Audience: Family

The Circuit Breaker Life: 10 Things You Never Knew You Were Thankful For

Staying home during this time has made us crave face-to-face human interaction or yearn to go back to our usual routines.

In a state of boredom, people are forced to get creative. We have quickly changed up our routines such as converting our gym sessions to home workouts, or even achieving new goals such as learning a new skill online or finishing a book that we read halfway.

But there are also some who have thought of really bizarre things. For instance, a Redditor built a life-sized Jewel Changi Airport in Minecraft to curb his boredom. 

Another Redditor even came up with a ‘Stay Home MRT Line’ to sum up a day of his life.

We may be stuck at home but that doesn’t stop people from thinking of creative ways to spend their Circuit Breaker life differently. One thing’s for sure though, here are 10 things that we’ll definitely miss once the Circuit Breaker is over.

1. Wake Up Later, Wear PJs All Day

Working from home brings about many perks for the lazybones.

Firstly, you get to snooze a little longer because we no longer have to be out the door by 8am to catch the train. If work starts at 9am, we can afford to wake up five minutes before and skip the shower.

Who cares if you’ve not brushed your teeth or if you’re wearing pyjamas to work?

Ultimately, this saves us a lot of time. You also do not have to style your hair or think about what to wear every day. Doing work in comfortable PJs and messy hair all day is a true luxury that comes with working from home.

2. Home-cooked Meals

Immersive Installation Explores SG Youths’ Vision For The Future: 5 Reasons To Check It Out

As millennials and Gen Z-ers, we love any stunning visual
installation that makes a great photo-op for our Instagram feed, but to call us
superficial would be wrong.

We’re also the same people who crave to go deep and talk
about the meaning of life, our hopes and dreams, and how we envision a better
world.

A new roadshow called Spark
The Next: Youth Hangout will let you do both. While it sets a dazzling
backdrop of swirling colours for the ‘gram, it’s also packed with many
insightful things to discover, based on topics that we care about.

Here’s why you should check it out.

Psychedelic Spaces Come Alive When You Step Inside

If your favourite installations are the kind you can
interact with, Spark The Next: Youth
Hangout will let you unapologetically be the ‘itchy-fingers’ your parents
used to call you.

Step inside the various installations, snoop around and
see what happens. Each of its psychedelic spaces isfilled with interactive elements — every action you take here
triggers a reaction that may just surprise you!

In fact, the installations quite literally won’t show you anything special unless you work with them. So go ahead and don’t hold back your curiosity!

Learn How Your Habits Can Make The World Around You Greener 

Many young Singaporeans are on board with the idea of
sustainability. But frankly, we know it’s going to take SO much more than just
metal straws to fix waste, pollution and climate change.

For the eco-conscious who want to know how they can do
their part, Room For Change will
show you where to look.

What do you do with your old phone when you upgrade to a
newer model? Did you know your fashion choices could be leaving a nasty trace
too? The good news is, switching to better habits can make a positive impact.

Explore this installation to find out how your little
changes can go a long way!

We Don’t Have To Hide What We’re Dealing With Inside

We’re the generation that’s ready to stop shying away and
get real about mental health and many other complications of growing up. But it
isn’t always easy for these conversations to happen. When everyone constantly
tries to put their best ‘face’ forward, sometimes we don’t know who’s actually
struggling.

The Invisible
Gallery shows you blank canvases at first, just like the way
emotional strife is often hidden beneath the surface. There’s a simple trick to
revealing what lies beneath. We won’t tell you how, but here’s a hint: your
handphone will help you out.

Once you find out what to do, you’ll start to see stories of struggles come to light. Prepare to have your heartstrings tugged as Singaporeans share about their personal experiences with mental health, addiction and other unseen struggles.

Find Out How Successful Singaporeans Were Once #YouthsLikeUs

Everyone could use a motivator now and then, to remind you that you’re doing great and to keep going towards your goals!

Who better to do that than fellow Singaporeans who have
been through the hustle and made their mark?

Youths-Like-Us lets you ‘meet’ Michelle Chong, Fandi Ahmad, MasterChef Asia finalist Lennard Yeong and Tanglin actress Eswari Gunasagar as their younger selves pursuing their passions, and they each have a few words to help motivate you along your own path to success.

Besides getting some nuggets of wisdom about how they made personal progress on their journey, you could also win exclusive workshops with each of the four personalities!

Free Entry To An Immersive Experience

The best part is that
Spark The Next: Youth Hangout is completely free for anyone to enjoy. If
you’re tired of expensive outings with your friends or S/O, this makes for a
memorable activity you can try without spending a cent.

In fact, you can also look out for instructions at the
installation to redeem free bubble tea, and stand a chance to win mall vouchers!

You’ll definitely leave with something new learnt, and maybe even feel inspired to start a change IRL.

The installation will be hopping across a few locations around Singapore, including Plaza Singapura and Our Tampines Hub. You can catch it first at Jurong Point from 20 November!

Spark The Next: Youth Hangout
Location: Jurong Point
Date: 20 – 24 November 2019

Location: Plaza Singapura
Date: 27 November – 1 December 2019

Location: Our Tampines Hub
Date: 4 – 8 December 2019

Click The Secrets of City Hall Unveiled at National Gallery Singapore’s Latest Exhibition

The Secrets of City Hall Unveiled at National Gallery Singapore’s Latest Exhibition

We all know City Hall as an MRT station and the bridge between the ‘red’ and ‘green’ train lines, but the ‘real’ City Hall is actually a three minute walk away, at National Gallery Singapore.

Unbeknownst to some, City Hall was once known as the Municipal Building, and provided the backdrop for many significant—yet sometimes lesser-known—moments in Singapore’s history. For example, did you know that it was on the steps of City Hall that the late Mr. Lee Kuan Yew recited the Proclamation of Malaysia on Sept 16, 1963?

In conjunction with the Singapore Bicentennial, National Gallery Singapore has launched a new exhibition that opens the window to these lesser known stories, taking you on an immersive multimedia experience where you will get to witness these moments come to life.

Free for Singaporeans and PRs, this exhibition marks the first time that National Gallery Singapore is hosting a long-term exhibition within the City Hall Chamber.

Embark On A Historical Journey With ‘Encik Awang’

Begin your experience with ‘Encik Awang’, a character inspired by a real-life caretaker, who will guide you through key events that happened in and around the City Hall building. Before that however, have your photos taken at the photobooth and download them via a QR code. You’ll also be in for a surprise as these photos will be incorporated into a part of the show!

Embark on a journey through time to learn about the origins of the building, its name, and the other stories within the building’s walls.

The 20-minute multimedia show will immerse you in these stories through several interactive elements, like diffusing the smoke caused by a Japanese air raid during the war.

Besides the evolving roles of the building, you will also learn about some lesser-known trades like lamplighters. Overseen by the Municipal Council, they climbed up lamp posts daily to illuminate the streets which were lined with gas-powered lamps.

Muse Over Our History And Culture At The Social Wall

After bidding goodbye to Encik Awang, head on over to Singapore Courtyard at level 3 of the City Hall building, where you’ll get to deepen your understanding of Singapore’s past through art at the Social Wall, a life-sized multi-touch interactive screen.

Here, you can choose from curated themes like Portraits of Lives, Architecture and Stories, Conflicts and Concerns, War and Adversity, Places and Inspirations, and Changing Landscapes, which will present you with a selection of artworks that inspire you to think about the historical and cultural contexts of their creation. 

There’s also a ‘Surprise Me!’ function to personalise your experience, which will create a journey based on your profile.

You can even go on a hunt for the original artworks presented on the Social Wall! Download a digital map via the QR code on the Social Wall, which will lead you to the pieces displayed in the exhibits at Siapa Nama Kamu? Art in Singapore since the 19th Century.

Immerse Yourself In The Unique Stories At The Memories Of City Hall

After celebrating the history of City Hall and the events surrounding the building, get a different perspective of history through the lenses of people who used to walk the hallways of this grand monument at the Memories of City Hall. The personal stories of these people who have played an important role in the building’s history makes for a great way to wrap up your experience. 

Located at Singapore Courtyard at level 2 of the City Hall, the exhibition completes the City Hall story with a selection of oral history interviews and archives of unique stories and memories of people who were based in City Hall from the 1960s to 1980s. These include stories of former civil servants in the early days of Singapore’s independence.

You can also download the Gallery Explorer App to read more about the compelling stories relating to key moments in Singapore’s history, such as the unveiling of Singapore’s State Crest and National Flag, and the first public performance of the national anthem.

Celebrate City Hall’s Rich History

Whether you’re a history or art buff, or simply looking for an exhibition to check out, City Hall: If Walls Could Talk will be an engaging journey of discovery, and will surprise you with little known facts about a majestic building that we are visually familiar with. 

Check out City Hall: If Walls Could Talk from 1 September 2019 at the 3rd floor, City Hall Chamber, National Gallery Singapore. 

General admission applies to the exhibition (free for Singaporeans and PRs). For more information, visit www.nationalgallery.sg/cityhall! 

This article is written in collaboration with National Gallery Singapore.

Header Image Credit: National Gallery Singapore

Also Read: Singapore Bicentennial – The History And Debate Around It

From Rental to HDB: Part 2

This is a Part 2 of Zuraidah’s story, click here if you missed Part 1.

Planning for our own home

Once we decided together as a family that we wanted to own
our own home, we did a lot of homework:

• To calculate the maximum amount our home could
  cost if we only wanted to use CPF for monthly loan repayments (without topping
  up cash)
• To calculate how much CPF we needed for the down
  payment and loan
• To find a job with CPF contribution (as my
  husband found work as a cleaner which gave him employer CPF contribution)
• Checking regularly with HDB on BTO locations to
  apply for which were within our budget
• What grants we were eligible for

But how can I own my own HDB when I was not working?

When my youngest daughter was four years old, we had a
family conversation about me returning to work.

My children and husband were supportive, and the CDC allowed
us three extra months of financial assistance until I was stable enough in my
job to stop the assistance.

With Beyond’s help, I enrolled in a parenting
workshop to regain my confidence and computer classes to upgrade my digital
skills. Beyond also found subsidised childcare places for my two youngest
children while we applied for KidSTART.

With my children’s education settled, I could have peace of
mind to look for a job. I saw an advertisement from an eldercare centre looking
for a cleaner, and called the manager to apply.

He was very kind, and after speaking to me, he said I should
try applying for the position to run programmes for the elderly. “Just because
you might not have the qualifications now doesn’t mean you cannot learn and be
qualified for this role. I’m sure you can learn,” he said.

That was how I secured my current job in an eldercare centre,
taking in a steady income with employer CPF contributions (as well as
Workfare). 

How we paid for our flat with our CPF

In 2013, we successfully applied for a 3-room BTO flat in
Sengkang which cost $189,000.

My husband then utilised his first-timer grant of $25,000
and we used some of our CPF to fulfil the down-payment. We also appealed to HDB
to add the $20,000 resale levy to the total cost, this meant we could then use
CPF to make the monthly repayments.

For the HDB loan, I had enough CPF in my bank account (saved
up over the years since I worked as a teenager) to shave off a large amount of
our loan.

This meant that my husband and I only had to fork out $350
collectively every month to pay off our 20-year housing loan, and our CPF
earnings based on our permanent jobs could cover this $350 without having to
fork out extra cash.

I was so amazed I could save up so much over the years in
CPF, so I always tell my children to get a job with CPF employer contributions.

Paying for a HDB we own vs rental housing

In the past, my husband and I paid $450 a month for our
rental flat based on our gross salaries. There were times that we were not able
to afford the rent and had to contact Social Service Offices for help. Thankfully
after they spoke to HDB, HDB allowed us to pay the outstanding rental bill in
instalments. This incident also made me want to own my own HDB.

Looking at the math, paying $350 a month in loans to own our
own HDB is indeed much better than paying $450 for a rental flat.

After learning how to plan and buy my own HDB, I’ve also
helped my sister plan and apply for her HDB.

This is #myHDBstory

We renovated our home simply, with brown
cabinets for kitchen and I decorated my TV console with flowers.

I like to spend time with my family at home, and am grateful
I can talk to my children about topics such as purchasing a HDB flat.

I want to share my journey so more people can learn how to
own their HDB, to have a space they can call their own.

Author’s footnote: After she moved out of her rental
flat in Lengkok Bahru to Sengkang, Mdm Zuraidah still returns to Lengkok Bahru
regularly to volunteer with Beyond Social Services.

Special thanks to Mdm Zuraidah and Beyond Social
Services for the interview and for sharing her #myHDBstory.

From Rental to HDB: Part 1

My name is Zuraidah. This is my story of home.

My first home was a 3-room HDB flat with my parents and
siblings at Bedok Reservoir.

At 13 years old, I quit school to work at a confectionery to
support my family.

When I was 17 years old, I got engaged to my first husband
and married him when I turned 21.

We wanted to stay near his parents, so we bought our first
HDB flat, a resale unit, at a block next to my in-law’s flat. As first-timer
HDB buyers, we tapped on the first-timer grant which reduced our cost by
$40,000.

With our new home, we started a family.

I gave birth to our daughter at the age of 22 years old.

Both of us worked to raise our family and pay the bills. I
worked hard over weekends doing shift work in the sales line.

But… we drifted apart, our marriage broke down. My daughter
was only 4 years old, and I was expecting a son.

We sold our home, the matrimonial flat, at the current
market price, which was unfortunately not in our favour. We made a loss, but it
couldn’t be helped.

I moved back home to my parents’ 3-room HDB with my two
young children. When I worked, my mum helped me look after them at home.

It was tough being a single mum.

I yearned to be independent, to have a home to call my own,
as I have been working since 13 years old.

In 2003, I applied for a rental flat. I was actually shocked
how fast the application went through!

Three months later, I moved to a rental flat in
Lengkok Bahru.

The location was a bit far from Bedok, but this didn’t stop
my family of three from travelling back to Bedok to visit my parents often.

Finding love.

Throughout all these upheavals, I met my current husband. My
daughter looked up to him as a father figure, a role which was absent in her
earlier years.

We got married in 2005 and had two children of our own. In
2008, my parents sold off their 3-room flat and my mum stayed with us for a
year before moving to my brother’s house.

Our humble rental flat was then home to 3 adults and 4
children – it was a bit of a squeeze, but we made it work.

We all slept on mattresses that could be folded and kept by
the side. We took turns to use the only toilet based on how early we had to
leave the house to get to school or work.

Worrying about home.

After I had my fourth child, I quit my job to look after my
children.

I didn’t know I would be unemployed for five years. My
husband fell ill and could not hold a full-time job.

We struggled to pay our bills – I worried we would be
homeless.

Thankfully, when I approached the Community Development Council,
they were able to offer some financial assistance for our rent and electricity
as well as $350 a month to put food on the table.

Being unemployed was very stressful.

In the past, I tried different jobs, whatever I could do
with my set of skills, as long as employers were willing to give me work. At 16
years old, I was a department store cashier. At 21 years old, I became a sales
assistant.

With my time divided amongst my children, I had very little
time left on my hands. I also did not have skills that I could use to earn
money while working from home such as sewing or baking.

On top of that, I breastfed my children and was
not ready to stop breastfeeding as it meant a lot to me being able to provide
for their nourishment as a mother.

This HDB is so #instaworthy, every spot is perfect for pictures 

Singapore has a world-class public housing system that helps Singaporeans own their own
homes, from 9% in 1960 to over 90% today.

Yes, Singapore is often
talked about and used as a successful example of public housing done right. Our
home ownership of 91% lands us in the top three highest in the world, and over
80% of Singaporeans live in high quality and affordable HDB flats.

Housing a Nation

This was not the
case in the early years, when most people lived in over-crowded and unhygienic
slums. 

The late Mr Lee Kuan Yew is a key driver in
of public housing in Singapore. The nation’s founding prime minister had set up
the HDB in 1960, and launched an ambitious building programme to provide proper
homes for Singaporeans – Housing a nation.

Watch this to find out how Singapore
fixed its housing problem,

Let’s Meet the People Living in these
HDB Flats

You should have noticed by now that
we’re publishing a series of #myHDBstory where we check out Singaporeans’ HDB
homes and invite them to share with us their HDB stories. 

We have already covered #myHDBstory of
a middle-aged couple with five kids as well as a young couple with a baby girl, let’s check out the home of a single
person this round.

Today,
we’re checking out the home of Bob
Mubarak. 

Bob’s
day job is a Business Manager with SingaporeBrides.com, one of the leading bridal resource
portals in Singapore. But when he’s not working, Bob transforms into a
tastemaker of sorts. Here is someone who has always loved all things
beautiful. 

Earlier
in this career, he was a highly accomplished makeup artist who helped women
look more beautiful. Some years back, he was also running a wedding gift tray business and mind you, he was so good at making
beautiful wedding gift trays he was perpetually booked! 

Now,
when he’s not working, he’s an accidental Instagram-Influencer who spams lotsa
posts of beautiful
homes,
fabulous reno and cool
furnishings.
And believe you me, his casual post about something he bought can cause the
item to be sold out at all outlets! He also likes to feature yummy food and
seemingly fabulous people too!

Bob’s #myHDBstory is
#bobsretirementhome

Home to Bob is a 4-room resale flat in
Bukit Panjang, a place where Bob insists is much much nearer to town than most
people think. It’s also near where his family is staying. The flat was
completed in 1998, so it’s around 20 years old. 

He knew he wanted a flat near his
family home, so that helped lots to narrow down where to start looking. But
even then, he shared that he viewed a total of 13(!!) units! The funny thing is
he ended up buying the very first flat he’d viewed. He took over the flat on
19th December 2016, signed the renovation contract on 1st January 2017 and he
has been living there in solo bliss for over two years now. 

View this post on Instagram

; house keys. finally. just now went over to azankan the house – felt so imam imam now. can marry already. #bobsretirementhome

A post shared by Bob Mubarak Nasir (@bobmubarak) on Dec 19, 2016 at 2:49am PST

Bob had bought the flat for around
$350,000 in late 2016. Did you know that about 80% of first-time homebuyers are
able to pay their monthly mortgage instalment fully with CPF? This means that
they do not pay any cash out-of-pocket. That’s the same for Bob too! His
monthly housing instalments are all taken care of via his CPF, so no cash
out-of-pocket for him too!

Bob’s #myHDBstory is every single
Singaporean’s dream

Guess how many IDs Bob had checked out
before deciding? Eight.

Whoa. Not only did he top the number of
viewings I’ve ever heard of, he’s also right up there in terms of the most
number of contractors a homeowner has met for quotes. Anyway, he eventually
decided on Tid Plus, an ID that he highly recommends. He says they’re great
value-for-money and deliver good work.

Let’s go on a tour of #bobsretirementhome now!

Don’t you just love that gate! And
white doors are quite rare in HDB estates!

Come, let’s go in!

Bob shared that he had initially wanted
a black-and-white look in the colonial style.  

But once he decided on this unit and
fell in love with the abundance of light flowing into the living space, he
decided that the natural light would be wasted on a high-contrast
black-and-white look. He next considered to go full-on white, but his ID
advised him against it. An all-white look might look too sterile and clinical
for a home.

In the end, Bob went
for a white-and-grey palette which was light and airy, whilst providing some
dimension.

Bob truly believes that adding dashes of green in the form of plants works wonders. It warms the space immediately, and gives it life.

I love how the plants and his soft furnishing break the straight lines of the renovation and furniture, softening it nicely to add homeliness to the cool, modern look.

Bob has always wanted an open-concept kitchen. So he worked with the ID to hack away a curved wall that the previous owner had erected. So yea, he got his open kitchen that flows seamlessly into the dining area and opens up to the living space.

Incidentally, this is also where Bob does his work too!

His employer is apparently a very progressive one. Since SingaporeBrides.com started in 2000, the team has always worked from home. Very good, they were green and contributing to reducing carbon footprint even before it’s a thing!

And as if he ain’t talented enough, Bob
is also a good cook! Man, what can’t this bachelor do?? 

He loves having his friends over and
feeding them delish food that he’ll whip up himself. So yea, the kitchen is not
mere showpiece for photography, he actually puts it to good use too!

Let’s check out the bedrooms now!

Whoa, I quite like the master bedroom!
So fancy!

And, did you know that the room can look and feel completely different with
just a change of bedlinen? Check out this,
this
and this!

And did you think no one will actually sit on that chair? WRONG. Bob does!

We asked him where is his favourite spot at home, and he said it’s right here!

There are two other bedrooms, but we only took photos of one of them since Bob uses the third bedroom for storage.

The second bedroom, with the sofa-bed, effectively is a guestroom.

By now you must be very curious how
much the renovation and all cost. Bob had spent $46,000 on the renovation. This
seems to be a reasonable amount as resale flats sometimes can cost
significantly more than BTO in terms of renovation costs because there are
usually hacking and remodelling work, etc.

The TV and refrigerator were gifted to
Bob, but even then, he had spent only $5,000 on furniture and appliances! He
was very careful with what he spent on, and he even had a rule of not buying
anything over $1,000. He would watch the sales and promotions with eagle eyes,
and he enlisted the help of his Chinese friends to help him order items on Taobao.

His efforts sure paid off and his home
is one of the nicest we’ve featured for the #myHDBstory series. 

More about the Single Citizen Scheme

As with most developed cities,
Singapore is also seeing her citizens getting married later in life, and there
are also Singaporeans who choose to remain single. The Government has
recognised this trend and in order to cater to the needs of singles,  HDB
first implemented the Single Citizen Scheme to allow Singaporeans who are 35 years
old and above to own their own HDB flats in July 2013. 

Singles can choose to buy BTO or resale
flats. Singles can apply for 2-room BTO Flexi units at non-mature estates and
for resale units, there are no restrictions on location or size; so singles
who want bigger flats or want their flats immediately will usually go the
resale route.

There have always been grants for first-time home buyers, be it families or singles. But earlier this month, the Government announced even more good news and these enhancements were effective from 11th September 2019.

• Eligible first-timer singles aged 35 and above, and earning not more than $4,500 a month, can also enjoy an Enhanced Housing Grant (EHG for singles) of up to $40,000, and are subject to the same conditions.
• The monthly household income ceiling for eligible first-timer singles aged 35 and above will also be raised from $6,000 to $7,000.

More
about #bobsretirementhome: To sell or not to sell?

Bob
was penduluming between the thought of selling the current flat off after the
Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) of five years, or to carry out another round of
renovation at the current unit.

View this post on Instagram

; #bobsretirementhome | totally loveeee the morning ray on a sunday. why i am up at 7.00am on a sunday, i have no idea. but when your age is approaching 40, it has a funny way of telling you to sleep at 10.00pm and be wide awake at 6.00am. • yes, especially on a sunday. • … and the public holidays. • i was talking to @msofian about selling my house after the minimum occupation period of five years, and then downgrading to three-room flat and try to be as debt free as possible, while simultaneously talking to @tidplus_design to renovate this house to do #bobsretirementhome version 2.0. • this is another peril of old age. an almost immediate dementia. talked about selling the house, and then five minutes later, planning new renovation design of the very home that i intend to sell. • #bobsretirementhome have given me so much. like the huge amount of sunlight streaming through every morning, so many opportunities have opened up for me because of this home too. to sell, or not to sell, that is the question. the answer is, will sell if can earn 100% profit. eh? • and yes, eldershield will be reaching me next year. kurang ajar punya government. tak payah nak remind lah hawau!

A post shared by Bob Mubarak Nasir (@bobmubarak) on Sep 7, 2019 at 7:13pm PDT

He was wondering if he could make 100%
profit if he were to sell off the unit. ONE HUNDRED PER CENT?! That would mean
$700,000 leh, so I don’t think so? But it’s entirely probable that he will make
a reasonably tidy sum if he were to sell it.

At 25 years upon MOP, the flat is still relatively “young”. 

Besides,
remember this: Every flat will be upgraded twice.

To
keep all HDB flats safe and liveable, there will be one round of upgrading when
your flat is about 30 years old through the Home Improvement Programme (HIP),
and a second round when your flat is about 60-70 years old through HIP II. The
upgrades will address common maintenance issues such as repairing spalling
concrete.

Apart
from upgrading, the Government will redevelop old estates through the Voluntary
Early Redevelopment Scheme (VERS) to ensure they remain vibrant places to live.
Residents offered VERS will vote as a precinct on whether they wish to return
their flats to the Government. They will be compensated for their flats.

So
my guess is if Bob were to sell his Bukit Panjang flat, there should be some
more upside given the flat’s relatively young “age”, and also that there should
be one round of upgrading at around 2028 when it turns 30.

More
about #bobsretirementhome: Unlocking the value

If
Bob decides to keep the unit and really make it #bobsretirementhome, there are
also several ways to monetarise the flat later, especially if he needs money in
his silver years.

• Firstly, Bob can receive cash monthly by renting out his bedroom(s) or even the entire flat and he can go live with his siblings or friends.
• Secondly, Bob can also sell part of the flat’s remaining lease to get a lump sum cash and monthly payouts in cash, for life. This is under the Lease Buyback Scheme.
• Thirdly, he can still sell the Bukit Panjang flat later in life, and buy a smaller flat or a flat with a shorter lease. 
• Lastly, those moving from a larger flat to a 3-room or smaller flat can consider taking up the Silver Housing Bonus, to receive up to $20,000 in cash.

I Was Made To Write An Article About HDB

HDB, a place I spent my childhood running around with my friends playing block catching. The place I desperately longed to go home to some nights when I was made to work overtime.

5 kids in 1 HDB flat – no problem! The “Perfect” Father tells all

The second I
stepped out of the HDB lift, I knew which house belongs to the family I was
going to interview. I spied a mini slide and a variety of kick-scooters,
ride-on toy vehicles, bicycles and a whole lot of shoes. “Must be the right
house”, I thought to myself. My guess was spot on as once the door was open, I
was greeted by chatter from the full house of children.

“I knew this was
your house!” I exclaimed to Steven, who so happens to be a blogger at

Housing everyone under one roof affordably

As we sat down to
talk, the children zoomed happily around on the electric toy car and indulged
in their favourite activities with their siblings, oblivious to this “intruder”
on a Saturday morning.

Steven brought us
back in time to 17 years ago when he and his wife, Laifong, first started
working. Laifong was living in her family home in Ang Mo Kio back then, and her
mother got to know of her neighbour two units away who had wanted to sell their
3-Room flat.

Steven remembered
that the asking price was quite reasonable at $130K thereabouts for the 3-Room
HDB flat. Once he factored in the $30K first-timer housing grant and $10K
proximity housing grant for living near parents, the price came down to a very
affordable $90K*.

When their fourth
kid came around, Steven and Laifong suddenly found themselves faced with a
choice of going ahead with the upgrading to a 5-Room BTO they had applied for
earlier, or to buy the adjoining 3-Room flat next door under the Conversion
Scheme since their neighbour was moving out.

The couple quickly did their sums. The asking
price of the flat next door plus the $90K he had paid for their existing flat
combined was still under the price of a 5-bedroom BTO in the same area.

During that time,
a 5-room BTO at Ang Mo Kio would have set the couple back about $510,000 after
grants.

Steven recalled
how he and his wife gave up their BTO allocation in favour of knocking down the
wall between the two adjoining 3-Room units to form a jumbo flat with enough space for all.  I guess it’s safe to say that our public
housing scheme has served Singaporeans well. For Steven and Laifong, it was not
so much a matter of whether they could house everyone affordably, but more of
what type of public housing and at which location would work better for them.

With over a million HDB flats spread across towns and estates, the
Singapore brand of public housing is uniquely different from the rest of the
world. HDB flats spell home for over 80% of Singaporeans, and our home
ownership stands over 90%, the third highest in the world.

Managing finances and balancing
budgets

I could
not resist asking how Steven and his family manage…  especially with 5 children. He shared that his
housing loan, which he and his wife split 50-50 is completely covered by CPF, freeing
up finances for day to day expenses. Home-cooked meals and hawker fare are
their go-to because eating out for two adults and five kids can be quite a
hefty sum. That said, they still budget for a yearly family holiday – Japan
being their next destination.

The family
of seven does not own a car and they are used to taking public transport to get
around. Taxi rides are far and few between, a luxury reserved for special
circumstances or when they are very tired. Thankfully, various transport routes
are easily accessible from their home.  

Quality
time is key

Being a full-time working parent,
Steven shared that time is really a precious commodity. As much as both he and
Laifong try to shower each child with individual attention, having a brood of five
means they do not get to spend as much time with each child as they would like to.
This is certainly a feeling many working parents can relate to.

This prompted Steven to come up with
an interesting way of overcoming this “guilt”. He started the habit of bringing
each child on one-on-one bonding trips overseas, timing it to coincide with
just before they enter Primary school, a nice way to spend quality time
together before they embarked on their formal education. He has since completed
3 one-on-one trips, bringing Steffi to Korea, Leroy to Gold Coast and Stacci to
Perth.

He shared that these trips allowed him
to show his love for each child through spending dedicated time with them. Both
father and child got to learn more about each other on their bonding trips and
share many happy memories and experiences together. Steven’s advice – “Live the
moment, go forth and explore the world together!”

Endearing memories of home

Laughter and
happy squeals emanate throughout the Teo household, never a quiet moment when
the children are around. Their closeness as a family even spills over into
their unique sleeping arrangement. Even though their jumbo flat has several
bedrooms, the family of seven insists that they bunk all together.

They sleep
in an elongated bedroom, made from knocking down the walls between two
bedrooms. Their configuration of two king sized beds and one super single on
the floor seems the perfect combination to fit all seven of them.

I asked
Steven which child sleeps where and he put it simply – he parks himself on one
king size bed, his wife on the other and the children will pick favourites for
the night! A recent family staycation also saw all of them cuddled up in a king
size bed! 

Challenges and joys

As I
rounded up the interview to let the family get back to their lives, I
understood more and more Steven and Laifong’s decision to have more children
than the typical family. While there are challenges in raising such a big
family… the immeasurable joy and warmth the young ones bring is certainly
palpable.

We thank Steven
and Laifong for sharing their #myHDBstory.

*Over the years, HDB has
enhanced its offering of subsidies and grants to help Singaporeans afford their
first home. Ninety per cent of first-time home buyers buy a flat directly from
HDB at subsidised rates.

From September 2019 onwards,
the newly announced Enhanced CPF Housing
Grant (EHG) will replace the existing
Additional and Special CPF Housing Grants (AHG and SHG).

Eligible first-timer families
buying a resale flat may now enjoy up to $160,000 of housing grants, comprising
an EHG of up to $80,000, a CPF Housing Grant of up to $50,000, and a Proximity
Housing Grant of up to $30,000.

Do you
live in a HDB flat? Share your own #myHDBstory!

Save More, Huat More – 10 Wholesale Stores In S’pore To Stock Up On CNY Goodies And Groceries

Scrumptious reunion dinners and house visits chock full of festive treats are part and parcel of Chinese New Year celebrations. With the festive season just round the corner, there is absolutely no time to lose when it comes to shopping for goodies and groceries.

Whether you’re planning on shopping with the family or relying on your parents to bring food to the table, shop at these wholesale stores with prices lower than your neighbourhood supermarkets. You’ll definitely have to travel a little further than your normal trip to Sheng Siong, but fret now, the money you save from shopping at these places will more than offset the cost of your petrol.

Budget Singaporean or not, here are some wholesale stores to check out before Chinese New Year!

1. Hai Sia

“Yu” in Chinese means both “prosperity” and “fish”. With that, large quantities of fish and other seafood should be consumed to ensure maximum huat throughout the new year.

If you’re looking for the freshest seafood at compatible prices, head down to the source itself.  Situated opposite the Central Fish Market at Jurong Fishery Port, Hai Sia is in a prime location to purchase fresh seafood products from the region. They carry a wide range of fish, including familiar names such as Pomfret, Red Grouper, Red Snapper, Salmon, Seabass and Threadfin.

The fluctuations in seafood prices during CNY can be quite dampening, especially for our wallets. However, the seafood from Hai Sia will be kept at their original prices this festive season!

If the location is too ulu for you, check out their whole range on RedMart and get them delivered to you instead.

Hai Sia Seafood Supplies
Address: 35A Fishery Port Road, Singapore S619743
Contact No.: 6264 1356
Website | Facebook | RedMart

2. Cellarbration

What’s a gathering without a round of drinks?

Cellarbration, one of the largest online alcohol retailer in Singapore, will be selling their drinks at discounted prices this Chinese New Year. Cellarbration’s Chinese New Year sale boasts an impressive selection of spirits, wines, and beer! This includes crowd-favourites like Chivas Regal ($56, U.P. $82), Absolut Vodka ($40, U.P. $58), and Carlsberg 24x320ml ($48, U.P. $60) , and most of their wines are selling at prices lower than what you will get at Duty-Free.

Get your drinks from their website or head down to any of their retail stores to enjoy their Chinese New Year promotion.

Cellarbration
Address: Find Their Nearest Store Here
Website | Facebook

3. Victoria Wholesale Centre

Victoria Wholesale Centre is the only private wholesale centre in Singapore for dried goods. Head down to the shops on the first level where you can purchase goods in bulk and at lower prices than retail shops.

From dried ikan bilis and dried shrimps to bird’s nest and fish maw, this wholesale centre has all the essential ingredients to recreate ah ma’s tonic soups!

Victoria Wholesale Centre
Address: 101 Kallang Avenue, Singapore 339508
Opening Hours From Now Till 2 Feb : Mon – Sun: 9am – 7pm
Contact No.: 6291 2349
Website | Facebook

4. Ben Foods

Ben Foods is the best place to go for great deals on frozen food, canned sauces and dairy products. You will also find other familiar brands under them such as Farmland, Spices of the Orient and Orchard Fresh. Online purchases are available with self-collection and delivery options.

Despite their rather ulu location, the journey is well worth it as many have raved about the attractive wholesale prices at Ben Foods.

Ben Foods
Address: No 1 Fishery Port Road, Singapore 619729
Opening Hours: 26 Jan & 2 Feb: 10am – 1pm, 30 Jan – 1 Feb: 3pm – 5pm
Contact No.: 6267 4385

Need to much on nuts and snacks while you play a round of mahjong? Swing by Tai Sun‘s factory outlet for a snack shopping spree before CNY. You can expect your favourite snacks such as cashews, roasted almonds, assorted fruits and nuts all at cheap prices as compared to external retailers.

Great news is that their factory will be open to public a month before festive periods like Chinese New Year and Hari Raya – so you have plenty of time to stock up on snacks!

Tai Sun
Address: 255 Pandan Loop, Singapore 128433
Opening Hours: 9.30am – 5.30pm, daily
Contact No.: 6779 6611
Website

6. Hosen Singapore

The brand Hosen is synonymous with their famous canned fruits amongst all things.

Besides the syrup-soaked fruit slices they’re known for, you can also find stacks of canned drinks – perfect for serving when guests come over. From now till 1 February 2019, head down on weekdays and have a go at their “Sure Win Lucky Dip” with every $50 spent and stand a chance at winning a $88 hamper every week.

Hosen Singapore Annual Warehouse Sale
Address: 267 Pandan Loop, Singapore 128439
Date: 9 Jan 2019 – 1 Feb 2019
Opening Hours: Weekdays: 9am – 6pm, Weekends: 8am – 6pm
Facebook

7. QB Food Trading

QB Food offers a diverse range of products—including chilled and frozen meats, dairy products, dry goods, processed foods, and beverages. However, they are experts in fresh meat and cheese in particular.

So if you’re looking for top quality meats for your steamboat gatherings, you’ll be pleased to know that they’re selling it at discounted prices this festive season – Iberico Pork Collar Shabu Shabu 330g ($9.80, U.P.  $14.50), Pork Belly Shabu Shabu ($5.90).

Do note that they are an “all members” store. All you have to do is simply sign up on their website prior to shopping with them. Don’t worry, membership is completely free!

QB Food Trading
Address: 8 Chin Bee Crescent, Jurong, Singapore 619893
Opening Hours During CNY: Mon – Fri: 9am – 6pm, Sat: 9am to 1pm | With Exceptions: 26 Jan: 9am to 3pm, 2 Feb: 9am to 3pm, 4 Feb: 9am to 1pm, 5 and 6 Feb: Closed
Website

8. Li Chuan Food Products

Looking for a one stop place to get all your steamboat needs like fish balls, crabmeats and cheese tofu?

Hop over to Li Chuan for some frozen food shopping so you can hold an amazing steamboat that your guests will be sure to fawn over. The frozen food come in various sizes so you can feed a family of 5 or even entertain a group of 20 friends!

From 11 January to 1 February, head down to Li Chuan to cop the best deals.

Li Chuan Food Products
Address: 40 Woodlands Terrace, Singapore 738456
Opening Hours: 11 Jan – 1 Feb: 9am – 5pm
Contact No.: 6755 7688
Facebook

9. Zac Butchery

Zac Butchery is heaven on earth for carnivores. If you need to satisfy your meat cravings, you’ll be able to purchase various cuts of meats, sausages and cold cuts here!

From now till 19 February, get a FREE packet of Cheesy Chicken Cocktail (300gm, worth $4.40) with purchase of any 750gm of beef shabu shabu! While stocks last and valid only at ZAC Butchery Singapore Post Centre outlet.

Zac Butchery
Address: Find your nearest outlet Facebook

10. NTUC FairPrice’s Warehouse Club

In celebration of Chinese New Year, NTUC FairPrice’s Warehouse Club will be open to ALL customers till 4 Feb 2019, NO membership will be required during this period.

With the flurry of preparation that needs to be done, save yourself time and money by buying more and paying less for all your goodies at Warehouse Club!

NTUC FairPrice Warehouse Club
Address: 1 Joo Koon Circle (next to Joo Koon MRT Station), Level 3, Singapore 629117
Date: Now to 4 Feb 2019
Contact No.:  6710 4584
5 Underrated Local Fashion Boutiques To Buy Your CNY Clothes From

Don Don Donki’s Third And Largest Outlet At City Square Mall Has A Food Court And Bargains Section From $2

DON DON DON, DONKIII~

If you find yourself humming to the addictive theme song of the famous Japanese store, we have exciting news for you. Don Don Donki just opened their third outlet at City Square Mall!

Their first outlet at Orchard Central is already enough of a big maze, but their third outlet will be its largest one yet at 26,000 sqf!

Don Don Don, Don’t You Wish Your NTUC Was Hot Like Me?

If you’re wondering why we need a bigger Don Don Donki outlet, here’s why.

The new outlet will offer three unique features everyone will appreciate – a food court, bargain section and fresh groceries.

A Japanese Food Court

When you’re done with shopping or simply craving for Japanese food, swing by the in-store food court to get your ramen or hokkaido ice cream fix.

The food court will house five different stores,where mains like ramen, donburi (rice bowl), Japanese barbecue, and fried chicken will be available.

Indulge in a piping hot bowl of ramen from the famous Hokkaido Ramen Santouka – the ideal comfort food after a long day at work and grocery shopping.

Round off your meal with Naganuma Ice Co’s creme brulee soft serve ice cream.

Treasure Hunting At The Bargain Section 

If you’re secretly a Singaporean auntie who loves her discounts, then you’re going to love Don Don Donki’s bargain section.

Set in a corner of the store, customers can hunt for treasure bargains starting from $2. This area will also mimic the signature Don Quijote displays in Japan that use carton boxes and handwritten price tags.

Snatch all the good deals you can get and reflect on your life decisions afterwards. No regrets, we promise!

Extensive Japanese Delicatessen Offering 

Looking to whip up a Japanese feast at home?

Don Don Donki City Square Mall boasts an extensive range of fresh produce and perishables that is much wider than its other outlets, so you can pretty much find everything you could dream of here.

If you’re not in the mood to cook, grab some freshly-made Japanese dishes from the delicatessen section and you’re good to go.

Opening Day Promotions

Don Don Donki City Square Mall officially opens today (11 January 2019)!

To celebrate its launch, new and existing Don Don Donki mobile app members get a chance to spin a wheel of fortune. Prizes up for grabs include:

• Limited edition Donpen plushies
• 10 pairs of tickets to Airzone, the suspended playground in City Square Mall
• 100 Don Don Donki Eco Bags

The first 1,000 customers who spend at least S$50 will win a limited edition Don Don Donki Tote Bag so make sure you get there early.

Pokemon fans can also swing by Don Don Donki as Pikachu will be making special appearances on 11-13 Jan at 1pm, 3pm and 5pm.

Don Don Donki City Square Mall
Address: Basement 2, City Square Mall, 180 Kitchener Road, Singapore 208539.
Opening hours: 9.00am – 12am, daily
Nearest MRT station: Farrer Park

Also Read Keisuke Is Opening A New Omurice Joint At Bugis+ – Prices Start From $9.90 And You Can Upsize For Free

(Header Image Source: Don Don Donki)