Because why do it yourself when a few clicks on your screen gets somebody else to do it for you? Davelle Lee gives you the details.
Because why do it yourself when a few clicks on your screen gets somebody else to do it for you? Davelle Lee gives you the details.
1 GET CAFE-STYLE COFFEE DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR
You’ll never have to brave the crowds at a hipster cafe ever again. Just get a coffee subscription. Try Hook Coffee (http://hookcoffee.com.sg), which sends you fresh coffee based on your taste profile for $14 an order. You can pick from whole beans, ground coffee, drip bags or Nespressocompatible pods. Cold brews are also available – at $35 for six bottles. If tea is more your thing, local company Gryphon Tea Company has a subscription service too (www.gryphontea.com/subscription), from $28.80 a month for 30 sachets from its Artisan Selection.
2 SHOP OVERSEAS, WITH A PERSONAL SHOPPER TO BOOT
Don’t be that annoying friend who asks other people to get stuff for you when they’re travelling, or gets major buyer’s regret when the goods you ordered online arrive at your doorstep. With Shopandbox (www.shopandbox.com), you just hand over a wish list, indicate which country to get it from, and the site assigns you a personal shopper (called a “Boxer”). Chat with the Boxer, and tell him which stores to get the items from before he shops for them. When they arrive, he’ll send pictures to make sure everything’s in order, and even remove unnecessary packaging to save on shipping fees. The goods will then be boxed in a single order and shipped to you.
Expect to pay a service fee of between 10 and 14 percent. Shopandbox has Boxers in 31 countries, including the US, Japan, France, Korea and Britain.
3 COME HOME TO A SPOTLESS APARTMENT
You aren’t keen on live-in or part-time help, yet don’t want to get your hands dirty with household chores. You need Butler in Suits (www.butlerinsuits.com). The service sends Home Managers with a 75-point checklist to take care of all the stuff you hate – changing the bedding, cleaning the inside of your microwave, wiping and disinfecting the toilet bowl, right down to basics like mopping. Besides keeping your living space clean, the Home Managers also take specific requests like emptying your mailbox, doing the laundry and even getting your grocery shopping sorted. Prices start at $330 a month for daily visits to a studio to two-bedroom apartment, and $240 a month for weekly visits.
4 REDECORATE YOUR LIVING SPACE WITHOUT GETTING OFF THE COUCH.
Online interior platform iDoo (www.idoo.io) does all the heavy lifting for you. Snap some photos of the room you want to redecorate, and indicate preferences like style, colour and budget.
Then, browse the portfolios of its team of international interior designers and select one whose work resonates with you. You’ll get concept proposals within a week, as well as a suggested shopping list of furniture from stores like Hipvan, Bibliotek, and The Commune Life. Pick the stuff you like, and iDoo will purchase it and get it delivered to you.
5 EAT CLEAN EFFORTLESSLY
Health-food eatery Yolo (http://yolofood.com.sg/meal-plan) designs delicious meal combinations based on the number of calories you want to consume in a day, and delivers the meals to your home. Choose a plan starting from $19.80 that includes one lunch and one dinner (packaged in microwavefriendly boxes so you can take them to the office), plus an afternoon snack (like almonds or a healthy smoothie). The bowls are designed by local chefs with the help of a nutritionist. If you prefer, you can build your own bowl. Each box has a label indicating the calorie breakdown.
6 GET LEGIT MEDICAL ADVICE ON YOUR MOBILE PHONE
Skip the queue at your GP’s or polyclinic with the Guardian-Mydoc app (available on the App Store and Google Play). Open a live chat with one of Guardian’s certified pharmacists or a doctor registered with the Singapore Medical Council. They’ll be able to answer basic health questions, provide general health advice, and answer queries on medication. We asked the pharmacist for a muscle-cramp remedy, and she offered a number of recommendations that included sports tape and two types of muscle rub. The app is linked to Guardian’s website, so you can get the necessary products immediately after speaking to the experts. Or if you’re feeling up to it, you can head for any of the outlets to pick up your order.
7 GET PROPER SUPPER GRUB SENT TO YOUR HOME
Singapore’s only supper-delivery service, Porterfetch (www.porterfetch.com) delivers food from popular late-night haunts like Swee Choon, Ponggol Nasi Lemak, and Geylang Lorong 9 Beef Kway Teow between 9pm and 3am. The company, which started operating in July, delivers islandwide. No minimum order is required, but expect to pay a service charge of 9 percent.
THEY STARTED IT FIRST:
1) Foodpanda, Deliveroo and Ubereats
They were here long before we developed our crippling reliance on apps to perform basic functions like feeding ourselves. What would we do without them?
2) Style Theory
This local designerclothing rental service has a waiting list of women itching to trawl through its huge wardrobe of more than 7,000 pieces from some 90 designers. For $129 a month, borrow three items for as long as you want. When you’re up for something new, just return them and pick another three items. Or you can swop out the items within the month, free of charge. (http://sg.styletheory.co)
3) Bottles XO
Get chilled artisan wines, ciders and beers delivered to you in under an hour, so the party doesn’t have to end when you run out of booze. There’s no minimum order or delivery fee. Pay in cash when the order comes to you, or do it online. (http://bottlesxo.com)
IF YOU’RE UP FOR SURPRISES, TRY THESE:
1) A mystery holiday
Leave the fuss of booking flights, accommodation, and even a destination to Anywhr (www.anywhr.co), a Singapore-based service that customises holidays based on your travel preferences and budget. Three days after you book, you get information on what time to be at the airport, weather information, and packing tips. A week before your trip, you get an envelope indicating your destination, a travelogue with tips on what to do there, and local currency worth S$30.
2) A changed-up wardrobe
If you hate braving the crowds to shop, and don’t mind mixing up your wardrobe, Lowinsky (www.lowinsky.com) gets a personal stylist to do it for you. For $60 a month, your stylist will pick clothing and accessories worth at least double that amount, from both mass and boutique labels, based on your style preferences.
3) A different cup of joe every day
Each month, Joe Curious (https://joecurious.sg) sends a filter or espresso roast bag of coffee beans – from a different international roaster each time – to your door. Think indie brands like Flight Coffee from New Zealand, Pilot Coffee Roasters from Toronto, and Casino Mocca from Budapest. From $30 for a 200-250g bag.
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