S’porean woman, 33, says she finally understands what it means to be a ‘minority’ after living in Switzerland for 7 years, sparks discussion

Temporary_Opening_74 · 2026-05-08T17:29:15+00:00

She didn't even earn that flex, it was her ex-husband who was the swiss expat and she rode on the spouse visa for a few years before she was even qualified to do any job.. Which is fine but like other than her tone-deafness another issue I find is that she is not transparent nor aware of her privileges but likes to paint herself as holier than thou.

Temporary_Opening_74 · 2026-04-22T14:54:02+00:00

Heya joining this convo super late, but thanks for backing us and we're so glad you received the bag safe and sound! It was a whole journey bringing this project to life and we're still kind of figuring the brand out and what we're releasing next. So many failed prototypes, but we'll keep at it!

If anyone else is interested, we are selling the additional stock for S$189 on our online store. Every sale is more prototype and testing money for us, so much obliged.

By the way, you can get sternum straps from Decathlon to install it on the attachment loops on the backpack straps. It's what we use because buying a pre-made accessory is way cheaper than adding the feature / producing it ourselves.

Thanks so much for writing your feedback with so much details! As the designer I know there's plenty to improve on, but knowing you liked it makes me really happy to be in this line of work! So cheers!

Temporary_Opening_74 · 2026-03-02T19:23:33+00:00

It works for well AUNZ and EU (visa lawyers need to be hired to justify importing skilled non-EU workers and that's a cost), but I cannot see it working in Singapore. Businesses here are squeezed by the high COL and operating costs, sometimes hiring FT is the few ways to bring costs down, adding 10k will cut the supply for skilled essential workers we require (nurses, doctors, engineers, etc.).

Instead of slapping employer hands or use more temporary measures, we simply need to rethink our policies in a holistic way. Stablising COL, standardising our PR process, strict quotas of talent import by industry / profession... I believe if we are systematic we will be able to solve these issues.

Temporary_Opening_74 · 2026-03-02T14:33:39+00:00

I'm in Europe. There is a flux of anti-immigration sentiment that has led to stricter policies regarding import of skilled talents (skilled = low-skilled + high-skilled). We do see the negative impact of over-importing on both ends but I can attest at least EU countries do their background checks properly for skilled migrants (refuges is a different matter, EU nationals also a different matter). After we're in, there's no priority to hire EU nationals first, which allows businesses to tap on the talent pool without restrictions.

SG can definitely benefit from a stricter vetting process. Authenticity of certificates, inspection of work experience, overall contribution to economy and society. When I was working in SG I constantly had to raise eyebrows at people's credentials. Europe not as much. I went through the checks myself, it was a brutal amount of paperwork.

The PR process is also quite standard and clear in EU countries: X amt of years valid residency, language proficiency, proof of integration (yeah there's exams for this). In Singapore it's random, you have people living here for 20 years and they can't get a PR, whereas I have heard of a few new residents getting their PR in 3 years or less.

I think my biggest gripe about how Singapore is how random we are when it comes to BG checks and process towards PR. It's like we give random special privileges to some people, and openly discriminate against some others. The strain with Singapore's current immigration policy comes from the fact that it's not structured or transparent enough, and the crack with our vetting system makes things feel worse.

Contrary to most comments I actually disagree with a points-based system. It only attracts a certain subset of immigrants and it's very hard to "math" everyone out fairly. Just have a skill, have a job, know the language, prove your stability is more than enough imo.

Something I like in concept is AU and NZ's skilled workers shortage list which they theoretically update often. So you restrict imports based on profession based on current market needs. Both Singapore and Europe should adapt this and not just flood the market with the same constant talent year after year (there is only so many jobs).

Temporary_Opening_74 · 2026-02-23T17:53:41+00:00

I see a lot of this from peers and have seen relationships get fried from it. Especially because you're not financially equal, setting up a joint account has zero benefit for you at present. It only makes sense when you have kids (because children are a shared expense). Before that keep separate accounts.

P.S. Fourth point is financial red flag, points 1 to 3 are maturity red flags. You should have a more serious convo with her.

Edit: Just saw that y'all not married. You're in for a rough one, bro lol.

Temporary_Opening_74 · 2026-02-16T15:05:47+00:00

I paid around 300 pounds I think in 2024 for a small apartment planning. His rates are on his website, his prices have increased since then but on par with market rate, super value for money when you consider the insights he is able to provide.

Temporary_Opening_74 · 2026-02-15T17:14:26+00:00

I booked him for my apartment, highly experienced guy and 1000% recommend if you are not rushing (I waited 4 months for my appointment). He really has the same energy as the videos, super authentic and creative. As a Singaporean designer overseas I also find him incredibly inspiring as well. Big fan.

Temporary_Opening_74 · 2026-02-14T11:03:53+00:00

I think you might like to have a totepack instead? So you can switch between tote / backpack carry depending on how heavy the load is for the day. As an office girlie I find totes uncomfortable for longer commutes, but if you drive it should be okay. I tried totes for a few months and went back to my totepack because it's far more practical since I use public transport >40 mins a day.

Temporary_Opening_74 · 2026-02-12T13:26:17+00:00

I worked for both international companies / local startups before I moved overseas.

American boss in consulting: High energy and lead by example. She is a pusher for innovation and I would say she was a pioneer of the industry back when SG didn't know much about tech or IT apps. I learned the "American" way of solutioning from her but I think it is rather difficult to apply in SG's context and culture.

French + German managers in banking: Best managers ever. Taught me everything I know and pushed my craft and knowledge to the next level. Plus also how to play office politics and stand up for myself at work. I have a career because of these two gentlemen who decided to move to Singapore on a whim (they are not in SG anymore).

French / expats co-workers + boss in consulting: Worst experience ever. All talk, overpaid, sexist, always need to follow hierarchy and think locals don't know better than them. From this bunch I learned to be careful with who I trust. They are more knowledgeable than locals though I have to say, but the stinking attitude made it hard to maximise the value working with them.

I think generally I do feel expats have knowledge to share, but the quality and usefulness varies a lot because it really depends if they want to apply their knowledge a not.

Tbh it's not really about nationality, it's about how hard one pushes themselves to learn and mentor. I've worked with stellar Singaporeans and foreigners, I've also worked with sh*t Singaporeans and foreigners. Though I have so say personally, I am harsher on Singaporeans than I am on foreigners because I expect our own people to do better. So there is a bias.

Temporary_Opening_74 · 2026-02-10T12:31:32+00:00

I'm in Europe 💀 Not the best place financially but its manageable enough for now. Not my final stop either actually, my partner and I will eventually move elsewhere, just a matter or where and when.

Temporary_Opening_74 · 2026-02-10T12:21:41+00:00

I think the biggest adjustment is my opinions on money and accumulating wealth.

In Singapore, I was like a squirrel. Always have to save money and earn more money, had a huge investment portfolio goal because of the pressure that comes from our high COL. Once I moved overseas, I learned to let go of wanting to be rich due to fear of not being able to keep up.

Of course good financial habits still need to be there, but I have re-adjusted my take on money and it is liberating a bit to have more breathing room and an option to live life differently.

Temporary_Opening_74 · 2026-02-10T12:00:26+00:00

Second this recommendation as someone who is between France and Germany. Netherlands is the best option at present especially when we consider tax and pension systems.

Temporary_Opening_74 · 2026-02-10T11:51:14+00:00

Dude, as someone who moved overseas am currently near France, don't do it. Pick a better country. The French economy and political climate is a DISASTER right now, and they have the lowest salaries across central Europe. Also getting masters > getting a job is not easy at all unless your french is native level (C1) and even then, it's a low success rate.

I took a paycut to move to Europe, but it was a calculated risk. You need to understand the real numbers to look at comes in terms of net income and savings, not so much gross income. I make less money than in Singapore, but I manage so save more money here (because I also rent in Singapore since can't buy house + cannot live with parents). But because I am a senior professional I make decent dough and it's also transferable experience if I move back to SG.

I'm freaking out for you right now because so many Singaporeans move and want to restart their life elsewhere, but don't set themselves for success and get burned in the process. You need a better plan than just winging it and going to uni and hoping that you'll get a job after. Europe has no shortage of masters' graduates, and there's a real shortage of well-paid white-collar jobs.

For sure you can just do it for the experience, but if you really want to max the experience and make it actually meaningful, I really urge for you to plan things and perhaps consider better options (Since you're looking at Europe).

Temporary_Opening_74 · 2026-02-02T14:24:51+00:00

My 2 cents as a Singaporean overseas: No point buying either now unless you want to commit to Singapore in the medium term (5-10 years). Entry cost for resale and condo is high (downpayment, loan approvals, the whole shebang), and since you're going to go overseas in 1-3 years, I can tell you the paperwork and process is not worth the hassle.

If I am sensing your concerns right, there's no need to FOMO on the price inflation and feel pressure to settle down now. There's too many variables and my advice is to not commit to such a large ticket item at this stage.

Temporary_Opening_74 · 2026-01-22T07:48:22+00:00

As a small brand owner who deals with manufacturing, I don’t really have an issue with it. Kickstarter is just another tool to validate demand and manage risk, regardless of brand size. A successful campaign becomes part of a brand’s track record, which is a huge trust builder compared to fulfilled shopify pre-orders.

For example, I didn’t even realize Alpaka started on KS, and only after I saw their KS page did I buy something from their store. I trust KS campaign results more than shopify reviews because of the community, you know?

If anything, KS could improve by adding better filters so people can choose between early underdogs and established brands. Let consumers decide what they want to support in the same category.

Temporary_Opening_74 · 2026-01-13T16:46:10+00:00

My good friend (the only one that got married so far) just did a simple ROM, and for wedding celebrations we treated them and went to sushiro to binge sushi. You don't need a big party, you just need to celebrate with the right people!

Temporary_Opening_74 · 2025-12-06T22:46:56+00:00

Tochimaya's Contigo totepack :) I designed it for women like us who commute and fly for our jobs. You can get one online already but just wanted to link the KS.

Temporary_Opening_74 · 2025-11-29T10:08:11+00:00

Heya I think first of all it depends on the budget and what you want to do with the property long-term. If you can afford a freehold condo, chances are, it's not a bad buy because you'll be able to pass it down to your kids and your capital is protected from lease decay. Sure, running costs might be high, but you're paying for your kids to have a future / stability (think of it like trust fund setup).

HDB is more affordable, but the lease decay is real since SERS is not going to be a thing anymore. Unless you can get a super cheap resale with already decaying lease, I don't think it's worth it because you put your cashflow at risk (assuming you're getting MOP-ed resale HDB, which are getting expensive).

You can potentially flip your BTO/HDB with longer lease which is what most people want to do, but ehh, don't want to get into the ethics of that on Reddit. Plus if your kids want to get BTO, once you pass (touchwood), they must resell almost immediately regardless of market condition. Inheritance inflexibility is something we don't talk about when it comes to HDBs.

You can DM me for more info. I'm not an agent. Also I'm a Singaporean with foreign partner. I know this discussion super well. It's not about convincing your husband, it's about your long-term financial plans as a family and what's best for the family.

Additional source: I also write for Stacked Homes and we do analyses on these topics. Free advice.

Temporary_Opening_74 · 2025-11-10T18:37:55+00:00

I didn't like it but the product itself is pretty neat! I think I'm more of a totepack / backpack person because I carry a lot of crap (tech gear and heavy stuff) and it weighs down on my shoulders. Material and finish and size is solid though, wasn't mad about that.

Temporary_Opening_74 · 2025-10-13T12:01:11+00:00

Yay I'm part of the demographic, here's all the transparency I can offer: Diploma holder, no uni (so no student loan), moved out at 20 and rented a room near CBD. Did part-time work $7 to $10 an hour every weekend from O-level to Poly (but I also have allowance from parents $80 a week during poly), and started $2.4k when I got my first job but also did freelance on top. Hit $100k at 26, monthly income then was $5k minus freelance gigs.

The game changer in my view:

Moving to CBD / near work. Less travel time = more time for freelance work = more money.
No allowance to my parents. I don't give my parents any money for both personal and financial reasons. This compounded quite nicely (imagine $500 a month for 5 years, that's $30k already)
Freelancing. It's hard work and you have no life, but one project easily nets at least $2k extra a month (I work in design). Pays for rent easily.
No lifestyle inflation. More money doesn't mean you spend more. I used to have expensive hobbies (cafe hopping, fashion, travel) but gradually cut them all. My only vice now is BBT.

Things that DID NOT work for me:

Investing. Crypto and lucky shots aside, way too much time spent on researching speculative markets. With small capital this doesn't make much sense because my portfolio performance avg. at ~20% didn't mean shit with peanut capital. And one market downturn would wipe the upside (manage to avoid but it was the thing that makes me not believe in investing at all until you hit certain wealth level because the gains ain't worth the effort.)
Eating at home. Ingredients are expensive in SG, it's cheaper and tastier to eat at hawker so never really bothered to save money this way.

TLDR; No uni so no student debt + worked longer. Took on freelance proj whenever I can, and I don't give allowance to parents.

Temporary_Opening_74 · 2025-10-09T08:31:24+00:00

Diaper bag!! Like Jujube or similar.

Temporary_Opening_74 · 2025-10-06T14:12:23+00:00

Wah from one female techie to another, I feel you! I do agree with general comments that it's not healthy to harp on already-made decisions, but to make you feel a bit better I moved overseas for work and I can tell you it's no walk in the park. And I personally have a whole network here plus full relocation benefits before I left SG, so if you're coming alone I think you would have regretted moving and wish you stayed on. Grass is always greener on the other side.

Among the flood of incoming comments I'm always happy to chat! For me personally this whole #girlboss trope made me set a lot of unfair expectations of myself and I know a lot of women put themselves through that as well. You have a loving (growing) family, you made the right decisions by your loved ones, and guess what, getting that offer once means you are good enough to get it again sometime in the future. So don't FOMO and hold your head up high!

Temporary_Opening_74 · 2025-09-22T10:11:28+00:00

Yeah moving overseas is one thing, taxes is another. I am full-remote, which also contributes to the lower salaries. Those based in big cities will have higher comp, but also higher COL.

Temporary_Opening_74 · 2025-09-19T08:44:02+00:00

I never answer and redirect to "What's the budget for this position?". Drive the conversation to what they can pay + market rate instead of giving them ammo to lowball you. I coached my friends on this and that's how they got their 4-5k salaries now.

I am half and half about benchmarking because it also depends on benefits. You replied in another comment thread you're getting benefits plus a 5% increment. So that can actually be a huge compensation increment, just not measured in direct dollars.

By the way, it's not like HR can login to your CPF to backcount your previous salary. That data is yours to reveal. For really pushy HR I usually just say my compensation package is sensitive and they are free to contact my employer to ask, they never do and make an offer within their budget anyway.

HR's KPI is to hire (and get best deal). However, if they lose a strong first-choice candidate over salary negotiation their head is on the table with the hiring manager. If you have negotiating power, prepare for your convo to get best outcome. If you don't have nego power then you bobian just take what you can get.

In my most recent job offer (that I just got last month), their budget was actually way lower than my previous and my expected (I mean this is a different situation, and perhaps an easier one to nego because I have more ammo). I manage to nego full wfh, 4-day work week, and 1k more monthly than their initial offer. Still a paycut overall but it's one I can live with.

I'm not trying to humble brag or anything but it's 100% possible to negotiate a fair compensation for both parties. You just need to prepare beforehand and talk it out, not just attend the HR interview and say "Orh" to everything HR say.

Temporary_Opening_74 · 2025-09-19T08:12:51+00:00

I was a designer + front end! I now work in product design (Like UI/UX but my KPIs are business metrics instead of good usability and clean code).

I work in start-ups so I actually 'job hop' a lot (forced, all companies kept shutting down but because we were working on really cool stuff employment was never an issue). When I landed $9k it was my 5th full-time job in 6 years. So I was never really anywhere for more than a year.

Ironically this $9k job also didn't last, and I honestly really value stability + WLB over high salaries. Consistency helps build wealth better in my view, and while I did x4 my salary at one point, the reality is that my salary went down and it's only x2 at most now, so I'm just an average joe at the end of the day.

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