FRANK by OCBC 3rd Birthday Bash at Orchard Gateway

Happy 3rd Birthday, FRANK!

Cheers to many years ahead!

FRANK by OCBC held a birthday bash last week in celebration of their 3rd birthday. The party was held at their newest branch, conveniently located at Orchard Gateway. This is their 5th branch so far, and I have to say that is an amazing feat having to achieve this in just 3 years!

FRANK by OCBC branch at Orchard Gateway

The FRANK by OCBC branch is pretty easy to locate, being on the same level as the Somerset MRT station. It will not be difficult to spot the hip and cheerfully-decorated store, with its big signboard and tastefully-ceiling hung lamp lights.

 

Dressed up in OCBC's corporate color (red) for the party. ;)

Arriving at the birthday bash, I spotted some familiar faces, and we took some photos at the photo booth. Kudos for the props such as the gigantic FRANK card of varying designs. Yes, there are actually more than 100 designs for one to choose from when one signs up for a FRANK Credit or Debit card.

Photo Booth fun, with instant photo prints given!

Champagne is definitely most apt for such a celebratory occasion.

So bubbly was popped, and we got to toast!

Guests at FRANK's 3rd Birthday Bash.

FRANK invited two speakers to share their experiences and their trying moments while on the path to achieve their dreams. The first speaker was Joanne Soo, a gutsy and determined lady whom had scaled to the top of Mount Everest in 2009, alongside members from the Singapore Women's Everest Team. She shared photos and snippets of her climb, her 5-year long preparation and the challenges faced. After hearing about her experience, it had me to conclude that the preparation for something is as equally important as the end result. The sharing session was definitely useful for me, as I was in talks with some friends few months ago, to climb to the base camp of Mount Everest. Yes, I am thinking of that, but first, let me train up my mental and physical health haha!

The founder of Dutch Colony Coffee was the next speaker, which he shared his road to success to establish a career fueled by his interest for coffee. His takeaway from his session was to never give up. We got to drink freshly-made coffee, with latte art to boot!

My Flat White.

3 years and counting, FRANK by OCBC has always been advocating on financial independence so as to achieve your dreams. Rolling out a campaign whereby they have 4 principles which they strongly believe in, this will be an answer to all of you out there who wants to LIVE YOUR DREAM!

FRANK will show you the frank way to work towards it.
With franknes, simplicity and sincerity. ;)

These are the 4 principles...

 FRANK's 4 PRINCIPLES:

SAVE: I save before I spend.

INVEST: I amplify my wealth.

PROTECT: I use protection

SPEND: I enjoy small indulgences.

Let me show you how we can use these

4 FRANK principles to realise our goals!

#1 - I save before I spend:

Before spending money, we need to have money. And how we can get it through our own effort? Simply by SAVING part of your pocket money or monthly salary. I always have this habit to set aside money, in case of rainy days, or when I have the occasional desire to get a bag or to go on a trip. Most importantly, my habit for saving came especially during my Uni days when I had to set aside at least S$1K monthly from my part-time work to pay for the semester course fees (Didn't want to take any study loans, nor money from my parents).

Opening a FRANK savings account may be ideal for you if you have several "wants" that you would like to save up for - Say, for a vacation trip, first car, desired electronic gadgets, etc. This is because FRANK has the online 'Saving Jars' feature whereby account holders can create sub-accounts which one can then set aside money for each of the sub-account. This is a very unique and useful feature in my opinion, and if you really need to withdraw the money from the sub-accounts in case of some financial emergencies, you are most free to do so anytime.

On top of that, FRANK account pays you a higher interest rate of 0.2~0.4% per annum for the money saved. There is no initial deposit for all, and no monthly service fee (if you do not keep the minimum) if you are below 26 years of age.

When I was handed this jar of golden coin chocolates at the

FRANK birthday bash, an immediate thought of my $1

Singapore coin saving habit came into mind.

Apart saving a part of my monthly salary, I keep these $1 coins till

it fills a jar that I have up to its brim, before I deposit them

into my saving account.

This was the pile of $1 coins which I used as my prop

for the above pictures.

I decided to stack them up in sets of ten S$1 coins,

and this was what I have saved so far.
Yes, the total amount of it can have me to go on a short vacation, buying a wallet, smartphone, tablet, etc.

#2 - I amplify my wealth:

If you want to increase the money that you already have, and to get more than the interest amount from your regular savings account, investment may be what you can look at. FRANK provides a channel for the account holders to invest in blue chip shares, which you can buy in smaller numbers and not the standard lot of 1000 shares. All this at a low investment of $100 a month.

Of course, NEVER step into the world of investment if you do not have knowledge on equities! I don't wish that you will get 'burnt'. Please go read up on the basics of equities investment...In addition, you can consider to make full use of FRANK's Young Investor Programme, which you can access to investment tips and attend exclusive investment talks by investment experts. ALWAYS rememeber to invest in only what you understand, and not because of what people tell you to buy.

Thanks to FRANK by OCBC for the Bluetooth Speaker! 

I hope my wealth will amplify with the investments

that I plan to do, in time to come! :)

#3 - I use protection

You know how important it is to save, just in case of rainy days. But take one more step, and protect yourself against the unexpected. FRANK's way of financial freedom also means to keep yourself well-insured, so that your family and you will be financially prepared if there is a health crisis. This is something that I make sure that I have. In the event of any accident or death, I know that I will not be a financial burden to my family. There are several insurance plans available in the market, such as for health, endowment or travel.

All the jobs that I work require me to go for overseas business trips. The company ensures that all staff are well-covered with the necessary travel insurance plan. I also purchase ad-hoc travel insurance each time I go for my personal vacation trips. It may range from S$20+ to S$100 per trip, but it gives me a piece of mind should I require medical assistance abroad, or when my flight is delayed, or the case of a missing baggage.  

Endowment plans are suitable for people who do not prefer to invest in equities as there is a lower risk when it comes to this. The returns may not be as much as equities, but it is better than the typical savings account. Partnering along with insurance protection, it is like a two-in-one plan which perhaps caters more to people who wants to see some financial returns and to have some insurance coverage.

I make sure I am not just well protected whenever I cycle...

But when it comes to being covered by insurance,

I know I am well-covered too!

#4 - I enjoy small indulgences

You may have known me as the lady who loves dining, spas and massages, manicure, luxury bags and accessories. And what if all these indulgences come with SMALL indulgences? Isn't that great? That was why I applied for the FRANK credit card! (Disclaimer: I applied for it in March 2014, way before I attended this birthday bash.)

 This is my FRANK credit card.

I chose a classic, understated design for my card. :)

Credit cards (CC) are very useful for me. I need not bring much cash out and I get to enjoy various deals and promotions all year round, just by using them! In addition, depending on the particular credit card, I do get to earn points or rebates whenever I sign for my purchases with my credit cards.

I signed up for the FRANK credit card as I tend to do abit of online shopping. By using the FRANK credit card to pay for my online shopping purchases, I will get a 6% cash back if I spend at least a $500/month. What's more is that I get  0.5% cashback for all other purchases. In this way, it is extra savings for FRANK credit card holders!

Of course, credit cards come with the danger of overspending. That is why #1 principle is VERY important ---  I SAVE BEFORE I SPEND. NEVER sign for purchases using your credit card if you do not have the means to make the payment when it is due. It is not worth to pay the interests or late payment charges. Furthermore, keeping a good credit record certainly helps for loan approvals in future when you take a bank loan for a car or property.

If you are below 18, or that you earn below the minimum income, or is simply afraid that you may not be able to pay the CC bill on time and in full which will then rack up unnecessary surcharges... Get a Debit Card instead. It does its job similarly to a Credit Card, but you can only sign for purchases based on the amount you have in your savings account. 

Thanks to FRANK for the credit card thumbdrive!

The design is actually one of their 100++ designs which you can

select from, when you sign up for a FRANK Credit or Debit card.

You can visit any of FRANK stores to check out the card designs!

I am sure that there will be something that you can relate to,

and make it like your identity. Hee!

I liked how close my own personal beliefs and practices are very similar to FRANK by OCBC's four principles of financial saving and freedom. I hope that this post may assist you in start fulfilling those dreams and goals that you have, as you embark on a life from while you were schooling, to your first job and so on! It all starts from SAVING.

To stay updated for exciting promotions...

And how to LIVE YOUR DREAM THE FRANK WAY...

Click **HERE** for FRANK Facebook Page!!

Click **HERE** for FRANK Twitter Page!!

Check out the hashtag #FRANKturns3 on Facebook and Instagram for photos from those who attended the birthday party!

A big thanks to FRANK by OCBC for the luggage!
And the enjoyable evening at the newest branch in Orchard Gateway!

If you have followed me on my Instagram account >>>  @felizaong,you would have known that there was a contest to win 3D2N stay at W Hotel Singapore, courtesy of FRANK by OCBC. The contest have ended. But fret not as there will be another contest for you soon! Thus, follow me on Instagram, and watch this space! CIAO!