Buying condo is the dream of many in Singapore. It can be upgrading from HDB or buying a home for the first time. Like it or not, the Singapore dream is very humble. It is far from saving humanity or making a mark in a field. Sadly, even a reasonable goal of work-life balance or holistic well-being sounds too ambitious. Our wish is only getting BTO, profiting from it and … [Read more...]
My experience of early retirement
Early retirement was a popular topic during friends’ gatherings this Chinese New Year. Many of my friends are in their mid-50s to 60s. Although they are older than me, I was the first one to stop working full-time at age 45. Hence when they mentioned three highs and work stress, or whether they should retire now and what things to do after retirement, I was grateful that I … [Read more...]
Don’t buy properties for your children
As parents, we all want to give the best to our children. Very often, we need to choose between to give or not to give, to buy or not to buy. With so much noise around, we are constantly tempted to compare with others and give in under peer pressure. I won’t buy my children things just because “other kids all have it”. Likewise, they have never gone for any tuition or … [Read more...]
Is your home vulnerable to extreme weather?
Extreme weather is a severe weather phenomenon that is different from the usual weather pattern. The resultant hazards can cause substantial damage to our property and even loss of human life. In Singapore, extreme weather conditions include heavy rain, floods and heatwaves. Due to climate change, in the foreseeable future these unusual meteorological events will appear more … [Read more...]
Will I be rich?
“Will I be rich?” My 14-year-old child asked me when we were going for a walk after dinner. I know the answer from her Zi Wei Dou Shu (紫微斗数) chart. But I can’t tell her. I could only reply with a model answer. “If you work hard, save religiously and invest prudently, you will be rich.” The Chinese dream to be rich It is arguable that every Chinese has the dream to … [Read more...]