How do people afford condos?

I was curious about housing prices (and because singles can’t buy hdb until 35), so I took a look at the other options besides staying with parents = condo

Then I see that condo prices are 1M-2M minimum

Wow! So how do people actually afford that?

If someone earns 10K a month = 120K a year, it would still take them at least 10 years (assuming 100% savings, which is impossible) to afford one.

And does that mean all condo owners in SG are millionaires?

How does this work? Are SGeans just rich?

Netizens’ comments

• They pay for the condos over many years, lol. The last I heard is that the max mortgage period is 30 years.
  So on a 10k salary, one would save up for a few years for the downpayment before getting a massive mortgage.
• The problem is usually with the down-payment and fees. With a 10K salary I ran the numbers on a bank loan calculator and the maximum loan amount is estimated to be $1M over 30 years.
  Up to 75% of a condo price can be paid through mortgage, so the real problem here is finding the other $300K in cash and CPF for the down-payment and fees. Once you have that, you can technically own a condo priced at $1.3M. This is stretching things real thin though with a maxed out TDSR.
• Technically, “all” you need to afford a 1m condo is the following.
  25% downpayment = $250,000 cash + CPF
  75% loan over 30 years (max) = ~$3,000+ per month, which can be partially covered by CPF.
  If you can cough out the downpayment, the loan is not difficult to pay at all, just that you’ll be tied down for 30 years.
• If you can service the debt you can afford anything
  The real question is how do Singaporean afford high end cars. Almost the price of a 3 room HDB and then have to scrap after 10 years.

Is it normal to be asked for specific reasons for taking my annual leave?

This is my first job, and also the first time my team lead is leading a team. Not sure if it’s the norm, he wants the team to send him an email asking for approval with specific reason before submitting our leave request via HR system.

This feels weird? I am entitled to my AL, why do I have to justify why I am taking my leave?

Edit: To provide more context, it’s only a 1-day leave, not extended leave/ overseas leave

Netizens’ comments

• Technically it’s none of their business to know what you’re doing on your AL. You could just indicate personal family matters or overseas vacation.
• hey youre right, it’s your entitlement and i dont think it’s the norm.
  i only had this same request from the HR in my first job (a family run SME) which i simply put “personal matters” as the reason. for my subsequent jobs, i havent had managers asking me for reasons whenever i applied for AL.
• This happens more often than not when people get some powers and step beyond their boundaries, asking for things they shouldn’t need to ask.
  It’s very subjective, there’s no normal because in the same company different managers will have different requirements.
  Actually the fact that AL needs to be approved should be changed too. If we’re supposed to get our AL, then all it takes should be a submission and it ends there. No need for final approval by manager.
• Playing the devil’s advocate here, maybe he needs the information so he can answer to his boss when his higher-ups ask him “oh you team so and so on break ah? what happen?”.
  Honestly, this kind of practice may just come from the top. If the top dog is very nosy, then the underling all buay song also have to accept :/

I was devastated when my husband lost his job as an engineer.

We had been together for 6 years and married for 2, and we had planned on growing our family soon.

He had been working for the same company for the past 5 years, and I knew that he was going to get a promotion soon. But unfortunately, the company suddenly went bankrupt and he was one of the many who lost their jobs.

He tried his best to find another job but those were few and far between. Eventually, he had to take up a job as a Grab driver, which was a far cry from his previous job.

He was still unable to find another engineering job, and this became his only source of income.

I was worried about how this would affect our marriage, as I knew how proud he was of his job. The money he made from Grab was not enough to cover our expenses, and he had to take on extra hours just to make ends meet.

He was always exhausted from the long hours and he was rarely home. I felt like I was slowly losing him, and I was deeply hurt by this.

I had to take up a part-time job to help out with our finances, but this only added to the strain in our marriage.

We rarely had time to talk, and when we did, it was always about money. I felt like he had shut me out, and I was slowly falling out of love with him.

I decided to talk to him about it, but he was so wrapped up in the new job that he barely acknowledged me. I knew that he was doing his best to provide for us, but I could feel that he had become distant. He was no longer the man that I had married, and I could no longer stay in this marriage.

After a lot of thought, I decided to file for a divorce. He was shocked when I told him, but he understood my decision. We had grown apart and I felt that this was the best way for us to move forward.

The divorce process was tough, but we eventually settled our differences and went our separate ways. I was sad to see him go, but I knew that it was for the best. He is now doing much better as a Grab driver, and I hope that he finds happiness in his new life.

While it was a difficult decision, I know that it was the right one. We both had changed and the love that we once shared was no longer there. I’m glad that we were able to part on good terms, and I will always cherish the memories that we shared together.

It was a sunny Saturday morning when I made the realization that I was officially in my 40s.

As I reflected on my life thus far, one of my biggest accomplishments was that I had finally managed to find myself a girlfriend.

Although I was ecstatic to have someone to share my life with, I was also overwhelmed by the fact that I had to now learn how to properly clean my privates. It was something I had managed to avoid learning all my life, but with a girlfriend now in the picture, I knew I had to find the answer to my hygiene problem.

The thing was, I had never been taught how to clean them.

I screamed in pain when she pulled my skin down and there was a large amount of “Cream cheese” stuck there.

I knew that when you shower, you should wash your hands and body, but I had never been told how to properly clean my privates. I was so embarrassed about my lack of knowledge on the subject that I didn’t feel comfortable asking anyone for advice. Instead, I decided to try and figure it out on my own.

I had heard from some of my friends that it was important to wash your rod every day. So I began my quest to learn how to do that. I started by researching online and came across a lot of information on the subject. After reading through a few articles, I realized that it was important to use a mild soap and warm water when washing my little brother.

I also learned that it was important to pull back my foreskin to make sure I was getting a thorough clean.

I felt more confident that I was now equipped with the knowledge I needed to properly clean it. But little did I know, I was still missing a key element in my hygiene routine. One day after showering, I noticed that there was a strange white substance stuck to the inside of my foreskin. I thought I had done a thorough job of cleaning myself, so I was confused as to what it could be.

After a few days of trying to figure out what the substance was, I finally realized that it was “cream cheese”.

I had completely forgotten that I had eaten a sandwich before my shower and some of the “cream cheese” had gotten stuck to my foreskin. It was a strange sensation to have something inside my body that I had no idea how to remove.

Thankfully, I was able to find a website that explained how to properly clean your remove “cream cheese” from the foreskin. It said to first use a mild soap and warm water to wash the area, then to pull back your foreskin and use a cotton swab to gently scrape away the cream cheese.

I was so relieved to finally have an answer to my problem.

I’ve always wanted to own my own HDB flat before I turn 35, but it seems now that I’m unlikely to achieve that goal.

I’m not particularly well-off and the HDB rule is married then can buy or wait till your 35.

I know that if I could get a loan from HDB, I could make the purchase before 35, but the rules are stopping me.

Dream shattered

When I was younger, I had dreams of being able to purchase a flat before I was 35 and never having to pay off a loan until my hair was all white.

It was a nice dream and I held on to it for a long time. I can remember being in school, dreaming about the day I could buy my own flat and never having to worry about loan repayments.

Unfortunately, reality has set in. The cost of HDB flats has risen significantly over the last few years and I just can’t afford one.

I know that there are some grants and subsidies available, but they won’t be enough to get me to my goal. Even if I were to get a loan, I would still need to pay a mountain of debt until I’m like 55 or 60.

I understand the importance of a flat, and the security that it provides, but the thought of being in debt for the rest of my life is a bit much. I want to be able to buy my own flat and not worry about being in debt. I want to be able to enjoy the security of my own home without having to worry about loan repayments.

So, what can I do?

Find a girlfriend and get married? I am not the most handsome or rich man so I will not be able to do this anytime soon.

I have also been considering the possibility of renting instead of buying. I know that this would mean I don’t get the security of owning my own flat, but it might be the only option for me. I could rent for a few years and then save up enough to purchase my own flat, but I’m not sure how realistic this is.

At the end of the day, I know that I won’t be able to achieve my dream of owning my own HDB flat before 35 and never having to pay off a loan until my hair was all white.

But, I am still determined to find a way to make it happen. I’m not sure what the best option is, but I’m willing to explore my options and see if I can make my dream a reality.

Growing up, my uncle was always the cool relative who would come to visit with the latest gadgets and stories about the world outside our small country.

He was the kind of person who was always full of energy and had a passion for life that I admired.

So when he asked me to teach him “Internet” so he could watch “videos”, I was more than happy to help. I was excited to share my knowledge with him and show him how he could access the special “videos” with just a few clicks of a mouse.

My first lesson was a basic introduction to the Internet. I explained what it was and how it worked, comparing it to a vast library with more information than you could ever imagine. I also showed him how to use a web browser and how he could use search engines to find whatever he was looking for.

Once he had the basics down, I moved on to teaching him how to watch videos. I showed him how to access YouTube, which is a great resource for both entertainment and educational videos.

He got impatient and told me to get straight to the point and teach him how to access videos of women…

As he got more comfortable with the Internet, I showed him how to use social media to stay connected with friends and family. I taught him how to create a profile, how to make posts, and how to use the various features that make social media so popular.

About two weeks later, he told me he message several girls on Facebook but did not get any respond and asked me what is wrong. I was dumbfounded.

Along the way, I also showed my uncle how to use Whatsapp and how he could use it to stay in touch with loved ones around the world. I also taught him how to use other video calling services so he could have face-to-face conversations with people.

By the time my uncle had finished his Internet lessons, he was a pro. He was able to access the information he was looking for and was able to keep in touch with people from all around the world. He even started creating his own videos and posting them online.

He gave me a $200 ang bao for teaching him. hehe

I remember the first time I heard someone say that girlfriends are like stocks.

At first, I thought it was a silly analogy. But after further consideration, I quickly realized that it was actually an accurate comparison. In many ways, girlfriends can be compared to stocks – some make us richer and some make us poorer.

So True

When it comes to investing in stocks, there are those that have the potential to make you a lot of money. These are the ones with the potential to break records and make their investors rich. Similarly, there are relationships that have the potential to make us richer. These relationships provide us with the emotional and mental support we need to succeed in life. Whether it is through companionship, encouragement, or simply being a good listener, these relationships have the power to make us feel more confident, happier, and more fulfilled.

On the other hand, there are stocks that can make us poorer. These are the ones that don’t perform well and end up losing money. Similarly, there are relationships that can make us feel poorer. These are the ones that drag us down and take away our joy and happiness. They are the relationships that are filled with constant drama and arguments, leaving us feeling emotionally drained and exhausted.

I’m not saying that all relationships are like stocks. Not every relationship is going to make or break us. But it’s important to be aware of the potential positive and negative impacts of any relationship we choose to enter into. Just like investing in stocks, it’s important to do our due diligence and make sure we’re investing in the right stock. In relationships, this means taking the time to really get to know the other person and make sure they’re a good fit for us.

In both relationships and investing, it’s important to be aware of the risks involved. With investing, there is always the risk of losing money. And with relationships, we run the risk of getting hurt.

But if we take the time to research and invest wisely, we can minimize the risk and maximize our chances of success.

Just like stocks, it’s important to diversify our investments. This means not putting all of our eggs in one basket. Instead, we should invest in different stocks, different relationships, and different activities. That way, if one stock or relationship doesn’t perform well, we’ll still have other options to fall back on.

Finally, it’s important to remember that investing in stocks and relationships are two completely different things. Stocks are investments that can make us money, while relationships are investments of our time and energy. Both have their risks, but when we invest in the right stocks and the right relationships, we can reap the rewards.

I’m a massage girl. That’s what I’m commonly known as, but I’m really a masseuse and I’m proud of it.

I know what you’re thinking. You’re probably wondering why I’m choosing to do this job. Well, the truth is I’m making more money doing this than I ever did in the past.

I graduated with a degree in business, but my job was barely paying the bills. I was stuck in a continuous cycle of debt and struggling to make ends meet.

That all changed when I decided to become a massage girl. I had heard good things about it and thought that maybe it could help me make some extra money. I was right.

To start, I thought I had to learn massage techniques and attend some classes on massage techniques. But none of it matter, I began working in a spa and started offering my services to clients. It was nothing like I expected.

The clients that came to see me were mostly men from all walks of life. I was providing a service to them and they were paying for it. What I didn’t know was that I was also providing something else – a special service.

It turns out that a lot of my clients were coming to see me for more than just a massage. They were looking for companionship, someone to talk to, and someone to listen to. I was providing them with a sense of companionship and it was something that they were willing to pay for.

But most importantly, I help them “Finish” and I get between $50 to $80 from them.

The more I provided this special service, the more money I was making. I was making more money than a lot of my peers who had graduated with me. It was amazing to see how much money I was able to make by providing this special service.

I’m now in a much better financial situation. I’m able to pay my bills and have a little extra to save. I’m no longer struggling to make ends meet and I’m able to enjoy life a bit more.

I’m also proud of the fact that I’m able to provide a valuable service to my clients. I’m helping them relax, feel more confident, and even helping them find more balance in their lives. It’s something that I take great pride in and it’s something that I’m grateful to be doing.

So, if you’re thinking of becoming a massage girl, don’t be afraid. It can be a great way to make some extra money, while providing a valuable service to others.

You never know, you might even end up making more money than your uni degree.