SINGAPORE: A man took to Reddit on Thursday (May 16) to ask if he’s really saving “too little,” after his wife criticised his current savings and asked him to save more.
Posting on the r/singaporefi forum, the man shared that he takes home about S$5,000 monthly after Central Provident Fund (CPF) and puts aside around S$2,000 into savings each month. He also gives his wife a monthly allowance of S$500.
Despite this, his wife feels he’s not saving enough and expects him to increase the amount.
The man explained that he was already stretched thin, with some months leaving him with less than S$20 to spend during the last week.
“I’m stretched to the max. I don’t even buy any gadgets. Just plain paying bills, makan, an occasional movie, and milk powder for my baby boy,” he wrote.
“I have a five-room HDB, a baby boy, and a wife, so am I really saving too little?” he asked his fellow users.
“Ask her to contribute 50% to the bills…”
Many commenters were quick to reassure the man that saving around 40% of his income is already more than enough. Most felt he was doing a good job managing his money, especially with a kid to care for.
One wrote, “I think your spending is reasonable. You must be frugal to spend that amount on kid expenses. Unfortunately, I agree that your wife is a bit of a red flag.”
Another added, “Wah, I think you are actually saving a lot, so I’m surprised that you/your wife think it’s little.”
Some also questioned whether he should continue the marriage, pointing out that his wife’s demands seemed unreasonable given his existing financial responsibilities.
One said, “That is (a) money sucker, not a wife. Ask her to contribute 50% to the bills, or both of you go your separate ways.”
Others suggested having an honest conversation instead. One said, “Perhaps the better approach would be to sit her down and go through the family’s monthly expenses together so she knows how much you (are) paying and how much you are left with.
“I believe she does not really know how much you spend for the family, hence her comment. Maybe can try it out and see how it goes.”
In other news, a Singaporean was shocked after hearing her friend confidently state that she would only accept a job that pays more than S$10,000 a month.
Sharing on the r/askSingapore subreddit, the individual explained that several of her friends are about to graduate, and some have already secured offers with starting salaries ranging from S$8,000 to S$11,000. Many of them are entering high-paying industries like finance, tech, and law, so the numbers, while shocking, made some sense to her. However, one friend’s comment caught her off guard.
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