Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT)
It has become my yearly routine to set aside one Saturday morning for my yearly IPPT. I dragged it.
The new IPPT format might have adjusted for better performance and the monetary IPPT incentives, there are days when we give in to our inner sloth.
No amount of Certis Cisco PTI shouting “No Count” at my push-ups can motivate me to keep fit for this yearly affair.
IPPT Calculator
The IPPT Calculator might be providing a really convenient way for NSmen to calculate their IPPT score, but the impact of such tool is nothing without the NSmen feeling motivated to do well for IPPT.
There is a need for a greater motivating factor to keep the will to keep fit in our fellow NSmen burning. Something greater than just the yearly monetary incentive on its own.
Instead of just looking at each individual IPPT monetary incentive, maybe we should wise up and look at it as a collective effort to something bigger. With that, we decide to come out with our very own IPPT Motivation Calculator (do copy and try it), that gives you a bigger picture to your usual yearly IPPT incentive.
IPPT Incentives and their monetary incentive (MONEY!)
Every NSman who completed his IPPT session will receive a monetary incentive should he achieve a minimum Pass with incentive.
The reward system is as follows:
Pass with incentive (>60 points): $200
Silver (>70 points): $300
Gold (>85 points): $500
* The benchmark for Gold is slightly higher for our physically inclined brothers-in-arm. Guards, Commandos and Divers are at 90 points and above.
Given that most of the NSmen are already in the workforce, sacrificing their weekday evenings or Saturday mornings for the stated amount of incentive rewards may not be worth the time.
This is where the IPPT Motivation Calculator comes into action.
IPPT Rewards Motivation Calculator
Assuming an NSman just striving to pass his every IPPT with incentive, bagging himself $200 every year. He will continue doing this for 10 years continuously and put all of it into his POSB eSAVINGS account that gives an interest rate of 0.05% per annum.
Note: If you are on POSB eSAVINGS, you might wish to find a bank account with higher interest rates with the help of our tool here.
By the time he finishes his reservist, he will find himself with an extra $2,005.51 in savings, simply by leaving it in the bank.
Now, assuming another NSman who does the same, passing his IPPT with incentive every year. Instead of putting it in the bank, however, this NSman diligently invests the IPPT reward into the SPDR Straits Times Index ETF yearly.
He will find himself having $2,892.23 by the time he finishes his reservist.
If this is not enticing enough, we did the same calculation for NSman aiming for Silver and Gold and investing all of it in STI ETF.
The result is surprising:
Silver after 10 years: $4,338
Gold after 10 years: $7,230
In many ways, the above example is like our investments and savings. We bet some of you are regretting not trying to keep fit earlier. Feel free to make a copy and use the IPPT Motivation Calculator to calculate some of your investment returns.
Read also: Regular Savings Plan: The Piggy Bank For Working Adults
Also, there are a range of financial products one can look to invest in with the incentive, depending on his risk appetite.
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