Singaporean who grew up in a one-room flat says six-figure salary doesn’t feel enough

SINGAPORE: A young Singaporean earning S$150,000 a year has sparked discussion online after revealing that despite his six-figure salary, he still feels poor.

In a post on a local online forum, the man shared how his childhood was marked by financial hardship. Growing up in a family of five living in a one-room flat, he said there was not enough space for everyone, forcing him to sleep on a couch rather than a bed for much of his youth.

“From the ages 11 to 19, I never slept on a bed. I was sleeping on a couch because there wasn’t enough room for the family of 5 in a single room apartment,” he wrote.

He added that his parents are still earning minimum wage today.

Despite experiencing a dramatic change in circumstances and now earning about S$150,000 annually in his mid-twenties, he admitted that he continues to feel financially insecure.

“Even with that type of income, I constantly feel poor. Imposter syndrome, maybe? A feeling that this was not supposed to happen. Anyone else feel like this?” he asked.

His post resonated with many commenters, who suggested that childhood experiences with poverty can leave a lasting impact on a person’s relationship with money, regardless of how much they earn later in life.

One commenter argued that the feeling may stem from an awareness of how quickly financial circumstances can change.

“It is because he knows the life of being poor, and he knows that the job that he is having is not guaranteed there forever due to AI and Robots,” the commenter wrote, adding that concerns about inflation, future commitments and providing for children can create a persistent sense of insecurity even when income rises significantly.

Another commenter said it is common for attitudes towards money to remain unchanged despite substantial increases in earnings.

“Very normal for your attitude toward money to remain the same even if your income goes up,” the person wrote.

The commenter noted that society often creates an expectation that reaching certain financial milestones, such as owning a home, driving a car or earning a high salary, should eliminate worries about money. However, they argued that anxiety can persist when people carry significant debt, face high fixed expenses or depend solely on employment income.

“I think imposter syndrome is one way to think about it, this feeling that you can lose everything at any time,” the commenter added.

Others shared personal strategies for coping with financial anxiety while maintaining long-term financial security.

One commenter said they prefer to keep major expenses low and focus on spending selectively on smaller things that improve their quality of life.

“Everyone’s approach is different. But what has helped me personally is to ‘live below my means’ in terms of big expenses and then write down a plan to spend money on small things that make me feel rich day-to-day,” the commenter wrote.

The person explained that they choose modest lifestyle habits, such as taking public transport and avoiding large mortgages, even when they could technically afford more expensive options.

The commenter added that limiting major financial commitments provides peace of mind in case their income changes unexpectedly.