A fresh graduate recently posted on the NUS Whispers Facebook page, distressed over their mother, who asks for a considerable sum of money every month.
The poster says they only recently started working full time and live with the mother, who is not employed. The provider for both of them has been the poster’s father.
Despite reasoning with the mother that many only give their parents 10 per cent of what they earn, the mother asks for “an absurd amount of 1.8k per month” for household expenses, That sum is half the poster’s take-home pay
“She claims that I owe her that amount for all the years she took care of me and the money she has spent on me. Honestly I think most of it was my dad’s money anyways,” the poster added.
Arguing with the mother has been useless, said the poster, who asked if they should just offer to pay for all the household bills, since they live with their mom anyway, or if they should give “a larger cut of my pay?”
“Appreciate any advice I can get, thank you!,” the poster wrote.
Many netizens chimed in to give the fresh graduate advice.
“I think your mom is using you as her retirement plan,” one commenter wrote. “You don’t owe her the money she used to take care of you.”
A number of commenters urged the poerst to save for the future.
“I advocate filial piety as much as the next person but your mum shouldn’t be treating you like an atm. You need to have rainy day savings too,” wrote one.
Another poster advised the poster to “work out a reasonable amount and transfer her monthly.”
Several commenters said that parents should not be told how much their children are earning.
/TISG