COVID-19 may be appeared at the right time for some of us to learn reality on the ground for both investing and living our life especially retirement life.
You may have heard of this grand idea of retiring overseas at cheaper costs and funded by "passive" income from dividends and rental income from our Singapore assets and CPF.
COVID-19 Real People. Real Story!
He spent most of his time as retiree in his JB's security guarded landed property in JB; but some time he will travel back to Singapore's "home" for short stay.
COVID-19 scared the shit out of him; and luckily he has made quicker decision to move back to STAY in his Singapore's "home" before border shutdown at midnight! But his doggie is still stuck at JB's home!
Luckily; his JB neighbor is kind enough to take care of his doggie!
When is COVID-19 ending; and his retirement life in JB will be back to old days?
Finally; he realized he can't carry on asking for his neighbor favor to take care of his doggie for such a long time. He applied for Doggie Passport to bring back his doggie "home" in Singapore!
What is the moral of the story?
Last GE 2020; what were hot issues from Oppo? FTs and PRs stealing good jobs?
When our public hospitals were also fill up by more sick PRs and FTs; then you will know what Singaporeans will be shouting loud and clear at MIW!
Like it or not! Our citizenship will made us Priority Class in times of COVID-19 or COVID-XX? No?
Second class residents at overseas for limited medical services during crisis! You can shout at their politicians and kpkb?
For retirement planning; we should be preparing to retire at FUTURE cost of living in Singapore; and now we have articles telling you that you can retire cheaper at overseas as second class resident and funded by "passive" income from assets in Singapore.
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ReplyDeleteCW,
ReplyDeleteLOL!
You get excited just because the broken clock is right twice a day?
You sound like those CPF yield hogs who come out to gloat when the stock or property markets tanked...
Life is better with options ;)
Just like those smart Hong Kongers who got citizenships or PRs at other countries before 1997 hangover, then returned back to HK for work.
If the "excitement" in HK is too much to bear, can easily relocate back to their new adopted countries ;)
No harm; no foul.
Once this Wuhan virus thing is over, your real people real story example can easily relocate back to his JB LANDED PROPERTY.
When (and if) the JB high speed rail "mess" is resolved, new technology will make future travels to Singapore, KL, and Bangkok be a breeze :)
Life is better with options. Of course!
DeleteBut What types of options will make big difference.
Cheaper option as we can't really afford the long-term cost of living here is NOT same as life is better with options. LOL!
Movement of people behaves similarly to movement of money.
ReplyDeleteImmigrants are like hot money. When the going is good at location X, go to X. When the going gets tough and home starts to look better, time to go home. This is one reason why Singapore cannot be too dependent on foreigners. When the going gets tough and home conditions get better, foreigners will most likely go home.
Fortunately, there will always be a core group of local people who will stay behind even when going gets tough. How a country treats her own people will determine how large and dedicated this core group of people will be. I am quite happy with how Singapore responded during Covid virus so far.
From my limited observation of friends and colleagues who migrated or retired overseas, these were their reasons:
ReplyDelete1. Dont see future in S'pore. Country too small and opportunity limited for their children
2. Too stresful here for themselves & children
3. Cost of living here too high - this mainly used by retired friends / colleagues
Strangely enough the retired group who are currently staying overseas also hold properties in S'pore to earn rental income. So they are actually not "poor", but just that they can enjoy a better lifestyle in a lower cost of living country. For eg., a landed home and a car, while owning these in S'pore would have drained their nest egg.
But what struck me was the older folks I know that are longing to come back for the final part of their life journey. I guess its natural people want to die in their country of birth?
I studied and stayed in the US (California) for over a year, and while I enjoyed myself during that period, it was clear to me temperate countries were out for me as I could not stand the cold season, and the pollen allergy in Spring.
M'sia would be a possible retirement option as my wife was a M'sian and we have relatives there. But as of now, I much preferred staying here where things work, food is good and no major natural disasters to worry about. Our yearly or twice yearly holidays abroad were sufficient for us to sample other cultures and environment.
When hospital resources are overwhelmed; then second class residents may be denied medical treatment. Political pressure is high. Citizens first! COVID-19 eyes opener! Next virus may be worse than COVID-19. COVID-19 more powerful than SARS!
DeleteClass C is heavily subsidized. B2 less.
ReplyDeleteHi temperament,
ReplyDeleteYour mother is a role model for parents.
When I become old and can no longer contribute to the family, the least I can do is not to be a burden.
Save up enough when young so that when old, one doesn't become a burden on the financial front.
Sometimes, bad luck strikes and one is down with terrible illness that makes one a burden. This is out of our control. Like this one.
https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/living-als-how-former-marathon-enthusiast-coping-terminal-degenerative-disease
I hope if this happens to me, Singapore will have a law to allow people to choose to die on their free will.
Eh, this one is one of the common topics among my group of friends. Alot of wild ideas like renting a apartment in Genting (cooling place) or Batam (just across the sea), then leverage on the earnings from Singapore. Well, frankly speaking I not even sure if I can adapt to a different living environment after growing up in a world filled with lots of convenience, lol. WIFI!!! Must have powerful WIFI!!!!
ReplyDeleteGeylang terrace house owner refuses to sell unit, condo developers forced to build around it
DeleteThat is truly a Place call Home and no amount of money can ever replace it! LOL!
Hi temperament,
ReplyDeleteI'm also Hakka. So was my mother. I assume you're also Hakka.
The history of our Hakka ancestors underline the importance to have our own home base. Our home sweet home.
Hakkas were historically guest people and they were treated with hostilities by the locals sometimes. Not sure how many Hakkas know about this dark history. During mid-19th century, there was civil war between Hakkas and Cantonese in Guangdong. Up to 1 million Hakkas and Cantonese were massacred by each other. Hakka casualties were higher because they were significantly outnumbered by Cantonese. Small wonder many Hakkas decide to leave mainland China to settle in Southeast Asia, Taiwan and Hong Kong. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punti%E2%80%93Hakka_Clan_Wars#:~:text=The%20Punti%E2%80%93Hakka%20Clan%20Wars,more%20fleeing%20for%20their%20lives.)
Guest people or foreigners will naturally be treated with hostility when resources are scarce.
We should migrate to foreign places when home conditions are bad, which is what our Hakka ancestors did when they left mainland China. However if home conditions are good but cost of living is on the high side but still affordable, I would rather put up with the high cost and live in my own home base. This is especially if I'm a retiree who is unlikely to be welcomed in the host country because a retiree can no longer make useful contributions and he never made his fair share of contribution to the host country when he was young.