Have you ever asked yourself, in the middle of a karaoke session with drunken friends, why you were actually paying $30 to listen to the world’s worst singer for 2 hours?
Now, your life would have been so much better if your friends had been singing at your home on your own personal karaoke system. Not only would you not have had to pay to listen to awful singing, your neighbours would also have promptly put a stop to the tone-deaf warbler.
Here’s how to turn your home into a pseudo karaoke lounge, as well as three other types of spaces we usually have to pay for.
Karaoke lounge
What you need:
- Two wireless microphones
- Computer speakers
- Your laptop and an internet connection
Assuming you go to karaoke to sing and not for, er, additional perks, you can easily recreate the experience at home. And no, you don’t even have to spend a few hundred bucks on one of those overpriced karaoke machines loaded with Jay Chou songs.
For songs, use YouTube, which has the karaoke version (meaning the singer’s voice has been cut out and lyrics flash across the screen) of virtually every song you’d find in an actual karaoke lounge. Get two wireless microphones (two because someone will want to sing A Whole New World or that Wu Ding duet), which can be bought on Qoo10 for less than $20, and you’re good to go.
Yoga class
What you need:
- Yoga mat
- Your computer and an internet connection
Tell your friends who’re willing to pay gyms tons of money so they can go for a yoga class once every 3 months to give that money to you instead, and you’ll give them the same experience from the comfort of your home.
All you need is a computer (or, if you want the display to be bigger, you can hook it up to your TV) and a series of online yoga classes—there are numerous free channels on YouTube, Yoga With Adriene being one of the best in terms of production. Yoga International also offers 30-day free trials of their online classes.
Your friends might complain that you can’t provide them with hot yoga classes, but just tell them you’ll turn off the fan and air con and they’ll be sweating like pigs in no time.
Darts bar
What you need:
- Dart board
- Beer
You’ll know them from the gaudy neon lights and the rows of blinking dart machines. Darts bars are quite popular in Singapore, and some of their customers consider the game more than a way to keep you occupied when there’s an awkward lull in the conversation.
Why pay when you can buy your own dart board for less than $40? Get a basic set on Qoo10, or if you’re a more serious player you might want to invest in a better board from a merchant like this one. Buy a few bottles of beer from the supermarket and you and your drinking buddies are all set for the night.
Gym
What you need:
- Free weights
- Exercise mat
Okay, some people go to the gym because it’s a social thing. If that sounds like you and you’re just there to check out the hot bods, then fine.
But if you’re usually there to use the free weights (and there’s ample evidence that free weights give you a more thorough workout and don’t only build the muscles that look good, so long as you’re using them right), you’ll save lots of time and, if you have an expensive gym membership, money in the long run by just buying a couple of choice weights. There are plenty of exercise apps out there with customised workouts that you can use in replacement of paying for an overpriced gym membership.
The trick to getting cheaper gym equipment is to buy it second hand on sites like Gumtree, Locanto or Carousell. Usually, people only sell equipment they barely use, not equipment they’ve used to death, so there’s a good chance you can pick up almost-brand-new deals. And if you’re thinking of spending over a thousand bucks on a treadmill, don’t—just run around your neighbourhood.
Do you regularly spend money at the following places? Tell us in the comments!