SINGAPORE: A Singaporean man earning S$3,500 a month has admitted he’s finding it hard to feel satisfied with his career after seeing many of his friends land jobs paying S$5,500 to S$6,000 a month.
In a post on the r/asksg forum, the 27-year-old shared that he has a private degree and works in the supply chain industry. Looking at his situation objectively, he knows he’s not doing badly.
“I know my salary isn’t terrible with the amount of work I do,” he wrote. “It pays the bills, and I’m grateful to have stable employment. The problem is comparison.”
“Whenever I hear my friends talk about landing jobs at the Big 4 or other MNCs with starting salaries of S$5,5000 to S$6,000, I can’t help but feel an ache in my chest.”
Even though he knows they studied different degrees that naturally command higher pay, he confessed it still stings.
“It’s not like they’re overpaid or anything. They earned it. Still, it’s hard not to wonder if I’m falling behind in life.”
Realising the comparison was slowly eating away at his peace of mind, he sought advice from fellow Singaporeans on how to stop measuring his life against everyone else’s.
“For those who’ve gone through something similar, how did you stop comparing yourself to others and become genuinely content with your own salary and career? Or is this just something that gets better with time? I’d really appreciate hearing your experiences.”
“If you’re not happy, just go back and study another degree”
In the discussion thread, many Redditors told the man that earning more isn’t always better. They pointed out that bigger paycheques often come with bigger sacrifices.
One shared, “Most high earners I know don’t invest much time in their family and kids. Some do but end up neglecting something else instead, like perhaps health or personal time.”
Another said, “Comparison is the thief of joy. Life is so much simpler if you focus just on yourself. Your S$5,500-S$6,000 friends will also compare themselves with their peers on S$8,000-S$9,000. This will never end.”
Others who earn even less than the 27-year-old also chimed in with their own experiences.
One wrote, “40M – S$2,500 for the last 10 years. Happy with my job and side gig. Peanuts when compared to my property agent, pilot, IT, finance friends, who always talk about industry regulations and compliances, telling me to upgrade, find something else, etc. My CPF and salary on paper don’t look as glamorous as theirs, but my work stress level is definitely not as high as theirs.”
Another commented, “Downgraded now, earning mid-S$2,000 but happy. Low stress. Previously mid-S$5,000, high stress. No complaints. Life is not all about working, just a means to survive and live life.”
A third added, “I’m 27 too; my salary is only S$1,500. I have a local degree with an FCH. I’m having more than enough to spend and save. If you’re not happy, just go back and study another degree.”
In other news, a 21-year-old Singaporean has laid bare the heartbreaking reality of his family’s life after his father allegedly walked away from them.
In a post on the r/askSingapore forum, the young man claimed his father contributes just S$1.5k a month in maintenance while, in his words, “he’s living his single bachelor life with his new 3-room BTO.”
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