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Lifehack your Chinese New Year prep with these 8 apps now!

The festivities surrounding Chinese New Year brings joyous celebration to usher in a better year ahead. However, getting through CNY itself takes work. Making it a smooth affair is sometimes tedious. In our current age of technology, there’s an app for everything – and it’s up to us to use them in this time of need.

Here are eight apps that can help you make CNY less of a chore. As with all things online, exercise discretion and due diligence if you want to have a good start to the new year.



Grab (formerly GrabTaxi) (iTunes, Google Play)

Advanced booking can be a lifesaver for people who dread drawn-out house visiting duties. Schedule GrabTaxi bookings before your next stop and you’ll get an excuse to bounce early (Got to go, my transport is here!). We recommend this for those house visits you don’t want to stay very long for – be it your boss’s or an annoying relative with zero regard for personal boundaries.



Honestbee (iTunes, Google Play)

If hosting visitors is your responsibility, Honestbee can be a great aid for an emergency tidbit and beverage supply run. Pick the stuff you need from the app, and they’ll deliver them to your doorstep within the same day. Stay comfortable in your house without hauling those heavy cartons of drinks in this unpredictable weather.



Groupon Asia (iTunes, Google Play)

Need to organize reunion dinner parties for different groups of people in your life? Instead of trawling the web and cold-calling restaurants for seats, you can simply choose a restaurant deal from this app. You can also see all the CNY-related promotions from various restaurants, which is great if you need some variety in your menu.



Helpling (iTunes, Google Play)

No one said that you can’t hire an extra helping hand with spring-cleaning. This app lets you schedule a suitable time for the cleaning person to swing by. It also forces you to actually start cleaning up your place since you took the trouble to get professional help. Delegate your cleaning tasks, and get cracking. Payment is done online with the app, so you don’t have to worry about paying your assistant when they’re done.


So we've covered apps to help you commute (or escape from a relative), ordering food if you're hosting, a quick option to check out family reunion dinner locations at a good deal and an app to help you find someone to assist with your last minute spring cleaning needs.

But what about solutions to get new gear/cloths/stuff quickly, getting rid of older stuff, entertaining yourself and the guests? More lifehack suggestions on the next page!


Tinder (iTunes, Google Play)

Excellent for bored visitors and hosts, Tinder lets you find people you’d rather meet within the vicinity. With so many groups of people commuting about, setting your app to its minimum search distance will almost certainly give you fresh faces to swipe left to. Bonus: you can also expose relatives who are also using this dating app, and have a good laugh at the lies they write for their profile description.



Heads Up! (iTunes, Google Play)

If you're not familiar with the other visitors around you, pull out this party game from your pants. Players have to help the game host guess the word on the phone (which will be on the forehead of the player). Everyone takes a turn, and you’ll be conversing in no time. This is also ideal for people who would like to have fun without all the gambling that happens during CNY.



Lazada (iTunes, Google Play)

Out with the old, in with the new. Get new belongings at a discount from this app – it covers everything from clothes, to new home appliance, and gadgets. You can have your goods delivered to your house, and it would fulfill the need to introduce new stuff into your new year. Say goodbye to insane crowds at shopping malls around the festive period.



HardwareZone Forums (iTunes)

If you need a place to unload your old stuff after spring cleaning, there’s always our trusty forum with its massive buy/sell threads by our forum members. It’s also a treasure trove of tips and tricks for CNY preparation when the date draws near. Stay updated with breaking news and rumors on the go while you stalk the “betrayal” threads (yes, we know), while getting your real-life CNY duties fulfilled.


If you have other valuable apps that can help make CNY a better experience for everyone, share them in the forums, comments, or on our Facebook page. Happy New Year!