Singapore Expats

Enough for a family of 3?

Discuss about getting a well paid job or career advancement. Ask about salaries, expat packages, CPF & taxes for expatriate.
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Is 7000 enough for a family of 3?

Yes, good enough
6
43%
Yes, a bit tigth
2
14%
Maybe if you are frugal
1
7%
No, it's not enough
5
36%
 
Total votes: 14

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Calmday
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Post by Calmday » Thu, 03 Mar 2011 7:28 am

Im onboard with the regular crew on this one. 8-)

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Mad Scientist
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Post by Mad Scientist » Thu, 03 Mar 2011 7:56 am

Calmday wrote:Im onboard with the regular crew on this one. 8-)
Alas, we have something in common
The positive thinker sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible.Yahoo !!!

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Thanks..

Post by fercasa83 » Thu, 03 Mar 2011 10:52 am

Hey guys,

There is no need to be rude... like Nak said I did my homework I'm just trying to get some feedback from others to avoid moving and risking my family.

Cheers

riconez
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Post by riconez » Wed, 09 Mar 2011 10:02 am

It should be enough...
In Singapore, most married couple combined income per month is less than 5k+ and they can live comfortably here.
So 7k is enough

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Post by riconez » Wed, 09 Mar 2011 10:13 am

Lastly all the best to you !

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Post by riconez » Wed, 09 Mar 2011 10:14 am

and also to your family !

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Post by revhappy » Wed, 09 Mar 2011 10:45 am

riconez wrote:It should be enough...
In Singapore, most married couple combined income per month is less than 5k+ and they can live comfortably here.
So 7k is enough
But they have their own HDB which has already been paid for in most cases. An expat needs to budget 2k extra for the HDB rent :(

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sundaymorningstaple
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Post by sundaymorningstaple » Wed, 09 Mar 2011 11:06 am

Yeah, but the Expat doesn't have a whopping 20% whacked out of his salary for CPF either. :o We're talking about disposable cash here and not basic salary although basic may well be the same. You forgot about that one. :wink:
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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sundaymorningstaple
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Post by sundaymorningstaple » Wed, 09 Mar 2011 11:07 am

And riconez really found a silly way to get the required 5 posts to activate his PM function. :roll: I ought to combine the three consecutive posts into one. :devil:
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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Post by revhappy » Wed, 09 Mar 2011 11:17 am

sundaymorningstaple wrote:Yeah, but the Expat doesn't have a whopping 20% whacked out of his salary for CPF either. :o We're talking about disposable cash here and not basic salary although basic may well be the same. You forgot about that one. :wink:
With regards to cash flow yeah, I agree. But CPF goes into savings and so does the HDB loan mortgage, if any, in case of a local. So the locals dont really feel the need to save as much as an expat. They can splurge their entire take home, but most expats who are here to save money cant really do that. :(

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sundaymorningstaple
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Post by sundaymorningstaple » Wed, 09 Mar 2011 12:17 pm

That means most are on equal par. I paid a portion of my flat with my cpf, but as I only took a 14 year mortgage, I paid a large portion in cash top up each month as well (in fact 75% of the mortgage Pmt). For those folks who are in their mid 40's I'd agree that their cpf more than covered their mortgages a was a lot of savings. But for those buying HDB flats today, the payments are getting higher and higher. But you are right, rent isn't an investment, mortgage payments are. But that's the price you pay. It's also why I bought here even though the farm is there. I figured I'd not lose and in fact, due to when I jumped in, will actually live for free since '99 until I leave. That in itself is a pretty good savings every year.

All those real estate and insurance agents don't have CPF savings other than medisave. Anybody who is self employed - same thing. It's only the Middle-lower income locals who gain. Those making more than the income cap have no choice but to buy private - that's why there's been so much noise in recent years regarding the costs of HDB flats and the ridiculous costs of private housing when the locals fall outside the HDB cap. The average expat DOES make more (provided they are foreign talent and not foreign labour) that the average local doing the same job unless they have undersold themselves in order to "get their foot in the door" on an S pass. :-|
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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JR8
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Post by JR8 » Wed, 09 Mar 2011 12:54 pm

sundaymorningstaple wrote:And riconez really found a silly way to get the required 5 posts to activate his PM function. :roll: I ought to combine the three consecutive posts into one. :devil:
I'd just delete him, all his <surprise> 5 posts posted since joining <surprise> today are worthless.

If it were me I'd not provide free server space to such users :shooting:

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Post by beppi » Thu, 10 Mar 2011 7:54 pm

In addition to multiple postings here, the OP also posted the same on another expat forum (where he also reacted in an unreasonable manner when he didn't get the replies he wanted) and on "The Board We Don't Frequent", where he finally got the spoon-feeding he requested.

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Post by JR8 » Thu, 10 Mar 2011 8:15 pm

Ah, the Angry Board.

Damn that place is a pig-sty in more ways than one.

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Post by robleo » Fri, 11 Mar 2011 1:15 am

Ok, just to share a useful post:

I came in SG back in 2009 with almost the same salary; my baby was just born then; there was only me, my wife and the baby.

7000 is enough. If you are practical, you can even save more. If you are a bit more lavish in lifestyle- maybe it will be tight. In our case:

We live in a good HDB flat- 5 room (3 + 2); we have a maid-nanny; buy food at the wet market (spends breakfast-lunch-dinner fr three adults at 140 SGD for 1 month); Simple-living: I go out once in a while with friends; My family goes out once a week fr some picnic or park walk and we enjoy that; We can afford some pampering once in a while as well.

If you are wise in spending- you can always enjoy and be happy. Big spenders are never happy and satisfied and end up in tight living or even in debts IN SPITE OF INCREASED INCOME.

Good luck to you!

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