Lately, I’ve been staring at my spreadsheets more than my actual work. After years of grinding, skipping the Starbucks, and taking the bus even when I’m late, I’ve hit the $1.5M mark (including CPF OA/SA, excluding my 4-room HDB in Ang Mo Kio).
On paper, $1.5M sounds like a lot. But in 2026 Singapore? I’m starting to feel like it’s just “poverty plus.”
I did the math: if I drawdown 4% a year, that’s about $5,000 a month. Sounds shiok, right? But then I look at the price of a bowl of minced meat noodles. Last time $3.50, now easily $6.00 at some places. My aircon service just went up, town council fees went up, and don’t even get me started on the GST.
My lifestyle is quite “low SES”:
- No car (take MRT/bus everywhere).
- Eat at hawker centers 80% of the time.
- Once a year go JB for massage/grocery run.
- Maybe one “big” trip to Japan or Taiwan.
But the “what ifs” are killing me. What if my parents’ medical bills explode? What if the inflation rate for caifan continues to outpace the S&P 500? I’m worried that by the time I’m 70, that $5,000 will feel like $500.
I see some people on this sub saying you need $3M minimum to be safe because of “lifestyle creep” and private healthcare. Then I see some uncles at the void deck looking perfectly happy with just their CPF Life and a beer.
Am I being too paranoid, or is $1.5M actually the new “bare minimum”?
For those who have already pulled the trigger or are close to it: how are you guys coping with the anxiety? Should I just suck it up and work another 5 years to hit $2M, or am I wasting my “good years” chasing numbers that will never be enough?
Give me some reality check leh. Honest opinions only, don’t just tell me to “go buy TOTO.”