Can you afford to take a career break? | Money Talks Podcast

Summary

In the 'Money Talks' podcast, host Andrea H explores the financial implications of taking a career break through the experiences of guest Andy, who took a two-year hiatus to pursue his MBA. The episode delves into Andy's financial planning, cost-cutting strategies, and the importance of communication with his family during this period. Andy shares insights on managing expenses, the value of spending time with family, and the benefits of a career break, concluding that such a break can be worthwhile but should be carefully planned to minimize financial stress.

Takeaways

• 📚 The importance of planning financially before taking a career break, as highlighted by the host's experience of needing to do freelance work during her 3-month break.
• 💼 Andy's decision to take a 2-year career break was influenced by the inability to take unpaid leave for his MBA, leading to a careful financial planning process with his wife.
• 🏠 Major monthly expenses like childcare and car payments were identified as significant financial burdens during Andy's break, emphasizing the need to address these when planning for a break.
• 🚗 The car remained a necessity due to children's school transportation, but Andy supplemented car expenses by driving for Grab to cover running costs.
• 🍽️ Eating out was one of the first expenses to be cut, illustrating the need to reassess discretionary spending during a financial break.
• 🩰 Adjusting family expenses also included changing the children's extracurricular activities to more affordable options, like moving from private to People's Association schools for ballet lessons.
• 💰 A conversation with the insurance company allowed Andy to suspend premium payments for a year, showcasing the value of reviewing financial commitments during a break.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Andy's experience of being a 'house husband' during the break led to a shift in family dynamics, with his wife taking the financial lead and him contributing through childcare and household duties.
• 🧳 Despite cutting back on travel, the family managed a short holiday by utilizing points from a vacation club, demonstrating creative budgeting even during financial constraints.
• 💹 Liquidating some investments became necessary to cover expenses during the break, indicating the potential need to tap into savings or assets when planning a career break.
• 🔄 Post-break, Andy returned to work with a different perspective on life and work goals, suggesting that a break can provide valuable personal insights and changes in outlook.

Q & A

What is the podcast 'Money Talks' about?

The podcast 'Money Talks' is a platform for various conversations related to personal finance, including topics like the costs of getting a divorce and financial considerations when taking a career break.

What advice did family lawyer Ivan Chong give regarding divorce costs?

Ivan Chong advised to iron out all the financial details early on before seeing lawyers, which is one of the biggest ways to save money, time, and heartache during a divorce.

Why did the host, Andrea H, take a career break?

Andrea H took a career break for three months at the age of 38. Although it wasn't the most financially sound move, she enjoyed the freedom that came with having no scheduled obligations.

What was the main reason Andy took a two-year career break?

Andy took a two-year career break to pursue his MBA. His company did not allow for a no-pay leave, so he had to resign to focus on his studies.

How did Andy plan for the financial implications of his career break?

Andy planned for the financial implications by calculating his funds, talking to his wife, and deciding on areas where they could cut expenses, such as holidays and eating out.

What was the approximate monthly expense for Andy's family during the time of his career break?

Andy's family's monthly expenses were close to 5 to 6 thousand dollars, including childcare for his two young kids, which was a significant portion of the cost.

How did Andy manage his car expenses during the career break?

Andy managed his car expenses by driving for Grab, which helped to cover the daily usage costs like petrol and road tax, although it didn't fully cover the car installment.

What changes did Andy and his wife make regarding their children's activities and education during the career break?

They moved their daughter from a private ballet school to a more affordable People's Association school and established new routines for eating out to reduce costs.

How did Andy explain the career break to his young children?

Andy explained the career break to his children by establishing new routines, such as eating out less frequently, without explicitly telling them about his unemployment.

What was the impact of the career break on Andy's role within his family?

During the career break, Andy became the 'house husband,' taking a back seat in terms of financial contributions while his wife took the lead, which was an adjustment for both of them.

How did Andy's experience during his career break influence his perspective on work and life after returning to the workforce?

After returning to work, Andy entered with a different perspective, focusing more on the real goals for his career and being more watchful of his expenses.

What advice does Andy give to those considering a career break?

Andy advises to have at least a year's worth of expenses saved up and to cut unnecessary purchases by at least 20%. He also suggests considering a shorter break of half a year to one year.

Outlines

00:00

🎙️ Podcast Introduction and Career Break Discussion

The Money Talks podcast, hosted by Andrea H, revisits the topic of financial planning, specifically the costs of divorce, and introduces the subject of career breaks. The host shares her personal experience of taking a 3-month break at 38, which was not financially ideal. The episode's guest, Andy, discusses his two-year career break to pursue an MBA, emphasizing the importance of financial planning and the support of his wife in making this decision.

05:03

📚 Balancing Studies, Work, and Family Life

Andy explains the circumstances that led to his long career break, which was partly due to the need to complete his MBA while working part-time. He describes the six-month planning process with his wife to adjust their lifestyle and cut expenses, such as forgoing holidays and reducing dining out. The conversation also covers the financial implications of having young children and the decision to use his car for Grab driving to offset some costs.

10:03

👨‍👧‍👦 Adjusting Family Life During a Career Break

The discussion continues with Andy's strategies for managing family expenses during his break, including moving his daughter from a private ballet school to a more affordable option and reconsidering insurance premiums. He also shares how he explained the career break to his young children by establishing new routines and the importance of spending quality time with them.

15:04

🏠 Financial and Domestic Adjustments as a House Husband

Andy talks about the domestic adjustments during his break, including his new role as a house husband and the dynamic with his wife, who continued to work. He describes the mental shift required to take a step back financially and the importance of maintaining open communication about family decisions. The conversation also touches on the use of his savings and the liquidation of some investments to cover expenses during the break.

20:05

💼 Returning to Work and Reflecting on the Career Break

In the final part of the conversation, Andy reflects on the value of his career break, the lessons learned about financial management, and the benefits of spending time with his family. He advises on the importance of having a financial cushion and cutting back on non-essential expenses. Andy concludes by saying that while the break was worth it, he would consider a shorter period next time and emphasizes the need for continuous financial vigilance.

Keywords

💡Career Break

A career break refers to a voluntary period of time during which a person takes a hiatus from their professional life. In the video, the theme revolves around the experiences of individuals who have taken career breaks, emphasizing the financial and personal implications. For instance, the guest, Andy, took a two-year career break to pursue his MBA, which involved significant financial planning and lifestyle adjustments.

💡Financial Considerations

Financial considerations encompass the monetary aspects and budgeting required for making major life decisions, such as taking a career break. In the context of the video, financial considerations are crucial as they dictate the feasibility of a career break and involve cutting expenses, saving, and sometimes taking on part-time work, as Andy did with Grab driving to supplement his income.

💡MBA

MBA stands for Master of Business Administration, a postgraduate degree that involves advanced study of business and management principles. Andy's pursuit of an MBA was the primary reason for his career break, highlighting the investment in education and personal development that can necessitate a break from full-time employment.

💡Expenses

Expenses in the video refer to the ongoing costs of living, including childcare, housing, transportation, and other household costs. The script discusses how Andy and his wife had to reassess and reduce their monthly expenses to accommodate his two-year career break, identifying areas such as eating out and car usage for potential cost reduction.

💡Insurance

Insurance in this context is a financial product that provides coverage or reimbursement for potential risks or losses. Andy mentioned speaking to his insurance provider to manage his policy during his career break, indicating the importance of reviewing and adjusting financial protections during periods of financial uncertainty.

💡Investments

Investments are assets or property bought with the hope of generating income or profit. In the script, Andy liquidated some of his shares to cover expenses during his break, illustrating how individuals might utilize their investments to manage cash flow during periods without regular employment income.

💡Grab Driving

Grab Driving refers to working as a driver for the ride-hailing and delivery platform, Grab. Andy took up Grab driving as a side hustle during his career break to help cover his car-related expenses, demonstrating a practical way to supplement income during a break from full-time employment.

💡Communication

Communication is the exchange of information, ideas, or feelings. In the video, the importance of communication between Andy and his wife is highlighted as they navigated the financial and domestic implications of his career break, emphasizing the need for open dialogue in making such significant life decisions.

💡House Husband

A house husband is a man who manages the household while his partner works. Andy referred to himself as the 'house husband' during his career break, indicating a shift in traditional gender roles within the family and the need for adaptability in domestic responsibilities.

💡Budgeting

Budgeting is the process of creating a plan to spend money on a regular basis, allocating income towards expenses and savings. The video script mentions the importance of budgeting during a career break, as Andy had to carefully plan his finances to ensure that his family's needs were met with reduced income.

💡Podcast

A podcast is a digital audio program available for download or streaming, often covering a specific topic or theme. The video script is from a podcast called 'Money Talks,' which discusses various financial topics, including the financial aspects of taking a career break, as shared by the guest Andy.

Highlights

The importance of planning finances early when considering a career break, as suggested by family lawyer Ivan Chong.

The host, Andrea H, shares her personal experience of a three-month career break and the financial implications it had.

Guest Andy's decision to take a two-year career break in 2016 to pursue his MBA, despite the financial challenges.

The necessity of discussing and gaining support from family, particularly one's spouse, before taking a career break.

Strategic financial planning, including cutting back on holidays and other non-essential expenses during a career break.

The significant monthly expenses of having young children, including childcare costs, and how they factor into financial planning.

The role of a side hustle, such as driving for Grab, to supplement income and cover car-related expenses during a break.

The impact of a career break on family dynamics, including children's routines and expectations.

Adjusting to a new role within the family, such as becoming the 'house husband' during the break.

The importance of maintaining open communication with one's spouse about financial contributions and decisions.

The psychological adjustment required when transitioning from being a primary breadwinner to relying on savings and a spouse's income.

The benefits of a career break, such as spending quality time with family and reevaluating life and career goals.

Practical advice on budgeting for a career break, including setting aside a year's worth of expenses and cutting back on non-essential spending.

The value of liquidating investments as an emergency fund during a career break, if necessary.

The host's reflection on the benefits of a career break, including gaining a new perspective and being more watchful of expenses post-break.

Andy's final thoughts on the worthiness of his two-year career break and the lessons learned about prioritizing and managing finances.

The podcast's closing remarks emphasizing the rarity of career breaks in Singapore and the potential benefits of taking one.

Transcripts

you're listening to a CNA

podcast welcome back to the Money Talks

podcast I'm your host Andrea H this is

where all kinds of conversations about

your money live and they live

permanently because you have access to

all of our past episodes including our

last one about the costs involved in

getting a divorce the takeaway from that

conversation that I had with family

lawyer Ivan Chong iron out all the

dollars and cents early then go and see

the lawyers trust me it's one of the

biggest ways to save money and of course

time and of course heartache too you can

go check it out on Spotify Apple or

Google podcasts and then when you're

done listening tell us what you think

okay now when's the last time you took a

career break or perhaps a sabatical of

some kind what I did for 3 months very

recently actually at the age of 38 now

looking back it wasn't the most

financially sound move to make I didn't

have a fund to chap into so I actually

still had to do freelance gigs to get by

but the freedom that freedom of having

nothing to do well nothing scheduled to

do was quite wonderful I have to say

well on today's episode what I want to

do is get a firsthand account of what

it's like for someone who took a career

break and his take on the financial

considerations for those planning to

take one so you don't end up like me my

guest is Andy so he took a break from

work for two years guys two years today

he's back at work he's doing sales for

smig Singapore you know those fancy

kettles and DOL and gaban of fridges

thanks for joining us on Money Talks

Andy hi all right so tell us Andy how in

the first place did you land yourself in

a position where you had to take such a

long career break I mean 3 months was

already nerve-wracking for me but you

took two years off yeah that was back in

2016 in December I was halfway through

my NBA but then as the study get more

and more tedious working and study

parttime weekend is being burned oh yeah

yeah so I decided to talk to my boss to

see if I can really take a no pay but

taking no p is not an option for them

because they need someone to lead the

sales team back then so so no choice I

have to take back the bullet calculate

the funds and everything talk to the

wife the most important thing is she has

to agree absolutely given that you

didn't really have a choice I guess at

the time but to take a career break in

order to pursue your MBA were you able

to plan for it before you actually went

on this break I mean how much notice was

that between the time that you told your

boss and your boss said no and the time

you actually said okay you know what I'm

going to take this leave now

I told him somewhere in June to ask him

for option whether I can take a no payd

for a year to and a half because my

study will complete in 2017 right they

say it's not a company policy even

though it's a

MMC yeah so I guess that's where I

started to to plan and talk to my wife

to see how much we can adjust here and

there and how long was that conversation

how long did you plan for it we planned

about 6 months wow okay so you you did

take your time you didn't rush into it

you didn't rush into it yes prepare

about it financially see where we can

cut I think the most important thing to

cut is holiday oh so painful and

especially since you're working so hard

on this MBA yeah you want to take your

family to a nice place to really you

know take a break sometimes right okay

but before we get into that I just

wanted to ask also before you went on

this break what were your monthly

expenses like roughly roughly at then I

already have two very young kids and

young kids are actually the most

expensive especially with their child

care it can cost back then was already

1,2 to 1005 per per and just per kid per

kid wow and that's on top of your

expenses and your wife's expenses yes so

all in all expenses money expenses plus

the household will reach about close to

5 to 6K oh that's a big burn in the

pocket yes correct and what did you

observe was your biggest expense I know

the kids were expensive yeah oh the car

car is the biggest expenses and that was

back then this is before the record

correct oh my gosh okay so the car was

the biggest expense how did you plan to

reduce that expense uh okay so when I

was not studying I took up the grab to

drive grab ah so you had a side hustle

yes correct so it helps to supplement in

terms of petrol and the road tax but of

course installment wise I'm not driving

full time so it's a bit difficult to

cover the full installment so at least

cover the daily much usage of the the

expenses of running the car not the car

itself okay was it an option for you to

cut the car out completely when you went

on this break it's not an option because

my kids in the morning need to F them to

to school and back then my son is

starting P1 oh very important Year yes

corre and the schools is not very

exactly near my house yeah so that's

where need to send him to school okay so

it was a bit of a sacrifice right yes

correct okay I hope your son listening

to this year's on I hope so will be very

grateful for Papa doing this for him

even though he had to know go without a

job did you know immediately what else

you had to cut back on apart from you

obviously the car wasn't an option did

you know what else you had to cut back

on what was the first I guess strike off

the list if you will of St off the list

is probably eating out ah okay and that

amounted to a lot for you on average eat

out perier it comes to 100 to 150 per

for of yes for a family of four on a

simple restaurant we are not talking

about those missioning restaurant or

those highend restaurant it's even

simple restaurant casual dining casual

dining yes yeah it can come up to about

$100 per meal so that was the first

thing you struck off the expens okay

what else did you have to consider in

terms of family expenses for example the

kids and their extracurricular

activities did you think about reducing

expenses on that or any other family

related expenses you had to cut back on

back then my girl has ballet lessons so

ballet doesn't come cheat as well oh

yeah yeah so we move her from those

private B school to those people

Association school so so it's more

affordable a more affordable is which is

about half the price yeah so she still

get to dance and not say stop totally so

and the other thing is enrichment class

we don't really have it so it's not a

big concern I think the other concern is

Insurance yes yeah so a lot of us why we

working we tend to buy what we can

afford and everything but when I decided

to take this two years I speak to my

insurance to see if I can go on a

premium H something like that so they

say can because back there I bought this

Rider the insurance that I bought is

actually more for my kids future study

and everything as well so quite a huge

amount is being suck in so it's good

that I have the rider on but you only

can go for maximum one year okay well

still better than better than corre yeah

did you feel like you needed to be extra

vigilant make sure you you know don't

fall seriously ill you don't get to an

accident that sort of stuff otherwise

your insurance might not kick in or did

you worry about stuff like that when you

went on the break it came across my mind

but we just had to say we need to leave

normally and not to be over cautious the

I think the more cautious you are the

more worried you are the tendency for

you to forsake is higher yeah it's

actually very true I mean a lot of us

forget that sometimes stressing over not

for falling sick you do end up falling

sick right okay so here's another

interesting question for you my dad was

retrenched before it's a bit different

from yours my dad was retrenched before

he had a really tough time trying to

sort of explain to us kids and we were

quite a bit older than your kids we were

teenagers he had a bit of a tough time

trying to adjust to being unemployed

some would even argue he had an even

tougher time explaining to us as kids

hey Papa's not working because so and so

how did you explain to two young

children the reason for your career

break it's a bit tough because they are

still young and they still want to eat

whatever they want to eat but then

because they don't know where the money

comes from right yes they still don't

have the concept of where the money come

from so what we need to do is we just

had to slowly make it a habit to not so

eat l so often right yeah so we started

off with Monday to Friday eat home mhm

then Saturday Sunday we only eat one me

outside and the r is home okay so it's

just establishing new routines so when

kids are young it's easier to to make

the routine and everything so explaining

to them will make it worse they will not

understand why and they create big fast

and after that parents also get angry as

well so so sometime we just need to keep

status qu a bit and we just slowly build

a new routine around them okay so they

don't actually know they didn't actually

know that you were unemployed yes

correct but it's just that they realize

that how come I at home more often I'm

sure they were happy with that yes they

are happy with it actually I enjoy the

two years spending time with them

picking them up and sending them to

school and these are important years

they're still so young right that was

what I was going to ask Al so do you

think there was a lesson there to teach

them you know as a parent you're going

through these changes did you think

there was a lesson there to be taught

well the lesson I learned is that we

constantly need to talk to them that why

we are at home it's not because we

choose to be at home but it's not by

circumstances but it's by what we want

to do yeah yeah is also we hardly spend

time with that during this period of

time yeah especially if let say they go

to child care yeah 9 hours are in school

and the rest before they sleep is only

the balance of two hours and how often

we spend time with them correct correct

so my advice to parents or working

adults who want to take a cor think

carefully about the finances we need to

have on average expenses to keep about a

year if you want to do a year I think

that's very good advice but I think also

I'll ask you later on about whether it

was all worth it I just wanted to get

more into the nyr now we talked about

the kids now let's talk about the

wife so you had all these ongoing

expenses to think about you took 6

months the two of you to discuss okay

here's what we're cutting out here's

what we're keeping here's how we are

reducing talk to us about how you and

your wife came together to iron things

out I assume she was still working at

this time right yes she is still working

okay so was there an

expectation that you would be

contributing the same to the household

during this break I would say initially

it's a little bit difficult because most

of the time I'm the one that that pay

most of the household so as times goes

by I had to explain to her that my

saving is deting yeah I can't really put

in the same am of saving into the same

joint account that we have so for the

two years she wear the pants at home and

I became the house husand how did you

deal with that were you okay with it I'm

initially was a little bit weird to to

be a house husband because it's unusual

for for Singapore men I would say so

yeah yeah so it's a mindset and

mentality that we need to adjust because

yes if I want to take a break and want

to study I will take a step back yeah

and she will have to take the lead and

how did she feel about that uh uh she

also feel weird because I'm the man on

the house and suddenly she so I say I'm

not totally lay off yeah it's just that

in terms of finances you are taking the

front L where I'm taking a back SE and

we will still discuss on things that do

with kids and everything it's just that

financially I'm not as capable as I am

previously but I do respect her for

seeking my advice and my opinion on the

things to spend on everything I think

that's the sign of a strong solid and

healthy partnership really because

without that communication it's going to

be hard for you to have taken this break

I mean you talk about one year we talk

about a few months and already people

get worried right in marriages and

relationships this is two years so kudos

to the two of you you guys are still

together just put it out there you guys

are still together you're happy you you

work things out the more important thing

is you earn your NBA at the end of it

yes correct yeah and the good thing is

that she has a stable job yeah I think

that makes it count because because when

one party is not so stable the other one

has to keep man for right

[Music]

okay hello everyone my name is chrispina

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a new episode drops every Monday catch

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your

podcast so you did say that travel was

obviously like no it's not going to

happen during this career break did you

try to budget for one like maybe to

nearby places we did budget for one to

book it ah yes because before that we

managed to purchase the soal Merit

Vacation Club thing so we managed to

still use the points so we don't need to

really pay for the hotel we just need to

buy uh air tickets to to go there for

about 4 days three9 to take oh that's

smart would you add that to your advice

in terms of strategizing a career break

like you know collect all these points

know where your points are be the Auntie

yes correct okay I wouldn't say buy a

package beforehand like say in the event

if you still manage to save up a few

hundred every month here and there

cutting down those expenses I'm sure

working out all the budget and

everything we still can do a short

holiday somewhere yeah no need to be far

as long as the family can get together

and enjoy ourself is good enough hey you

can take a 5our bus ride to KL I mean if

the kids can St even a station would be

good enough as well exactly yeah exactly

and that's a few hundred if you take a

break you enjoy the holiday experience

as a family kids don't know the

as long as it's not at home as long as

it's not at home we're not washing

dishes we're not doing the ironing

nothing okay so we talked about

insurance we talked about household

expenses conversations with the kids and

the wife did you budget for Investments

then did you have any investments before

going on this career break and how did

you manage them when you went on that

break okay I bought a couple of shares

that's where I liquidated a bit as well

so it's a unplanned liquidation because

of this twoyear break but no doubt as

you see if the profit has made do not be

greedy and say hold on to it but like

say use it these are the emergency funds

that can EAS and for some people that's

exactly what that is for the Investments

are for well it's not necessarily for a

rainy day but it's comforting knowing

that it's there it's there that for you

to utilize when you need it yes and are

you have you gone back on those

Investments since you've returned to

work did okay so you're feeling quite

relieved now you're quite relaxed I have

to say for The Listener Andy is dressed

very comfortably and casually in a pair

of chinos and poloa he's very relaxed

now he's got his amb in his pocket

though those two years must have been

really stressful so in the final

calculation of your expenses how did you

cover them while being effectively

unemployed I mean did you continue your

grab driving for example did you amp it

up okay for my routine actually the day

is very simple in the morning I drive

both kids to school yep after dropping

out I will start the the gra mhm we

drive until about close to 11:00 I go

home take a break mhm then one plus I

will start to fetch them again okay then

I reach home and spend time with them at

home then in the evening about after

dinner I do another two hours and come

back okay yeah that's the and that was

it for two years yes correct for someone

who is taking a voluntary break I would

say yours is voluntary in a sense for

someone doing what you did

how much would you say he or she should

set aside financially I know you said a

Year's worth of expenses is there any

advice on top of that well our expenses

mainly covers a lot of unnecessary

purchases online nowadays so if we can

cut that away to minimum like maybe just

the necessaries item for the household

we would usually cut at least 20% of

what we usually spend that's my advice

so if you plan to take 6 months you

prepare about 80% of what your expenses

right it should be enough for you to

still live comfortably and doing what

you like to do as well so yeah that

that's pretty good advice and I like

that you put numbers to that I think

it's true you can cut 20% sometimes even

more of what we normally spend on a

day-to-day basis and if you can do that

you can probably survive on I guess the

remainder of the amount of what you used

to earn my next question is how would

you advise this person to prioritize

the

finances okay the prioritize are the

things that is a must pay must pay like

housing your car if you have a car and

of course the kids allowance that you do

not want them to worry that there's no

no food on a table these three things

are the most important thing that you

need to Parise in terms of cutting away

I mean the car was there because you are

in sales and it's something that you're

used to having and you need you needed

them for the kids so the other option is

downgrade a car if you necessary because

a car if is just a car for you to F

around of course don't downgrade to uh

those need a lot repair you just to be

do the due Dent to go for inspection all

this all those repairs add upost even

more exactly exactly okay so you took a

career break to complete this MBA in and

the point was to upgrade yourself all

said and done Andy would you say it was

all worth it the two years of pain the

cutting back on

expenses keeping things status quo at

home for the kids and that conversation

with your wife was it all worth it yes

it's all worth it yeah would you do it

all over again if you could I would do

it again but not for two years two years

are a little bit too long I would say

because after a while you realize he

keep doing back the same thing and over

again is is very difficult so I think a

career break for half a year to one year

is good enough to re enjoys yourself to

ref Focus yourself on what you want to

do as well did you feel going back to

work now in your current job you were

entering with a different perspective

yes I did enter with a different

perspective and what is like what is the

real goal for me at the end of the day

of a career yeah are you guys still

cutting back on expenses now that you're

back at work uh not really now it's well

it's not say cutting back but like I say

it's not just taking a break sometime my

advice is to those who also doing a

career switch as well so you may have a

pay cut that's where you also need to

learn how to cut back as well so yeah I

think it's always a work in progress you

know always I think would I be correct

to say that you I guess are more

watchful of your expenses if you're not

cutting back on them now that you're

back at work are you more watchful of

them more watchful yes so we learn to

budget a little bit more to cut back as

well so when to spend and when not to

spend is it necessary or not necessary

yeah these are simple questions but they

can be sometimes the most important ones

right you have to be real with yourself

at the end of the day and have a wife

like yours thank you all right so what's

your best takeaway from this two-year

career break spending time with friends

and relatives is very important we can't

live alone in this world we need friends

because if you have wives and kids they

are the next best person that you know

them and they know you the best yes okay

awesome sabatical career breaks they

seem to be quite rare here in Singapore

but they're not unusual as is the case

with Andy here in a country where the

cost of living is a constant stress

point so many of us wouldn't dare take a

career break for the risk of losing not

just money but also worrying about how

it will affect our careers but depending

on your need for one a career break can

still be highly beneficial in perhaps

other intangible ways thanks Andy for

sharing your experience with us and for

giving us the advice we need thank you

we really appreciate it and thank you to

you listener if you have enjoyed this

episode of Money Talks there's more

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tell us what you think of this episode

or others that you've listened to we

want to know the team behind Money Talks

is Jacqueline Chan Joan Chan Tiffany an

chrispina Robert sa win jessin tan and

I'm Andrea h master your

[Music]

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