Ang Pow Issues...

[DesertWind]

auntieM:

Although we say 'market rate'.. ... not easy to come up with so-called 'standard' or 'current' rate hor.. ...The two non-chinese family with 8 kids between them hang around my MIL's place without fail yearly .. How to give 'current rate'?

Hi auntieM,

For me, I would give SGD2 ang pows for each of the 8 children, ke..ke..ke. For one of my cousin with 4 children, I give SGD4 ang pow each and she was already very pai seh and keep telling us not to give them! Those with 2 kids, each will get SGD6 ang pow. Those with one child or they are already teenagers and above, SGD10!

The more the number of children, the lower the rate!

[DesertWind]

lostbunny:

My in-laws give. All the waitress who are not serving our table will also one by one come in to say hello to my in-laws so that they get ang pao too!

Hi lostbunny,

Wah, your in-laws are very generous! Usually think only the one serving yusheng gets but I suppose once words get around and the waitresses come in one-by-one to greet your in-laws, they would have \"no choice\" but to give. But I am sure your in-laws must be happy with their services and greetings as well and so long as everybody is happy, that's is the most important!
:celebrate:

[starlight1968sg]

I gave $4 to kids whom I am not very familiar.


So no more $4 and MUST up the rate next year onwards ? :?

[DesertWind]

maki:

yes, am curious why helper gets so much too, perhaps that's her bonus too?

PILs - $400 x 2
our kids - $120
helper - $28 (she got her bonus in Dec. Usually give $50 but she's only with us <1 yr and her work is so-so only.)
nieces/nephews - $20
friends' kids - $10 - $12 (will give $20 if for 1-child).
others kids - $6

Hi maki,

Wow, your ang pow rates are certainly generous indeed! Its a lot of money you are giving your PILs and kids.

No, my maid's ang pow is not her bonus. Her bonus is one month and will have to wait until I got mine!
:celebrate:

[DesertWind]

tankee:

Saw a parent gave the enrichment class tutor a bag of bak kwa.

Hi tankee,

I went to my son's kindy and saw one parent giving one teacher some small something in a small paper bag (dunno what) and I am curious whether any parents give the teachers anything during CNY?

For me, since it was my son's first CNY in school, don't want to overdo things so I just brought 6 kum to school and asked him to give to 3 of his teachers. Taught him to \"pai nian\". Think that is enough, certainly I think giving teachers ang pow is no no to me, even cookies or tidbits. Unless you tell them they are for the class/children/school some of them may not even want to accept (I think).

[starlight1968sg]

DesertWind:

For me, since it is my son's first CNY in school, don't want to overdo things so I just brought 6 kum to school and asked him to give them to 3 of his teachers. Taught him to \"pai nian\". Think that is enough, certainly I think giving teachers ang pow is no no to me, even cookies or tidbits. Unless you tell them they are for the class/children/school some of them may not even want to accept (I think).

Bring 2 mandarin oranges each for form teacher and MT teacher would do. :lol:

[LOLMum]

when ds was in nursery and kindy, i gave a packet of mushrooms to the class teachers and principal because i talked to them pretty often and the principal was really nice.


most parents give only to class teachers like mushroom, bwa kua or cny biscuits.

but once in pri, i no longer give to any teachers.

[jnj0910]

Hi jnj0910,


Wah, got to explain the rationale behind all my numbers, ke...ke...ke! Anyway, I just go by heart-feel/gut-feel and I think I would like to be generous but do not want to give at a rate which I will feel \"heart-pain\" or reluctance. It all has to do with who I feel is worth-it for eg:

1. My maid helped me a lot and gives me almost zero problems hence the gratefulness is manifested through the ang pow rate of SGD100. This rate is on par with my PILs & Grandmother who does not look after my kid for me nor help me do housework. SGD100 x 2 for my PILs is enough and btw, they gave us back ang pows of SGD102 x 2 which means I got back more and seriously they don't need our money! Grandmother got SGD100 sign of my respect for her and I heard from my mother she has always commented I am one of the most generous among the grandchildren.

2. Why my son, niece & nephews got SGD 10 \"only\"? Simple lah, I am already paying my darling son's school fees, clothes and have a monthly savings plan for him so this SGD 10 is only a token from mummy. According to my rate, this is \"above market\" of the usual SGD4 & SGD6 so OK. As for my niece and nephew, same thinking, it is already above the normal market rate plus why give so much to them when their parents can provide?

3. My parents this year I gave \"only\" SGD60 ang pow, anything more I would really feel heart-pain so no more and is the lowest compared to the past. Why? Because each month I already give them their allowance plus one extra month for my mum to handle the CNY festivities/food. Also just hired a maid for them hence already a lot of expenses so....

4. As for SGD6 below market rate, really meh? No lah, I think it is still the market rate most common being SGD4 for children so I give a little bit more SGD6 sounds good - \"luck\"!

So just go by your gut feel think should be ok.

Gong Xi Fa Cai!
:celebrate:[/quote]

Hi desertwind,

thanks for your interesting insight into your rationale behind the
ang-pows !

my rates are actually the same as Maki's, such a coincidence!
also excluding cny expenses for parents/in-laws etc...

and at least judging from our children's ang pows this year , their market rate is like that too...

first year i gave my nieces/nephew and fren's kids $10 only to realise everyone gave $20 to mine, so very paiseh, and upped accordingly after that.

My hubby rationale is that in our time, we were already receiving about $10 or even more, rarely single digit, so what more in our kid's generation, with so much inflation, anything less can't buy very much.

I suppose it really depends on our own circle of relatives/friends, and adjust the \"market rate\" accordingly lor...

But you are right, the most important is to go by gut feel and be happy giving

[maki]

jnj0910:

Hi jnj0910,


Wah, got to explain the rationale behind all my numbers, ke...ke...ke! Anyway, I just go by heart-feel/gut-feel and I think I would like to be generous but do not want to give at a rate which I will feel \"heart-pain\" or reluctance. It all has to do with who I feel is worth-it for eg:

1. My maid helped me a lot and gives me almost zero problems hence the gratefulness is manifested through the ang pow rate of SGD100. This rate is on par with my PILs & Grandmother who does not look after my kid for me nor help me do housework. SGD100 x 2 for my PILs is enough and btw, they gave us back ang pows of SGD102 x 2 which means I got back more and seriously they don't need our money! Grandmother got SGD100 sign of my respect for her and I heard from my mother she has always commented I am one of the most generous among the grandchildren.

2. Why my son, niece & nephews got SGD 10 \"only\"? Simple lah, I am already paying my darling son's school fees, clothes and have a monthly savings plan for him so this SGD 10 is only a token from mummy. According to my rate, this is \"above market\" of the usual SGD4 & SGD6 so OK. As for my niece and nephew, same thinking, it is already above the normal market rate plus why give so much to them when their parents can provide?

3. My parents this year I gave \"only\" SGD60 ang pow, anything more I would really feel heart-pain so no more and is the lowest compared to the past. Why? Because each month I already give them their allowance plus one extra month for my mum to handle the CNY festivities/food. Also just hired a maid for them hence already a lot of expenses so....

4. As for SGD6 below market rate, really meh? No lah, I think it is still the market rate most common being SGD4 for children so I give a little bit more SGD6 sounds good - \"luck\"!

So just go by your gut feel think should be ok.

Gong Xi Fa Cai!
:celebrate:

Hi desertwind,

thanks for your interesting insight into your rationale behind the
ang-pows !

my rates are actually the same as Maki's, such a coincidence!
also excluding cny expenses for parents/in-laws etc...

and at least judging from our children's ang pows this year , their market rate is like that too...

first year i gave my nieces/nephew and fren's kids $10 only to realise everyone gave $20 to mine, so very paiseh, and upped accordingly after that.

My hubby rationale is that in our time, we were already receiving about $10 or even more, rarely single digit, so what more in our kid's generation, with so much inflation, anything less can't buy very much.

I suppose it really depends on our own circle of relatives/friends, and adjust the \"market rate\" accordingly lor...

But you are right, the most important is to go by gut feel and be happy giving :D[/quote]

Hi jnj0910,

Wah, didn't know our rates are same-same!

Yes, the amt to my PILs are in addition to the monthly & CNY expenses. They are one of the best in-laws I've came across, hardly ask us for any form of help (financially or physically) and yet always ever ready to render us help! Always decline our monthly allowance and got to really push hard for them to accept. They are extremely thriftly on themselves but splurge good food on us! I always tell my DH to appreciate them! BTW, this year, they gave our DDs ang pow of $200 each!

[maki]

DesertWind:

maki:

yes, am curious why helper gets so much too, perhaps that's her bonus too?

PILs - $400 x 2
our kids - $120
helper - $28 (she got her bonus in Dec. Usually give $50 but she's only with us <1 yr and her work is so-so only.)
nieces/nephews - $20
friends' kids - $10 - $12 (will give $20 if for 1-child).
others kids - $6

Hi maki,

Wow, your ang pow rates are certainly generous indeed! Its a lot of money you are giving your PILs and kids.

No, my maid's ang pow is not her bonus. Her bonus is one month and will have to wait until I got mine!
:celebrate:

Hi DesertWind,

Thanks for the \"insight\". Agree, just go with your own \"gut feel\" and comfort level!

恭喜发财！ :celebrate: