About three months ago, I got married to my girlfriend, now my wife.
It’s been great, I tell everyone who asks.
I have heard some married couples saying that married life and dating life are not too different, and I can see why they might say that.
But for us at least, getting married has made a big difference to the activities we do together, even though we’re spending a lot more time with each other.
Married life takes work
My wife and I dated for over five years before getting married, meeting each other two to four times each week.
Looking back, it’s incredible to remember that on one Saturday in 2019, we spent the morning at the bird park, went for a late lunch, had dessert, went rock climbing, and still had energy to go for dinner and bubble tea before heading home.
These days, if we’re hosting a friend, for example, just cooking and cleaning can take a whole day’s worth of time and energy.
Getting married and moving out has placed lots of new demands on our time and our finances. It’s not a bad thing, of course, but our priorities have changed.
In this new phase of life, can we even afford to date anymore?
That’s the question we explored for this article, while also exploring the benefits of SAFRA membership through a (half)day out together.
The SAFRA clubhouse at Toa Payoh.
Signing up for a year of free membership
SAFRA membership, as you may know, is currently free for National Servicemen under the NS55 Recognition Package, and those eligible would have received a notification letter to register before Jul. 31, 2023.
New members can register for a complimentary 1-year membership, while existing members can register for a complimentary 1-year extension.
As a new member, all I had to do was fill in the registration form after logging in with Singpass.
Before long, I received an email confirming my new status as a SAFRA member, and I got my membership e-card through the SAFRA mobile app.
Our day
We started our date at Ya Kun Kaya Toast in the SAFRA Toa Payoh clubhouse.
Settling in at our table with toast and steamed bread, we caught up about our work weeks so far.
We also enjoyed a 10 per cent discount available to SAFRA members, exclusively at the SAFRA Toa Payoh outlet.
Over time, we didn’t plan dates as frequently
“We haven’t had a day out like this since we got married,” I mused to my wife as we headed to the pool.
SAFRA Toa Payoh has a full-length lap pool, a medium-sized kid-friendly pool, and a wading pool with water features.
She helpfully reminded me that we used to keep a list of possible dates, to which we’d add new ideas when inspiration struck and strike old ones off as we fulfilled them.
We realised that over time, we paid a lot less attention to the list.
Instead, our “dates” became more about running errands together, and eventually, wedding-related things.
Perhaps that was what my wife had in mind when she jokingly said, “We’ve not been married very long so every day feels like a date.”
As a SAFRA member, my entry to the pool was free (I just had to scan my QR code via the SAFRA app), and I was able to bring my wife in by purchasing a Guest Pass. She paid the non-concession rate of S$2.25 applicable from Mon. to Fri. (the rate is S$3.35 on Sat., Sun., and Public Holidays).
Looking back, I realise that we did in fact slide into a habit of just meeting to do normal things, instead of taking time to explore our common interests or enjoy each other’s company.
Perhaps swimming could be one of our ways back into a healthier dating routine.
It certainly helps that the pool looks as inviting as this:
After the swim, we caught some inspiration for a potential future date: The SAFRA-exclusive promotional pricing for movie tickets at Shaw Theatres:
SAFRA members get S$2 off the usual prices, regardless of which day you go. This means tickets from S$8 from Monday to Thursday, and for S$12.50 from Friday to Sunday, on Public Holidays and Public Holiday eves.
We then stopped by Yole for a pre-dinner snack.
Yole is offering a 10 per cent discount for SAFRA members, valid till Aug. 31, 2023 at 17 outlets across Singapore with a S$5 minimum purchase.
Frozen yoghurt saved us on many a hot day gallivanting around Singapore, and this was no exception.
A sweet treat made sweeter with 10 per cent off.
We ended off the day with a meal at Harry’s bar at Velocity, a place we’d walked past countless times but never tried.
Harry’s Jazz burger, made with a wagyu beef patty, bacon strips, and onion jam.
We were also drawn by the fact that as a SAFRA member I was eligible for a 15 per cent discount off F&B.
The promo is valid till Dec. 31, 2023.
Dating after marriage? Why not?
Our date as a married couple served as a good reminder that Special Dates didn’t have to be exclusive to our life before marriage.
In the same way, SAFRA membership privileges aren’t exclusive to men.
My wife can sign up for SAFRA membership under the SAFRA Family Scheme for just S$10.80 per year, under promotional pricing that is available till Jul. 31, 2023.
We’d already saved S$9.88 from our date, so it wouldn’t be long before we “break even” on the membership fees.
The SAFRA Family Scheme would allow her to enjoy the same benefits as ordinary SAFRA members, including member privileges at seven SAFRA clubs (including SAFRA Choa Chu Kang opening soon).
There are more F&B promotions, shopping and lifestyle promotions (such as 20 per cent off Crocs and Skechers, and 15 per cent off Under Armour and ASICS) and even discounted hotel stays in Singapore and overseas.
That can only mean that our future dates (a dining cruise with the Royal Albatross, or perhaps a trip to Sentosa to ride the 79-metre tall SkyHelix, both at 15 per cent off) will be more affordable.
Cheers to that.
This sponsored article by SAFRA helped the author finally sign up for his free one-year membership.
Top image by Nigel Chua