Recently in dilemma how to plan our future.

Young couple, mid-20s.
Planning to get a baby the earlier the better.
Somehow quite jealous other parents can still go explore with their children in their mid-40s / teenage children.
It's either attending parent meeting at 30s or 40s. Also, late giving birth = late retirement..

Back to topic, anyone can give idea on how to give birth of baby in SG at a very low cost?
Planning to go back MY in future (With recent Malaysia 2.0 )
Heard other young parent give their parent to take care of, but we feel like not responsible for the child.
Also heard the cost of raising child in SG is skyrocket high and very hard to sustain.

How you guys usually plan, especially for parents overseas?

Require few clarifications before can comment:
1) Have u guys married?
2) Do u own a house in SG?
3) Are u two SG PR?
4) If yes, how long already being a SG PR?
5) Roughly how much are both of your montly income?
6) When u planning to go back Malaysia permanently? Your whole family or some will stay in SG?

1. Planning either this year / next year.
2. Nope, but already have a house in Malaysia.
3. No
4. I plan to get one but will be hard for my partner because she only have diploma
5. I think total up around $5k
6. Don't have family in SG. Was planning to go back in retirement mode around ~45 y/o. Feasible?

Is your Malaysia house near SG?

There is no best way, only ways that best accommodate you and your partner and later on your children.

>>Back to topic, anyone can give idea on how to give birth of baby in SG at a very low cost?
You can give birth in private hospital in Johor, it is relatively cheap compare to SG

You may also consider to buy house in Johor to bring your parents or your wife parents to stay in Johor and help look after your kids (assuming they are retired)

Or you can register your family as PR once your wife gave birth. It is easier to get PR if you apply as a family with your child

>>6. Don't have family in SG. Was planning to go back in retirement mode around ~45 y/o. Feasible?
It all depends on the lifestyle you want, and the things (education) you want to provide for your children. If you are able to gather around RM1 mil, you can have around RM5k per month just from interest. Not factoring in inflation

No, in Sarawak, my hometown

But in long term, I heard people staying in SG long term is for their children. Education here is better as compared to MY. Right?
But what I want to know is how different it could be? aside from the expensive expenses of tuition fees and day cares.

Wahh.. quite difficult for your case.

Coz as u know, it is very difficult to rent a room in SG for a family with young infant. U need to rent the whole flat and it is not cheap. Almost half of both your income gone. Not to mentioned u need to hire a maid or put in child care center.

U can't buy BTO or resale hdb coz both of u must become PR for at least 3 years unless u convert to SG citizenship. Or u can buy condominium but it is freaking expensive.

Another option is u buy a house in Johor Bahru and both of u travel back and forth but the causeway jam is really terrible. U two need to wake up very early. U also need to find a nanny to look after your child.

The last option is u put your child in your hometown and let your parents or your in-laws to look after them. This is what most lower income do. They always travel back frequently but for your case will be very expensive.

Its good u are aware and trying to think of your future. I see some of my Malaysian colleagues here still YOLO in their mid 30's.

This post has been edited by lil_flank: May 17 2018, 02:16 PM

Thought all of the possibility that you mentioned, yes, so in the end, we decide that we hardly can have child in our 20s
The only way is to have a baby and let our parent look after it, but yes, as I mentioned in first post, very unfair for the child without parent love since young

Children education is very important and as SG is a very competitive nation, children education also become very competitive.
If you are "competitive", there is way your money is burnt... numerous tuition and enrichment classes
The syllabus is usually more advance compare to Malaysia, get more exposure and they also emphasize alot of activities
Once your children enrolled in primary... secondary, it will be difficult for them to return to Malaysia, so if you plan to let your child study in SG, might as well convert to Singaporean to get the government benefits for his people

Yes, but SG is not a really good place for retirement. I had heard SG ppl go Malaysia to retire and not vice versa.
If you were me, will you just quit your SG job and go back MY for the sack of become parent?

Seen quite many sarawakian flying to SG for work, some as young as 18 years old. There are pros and cons with whichever path u undertake.

I'll say do think and discuss thoroughly with your wife to be on your future together. Either go for PR and settle down at singapore or earn as much as possible in a period of time then come back to M'sia to settle down and set up a business.

Since both of you and your wife to be is still young(20s), do hold that thought of having a baby until u have decided where u plan to settle down. Having a baby but without both parent to take care will have impact on the child's upbringing and in most cases negatively. Not to mention our parents are getting old and taking care of a baby is far from being easy so do be considerate to your own parent.

Having a child in your early 20's in SG will be a very challenging road.

What field are both of u working in? Is there a potential that both of u would earn more in the future? If both of u go back Sarawak, are u going to find a same field job or start a business? Will the income be sufficient?

I was going to get PR, wanted to earn the extra 17%.
But with the current change in government, not sure what will happen in future, so I will reconsider the idea for now.

Working in engineering field, MNC, I guess increment still average (less % than Malaysia) but it should be fine if only to keep us alive
So I concluded that only few options.

1. Fight until ~30y/o, go back Malaysia, get a child.
2. Get PR, live in SG frugally.
3. Fight until ~45y/o, go back Malaysia, no child for rest of life.
4. Ask partner stay until ~30y/o, then she go back Malaysia to raise the child. I fight alone until ~45y/o, then go back Malaysia.

If not PR, i suggest you go to some hospital or KKH to check the price for giving birth.

Remember you're considered foreignor so you have to pay the most, and also no discounts if you go to pollyclinic to get your baby jabs.

Yes, both of u should get a SG PR if possible so u can benefit from the employer cpf payout and cpf interest. After gotten your PR, go buy an insurance rider. This insurance rider covers surgery and hospitalization. Its a small price to pay especially the medical fee in SG is so freaking expensive. After working for 3 years and gotten married, u can consider buying a resale hdb. Can deduct from your cpf. Rent out some of the rooms to ease your burden. When u reach the age of 30, see whether do u wana permanent stay in SG and have children or go back to Sarawak. If u two are planning to go back Sarawak permanently, you can sell your hdb and pay back the remaining loan of your hdb. Then give up your PR so u can withdrawl out all your cpf money. Unlike us in Peninsular Malaysia, we cannot withdrawl our cpf money until the age of 65 if i am remeber correctly. If we give up our PR, we can only withdrawl all our cpf money at the age of 55.

If either of you cannot get a PR, that means u cannot buy a hdb. So both of you try to save as much money as possible. I suggest u to use some money to learn how to invest. Its best to invest at a young age especially in the 20's. But make sure you have sufficient insurance coverage and emergency savings. Then at the age of 30, both of you can go back to your hometown with a lump sum of money. But u need to think carefully what u planning to do in Sarawak coz your pay will most likely be lower if you work in the engineering field. Unless u use the money to open a business but every business also have its risk. Wish u good luck!

To be frank, I am also in the engineering field and the pay sucks. I also cannot make use of my engineering background to open my own business. By the way, giving birth in Malaysia government hospital is freaking cheap. Three of my children are born here. Price ranges from RM35-Rm100, lol.. I am planning to go back to reunite with my family next year.



This post has been edited by lil_flank: May 18 2018, 12:37 PM

lil_frank
Thank you for your advice.



I don't think PR can have HDB BTO, only SG Citizen.



Yes, recently trying to invest some in this ASNB by government. Do you have any tips on how and where should we invest as a Malaysian working in SG? Invest in SG or MY?



Yes, but I think you can try my friend tips:
Retire at 48 y/o, 50y/o can withdraw according to their website
https://www.cpf.gov.sg/Members/Schemes/sche...n-other-grounds




Yes, engineering field like us, especially MNC will have a pay cut when going back to MY.
But what to do, our family is there and that is our home country



Congrats to you! Finally can go back and live happily ever after

At one point or another you will have to make sacrifice.
Yes alot of Singaporean do retired in Malaysia (those that can drive and do not mind risking), but generally most elder Singaporean just stay in SG. Just check the kopitiam, park and town hall and you can see retiree enjoying themselves.
The question is what kind of life style you prefer, kampung life style, city life style?

For your reference, I travel daily between MY and SG. Move my whole family to Johor.
Children study in MY government school

And it's not tiring?

Thanks for the cpf info. Sorry, my mistake. Bto is only for those Singaporeans unless one of u convert to SG citizenship.

I invest in foreign stocks (US and Hong Kong). U can open an trading account in banks or trading firms. I basically open in iOcbc Security. For tips, i suggest u go youtube and listen to Peter Lynch videos. It will give a rough understanding of how to invest in potential stocks.