1/28/2016

Sing dollar very big or very small?

Singaporeans are so happy that Sing dollar is appreciating against the ringgit, S$1 to MR$3. This is very good news for those spending money across the causeway, those who frequent the shops and restaurants and recreation facilities in the north, enduring the long jams and hours wasted in the queue, going in and out of Singapore. To some it is worth it, so some, the little savings does not justify the time wasted in the jams. And there are others buying properties in Malaysia. The properties are getting cheaper with the stronger Sing dollar. But what is the bottom line, did they make money from their property investments or end up losing more despite the advantageous of a stronger Sing dollar?

Strong Sing dollar mainly benefits those who work here and remit their money back home, convert to their home currencies and spend on things that are cheaper due to their lower cost of living, buying properties, cars, and whatever. The Malaysians working here are the biggest beneficiaries to the strong exchange rate. So are the Indians, Chinese, Myanmese, Pinoys, Bangladeshis and others.
How many Singaporeans really benefit from the strong Singapore dollar? If they spend their money here, actually their money is getting smaller and smaller, not bigger. When citizens of other countries could buy a car for $10K or $20k equivalent, Singaporeans need to pay more than $100k to buy a car, a few hundred thousands to buy a bigger car. This is how small the Sing dollar has become to the Singaporeans. And this same principle applies to all other purchases. A $500k ringgit is good enough to buy a landed property of more than 2000 sq ft in Malaysia. A $500k Sing dollar could only purchase a 4 or 5rm HDB flat at most, for 99 years. That is the purchasing power of the Sing dollar. Don’t be conned, the Sing dollar is losing its value at home. A Sing dollar today is worth very much lesser than yesterday in purchasing power.  A $1 bowl of noodle is now $3.50.  Public transport used to be less than a dollar, now $2 or more daily.  Taxi fare used to be less than $10, now can be $50 or more.
This is how big the Sing dollar has become. So, are Singaporeans benefitting from the strong Sing dollar? Only if they spend it outside Singapore. The majority of the average Singaporeans are not benefitting from a stronger Sing dollar but a Sing dollar that is losing its purchasing value.
So, should Singaporeans be happier with the higher income they are getting today? It used to be pretty comfortable living with a $1000 household income. Today, a twin income of $4,000 is struggling to get by. Definitely cannot afford a car, maybe a bicycle for the new quality lifestyle.
While the paper income is more, but the purchasing power is so much lower today than yesterday. Imagine a $3,000 pm income and how much luxury the family could afford to buy then and how a $3,000 income today is making ends meet?
Is the Sing dollar bigger or smaller today?
Now the Malaysians would be laughing and saying, my $500k ringgit can get me a landed property, what can your $500k Sing dollar get you? My $30k ringgit can buy a car, what can your $30k Sing buy, a motor bike? Can’t even buy a piece of paper called COE.
Singaporeans who can afford it, would enjoy a few trips overseas to spend their strong dollars but will return home to spend their shrinking dollar at home for the rest of the year.

16 comments:

  1. Spend there like a Prince.

    Spend here like Pauper.

    Prince and the Pauper.

    Sinkies behaved like Princes/s in front of their so called cousins over North but most are like Papuers in own country.

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  2. fear not fear not........

    whether the S$ very BIG or very small......

    singaoreans don't mind........

    as 70% said "it is ok!" n thank you very much sirs........

    so........what to say........

    cheers.......

    ReplyDelete
  3. // Is the Sing dollar bigger or smaller today? //


    To measure the "domestic" value of a currency over time, there are a few "unorthodox"/ non-main stream indicators:

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    Replies
    1. (1) The Lorenz Curve of a country

      (2) The Gini Coefficient

      (3) Per Capita Private Consumption Spending

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    2. Comparing such ( unorthodox ) indicators over say the past 10 to 20 years often give a generally indicative picture of the trajectory of the domestic value of a currency ......?

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  4. Rb is probably not aware that janitors at his workplace and other parts of Sin are enjoying holidays and tours not only up North all the way to China. They are enjoying like dukes and duchess in Oz, Europe and USA.

    And there are those wise uncles like Virgo who use Sin Dollars to own assets abroad.

    Maybe MOST OF THE SIN ELITES have got themselves Green Card, property and even mate at many foreign lands.

    What is Rb waiting for?


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  5. What about that khongcum Agongkia producing khongcumkias abroad.
    Smart people know how to take advantages of every situations.

    Dont believe?
    Ask Matilah Singapura.
    Mati lah, all I care is get the best
    out of anything.

    ReplyDelete
  6. What is Rb waiting for?
    January 28, 2016 10:13 am

    Waiting for the 70% to vote wisely?
    waiting for WP to be ready to be government?
    Waiting for an audit of the national reserves?

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  7. Hi All Patriots?

    Do not have the Mah's fever that most sinkies followed blindly

    Sin investments whether can afford or not sure make monies in the long terms.

    Prepare to eat plain bread and PUB gin just to pay the mortages and if possible rent out to subsidise so can breathe a bit above water.

    MBT phophesised that your value would double or triple. We make it happen. Just push the prices higher and higher.

    Malaysia properties are brought not for investments.

    They do not manipluate the markets like sinkieland.

    Buy it for a place as
    sanctuaries.

    Twenty five years back, our kakis with better foresight than the pap and pay ministers knew sinkieland sampan would sink soon.

    At that time, apartments of 859 sq ft at sin 55k fully furnished.

    Condo facing seafront at sin 108K.

    Even though exch@ 1.65

    No restrictions of purchase above how many many K.

    FIC approvals easily.

    Now just sell.our high value dilapiadated HDB low cost housing at 45k to suckers at 800k. Profit about 700k

    Retired blissfully with CPF 500k to matland at exch 3.025 .

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  8. MAS dumb like fuck...or other countries central bankers dumb like fuck.. Malaysia weak currency, supposedly fucked up government still can get affordable housing n money left over to buy plenty plenty cars. Singapore veering towards public transport for all. I go Ho Chi Minh..in 15 years they went from bicycle congestion to motor cycle n car congestion...so..who has progressed? Why u want a strong currency for if you can't moderate the money grabbing thirsty government. The core of our inflation has only been governments' rigged land sales and charges piled upon charges. Who ever heard of having to pay gst on petrol tax n Coe..Wah piang..this type of cheng hu also have.

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  9. Who ever heard of having to pay gst on petrol tax n Coe..Wah piang..this type of cheng hu also have.
    January 28, 2016 11:04 am

    If the cheng hu is bad,
    the electorate is lagi worse.
    70% voted for the PAP gahmen.
    70% want to pay more taxes.

    Ownself fuck ownself.

    ReplyDelete
  10. 70% love to 'pay and pay'

    And they have unwittingly been forced to work like slaves until death to pay for their pigeonholes, which will go back to the Government and to survive the high cost of living, thinking that they are getting such a good deal compared to our blessed neighbours up north.

    There is nothing the 30% can do to make them see the light. The 70% can just praise the emperor's new clothes but dare not utter the truth.

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  11. Ruled by millionaires, paid them to be millionaires but lived like paupers and in fear.

    ReplyDelete
  12. RB

    Why so unhappy.
    You can go on the Silverhair scheme offered by Malaysia and go enjoy life across the border in Johor since you like to compare RM$ so much.

    Regards

    ReplyDelete
  13. Theonion.

    Time not come for you yet to be in the statistics of the unemployed.

    Don't laugh too soon.

    He who laugh last laugh the best.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Parrot parroting.

    ReplyDelete