Woman asks if ‘stay-at-home girlfriends’ are becoming more common in Singapore

SINGAPORE: Is the dream job now… not having one? After noticing more women in her social circle swapping careers for life as stay-at-home girlfriends and wives, one woman took to social media to ask if this was becoming Singapore’s latest dating trend.

Posting on Reddit’s r/askSingapore forum, the woman said that she first saw this trend online and thought it was “a little backwards.” 

She also wrote that she would never personally do it.

“I saw many SG girls, both in my circles and online, very supportive of the trend, which honestly shocked me a little. I’ve seen ladies expecting their median income partners pay for LV bags, JW Marriott weddings and buy a continental car in this economy on a single income while they stay at home. Is it really a common thing here?” she asked.

“Don’t believe everything you see on social media”

In the comments, many netizens said the arrangement itself was nothing new, pointing out that it had long existed in traditional families where the husband worked while the wife managed the household and family finances.

One commenter said there was nothing wrong with that setup as long as both partners agreed to it.

“It has always been part of the Chinese culture (and possibly other cultures). I know a few guys who do it and honestly, nothing wrong with it as long as both parties are fine with the arrangement.”

“The new online trend though is slightly different in the sense that the wife just want to be like a tai tai (lady of leisure), don’t work, get money to spend, got domestic helper to do housework, and they get to laze around.”

Another commenter shared that she personally knew several women living this way. She said some of her aunts had never worked and were supported by their husbands, with domestic helpers taking care of household chores. 

She also recounted how one of her friends was able to stay home because her husband had promised that if he ever became successful, she would never have to work again.

“Her husband told me, his wife (my friend) stuck with him when he was poor so he always swore when he struck rich, she will never have to work again and he kept his promise.  When she first met him, he earned only S$1500 per month and she earned double his salary.”

A third added, “It’s fairly common among expats when the wife doesn’t have the visa or professional certification to work. Some women are also taking a career break or early retirement.”

Others, however, said they did not believe the arrangement was particularly common in Singapore, noting that most families rely on two incomes.

One said, “I don’t think it’s common. Most of us are dual-income households lol.”

Another wrote, “Yikes. Who are these people that you hang around? Not sure if it’s a thing. But for someone who lived through multiple recessions and whose family was badly impacted by the 1993/4 economic recession, I can’t deal with the potential instability of relying on just one income, ever.”

A third told her, “This is not a thing. Don’t believe everything you see on social media.”

Contrary to the post author’s observations, Singapore is actually seeing an increase in the number of stay-at-home fathers.

Recent data from Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower (MOM) showed that the number of stay-at-home fathers rose from around 1,900 in 2022 to 3,000 in 2025, an increase of nearly 60% over the three-year period.

During the same period, the number of stay-at-home mothers fell from an estimated 51,600 to 37,300.

Read more: Number of stay-at-home fathers in Singapore rises by nearly 60% in three years