5 tricks to survive in Singapore
New to this little island? Let us help you to feel like a local! You might be mistaken for a true blue Singaporean.
Just moved to Singapore? Bombarded with the new and vibrant culture here? Don’t worry, these few tips will make you feel like a true blue Singaporean!
1. Foodie hack 101
Did you know that Singapore is one of the most expensive cities to live in? Sometimes the cost of living in Singapore can get quiiiiite high, but luckily for us, cheap and affordable food is abundant in Singapore. 🍲
As such, there are hawker centres scattered around Cove apartments and they offer a wide variety of budget-friendly food too!
Now, what if I were to share with you that you can ask for extra rice in your meal without burning a hole in your pocket? All you gotta say is “Duo Fan” (which means more rice) or “Jia Fan” (which means add more rice), you probably only need to add around 30 cents or so!
If you wish to take away your meal, simply say “da bao” (which means take away) or “bungkus” (which means to be wrapped)!
You could also go on a hunt for the best hawker stalls in Singapore or hawkers near you and let us know which is your favourite!
2. Journey from A to B
Cove’s mattresses too comfortable and woke up late? Hate the morning crowd when everyone is rushing off to work with grumpy faces because it’s 8am in the morning? 😴
Instead of using public transport in Singapore, book a Grab! Grab is a convenient way to commute from point A to point B without having to worry about being squeezed together like a pack of sardines.
Especially when you get confused over the many MRT lines Singapore has. Downtown line, North-South MRT, East-West line, North-East line, Thomson-East Coast line, Circle line, so many lines! 🚅
A little tip: sometimes the cab fare on Grab is much cheaper than flagging a cab down the traditional way. All you need is the Grab app, which has many other functions too like ordering food, delivery services, movie tickets and even insurance!
3. The “paiseh” moment
( pronounced pie-seh) is Singaporean’s way of saying embarrassing. 👉👈
We all get caught up in embarrassing moments, like rushing for the train full of people only to have it close just seconds before you could reach it.
That’s where our mobile phones come in handy. Whip out your mobile phone and stare at it so you wouldn’t have to make awkward eye contact with the people on the train who witnessed your legendary fail.
Aren’t you glad we publish weekly articles? You can even look at Cove’s website and be awed at how beautiful our fully furnished room designs are!
It also works when you have given up your seat to someone and are now swaying uncomfortably in front of them.
Oh, the joys of being an A-star citizen.
4. Grocery shopping
With our modern kitchen design, cooking up a storm is a must and it usually needs pristine ingredients.
After toiling away at work, you come back home ready to stuff yourself but surprise surprise, your fridge has barely any food stocked. Don’t panic, Cove’s got you!
Redmart is an online grocery store where you can shop for your ingredients on your mobile phone without having to step into any grocery mart. They have everything you need, from vegetables to meat, and even your favourite snacks!
Simply add to cart and just wait for your orders to arrive at the doorstep. Now you’re ready to spruce up a meal and enjoy it together with your flatmates!
Seamless, isn’t it? Perfect for our inner sloth.
5. “CHOPE!”
Imagine heading out to a hawker centre with your colleagues, friends or flatmates but it’s really crazily crowded, that’s when your name card comes in handy!
No, you’re not making business connections, you’re going to put it on the table and “chope”.
Yup, you’re reading it right. It basically means reserving your seat in a public place so that you can order and collect your food without having to worry about other people taking your seats or table.
Other ‘accessories’ that can be used to chope seats are (but not limited to): tissue packets, umbrella, lanyard, water bottle, pen and many more. The possibilities are endless! Just don’t leave your wallet or your phone on the table!
P.S. check out Maxwell Food Center, one of the more popular hawker centres in the city!