Uhmm.. I just recalled they "activated" my debit card when I called them to reset my Maybank SG online portal login password after it was locked due to many trials (forgot my password). That's 2 years ago.

So while they reset my online portal they used my debit card to setup the login credentials, hence activating my debit card at the same time.

The online part is for changing debit card PIN only I think, you can see your card status as "activated" or otherwise, but you can't change them/deactivate/activate them. See below:



But I am sure you can call Maybank SG or email them (and they call back from SG) to "activate" your debit card.

---------------------------------

If you happen to be in JB, just come over to Causeway Point in Woodlands to settle your card issue there. There's a Maybank SG branch over there. Newly opened I guess.

This post has been edited by TOS: Jul 11 2022, 10:40 PM

Ramjade

I am planning to sign up for Youtrip. While the forex rate is nice and no commissions are charged, the problem is you can't withdraw the money out to SG or MY bank accounts but can only spend the money via Mastercard.

It is very restrictive.

Do you know of any loopholes to exploit its forex service? Or you have better suggestions to use Youtrip?

Another info for you is you can register Youtrip with any phone number, SG or MY mobile number also can. There is no restriction on country code.

The only restriction is you need proof of address in SG and also a FIN number (which means you need study, work, WHP or long-term visit pass etc.) or NRIC number (i.e. Singaporeans or SG PR).

Currently need 2-4 weeks for account approval and receival of the Mastercard.

This post has been edited by TOS: Jul 19 2022, 04:01 PM

CIMB SG revised their deposit rates upwards.

https://www.cimb.com.sg/content/dam/cimbsg/...ision-jun22.pdf

Fastsaver <75k SGD rate is increased to 0.5% p.a. from 0.3% p.a. before.

Uhmm, I checked with DBS. For first-time account opening, no minimum balance needed and thus no fall-below fees charged. I just have less than 100 SGD in my DBS account, will wait for a few months and observe for any charges, shall report back here.

And no, not study pass. It's Work Holiday Pass. I am a visiting student (though the uni letter addresses me as "visiting research fellow"... ).

In general, as long as you have an MoM work pass, you should be eligible for opening a DBS/OCBC/UOB account in SG.

Check the list of passes here: https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits

1-hour-journey from Woodlands to MBFC... have to wake up at 5 or 6 in the morning, then queue for another hour or 2 to check if can open account.

Really depends on the person you meet. The staffs themselves don't agree with one another sometimes.

This post has been edited by TOS: Jul 26 2022, 09:23 AM

Maybank SG don't need any pass. Anyone can open directly from designated Maybank MY branch. Just download form and submit to the nearest designated MY branch.

Lai lai welcome. I toured pretty much a large part of SG...

Can suggest you some nice place to eat...

If he comes just to open bank account, can explore food options near fringe of CBD like Toa Payoh, Redhill/Tiong Bahru, Maxwell/Newton or the nice bun at Westlake (Farrer Road).

Further west would be West Coast market and Bukit Panjang hawker center.

If got more people e.g. come with family then have more choices.

Change MYR to SGD is unavoidable. Best travel option is to fly to JB then travel to SG by causeway, round trip Air Asia cost +/- 100 MYR only (or even less, e.g. 50-60 ish).

Avoid using Grab/taxi, make good use of MRT/buses, plan your journey in advance.

Anyway hawker food 3-4 SGD isn't too expensive compared to KL/Penang standard even after the 3.12 SGD/MYR conversion rate.

Ah yes 3.22.

But anyhow you still need to eat to survive. The very cheap ones like those near MRT station can be 2-3 SGD per meal (but smaller servings). After x3.22, pretty sure similar to MY spending. Can combine breakfast and lunch into brunch or try bread/biscuits in place of rice too.

Just 2-3 days here I think the expenses won't be too bad if homework is done.

Possible. I opened one account with DBS Vickers a few weeks back, just after I got my DBS Multipler account approved.

Note that you have to "self-declare" yourself as an SG tax resident to apply for a DBS Vickers account online (even if you are not... they won't check, since it's "self-declare", not even asking for proof or anything. WHP pass is good enough to make you an SG tax resident even with just 6-month validity )

You can link it to a CDP account if you own one or you can use the CDP account number given to you while your application is still under review.

For my case, my CDP account linkage failed since my CDP application was rejected. So, my current DBS Vickers is like a "bare bone" service without any linkage to any CDP account.

This post has been edited by TOS: Jul 29 2022, 12:11 AM

The tax requirement for online DBS Vickers account application is that you need to have an SG TIN number (i.e. SG tax resident).

In Singapore, TIN number is the same as FIN number(work/student etc. pass) or NRIC number (Sporean/PR).

Anyway, I am not sure how Ramjade manage to "self-declare" his SG TIN number 7 years back without any pass or NRIC. It's best you ask him.

Oh I didn't know Malaysia IC can be used as SG TIN number. Maybe can try that.

This post has been edited by TOS: Jul 29 2022, 01:49 PM

So you opened your DBS Vickers account and (bank) multiplier account with your student pass back then?

Or you are Malaysia student? The online application needs you to enter your TIN number anyway. Not sure how you fill that column up?

If you state you don't have SG TIN, they straightaway reject your DBS Vickers application and states you need to be SG tax resident to open DBS Vickers account.

At least that's my case.

This post has been edited by TOS: Jul 29 2022, 02:18 PM

If you have CDP then DBS Vickers is the cheapest broker to access the secondary market for securities listed on SGX.

DBS Cash upfront charges 10 SGD for purchase of stocks/bonds from secondary market (for CDP).

To sell, you open an FSM SG account and sell your holdings from there (still linked to CDP) for 8.8 SGD per trade.

Notice to those who have DBS account in SG:

1. DBS Multiplier account raised its deposit rate: https://www.straitstimes.com/business/banki...savings-account

2. Make sure you DO NOT set the d2Pay internet banking service transaction limit to 0.00 SGD which implies deactivation of the d2Pay service. If you accidentally do that, you need to fill up a reactivation form (link: https://www.dbs.com.sg/iforms/ib/paymentstr...al/default.page ) and mail it to DBS Bank via Simpang Bedok Post Office.

The cost of sending letter throughout Singapore is just 0.3 SGD (I mailed mine from SingPost branch at Woodlands Civic Center, you can check all other branches' opening hours here: https://www.singpost.com/list-of-post-offices)

The mailing process is very fast, just under 2 minutes for me today, no need to queue (maybe less people).

----------------

For those who want to open DBS account and stay near NUS/NUH/Kent Ridge MRT station/area, you can try taking the free NUS shuttle bus (yes, free of charge, sponsored by SG government obviously) or bus 95 which traverse through NUS campus and eat the canteen food.

For reference, Yusof Ishak House canteen (accesible by NUS shuttle bus and bus 95), where I took my dinner today:

Economic rice (3 vege): 2.2 SGD
Economic rice (2 vege + 1 meat): 2.5 SGD
Pineapple fried rice etc. : 3.5-4 SGD

Obviously, the stall rent has to be subsidized by the government, which is why the cost savings are passed down to the you, the consumer. Note that not all unis in SG has cheap food. SUTD in the far eastern part of SG does not have such "cheap" subsidizes. The econ rice there still cost 3.7-3.9 for 2 vege 1 meat combination, for reference.

-------------------

Another insider news:

Salary for mechanical engineer/similar positions at Micron Woodlands North fab

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Micron+Se...33;4d103.793629

Freshgrad: 5k SGD (3-4 years back 3.5 k SGD)
PhD: 5.5k SGD (10% more, SG don't really value postgrad degrees...)

This post has been edited by TOS: Aug 1 2022, 10:26 PM

YouTrip card arrives today. 4-digit PIN setup verified by email address on phone and can be used now.

Seriously speaking, Maybank SG is actually more than sufficient for day-to-day living in SG. I use Maybank SG all the time. Can withdraw at designated ATMs once a while for a few weeks of spending.

Not many ATMs as compared to the 3 local banks, but still sufficient for daily livings. The Visa debit card is already very convenient.

The added benefit with DBS, apart from having a "safer" deposit account and its multicurrency feature, would be opening up the opportunity for DBS Vickers and subsciption to SG bonds/SGX IPO. But the later is contingent on the ability to open a CDP account. So if you just open a DBS multiplier and Vickers account, you will just get multicurrency account and another custodian brokerage account. You won't enjoy the benefit of assessing SG capital markets.

SG local banks' FD rates are miserable...

Maybe Ram has different ideas. But the above is my observation from 2 months of living in SG.

This post has been edited by TOS: Aug 10 2022, 10:26 PM

Don't forget the ATM-5 network.

https://www.maybank2u.com.sg/en/personal/ab.../Locate-Us.page

There're still plenty of Maybank SG ATMs around you in SG.

Ok lah, maybe I happened to live near one of the ATMs. But you can just exit an MRT station, walk down and withdraw money, then walk back up and continue with your MRT journey. The price is the same as long as you don't exit the station for more than 30 minutes.

This post has been edited by TOS: Aug 11 2022, 10:41 AM

After sending 2 letters (first one rejected because "signature not the same"), the d2pay service is reactivated with the default minimum of 100 SGD.

Don't simply set transfer/pay limits to 0 for DBS accounts. Lesson learnt.

These should be the bare minimum.

Malaysia IC,
Malaysia passport,
SG Arrival Card (the one sent to your email inbox after immigration) since you don't have any passes/permits
Proof of source of fund (print latest statements of SG bank accounts and MY bank accounts)
Proof of MY address (e.g. MY telephone/utility bills)
Proof of MY employment status (a job offer letter, salary slips etc.)

These are extras, but to be safe:

Proof of SG address (at least a hotel in SG if you stay there, but most likely not needed)
Proof of tax residency (MY income tax filings)

No need to bring any amount for account opening at DBS, you can deposit at the CDM machines later if successful.

----------------If you are interested in CDP account opening----------------------

Once you are successful with DBS account application, if you have a relative in SG and don't mind some lost in privacy, first change your DBS address (both mailing and residential) to your relative's SG address. After bank approves, you can then open your CDP account as a "foreigner" here: https://investors.sgx.com/cdp-account-openi.../form-selection

It will likely take 1-2 months to complete the CDP account opening, but the timing should be right as the risk-free rates continue to rise into next year. You can then buy SSBs and SG bills/bonds.

This post has been edited by TOS: Sep 18 2022, 01:41 PM

For Ram's advice on Mid-valley forex exchange make sure your house is near Mid-Valley and you factor in the cost to travel to Mid-valley to exchange the money. Petrol, tolls, time, traffic etc. This is the opportunity cost to using Wise/Instarem etc, something you must factor in before doing the exchange.

Depending on your purpose of visit to SG, if it's just leisure travel and only last for a few days, make sure you plan your trip in advance. If MBFC main branch rejects you, you can then shop around other branches to test your luck the next day or the following days.

Arrive 1 hour before branch open. This is very important. You must understand SG's kiasu kiasi attitude! Check the branch(es) opening hours before you visit them.

MBFC branch is near Market Street food center, a new hawker center at CapitaSpring, so you may have your breakfast there. Another location for breakfast is within MBFC Tower 3 itself, just one floor below DBS's MBFC main branch is NTUC's Foodfare hawker center. You can try to have breakfast there too as it's nearer though more expensive. https://www.google.com/search?q=NTUC+foodfare+MBFC

If you have a Maybank SG account beforehand, make sure you test out the card at Changi airport's Maybank SG ATM when you arrive (or straight away tap on bus 950 at JB bus interchange if you touch down at Senai and see if the SimplyGo feature is enabled).

You may then use the Maybank SG debit card on nearly all places in SG. Cash is important for spending at hawker centers as most of the stalls only accept ewallets like PayLah, GrabPay etc and cash. Few stalls accept NETS, and even if they accept NETS/credit/debit cards, avoid using them as sometimes their POS systems fail and your money is deducted from SG bank account but not received by them, so you have to pay by cash another time while bear the risk that the earlier failed transactions will not go through and the cash will be refunded.

It may take days before the cash is refunded... (happens to me once, money deducted three times (swipe card 3 times), all fail, ended up paying by cash, all 3 failed transactions reversed after 3-4 days).

My earlier post on DBS account opening may not be fully applicable, but should still contain some helpful info. https://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...ost&p=104713013

This post has been edited by TOS: Sep 18 2022, 09:43 PM