SINGAPORE: A 30-year-old man who was retrenched last year shared on social media that he is now down to his last S$4,400.
Posting on Reddit’s ‘Ask Singapore’ forum on Monday (Mar 24), he explained that most of his money has gone toward paying off a S$30,000 debt, covering household bills, and supporting his elderly mother, who is expected to retire in five to six years.
He further shared, “I’m still looking for a job. Planning to propose late this year if I get a job and plan to get married by 2026. Based on my calculations, by the end of 2026, I’d have at best 5 figures of savings, and that’s probably the low end, like S$10,000 to $20,000.”
Unsure of where he stands compared to his peers, he asked others, “Am I far behind in my life? In terms of finances, career, etc. I want to know if I am very far behind people of the same age. I know comparison isn’t gonna get me anywhere, but knowing where I stand on average can at least give me a better gauge on what I need to work on.”
“You run your own race, mate…”
In the comments section, many users reminded the man that life was not a race and that everyone progresses at their own pace
One user shared, “Walk your own journey. Others have been in debt longer and older than you and still manage to survive and thrive. Just keep your head down and continue working hard on yourself. You seem to have a plan, and I have a feeling things are gonna work out for you!”
Another said, “You run your own race, mate.”
A third commented, “As long as you don’t compare with your peers, you are fine. As for weddings, it’s a waste of money for formality. If your partner agrees to just ROM (Registry of Marriages) and not hold a banquet, then you will be able to save quite a bit.”
However, some were more blunt and told the man that, he is indeed far behind in life.
One said, “Generally, yes. You don’t have enough savings for emergency (e.g., 6 months), which is very essential. Much less savings for your future plans such as marriage, BTO (build to order), renovation, etc.”
Another remarked, “Yes, you are behind—that’s just the truth that I think you want to hear, but please don’t let that take away your wins so far —you paid down your debt, you have a girlfriend, you have some savings, you can take care of your mom, and you kind of have a gameplan. Aren’t what I mentioned wins? There are tons of bums out there in this world if you think about it.”
In other news, a Singaporean IT professional took to social media on Friday (Mar 21) to share that his team leader made his life miserable the moment he resigned.
In a post on the ‘Ask Singapore’ Reddit forum, he revealed that as soon as he submitted his resignation letter, his team leader started ‘harassing’ him with excessive documentation every single day.
Read more: Singaporean IT professional says his team leader started ‘harassing’ him after he resigned
Featured image by freepik (for illustration purposes only)