Life in First World SG...
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NO HOLIDAYS
NO CABLE TV
NO INTERNET
NO CHOICE
Incomes are increasing, but not always fast enough to make up for the rising cost of living. Today, we find out how a 3-room flat family copes
By Genevieve Jiang
February 26, 2008
TO keep up with the rising cost of living, Mr Sunil Sharma has been working overtime for the past five months to earn extra income.
The 40-year-old office assistant at a despatch company used to earn about $1,000 every month.But now, with overtime pay, he can earn up to $1,500.
To save money, Mr Sunil and his family have been cutting down on indulgences such as family holidays, shopping trips and meals out.
Despite belt-tightening measures, the family still owes close to $300 in utility bills and about $130 in town council conservancy charges.
Mr Sunil said: 'Most of my pay goes to daily expenses and we have little savings.'
His wife, Mrs Kiran Sharma, 45, is a housewife.
The couple and their 14-year-old son Jaikishen live in a three-room flat in Bedok. The bulk of Mr Sunil's pay is spent on his son.
Although the boy has been getting a $800 bursary for the past four years from the Southeast Community Development Council, the family spends another $300 on Hindi lessons, which Jaikishen attends on weekends.
The teenager also gets a weekday allowance of $6, which comes up to $120 monthly.
Previously, Mr Sunil also spent $200 on tuition fees, but starting this year, he decided to rely just on free remedial lessons after school.
Mr Sunil said: 'We've decided to cut back because his grades seem to be improving. If he slips, I'll have to find some way to make sure he gets extra help.'
With the latest Budget changes, the family will get some help in the form of Goods and Services Tax Credits, amounting to about $500 in total. They also get a one-off $800 grant from welfare organisation Family Life Centre.
However, there are some expenses that have gone up inevitably.
Previously, when Jaikishen was in Bedok Green Primary School, he was able to walk to and from school. Now, he has to take a bus every day to Bedok Green Secondary.
Transport comes up to between $30 and $40 every month.
The couple has a 11-year-old daughter, who has been living in India with Mr Sunil's parents.
CAN'T COPE FINANCIALLY
They sent her away when she was born because they couldn't cope financially then.
These days, Mr Sunil sends between $2,000 and $3,000 a year to India for her education and living expenses.
Jaikishen was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder when he was in Primary 1, but he goes for free medical checkups every three months at the Child Guidance Clinic.
Indulgences for the family are few.
Previously, they would visit relatives in India and Indonesia at least four times a year. Last year, there were no family holidays.
They used to treat Jaikishen to meals at nearby fast-food joints at least two to three times a week. They have since been reduced to once a week.
Mrs Kiran's shopping budget at the nearby town centre has also been cut from about $50 a month to $20.
She said: 'Previously, I would buy Revlon makeup, and some clothes and shoes. But now, I try not to buy makeup at all. I also count on hand-me-downs from Jaikishen's cousins, so he doesn't need to buy new clothes.'
She used to enjoy occasional massages which cost her about $40 per session, but that, too, had to go.
And while she would previously spend up to $30 a week on lottery, she now spends only $3 a week.
This is to make up for more money spent on their son's transport and daily groceries.
While food would previously cost them at most $200 a month, it now costs up to $300.
And utility bills have gone up from about $60 to $80.
The family doesn't subscribe to cable TV, nor the Internet.
Jaikishen was given a handphone early last year, but his subscription plan was reduced to a cheaper one this year.
Mr Sunil said: 'He had previously abused the service by subscribing to various games without my knowledge. He even made overseas calls to his cousins in Indonesia.
'I was shocked when I got the bill of more than $300. It was because of his bills that we couldn't pay our utilities and the town council.'
So starting this year, Jaikishen is on a basic mobile plan which allows only incoming calls.
Mrs Kiran, who studied up to Secondary 3, said she is now considering taking up courses so that she can return to work when Jaikishen is older.
She said: 'It's hard on my husband supporting the family alone, but at this point, we want to be around for my son.
'Once he's more mature and independent, I'll try to return to work.'
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I pity the bread winner but not his son cause the problem came from his son who made calls to other countries n landed his father in diffuclty paying the council.
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Complaining doesn't help.Sorry to hear tht tho.
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don't know why i just don't feel sorry to this household.
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solution:
- minimum wages.
- scrap tv license.
- cut off absolutely all sort of luxury stuffs; hp, cable tv.
- scrap overseas travel. no $$$, still want to travel?!
- rent out 1 room. about $400/mth
- do day care of other people's children. another $300/mth.
- promote cottage industry. i used to help my mom to sew those clothings while in pri 3. damn thing was 1 piece for 1 frigging cent!
Eagle! here's a chance for u to check out this idea. promote cottage industry among HDB low income household. be an agency for them.
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Originally posted by alwaysdisturbed:
don’t know why i just don’t feel sorry to this household.
i empathize with the sole bread winner. trying to work his ass off to provide for his family. this kind of man i respect.
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Originally posted by alwaysdisturbed:
don’t know why i just don’t feel sorry to this household.
when the day u also need to support a family wif jus $1500/mth then u comment..... -
Originally posted by baby hunter:
when the day u also need to support a family wif jus $1500/mth then u comment.....
i think its more of the way they spend their money. -
i think its more of the way they spend their money.
Agree..... this thread is just like the one, on the $5K a month engineer...... if you have limited money, then you would have to watch your spending even more.....
Btw..... NO HOLIDAYS, NO CABLE TV & NO INTERNET is a smaller problem compair to NO FOOD, NO CLOTHES & NO ROOF OVER THE HEAD
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Originally posted by hloc:
Agree..... this thread is just like the one, on the $5K a month engineer...... if you have limited money, then you would have to watch your spending even more.....
Btw..... NO HOLIDAYS, NO CABLE TV & NO INTERNET is a smaller problem compair to NO FOOD, NO CLOTHES & NO ROOF OVER THE HEAD
well said. I grew up without holidays, no cable tv nor internet. Even NS money had to give to parents. First holiday was second year of working.No wonder so many people so unhappy, all these are considered their basic necessities..... may be this family should migrate to australia.
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Originally posted by sgdiehard:
well said. I grew up without holidays, no cable tv nor internet. Even NS money had to give to parents. First holiday was second year of working.No wonder so many people so unhappy, all these are considered their basic necessities..... may be this family should migrate to australia.
really? didnt your parents quit from malaysia to come to live in SG? were u not an ex-malaysian too?
did u serve your NS?
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only 1500 dolars???............thats not enought to survive with....
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Originally posted by sgdiehard:
well said. I grew up without holidays, no cable tv nor internet. Even NS money had to give to parents. First holiday was second year of working.No wonder so many people so unhappy, all these are considered their basic necessities..... may be this family should migrate to australia.
think the purpose of publishing this artcle, is not for getting sorry from other.....is to tell us, thr's still have quite a numbers of family couldn't catch up wif so call a 1st world living standard that we're trying to achieve....
yes! I agreed that many times is very much depend on how we spend our money. nevertheless, jus wonder how many of yours here are married with kids, & how many of yours doing marketing of household & food for your family? how many of yours have kids schooling either in pri or sec sch? ( aspecially ur kids are those not too smart type & always cant catch up with the homeworks ) wif.....$1500/mth?
dear frens....I very fortunate that are making 5k now....& i can say...i living very happily now wif my belove & my only 'not too smart' boy.
but, I ever making only 1.7k 6 yrs ago when i jus hv my boy, i kn & exp the pressure...one week after payday, I properly only left $200 in my pocket for the rest of the mth....
talk is always easier then do....till u experience it.....
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Originally posted by fishbuff:
really? didnt your parents quit from malaysia to come to live in SG? were u not an ex-malaysian too?
did u serve your NS?
yes, my parents left malaysia and came to singapore. I am ex-malaysian. I served NS and am doing my reservists, as a Singaporean now.
Whether I was in Malaysia or Singapore, I din't grow up with cable TV, holidays...
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Originally posted by baby hunter:
think the purpose of publishing this artcle, is not for getting sorry from other.....is to tell us, thr's still have quite a numbers of family couldn't catch up wif so call a 1st world living standard that we're trying to achieve....
yes! I agreed that many times is very much depend on how we spend our money. nevertheless, jus wonder how many of yours here are married with kids, & how many of yours doing marketing of household & food for your family? how many of yours have kids schooling either in pri or sec sch? ( aspecially ur kids are those not too smart type & always cant catch up with the homeworks ) wif.....$1500/mth?
dear frens....I very fortunate that are making 5k now....& i can say...i living very happily now wif my belove & my only 'not too smart' boy.
but, I ever making only 1.7k 6 yrs ago when i jus hv my boy, i kn & exp the pressure...one week after payday, I properly only left $200 in my pocket for the rest of the mth....
talk is always easier then do....till u experience it.....
I have that experience, growing up. My parents had 3 children, I was the one not too smart type. My mother not educated, everything depended on my father, didn't speak english. I know what is it like. For that I am proud of my parents and are always grateful to them.
The problem is the title of this thread "LIfe in First World SG", and the TS is one whose only aim in this forum is to run down SG. Apparently he build his happiness on any misfortune of SG or Singaporean. It is good to let him know that as standard of Singapore goes up, expectation of basic necessities has also gone up.
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Originally posted by sgdiehard:
yes, my parents left malaysia and came to singapore. I am ex-malaysian. I served NS and am doing my reservists, as a Singaporean now.
Whether I was in Malaysia or Singapore, I din't grow up with cable TV, holidays...
me neither. i used to live in sembawang kampongs where the only time i see chicken meat on the table was during the 1st and 15th lunar month. i worked in cottage industry and sold drinks in factories while schooling in primary schools too.
your parents made the right choice of quitting from malaysia to singapore for a better livelihood and future for the children, that i respect. That goes to the same of our forefathers who quitted from china and come to SEA in search of better livelihood.
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Originally posted by fishbuff:
me neither. i used to live in sembawang kampongs where the only time i see chicken meat on the table was during the 1st and 15th lunar month. i worked in cottage industry and sold drinks in factories while schooling in primary schools too.
your parents made the right choice of quitting from malaysia to singapore for a better livelihood and future for the children, that i respect. That goes to the same of our forefathers who quitted from china and come to SEA in search of better livelihood.
First time watch TV was standing in front of neighbour house and watch through the windows.
But we had much fun catching spiders and compete with
the colourful fighting fish....those were the days.
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Originally posted by fishbuff:
me neither. i used to live in sembawang kampongs where the only time i see chicken meat on the table was during the 1st and 15th lunar month. i worked in cottage industry and sold drinks in factories while schooling in primary schools too.
your parents made the right choice of quitting from malaysia to singapore for a better livelihood and future for the children, that i respect. That goes to the same of our forefathers who quitted from china and come to SEA in search of better livelihood.
so......are u trying to hint that we shd quit sg & go somewhr else for better livelihood?
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Originally posted by baby hunter:
so......are u trying to hint that we shd quit sg & go somewhr else for better livelihood?
this is a personal decision that u and only u can decide, if u find life in sg is a breeze, then so be it.
for others, they want to take a shot elsewhere, travel around places, work with other culture and immerse in other culture.
and others want open space, better livelihood and future for their children.
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Originally posted by sgdiehard:
First time watch TV was standing in front of neighbour house and watch through the windows.
But we had much fun catching spiders
and compete with
the colourful fighting fish....those were the days.ah, i used to go to my neigbhour's house to watch ultraman dubbed in malay on a black and white tv. "rasakser rasakser!" is the 1st malay word i knew!
going to chong pang community centre to watch color tv of local entertainment comprising of wang sa and ye fong. cathc fishes in the longkang, spider fighting, marbles playing.. etc... those were the days! though we were dirt poor, life was really great then!
one of the reason i came to oz was my longing for open spaces just like those when i was running around in sembawang kampong. i can never get used to high rise building..
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The problem is the title of this thread "LIfe in First World SG", and the TS is one whose only aim in this forum is to run down SG. Apparently he build his happiness on any misfortune of SG or Singaporean. It is good to let him know that as standard of Singapore goes up, expectation of basic necessities has also gone up.
Not the 1st time.... won't be the last time.
TS is basicly doing what I refer to as 'Seeding'......
TS just put a topic here and watch it grows..... if alot of ppl writing here seems to support his view, then TS would join in with the usual - "This Fault, That Fault" - speech.
If not much ppl support the topic...... then TS won't even bother to write anything......
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how many would think that
comparing private and public sector working life,
A:
Public sector people are more stressed and work is more stressful than Private sector ones?
or this
B:
Private sector people are more stressed and work is more stressful than Public sector ones?
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how many would think that
comparing private and public sector working life,
A:
Public sector people are more stressed and work is more stressful than Private sector ones?
or this
B:
Private sector people are more stressed and work is more stressful than Public sector ones?
I chose........ - C -
C:
Working life is Stressful....... no matter which sector.
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sollie but me no tink dat they're thrifty enuff.
in fact, they spend too much unnecessarily.