Whether it’s a reason to spend my savings or a reason for tighter-belt, each reason usually comes to me as a jolt, or sometimes a wake-up call. The more I internalize these ideas, the less of a jolt they will be.

[s=specific jolts.. much preferred]

— [G2] job insecurity .. If I lose this job, I’m forced to return to the U.S.

Stress job -> income insecurity -> tighten belt.

[s] During the December 2024 long chat with R.Dong, I felt his (hardly sustainable) work stress, the fragile boss-relationship, tough deadlines, PIP … all the stressors. They actually remind me of my GS, Qz,,, jobs.

— [G7] return to U.S. as family .. higher living costs

— [G3] long-term .. the uncertainty over long-term inflation
How much confidence do we have in the PAP team to control the omnipresent inflation hazard, and keep up SGD purchasing power?

— [G5] grandma .. may need to live with us in Sgp. She may need lots of medical care. Both grandparents need medical care already. I don’t need “projected” figures.

++ [G7<6] [s] oversized bonus .. invest meaningful amount in my productivity, home office, commute
A short-lived jolt.

++ [G7] [s] pay for more stress-reliefs, given our rising income

— [G9] barebones .. my ffree is barebones. I may gradually feel impoverished about it.

++ [G6] I disapprove the Chinese tradition of million-dollar inheritance .. it could deprive them of the motivation, the rewarding strugle, the confidence, and the self-learning adventure.

There are plenty of /documented/ hazards of an /oversized/ bequest. I can spend more time reading. See ## faking-> slow conviction-> behavior change

If my kids lack character then such a bequest is probably more harm than good.
— [G9] my kids may not become high-earners.
I would want to show them conserver livestyle .. tight-belt

— [s] med costs after MLP .. after I leave MLP, I need to prepare my family for medical costs, including my CAD check-up

++ CRBR: Financial advisors often point out that we only need about a million to retire

— [s] private schools .. my son may end up in some private school rather than a poly

++ NetAsset annual snap in recent years [ex_china, high pay] often show a large increment, but I remind myself to arrest the splurge impulse

++ Shiller: live more like millionaires

— [s] DJDJ pricing and care level increase

my frequent DJDJ visits .. is a smaller but more visible cost

++ I’m considering donations to “buy” social interaction in my old age.