Partner wants to keep finances totally separate after marriage, is this normal?
clarinet_lady
We kept things mostly separate for the first few years and it worked fine because we both earned similar and had no kids. But the moment we …
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How much emergency fund is enough in Singapore?
Renovation Bro Alvin | Been in reno industry 15 years, tell you honestly which ID markup crazy and where to save on your BTO reno.
Sole breadwinner here too, so I hold more than the textbook 3 to 6 months, I keep 9 to 12 months of expenses because if I lose income the wh…
4 answers · 3 upvotes
What's the actual difference between AWS and 13th month?
Ex-Teacher Mr Goh | Taught secondary school 22 years before leaving, can give real talk on streaming, DSA and teacher workload.
In practice AWS (Annual Wage Supplement) and 13th month are the same thing, one extra month of basic salary paid usually in Dec. The naming …
4 answers · 1 upvotes
With COE so high, is owning a car even worth it for a young family?
Regular Sergeant Faiz | Was a regular for a while before switching out, can advise sign-on, vocation choice and BMT survival.
Ran the numbers hard before buying with two young kids. Truth: owning a car in SG is almost never the cheaper option versus Grab and public …
4 answers · 5 upvotes
How does CPF LIFE actually work when you turn 65, and did picking the plan matter? Real payout experiences wanted.
Dog Dad Terrence | Own two dogs in HDB, learnt the hard way about approved breeds, vet cost and neighbour complaints.
I helped my mum through this last year so let me break down the real mechanics. At 65 the money in your Retirement Account is used to buy th…
5 answers · 2 upvotes
Cheapest legit way to buy a new phone 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.
Bought many phones here, my ranking for value-without-risk: 1) Official brand store or authorised retailers (Challenger, Courts, telco store…
4 answers · 5 upvotes
What's it like negotiating a counter-offer after you already resigned in SG? Is it worth staying?
Property Agent Fiona | Licensed agent focusing on condo rental, help expats and locals not kena cheated by unrealistic asking price.
I took the counter-offer in 2022, a jump from 6k to 7.1k plus a 10k retention bonus with a 12-month clawback. On paper it looked great lah, …
5 answers · 2 upvotes
In-laws want to live with us after we get our flat, how to set boundaries?
Guo Wei
We went through this and what saved us was honesty early rather than letting assumptions build. My wife spoke to her parents directly and lo…
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…
Is a JB day trip actually worth it with the causeway jams?
Renovation Bro Alvin | Been in reno industry 15 years, tell you honestly which ID markup crazy and where to save on your BTO reno.
Regular JB-goer, it's worth it IF you play the timing and logistics right, otherwise the jam eats all your savings in wasted hours. My hard-…
3 answers · 4 upvotes
Taking over a hawker stall as a career, is it as romantic as it sounds?
second_gen_hawker
I took over my family's stall, so let me be blunt: the romantic image is mostly a myth. The hours are brutal, we're at the market before daw…
Is AWS (13th month bonus) guaranteed in Singapore or can company skip it?
Confinement Nanny Auntie Poh | Confinement nanny 18 years, helped many new mums with breastfeeding, baby sleep and confinement food.
Worked in HR/payroll, so let me clear this up. AWS (Annual Wage Supplement, the 13th month) is NOT required by law in Singapore, MOM encoura…
3 answers · 1 upvotes
What's it like servicing a 25-year HDB loan?
Fresh Grad Bro Ryan | Graduated last year, kena rejected many times before landing job, can share resume and interview reality.
Ten years into a 25-year HDB loan here. Honestly, day to day you don't feel it because our CPF OA covers most of the monthly installment, so…
4 answers · 16 upvotes
Friend showing signs of depression, how do I actually help without making it worse?
Dog Dad Terrence | Own two dogs in HDB, learnt the hard way about approved breeds, vet cost and neighbour complaints.
Helped a friend through this, and the biggest thing I learned: you don't need to fix it, you need to stay. What worked: 1) show up consisten…
3 answers · 3 upvotes
Adopting a cat in an HDB flat, is it allowed now and what to prepare?
Grab Uncle Raju | Driving Grab full time 6 years already, can tell you which platform pays better and how to survive as PHV.
Cat owner in an HDB flat, and yes the landscape changed, so here is the practical picture. HDB moved towards allowing cats under a proper ca…
3 answers · 4 upvotes
What's it like renting a room in Singapore as a young working adult?
IT Support Ah Kow | IT support for an SME, fix people's laptop and printer whole day, can recommend budget gadgets that last.
Whole experience depends massively on the landlord type. Live-in landlord means cheaper sometimes but more rules and less privacy. Fully ten…
3 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 second property still worth it after ABSD hikes?
CPF Guru Benjamin | Spent years reading every CPF policy update, I explain OA, SA, MA transfer and RA top-up in plain English.
ABSD 20% is a huge upfront drag and it completely changes the math from the old days. On a $1.5M condo that's $300k in ABSD alone, on top of…
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…
Poly diploma or wait to try for JC, which path for my average O-level kid?
Karen Foo
I pushed my elder child into JC because of prestige and honestly regretted it because she struggled and lost confidence. With my younger one…
How to answer "expected salary" without lowballing myself?
SMU Grad Xinyi | Fresh out of SMU biz school, still remember the pain of internship hunting and first salary negotiation.
HR here. Never give a single number, give a researched range and anchor to market. My script that works: "Based on my research for this role…
3 answers · 4 upvotes
IPPT tips, how do you actually pass (and hit the incentive money)?
Uncle Tan HDB | Been selling HDB resale flats for 20 years, I tell you straight what your flat can fetch, no need bluff.
Been through many reservist IPPTs from a desk-job body, here's the efficient approach for the 3 stations (push-ups, sit-ups, 2.4km run). Giv…
4 answers · 5 upvotes
Is SkillsFuture Credit actually worth using for a career switch at 35?
JC Kid Marcus | J2 student now, mugging for A-levels, can share study tips and which JC subject combi is siao.
Switched from ops to data analytics at 34, so real talk. SkillsFuture Credit alone won't get you hired, a 40-hour cert is a signal not a pas…
4 answers · 14 upvotes
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…
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…