Everyone has one of those friends who never wants to try or learn anything new because he doesn’t want to spend money. What is fundamentally wrong with these people is...

I once worked in a company where incompetent employees who came to work on time were preferred to those who were better at their work but came in 5 minutes...

Nobody shows up at work dressed like the characters on Mad Men anymore. While some companies maintain a strict dress code of boring and uncomfortable G2000-style officewear, others encourage their...

Having kids in Singapore can feel like playing the Sims. You have to invest in them by making sure the house is nice and offers enough light (and bathrooms) at...

Of all the regrets you’ve accumulated in your life, we’re willing to bet buying that many of them involve money. Whether it was betting all your money on Black at the...

When you stick your ATM card into the machine at the end of the month, only to be greeted with an onscreen message disdainfully informing you that you do not...

In many fields, having a nice, prestigious paper qualification is enough to help you get your foot in the door. Sure, you’ll have to prove your worth on the job,...

While it’s only natural that parents want the best for their kids, one look at exhausted Singaporean kids wearing bottle-thick glasses, trudging home from late night tuition sessions, their smartphones...

Car COE prices have been creeping downwards, and wannabe car owners all over Singapore are waiting with bated breath for them to fall even lower. Every so often, the newspapers...

Some guys firmly believe that the way into a woman’s heart is through their big wallets, and spare no expense in trying to impress the ladies with flashy cars and...

If you’re a regular reader of the MoneySmart blog, you’ve probably come across the term “compound interest” more than once. We’re a huge fan of compound interest and often talk...

“Wow, this place is magical,” said my friend. “It looks like we’re not in Singapore.” When Singaporeans think of life-changing, profound, surreal experiences, it goes without saying that these magical...

Most Singaporeans prefer buying to renting, no matter how expensive it is. This is a mindset that’s been cultivated by the high home ownership rates here. No matter how expensive...

If you’re poor because life dealt you a lousy hand of cards, you deserve all the help in the world. But many Singaporeans land themselves in financial trouble simply because...

The last time someone told me they paid $700 for a new smartphone, I smirked inwardly at the fact that they paid $700 more than I did for my barely-smart...

Singaporean employees are as loyal to their bosses as those uncles on Sammy Boy are to their wives—they’re dissatisfied with what they have, and most wouldn’t hesitate to leave for...

I’ve met university students with resumes that were five pages long. These guys tried to cram in at least two or three internships during their long holidays each year, and...

Despite the government recently increasing the amount of cash incentives open to Singaporean parents, the number one complaint of new parents on my Facebook feed has been not lack of...

I have yet to meet a Singaporean who hates travelling—mainly because for us, going to a foreign country can mean making a mere 30 minute drive across the Causeway.

We Singaporeans are addicted to convenience. I’ve almost forgotten what it feels like to have to step into the abyss of a shopping mall because I now buy most of...

It looks like the government’s going all out this year to convince Singaporeans to have kids. The national paternity leave allowance just got raised to two weeks, although it’s not...

Most Singaporeans think of Bangkok, KL, Phuket or Penang when they want an inexpensive vacation. Everything else, by default, is expensive—people balk at the cost of hotels in Tokyo and...

Pragmatic Singaporeans usually live with their parents until they get married, and some even continue doing so after tying the knot. While the reasons for this used to be largely...

If you’re a Singaporean parent, there’s a 70% chance you’ll be enrolling your kid in tuition at some point in their lives. However, despite such high tuition enrolment rates, only...

Judging by the number of people praying for Toto and 4D numbers at temples all over Singapore, a lot of people here are hoping for some windfall luck, as the...