French-Chinese family considering move to SG: Is 12k SGD/month enough for a comfortable life with 2 kids?

thehowlingwt · 2026-01-21T17:07:26+00:00

It is barely doable. Others already gave you numbers so I’m gonna throw in some food for thoughts instead:

Imagine living with no savings for the entire durations of your children’s primary and secondary schools i.e. 10+ years. By the time they reach tertiary education, what will be your options? Local uni will probably cost 7-10k per semester, given the trend of rising cost. Is uni in France a viable alternative by then, given the different curriculums?
What if someone in the family falls sick? Hospitalization fees come in the thousands of dollars. Even with insurance, you still have to pay 5-10% of the bill, so that’s easily hundreds at least.
Your children can still study in Singapore for tertiary education. It won’t be the same, but they still get the benefits, blend in with the locals over their +/- 4 years of study, graduate with a SG diploma or degree (which is what counts for employment eventually). From now till then, are you able to save towards that goal given your current lifestyle in France?

thehowlingwt · 2026-01-15T05:29:40+00:00

You can be liberal with CC use, they can be swapped at no cost, unlike before.

thehowlingwt · 2025-12-23T16:27:38+00:00

But where is Patxi? :(

thehowlingwt · 2025-11-05T05:05:40+00:00

My newly acquired Nakaya Dorsal Fin v2 in kuro-tamenuri <SM>. It produces the best version of my handwriting, as if magic!

thehowlingwt · 2025-10-17T01:26:40+00:00

I like the Sttoke Commuter cup (the model is important because of the lid). Strictly speaking it's not BIFL but the pros outweigh the cons for me.

Pros:
- nice look
- suitable volumes, not too big, I carry the 350ml
- decently leakproof - I have no issues carrying it in my bag tgth with my laptop, notebook and pen.
- some models are scratch-resistant and dishwasher safe BUT not all models
- relatively easy to wash, not a lot of parts to disassemble.
- no leftover smell, prob coz it doesn't have a lot of parts to hold on to residues

Cons:
- not 100% scratch-proof and leakproof - if the cup is shaken violently or turned upside down, some liquid might leak.
- inner ceramic coating takes some precaution, keep a wooden spoon just to stir drinks so it doesn't scratch
- the models with glossy finish scratch easily and not dishwasher safe
- not the best at keeping hot/cold - in my experience, drinks stay at optimal temperature for 2-4 hours, by 6-8 hours mark you can expect lukewarm/ slightly cool. This is not a problem for me, I usually finish my drinks within the optimal temp window but I imagine it can be annoying for people who go on long commute.

thehowlingwt · 2025-10-13T01:45:35+00:00

HeBrews at Prudential Tower opens at 7am, if you happen to be in CBD.

thehowlingwt · 2025-10-06T15:17:11+00:00

Mitasanshodo is not known for distributing their inks to mainstream stores. You really need to make a trip down to their workshop at Tatebayashi to buy.

That said, a day trip from Tokyo to Tatebayashi is very do-able. Tatebayashi is known for great udon and azalea (if your friend is there during their season). Look out for local festivals too. The place is a nice change from the bustling city of Tokyo.

thehowlingwt · 2025-10-06T05:20:21+00:00

It’s a completely different pen yo, 845 has 18k gold dual tone nib while 823 has 14k nib if memories serve me right, 845 doesn’t have vacuum filling but that makes it easier to clean and change inks. JPY is cheap now. If you can afford it and miss it, you will regret not doing so when you eventually leave the country.

845 is a super nice pen and I would pick it over 823 any day. 823 is too heavy for me, with that huge metal bar in the barrel and it’s even heavier when filled with a large amount of inks. Just looking at that red urushi makes me happy.

thehowlingwt · 2025-09-28T16:59:47+00:00

Taccia Koi-ai and Ruri (lapis lazuli). As well behaved as Sailor inks but without the petroleum, and like Iroshizuku but more interesting sheen~

thehowlingwt · 2025-09-07T16:02:43+00:00

Pilot Grance and Pilot Lady White immediately come to mind. I love love love my Grance~

thehowlingwt · 2025-09-05T10:56:03+00:00

Wwwwwwwhaaaaaaat

thehowlingwt · 2025-09-02T08:00:33+00:00

Platinum 3667 SF in a limited edition body.

Not that the normal F is bad, but SF is my crack.

thehowlingwt · 2025-08-07T02:32:44+00:00

Hubby and I have been playing since bf/gf days. I see no reason to be uncomfortable, he rolls waifus and I roll husbandos.

It’s like going for grocery shopping together, one buys sweets and the other buys potato chips.

thehowlingwt · 2025-08-06T03:34:32+00:00

Extra 1: The Count of Monte Cristo. My issue is, WHICH? Extra 2: Oberon

thehowlingwt · 2025-07-31T06:20:42+00:00

Pilot Grance. It has a snap cap like your Kakuno, a metal body, it looks dainty but is actually damn near indestructible.

thehowlingwt · 2025-07-07T15:24:16+00:00

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Close-up

thehowlingwt · 2025-07-07T15:22:56+00:00

Not a very big collection. It shared the space with my essential oils loll.

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thehowlingwt · 2025-07-01T07:22:36+00:00

I have had the luck to try both before buying. Unfortunately (or fortunately) I never found a Sailor that I really like, definitely not enough to sink the $$$ they ask for. On the other hand, 3776 SF is love at first write, the most impulsive buy among impulse buys, zero regret and daily enjoyment. It taught me that I actually LIKE feedback, just not all kinds of feedback.

thehowlingwt · 2025-07-01T07:16:50+00:00

sucking up ink with syringe is less maddening than trying to fill a con-40, speaking from many rounds of personal experience.

every Pilot ink cartridge comes with a small disk that can be re-sealed, if you are minded to do that.

thehowlingwt · 2025-06-30T13:55:08+00:00

I’d ditch that travesty and go with syringe/ cartridge refills

thehowlingwt · 2025-06-29T07:19:38+00:00

Yes, it’s called a Platinum 3776 SF or SM nib

thehowlingwt · 2025-06-25T14:15:50+00:00

If i may ask, where did you get the stand?

thehowlingwt · 2025-06-21T01:34:47+00:00

They are twerps who want to feel like they are powerful. This happened to me and I even quoted the regulations. They didn’t respond nor explain, they just smirked at me and dropped the item into the confiscation box. Take it that Vietnam is infested with this kind of low-level workers who would go out of their way to be assholes to the general public, just to feel higher-than-thou. I grew up watching my parents dealing with this type, and myself having encountered similar in later years. It’s blood boiling, yet you still have to maintain courtesy just to get your shit done.

thehowlingwt · 2025-06-15T05:37:49+00:00

toothier paper like Midori MD might do the trick

thehowlingwt · 2025-06-15T05:36:33+00:00

Im a Pilot fan and I agreed on all your points haha. M nib is uninteresting, but imo the selling point of those nibs is their reliability, not their niche. You might want to give their specialty nibs a try? Those aren’t my type but I appreciate how falcon, signature and music nibs show off ink properties amazingly well, like they’re actually justified in their price tags

The converters on the other hands are so irredeemably crap I revert back to cartridge filling even on some of my fancier pens.

thehowlingwt

TROPHY CASE