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Wednesday, June 25, 2025
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‘I can’t really find my people’: Young Singaporean wonders if others know what it’s like to grow up in a low-income family

SINGAPORE: After a Singaporean who grew up in a low-income family said they “have some sort of hatred towards” others with more financial stability, they received a lot of support and encouragement from other Reddit users.

In a June 22 (Sunday) post on r/SingaporeRaw, u/Ready_Cap3661 got brutally honest about their feelings and wanted to know if anyone else who had grown up in a household with an income below S$2,000 had negative feelings towards those who grew up with more.

The post author, now 18, explained that when they were growing up, the monthly income in their family was less than S$500. Both of their parents are ill, and their other family members do not work. They were able to go to school for free, and their family received donated food every week.

While their parents received a small amount by way of a welfare cheque each month, their household bills went unpaid for years. Nevertheless, HDB “somehow” turned a blind eye to this.

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However, the post author’s sibling had to stop schooling to support the family.

Understandably, these straitened circumstances were very difficult for the post author to deal with, perhaps especially in prosperous Singapore.

“I look at kids my age and have somewhat of a hatred for them. All the friends that I’ve had have parents with cars, a daily or weekly allowance, and their own room. I still don’t have any of that. Instead, I’m working every single day trying to find money for myself, but no matter how much I work, I still know that most kids my age are still gonna be richer than me even if they don’t put the effort that I put in,” they added, recalling that when they were 14, they saved for months to buy an inexpensive bike from Decathlon, but even after they got it, their feelings were somewhat spoiled because they knew others had better bikes.

They ended the post by writing, “I feel somewhat isolated, like no one in public actually went through what we had to go through. Like, I can’t really find my people.”

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Fortunately, many Reddit users showed up in support of the post author.

A commenter who said they had grown up under similar circumstances wrote, “Everyone has a different starting point and we need to accept that … We all are exposed to different resources and experiences that it’s unfair to compare yourself to someone else, and it’s not your fault or anyone’s… It’s just circumstances.

“You have the ability to survive in harsh financial conditions compared to someone who hasn’t seen such hardships…so it honestly puts you in an advantageous position…

“Survival of the fittest. So chin up!! You have come a long way!!”

“Rather than resentment, I feel envious that people got it easier. I know, even how hard I try, it’s impossible to break into the upper tier. People have inheritance lining up, while we have debt lining up. My goal is to avoid putting my kids through what I have been through. You can do it too!” wrote another.

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A commenter who also grew up in a low-income household,  “I can honestly tell you that you will be more resilient and grateful for whatever positive that comes in your way at your stage in life as compared to your peers from more stable backgrounds. These traits will prepare you for survival when you’re older in the working world.

“Chin up! Use it as motivation to break through this low-income vicious cycle. You can do it! Jiayou!” /TISG

Read also: ‘Is S$200k low income now?’ — Singaporean says even a condo or new car feels unaffordable

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