But then I looked at the prices. And I realized: here you either go all out or look for clever life hacks so as not to leave all your savings in a souvenir shop with magnets.

That's how I came across the "Tourist" card - purely by chance, in a selection of travel apps. I decided to give it a try, not really hoping for anything supernatural. But in the end, it was the tourist discount on this card that turned my vacation from "where to save on food" to "wow, I really get a lot done and don't spend too much." I'll tell you how it happened.

An app that actually works

Unlike thousands of other travel apps that promise discounts but are just scams, this one turned out to be convenient and adequate. It immediately determines where you are and throws up offers nearby. You can filter: if you want food with a view, get it; if you are looking for museums or parks, here you go. The interface is simple, everything is in English, but it is intuitively understandable even for a person without advanced English skills.

The first thing I did was look at what was available around Marina Bay. And there it was – free entry to Gardens by the Bay. Without a card – almost 30 Singapore dollars, with a card – nothing. Absolutely free. I didn’t believe it at first, but yes, I walked through the entrance, scanned the QR – and that’s it, you’re in. And this, by the way, is one of the most spectacular parks on the planet: superstructure trees, a light show, perfect architecture. And all this – simply because I had the right card in my pocket.

Discounts that really matter

After that, I started to study more carefully what else was available. And then the most interesting part began. SkyPark on the roof of the famous Marina Bay Sands - 40% discount. The view from there is simply fantastic: the horizon with skyscrapers, the bay, floating restaurants, ships going beyond the horizon. At such moments, you understand what you are paying for in Singapore - and how nice it is to pay less.

And then there was dinner. I wanted to eat somewhere with a view, but without the tourist crowds and inflated prices. And here it was — a restaurant by the bay, not on the first pages of Tripadvisor, without neon signs, but with an awesome view and cuisine. The discount on the card applied to the entire menu, not just to some dishes from the list. By the way, the waiter was even surprised that I was using this card — he said that not many tourists know about it. And it was a pleasant moment: it seemed like an ordinary dinner, but the feeling that you are not just a guest, but someone who knows how to travel wisely.

A holiday without the fuss

I don't like wasting time on vacation. Sitting with a laptop in a hotel and looking for a cheaper entrance ticket or where "according to reviews" the food is good is not my thing. "Tourist" freed me from this completely. Everything is at hand, everything works. I didn't think about how to save money, I just lived: walked around the city, visited places that I chose myself, ate where it was interesting. No imposed routes, only my personal adventure - but with benefits.

Why it's worth trying

I am not a fan of coupons and "best discounts" in general, because most often it is marketing for the sake of marketing. But here it is different. It really works. "Tourist" has become for me something like a personal assistant in travel, which tells me not only where it is interesting, but also where it is profitable. It does not irritate, does not strain, does not push 100500 notifications. It just works in the background and helps. And it helps well.

If you, like me, love to travel without a crowd of tourists behind you, but you don’t want to pay $50 for every ticket or meal, give it a try. Especially in expensive cities like Singapore. It’s not just saving money. It’s freedom.

P.S. No, no one paid me for this text. It's just nice to share something that was really useful.