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…
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."
What are the real pitfalls of buying a resale HDB versus waiting 4 years for a BTO?
Uncle Chua Retiree | Retired civil servant, now enjoying my pension and CPF Life, happy to chat about aging well and staying active.
Consider the renting-while-waiting math seriously because it can eat the BTO savings. We didn't want to stay with parents so we rented a roo…
5 answers · 12 upvotes
What's it like dealing with burnout in a Singapore corporate job?
Physio Coach Marcus | Physiotherapist and part-time run coach, can advise on IPPT prep, knee pain and not injuring yourself gym-ing.
Been there, corporate pressure cooker, dreading Mondays, running on empty. Here's what pulled me out. Step one was medical, I saw a GP becau…
How to tell a genuinely good hawker stall from a hyped/tourist trap?
SAF Officer Regina | Served as officer and now in corporate, can advise how to leverage NS leadership on your civilian resume.
After years of hawker hunting, my tells: 1) uncle/auntie queue over tourist queue, if the office crowd and neighbourhood aunties queue, it's…
4 answers · 1 upvotes
Can I really keep a dog in an HDB flat, which breeds are allowed?
Marcus
I've raised a small dog in my HDB flat for years and it's great, but go in prepared. Check the current approved breed list before you fall i…
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
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
CDC vouchers, how do I claim them and where can I actually use them?
Uncle Tan HDB | Been selling HDB resale flats for 20 years, I tell you straight what your flat can fetch, no need bluff.
Helped my elderly parents with this every round. How it works: 1) each household gets a claim link (announced via SMS/news), you claim once …
3 answers · 5 upvotes
Fresh grad offer feels lowball, should I negotiate or just take it?
Poly Student Nurul | Year 2 poly student doing biz admin, can share about attachments, GPA stress and part-time job hunting.
HR-side experience here, so let me demystify it. For fresh grads, yes you can negotiate, and no, a reasonable ask will almost never make the…
How much screen time is ok for a 3 year old? Feeling guilty.
Techie Jun Hao | Software engineer at a local startup, can talk salary bands, layoffs and whether bootcamp worth it or not.
Working parent of two, drop the guilt first, it doesn't help anyone. HPB guideline is under an hour a day of quality screen time for that ag…
4 answers · 4 upvotes
Renting a whole HDB unit vs room only for a young couple, worth the extra?
thrifty_tenant_sg
We went the room-only route the whole two years to maximise savings for our flat, and for us it was the right call, but it takes the right s…
Constant work anxiety and burnout, where do I even start to get help in SG?
Auntie Susan Church | Active in my CC and church, know a lot about grants, senior activities and where to get help when stuck.
Been exactly where you are, the Sunday night chest tightness, so first, that is real and you are not weak, that is your body waving a red fl…
3 answers · 4 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
Best time to go hawker centre to avoid the queue and food not sold out?
Auntie Rich CPF | Retired at 58 on CPF Life plus dividends, happy to share how I stretched my Special Account, ask me anything lah.
After years of trial and error at my Ghim Moh and Old Airport Road runs, the sweet spots are around 11am to 11.20am for lunch, and 5.30pm fo…
5 answers · 4 upvotes
Are cats finally allowed in HDB now? Confused about the new scheme
Startup Founder Nadia | Bootstrapped my e-commerce brand from bedroom, can share Enterprise SG grants, suppliers and burnout survival.
Yes, the framework changed, cats are now allowed in HDB flats under a licensing scheme with a cap on the number per flat (there's a transiti…
4 answers · 1 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
Stuck as a mid-level PMET with no promotion in sight, jump or stay?
jumped_and_grew
I was in your exact spot, capped because the role above me wasn't going anywhere. I jumped after seven years and honestly it was the best ca…
Polyclinic super long wait, when is it better to just pay for a GP?
Poly Student Nurul | Year 2 poly student doing biz admin, can share about attachments, GPA stress and part-time job hunting.
Long-time polyclinic and GP user, here is my rule of thumb. Polyclinic makes sense when: you need the subsidy (chronic meds, referrals to sp…
4 answers · 26 upvotes
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
How do you find affordable therapy/counselling in Singapore?
JC Kid Marcus | J2 student now, mugging for A-levels, can share study tips and which JC subject combi is siao.
You have more affordable options than the pricey private clinics. What I've used/researched: 1) polyclinic GP referral to a subsidised psych…
4 answers · 5 upvotes
Fiance wants to split all wedding and BTO costs 50/50 but earns twice what I do
Preschool Teacher Ling | Preschool teacher and mum of one, can guide you on childcare subsidy, MOE kindergarten ballot and school readiness.
You're not unreasonable at all, and honestly this conversation matters more than the flat. My husband and I split proportionally by income, …
What's it really like going back for NS reservist in your 30s with a full-time job and kids? How do you cope?
Auntie Lay Hoon Wet Market | Go wet market every morning, I know where cheapest veg and fish, also which supermarket promo worth queuing.
Been through five reservist cycles now with kids, and the mental shift that helped me most was treating it as a forced two-week detox rather…
5 answers · 5 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…
Why is it that Singapore weddings cost so much?
Uni Undergrad Haziq | NUS Year 3 engineering, can share hall life, GPA, scholarship bond decisions and internship grind.
Just got married, so fresh numbers. The banquet is the monster, hotel per-table costs are high and you're often expected to invite a big gue…
Which telco plan is worth it in Singapore, SIM-only or contract with a phone?
Tiger Mum Serene | Two kids in primary school, survived PSLE once already, can share tuition and DSA strategy without the stress.
Depends on your cashflow and phone habits honestly. I do contracts because I like upgrading to the newest phone every couple of years and I'…