Am a relatively fresh uni graduate in my early 20s, and have only worked full-time only a year. As we all know when the pandemic struck, it was extremely tough to find a job and even if we secured one, the salary was generally ‘lowered’ due to covid reasons. I started off with only $2.9k per month (-cpf left $2320) & give my parents a monthly allowance of $150 each which is 10% of my salary.
While this amount may not be a lot, but it adds up as the months go by, and I’ve gradually increased to $200/parent now.
Recently one particular parent keeps bringing up the topic of money and yapping that the amount is pathetically little. He says i should be ashamed of myself for giving this little after he brought me up etc, and claims I’m ungrateful and not a good child and that since I’m giving this little I might as well keep it for myself??
Um why are some boomers like this? Isn’t it the thought that counts? It’s not like I earn a lot to be giving a much more significant sum? I need the $ for my own spending, upcoming BTO etc and other liabilities, it’s not my fault that my parent don’t have a retirement plan for himself? (Also he’s a full time working adult that can earn up to 5 digits on good months).
It appears that giving ‘allowance’ to parents is an Asian ‘tradition’ but i personally feel that it shouldn’t give any parent a sense of entitlement and demand to it.
Call me out if you wish, but I didn’t ask to be born and it is the parents responsibility to bring your children up that you have brought to this world. It shouldn’t entitle you to make your child your cash cow and retirement plan.
Feel so stressed and pressurised when this particular parent keeps yapping on like this. Anyone can relate?