We Interviewed A Singaporean Couple With 2 Kids Who Retired Early to New Zealand A Decade Ago!

[@corporatebreakoutcouple]

We would love to hear from you! Let us know in the comments if any of Gary's sharing resonates with you ❤

[@ahmengng4396]

What is the definition of middle income?? The amt range from ??? To ??? The way Gary put in....it seem to b a well to do family.

[@weesonteh8751]

I came from a humble background. Both my parents were mid level civil servants (teacher and civil defence). Respectable careers and I will always be proud of my parents and ultimately thankful for their upbringing for which I am replicating towards my children. There is only so much that I could say in very restricted time frame. So no lottery, no inheritance nor for financially rich parents.

[@corporatebreakoutcouple]

@@ahmengng4396 this series is called ordinary people with extraordinary stories. If Gary and his family came from money & their early retirement stamped from family inheritance, lottery or what not, they would not be featured. The purpose of this interview is to inspire and show people that common folks with kids can still dare to dream & achieve their dreams - by hard work, forward planning and a HUGE vision and the GUTS to take action & follow through.

[@Star-008]

Gary is intelligent and wasn't brainwashed into working till the last day of the official retirement age - which keeps increasing. I believe his exposure in international business helped him avoid that trap.

[@weesonteh8751]

😅😅😅thanks for those kind words, appreciate it. For me I think it was more of a burning desire early in my career and maybe also a sense of helplessness then as essentially I had almost next to nothing in terms of wealth and not working wasn’t really a choice. So all I knew at that time was to work as hard as I possibly can, save as much as I possibly can (whilst still enjoying the journey, mind you), not buying anything that I consider ego boosting aka branded stuff and to invest the savings….and a last point, get my lovely wife to be on the same page which is essential if you want to make any long term plan work as a family!❤

[@lenachew2729]

I fully agree with my husband.Having a same mindset as a couple is important to achieve our joint goal.😊

[@hhspore]

Interesting video. Looking forward to part 2.

[@corporatebreakoutcouple]

Thanks for watching! Yup, stay tuned for Part 2!!

[@Fiwithoptions]

Great interview❤. Waiting for part 2

[@corporatebreakoutcouple]

Thank you for watching our videos! Yup, please stay tuned for Part 2 (Fran interviews Lena & her daughter)

[@garyt7232]

Cannot wait for part 2.

[@weesonteh8751]

😊part two is out!

[@adriano.badriano.b]

Always listen to your videos, even on a Monday. Much needed inspiration. Keep it up!

[@corporatebreakoutcouple]

Wow thank you so much for the support! This is exactly why we release videos on Monday mornings. To share some inspiration & kick start some gears. No Monday blues on our channel!

[@HoneyMoneySG]

Great interview, love to hear from more early retirees!

[@weesonteh8751]

Hey Chris We are huge fans of yours…thanks and love to meet you in person one day. It is heartening to know that there are young crusaders like you who choose the path less travelled. ❤❤❤

[@corporatebreakoutcouple]

Thanks Chris! We are meeting Josh in Sept. Perhaps we can arrange a meet up with you next

[@angel661984]

An insightful and great interview! What a nice and smart couple the both of them are!

[@weesonteh8751]

Thanks so much for your nice comments. TBH…it really took guts to even share our story 😂. We are not exactly gregarious outspoken people so to speak and we rather enjoy quiet company of friends and family. We had quietly hope that by sharing our decision to take the path less travelled it would hopefully to inspire others who might be thinking that there are life choices out there that they might have not considered. I think I have said it many times in other commentary responses it is about the freedom to choose. There is no compulsion, no judgement either way. It is about making inform decisions whatever that might be. I think the main reason is that we were conditioned since young that there is only one path…study well, get a good job, work till 55 or 65, then enjoy retirement after that….not that it is wrong (again no judgement) but it is definitely not the only narrative or in simple words not the only path available. I think Fran and John are a fantastic couple who is on a mission to educate the public at large especially Malaysian and/or Singaporean that there is another way that one can choose to do so if it fits their life purpose 😊

[@corporatebreakoutcouple]

We totally enjoyed interviewing them and we learnt so much as well!

[@ngkahsiong9001]

Hope to hear more dive deep details on figures that really needed to retire? Eg. living off passive income from dividend, rental properties, eating off lump sum savings etc.. 😊

[@corporatebreakoutcouple]

The numbers needed are different for each individual. This is because the needs and wants of each person is different. Even if we give a ball park figure, it may be too much for some people and too little for others. If you have been watching our other cost of living videos, it should give you a good idea on how to calculate your own number for Needs.

[@weesonteh8751]

Fran and John response is excellent. Every individual situation is different. As a very rough guide look at your current annual spend and/or income. If that is sufficient as it is now. Work backwards from there and calculate how much capital is required to generate equivalent income and you should have a rough estimate. Hope that gives you a good starting point.

[@justgado2772]

If you are in Indonesia capital, by calculation: it’s around $200-300k (3-4.5 billion rupiah but on safe side probably 5 billion) and you already have house and no debt. With current 5.8% deposit interest - tax, you got around 13-21 million a month. Outside Jakarta, you will be able to live a more affordable life. But in Singapore, it’s barely cover your basic need.

[@weesonteh8751]

@@justgado2772 Thanks for the figures...really appreciate that. As mentioned the figures differ from individuals and choice of location for retirement. 👍👍👍👍

[@LeeJcc]

It is impressive that Gary and Lena worked together to make their plan work - like true Penangites, they know how to use their money wisely. How were they able to return to SG as the property prices must have sky rocketed?

[@weesonteh8751]

😂😂thanks. Yeah being on the same page is one of the critical success factors in making our plans work. In fact it basically applies to all facets of being a couple 😀. As for property prices in Singapore...yeah it is actually bad timing for us in that sense. HDB although elevated still 'affordable' for Singapore standards as long as you live in not too popular suburbs eg; Woodlands, Jurong or Sembawang. Car ownership is probably the most hurtful expense in Singapore. However for us freedom of movement especially in retirement is all important for me and my wife...so have to tahan 😂😂😂. We drive in to JB twice a week during off peak without the jams. So the retirement journey continues in a new chapter.

[@gchong8285]

My family stayed in NZ for 20 years but never once have we fished or caught any free mussels. Looks like we need to invest more time in research! 😊

[@corporatebreakoutcouple]

Haha!! Time to go fishing!

[@gchong8285]

Thank you Gary for sharing your tips! Greatly appreciate it. My family and I too are back in SG after 20 years. We hope to explore those parts, when we next return!

[@NomadBunBear]

This is the first time I heard of the concept that moving to NZ has a ROI :O usually it comes with the conversation of it being overly expensive - really insightful interview! I'm super curious how did they handle staying in contact with family back home especially with the long flight

[@weesonteh8751]

Actually it is not really that expensive if you do know where to buy. Cook @ home, buy secondhand stuff which can be really cheap, I mean if you know where to look the cost of living could actually be lower than Singapore or KL. More than happy to answer more if you are keen to know more...

[@weesonteh8751]

As for contact with my mum n dad, every year we will spend our 2-3 months summer holidays back in Singapore n Malaysia. Sometimes they do come to NZ to spend 3 months with us there too and thus in a year sometimes we get a full 4-6 months time with my mum n dad 😀

[@shutengloke5907]

NZ is surely much more cheaper than SG

[@weesonteh8751]

@@shutengloke5907 Cheaper yes...much more that's pushing it. Regardless, just house, car and education is already much cheaper in relative comparison. Of course you cannot go shiok shiok to kopitiam as it will be costly. Cook at home is cheaper. 😀

[@Rayster1979]

Great video. Amazing Gary has such clarify of thoughts. Keen to know more about getting the NZ PR. Wouldn’t this require some form of work of corporate sponsorship?

[@weesonteh8751]

Typically to get a Resident Visa you need be employed by NZ company. There is plenty of job vacancy there...but then again whether it suits what you are currently doing as a career or business. There has been some recent changes in the immigration visa and not too familiar with the latest but then again there are ways of making it happen as long as you are determined enough 😀

[@weesonteh8751]

Should you be keen about knowing more, do reach out and ask away any questions you might have about living in NZ as a Singaporean…more than happy to give an unbiased advice😊

[@mulberryap]

@@weesonteh8751 Thank you! Indeed, I am sure we will have tonnes of questions after we fully digest the possibilities! :) Thanks Fran and John for the great video again!

[@corporatebreakoutcouple]

@@mulberryap you are most welcome!!! Thank you for supporting our channel and watching our videos!

[@CKology]

A very compelling story

[@weesonteh8751]

Hi CK Huge fan of yours!!! One day we can catch up together with Fran/ John n go makan in my secret place where I was born...Tumpat 😀😀😀.

[@corporatebreakoutcouple]

Thanks, CK!!

[@nyxsynstyx]

This video appeared on my suggested feed and I really love how insightful this is! I've read up on anz and think that the mostly likely route is point based independent skilled migration visa. I do have a question for Gary (if it's not too personal), what visa did your family move over with, and at what age (a range will do) did you start this process? Any general advice for visa application? How did you approach (from a big picture financial planning perspective) whether to buy or rent your home base in NZ? Thank you 😊

[@weesonteh8751]

😀😀😀 wow that is many questions in one.question...no worries..may answer in a few short bursts 😀. We applied in 2011 and the approval process was less than 4 months. Direct residence visa under business migration. This program was surprisingly not well known and unpopular although the requirements were rather benign. Sadly they canned the program one year after we arrived and unfortunately replaced it with a much tougher requirement and recently they even raised the program further after being swamp with rich Chinese migrants 😭.

[@weesonteh8751]

My wife and I we in our early 40's when we applied and moved to NZ

[@weesonteh8751]

We rented for a year initially before buying our first home. Financially it is actually cheaper to rent but we like to own our home 😀.

[@weesonteh8751]

Renting at that time was only approximately 3% yield of the property value and a lot of dividend stocks in NZ was paying 5% or more.

[@weesonteh8751]

As for visa advise, I am not able to advise as it is against the law. However I can advise on anything related to moving and living in NZ which is equally important for potential migrants such as where to live, school zones, where to buy Asian grocery, support from fellow Malaysian and Singaporean families already living there. The great thing in moving to NZ in the three major cities, we have a very strong network of Malaysian/Singaporean who are more than happy to nanny new fellow countrymen migrants 😀

[@blungs]

Excellent interview. Aside from investments in equity and funds, any passive income from other sources?

[@corporatebreakoutcouple]

Thank you so much for watching & supporting the channel!

[@MsDraymond]

Thanks for sharing! Curious why you returned to SG now?

[@weesonteh8751]

Great question😅…the answer is surprisingly simple…children and ageing parents. Reason 1. As mentioned my son was offered a place in NUS Business School. He was actually already a freshman in Wellington University reading Actuarial Science. It was a heart to heart (sometimes heated )debate whether he should take up the NUS offer..😂. In the end (I felt) he wanted to go back to Singapore as NZ is kinda boring for young adults in all honesty. Reason 2. My daughter just graduated as a Veterinary Surgeon and she was kinda split between NZ and Singapore but what tip the scales was that she also wanted to be closer geographically with her grandma and grandpa (in Malaysia) and also be together as a family with us in Singapore. Reason 3. My parents and my mother is law is getting there if you know what I mean and being filial son/daughter it is only right to do so…I mean being geographically much closer and spending as much time (whatever is left ) with them 😢. In all honesty if not for the above we would have continued our fairytale life in NZ…even after 10 years it still felt like honeymoon there. But then who knows, there would be a time in the future where my parents have passed on and my kids have their own family…maybe we will go back to NZ. Yeah we can still do that as being Permanent Residence it is a forever status and we will also qualify for NZ pension at age 65! Yes many people are not aware of the immense benefit of being NZ permanent residents. Hope that answers your great question 😊

[@lenachew2729]

Well said! 👍

[@corporatebreakoutcouple]

Thank you!

[@tedlai6624]

I love NZ, especially ZQN...been there few times. But to retire there is too much for me personally...too use to urban city life😅

[@corporatebreakoutcouple]

The world is our oyster. Select another country to retire in. ❤️ Once the money part is handled, one can choose to retire in many places, doesn't have to be just in 1 place.

[@weesonteh8751]

Yes NZ is not for everyone to live in. Many of my friends have made jokes about me talking 'sheep' as there are more sheep there than people 😂. For us we love nature and the weather. We also have from a very nice Malaysian/Singaporean community there. Yes the downside there is the lack of hawker food (more like non existent), shopping malls (Tampines probably had more malls than all of NZ put together 😂).

[@corporatebreakoutcouple]

@@weesonteh8751 😂😂😂 we didn't know this about the malls.

[@weesonteh8751]

@@corporatebreakoutcouple yeah...if you into shopping Yishun and Woodlands will probably be a better bet 😂😂😂...sorry did not mean to be rude but that is the true reality...NZ is anything but shopping...just go to JB...you will be much happier there. ❤️

[@wj.jeffersonpang]

Did the interviewees have to give up citizenship for the new zealand permanent residence?

[@corporatebreakoutcouple]

No, they are in fact Singaporean citizens, with lifetime NZ PR and also MM2H visa holders in Malaysia.

[@sylee9898]

👍👍👍💐💐💐

[@corporatebreakoutcouple]

Thank you for watching!

[@123456tyuhgfdse]

Wow NZ isn't that cheap

[@weesonteh8751]

Depends on your point of reference. Three of the biggest expense 1. Education - almost free 2. Car - 1/2 or less than half. 3. House - yeah I would say for Singaporeans maybe a 4 room HDB flat in exchange for landed property and Malaysia a terrace house in Bangsar maybe??? So all in all it is really not that expensive but ask away and I can give you real numbers which may actually surprise you

[@corporatebreakoutcouple]

Cheap and expensive is a perspective. Depends on who you ask, the same item can be cheap to one, expensive to another. It is the perceived value that makes an item, or even a country cheap or expensive.

[@norman6499]

Why everyone look fatigue?

[@corporatebreakoutcouple]

What do you mean?

[@weesonteh8751]

😂😂😂 yeah he may be right….it was probably the heat….it was really hot that day. Definitely not NZ weather 😅

[@xinxin5682]

Hi,just curious,are u currently earning some $$ from your youtube channel? Thanks

[@corporatebreakoutcouple]

Most channels will hit monetization on Google Adsense once they achieve the set criterias. Why do you ask?

[@blov2]

Please pronounce the digit 3 with a TH. its not 3/ tree.

[@weesonteh8751]

Thanks for the pointer. Will be more conscious next time 😀😀

[@ryladgleon]

​@weesonteh8751 Nah don't worry about it, don't change. Many Singaporeans also say "tree". We know it's "wrong" but it's the right Singlish way to say it 😁

[@weesonteh8751]

😂😂 great way to put it..still proud of my Singlish regardless...but maybe will remind my kids to pronounce the right way 👍👍👍🙏

[@blov2]

You can speak in the most Singlish accent with the lahs, lors and hors...but keep the pronunciation and articulation right. @@ryladgleon

[@weesonteh8751]

@@blov2 agreed 100%👍👍👍..

[@DonYang73]

So why come back to Singapore? NZ too boring partly, i am sure. And he moneys not there either

[@weesonteh8751]

Hi Don, Just curious, have you stayed in Singapore or NZ before? If neither is true, I think your comments are at best a cheap shot. NZ is anything but boring…or maybe it does not have enough shopping centres 😂😂😂😂..true…if you life revolves around shopping then yes your statement is true. As for cost of living, NZ cost of living is cheaper than Singapore especially if you have no job. Singapore has the highest cost of living in the world. I assume that your last statement means that I have depleted my wealth (or income) that we could not survive in NZ? Well if that were the case we would not have left NZ😂 Anyway if you are able to understand simple English the following is the reason for coming back to Singapore. Reason 1. As mentioned my son was offered a place in NUS Business School. He was actually already a freshman in Wellington University reading Actuarial Science. It was a heart to heart (sometimes heated )debate whether he should take up the NUS offer..😂. In the end (I felt) he wanted to go back to Singapore as NZ is kinda boring for young adults in all honesty. Reason 2. My daughter just graduated as a Veterinary Surgeon and she was kinda split between NZ and Singapore but what tip the scales was that she also wanted to be closer geographically with her grandma and grandpa (in Malaysia) and also be together as a family with us in Singapore. Reason 3. My parents and my mother is law is getting there if you know what I mean and being filial son/daughter it is only right to do so…I mean being geographically much closer and spending as much time (whatever is left ) with them 😢. In all honesty if not for the above we would have continued our fairytale life in NZ…even after 10 years it still felt like honeymoon there. But then who knows, there would be a time in the future where my parents have passed on and my kids have their own family…maybe we will go back to NZ. Yeah we can still do that as being Permanent Residence it is a forever status and we will also qualify for NZ pension at age 65! Yes many people are not aware of the immense benefit of being NZ permanent residents.

[@gchong8285]

Calm down Don. Like every country, there is a trade-off. The 1st two years of immigration is super hard. Relationships either break or strengthen. After that you get to enjoy some fruits.