HOLD ON TO YOUR CASH

“More people are recognising the need to save. That’s a good thing, but simply putting aside money every month is easier said than done,” says Alfred Chia, chief executive officer at SingCapital, and author of two books, Mortgage and Grow Rich and Grow Rich Singapore Style. “You have to look at the big picture, and take small but smart and practical steps to build your wealth over time.”

PRACTICE DELAYED GRATIFICATION.
Identify your needs and wants, but know the difference between the two, says Alfred. “It’s easy to want what everyone else has, like a designer bag or a new car, but ask yourself if you really, really need it. More often than not, the answer is no. And if you ask yourself that question every time you go shopping, you’ll find yourself spending less and saving more – all these costs add up over time.”

SET ASIDE YOUR SAVINGS FIRST.
“Instead of seeing what’s left over at the end of the month and then putting that money aside as savings, you should make saving your priority,” says Alfred. “Arrange monthly GIRO payments to a separate savings account when your pay cheque comes in. That way, you won’t have to think about whether you have enough to save.”

MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO ACCESS YOUR SAVINGS.
Andrea Kennedy, a certified financial planner and author of Own Your Financial Freedom, suggests depositing your savings into a separate bank account that has no debit or credit card attached to it. “That way, it’ll be hard for you to touch your savings and you will be forced to make do with the money that you can access.”

BUDGET – BUT MAKE IT FUN.
Budgeting can be a lot of work. But if you look at it that way, you’re bound to feel unmotivated to save, says Alfred. “If you follow my 4-3-2-1 principle, budgeting won’t seem that tedious: Apply these numbers to your monthly salary – spend no more than 40 per cent on your loan commitments, no more than 30 per cent on your regular expenses, put 20 per cent into your savings account and 10 per cent on insurance protection. This lets you see the big picture.”

REVIEW YOUR MORTGAGE RATES.
If you’re a homeowner, it’s important to review your mortgage rates every three years or so, says Alfred. “Be careful of rising interest rates. By doing a regular review, you can see if you’re paying too much interest and then ask yourself if you should refinance. Just being alert can save you a bundle of money.”

MAKE SAVING MONEY EASIER

Forced savings schemes are a convenient and effective way to save and make money. Here are four you need to know about:

SUPPLEMENTARY RETIREMENT SCHEME (SRS)
What it is: SRS is a voluntary tax deferment saving scheme to encourage people to save for retirement, over and above their CPF savings, says Alfred. You can contribute various amounts up to a cap of $12,750 (for Singapore residents) and $29,750 (for foreigners), per year. The amount you contribute each year goes towards reducing your chargeable income and thus, your tax amount.

Pros: What you contribute to the SRS can be used for a wide range of investment products such as shares, unit trusts, exchange-traded funds and real estate investment trusts. As this is parked in your CPF account, it’s also harder to access the money.

Cons: SRS monies withdrawn before you’re 62 years old are subject to a 5 per cent penalty, on top of being taxable, says Alfred. Also, after 62, 50 per cent of monies withdrawn are subjected to tax. The scheme allows you to withdraw SRS monies over a period of 10 years, which helps spread out the taxable amount and in turn, reduces the overall tax payable.

ENDOWMENT INSURANCE PLAN
What it is: Ideal for people who don’t like to take huge financial risks, an endowment insurance plan can be a good way to save. You simply put money aside every month and receive your payout at the end of the term.

Pros: It’s a low-risk way to get moderate returns on your savings.

Cons: If you cash out before the term is up, you pay a high penalty.

INVESTMENT-LINKED PLAN
What it is: This is an investment plan with insurance protection, says Alfred. For example, if you save $1,000 a month, a certain amount will go towards paying for the insurance or mortality charges, and the balance is invested.

Pros:“It’s like a two-in-one or combo savings plan – investment plus insurance,” Alfred points out.

Cons: As you get older, the mortality charges go up and this will eat into your returns.

INVESTMENT-LINKED PLAN WITH NO INSURANCE
What it is: This is an investment plan you can get through your insurance company, but without the insurance. If you take a 10-year plan, for example, and make no withdrawals during that time, you will be rewarded with substantial returns.

Pros: Unlike bank savings schemes that are flexible, this kind of plan forces you to save and makes it hard for you to access the money before the end of term.

Cons: If you cash-out early, the exit charges can be pretty huge, Alfred warns.

TRY OFFSHORE BANKING

Alfred notes that there is a growing trend among Singaporeans who park their money overseas, in the hopes of earning a higher interest on their savings. This is a good idea if you plan to send your child to a foreign country to study in the future.

“If you’re going to send your kids to, say, Australia in 10 years’ time to further their studies, then you may decide to open a bank account there now. The money you save over the next 10 years can sit there and earn interest, and you’ll spend that money when your kids go there, anyway.”

But he warns that you should take note of the taxes other countries impose on offshore bank accounts. “Keep an eye too on the currency exchange rate – if it depreciates or fluctuates, you may lose out. And don’t just stash money overseas for the sake of it. Offshore banking is really only something that makes sense if you have a need for it in the first place.”

This article was originally published in Simply Her January 2015.

Images: Illamasqua

Makeup geeks, unite! We’re super excited to share the news that Illamasqua is opening their first standalone store in Singapore today! Quick lowdown: Illamasqua is a relatively young British brand targeted towards the punk, subcultural scene.

Thanks to the brand’s edginess and love for super-pigmented colours, they’ve expanded pretty quickly to a large fanbase since. (My best bud who’s a makeup artist swears by their stuff. No kidding!)

You can look forward to checking out their bestsellers like the Hydra Veil, a refreshing gel moisturiser that absorbs really quickly and is great for pre-makeup prep.

They also have a best selling foundation, and for good reasons too - it’s said to give a HD effect so your “nude face” selfies always look smooth. The formula is buildable (always a key factor to look out for foundation) so it works for both good skin days and bad skin days.

What I really want though is one of their lipsticks in Shard ($32) and the eye palettes in Liquid Metal (price unavailable) for their gorgeous shades and pigmented colours. They are what they sound like - a super dark vampy lippie and a creamy palette of metallic eyeshadows.

Not entirely office appropriate, I know - but this brand is all about that drama and theatricality, and who can resist a flick of gold liner for the weekend?

Illamasqua’s first standalone Singapore store opens today, January 29, 2015 at Takashimaya S.C., Ngee Ann City #B1-32. To see more, visit the Illamasqua website or follow them on Instagram here.

Who emerges from a limo looking like that? Well, you can, too, if you keep on reading. Heh. Image: Instagram

Calling it right now: Younger-looking hair should be your (very late) new year’s resolution. Here’s why: A perfectly poreless, porcelain face does nothing if it’s offset by a frizzy fringe – sort of like a Rembrandt mounted in a mouldy frame, if you will.

Which is why all of us beauty junkies – you, you and you!– should sit up and get cracking on upping our hair game.

Thin on top and limp of lock? We’re here to help. Check out these surprisingly easy, shockingly effective tips for hair that’s super shiny and and yes, younger looking.   

TIP #1. Lather, rinse, do not repeat. Shampooing too frequently wicks away water and lipids which are crucial for cushioning our coiffure. To maximise moisture in your mane, always reach for the mildest formulas, like ace Aussie brand Original & Mineral’s Hydrate & Conquer Shampoo, which comes with a suite of soothing sea-sourced botanicals and protective provitamin B5.

Oh, one more thing: When it comes to sudsing up, the execution is of the essence. Remember to rinse rigourously for a minute or so; you want to get rid of the post-shampoo sludge, which can put a deadly dulling dampener on the sheen of your strands.

TIP #2. Tee-dry, not towel-dry. Your post-shower mop is at its most vulnerable, which means you should never ride roughshod by rubbing it dry. A bath towel’s fuzzy fibres are superb for sloughing dead skin off your face and body, but the friction created by those very same fibres can result in frizz and split ends.

The solution to your towel trouble? Pat gently with a clean cotton tee instead, and follow up with a follicle-fortifying serum from the midshaft down – I’m obsessed with Original & Mineral’s Mineral Atonic Thickening Spritz – for a buoyant bounce with none of the unwieldy weight. Simply spritz on damp hair, starting mid-length and paying extra care to the ends for easier styling!

TIP #3. Colour with caution. To fend off premature fading of your hair’s hue, simply pop on a chlorine-screening filter on your showerhead; this ingenious invention sieves out the desiccating chemicals lurking in your tap water.

Oh, and if you’re looking to shake up your style this month, head straight for hair dyes that don’t contain too much ammonia and alcohol; Liese’s lovely new Creamy Bubble Color in Rose Tea Brown is incredibly intuitive to apply, fabulously fun and bang-on trend to boot.

TIP #4. Let your hair down! Loosen up, #gurl. Here’s the irony: A too-tight topknot may make your face look tauter, but it’s super-aging for your hair. The stress placed on the perpetual tension on your scalp is going to lead to root breakage and quite possibly a receding hairline.

Pretty ponytail or spots of sparse hair? You decide. I don’t know about you, but a big blowout with a ton of texture is so much more youthful, really. My beauty maxim: Big hair, small face.

And it’s so easy, too: All you have to do is to gun for a double-duty styling product like Alterna’s cuticle-comforting Caviar Perfect Texture Finishing Spray. Simply put it on blast, give your tresses a tousle and you’re good to go. Or spritz into your hands, warm it up between your palms and lightly skim across the surface for a sexy shine that’s very youthful indeed.

Right, then. Here’s hoping this story will get you out of a hairy situation. Good luck, and stay young at heart and hair!

Alterna Caviar Perfect Texture Finishing Spray, $39, is available at all Sephora stores. For more information, visit www.alternahaircare.com and www.sephora.com, and follow Sephora Singapore on Facebook and Twitter.

Liese Creamy Bubble Color, in 17 shades at $19.90 each, is available at all leading pharmacies, supermarkets and hypermarkets. For more information, visit www.liese.com.sg and follow Liese Singapore on Facebook.

O&M Original & Mineral Hydrate & Conquer Shampoo, $45 for 350ml, and Mineral Atonic Thickening Spritz, $38, are available from March 2015 at all Sephora stores. For more information, visit originalmineral.com and www.sephora.com, and follow Sephora Singapore on Facebook and Twitter.

If you want to age beautifully, you should take a leaf out of actress Lee Sin Jie’s book. While she was in Singapore earlier this year, we got up close with the actress, quite literally, and took a good look at her skin – ladies, you can have 20s-looking skin in your late 30s.

Image: SK-II

This 37-year-old has radiant, firm and smooth skin. Maybe a fine line or two around the eyes, and her expression lines still show when she smiles, but hey, the aim is to age well, right?

With such beautiful skin, you’d think this Golden Horse Best Actress Award winner has a complicated routine of serums and creams, topical treatments and what not. You’d be surprised though, that Sin Jie’s beauty secret is a pretty simple one.

Of course, we had to ask for tips on how we can get instantly radiant skin for Valentine’s Day and all we can say now is, it’s hard work.

Why? You’ll have to see for yourself. Enjoy!

INTERVIEW: Lee Sin Jie’s tips for Valentine’s Day-ready skin and 2015 plans!

Follow Lee Sin Jie on Facebook, Weibo and Instagram. 

How many pairs of shoes do you each get through in a year?
Ying Ren: We train every day and rotate our running shoes. I think we each get through about 20 to 30 pairs of shoes a year!
Ying Rong: Actually, we train twice a day – we’d just finished a morning run before meeting you.

So training hard is the secret to winning medals?
Ying Rong: We didn’t envision ourselves becoming medallists together, but we’re both equally determined to achieve our own goals.
Ying Ren: My sister discovered the joy of running first, and likes it more than I do.

Has this shared passion helped you become closer?
Ying Ren: It helps. We train together occasionally, and we’re both in healthcare – I’m serving my National Service as a doctor in the Singapore Army and Ying Rong’s training to be a physiotherapist. Other than that, we have no time for anything else! (Laughs)
Ying Rong: We do talk about more than just running. I take running less seriously than my brother, and balance it with other interests.

What kind of interests?
Ying Rong: I enjoy travelling solo. I’ve gone to Taiwan, Korea and Nepal on my own.
Ying Ren: Ying Rong’s more adventurous than me – she does couch-surfing as well. My parents and I were worried, but she knows how to take care of herself.

Is this free-spiritedness a trait you admire in your sister?
Ying Ren: She has very good training-life balance, whereas I’m a bit more obsessive.
Ying Rong: Ying Ren’s a perfectionist, but that goal-orientedness is something I admire about him. For example, he really wants a shot at the 2016 Rio Olympics, so he’s already taken a year-and-a-half of no-pay leave after his National Service to train in Japan and Nepal.

What is one habit you wish the other would change?
Ying Rong: That same persistence (laughs). Ying Ren pushes himself too hard and that’s not always healthy for runners. Right now, he’s getting over a shin injury, and it’s necessary for him to be patient and control the urge to do too much, too soon.
Ying Ren: Ironically, my sister used to be a bit like that – she once had five stress fractures, and was on crutches for three months. Now that she’s doing physiotherapy training, she’s more in tune with her body and has been injury-free for the last four years. She does regular assessments for me, and teaches me how to stretch my tight muscles.

What’s the proudest memory you have of each other?
Ying Rong: Whenever he breaks a record!
Ying Ren: Last year, Ying Rong did her first full marathon (42km) and came in second. But it’s her passion for helping others that I applaud. She set up a Run Free initiative - a kind of running clinic - to help people recognise their injury risks when they run. People sign up for it on a shared Google Drive. So every Saturday, there’ll be people coming by our home for physio-rehab assessments.

BREEZE THROUGH YOUR RACE
The siblings share their marathon must-dos.

1 Replenish your energy stores.
“Load up on carbs that are easily digestible, like a sports gel, half an hour before the race, to sustain your energy levels,” says Ying Ren.

2 Get hydrated before.
“Drink about 750ml to 1 litre of water from the time you wake up, to ensure your hydration levels are topped up. Your final pee before the race should be clear,” Ying Ren advises. 

3 Keep calm to win.
“Some people get excited at the starting line, taking off in a burst of speed and getting tired halfway. For long-distance races, run in a pack to conserve energy until you’re ready to blaze through to the finish line,” recommends Ying Rong. 

This article was originally published in Simply Her January 2015.

When Connie Tan discovered she was pregnant, she was thrilled. but the 38-year-old marketing director's joy soon turned to panic when she started thinking about how she was going to deal with her pregnancy on top of her super-stressful job.

“My role is very demanding and I work long hours,” says Connie, who has since given birth to a healthy baby boy. “I experienced terrible bouts of morning sickness in the early months and struggled to make it through the day. I only took sick leave if I really had to, and even then, it made me feel bad, like I was letting my team down.

“My boss, though generally understanding, would raise his eyebrows every time I told him I had to leave the office to go home and rest – that made me want to work even harder the next day, just to prove that I was still capable of doing my job,” she adds.

Account executive Nora Lim endured a difficult pregnancy too. She says that after the sixth month, she considered quitting her job because she was so mentally and physically drained.

“I was pretty huge and found it difficult to move around and go for meetings with clients,” says the 40-year-old. “It was hell just walking to the parking lot and sitting in my car in heavy traffic. I’d return to the office afterwards, but by that point I was so tired and spaced out that I could barely function. On really bad days, I contemplated quitting because I felt so overwhelmed.” 

Make it known – then make a plan

There’s no reason to feel guilty about being a pregnant career woman, says Alka Chandiramani, a career coach at Alvo Connexions. “The first and most important thing to do, once you find out that you’re pregnant, is to let your bosses know. If you’re suffering from morning sickness, or if your doctor has warned you that you might have a difficult pregnancy, inform your bosses so they know what to expect,” Alka advises.

“If your morning sickness is severe, it might help to make note of the time of day it occurs, so you can organise your work schedule to accommodate how you are feeling. For example, if you usually feel sick in the afternoons, you might try to complete more difficult tasks first thing in the morning, or don't schedule big meetings for after lunch.”  

You may also wish to delegate certain tasks to others on your team, work from home on certain days, reduce your workload or even consider a change in your role for the duration of your pregnancy. Whatever you decide, Alka says you should reassure your bosses that you’ll try your best to maintain your job standards and meet your KPIs (key performance indicators).

Make your work arrangement clear to your bosses and colleagues, so that everyone knows what needs to be done in case you have to take sick leave urgently. “As long as they know the work will be done, most bosses would be quite understanding towards a pregnant employee, and would be willing to give her support or accommodate any changes,” Alka adds.

Time management is key

Running a team, attending meetings and trying to fulfil deadlines are overwhelming enough. What if you also have to fit in your medical appointments?

When Jacqueline Chua found out that she was pregnant a couple of years ago, she made sure to schedule her doctor’s appointments well in advance, then planned her work meetings and project deadlines around them.

“My health and that of my unborn baby were top priority. I didn’t want to overload myself and then miss a medical appointment because I was too busy or stressed,” says the 38-year-old IT consultant.  

If need be, Alka says, plan your calendar with your team. Make sure they are aware of when you have to see your doctor, so that they, too, will not schedule meetings that will clash with your medical appointments. And it might be wise to have a contingency plan in case you go into labour early.

Be comfortable so you work better

Your comfort during the day should be one of your top priorities. The better you feel, the less likely it is that you’ll need to take time off from work. Jasveer Malaney, an executive leadership coach from Acquire Global Coaching, suggests wearing comfortable clothes and shoes, and to keep your feet elevated while at your desk to relieve the pressure. You should also remember to drink water throughout the workday to stay hydrated and reduce bloating.

You should also try to avoid having a big lunch, as this might make you feel worse. Instead, eat small meals frequently throughout the day. This will also keep your blood sugar levels constant and prevent energy spikes and crashes. 

Powering on

It’s normal to worry that your pregnancy might slow down your career. This is where being honest with your boss counts, says Alka. “Being pregnant can affect the way you approach your work. You’re fatigued, your hormones are all over the place, you may be stressed or anxious, you may have trouble focusing or be easily confused, you may need extra bed rest, and you just have more on your plate. It’s important to keep the lines of communication between you and your boss open.”

Be realistic about what you can and can’t do, but make it clear to your boss that you’re on top of all the tasks that you can take on. When you’re at work, be fully present and have your finger on the pulse.

Stay connected during your maternity leave

You’re entitled to four months of maternity leave after you give birth. For some women, this break can be a scary situation – it’s a long time to be away from the office, and you never know what can happen in your absence.

Some women choose to divide their maternity leave into parts, perhaps taking a stretch of two months and then taking a day off every week until their entitlement ends. However, most new mums want the time with Baby, preferring to take the four months at a stretch, and even, extending it with no-pay leave.Whatever you decide, let your bosses know early.

Making long-term plans is useful, says corporate communications executive Lydia Pereira, who fell pregnant with her second child last year. “I had to take extended medical leave during my pregnancy because of complications, and I didn’t want to be overlooked for an upcoming promotion just because I was away from work so much.

“So I spoke to my boss about my role post-maternity leave and discussed how I’d follow up on certain projects that had to be put on hold. I wanted to be able to pick up where I left off,” says the 35-year-old. “Talking about it with my boss showed that I took my career seriously and was keen to make a difference after I came back from my leave.”

While you may wish to fully focus on your baby during your maternity leave, it pays to stay connected with your bosses and team. Let your colleagues know which projects you want to keep loose tabs on, which major decisions you’d like to weigh in on and what you’d like to be kept updated on. It goes a long way to showing that you’re still committed to your job – and has the added benefit of helping you ease back into work when you return from leave.

This article was originally published in Simply Her January 2015.

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOMS AND CHESTNUTS

Serves 3-4

INGREDIENTS
For the marinade:
1 tsp salt
1 tsp potato starch
1 tsp light soya sauce
50ml water
1½ tsp cooking oil

2 tbsp cooking oil
400g boneless chicken, cut into pieces
1 clove garlic, peeled and pounded
50g shiitake mushrooms, roughly chopped
50g black fungus, soaked for 5min
50g chestnuts*, peeled
40g bell peppers, seeds removed, and chopped
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp salt
1½ tsp Chinese cooking wine (hua diao jiu)
250ml water
1 tsp potato starch

*Available vacuum-packed at the chiller section of major supermarkets.

DIRECTIONS
1 Combine all the ingredients for the marinade and season the chicken with it. Chill for 15-30min.
2 Add the oil, then the marinated chicken and garlic, to the preheated rice cooker. Stir-fry for 20 seconds.
3 Add the mushrooms, black fungus, chestnuts, bell peppers, oyster sauce, salt and 1/2 tsp Chinese cooking wine and stir-fry for 20 seconds.
4 Add the water, cover and cook for 5 to 10min.
5 Add the potato starch, mix well and transfer to a plate. Add 1 tsp Chinese cooking wine before serving.

SEAWEED GLASS NOODLES SOUP

Serves 3-4

INGREDIENTS
1 litre boiling water
20g ikan bilis (dried anchovies), soaked for 5min
2 pieces dried seaweed, roughly cut
100g spinach, roughly cut
100g asparagus
1 tbsp wolfberries
1 bunch glass noodles
¼ tsp salt
1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (hua diao jiu)
1 tbsp fried ikan bilis

DIRECTIONS
1 Add the water into the rice cooker.
2 Add all the ingredients - except the cooking wine and ikan bilis - to the water and cover.
3 Cook for 10-15min. Transfer to a bowl and drizzle over the Chinese cooking wine. Top with fried ikan bilis and serve.

BEANCURD WITH BACON

Serves 3-4

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp cooking oil
2 pieces beancurd, cut into pieces
40g bacon, cut into 5cm pieces
2 stalks spring onions, chopped
5 cloves garlic, peeled and pounded
300ml water
½ tsp salt
1 tsp light soya sauce

DIRECTIONS
1 Add the oil, then the beancurd to the preheated rice cooker. Stir-fry for 30 seconds.
2 Add the bacon and stir-fry for 1min. Add the spring onions and garlic. Stir-fry for another 30 seconds.
3 Add the water, salt and soya sauce.
4 Cover and cook for 5min until it boils. Serve hot.

CHEF'S RICE COOKER TIPS

Your rice cooker.
Basic rice cookers (the kind Mum used when you were a kid) heat up and cook faster than their more advanced counterparts (these come with functions to cook different types of rice). So use the timings in these recipes as a gauge and adjust accordingly – we used a 1.8-litre basic rice cooker.

Pre-heat for 3-5 minutes.
The rice cooker is ready when you feel a mild heat coming from the inner pot – place your palm just above the base to check.

Pick the right ingredients.
When creating your own rice-cooker dishes, use ingredients that take roughly the same time to cook so you don’t have to keep opening the appliance to add them, which affects the heat in the rice cooker.

This article was originally published in Simply Her January 2015.

Images: Starbucks and alice + olivia

Alert, alert ‒ Starbucks is launching its very limited designer collaboration with the brand Alice + Olivia tomorrow! The Stace Face mug, tote bag and Starbucks reward card will be sold in a set at $128 at Starbucks ION Orchard only, starting January 31, 2015.

Only like one item? That’s too bad ‒ these limited edition sets are predicted to be so in demand that Starbucks is only selling them in a set together, and limited to only one per customer too. Maybe you could grab a gal pal to work out a deal?

This collab isn’t just cute, it’s functional too ‒ the Stace Face mug is made of a double walled ceramic, designed to keep your coffee at the perfect temperature so you look and feel perky at the same time.

If you can’t get the tote or the bag, don’t fret. The Starbucks reward card will still be available at selected Starbucks outlets for $30, which comes with $20 stored value and other great coffee perks.

The Stace Face designer set, $128, is available at Starbucks ION Orchard only.

The roomy Burberry Banner bag we love. Images: Burberry

Feast your eyes on the newest structured bag on the block.

Burberry’s Banner bag has already been spotted on actresses Song Jia and Liu Yi Fei and singer Charlene Choi.

Actress Liu Yi Fei carrying an elderberry Banner bag

Actress Song Jia with a black Banner bag

Singer Charlene Choi with a nude blush Banner bag

This 'goes-with-everything-I-own’ bag is made of grainy calf leather, featuring the signature check cotton on the side and side buckle fastenings.  

It also has a magnetic press-stud closure and – like all reliable tote bags – comes with detachable shoulder straps plus a zipped central compartment to store valuable items.

The Banner is offered in small and medium sizes, with detachable shoulder straps

Burberry’s Banner is available in two sizes – small (measuring 26 x 19 x12cm) and medium (measuring 34 x 25 x 15cm) – and in five colours: black, dark red, dark bottle green, midnight blue and nude blush.

The small Banner retails for $2,095 and the medium Banner for $2,395.

Model Liu Wen with her dark bottle green Banner bag

The Burberry Banner is available at Burberry stores at ION Orchard, Paragon, Takashimaya and Marina Bay Sands, and also online at http://sg.burberry.com/womens-tote-bags/.

The Ritz Carlton

What: A romantic one night staycation in the premier suite, inclusive of roses bouquet and dinner for two in the hotel room. Relax with a butler-drawn bath filled with therapeutic oils of bergamot, lavender and geranium. You get to wake up with breakfast in bed too ‒ perfect for the lazy and/or stressed out couple.

Where: The Ritz Carlton, 7 Raffles Avenue

When: February 13-15, 2015

Prices: $999++ per night

Info: call 6434 5111 or visit ritzcarlton.com/singapore

Raffles Hotel Singapore

What: Arrive to the welcoming champagne and a bouquet of flowers. The suite also offers complimentary Singapore Slings, and $200 credit to use the spa facilities. The next morning, dig into a fine buffet breakfast. Tip: dress well and check in early; the complimentary upgrades are subject to availability.

Where: Raffles Hotel, 1 Beach Road

When: The Valentines Package is available from now until February 25

Prices: $840++ per night, depending

Info: visit the site http://www.raffles.com/singapore/

Hotel Clover

What: Check in to the welcome of Moet and Chandon champagne and Royce chocolates, followed up with complimentary (non-alcoholic) drinks at the minibar. Kick back in the deluxe room or take a walk around the vicinity known for being surrounded with hipster cafes. The package includes, of course, complimentary breakfast for two the morning after.

Where: 769 North Bridge Road, Hotel Clover

When: February 13-16, 2015

Prices: $268++ onwards

Info:http://hotelclover.com/

Orchard Hotel

What: Spoil your sweetheart (or get spoiled, hehe!) with a limo ride to the hotel and to an extravagant bouquet of 99 roses and a bottle of rose champagne upon arrival. But that’s isn’t all ‒ the highlight of this package is the diamond surrounded Tanzanite pendant strung on a 18K white gold chain that comes with your Premier Suite, Premier Lounge Club access, and on-hand concierge team.

As if this couldn’t get any more indulgent! On the special night itself, feast on a specially curated, nine course dinner. For breakfast the next day, enjoy it in bed ‒ with lobsters, champagne and a plethora of fresh juices. If you think you’d be too sad to leave, they even have a limo to chauffeur you all the way home.

Where: Orchard Hotel, 442 Orchard Road, Singapore 238879

When: February 14-15

Prices: $9999

Info: Call 6734 8595 or visit http://www.millenniumhotels.com.sg/orchardhotelsingapore/