claralim

Articles by Clara Lim

I used to be MoneyDumb. I hung out at H&M every day and thought that a $50 lunch set was a good deal. These days, I spend my time researching the crap out of life and trying to maximise utility on micro-decisions. I'm not sure if that's an improvement.

Syfe - parents can achieve FIRE (financial independence, retire early) too - by 50
Invest
How to Achieve FIRE by 50, While Still Giving Your Kids the Best
This post was written in collaboration with Syfe. While we are financially compensated by them, we nonetheless strive to maintain our editorial integrity and review products with the same objective...
Sleek open business account - free business tools
Business
Can You Start A Business With Just $1,000 or Less?
This post was written in collaboration with Sleek. While we are financially compensated by them, we nonetheless strive to maintain our editorial integrity and review products with the same objective...
Citi Cash Back Card Review
Credit Cards
Citibank Cash Back Card – MoneySmart Review 2022
The Citibank Cash Back Card is one of the most eye-catching cashback cards in Singapore, promising up to 8% cash rebate (huat ah!) on everyday spending categories. In contrast, the average cashback...
11 November 2021
National steps challenge
Fitness & Beauty
National Steps Challenge Season 6 – Guide to Registration, Steps Tracker Collection & Rewards
Haven’t you heard? The National Steps Challenge Season 6 is about to begin, on 1 October 2021! This will run through 31 March 2022. Now heartland uncles and aunties will have...
14 September 2021
5 Best Crypto ETF Alternatives for Singapore Investors (2021)
Invest
5 Best Crypto ETF Alternatives for Singapore Investors (2021)
Is there a cryptocurrency ETF? It might surprise you to learn that the answer is no. Although there are ETFs (exchange traded funds) for almost anything you can think of...
13 August 2021
unit trust singapore investment
Invest
Unit Trusts in Singapore – Things to Know Before You Invest
Most common investments in Singapore, (like stocks, bonds, and property) are not difficult to understand once you get past the jargon. When it comes to complex products like a unit...
27 July 2021
private annuity singapore
Invest
Retirement Annuity Plans in Singapore: What Are They & How to Choose One
Ask many Singaporeans about how they plan to fund their retirement, and you’ll probably get a couple of stock answers: “CPF” and/or “my kids”.  But that’s not you, right? As...
9 July 2021
retirement planning singapore 2018
Budgeting
Retirement Planning in Singapore: A Starter Guide for Confused Millennials
When you think “retirement”, do you imagine travelling the world, cruising on your own yacht, and being surrounded by Playboy bunnies/boy toys? Sorry, but retirement in Singapore isn’t quite as...
17 June 2021
FWD Car Insurance Review
Car Insurance
FWD Car Insurance Singapore Review 2021
Known for its Lifetime 50% No Claims Discount (NCD) guarantee, FWD has grown to become one of the most digital-forward car insurers around. If you’re the less-traditional type who prefers...
17 May 2021
NTUC Car Insurance Review
Car Insurance
NTUC Income Car Insurance Singapore Review 2021
NTUC Income is a brand that needs no introduction in Singapore. Naturally, it has the lion’s share of the car insurance market, especially among local drivers.  So NTUC car insurance...
17 May 2021
Direct Asia Car Insurance Review
Car Insurance
DirectAsia Car Insurance Singapore Review 2021
DirectAsia is among the younger entrants  in Singapore’s car insurance scene. While it is not a household name like NTUC or AXA, it has been gaining market share because of...
17 May 2021
EZ-Link Card Singapore Guide: 7 Nifty Features You Probably Didn’t Know About
Transportation
EZ-Link Card Singapore Guide: 7 Nifty Features You Probably Didn’t Know About
EZ-Link is just like GST. We don’t know how it works exactly, but it’s always there, slowly but surely chipping away our hard-earned money in small, painless increments. It’s time...
15 April 2021
What were you doing this time of the year, last year? Screaming at the kids at Tokyo Disneyland? Relaxing at the beach in Bali? Or... snapping up 2018’s Astrea IV bonds like there was no tomorrow? (Which there was.) If you answered the latter, you probably don’t need to read this article because you very likely have already bought yourself some Astrea V Bonds when they went on sale at 9am today. It’s the highly anticipated follow-up to the breakthrough Astrea IV, and features much of the original’s merits. For those of you reading this with a blank look on your face, here’s a primer to get you up to speed on the new Astrea V Bonds from Temasek Holdings’ subsidiary, Azalea Asset Management.
Invest
Astrea VI Bond — What You Should Know About this Private Equity Bond
Not unlike a Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise, Astrea bonds are a near-annual affair and almost guaranteed to be a hit among investors in Singapore. In 2018, Singaporeans snapped up Astrea IV bonds like...
15 March 2021
apple watch singapore price
Shopping
Apple Watch Singapore Price Guide — SE vs Series 6 vs Series 3
Checking your blood oxygen level and even notifying if you have an irregular heart rate — is there anything the Apple Watch Series 6 can’t do? But at $600 to...
19 February 2021
cheap bicycle shop singapore
Fitness & Beauty
5 Best Bicycle Shops in Singapore for Cheap Bikes Under $700
Maybe you’re looking for a cheap bicycle for your commute. Or maybe you’re trying to get in shape without having to pay $250 a month for a gym membership.  Whatever...
8 February 2021
POSB Everyday Card – MoneySmart Review 2022
Credit Cards
POSB Everyday Card – MoneySmart Review 2022
The POSB Everyday Card looks like a plain ol’ auntie card, but don’t be fooled by its ho hum exterior. It’s actually one of the best cashback credit cards for...
7 February 2021
Singapore REITs (2018) – MoneySmart Guide to Investing in REITs
Invest
REITs in Singapore — MoneySmart Guide to Investing in REITs
Investing in real estate is part of the Singapore Dream. Own property, become a landlord, enjoy a consistent stream of rental income until the end of your days. … I...
17 January 2021
HealthIns_SG_masthead
Health Insurance
Health Insurance in Singapore — Everything You Need to Know to Survive
Intimidated by all the acronyms, government schemes and ridiculous jargon surrounding health insurance in Singapore? Yeah, us too. That’s why we did the research to give you a crash course...
16 December 2020
log cake & christmas buffet promotion singapore
Dining
The Best Christmas Log Cake Promotions in Singapore (2020)
Spoiler alert: Christmas log cakes aren’t cheap, especially if you buy the really nice, glossy ones from hotels. For example, the Yule logs pictured here, from Mandarin Orchard, cost about $80...
30 November 2020
civil servant year end bonus 2018
Career
No Singapore Civil Servant Year-End Bonus in 2020 — What Does It Mean for Us?
Though you wouldn’t know it from the Black Friday crowds at Orchard and the appetite for $1K flights to Hong Kong, Singapore’s economy is clearly in tatters. The proof? Civil...
29 November 2020
shops restaurants bars that closed down
Dining
R.I.P. Robinsons — 17 Businesses That Closed Down Thanks to Covid-19
Here’s an article about the retail apocalypse we wrote a year ago. What innocent times! Those closures are nothing compared to the current mass exodus of businesses as COVID-19 continues to wreck...
30 October 2020
iphone 12 mini pro pro max prices singapore
Shopping
Apple iPhone 12, Mini, Pro & Pro Max Prices in Singapore
COVID-19 has made us more addicted to our phones than ever, which augurs well for the upcoming iPhone 12 from Apple. Oh, wait a minute, make that iPhones 12 (in the...
20 October 2020
co-living singapore
Property
Co-Living in Singapore — How Much Does Rent Cost at Hmlet, Lyf & Commontown?
In pre-Zuckerberg times, there was no such thing as “co-living”. There was only “flat-sharing”, which was what you did as a broke college student with no money. Back then, it was...
24 August 2020
Seniors Go Digital mobile plans by Singtel, Starhub, M1, TPG Mobile
Budgeting
Seniors Go Digital: Singtel vs Starhub vs M1 vs TPG Mobile Plan Comparison (2020)
With Zoom calls and binge-watching dramas on MeWatch, previously Toggle tv, being the new normal, senior citizens run the risk of being left behind.  Not only are some seniors not...
10 August 2020
standard chartered x card
Credit Cards
Standard Chartered X Card – The Lowdown on the New “100,000 Miles” Card
Apparently, Standard Chartered took a leaf out of Singtel’s and Starhub’s marketing playbook with its latest credit card for miles.  Similar to how the telcos recently pushed out GOMO and...
3 August 2020