It all started when my friend, saw a car advertisement that promised zero downpayment. He was immediately attracted to the offer, and he was determined to impress the girls in our circle. Little did he know, he was putting himself into a financial trap.

He was always a sucker for fancy cars. He loved the idea of having a luxurious car that could make him look cool and attractive to the girls he had his eyes on. So, when he saw the advertisement promising zero downpayments, he jumped at the opportunity.

He couldn’t believe his luck, and he quickly applied for a loan. He had no idea what the instalment would be, and he was so blinded by the prospect of impressing girls that he didn’t bother to do any research.

A few weeks later, He finally got the car he wanted. He was over the moon and showed it off to anyone who was willing to look. He was convinced that this car was going to get him the girls he wanted.

But, He soon realised that the instalment was way too high for him to afford. He was already living salary to salary, and he didn’t have any savings. He had no idea how he was going to make the payments.

Asking friends for money to support his car

That’s when he started to come to me for help. He wanted me to help him find ways to make the payments, or even borrow him some money. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. It was obvious that He had gone too far in his pursuit of impressing the girls.

I immediately told him that he had to find a way to manage his finances better. I told him that he had to start budgeting his expenses and saving some money.

I also advised him to try and find a way to cut down on the instalment amount.

He was initially reluctant to take my advice and refused and finally woke up when the car was eventually towed away.

I am a local Singaporean. Growing up, I had a normal life just like any other Singaporean kid. I went to school, hung out with my friends and did everything that kids did.

I was a bright and promising student but I was never a top student.

Joined a gang

When I was in my teens, I made a wrong decision that changed my life forever. I joined a gang. I was led astray by my peers and thought it was cool to be part of a gang. I thought I would be respected and well-liked among my friends if I joined. I was wrong.

Being part of a gang was not as glamorous as I thought it would be. I was constantly getting into trouble with the law and was frequently called to the police station. I was always on the lookout for the police and had to constantly lie low. It was a life of fear and paranoia. I was never able to enjoy my teenage years like my peers.

The worst part was that I was not able to focus on my studies. I was never able to focus properly on anything and I could not concentrate on my studies. This resulted in me performing badly in school and I eventually dropped out of school.

After dropping out of school, I had no idea what to do with my life. I was stuck and could not find a job. I had to resort to unskilled jobs like washing cars and delivering food. I was barely making enough to survive and was always struggling to make ends meet.

My life was a stark contrast to my classmate who studied hard and went on to university. He is now a successful professional with a stable job and a comfortable lifestyle. I, on the other hand, am still struggling to make ends meet. I regret joining a gang in my teens and wish I had focused on my studies instead.

I have come to accept my life and have made peace with the fact that I will never be able to change my past. All I can do now is focus on the present and try to make the best out of it. I am currently working hard to improve my skills and am trying to find better job opportunities.

I hope that my story will serve as a warning to other teenagers who are tempted to join a gang. It is not worth it and you will regret it later. Focus on your studies and make something out of your life instead of wasting your time and energy on something that will not benefit you in the future.

Last weekend when I went for the BP concert I saw so many parents bringing their kids to watch. My first thought was wow how much did they spend sia just on these few hours.

They must be damn rich to afford this. I pay for two tickets I alr kpkb need to eat grass wallet got big hole but some of them still bring their maid along leh cao cao need to buy 5 at least more than $1k alr siao how to afford? Second thought is wow their kids actually want to go out with their parents to chase idols.

I thought usually they will wanna go with their friends cos when I was young where got people bring their father mother with them when they go chase stars one?

Confirm will kena laugh at for being mama’s boy or what la so uncool. But obviously this era the children all different one. Go out with father mother won’t get nagged also don’t need to pay for anything, actually is quite smart. Third is BP really is gaolat.

All age group also never let go. Even ahgong ahma also know how to sing their song and dance their dance. Minister also like to use their song to make TikTok.

Some kids flag raising ask them sing majulah singapura they diam diam act one shy but actually is dunno the words then when ask them sing BP song they immediately badabing badaboom still can comment your pronunciation not zhun. This BP really is global kpop star..

Respect. Maybe should ask them to be education minister then the kids will study harder.

25 years = $25,000 bonus… but not for me

So we recently had a company meeting where our CEO announced that 2 employees that have been working for 25 years will be receiving a $25,000 bonus..

But I’ve been working here 27 years and all I got when I had 25 years was a plaque/trophy.

I brought this up to the CEO and she said that “we weren’t doing the $25,000 when you hit 25 years.” One of the people who received that bonus check today has been working here 26 years.

I know my worth. I know that without me, this company would not be working. I take shorter lunches to help customers, and I’ve been working here the longest.

I don’t want to beg for money, but my god, that $25k would help me and my family out so much.

I want to meet with the CEO and discuss this in person. How should I approach this??

TLDR: They just announced employees that have worked 25 yrs get a $25k bonus, I’ve been working 27 and didn’t get anything. What do I do??

Netizens’ comments

1. Simple answer: they played favorites. Nothing complicated about it.
2. How many of you have been there for 25+ years? This is rotten.
3. Don’t help the company with anything but minimum effort for only your job tasks
4. As for what to do: they clearly don’t value you for the work you put in, OP. My suggestion: Start sending out your resume to other companies in your industry, then when you find one that actually values your experience (and respects your work/life balance, that’s really important); give this toxic workplace your notice.
   And in the meantime, stop taking shorter lunches or doing anything else “extra” for them. Work exactly according to your job description; nothing more, nothing less.
   Also (especially since you indicated you’ve been here a long time and are at a decently high level), expect them to pushback once you do put in your notice.
   They may try to offer you the $25,000 bonus (or a smaller “consolation” bonus), or offer a raise; even substantially more than what you were making before or even what the new company is offering. DO NOT ACCEPT ANY OF THESE OFFERS. This is a common bait-and-switch tactic they will use to lose you the other opportunity; meanwhile they will be hyper-scrutinizing every little thing you do, looking for any legitimate excuse to fire you for cause.
   DO NOT let any of your colleagues (managers, coworkers or otherwise) know you are looking for other positions.
   DO NOT sign anything they give you without going over it very carefully first.

Accidentally signed up for a job at an MLM event. Too late to back out. Any advice is appreciated

Been working gig jobs here and there before school starts and have signed up for an event job only to find out 2 days before the actual event that it is for an infamous MLM company.

I have already signed the contract with the recruitment company and there would be a high penalty fee if I don’t show up for work. (which i cannot comfortably afford).

Im 100% anti MLM, but my job scope involves selling said products to potential victims and I just feel yucky thinking about how I’m willingly participating in this whole scam.

Any advice is appreciated. Thank you.

Edit: Thank you all for the advice so far! Im truly grateful. For more context, the MLM in question is H****. AFAIK its a private event spanning across 4 days. I am not also not a minor.

Netizens’ comments

1. Just dont hit your quotas and make them fire u. Also dont put money into anything they pitch.
2. Keep doing tiktok and insta story with the dog tongue out filter. Youll be annoying the hell out of them and they will tell you off or fire you
3. Is yours commission based? If not then just go to work for those few days. Since you’re not comfortable selling MLM products then just befriend the customers and tell them it’s an MLM product and the product doesn’t really work. The point is to grab this opportunity to network with the customers.
   I’m sure they’ll ask why you are selling it. Then you can just be honest about the mishap. Then who knows you may pitch a manager or a boss who indeed has a legit opening for temp staff.
4. MLMs are strictly speaking illegal in singapore. You can make a police report if you have evidence that they are carrying on an MLM scheme. If the contract provides that your duties or obligations include participating in or promoting the MLM scheme, it is illegal and void. You can simply not turn up.
   The problem is where you don’t know if they are actually carrying on an MLM scheme or just running a business that employs MLM-like means. For the latter, it is technically possible for them to make a civil claim against you for damages if you decide to breach the contract, but it is probably not worth the legal fees and they are unlikely to pursue the matter.
5. If it’s for an event only, I’d assume it’s like a 2-3 day job? I would just go and get paid. Pretend to work but actually accidentally let slip to any potential customer I’m talking to that there are cheaper alternatives elsewhere.
   They won’t fire you if you seem to be doing your job properly, and it’s just for a couple days. Tahan, take your pay, and leave.

Landlord not refunding my full deposit?

Think I have a strong case but wanted a second opinion, will try to be succinct here.

I moved out of my flat on 18th April after living there over 5 years, and TA states that the deposit should be refunded two weeks after.

About two weeks before moving out my agent came to inspect the flat (as she would be travelling during handover), went through in detail the inventory list and also tested things to make sure they worked.

We agreed on a few items to be repaired which hired a handyman to complete before moving out.

On handover day another agent came, and the landlord himself. We signed an inspection/handover agreement that there was nothing to be repaired and the agreement stated that the full deposit would be repaid to us.

Deposit was not refunded in time, and I do not hear anything. After three weeks (so 1 week late) I began following up with my agent every day for the deposit. No response.

Only after I threatened to go to small claims court did I get a list of repairs totalling around $700, all of which were new to us and never raised before. No further evidence or justification.

I also believed the new tenants moved in end of April already. I did not accept these repairs and asked for deposit to be refunded in full as agreed.

This morning I checked and the landlord refunded the deposit less this $700. Does this not count as stealing? I’m prepared to fight this, surely the landlord is wrong but as I’m a foreigner maybe the law here is just against me. Any advice would be appreciated!

Btw my experience of landlords and agents is shocking here, it really detracts from my experience here. I haven’t even included details of all repairs that landlord has never attended to during my tenancy.

A biggest regret in my whole life.

My girlfriend is the love of my life. At first I believe I fall in love with her simply because we see each other daily at work, and because I enjoy talking with her I confess to her after some months knowing each other.

Luckily she feel the same way towards me and we started dating. I admit it was rough initially, while she is kinda temperamental and I’m the kind of guy who usually cries in front of her in order to express my emotion. I supress my anger and disappointment in silent so after a while it burst into tears.

To be honest I feel like myself is a wimp of a man who cries alone or in front of her whenever I’ve had a big trouble either at work or just within my overthinking self. And I am actually so ashamed by that I even think “No way she’s gonna hold on with me after knowing I’m like this.”

But couple of months after we started dating, it all just going even better. She never leave me for a second, she even said it’s okay for me to cry in front of her if it’s make me feel better, it’s fine for a man to cry she said.

A years pass by since then and she never stop caring about me. But my foolish youngself is getting kinda bored with our relationship and thinking “She’s not the only girl in this world, surely I can find a better girl than her who can make me grow more better day by day”. And that’s when I make my biggest mistake in my whole life.

I break up with her even though she doesn’t wanna that, I make up a fake reason for the break up thinking that my love life gonna be just fine in the future.

And then years later I started dating another girl and then break up after just a couple of months later. The year after I am dating yet another girl and we break up again after just a couple of months together.

Then I realized that letting go of her just because I’m bored was the biggest mistake that I’ve ever done, because now I realize there is not gonna be another girl as beautiful and acceptance as her.

That happen 7 years ago, I got hold with her recently and knowing that she’s been happily married and having a child recently. I’m so happy for her too, but for me, I’ve been avoiding any relationship just because I think it’ll just not gonna end well anyway for me.

–

I just graduated a year ago but I honestly feel like an old person. Ever since I started working full time, I gradually stopped feeling any joy in life.

The daily repeated routine of waking up, going to work, coming home to sleep feels like a chore. In fact, I wake up everyday feeling exhausted regardless of how late or early I slept the previous night.

At first, I used to look forward to the weekends as I can spend time with my friends and loved ones. Now, even this feel like a weekly burden. I feel tired being around people.

And so I decided that perhaps I just needed some “me” time and rest during the weekends. I stopped making plans to go out with others. Instead, I started to sleep till noon and read books or play games the rest of the day. Initially this arrangement felt like a good change but I started feeling bored after a while.

Now I honestly feel happiest and most at peace when I’m asleep. Sometimes I really wish I can just bury myself under a warm and fluffy blanket, fall into deep sleep and never wake up again.

And no, don’t worry I have no thoughts of killing myself. I’m terrified of heights and knives plus I still want to be a filial child and support my parents till old. I just wanted to rant and organise my thoughts a little. Thanks for hearing me out.

Netizens’ comments

1. Welcome to adulthood and reality. This seems to be a norm struggle among the younger generation these days.
2. The reason why I keep myself in my room after work and during weekends to sleep for the whole day. I feel you bruh 
3. I get what you mean and would like you to know that you are not alone. thank you for taking the time to share this with us, we appreciate you for who you are and how you try your best to be a filial child to your parents is truly admirable… sleep is often an escape ..
   it’s hard to enjoy it without indulging in it when you’re lost in life and just really bored with the mundane routine of our lives … but I need you to know that good things will take awhile to happen to good people and as twisted as it may sound, your rainbow will appear soon.
   Have faith and keep up with that fighting spirit .. you’re gonna be so ok and we’re all rooting for you and have faith in you! 

Should I tell him about my past?

I have a high body count(50+) and he doesn’t know about it. We are both in our 20s and I have fallen deeply and irrevocably in love with him.

We met during our first year of university together and I was infatuated with him from the moment I saw him. The simplest things he did garnered my interest – the way he carried himself with such purpose, or even the way he messes with his hair. He would always be the one answering questions in lectures, with no hesitation or fear of being wrong (which was rare). It was hard not to be attracted to someone with such presence and intelligence.

I crushed on him hard, but at that time he was still in a relationship. I never pursued him because of this (also partially because of how much of a mess I was), but running into him in U town always made my day that much brighter.

Fast forward to the start of our second year and he is no longer in a relationship. I was so timid and introverted I didn’t spot the little things he would do to try and get my attention. Even when he insisted I always work with his group I just assumed it was just out of kindness, rather than anything else.

A few weeks later he invited me out for dinner. I was petrified! Why would someone so amazing want to spend time with me? I mustered all the courage I could and went over to his flat. When he opened the door he looked incredible. He was wearing a beautiful sparkling silver jacket which he’d paired with some suave jeans. It was a look that very much suited his personality that not many people could pull off.

Long story short: we shared a few drinks and talked for what seemed to be a short time. We laughed and joked about the most random of topics. I have no idea exactly what was said that night, but I was enjoying it so much that I never wanted it to end.

The next thing we knew it was 6am in his room in what felt like the blink of an eye. He had things to do the next day, so we parted ways. But not before he playfully kissed me and extended an invite for a second date. That was the moment I knew I wanted to be with him. I spent the entirety of my late night walk home grinning like a tool, feeling like I’d won the lottery.

One thing led to another during the next date and I started to initiate physicality. He stopped me and told he was a virgin and wanted to wait until we were married. I was so crushed as he said love is sacred and he was saving himself for me after marriage.

We moved in together a few months ago and the rest is history. Each passing day we continue to build upon our love. Our love wasn’t instantaneous: it was something we made together and will continue to make into the future.

He has made me a better person – far better than I could have hoped to be without him. I love him tremendously and have nearly forgotten what life was like without him.

He’s definitely one of the best things to ever happen to me.

Unfortunately, I do not know how to break the truth to him. It will crush him and one day if it comes out I fear he will leave me.

Please share with me what I should do.