ON OUR MINDS THIS MONTH MONEY MONEY MONEY

writer, in need of checks and balances

Lester is terrible with numbers. He steeps a single teabag through five cups of water so his tea stash won’t need to be replenished too often. There’s nothing wrong with that if he doesn’t mind drinking washed out tea ‒ plus it saves him $40 a year. But get this. Lester’s typical daily expenditure includes lunch that costs $7, Project Açaí’s Flower Bowl that costs $10, and a cup of Koi’s Yakult Green Tea at $5. He also indulges his shopaholic tendency, rationalising that it is necessary for him to feel that work is worth doing and life is worth living. Clearly, Lester isn’t doing his sums right. Or perhaps he’s just trying to convince himself that he has achieved a fine balance of austerity and indulgence.

fashion editor, believes in a good top

Those sexy boots from Celine? Wei Choong will have them in size 42, and in black, please. That T-shirt that costs way more than it should? Sure, he’ll take two because a good basic tee is always useful. A sheer lace shirt? His brain starts to disengage, but he adds the item to his shopping cart anyway. After all, one never knows when he will find another lace shirt like this. “It’s a good buy. I’m lucky Mr Porter still has it in my size ’cos it’s selling out everywhere else. Plus, I can wear it with my new flares and Celine boots for a cool new look. How can anyone not find any use for a lace shirt?” he justifies. Said lace shirt has arrived and now sits forlornly at the back of Wei Choong’s closet under a pile of new basic T-shirts.

senior writer, lose weight, save family

While Zul can easily resist the temptation to acquire luxury goods, he caves in when it comes to spending on extra servings at mealtimes. His expanding waistline certainly gives it away. Things have changed a little since he turned 30 though. While blowing out his birthday candles, he realised that his parents, despite being healthy, are also getting older. Experience has taught him that nasty things can happen when you least expect them, so a little extra cash in the pocket would come in handy should contingencies arise. Slowly but surely, Zul is moulding himself to become a more responsible adult. But of course, he’s not going to hold out on extra pearls at the bubble tea counter. At least not every time.

writer, in the rich man’s world

Despite having thriftiness instilled in him as a child,

Evigan still feels like an outsider when faced with an austere lifestyle. After all, while he may be a man of modest means, he has (by his own admission) somewhat expensive tastes. Although fine leather goods and luxury watches have their appeal, the fear of debt and bankruptcy has its way of keeping Evigan’s expenses in check. For now, he’s pulling every trick in his book to shore up on his savings. The timing could not have been worse though, with Alden’s new boutique and Grand Seiko’s

60th Anniversay collection just crying out for his credit card details. All he can do is to keep calm and press on, because these too shall pass.

AS THE WORLD FELL deeper into the grip of COVID-19, many were wondering if the Olympics would be cancelled like how they were in 1916, 1940 and 1944. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was initially adamant on going ahead with the Games in Tokyo this July, but pressure mounted as some countries publicly withdrew from it. Despite its reluctance, the IOC has announced that it will postpone the Games.

Without the Olympics, the host nation stands to lose some $850 million in organising costs, ticket sales and broadcasting rights.

Meanwhile, athletes and their coaches will, after years of blood, sweat and tears, miss their opportunity to attain sporting glory. On the other hand, going ahead with it presents an unthinkable public health risk.

Alas, these are exceptional circumstances, and a postponement appears to be the best compromise available. No firm dates have been fixed yet, but the Games will take place no later than the summer of 2021. Sporting events that have been scheduled for 2021 will have to make alternative arrangements with this new development. Meanwhile, the Olympic flame will remain in Japan as a beacon of hope. AM