Confused about CPF top-ups, is topping up my SA actually worth it?
liquidity_first_sg
I deliberately went slow on CPF top-ups in my early 30s and I don't regret it, different philosophy. My reasoning was that in my 30s I value…
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Can I use my Medisave to pay for my parents' hospital bills?
Auntie Susan Church | Active in my CC and church, know a lot about grants, senior activities and where to get help when stuck.
Yes you can, Medisave is usable for immediate family including parents, spouse, children and grandparents. Went through this when my mum was…
What's it like going back for reservist every year?
Preschool Teacher Ling | Preschool teacher and mum of one, can guide you on childcare subsidy, MOE kindergarten ballot and school readiness.
Mixed feelings after 5 cycles. The camaraderie is genuinely the best part, you reconnect with a bunch of guys you'd never otherwise see, and…
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
Burnout is creeping in but I can't afford to quit, what actually helped?
steady_lah_uncle
My burnout came from tying my whole identity to my job. What shifted things was rebuilding a life outside work, even small, so the job stopp…
How does the bonus system work in Singapore?
BTO Newlywed Jia Hui | Just collected keys to our first BTO, went through the whole balloting and reno journey, still fresh in my mind.
In my experience, the bonus system in Singapore typically works on a performance-based system, where employees are awarded a bonus based on …
4 answers · 3 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
Best timing to drive into JB via Woodlands to avoid the massive jam?
Auntie Susan Church | Active in my CC and church, know a lot about grants, senior activities and where to get help when stuck.
Cross to JB almost monthly by car, so learned this the hard way. Timing is everything. AVOID Friday evening and Saturday morning going in, a…
4 answers · 5 upvotes
Best value SIM-only plan in Singapore now, worth leaving the big telcos?
Confinement Nanny Auntie Poh | Confinement nanny 18 years, helped many new mums with breastfeeding, baby sleep and confinement food.
Switched to an MVNO SIM-only plan two years ago, never looked back, but let me give the honest nuance. The MVNOs (the budget brands) actuall…
3 answers · 21 upvotes
PSLE stress is killing our family vibe, how did you cope?
letgo_mummy
Been through PSLE twice with my two kids. The biggest thing that saved us was accepting early that PSLE is not the end of the world, and act…
What's it like claiming MediSave for a delivery and hospital stay?
Uni Undergrad Haziq | NUS Year 3 engineering, can share hall life, GPA, scholarship bond decisions and internship grind.
First-time dad, went through it recently, so fresh memory. Practical tips that helped us. One, both parents' MediSave can be used for the de…
4 answers · 2 upvotes
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
Best way to find a good hawker stall that isn't just Instagram hype?
heartland_foodie
I stopped trusting the viral lists and started exploring my own neighbourhood coffee shops and older hawker centres like the ones in mature …
Completely burnt out. Should I take no-pay leave or just quit?
Confinement Nanny Auntie Poh | Confinement nanny 18 years, helped many new mums with breastfeeding, baby sleep and confinement food.
Took two months no-pay leave at the edge of a breakdown, and it probably saved my career, maybe more. Here's what I learned. First, see a do…
4 answers · 21 upvotes
Is it okay to job-hop every 2 years in the SG job market?
Elderly Caregiver Mdm Fong | Caring for my elderly parents at home, know about eldershield, home care grants and getting a helper approved.
HR perspective, and the honest nuanced answer, two years per role in your 20s and early 30s is broadly acceptable now, especially in tech an…
3 answers · 2 upvotes
Renting a room in Singapore, what should I watch out for as a tenant?
Kelvin
From my experience, always verify the person renting to you is the actual owner or an authorised agent, ask to see proof, because subletting…
How do you handle the classic why do you want to leave your current job question without sounding like you're running away?
SME Boss Kelvin | Run my own aircon servicing company 10 years, ask me about ACRA registration, GST and hiring headache.
Rule one, never badmouth your current boss even if he deserves it, because the interviewer immediately imagines you saying the same about th…
5 answers · 3 upvotes
Counter-offer from current company after I resigned, should I stay?
Yan Ling
I turned down a counter-offer and I'm glad I did. The classic pattern is: they match your salary now because replacing you is expensive and …
SIM-only vs telco contract with phone, which actually saves money?
Property Sis Cheryl | Agent who helps young couples decide BTO, resale or EC, I run the numbers with you no pressure to buy.
Did this exact math last year and switched to SIM-only, saving roughly $40/month. Here's how to work it out properly. The "free" phone on a …
3 answers · 4 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…
Need to sell HDB but haven't hit MOP, what happens?
Data Analyst Wei Ling | Work as data analyst in a bank, can advise on breaking into data, SQL upskilling and which cert actually useful.
You generally cannot sell on the open market before MOP, full stop, that's the rule and there's no "penalty payment" workaround to sell earl…
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
Should I transfer OA to SA for higher interest before 55?
Bee Lian
From my experience, the OA to SA transfer is powerful because SA earns 4 percent versus OA 2.5 percent, and compounded over 15 years that ga…
Neighbour's renovation and noise driving us mad, what are our actual options?
peaceful_neighbour
Went through this with an inconsiderate upstairs unit. First, for renovation noise, HDB has permitted renovation hours and noisy work is res…
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