3 things I started doing for my parents when I started working

It’s been about three and a half years since I graduated from University and I have to admit - it wasn’t exactly easy when I first entered the working world.

Due to my lack of experience and proper skill sets for the jobs I had applied for, I had difficulty in finding a company that was the right fit.

Thankfully, I managed to emerge from these storms and eventually found a safe and nurturing space in Mothership, a company I now regard as kin (truly mean it and not just saying this because my boss might be reading).

And while there were periods of gainful employment and not-so-fun-employment over those three and a half years, one thing remained constant - my parents’ unconditional love for me.

Now that I’ve managed to secure a full-time job for close to two years now, I’ve made it a conscious effort to repay my parents in small but meaningful ways.

Here’s how.

1) I give them a monthly allowance

I know that giving your parents a monthly allowance after you start work is almost a given in Singapore, but it was a “whole new world” for me when I had to portion a sum of my pay to them every month.

Not only did this remind me of the need to “饮水思源” (translation: Never forget to repay my roots), it also made me more prudent with how I spend my money.

For example, I would consciously think of how I could save more and spend less each month, as well as the salary I should be striving to earn so that I can increase the amount of money I give to my parents over time.

This also spurred me to take greater steps in planning for both my parents’ and my own financial future, since they will likely be retiring in a few years’ time.

2) I treat them to a meal at least once a month

Perhaps as a way to make up for not being able to give my parents as much of a monthly allowance as I would ideally like (for now at least), I also make it a point to treat them to a meal at least once a month.

Thankfully, my parents are usually very easy-going when it comes to food, and never expect me to bring them to lavish, high-end restaurants.

As a result, we usually opt for mid-tier restaurants that can be found in both heartland malls and in town, while “finer dining” is reserved for birthday months.

This makes it easy for me to treat them to meals on a regular basis, as it is not too great a burden on my monthly expenditure.

3) I pay for half of the household’s electricity bill

Ever since I started working from home due to Covid-19, I have also begun paying for half of our household’s electricity bill every month.

This is due partly to the increased usage of air-conditioning in my living room during working hours, as well as the fact that I want to start contributing more to the household expenses.

Fortunately, the weather in both December and January has been pretty cooling thus far, and has saved me quite a pretty penny from not having to turn on the air-conditioning at all.

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This sponsored article by Tuas Power made this writer want to do more for her parents.

Top image via Melanie Lim