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Planning my move to Singapore

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smoulder
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Re: Planning my move to Singapore

Post by smoulder » Thu, 28 Jul 2022 8:37 am

Lisafuller wrote:
Thu, 28 Jul 2022 2:27 am
smoulder wrote:
Tue, 26 Jul 2022 4:38 pm
nelyanne wrote:
Tue, 26 Jul 2022 4:29 pm

Was your wife from Malaysia? Non-citizen quota doesn't apply to Malaysian PRs.
Some families are renting HDB flats where one room is 'officially' locked and occupied by the owner. That's a way to overcome the non-citizen quota. BUT you need to officially rent a whole flat in order to get a maid. So it's better to be aware of this.

Regarding proximity to public transport... Yes, there are some condos far away from any bus stop, forcing you to take taxi everywhere. But there are also condos linked directly to MRT station.
Yes Malaysian. However, I think the foreigner restrictions applied to us because of me, the EP holder. We always rented the whole place - I don't recall the deal with HDBs with locked rooms, but we were forewarned by a friend who's an agent that it's illegal and hence we wouldn't even look at those listings.

As I mentioned, I know of a few families who've rented out the whole HDB while being on EPs. Non Malaysians. It is definitely doable. What's not possible is for a foreigner to buy an HDB. Which is why we ended up spending more and bought a condo.
Condo, been any reason why are you still need a gym membership? Is the condo gym equipment just not advanced enough? Or is there another reason.
I lift heavy. There aren't any condos around which have enough of weight for someone who is halfway serious about lifting.

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malcontent
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Re: Planning my move to Singapore

Post by malcontent » Thu, 28 Jul 2022 9:25 am

Lisafuller wrote:
Tue, 26 Jul 2022 4:25 am
Then I think we’re on slightly different pages here. The times I’ve tipped 15% in the company of others I’ve always been met with weird looks, so now I always keep it to at least 20.
LOL… what kind of weird looks? And was it from the waitstaff? I have had waitstaff “hover over me” while I fill in the tip box - - in response, I hover my pen over the tip section and then slowly look up and directly at them… they always skedaddle. If I had people eating with me who were that nosey and judgy, they wouldn’t have the opportunity to do so for much longer. As my kids have learned, trying to goad me into anything usually gets the opposite of what was hoped for!
Every great and deep difficulty bears in itself its own solution. It forces us to change our thinking in order to find it - Niels Bohr

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Re: Planning my move to Singapore

Post by Lisafuller » Fri, 29 Jul 2022 5:31 am

malcontent wrote:
Thu, 28 Jul 2022 9:25 am
Lisafuller wrote:
Tue, 26 Jul 2022 4:25 am
Then I think we’re on slightly different pages here. The times I’ve tipped 15% in the company of others I’ve always been met with weird looks, so now I always keep it to at least 20.
LOL… what kind of weird looks? And was it from the waitstaff? I have had waitstaff “hover over me” while I fill in the tip box - - in response, I hover my pen over the tip section and then slowly look up and directly at them… they always skedaddle. If I had people eating with me who were that nosey and judgy, they wouldn’t have the opportunity to do so for much longer. As my kids have learned, trying to goad me into anything usually gets the opposite of what was hoped for!
The waitstaff. My dining companions couldn’t care less, if they’re not paying, what’s it to them?

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Re: Planning my move to Singapore

Post by Lisafuller » Fri, 29 Jul 2022 5:32 am

smoulder wrote:
Thu, 28 Jul 2022 8:37 am
Lisafuller wrote:
Thu, 28 Jul 2022 2:27 am
smoulder wrote:
Tue, 26 Jul 2022 4:38 pm

Yes Malaysian. However, I think the foreigner restrictions applied to us because of me, the EP holder. We always rented the whole place - I don't recall the deal with HDBs with locked rooms, but we were forewarned by a friend who's an agent that it's illegal and hence we wouldn't even look at those listings.

As I mentioned, I know of a few families who've rented out the whole HDB while being on EPs. Non Malaysians. It is definitely doable. What's not possible is for a foreigner to buy an HDB. Which is why we ended up spending more and bought a condo.
Condo, been any reason why are you still need a gym membership? Is the condo gym equipment just not advanced enough? Or is there another reason.
I lift heavy. There aren't any condos around which have enough of weight for someone who is halfway serious about lifting.
I see. I think some of the newer condos have pretty well equipped gyms, though for the most part it seems like condo gyms just tend to have pretty basic treadmills ellipticals and a couple dumbbells.

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Re: Planning my move to Singapore

Post by Lisafuller » Fri, 29 Jul 2022 5:33 am

MOCHS wrote:
Thu, 28 Jul 2022 7:16 am
I may not have kids but just saying that if my parents and other people raised their kids without cars, my current colleague with a 3 yo also makes do without a car, it is pretty do-able to have kids in SG without a car. You value convenience, others value saving money.

Even if OP earns 16K a month and it sounds like a lot at first, if his spouse isn’t working, and expat packages not being what it used to be, it’ll be a single income family juggling rent, utilities, groceries, other expenses, air tickets & accommodations to occasional overseas destinations for four pax, plus International School fees for two kids which isn’t cheap, I don’t think it’s financially prudent to add a car into the mix.

But if OP just wants to live here, not save, and jet home at the end their time in SG, it’s up to them. Just letting them know the possibilities so they can manage expectations.
Completely fair, just that in my experience the convenience has always been worth the money.

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Re: Planning my move to Singapore

Post by Lisafuller » Fri, 29 Jul 2022 5:34 am

smoulder wrote:
Thu, 28 Jul 2022 8:34 am
Lisafuller wrote:
Thu, 28 Jul 2022 2:20 am
smoulder wrote:
Tue, 26 Jul 2022 3:59 pm

I have rented HDBs as a foreigner (on an EP), so this is not true. Most of that was with my fiance (now wife) who was a PR and later became a citizen, but I don't think that gave me special privileges. I know of plenty of foreign families who rent HDBs. Yes, there could be restrictions - but those restrictions do not make it impossible.

I think like MOCHS mentioned and I alluded to it as well, sometimes paying more to live in a condo doesn't make much sense if you don't use the facilities - typically the swimming pool and the gym. I for one rarely use the pool and never use the gym - I have an Anytime Fitness membership so I end up double spending. And of course, you get more space for your money and proximity to shops and public transport in HDBs which you may not get in a condo.
I don’t think it’s about whether or not it is possible for a foreigner to rent an HDP, rather the difficulty (which is undeniable) is something that is quite off-putting for most. And with regards to the condo amenities, I must say that nothing beats the convenience of having all of your facilities centralized and within such close proximity. Convenience is so important, especially when you have children. And think about it, you might have the discipline to make the trip to an external gym but when you’re juggling work, kids, and a lack of motivation that distance can a lot of times be too much.
It's not that hard.
To each his own. I wish I had your discipline, because I know that most days even dragging my sorry behind to the condo gym takes a lot of energy.

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Re: Planning my move to Singapore

Post by x9200 » Fri, 29 Jul 2022 5:41 am

MOCHS wrote:
Thu, 28 Jul 2022 7:16 am
I may not have kids but just saying that if my parents and other people raised their kids without cars, my current colleague with a 3 yo also makes do without a car, it is pretty do-able to have kids in SG without a car. You value convenience, others value saving money.
Of course. And family time. Besides, one may chose cheaper but more remote location and the difference covers substantial parts of the car costs.

I surely believe having no car with kids is doable especially if you have a helper, and local family support, and the spouse who is not working, and the kids attending local school few hundred meters away, but then there are some who may not have helpers, or local parents, and both are working 1.5-2.5h away by public commuting and the school is on the other side of the island. All should be balanced individually, but agree it's possible.

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Re: Planning my move to Singapore

Post by x9200 » Fri, 29 Jul 2022 6:02 am

Roadtosingapore wrote:
Mon, 25 Jul 2022 12:24 am
x9200 wrote:
Sun, 24 Jul 2022 6:05 pm
@Roadtosingapore, one more option of smooth commuting, is riding a motorcycle, so if you have some valid DL, you may consider it too.
I have a UK driving license. What is the cost of maintaining a bike in Singapore? Parking etc.
For the one I mentioned earlier, ca SGD500 for insurance and the taxes (annually again), and something like SGD40 for petrol monthly in my case (20-30km commuting 3-4 days a week). This is a class 2 bike, but if you are happy with class 2b the taxes and insurance would be half of that figure. I believe you can get a decent used one for 8-15k.
https://sgbikemart.com.sg/

One more thing I didn't mention, but it is kind of obvious, how much you pay for insurance will depend on your insurance, age and traffic offense history so if, for example, you start with no NCD it may be more expensive than what was mentioned.

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malcontent
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Re: Planning my move to Singapore

Post by malcontent » Fri, 29 Jul 2022 4:09 pm

Lisafuller wrote:
Fri, 29 Jul 2022 5:31 am
malcontent wrote:
Thu, 28 Jul 2022 9:25 am
Lisafuller wrote:
Tue, 26 Jul 2022 4:25 am
Then I think we’re on slightly different pages here. The times I’ve tipped 15% in the company of others I’ve always been met with weird looks, so now I always keep it to at least 20.
LOL… what kind of weird looks? And was it from the waitstaff? I have had waitstaff “hover over me” while I fill in the tip box - - in response, I hover my pen over the tip section and then slowly look up and directly at them… they always skedaddle. If I had people eating with me who were that nosey and judgy, they wouldn’t have the opportunity to do so for much longer. As my kids have learned, trying to goad me into anything usually gets the opposite of what was hoped for!
The waitstaff. My dining companions couldn’t care less, if they’re not paying, what’s it to them?
You are always going to have some waitstaff who are snooty, entitled, and even downright greedy… some might even try to hustle you for a bigger tip. Do not be influenced by them — they clearly have a conflict of interest, and they should be happy to get whatever they get (which I would argue is too much already). I won’t allow waitstaff to stand there while I am filling out the tip, and if I can’t avoid it I will put zero tip and leave a cash tip instead (how much will depend on how they react).

In at least two instances, I have also told restaurants here to remove the service charge after getting bad service. Both times they did, after asking what the problem was — in both cases our table was neglected and our order was completely forgotten, and after 30-40 minutes we had to ask and they realized it and got our order started — so it was more than an hour before we got our food, but what really made me insist on removing the service charge is they tried to pretend that nothing was wrong and did not apologize for their mistake.
Every great and deep difficulty bears in itself its own solution. It forces us to change our thinking in order to find it - Niels Bohr

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Re: Planning my move to Singapore

Post by Lisafuller » Sat, 30 Jul 2022 5:11 am

malcontent wrote:
Fri, 29 Jul 2022 4:09 pm
Lisafuller wrote:
Fri, 29 Jul 2022 5:31 am
malcontent wrote:
Thu, 28 Jul 2022 9:25 am


LOL… what kind of weird looks? And was it from the waitstaff? I have had waitstaff “hover over me” while I fill in the tip box - - in response, I hover my pen over the tip section and then slowly look up and directly at them… they always skedaddle. If I had people eating with me who were that nosey and judgy, they wouldn’t have the opportunity to do so for much longer. As my kids have learned, trying to goad me into anything usually gets the opposite of what was hoped for!
The waitstaff. My dining companions couldn’t care less, if they’re not paying, what’s it to them?
You are always going to have some waitstaff who are snooty, entitled, and even downright greedy… some might even try to hustle you for a bigger tip. Do not be influenced by them — they clearly have a conflict of interest, and they should be happy to get whatever they get (which I would argue is too much already). I won’t allow waitstaff to stand there while I am filling out the tip, and if I can’t avoid it I will put zero tip and leave a cash tip instead (how much will depend on how they react).

In at least two instances, I have also told restaurants here to remove the service charge after getting bad service. Both times they did, after asking what the problem was — in both cases our table was neglected and our order was completely forgotten, and after 30-40 minutes we had to ask and they realized it and got our order started — so it was more than an hour before we got our food, but what really made me insist on removing the service charge is they tried to pretend that nothing was wrong and did not apologize for their mistake.
Seriously? The times I’ve even tried to send food back they’ve never taken it. Service recovery here is terrible, in the US not only would they remake it for you, they’d also take it off your bill entirely, and that’s the bare minimum.

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Re: Planning my move to Singapore

Post by Lisafuller » Sat, 30 Jul 2022 5:12 am

x9200 wrote:
Fri, 29 Jul 2022 5:41 am
MOCHS wrote:
Thu, 28 Jul 2022 7:16 am
I may not have kids but just saying that if my parents and other people raised their kids without cars, my current colleague with a 3 yo also makes do without a car, it is pretty do-able to have kids in SG without a car. You value convenience, others value saving money.
Of course. And family time. Besides, one may chose cheaper but more remote location and the difference covers substantial parts of the car costs.

I surely believe having no car with kids is doable especially if you have a helper, and local family support, and the spouse who is not working, and the kids attending local school few hundred meters away, but then there are some who may not have helpers, or local parents, and both are working 1.5-2.5h away by public commuting and the school is on the other side of the island. All should be balanced individually, but agree it's possible.
Definitely possible, but undeniably harder. It’s all about what you value and prioritize.

Roadtosingapore
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Re: Planning my move to Singapore

Post by Roadtosingapore » Mon, 03 Oct 2022 5:17 am

Thank you all who took time to respond to my query. Two more weeks before I arrive in Singapore. Excited but too much to do before I depart from the UK. :)
Everything in place except the permanent accommodation, property market is very hot in SNG, but I am hopeful. Thanks.

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Re: Planning my move to Singapore

Post by truthhurts1 » Mon, 03 Oct 2022 8:04 am

nelyanne wrote:
Mon, 18 Jul 2022 4:42 pm
Roadtosingapore wrote:
Mon, 18 Jul 2022 2:16 pm
Thanks for responding to my query. Do expat have an option to rent a HDB flat?

Here is my definition of leading a decent life -

1) 3 bedroom flat (close to the transport that connects you to the main city center / downtown)
2) International School for kids (school following British curriculum)
3) Weekend trips to local attraction and eating out 1-2 times per week (no alcoholic beverages)
4) Public transport / Uber
5) Access to swimming pool / Health clubs

I think the cost for above will give me a good idea about expected monthly expenditure.

I will be earning around 16k per month.
1) 3.8k+ for a condo (+bills)
2) not sue but maybe 6k+
3)
most expensive attraction: Universal Studios
cheapest attraction: beaches, nature parks (free)
cinema: ~13 SGD for a ticket (for adult)
eating out:
cheapest: 4 SGD/pax
cheap restaurant: 12-20 SGD/pax
mid restaurant: 30SGD+
expensive restuarant: sky is the limit
4) public transport: 1-2.2S GD per trip (one-way), Grab/Taxi/Gojek - 10-25 SGD for an average trip
5) pool will be included in condo rental

Getting a job on DP: depends on experience, position, sector...
(doctor - high chance, teacher - good chance, HR/admin job - low chance)

Please tell where I can get a 3 bedroom condo/ HDB for 3800$
My rental for a shoebox condo went from 2300$ to 3000$ Starting November

16K a good salary but not good enough for a family of 4-5.
I think today you need to earn at least 20K to have a good decent life for a family of 4-5, pay taxes and save some money

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Re: Planning my move to Singapore

Post by nelyanne » Mon, 03 Oct 2022 9:54 am

truthhurts1 wrote:
Mon, 03 Oct 2022 8:04 am
nelyanne wrote:
Mon, 18 Jul 2022 4:42 pm
Roadtosingapore wrote:
Mon, 18 Jul 2022 2:16 pm
Thanks for responding to my query. Do expat have an option to rent a HDB flat?

Here is my definition of leading a decent life -

1) 3 bedroom flat (close to the transport that connects you to the main city center / downtown)
2) International School for kids (school following British curriculum)
3) Weekend trips to local attraction and eating out 1-2 times per week (no alcoholic beverages)
4) Public transport / Uber
5) Access to swimming pool / Health clubs

I think the cost for above will give me a good idea about expected monthly expenditure.

I will be earning around 16k per month.
1) 3.8k+ for a condo (+bills)
2) not sue but maybe 6k+
3)
most expensive attraction: Universal Studios
cheapest attraction: beaches, nature parks (free)
cinema: ~13 SGD for a ticket (for adult)
eating out:
cheapest: 4 SGD/pax
cheap restaurant: 12-20 SGD/pax
mid restaurant: 30SGD+
expensive restuarant: sky is the limit
4) public transport: 1-2.2S GD per trip (one-way), Grab/Taxi/Gojek - 10-25 SGD for an average trip
5) pool will be included in condo rental

Getting a job on DP: depends on experience, position, sector...
(doctor - high chance, teacher - good chance, HR/admin job - low chance)

Please tell where I can get a 3 bedroom condo/ HDB for 3800$
My rental for a shoebox condo went from 2300$ to 3000$ Starting November

16K a good salary but not good enough for a family of 4-5.
I think today you need to earn at least 20K to have a good decent life for a family of 4-5, pay taxes and save some money
The market got crazy this year, so 3800 SGD might no longer be possible...

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Re: Planning my move to Singapore

Post by Roadtosingapore » Tue, 04 Oct 2022 6:51 pm

Yes I have realised that. Looking in the range of 5-6k. Let’s see if I can get anything decent. Thanks

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