This one comes a little at time but at limited supply.
Happy redeeming for new lendlease app owners.
You can spend at Parkway, Somerset 313, Paya Lebar Square and JEM malls for now.
Example of how it looks like
Lendlease Promotion Refer for each to get $20 in e-Vouchers
First time I am seeing a referral $20 for $20 for both referral and referee.
If you restart the app, you need to rekey in the code to get the vouchers. Otherwise nothing will be allocated.
The app is a bit glitchy so be warned for now.
Only 5000 new lendlease sign ups get S$20 SIGN UP gift. Grab it early.
Once you download the app, you can only choose referral code or promocode. For this sign up promotion, the $20 for $20 is the most efficient one for now.
If you like what you are seeing, do remember to check them out and do your diligence. There is no one-size-fits-all investment strategy and no one solution to life. Join my telegram group to find out more about deals and join the community to connect for ideas: Life Journey Telegram
Just earlier today. I wrote a piece about saving money and I was reminded of petrol prices. Stay tuned until the end for a nice freebie at the end which is in limited stock.
Sometimes saving money is about not spending it at all or cutting back on what we commonly call an austerity measure. Usually, that is quite drastic and meant to be a joke of some sort. However, some things have to be spent, necessities or even things that you have previously committed to paying for. It is akin to having a car and petrol prices are directly linked to costs.
For Example:
You purchased a home. You can’t stop the mortgage
You purchased a car. You can stop the financing payments (If any) and the petrol costs or the charging costs.
You purchased a subscription plan that has a contractual period. You can’t stop the payment. (Well, you can do an early termination if it makes economic sense)
I don’t wish to keep discussing the increase in GST. In a sense, this increase is necessary for economic gains and country-building. Additionally, business costs have increased, snowballing effect of the laggard inflation and upcoming soft landing is becoming apparent.
Petrol Prices
Discussing petrol prices has always been contentious with people around here. Regardless of any discussion, the price is as such. On the Price Kaki website, there’s a comparison of petrol grade 95, 98 and Premium.
Petrol Prices: Petrol Grade 95 as of 12 Jan 23
Petrol Prices: Petrol Grade for 98 on 12 Jan 23
Petrol Prices: Petrol Grade for Premium on 12 Jan 23
In this year 2024, I wish to be able to bring joy to others as much as possible so in that aspect I have a good deal for anyone who drives a car and would like to get direct discounts from the petrol kiosk.
Don’t be confused and don’t be sceptical about it. It is a good deal and I have been using it for 9 months now so it is not a sham. I have a limited fleet card on hand at the moment and would like to offer to the first 5 pax who indicate their interest on google forms here:Fleet Card Interest Gathering and First 5 GIveaways.
One condition is to follow/subscribe to my blog and also to add my telegram channel here at Life Journey Telegram. Thank you!
The first lucky 5 gets it.
Rest assured, this information is for me to understand how to address you and share that information via email. I’m gathering some interest here so let me speak with the guys and see if we can release more slots for you.
Save on Petrol Prices – Pros
1. No age or salary restriction
This is not a credit card. Anyone who has a vehicle registered in Singapore has proof of address in Singapore and a credit card for recurring payment can apply for this. There’s no bank involved in this.
2. A physical card
It is a physical card at the moment and is only available to ESSO and SHELL kiosks in Singapore.
3. Fabulous Discount on petrol prices
Perks for this card are a direct 23% or 24% for SHELL and ESSO respectively.
4. No Complications. No minimum spend or Top Up
Away with the complications of minimum inclusive spending and potential discounts. To me, cold-hard discounts are the best since they are upfront discounts.
5. Ease of Payment on petrol
This fleet card works like a credit card and you need to set up a credit card payment to pay once a month.
6. Convenience
Once you have been registered by the company, you will get a pin and each time you visit the kiosk, just the card and you can skip the cashier queue. That’s really convenient.
7. Continue to earn credit card rewards/miles/cashback
Even more, discount via double dipping and still be rewarded with your credit card rewards.
Save on Petrol Prices – Cons
1. New to Many
I understand the scepticism but what have you got to lose other than savings for your petrol.
2. No accumulation of reward points on your petrol loyalty card
You don’t earn kiosk points or rewards that you have accumulated for some time. To me, there’s a cost to everything including reward points. Just finish up your points or claims and move on to something else. But you still earn reward points for your credit card (No exclusion for most cards – At least I still earn mine on my Premier Miles Card)
3. There will be a 1.8% fee for the credit card charges
I believe that they use Stripe as their provider so the B2B fees will be at 2.4% and they roll it to consumer at 1.8%, hence the discount will be All-in 21.2% or 22.2% which is still decent.
From what i understand, one can use the giro payment and it takes 4-8weeks to set it up. There’s no fee for that however if any one Giro payment fails, thats the $10 fee slapped on your bill for the GIRO return so think wisely. I think it is still good to go on credit card recurring payments.
If you like what you are seeing, do remember to check them out and do your diligence. There is no one-size-fits-all investment strategy and no one solution to life. Join my telegram group to find out more about deals and join the community to connect for ideas: Life Journey Telegram
Saving money is an essential aspect of personal finance. Implementing some smart strategies can help you build your savings and achieve your financial goals. Here are a few tips on how to save money:
A Rainy Day fund is more apparent in 2024 as we all set ourselves for the soft landing ahead
Create a Budget:
Start by reviewing your expenses and income. This will give you a clear picture of where your money is going and help you identify areas where you can cut back.
Track Your Expenses:
Keep a record of all your expenses, including small purchases. This will help you understand your spending patterns and identify areas where you can make adjustments.
The envelope theory involved stashing cash away in different envelopes. This helps with the first condition – budgeting. In this day and age, perhaps a better way is to use a digital app such as Dobin.
I’ve found the ultimate personal finance app: It helps to manage my money & save on everyday purchases.
Review your expenses and identify items or services that you can live without. Consider making small lifestyle changes such as reducing dining out or entertainment expenses.
If you really still plan to have these expenses to eat out. Perhaps playing the miles game as you spend to double dip on rewards.
Kris+ is a lifestyle rewards app that gives you discounts and privileges at over 1,000 partner outlets islandwide! Earn rewards (KrisPay miles) for payments made on the app, and use them to offset future purchases!
Quote: Sign up now with my link below, and my referral code L329518 and we’ll each be rewarded with SGD 5 worth of KrisPay miles upon your first transaction on the Kris+ App
Don’t forget to check in daily every week to earn about 30 KrisPay Miles. Meanwhile, you can also utilize Google Pay to make payments via Krist+.
Quote: Use my code when you sign up and transact at least S$10 for the first time in Google the e Pay App or use my code t74cf8f
Meal Planning:
Plan your meals ahead of time and create a grocery list. This will help you avoid unnecessary trips to the store and impulse purchases. Look for sales and use coupons to save on groceries.
The CDC vouchers should do most household some good and defray some costs. More about that here if you have not claimed yours. Claiming your CDC Vouchers
Save on Utilities:
Make small changes in your daily habits to save on energy costs. Turn off lights when not in use, unplug electronics when not in use, and adjust the thermostat to optimize energy usage.
Perhaps switching to an Open Electricity Market retailer can save you 10-15% off your electricity bills.
Quote: Sign up for Senoko Energy with my referral code: “YM8SCA2D”. You will receive a S$20 rebate on your electricity bill. Browse their price plans and start saving today. T and Cs apply. Senoko is your electricity retailer
Compare Prices:
Before making a purchase, compare prices from different vendors or stores. This can help you find the best deals and save money.
Double or Triple Dip for More Savings
For comparison’s sake, if you are exchanging a foreign currency for any purpose. You can try iChange for money exchange and remittance.
Quote: Their rates are very competitive. Sent $5 for you to try it out. Download the app here https://ichange.onelink.me/Px1i/iyv9ymrr and add paul38 to receive it.
Alternatively, if you want the convenience of using multi-currency cards, there are three options that you can consider. You get the idea.
The other option is to perhaps consider using a Revolut Card as an alternative and you can get $80 when you make three $10 transactions: My Revolut Referral Link
Quote 3: Use this Crypto.com App to sign up for Crypto.com and we both get USD 50. Code: im3py887ty
Automate Your Savings:
Set up automatic transfers from your checking account to a dedicated savings account. This way, you’ll save money consistently without having to think about it.
Other than a bank standing instruction, the alternative is to use Money Market Funds for either:
Using Tiger Brokers as a platform to sign up to make that regular saving.
The other option is to select another provider such as Moomoo Brokerage Invest App for a great welcome starter kit here at Moomoo Invest App
The third option is to select Webull and get your starter kit promotion. Click here to register at Webull Sign-up link
Avoid Impulse Buying:
Before making a purchase, give yourself a cooling-off period. This will help you evaluate if the purchase is necessary or if you’re buying on impulse. As the saying goes, delayed gratification. Any new tech is always appealing and after a while, it loses its appeal.
Cancel Unnecessary Subscriptions:
Review your subscriptions and cancel those you no longer use or need. This could include streaming services, gym memberships, or magazine subscriptions[1].
Prioritize Debt Repayment:
If you have outstanding debts, focus on paying them down. High-interest debts, such as credit card debts, should be prioritized and paid off as quickly as possible.
Remember, saving money is a gradual process, so be patient with yourself. Small changes can add up over time and lead to significant savings. By implementing these tips, you’ll be on your way to building a more secure financial future.
Disclaimer
If you like what you are seeing, do remember to check them out and do your diligence. There is no one-size-fits-all investment strategy and no one solution to life. Join my telegram group to find out more about deals and join the community to connect for ideas: Life Journey Telegram
If you like what I am sharing or if it resonates with you, do use my referral codes here at Referral Services
Travel season is back and I have been reading up quite a bit about the miles and cashback camp. The last two years, void of travelling were purely a cashback play from many folks except some whom believed that it would all go away. It really depends on how one views rewards because some of those payments are excluded from earning any form of miles or cashback.
With the introduction of a fee-based payment, these rewards come at a price. CardUp used to be a game changer in that sense because rents could be paid and rewards could be earned at the same time. Similar to many companies, they throw out marketing dollars so that people get to know their brand and use their proprietary systems. With the data they have, they can then find out more about people’s behaviour, and make marketing trends that keep the stickiness in clients to continue to use their platform.
Earn to Business or Economy
Credit Card Rewards & Earning Rewards
I’m no exception. I used to be the kind where I would not spend more to earn more rewards. As time went by, I realised that buying miles or arbitrage on cashback difference does make sense for me. My insurance, MCST payments, tax, property tax and other exclusions can now be added to my miles game or cashback. This is pretty awesome if you ask me. Paying and earning the rewards seems to make sense to me today.
I still wasn’t sure what kind of changed me and I constantly paid a small fee to gain that reward which all amounts to nothing previously.
Who and what is card?
CardUp is on a mission to provide individuals and businesses with a better way to pay and get paid. CardUp operates regionally across Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia as a major payment institution
If I recall rightly, some time last year they were acquired by funding societies
With CardUp, you can now make and collect payments digitally, including with a credit card, even in places where cards are traditionally not accepted. Some of the items that you can make payments to will be:
Insurance
MCST Fees
Rent and Rental Deposit
Education
Car Loans
Miscellaneous Payments
Domestic Workers salary
Taxes and Stamp Duty
Season Parking
Electricity Bills
I personally forgot about them until they sent me a reminder about the property tax season. It was a pretty decent deal at a 1.75% fee that has no cap. It is not a sponsored post but if you have not had a CardUp account do check it out. If you need any help to understand more, just drop me an email.
Use my code when you sign up at this CardUp Link or use my referral code PAULL34.
Earning Rewards and Miles is a long game and can be rewarding
Meanwhile, thank you for reading here. I am working on something and I might have something interesting out by tomorrow to get a direct 23% off your petrol bills at ESSO without any minimum spending in the form of a fleet card. I probably will avail it to 5 readers for a start before I request more of such deals. Those who drive and want to save all the hassle of saving petrol. It is a simple sign-up process so keep a lookout for it.
Disclaimer
If you like what you are seeing, do remember to check them out and do your diligence. There is no one-size-fits-all investment strategy and no one solution to life. Join my telegram group to find out more about deals and join the community to connect for ideas: Life Journey Telegram
Use my code when you sign up at this CardUp Link or use my referral code PAULL34.
If you like what I am sharing or if it resonates with you, do use my referral codes here at Referral Services
Whenever or do we ever discuss the CPF system with friends and family. The actual fact is that I never really do unless it is time to do something about it. That involves tax season or even property tax season. I do feel that it is a system that we think we all know but once we delve deeper, there’s always something new to takeaway.
Let us also face it. It is a dry topic and a very long-term one. It tries to mimic a pension fund of some sort with some level of control yet it works differently for different people. I can understand why some people come to dislike the policy but in general, there’s not much hate around it. We also have to be factual that Anti-government does not mean you need to be anti-CPF. Some might differ but I think all tools that bring one to the final goal are the ultimate endpoint.
Contribution rates according to age and wages
The rules are pretty simple. Understanding that before 55 years of age, all employees have to contribute 20% of their gross salary. Subject to the ordinary wage cap which we have discussed previously.
After 55 years of age, the contribution starts to decrease. This makes sense since the decrease in employer contribution, older employees will become less expensive and it helps to make employment more affordable.
After 55 years of age, the OA and SA will be combined and set aside in one’s RA to safeguard a monthly payout in the later years. This is probably why the contribution rates start to decrease then. Further, with increasing age, the focus will be more on wealth preservation and income that can be utilized. That would be the next reason why the contribution is lesser as time goes by.
Contribution by age from the CPF website
Understanding the CPF – Did you know? What contributes to your CPF?
Understanding that CPF system – These mainly include all forms of payments that are paid out to the employee by the employer.
Basic Wages
Overtime Wages
Bonus
Cash Incentives
Commissions
Cash Incentives
Understanding the CPF – Did you know? What does not contribute to your CPF?
Termination/Retrenchment Benefits
Reimbursements
Benefit in kind
Disclaimer
If you like what you are seeing, do remember to check them out and do your diligence. There is no one-size-fits-all investment strategy and no one solution to life. Join my telegram group to find out more about deals and join the community to connect for ideas: Life Journey Telegram
If you like what I am sharing or if it resonates with you, do use my referral codes here at Referral Services
We have been in a deflationary world for the longest time and in the last year, everyone has been fighting inflation. It isn’t that fun to know that what you have now buys less of everything. The resulting outcome is that every single item such as consumables, staples, and costs would have increased.
There is a laggard in the sense that the resulting costs of home purchase would mean that home prices have crept up. The cost of hiring has increased since the waste management, your electricity and water bills and the employees behind maintaining the order of infrastructure would have increased. Eventually, this would lead to a higher annual value of everyone’s home prices and that subsequently leads to a higher property tax and so on and so forth. You will get the idea.
When we talk about homes, there’s always something in me that worries for the young. I’m thinking about my kids yes it is and I think it is always at the back of our minds that how are they going to afford housing in another two generations or so? Personally, in a land scarce Singapore, it is hard to agree that property prices will drop. What it currently does is that it is slowly down the increase that Hong Kong failed to do so many years ago resulting in small houses and social issues.
This came from CNA
Inflation
With inflation rates normalizing globally, the same effect will be a laggard. However, let’s also be real because no business will reduce prices knowing inflation would have normalized. Moreover, GST has increased in 2024 and it just means that costs will have increased yet again. It would take at least two quarters for anyone to see the easing effect.
While looking at the most recent CDC vouchers, I also started my hunt for CNY purchases. Things like drinks, Bah Kwa, and consumable items: CNY Shopping Items have crept up.
I do hope that I am wrong. I do sense that there is a soft landing rather than a hard one. Recession is a strong word and we have to come to a reality. Recent job cuts in the news is not by chance. What we do not know are the unofficial ones.
Inflation rates have plenty of benchmarks such as the Big Mac. In Singapore, we have the Milk Powder Benchmark: Milk Powder haha
I do remember that during the “covid period” a lot of homeowners became pet owners. I do hope, they did not discard their pets because that is not great behavior. Hopefully, you can find some good deals here at Pet Shopping
Disclaimer
If you like what you are seeing, do remember to check them out and do your diligence. There is no one-size-fits-all investment strategy and no one solution to life. Join my telegram group to find out more about deals. Join the community to connect for ideas: Life Journey Telegram
If you are doing some shopping, click on the affiliated links here: CNY Shopping
If you like what I am sharing or if it resonates with you, do use my referral codes here at Referral Services
It is very interesting to know that many people are interested to know about the CPF. Hence, I’ve decided to do a simple part series that focuses on selected and focused information so that it doesn’t take too long to read and understand. In my previous CPF series, we discussed the increase in CPF contribution on Ordinary Wages aka Salary.
CPF is a complex retirement module indeed and it has different accounts. CPFIS in turn has its pros and cons. One needs to understand it to use it to your own advantage. Most of these come at retirement as a motivation or tax deductibles. That said, it works differently for everyone so good to be in the know. One can be anti-government but we should applaud a strong and stable governance. This in turn will relate to a trusty CPF system not everyone can replicate.
Types of CPF account and what they can do
Ordinary Account:
Be happy retiring and be happy doing what you do when you retire
Though CPF is restrictive OA is the most flexible out of all three accounts before one turns 55. This is the account that one can use to invest a portion into selected CPF-approved investments (CPFIS), gold, approved insurance, and also property payments. One can look at index investing using a Robo Advisor of some sort. such as Endowus or StashAway. Endowus ticks a little better for me for the investing portion. If we look at the iShares US index Fund S&P 500 that Endowus offers to track the S&P500 (100 years of historical performance). I also have my funds consistently invested in them and it has worked well. What I really like is that they care about who invests with them and the fees.
You can check them out here at Endowus or in my previous posts which I slowly grew to like over 2 years. Asset Allocation does not time the market and during times when I’m distracted, I do not need to log into my app to proceed with my own adjustments or take action. (These take time and effort)
Asset Allocation
Special Account:
This account builds the Retirement account that will eventually be used in the retirement account in the form of an annuity. More restrictive than the OA, it has limits and can only be utilized for retirement-related financial products (Nothing much can be done in this account) It is also known that OA can be transferred to MA – This is well known to be irreversible once you have done so. Do consider your circumstances before you do anything)
Medisave Account:
This is the most restrictive of all and as it states Medisave means it can be used for certain medical payments with a limit. The MA account is also allowed to be used to purchase medical-related insurance.
Retirement Accounts
Retirement Account:
This account is non-existent until you reach 55 years of age at the point of writing. This is the combination of your OA and SA to form the annuity payout.
There are also many ways for one to contribute to your own CPF accounts. I’ll say it is a good problem to have if you need to think of fresh ways to contribute to your own CPF funds. (i.e. self-employed and looking for proper and forced retirement). Side note that CPFs are monies that are locked away in the form of something like a trust so one can’t claim your assets in your CPF (If for some reason, you are locked up in a situation of some sort)
Some ways to look at contributing to your CPF accounts
Make cash top-ups or Top up Cash + CPF
Your OA, SA, and MA – through these cash top-ups, you can earn interest. Note that these are long-term retirement uses.
Can’t say that too many times if you want to do forced savings.
Matched Retirement Savings Scheme (MRSS)
If you’re 55 to 70 and have yet to meet the current Basic Retirement Sum (BRS), you can make cash top-ups to get higher retirement payouts. The Singapore Government will match every dollar of cash top-ups made to your RA, up to a maximum grant of $600 a year. The scheme will run from 2021 for five years for a start. (Taken from the CPF website)
Helping your parents or in-laws with the CP scheme helps you and the older folks as well.
Invest your OA savings
We discussed the option of investing in a wide range of investments to grow your retirement nest egg in the form of the CPF Investment Scheme which is very highly restrictive.
As for SA, you can invest in those too but even more restricted.
Voluntary Housing Refund
If you have used CPF to purchase your house and have excess cash. One way is to kind of payback voluntarily. However, recently the cash returns outweigh that of CPF returns so with careful management, it does seem like it is better to hold cash but it is a better yielding instrument for now.
Too complicated? Leave it as it is and put the cash via this method to earn that CPF consistent return.
For CPFIS/Investing – The reason for Endowus
Like a broken recorder, why do I like using them for now:
Endowus is the first and only robo-advisor to be approved by the CPF board.
100% trailer fees back to the consumer, not the fund management fee. This is really one of a kind I’ve seen so far.
They do have a decent team that makes sense when introducing their platform in my personal opinion.
I believe all retail investors should try them out because of how they are trying to disrupt investing and make investing work for everyone.
If you like what you are seeing, do remember to check them out and do your diligence. There is no one-size-fits-all investment strategy and no one solution to life. Join my telegram group to find out more about deals and join the community to connect for ideas: Life Journey Telegram
If you like what I am sharing or if it resonates with you, do use my referral codes here at Referral Services
I recently read quite a bit of online articles to explore fresh new ideas and I came across some blogs discussing the fact that investing is gambling and also several others that discuss Singaporeans being overly confident with themselves. I mean there’s really no right or wrong answer to these and I personally feel that it is a little bit of a righteous standout or declaration. Yes, we all know that many people are snobbish but I would like to think that most Singaporeans are smart, clever, and full of empathy. The ones who are snob are usually the affluent group. Probably think that with a 6-digit asset, they have the right to everything.
That said, our small country has exceptional talents. These people don’t voice or come out to talk about their opinions in public. Usually, they can avoid it in its entirety or put their opinion on where it matters the most. After all, we are still humble Singaporeans, aren’t we? There was an increasing trend in the last decade about some topics that irk me a lot, let me list them down:
Kiasu/Kiasi
Meaning scared to lose or scared to die. It was prevalent in the last decade where FOMO exists today and I felt that it was uncalled for because people just flock to what most people did. It kind of made many next-gen be contrarian
Best
The concept of best has been something I disliked for some time now. At least for 30 years. For 30 years, I have been hearing the words best and “bestest”, even words that do not exist in the English dictionary appear in my everyday life. My question is, what is best? Who determines the best or why is it the best? Is what one defines as the best really the best? I beg to differ in all aspects. There is no best, there’s only what one thinks is the best. By the way, it doesn’t mean cheap means it is no good.
Similar to the way one measures a valued company. It’s not the best but it is the most valued. Then again, value is perceived hence my point – beauty lies in the eye of the beholder.
Invest in gambling
It is said that gambling is punting, investing is gambling of sorts and investing is a study of risk management. If one sees risk management the same as gambling then I’ll ask, why invest and spend so much time understanding a company or an investment? Life is an entirety of risk and we understand the risks, manage the risks, and reduce risks to enhance our lives, our experiences, and our money.
Lady luck plays a big part in our lives no doubt. Some people seem to have more of those but I’ll say, you make your own luck. If lady luck is not on your side, it is probably because it is the wrong lady. Some find their lady earlier and some later. There’s no loser at the end, it is part of the risk management and tools we can use to enhance our priority.
Disclaimer
If you like what you are seeing, do remember to check them out and do your diligence. There is no one-size-fits-all investment strategy or general rule for your every life. Join my telegram group to find out more about deals and join in the community to connect for ideas: Life Journey Telegram
If you like what I am sharing or if it resonates with you, do use my referral codes here at Referral Services.
If you have not opened a Moomoo account to start your investing journey, you can give it a go here to recieve rewards up to S$660 (T&Cs apply). Cliek here to Open a Moomoo account
Thank you in advance. It keeps the light running on my blog. Cheers!
Happy 2024 everyone! Everyone knows 2024 has a staggering change in CPF and the government has done that to help businesses to adapt. It is strange though that the last post about CPF had a bit of viewership. Perhaps the interest in CPF has really changed over the years.
Last Sep 2023, the salary cap (OW) was increased to SGD 6,300, and from 2024, there will be an increase to SGD 6,800. What that means is that more of the money that you earn goes into your CPF aka retirement account every month. Your employers will also have to contribute more to your CPF. I can’t say if that is a good or bad thing.
I guess we are touching on a sensitive part of everyone’s life. Your Salary. Salary are always a sensitive part of most people’s discussions. However, these are all hard truths that we have to come to terms with. Some people do have that special negotiation skill to make more while doing the same thing. We just have to work more productively.
Sidetracking a little, everyone is a salesperson to themselves so don’t say that you don’t do sales. When you go for a job interview, you are selling yourself for the package that you think you are worth. You will need to justify your costs to the hiring manager.
Back on track again, today we are focusing on the monies that go to your CPF. Regarding the monies on CPF, please note the statement on the CPF website that states that:
(a) The CPF Ordinary Wage (OW) ceiling limits the amount of OW that attracts CPF contributions in a calendar month for all employees. The OW ceiling will be raised from $6,000 to $8,000 by 2026, with the first increase to take place on 1 September 2023. The increase will take place in four steps to allow employers and employees to adjust to the changes.
This means that the changes are made to let business manage their cashflow instead of a bang…a 2k addition to employers’ contribution and less take-home pay for the employee (Since 2023 costs, inflation, and goods have all increased)
(b) There will be no change to the CPF annual salary ceiling of $102,000, which sets the maximum amount of CPF contributions payable for all salaries received in the year, inclusive of both Ordinary Wages and Additional Wages.
This actually means that people who have more resources than the rest will not be able to game the CPF. This is pretty fair in my opinion since this is a tool to help Singaporeans whether they have little or a lot more resources. However, the truth is also that when you have more, there’s more that you can do that others can’t. The only takeaway is that the rich get richer but only at a cap.
(c) There will be no changes to the Additional Wage ceiling and CPF Annual Limit, where they will remain at [$102,000 – Total Ordinary Wage subject to CPF for the year] and $37,740 respectively.
Same points as (b) above. There’s that cap that restricts more from getting more if you know what I mean.
I’m quite sure everyone is aware of this but probably left that somewhere. I’m just bringing it back since the changes took effect this year. I took this off the CPF website where the Salary OW cap process will happen.
Just a disclaimer that everyone’s situation is different here so it is important to stay in the know so that you can plan your finances in advance. As the saying goes, if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail:
This is something one cannot control. Employee or Employer. We can only embrace the change.
Let’s look at it positively. This will compound interests for many and help build or supplement the CPF retirement nest.
My thoughts are that this actually does hurt business owners a little more. Over time, these staff costs will indirectly translate into services, items, goods, and whatever is sold to consumers or businesses.
In my next CPF series, I will share or talk about CPF programs and how to help your parents or elders who do not believe in CPF (Or rather too complicated to understand) You just don’t reject free money.
Disclaimer
If you like what you are seeing, do remember to check them out and do your diligence. There is no one-size-fits-all investment strategy and no one solution to life. Join my telegram group to find out more about deals and join the community to connect for ideas: Life Journey Telegram
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My part 2 version came a year and a half late. My apologies really.
In the previous discussion, I discussed about retirement. In the past, it was a buzzword only for people in their 40s or 50s. That is quite normal I would say. Given the financial literacy and knowledge of Generation X. Not many people make an effort to think about the future. I would say that partly it is due to the conditions of the past and education. Fast forward 30 years, the trend is gradually changing. The young are concerned about their futures and the future of their younger ones. An additional factor is that personal finance and financial literacy are increasing among the young.
Including myself, I love my kids and I want the world to be in a better place than it was when I am no longer around. It depends on which stage everyone is in. Some people have more resources while others have lesser. However, that does not make you any less by starting out early. Even if you are late to the game, making the start of this means that you are already on your way to some form of freedom.
There are so many investment tools out there in the market to put your money in and it’s a matter of understanding the risks and taking the right risks to grow your money. Of course, the basic step is to spruce up an emergency fund first. You cannot confuse your pot to be of multiple use. Different funds that you raise have to be for a different purpose. If you have fewer resources, then focus on the things that will give you the confidence such as building a pot of emergency funds. For example, 9 months’ worth of extras. Do not undermine the power of achieving milestones because the small effort often counts for bigger things to come.
Once your basics are covered. We have to think about the next step of risk – This is the part where I term it as risk transfer. This is short is coined as Buy an insurance. The basics are buying your personal health insurance and protection against illness, treatment, sudden medical conditions as well as other unforeseen circumstances. Life itself is uncertain and as time goes by, it will be more prevalent. Getting insurance is never enough but there are many ways to kick-start that. It also involves a bit of planning.
I’m no financial expert. All I know is you probably should find out more to convince yourself that you need to risk transferring your future.
a. Health Insurance
b. Whole Life Plans with TPD or Term Life Plans or Hybrid Plans
c. Critical Illness
d. Early Payout Critical Illness
e. Disability Income or Elder Shield Enhance
I’ll say start working with the Health portion followed by Death or permanent disability coverage. Because if you are gone, your potential future earnings are gone and your dependants depend on them. Once you have covered yourself, then start thinking about the rest. Baby steps. This works well if you are still young.
Things like Mindef or MHA term insurance coverage or SNACK Income microinsurance work well to supplement this insurance at a low cost. That’s something most advisors probably would not share with you.
That’s probably enough information for Part 2. We should talk more about insurance in Part 3.
Disclaimer
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