EP, yea i have done my calculations, 35-40 should be a safe time with min 1 mil sgd. dont deposit in bank tho, make sure u invest ur savings in safe yet high returns places like snp500, berkshire etc.
i guess 10 years of working in sg is equivalent to 30-40 years of work in malaysia.

Will you be working back in KL though? SGD1m won’t get you very far nowadays….

i wonder if the average singaporean have that option. Truly lucky to be malaysian to get the best of both worlds.

Yeah. I thought like you once… thought I’d return to Malaysia to retire after x number of years.

But, after nearly 30 years here, that’s becoming less and less a realistic expectation.

Will retire elsewhere though - Singapore has indeed given me that option.

1 mil sgd with the average snp 500 annual return of 7%. let say i spend a conservative 3% / year is more than 100kmyr. enough for me.

This post has been edited by CrazyPizza: Feb 29 2024, 01:14 AM

Gotta factor in inflation though…

yea the other 4 % is to counter inflation. but who knows, a lost decade may happen again. and im only 25 this year, 10 more years my circumstances could be totally diff. ill just enjoy the ride for now haha

All the best bro!

You invest through etrade or TD Ameritrade or other broker?

Facing the same conundrum. Without extended family in SG, it’s quite surreal to pack up your bags and return.

Honestly, I see little need to pack up and return. Just balik kampung every long weekend or take a flight (if you are in the East, like me), whenever possible. With Sgd so strong, can always ‘sponsor’ them go holiday with you once a while.

True that sometimes during long holidays you feel quite ‘down’ when you are here and they are there cause need balik awal for work, but after a couple of days, you’re back into your Sg working rhythm. To be honest, after living for >15 years, I still miss CNY without fireworks 🧨 😆

I would say most, in the early days, would consider going back to Malaysia. In fact, I was one of them too .. haha. Singapore is a great place to stay, if you're priority is career, not a great place if you're more laid back. Everything is so efficient, in malaysia it could take me months to get my thing done, whilst in Singapore maybe less than a week. Best of all, things are merit based. You perform, you move up. At the same time, it is very tiring too.

You summed up the situation perfectly.

For us at the mid tier level, it is merit based.

Yeah, likewise, it is a double-edged sword.

Not the best place for retirement, but a great place to learn.

I was never a fan of coming over to singapore during my early days, the reason I came over was because of my wife, else I would live a laid back life in Malaysia .. haha. But, I guess it was a great decision to come over. I have learned more than I did in Malaysia. And, definitely a great place to build up my network. I felt it was rather restricted in Malaysia, where opportunities were limited.

May I know which sector of your job?

Academia/research

This post has been edited by malz89: Feb 29 2024, 05:58 PM

Ibkr , but my company stocks i keep it in etrade

Set up a plan, what do u want in life? Life is so short, do u want to work till you r old? Do u want to retire early and travel around the world maybe. Plan out your life for the next 15 years including your finances etc

For me its not because of family, i just realise theres more to life than work, i do the bare minimum at my work now and go back earlier or on time.

This post has been edited by CrazyPizza: Feb 27 2025, 02:15 PM

Yes .. life of a kuli .. that's what u have to experience in your early days. Things will get better.

For me, I have flexible working hours. I go to work after the rush hours, and return before the rush hours. In return I work on weekends. I don't do bare minimum but rather doing my best with freedom given by my boss.

You don't have to stay in hdb, can get yourself car, don't have to go to malls go to a club instead, can go for atas food. Things will be different in the future. Unfortunately, I'm just a kuli too but at least I feel contented .. haha .. I grew up from a poor family, so I had to work for what everything I have today.

They who are used to having to work to get what they need or want will fit right in a country like Singapore. Those who are not so used to this concept will cast aspersions and belittle they who are making a living and a life for themselves in Singapore.