From zero savings to S$1.6m: Singaporean urges young people not to lose hope, says ‘dark days are temporary’

SINGAPORE: It’s very easy to fall into the trap of thinking you’re falling behind in life. Just scroll through the internet, and you’ll come across dozens, if not hundreds, of stories about young people hitting milestone after milestone.

And you’ll probably sit there and wonder, “What have I done with my life?”

But one Singaporean recently took to Reddit with a simple reminder: just because life isn’t going the way you expected doesn’t mean you’re failing.

‘Dark days are temporary’

In his post, the man, who said he is in his 40s, wrote that “dark days are temporary.”

Sharing his own story, he revealed that during his first six years of working, he had zero savings at all, as most of his salary went towards paying off his family’s debt.

With a wife and three children to support, he did anything and everything he could to survive, including borrowing money left and right just to make ends meet.

From time to time, he also lent money to other family members, even though he was struggling himself because, as he put it, “We can’t choose family, blood is thicker than water.”

From surviving to financial stability

As the years went by, his financial situation slowly improved.

His monthly take-home pay eventually increased from S$2,000 to S$4,000 after CPF deductions.

After 20 years of working just to survive in Singapore, he finally achieved something he once thought was out of reach. He now owns a fully paid 4-room HDB flat.

According to him, his net worth, including the value of the flat, has now crossed S$1.6 million.

Although he has no investment portfolio, he has steadily built up his wealth through his CPF savings and endowment plans.

Finally relieved, he said, “Those early days of uncertainties and anxieties are over. Strangers banging on doors, shouting for money, no longer showed up at my doorstep. I sleep peacefully at night now.”

‘I never want to retire’

Looking back on everything he had gone through, the man said his difficult past continues to shape the way he lives today.

“What I went through, I swear to myself, I will never allow these to happen to my kids. Maybe that is also the reason why I never want to retire. The fear of losing income and history repeats itself.”

He also explained that his parents never had stable jobs. Even when they were employed, they only worked as factory operators for short periods and had no inheritance to leave behind.

“I don’t blame them, I’m thankful for all the lessons I learnt from them. To make me a stronger and better person I am today. To be responsible.”

A message to those who are struggling

He ended his post with a heartfelt message to others who may be facing debt, unemployment, or difficult circumstances.

“For those of you who are in debt, jobless. Feeling helpless and depressed. I was there before. Pressed on and bit the bullet. Any day above ground is a blessing. To be Singaporean is a blessing. Struggles are real but we can be millionaires one day. Stand proud, stand tall.”

“S$1.6m net worth is honestly impressive”

In the comments section, many Singaporean Redditors praised the man for persevering through years of financial hardship and coming out stronger on the other side.

One user wrote, “That’s a good fight, hats off to you.”

Another commented, “Salute brudda! Never easy to juggle kids, put food on the table and support other family members. No matter your income level its about how you lead your lifestyle. I’ve seen friends with S$20-30k income but struggling paycheck to paycheck.”

A third said, “S$1.6m net worth is honestly impressive, especially with a S$4k take-home pay and 3 kids. Not sure how you manage that and pay off your housing loan so quickly. Congrats on keeping your discipline and powering through to get to this position today.”

A fourth added, “Congratulations and all the best! It’s great to have a thankful and grateful heart for all that you have been through.”

In other news, a Singaporean millennial has admitted he is starting to regret giving his mother a monthly allowance after realising just how much wealth he could have built had he invested the money over the years. 

Posting on the Reddit forum r/singaporefi, the man shared that he has been giving his mother 20% of his take-home salary for decades.

Read more: Singaporean questions filial piety after giving his mum 20% of his salary for years