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…
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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…
Burnt out at work and cannot cope, what actually helped you recover?
Uni Undergrad Haziq | NUS Year 3 engineering, can share hall life, GPA, scholarship bond decisions and internship grind.
I hit real burnout two years ago, the dread-every-morning kind. What genuinely helped, in order: 1) I saw a GP first, they can assess if it'…
Is it worth upgrading my phone every year or am I just burning money?
Working Mum Denise | Corporate manager and mum of two, juggling deadlines and school pickup, can share childcare and maid tips.
I used to upgrade yearly and it was pure marketing-driven money burning, the year-on-year jumps are tiny now, mostly a slightly better camer…
4 answers · 29 upvotes
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
Can I use my Medisave to pay my dad's hospital bill?
Bank Teller Sis Amanda | Front line at a local bank, can explain home loan, refinancing and why your credit card interest so high.
Yes, you can use your Medisave for immediate family, spouse, parents, children, grandparents, siblings. I did exactly this when my mum was h…
4 answers · 3 upvotes
What are the things you wish you knew before enlisting for BMT?
Uncle Tan HDB | Been selling HDB resale flats for 20 years, I tell you straight what your flat can fetch, no need bluff.
Wish someone told me the mental game upfront. Physically BMT is designed for the average guy to pass, so unless you're very unfit you'll cop…
3 answers · 2 upvotes
What's it like being a stay-home dad in Singapore?
Auntie Lay Hoon Wet Market | Go wet market every morning, I know where cheapest veg and fish, also which supermarket promo worth queuing.
My take might differ, I found it liberating rather than isolating, but I'm quite thick-skinned about what others think. Yes, aunties gave me…
4 answers · 5 upvotes
Emergency fund in a high-yield account vs Singapore Savings Bonds, what do you use?
steady_saver_sg
I split my emergency fund into two buckets. The first two to three months of expenses sit in a high-yield savings account for instant access…
Chronic work stress, can't switch off at night. Anyone found something that works?
Grab Uncle Raju | Driving Grab full time 6 years already, can tell you which platform pays better and how to survive as PHV.
Please don't brush this off as being dramatic, months of 4 to 5 hours sleep with racing thoughts is your body waving a red flag. Been exactl…
Upstairs neighbour super noisy every night, what are my legal options?
Tuition Teacher Wendy | Full-time tutor for PSLE English and Maths, can share what actually moves the grade versus wasting money.
Neighbour noise is horrible, been there. The realistic ladder: 1) keep a noise log (dates, times, type of noise) and record audio/video with…
4 answers · 5 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…
Is it too late to switch career at 34?
Tiger Mum Serene | Two kids in primary school, survived PSLE once already, can share tuition and DSA strategy without the stress.
I'm in analytics hiring. We look at whether you can tell a story with data, not your age. Bring one real project to the interview and you'll…
4 answers · 3 upvotes
Got no bonus this year but company says 'good performance', normal?
Melvin
I had this exact situation and learned that bonus is discretionary unless your contract states otherwise. Check your employment letter and a…
Should I use CPF or cash to pay my HDB loan?
steadyfinance_bro
I use a hybrid. I let CPF OA pay the bulk of the monthly instalment so my cash flow stays healthy for emergencies and my kids' stuff, but I …
My manager keeps taking credit for my work. How to handle?
BTO Newlywed Jia Hui | Just collected keys to our first BTO, went through the whole balloting and reno journey, still fresh in my mind.
Classic. Stop relying on the meeting to show your value, build a paper trail instead. Send project updates over email with senior people cc-…
Failed my IPPT window, what actually happens now?
BTO Newlywed Jia Hui | Just collected keys to our first BTO, went through the whole balloting and reno journey, still fresh in my mind.
Relax, this happens to loads of NSmen and it's very manageable. What typically happens if you don't pass IPPT within your window: you'll be …
4 answers · 1 upvotes
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'…
Which dog breeds are actually allowed in an HDB flat? Confused by the rules
Divorce Survivor Karen | Went through divorce and shared custody, can share the real cost, HDB matters and emotional side, no sugarcoat.
HDB dog owner here. For a standard flat, only ONE dog is allowed and it must be from HDB's approved list of smaller breeds, think toy poodle…
4 answers · 4 upvotes
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
Is chasing a fat year-end bonus actually worth staying in a toxic company for?
Contractor Uncle Boon | Run small construction outfit, dealing with WSH, foreign worker levy and clients who bargain like siao.
I stayed an extra 8 months for a 4-month bonus once and I regret it, because I did the actual maths wrong. Yes the bonus was real money, but…
5 answers · 2 upvotes
Hawker food is getting so expensive, how do you all still eat cheap?
Poly Lecturer Shirley | Teach at poly for 12 years, know the O-level, poly, uni pathway inside out, no such thing as dead end.
Feel you, prices really crept up. My real-world tactics that keep my food budget sane: hit the older heartland hawker centres and coffeeshop…
When do I actually need to register for GST as a solo side-hustler in Singapore? Real experiences with the 1 million threshold.
Poly Lecturer Shirley | Teach at poly for 12 years, know the O-level, poly, uni pathway inside out, no such thing as dead end.
Relax, at 40k a year you are nowhere near needing GST registration, so your friend scared you for nothing. GST registration is only compulso…
5 answers · 4 upvotes
Should I use CPF OA to pay my HDB loan or leave it to earn 2.5%?
Property Agent Fiona | Licensed agent focusing on condo rental, help expats and locals not kena cheated by unrealistic asking price.
The clean way to think about it: OA earns 2.5% guaranteed. Your HDB loan charges 2.6% (0.1% above OA rate). So paying the loan with OA "save…
3 answers · 5 upvotes
Feeling burnt out and empty even on weekends, is this normal?
Wen Jie
From my experience, what you're describing sounds a lot like burnout, and losing interest in things you used to enjoy is a real warning sign…