SINGAPORE: A 29-year-old woman shared on Reddit that her mum and sister had already asked her for money just a week into her first full-time job.
In her post on the r/askSingapore forum, she explained that she had just started working after graduating this year (Class of 2025) and is currently on a six-month probation. Despite her only being one week into the role, her mum has already asked her to contribute S$500 a month. On top of that, her sister is asking for another S$500 since she’s staying at her flat.
“I seldom use the air-con,” she noted, suggesting that her living expenses aren’t very high.
She went on to explain that although she technically can afford it, she finds the amount quite heavy. As someone who considers herself a late bloomer, turning 29 this year and only just entering the workforce, she doesn’t have any CPF savings yet. She also shared that she’s planning to purchase her own flat in the future and wants to rely solely on herself for retirement, rather than depending on marriage or children.
Adding to her financial responsibilities, she also has to start repaying her MOE Tuition Fee Loan. To avoid accumulating interest, she intends to pay about S$1,000 a month towards the loan until it’s cleared.
Seeking advice, she asked the local community, “What are your valuable thoughts? Do y’all pay S$500 (for parents) and another S$500 (for staying at sister’s flat) per month?”
“S$1k is actually alright though.”
In the thread, one user advised her not to feel pressured to give in to her family’s demands, especially so early into her career.
They said, “Give whatever you deem fit. If she’s [your mum] unhappy about it, then just don’t give her any altogether. You literally just started. Where is the money going to come from? Sky? She delulu. Hope you’re able to get your own place as soon as possible within your means!”
Another shared, “I give my parents money, but I give what I could afford. My parents don’t ask for it. I hope your mom understands that you are just starting in life and still isn’t stable yet.”
A third remarked, “It’s just depressing some parents treat their kids as retirement plan and feels entitled to get portion of their salary once they start working.”
On the other hand, some users felt it was reasonable for her to start contributing financially, given that her family had supported her for so many years.
One user pointed out, “I think it’s reasonable and you should pay your share. Some kids get kicked out of the house by 21. You are 29 and supported by your family for close to 3 decades, so yes, it’s about time to pay up.”
Another added, “S$1k is actually alright though. You are living under her roof rent-free technically. Think of it as rent plus parental allowance. Usually parental allowance is 10% of your salary; the rest depends on how much you need to sponsor the house utilities and groceries liao.”
In other news, an 18-year-old Singaporean has sparked a discussion online after opening up about the resentment he feels towards his more financially privileged peers.
Posting on the r/SingaporeRaw subreddit, the teen shared that his family used to survive on less than S$500 a month. Both of his parents had “illnesses” and were unable to work, and the family had no stable income for a long time. Most of their basic needs (from education to food) were only met thanks to school subsidies, donations from volunteers, and small monthly welfare payouts.
Read more: Teen whose family survived on S$500 a month opens up about resentment towards richer peers
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