How much are you earning per annum?

[borderlands]

Well, I'm 37, earn $4200.

Grad, but SIM hence cannot be compared to local uni grads who mostly earn higher.

Tough to save up as omg, the daily goods/expenses are so different compared to 3-4 yrs ago! Just look at the lunch prices at Great World City, min. $5-$8!

Just 3-4 years ago, we can still get $3.50 chicken rice there.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

You are not alone. I'm 40 but I am earning only $3.3k pm while my wife, 45, earns $5k pm. We live in a 5 room flat, bought cheap. We can afford only an old small car to ferry our kids around. Once the kids are bigger we will dispose our car and use the bus.

Why not you get married? Find a wife who is earning more than you. Don't be too fussy on the looks. You can then buy a cheap BTO.

a lot of Singaporean thinks like this...

moves to cheaper country and rent out their HDB for incomes.

a lot of foreigners think like this...

work for a few years here and then head home and enjoy

a lot of so called foreign talents think like this...

milk as much as possible from Singapore, without developing the local and then continues to enjoy their lives as PR or Citizens once no more income...renounce and head home...

a lot of government and GLC linked companies think like this

FT is need and we local are sub standard...

i'll share.

31 yrs old, 5,500 p.m. + (approx 3-4 months bonus).

Assistant manager with 4 years experience.

30 years ago one of my older wind surfing buddies said that he would be happy if his salary could stay at $2500 per month. He said this because his job was not secure and his monthly income was not steady, sometimes more, sometimes less. I was earning $1600 then as I had just started work after graduation. At first I didn't understand why he said that, as to me, he was earning more than me.

I have lost touch with him years ago after we both got married and moved on. But what he said struck me. Although I was earning less than him I felt more secure in my job. My company is an established company, and there were many senior people working in the company. I could envisage then that if I work there long enough, I could progress in my career with my pay rising over the years. That is true today. I just had my long service gift (30 years) and my annual salary is above $250k. Again I still secure as there are older colleagues still around.

My point is: one must look beyond the present pay. See whether there is longevity in the job, and the company. It is not enough to be earning a high income now but only to lose it 2 years later. Look at whether there is opportunity for career progression. Is your job a dead end one?

It is ok to be earning a lower salary when younger so long as there is job security and career progression in the longer term.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

i'll share.

31 yrs old, 5,500 p.m. + (approx 3-4 months bonus).

Assistant manager with 4 years experience.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

My point is: one must look beyond the present pay. See whether there is longevity in the job, and the company. It is not enough to be earning a high income now but only to lose it 2 years later. Look at whether there is opportunity for career progression. Is your job a dead end one?

It is ok to be earning a lower salary when younger so long as there is job security and career progression in the longer term.

Thanks for sharing this advice. May I know what are some examples of companies that provide such job security? I believe the Civil Service is one, but what about companies in the private sector? I believe HP and Japanese conglomerates used to be good employers, but not anymore.

ST engineering, SIA, SGX and SPH are some companies that have been around a long time. MNCs like IBM, HP and Microsoft are still around but of course their fire and hire policies meant that job security is also questionable.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Thanks for sharing this advice. May I know what are some examples of companies that provide such job security? I believe the Civil Service is one, but what about companies in the private sector? I believe HP and Japanese conglomerates used to be good employers, but not anymore.

$250k pa make so much noise.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

i'll share.

31 yrs old, 5,500 p.m. + (approx 3-4 months bonus).

Assistant manager with 4 years experience.

30 yrs old 5,300 pm basic + 400 pm allowance + 5 months bonus

Manager with 4yrs 10mths experience.

Why do u have 4 yrs working experience at age 31?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

30 years ago one of my older wind surfing buddies said that he would be happy if his salary could stay at $2500 per month. He said this because his job was not secure and his monthly income was not steady, sometimes more, sometimes less. I was earning $1600 then as I had just started work after graduation. At first I didn't understand why he said that, as to me, he was earning more than me.

I have lost touch with him years ago after we both got married and moved on. But what he said struck me. Although I was earning less than him I felt more secure in my job. My company is an established company, and there were many senior people working in the company. I could envisage then that if I work there long enough, I could progress in my career with my pay rising over the years. That is true today. I just had my long service gift (30 years) and my annual salary is above $250k. Again I still secure as there are older colleagues still around.

My point is: one must look beyond the present pay. See whether there is longevity in the job, and the company. It is not enough to be earning a high income now but only to lose it 2 years later. Look at whether there is opportunity for career progression. Is your job a dead end one?

It is ok to be earning a lower salary when younger so long as there is job security and career progression in the longer term.

In my view, job longevity is a thing of the past. We need to make the most of it. Getting paid the most and try to stretch the high salary period as long as possible. There are no iron rice bowl and technology has forced companies to change even more often.

Make hay while the sun shines.

I used to earn a lot in my early forties. Now I am a multi millionaire, I have learnt to be independent. I'm an expert trader, I no longer need to be slaves to some bosses. No longer a dog.