the good framework

Because Good Decisions Compound

A quiet corner of the internet for thinking about life and money a little better. A Good Framework helps people make smarter personal finance decisions.

Your Personal Finance Journey Begins Here

Your Roadmap

The Personal Finance Journey

A step-by-step framework to a smarter personal finance journey. Personal finance is personal. Progress through each phase at your own pace.

The Act	LIFE STAGE	The Details
Welcome to the world. Before you can even focus your eyes, you are a statistic.You live a long time here, mostly because we are too busy working to even die.The gap between "surviving" and "living" will be where the story lies.	The Starting Block: Arrive and Survive	Lifespan of Singaporeans: Males: 81.7 years. Females: 86.6 years (Yes, ladies, you get an extra five years) Healthspan of Singaporeans:74-75 years
You trade your Pink IC for a number one haircut and green uniform.	The National Service Side Quest	Duration: 1 Year 10 Months to 2 YearsThe Allowance starts at $790 per monthThe Opportunity Cost: Hefty to "it was totally worth it" depending on your NS journey. NS is a good opportunity to expand your social circle.
You spend 15 to 20 years in a school uniform, chasing after various education certification that may or may not be relevant to your work after you graduate. Yet, that piece of qualification will tell the HR bot you are worth an interview.	The Paper Chase	44-45% of Singaporeans graduated from local universities like NUS, NTU, etc. 60% of the population will have graduated with a bachelors by 2025/2026.
You land your first job, receive your first pay cheque. You realised going to school beats that 9 to 5 any day.	The Rat Race	Median Starting Salary: University: $4,500 per month Polytechnic: $2,900 per month The goal is to reach a $100,000 savings by 30, but in reality, most of us will end up with only about $20,000 in liquid cash.
From that wedding banquet to getting that BTO. This is the ultimate joint venture affirmed by that ROM paper. Conversations after your overpriced wedding banquet will soon shift from that beautiful wedding gown to the question of reproduction.	The "I Do" (and the "Can We?")	The average cost of raising a child is between $280,000 to $560,000.
You salary is a slow boat and inflation is a jet ski. There will be increasing importance to grow your money at a rate faster than inflation.	The "Grow Your Money" Side Hustle	Optimise your savings with high interest savings bank accounts or platforms. Invest your money based on your risk-preference.
Retiring in Singapore is often a process of "downsizing". Not just your house, but also your expectations.	The Retirement	The statutory retirement age is officially 64, and re-employment age is 69. For those turning 55 in 2026, the Full Retirement Sum (FRS) is $220,400. Depending on when you are born, you potentially need to have $1,618,920 in savings to be able to retire.