Money Saving Techniques

[abstractthoughts]

im feeling incredibly guilty and ashamed to say the least of my spending habits when i read all your savings tips. but i also feel inspired. i came here because recently i decided i have been spending way too much (unneccessarily) and credit card bill is disgusting.

some recent steps i ve taken:

- try not to spend on expensive breakfasts. try to eat biscuits spread with peanut butter or nutella (but i also know these breakfast spreads are not cheap)

- cant avoid watching movies on weekends cause work late on weekdays + tired, so i use OCBC card for $2 savings on GV tickets, or UOB card for $2 savings on Cathay tickets

- after work, try to buy chai fan (economical rice $2.70) instead of fast food

- just changed my m1 OKFlex plan (old plan) to a plan that allows me all day incoming calls and free calls to my mom, dad and bro (all m1 lines)
(previously i dun have free incoming at all!!!)

- of course, take less cabs and try to go home earlier by train

my method seems slow...
does anyone know if the popcorn card from GV is really useful? need to find it, it's lying around somewhere in my room.

 

[Volexr]

ask gf to call you if u are having free income call plan

 

[emo_boi]

i am 27 this year and my take home pay is about 3.2k. I do not enjoy OT, tho i worked extra long hours.

for you guys that does not have liability, i admire your standing.
below are my spendings in a mth
education loan = 1k (hope to clear all in 3 yrs, then i can do post grad)
transport = 100(i do not take cab on my personal account, no matter it is rain or shine, i am never late)
makan= 15x30 = 450 (the usual 3 meals from hawker)
sister allowance=2x300 = 600
sister edu fees = 2x200 = 400
entertaining fees= 200 (set aside for. i always made to settle the bills)
still amassing the mass to invest. i do set aside $10 for 4d when there is enlightenment.

my hardwares and gadgets all second hand, because i can't afford any of those when i was still a student. It just become my habit to bargain hunt. They are like my trophies and i like to carry them around.

i tried to have a girl friend, but they always turned off by my "miserly" spending habit, ie eat at hawker and the occational beer during work days, use second hand items and stay at my pad reading and conducting experiments. But i do get $200 poorer on a dinner date (dinner, lil'gift, some alcohol) 2 times per month and to them the exitement factor wear off as soon as we stepped out of the premise.

I still try to understand their way of spending on lux goods when the spending power is not even on par. silly me.

tried to save, the $$ amassed are so lilttle and i tend to just spend it on the beer.

any ideas for a "poor" lad like me?

 

[Volexr]

i am 27 this year and my take home pay is about 3.2k. I do not enjoy OT, tho i worked extra long hours.

for you guys that does not have liability, i admire your standing.
below are my spendings in a mth
education loan = 1k (hope to clear all in 3 yrs, then i can do post grad)
transport = 100(i do not take cab on my personal account, no matter it is rain or shine, i am never late)
makan= 15x30 = 450 (the usual 3 meals from hawker)
sister allowance=2x300 = 600
sister edu fees = 2x200 = 400
entertaining fees= 200 (set aside for. i always made to settle the bills)
still amassing the mass to invest. i do set aside $10 for 4d when there is enlightenment.

my hardwares and gadgets all second hand, because i can't afford any of those when i was still a student. It just become my habit to bargain hunt. They are like my trophies and i like to carry them around.

i tried to have a girl friend, but they always turned off by my "miserly" spending habit, ie eat at hawker and the occational beer during work days, use second hand items and stay at my pad reading and conducting experiments. But i do get $200 poorer on a dinner date (dinner, lil'gift, some alcohol) 2 times per month and to them the exitement factor wear off as soon as we stepped out of the premise.

I still try to understand their way of spending on lux goods when the spending power is not even on par. silly me.

tried to save, the $$ amassed are so lilttle and i tend to just spend it on the beer.

any ideas for a "poor" lad like me?

so common

but sg girls dunlike guys who are like tat one

 

[FrontierX]

i am 27 this year and my take home pay is about 3.2k. I do not enjoy OT, tho i worked extra long hours.

for you guys that does not have liability, i admire your standing.
below are my spendings in a mth
education loan = 1k (hope to clear all in 3 yrs, then i can do post grad)
transport = 100(i do not take cab on my personal account, no matter it is rain or shine, i am never late)
makan= 15x30 = 450 (the usual 3 meals from hawker)
sister allowance=2x300 = 600
sister edu fees = 2x200 = 400
entertaining fees= 200 (set aside for. i always made to settle the bills)
still amassing the mass to invest. i do set aside $10 for 4d when there is enlightenment.

my hardwares and gadgets all second hand, because i can't afford any of those when i was still a student. It just become my habit to bargain hunt. They are like my trophies and i like to carry them around.

i tried to have a girl friend, but they always turned off by my "miserly" spending habit, ie eat at hawker and the occational beer during work days, use second hand items and stay at my pad reading and conducting experiments. But i do get $200 poorer on a dinner date (dinner, lil'gift, some alcohol) 2 times per month and to them the exitement factor wear off as soon as we stepped out of the premise.

I still try to understand their way of spending on lux goods when the spending power is not even on par. silly me.

tried to save, the $$ amassed are so lilttle and i tend to just spend it on the beer.

any ideas for a "poor" lad like me?

u hav courage and great foresight to plan all these. all u need is some advice to plan and coordinate to get positive cash flows.

positive things: Never late, thus saving alot in cab.
great but heavy repayment plan for education.
eat cheap.
Not succumbing to the whines of materialistic women.

negative : soft spot for gadgets, family committment, 4D

as u see u already hav alot of positive things to start going. what i see in u without substantial savings is in ur repayment plan and committment to family members, they are substantial. yet neccessary. Do not be disheartened, as i believe someday when the loan is finished and ur sister managed to finish her studies u will hav much spare cash already.

what i can see now u can save in is ur gadgets. i dun see where u get the satisfaction in it but i guess that is ur passion. maybe spend less on it?

4D, ahh.. the standard. ever wondered how much time could be saved for better and more educational stuff if u were not to queue and contribute money to the Singapore Govt? u thot u may hav nothing to lose, but together i assure u, they are a substantial amt of time.

date out with gal. WTF? u spend $200 a date? why issit always a posh restaurant. seriously u can be miser, but pls do not overspend and indulge on women, they are not worth it. ESP materialistic ones, not even worth going out with, u wun wan a bloodsucker gf rite? all your efforts gone to waste.

Drink beer. no comments. if u really like drinking what i say also will not stop u. juz wanna advise u to drink in moderation.

Investment. ahh the crux of everything from debts to financial independence. no amt is too little to start u muz know. u dun need 10k, 100k to make an IMPACT on the market or what. juz committ urself to a fund (unit trust, bonds, municipals,) do some research (rather then queuing for TOTO). then contribute an amt to it every month. spread out ur investments and let the interest, dividends, your capital grow. Start early and u will reap the benefits of compound interest.

however, do not get all ur money stuck inside, always hav at least 6 mths of ur monthly income as backup b4 u invest the rest. u need the financial backbone to ride out tough times.

think abt what i said, i dun think u will take all my advice, but these are really what i see from pple who grew and failed doing the wrong thing at the wrong time, and they let the opportunity slipped past them. your still young, dun waste the effort.

 

[Niaoson]

4d is not an investment..

 

[abstractthoughts]

emoboy, you sound quite emo! my comments to you in blue

i am 27 this year and my take home pay is about 3.2k. I do not enjoy OT, tho i worked extra long hours.

for you guys that does not have liability, i admire your standing.
below are my spendings in a mth
education loan = 1k (hope to clear all in 3 yrs, then i can do post grad)
transport = 100(i do not take cab on my personal account, no matter it is rain or shine, i am never late) - admirablemakan= 15x30 = 450 (the usual 3 meals from hawker)
sister allowance=2x300 = 600
sister edu fees = 2x200 = 400
entertaining fees= 200 (set aside for. i always made to settle the bills)
still amassing the mass to invest. i do set aside $10 for 4d when there is enlightenment.

my hardwares and gadgets all second hand, because i can't afford any of those when i was still a student. It just become my habit to bargain hunt. They are like my trophies and i like to carry them around.

i tried to have a girl friend, but they always turned off by my "miserly" spending habit, ie eat at hawker and the occational beer during work days, use second hand items and stay at my pad reading and conducting experiments. But i do get $200 poorer on a dinner date (dinner, lil'gift, some alcohol) 2 times per month and to them the exitement factor wear off as soon as we stepped out of the premise.

well, when the right one comes alone, you'd realise that you dont have to take them out to restaurants all the time. those cafes will do too what, right?

I still try to understand their way of spending on lux goods when the spending power is not even on par. silly me.

im a girl so i can understand the immense desire for lux goods, and pretty stuff but i do not spend beyond my means.

tried to save, the $$ amassed are so lilttle and i tend to just spend it on the beer.

try to save, then dont down the beer! in a year, you will have no savings, no girl but a 1-pack big belly!

 

[emo_boi]

u hav courage and great foresight to plan all these. all u need is some advice to plan and coordinate to get positive cash flows.

positive things: Never late, thus saving alot in cab.
great but heavy repayment plan for education.
eat cheap.
Not succumbing to the whines of materialistic women.

negative : soft spot for gadgets, family committment, 4D

as u see u already hav alot of positive things to start going. what i see in u without substantial savings is in ur repayment plan and committment to family members, they are substantial. yet neccessary. Do not be disheartened, as i believe someday when the loan is finished and ur sister managed to finish her studies u will hav much spare cash already.

what i can see now u can save in is ur gadgets. i dun see where u get the satisfaction in it but i guess that is ur passion. maybe spend less on it?

4D, ahh.. the standard. ever wondered how much time could be saved for better and more educational stuff if u were not to queue and contribute money to the Singapore Govt? u thot u may hav nothing to lose, but together i assure u, they are a substantial amt of time.

date out with gal. WTF? u spend $200 a date? why issit always a posh restaurant. seriously u can be miser, but pls do not overspend and indulge on women, they are not worth it. ESP materialistic ones, not even worth going out with, u wun wan a bloodsucker gf rite? all your efforts gone to waste.

Drink beer. no comments. if u really like drinking what i say also will not stop u. juz wanna advise u to drink in moderation.

Investment. ahh the crux of everything from debts to financial independence. no amt is too little to start u muz know. u dun need 10k, 100k to make an IMPACT on the market or what. juz committ urself to a fund (unit trust, bonds, municipals,) do some research (rather then queuing for TOTO). then contribute an amt to it every month. spread out ur investments and let the interest, dividends, your capital grow. Start early and u will reap the benefits of compound interest.

however, do not get all ur money stuck inside, always hav at least 6 mths of ur monthly income as backup b4 u invest the rest. u need the financial backbone to ride out tough times.

think abt what i said, i dun think u will take all my advice, but these are really what i see from pple who grew and failed doing the wrong thing at the wrong time, and they let the opportunity slipped past them. your still young, dun waste the effort.

recently sg gov juz issue a bond wif a coupon rate of 5% rite? how can i get the bonds? thru insurance agent? or i can buy frm the free market?
what other mode of buying you would suggest?

the dividends i am going to plunge all on my post grad (if i do not get a good stipend).
thanks for the advice

 

[emo_boi]

emoboy, you sound quite emo! my comments to you in blue

i am 27 this year and my take home pay is about 3.2k. I do not enjoy OT, tho i worked extra long hours.

for you guys that does not have liability, i admire your standing.
below are my spendings in a mth
education loan = 1k (hope to clear all in 3 yrs, then i can do post grad)
transport = 100(i do not take cab on my personal account, no matter it is rain or shine, i am never late) - admirablemakan= 15x30 = 450 (the usual 3 meals from hawker)
sister allowance=2x300 = 600
sister edu fees = 2x200 = 400
entertaining fees= 200 (set aside for. i always made to settle the bills)
still amassing the mass to invest. i do set aside $10 for 4d when there is enlightenment.

my hardwares and gadgets all second hand, because i can't afford any of those when i was still a student. It just become my habit to bargain hunt. They are like my trophies and i like to carry them around.

i tried to have a girl friend, but they always turned off by my "miserly" spending habit, ie eat at hawker and the occational beer during work days, use second hand items and stay at my pad reading and conducting experiments. But i do get $200 poorer on a dinner date (dinner, lil'gift, some alcohol) 2 times per month and to them the exitement factor wear off as soon as we stepped out of the premise.

well, when the right one comes alone, you'd realise that you dont have to take them out to restaurants all the time. those cafes will do too what, right?

I still try to understand their way of spending on lux goods when the spending power is not even on par. silly me.

im a girl so i can understand the immense desire for lux goods, and pretty stuff but i do not spend beyond my means.

tried to save, the $$ amassed are so lilttle and i tend to just spend it on the beer.

try to save, then dont down the beer! in a year, you will have no savings, no girl but a 1-pack big belly!

i have a 40" belly!!!!!!
you do not spend beyond your means for lux goods, how about asking your bf/gf to get it for you?

I don't compare with jones, ah bengs, ah sengs, ah siahs. but my gf would do right? I succumb to it. This is called the contrast and contra effect

 

[abstractthoughts]

i have a 40" belly!!!!!! - better start exercising now man!
you do not spend beyond your means for lux goods, how about asking your bf/gf to get it for you?

- if my bf buys for me, that means he s not saving too, that means our savings will not be enough for future too. only brainless girls will want their bfs to spend on them on big-ticket items. i rather have a bigger house

 

[emo_boi]

i have a 40" belly!!!!!! - better start exercising now man!
you do not spend beyond your means for lux goods, how about asking your bf/gf to get it for you?

- if my bf buys for me, that means he s not saving too, that means our savings will not be enough for future too. only brainless girls will want their bfs to spend on them on big-ticket items. i rather have a bigger house

nice one indeed.

 

[JUNNIE247]

I came in late, but it's better to be late than never...

Below are some of my tips in saving money and getting enough for retirement!

1. Save some money for rainy days.
I always abide by this advice. The percentage you should save should be at least 10% of your monthly pay. For me, I earn slightly more than $2000, but I always force myself to save $400 before using the remainder for shopping and expenses. With the amount I saved, I managed to have a pool of money for any emergencies, which is important!

On top of that, to ensure having enough for retirement, I also make a monthly contribution of $200, after deducting the forced saving of $400, for monthly investment in a unit trust funds that has been handpicked by my advisor.

I also have to pay another $150 per month for my insurance. Usually, I am left with around $1000 for spending after deducting all these plus my home expenses for my mother.

2. Use Credit Card wisely
Credit cards are good, if you use it wisely. It is a key to discounts at certain merchants. In addition, you can also keep track of your expenses when the statement is being sent to you. For me, I only keep 3 credit cards, and I pay immediately after I swipe so that I can monitor closely how much I have spent and how much I have remained for my expenses.

3. Use public transport
I often use the public transport, such as trains and buses. I also walk if possible, because it's free! I try not to take cabs due to the cost. Having a car is a big no-no for me as it is a liability, and you need to spend thousands to maintain it.

4. Use free items!
If there is a free wi-fi around, I will use it to check my emails, instead of tapping onto the GPRS service, where I have to pay for it.

5. Buy during sale
Buy clothes during sale. You will be guaranteed of a nice shirt of a cheaper price, if you don;t mind about minor condition of the clothes.

 

[abstractthoughts]

I came in late, but it's better to be late than never...

Below are some of my tips in saving money and getting enough for retirement!

1. Save some money for rainy days.
I always abide by this advice. The percentage you should save should be at least 10% of your monthly pay. For me, I earn slightly more than $2000, but I always force myself to save $400 before using the remainder for shopping and expenses. With the amount I saved, I managed to have a pool of money for any emergencies, which is important!

On top of that, to ensure having enough for retirement, I also make a monthly contribution of $200, after deducting the forced saving of $400, for monthly investment in a unit trust funds that has been handpicked by my advisor.

I also have to pay another $150 per month for my insurance. Usually, I am left with around $1000 for spending after deducting all these plus my home expenses for my mother.

2. Use Credit Card wisely
Credit cards are good, if you use it wisely. It is a key to discounts at certain merchants. In addition, you can also keep track of your expenses when the statement is being sent to you. For me, I only keep 3 credit cards, and I pay immediately after I swipe so that I can monitor closely how much I have spent and how much I have remained for my expenses.

3. Use public transport
I often use the public transport, such as trains and buses. I also walk if possible, because it's free! I try not to take cabs due to the cost. Having a car is a big no-no for me as it is a liability, and you need to spend thousands to maintain it.

4. Use free items!
If there is a free wi-fi around, I will use it to check my emails, instead of tapping onto the GPRS service, where I have to pay for it.

5. Buy during sale
Buy clothes during sale. You will be guaranteed of a nice shirt of a cheaper price, if you don;t mind about minor condition of the clothes.

$1000 for your own use? Although it includes giving your mother, I think it's a bit too much?

 

[emo_boi]

$1000 for your own use? Although it includes giving your mother, I think it's a bit too much?

it is not alot.
dine out, drinking session, buy small gifts, give angpow for kids of colle/friends.

 

[abstractthoughts]

just 1 - 2 weeks after stumbling upon this forum and feeling very inspired, i fell to the wrong path and spent unnecessarily again. sigh:

Hello Kitty stuff 135
Vitamins 135
Quilt 26
Movie 32
Dress 34
Powder 60

it will be long, hard road ahead.

how do you guys do it?

 

[jimbanggang]

do you agree that an individual's financial nett worth is defined as follows ? :-

Nett Worth = Total Liquid Assets{e.g. cash, insurance(cash value), CPF(OA+SA)} - Total Liabilities(e.g. housing loan...)

 

[OldGeorge]

Get a horny gal frend, so no nee to cheong geylang. Save at least 200 per month. lol!

 

[emo_boi]

just 1 - 2 weeks after stumbling upon this forum and feeling very inspired, i fell to the wrong path and spent unnecessarily again. sigh:

Hello Kitty stuff 135
Vitamins 135
Quilt 26
Movie 32
Dress 34
Powder 60

it will be long, hard road ahead.

how do you guys do it?

can you please enlighten me what is a quilt? What type of powder need 60bux for it?

this month i watched a couple of movies
batman
hellboy

2x on weekend summore. 50bux gone.
I only buy my shirt on discout, like buy 1 get 1 free?

but this week drank afew pints of beer.

 

[abstractthoughts]

can you please enlighten me what is a quilt? What type of powder need 60bux for it?

this month i watched a couple of movies
batman
hellboy

2x on weekend summore. 50bux gone.
I only buy my shirt on discout, like buy 1 get 1 free?

but this week drank afew pints of beer.

The quilt is like a blanket, bought for my dog.

I watched movies too.

And I bought powder foundation for the face la. Makeup.

 

[ramlee]

Get a horny gal frend, so no nee to cheong geylang. Save at least 200 per month. lol!

But the horny gal friend needs maintenance as well, otherwise she'll prefer to release her horniness with someone else.