Pay Rise to Meet Inflation and Rent Increase

[Bafana]

Just wondering if I am the only who feels like my weekly grocery shopping bill has jumped by 15-20% (NTUC). My rent is also going up a cool 10% after a 5% increase last year.

Is there any noise in industry/government that the market as a whole will start to increase wages accordingly?

[k1w1]

Wow, I think you're lucky. My grocery bill has sky-rocketed and my rent doubled.

No noise being made in my line of work - just lots of resignation letters...

[sundaymorningstaple]

Well, I've been spared on the rent side of things as I'm paying a mortgage here and my interest rate has been stable for the last 9 years so not complaining there. However, yes, my food bill for a family of 5 has skyrocketed as well (also at NTUC - Festival Market in Hougang & AMK Hub). It's getting to the point that I may have to forgo the little rebate at the end of the year & linkpoints and start looking at the nearby Sheng Siong. That coupled with the increased water & power tariffs it's getting pretty rough out there. Fortunately I install ceiling fans in all rooms of the house so we rarely if ever use aircons (only have two portable casement window types of 8K btu).

The only noise I hear is the government still spouting how the average increments are still more than the inflation rate which the man in the street knows is a crock of BS.

[sierra2469alpha]

The only noise I hear is the government still spouting how the average increments are still more than the inflation rate which the man in the street knows is a crock of BS.

I smell what you're burning there, SMS. We're expats and not milking anything, but we had the foresight to ensure company paid for utilities, but food costs are up so much that even in the short 5 months we've been here, we've noticed it.

Unfortunately, we don't get the rebates (nor should we, we think).

It's making life a little more difficult for everyone,

Still, we love Singapore.

Cheers/P & C

[Bafana]

Suppose I should relook my Contract. Came her 6 years ago in the downtimes so package flat. That said even though I work for an Australian company the Manage is a Singaporean so very tough to negotiate anythign with these guys as what we consider fair and reasonable does'nt register.

Inflation is definetly way up and higher than increments.

[bruinbear]

Inflation is really bad this year.

Maybe Govt will give out some help shortly.

But even then, the help will be targetted at Singaporeans (esp. poorer ones). Needless to say, non-Singaporeans won't get anything.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Neither will the half way ones like myself, a long time PR. In additional to not getting any goodies, they are taking away all the subsidies from us slowly (rapidly) but surely. I used to be in favour of long-term PR. I can't wait to "get the hell out of Dodge" now! Now that they have sucked us dry they're forcing us out as well. And yes, the door at Changi won't hit me in the butt on the way out. Just waiting on things to happen. Then I'm really gonna look like my 'tar.

Hell, because I take care of my MiL (she lives with me - so I bought a 4 BR 5rm HDB so she and the FiL had their own room), my wife get penalized on all the gov't rebates as well cause we followed LKY's much vaunted 3-tier family arrangement instead of plopping them in a home. So, because we own a 5-room flat all the handouts are sharply trimmed, yet our expenses are much dearer.

Sorry, sometimes I get sidetracked........

[bruinbear]

PRs are unhappy that perks are taken away from them.

Conversely, citizens are also unhappy that PRs get so many perks.

Depends on which side you are on.

One thing though, citizens have the vote. PRs don't.

[sundaymorningstaple]

One thing though, citizens have the vote. PRs don't.

Fat lot of good that is. You have the vote but PAP has you by the short hairs. Don't vote for them, they take away your upgrading plans like in Potong Pasir. What is really a pisser is that the average PR pays more taxes than the average local due to higher wages. And sorry, but generally PR's don't have any more perks, other than salaries, than locals do. You lose all the perks usually when you take up PR.

[Don3D]

Well typically, Expats are paid higher than local workers.

Imagine many of the local are earning average $2k+. I really really cant imagine what "GROWTH" can they have!!