Turning 55 soon, confused about CPF withdrawal and Retirement Account
Siti
When my mum turned 55 we learned a few things the hard way, so here's the practical version. At 55 the RA is formed and it holds the sum nee…
Explore
Show another setReal questions and answers popping up at random—scroll through whenever you have a minute. Tap a few more questions you're interested in, and this will gradually turn into "Recommended for you."
First time getting a dog in an HDB flat, what should I really know?
flat_dog_owner
First, yes, check the HDB approved breed list and get the licence sorted, that part's straightforward. The real challenges nobody warns you …
How do you actually negotiate a higher salary at a local SME?
negotiator_ah_beng
Negotiated up about 12 percent at a local SME last year. The trick with SMEs is they're less rigid but also more personal, so frame it right…
COE prices crazy high, should I just keep my old car or bite the bullet?
grab_or_own
Controversial take, but I gave up my car entirely and switched to a mix of Grab, public transport and occasional car rental for family outin…
Contract says I must repay my sign-on bonus if I leave within 2 years. Enforceable?
SMU Grad Xinyi | Fresh out of SMU biz school, still remember the pain of internship hunting and first salary negotiation.
Yes, clawback clauses are generally enforceable in SG if clearly worded, this is a standard retention mechanism, not a trick. Read the exact…
4 answers · 1 upvotes
With COE so high, is owning a car in SG still worth it?
Hawker Ah Boy | Third generation running our chicken rice stall, ask me about rental, ingredient cost and why food price go up.
Family with two kids here, we crunched the numbers hard. Owning a mid-range car all-in (COE, depreciation, insurance, road tax, petrol, park…
How do I ask for a raise after 2 years of no real increment?
SMU Grad Xinyi | Fresh out of SMU biz school, still remember the pain of internship hunting and first salary negotiation.
HR manager here, and asking is normal, not entitled, most people just do it badly. What works: come with a business case, not a grievance. D…
4 answers · 30 upvotes
BTO vs resale for a couple who wants to move in fast?
Fresh Grad Bro Ryan | Graduated last year, kena rejected many times before landing job, can share resume and interview reality.
We went resale precisely because we didn't want to rent and burn money for 4 years. Do the math properly: renting a decent flat is easily 2.…
4 answers · 5 upvotes
How do you mentally and physically prepare for BMT when you're not the sporty type?
Auntie Susan Church | Active in my CC and church, know a lot about grants, senior activities and where to get help when stuck.
Practical prep list from a fellow non-sporty survivor: start the 2.4km run twice a week and aim just to finish without walking, do push-ups …
5 answers · 9 upvotes
Thinking of opening a hawker stall, is it still worth it in 2026?
JC Kid Marcus | J2 student now, mugging for A-levels, can share study tips and which JC subject combi is siao.
Ran a noodle stall for three years, let me be brutally honest. The romance dies fast. You wake at 4am for prep, stand 12 hours in heat, and …
4 answers · 1 upvotes
Is tuition really necessary for PSLE or is it just kiasu culture?
Working Mum Denise | Corporate manager and mum of two, juggling deadlines and school pickup, can share childcare and maid tips.
Parent of two who went through PSLE, tuition is a tool, not a requirement. Diagnose before you spend. Look at his actual weak spots from sch…
3 answers · 5 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
BTO vs resale for a young couple, which makes more sense now?
Michelle Ng
We went resale and I don't regret it, but go in with eyes open. We wanted to live near my parents in a mature estate for childcare help, and…
Hotel banquet vs restaurant vs void deck wedding, which did you regret or love?
Pharmacist Hui Min | Community pharmacist, can explain generic versus branded medicine and why some things you no need doctor visit.
We did restaurant after fighting over exactly this, and zero regrets. Honest breakdown from attending all three types: hotel = polished, sea…
4 answers · 2 upvotes
Final round interview asks 'expected salary', how not to lowball myself?
Priya
I used to blurt out my current salary and it capped every offer. Now I frame it around total package. I say something like: 'My current tota…
What's it like switching careers into tech in your mid-30s in Singapore without a CS degree?
Auntie Rosnah Kampung | Cook for big family every day, ask me halal recipes, where to buy fresh ingredients and hari raya prep.
I made the jump at 36 from a marketing role into a data analyst position, no CS degree, self-taught SQL and Python over about 14 months whil…
Living with in-laws while waiting for BTO, tension building. How to cope?
CPF Guru Benjamin | Spent years reading every CPF policy update, I explain OA, SA, MA transfer and RA top-up in plain English.
Lived with in-laws for 3 years waiting for our flat, so I've been in the trenches. What kept the peace: first, your husband must be the one …
3 answers · 25 upvotes
Failed IPPT 3 times already, will I really get charged or sent for RT? NSman kancheong
Pharmacist Hui Min | Community pharmacist, can explain generic versus branded medicine and why some things you no need doctor visit.
Here's how it actually works based on my own experience as a 30-something NSman. Each work year you get an IPPT window. If you don't pass IP…
5 answers · 2 upvotes
BTO in a mature estate vs BTO in non-mature, which did you regret less?
TampinesUncle88
We took non-mature in Punggol back when it was still ulu and full of construction dust. First two years I complained non-stop, no proper cof…
Infant care centre vs grandparents for childcare, what did you choose?
Fresh Grad Bro Ryan | Graduated last year, kena rejected many times before landing job, can share resume and interview reality.
We did grandparents for the first year then infant/childcare after, and I'd recommend that combo if your parents are willing and able. Reaso…
3 answers · 3 upvotes
Confinement nanny worth the $3-4k? First-time parents deciding.
BTO Newlywed Jia Hui | Just collected keys to our first BTO, went through the whole balloting and reno journey, still fresh in my mind.
Had a confinement nanny for my first, mum for my second, both worked but for different reasons. The nanny was worth every dollar for a first…
4 answers · 4 upvotes
How do you cope with anxiety around money when you grew up poor?
grew_up_rental_flat
I grew up in a one-room rental flat and I know this fear intimately. What helped me was first acknowledging that the anxiety came from a rea…
Failed my IPPT, how does RT work and will it mess up my window?
Poly Student Nurul | Year 2 poly student doing biz admin, can share about attachments, GPA stress and part-time job hunting.
Cleared RT twice, no drama, here's the deal. Failing IPPT means you're placed on the Remedial Training programme, you complete a set number …
4 answers · 21 upvotes
In-laws want to be too involved in our marriage, how to set boundaries?
Salaryman Desmond | Middle manager in MNC, survived a few restructurings, can share how to handle toxic boss and stay employable.
The single most important thing: the boundary must come from your husband, not you. If you push back on his mother directly, you become the …
3 answers · 5 upvotes
Dating for 5 years but scared to commit because of housing and money
Cheryl
I felt the exact same way and honestly what shifted things was separating the wedding from the marriage. We were stressing over a big banque…