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Why one couple is resettling in Sweden

Microsoft

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset
I REFER to Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew's suggestion in last Thursday's report that Singapore emulate Sweden's strategy in improving birth rates ('Taking a leaf from Sweden's book to boost birth rate').

I am a Singaporean married to a Swede. However, within a year, we will leave Singapore to live in Sweden. My husband has persuaded me that Singapore is not the place to live and have a quality life, including having our first child. I am convinced even though I have good work opportunities here. The higher cost of living and stressful environment have taken a toll on us.

The Government fails to help couples like us in many ways. First, as middle-class people, we have not been helped in any way to buy our first home, even though we are as good if not better taxpayers than younger couples. Couples like us cannot buy an HDB flat because our income exceeds the cap at our age. My husband is above 35 and I am well into my 30s. We are penalised for getting married in our 30s and cannot enjoy the grants given to young couples buying HDB flats. Resale flats are well beyond our means, with high valuation which means a bigger debt should we buy our first home in Singapore. Young couples can buy a five-room flat for $250,000, including grants, while we have to pay at least $400,000, without any grant.

With such a debt, it is discouraging to have children as that will add a further burden, with childcare costs here topping $1,000 a month. We do not believe in hiring a maid to look after children. As a result, we now live in a rented apartment and will not have children until we move to Sweden.

On top of that, my husband would like to spend time looking after our baby, but he is not entitled to paternity leave here. His employer, a Singapore company, does not promote it. With longer hours in this rat-race society, how can couples enjoy bedtime intimacy?

In Sweden, the scenario is different. Employers are understanding and allow employees to take time off to collect their children from childcare. Flexi work hours are common and the government gives grants to encourage new families to procreate. Higher tax rates are offset by returns from the goverment, such as child allowances and free childcare.

We have decided our first baby will have a Swedish passport, and not a Singapore one.

Heng Siew Cheng (Ms)


Do you agree with her? Is she asking for too much or our garment dun gib a shit bout anything xcept collecting moni and more moni to finance their 30-40% "talent retention" annual increment. :rolleyes::biggrin:
 

tonychat

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset
We have decided our first baby will have a Swedish passport, and not a Singapore one.

Good Choice. The actual cause of low birth rate is higher cost. Why not the millionaire ministers see that? nope?

They cannot subsidies the stuffs sold in SG? What are they used for?
 

Andox

Alfrescian
Loyal

Do you agree with her? Is she asking for too much or our garment dun gib a shit bout anything xcept collecting moni and more moni to finance their 30-40% "talent retention" annual increment. :rolleyes::biggrin:


I totally agree. I m one of those who had make the step out of singapore. Been away from 2 yrs and i must admit i totally enjoyed the few countries i had been in this 2 yrs. Quality of life is way better, cost of living is higher but the tradeoff is i have much more time for myself and my loved ones. To me, its a vicious cycle of debt that the govt is encouraging, marry,have kids, borrow more money and work your ass off till you retire. Its good for the economy but from the individual point of view, i do not agree. Not to say living in other countries is debt free or stress free, but i felt better off with the way of life.

Now i m seriously considering giving up the spore passport and say goodbye. Well probably in another 3-5 yrs time.
 

no_faith

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
to tink i will be full of debts and stress when my legs stretch straight.:(
sg soon be the nxt hk or maybe 'beta'?:(

sg living surely getting higher and price will keep on increasing.
are there opportunities out in sg for the ppl to earn the money to sustain the cost?
 

Microsoft

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset
Then.. i wonder.. since they consider themselves to be the "talented" one...

Since they r so "talented" y can't they c the problem and tackle it instead of labelling folks who migrate out as "quitter"?? :confused:

They rather let u leave and parallel import fallen talent... Something i reali dun understand... When it come to helping, it's a instant NO. When there's a way to make some moni.. say buy/sell hse, the opportunity will be immediately removed.

They dun 1 2 c u die but neither do they 1 2 c u live... They jus love 2 c u in a state of "ng si ng tit"... Y lidat huh?? :confused::(
 

glock

Alfrescian
Loyal

Do you agree with her? Is she asking for too much or our garment dun gib a shit bout anything xcept collecting moni and more moni to finance their 30-40% "talent retention" annual increment. :rolleyes::biggrin:


i think she is full of shit

just another SPG, life is very easy, spread her leg for white cock and she can get anything she wants, so she is thinking it should be the same thing for the government, she wants, she should get, if not, she can go where the white people are and they will give it to her since she is so hot and special, right? it must be true since white guys always tell her that
 

tonychat

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset
I totally agree. I m one of those who had make the step out of singapore. Been away from 2 yrs and i must admit i totally enjoyed the few countries i had been in this 2 yrs. Quality of life is way better, cost of living is higher but the tradeoff is i have much more time for myself and my loved ones. To me, its a vicious cycle of debt that the govt is encouraging, marry,have kids, borrow more money and work your ass off till you retire. Its good for the economy but from the individual point of view, i do not agree. Not to say living in other countries is debt free or stress free, but i felt better off with the way of life.

Now i m seriously considering giving up the spore passport and say goodbye. Well probably in another 3-5 yrs time.

Fantastic... That is what getting out is all about. Wish you true and real good life and happiness.
 

silverfox@

Alfrescian
Loyal
I REFER to Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew's suggestion in last Thursday's report that Singapore emulate Sweden's strategy in improving birth rates ('Taking a leaf from Sweden's book to boost birth rate').

I am a Singaporean married to a Swede. However, within a year, we will leave Singapore to live in Sweden. My husband has persuaded me that Singapore is not the place to live and have a quality life, including having our first child. I am convinced even though I have good work opportunities here. The higher cost of living and stressful environment have taken a toll on us.


Heng Siew Cheng (Ms)


Do you agree with her? Is she asking for too much or our garment dun gib a shit bout anything xcept collecting moni and more moni to finance their 30-40% "talent retention" annual increment. :rolleyes::biggrin:

I find it very disturbing for people to blame it on no time, etc. She stated a reason of no time for bedtime intimacy. She should start reading Sammyboyforum. :p

I seriously think having a child is not so simple as just garment helping out. It's all about management between a couple. It's easy to start pushing blame on time, work, money, but if the couple thinks that they are more ready to give birth elsewhere, they should really go. If a normal singaporean couple can give birth to 2 kids, I can only say she married the wrong nationality.
 

peter_lee_1969

Alfrescian
Loyal
support from couple own parents plays a very important role, especially for dual income family. hopefully gov can give more incentive the the granny and gandpa in recoginition for their crucial supporting role!
 

Yato

New Member
Govt always say that they will help the people this way that way. The problem is that the cost of living keep going up and the lower and middle people is feeling the squeeze.

The low birth rate is due to many problems and one main problem is the high cost of living. It is so expensive to raise a child in Sillypore if you want him/her to have a good education, tuition fees, food, transport, etc.

With the increasing number of "foreign talents", the situation will worsen and less couples will want to have babies.

I think more should be done to help couples have babies besides giving money.
 

BlueCat

Alfrescian
Loyal
but their income taxes are quite high.
just like most of those euro countries who has good welfare benefits.
what about the medical and insurance cost ?
 

scroobal

Alfrescian
Loyal
I find it very disturbing for people to blame it on no time, etc. She stated a reason of no time for bedtime intimacy. She should start reading Sammyboyforum. :p

I seriously think having a child is not so simple as just garment helping out. It's all about management between a couple. It's easy to start pushing blame on time, work, money, but if the couple thinks that they are more ready to give birth elsewhere, they should really go. If a normal singaporean couple can give birth to 2 kids, I can only say she married the wrong nationality.
Agree with you. Her letter is badly written that it appears more like bargaining at a pasar malam, where you pretend to walk away unless the stallholder gives in to you.

For christ, this is Singapore where everything is near. What so hard about raising a child.
 

Ridler

Alfrescian
Loyal
I find it very disturbing for people to blame it on no time, etc. She stated a reason of no time for bedtime intimacy. She should start reading Sammyboyforum. :p
................

Agree. She should surf Sammyboyforum and she will have lots of time for bedtime intimacy. Ha.. Ha.. :biggrin:
 

joker88

Alfrescian
Loyal
I find it very disturbing for people to blame it on no time, etc. She stated a reason of no time for bedtime intimacy. She should start reading Sammyboyforum. :p

I seriously think having a child is not so simple as just garment helping out. .....................
If a normal singaporean couple can give birth to 2 kids, I can only say she married the wrong nationality.

This is just her lousy view. I think many dun agree with her also. :smile:
 
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