Singapore Figured Out

What Does "++" Mean on Singapore Menus? The Hidden 19% That Every Foreigner Gets Surprised By "I ordered what I thought was a S$28 dinner in Singapore. The bill came to S$33.40. I asked the waiter what happened — he pointed to the tiny '++' at the bottom of the menu. I had no idea what that meant." Updated September 2026  |  Written by Luna H You sit down at a restaurant in Singapore. The menu looks reasonable — S$18 for a main course, S$6 for a drink. You mentally calculate S$24 for dinner. Then the bill arrives and it says S$28.56. You look confused. The waiter points to a small "++ " printed at the bottom of the menu page. This happens to almost every foreigner in Singapore at least once. The "++" is not a typo. It's not a mistake. It's shorthand for two separate charges that are automatically added to your bill — and understanding exactly what they are, how they work, and where they don't apply will change how y...

How to Buy Medicine in Singapore Pharmacies: Guardian & Watsons Hacks, Pharmacist Rules & Prescription Traps (2026) Updated September 2026  |  Written by Luna H "The first time I walked into Watsons looking for a decongestant, the pharmacist asked for my passport and made me sign a form — I had no idea that was even a thing in Singapore."

How to Recover Lost Items in Singapore Taxis & Grab: Lost Phone Hacks, Police Reports & Driver Fees (2026) "I left my phone in a Grab in Singapore and didn't notice until I was already back in my hotel room. I panicked and called my own number — no answer. I had no idea the Grab app had a lost item feature. I spent 20 minutes searching online before finally finding it. By the time I submitted the request, the driver had already dropped off his next passenger and driven 15 minutes away. He still turned around and brought it back. I paid him $15 and felt like I owed him far more. If I'd known to tap that button the moment I got out of the car, the whole thing would have taken five minutes." Updated September 2026  |  Written by Luna H

How Singapore Dining Receipts Work: The 10%+9% Tax Trap, Wet Wipe Scams & Chope Etiquette (2026) "My first sit-down meal in Singapore was at a seafood restaurant in Clarke Quay. I ordered what I thought was a $28 dish and budgeted accordingly. When the bill came it was $47. I hadn't noticed the "++" on the menu, I'd eaten the peanuts and used the wet wipes without realising they were charged, and I had no idea GST was calculated on top of the service charge rather than on the original price. I paid it without saying anything because I didn't know I could have avoided half of it. A colleague explained the "++" system the next day. I've multiplied menu prices by 1.2 ever since." Updated September 2026  |  Written by Luna H Sitting down for a meal in Singapore often comes with a subtle form of sticker shock when the final bill arrives. A menu item listed at $20 can easily end up costing $23.98 or more due to layered...

How to Fix Power Trips & Electrical Issues in Singapore: EMA LEW Rules, Landlord Repair Traps & Fuse Box Hacks (2026) "I plugged in a rice cooker I'd brought from home and the entire apartment went dark. I had no idea what a DB box was or where to find it. I called a handyman I found in a Facebook group and he came over and fixed it for $50. Three weeks later my landlord found out and told me the handyman wasn't EMA-licensed and that any damage from his work wouldn't be covered. I'd unknowingly voided part of my lease terms to save money. A five-minute Google search before calling anyone would have told me I needed a licensed electrician and that resetting the RCCB myself was the first step I should have tried." Updated September 2026  |  Written by Luna H Plugging in an imported kitchen appliance and suddenly watching your entire Singapore apartment go dark is a classic expat rite of passage. Singapore’s high humidity, 230V gri...

How to Use Singapore Public Libraries as an Expat: NLB App Hacks, Libby E-Books & Foreign Membership Fees (2026) "I moved to Singapore on an EP and assumed public libraries were just for locals or students. Eight months in I found out I'd been eligible for a free digital myLibrary account through Singpass the entire time — no annual fee, no registration fee. I set it up in ten minutes and immediately got access to Libby for e-books, PressReader for international newspapers including the Wall Street Journal, and thousands of audiobooks. I'd been paying for three separate subscriptions that were all covered. When I eventually signed up for the physical membership I also didn't know about the PAssion Card fee waiver — I paid the $10.69 registration fee I didn't need to." Updated September 2026  |  Written by Luna H Singapore’s National Library Board (NLB) manages 27 state-of-the-art public libraries, offering world-class reading spaces, stu...

How to Ride Taxis & Grab in Singapore: Airport Surcharge Traps, Surge Pricing Hacks & Child Seat Rules (2026) "My first week in Singapore I booked a Grab from Changi Airport and was surprised when the final fare was $8 more than the upfront estimate. I didn't notice the airport surcharge disclaimer in the app. Two weeks later I was meeting a friend and booked a Gojek, but stood at the official taxi stand waiting. The driver kept calling me but couldn't stop there — private hire cars aren't allowed at taxi stands. He eventually cancelled. Then one rainy evening I opened Grab and saw a 2.8x surge. I paid it because I didn't know CDG Zig existed. Three separate mistakes in my first month that a five-minute read would have prevented." Updated September 2026  |  Written by Luna H Navigating point-to-point transport in Singapore goes far beyond hailing a traditional street taxi. With multiple ride-hailing platforms operating alongside lice...

How to Use Singapore ActiveSG Gyms & Courts as an Expat: Foreigner Rates, Singpass Traps & Booking Hacks (2026) "I'd been paying $150 a month at a commercial gym for four months when a colleague mentioned ActiveSG. I assumed public gyms in Singapore would be crowded and poorly equipped. She took me to the Tampines Hub ActiveSG facility on a weekday afternoon — air-conditioned, clean, well-equipped, and almost empty. Entry was $3.30. I cancelled my commercial gym membership that week and saved over $1,400 in my first year. I also tried to book a badminton court for my first weekend but had no idea the slots opened at exactly 12 PM and sold out in seconds. I logged in at 12:03 and every peak hour slot was gone. I've set a phone alarm for noon every time I want to book since then." Updated September 2026  |  Written by Luna H Maintaining a healthy lifestyle in Singapore can quickly become expensive, with private commercial gym memberships (such...

How to Handle Apartment Repairs in Singapore: Minor Repair Clause Traps, 30-Day Guarantee & Landlord Disputes (2026) "My washing machine broke down six weeks into my Singapore tenancy. I called a technician without telling my landlord first and paid $180 for the repair. When I sent the receipt asking for reimbursement, my landlord refused — I hadn't gotten written approval before hiring the contractor, which violated my tenancy agreement. I was out $180 entirely. A month later the aircon in the bedroom stopped cooling. This time I WhatsApped my landlord with a photo before doing anything. He arranged his own contractor, the repair cost $320, and I only paid my $150 clause portion. Same type of problem, completely different outcome — entirely because of one WhatsApp message sent before calling anyone." Updated September 2026  |  Written by Luna H When renting a condo or HDB apartment in Singapore, encountering broken appliances, leaking plumbing fixt...

How to Repair iPhone, Samsung & Electronics in Singapore: Expat Warranty Traps, AppleCare+ Hacks & Sim Lim Scams (2026) "I cracked my iPhone screen two months after moving to Singapore. I'd bought the phone in the US so I assumed Apple Care would cover it anywhere. I walked into Apple Store Orchard Road without a reservation and waited two and a half hours. When I finally got to the Genius Bar they told me my US model was missing a specific frequency band component they didn't stock in Singapore — they could fix the screen but couldn't guarantee full network functionality afterward. I ended up going to an Apple Authorized Service Provider nearby that had the right parts and honored my AppleCare+ co-pay rate. I could have found that out and booked an appointment in ten minutes if I'd known to check first." Updated September 2026  |  Written by Luna H Dropping your smartphone, spilling coffee on your laptop, or experiencing a vacuum br...

How to Bring Prescription Medicine to Singapore: HSA Import Permit Traps, 3-Month Limits & Banned Pill Rules (2026) "I moved to Singapore with a three-month supply of Zolpidem for insomnia — prescribed by my doctor at home, labeled with my name, completely legitimate. I had no idea it was classified as a controlled substance requiring HSA pre-approval. At Changi customs my bag was flagged and the medication was confiscated. The officer was professional but firm — no permit, no entry. I had to arrange an emergency appointment with a Singapore GP the next day to get a local prescription, which took another three days to fill. I'd also asked my mum to mail a refill from home the following month. That package was seized at the parcel gate. Two mistakes that one check on the HSA website would have prevented entirely." Updated September 2026  |  Written by Luna H Relocating to or visiting Singapore with personal prescription medications requires strict ad...

Singapore Appliance & Electricity Guide for Expats: Type G Plug Traps, 50Hz Voltage Disasters & SAFETY Mark Rules (2026) "I moved from the US and brought my Vitamix blender, hair dryer, and coffee machine. My first morning in Singapore I plugged in the hair dryer through a cheap travel adapter and the entire apartment went dark. The hair dryer was rated 110V and I'd plugged it straight into a 230V socket — the motor burned out instantly. I reset the DB box, unplugged everything, and spent that afternoon buying a step-down transformer. My coffee machine said 100-240V on the label — I just needed a Type G adapter and it worked fine. The difference between those two labels cost me $180 in a burnt hair dryer. Checking the power label takes five seconds." Updated September 2026  |  Written by Luna H Moving to Singapore with household electronics, kitchen gadgets, or high-end computers often leads to unexpected electrical headaches. Singapore operates...