joannepoh

Articles by Joanne Poh

In my previous life, I was a property lawyer who spent most of my time struggling to get out of bed or stuck in peak hour traffic. These days, as a freelance commercial writer, I work in bed, on the beach, in parks and at cafes, all while being really frugal. I like helping other people save money so they can stop living lives they don't like.

singapore-personal-loans-best-interest-rates
Personal Loans
8 Best Personal Loans in Singapore with Lowest Interest Rates (Mar 2024)
If you’re in urgent need of money, but are too paiseh to borrow from your family and friends, your best bet is probably a personal loan. With a personal loan, you...
5 days ago
Yoga in Singapore: 18 Best Yoga Studios and Their Prices, Free Yoga Classes, And More (2024)
Fitness & Beauty
Yoga in Singapore: 18 Best Yoga Studios and Their Prices, Free Yoga Classes, And More (2024)
Want to do yoga, but don’t know where to start? You’re hardly alone. Even though yoga has become very mainstream in Singapore, the sheer amount of options out there makes...
28 February 2024
best-cashback-credit-cards-singapore
Credit Cards
12 Best Cashback Credit Cards in Singapore (2024)
Collecting air miles for your jet setting lifestyle admittedly sounds sexier than trying to scrounge for cash rebates. But if you’re still one of those people who believe that cash...
22 February 2024
hotel-staycation-singapore-valentines-day
Travel
Valentine’s Day 2024: 8 Affordable Staycation Hotels From $138
Valentine’s Day is a controversial topic. Most people fall into 1 of 2 camps—those who think it’s a meaningless non-event exploited by businesses to earn money, and those who feel...
1 February 2024
wedding-ang-bao-rates-singapore-2023
Wedding
Wedding Ang Bao Rates in Singapore 2024—How Much Should You Give?
Wedding dinners in Singapore can sometimes be a mercenary affair. Don’t be fooled into thinking that wedding ang baos (red packets) are purely a gift from the heart. In Singapore,...
31 January 2024
Buying an HDB BTO Flat in Singapore: A Step-By-Step Guide (2024)
Property
Buying an HDB BTO Flat in Singapore: A Step-By-Step Guide (2024)
Buying an HDB BTO flat is a rite of passage for most Singaporeans. It’s a sign that you’re finally ready to start adulting for real, and a badge of honour...
26 January 2024
top-gyms-singapore
Fitness & Beauty
Gyms Memberships in Singapore (2024)—Fitness First, True Fitness, Amore Fitness
The big gym chains in Singapore have a reputation for being rather…how do we put this nicely… predatory. Not only will you be hounded to no end to sign up...
26 January 2024
best-bak-kwa-singapore-prices
Budgeting
Best Bak Kwa in Singapore (CNY 2024): Lim Chee Guan, Kim Hock Guan and More
The Chinese New Year (CNY) madness is upon us once again. ‘Tis the time of the year when Singaporeans—aunties and millennials alike—jostle with crowds and queue long hours for “branded”...
23 January 2024
best-air-miles-credit-card-singapore
Credit Cards
9 Best Air Miles Credit Cards in Singapore (2024)
Ah, the air miles credit card. Clearly the most glamorous of all credit cards. Every time you use one, you’re reinforcing your image as a globetrotting, wanderlusting, jet-setter. But more importantly,...
5 January 2024
Singaporean Households to Receive $500 CDC Vouchers in 2024: How to Claim, Where to Spend Them, Etc.
Budgeting
Singaporean Households to Receive $500 CDC Vouchers in 2024: How to Claim, Where to Spend Them, Etc.
Good news, the beloved CDC vouchers tradition is carrying into 2024. All households will receive a total of $500 in CDC vouchers this year–that’s $200 worth of additional CDC vouchers...
4 January 2024
HDB Downpayment Guide: How Much Do You Need for BTO, Resale & EC?
Home Loans
HDB Downpayment Guide: How Much Do You Need for BTO, Resale & EC?
Balloting for a BTO flat is the first port of call for many first-time homeowners in Singapore.  That said, these days, more people are turning to resale flats and executive condominiums (ECS),...
22 December 2023
Should I Invest in Singapore T-Bills? (Dec 2023 – Jan 2024)
Invest
Should I Invest in Singapore T-Bills? (Dec 2023 – Jan 2024)
So, you’ve got a bit of spare cash lying around and you’re looking to invest it before you accidentally spend it on a virtual reality headset. But life is too...
20 December 2023
Income’s Travel Insurance Review: COVID-19 Coverage, Pre-existing Conditions, Promotions, Premiums
Travel Insurance
Income’s Travel Insurance Review: COVID-19 Coverage, Pre-existing Conditions, Promotions, Premiums
When you come across the acronym “NTUC,” the FairPrice supermarket probably comes to mind, as every self-respecting auntie would attest. However, frequent travellers may also associate it with the renowned...
19 December 2023
best-christmas-hotel-buffets-singapore
Dining
Christmas Buffets 2023: Top 10 Singapore Hotels to Stuff Yourself Silly At (From $64/pax!)
So you’ve wrapped your Secret Santa gifts, decorated the Christmas tree, and soaked in the Yuletide atmosphere around the island. Now, what’s next? Yep, it’s time to put your exercise and...
13 December 2023
CIMB World Mastercard—MoneySmart Review 2023
Credit Cards
CIMB World Mastercard—MoneySmart Review 2023
Cashback credit cards are some of the most worthwhile cards to sign up for because they’re essentially giving you free money. Seeing as even fast food outlets charge for sauce...
1 December 2023
UOB (U11) Guide: Share Prices, Dividends and Market News (2023)
Invest
UOB (U11) Guide: Share Prices, Dividends and Market News (2023)
These days, everyone is talking about the UOB One Savings Account or the UOB One credit card. But you know what I wanna talk about? U11. No, this isn’t some new rock band...
9 November 2023
ntuc-membership-benefits-linkpoints-training-fees
Budgeting
NTUC Membership In Singapore: A Guide To Benefits, NTUC Card And More
Did you grow up thinking “NTUC” was a supermarket? So did every other Singaporean. But guess what, NTUC actually stands for National Trades Union Congress rather than Not Too Unaffordable...
6 November 2023
credit-card-fee-waiver
Credit Cards
Credit Card Annual Fees: Annual Fee Cost & How to Get Annual Fee Waivers
If you’re using credit cards the right way, you should be getting more money out of the bank than they’ll ever get from you. That means paying all your bills in...
3 November 2023
breast-cancer-screening-singapore-cheap-free-mammograms
Healthcare
Breast Cancer Screening 2023: Where to Go for Free or Cheap Mammograms
Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting Singaporean women—almost 1 in 13 women in Singapore will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. The good news is that...
23 October 2023
UOB-PRVI-miles-card
Credit Cards
UOB PRVI Miles Card—MoneySmart Review 2023
Now that travel has restarted, it’s time to bust out the air miles credit cards and start racking up points for free air tickets. The UOB PRVI Miles Card is...
23 October 2023
uob-one-card-moneysmart-review
Credit Cards
The UOB One Card Comes With Up To 15% Cashback—But Do You Know How It Works?
Other credit cards have come, gone or been rebranded, but the UOB One Card is still going strong. This entry level credit card has a reputation for being one of...
20 October 2023
Breaking Up After Applying For a BTO Flat—How Much Money Do You Lose?
Property
Breaking Up After Applying For a BTO Flat—How Much Money Do You Lose?
Breakups are one of the worst experiences some of us will ever go through. But it gets so much worse if you and your ex have already balloted for a...
4 October 2023
no-annual-fee-credit-card
Credit Cards
12 Best No Annual Fee Credit Cards in Singapore (2023)
Every year, you call that number on the back of your credit card, fumble with the answering machine’s 1,000 options and then finally after lots of hair-pulling frustration get to...
27 September 2023
Amex Love Dining & More - 8 Best Credit Cards for Dining in Singapore (2019)
Credit Cards
12 Best Credit Cards in Singapore for Dining and Online Food Delivery (2023)
If Singaporeans had a national hobby, it would have to be eating. A foodie paradise, Singapore is chock-full of restaurants, cafes, buffets, coffee shops, and hawker centres to fill our...
26 September 2023
What Are the CPF Basic, Full & Enhanced Retirement Sum and How Do They Affect Your Retirement?
Budgeting
What Are the CPF Basic, Full & Enhanced Retirement Sum and How Do They Affect Your Retirement?
Ever wondered why a chunk of your salary mysteriously disappears every month? That’s a question you might be asking yourself if you have no idea what Central Provident Fund (CPF)...
18 September 2023