SINGAPORE: The legendary British rock band The Beatles once sang that love is pretty much all you really need. It was a beautiful sentiment in a simpler time, when romance seemed enough to overcome almost anything.
Today, however, the picture looks rather different. With living costs rising and financial pressure weighing heavily on young people, many are beginning to realise that love alone may not be enough to sustain a relationship.
For one 23-year-old woman, this realisation came with a sting of heartbreak.
Posting her story on the r/sgdatingscene subreddit on Thursday (Oct 16), she shared that the man she’s currently seeing has refused to commit to a relationship, not because of a lack of affection, but because of his financial situation.
For context, the woman revealed that she graduated with a law degree and is currently working as an intern while also giving tuition lessons on weekends to supplement her income.
On the other hand, the man, who is still finding his footing, has yet to graduate from ITE, has not completed his national service, and is currently employed in the F&B sector.
“The thing is, despite us both really liking each other, he is hesitant to start a relationship. I don’t expect him to spend money on me, especially not money he doesn’t have in abundance,” she wrote, laying out all her intentions.
“I’m willing to pay my own way or treat him sometimes, too. He has already shown that he’s very caring toward me, and he’s always rushing to be the one to pay. When I go to see him, he also always wants to get me a cab so I don’t have to walk (but he takes public transport, and I am also okay with it, so I tell him not to do that).”
Seeking advice from other Reddit users, she asked, “Do you think financial uncertainty is a valid reason not to date someone, even if you really like them? Because (and I know I might sound delulu) I think he really does like me — and I like him too. He’s mature, hardworking, and kindhearted.”
“How can I reassure him that money wouldn’t matter to me and that I’d stand by him regardless of what he can or can’t afford right now?”
“Tell him to just go with the flow, live in the moment, and enjoy the journey.”
In the comments section of her post, many readers urged the woman to let the man go, as they felt that their relationship, should they decide to pursue it further, would eventually crumble under the weight of their vastly different lifestyles.
One said, “ITE student dating a law grad? Long-term, it’s not going to work out. He’ll want to apply for Tengah BTO, while you are aiming for EC. He’ll want to go to JB, while you want to go to Hokkaido.”
Another wrote, “People like to say money doesn’t matter, and they would very much like to believe they are ‘above it’. But remember that while money may not be important for love, having money clears a lot of obstacles to it.”
A third commented, “The income disparity will be so big for a long time. And he hasn’t even gone to NS yet leh….that is a huge strain on relationships. You will be the one to support him for a long time, also.”
“Caring and hardworking as he may be, eventually you will lose respect for him. It’s okay to date and enjoy the journey for now. Don’t think so much, la; both of you are still so young. Tell him to just go with the flow, live in the moment, and enjoy the journey.”
In other news, an employee claimed on social media that his employer is forcing him to work without pay on a Saturday to finish an urgent project.
In a post on the r/singaporejobs subreddit on Wednesday (Oct 15), the worker shared that he was instructed to report to work over the weekend despite his employment contract stating that his official working hours are from Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
