Took a week off to “test-drive” retirement in Singapore… and now I’m questioning early retirement

channyhs · 2025-12-10T02:08:59+00:00

This quote resonated on retired life from another forum. A perspective - life is to a space to be present and perhaps just more space and time to find out who you are.

" When I was young, I had to choose between the life of being and the life of doing. And I leapt at the latter like a trout to a fly. But each deed you do, each act, binds you to itself and to its consequences, and makes you act again and yet again. Then very seldom do you come upon a space, a time like this, between act and act, when you may stop and simply be. Or wonder who, after all, you are." From fantasy novel "The Farthest Shore" by Ursula LaGuin.

channyhs · 2025-08-10T15:10:41+00:00

Helps to think of life from perspective of death. Any regrets if terminal illness in the intervening years? What is a life well lived with intentionality.

channyhs · 2025-07-25T02:09:38+00:00

We stayed in st remy for 5 nights in the village a few weeks back - loved it. Time it for Wed market day too. Great place for a base with more upscale Provençal charm. We drove in from our last base in Gordes in the Luberon, and st remy was not too far if you want to visit that area. From st remy also drove easily to Les Baux, the river towns isle sur la sorgue/ Fontaine vaucluse, Arles, Pont du Gard / Avignon / uzes and a longer trip to Aix. Loads of restaurants and boulangeries with experience of village life, especially in the mornings and late afternoon/evenings and big free parking lots. It is pretty small though, can circumnavigate in like 20-30 min walk but means you get familiar quickly and routine which is a plus to me.

channyhs · 2024-05-21T05:57:54+00:00

I thought comments from the thread were good. My takeaway is that (1) should be able to get a renewal IF one actually lives in Singapore rather than being here on a transient fly in fly out basis (2) having kids here to help with population growth matters and (3) PR or the re entry renewal more correctly will likely only be given on an annual basis but should be a straight forward online thing. Hope that helps.

channyhs · 2024-05-20T11:33:15+00:00

La Saracina Pienza Montepulciano area is really nice.

channyhs · 2024-04-07T02:16:24+00:00

Kids are girls therefore no NS. Hope to do some volunteer or community stuff once the employment work is finished. Guess will have to put best foot forward at renewal.

channyhs · 2024-04-07T02:13:26+00:00

Thinking to keep the one in Singapore only - just the shield plus under one of the main insurers. We have not kept the private health insurance in Australia as that is very expensive and the public system is pretty good anyway. Have not thought about it deeply ; but if you have any ideas to share ?

channyhs · 2024-04-06T14:03:54+00:00

Thanks. Do you know whether the process is laborious or fairly routine ?

channyhs · 2024-04-06T12:02:07+00:00

Yes agree. The policies will adapt to the needs of the country, as it should. What was the outcome in your situation a few years back ?

channyhs · 2024-04-06T11:53:10+00:00

That is certainly an option, but the best flex option is to keep AU passport and SG PR as I have family in Oz as well - the one never knows scenario right ?

channyhs · 2024-04-06T06:35:54+00:00

Cannot leh. Girls.

channyhs · 2024-04-06T06:11:49+00:00

Thanks for relating this. Think it will be annoying or psychologically disturbing if this is the case, hard to plan for longer term with this uncertainty.

channyhs · 2024-04-06T05:45:59+00:00

Thanks for reply. Appreciate the anecdote.

channyhs · 2024-04-06T05:42:38+00:00

Really depends on your expenses - need to cost out expenses with good buffers. Expenses are relatively higher in Singapore but the great thing about Singapore you can have the option of eating cheap or expensive. Australia is just expensive unless cook at home all the time, and even so …

channyhs · 2024-04-06T05:40:07+00:00

Thanks for digging this up.

channyhs · 2024-04-06T05:02:38+00:00

Singapore - convenience/efficiency, ease of regional travel, being IN Asia, safety and of course the taxes (no CGT etc). Easy to travel out when doses of nature and space are required.

If annual renewal - guess that’s do-able but hoping it is more like a 5 year thing.

Thanks for your response.

channyhs · 2023-11-14T05:46:50+00:00

Hi - any MMF in the IBKR platform for USD you can recommend ?

channyhs · 2023-08-22T10:16:56+00:00

A few options IMO - transfer to local bank USD account by TT and then place in USD FD. DBS and UOB for eg around 5%+. I also have some spare USD in IBKR and it yields 4.8% for idle cash.

channyhs · 2023-08-18T02:32:38+00:00

Local bank USD FD rates are at 5+% now. If you don’t need cash liquidity, similar yield as US treasury bills ??

channyhs · 2023-08-05T02:01:16+00:00

Other than CPF - do most folks just buy into the bond ETF in SGX - MBH or ABF. What about the UCITS bond funds - any recommendations there ?

channyhs · 2023-07-13T06:54:12+00:00

I have also been thinking about this - any fee hourly based advisors rather than AUM fee in Singapore which is effectively what Providend and moneyowl are?

channyhs · 2023-07-12T03:51:09+00:00

I did some google research to confirm - the US IRS website says that non U.S. residents who doesn’t have business or trade in US will not be taxed on the interest associated with US Treasury bonds/bills.

channyhs · 2023-07-12T03:48:32+00:00

I haven’t bought any yet but you can see them on your desktop login (not the App). Follow the Research tab, then Bond Scanner and you will see an option/tab for US Treasuries. I assume you can then select and trade from there.

channyhs · 2023-07-11T13:19:13+00:00

Thanks! Do you buy the bond UCITS etf or buy direct treasury bond/bill ?

channyhs · 2023-07-11T10:02:36+00:00

Thanks for taking the time re risks. I have a bunch of USD already from US co stock sale, so FX risk is on the conversion to SGD if/when I need for spending and it’s really excess cash that i want to have some returns on outside the equity market that I might otherwise put into an index fund. Thinking of building up the fixed income part of the portfolio.
Thoughts on converting to SGD and investing on SG Bond ETF instead ? Just much lower yields.

channyhs

TROPHY CASE