Once in 1998 we published a list like this; some samples of costs for living in China.
Someone was wondering recently what costs of living are for us in Singapore. This might be more financial info than my Western friends are comfortable talking about! I've become so Chinese about these things. Hardly a week goes by when I don't have a neighbor ask me how much I pay in rent!
So this morning I did a quick look at my records. I've been using this simple but great little phone app: Moneybook, just have to have the discipline to put the expenses in as we go and it does the calculations and syncing with an account online.
For those who are on our support team, or are considering it, here's a concrete way to think about what you might be supporting. A representation of some ministry & some of our personal expenses.
Singapore dollars
$80 [US$62] /monthly transportation allowance for Cameron
$175 [US$134] approx cost for hosting last year's Thanksgiving Party/open house for 30 neighbors.
$300 [US$230] average monthly gas for the car.
(Never a day goes by that I am not immensely thankful to have a car!)
$250-$550 round trip ticket to mentoring w/pastors in neighboring countries (1/4ly)
$834 [US$640] /mo Singapore income tax
$1150 [US$883] food costs in September
$1200 [US$921] gifts sent to current donors at Chinese New Year 2011
$1400-$1800 [US$1047-$1381] one round trip plane ticket SINGAPORE>LA. Or to bring Tyler back for a holiday.
$2400 /mo rent [US$1842]
$4000 [US$3071] TOTAL monthly household expenses
$5,300 [US$5069] Total medical expenses so far this year
Someone was wondering recently what costs of living are for us in Singapore. This might be more financial info than my Western friends are comfortable talking about! I've become so Chinese about these things. Hardly a week goes by when I don't have a neighbor ask me how much I pay in rent!
For those who are on our support team, or are considering it, here's a concrete way to think about what you might be supporting. A representation of some ministry & some of our personal expenses.
[US>SG$ calculated in current exchange rate]
Singapore dollars
$80 [US$62] /monthly transportation allowance for Cameron
$175 [US$134] approx cost for hosting last year's Thanksgiving Party/open house for 30 neighbors.
$300 [US$230] average monthly gas for the car.
(Never a day goes by that I am not immensely thankful to have a car!)
$250-$550 round trip ticket to mentoring w/pastors in neighboring countries (1/4ly)
$834 [US$640] /mo Singapore income tax
$1150 [US$883] food costs in September
$1200 [US$921] gifts sent to current donors at Chinese New Year 2011
$1400-$1800 [US$1047-$1381] one round trip plane ticket SINGAPORE>LA. Or to bring Tyler back for a holiday.
$2400 /mo rent [US$1842]
$4000 [US$3071] TOTAL monthly household expenses
$5,300 [US$5069] Total medical expenses so far this year
(we'll make our $5000 deductible for the first time, so we'll get some back!)
$8,500 [US$6525] Total receipts for our family trip to visit missionaries March 2010.
$16,000 [US$12,283] Annual School expenses for Cameron (blessed w/ 40% discount as an Mkid. With Tyler in a Cal State School, and having managed to maintain residency through home ownership and some California State Tax over the years, college costs less than school in Singapore!)
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