From The Straits Times    |

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Remember the good old days when you can buy a cup of local Kopi for less than a dollar in hawker centres? Or your $2.50 packet of economic rice? Costs are definitely rising in Singapore, while wages fail to keep up.

Luckily, compared to many other first-world countries, it is still relatively cheap to live in Singapore (except for property and car prices). However, if you are looking to save some money and cut your daily expenses, we at GET.com have some really useful tips for you so that you can GET more for your money!

1. Be The Early Bird

If you haven’t already heard, the Land Transport Authority has got a really successful campaign running in Singapore since 2013. Basically, commuters enjoy free travel on the rail network if they end their journey before 7.45am on weekdays at 16 designated MRT stations in the city area. In addition, commuters who exit at these stations between 7.45am and 8am will be given a discount of up to 50 cents off their train fare.

This may not seem much, but saving up to $1.80 a day and $432 a year is the cost of an air ticket to Bali! Plus you could earn more brownie points from your boss for arriving at work early.

2. Buy Food After Peak Hours

You have a choice when it comes to eating cheap – everywhere around Singapore you can find cheap food. Hawker centres and food courts are all around, and we are not even talking about having to rely on eating instant noodles to save costs or eating nasty fast food.

If you are not a big eater or do not mind brown-bagging your food, you can consider buying food such as bread and sushi after peak hours. Some bakeries offer a 50 percent discount on their baked goods after 8 pm, or a buy-one-get-one-free promotion. You can always buy them for the next day’s breakfast, and this saves you time from buying during the morning rush hour as well. Also check out the rotisserie section of Cold Storage for roast chicken and sausages going for 50 percent discount after 9 pm!

3. Party At Home

Partying is definitely not cheap in Singapore, especially if you drink alcohol. But having a good party doesn’t have to break the bank; it’s about being resourceful and getting good company. Instead of hitting the bars or going to a restaurant, why not organise your own party at home? Potlucks are a great way to get people together, share the cost and spend good quality time. Buying a bottle of wine from your nearest grocer is also many times cheaper than drinking at a bar.

4. Dates That Don’t Cost Much

Going on a date does not need to be expensive, and we are not asking you to be a miser as well! Bringing your dressed-up date to a hawker centre is definitely not recommended, but you do not need to spend on a $100 dinner as well.

If romance is what you are looking for, a well-executed picnic by the beach, a stroll around the Marina bay area and flying kites at the Marina Barrage will certainly impress your date more than a fancy restaurant.

This story was originally published on Get.com, a personal finance website.