Insurance Today

Everyone's fussing about the recent claims that there will be a GST hike soon, but I honestly think there's no point overreacting.  In case you're not in the loop, DBS recently released a report claiming that Singapore's GST could soon increase to 9%. This sparked much public outrage, with some claiming that the hike is too much and it is time for them to migrate elsewhere. My friend was discussing this on her Facebook page and said this, which I thought was worth sharing: But don't forget that every country in the list above has its downsides as well. In Hong Kong, property prices are exorbitant.  Bangkok struggles with massive traffic jams and air pollution.  Personal incomes in Malaysia and Thailand are 3 times lesser than Singapore.  Taiwan is located at the junction of two tectonic plates with high vulnerability to earthquakes.  Japan struggles with a shrinking economy and has the highest percentage of senior citizens in the world.  And at the end of t...

My husband and I recently travelled to Hanoi for a budget getaway, and our total expenses added up to about $700 per person for the entire week. Here's a quick breakdown: Flights (return) S$250 Accommodation S$128 (6 nights) Halong Bay cruise S$66 Hoa Lu – Tam Coc tour S$75 Transport S$21 Food & drinks S$95 (approx. $15 per day) Shopping / massage $70 Total per person $705 Against the backdrop of Hoa Lu Flight tickets For a short flight, Vietjet was our budget carrier of choice. Personally, we felt seats were comfortable enough and service was decent. We paid $200 per person inclusive of taxes. Accommodation I would strongly encourage you to book a hotel or hostel within the Old Quarters, even though the ones outside the area offer more affordable rates. Trust me, you'll want to pay for that convenience because none of the tours will pick you up at your hotel if you're located outside the Old Quarters. Most of the tour...

I've been seeing a lot of recent ads on Facebook selling the idea that HDB owners who earn as little as $6k - $8k combined monthly income can: - Upgrade to a private condominium AND  - Own a second property AND  - Get a 5 to 6-digit lump sum of capital  all WITHOUT forking out any additional cash. Images are not mine, but I've removed hyperlink credits as some readers have commented it is indirectly promoting these agents, which defeats my intentions. Hence, source credits will only be provided upon request. For many of you who have been targeted by these ads and are wondering what the catch really is, I'll be debunking this today and sharing with you why I think such a message is completely unrealistic and misleading.  Got such a good deal meh? How does it work? To be fair, the situation isn't completely impossible. Here's how: 1. Sell your HDB flat at a higher price than what you bought it at previously 2. Use the cash profits from your HDB sale to pay for the min...

I've been  raving about Wongamania being one of the best board games for learning about personal finance since 2015 , so when my good friend Xeo invited me to try out their newest game, Debtzilla, I agreed in a heartbeat. Get Debtzilla on Kickstarter here!   Unlike Wongamania where you pit yourself against the other players to win, Debtzilla requires you to work together for the benefit of everyone. You either win as a team, or lose together. In today's day and age of consumerism and a rising occurrence of financial scams, this game could not be more relevant. The Gameplay The game premise is a little more complex than Wongamania, but not too difficult to understand either. You take on the role of a hero and race against time to bring down the villains before the law of compounding debt interest destroys the world.  By day, you're an ordinary citizen who needs to work, save and borrow to finance your crime-fighting vigilante lifestyle ; by night, you're a superhero figh...