It was a call I got from someone that sparked this post. Very often, it is difficult for consumers like us to say “no”, especially, when pressure selling is applied.

He opened the conversation by, “Ask you, would you sell any investment-linked products to anyone, knowing the market can’t go up any further when you were an insurance agent?” I was taken aback but calmly replied “No one knows when the unit prices have reached their peak but usually, prospects need to fill up a Booklet of questions to determine if the condition is appropriate for the transaction to take place. Besides, the answers to these questions will determine the risk appetite of the prospect, in other words, if the prospect is a risk-adverse person, then, an investment-linked programme packed with equities and high volatility products should be avoided should the customer decide to implement the plan proposed by the financial adviser.”

He told me he had made a paper loss of more than $20,000 and was very upset. This is only one of the many cases I hear all these years. Some people said they took up the plan because the financial adviser was very persuasive, others said they wanted to get rid of the person, hence, just took up the plan. In most cases, It’s the obligation to help their friends. Therefore, with all these stories, and perhaps, you might be one who is enduring the consequences now, how to say “no” should you be approached the next time?

1] At the point of call, say “No”

When you receive the call, either from someone you know or a stranger, say “no” upon the introduction. Reason being you might be in the middle of doing a task and am not able to concentrate. More talking will lead to selective listening, hence, you may agree to the appointment before you know it.

Also, do not say, “I am busy now”, or “I can’t talk now. Call me another time or again”. By this, you are inviting the caller to come knocking.

2] Say “No” during the meet-up

In the event when a meeting is arranged, the adviser must notify you how much time he needs for the presentation. When the time is up, remind him politely. If he says “I need another 20 minutes,” or whatever extra time he needs, you can choose to decline the extended time, or if you decide to be gracious, let him know you need to attend to other matters should the extended time be exhausted too.

During this meeting, you can state your intention, i.e., you have the intention to take up a policy or otherwise, let him know so he can move on prospecting others. If you don’t state your intention, he may call you to set up another appointment. I know of an adviser previously who called at her prospect’s home without informing beforehand. As he wanted to avoid the awkward situation, invited her into the home. The adviser stayed past her welcome and only left upon the completion of the deal, which was past 2am.

I knew this because upon the policy delivery, which I accompanied her, the client said, “I only bought the policy because you refused to leave. You know, my wife and I were very tired, yet, you didn’t have the courtesy to take your leave”. During this meeting, you must stand your ground, not to yield to pressure. He further added, “I already have many insurance policies. The cheque I gave you was an added financial burden. I tell you first, when I cannot pay anymore, I will lapse this policy first”. It saddened me because the client was doing it to please the adviser, even though no proper fact find was established prior to signing on the dotted line.

3] Say “No” should the proposal designed by the adviser is not what you want or meets your expectation

A long-time friend once asked me, “How much of my income should go toward buying insurance related products?” My answer, “it must not exceed 10% of your net income as a rule of thumb”. We set up an appointment in which I did a policy review for her. To her amazement, she realised 25% of her income went towards financing her insurance plans. She had more than 10 policies, by at least 6 insurance advisers. What’s more, about 5 policies were life plans, 3 endowment plans and about 2-3 investment-linked plans.

She had the misconception that so long as she continued working, the company would cover her medical conditions, including hospitalisation. This is not so as different companies will purchase group staff insurance based on the allocated budget. Moreover, conditions specific to gender needs for instance, most companies do not cover female or male regenerative related organs. In such cases, the patient needs to fork up from his own pocket.

It is also a misconception that MediSave will cover all your inpatient bills. There is a limit for deduction according to the class warded, not forgetting miscellaneous bills.

Hence, when you meet up with an adviser, it is best for you to tell him your needs, rather than allowing him to determine on your behalf.

I Helped her to streamline and combine some, advised her to purchase a medical plan and to eliminate some plans which were not necessary. She came back some months later, telling me after this process, she could put more money into her savings account and send her young daughter for an enrichment class.

4] Say “No” to the teller while at some banking transaction

In 2007, a friend asked me, “I don’t understand what I bought in 2005. I got this policy from a bank teller. I was there for something else when she showed me this policy. She then explained what was in it for me. Then, I didn’t quite understand but was dazzled by the figures on the paper. What struck me was, ‘Every year, you can earn an interest of about 8-10%. This is guaranteed’, and started explaining what the figures meant on the piece of paper”.

She carried on, “I didn’t quite understand what she said but yielded to the pressure and signed on the dotted line. Because I need some funds now, went to the bank. To my realisation, the plan I signed was not making as much as she claimed to be, I could not withdraw any money from the policy because I need to park the money there for a minimum of 10 years to see profits. It’s now 2 years already, what should I do?”

I just walked her through some aspects, for instance, around the year 2000, insurance companies have been entering into some sort of collaboration with some banks to carry their products. Whether the teller who sold you the policy knew what she was talking or selling was also questionable. For under the ruling of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), a representative cannot oversell or cannot promise any guaranteed returns if it’s an investment-linked product. Furthermore, as customers of the bank, we could not be certain if the teller has been certified to sell such instruments. Staff come and go, hence, the possibility of verifying with the person who sold the product is zero. Therefore, if you are not ready to commit into some plans or don’t understand what was recommended or sold, say “No” to avoid unnecessary stresses and the dilemma of finding that extra cash to make ends meet when the need arises.

Be bold. Don’t be intimidated by telemarketers or financial advisers. Say “No” at the point of call or during the prospecting phase to save you the hassle of making them right. Much time, money and resources would have been wasted as evident in the case of the collapse of the Lehman Bank in 2008.

The season for giving and receiving is here. We are about 20 days away from the joyous Christmas day. As gift exchange is a norm practised among colleagues, exchange of gifts among friends cannot be avoided, especially when it involves children. Here are some practical handlers to help stretch your dollars.

1] Make a list

Before going on a shopping spree, make a list of how many gifts to buy as you want to prevent wastage through excessive buying. The list will also help you budget the maximum dollars you would be prepared to spend. You might want to categorise your gifts, for instance, for gift exchange, maybe the value of the gift should not exceed $5 or whatever is determined by the company.

For close friends and family members, you can equate a higher value with different gift ideas and for children, usually; stationary sets for the new school term should suffice. Thus, remember to bring along the check list.

2] Avoid last minute shopping

Last minute shopping is a “no go”. For one, you have limited merchandises to choose from, by then, especially 2-3 days before Christmas, the popular ones would have flown off the shelves. Besides, you need to contend with the crowd for the limited stocks. Thirdly, the queues at the cashiers’ counters might be long, putting your patience to the test.

It is best to start shopping for the season from November, buying a small quantity at a time to avoid last-minute shopping fiascos.

3] Avoid the peak hours

Last-minute shoppers need to squeeze your way among the enormous crowd just to get what you desire. However, very often, before your hands can get onto the item, someone else will lay claim before you do. Therefore, as most stores open very early and close late at night, shopping during such hours will be hassle free. The aisle is more spacious and you don’t run into each other as well as the merchandise is within reach. A few stores operate round the clock. Check them out.

I remember when I was a newbie at a large corporation about 20 years ago, I didn’t know how to shop. I went to the then popular “Emporium” Departmental store to get some gifts on 22 December, one day before the gift exchange. I was overwhelmed by the huge crowd at the store. Even the sales assistants couldn’t attend to me. I had to call my cousin for emergency help. As I was given a budget of $5, the only items left were photo frames which looked presentable. I bought 20 pieces.

4] Allocate budget

It is always prudent to work your sums before you hit the stores. This allocation ensures that during this time of rejoicing, you do not neglect other aspects which need your attention too. Over-spending during this season might land you into a deficit which may take months to recover.

Due to my inexperience in the first year, I bought more gifts the second time around. Moreover, I didn’t know the importance of allocating a budget. Not only did I buy excess gifts which I gave out at random, I had to stinge on my lunch for the next 2 months to recover my lost savings. A very important lesson learnt through the hard way.

5] Always on the lookout for sales

Besides the popular Great Singapore Sales, many stores hold sales events and promotions on a quarterly basis or on the seasonal run. They may be self-confined, i.e., within their stores or congregating at a hall in the Singapore Expo or any venue that allow large crowds to brouse freely, sourcing out the best bargains. These sales will enable you to save a Huge amount of money.

Also, don’t overlook the after Christmas sales as prices will be further lowered to clear stocks. As the saying goes, “12 days of Christmas”, take advantage of this occasion.

6] Have some generic gifts on hand

You must be wondering, “is there a conflict here?” Absolutely not! These gifts come in handy should you unexpectedly meet someone at a party or any other occasions during this festive season. These gifts can help ease the embarrassment you will other run into. These gifts need not be costly, hence, having a few extra on hand can be a face-saving moment.

I recall During one of the gift exchange occasions in my ex-company, I couldn’t estimate the number of participants, hence, had insufficient to go around While I had to accept gifts from others, I managed to redeem myself by giving them on the next working day, thankfully, they accepted graciously.

7] Online shopping

It is a well-known fact that most online goods are inexpensive, prices could be lower by 50%or more as these entrepreneurs omit the hassle of paying rents. Secondly, you can shop at a leisurely pace from the comfort of your home, brousing the online catalogues, picking and choosing the most appropriate gifts for family and friends. Added to this, it is stress free too. These online stores are simple to navigate with secure payment mechanisms either via credit or debit cards.

Moreover, you avoid paying GST and other taxes imposed by retailers, all inclusive in the price. Be on the lookout for online stores or blog shops that offer free shipping to further stretch your dollar.

Shopping online immediately allows you to know if the item you want is in stock instantly in which you have the flexibility to choose another product without the hassle of troubling shop assistants.

8] Retain the receipts

It is advisable to retain the receipts. You can get an exchange of items or receive a refund within a specific period of time (usually for 90 days) should the product be faulty, for instance, damage, wrong sizes and so on. Online shoppers must check their inboxes for the E-receipts upon purchase of the products.

The receipt can serve as evident should the product you purchased not arrive on time or went elsewhere. The seller has the obligation to replace a missing item in which payment has been made.

My sister bought a set of stickers via an online shop last Christmas. As it was a Singapore based company, it stated we should receive the goods within 7 days. However, after 2 weeks, it did not arrive. The seller responded promptly to our Email query and a new set was delivered in the next five days, to my niece’s delight.

I hope these 8 practical tips will go a long way in helping you plan for the Christmas shopping. Remember, making a list is key, but having some generic gifts with you will ease the tension you might otherwise not avoid. Shop wisely during this season of giving. We welcome you to share your handy tips so others can benefit from your generosity.

Going on vacations or work are very common nowadays. The introduction of low cost carriers have made going overseas very affordable too. However, how do you ensure you are getting the best bargains from money changers? Though Singapore is a small city-state, more than 450 Money changers of all sizes are making their presence felt in every estate. If you are on a shopping spree for them, look no further than Orchard road which houses 52.

Why don’t you change money at a bank as banks are more reputable and efficient? Many people told me that banks charge a service fee no matter the amount to exchange for. Moreover, the rates given by banks are nowhere as good as licenced money changers. My friends, who are regular travellers will visit the same money changers for good rates. According to them, money changers will become your friends as time passes. If you are their regular customer, usually, you can get a good rate for the exchange.

Some of them also shared it does not make sense to change currencies at the airport as these money changers might be subsidiaries of the big banks and their rates are in nowhere comparable to those elsewhere. The same principle applies to money changers operating in hotels.

Nowadays, currency conversion sites like XE.com posts exchange rates online that are lower than money changers or banks and excludes fees or commissions. They are usually exchanged in extremely large volumes.

Make use of your smart phone to calculate if the rates quoted works in your favour… First, do an online check on the rates published. Then, you may like to call your bank to confirm the rates you noted earlier.

Before merchants employ the worldwide web as an advertising platform, we would usually ask friends if they knew of any good money changers around town. Now, with the click of the mouse, a whole directory of money changers with contact numbers are staring at you, waiting to be tapped upon.

I recall when I was about to visit Sydney in July 2010, I chatted with some friends about the Australian dollar, which was gaining strength. Some told me that since the amount I needed was small, it didn’t matter at what rate I was given. However, others cautioned me since I was travelling on a tight budget, I should get the most from the exchange rate as Sydney was not a cheap place and food prices could be very high.

I rang up some money changers, with rates variations of between SGD1.185 to $1 Australian dollar and SGD1.25 to $1 Australian dollar. The nearest then was the money changer in Hougang Mall. However, when I got there, “sorry, we ran out of Ausie dollars. Come again tomorrow,” came the answer.

As time was working against me then, Jasmine, a friend then hurried me to Parkway Parade where a few money changers were operating. We spoke with the first two but walked away. When we spoke to an uncle whose outlet was small in comparison, he said, “$1.180, you want or not?” Delighted, I change about $300 Ausie and had a fun-filled 6-day vacation in Sydney.

Another incident in November 2006 where I went alone to Hong Kong. I also did the same thing—rang up many money changers. However, they were not the best deals. I called the money changer at Hougang Mall and found the best deal, $200 for $1,000 Hong Kong Dollars. A week later, my friend who visited Hong Kong told me she could only exchange about $900 Hong Kong Dollars withSGD200 from one situated at Raffles Place.

Therefore, apart from budgeting how much to set aside for the staycation or vacation, scout around for good money changers who will offer you great deals ensuring you stretch your dollars in your relaxation cum enjoyment trip.

To lose your crown of glory can be very distressing and it is now a common occurrence in Singapore. According to A/Prof Giam Yoke Chin, Assistant Director of the National Skin Centre, it is broadly classified into male pattern baldness and female pattern baldness.

Guys may experience baldness from late teens onwards, whilst female pattern baldness hits at a later age. While some balding patterns can be attributed to genetics, others can be categorised into lifestyle and clinical situations.

It must be noted that hair loss treatment can be a long drawn process. A treatment that works for an individual might not work for another.

Apart from seeking help from a dermatologist, many are approaching companies which claimed to be “Hair Los treatment specialist”. However, are these workable?

Chatted with two friends who were victims of hair loss situations. While one resigns that it is a hereditary problem, the lady friend has resorted to putting on a wig. As a result, allows her to start a business specialising on wigs and related products. She told me that her business is thriving because many customers confided that hair loss treatments only offer temporary fixes. Besides, some products carry sight effects like heart attack as in the case of Regain. Before we delve further, let’s look at some causes resulting in hair loss.

As mentioned earlier, male pattern baldness has an earlier onset. Alopecia areata, generally believed to be an autoimmune disorder. Patches of hair will drop in circular patterns in different areas of the scalp.

The next common hair loss problem is known as Androgenetic Alopecia. Besides of having an onset at age 18, hereditary factor must not be excluded.

Telogen Effluvium Shedding (diffuse alopecia) happens after the precedence of a stressful event or situation. Episodes occurring out of high fever, a surgery or childbirth can also trigger hair loss.

Certain hair-dressing procedures such as excessive hair brushing and drying can result in hair loss too.

Having explored some causes of hair loss, how certain are we that hair loss treatments really work or what types of treatments will work for unique situations?

As I was researching for this post, came across this promotion by Beijing 101 and Asiaone.com which read, “5 follicles strengthening Treatments at $58, FREE Herbal Shampoo (50ml)”. I tried contacting the company but couldn’t get anyone on the phone to clarify what it means by “5 follicles strengthening Treatments at $58″. Is it worth anyone’s while to pay $58 just to treat 5 strands of hair with a free herbal shampoo as a door gift? Next, does herbal treatment suit anyone and everyone? How many follow-up treatments would be required to deliver the desired outcome?

Ms Diana Ser, A former newscaster and veteran media personality had 2 brushes with hair loss encounters. She realised when she saw baby hairs were filling up the hair line of her forehead. She attributed this to a highly stressful lifestyle, meeting the demands of her career and a young family in addition the many chemicals applied on her hair and scalp for styling were the causes of this problem. Besides the treatments required to return her thick, silky and lustrous hair, changes to her lifestyle and diet played a very big part in the restoration of her crown of glory.

As she had experienced its benefits she had partnered the company as its official media personality, featured in ads aired in prime time Channel 5 and Channel News Asia.

A dermatologist once said in a radio interview that men were less forthcoming in tackling this problem. Contrary to ladies who would seek treatments almost immediately, most men would attempt to buy over-the-counter drug to experiment on their own. The most common of these is the Rogaine/Regaine Foam which possesses the efficacy for men who have experience hair loss for below 5 years. It works better in younger men in comparison. Besides, it is most effective in treating hair loss occurring in the vertex area.

However, most men are not aware that the Rogaine/Regaine Foam carries side effects and may not be suitable for everyone. Not able to restore your crown of glory is bad enough but acquiring burning or irritation of the eye, itching, redness or irritation at the treated area, and unwanted hair growth on other parts of your body. More severe reactions include Severe allergies, (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue), chest pain, dizziness, fainting, fast heartbeat, sudden, unexplained weight gain and swollen hands or feet are definitely not what men are looking for.

I have 2 friends who resorted to hair transplantation about 3-4 years ago. They told me initially, everyone were surprised at the return of the thick and lustrous crown of glory but as time passed, the male balding pattern returned to haunt them. I checked with my friend who is a hair treatment specialist who gave this advice. Because hair needs to be taken from the denser parts of your head to fill the baldness, if the hair follicles and roots are not well nourished plus neglect in care after transplantation, it cannot be a permanent solution.

Other hair treatment programmes include using the laser to stimulate hair growth, constant injection and surgery to introduce hair growth can be a prolong process, incurring lots of finances.

Thus, not all forms of hair loss treatments work for everyone. It is best to consult a dermatologist for a full analysis for the right diagnosis, hence, the appropriate treatment.

The National Environment Agency defines touting as the act of harassing by stallholders or their assistants in any activities including pulling customers’ hands, blocking customers’ path, leading and cajoling customers to patronise their stalls or other such activities that are intended to force customers to patronise their stalls. However, stallholders or assistants standing outside their stalls beckoning customers from their stalls are not considered as touting. Mr Chenn from NEA told me that the agency treats this as a serious offence and would not hesitate to punish hawkers committing such acts. He advised consumers to report to the private operators running the food courts of such incidents.

Since touting had been made illegal in 2005, the Newton Food centre had many hawkers penalised as a result. Nowadays, locals shun the Newton Food centre. A poll conducted in 2009 showed that only 5% of locals would visit the Newton food centre and Lau Pa sat, while 95% of foreigners would patronise it as it has been promoted by the Singapore Tourist Board as one of the “must go” places as with other guide books picked up along the way, a point conquered by Adriane, “…how many times I have advised tourists not to go to Newton. … I even have celebrities asking me to arrange for them to go eat at Newton …”

my friend, Irene told me about two months ago, she witnessed a hawker harassing a customer who was sitting at a table in front of a stall selling chi cha in a food court operated by the Kopitiam chain. Before she could settle herself properly, the hawker assistant approached her, saying, “You want to eat hor fan or mee hoon, ah? You sit here, near my stall ah!” The poor lady replied, “Let me look around first, then I decide”. Instead of letting her go, insisted, “If you don’t want eat from my stall, you cannot sit here,” in very strong mandarin accent.

Irene said she didn’t know where she mastered the courage, said, “Xiao Jie, you cannot force people to buy from your stall leh. Your boss can be fined”. She insisted, “You sit here, then must eat my food ma? If not, why sit here?”

Irene saw then that three patrons going off a few tables away, asked the lady to change table. She then heard the hawker reprimanding her assistant explaining that if the ladies were to report to the authority, her hawker licence could be suspended. The hawker then approached them, apologising for the action of her assistant.

A certain r Anthony Dias of Mumbai, who intended to visit Singapore was seeking advice on October 1 2010 about “aggressive touting” at the Newton Food Centre, a point he picked up from the Lonely Planet City Guide.

On 8 August, 2008, a stomper, MJDUNE, posted an article alleging two ladies from China, not only touted business from customers every now and then, but had been harassing two elderly men who were operating a drink stall for more than 4 decades, yet, NEA officers said they were not able to uncover evidence against the ladies, who were in their 30s. Disgusted by their behaviour decided to voice out on their behalf here.

Another stomp posting, 30 December, 2010 by MayMay highlighted another incident of touting at Chong Pang Food Market. She wrote, “The lady in black works at the coffee stall in Chong Pang food market but touting is not allowed at hawker centres in Singapore.” She was filled with disgust stating, “…the best part is that NEA cannot do anything”. Read more here.

Though these are but a few opinions from customers and bloggers, I believe, as customers, we love the freedom to patronise any stall we choose. Although touting is not so common these days, hawkers must realise that it does not work to arm-twist customers to patronise their stalls. Concentrate on your food quality, with the “word of mouth”, great yummilicious food can go very far to fetch customers to visit your stalls.

Many men have been complaining that dating a Singaporean lady is an expensive affair; hence, they choose to remain single or date a lady of foreign origin. However, I want to differ from this myth. On the first date, although you might want to impress, restaurants serving meals under $50 with romantic views are aplenty. I shall offer five suggestions for a successful date..

1) Casa Verde

Located at 1 Cluny Road (Visitor Centre), the Botanic Gardens 6467 7326, the restaurant can fill up to a maximum of 80 pax in al fresco dining style and the interior catering to 30 Pax at a time. Decked with Dutch temperate moss as its centrepieces and wooden menu clipboards from Osaka, it creates a modish ambience. Specialises in Italian food—pastas, its most raved about is its wood fired pizzas, with prices begin at a friendly tag of $20.

Right smacked in the setting of green lush nature, an opportunity to enjoy a picnic prepared by the approachable restaurant staff while you chill out with your date charming her with every description of yourself or the ambiance.

2] Les Amis

Les Amis, 6733 2225, lesamis@lesamis.com.sg, 1 Scotts Road, Shaw Centre, #02-16 is the restaurant you would definitely want to dress up to impress your date. Decorated with Zwiesel glasses, Chrystal silverware, precious artworks, and more, giving the place an element of class not present in other fine dining restaurants. Branded table linens and napkins are used. Light, contemporary local cuisine suited to the local styles and palates are served here. A qualified in-house friendly sommelier offers expert advice pairing food with a wide selection of wines.

3) The Jewel Box

109 Mount Faber Road, http://www.mountfaber.com.sg

Purged on top of Mount Faber, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, the Jewel Box lights up in style, especially during the nights. Although fused in the lush of greener and nature, its class and modern view appeals too many, especially couples. Comprised of five restaurants named after precious gems such as Empress Jade, Sapphire, Black Opal, Moonstone, and Emerald Lodge, diners are treated to unique cuisines and ambiences with different restaurant themes and settings which appeal to everyone. Go ahead to surprise your date with a pocket-friendly price tag beginning from about $20, depending on which restaurants you visit and food selection with the unique view of the Singapore harbour and the city skyline.

If your wallet can hold up and you like to be more adventurous, book a romantic meal on board the cable car with the most gorgeous view of the skyline of Singapore. A personal butler will be on hand for assistance. Contact them by visiting their website for details.

4) Don Quijote Restaurant

Blk 7 Dempsey Road, #0102, 6476 2811, http://don-quijote-restaurants.com/

Located at Dempsey Hill, a Spanish restaurant with elegant furnishings to bring your date. Menu starts from $9 – desserts such as leche Fritta to appreciate her elegance and pleasantry. Fresh scallops, Mussels, seafood and baked whole snappers at an affordable price of $45. If seafood is not your cup of tea, be adventurous! Sink your teeth into the famous Spanish paella available in four flavours including seafood, squid ink, vegetarian and meat. Another must order variety — The Paella de Carne ranging from $30 small , $45 for the medium and $60 for the large portion is serve with Beef, Chicken, Chorizo Sausages and rice cooked in a delicious saffron stock.

A girlfriend confided that on her first date, the guy brought her there. Even though they had had their fill, couldn’t resist the temptation to order the highly recommended Tenderloin Steak Cubes with Blue Cheese at $20. She said, “After this experience, I became a cheese convert. It tasted so heavenly that I kept going back with other friends for more of it”.

5) The Prive

Situated at 2 Keppel Bay Vista, Marina @ Keppel Bay, 6776 0777, http://www.prive.com.sg, it comprises of a Bakery, café, restaurant and a bar. It whips up comfort food like a wide selection of burger, choices, poached eggs, bacons, mushrooms, baked beans and toast, not forgetting their signature muffins at $13.50 to be tasted with either maple syrup with lots of butter or a heavenly scoop of delectable ice cream. Beef lovers can indulge in the 200G of wajyu beef with a generous portion of seafood wrapped with a thin but sturdy piece of pastry. Do tug your palate into their newly included the much talked about Organic Mushroom Soup and Rib eye Steak. According to a friend, the restaurant’s menu of fresh seafood and top grade pasta are killers among some diners during one of his visits that his date asked if they could order one portion to kill her curiosity as plate after plate were being served up that evening. He remarked, “I was glad she spoke up for I was dying to kill my curiosity too. It was indeed delicious!”

If your date is not a night person and you’re planning to date during the weekends, the branch menu is delicious and wallet-friendly too.

There are many more restaurants which serve up meals below $50, yet, with good ambience. Just be a little diligent in surprise your date; that a fabulous date need not be too expensive. Another alternative, go for a movie with a meal at a food court, fast food chain or hawker centre if your date is just a “plain Jane “who does not like elaborate designs and meals. The attractions and views of these five outlets come at no cost to you.

Some of my friends had engaged dating agencies and were involved in speed dating or having a meal with the prospective date. They confided either the agencies have more lady applicants or less male applicants, hence, ladies tend to receive repeated matches. Those involved in speed dating were not allowed to exchange contact details to further develop the friendship although some programmes only cost about $45 or so.

“Not McDonald’s again?” Today, I am letting you into one secret that is little known to the general public. We are aware that food prices have been soaring, though very gently. Recently we witnessed members of parliament approaching the hawkers within their constituencies not to raise food prices for between 6 months to a year. Have the prices of food become more unaffordable? I think not, so long you are willing to go the extra mile to discover them.

A friend recently commented, “My teenaged son must visit either McDonald’s or KFC every weekend. If he continues like this, I’ll be bankrupt in no time”. She commented the Filet-O-Fish meal at $6.90 had been his top pick for the past 6 months, adding, “If he is super hungry, an upsize meal will cost me $7.40″ Some weekends, he would request to go to Kentucky Fried Chicken as added incentive, for another of his favourites, the Zinger meal or the 3pcs meal. They are not cheaper too, nowadays. A 3pcs meal will rob my wallet of $8.90 with the zinger meal another $6.75. I can’t imagine prices of fast food have gone up so much. Fortunately, I have only one boy.”

Well, this was a choice she had made since he was a kid. She will use material things as incentives to encourage him to excel in everything they aspire to achieve.

After this conversation, I asked myself, “Do food joints with branches situated in educational institutions charge the same price, knowing full well they are serving the student populace?”

To my astonishment, this is what I discovered. Visited McDonald’s outlet at the Singapore Polytechnic, The NTU and the NUS. I ordered the Fillet-O-Fish meal, paid $4.75 on two occasions and the similar amount for the Nuggets meal on one occasion .

When I told my friend about my discoveries at the McDonald’s outlets, she visited the KFC outlet at Singapore Polytechnic and was thrilled. She learnt she could save about $1.50 for a 3pcs meal and another $1.30 for the Zinger meal. She said, “I can accumulate these savings and treat myself to something small once a year”.

These are not all. Except Subway, all other food joints like the Hagen Das Ice Cream, the Old Chang Kee and Mr Bean, among others, with outlets located in the tertiary institutions are more wallet friendly in comparison to elsewhere in the island. However, I learnt from a friend that the prices are lower at Subway branch situated at the Makan Place (one of the canteens at Ngee Ann Polytechnic).

Why is this so? I did a check with one of the staff. Although she couldn’t be sure if it was correct, rental costs are lower in these institutions, hence, prices.

As they are serving the student population, the pockets of most students might be more stringent. Nowadays, we hear or come across students giving part-time tuition or hold another job in order to meet expenses. Franchisees are aware if the price tags become too steep, their profit-margin might suffer as a consequence.

Therefore, if you are budget conscious, yet, yearning for a meal of your favourite fast food, drop by their websites, check for the nearest tertiary institution with outlets most convenient to you and go pamper yourself. Enjoy Feasting!

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Are you familiar with these sayings, “Buy on rumour, sell on fact,” and “it’s better to sell and feel sorry rather then to feel sorry than sell” I’m sure if you are well-versed in the stock market, you know what I mean. Usually, speculators rely on many sources to determine to buy or sell a share, profiting, sell short or lose money during market uncertainties. A friend used to listen to the analysts the radio stations engaged, buying according to their recommendations. Although he is no longer around, he used to say, “this analyst is no good lah. His prediction is not correct,” or “I made $xxx today. This one is good. Follow him, sure make money one. Don’t be too greedy. Make $100 can run already”.

He relied so heavily on the predictions given over the radio because he was blind. I’m sure many speculators or investors will utilise trading software to improve or maximise your gains. However, do such software’s work? Are they effective? Let’s explore.

This website by David Jenyns will walk you through a couple of videos. You need to view all the video clips in order to know his charges for the software whereby he bosted of having generated much profits through the 7-10 years.

Another software, the NeoTicker had been claimed by this blogger, DaMan that it has the capability to perform highly technical analysis on any financial instruments. It is able to conduct real-time scanning of stocks and options. The downside to this is the data must be fed into the system, among them, eSignal, RealTick. QuoteSpeed, QCharts or Quote.com. IQFeed, DTNIQ, MB Trading, EFX, Interactive Brokers, and FXCM. You need to subscribe to one or more real-time data providers like online brokerage firms or the designated vendors, incurring additional costs. You can select from 4 plans depending on your level of needs and commitment. Developed by TickQuest Inc, you can lease the package or purchase at the price of USD1,300. Please note additional costs

Is there such a thing as “free automated software,” to replace the job of your broker? This article provides the answers.

No matter how automated the trading software can be, it requires the investor’s inputs as well as feeds to enable it to be fully functional as well as cost effectively as stated here.

It must not be overlooked that utilising these sorts of software calls for your knowledge of the stock exchange, the margin account in which you can utilised, not forgetting monitoring the prices on your own, determining when to make your entry and exit which the software cannot decide on your behalf.

Mr Tan Kin Lian who runs his consultancy, equipping individuals with investing tools advised all to be vigilant, not to plunge in the real time stock market without any knowledge or know-how. He recommendded on 8 November 2011 in a blog post that you give a shot at this online platform plus 500, creating a dummy account experimenting with it before entering into the bullish market which might costs your lifetime savings. He also argued it would be pointless to pay a hefty price for a trainer who promises you of “sure get rich” formula. If he has the formula, he would be a billionaire, why spend time and effort to conduct courses, coercing participants to purchase the “sure-make-money” programme. I think the “sure-to-make money programme” must be applied to them for after the training/seminar, their pockets will ensure they laugh all the way to the banks. Mr Tan’s article is enclosed for your referral.

These are but a few softwares I stumbled upon for our awareness. I believe there are many more out there, making similar or more extraordinary promises to lure you into purchasing them.

Thus, you decide if trading software has been way overpriced even before you enter the real world to experience for yourself. If these work for you, feel free to recommend to our readers who look to benefit from your testimony.

Irrespective of economic climate or personal finances, there will always be long queues at Singapore Pools lottery outlets on Monday and Thursday for Toto draws, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday for the 4D numbers, not forgetting the big sweep draw on every first Wednesday of every month. Extraordinary queues will form at popular outlets whenever there is a big honbao draw, usually during the Lunar New Year season.

While brousing on the net, I come across 4D predictors. As “curiosity kills the cat,” I visited the website. To my amazement, these are locally run. The site predicts numbers for the coming draw, one for the non-paying public, the other for members only.

It’s known as House of ToTo. He claimed though he was yet to strike the jackpot, it was to provide “fun” and “entertainment” as well as value adds service enhancing the experiences of playing 4D and Toto. He developed an AI programme which has the capability to deduce 4D and Toto numbers for the coming draw. However, this site is not opened to all, the free site where all are let into his tips contain lesser numbers, on the other hand, if you can afford and wants to be an exclusive member, a monthly premium of $50 or annual fee of $600 must be put up before you are allowed in. An 18-number set will be presented at every draw, regardless of ToTo or 4D. You can visit here for more details.

Another site claimed he/she had better winning chances because he followed the opening sequences and intervals of number combinations. He claimed his winnings in the first three months of 2011 had overtaken the winnings of 2010. Check out for yourselves!

There are other sites like 4d2u.com and Box4d.com in which you can utilise to try your luck. A certain blogger who blogged at http://kumantong-4d-power.blogspot.com/ claimed the numbers predicted here are accurate, many winners bringing hongbaos and gifts to show their appreciation. Do they really work?

However, I also discover some sceptics here who claimed these predictors used the programme by DICK ZIMMERMAN. They claimed the accuracies are very low and finds it misleading.

Having said so much do you believe 4D or Toto predictors work for you? If yes, share your tips here so others can benefit. If not, tell us why. We love to hear from you.

As people become more mobile with more earning power, the desire to earn passive income also increases. One of the ways is to purchase a property, believing the value of properties will grow as the years go by. Traditionally, foreigners buy properties in the form of land bank for capital gains. However, in April 2010, the Australian government legislated that non-Australians can only buy properties provided that the properties add to its housing stocks. Temporary residents are allowed to purchase Australian properties for their own usage. When they leave the country, the property must be sold. To stop the propagation of land banking, investors are required to develop the vacant land within 2 years of their investments.

In light of this, how are Australian properties sold to foreigners? Seminars are being held regularly, for instance, from 10-13 November, entitled, “Australian Property Info” at the Conrad Centennial Hotel is one upcoming session in which “experts” will equip you with the knowledge Some of the highlights include:
Discover how to buy, lease and manage an Australian property,
The criterion the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) of Australia puts in place for foreigners and Australians, who are living abroad,
How to save huge in stamp duties in purchasing an Australian property,
The procedure involved in buying a freehold title
The qualification for a $20,000 grants from the Australian government I the purchase of the first property and much more. This seminar is organised for interested parties for buying Melbourne properties. In order to entice people to sign up, a 1-night free stay will be accorded to all participants in “a stunning central equity apartment in the heart of the most liveable city”.

Magazines will interview successful investors in the Australian property to pick their brains, one such interviewee is Mr KS Low. KS said in the interview that more than 30% of Australian population rent properties with the rise in building cost and interest rates. Hence, those with extra cash on hand will invest in properties, renting out to generate more money.

Reports by journalists have the power to influence potential investors. For instance, the Sunday Times carried an article entitled “Aussie properties offer lower prices, higher returns,” on June 17 2008 had sparked huge interest for a period of time. One of my relatives went to survey some apartments and freehold properties a week after reading this report Upon her return, engaged a banker, did the sums, purchased it subsequently. She had bought another one in December last year. She said, “if the investment climate is good there, I can invest in a new one every 3-5 years”. The rentals have been affording holidays for her family these 2 years. Her daughter will occupy in one of them as she will be studying in an Ausie university for the next 4 years, saving on rental cost.

I understand since July this year, more foreigners are investing in properties down under as its prices are falling at the fastest pace in comparison with other economies, including Japan, India and China. More details can be found here.

With more information releasing at lightning speeds, a click of the mouse will enable you to source out the seminars you can attend, reports and online publications, property agents, agencies dealing in Australian properties. I urge you to study carefully the credibility of the company’s marketing you the property as well as the loan; that they are not fly-by-night companies making quick bucks.