Self-defense, especially for women is an important consideration to her survival against attacks and emergencies on a daily basis. Lucky are those who are trained to defend themselves using their skills as martial artists or fighters, but those who are on the average, tools can be of big help. Of course, you are allowed to carry specific tools depending on your country. For some countries like SG and TH, pepper spray and knives are not allowed and that a license to carry may be required. While the types of tools are completely of a personal choice, they give you better chances of seeking help and finding a way to escape by making them a part of your fashion!

1. OC Spray

OC (oleoresin capsicum) spray or known as Pepper spray is a common self-protection tool used by women. A spray of this defense tool contains a potent mixture of chemicals that can harm anyone. Best are the ones with tear gas component as it can heighten the effects. Gas initially irritates the sensitive membrane of eyes, mouth and nose, in turn, tearing of the eyes, difficulty in breathing and coughing can occur. Those types with UV dye mix are also great because it leaves a stain or mark to the perpetrator’s skin thus, it can make them an identifiable assailant.

Keep your pepper spray in your pocket or in an accessible area inside your bag where you can easily grab it when threat is detected. Presence of mind is a big help in saving your own life, you do not want to end up panicking and spraying the tool right before you. When you are ready to fire, see to it that the threat is in range and that you can hit him in the facial region, aim to blow his eyes with 1-2 bursts of spray. Bling accessory design of this kind is out in the market.

2. Alarm Wrist or Whistle

These alarm tools are purposely made to be hands free. A defense alarm can be designed as a wrist watch where you can defuse a threatening situation by pressing a push button that demands a sounding attention of at least 130 decibels. This is so much louder than relying on your voice for help. Good news is, attackers can’t just simply grab it and turn it off because it has normally a hidden disarm button at the back to silence it.

On the other hand, alarm whistles are commonly designed as necklaces that can be hidden under your shirt or can be concealed as a Titanium fashion accessory. Anytime you are in a dangerous situation, it’s just one whistle away!

3. Knuckle Lights

This tool is recommended for women who are active on the streets before the sun is up and when it’s down. It is designed to light your run or walk, in short, it creates a trail illumination. Added feature is the brass knuckles that are powerfully painful for someone thrown a punch. It also contains a lumen of brightness which can blind the attacker temporarily. Just remember to keep this device fully charged when before using.

4. Metal Claw

If you got long sharp nails, it might help you hurt your attacker but not as great as having a heavy duty plastic with sharp protruding edge weapon on your finger. This is where the natural self-defense act of scratching comes in that inspired Metal Claw. You can wear this in any of your fingers without the need to be retrieved from your stuff. Use your hands to fight an attack and scratch yourself a fighting chance. Metal claws are sold in various colors to choose from making it look like a finger accessory at a glance.

When we say “No!” to other people’s requests, we need to identify and understand our own reasons of declining. Although we may have our own whys and wherefores, here are four common reasons that explain why we need or want to say “No!”

1. You need to set your priorities

Sometimes you just really need to prioritize your interests and value your decision-making. You don’t need other people to dictate on what you should highlight and give attention to in your life. Think of the other more important things that you could do if you say “No!” to other people’s request that’s just petty and sometimes irrelevant. Again, conduct a thorough assessment for you to be able to know which ones deserve your “Yes!”.

2. You must establish boundaries

When it comes to declining a request, you need to establish your boundaries and set things straight. You have to be clear that you have limitations. This is important since they will know what you will and will not do for them. You must also establish your relationship with them for you to be able to know how much restrictions you will set towards them. You might find it comforting to let your walls up sometimes in order to protect yourself and your energy will not be drained in granting requests.

3. For better time management

In turning down requests, you will be entailed into allocating your time and efforts. Saying “No!” can help you manage your time more and evaluate which activities and events are more meaningful and useful to you. If you’ve accepted too much projects or demands from others, you might also get to hone your time management skills but of course you wouldn’t want to be in that situation all the time, right? Learn to say “No!” so that you will be able to give more time for the things that you want rather than fulfilling others’ needs all the time. Proper time management can contribute to a better life management which helps you set your goals and time frame.

4. Less stress and pressure

It’s always simpler and easier to say “No!” all the time since  you don’t need to deliver “the best”  efforts to all the tasks that you’ve agreed to complete. You’ll not get tired, burned out or overwhelmed by such requests from other peeps. Thus, this will protect you from stress and pressure. You don’t really need to strain yourself for others. It’s okay to be selfish sometimes and think of yourself. You deserve to relax and take a break from all the demands of your work or other people.

You do not want for life to pass you. Do not wait for the moment when you tell yourself “wish I had known these”. Life is hard if you spend the rest of your life regretting everything, it will be a lot harder. You will encounter many frustrations that annoy your deep contentment.

As early as now, you have to figure out what you need and make it happen. Singaporeans are busy but it does not mean that you let life pass you. Sometimes overly thinking of the future will keep you from the life that you love. Here are some things that you should know by the time you reach thirty:

• Do not worry about love: Most of your thoughts are occupied by love. You should know that love will take time. Do not sit around and wait for it because it will just come. Know how to love first and love will surely find you.

• Career is not exactly what and when you want it: You want a bright career to make your parents proud but sometimes careers will be dark and cold. It is the cycle of life. You should accept that your career is not exactly what and when you want it. It can be small and modest but it can still be meaningful.

• Do not buy things you cannot afford: Many people are unhappy because of wrong financial decisions like buying a house or car they cannot afford. Sometimes you have to accept your financial situation and make it work. Buy a small house and you will also buy peace of mind.

• People around you will eventually die: This is somehow the saddest thing that you have to come in terms with. As much as you do not want them to leave, death is part of life. You have to accept that people around you will eventually die and such tragedies should be faced.

• Treasure friends: If the friendship is worth keeping, no matter the distance, it should be treasured. Yes, you will find new ones but old and worthy friends are a treasure and it should be protected.

• Look good and feel good: You are too busy to notice what your body needs. Do not wait for other people to notice something. You have to look good and feel good about yourself. This will translate to a healthier mental state. If it makes you happy and beautiful, apply makeup. Simple things can make a difference at the end of the day.

It seems like we’re hearing a lot of new risks to our personal financial information lately, which is why it’s more important than ever to know the basic ways on how you can secure your finances. Whether you’re someone who manages everything online, or routinely files away his or her bank statements on hardcopy, the following tips will surely help in keeping your financial information from falling into the wrong hands.

1. Clean Your Wallet Regularly

Most of us carry too much identifying information on our wallets on a daily basis than we actually need. So make it a habit to regularly go through your wallet, and remove things like a credit card that you’re not using regularly. In addition, avoid keeping key documents like your social security card on your wallet, and store it in a safe deposit box instead.

2. Invest in a Small Paper Shredder

As much as possible, limit receiving paper mails about your finances to minimize ways on how your financial information can be acquired. Apart from limiting paper mails, consider investing on a small paper shredder so you can securely destroy bank or credit card statements after viewing it. Make sure that you shred credit card applications as well, as they can be a way for thieves to use your identity and access personal information.

3. Freeze Your Bank Accounts

If you’ve recently had your wallet stolen, or if you’re in a period where you don’t need new accounts, consider freezing your credit report. This works by restricting access to your credit report so no one will be able to open a new account without a personalized PIN. Doing this will make it a lot more difficult to illegally open accounts that are under your name.

4. Use a Passphrase Instead of a Password

Instead of using a password to open your bank accounts, consider keying in a passphrase by condensing a meaningless ‘word’ using the first letter of each word in the phrase. For instance, a sentence like “I like to shoe shop during paydays” becomes this password: IL2S$dPD. See how your password becomes a little more complex? Using such trick is what makes a big difference in creating a strong password.

5. Update Your Computer Security

Another way to protect your financial information is to ensure that you regularly update the antivirus and security software installed on your home computer. If you’re too busy to routinely update your security software, consider turning on your computer’s automatic updates feature. Doing this will definitely make you feel more secured even as you’re doing your personal banking at home.

6. Bank Smarter With Your Phone

Mobile banking applications have made handling our finances easier while being on-the-go. It’s important to be careful, however, and not open your banking apps on public Wi-Fi networks. Unless you’re logging in on your own hotspot, consider turning off Wi-Fi as you use your mobile banking apps. With this, your banking transaction will only run on a 4G or wireless carrier whose secure mobile encryption is proven to be safer than an open Wi-Fi.

Protecting your personal financial information is crucial these says. So keep the aforementioned tips in mind to ensure that safety of your finances.

They say people who love to eat are the best people. Every July, the Singapore Food Festival is celebrated by showcasing different Singapore cuisines. Like everyone, you enjoy eating in hawk centers or in restaurants all over the country. Just the aroma of the infamous Hainanese chicken rice makes your mouth melt and leaves you craving for this dish after your first bite. Or on a lazy night at your apartment, you are among the avid viewers of cooking shows where the contestants feature their own creative masterpieces.

You see them skillfully chop the ingredients and simultaneously put everything in the pan without breaking a sweat. They act so in control and you ask yourself what it takes to be like them. You get giddy and you gush – all for the love of food and cooking shows. If cooking is among the list of your things-to-do for 2016, you are in for a surprise with these easy starter guides for an activity that will make your stomach and heart full!

• Compile recipes

Start with the basics. Knowledge is indeed power. With today’s technology, recipes are just a click away. Assign a special folder in your computer for your recipes. Print-outs and magazine cookbooks are also good ideas. Initially gather recipes of your favorite dishes for inspiration and motivation. Bear in mind that something that you’ve eaten for nth times already will not be that hard to cook, right?

You, of all people, would know the right taste to your favorite food. Cooking is just like learning how to drive. Once you have taken the theory to heart, your cooking instinct will follow. Starting it right by having the proper knowledge will surely develop your cooking skills!

• Buy essential ingredients

After reading the compiled recipes over and over again, you will notice that certain spices are repeatedly used. There are basic ingredients which are ever present in cooking. Look up your compiled menus and check the common ingredients. Salt, pepper, onion, garlic – these are some of the most used spices. Be sure to stock handful of these in your kitchen.

Constantly seeing these will likewise motivate you to continue cooking meals after meals. It is also equally important to follow the proper storage of food items like meat and vegetables to ensure cleanliness of the food that you’ll be cooking and serving for yourself and your loved ones. Observing the Do’s and Don’ts in storing food will likewise maximize its shelf-life, leaving nothing to waste.

• Organize cooking tools

The pans that you will be using will depend on the kind of food that you will cook. You should know when to use casserole, pressure cooker or frying pans. The duration and the temperature of your cooking will be greatly considered in choosing the right cooking pan. The pan size must also be proportion to the amount of servings you plan to cook.

This will ensure an energy-saving and an efficient time for cooking. Measuring tools are part of your cooking tools. Even the professional chefs rely on these. As a beginner, organize your measuring spoons and cups. Familiarize yourself with the units of measurement indicated in the tools. It is also wise to keep a table of unit conversion for reference.

You might need to do unit conversions with what is indicated in the recipe versus what unit is available in your measuring tools. Be well-versed with approximation of volume per instrument. For instance, how many ml are there in one teaspoon? This should come easily once you are comfortable with the proper estimations. Ratio and proportion will also come in handy once you prepare dishes in bigger quantities in the future.

• Practice

Like in every activity, some first-timers have beginner’s luck in cooking. If you are fortunate, you might achieve desired taste on your first try. However, if you think you didn’t do well in your first try, do not be discouraged. Re-trace and review your steps if you missed something. Did the meat become too tender?

Is the dish too salty? Mistakes are stepping stones towards a more tasteful dish. Improvement in cooking will likewise be achieved through calibration. No one becomes a good cook overnight. Practice and take note of your previous lapses to prevent repeating the same mistake. Once you’re familiar with the ingredients, tools and recipes, nothing can go wrong!

• Garnish and serve

The one who cooks is as excited as the one who eats. Even if it is just an ordinary day of the week, always make sure your dish is presentable. Decorate and garnish the food. At the end of the day, cooking is all about labor of love and serving a hearty meal!

Food poisoning is not new here in Singapore although uncommon. For Singaporeans who experienced food poisoning, it can be unsettling and unpleasant even for healthy and fit person. If left unattended, food poisoning can lead to serious illness or worse – death. With this, as food handlers, it is important that we know food safety tips for the sake of our family.

Many people think that all food poisoning cases originated from restaurants and other food outlets however, we need to be aware that it can also come from our household. Our family can get ill from the foods we prepared at home. It is high time to you know food safety tips for your family’s sake.

Here’s the list of the tips:

• Wash hands: This is the most basic thing that you can do. Washing hands whenever you handle food should be observed. Washing hands mean including a lukewarm water and soap. It is crucial that you dry your hands before actually handling food. After handling raw foods like fish, meat, vegetables and eggs, you are required to wash your hands too.
• Clean worktops: Worktops should be sanitized often since it can entice bacteria. It doesn’t need to be antibacterial sprays, usually hot and soapy water is good. Cleaning the worktops before and after handling food should be practiced.
• Sanitize dishcloths: You have to know that damp and dirty dishcloths are the ideal breeding ground of germs. You need to sanitize it if you have plans of using it again. After washing with soap, you have to dry it. Once it is dry, then you can use it again.

• Employ different chopping boards: One common mistake here is using the same chopping boards for raw and ready-to-eat foods. Raw foods hold bacteria that spread easily. This is the reason why you should employ different chopping boards for raw and ready-to-eat foods. Do not forget to constantly sanitize it.
• Organize refrigerator: You just don’t put anything without arranging the food inside the refrigerator. The raw meats should be at the bottom of the shelf to avoid dripping. When there are ready-to-eat foods, make sure to keep it as far away from the meat to avoid the contact of bacteria.
• Cook thoroughly: When you cook food, make sure that it is steaming hot before serving. Restaurants have this standard cooking temperature to make sure that the foods are cooked thoroughly.
• Look for the dates: Do not consume foods beyond their ‘use by’ or ‘best before’ dates. Many people still use it especially if it smells and looks okay.

For a long time, a locksmith is simply a person with the skills in making and breaking locks. However, in the present day, this simple description of what locksmiths are has encompassed all aspects of security, from basic key cutting to multifaceted security systems for houses and businesses.

Kinds of Locksmiths

There are different kinds of locksmiths in Singapore. Know that some of them are self-employed, while others are employed by a company. You may find locksmiths in stores, while others are mobile. Some locksmith Singapore has a specific specialization, and so they concentrate mainly on one field of locksmithing. They can be automotive specialists, master key system specialists, safe technicians, or security consultants.

Insurance Requirements and Privacy Laws

Locksmiths in Singapore are experts in adding security to your home or business. Today, when you purchase home insurance, there are certain requirements you are required to meet. Locksmiths can help raise home security by installing necessary defenses against theft, from window and door bolts to improved security systems. Likewise, a locksmith in Singapore can also help increase commercial security for businesses. If you are a business owner, superior protection for your establishment is imperative. You cannot just settle for substandard protection with all the privacy laws requiring business owners to step up with their security measures.

Looking Beyond Skills

Every locksmith Singapore has the technical skills you are looking for. But what sets a good locksmith apart from your pool of options?
When hiring a locksmith in Singapore, their knowledge is not the only criteria you should look into. More than being skillful, the best locksmiths possess the following characteristics.

1. They are licensed. Professional locksmiths have licenses to prove that they are accredited. Freelance locksmiths may have no proof of their technical skills and professionalism, and so hiring one is not really a good idea. It will be good to ask if he is licensed by a certain association for locksmiths in your locale. If he is, then you can be sure that he follows certain standards when working.

2. They can provide you with referrals. Professional locksmiths have previous experiences working for other households and businesses in your locale. The clients a locksmith Singapore has serviced before can prove that they are excellent with their job. The best locksmiths in Singapore have a good track record, and happy clients will always speak for them.

3. They pass a background check. If you are really serious about enhancing the security system of your house or business, you will conduct a background check of the company you plan to hire. Professional locksmiths can provide any information you want from them. Likewise, if you are hiring one for the purpose of breaking into your property, professional locksmiths will also have to ask for proof that the property is really yours. If they don’t do so, that should be a red flag.

4. They have the right attitude. As a client, it’s good to look at the quality of the service of your locksmith. But make sure that you don’t easily get blinded by their work credentials. Aside from that, you must also take note of their attitude. The best locksmith Singapore is friendly, trustworthy, patient, and enthusiastic to work for their clients. Remember that you will be entrusting your possessions to them, and so it is important to hire one whom you are at ease working with.

If you own a house or a flat, then you probably know how important it is to keep it looking polished and well-maintained. Among the best beautifying techniques that many Singapore homeowners use on their homes is regular repainting. You don’t want to see faded or chipped off paints on the wall, so it’s very important to devote yourself to do a home painting project every few years. The frequency of having your property repainted depends on the size of your home and the type of surface to repaint. Some wood types need to be recoated every four or five years, while some won’t need a new coat until after 10 years or more.

However, house painting project is not just about painting alone; it also requires certain preparations in order to bring out long-lasting effect. Here are the tasks that most Singapore painting services usually do in their home painting projects.

Preparing the Area

The most important preparation step that all Singapore painting companies do is the preparation of the area. Your painting professionals will make sure that furniture is covered and protected to avoid permanent paint stains while they are repainting your walls. Even the floors are covered, so paints won’t stain them.

Peeling-Off Existing Paint

After everything is kept and covered securely, the next step is the peeling off of the existing wall paint. Some old homes may be using dangerous lead paint, so the crew will need to cover their body to avoid skin problems. Before applying the paint colour creative painting services from Singapore will make sure that dust, debris, and other foreign materials are completely removed from the wall. Paint scrapers are used to remove cracked or flaking color and sand paper to remove small bumps on the wall. The crew may also use electric sander to make completion of task much easier.

For removing loose materials, high-power water sprayer from colour creative is utilized to smoothly wash exterior wall surfaces. The crew also uses bleach solution and cleaning detergent to scrub off exterior wall imperfections.

Fixing-Up Wall Problems

Before coating the walls, it is important to fix any crack or chip found on the wall’s surface. The paint can’t stay longer if applied over a crack or chip. It should be filled first before coating it with color. In short, you may need to employ drywall services before proceeding with the paint application.

Selection of Colors

The last step that your colour creative painting services provider will do before finally applying the wall paint is the selection of colors. Your painting services contractor will help you decide on the right exterior and interior color combinations. Take note that reputable contractors only offer high-quality finishes that can stay longer and provide protection on surfaces against extreme hot and cold weather, humidity and heavy rains. Roller covers, primer, paint-can opener, brushes, drop cloth, gloves, roller extension pole, etc. are materials that painting services staff have on hand.

To ensure you give your home a classic look, it is important to hire a professional painting services company that can effectively offer a wide range of home painting needs that includes those aforementioned essential tasks.