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.

ikea singapore
Shopping
Buying Cheap Furniture from IKEA? 10 Unexpected Costs to Look Out for
Most people are alternately horrified / impressed that I can rattle off the dimensions of various IKEA products, or wax enthusiastic about the subtle differences between the Algot and Antonius...
27 June 2019
cheap food in orchard
Budgeting
Cheap Food in Orchard Exists – 7 Best Places for a Meal Under $7
Let’s be real here: Orchard Road can be a major financial black hole when it comes to food (as with everything else). Even McDonald’s actually costs more at their Orchard outlets,...
26 June 2019
best credit cards for families
Credit Cards
5 Best Credit Cards for Raising Kids in Singapore
Raising a family in Singapore is not for the faint of heart — not when it’s estimated to cost $360,000 on average to raise one child from birth to adulthood....
25 June 2019
muji jb
Shopping
Muji JB Opens in Tebrau City – Is It Worth Crossing the Causeway For?
So the other day, when I was looking up the map of Muji outlets in Singapore — just, you know, a regular day for me — I saw this and...
24 June 2019
What’s the Return Policy for Lazada, Qoo10, Shopee, Zalora, ASOS & Amazon?
Shopping
What’s the Return Policy for Lazada, Qoo10, Shopee, Zalora, ASOS & Amazon?
Just like with online dating, pictures on online shopping sites can be highly misleading. So before you get too trigger-happy with the Lazada and Qoo10 GSS promotions, here’s a chilling...
20 June 2019
7-eleven singapore products
Shopping
7-Eleven Singapore Products – 5 Items That Aren’t a Complete Rip-off
If you’re the kind of person who actually pays attention to the prices on the labels when you do your groceries, you probably know that the products at 7-Eleven are...
17 June 2019
qoo10 singapore hacks
Shopping
The Crazy World of Qoo10 Singapore Hacks – Coupons, Roulette Q & Other Cheapo Tips
Before researching and writing this article, I would be the last person you’d ask about Qoo10. I totally respect that Qoo10 isn’t a generic e-commerce clone… But why oh why...
14 June 2019
great singapore sale 2019
Shopping
Great Singapore Sale 2019 – Best Credit Card GSS Promotions Right Now
The Great Singapore Sale may not be as huge an affair as, say, 11.11 or Black Friday, but I doubt anyone’s complaining about any excuse to shop. While the “official”...
13 June 2019
best indian restaurant singapore
Dining
19 Best Indian Restaurants in Singapore for Every Budget (2019)
I’m what’s known politely as a “functional eater”, so you’ll rarely find me waxing enthusiastic about food… Unless I’ve had good curry recently. South Asian food is probably the only cuisine...
12 June 2019
UL2272 Certified E-Scooters in Singapore – The Complete Price List (2019)
Entertainment
UL2272 Certified E-Scooters in Singapore – The Complete Price List (2019)
Writing about electric scooters in Singapore can be a tiny bit depressing – those ”best e-scooters” listicles that you worked so hard on get outdated almost right away, thanks to...
6 June 2019
best electric scooter singapore 2018
Budgeting
7 Best Electric Scooters in Singapore (LTA Compliant & UL2272 Certified)
Update: Effective from Nov 5 2019, e-scooters have been banned from footpaths. You can only use them on park connectors and bicycle lanes. Non-UL2272 e-scooters can be disposed at 180 locations...
6 June 2019
car rental jb
Transportation
Car Rental in JB – 5 Best Rental Companies Near City Square Johor Bahru
With the upcoming Hari Raya festivities and school holidays coming up, you might already be planning a road trip in Malaysia with the family. But since renting a car in...
31 May 2019
sim lim square shops
Shopping
Sim Lim Square to En Bloc – 14 Computer Shops to Visit While You Still Can
The latest in a string of vintage shopping malls slated to go on the chopping block, Sim Lim Square is finally going on en bloc sale after what seems like...
28 May 2019
10 best sex shops in singapore
Shopping
10 Best Sex Shops in Singapore for Premium Sex Toys Like Tenga & Lelo
If the phrase “sex shop” brings to mind those creepy, darkened dens filled with gross-looking phalluses and leering old men – you know, the kind at Lucky Plaza or Bugis...
27 May 2019
zalora promo code discount code 2019
Credit Cards
Zalora Promo Codes Singapore (2019) – Best Credit Cards for Discount Codes
The days are speeding by and June is almost here, which means it’s time to go shopping. (Woohoo! Sweeter words have not been spoken.) So, where are you gonna go to...
24 May 2019
Huawei Trade-in Prices at Singtel, Starhub, M1 & Samsung
Budgeting
Huawei Trade-in Prices at Singtel, Starhub, M1 & Samsung
If you haven’t heard the news about Huawei, you’ve either been living under a rock, or you’re a hardcore iPhone user. (No difference? lol) The background is that Huawei has...
21 May 2019
fathers day gift ideas hock gift shop
Shopping
Father’s Day 2019 – 7 Gift Ideas Under $40 from Hock Gift Shop
Even though I’m female and childless, I think I am actually a Dad on the inside. I can talk to uncles for hours about power tools, cargo pants, boltless storeroom...
16 May 2019
hdb rental flat
Property
HDB Rental Flat Guide – All You Need to Know About Renting a Flat from HDB
Most Singaporeans would rather own a home than rent. But for those who cannot afford to buy a home of their own, it’s actually also possible to rent a flat...
10 May 2019
train from singapore to kl and beyond
Travel
Train from Singapore to KL & Beyond – 11 Places in Malaysia to Explore by Rail
Even though there are tons of buses, coaches and direct flights from Singapore to pretty much anywhere you can think of in Malaysia, my first choice is always to take...
24 April 2019
Ofo vs Mobike vs SG Bike – Beginner’s Guide to Bike Sharing in Singapore (2019)
Transportation
Ofo vs Mobike vs SG Bike – Beginner’s Guide to Bike Sharing in Singapore (2019)
Unless you’ve been holed up in your room playing eSports for the past 2 years straight, you must have tried bike sharing in Singapore at least once. (At the very least, you...
24 April 2019
cheap mattress singapore
Shopping
Cheap Mattress in a Box Showdown: HipVan vs Noa vs Haylee vs Baton vs Woosa
There’s a whole slew of online startups in Singapore selling cheap mattresses with free returns. At last count, there’s HipVan, Noa, Baton, Haylee, Woosa and Sonno. By “cheap mattress”, I...
22 April 2019
food waste singapore dumpster diving
Dining
How Much Food Waste is There in Singapore? I Went Dumpster Diving to Find Out
These days, it’s not just bag ladies and homeless old folks who are rooting through the dumpsters and eating other people’s leftover fries at McDonald’s.  Nope, it might very well...
13 April 2019
japanese supermarket singapore
Shopping
Japanese Supermarkets in Singapore – 10 Best Places to Get Japanese Groceries
Back in the day, buying Japanese groceries in Singapore was akin to a SEAL Team Six operation. You would dash into Meidi-Ya (the only Japanese supermarket in town) and quickly...
9 April 2019
Smart Home Systems in Singapore Explained – Google, Xiaomi & Samsung
Entertainment
Smart Home Systems in Singapore Explained – Google, Xiaomi & Samsung
Let’s start with the obvious. The whole idea of smart homes in Singapore is laughable. Most of our homes are, what, 100 square metres? I mean, if you can’t be...
25 March 2019
iuiga muji singapore
Shopping
Muji Singapore Fans – Would You Buy Iuiga’s Cheap “Muji” Products?
Recently MoneySmart reader Eliza Tay told us about Singaporean online store Iuiga, which supposedly sells Muji products at cheaper prices than in stores.  Iuiga’s business model is to obtain goods...
18 March 2019