Yahoo Finance 5 Freebies You Need to Know About in Singapore
Singapore isn’t exactly the land of the free. The closest you’ll get to being “free” here is if you get retrenched and finally get to watch the sunset from home rather than your office cubicle.
But seriously speaking, there are some freebies to be had that don’t include GST vouchers that arrive just before an election or price hike. Here are five things you can get in Singapore without paying a cent.
Free lunch
Lunch is a sensitive topic in Singapore, especially as we’ve been warned to guard ours. But it’s actually not impossible to score yourself a free lunch here.
Several temples and religious associations serve free, usually vegetarian meals during lunchtime. Instead of fighting tooth and nail to get to the front of the queue during lunchtime, only to find the seat you’ve chope-d with a tissue packet has been stolen, take a leisurely trip down to Singapore Buddhist Lodge, where free vegetarian food is served all afternoon.
Free furniture
Renovating and furnishing a new home in Singapore can cost so much, you might as well just use the money to buy a second home in another country.
For some reason, people aren’t really in the habit of getting free/cheap second hand furniture. Maybe they’re pantang about ghosts following them home with the furniture, or maybe people just want any excuse to go to Ikea and eat Swedish meatballs.
Well, turns out lots of people give away free furniture when they no longer need it, simply because it’s illegal to dispose of bulky items by leaving them in the street. They need to pay to have such items removed, so by relieving them of their unwanted sofas, chairs, tables, fridges or whatever, you’re actually saving them money.
People post furniture they’re giving away for free on websites like Gumtree, Locanto and Craigslist. If you wanted to, you could easily furnish an entire apartment with freebies. You might have to borrow or rent a van to transport the furniture items to your place, though.
Free workouts
More than a few people sign up for expensive monthly gym memberships, not because they have any idea what to do with gym equipment, but because they want to attend workout classes.
Well, the Health Promotion Board actually runs a range of free workout classes at various locations, usually in the morning before work, in the evening after work or on Sunday mornings. Check out the full list of upcoming events here.
Classes include KpopX Fitness, zumba, piloxing, bokwa, masala bhagra and other whackily named disciplines.
Singapore Really Really Free Market
It sounds like a mythical place, but yes, there is really a market in Singapore where everything is free.
Held every few months in various locations, the SRRFM is a mishmash of stallholders who’re giving away free stuff, from books and clothes to haircuts and tarot card readings.
Other than going there and leeching off the people giving away freebies, you are also free to set up your own stall to offer something of your own.
Free TCM consultations
If you’re of the opinion that TCM is quackery, then scurry along. On the other hand, if you’re certain that TCM can cure cancer, you probably should not be reading this either.
The truth is somewhere in between. It seems TCM, when knowledgeably administered, can help to maintain one’s health and prevent serious problems from arising, as well as eliminate some aches and pains or treat conditions like insomnia or rheumatism.
So assuming you don’t have a huge tumour already growing on the tip of your nose, you might benefit from a bit of TCM therapy. There are numerous clinics in Singapore offering free TCM consultations as well as treatments like tui na massage.
The Public Free Clinic Society runs a number of clinics located in the East and West of Singapore. Consultations are free, although you’ll have to pay a registration fee of just $2 on your first visit.
Have you ever taken advantage of any of the above freebies? Share your experiences in the comments!
The post 5 Freebies You Need to Know About in Singapore appeared first on the MoneySmart blog.
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