Singapore TidbiTs

In hot, humid and sunny Singapore, it is nice to take a dip once in a while. You can find swimming pools in many housing estates. The entry fees are cheap. Only $1.50 during weekdays and $2 during weekends. Children below 18 and senior citizens fees are half the price. The pools are open almost everyday from 8:00am to 9:30pm. They are closed once a week for maintenance, usually in the middle of the week. They are spacious complete with lounge chairs. And there are also slides at the kids pool! You do not have to bring the little ones to the pricey water theme parks. Public pool complete with slides Sometimes we can see children and students with instructors doing their swimming lessons in the public pools. So while using the pools is cheap having swimming lessons may not! But if there is rain, which is common in tropical Singapore, especially during year end monsoon season, you can't swim for safety reasons due to risk from lightning. And oh, if you just want a shower at the chang...

Tau huay or beancurd is a whitish soft tofu usually added with liquid sugar. The sugar can be normal or brown sugar. One can also request for less sugar. Tau huay is a dessert sold at many soya bean chains such as Mr Bean and Jollibean. You can also find them at many drinks stalls in housing estates or at food centres. Tau huay is usually sold and eaten while still warm. Soya bean milk drink can be either hot or cold depending on preference. Tau huay and soya bean milk are typically sold for around $1.20 to $1.50 at chain soya bean stores. But if you go to hawker centre you can get beancurd for only 60 cents a bowl and soya bean milk for only 50 cents a cup. You can also find soya milk in packet or can drinks sold in many supermarkets islandwide but it is not the same as buying the original tau huay or a cup of freshly made soya bean milk at a hawker or food centre . Tau huay is delicious, relatively cheap and it's filling too. Bean curd Tau huay and soya bean milk from chain st...

We all love coupons and deals. And as much as we love our kaya toast , roti prata , nasi lemak, mee siam, etc., that are easily available at hawker centres or food courts , we can't be eating those day in and day out. We want some variety. American fast food restaurants have invaded our shore since decades ago and like it or not they are here to stay. Fortunately they seem to have adapted to local taste and even have porridge or congee set complete with coffee or tea and the optional half-boiled eggs. Nasi lemak and chicken rice can be found in some fast-food chain lunch and dinner menus! Porridge meal with half-boiled eggs So if we crave for some western food and pancakes there is a $3.95 breakfast deals that include two pieces of blueberry or chocolate pancakes with hashbrown and scrambled egg and a cup of iced milo. The good old milo. To put energy in your body. You can sprinkle the pancakes with maple syrup or spread some butter. And you can surf the internet using the free wi...

If you crave for that yummy Indian dishes there are many tasty yet affordable dishes that you can get for between $3 to $5. The good old roti prata or Indian pancake with vegetable, fish or meat curry gravy, which you can find practically everywhere in Singapore, at hawker centres , food-courts or coffee-shops. Or stand-alone stalls that just sells roti-prata and other Indian foods. Though just like many local snacks, roti-prata can be quite greasy as well. Chappati set with four different dips. Other common tasty and affordable Indian food is potato filled masala thosai with curry and sourish sauces, dipping or gravies that you can get for $3 or a chapati set that includes two pieces of chapatis and three side dishes plus poppadom, or Indian cracker. If you are looking for a healthier option, chapati will probably be it. Just like roti-prata, you can find those or chapati at many Indian stalls at hawker centres or food-courts. A plain thosai without fillings cost only between $1....

A ride on the MRT typically cost less than $2. But you can travel FREE on the MRT if you tap out before 7:45am at 16 stations in town. They are Orchard, Somerset, Clarke Quay, Chinatown, Outram Park, Tanjong Pagar, Lavender, Bugis, Esplanade, City Hall, Raffles Place, Promenade, Bayfront and Marina Bay. That means you have to leave your home by 7am-ish to enjoy this free ride. If that is too early for you still can get 50 cents discount if you tap out between 7:45am to 8:00am. But if value your sleep more and would not mind the crush you can always ride during the 7:30 to 8:30am peak hour. Being early allows one to enjoy breakfast at the office canteen or some coffee shop or perhaps at one of many fast food outlets that serve tasty breakfast. You can have the cheap roti prata for breakfast or a breakfast meal of porridge at KFC. A bowl of porridge plus a cup of coffee is $3.60. Or pick one of those $1.80 breakkies from Old Chang Kee. They sell nasi lemak, mee siam, porridge , etc., al...