The Budget is out. Water prices are set to go up, and along with it the prices of your favourite hawker delights. Now, more than ever, Singaporeans could use life hacks to live comfortably, without searing too big a hole through their pockets. Get more and pay less.

1) Perhaps one of the simplest and most-cost effective hacks is to get a thermos or any other durable water bottle.

According to Euromonitor International, in 2015, Singaporeans spent $134 million on bottled water, which translates to a 25 per cent increase from five years ago. This, despite the fact that tap water here is perfectly safe to drink.

So fill up your personal bottle instead of buying a plastic bottle of water. That’s at least a dollar off your tab at the hawker centre. For a list of options, go here.

(Source: Independent)

2) Are you a freelancer? Need a quiet place to do your work, but can’t afford to pay for a co-working space? Or perhaps you’re simply too tired of jostling for seats in a cafe?

The solution might lie in the many Community Centres (CC) in Singapore. Their reading rooms are usually fitted with air-conditioners and wireless services. All you have to do to enjoy these perks is sign up for a yearly membership, which would costs less than a week’s worth of espressos in a cafe.

(Source: People’s Association)

3) If you would like a health screening, but are afraid to fork out a fortune, fret not. For the cost of $15, NTUC Income’s Orange Health Screening will determine your BMI,  blood pressure, lipids profile and fasting blood glucose level — the four tests “commonly used to detect  diseases early for people who look or feel well”.

(Source: NTUC Income)

4) One cannot live by bread alone, as the saying goes. Feeding your mind need not cost you money, either. Find the right resource online and you have a world of entertainment and education at your retina-tips.

One of the best sources of free documentaries, audio books and education courses has to be Open Culture. Been meaning to learn a foreign language? Perhaps you’re a fan of the K-Wave and would like to speak to the stars when they visit Singapore? Look no further than here.

(Source: Open Culture)

5) When all is said and done, there is nothing quite like a good bottle of liquor to wind yourself down. What of the inflated prices, you might say?

Here is the hack to heck the expensive middlemen. Go to paneco.com and get premium liquor with little fuss and at the best prices in town. Choose your favourite drink and make your purchase through our secure server.

It’s as easy as that, and your choice liquor will be delivered to your doorstep the next shipping day.

What are you waiting for? Get more, pay less. Make your orders now.