Relocating to Singapore

[Dan_Oldridge]

Hi,

I'm relocating to Singapore at the end of the month from the UK through my work. Does anyone have any tips on how I can achieve this as 'frugally' as possible.

I'm trying to dwindle my possessions down to a suitcase I hope, but it's just cost me £80 (~$160) for a new passport and i'm beginning to wonder about the hidden costs!

Please help! : )

[Will]

That sounds very exciting Dan! I found some tips on this expat forum, which has advice ranging from good to hilarious:

What works for me without giving up too too much in terms of quality of life is to drink only during happy hours and eating hawker food which is not necessarily bad. I have saved a lot of money just by adjusting the bar and food bill.

OK, that sounds sensible. I don't know what hawker food is exactly. Are those street vendors?

Look under trees in public places for free mangos, coconuts etc.

Ha ha. Seriously?

8. Ditch Cold Storage, Carrefour and NTUC (and especially the wet mkt). Find a budget supermarket like Sheng Siong or Giant around your place.

Hey, you'll probably have more fun anyway.

2. When taking a shower, wet yourself first, including sponge and soap. Then turn the shower off while lathering and cleaning the whole body. Turn the shower on again for as long as it takes to rinse the soap off. repeat for hair cleaning or unwashed parts. This can save about $5 a month or so.

Wise Bread has a really cool article about how to take a shower for 60 seconds or less.

And yes, cut down on alcohol(that's the real killer!)

That quote is just funny out of context.

And of course, this useful discussion was killed by a comedian:

6) Start massaging a stranger walking on the sidewalk. When they finally ask you to stop, charge them S$20.

Make sure you don't skimp on the internet connection, though. How else can you check for frugal tips from Wise Bread!

[Dan_Oldridge]

Haha, thanks for that! Perhaps a few are a bit extreme but i'll take a look!

I'm thinking more about the transition as well, moving costs, etc. Although that might be difficult as your forum is more US based and there might be differences between the US and the UK!

Thanks for the info!

[zen]

Hi Dan,

No harm planning ahead but I won't worry too much about the costs if I were you. I've been there a couple of times on business and the cost of living is not really that high. And your UK pound is around 3 times the Singapore dollar, I believe. And if you're going for work, some companies even give "hardship bonuses", though having been there, I don't think there is much hardship in living there. The standard of living is good and much of what you have in the UK you can get there.

Not sure about moving costs from the UK but I would think it shouldn't be too high. Perhaps it is more the climate that takes some getting used to!

Regards!

Zen

Originally Posted by Dan_Oldridge

Haha, thanks for that! Perhaps a few are a bit extreme but i'll take a look!

I'm thinking more about the transition as well, moving costs, etc. Although that might be difficult as your forum is more US based and there might be differences between the US and the UK!

Thanks for the info!

[zen]

Forgot one point though, if you want to save some money, try to take their public transportation rather than cabs because they sometimes overcharge unsuspecting foreigners. The buses and trains are comfortable and much more affordable! And don't drive yourself if you want those extra bucks (oil prices are up, remember)!

Originally Posted by zen

Hi Dan,

No harm planning ahead but I won't worry too much about the costs if I were you. I've been there a couple of times on business and the cost of living is not really that high. And your UK pound is around 3 times the Singapore dollar, I believe. And if you're going for work, some companies even give "hardship bonuses", though having been there, I don't think there is much hardship in living there. The standard of living is good and much of what you have in the UK you can get there.

Not sure about moving costs from the UK but I would think it shouldn't be too high. Perhaps it is more the climate that takes some getting used to!

Regards!

Zen