A mum recently received a lot of flak online, after she hoped for more help for families like hers from Singapore Budget 2018.
Apparently, her family is “suffering” in spite of having a 5-figure monthly income.
Singapore mum says her family is suffering
Mummy Serene Lee’s story was published recently on a prominent daily, but had to be pulled out after much public outrage.
Serene holds a part-time job and her hubby earns a 5-figure sum every month. The couple have 3 children, who are in primary school, secondary school, and polytechnic.
According to Serene, the family’s income is “spread thin” due to these financial commitments:
- Polytechnic fees, about S$1,800 every semester.
- Serene’s life-long medication following a heart transplant, which costs around S$1,000 every 6 months after subsidies. It would have cost around S$9,000 without subsidy.
- Her daughter’s sailing CCA, which costs S$300 – S$400 per year.
- Employing a maid.
- Plans to send primary school daughter for private tuition so that she can catch up with her peers.
Serene was quoted as saying, “There are many middle-income families like us who are suffering despite seeming to make enough.”
Mum’s hopes from Singapore Budget 2018
Serene also said she had these hopes from Singapore Budget 2018:
- Subsidies for larger families and a higher income cap for financial assistance.
- Additional Edusave allowance for her children. It was reported that currently, secondary school students get S$390 a year for Edusave.
- She also called for greater support for some CCAs, “Specific sports CCAs cost more, and as parents we want to support our kid’s interests too, and if the school offers it, then cost should not be a barrier…”
Only, her comments found little or no support online. There was so much hostility that the publication has now taken down the article.
Many slammed this mum for not being able to distinguish her “wants from her needs”…and for her “sense of entitlement”.
“Have a maid, working part time, send kid to private tuition, sailing CCA……. And asking for more help…….the sense of entitlement is sibei knn strong here.”
Most expressed shock over the “5-income suffering”, stating that they were making do with far less.
“I would like to invite Ms Serene Lee and her family to visit my neighbourhood in Yishun where some residents live in HDB rental flats, have as many or more children, and earn less than $1000/month.”
“There are many occasions where we get last minute call to assist as some families do not have food, no milk powder for babies etc.”
Tell me who is “Suffering” please?”
What do you feel about this post, mums and dads? Is a “5-figure income” not sufficient to make ends meet in Singapore? What are your hopes from Singapore Budget 2018? Let us know in the comments below!
Also READ: Money saving tips for Singapore parents
