Latest news with #rAskSingapore
Independent Singapore
02-07-2025
- General
- Independent Singapore
‘Sick of it': Man rants about his girlfriend's habit of cluttering their home with unnecessary items, seeks advice on Reddit
SINGAPORE: A man shared on social media that he's 'getting sick' of his girlfriend's behaviour of cluttering their home with unnecessary items. Writing on the r/askSingapore forum on Tuesday (Jul 1), he explained in a now-deleted post that his girlfriend has a habit of buying things on impulse. Not expensive items, but just random things that catch her eye, even if she rarely uses them. Over time, their home has become packed with unused items filling shelves, drawers, tables, and corners, collecting dust. He shared that his girlfriend grew up having to share everything with her family, including her room, wardrobe, and study table. On the other hand, he said that even though his own family had less money, his parents always made sure he had his own space, and he grew up being used to keeping things organised. After moving in with her, he tried to be understanding, especially since the house is under her name. 'I sort of let her do what she wants. And this house is under her name currently, so I feel she deserves to do what she wants in her own house,' he said. See also Young Singaporeans embrace singlehood amidst gloomy dating scene Still, he occasionally brought up how he would prefer a home with fewer unnecessary items, but his feedback often went unheard. 'I will nag at her about her habits and explain to her how I would prefer a home with fewer things that we don't need or use, which all falls into deaf ears,' he wrote. 'It's never a good time to really talk about this, too, cuz she has no time or is stressed or not feeling well, or the worst is gaslighting me with 'we are having a good time. Why do you always ruin it?'' What upsets him the most, though, is when she shifts his belongings while claiming to clean. He admits he sometimes leaves his things around because he doesn't have enough space to store them properly, but he gets frustrated when she moves them and then forgets where she placed them. 'I've tried to adapt and move on regarding this because I still love her, but when I'm in a bad mood or stressed and see her buy more stuff or move my things, oh god, I want to break off with her and move out.' 'Respecting each other's space is very important.' His post received a mix of reactions, with some empathising with his situation and others urging him to have a serious conversation with his partner before the resentment builds further. One Redditor said, 'Dude, it's a big problem that you rather come to Reddit and write this big ass text than talking to her. Raise it, if she cannot compromise, it's over.' Another explained, 'She's just compensating for the situation that she was in when she was younger/growing up. My mom is like that. Didn't have much growing. So when she got married, she got everything she wanted, and having that reminds her that everything she acquires is precious. This habit will eventually go away, but it takes time and lots of reminders.' A third wrote, 'Communication is key. When I want to clean up, I just talk to her beforehand. Anything I see that is out of place, I will leave it in one corner of the room. Same goes for my stuff as well. I even have a basket for 'if you used this recently, you can keep it.'' 'You really have to talk it out. I know it's frustrating and you want to nag at her every time you clean, but respecting each other's space is very important. If in the end she still doesn't respect you, well, desperate measures liao lor.' In other news, a man felt disappointed upon learning that his friend, a mechanical engineering graduate, was earning just S$3,000 a month. On Sunday (Jun 29), he took to the r/askSingapore subreddit to seek advice from others. In his post, he explained that on top of the low salary, the job also requires employees to work half-days on Saturdays and offers only a fixed bonus of S$1,000. Read more: 'Only S$3k?' Man questions why engineering grad friend is paid so little Featured image by freepik (for illustration purposes only)
Independent Singapore
23-06-2025
- General
- Independent Singapore
Is it now normal for helpers in Singapore to handle everything—from housework to parenting? Local asks
SINGAPORE: After noticing that many of her friends and siblings had become overly dependent on their domestic helpers, a Singaporean woman took to social media to ask: 'Is it alright to let your helper handle everything from children to house chores, etc?' She posted the question on the r/askSingapore subreddit on Friday (June 20), explaining that based on what she had seen among her friends and family, some helpers were being made to do far more than just housework. 'Their helper is doing every single thing for their family, from house chores to feeding, changing and bathing their babies. Always see them going out and going on vacations, clubbing, etc., while their helpers are taking care of their children and homes. Even when they're out for a family outing, their helpers are always around,' she said. On top of all that, she pointed out the pay didn't match the workload. A lot of these helpers were earning somewhere between $500 to $700 a month, which she felt was way too little considering everything they were expected to do on a daily basis. At the end of her post, she wrote, 'Is this considered normal in Singapore, or is it a little bit too much? I feel like, especially with infants and younger kids, parents should be around their children more.' 'Why have kids if you aren't willing to be a parent?' Opinions in the comments section were mixed. Some netizens felt that it's totally 'all right' and pretty 'normal' in Singapore for helpers to take on both household chores and childcare duties. For them, it wasn't so much about parents shirking their responsibilities, but more about having some extra support to cope with the demands of daily life. One netizen said, 'Every household has its own dynamics. As long as the helper has sufficient rest, don't think it's any of our business. Anyway, it's a free market. If the helper feels overworked and nothing changes after voicing out, they can always ask for a transfer.' Another wrote, 'Singaporeans work very long hours so that they can afford the domestic helpers, and less or no time on household chores.' A third remarked, 'It's definitely alright to, but not the most ideal arrangement.' However, a few others disagreed with this view, arguing that parents should not delegate all their responsibilities to the helper. One netizen commented, 'It's unreasonable (and honestly really exploitative) to expect someone to cook, clean, manage the household, and take care of all the kids' needs at $500-700 a month. If I became a stay-at-home mum and all of these responsibilities fell on me, I'd probably go mad.' 'Also, there's a certain level of judgment directed at parents who choose not to be hands-on. The helper is supposed to help you, not replace you. Why have kids if you aren't willing to be a parent?' MOM: Domestic helpers must receive proper rest and fair treatment Employers may assign their domestic helpers to carry out both household chores and childcare duties; however, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) mandates that helpers must be given proper rest, fair treatment, and appropriate compensation. According to their guidelines, helpers are entitled to 'one rest day' per week and must be provided with 'adequate shelter, basic amenities, sufficient ventilation, safety, modesty, privacy, and adequate food.' Read also: 'I'm still her child and I have feelings too': Daughter says her mum favours siblings who give more money, even though she covers most family expenses Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)
Independent Singapore
03-06-2025
- Business
- Independent Singapore
'$50K in debt, no job yet, and scared I'll get rejected again cos of my credit' — 25 y/o Singaporean cries out for help
SINGAPORE: A 25-year-old Singaporean took to social media to express his worry that his poor credit score might once again stand in the way of landing a job. Posting on the r/askSingapore forum, he shared that he has accumulated about S$50,000 in debt, largely from credit cards and personal loans. And while he has consistently made minimum payments and never defaulted, his credit score has still dropped to 'EE.' 'I've got another job interview lined up (not banking, more IT side) and not gonna lie, I'm scared. Scared they'll check my credit and reject me again,' he said. 'It's eating me up. I haven't even started work, and I already feel like it's slipping away,' he added. The man added that ever since he was laid off in February, 'everything has been rough'—he lost his source of income, his mental health took a hit, and the debt continued to pile up. In an effort to turn things around, he said he made several lifestyle changes.'I've been trying to fix myself, quit smoking, hit the gym again, cut off distractions, just trying to get back on my feet.' See also Confusion clouds China's social credit system Despite these efforts, he admitted that the weight of his financial situation remains a constant source of stress. 'I just wanna know, do non-finance companies even check credit reports? Like gov, IT, healthcare sector roles? Or am I just overthinking?' he asked. 'If you've been through this or know how it works, please let me know. I just wanna make it out of this. Appreciate anyone who takes the time to read this.' 'Focus on doing well in your interview…' In the comments, one Singaporean Redditor advised, 'Solve the root cause of your debt issue first… Bought many luxury things? Time to sell them at a small loss and get some cash back. S$50K is not a huge sum, not life-changing. Can make it back one.' Another wrote, 'I think you worry too much, my friend. Focus on doing well in your interview. Most companies do not check credit scores except for financial institutions, especially for junior entry roles.' A third assured him, stating, 'Private companies have no access to your credit score. You're fine. It's only a concern if you are or were bankrupt. Not sure how they would even get that info either.' In other news, a woman was shocked to find a group of neighbours had entered her newly renovated BTO flat without her knowledge or consent. Among them were two children, a domestic helper, an elderly woman, and two other women. According to the woman's colleague, who shared the incident on the r/SingaporeRaw subreddit on Wednesday (May 28), the flat had just been fully renovated and professionally cleaned, ready for move-in. The woman and her husband had been eagerly anticipating starting their new life there, but were caught completely off guard when they turned up to find unfamiliar faces inside their home. Read more: 'The reno worker just let them in': Woman horrified as neighbours invade her new BTO unit Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)
Independent Singapore
01-06-2025
- Business
- Independent Singapore
Singapore jobseeker plans to pause job hunt after 6 months of rejections
SINGAPORE: After nearly six months of sending out résumés and sitting through dead-end interviews, one mid-level finance manager in Singapore is planning to hit pause on his job hunt for the rest of the year. Posting on the r/askSingapore forum on Friday (May 30), the man shared that he had sent out 'lots of applications' since January but received very few interviews in return. Those that he did get, he said, 'led nowhere.' 'I thought I was gonna land a job… and for the amount of applications I sent, I don't think I got a lot of interviews even,' he wrote. Frustrated, he said, 'I'm going to stop looking for a new job if I can't find one by (the) end of June and start again next year. Who else has also given up job hunting this year?' 'Keep going and keep trying; that's the only way to get out of the tunnel…' Under his post, many users expressed that they understood where his frustration was coming from, having been in similar situations themselves. Despite that, they still encouraged him to keep applying and not give up entirely. See also How Exactly Is Entrepreneurship Changing The Workforce? To motivate him, one user shared, 'Don't give up. Last December, after four to five months of searching, I landed what I thought was my dream job. However, I didn't pass probation due to a company restructuring. After a short break, I started a three-month part-time contract in April through my network. Amazingly, just two weeks into that, I received another job offer!' Another commented, 'Got terminated in January. Landed a new job this week. Sent roughly 150 applications on MCF, five interviews, and three offers. Keep trying; don't give up. The job market isn't great, not gonna lie.' A third said, 'I got retrenched in mid-March. Started spamming job applications from the moment I got escorted out of my former office. Lost count of how many applications I submitted or how many interviews I attended, but I got my first offer (a decent one) in late April, accepted it, and started work in mid-May.' A fourth user added, 'This job market is tough; it really takes a toll on one's mental health. Keep going and keep trying; that's the only way to get out of the tunnel.' See also Filipino K-pop fans accuse Shopee of scam over girl group meeting In other news, a man turned to Reddit on Thursday (May 22) to ask Singaporeans whether financial independence and early retirement, also known as FIRE, is realistically achievable without drawing a monthly income of S$10,000. In his post on the r/singaporefi forum, the man explained that he had recently been exploring FIRE-related content and was feeling increasingly discouraged. He observed that many of the examples and advice came from the U.S., where home prices tend to be lower and average incomes are significantly higher compared to Singapore. Read more: Man asks if FIRE is possible in Singapore without earning S$10k/month Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)
Independent Singapore
22-05-2025
- Business
- Independent Singapore
Woman claims company pressured staff into faking feedback for anonymous survey
SINGAPORE: A woman has raised concerns about whether some workplaces in Singapore are indirectly pressuring employees to give only positive feedback, even during so-called 'anonymous' surveys. On Wednesday (May 21), she shared her experience on the r/askSingapore forum. According to her post, staff were asked to participate in an organisation-wide feedback survey, which was promoted as being anonymous. Initially, she thought it was a genuine effort by management to hear employees' voices. However, several weeks after the survey was completed, the head of her unit told the team that their department's director had been singled out for receiving the most negative feedback across the organisation. Following that, staff were instructed to redo the survey. This time, although management still claimed it was anonymous, the woman said the atmosphere had already shifted—many felt like their responses were being tracked. Then came another surprise: they were told to complete the survey a third time, but now with their full names written clearly on the form. 'We had to redo it yet again, but with our names clearly written. The excuse, if I remember it correctly, was that if anyone was unhappy about it, then they should talk it out.' Understandably, the woman shared that no one felt comfortable being honest anymore. She admitted that she, along with her colleagues, ended up giving overly positive responses just to avoid being singled out or seen as a troublemaker. Curious if this was normal in other companies, she asked the community, 'Does your workplace indirectly force you to feedback nice things?' 'If you give bad news, you will be fired.' Surprisingly, many Singaporean Redditors jumped into the conversation to share that they had gone through similar experiences at their own workplaces. While their companies often emphasised the importance of honest and constructive feedback, several users felt there was always a subtle pressure to only say positive things, especially when it came to reviewing higher-ups. See also A bootstrapped startup's guide to hiring a digital marketing pro One Redditor commented, 'All corporate feedback is the same, whether it is in SG or overseas. It's only for show. If you disagree with the ExCO leadership and direction, please look for another company that is more aligned with your values. It's wayang just to say they are a progressive and transparent company. PS, they also know who the troublemakers are, who constantly question their direction. Good luck, slaves.' Another shared a more extreme example: 'We were locked in a room and forced to admit who gave the director a below-average review. Everyone knows these anonymous feedback forms are IQ tests.' A third simply said, 'If you give bad news, you will be fired.' A fourth added, 'The rice bowl is only iron when you polish your boss's one till it's shiny and rustproof.' In other news, a desk-bound employee took to social media to share her confusion and frustration after facing backlash from upper management for taking leave on a Friday and travelling over the weekend, despite not being officially scheduled to work. See also M17 Entertainment raises US$25M for R&D and more In her detailed post on a local forum, the employee explained that she holds a standard 9-to-5 weekday job that does not involve shift work or regular weekend duties. However, due to the nature of the role, the team often works a few hours during the final weekend of each month to meet deadlines. Read more: Employee gets 'heat from the higher management' for travelling on her weekend day off Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)
