[Post 521] Will more COEs bring down prices? | Deep Dive podcast

Summary

Up to 20,000 additional Certificates of Entitlement (COEs) will be progressively injected across all vehicle categories from February 2025. Why is the government making this move and will this bring COE premiums down?

Steven Chia and Crispina Robert speak to Walter Theseira from the Singapore University of Social Sciences and Arthur Wong, managing director of ACM Automobiles.

[Post 520] What it's like working on a budget airline

Summary

Twenty years ago, the first local budget airline took off from Singapore's Changi Airport and since then, the industry has not looked back. Jetstar cabin crew member Norazman Sapiie and Scoot associate management pilot Keagan Pang talk about what it's like to work for a budget carrier. https://cna.asia/3NXdpau

[Post 519] Day Trip To JB:Fern Pine Cafe

Recently, my family and I visited the buffet at Holiday Villa near KSL. To sum it up, I’d rate it a 6/10. The ambiance was pleasant, and sitting by the window offered some nice views, but the food wasn’t replenished quickly enough.

While the selection of dishes was decent, I’d recommend trying Seoul Garden at City Square instead, especially if you’re looking for a better hotpot and grill experience.

Restaurant Layout

Sushi 

Fried Food

Pastries 

Overall, if you're not too picky about food and prefer a buffet experience in a more relaxed, less crowded setting, this is the perfect spot for you.

[Post 518] How Disney Vacations Became Too Expensive For Many Americans

Summary

Once a right of passage for most American families, theme parks like Disney World and Disneyland are quickly becoming out of reach for many middle class American families. Over the past 10 years, the average cost for a Disney World single-park ticket has increased more than 56%, above the national rate of inflation of 32% in the same period. And that doesn’t include the cost of food, merchandise, lightning lane, hotels and airfare.  The average cost of a five-night Disney World vacation for a family of four in 2024, with all the bells and whistles, comes in at around $5,000, according to Wolfe Research. In its Q3 2024 earnings, Disney said its parks and experiences segment felt pressure due to lower consumer demand and inflation. This is a trend that is industry wide — Comcast’s Universal Studios also experienced a drop in attendance in 2024. Disney World is the most visited theme park in the world, but have recent price increases pushed inflation-weary Americans away? Will Disney trips continue to be a staple of American childhoods or is it becoming a luxury? CNBC explores.

[Post 517] How Gen Z Is Buying Homes Younger Than Millennials And Boomers Did

Summary

In 2023, Gen Z led in homeownership among young adults, with a higher rate of homeownership at age 24 compared to millennials and Gen X at the same age. Despite their relatively small share of the housing market and challenges like high prices and limited inventory, many Gen Z individuals are determined to buy homes in the near future. This shift could have significant effects on the housing market and the broader economy.

[Post 516] How Google, Microsoft And Amazon Are Raiding AI Startups For Talent

Summary

Microsoft, Google and Amazon, along with other tech companies, have been getting creative in how they’re poaching talent from top artificial intelligence startups. Earlier this month, Google inked an unusual deal with Character.ai to hire away its prominent founder, Noam Shazeer, along with more than one-fifth of its workforce while also licensing its technology. It looked like an acquisition, but the deal was structured so that it wasn’t. Google wasn’t the first to take this approach.

In March, Microsoft signed a deal with Inflection that allowed Microsoft to use Inflection’s models and to hire most of the startup’s staff. Amazon followed in June with a faux acquisition of Adept where it hired top talent from the AI startup and licensed its technology.

It’s a playbook that skirts regulators and their crackdown on Big Tech dominance, provides an exit for AI startups struggling to make money, and allows megacaps to pick up the talent needed in the AI arms race.

But while tech giants might think they’re outsmarting antitrust enforcers, they could be playing with fire. CNBC’s Deirdre Bosa has the story.

[Post 515] Why Fast Food Chains Like McDonald’s, Wendy’s And Taco Bell Brought Back Value Meals

Summary

Fast food has become a luxury for many consumers who are constantly looking for deals and cheap meals. Many popular chains have noticed the pullback and have rolled out the return of value meals. These nostalgic menus offer select items for a cheap price and food chains hope it's a way to bring customers back and to spend on more items outside of the discounted food items.

[Post 514] How Wingstop Became One Of The Hottest Restaurant Stocks

Summary

Wingstop is capitalizing on the American appetite for chicken and providing investors with strong, consistent growth. In the past five years, the company’s share price is up over 250%, and it has grown its store footprint to 2,352 restaurants worldwide. The chicken-wing chain has expanded its offerings and continued to grow brand awareness. Watch the video to find out how Wingstop became one of the hottest restaurant stocks of the year.

[Post 513] Funeral director opens up over high-profile cremation mix-up

Summary

Up Close: Funeral director Harmony Tee left her auditing job in the United States to continue her family’s funeral business seven years ago. She talks about the challenges in the 'business of death',  including how she handled the high-profile cremation mix-up controversy in 2019.

[Post 512] What The Rise Of Fake Job Listings Says About The Job Market

Summary

Ghost jobs are on the rise, even as the U.S. labor market appears healthy. While data suggests a tight job market, many workers still struggle to find employment, revealing a gap between statistics and reality. Interestingly, the rise of ghost job listings may play a significant role in this disconnect.

[Post 511] How I Grew A $100K A Year Business Without A College Degree

Summary 

Anna-Marie Ortiz, 30, started a side hustle with her last $2,000 in savings in July 2023. A year later, Cool Aunt Cleaners brings in an average of $10,000 a month, and Anna's since quit her day job to run the business full-time. Here's how she did it.

[Post 510] I Make $87K A Year As An Undertaker — And I'm Wildly Happy

Summary

Victor M. Sweeney, 33, doesn't fear death. The licensed mortician and funeral director in Warren, Minnesota observed his first embalming at age 18. Here's a look at what it takes to do his job, and why he's happy with the way his life has turned out.

[Post 509] We Left The U.S. For Japan To Buy A $7,500 Abandoned Home

Summary

"The move is the best decision we ever made," says American couple Dani and Evan Benton. The millennial couple runs a guesthouse and honeybee farm on an island in Japan. Take a look inside.

Unlocked is a home tour series focused on how much people across the globe spend on their housing, what they get for the money and what they had to sacrifice to make it happen.

[Post 508] I Bought A $750K House At Age 23 - Here's How

Summary

Sharon Kim, 24, saw her homeownership dreams come true in early 2024. She partnered with her older brother and his wife to purchase a $750,000 home in New York. Here's how they did it.

This is an installment of CNBC Make It's Millennial Money series, which profiles people across the globe and details how they earn, spend and save their money.

[Post 507] Healthcare costs are rising. What can we do about it? | Money Talks

Summary

Singapore may have one of the best healthcare systems in the world, but this comes at a heavy price. In this week’s Money Talks, Dr Jeremy Lim from NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health explains how early detection of diseases may help lower your healthcare expenses in future.

 

This podcast was produced in partnership with the Ministry of Health. 

[Post 506] Up Your Alley: Hidden gems around neighbourhoods in Singapore | Full series

Summary

From heritage food to waterfront photo spots, Singaporeans show us the hidden gems in their neighbourhood. 

[Post 505] Multiple side hustles or a 9-to-5? | Work It podcast

Summary

Balancing multiple jobs might seem overwhelming, but for some, side hustles offer autonomy and freedom a traditional 9-to-5 job cannot. Tiffany Ang and Gerald Tan speak with 40-year-old Alvin Ong, who has four side gigs, for his advice on what to consider before embracing this career path.  

[Post 504] Ask Work It: Overwhelmed at your new job? Here's how to tell your boss

Summary

You've started a new job but your boss is already making you work overtime and it's affecting your health. How do you tell your boss that you've hit your limit?

[Post 503] October BTO exercise: Only 1 "Prime" project in coming launch, located in Kallang-Whampoa area

Summary

October's BTO exercise will see the launch of the first HDB project to be classified as "Prime" flats. Three hundred and twelve such homes will be available, around 3.6 per cent of the 8,573 on offer. Seven projects are identified as "Plus" flats, with some featuring good connectivity and short commutes to the city centre, and others offering sea views. Six in 10 flats are located in "Standard" projects, the largest allocation in the exercise. At 15 projects, this is also the largest-ever launch of public housing in Singapore. Professor Sing Tien Foo, Provost's Chair Professor from the Department of Real Estate at the NUS Business School, weighs in on the effects of the MOP conditions on prospective buyers, why HDB is making this its largest offering and the traits of "Prime" project Crawford Heights that might make it more attractive to homebuyers.

[Post 502] More Singapore undergrads taking multiple internships to stand out in competitive job market

Summary

More than half of students who graduated last year took on multiple internships through the course of their university studies, despite needing just one to earn their degree. Students said they do this to get industry experience and stand out in an increasingly competitive job market. CNA’s Kate Low has more.

[Post 501] US Fed Interest Rate Cut: Should You Refinance Your Home Loan Now? | Money Mind | Interest Rates

Summary

If you’re a homeowner with a mortgage, you’ll be wondering if interest rates are heading lower and when. This comes after the US Federal Reserve made its long-anticipated first interest rate cut.

[Post 500] I Left My Stable Job In The Air Force to Play Pro Baseball In Japan | On The Red Dot | Full Episode

Summary

Host Rozz Lee meets Eleazar Ng, the first Singaporean to sign a professional baseball contract in Japan, the world’s top-ranked baseball nation. 

After being scouted by the Saga Indonesia Dreams - a unique team with 70% non-Japanese players, Eleazar is chasing his dream of becoming a top baseball player. What does it take for Singapore’s ace pitcher to elevate his game?

[Post 499] Savings And Side Hustles To Achieve Filipino Millennial's Manila Condo Dream | Money Mind

Summary

How do you save up for your dream home when the average condo costs around 25 times median household income? Manila resident Mark Lorenzo Permalino strategises ways to climb the housing ladder, as he bides his time in his 22 square metre studio loft in Makati.  

[Post 498] What It's Like To Live In A Tiny Micro Apartment In Tokyo, Japan | Money Mind | Homes

Summary

The world’s biggest city also has some of its smallest homes. How small? We meet Kazuki Hirata, who lives in a micro apartment in Tokyo. It’s just 9 square metres, which is smaller than a car parking lot.