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.

money mistakes
Opinion
3 Big Money Mistakes People Make in Times of Stress
While I wouldn’t go so far as to say that you attract whatever you think of, as new age yuppies being fed a diet of The Secret and hot yoga...
20 February 2015
instalment payment broke singapore
Personal Loans
What to Do If You Have to Pay a Loan Instalment but are Broke and Desperate
If you thought you hated getting calls from telemarketers trying to convince you to sign up for bank loans, trust me, it’s 58 times worse than the bank is calling...
19 February 2015
hobbies drain money singapore
Entertainment
3 Ways Your Hobbies Are Draining You of Cash, and What You Can Do About It
Take away your job and your home and you might still survive, but if someone tries to pry that Gundam model from your fingers or cancels your MMA gym membership,...
13 February 2015
zouk singapore
Entertainment
How to Get Into Singapore’s Most Popular Clubs for Free
50% of the most important decade of my life was spent in neverending queues for club toilets, or sitting by the side of the road waiting for a cab (or...
13 February 2015
bak kwa singapore
Budgeting
The Singapore Bak Kwa Price Index 2015
Just as stock market speculators lose their heads when stock prices start to rise, aunties preparing for Chinese New Year have to keep a close watch on bak kwa prices,...
13 February 2015
chinese new year holiday CNY singapore
Travel
5 Places You Can Go on a Last Minute Trip over CNY Without Spending a Bomb
If you intend to run screaming from Singapore over the Chinese New Year weekend, you’re not alone—the rest of Singapore is trying to get out of here like it’s a...
12 February 2015
4 Pieces of Stupid Financial Advice We’ve All Heard Before
Opinion
4 Pieces of Stupid Financial Advice We’ve All Heard Before
There isn’t one single person in Singapore who doesn’t care about money. The poor are concerned about making more of it, while the rich work hard to keep their wealth....
6 February 2015
travel insurance claim singapore
Travel Insurance
5 Mistakes That Can Destroy Your Chances of Making a Travel Insurance Claim
So you’ve bought travel insurance. Now it’s time to go skydiving and swimming with the sharks. Right? Not so fast. Travel insurance isn’t a “get out of jail free” card...
5 February 2015
How Much Should You Charge as a Freelancer?
Career
How Much Should You Charge as a Freelancer?
Whether you’re doing a bit of freelance work on the side as you complete your studies or are fully self-employed, knowing how to price your services can be a headache.
4 February 2015
singapore library
Entertainment
5 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Do at Singapore Libraries
Anyone who actually reads for leisure knows that the library is a goldmine and can save you a ton of money while satisfying your rapacious appetite for the written word....
4 February 2015
How to Take a Break From Work Without Destroying Your Career
Career
How to Take a Break From Work Without Destroying Your Career
Long working hours in Singapore are taking their toll, and for young workers these days, taking a break from the rat race is becoming quite common. In fact, in the...
2 February 2015
How Can You Save on Grocery Spending in Singapore? Grow Some of It!
Entertainment
How Can You Save on Grocery Spending in Singapore? Grow Some of It!
Don’t believe that the “organic” food at the supermarket is really that clean? Sick of being part of the big capitalist machine and want to start living off the land?...
30 January 2015
making money online
Career
4 Ways to Earn Money Online, Singapore-style
You might not exactly dream of becoming the next Xiaxue, but I bet earning money online doesn’t sound like such a bad thing. If you’re not a nubile young thing...
29 January 2015
non-profit organisation singapore
Career
Can You Survive Working for a Non-Profit Organisation?
If your day job comes across as a little… well… soul-sucking, you’ve probably thought of doing something actually worth caring about. Like, oh, rescuing starving children or saving the environment.
28 January 2015
Are SMEs Shooting Themselves in the Foot by Paying Their Employees Lousy Salaries?
Career
Are SMEs Shooting Themselves in the Foot by Paying Their Employees Lousy Salaries?
“If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys,” goes the old saying. And many SMEs are indeed getting the short end of the stick due to the low salaries they offer...
26 January 2015
short course career singapore
Career
Here’s Why Taking Short Courses May Not Increase Your Salary
Not earning enough? Time to upgrade yourself, exhorts the government! But before you run to the nearest Workforce Development Agency-approved centre to sign up for a course, we’ve got bad...
22 January 2015
money regrets singaporeans have
Opinion
3 Money Regrets Only Singaporeans Have
We all have a few regrets we’d rather forget about. Some are pretty much universal, like not spending enough time with loved ones or thinking you were cool enough for...
22 January 2015
job offer singapore factors to consider
Career
Thinking of Taking Up a Job Offer? Here’s 10 Factors You Should Keep In Mind Before Accepting
Singaporeans tend to be better at answering questions than asking them. If you break out into a cold sweat at the end of an interview when you’re asked if you...
21 January 2015
coupon buying singapore
Budgeting
Is Extreme Couponing Possible in Singapore?
If you’re an expert on trashy shows on cable TV, you’ve probably heard of Extreme Couponing. For those without a TV or a cable subscription, extreme couponing happens when people...
19 January 2015
supermarket
Shopping
What to Buy at the Supermarket When You’re Broke
Cheap food, while not as cheap as before, is still available in Singapore. But eat all three meals at a hawker centre and you’re setting yourself up for diabetes or...
19 January 2015
buying second hand singapore
Shopping
The 5 Best Things to Get 2nd Hand in Singapore
Used and abused isn’t always a bad thing, at least when it comes to shopping. It doesn’t take a genius to know that buying something second hand should get you...
16 January 2015
tuition singapore
Education
Parents Are Now Going For Tuition—Is This a Good Idea?
The life of a kiasu parent is tough. From doing community service to get their kids into their primary school of choice to spending their retirement money on tuition classes...
15 January 2015
further studies
Education
What You Need to Know Before Quitting Your Job for Further Studies
So you’ve finally decided to pursue your masters in Greek mythology or get a PhD in zoology. Good for you. But before you quit your job, you’ve got quite a...
14 January 2015
organic food singapore
Dining
Organic Food in Singapore – How You Can Stay Healthy and Not Go Broke
If health is wealth, does that mean that spending a little more to eat healthily will actually make us richer? Well, maybe, considering the cost of healthcare in Singapore.
14 January 2015
buying expensive gift
Shopping
About to Buy Something Expensive? Ask Yourself These Questions First
My go-to bag is a $2 cloth tote from Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne. Every now and then, someone will ask me why I don’t “invest” in a better bag...
13 January 2015