Money matters - living a simple life, frugally

[sharonkhoo]

S-H:

Maybe we should consider immigrating to US;-)

I know some US families who really stretch their money - they rarely buy anything new and either buy 2nd hand or get hand-me-downs. They always look for cheap housebrands and never buy 'branded'. They eat at home mostly, buy in bulk, and may even grow some of their own veg and fruit. They do a lot of DIY and mend things and continue using them until they really can't be fixed anymore. A lot of this can also be done in Singapore, but most Singaporeans probably find it 'too troublesome'.

[keroppi]

thoughtfulminds:

read somewhere in US a family of 4 survives only on $14,000 annually, and enjoying it.

I wonder if they bought any health insurance and how much state and federal taxes they are paying. The personal income tax DH and I used to pay while working there is already more than that. Childcare was abt U$200 per week per child.

[pirate]

janet_lee88:

When my kids finish school, can they afford to maintain themselves? Tertiary education not cheap. If don't have sufficient education, can't even sustain themselves, how to find girlfriend/boyfriend. How to get married?


School textbooks/uniforms not cheap. Sorry, list goes on.

A Singaporean construction worker or a lorry driver can easily earn more than $3,000 a month. No need tertiary education. Housing agents can earn tons of money, and only need 'O' levels. It's not whether can find a job to maintain themselves, it's whether willing to do those jobs and to work hard.

Hence back to living a simple life, frugally.

[jedamum]

A construction skilled worker can earn $ 3000 a month, yes, but not easily. 7days a week, more than 12hours a day yes. Not many can take this kind of work demands for that salary.

[janet88]

Housing agents can earn tons…but it is not the case every month. Car salesmen also used to earn lots…but come new policy set by govt…they suffer. Even though not many kids can eventually become lawyers, doctors, accountants etc…we encourage them to study hard in order to work in a air con environment. That’s our wish as parents.


I have friends who are photographers, housing agents and car salesmen…but their other halves are working full time to support their husbands’ dreams.

[ammonite]

jedamum:

A construction skilled worker can earn $ 3000 a month, yes, but not easily. 7days a week, more than 12hours a day yes. Not many can take this kind of work demands for that salary.

But if no choice will do right? But I don't think many Singaporeans are skilled at all with their hands. Dh likes to tell me the story of how he went on a volunteer programme to help build houses for the poor, and all the Singaporeans cannot hammer a nail in straight.

[ammonite]

janet_lee88:

Housing agents can earn tons...but it is not the case every month. Car salesmen also used to earn lots...but come new policy set by govt...they suffer. Even though not many kids can eventually become lawyers, doctors, accountants etc...we encourage them to study hard in order to work in a air con environment. That's our wish as parents.


I have friends who are photographers, housing agents and car salesmen...but their other halves are working full time to support their husbands' dreams.

In every line there is the top 1percent and then the rest who are drifters, especially in the creative fields and commission based jobs. One can be mediocre and still make a good living as a doctor, but not in advertising or photography. And to be good takes a lot of sacrifices. Dh was in fine arts previously, and he said it was easy to see who had real passion and creative juices.

[jedamum]

No choice but not skilled, then can’t do.

I can’t believe that unskilled construction workers can bring home that amount of take home pay.
Those middle age unemployed may have difficulty picking up a specialised trade if they do not have pre interest or base skills eg carpenters. Those young ones, how many will ditch the air con environment to pick up on site skills.
But you are right to state that not many are skilled with their hands. To reach that level of take home for new entrants into that industry, I believe one has to be specialised skilled, if not, very experience to take on extended overtime. Working for long periods of time on site is physically and mentally draining.
So it is not an easily $3000.

[pirate]

jedamum:

No choice but not skilled, then can't do.

I can't believe that unskilled construction workers can bring home that amount of take home pay.
Those middle age unemployed may have difficulty picking up a specialised trade if they do not have pre interest or base skills eg carpenters. Those young ones, how many will ditch the air con environment to pick up on site skills.
But you are right to state that not many are skilled with their hands. To reach that level of take home for new entrants into that industry, I believe one has to be specialised skilled, if not, very experience to take on extended overtime. Working for long periods of time on site is physically and mentally draining.
So it is not an easily $3000.

No skill, can learn. It's the attitude that matters.

No passion in studies. No passion in sports. No passion in music. No passion in arts. No passion in dealing with people. No passion in cooking. No passion in working with hands. Everything also no passion, so never pick up any useful skill. Then how?

It does not have to be stellar academic achievements, but if our youngsters want to have a half decent living, they better learn to be skilled at something. Even children of tycoons have to learn how to fight to keep their inheritance.

Nobody said earning money is easy. In fact, that's the first thing I teach my kid - money does not come easily, but is easily squandered. And I intend to keep drumming it in. I start with the toys. I do not buy expensive toys except for special occasions or reasons. And by expensive, I mean more than $10. :evil: I don't even allow the aircon to be turned on except on very hot days ~ easily less than 30 days a year.

[sharonkhoo]

pirate:

No passion in studies. No passion in sports. No passion in music. No passion in arts. No passion in dealing with people. No passion in cooking. No passion in working with hands. Everything also no passion, so never pick up any useful skill. Then how?


It does not have to be stellar academic achievements, but if our youngsters want to have a half decent living, they better learn to be skilled at something. Even children of tycoons have to learn how to fight to keep their inheritance.

I agree that it's sad if a child can get to adulthood and have nothing that really interests him. But sometimes, it's we parents that are to blame. We often tell our kids to work harder and put in long hours at their weak areas, which often tend to be the areas they have less interest or aptitude in, and spend less time on things that they are better at. In the end, the child ends up still weak or merely average at the areas he spent the most time on, and didn't spend enough time on the things he had interest in to really develop a decent level of skill.