For eating out, especially those zi-char stalls, you can ask for these simple requests.
1. Less salt
2. No MSG
3. Less oil
4. More vegetables eg cucumbers
5. More fish
6. Less chilli / pepper
Apparently, it made us feel better after eating a plate of freshly fried rice or a seafood hor fun (kway teow). Why did we want to have such requests? Apparently, there are quite a rampant amount of MSG added in our food these days and my wife is the indicator of it. Soon after she eats, her skin will feel itchy and she will be very uncomfortable. And quite a number of times, despite us saying 'lesser salt', the overall dish is still salty. I wonder if it is really a Singaporean taste to be both salty and oily.
For more vegetables, usually we would request to add additional $1 of green vegetables so as to enhance the fibre in the meal. Most of the dishes outside, vegetables are close to negligible and it is very important to add.
On saving money, you can ask for
1. Plain warm water (even though some places charge you for it)
2. No peanuts served (especially in restaurants)
3. No usage of their wet tissues
When we go to some restaurants, they automatically serve us peanuts and wet tissues and it may amount to $5-10, depending on the number of people that you eat with. Why don't you cater such amount to other dishes? Moreover, some restaurants are willing to give you their tissues (not wet tissues). In addition to the amount, we have to pay a 10% service charge and 7% GST, which will make the amount to $6-12. I know this may be a small amount to some people, but it can still be channelled to other foods.