Remaining Frugal On Sabbath

I have been practising on how to be frugal in several several aspects of my life like finance, carbon footprint, physical and emotional energy consumption, and many more. Being idle these few months has its perks. It allows me to reasssess the worldly good I have done, and think how it can be done better.


Being frugal financially is a valuable skill both for the rich and poor. We have to gain as much, and fortify the protection of our savings. Insurance is a sure way to go but just be careful who your agents are. Some of them are just simply nosy, and some whose trustworthiness need to be questioned. I mean, if you owe me twenty dollars more than a decade ago and failed to pay despite reminder, it shows how much you value relationship, because the time when you needed to borrow, it means you needed it. πŸ™„

There are surely more than one way to be frugal, and here are some for several aspects of my life.

Eating out is expensive. It is never cheap because restaurants simply have running cost, and we simply bear them unknowingly. Otherwise how do they pay rent, utility and staff? Of all the many things that you could do to save is to actually cook. Some would say they can fix the plumbing themselves, they can build a treehouse themselves but you know in life, food, water and air are more important. Keep a lookout on online deals though. I know, have to reward ourselves through indulgence once in a while. It does not hurt to use discount vouchers if there is any. If you have them, please send me one! On my path to frugality, getting discount coupons or vouchers do give some sense of excitement.

Anyway, cooking is a great skill. If you can do that, you are good to live anywhere.

I love reading. On sabbath, I have ample time to read and I love it because nothing beats imagination. There is no other place that satiates your thirst for knowledge and entertainment other than the library. As we move along into the digital age, there are plenty of e-books. I have a huge collection of them but I barely read them. I guess I am the type that prefers the traditional paperback book. The distinctive smell just gives me a sense of intellect although there is no correlation about it! πŸ˜‚

I rarely have the need to commute but I do go out once in a while for quick lunch or hangout with my friends. I enjoy driving, I am pretty much a safe driver but most drivers out there are simply reckless, rude, rowdy, even if you courteously signal early, most times people just do not give way. I do not understand why drivers rush at the expense of others' safety. If you are late, you got to suck it up. Going 5km/h faster does not make much of a difference because of traffic light. Am I just unlucky on the road? If I am such a bad driver, why do I even get rewarded for not getting any penalty points right? With the rise of Uber and Grab, it has never been easier to pass on that responsibility to someone else. Better yet, you do not have even think about parking lots and charges. You save money because you only use what you need, and they have attractive promotions once a while that is hard to miss. You save time too because you do not have to wait around if the parking is full!

These days I print a lot and I had no idea the price of toner has increased. I just could not believe that my toner is now priced in three digits! My printer is not even the latest model and usually device's peripherals should be cheaper as it gets older but no. It is about time to search for alternatives because it is simply not worth it. It is not even colour toner. My bigger concern though is how much paper I am using. These days I am all about saving, saving money and Earth. Saving my breath too! πŸ˜› Recycling and reducing usage can help in your expenses too. Just do not reuse your inner wear inside out just to save water! Hygiene is still paramount!

Recently, I made online purchases and I could not emphasize on how convenient it is. Assuming you know your size and measurements well, I feel that online shopping is the most private as you can go without bumping into anyone in the public. I like people, engaging and making connections with them because I am that enthusiastic and free-spirited unless you hit really, really the wrong button.

However, there are days you just feel like not going out but want to do something 'in a mall' remotely. A Dutch friend of mine once told me, shopping is a form exercise. It is a joke but the relevance is legit. You have to run from store to store, try out things in split seconds, and after you spend, you are probably left with little for food so that leaves you generally in a better shape especially with all those shopping items you carry. I could not agree more but to me, carrying many shopping bags here and there is not really a sexy thing to do honestly. It is just something personal. I would prefer to do it from home, and have it delivered. How is that cost saving?

Simply said, I do not have to eat out but I get to eat, I do not need to spend on transport but I get to do the things I want to do, I do not waste time because I can do more than one thing online. Besides, opinions from friends are even solicited online anyways. Of course we have to be smart about it. If you need an outfit the following day, of course you will have to get your off the chair and ransack each store for the right one!

I do hope this brings some value to your wallet because I preach what I teach. They are simply based on my experience, it works for me, and hopefully for you too! If it does not, know that not everyone is created the same, you may have your own ways that I probably do not know about!

What have I been up to really?

In January, I closed down several social media accounts including this page. My reasons were not personal but I just needed time out from spending a lot of time scrolling the news feed and pursue my personal agenda. So if you fail to find me on social media, know that I did not block or delete you from anywhere. I guess I owe that explanation to some at this point because there were some who did not talk to me at social events because they thought I deliberately removed them from my friend's list. 🀣

Along the way, I am seeking the most out of my travelling years. I love travelling no doubt. Give me a flight ticket, a detailed itinerary on what to do, I would drop everything and be at the airport right now. While I love seeing the glitzy and magnificent side of the world. I very much want to spread the love to those in need. It has been a while since I was in search of something meaningful. Gratefully, the opportunity came about earlier this year. God willing I will be travelling again! Although this time is not for leisure, I still would like to call it a holiday.

I do not wish to call it relief work because for me, I am rendering my energy and capabilities free will so it should not feel like work should it?

Nevertheless, I am utterly grateful for this opportunity because I have always believed that I, just like everyone has been bestowed with a gift and all the more reason I should use it for a higher purpose. I hope that along the way during my trip, I will be able to learn the ropes of giving and have a broader perspective about the world.

Please pray for my team's and my health and strength!


Between then and now, I am working into getting my portfolio photograph taken so I have been looking through photographers portfolio, preparing physically and mentally for the trip by going to the gym and research on overseas culture and basic phrases, working on my backlog videos - speaking of which, I am really looking forward to the end result, and matching different styles from my wardrobe because some outfit are under utilised!


I am also currently fostering a kitten. 🐱  His name is Spark and if you would like to adopt, please let me know! We can have an arrangement for transfer with SPCA (Singapore). He is very active! All I have to do is jiggle a packet of tuna and he would prance to the kitchen - at times hitting the table along the way and drift like a motorcar because he is too excited.

I hope we had a good catch up!


"I work hard 'cause the lady said these arms are too small for a Rolex."