Category Archives: Life

According to the ongoing survey conducted by the Ministry of National Development, one out of four Singaporeans lives with their parents after getting married. This is a normal scene here in Singapore. So, what drives married couples to live with their parents even after marriage? Here’s a glimpse of reasons:

• Couples can look after their parents. When your parents get old, they will become frail and you constantly worry about them. If you always see them, you will be relieved because you will not worry about them all the time. You can even make sure that they go to the doctor and take their medicines on time.
• Parents can look after their kids. If your parents are around, you will be assured that your kids are in good hands. Your parents can look after your kids and help you raise them. Children are a handful so you need the help you can get to make sure that they grow good. Parents can babysit for free. You can save hundreds of dollars for a nanny.
• Parents can cook meals. If you are working, you find it very tiring to cook when you get home. You also find it expensive and unhealthy when you always order ready-to-eat products.  If your parents are around, they can cook healthy and hearty meals for you and your kids.

While living with your parents yield many benefits, you should remember that there are dangers. Letting your parents get involved in your private life is not good. Sometimes parents have good intentions when they pry on their children’s married lives but it can be the source of conflict. The wisdoms of parents are invaluable but sometimes, opinions clash which makes it more difficult to bear every day.

Apart from that, your parents deserve a nice retirement. They should spend their time leisurely. You should not ask anything from them. For example, you live together with your parents so you can have a good meal every day or free babysitting 24/7. When your parents grow old, they should retreat quietly and comfortably.

No matter what your reasons are, it is important that you balance everything. If you feel that you are using their presence to achieve greater goals, you should think twice. Your parents should enjoy your company and your children. They do not need to do anything. After all, they are done with everything. MND’s survey started on May 25 and it will end the following month.

When summer is coming, many Singaporeans think about going to other places. Though it is expensive, the experience is worthwhile. If you want to travel, you should look for a place that you like and start arranging your travel as early as possible. When you do this, you have to make sure to file your vacation leave. 

However if you are the practical type, you will not go elsewhere because it entails cost. There are Singaporeans (like you) that prefer to save. These people do not indulge in travel because it is pricey. If you prefer to stay here in Singapore in summer, you have to think of things that will give you joy without you spending so much. Here are some idea that you can consider:

1. Cooking and Eating. You can cook and eat your favourite dishes during summer. The good thing about this is you do not need to perfect it. As long as it is palatable, your summer will be tasty.
2. Painting. If you are an artist, what is the best way to enjoy your stay-cation? You can start painting and explore your inspiration.
3. Reading. If you are the type that reads a lot, you should not fret because you can always save. You only need to buy (or borrow) a book and then read it.
4. Movie Marathon. If you are a movie addict, you only need your television and your DVD. You will be happy with that. It is best if you invite some of your friends and other family members.
5. Kite Flying. If you want to go out and enjoy the sun and breeze, you can consider kite flying. Children usually look forward to this activity.

Those are just things that you can consider. You will surely enjoy because you saved big and you are with your friends and family.

If you have a car, the increasing transport fares is not a big issue for you. If in this case you are commuting every day and you barely make both ends meet, you have serious problem. You cannot hinder the increasing transport fares. What you can do is maximize whatever you have to get by.

The good thing here in Singapore is that the government continuously empower Singaporeans with the least in life. Living is difficult especially if you try to make both ends meet. To help you with your problems regarding the increasing transport fares, you can consider the following tips:

Get vouchers

Singapore has this Public Transport Voucher Exercise. This is done every year and this year, it is expected that 79,000 residents will apply for it. The vouchers are set to $30 each. This is the project of the government to assist the needy families and teach them how to cope with the increasing transport fares. This will start on April 6.

Cycle

Apart from getting vouchers, you can make good use of your bicycle. For example, you want to go to the nearest market. You do not need to ride the bus because you can use your bicycle. It will spare you of additional fares. You can also cycle to your work if you like.

Walk

If the place that you will go is near, you should walk. It will surely spare you additional dollars for transportation. You do not to take the bus or taxi if you consider walking. Walking is also good for the body.

That should be enough. You have to make the most of what you have instead of complaining. You have to endure your difficult life. Do not worry because if you persevere, you will surely see the time when you are no longer bounded with financial difficulties.

For many people who are fond of body art, tattoos are just an expression of their creativeness and it is how they show their art. There are people who also consider body piercing. For many years, you see people with tattoo and other body modification grow in number and that is fine with you. But that is not fine for MBS (Marina Bay Sands) Club.

For the first time here in Singapore, there is a club that imposes “no-tattoo rule”. People with tattoo reacted to this new rule. MBS is a famous nightspot but they impose the rule to entice more customers. The refusal of their entry is to maintain the club’s ambience and the comfort level for the patrons.

We rely on what we see. We perceive people based on what they look like. We take hints from cosmetics, clothing, grooming, body piercings and tattoos. In the case of tattoos, it has been around for many centuries but people with them are evaluated negatively in specific cultures.

There was a study in America (Seiter and Hatch, 2005) where researchers assessed the attractiveness and credibility of models. There were 148 respondents and they were asked to judge images of men and women with and without tattoos. The results revealed that tattoo wearers (of both sexes) got the low ratings. The negative perceptions can be described by Role Theory.

The theory states that the societies have standards when it comes to how people should look like and how they should behave. People who violate the expectations of the society are obstructed in their group interactions.

Tattoo wearers here in Singapore can simply hide their tattoo to gain entrance. But it is the club’s discretion to allow them to enter. But there are other clubs here that allow customers to enter despite the visible tattoo.

Mun San Fook Tuck Chee temple is a Cantonese temple and it is considered one of the oldest. It is located along Sims Drive. There are unpleasant news circulating saying that the temple is in danger for demolition to make way for modern developments. Devotees of the temple are anxious about the TOL (Temporary Occupation License). The license will expire in June 2014.

According to HDB, in 2009 the temple consumed its 30 year lease and from then on, the board has been releasing license to the temple every year. The devotees are anxious what will become of the temple. If you did not get the chance to visit the temple, you should head straight to it. Here are some things that you will see in the temple:

Doors

Mun San Fook Tuck Chee is a Taoist temple. The first thing that you will see is the door. The doors here are embellished with green dragon and white tiger. Upon entering, visitors should not step into the elevation of the door as a sign of respect to the Gods.

Bell and drum

Bells and drums are noticeable. When you offer joss papers to the deity of the temple, you will hear the beating of the bells and drums. Bells and drums are placed on the side of the altar. The bells are placed on the right side of the altar while the drum is placed on the left side.

Altar

The temple will not be complete without the altar where the devotees pray for the patron deity Tu Di Gong. You will see paper sticks being offered in the altar.

The temple is in danger because of modern developments. Modern development plans along the area include the destruction of 57, 59 and 60 blocks in the future months. This is the HDB’s (Housing Development Board) Selective en block Redevelopment Scheme.

Luxury is a part of Singapore’s way of life. That is why it has been considered as one of the richest nations in the world. Showcasing its hotels would prove it. High-class hotels with modern facilities are being bragged about in Singapore where you could experience very comfortable and luxurious stay. Let us together be fascinated as we experience four of Singapore’s best luxury hotels.

Marina Bay Waterfront

Marina Bay Waterfront is known as a paradise where a five-star modern hotel stands with pride, the Fullerton Bay Hotel. It has six individual themes of suites with 100 rooms. Luxurious architectural interior designs, professional staffs, splendid taste of food and a beautiful sunset- these are just to name a few to make you fall in love with this hotel built on the water.

Shangri-La Hotel Singapore

One of the best hotels in Asia is Shangri-La Hotel Singapore. It has been consistent on its rank as one of the best luxury hotel in the world. The hotel is known for its three wings: Tower Wing, Tropical Garden Wing and the Valley Wing. It has 750 guest rooms all designed for leisure. It has been awarded as one with best service. Royalties, celebrities and world leaders had experienced staying here, so why don’t you?

Capella Hotel

Of 12 hotels in Sentosa, Capella Hotel is ranked as number one. Filled with elegance, this five-star hotel only shows that nature and modernity could be together. If you are planning to have a harmonious vacation, stay in this hotel as they pick you up in a Mercedes E and S class limousine from the airport.

Raffles Hotel

For more than 125 years, Raffles Hotel stands in Singapore, the only hotel in Singapore that is noted as a National Monument. Time did not change its excellent service and extravagant ambiance but even more it has been considered as one of the luxurious hotels in Singapore having the fact that it ranks number 2 on best hotels in Asia. Stop dropping your jaw and start experiencing these luxury hotels in Singapore. Be pampered and live like royalty!

If you are currently in the process of planning your wedding, you certainly know how much organization and preparation wedding events require. After all, you still want to make sure that this is going to be the happiest day of your life, and that it is going to happen the way you wished and planned it to be. While you assigned those mundane details of your wedding to your friends, relatives, or planner, there is still a number of important matters that you have to handle personally, and being able to do all of them online will surely save you a lot of time, money, and effort.

Wedding Portal Services

Many weddings Singapore shops with specialized services now have online wedding portals to assist couples for a more convenient wedding planning. For example, if visiting bridal boutiques is quite impossible for you because of heavy work schedule, you can browse through the wedding gown catalog of wedding portals like perfect weddings – same with the other wedding details, like wedding favors, decorations, bouquets, invitations and RSVP cards, videographers, photographers, and car rental. Almost all wedding essentials can be found, bought, or hired through wedding portals.

Small Essentials

Aside from the featured vendors, some wedding portals also allow selling of second hand wedding supplies from their portal members. Most of these essentials are wedding gowns and shoes that are still in excellent condition, which are sold for a good price. Second hand bridesmaids and flower girl dresses, groom’s suit, wedding jewelries, and even wedding venue packages can also be found in a wedding portal.

Wedding Gift List

Among of the increasingly popular online planning tools for wedding events is the wedding gift list. By having an online gift list for your guests to consult can bring so many benefits to you. For beginners, you and your spouse who love Perfect Weddings in Singapore can make a list of possible wedding gifts from the comfort of your home, instead of trawling through a couple of shops to find what you’re looking for. It will also save you money and at the same time reduce the environmental cost from printing multiple copies of wedding gift list to distribute to all your invitees and well-wishers. Furthermore, making use of an online gift list makes it easier for the guests to decide what gifts to bring without having to worry of duplication of gifts.

Wedding Website

Wedding website is a common feature among weddings Singapore portals such as perfect weddings. They are used for updating and communicating with guests. It can also serve as a platform for your guests to communicate with each other. On your wedding website, you can post the details of your wedding (e.g. wedding date, venue, and time), a couple of photos and videos, and the story of how you and your fiancé met. You will be also provided with privacy options as to who can view the wedding website contents.  Other services like budget management and wedding checklist are also provided by some wedding websites for a more convenient wedding planning.