Comments on: How to stay gainfully retired http://theonlinecitizen.com/2007/07/how-to-stay-gainfully-retired/ a community of Singaporeans Sun, 21 Mar 2010 02:39:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: thinktok http://theonlinecitizen.com/2007/07/how-to-stay-gainfully-retired/comment-page-1/#comment-128611 thinktok Sat, 06 Feb 2010 03:43:12 +0000 http://theonlinecitizen.com/2007/07/10/how-to-stay-gainfully-retired/#comment-128611 YTJ is a white monkey with journalistic skills. Unless you are born with a silver spoon, very few think of retirement at 30. Your cartoon of an old person working at MacDonalds is an inferrence that the old in Singapore are not well looked after. The Govt looks after the country and the individual looks after himself. To expect the Govt to look after the individual is a bit far fetch. But an individual can help the Govt to help him. YTJ is a white monkey with journalistic skills. Unless you are born with a silver spoon, very few think of retirement at 30. Your cartoon of an old person working at MacDonalds is an inferrence that the old in Singapore are not well looked after.

The Govt looks after the country and the individual looks after himself. To expect the Govt to look after the individual is a bit far fetch. But an individual can help the Govt to help him.

]]> By: George http://theonlinecitizen.com/2007/07/how-to-stay-gainfully-retired/comment-page-1/#comment-103875 George Wed, 09 Sep 2009 09:37:34 +0000 http://theonlinecitizen.com/2007/07/10/how-to-stay-gainfully-retired/#comment-103875 Retirement is a good thing but it had to be planned and given some thought. To be able to retire gainfully, financial consideration is an importance element. Foreign travel, reading, blogging and most importance exercise both for the body and mind. I am speaking from experience as I took early retirment at the age of 56. I went camping in France ( there are sites there with all the setup and one do not have to carry one personal equipmemt.) Went fishing in Europe, and planning to tour China soon. However, I do not have to depend on my CPF for retirement as I worked for multinational that provided us with "Final salary pension" and also I was based oversea. I no longer looked forward to retire in SinKapore as life in UK is far more superior then SinKapore despite what LKY and PAP said. The Health service is affordable to all and education is truly free and most importance of all, the educational system here produce thinking human and not robot. However, do beware for those who had worked oversea for a long period. The PAP regime keep a secret file on those who had spent long period away from SinKapore. Just like the unwritten rule that one do not join the PAP but is invited. Got it? It is like a secret society . For those retirees, what about charity work? That keep one busy and useful to society. I do some charitable work and Read allot about subject I was interested but could not find the time to do when in fulltime employment. Retirement is a good thing but it had to be planned and given some thought. To be able to retire gainfully, financial consideration is an importance element. Foreign travel, reading, blogging and most importance exercise both for the body and mind. I am speaking from experience as I took early retirment at the age of 56. I went camping in France ( there are sites there with all the setup and one do not have to carry one personal equipmemt.) Went fishing in Europe, and planning to tour China soon. However, I do not have to depend on my CPF for retirement as I worked for multinational that provided us with “Final salary pension” and also I was based oversea. I no longer looked forward to retire in SinKapore as life in UK is far more superior then SinKapore despite what LKY and PAP said. The Health service is affordable to all and education is truly free and most importance of all, the educational system here produce thinking human and not robot. However, do beware for those who had worked oversea for a long period. The PAP regime keep a secret file on those who had spent long period away from SinKapore. Just like the unwritten rule that one do not join the PAP but is invited. Got it? It is like a secret society . For those retirees, what about charity work? That keep one busy and useful to society. I do some charitable work and Read allot about subject I was interested but could not find the time to do when in fulltime employment.

]]> By: Tony n http://theonlinecitizen.com/2007/07/how-to-stay-gainfully-retired/comment-page-1/#comment-37054 Tony n Sun, 30 Nov 2008 21:14:17 +0000 http://theonlinecitizen.com/2007/07/10/how-to-stay-gainfully-retired/#comment-37054 this last comment resonated with me, after being retired 3 yrs I have spent my time pursuing all the things I could never do. I read a lot on meditative and new age religious things that are of interest to me. I work out with my wife of 37yrs 4 or 5 days a week at the gym spinning. Additionally I watch my investments and am active on email. Golf and fishing do the rest and I am quite happy with that, I feel no pressure to do anything. I take month or 2 each year in ski country to indulge in my passion, skiiing,, every day,,, it is a spiritual exsperience.. Tony this last comment resonated with me, after being retired 3 yrs I have spent my time pursuing all the things I could never do. I read a lot on meditative and new age religious things that are of interest to me. I work out with my wife of 37yrs 4 or 5 days a week at the gym spinning. Additionally I watch my investments and am active on email. Golf and fishing do the rest and I am quite happy with that, I feel no pressure to do anything. I take month or 2 each year in ski country to indulge in my passion, skiiing,, every day,,, it is a spiritual exsperience..
Tony

]]> By: Kew Kah Fatt http://theonlinecitizen.com/2007/07/how-to-stay-gainfully-retired/comment-page-1/#comment-1193 Kew Kah Fatt Wed, 11 Jul 2007 07:04:32 +0000 http://theonlinecitizen.com/2007/07/10/how-to-stay-gainfully-retired/#comment-1193 Consider your retirement as a period to cultivate self. This is the first stage of Confucianism. Therefore you don't think too much about money and other daily stress. Read more scriptures, meditate and eat vegetarian food. Cultivating self is in fact accumulating merits for yourself and your family. So if you want your decendants to be good, cultivate self. With a mind that thinks neither good nor bad, you are on the way to enlightenment. You do not have to leave home to cultivate self. So your expenditure will be at the minimum. Consider your retirement as a period to cultivate self. This is the first stage of Confucianism. Therefore you don’t think too much about money and other daily stress. Read more scriptures, meditate and eat vegetarian food.

Cultivating self is in fact accumulating merits for yourself and your family. So if you want your decendants to be good, cultivate self. With a mind that thinks neither good nor bad, you are on the way to enlightenment.

You do not have to leave home to cultivate self. So your expenditure will be at the minimum.

]]> By: Tommie http://theonlinecitizen.com/2007/07/how-to-stay-gainfully-retired/comment-page-1/#comment-1194 Tommie Wed, 11 Jul 2007 03:45:06 +0000 http://theonlinecitizen.com/2007/07/10/how-to-stay-gainfully-retired/#comment-1194 i can think of 101 things to do upon retirement. i want to do volunteer work (possibly setting up a boutique charity targetting specific needy groups). i want to learn cooking and take propers lessons from chefs. i want to do gardening and grow my favourite plants (e.g. anthurium, palms and orchids). i want to rear some tropical fish or keep a dog. i want to do regular exercise along the beach. i want to play with my grandkids, help bring them up the right way, not the materialistic way. i can go on and on... bottomline is, if you truly enjoy working and equate your existence with work, then go ahead. if you don't, it would be good if you have the resources to retire early and then do the things that you enjoy. <em> *Comments edited by editor</em> i can think of 101 things to do upon retirement. i want to do volunteer work (possibly setting up a boutique charity targetting specific needy groups). i want to learn cooking and take propers lessons from chefs. i want to do gardening and grow my favourite plants (e.g. anthurium, palms and orchids). i want to rear some tropical fish or keep a dog. i want to do regular exercise along the beach. i want to play with my grandkids, help bring them up the right way, not the materialistic way. i can go on and on…

bottomline is, if you truly enjoy working and equate your existence with work, then go ahead. if you don’t, it would be good if you have the resources to retire early and then do the things that you enjoy.


*Comments edited by editor

]]> By: ganchau http://theonlinecitizen.com/2007/07/how-to-stay-gainfully-retired/comment-page-1/#comment-1192 ganchau Wed, 11 Jul 2007 00:25:09 +0000 http://theonlinecitizen.com/2007/07/10/how-to-stay-gainfully-retired/#comment-1192 If we enjoy all that we are doing, it will appear more like a hobby. As a teacher, while people felt the pressure; I felt the joy of guiding young minds. Make your lessons fun so that the kids will regret not coming to school and missing your lessons! As a chef, I sing while I cook. The pleasure is to see your customers and staff patting their stomachs with satisfaction! As a real estate agent now, I enjoy myself for selling is no longer work when it is fun; it is like basking in the sun! Where work is concerned it is not how young or old we are! It is ATTITUDE that is more vital. If we enjoy all that we are doing, it will appear more like a hobby.

As a teacher, while people felt the pressure; I felt the joy of guiding young minds. Make your lessons fun so that the kids will regret not coming to school and missing your lessons!

As a chef, I sing while I cook.
The pleasure is to see your customers and staff patting their stomachs with satisfaction!

As a real estate agent now, I enjoy myself for selling is no longer work when it is fun; it is like basking in the sun!

Where work is concerned it is not how young or old we are! It is ATTITUDE that is more vital.

]]> By: straydog scraps » On Retirement http://theonlinecitizen.com/2007/07/how-to-stay-gainfully-retired/comment-page-1/#comment-1191 straydog scraps » On Retirement Tue, 10 Jul 2007 17:50:55 +0000 http://theonlinecitizen.com/2007/07/10/how-to-stay-gainfully-retired/#comment-1191 [...] (via theonlinecitizen) [...] [...] (via theonlinecitizen) [...]

]]> By: scb http://theonlinecitizen.com/2007/07/how-to-stay-gainfully-retired/comment-page-1/#comment-1190 scb Tue, 10 Jul 2007 16:54:06 +0000 http://theonlinecitizen.com/2007/07/10/how-to-stay-gainfully-retired/#comment-1190 Living is make up of three components at any age, work, rest(sleep) and leisure and each component should not be less than 25%! Work to amass fortune is foolish; rest to avoid work is sin and too much leisure with little work and rest is irresponsible! To slave oneself for others is stupid, STUPID! Living is make up of three components at any age, work, rest(sleep) and leisure and each component should not be less than 25%! Work to amass fortune is foolish; rest to avoid work is sin and too much leisure with little work and rest is irresponsible! To slave oneself for others is stupid, STUPID!

]]> By: LifesLikeThat http://theonlinecitizen.com/2007/07/how-to-stay-gainfully-retired/comment-page-1/#comment-1195 LifesLikeThat Tue, 10 Jul 2007 11:52:30 +0000 http://theonlinecitizen.com/2007/07/10/how-to-stay-gainfully-retired/#comment-1195 I think singaporeans should start thinking very hard about what they really want out of life. More often than not, they just go along with what the PAP govt - through the media - dictates. First we're told we do not have enough for retirement. Now, we're told we should not even think about retiring. The purpose of working in singapore seems to be just to pay our bills and chase after the next condo, or car or material wants. Life is certainly more than that. It's so so very sad to see singaporeans being treated like digits to be coerced, frightened and deluded into doing what the govt wants. The media only shows us how wonderful it is for old people to work. What they don't tell you is that old people may die earlier because of work stress and the stress of daily living with the rising cost of living. Singaporeans need to start to NOT just accept what the govt says blindly. I think singaporeans should start thinking very hard about what they really want out of life. More often than not, they just go along with what the PAP govt – through the media – dictates.

First we’re told we do not have enough for retirement.

Now, we’re told we should not even think about retiring.

The purpose of working in singapore seems to be just to pay our bills and chase after the next condo, or car or material wants.

Life is certainly more than that.

It’s so so very sad to see singaporeans being treated like digits to be coerced, frightened and deluded into doing what the govt wants.

The media only shows us how wonderful it is for old people to work.

What they don’t tell you is that old people may die earlier because of work stress and the stress of daily living with the rising cost of living.

Singaporeans need to start to NOT just accept what the govt says blindly.

]]> By: Gerald http://theonlinecitizen.com/2007/07/how-to-stay-gainfully-retired/comment-page-1/#comment-1189 Gerald Tue, 10 Jul 2007 11:00:07 +0000 http://theonlinecitizen.com/2007/07/10/how-to-stay-gainfully-retired/#comment-1189 I agree. I'm 29 but I can't really see myself sitting on my rocking chair doing nothing productive after my official retirement. If I am healthy, I hope I can continue earning my own keep so that I can continue to provide for myself, my wife and give to my church and other charities. There is so much to live for in life, and 80+ years is so little time. On the other hand, I don't like the way the Govt is forcing us to raise our retirement age, and preventing us from withdrawing our own life savings. That's paternalism at its worst. I don't think they are concerned with our individual welfare. "It's the economy, stupid." I agree. I’m 29 but I can’t really see myself sitting on my rocking chair doing nothing productive after my official retirement. If I am healthy, I hope I can continue earning my own keep so that I can continue to provide for myself, my wife and give to my church and other charities. There is so much to live for in life, and 80+ years is so little time.

On the other hand, I don’t like the way the Govt is forcing us to raise our retirement age, and preventing us from withdrawing our own life savings. That’s paternalism at its worst. I don’t think they are concerned with our individual welfare. “It’s the economy, stupid.”

]]>