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Borneo Post
27-07-2025
- Borneo Post
Off-road nature expedition to heart of Sabah
For lovers of the great outdoors, Sabah makes a bountiful adventure playground — from challenging terrains and majestic mountains to lush tropical rainforest and exotic wildlife. If you're a fan of off-road expeditions, the untamed roads of Telupid and Tongod, which lie smack dab in the middle of Sabah, offer a mammoth-sized challenge to conquer. Together with a team from North Borneo Pictures, led by renowned professional photographer Cede Prudente, and his team of professional photographers, plus other nature aficionados, I braced up for the once-in-a-lifetime adventure of off-roading and nature exploring in the heart of Sabah. Tawai Forest Reserve The small town of Telupid is located approximately a five-hour drive away from Kota Kinabalu city centre. Not many are aware that this town is home to one of the best virgin rainforests in Sabah — the Tawai Forest Reserve. As a Class I Forest Reserve, the thick foliage surrounding Tawai Forest Reserve makes it an ideal place for birdwatching and photography. Amongst the species of birds ever spotted here are the Oriental Darter, Dollarbird, Gold-whiskered Barbet and the rare Red-crowned Barbet. Even if you aren't much of a birdwatcher, the forest reserve still offers wonderful terrain for jungle trekking. There are also many species of plants to be spotted here, such as the Nepenthes rafflesiana pitcher plant. A caveat: the atmosphere at Tawai Forest Reserve is very humid. Do have an ample water supply handy at all times. Another great feature of the Tawai Forest Reserve is the clear and pristine Meliau River. After a long, hot day of trekking, a dip in its cool and refreshing water is a well-deserved reward. The Meliau River is also home to a school of the friendly neighbourhood Pelian fish 'masseuses', so don't be surprised when something starts nibbling on your toes while you frolic in the water. As for ticklish old me, I chose to swim with my shoes on. Once upon a time, Tawai Forest Reserve had also been chosen as the destination for the filming of a Scandinavian reality TV show called 'Girls in the Wild'. This reality show featured seven privileged 18-year-old Danish debutantes as they struggled for survival in the Sabahan outback. The highest peak in Tawai Forest Reserve is called the Microwave Hill. This hill is equipped with an observation tower on which you can enjoy a breathtaking view of Telupid town and its highly forested surroundings. Just before sunset, some of us defy our fear of height to climb up the observation tower for an awe-inspiring view of Telupid set against the vermilion sky in nature's embrace. Imbak Canyon Conservation Area (ICCA) Another off-road and trekking destination in the heart of Sabah is the Imbak Canyon Conservation Area (ICCA), which lies in the district of Tongod, circa five-hour drive away from Telupid. The first hour of the journey will be on a paved road, while the remainder of the journey will range from tumbling on gravelly roads to slushy mud-splattered trails. Surrounded by the Maliau Basin Conservation Area in the west and the Danum Valley Conservation Area in the north, the Imbak Canyon Conservation Area is a 30,000-hectare lowland dipterocarp forest with a montane heath forest of similar characteristics to Maliau Basin's. Like Maliau Basin, the river in Imbak Canyon also flows with similar tea-toned water due to dissolved tannins. Together, Danum Valley, Maliau Basin and Imbak Canyon are collectively known as the DaMaI Rainforest Complex. This rainforest complex spans around one million hectares and contains one of the last intact primary forests and wildlife habitats in Asia for endangered megafauna. The DaMaI Rainforest Complex also serves as a core conservation site in Sabah and forms the basis of a potential UNESCO World Heritage Site. In itself, the Imbak Canyon is a 'hidden valley' carved between sandstone cliffs that rise over 1,000 meters above sea level, making it a unique and visually stunning landscape. To most visitors, the main attraction of Imbak Canyon would be the 30-metre-wide Imbak Falls. Imbak Falls is located six kilometres away from Tampoi Base Camp, and it takes another 45 minutes to an hour's drive to reach. In addition to Imbak Falls, there is also a 120-metre-tall eight-tier waterfall in the northern ridge of Imbak Canyon, which was discovered by Raleigh International volunteers in 2004. However, getting there takes a four-day trek from the Tampoi Base Camp. Apart from that, a larger area of the canyon is still waiting to be explored. Other than spectacular waterfalls, Imbak Canyon is also home to an abundance of medicinal plants and other plant species, birds and reptiles. There are many high-quality commercial timbers found in the area as well as rare species of ferns, wild ginger and orchids. Sightings of wildlife such as the Bornean Elephant, Sambar Deer, Bornean Sun Bear and Clouded Leopard have been reported in the past. Birdwatchers will also be thrilled to find endemic bird species such as the Blue-headed Pitta, White-browed Shama, Black-throated Wren Babbler, Bornean Blue Flycatcher and Bornean Bristlehead within the Imbak forest. On our way back from the trek, we heard a high-pitched hoot on the horizon. Our forest guide stopped in his tracks and signalled for us to listen. 'That's a male gibbon calling his partner. The female recognises her l partner's call and returns it — something like singing a duet,' he said, 'and did you know that gibbons are loyal partners? They form a lifelong pairing once they mate.' I always find new lessons and thrilling stories in nature. Luckily, Sabah holds an abundance of these untold narratives, bursting to be heard. For more information, get in touch with North Borneo Pictures Sdn Bhd at SD 11, iJM Garden Villa, Mile 6, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia. Telephone number: +60178987069, or email: [email protected]. Visit the website at
AsiaOne
28-06-2025
- Business
- AsiaOne
9 free budgeting apps to help you manage your expenses (2025), Money News
It's 2025, and if you're not using budgeting apps, you're missing out on a world of convenience when it comes to tracking your spending. Whether you're looking for a basic app or want one that's packed with features, there's bound to be an app for you. Forget trawling through Excel spreadsheets. Simply enter your expenses into an app — or better yet, link your bank account and let the app do the tracking for you! You'll find out at a glance how much money you'll need for your upcoming holiday or home purchase. Goodbye tedious spreadsheets, hello sleek interfaces. Oh, and did we mention that all the apps featured in this list are free, or include a free version? With a plethora of apps out there, it's never been easier to make a budget and stick to it. TLDR; here's a comparison of the best budgeting apps in Singapore App name Best for Bank account syncing Subscription fees to upgrade to paid plans Household Account Book Budgeting newbies who love cute cartoons No, manual entry required Free Spendee Multi-wallet & currency budgeting Yes with Premium plan, otherwise manual entry with Free and Plus plans S$2.98/month (Plus), S$8.98/month (Premium) Dollarbird Calendar-based forecasting with collaboration No, manual entry required Pro: US$4.99/month (S$6.38) or US$39.99/year (S$51.16) Pro Unlimited: US$6.99/month (S$8.94) or US$59.99/year (S$76.74) Dobin Loans, credit card rewards, smart financial tracking Yes Free Money Manager Feature-packed budgeting with charts & calendars No, but you can arrange automatic debit for credit or debit card bills by linking your card. Free, or S$8.98 one-time (Premium) Monny Gamified budgeting with cute design No, manual entry required Free, or S$3.98 one-time (Premium) MoneyNote No-login, no-frills budgeting No, manual entry required Free Fortune City Budgeting gamified as a city-building sim No, manual entry required Free YNAB Structured budgeting with expert support Yes US$14.99/month (~S$19.18/month) or US$109/year (~S$139.48/year) (after 30-day free trial) 1. Household Account Book - for budgeting newbies who love cute cartoons If you're a fan of cutesy stuff, Household Account Book wins for its adorable cartoon illustrations featuring its mascot Pisuke. The app is pretty simple to use; enter your income and expenses to see how much money you have at month's end. You can also see a breakdown of your expenses in pie chart form. One quirky feature of the app is a comic of two friends on their savings journey — the more you use the app, the more of the comic you can read. Plus, it even offers downloadable wallpapers for your phone. This is a great choice if you're looking for a user-friendly app that's not overly complicated. Why we like it: A cute mascot that encourages us to track our expenses daily. What we dislike: Needs more functions, such as an option to export data to excel or sync your bank account. 2. Spendee - manage unlimited wallets effortlessly on-the-go Spendee's free plan is ideal if you're just getting started and want to manually log your income and expenses. It gives you access to a single cash wallet and lets you categorise your spending to track where your money's going. However, bank account syncing is not available with this plan. Upgrade to Spendee Plus at $2.98/month to unlock more flexibility: Create unlimited cash wallets for different purposes (e.g. travel, events, hobbies) Manage multiple currencies — handy if you travel or spend across countries Share wallets with a partner or family member Set and monitor custom budgets for better financial discipline Connect crypto and e-wallets (like PayPal) If you want to fully automate your tracking, go for Spendee Premium at $8.98/month. This tier includes everything from Plus, but adds the ability to: Sync with your bank accounts directly Automatically import and categorise transactions Get a holistic, real-time view of your financial health Whichever plan you choose, you'll get a 7-day free trial to explore the premium features before committing. Why we like it: Easy and intuitive user interface, plus comes with bank account syncing, multi-wallet and currency support. What we dislike: The lack of widget support means you can't update your expenses as easily (e.g. from the lock screen). 3. Dollarbird - calendar-based budgeting with a touch of AI Dollarbird makes budgeting feel as intuitive as updating a calendar. Its visual-first, timeline-based layout helps you track your expenses day by day, while giving you a forward-looking view of your finances. What really sets Dollarbird apart from other budgeting apps is how intelligently it handles your money data. Its automatic balance forecasting doesn't just reflect your past spending — it actively learns from your habits to predict how your finances will evolve over time, helping you plan ahead with greater confidence. The app also features AI-assisted categorisation that becomes more accurate the more you use it, saving you time by sorting your transactions intuitively. On top of that, Dollarbird supports built-in collaboration, so you can manage shared finances with your partner, family, or team without the confusion of separate tools or spreadsheets. You'll also get: A clean calendar interface to log transactions Real-time daily/monthly balance updates Cloud sync across all devices Note that bank account syncing is not currently available for Dollarbird. Their argument is that manually inputting your spending makes you more aware of it. Here's how the pricing compares: Plan Price (Monthly) Price (Yearly) Calendars Team Members Pro US$4.99 (S$6.38) US$39.99 (S$51.16) 20 3 Pro Unlimited US$6.99 (S$8.94) US$59.99 (S$76.74) Unlimited Unlimited Business Contact for pricing Contact for pricing Unlimited Unlimited Why we like it: The AI-powered forecasting and categorisation tools are genuinely useful, and its shared-calendar format makes it perfect for joint budgeting. What we dislike: You'll need a subscription early on to get the most value. While you can try the app for free, core features like collaboration, syncing, and forecasting are only available with a paid plan. 4. Dobin - Track and compare credit cards rewards, compare loans Singapore-based Dobin aims to help you save, spend and track your expenses better through AI and data analytics to ensure you have a clear view of your finances. The free app links your accounts and cards, automatically tracks your spending, and sees your monthly expenditure so you can spend smarter and adjust your goals accordingly. It's not just a budgeting app though. Based on all that data on your financial habits, Dobin's credit card recommendation tool can help you find a credit card that's suitable for your needs. Dobin also collates and categorises thousands of discounts from brands, saving you precious time searching for shopping deals. An app that not only budgets for you but also aggregates deals and credit card promotions — what's not to like? Additionally, Dobin can also help you fund big-ticket purchases by giving you access to personalised loan offers from trusted banks and lenders. Use the app to compare loan options and find the best rates and terms for your needs. To boost your chances of approval, you can securely share your financial data through the app-making the application process smoother and smarter. Why we like it: You get p ersonalised credit card and loan recommendations tailored to your financial situation. Plus, the app is completely free — Dobin makes money through commissions from merchants and financial institutions when you use a discount or apply for a new credit card or loan. What we dislike: Transactions are not shown in real-time. Refresh your accounts to see the most recent transactions. 5. Money Manager - efficient and feature-packed With its simple, no-frills interface, Money Manager is ideal if you're looking to budget efficiently with minimal fuss. Its double-entry bookkeeping system records all transactions across your accounts while its handy calendar view lets you review your spending weekly or monthly. Clear and organised charts show categorised spending breakdowns like loans and insurance, and you can set budgets for each category. You can also arrange automatic debit for credit or debit card bills by linking your card. You also have the ability to edit currency exchange rates and delete your autocomplete history. The free version comes with plenty of features already, while the paid version ($8.98) requires you to make a one-time in-app purchase for lifetime use. This paid version gets you no ads, access to the PC version for web use, and unlimited assets. On the free version, your assets are limited to 15. Why we like it: Ability to link your card means you don't have to manually track every spending. What we dislike: There are a bit too many ads if you're using the free version. 6. Monny-Gamify your budgeting journey Let's face it, budgeting isn't the most fun activity. Enter Monny, with its friendly namesake bunny mascot and whimsical graphics of an enchanting theme park that is guaranteed to make budgeting more pleasant. Playful appearance aside, the app's simple dashboard that monitors expenses, comprehensive reports and customisable accounts make managing your finances, dare we say, a delightful experience. One possible disadvantage is that bank account syncing is not available, so you'll need to key in your expenses manually. Some with data privacy concerns might feel this is more secure, but others might find this troublesome and more effortful. Unlock the premium version with a one-time purchase ($3.98) to access charts of your top 10 expenses, annual spending trends graphs and pie charts of your monthly spending broken down by category. Plus, you'll have an ad-free experience and passcode lock as an added security feature. Why we like it: Budgeting feels less like a chore when you are playing a game while doing it. What we dislike: Most of the features are locked behind the paid version. 7. MoneyNote - no registration or sign-ups required Hailing from Japan, MoneyNote is a simple household account book app designed to be as easy and hassle-free to use as possible. There's no need to register and no in-app purchases to make — all app features are free. Log your expense or income on the input screen and it automatically creates calendars and reports. Generate annual and monthly analysis reports to learn your average monthly expenses and percentage for each category. You can also set fixed expenses and income, and export your reports as CSV files. Plus, if you're all about aesthetics (maybe you arrange your apps by colour gradient), you'll love that MoneyNote offers 20 vibrant themes and 25 app icons for endless customisation. Why we like it: All the app features are free! Plus, the ability to export reports as CSV files makes it convenient to transfer your reports between devices. What we dislike: There's no way to directly link your bank account, which makes manual input the only option for tracking your expenses. 8. Fortune City - bookkeeping meets city-building fun Fortune City turns budgeting into a fun and engaging experience by blending financial tracking with a city-building simulation. You can monitor your balance weekly, monthly, or seasonally, and use advanced search functions to gain insights into your spending habits. As you record your income and expenses, your city grows and flourishes into a beautiful metropolis. This gamified approach helps you develop good habits, while the intuitive interface makes it easy to track spending and categorise transactions with just a few taps. Plus, you get to compete with friends to see who has the most prosperous city and rise through the ranks, giving you more reasons to chase after those financial gains. Why we like it: You can visually track the improvement of your spending habits over time as your city grows. What we dislike: User interface might be confusing at the start, due to its nature of both being a game and a budget tracker. The dual-nature also means the tracking part isn't as developed as other more serious budgeting apps, so there's no way to link your bank account. 9. YNAB - making the most out of your dollar Short for You Need A Budget, YNAB is more than a budgeting app — it aims to change the way you approach your finances. At its core is the principle of giving every dollar a job, which means assigning each dollar a savings goal. This helps you prioritise your spending and provides a buffer for unexpected expenses. Its intuitive interface makes it easy to set and maintain budgets, track spending in real-time and adjust goals as needed. You can either add transactions manually or link accounts to see the big picture of your finances. If you have loans, the app calculates the time and interest you save with every dollar paid, helping you to spend mindfully and live within your means. YNAB stands out from the other apps on this list by offering tons of resources including a dedicated support team, live workshops, online tutorials, guides and more — truly an encouraging buddy on your financial journey. Here's the main con of YNAB: It's only free for 30 days. After this trial period ends, you need to be on a subscription to continue using the app. So it isn't actually a free app, but we're including it because of its popularity and rave online reviews. No harm trying it out! Monthly Plan: US$14.99/month (~S$19.18) Annual Plan: US$109/year (~S$139.48/year)-that's US$9.08/month, or ~S$11.62/month Why we like it: The integration of online tutorials and workshops makes it feel more useful than just a simple budget tracker. What we dislike: As mentioned, it's not a totally free app beyond the initial 30 days. [[nid:719050]] This article was first published in MoneySmart .
