SINGAPORE: There comes a point in every Singaporean worker’s life when the fantasy of flipping the resignation letter across the table and strutting out of the office like a K-drama hero becomes overwhelmingly tempting.
And one Singaporean decided to put that fantasy into cold, hard numbers: “How much money do I need in SG for me to talk back to my unreasonable boss and quit my job?” he posted his frustration on Reddit r/SingaporeRaw — prompting a free-for-all discussion that turned into a part financial literacy course, part therapy session, and part philosophy seminar on the meaning of freedom.
How much money do you need to have in Singapore to give you the courage to quit your job / talk back to your unreasonable boss if not happy?
byu/deekay_123 inSingaporeRaw
“Quitting a job has nothing to do with the amount of money you have…”
Before anyone whipped out calculators, the top comment hit with a dose of Emotional Intelligence:
“Quitting a job has nothing to do with the amount of money you have. It’s more of, ‘Can you get another job that’s better or not?’ And no amount of money entitles us to speak rudely to others.”
Another netizen took a more tactical approach: “Shouldn’t you at least have your emergency funds built and have accepted a new job offer? In case you fail your next job’s probation, you can count on your emergency funds.”
However, what if you’re living paycheck to paycheck? “Some people don’t even have the privilege of having emergency funds,” someone pointed out. “So as long as you can secure your next better job, it is okay to move.”
“Less about money, more about foreseeable income stream…”
Turns out, for some Singaporeans, it’s not about having a lot of money — it’s about having a plan.
“Less about money, more about foreseeable income stream,” one forum member said. “Having a million dollars now won’t guarantee being able to keep it.”
One offered a quick math breakdown: “S$1 million can get you 6% returns (from investments) — that’s about S$5K a month. Reinvest whatever is left. For a single person living in a fully paid HDB, that’s enough to retire.”
Others weren’t so sure: “Those who say S$1M, you must be excluding housing, ‘cos even HDB 5-room cost around S$800K to S$1M nowadays… unless you don’t mind staying somewhere further.”
One netizen was crystal clear on his number: “$1M, I ask my toxic colleagues to go fly a kite!”
And for another, the magic figure was a bit higher: “Definitely S$2 million to live the rest of my life with no concern.”
“I didn’t even think about money when I quit my toxic job…”
One commenter threw caution (and spreadsheets) to the wind: “I didn’t even think about money when I quit my toxic job.”
Another shared a heartfelt perspective that resonated with many: “I am in the same situation with you and I dread going to the place I used to call ‘Second Home’… I will be resigning next month. I stayed there for 2.5 years, and there’s no progression, and it’s freaking toxic!”
This 22-year-old, who lives with parents and has no major financial commitments, decided to put himself first: “My savings are just enough for me, myself and I… But at this point, nothing can make me stay… I started working at 19, so I thought I could just take this time off and relax, chill, and not be so stressed over just a paycheck.”
“Just quit!”
One Redditor summed it up with: “Enough money to keep you afloat for the next 6 months at least. That’s the going buffer amount for leaving without a job lined up.”
Another added, “Depends on your emotional tolerance. If your mental health is breaking down, just quit, because you will lose the ability (due to mental health issues) to find a new job anyway.”
And then there are the true MVPs: “Just quit! I have around S$700K in cash and assets and S$170K in CPF. I’m taking a break from a toxic job and chilling for a few months,” declared a 33-year-old living the early FIRE life.
“Ask yourself what makes you happy?”
Whether you need S$2 million, a six-month cushion, or just the right mindset, quitting a job in Singapore isn’t just about dollars and cents. It’s about lifestyle, liabilities, and your own limits.
Some choose freedom. Some choose safety. Some just want to stop crying in the MRT before work. As one wise Singaporean advised:
“Ask yourself what makes you happy and what you can do to maintain that way of life. Then ask: Can you actually make money off that way of life?”
Now that’s a million-dollar question!
