Do you remember The Entertainer?

We shared our love for our favourite app a year ago and you can read it here, and it is still our favourite dining app since. If you don’t already know, it is an app that entitles you to 2-for-1 deals for food, travel and lifestyle. Yes, you read that right. Buy 1 get 1 free – with no strings attached. We know how irritating it is when a promotion comes with all sorts of terms and conditions, so we are done with that nonsense and we are now loyal to The Entertainer.

You have no idea how much money this app has saved us for the past year, and come 2015, we will definitely purchase it again for a whole year of deals and savings. With over seven hundred and fifty offers for Singapore’s hottest restaurants, bars, cafes, spas and attractions, The Entertainer Singapore 2015 will take you through a year of unbelievable and unbeatable one-for-one fun. And if you travel a lot, be spoilt with the choices of over 250 participating 4 and 5-star hotels that are also offering two-for-one night stays!

Get The Entertainer Singapore 2015 before 31 December 2014 and enjoy an early bird promotion at S$60 for the mobile version of the app. That’s not all. On top of the early bird promotion, readers of ladyironchef get an additional 10% off the Entertainer App when you use the promo code: 2015LIC.

We share with you why this is one app that is the best Christmas present you can gift yourself and your loved ones, alongside some sneak peeks on the deals you can look out for in the app.

Here’s why you should get The Entertainer Singapore 2015 – the best 2-for-1 dining and travel app:

HOW AND WHERE TO PURCHASE THE ENTERTAINER

The Entertainer comes in two forms – a mobile app and a book. The offers in both products are standardised, and the expected savings for a full utilisation is S$89,000. New offers are regularly added to the app throughout the year, and each merchant offers three vouchers – they may be identical promotions, or a mixture of various offers.

Okay, now to the cost. Which may be quite a scare on first sight, but allow us to tell you why it is actually not that expensive after all. The app retails at S$75 and it can be purchased on the website or via your app store. The book retails at S$80 that comes in a collective form of individual coupons, and can also be purchased on the website or at selected bookstores. Each purchase lasts you till 31 December 2015.

As mentioned, there is an early bird promotion if you make your purchase before 31 December 2014. The app will go at S$60 and the book will be at S$75 with free shipping. Remember to use the promo code: 2015LIC to get an additional 10% discount. And trust us, you will get this investment back easily with all the savings when you dine out and travel.

USER-FRIENDLY INTERFACE AND NO STRINGS ATTACHED

No complicated procedures on how to redeem your deals. For the book, it is straightforward. They come in individual coupons, so every time you make a purchase, just present the respective ones and they will waive the item instantly.

The app is no rocket science, too. Upon activating the app, you will create a code for yourself, and every time you want to redeem a deal, just punch in your code, then have the merchant key theirs in, and we are done. The second item will then be free and waived from your bill.

You can search by categories – dining, travel, attractions, spas, hotels etc. And you can also search by areas, malls and cuisines.

Found your regular haunts, or places that you’ve been meaning to visit? Have them bookmarked and they can easily be found under your ‘Favourites’, so you’d not have to scramble to look for them when you need to do your redemption.

There is also a tab that calculates your savings. And we call this the ‘feel-good tab’. That inexplicable satisfaction when you see the ticking numbers… your decision to purchase The Entertainer 2015 is proven to be right.

ENJOY THE FINER THINGS IN LIFE… WITH THE BEST 1-FOR-1 PROMOTIONS

Now, where do we even begin? The line up of participating merchants is an enthralling one – expect the finest restaurants, bars, cafes hotels, spas, and attractions. Some of our favourite dining establishments – as well as new dining spots that we have been meaning to try out – include Bedrock, & Sons, Bitters & Love, Lime Restaurant, Fat Cow, Ben & Jerry and Zaffron Kitchen.

Let us illustrate how you can enjoy instant saving: You order a main course at a participating restaurant for S$42, and your partner orders another for S$40. The total bill would then be S$42 before taxes. It is as simple as this, and you now see how it is really buy one get one free?

The Entertainer Travel 2015 is also included as part of the package – it features over 250 free night offers at leading 4 and 5-star hotels across Asia and beyond. So it works the same way – you buy one night, the second one is free.

If you are a food lover and dine out often, there is absolutely no reason for you to not buy the app. So make sure you get it before 31 December 2014 for the early bird promotion. 365 days of feasting with the best 2-for-1 dining and travel deals with The Entertainer Singapore 2015. Get it now!

This post is brought to you by The Entertainer Singapore.

Words by Anlin Melina, photos by ladyironchef.

Henry Rollins famously wrote that he begs young people to travel to “have your mind blown, eat interesting food, dig some interesting people, (and) have an adventure.” I couldn’t agree more with him. However, travelling seems to be a luxurious and expensive thing to do for some people. Really? Well, it doesn’t have to be that way.

Here are 5 tips on budget travelling – let us show you how to get the best deals and save the dollar notes on your travel.

1. Plan early

Planning early for your travel will give you a lot of advantages, from flights to accommodations. Get your travel dates and number of friends travelling with you confirmed, and you can book your tickets way in advance.

Booking your flights early will give you a much cheaper price than booking it on the last minute – it can save you hundreds of dollars. The same goes for hotel accommodations. So try to plan about 6 months to 1 year in advance.

2. Stalk those sites

Airline sites, hotel sites, booking sites… Go to these sites everyday and check out the prices daily. You’ve got to do your homework if you want to get the best deals online. Look out for sales on special days where sites have huge promotions.

For example, I got my hotel at Waikiki strip at 70% off during booking.com’s Leap Day sale this year. So the point is to stalk these sites as much as you stalk your eye candy on Facebook.

3. Sign up for deals

There are lots of fantastic deals for restaurants, day tours, beauty and wellness, getaways, shopping and many more on the Internet that can give you up to 70% off the regular prices. But you would have to sign up (it’s all free, by the way) to get the insider news on the exclusive deals. Some of my favorite sites are Google Marketplace, Groupon, Bloomspot, MuchOnMe, and Gilt.

Travelling is food for the soul. Here are 5 Useful Travel Tips that will come in handy when you are exploring the world.

4. Walk, walk, and walk

Minimize the number of times you take public transportation and maximize the chances for walking. I find that walking around the city as a tourist is always a good idea, because not only that you can save money on transportation, walking can help you burn off those calories that you ate from all the gastronomic delights and discover many more sights of the city that you could have missed.

5. Make (international) friends

It’s not as hard as it sounds! Especially with the social media era now, there are many sites online that allow you to connect with people from all over the world who are very kind enough to host tourists in their humble abode.

Check out Couch Surfing (for bunking in at people’s house at no charge) and Airbnb (people renting out their apartments for short period of time and usually the rate is cheaper than hotels’) for some of these.

Another plus point for Couch Surfing and Airbnb is your hosts who are the locals will be able to recommend cheap and good restaurants in the area, or sometimes even offer to be your tour guide for a day or two. But especially for Couch Surfing, you would need to plan well in advance to introduce yourself to the couch surf community and find the right people to host you. And it brings us back to the first point again – plan early.

About the writer
Anlin Melina is a Business Administration and Economics student at the University of California, Berkeley. She was born in Indonesia, educated in Singapore and is currently living in the San Francisco Bay Area. She speaks and writes in English, Chinese, Indonesian and French, and likes travelling and writing during her free time. Melina has recently completed writing her first book, titled “Once Upon A Blue Sky”, which is a travel guide book on cities in the United States.

Travelling is the perfect time for us to discover ourselves. A simple getaway can do wonders for your soul. With prices of airline tickets falling faster than a soufflé, everyone should go for a holiday. Besides cheap flights from budget airlines, there are also occasional promotions from some of the best airlines in the world.

I’ll cut to the chase. While “stalking” airline websites, I saw some special offers from Singapore Airlines (SIA) which include cities in Asia like Beijing, Ho Chi Minh City, and Osaka. I’m really tempted by the flight promotions to Bangkok, Taipei, and Tokyo!!!

Singapore Airlines Promotion 2012
Travel Period: 01 – 29 Feb 2012
Sale Period: Till 8 Jan 2012

Singapore – Bangkok SGD$328 (incl taxes & surcharges)
Singapore – Hong Kong SGD$408 (incl taxes & surcharges)
Singapore – Taipei SGD$558 (incl taxes & surcharges)
Singapore – Tokyo SGD$598 (incl taxes & surcharges)
Click here to see the flight promotion

Note: This is not an advertorial. No monetary benefits were received for mentioning Singapore Airlines Promotion.

Outlet.com.sg is the ultimate shopping portal to get good deals at huge discounts in Singapore. From gorgeous travel destinations, to best restaurants, exciting activities, and value-for-money beauty services, they feature new deals daily at an unbeatable price.

What really makes Outlet stand out from the other deal websites in Singapore is the fact that they offer only good quality deals. The folks at Outlet are not just offering cheap deals. They are reshaping the whole experience of value-for-money luxurious deals.

I had the chance to try out some of the deals offered on Outlet, and it includes all you can eat Thai buffet, lavish Japanese feast, relaxing spa massage, and a luxurious villa stay in Bali.

With Outlet, everyone can go for nice holidays without spending a bomb.

$519 instead of $1040, 50% off 3D2N stay at Ranadi Villa in Seminyak, Bali by Villas International Property.

The deal includes Daily Breakfast + Private Pool + Spa Treatment + 2-Way Airport Transfer. Where else can you find a 3D2N villa stay for this price?

Even though the Ranadi Villa deal has already ended, you can check out the other deals on Outlet. Currently, they are offering a 3D2N stay in Nusa Dua retreat boutique villa resort for only $499!

200 Jalan Sultan Textile Centre, #12-02
Singapore 199018

I had a great time in Seminyak, Bali. The restaurant scene is simply amazing – there are so many nice restaurants with stunning interiors and good food. We stayed in Ranadi Villa and the service was impeccable.

Deal-of-the-day sites are redefining travel. But Outlet tops it all by giving you luxurious deals at affordable prices.

After this experience, this is no way I will settle for a normal suite or hotel when I go to Bali the next time. I shall work harder to earn more money and book a villa from Outlet.

Among the travel deals that they are offering, there are villas, cruises, 5 star hotels and packages to places like Bangkok, Hong Kong, Osaka and Taipei.

I think surfing Outlet’s travel deals page is a sin. All the deals are urging me to click the “Buy Now!” button. Oh my god. I’m really tempted to book a villa for a getaway next year! Outlet currently has two ongoing Bali villa deals – you have no excuse for not going on a holiday!!!

It is impossible to save money when you feel the urge to travel all the time. But luckily for us, OUTLET offers fantastic travel deals at huge discounts.

$17.50 instead of $26.95, 35% off Thai ala carte buffet at Suanthai

Besides travel deals, Outlet also has many value for money dining deals. I swear they are plotting to make me broke and fat at the same time!

What better way to throw away that diet plan than to go for a buffet?

Suanthai is a Thai restaurant at Killiney road, which is known for their cheap and good Thai buffet. Choose from 28 Thai dishes including Green Mango Salad, Tom Yam Soup with Prawns, Famous Thai Green Curry and Chicken wrapped in Pandan Leaf.

Get the deal here!

101 Killiney Road
Tel: +65 6235 4126

$20 instead of $40, 50% off dining vouchers at San-sui Sumiyaki & Bar

San-sui Sumiyaki & Bar at One Fullerton is a good place to go for grilled skewers. The menu has a good selection of meat and some of the stand-out items include: Black Pork Belly ($6), Baby Lamb Rack ($10), Chicken with Leek ($5), and Beef with golden mushroom ($12). Besides skewers, they also serve sushi ($8-20) and sashimi ($20-25).

One Fullerton Road
#01-05 One Fullerton
Tel: +65 6423 1555

$20 for $40 worth of dining voucher!

What can I say? This is a steal! Hurry, gather your friends and go for a Japanese feast!

$45 for 1 hr massage by award winning spa, The Ultimate Wellness Haven

Perched at the top of Shaw Centre, The Ultimate Penthouse has a stunning view overlooking the entire Orchard Road.

If you are looking for somewhere for a good massage, then The Ultimate Wellness Haven is definitely on top of my list. The Ultimate Penthouse at Shaw Centre is one of the best luxury spas in Singapore.

The Ultimate spa is already sold out, but you can check out the $69 instead of $360, 81% off 90-Minute Massage for Couples by Urban Spa.

1 Scotts Road
Level 27
Tel: +65 6737 3383

Outlet also allows you to use their web coupons by showing it on your mobile to the merchant. Say NO to printing! Let’s do our part for Mother Earth.

Outlet is giving away a free iPhone 4S! *throw confetti*

All you have to do is like their facebook page, participate by clicking “buy now” on the iPhone lucky draw deal and proceed to check out, log into your outlet account and refer your friends to the lucky draw. More details about the giveaway here.