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With a S$10.5K salary and a career on hold, should she take the ultimate break?

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SINGAPORE: A 30-year-old Singaporean woman recently shared on social media that she’s considering leaving her well-paying job to take a six-month break and travel the world. While the idea sounds exciting, she expressed doubts about whether it was the right decision and sought advice from others who have made a similar choice.

“For those who have taken a career break like this, was it worth it? Did it affect your job prospects when you returned? How did you manage your finances during the break? I’d appreciate any advice or insights,” she wrote on the r/singaporefi forum.

To give people a better idea of her situation, she shared details about her finances, including both her income and expenses. “I have a stable, well-paying job, and after CPF deductions, I take home about S$10,540 a month. Income tax takes up S$1,300 a month, insurance is S$287, my gym membership is S$200, and I spend about S$50 on subscriptions (Netflix, food delivery, iCloud, etc.).

My mortgage is S$1,840 a month—although it’s currently fully covered by CPF, I expect it to increase as my condo nears completion in 2026. My biggest financial commitment is the condo, which costs S$1.3 million. I’m fortunate that my parents are still working and don’t rely on me financially, so I don’t have family obligations to factor in.”

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Her assets include approximately S$100,000 in cash savings, which she anticipates increasing to approximately S$130,000 by March following the receipt of her bonus. She has S$50,000 in investments as well.

“Financially, they know I have a decent cushion, but I also don’t want to be reckless, especially with a mortgage on the horizon,” she expressed. 

“Do it. You won’t get younger anymore.”

In the same thread, many Redditors weighed in on her dilemma, offering different perspectives on whether she should take the leap or play it safe. Some advised her to consider taking a sabbatical, if permitted by her employer, as an alternative to resigning completely. In this manner, she would be able to take the vacation she so much wants while maintaining the safety of a job to return to.

One Redditor pointed out, “With a S$1.3M condo on the way, you’ll need to be mindful of your mortgage increasing in 2026. Since your CPF covers it for now, that buys you some time, but once cash top-ups are needed, you’ll want a stable income again. One way to balance both worlds is to take a sabbatical instead of outright quitting.”

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Another commented, “Would a sabbatical leave be a better option? Like just taking no pay leave for a month. Then, you can clear your head, go on a lengthy travel itinerary, and think about what you truly want. I would be on the safer side since you have a condo to pay for.”

In contrast, many Redditors urged her to seize the chance, emphasizing that life is short and opportunities like this are rare.

One shared, “I have similar stats as you and did the same thing – currently into my 6th month of career break and starting a new corporate role very soon.

[I’d say] 100% do it. You’re entering into serious adulthood past 30 and will probably not have a better time than now to be travelling, lazing around, [enjoying] hedonism, family time, and generally just living for the plot.”

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Another wrote, “Do it. You won’t get younger anymore. Now that I’m older, I’m always glad that I travelled when I was younger and free from commitments.”

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In other news, a Singaporean family has allegedly required their domestic helper to “handle their shoes” each time they leave or return home, sparking concerns about her treatment.

On Saturday (Feb 8), an acquaintance of the family shared her observations on Reddit’s ‘Singapore Raw’ forum. She said she had seen the maid rush to the doorstep whenever a family member arrived home. Her task was to collect their shoes and neatly place them in the shoe cabinet outside.

Read more: Maid’s employer asks her to ‘handle his family’s shoes’ each time they leave and return home

Featured image by freepik (for illustration purposes only)

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