8 Self-Care Items And Services Worth Paying For To Combat COVID-19 Fatigue When Staying At Home
If you are feeling that this round of Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) (P2HA) is getting you down, you are not alone. While technically less restrictive than the first Circuit Breaker, this second round of P2HA just feels more tiring (and sian) than before. The repeated loosening and tightening of restrictions have sipped at our collective morale and finger-pointing at the various new clusters (*pointed look at the KTV cluster*) did not help.
There are joys of staying at home and here are some self-care items and services worth paying for to enhance your stay-at-home experience. If you have been putting off meeting with friends and missing birthdays, anniversaries and weddings, these also make perfect gifts and indulgences for others too.
#1 Housekeeping Service
This is a service that I can personally vouch for (not sponsored). If a daycation or staycation doesn’t sound appealing to you or is an indulgence you are not willing to spend on, consider a housekeeping service instead. There are housekeeping services that provide a hotelier experience by extra touches such as a bed turndown service that will transform your messy bed to a bed that won’t look out of place in a hotel room with fluffed-up pillows and neatly tucked duvets. You can also refer to our list of part-time cleaners/ housekeeping services for more options.
Between a weekend staycation or spending the money on a one-off housekeeping service, I did not regret a single cent I spent on the housekeeping service. Not only was my home sparkling clean (I have never seen my bathroom ever so clean), it is a pleasure that will last for a few weeks before my slob self takes over.
A clean house just makes staying at home a much more pleasant experience. Unless you really enjoy cleaning, spending the money for an occasional weekend without household chores can be well-worth the indulgence. Now that I’ve tried it, I’m definitely saving it as an idea for when I need to butter up my mother or as a gift for my busy mummy friends.
Cost: $40 for a 2-hour evening-only housekeeping service by Rooma or $84 for a 3-hour session by Helpling.
Read Also: How Much Does It Cost To Hire Part-Time Cleaners In Singapore?
#2 Premium Ingredients
To really take advantage of having a housekeeping service, cook up a storm in the kitchen before scheduling a housekeeper to come by and clean up your mess. Throughout this prolonged period of staying at home, even the most diehard dabao fan may have gotten just a little tired of relying on takeaways and food delivery. For the budding MasterChef, shelling out for some premium ingredients to try out new and exotic ingredients may be money well-spent.
Whether you are trying out new recipes that require ingredients not regularly found in the wet markets or just a more premium cut of a basic protein (e.g. wagyu vs regular beef), premium ingredients can be a good way to spice up the regular routine of cooking. Personally, I find that delivery really doesn’t do justice to steaks and sashimi, I prefer to cook these premium ingredients myself and sharpen my own cooking skills.
Cost: $21.50 for 400g of Salmon Sashimi by Fassler, or $59.90 for 1 kg of Grain Fed 100 Day Angus Beef Ribeye (Chilled) by QBFood
#3 Massage Chair And Devices
If you much rather sit back and relax, a massage chair may be a self-care item that is worth the money. If your back has been aching from all the work-from-home, a good massage may be exactly what you need. While you can still get a massage (with your mask on), massage chairs are a good at-home alternative. For those of us who are not willing to part with a few thousand dollars for a branded massage chair, a smaller massage device or even a foam roller can achieve similar therapeutic effects at a budget-friendly cost.
Cost: $19.99 for massage pillow on Shopee
#4 At-Home Spa Treatment
Slap on a sheet mask instead of wearing a face mask. Along the same lines of self-care, you may wish to pamper yourself at home with an at-home spa treatment. With personal care services such as facials and saunas being restricted, now is possibly the best time to start your own DIY spa treatments. Staying at home means a break from all the mask-wearing which could be causing “maskne” – acne induced by mask-wearing.
Cost: $2 for sheet mask on Shopee
#5 Pay For Sports Telecasts
For those who are keen sports fans, paying for sports telecasts may worth the money. Our sport-obsessed co-founder clearly endorses this principle and pays for the premium subscription to watch Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and The Premier League (EPL). While there are other ways of watching sports, paying for it not just gives a premium experience, it is also a way of supporting our favourite sports teams and the entire sports ecosystem.
Also, this could be the perfect gift for the beloved man in your life (father, son, spouse, friend).
Cost: $49.90 per month for Sports Plus by Singtel, the official telecaster for EPL in Singapore.
Read Also: Why I Started Watching And Paying For Sports Again In 2020 & 2021
#6 Virtual Fitness Classes
For those of us who not just watch sports but also engage in physical exercise, paying for virtual fitness classes may be worth the money as well. While there are plenty of free YouTube fitness videos to follow along, sometimes you just need the additional motivation. After all, I am definitely more likely to show up for an online class I paid for, instead of putting off my free exercise session.
If you already have a paid gym membership, check if they offer virtual classes as a complement to your existing membership. Additionally, a live fitness class could be a good way to get started with a personal trainer, before committing to one when in-person sessions resume.
Cost: Varies depending on studio and instructors.
#7 Virtual and Livestream Concerts
With restrictions on public events, music and party lovers may be feeling the lack of love. However, the pandemic has also catalysed a new category of live stream concerts.
Fans no longer have to be restricted by geography. Whether you don’t have the funds or are just simply unable to fly around the world due to border restrictions, you now have the option of watching a concert live via virtual live stream . With big names such as BTS to indie music makers available, there is no lack of options for every person.
Cost: Varies depending on the concert
#8 Plants And Gardening
Adding a touch of greenery to your home can be a good way to bring the outdoors in. If real and fur babies are too much effort, try your hand at the latest home trend: plant babies. You can try germinating your own plants from seed or buy a grown plant from the nursery or plant shop. House plants also make for appropriate house-warming gifts.
Plants and greenery can improve the quality of air indoors as well as add a touch of nature into our home environments. Gardening can also be a good way to destress. Edibles such as herbs and vegetables can also be a way to add variety and fresh greens to our diets while minimising our runs to the market for fresh produce.
Cost: Varies.
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