Tips on Saving $ and Expenses Update

Here's an uncommon tip to save $ for that once-in-a-life-time event: buy your wedding ring at a tax-free place -- Changi Airport. That's right, I did buy my ring there and saved 7% * $10,000 = $700 worth of GST.   Plus you can accumulate iChangi points and use them to redeem for lounge access and Entertainer 1-for-1 membership.

Refer to a more detailed breakdown of my expenses.

My monthly expenses are still pretty much the same as ever, albeit with some slight changes after my wife moved in to stay put with me at my parents' place.

The usual expenses:

1. Eating out : We have to eat out for lunch/dinner during workdays and "date nights". We still stick to hawker food or Subway as cheap alternatives to restaurants. I estimate this to be $100-$150 per pax, barring any special occasions. 

2. Groceries: I have greatly reduced my consumption of alcohol nowadays, thus saving about $20-$50 worth of beer each month. We spend < $100 each month on fruits, fresh cow and soya milk, and occasional snacks. To eat healthily, we consume more fruits and avoid foods with much preservatives, fats, sugar and salt, especially those instant and canned. Instant cup noodles used to be my favorite when I was a teenager, but now no longer. 

We try to go for cheaper and nutritious fruits / veggies like baby carrots, oranges, watermelons, apples and bananas. And indulge in more expensive ones when there are promotions.

3. Phone bill: We both switched to SIM-only plans which are around $26 / month.

4. Car-related : About 2.5 petrol pumps on average per month cost ~$120 in total depending on the ever-fluctuating price. Another $80 for season parking at home and $110 at work.

5. Insurance: I pay  ~$50 /month for AVIVA Term Life (Early CI and terminal CI)

Travelling : I always fly with budget airlines (e.g. Scoot, Jetstar) and book 3-star yet decent hotels through Agoda usually with 6% discount and try to eat cheap local food. I avoid expensive tourist traps. 

With such minimal expenses, I find it hard to clock $500 on my UOB credit card to earn the bonus interest.