MaCe 3 Report post Posted August 17, 2008 (edited) Nowadays things are very different from our parents'/grandparents' time. Example = furnitures/electrical appliances In the past stuffs are built to last but now ; 1) 99% electrical stuffs are built to last till their length of warranty. 2) 99% furnitures are made with cheapo material - selling point/price is more on their designs. so for the remaining 1% - it's so difficult to find. ________________________________________________ For a typical home, one might need to spend less than $2k for cheapo/ikea furnitures but it's going to last them max 5-7yrs. On the other hand, rosewood/teak furnitures might cost 2 times more but when your grandson serve tea to you on his wedding day - you will be drinking it while sitting on your rosewood/teak sofa. Another school of thought is that - one gets to change NEW furnitures every 5-7yrs, how nice...instead of looking at old old furnitures. Nothing wrong with that. Over a period of 30-40yrs - how much you would have spent/save? when one reaches 55-60 yrs old - lets be frank - any type of furniture is fine. Old folks are never bothered by furnitures cos it's the medical bills thats killing. It all boils down to MONEY - are you very sure you have enough $$$ by then? In sg, i dont think anyone is dead sure about that. Cos when you are 40 yrs old and jobless, what are the chances that you can find a job? it's scary but it's a fact. ________________________ Buy stuffs that lasts.... Edited August 17, 2008 by MaCe Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CutePinkElephant 0 Report post Posted August 17, 2008 aiyoh..brother Mace, everytime i read ur blog i feel more unsecure in financial ler after read just like tiok Slap hahahhaa.... next time if my hand itchy want to spend money need to read your blog again and again liao Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevetang 0 Report post Posted August 17, 2008 Nowadays things are very different from our parents'/grandparents' time. Example = furnitures/electrical appliances In the past stuffs are built to last but now ; 1) 99% electrical stuffs are built to last till their length of warranty. 2) 99% furnitures are made with cheapo material - selling point/price is more on their designs. so for the remaining 1% - it's so difficult to find. ________________________________________________ For a typical home, one might need to spend less than $2k for cheapo/ikea furnitures but it's going to last them max 5-7yrs. On the other hand, rosewood/teak furnitures might cost 2 times more but when your grandson serve tea to you on his wedding day - you will be drinking it while sitting on your rosewood/teak sofa. Another school of thought is that - one gets to change NEW furnitures every 5-7yrs, how nice...instead of looking at old old furnitures. Nothing wrong with that. Over a period of 30-40yrs - how much you would have spent/save? when one reaches 55-60 yrs old - lets be frank - any type of furniture is fine. Old folks are never bothered by furnitures cos it's the medical bills thats killing. It all boils down to MONEY - are you very sure you have enough $$$ by then? In sg, i dont think anyone is dead sure about that. Cos when you are 40 yrs old and jobless, what are the chances that you can find a job? it's scary but it's a fact. ________________________ Buy stuffs that lasts.... That true, i look for steel and glass furniture as steel can easily refurnish and it will look like new. But steel item are so EXP... haiz... $$ again I also hope that the item i bought can last me at least 8 to 10 yrs, than will see how bah. If by then can strike it rich than can change new furniture again If not will refurnish the steel furniture lor Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CutePinkElephant 0 Report post Posted August 18, 2008 mace,need to ask, clipsal or legrand better ar? is kelantan road is the best place to buy this things? many thanks Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MaCe 3 Report post Posted August 18, 2008 mace,need to ask, clipsal or legrand better ar? is kelantan road is the best place to buy this things? many thanks www.ccm.sg both are good - clipsal is a little more exp than legrand. both of them are OLDsignboards 老招牌 in the industry. That true, i look for steel and glass furniture as steel can easily refurnish and it will look like new. But steel item are so EXP... haiz... $$ again I also hope that the item i bought can last me at least 8 to 10 yrs, than will see how bah. If by then can strike it rich than can change new furniture again If not will refurnish the steel furniture lor http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veblen_good not all will agree on the above. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CutePinkElephant 0 Report post Posted August 18, 2008 thanks mace Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
patsy_sg 1 Report post Posted August 18, 2008 Yep, totally agree on buying good quality furniture rather than an el cheapo/faddish one that would crumble after a few years. Granted you won't have the flexibility of getting a new look for your house every few years, but keep your basics good, and just change the things around it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MaCe 3 Report post Posted August 18, 2008 If you are in your early 20s and buying your first hdb flat from hdb. When the hdb officer says - you got to top up cash every mth for the instalments. What they actually mean - is that you cant afford this $$$ house, go buy a smaller house. Cash is KING - never never throw your cash into cpf or into the mthly payment of a hdb flat. Use your cpf whenever/whatever you could - cos all those $$$ you see in your cpf statement can never be turn into cash UNLESS you give up sg citizenship or unless you become VERY VERY successful in your career making 5 or 6 figures a mth and surpass that minimum sum in cpf. A recent article in the news quoted the hdb saying - about 120 flats are being reposessed every mth. If you have richie rich parents, nope, you shouldnt be bothered about the above. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yokine9a 1 Report post Posted August 18, 2008 A recent article in the news quoted the hdb saying - about 120 flats are being reposessed every mth. 120?! This is not a small figure. Sometimes, I really wonder how sincere they are when the government says they know that many of us are struggling for the high inflation. When I came back to sgp last year, I see more & more anties & uncles selling tissues/picking carton boxes/digging public trashbins, feel sad for them Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
patsy_sg 1 Report post Posted August 18, 2008 120?! This is not a small figure. Sometimes, I really wonder how sincere they are when the government says they know that many of us are struggling for the high inflation. When I came back to sgp last year, I see more & more anties & uncles selling tissues/picking carton boxes/digging public trashbins, feel sad for them well, i think the gov't takes care of Singapore Inc first... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
applefreak 1 Report post Posted August 18, 2008 well i'm not saying they deserve to have their flats repossessed but some people really got to learn to live within their means like the chinese saying - no such big head don't wear such big hat how many singaporeans can say they've got six months to a year's income in emergency fund? and save 20% of their income on top of the emergency fund (cpf not counted)? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MaCe 3 Report post Posted August 19, 2008 well i'm not saying they deserve to have their flats repossessed but some people really got to learn to live within their means like the chinese saying - no such big head don't wear such big hat how many singaporeans can say they've got six months to a year's income in emergency fund? and save 20% of their income on top of the emergency fund (cpf not counted)? long time ago i did mention this - wonder if you remember. I was Q-ing in hdb to hand in app forms yr 2006. Those forms that need to state income..etc. I kaypoh and peek onto the form of a lady who is standing infront of me. $300 over K house - hubby income $1800+, wife income $1600+. In 2006 unlike now, there are so much sub-200k and even sub-100k houses offered by hdb. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevetang 0 Report post Posted August 19, 2008 long time ago i did mention this - wonder if you remember. I was Q-ing in hdb to hand in app forms yr 2006. Those forms that need to state income..etc. I kaypoh and peek onto the form of a lady who is standing infront of me. $300 over K house - hubby income $1800+, wife income $1600+. In 2006 unlike now, there are so much sub-200k and even sub-100k houses offered by hdb. Wow $300 over K house with total income of $3400, how long have to repay??? 30yrs or 35yrs of monthly over 1K loan repayment?? That is siao man!!! If 1 of them jobless die Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CutePinkElephant 0 Report post Posted August 19, 2008 mace, urgent need help, my contactor ask me the tile near main door want to hv kerb or want flat one, i really dont hv any clue what the kerb he means? isit like the kerb on toilet door?so the water cant come out? many thanks Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MaCe 3 Report post Posted August 19, 2008 mace, urgent need help, my contactor ask me the tile near main door want to hv kerb or want flat one, i really dont hv any clue what the kerb he means? isit like the kerb on toilet door?so the water cant come out? many thanks yupz have kerb = when bangladeshi washing the corridor, water wont enter your house. less dust also. but depends on individual. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
