Top money-saving tips

We asked our Facebook fans to share their best money-saving tips with us, and here are our top five!

The winners – Sam Yap, Geraldine Ang, Angela Here, Zamrudnisha Naz and Deborah Jasmine Leo – each won a $500 Jetstar voucher for their next getaway.

Check out the video for more ideas on how to save money!

What I always do is to make advance credit card payment based on what I have to spend. That is, for example, after putting money aside for my savings and other financial commitments, I have about $1000 to spend on shopping. I will then make an advanced credit card payment of $1000. So if my credit card limit is about $3000, after my advance credit card payment, my credit card limit is now updated to $4000. With my credit card app, it is very easy for me to check on my balance after doing any purchase with my credit card. 

Discipline is however the key to ensuring the credit limit is never utilised. I never spend more than what i need. So even though my credit card limit is $4000, I will still only spend $1000 and not more than that. A credit card is not money you can use in advance, instead it should be used only if you have made payment in advance. 

It is not any different from an ATM card or a debit card, but by doing this way, I’m not only spending based on what I have but I would still enjoy the benefits of the credit card, which leads to more savings!

• Book during sale events and purchase early.
• Get Club Jetstar for cheaper air fares; Jetstar Credit Card or pay via AXS/ SingPost to save on the booking charges.
• Don’t book seat allocations. Share luggage if you don’t need so much baggage allowance. I usually add baggage to the return flight if it is a shopping trip.
• I usually shop online via ezbuy, Taobao or Shopback and overseas to save money and I won’t see so many people wearing the same as me.
• Check blogs or websites for the itinerary and find lobangs such as a trusted driver or local agent. Then you will not get cheated when you know what the market prices are.
• I will check hotel rates via Trivago. Then book through Agoda (using OCBC credit card to get 8% additional discount) if it is cheaper and to collect points. I will write reviews after the stay to get the points. The points can be used to offset the next hotel booking.
• Start saving money by eating out lesser, book via Eatigo, use credit card promotions, Grab or Uber promo codes, Shopback and etc. By saving bit and bit, you can save for your next holiday :) YOLO. Travel to see and experience the world.

My most awesome money saving tip is don’t change all your money with money changer in airport! When I was travelling from Singapore to Indonesia, I changed just $50 at the airport to buy a local SIM card and for transport. I changed the other $1000 at the local money changer nearby and managed to earn IDR 500,000 more than the exchange rate at the airport. 

Number one tip to saving money is never, ever, buy on impulse. Do tons of research to make sure you’re paying the lowest price possible! Search the web for good promo codes or cash debate deals for things like air tickets/cab rides/online shopping purchases. Also, sign up for EDMs and like all the Facebook pages! Companies usually blast out their promotions via social media. Last one I think everyone knows - go to Malaysia to shop for necessities, and even a get manicure, it’s so much cheaper!

Reduce - Reduce wastage of everything from food (eg. don’t over-order), water (eg. use water-saving taps), electricity (eg. turn power mains off when not in use), clothes (eg. you already have many tops, do you really need another?) , etc.

Reuse - Many things can actually be reused instead of simply throwing away and getting new ones, eg. use reusable shopping bags (most supermarkets will even give a little discount when you do!) and food containers (some hawkers even give a little discount when you takeaway in your own containers). 

Recycle - For stuff that cannot be reused, you can recycle them, eg. papers, glass bottles, old equipment, etc. You can even get money back when you give them to the garang kuni or shops like Cash Converters! 
Practicing the 3Rs isn’t just saving money, it’s also helping to save the environment!  :)