Dreams become nightmare

[Celicapimp]

http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/news/story/0,...,170078,00.html?

 

A young adult's struggle with rising costs MY WEDDING DREAM TURNING INTO A NIGHTMARE By Tay Shi'an July 07, 2008

 

MY dreams late last year: A house, a car and a wedding to take place this year.

But now, all I am seeing are the nightmares of rising costs - in property and construction, petrol, electricity and basic necessities such as food and drinks.

And I find myself waking up bathed in perspiration after one too many debt-soaked dreams.

 

The car has been bought, the downpayment for the house paid with instalments knocking at my door every month and the wedding is on.

How are they making me nervous?

Take last week, for example.

I dreamt the bridal studio took some test shots which turned out great, so they suggested I buy an additional album of pictures.

The price was $1.4 million. For some reason, I was so swept away by the photos that I signed the contract.

After that I realised I had no money to pay for the package. A wave of panic washed over me.

I literally scared myself awake, with some relief.

But that was not to last too long.

Two days later, back in real life, I received my credit card bill.

Bridal studio instalment: $500.

Miscellaneous wedding stuff: $450.

Petrol for our 11/2-month-old car: $550.

Then there is the monthly instalment for the car.

CPF deductions for the house.

Wedding rings we have to buy before the (real) August photo shoot.

Furniture we haven't even started scouting for.

Future grocery bills for two.

A huge chunk of my savings stuck in the share market, which I can't sell now because of the downturn (yet again).

Such a squeeze on my heart.

Starting a new life for two has always been both exciting and expensive.

But as a child of the '80s who finally has enough disposable income to start fulfilling her dreams, it is both disconcerting and terrifying to see those dreams getting more expensive, the numbers creeping up right before my eyes.

Conversations with girlfriends now inevitably drift to how difficult it is to find a home we love and can afford.

Just four years ago, my parents upgraded to a five-room flat, which they bought for about $280,000.

Four years on, I had to pay more than $360,000 for mine, in the same estate.

Petrol prices have gone up a few times in the 11/2 months I've owned a vehicle.

And putting together a home-cooked meal now not only involves culinary skills but mathematical ones too, to compare prices between housebrands and brand-brands, frozen versus fresh meat, anything to save costs.

That was why my girlfriends' responses to my nightmare on the $1.4million were not, 'Don't be silly', but 'You are too stressed girl!'

And, 'Make sure you check the price 1.4 million times before you sign on the dotted line.'

Sometimes, it's tempting to throw caution to the wind. But the prudent self says wait.

Why not get a car only when you're 30? Live with the parents first and get your own place later?

But there's the impatient self, who is wide-eyed about dreams that have to be lived now, when you're young.

The car as the ultimate date vehicle, as opposed to baby-seat holder.

A two-person universe in your own home.

What's the use of saving it all for later, when money cannot buy back the experiences you lost along the way?

That is where it becomes so important to plan, save, prioritise and to brutally slash out the things you don't need.

Eyes on the prize: Give up something you kind of want to get that something you really want.

And hope that the power of the dreams - and checking those numbers 1.4 million times - is enough to keep away the nightmares.

 

stop your dreams,girl.It's hard to live what u dream of here.Nobody ask u to take up extra wedding album.Nobody ask u to dabble in shares if u dump your huge chunk savings in it.Nobody ask u take up installment for bridal studio package.Nobody ask u must buy a car.Stop whining.

[Rickster]

I'm in my late 20s and a good number of my peers who earns 2-3K are taking up 10 year loan on cars

[Celicapimp]

it's fine if they have the ability to pay their installments.1,5,7 or 10yrs.It's either u pay more upfront or pay more later when u sell off.

 

I have seen people who are rich enough to full cash but they rather take up loan.

[Shorty]

yeah...its no harm to take 10yrs loan.as long as u r comfortable wif de amt...u can maintain ur icthy fingers from wanting to change cars...den how many yrs loan also no prob.no pt trying to finish de loan faster but mth to mth u hv to starve jus to pay installments.there r ppl who can own a car...hv a family...buy big lcd tvs...but they r still maintaining their lifestyles.no doubt they r in debt...who's not in dis country?but they r living comfortably.

 

i say living in these hard times is all abt adjusting or calculating wat u can afford.take de needs 1st b4 de wants.prioritise.

[David]

 

[Dynaway]

$1.4m for photo shoot????? siao or wat....

[Scion]

i'm confused too...

1.4 million is for the photo shots or the house??

 

photo shots is so exp? made of gold ah?

[Curahee]

Now the tide change, its not abt 10 yrs loan liao, its abt whether u got the gut to switch on the engine and venture out of the CP to face all the money zapping gentries.

[Route88]

What?

 

Anyway....nice boops

[Dynaway]

maybe wanna show in cinema one lah.... small movie production...... $1.4m can do a 2-3hr show here liao.... mauahahha

[Roborovskii]

These kind of boobs will cause accidents.

Edited July 7, 2008 by Roborovskii

[Princey_anne]

Everyone goes through this stage lah. 80s, 70s or 60s child She thinks she is the only one.

[Hutan]

SIMI wedding photo cost her $1.4m simi pic? typo ar?

[Rncw]

so nice!

[Altivo]

i read the article yesterday but dont quite understand how the figures add up to 1.4 mio?

 

Flat: $360,000

Car: assume it is $100,000

 

Balance: $940,000

 

That's a lot of moola leh....

[Sniperben]

[Qpik]

$1.4m for photo shoot????? siao or wat....

 

most Men r visual creatures...see the (.)(.) until dazed. $1.4m weddg shots r dreaming. not for the hse either.

 

go n READ n see then u will realise what she is trying to say. Hmmm ... wonder how come papers report story in this manners...so poorly phrased.

[Unltd]

Well there is the underlined statement A huge chunk of my savings stuck in the share market, since the person knows it is a downturn. Why not just dump and buy in at a lower price later?

 

IMHO its a dumb move just to hang on, and also... Buy what you need and can afford, not whatever you want.....