Singapore named the world's most expensive city

It's on BBC News that Singapore named the world's most expensive city. I had been thinking about this recently too. With the increasing of price everywhere except our salary, i find that all things in Singapore gets more and more expensive. If i compared with other countries, one thing can be expensive but another is cheaper. For example: In US food is more expensive but their clothing and cars are cheaper. But in Singapore, everything is expensive.

• Our car is at least 2 to 3 times more expensive because of the Certificate of Entitlement (taxes to gov).
• our utility bills are soaring
• buying clothes branded or not are also 50% more expensive than US, and 100% more expensive than china which goes into the resellers' profit.
• School fees are getting increase of 20% this year because of limited teachers and therapist.
• Housing is getting more and more expensive because of the rich from all over the world had invested in Singapore properties and the increase of stamp duty (taxes to gov)
• Even maid salary had increased 25% within 2 years.

Every years our salary increment is at 2% but expenses is increasing at 20%. Now i have to think of ways to cut expenses or increase my income.

Searching for maid

After decided to change this maid, I have reviewed dont know how many biodata and interviews I have done this round.

First weekend we went down the agency and interviewed 3 maid, shortlisted 2, one with 11 years exprience in MY took care of children before... one 7 yrs in SG never take care of children before. I wanted the MY but hus wanted the SG, the reason he gave was she too short and English no good. Fine, when I went down and sign the documents, the agency wanted to charge me $600 instead of $500 agency fee because if expience maid.. I already very bo song to take out that $500, then now wanted to charge more. So I made some noises and when hus came he started to scolded the agency if the agency did a good job at the first place we wouldn't hired a 5 yrs expr = fresh maid. We went in stating that we need an expience maid to take care of children. And yet they gave us a fresh maid who says got 5 yrs expr but don't know how to use vacuum cleaner, don't even know how to cook rice. Dont says abt taking care of children. Their insist of $600 because co policy and the one I wanted to hire is exprience maid. So I asked for evidence and they printed out mom employment history and here comes the drama again. Agent told me she worked 7yrs in SG with one employer, mom showed that she worked for 4 employer and 2 lasted less than 2 yrs, worst together only make up 6 yrs. Immediately I questioned the agent why am I paying so much to them when they didn't even do a simple validation if what maid had says. On the spot I rejected this cadidate.

Another round of profile preview,  shortlisted 2 and did my interview. This time round I cant even go down to the agency for interview so we did a 3 way skpye. One ex-sin English good and got take care if children and one english so-so and ex kuwait. Again, I wanted the ex kuwait but hus wanted the ex sin. Fine, take the ex-sin, then agent says she knew the ex employer and she can call and get some feedback for us. Guess she also scare le. The ex - employee says "the only advice to any employer who is hiring her is to keep away all cash and jeweleries into safe.".. like that still can hire meh? Strike her off my list immediately.

I tried another agency too.. this one exprience indonesia maid asking for 590, the highest of all and filipino asking for 550. I tried to interview both.. the PH is really too smart for me to handle, I was interviewing her ended up she interviewed me. The standard question I asked, have u take care of children before? Then she countered questions me, how many children u have, is it a boy or girl, how old is a she and she went on and on.. are u staying in apartment or house, can I go for off day, can I take handphone.. im stunned and was there listening to all her questions. By the 3rd questions she asked I went silent and told the agency I dont want this.

Oh my goodness right? After going round a big cycle,  I went back to take the ex-kuwait. I feel that she is ths next best cadidate. Wanted the ex-MY but she was taken.

Need to wait for 3 to 4 weeks time for all papers works done. Praying hard that she is the one and will be a good helper.

Lesson learnt:
1. trust ur first instinct,  hus opinion can take for reference only
2. Always look for those trustworthy agency. . Those labeled with perfect home maker etc wouldnt have much good hope
3. Always asked for interview. You can dont even need to waste ur time to go down to the agency, everything can done via email and phone.
4. If ex-sin, always ask for mom history employment  print out.
5. Agency and Maid biodata and reply can only believe 50%.

Anyone has any tips for hiring good maid, please share. .. drop me a comment. 

My theory: maid aka kidney

Yesterday I was trying to tell my hus about our current situation of our maid and I came out with this theory.

A maid is like a kidney. When it doesnt work out - kidney failure, it create lots of problem to the owner (the employer -me). And will need a kidney transplantation (change a maid) but searching a suitable and good kidney is never a easy job. Some prople can live with one kidney and some cant. My current situation is that one kidney already bleeding and i cant take it much longer and in a urgent to search for a replacement. Scolding the owner of the kidney low functionality and performance doesnt help to solution. Lookimg for good candidates that willing to do transplant and fit our blood (our requirement). Even after found a kidney, there would still have at least 6 mths of stabilization period to ensure that the kidney can works in owner and able to offload the stress from other kidney.

After hearing my illustrations,  he laughted...

Maids aka Helper?

While reading xiaxue's blog about her maid and that inspired me to write mine. I strongly agreed that to have a stranger at home can be a struggler but we need help. If found one good maid, she will be indeed a helper and it's a blessing to the family, but if got one omg maid, it will be a disaster. Never expect myself to have a maid so long, initial thoughts was to have a maid for 2 to 4 years, once janelle goes to school and more independently, i wouldn't need a maid. But cos Janelle condition, the attention and energy required are much more hence till now i still cant let go of a maid and take care janelle and this house alone.

This is my 5th maid in 5 years since i had Janelle. 1st, she loves janelle very much and very kind but cleaning she doesnt meet my mil standard and had been crying since day 1 cos she missed home so much. she cutted janelle when noone asked her to when she is only weeks old. hus was so angry and sent her back. 2nd, vain pox and she steal my sis and sis in law make up, jewellery and my mil money. Because of her, my house are armed with CCTV.  3rd, ok.. not very good nor very bad, she went back after 2 yrs which neither one want to renew. 4th, my best maid of all, she not only took very good care of janelle  but also keeping this house very clean and good care for the family. We brought her oversea for holidays but she need to go back after 2 years to get marry which both families had prepared for years. I missed her so so much. As for my 5th maid... and sorry but i have to let her go.

My requirement of maid is very similar, just need to keep the house relatively clean and able to take care of janelle. This maid is giving me big headache, with lots of cannot make it, below are some of the example:

1. stated in her portfolio that she had 5 yrs experience in chinese family in Jakata, that's a lie. She dont even know how to cook rice. she has a magic hand that the floor gets dirtier when she cleans. remembering green cloth is for kitchen and purple cloth for rooms takes her 2 weeks to remember. she ironed the shirt is as if no iron before. she doesnt know that wash toilet need to brush toilet bowl.

2. stated that she took care of children before, that's a lie. She scalded janelle with very hot running water (the water heater showing overheated) on janelle back while showering for her. common sense of testing water she doesnt seems to have. when she first time see janelle having seizure, she sit quietly beside janelle without getting panic nor calling me for help. Doesn't know if she has the sense of dangerous. lied to me that she brushed teeth for janelle every morning. Need one hour to feed janelle dinner.

All things i can keep my eyes closed, but when it comes to janelle, i am very careful and taking care of special needs child is not suitable for her, hence i will let her go.

After been thru all this, luck and also the agency where you get your maid from also make a different. The first day my current maid arrived, we nearly send her off as we suspected skin disease because she having patches of open wound on her. After understanding from her, it because of the bed bugs in the Indonesia training center. I took all her clothes and washed on that very day and help her applied medicine. And banned her from touching janelle for 3 days till her wound closed up. The agency words also cannot be trust. when i told the agency that i doubt she has 5 yrs working experience in Chinese family where she cant even understand a single Chinese, then they told me that the information are provided by the maid so may not be true. Isn't agency responsibilities to validate? This agency can still bargain with me on the salary that to pay to the maid. haiz. after this one, me and my husband had blacklisted this agency. praying that the 6th would be a blessing one.

He is so cute

See what my baby sis did when 三缺一。。

CNY 2014

Had been so busy preparing for 2014 CNY and hus US holiday trip with his mom. Took 3 days leave to run errands,  getting new clothes for janelle, hus and me, top to bottom, inside to out. Preparing CNY dinner for both my parents and in law place.  Preparing in law winter clothing and warmer just to ensure its enough for NY weather. Preparing my house for CNY, thought no visiting at our place but at least something is up. Preparing gifts and angbao for visitations and dolling up myself.

Gave myself a red cum purple hairdo then after my nieces and nephew were telling me that i'm having the same color as my mom.. oh no... auntie hair color!!!!

Being the only christian in my maternal family, I blessed that they respect us and always prep clean food for us. Thanks mommy, Thanks ahyi... thanks for your thoughtful thought and understanding. #sobless

This year the lion men was very naughty.. they ate janelle shoes and throw out her shoe... haaaa.. huat ah!!!! heng heng

CNY Day 1 to brother in law, my parent's and we have guest from Australia at punggol for dinner

CNY Day 2 was a busy day... to Parent's then Grandma's then Hus Godmom's and 2Yi place then punggol and Brother in law place for dinner and i ended my day to airport to send my hus off.

CNY Day 3: To Church and Joyce's mom

CNY Day 4: To my grand-aunties place and havung cecelia over to give out her first angbao. 

CNY Day 5 开工大吉 and to Sis's in law place.

Click on the link to view babyzyan dancing at yiyi's place that makes everyone laugh #heissocute. http://instagram.com/p/kGOOwarPfC/

 CNY Day 6 - easy day after a long day of work.

CNY Day 7 returned back to mama house lo hei... 

Baby sis decided to cook, well prepared chef with her shied and protection towel to ensure she is  injury-free from hot oil. heee.. Since she cook, i think as a elder sis i also need to prep something, the easiest of all emperor chicken, went SS get all the ingredients, prep and put into steamer and off for my 1.5hr conf call. After my meeting, the fire was off... *argh* all thanks to my helper, she says cos no more water, so she off the fire. in the end the chicken was uncook, and had been put back into the steamer while i shower, and also at my mom place a couple of times.. #iamadisasterchef. 

we tried many times to get my helper to help taking a group photos, it's either blur or missing one person... where is uncle shamus???

Janelle joined in the fun of LO AH.. 

Janelle was in good mood, so photo time

Never tire

#randomthoughts

Seeing too many these few days.. Wondering why these happened, if these doesnt happened would we will be so much in bliss... life is like a picture.. mine was a black and white, after i found the Lord my savior, it outlined in color.. when would it filled with colors? 

when getting really tired.. the Lord gives me this: