I do not watch local TV

As titled, I don't.

The contents are largely derivative, acting is bad (I do not blame actors, I blame the fact that acting in Singapore isn't quite what it is overseas), the actors just have a pretty face (most of the actors are from talent searches where looks are initially very important).

For the longest time, there hasn't been anything scripted on local tv that is quote worthy, however, recently a TV show changed that quite abit. I am still not watching the show, but I do feel that the quote more or less touches hard on the subject. It is basis of this blog.

The acting still sucks especially from Chow Chor Meng  (sorry bro, I liked you when you were in Don't Worry, Be Happy, but I felt your acting seriously declined, but what do I know about acting eh?)

你以为着急赚钱的人只有我一个吗？
你去问一下其他的年轻人，有谁不着急？

服完兵役，念完大学23，24岁，一转眼30岁就到了。
在这短短几年时间，要结婚，要买房子，要生孩子，没钱行吗？
现在一间组屋至少30，40万。就拿最基本的开销来说，如果你在市区工作，一天来回地铁两三趟，偶尔赶时间搭个德士 ，光是交通费每天就要$6 - $7块钱 。吃顿午餐，最省最省$5-$6块钱。去个连锁咖啡店喝杯咖啡$6-$7块钱，$6、$7块。
这还不说，为了响应政府号召，早结婚、早生孩子，那我得赶紧去交个女朋友。如果不陪吃、陪喝、陪看戏、偶尔陪出国，外加送一点名牌礼物，就算我长一副明星脸也未必有女孩子要跟我。
有一些人还要读大学，贷款、分担家里的开销呢？等到要结婚的时候，摆一桌酒席$1000块开始起跳，拍个婚纱特辑$3000-$4000块钱，这都是钱钱钱啊！
我们这代年轻人不追求什么生活品质，就算是维持最起码的生活，不去赚一点钱行吗？你们也不想养一个儿子，等到结婚的时候跟你要钱摆喜酒，等要建立家庭的时候跟你们要钱买房子。

是，我承认我的手法是有一点极端，我有错，但是我的错是因为这个社会造成的！

The translation as follows and the comments:
You (the kid's dad) think I'm the only one anxious about earning money? Why not you ask the youngsters today, who isn't anxious? (you mean its the prerogative of adults to be anxious about money? kids are only there to spend money) 
After NS*, graduating from university around 23-24 years old, we'll turn 30 at the blink of an eye (not so much of a blink, but for this time period the amount of things to do is highly in-proportionate.) 

During this short period of time, we have to get married, get a house, have baby(babies), can we do all of these without money? (this right here is the basis of this blog.

The cost for a HDB is at least $300K-$400K now. ( now a 4 room hdb costs about $280k-$600k depending on location and grants). But its actually much more if you factor in HDB loans and CPF Accrued interest

Let's talk about the most basic need for spending, if we were to work in the city(town), a trip back and forth via MRT is $5-$6. (I live in the west and a train trip towards the city is about S$1.80 - S$2.00 one way)

Occasionally, we take a taxi when we rush for time is $6-$7. ($6-7 for about a 10 min journey, not to mention the nonsensical surcharges, and the fact that they are raising fares due to taxi companies being unable to rent out their taxis fully)

For lunch, we need at least $5-$6. (I can swing the lowest of $2 if I want)

Drinking cup of coffee from a franchised cafe is $5-$7 (Starbucks/Coffeebean? Why would a kid who is so concerned about savings buy $6 coffee when he can get the same at $1.10 each) 

As if that's not enough, we have to follow what the government's campaigns, get married early to have babies young. (govt have been doing that for awhile now, but the cost of living is not helping. Funny thing is last time they were pushing stop at two, which they quickly found to be detrimental in the long run.)

I have to get a girlfriend first. And with that we will incur expenses from meals, drinks, movies and go overseas occasionally, plus gifting a few branded goods. If not even with the face of a superstar, no girl will want to be with me. (this is also some what of a social problem these days, guys who spoil girls and girls who likes to be spoilt are at fault.)

Some of us still want to further our studies, what about loans, mortgages and helping out with the family's finances? (at a certain point, you have to reduce your contributions to your family, your new family is important too right?)

And when it's time to get married, it cost at least $1000 per table. (its actually $1,200 now assuming 4 star hotel banquets, remember to pre-plan this 2 years in advance!!)

A wedding photo shoot will cost at least $3000-$4000 ($3k is the basic ones, mostly a size-able wedding photo shoot album costs about $4500 and up)

And all of these requires money, money and MONEY!!! (actually its whats afterwards that requires money.)

My generation of young adults don't demand a quality lifestyle. Is it even possible to not earn some money now, even if we were to live a life of the absolute basic? (this is not true, youths these days do not know the true value of money including myself. Otherwise, thrifty-ness shouldn't come as a challenge to them, kids these days are all about brands and it is also very accessible to own them. For eg, plenty of 0% installment plans for luxury watches and jewelry that do not cripple you right away but eat you like a slow disease). 

You don't want to have a son to have to ask you to pay for his wedding and his house, do you? (Although no choice really, we need our parents help as much as we can get right now to do these things).

Yes, I admit that what I did to earn money is a little extreme (I don't know what he did).

I've made mistakes and I'm at fault, but my fault is because of what this society has made it to be! (I didn't watch the show to see what he actually did, so can't comment)

* for non-Sg readers, Singapore has conscripted army for all boys. It mostly occurs between their first tertiary education (junior college/polytechnic/ITE ) and their university education. It typically lasts 2 years. 
For girls: after you've completed tertiary education, you can start your university studies
For boys: after you complete tertiary education, you take two years to serve NS before resuming university or starting to work.

Kids these days don't have it easy just like how our parents. Although it's a different kind of hardship, it is still difficult nonetheless. In the past, the struggles might be about poverty and low income related. But now, it's mostly about keeping up with others.

Our parents are always asking us to save up save up, it's a good concept but the rate of savings is always not enough. You need to learn to earn more money using your own money.

Out there, there's a lot of get rich schemes, short cuts to money, windfalls, etc.. But as some people say, as easy as you can get it, you also can lose it just as easily.

As far as making extra money goes, I think everyone should follow these few rules, most of them are quite self-explanatory:
- don't do anything illegal
- don't hunt people around you (for sales esp)
- you must be able to sleep well at night
- you must be able to sleep well at night 
- you must be able to sleep well at night
- don't believe in rumours and do not buy on rumours
- don't believe in get-rich-quick scams
- do your homework when you are investing in anything
- always keep track of the money/expenditure for long term
- do not get into a lot of debt (some debt to free up cash flow is useful), even personal finances also require certain leveraging.

Although the saying: to buy the rumours and sell the news. But this only works when you position yourself ahead of retail stock investors and your position is able to make use of herd mentality to drive up prices.

Are you able to drop 10k on a share and wait for it to rise overnight? High returns also means high risk, there is no two ways about this, otherwise no one will be hedging.

But if you look at yourself, you are more likely unable to position yourself as such. Hence you should read up on value investing and really do some homework to generate the yields long term. Instead of studying what Warren Buffett buys today, you should see how he accumulates his wealth over time. He and Walter Schloss study a certain investment through and through. He know when will the shares of a wonderful company be truly cheap (under priced) and buys them to keep for long time. Think Coca-cola company, Gillette and IBM. That's what value investing is. He realised that Coke will be in business for a long long time.

Famous investors say a lot of things. But the one thing they all repeat and repeat and practise themselves without fail is: sleep well at night. Don't invest till you are so afraid and keep yourself awake at night. Its not worth it most of the time.

Cost of living will carry on to go up there is no doubt about it. Always remember your end goal. Your financial health at old age. You do not want to be working after retirement age.

Photo credits: draken from club snap