Country clubs are going the way of Chia pets. They’re awesome for a while; then we realize they’re pricey, need too much maintenance, and (after a few years) become as exciting as a Wheel of Fortune re-run. ...

There’s always a little room for more diversification in your portfolio, especially when it comes to alternative investments. Unlike traditional investments such as stocks, bonds, and cash, alternative ...

The Selective En Bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS) is a noble strategy to “transform” aged estates by destroying and then rebuilding them redeveloping them (no Iraq jokes please). Regardless of whether ...

Trying to beat the stock market is like finding the biggest bully in school, and telling him to “come get some”. What I’m saying is the stock market will usually end up beating you . And I mean “like a ...

Whether you’re a student with a part-time job or a professional climbing the corporate ladder, you work too damn hard to pay full price for your beverages, movies, meals, spa packages or attraction admission ...

They should invent a new financial term for gold’s recent bust. “ Flash crash ” doesn’t cut it. Something like “ Two bricks slamming your nuts in ” would be more appropriate. See, gold’s been rising for 12 ...

There are two times in Singapore when the cost of living gets high. According to expert financial analyses, those times are “today” and “tomorrow”. And now the sheer number of borrowers makes sense. Well, ...

Since the last quarter of 2012, the residential property market has taken a pounding. Seven rounds of cooling measures have taken a toll, and even now, we are seeing a slowdown in the resale market. As ...

I have nothing against rich people. Hell, I’m hoping to become rich too. And if you ask around, some people would place me in…would place me in the “not poor” category, let’s leave it at that. But that ...

There was a time when the term “fund manager” made bankers tremble, and request a quick change of pants. From the 70′s to the 90′s these were the GODS of the financial world. They could make fortunes by ...

I’m a big believer in field testing my articles. But I can’t do it for this one, because I’m not an expat. It’d be silly to even try thinking like one, ha ha. “ You renounced your citizenship and migrated ...

You know the problem with budgeting? It requires a lot of discipline. And most people who need to budget lack   that exact quality . So when I tell them to control their spending, it’s about as helpful ...

In my day, children were raised on sunshine, sports, and pure grit. The only “play station” was a clearing where the musangs were less likely to gnaw your face off. And if a kid had a five cent eraser ...

Pop quiz: What’s worse than a 90 year old’s circulation? Information about government grants , that’s what. Turns out there’s a lot of help for start-ups and small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Problem ...

Warren Buffett’s giving sleep advice now. I swear, you get rich, and suddenly you’re a world class expert on everything. I’m waiting for McDonald’s to start serving McBuffett meals any day now. But seriously, ...

Income inequality measures how much richer the rich are, compared to the poor. It’s a polite term economists created, to replace: “Here’s how far the poor are from ramming sharp objects in your face”. ...

Some Singaporeans asked that land costs be excluded from HDB pricing. The answer to this was a stern no. Too much social welfare, as we all know, leads to laziness, communism, and Satan worship. Or even ...

Historically, the most affordable childcare system comes from Sparta. They just left the toddler out for the night, and if he didn’t get eaten by wolves, he was probably prepared for anything. But that ...

If you’re single, you’re missing out on love, warmth, and all those other sunshine-y things. You could end up a depressed, perpetually drunk sociopath, and find yourself editing finance blogs or something. ...

My cousin had a credit card when she was 18. Today, as a successful 35 year old businesswoman, I bet she’s half done paying it off. That’s why I’m suspicious about students with credit cards. Granted, ...

The price of fishball noodles is on the rise. This is a serious problem, because as we all know, fishball noodles are the sole dietary supplement of Primary and Poly students. It is to them what bamboo ...

I never understood the whole “children are troublesome” argument. So they need to supervised, catered to, and have their diapers changed. They wake you up at four in the morning. They demand constant attention. ...

Sure, that condo looks nice and shiny now. But what’s it going to be like in five years? Ten? How about fifteen? Because I’ve seen what bad management does. By about year five, there won’t be a shower ...

When I raise my rental income, I do it with my eyes closed. The minute I look in my tenant’s sad, watery eyes, I end up feeling like a war criminal. Or maybe I’m just lying, and won’t admit I’m a spineless ...

I already know how they’re costing me money. If you calculate the value of my Star Wars merchandise, I should have paid off their national debt two years ago. But Motley Fool has a different take on how ...

Just charge your spouse for it. Childcare should net you at least two grand a month, plus cleaning services are $240 a month, and cooking is…what’s that? Not appropriate? This must be that “marriage” thing ...

Big airlines aren’t known for low fees. Mainly because jet fuel, airport taxes, and competition means they make very little profit  these days*. If they didn’t overcharge like a Dragonball villain, your ...

Oh come on. Who doesn’t know how to do this? I mean, the average driver makes hundreds of car insurance claims every month. Right? Right? Damn it! I knew my $12.95 online driving test had some sort of ...

It’s easy to double or even triple your money. All you need is a lying accountant, a fake passport, and…wait, wrong blog. I only write for FundManagers.com on Thursdays. You’re going to have to do things ...

So the final tweaks on car loans have come into play. Well it’s about time. Another month or two, and “loan sharking” would have become a requirement on a car salesman’s resume. In this article, we look ...

Country sizes aren’t equal, so property isn’t equal. And that got me thinking: If you were to uproot and leave, where could a Singaporean afford to stay? The answer: Almost anywhere, and like a damn king. ...

When it comes to borrowing money, we’re spoiled for choice. Don’t believe me? Look around Peninsula Plaza or Peace Centre. If one Greek politician took a 10 minute walk there, the Eurozone issues would ...

If you’ve been paying attention to the news recently, you’d have noticed that POSB’s got a new HDB home loan package that’s creating quite some buzz and getting HDB owners and buyers both excited and wary ...

When you step out of university you’re probably young, driven, and full of passion. Ready to do a job that changes lives. Ready to be someone who matters , damn it. And in Singapore’s one-of-a-kind work ...

For the past decade, property’s been the best investment. It’s been so good, in fact, there’s been pretty much no reason to invest in anything else (unless you’re poor, which in Singapore means your best ...

Have you ever had a migraine, then struggled to pry the top off a child-proof bottle of aspirin? Yeah, what you need is right in front of you , but you can’t get at it. That’s how Singaporeans are starting ...

When it comes to politics, pay’s a difficult issue. Sure, the current leader may be expensive, but consider the alternative: All it takes is one under-qualified choice, and the economy’s down the toilet ...

Every time there’s a fall in private home sales, the same thing happens. Two sides square off, and argue about whether government policy’s to blame. Both sides are covered in statistics; like they just ...

These days, there are only two ways to get cheap groceries. The first is is with an optimized credit card. The second involves screaming “I thought it was a free sample“, and then sucking in sharp breaths ...

SME banking used to be a simple. You walked in, gave your your money to the teller, then watched it devalue faster than yesterday’s newspaper. Hell, I think the bus fare to get to the bank would have beaten ...

We’ve talked about general ways to negotiate for salary before. But some people, you know, they get stuck from the very beginning. Not at all like me, when I uttered my first salary demand. “You mean the ...

Singapore houses comes in two price ranges: Expensive, and too expensive. So when it comes to investment properties, our options are pretty limited. We’re either buying property overseas (preferably Malaysia), ...

Learning to budget is like learning to ride a bike. Uphill. Over a road with potholes the size of Thailand, while juggling three eggs and trying to recall the words to Bohemian Rhapsody. And if you fall, ...

The humanity of property investors has an “off” switch, and it’s flicked during valuations. Tell them a bungalow was a treasured family home, and they’ll roll their eyes and insist on the same discount. ...

I went to a showroom yesterday, to see how budget 2013 was impacting our car market. Let’s just say the aura of fear was so intense, I sprouted 17 white hairs just standing at the entrance. If this  keeps ...

Asking for money is something we’re uncomfortable with. Hell, we’re Singaporean; we’d rather boil our shoes and chew the leather. It’s about pride: We’ve been raised to act independent, like miniature ...

Oh look, it’s the weekend. Woot! “Uh, Ryan, it’s Thursday.” Close enough. “You said that on Monday“. Yeah well, alcohol has an interesting effect on things like time. But I gather it’s not a party every ...

Surviving the first year of your start-up is easy. That’s assuming you don’t need things like “food”, “shelter”, or “free time”. See, most of humanity just isn’t designed to run start-ups. When it comes ...