own or as a side dish to an accompanying seafood dish.

I personally can just eat this all on its own.

Sun-dried tomato pasta

Same as above, just use sun-dried tomato oil and this pasta will shine all on its own or as carbo for any mains. I usually mix it with some diced sun-dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes or artichoke hearts, depending on what I have in the pantry. If I have any canned artichokes, I will toss in some of that oil too.

3 minute sun-dried tomato omelette

Beat two eggs and throw in a teaspoon of sun-dried tomato oil. Microwave it on high for about 2-3min or until its set. Yes microwave it. It works. For that extra bit of luxury, add in a drop of truffle oil or toss in some bacon bits.

Oh and some final words.

Sure, fats and oils have amassed a sort of bad reputation over the years due to negative marketing but are they really that harmful? There's been a counter movement and research to suggest that fats aren't as bad to our health as they had seemed. And why do I say marketing? Because a lot of health foods and what I would like to call health fads are backed primarily by marketing. Fruit juices are healthy? Haha what a joke. Are fats and oils unhealthy? Sure they are, if you drink a bucketful of it every day.

The key to good health is always to do things in moderation. If you're eating a spoonful of it every other day, you'll live.

Free food with McDonald's Surprise Alarm!

Save! Probably about $20 during this promotion.

The long and the short of it

Download the app and use it to get free food! Usually breakfast but sometimes coffee as well

Local tips!

There's none except maybe stay near a Mcdonald's…

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McDonald's is giving away free food. Yes free food. Everyday. Every single freaking day until god knows when.

You just need to download their free app, Mcdonald's surprise alarm, and set the alarm clock to ring. Once it rings, you will (sometimes) get a surprise offer that you can use. The offers are great because they are giving away free food with no purchase needed! I've so far gotten Sausage McGriddles, Sunrise Roll Chicken Ham or a coffee - basically mostly experimental menu stuff that they need guinea pigs for. I'm not gonna quibble over free food so hell I'll eat them. Plus it's always kinda fun to be trying new fast food items particularly if its free.

Sometimes just small fries or an extra turkey bacon that you can get with some purchase which suits me just fine if I'm going to eat there anyway.

If you get free coffee, well you would have earned yourself a coffee break at an air-con Mc Cafe or McDonald's to work or chillax.

Other benefits include getting a very very nice looking alarm clock app. The alarm that goes off is also fairly annoying. It drives me nuts and wakes me up every time. So that's an added benefit.

$2.50 breakfast for maybe 2 days in a week. That saves you $5 a week, $20 a month, $240 a year though this will probably only run for another 1mth max (my guesstimate) so maybe you can save $20 through this exercise.

Yeah yeah, I know. Fast food ain't healthy, so might as well not pay to pollute your body! :p

Get the app here - McDonald's Surprise Alarm
Read more about it here - McDonald's webpage

Using the Starbucks Card

Save! - About $20/yr if you drink Starbucks once a week

The long and the short of it

If you drink often at Starbucks, get their card and don't forget to use the card when you need a caffeine fix

Local tip!

Buy a working card off a 2nd hand forum to get a discount!

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This is idiot proof. You will get 1 free drink on registering with them online and a free cake on your birthday month when you order a drink. You also get a free drink after buying 12 drinks from them. If you have friends *ahem cough cough suckers* who don't have a card, add their drink purchases to your card so you can reach the free drink faster! What are friends for right? Heh heh heh

Added tip. What's better than getting points and a free drink? Getting a Starbucks card at a discount! How? Go visit some 2nd hand forums lor. I personally got mine via the Carousell App on iPhone. Saved a $1 :)

Getting a free drink after 12 drinks. Assuming each drink is $5, you will save $5 for every $60. You get a 8.33% savings. Not too shabby.

Now if you also drink in a CapitaMall shopping mall and manage to hit $20 in a receipt… It will be 8.83%!

(Update: Read the CapitaStar article)

So if you're a Starbucks caffeine fiend who needs espresso brews daily or even once in awhile. Or you just love to have a good work space away from home or the office and need to get a cuppa to enjoy their wifi and air-con, get the Starbucks card.

BYO Cup @ Starbucks

Save! - About $26/yr if you drink Starbucks once a week

The long and the short of it

BYO cup to get your caffeine fix at Starbucks

Local tip!

If you drink, put a mug in your car. If not, use your tumbler if you have one.

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This is a simple money saver. You get $0.50 off if you use your own mug at Starbucks. 

50 cents might seem measly but every penny counts. Money saved is money earned.

And this saving racks up. We're talking $26/yr if you just drink 1 cup a week. If you're a caffeine fiend, you'll save loads more. 

So just BYO mug! Especially useful if you drive (just keep the mug in the car) or have a Starbucks within walking distance from your office and wash your mug in their toilet using their soap from the soap dispenser afterwards. 

Helps save the Earth too! (Though this might be tokenism at work here. Not sure. Whatever floats your boat and tricks you into doing the BYO mug can already.)

Added cheapskate tip! 

Make sure your mug is at least the correct cup size so you won't get shortchanged on the amount of your drink!

Living life simply and cheaply

A first post to kick things off! - Why this blog?

Simple! Things on this little island we call home are just getting way too expensive! 

Food prices are rising, transport costs are rising, medical care costs is rising and rents (mother-of-all-evil) continue to fly through the roof even when businesses and consumers are crying uncle!

Everything seems to be rising except for our salaries. It all sounds like one major conspiracy to thin our wallets and drain our future! 

The locals (TOC Cost of Living article) feel it, the expats (Expat Living Costs ST article) feel it, even Forbes (Billionaire's Playground Article), the Economist (Price and Place article) BBC (Most Expensive City Article) feel it!. 

So what can one do to get rich? Which reminds me of this bad joke - How does one get rich? First, have a billion dollars. Geddit?

Anyhow.... So unless you're already a billionaire, the only other way to get rich is... to save more than you spend! 

And the best way to do that is to.... you guessed it, live a frugal life. 

Hence... drum roll please... Frugal Living SG! 

Here I will be sharing money saving tips in the local context - local offers, brands that help save money, cheapskate living that can be done here... etc etc.
All of them Tried and Tested! (I would animate this and put sparkles on this if I could but alas I'm not tech savvy enough to know how to so Crude, Bold and Large will have to do.)

And if you like what you're reading here, like the Facebook page for updates, visit often and lastly, share with me your personal tips on saving too!