Some netizens praise Singaporean earning just S$2,400 who struggles to afford cai png but still supports his parents

SINGAPORE: Some netizens praised a Singaporean man earning S$2,400 a month for still giving S$300 to his parents, despite struggling to make ends meet, as he shared that even cai png, or economic rice, has become not so economically friendly for him.

In a post on the Facebook group Complaint Singapore, he wrote, “I do not [have] enough money to spend…How to live in Singapore?”

He said S$120 of his monthly salary goes towards transportation, S$300 to help his parents and S$750 towards insurance premiums. With these fixed expenses taking up nearly half of his salary, he said he had not even factored in the cost of food yet, adding that cai png prices, which have exceeded S$5, have become unaffordable for him.

His post drew advice from netizens, with some amazed that he continued to support his parents despite his financial situation. “That is more than 10%! You’ve got your priorities right. I’m proud of you,” one commenter said.

Others, however, questioned his S$750 monthly insurance premiums, advising him never to spend more than 10% of his salary on insurance.

Several others suggested he could cook instead to stretch his remaining salary further, with one even suggesting he “skip lunch and exercise.”

According to a ShopBack Singapore comparison of eating out at hawker centres versus cooking at home published in July, cooking at home makes more financial sense when preparing meals for three or more people, particularly when there is time to meal prep and groceries are bought from a wet market instead of premium supermarkets. For one or two people, however, a S$4 to S$5 hawker meal may be the more practical option.

In The Independent Singapore’s report in September last year, netizens also advised cooking at home to manage expenses, though some pointed out that cooking at home has become more expensive too because of rising grocery prices. 

Besides these personal financial fixes, eligible workers aged 30 and above who earn a gross monthly income between S$500 and S$3,000 may also qualify for the Workfare Income Supplement (WIS), which provides workers additional support through cash and CPF contributions. For more information about the WIS scheme, check here. /TISG

Read also: ‘How long can we realistically keep doing this?’: Poly student worries about rising food costs