The guide to a better life in Singapore.

A lot of people have spoken of "consumerism culture". It is a culture that makes people want to get items to satisfy their wants/ego/status quo. A man in his late 30s said that " Many years ago when my salary was $2000, I wanted an alpha numeric pager, which was quite cool back then. When my salary increased to $3000, I wanted the latest mobile phone, there was no end to it."

In Singapore, you will see people in their teens comparing their latest bags, handphones, shoes, clothes or electronic gadgets like ipods. You see young and successful executives/managers comparing their cars, like their lexus, bmws or mercs. You see uber rich people comparing their huge bungelows. I too, was once part of a teenage consumerism culture, in secondary school, I desperately craved for a pager when I had no need for one. Such was the importance of being "in" with my peers.

True, sometimes you get the feeling that the Govt doesn't allow you to live below your means (i.e income ceilings for HDBs), but that doesn't mean it isn't possible. When your kids are young, it is of the utmost importance to inculcate into them the values of being frugal and how image is nothing but a facade which the human race, driven by material acqusition, invented.

Having spare cash on your hands is always a good feeling, it provides security, comfort and it acts as a buffer, to ensure you survive in the event of a calamity. If you've lived most of your life without needing a certain item, chances are, you probably don't need it. If you've lived your life with certain items, chances are, you'd be hard pressed to do without it. It's all in your mind.

Forget the gucci, DKNY and armanis. Forget the porsches, ferraris and lambos. Forget the lame stigma of public housing, cause there isn't anything wrong with public housing. Relieve yourself of the pressure bestowed onto you from your parents' successes. You will always be you and you are unique in your own way.

May God be with you. =)