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Teen whose family survived on S$500 a month opens up about resentment towards richer peers

SINGAPORE: An 18-year-old Singaporean has sparked a discussion online after opening up about the resentment he feels towards his more financially privileged peers. Posting on the r/SingaporeRaw subreddit, the teen shared that his family used to survive on less than S$500 a month. Both of his parents had 'illnesses' and were unable to work, and the family had no stable income for a long time. Most of their basic needs (from education to food) were only met thanks to school subsidies, donations from volunteers, and small monthly welfare payouts. He also recalled that for years, his household didn't pay their utility bills, but HDB 'somehow closed one eye'. Eventually, one of his siblings had to drop out of school to start working and support the family. Now at 18, he said that it's hard not to feel a sense of bitterness when he looks at others his age who have grown up in far more comfortable circumstances. 'I look at kids my age and have somewhat of a hatred for them. All the friends that I've had now have parents with cars, daily/weekly allowances, and their own rooms. And even now at 18, I still don't have any of that,' he wrote. 'Instead, I'm working every single day trying to find money for myself. But no matter how much I work, I still know that most kids my age are still going to be richer than me even if they don't put in the effort that I put in.' He also admitted that this feeling has stuck with him for years and often leaves him feeling invisible and out of place. 'I feel somewhat isolated, like no one in public actually went through what we had to go through. Like, I can't really find my people,' he said. 'It's unfair, I remember the time that I really wanted a bicycle when I was 14 and I saved money for months to get a cheap decathlon bike, and still when I rode it around my neighbourhood, I would see kids with way better looking bikes and cooler than mine.' 'Use it as a motivation instead of wallowing in sorrow.' A lot of people related to his post and started sharing their own tough childhood stories in the comments. Some talked about growing up in rental flats, struggling with money, and watching their parents work themselves to the bone just to get by. One user commented, 'Same here. Practically lived my whole life in a rented flat with a family of 6. But my parents made it out, and we moved into a BTO when I was 15. I'm 21 now. My situation is a lot better now, but still not something anyone would choose to live like.' Another shared, '25 here, only child. Sole breadwinner since I was 23. Living in a rental flat. Not because my parents couldn't work, but my father made the decision to 'retire early' in his 40s and leave my mother to be the sole breadwinner till she reached retirement age. 'Watching my peers live comfortably in nice condos/prime HDBs, finish their masters, or go overseas to study on their parents' money…life really sucks.' Beyond the stories of hardship, some users also offered advice and encouragement. They told the teen that while it's completely valid to feel upset or even bitter, holding onto resentment for too long can weigh him down. One user advised, 'Make the best of your situation and use it as a motivation instead of wallowing in sorrow. Many of our ministers came from humble upbringing and 'made it.' 'So ask yourself, are you going to wallow in tears just because you started lower than others or work harder to match those around you? Plan your life and make sure you do not repeat the same path of your parents unless you fall sick too.' In other news, a 30-year-old man recently shared in a Reddit post that he is approaching the one-year mark since he last held a job, and that his ongoing struggle with unemployment has become an increasingly difficult chapter in his life. Writing on the r/askSingapore forum on Friday (Jun 20), he revealed that he has been out of work since August 2024. Prior to that, he was earning a five-figure monthly salary at a well-known bulge bracket firm. Read more: 'It's taking forever': 30 yo man struggles to bounce back after nearly a year of unemployment Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)