Getting my financial life in order

So now I'm looking at HDB flats to settle down in with my dear Key - time to get serious about getting my financial life in order!

Problem is, after having read all those useful personal finance blogs, I realize that I haven't found one that's based in a Singapore context. And the world is totally different! For one thing, the best interest rate you can get on a savings account in Singapore (for someone with my funds) appears to be StanChart's 1.8% - whereas that guy at The Simple Dollar is always raving about the HSBC account with 4% interest rates... For another, the whole thing about buying homes using CPF and stuff is just so bloody confusing.

So now, I've got a few tasks ...

1) Figure how much I can afford for the HDB flat - or indeed, whether I should be renting instead (heaven forbid I buy a condo at this point!);

2) Find out how I can maximize my investment from this place where interest rates on all kinds of deposit accounts seems abysmally low;

3) Think through how much insurance I need, and get that amount!

4) Appropriately for the number 4, make my CPF declaration and draw up my last will and testament.

Of course, I'm ridiculously blur about this and still finding my way around.. So I might as well make a journey of it and a) entertain some people, b) share the experience, and c) seek inputs from anyone who happens onto the site.

So... let's start!