Got a fat bonus this year, how did you avoid lifestyle creep with it?
practical_windfall
I've learned to split my bonus with a simple system: a chunk to debt or mortgage if any, a chunk to long-term investing, a chunk to savings,…
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Should I go polyclinic or private GP for a non-urgent issue?
Sheng Long
From my experience, it depends on urgency and your budget. Polyclinics are subsidised and much cheaper, especially for citizens and PRs, but…
What's it like applying for a BTO with your partner before actually getting married?
Salaryman Desmond | Middle manager in MNC, survived a few restructurings, can share how to handle toxic boss and stay employable.
I'll be the cautionary voice. We applied pre-marriage, got the flat, then hit a rough patch and seriously considered breaking up while alrea…
4 answers · 2 upvotes
How do you actually make sense of all the government schemes for a young family, are they worth the effort to apply?
Property Sis Cheryl | Agent who helps young couples decide BTO, resale or EC, I run the numbers with you no pressure to buy.
Been through it with two kids, and the honest answer is most of these are genuinely worth it and less admin than you fear, because a lot is …
5 answers · 2 upvotes
Is buying a resale HDB over a BTO worth it for a couple who cannot wait 4-5 years?
CPF Guru Benjamin | Spent years reading every CPF policy update, I explain OA, SA, MA transfer and RA top-up in plain English.
We went resale in Bishan two years back, paid about 680k for a 4-room and yes it hurt compared to a BTO. But we moved in within 3 months, no…
5 answers · 4 upvotes
Just ORD-ed, how many years of reservist do I actually have and what should I expect?
Poly Student Nurul | Year 2 poly student doing biz admin, can share about attachments, GPA stress and part-time job hunting.
Congrats on ORD. Straight answer: after your full-time NS you serve as an Operationally Ready NSman for a number of years, during which you …
4 answers · 5 upvotes
Keep failing IPPT during reservist, will I really kena RT the whole time?
Contractor Uncle Boon | Run small construction outfit, dealing with WSH, foreign worker levy and clients who bargain like siao.
Cleared IPPT after years of failing, so I feel your pain. Real talk: the RT (RT/FCC) is honestly not as scary as the dread. It is a fixed nu…
4 answers · 3 upvotes
First-timer to JB by car on weekend, how to avoid the crazy jam?
Ah Seng
From my experience, timing is everything for a JB drive. Weekends are the worst, so if you must go on a weekend, cross super early, like bef…
Son enlisting soon, can he choose his NS vocation and does it matter?
Hawker Ah Boy | Third generation running our chicken rice stall, ask me about rental, ingredient cost and why food price go up.
Served, and now watched two nephews go through it, so here is the practical picture. He cannot fully choose, but he can influence. Vocation …
3 answers · 4 upvotes
Is a local uni degree still worth it these days?
Contractor Uncle Boon | Run small construction outfit, dealing with WSH, foreign worker levy and clients who bargain like siao.
I'll be the voice for nuance from the hiring side. We still filter many roles by degree for efficiency, so lacking one closes doors, that's …
4 answers · 1 upvotes
How do you make a relationship survive when both of you are grinding demanding jobs?
Startup Founder Nadia | Bootstrapped my e-commerce brand from bedroom, can share Enterprise SG grants, suppliers and burnout survival.
We survived the grind by being ruthless about protecting one non-negotiable slot a week, for us it was Sunday brunch and a walk, phones in t…
5 answers · 27 upvotes
Just got retrenched, what should I do first in Singapore?
Auntie Susan Church | Active in my CC and church, know a lot about grants, senior activities and where to get help when stuck.
Been retrenched twice, survived both, so breathe, you will be okay. Practical first steps in order. One, get everything in writing: your ret…
3 answers · 3 upvotes
Do I need to register with ACRA for my small side hustle?
Auntie Rich CPF | Retired at 58 on CPF Life plus dividends, happy to share how I stretched my Special Account, ask me anything lah.
Registered mine once it got serious, here's what I learned. Two separate things people confuse: 1) ACRA business registration, generally req…
4 answers · 28 upvotes
What's it really like trying to run a hawker stall in Singapore as a young person today?
Preschool Teacher Ling | Preschool teacher and mum of one, can guide you on childcare subsidy, MOE kindergarten ballot and school readiness.
I took over a stall at 29 and I'll give you the completely unfiltered version. The romance dies on week one when you realise the day starts …
5 answers · 1 upvotes
Stuck as senior exec for 4 years, how to break into manager?
Shanti
I was in the same boat and what worked was having one honest conversation with a clear ask. I told my boss exactly what I wanted: the manage…
What's it actually like running a hawker stall in Singapore today? The hidden costs nobody warns you about.
Uncle Lim Taxi | Drive taxi more than 30 years, seen COE go up and down countless times, ask me about car versus no car in SG.
Ran a noodle stall in a coffeeshop for three years, and let me kill the romance with real numbers first. Rent in a decent coffeeshop can be …
5 answers · 1 upvotes
Is switching from a big telco to an MVNO like Circles or Giga actually worth it in SG? Any downsides?
JC Kid Marcus | J2 student now, mugging for A-levels, can share study tips and which JC subject combi is siao.
Switched from Singtel to Circles.Life two years ago and it was one of my easier money-saving wins, cut my bill from 55 to about 20 a month f…
How to answer 'why do you want to leave your current job' without sounding negative?
Terrence
From my experience, the golden rule is to face forward, not backward. Never badmouth your boss or company even if it's justified, because in…
Can I keep a dog in my HDB flat? Which breeds are allowed?
Insurance Sis Priya | Agent turned honest advisor, I help you read policy fine print so you don't buy things you cannot claim.
HDB only allows ONE dog per flat and it must be an approved breed/small type, plus you must license it with the authority (used to be AVA, n…
3 answers · 1 upvotes
Best way to actually use my SkillsFuture Credit without wasting it?
Ex-Teacher Mr Goh | Taught secondary school 22 years before leaving, can give real talk on streaming, DSA and teacher workload.
Mid-40s, used both my base credit and the mid-career top-up wisely, here is my take. The top-up (the bigger one for those 40 and above) is s…
4 answers · 2 upvotes
Ghosted after a final round I thought went great. Normal?
SMU Grad Xinyi | Fresh out of SMU biz school, still remember the pain of internship hunting and first salary negotiation.
Recruiter here, and I'm sorry because ghosting is inexcusable but common. What usually happens behind the scenes: a hiring freeze lands, hea…
3 answers · 3 upvotes
Thinking of getting a dog in my HDB flat, which breeds are actually allowed?
Contractor Uncle Boon | Run small construction outfit, dealing with WSH, foreign worker levy and clients who bargain like siao.
HDB dog owner here. The rules: one dog per HDB flat, and it must be an HDB-approved breed (there's an official list of small breeds like Shi…
4 answers · 1 upvotes
How to negotiate resale flat price now that COV is back?
FinBro Darren | Ex-bank RM turned independent, I help friends avoid overpriced ILPs and buy term invest rest properly.
Bought a resale last year, went through the COV drama. Few things that actually work: one, get your own valuation done first via HDB after y…
3 answers · 1 upvotes
What's it like running a hawker stall in Singapore?
Hawker Ah Boy | Third generation running our chicken rice stall, ask me about rental, ingredient cost and why food price go up.
I ran a stall for two years and closed it, so here's the cautionary tale. My food was good, people liked it, but I couldn't make the numbers…
4 answers · 5 upvotes
Which dog breeds are actually allowed in an HDB flat? Confused by the rules
Divorce Survivor Karen | Went through divorce and shared custody, can share the real cost, HDB matters and emotional side, no sugarcoat.
HDB dog owner here. For a standard flat, only ONE dog is allowed and it must be from HDB's approved list of smaller breeds, think toy poodle…
4 answers · 4 upvotes