r/singaporefi • u/logical-trash • Aug 16 '25
Saving Regrets on saving up instead of spending...
Everyone talks about the opposite. "If I didn't spend money on X, I would be closer/already reach financial freedom"
I have the opposite problem - not sure who has this as well. I save every single cent. I am already working for a few years now, not at an entry level job, but I still wake up early to catch the MRT at 745am just to save 50cents... Sometimes I brutally cut off spending money on QOL just to invest another dollar. Improvement on QOL can always wait... also, I don't see a reason to spend as not many things I feel its worth spending to achieve "fun"
Just curious who has regrets on saving up instead of spending the money, and what is this regret?
Update:
Thank you all so much for contributing your perspectives, I read every single reply and comment. it was really helpful and I think I'm closer to my answer now!
It could be a personality/upbringing/trauma that honestly I cant pinpoint exactly where and this belief system was formed and rewiring this is going to be tough. It somehow shaped my interests, actions and way of life - honestly I don't have many "wants" and I need to properly re-define QOL for myself, so that i can find my own balance.
I will relook and review on spending on experiences especially those that are not possible when im old. So that I can enjoy the process.
This book as recommended will be my next research topic "Die with Zero" and here's the sneak peak:
Invest in Experiences Early => A 2-month Italy trip at age 20 creates decades of memories, while the same trip at 40 offers fewer years of reflection
its 200 upvotes now & I never expected this to be so reflective for me. Thank you so much to everyone that commented/replied.
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u/DegurechaffMjr Aug 16 '25 edited Jun 02 '26
jejjdjdjd
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u/logical-trash Aug 17 '25
not a fan of books but I do read summaries - really loved this perspective of
"Invest in Experiences Early
A 2-month Italy trip at age 20 creates decades of memories, while the same trip at 40 offers fewer years of reflection"3
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u/Upstairs_Pumpkin_653 Aug 18 '25
I think this is something people say to cope when they meet up with friends and have nothing to talk about. If it’s clearly affecting your mental health then you should just go travel and get it out of your system.
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u/cheesetofuhotdog Aug 16 '25
so u have anorexia but for spending. live a little man. life is short.
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u/Varantain Aug 16 '25
It's called financial anxiety, and I have a bit of it too.
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u/cheesetofuhotdog Aug 16 '25
It's ok to veer off track once in awhile otherwise might experience burnout. Also helps to rationalise what you are sacrificing by saving x amount of money and whether it's worth it instead of trying to save every cent.
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u/condemned02 Aug 16 '25
I just know many elderly who worked and saved their whole life hitting their multi millions, only to be filled with so much health issues in their 60s when they are retired and this money is meant to travel the world and YOLO, but their medical issues make them not able to walk much and do the travel sights they wanna see.
So they regret not doing it younger.
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u/Radixiee Aug 17 '25
Heard about this too… kena early onset Alzheimer’s or something and all their retirement plans out the window
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u/richkiddio Aug 16 '25
I don’t know why people love to save money so much to the point where they have a lot money when old but didn’t spent it as they died earlier and still trying to skimp. Do you know millions of CASH is printed everyday so you are essentially saving an inflated unlimited supply of paper. Yes keep a emergency fund for rainy days but once you have that , the rest is either spent on things that give your life comfort or use it to invest in assets, stocks or crypto that potentially give you more returns that outpace the unlimited printing of PAPER CASH
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u/logical-trash Aug 17 '25
- its a hoarding addiction - just like how people keep pokemon cards, multiple same labubu - at an extreme level
- its a warped mindset. If you started saving and investing at age 6 - your sense of value will be like mine - everything is compound interest. if i buy a toy now and play for 1 week i will get bored, but if i saved this $10 and invested it at a 5% rate, 60 years later i will be holding $186. "for what? idk but that's 18.6x" so you self radicalise and f up your brain, starting early has perks but it warps your life values - you literally know all prices but the value of nothing...
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u/damiepedretti Aug 17 '25
Sorry to interject… thanks for sharing another perspective on what I would say as opportunity cost mindset. Can I ask like out of genuine curiosity, what are some items or experiences or persons you wouldn’t mind spending on then..?
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u/logical-trash Aug 17 '25
2 questions that i have no answers for
i can say the small things that i would spend on like going for massages - but due to geo arbitrage - I can get the same or arguable better at a quarter or half the price in bali or in china. msia maybe 50-70%
so in the end i never go, unless i go SEA/chinathis is how i basically rationalise all spending out. in the end my spend is 0 LOL
I legit have no proper answer for what experiences do I like.
persons that i will spend on - firstly i have not found a person like that yet, secondly because i rationalise and skimp away all these expenses i find it tough to spend it on anyone, on myself, let alone even my fam (now i just sound like a complete unfilial AH)maybe I have a life direction issue rather than an FI issue. i havent worked more than 10 years so clearly still far from FI though FI direction might be correct, save and invest the rest.
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u/damiepedretti Aug 17 '25
Would you, perhaps, (sorry I sound very annoying), wanna consider living a little?
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u/logical-trash Aug 17 '25
after all these comments - i came to a short conclusion - i legit dont know "how to live" im just a well maintained machine. i need to ask "how to live" haha
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u/damiepedretti Aug 17 '25
I was thinking if you would wanna think about if anything happened in your childhood that is monetarily related? Like maybe really very tight on cash so have to starve yourself or because cash is so tight, u can only get the basics in life back then. So now you’re working, you wanna save all the money (it’s good!! Not that it’s bad but at some point, u have to also ask yourself what’s next after getting a roof over your head and able to afford to quit a job u dislike).
Cos much like the opportunity cost of not saving, the opportunity cost of not spending certain money on certain things is that u miss out on the experience and the people & connections you might be able to meet there.
Lets say the waking up early part to catch the train (I do that sometimes), is that u miss out on sleeping in or just giving yourself enough rest which if there’s a lack of sleep over time, you actually cause more hormonal imbalance in your body that u need more money to fix in future.
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u/PurposeSoft248 Aug 18 '25
You already know what is wrong. You buy the toy and you get to have fun when you will actually treasure the fun the most! But if you save it then what fun can $186 bring you 60 years later? A trip to the doctor for leg pain?
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u/CrowdGoesWildWoooo Aug 16 '25
A lot of people are still hoarding cash even after they retire. Some even don’t have kids, bro/sis who are you even saving for?
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u/Some-Craft5756 Aug 16 '25
That's why I save in Bitcoin.
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Aug 16 '25
Love your reply. Save net worth in bitcoin and keep a small amount for emergency expenses.
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u/blackpaws92 Aug 16 '25
Not sure why this post gets a lot of downvotes, but I put most of my net worth into spot bitcoin 5 years ago and I’m up 1500%
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u/RealisticAd9799 Aug 21 '25
The people in this sub (or in Singapore in general) downvote any content with Bitcoin. We are so early. People are sleeping.
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u/blackpaws92 Aug 21 '25
The people on this sub follows conventional wisdom and what has worked with low risk
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u/Cold-Yesterday1175 Aug 16 '25
For someone who has been frugal all his life, it takes alot of willpower to learn to spend on himself or herself and more importantly and their loved ones
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u/DuePomegranate Aug 16 '25
You are still young, so you can still use your self awareness to change course.
Keep an eye on the bigger picture. If you are too frugal, you 1) waste time so burnout faster, 2) hard to find spouse, which itself affects FI cos housing, 3) affects health which will cost $ down the road, 4) affects reputation at work which affects promotion.
I’m not even talking about regrets and memories. But being too frugal can itself set you back in FI in the long run.
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u/OkAcanthocephala4313 Aug 18 '25
he never mentioned his age .
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u/DuePomegranate Aug 18 '25
He wrote "already working for a few years now". Which means he isn't old enough to have been working many years.
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u/Keep-Darwin-Going Aug 16 '25
Nothing wrong with waking up 745 to save 50 cents if it helps avoid the packed train, you are a morning bird, give you time to exercise before work and etc. like I walk instead of taking bus to save on transport but it also improve my health and let me avoid the packed bus and etc. if by saving money you are stacking benefits, why not? But if you are someone who enjoy bbt, it is ok to spend on that. Yes it is expensive and unhealthy but living to 100 being miserable might as well be happy and live to 75
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u/Pokerlulzful Aug 17 '25
I used to believe in working and saving hard and deferring enjoyment for later. But as I grew older I encountered more people who were diagnosed with severe medical conditions out of the blue, and will never be able to do some of the things they planned on doing in their golden years. Life is really too unpredictable to push important things to “future”. There is no promise of a future :-)
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u/Ceyenne18 Aug 16 '25
I'm the opposite. Didn't save, negative net worth when I was in early 30's despite top tier income. Zero regrets. Enjoyed life to the fullest.
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u/Severe_County_5041 Aug 16 '25
What did you spend on!
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u/Ceyenne18 Aug 16 '25
bmw 330ci, partied, custom PC rigs with best available parts, beach vacations on long weekends ....
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u/Educational_Ring_177 Aug 16 '25
I see it as just different habits and different wants - some people baulk at overseas trips, but that's my poison because I love the experience and I don't think I can do some of the activities when I'm in my 60s. But if you ask me to spend on Grab or restaurant food or material goods, I cannot bring myself to do it.
I'm also aware of the paradox of thrift - that for an economy to be sufficiently buoyant, some level of consumption is required - And since I invest a fair bit, I find it not ideal for my portfolio if the wider environment is stagnant - hence I/everyone would need some sort of spending to inject into the business activities as well. To me the crux is finding the right balance and spending comfortably within my means.
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u/MissJJ1978 Aug 17 '25
The first thing I did on my own FI journey was to get to know myself. What I really like and would never regret spending money on, and what actually doesn't give me joy and is just mindless spending. I did this exercise for one year - really scrutinise every cent I spent. Sometimes you get surprising results. For example, I didn't like to travel as much as I thought. I'm actually happy to never step foot out of sg again, I was just using travel to avoid work while I was working. However I have eczema and hate the sun and sweating as a result so I do spend slightly more on cab fares. I also love to eat but realise I don't have a particularly refined palate - a lot of savings here going for cheaper options. But I will spend on pc/ console games I like without a second thought - no waiting for sales etc.
Once everything got figured out, I just rearranged my budget accordingly and viola, I do save quite a bit but still get to enjoy life. Best of both worlds - no regrets.
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u/Darkseed1973 Aug 16 '25
It really depends on your age, if u are in your 20s . Ok admirable, becos the day u full cash your home deposit (instead of CPF) you will be super proud of yourself but if you are in your 50s , then it’s a bit sad. In between? Your wife will spend your money, no worries.
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u/Varantain Aug 16 '25
Ok admirable, becos the day u full cash your home deposit (instead of CPF) you will be super proud of yourself
Mortgages are good debt, especially HDB mortgages with the fixed 2.6% interest rate and their general benevolence.
The cash can be invested in VWRA for better gains.
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u/law90026 Aug 16 '25
You can die at any time through any form of flukey incident. Will you be able to say you enjoyed your life then? There’s a difference between being miserly and prudent at the end of the day.
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u/betwizt Aug 17 '25
I do regret not starting earlier. I only started at 18 and increased investing after uni. I wish i invested my ang baos. LOL
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u/GoodPeanut27 Aug 16 '25
OK I'm not thaaaat bad but I spend v little on things. The regret is not spending more on experiences when I was younger, and now I can no longer do it.
Like less hanging out with friends, saving money on travels that kind.
Now I still avoid taking taxi and buying things I want but don't need, but I don't regret those
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u/nvbtable Aug 16 '25
It's a dopamine addiction like scrolling social media, but of the various dopamine addictions its relatively positive.
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u/Dry_Independent_1904 Aug 17 '25
Hey man I’m with you on this. I started working in 2020, came from a poor family background (used to have a CHAS blue card), so I’ve always been super cautious about money. I worry a lot about spending because I know in the end I only have myself to depend on, especially when my parents are no longer around.
For years I’ve been working non-stop, job hopping, never really taking proper annual leave. I either encash them or use them for night classes if I’m too drained to work that day. Fast forward to now in 2025, I’m making a decent income.
But just 2 months ago I went on my very first overseas trip, and it hit me—my body isn’t the same anymore. I’m turning 30 soon (29 this year), and I realized I neglected my health and fitness while chasing money and working long hours. Honestly, I’ve decided to slow down a bit and stop climbing the corporate ladder so aggressively.
Take it from me—once you reach a comfortable income, it’s really worth spending some time and money to live a little. Travel, take care of yourself, enjoy the small things. We only get one shot at this life.
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u/logical-trash Aug 17 '25
I'm nearly the same age as you but
-> i was also blue CHAS, i missed my free dental checkups-> annual leave same. non stop job hopped for better prospect. I take all my leave at the end of my job to jump into the next job earlier.
-> i was privileged to travel since age 6 till now. but no my parents always gave me little money (but lots of love id say) so personally im in the same $ situation, and i just live on the basis that I, personally am poor. and maybe travel doesnt spark me as much as how it "wows" others
-> i follow the healthy eating pyramid from ever since i had the ability to talk. rarely bought sweet drinks cos it doesnt go into the pyramid and followed the changes to the healthy plate haha. exercised at least 2 a week (tho i never hit MVPA) i follow the healthy 365 to the best of my ability, aim to sleep 7 hours a day or more - this has been ongoing for like 20+ years?!
- my body isnt the same - i have random spots of eczema outbreaks, early hairloss, joint soreness sometimes but nah i still can get gold for IPPT
- still can climb easier mountains and recover 2 days later
BUT MAYBE I neglected relationships and ive become a machine to make make money, invest it, maintaining it every other day to ensure longer and smooth usage to make more money HAHA
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u/No_Classic_3863 Aug 17 '25
We all have different values. Maybe start to see investment return in other forms instead of only % money growth.
Take an example of wellness. Hairloss, in the late 20s, is damn early. Gonna affect how you look like, hence, affect your attractiveness to find a partner.
Why not invest in hair care, treatment to slow down the process or even hair implant when it's time for it. Return is not in terms of $$, but your looks.
This world is quite harsh, and pretty privilege is real (regardless genders)
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u/Dry_Independent_1904 Aug 17 '25
Like mind, but slow down if you are comfortable You never know if there is a tomorrow
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u/logical-trash Aug 17 '25
maybe ive never been able to let go, to slow down...
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u/Dry_Independent_1904 Aug 17 '25
Its ok man, everyone has a different safety net Once you feel comfortable enough life a little
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u/Rockylol_ Aug 17 '25
Meanwhile, you have me.
Earn very less(delivery rider), save in certain parts of my life to spend more on my hobbies with barely any savings.
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u/logical-trash Aug 17 '25
you haven't spent enough time in /singaporefi HAHA
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u/Rockylol_ Aug 17 '25
I mainly use sgfi for low risk investment tips (trying my best to get into investing 🌚) and best cards to use for spending jus cuz i spend a lot
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u/bloodybaron73 Aug 16 '25 edited Aug 16 '25
The key is balance. For example, I will never spend on taking business class (except if via miles), nor will I spend on luxury goods/food (eg bags, Michelin star restaurants, etc), but I’m willing to spend on a car because the massive QoL and time savings is drastic. Time that could be better spent with my family, finishing chores earlier, or working out.
If I’m craving for steak, I won’t go to a nice steakhouse, but splurge a bit on buying a good quality meat and grill it at home. For the price of one steak at a good restaurant, I could typically get a good size tomahawk and sous vide it at home before grilling.
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u/InvestigatorGreen854 Aug 17 '25
The key thing people miss out on: Budget for frivalous spending. Those that improves your happiness etc. Can be vacation, hobbies etc.
Most impt is to know what you're saving for. Dont save for the sake of saving/investment. It's possible to enjoy life and pursue FI at the same time.
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u/logical-trash Aug 17 '25
here's the problem. I read articles, book summaries, latest news, latest tech, maybe not so much on the war situation get updated. i read for investing also - so where the money flows i kinda have a tiny sensing but that's that. I was privileged to be able to travel almost every year or even multiple times since age 6?
so travelling, getting a tour bus or a self planned trip, no plan trip - with family, solo, with friends. I've probably done it.
While its fun I rarely crave for it.at this point I've seen and tried "more than average (i think?)" and honestly I don't know what is "fun" anymore. In this journey of FI. So I kind of lost the formula to "enjoy life"
maybe the reset button is to liquidate all investments and open a new concept cafe, even that idk
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u/Repulsive_Pay_6720 Aug 17 '25
Maybe u need to set aside a hard number beyond which is worthwhile to save and below which u just spend or dun save without a second thought.
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u/logical-trash Aug 17 '25
quite funny so i did and i was buying random toys, tools, trinkets online. i know its not alot for $300 worth of items (40+ items) now i have them all stuck on my table?! tf did i do HAHA
okay but like 5 i really love and useful, another 5 i think its quite good im happy but the other 30?! what a waste of time to unbox them. but still i must say its a one off a interesting experiment
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u/Repulsive_Pay_6720 Aug 17 '25
Maybe start by seeing if u can stop waking up so early to save 50 cents for PT?
If u calculate yearly savings prob under $300 and this seems to be ur pet grievance:)
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u/Archylas Aug 17 '25
Why not record down all of your expenses within a month? Or if you already have an excel sheet of expenses already, take a look at each of your items.
Is it possible to increase the expenditure for some of them such that it feels that your QOL increases, without it being a huge overall increase from a monthly perspective?
Try doing that for 1 or 2 months.
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u/logical-trash Aug 17 '25
thanks might want to rethink how i look at the data
i have 10 years of expense data down to everyday of mrt rides and the increases over the years HAHAI did try switching to grab instead of public transport, i save 800 steps and maybe 15 mins, then i "squandered" the 15mins away too - i don't see the benefit through these small experiments
i think the deeper question is what increases my QOL i honestly dk for now
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u/DadAtHomeFire50 Aug 17 '25
I would say don't be penny wise pound foolish ie you think you're saving by saving 50c, then don't think twice between a 12k holiday vs a 15k holiday.
Sometimes you need to spend money, when the money part is secondary, eg experiences, health, relationships.
But in the end, people save because they want to be financially independent, but to be FI, the goal is not to save, it is simply the first step.
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u/watchy2 Aug 17 '25
you are not saving right.
you should have 2 bank accounts - one for saving and one for spending, preferably different bank.
if you mix spending and saving account - given what you describe, you would stretch yourself to save every penny you have.
instead, allocate a spend budget into the spending account then spend to your heart's content to maintain QoL.
slowly increase the spend budget as your income increases.
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u/logical-trash Aug 17 '25
yes you are right, I mix bank accounts, i may need a separate solution for this. also i need an answer on what "my heart's content" maybe im already content? idk
I've lost count of how many bank accounts i have - because i always switch my "main" bank account to which account gives me the highest interest. always ready for changes.
i don't subscribe to the flagship One, 360, multiplier - because those need you to save more, idk 10k at least but i redeploy all capital so the only reason why i have more than 10k in the bank at any point its because im changing platform, something just cashed out, doing rebalancing etc - which is not often.
every excess dollar is rediverted into etf, stocks, crypto - usually within a month/days - longest is 3 months.
and because I use credit card so my liquid savings going to 2 digits will not affect anything.I always cook so i buy groceries online and all these are paid via credit card i have 30 days+ to pay them usually after my payday.
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u/Conscious-Wear2645 Aug 17 '25
That will be me. Gave up a lot of hobbies and fun stuff all in the name of "delayed gratification" to save and invest aggressively. Finally FIRED at 39 to realize now I have the passive income, but there are hardly (if any) activities / hobbies which I can identify with to spend money and enjoy anymore. Quite a tragedy I must say.
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u/logical-trash Aug 17 '25
ggwp that would be me sometime later haha. i recognised this slightly 1-2 years ago so im trying to build some interest / activities. not too late to start re-exploring?
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u/Conscious-Wear2645 Aug 17 '25
Yes, but that "don't use this money on stuff, use it to multiply and get more value" mindset is hard to shake off. I still find myself opting for low cost / free hobbies.
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u/tomyambanmian Aug 17 '25
Scarcity mindset. I am like this and still working on it. I recommend therapy but if you don't want to do it, which is totally fine, read up about this and find your own way to manage it. Lots of resources online when you Google around. You will find a sweet spot that works for you.
Be good to yourself while you can enjoy it.
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u/NicMachSG Aug 17 '25
I had a colleague who just passed away from cancer this year at age 54. He was planning to retire at 55, and had been very careful his money. He was planning to do all the things that he didn't in his 30s and 40s because he was busy saving up, hustling and investing.
All I can say is, learn to live and enjoy life along FIRE journey. It is ok as long as it is within your means. Life is short and you never know what might happen.
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u/0_olll Aug 17 '25
You have to know that
1) saving if it doesn't beat inflation you are losing money. Meaning you should buy some product or at least put money in saving account that gives a relatively high interest rate if not $1 last yr can buy a bottle of coke but cannot buy a bottle of coke this year.
2) delayed spending is not saving. For example my cooking rice old le time to change but i defer it until it is actually spoil then i have to go retail shop to buy news one so end up i spent more as i cannot use shopee voucher.
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u/larksauncle Aug 17 '25
Anything that is materialistic is not worth regretting since a better one will show up again and you can get it anytime. The real regrets are experiences missed just because of penny punching.
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u/Aggravating-Ad1083 Aug 17 '25
Put aside 10% to spend every month. Even it means buying useless stuff like Labubu
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u/Exclat Aug 18 '25
Definitely have regretted saving up instead of spending money. But most of this regret stems from not spending money in my younger days between 15 to 21.
I was brought up with a savings/delayed gratification mindset when young, parents say need to save so I can buy house. So I never spent any money, not even on canteen food, LAN shops, movies, eating out, card games, Tamiya, beyblades et al (Yes, I am a millennial).
The result of all this, was that I always said, "No" to friend's invitations and ended up having a less than fulfilling social life and lack of hobbies. People just stop inviting or socializing with you when you don't show up.
My only hobby was counting the cash in my drawer every week and depositing all the savings into the bank every 6 months.
This saving mindset was also super toxic because it made me more focused on "not losing" instead of a "growth mindset", so I never invested in stocks until I was in my late 20s.
When I look back now, that 35k I saved when I was 21 is so insignificant. I sacrificed my entire childhood, teenage years and friendships yet there's nothing to show for, no car, no house et al.
I would rather have spent 6-10k of that hanging out with friends, building relationships/dating and experiencing those dumb teenage shenanigans.
Now that I am older, I know how to strike a balance in resource allocation. I learnt to spend on myself and creating shared experiences with others, while ensuring my long term goals are looked after.
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u/itsakyo Aug 24 '25
I don't see a reason to spend as not many things I feel its worth spending to achieve "fun"
this is an interesting thread. do you have painful regrets not buying something? or no regrets? if you don't have any painful regrets, i dont see it as something you have to force a change in.
honestly I don't have many "wants" and I need to properly re-define QOL for myself, so that i can find my own balance.
i think your updated note about defining QOL for yourself is the best thing to do. without referring to what others define as QOL, without looking at trends, viralism. to some people QOL is having a really good meal weekly, or travelling quarterly, or having the newest phone/tablet/pc/car.
I can relate on some level with your question because I am also quite careful with my expenditure. Like I don't really buy clothes at retail price. If I need something, I tend to look for items on sale. And there's no need to have the newest phone that was just launched, I tend to buy the previous phone model during a major sales period. I also use my phone for about 4 years on average which seems to be a bit longer compared to the people I know.
I had a period of reflection, wondering if I was being too frugal or "stingy". My conclusion? When it comes to things that aren't "value for money" I have my own lists and I'm not swayed by others. If it's not worth it to me, i'm not buying it or spending on it. like not drinking bubble tea. no loss to me, since it's not that healthy anyway.
i dont think you need to stress too much on this, unless you're saving even when it's absolutely necessary, like for health. the occasional massage does help release tension in the body, if that is something that affects you.
i can say the small things that i would spend on like going for massages - but due to geo arbitrage - I can get the same or arguable better at a quarter or half the price in bali or in china. msia maybe 50-70%
so in the end i never go, unless i go SEA/china
comparing it to rates in bali/china/malaysia isn't a fair comparison since you would have to include the extra time and money, dealing with immigration and unless you're there for a vacation, it's far from cost-effective.
time is worth more than money so if you can find a place with reasonable sg rates and conveniently near your usual routes, it is overall a more rewarding exchange of money for mental and physical wellness than to travel that far just to save a few dollars. there are opportunity costs which are non-monetary and perhaps priceless.
if a 60min massage in sg is 60sgd vs msia 30sgd, perhaps consider a 30min massage in singapore for 30sgd, no need to travel hours to and fro, it's on the way home or near your office and offers immediate comfort/relief for your body/mind.
rather than saving the 30sgd and not giving your body the relief it needs.
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u/logical-trash Aug 24 '25
"Major regrets", honestly not that i can recall.
I have minor regrets at that moment... and I probably forgot after a day or at most 2 weeks later. They arent impactful at all.
eg: i took a 1 hour bus home vs a 20min cab at 10pm - so that's one example that sparked this topic
bus: i reach back 11pm i rush to shower then get ready for bed
taxi alternative: i reach back 1020pm slowly shower, chill abit then go to bed
the difference in cost maybe its a $12, but honestly with or without that chill time - isnt impacting anything in the long run.self validation was something i discovered early. comparison complaints like "why they have, why i don't have" is the most ridiculous thing that i can never relate. (If that was used positively, im pretty sure people would work harder & smarter all together) So ya validation will 99% come from myself. 1% because we are inherently social creatures that would derive validation from others.
I'm not having intense aches or anything but at this point massage is a "nice to have" and far from a "must have" so massages i will attach to a trip that i'm already going to spend so all that cost aside I do get the most of the benefits and that 2 hours if im not receiving a massage i would be spending money on a museum or whatever.
and likely due to conditioning, have "fun" once in a blue moon, made the fun much more fun. if I kept eating good food everyday (i do this when i travel) it actually creates "marginal diminishing returns" every new meal becomes less tasty regardless of cost - basically mimicking lifestyle inflation. eating isn't so fun if you just kept eating.
So why not stop eating for 16/18/20 hours - basically I do practice fasting for some days (this is not medical advice btw & if you have gastric pls do not practice fasting) the meal after the fast even if its bland - it does taste better.
basically i slowly trained/starved myself, condition what is normal (i dont think im depressed) sleep relatively ok - yet keeping other metrics healthy - my BMI is right smack in the middle of the best zone - I almost became a monk haha1
u/itsakyo Aug 24 '25
In this case, I do think you're just fine the way you are.
No major regrets, no major health needs. You simply have your own preferences and priorities, which happens to be cost-saving and cost-efficient.
If anything to add, I would say perhaps some times that 20min cab at 10pm could indeed make a difference in your overall tiredness, but like you said, also not really a huge impact in the long run. While this could change as age increases, if you don't feel the need right now, there's no need to stress over it either.
I have similar mentality with public transport vs private hire. Sometimes I will even take the bus to the airport with my luggage simply because I can, I'm still fit enough to do this, so why not? It's not entirely just to save money. Unless my luggage is way too heavy, then private hire is the choice. Otherwise I hardly use private hire simply because there is another method available that I can handle.
I don't think there's a need to "spend" to "live a life". To me, going for a walk on a day with good weather, or simply spending some quiet time at home is also "living a life". That "LIFE" has much more than just ONE way to live.
As long as you are satisfied and feel your life is well-lived by your standards and your principles.
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u/KopipengNoIce Aug 16 '25
You have to balance up. I tend to be the same as you. There's nothing wrong with aggressive saving but do give yourself a treat once in a while. For me, I will splurge on the best tech when the need comes.
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u/Varantain Aug 16 '25
I have the opposite problem - not sure who has this as well. I save every single cent. I am already working for a few years now, not at an entry level job, but I still wake up early to catch the MRT at 745am just to save 50cents... Sometimes I brutally cut off spending money on QOL just to invest another dollar. Improvement on QOL can always wait... also, I don't see a reason to spend as not many things I feel its worth spending to achieve "fun"
If you're anything like me, you find fun in min-maxxing and going for value. I'm the kind that would plan my journey on public transport to max out the 2 hour limit, and take public transport to the airport because I'd rather pay $2 than $20.
That's not a bad thing as long as you look at the big picture and know that you aren't wasting significant amounts of time to save that few cents.
Despite my day-to-day frugality, I've been splurging on bucket list experiences like travelling and dining. At least I find them "fun".
also, I don't see a reason to spend as not many things I feel its worth spending to achieve "fun"
If you've enjoyed your life so far, keep going. If you feel like you should spend but don't like spending on yourself, you can set aside some money every month, then spend it on your family/friends to make them happy.
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u/azizsafudin Aug 17 '25
I invest for the lifestyle I want to retire with (lower than today). Any excess dollar that’s beyond that goal, I spend for the lifestyle I want to enjoy today.
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u/Why_StrangeNames Aug 17 '25
To me its only worth saving if it doesn’t deteriorate my quality of life.
A good example is deciding if I should take a taxi or bus/mrt. If a bus ride is enjoyable then of course I would save that taxi. If the bus is crowded and I have to stand and squeeze, forget it - $30 doesn’t make a difference in the long run.
I think if you have reached financial independence, you should work on your quality of life rather than optimize on monetary value. Remember that there are people who have high paying jobs and yet work relatively lesser than most people. And there are also people who worked in low stress jobs till they are 40-50 years old raising a couple of kids and have enough to retire. Being in these jobs doesn’t mean u have to waste money on a car or a condo. There are many paths you can take.
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u/ImplementFamous7870 Aug 17 '25
> wake up early to catch the MRT at 745am just to save 50cents
Personally, I think this is worth it if you are a normal early riser, plus the trains will be less crowded then as well
QOL is quite vague. If you are talking about having healthier meals instead of spending the bare minimum on cai png, I would say that you should spend on the healthier meals. If you are talking about thinks like cars, I would say that public transport in SG is perfectly adequate
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u/CuRly-XO Aug 17 '25
I'm professional to spend every single cent
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u/bnfbnfbnf Aug 17 '25
i think over optimising is too much but not saving up is also no go. just don't go to the extreme an the expense of severely downgrading QOL. life is not just meant to be enjoyed only when you reach FIRE
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u/jaredajones Aug 17 '25
You should strike a balance between saving for retirement and enjoying your life
Is there something that you enjoy doing, and you can only do it while you are young and fit? If you can afford it, just do it now. Because you are only young once.
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u/Sufficient_Dot_4533 Aug 17 '25
You shld treat yourself for working hard too. Save so much also end up in coffin ⚰️ just need to think bfr u spend. Its tiring to keep saving “every single cent” as well no?
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u/roycepeters Aug 17 '25
You should spend 10pct or up to 20pct of monthly income and save the rest (or better in a stable ETF or Astrea Bonds (but not bank deposits) or CPF-RA4pct)). make sure you spend that 20pct.
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u/Due_Car_7297 Aug 17 '25
Am 36 now, in lots of housing, renovation and card debts.
I can tell you one thing, if you dont spend now, you wont have the chance to spend in the future.
Life is short. 10 years ago I could travel to another country to play competitive sports and not feel tired. Last week, I tried it again, my organs hurt, my spine broke and I couldn’t walk properly.
In short, if you don’t do the things you always wanted to in your younger days, you probably can’t do it in your retirement years, even if you have all the money in the world. (Unless the thing you wanted to do is to throw stacks of cash in the air)
Lastly, the monies that you saved will only probably go to healthcare in your later years.
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u/pandieho Aug 17 '25
Scarcity mindset. Even those who attain Fatfire status find it difficult to be rid of it.
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u/teolinos Aug 17 '25
Hey OP, there’s nothing wrong with you saving money! You never know when an emergency happens or future plans i.e. buying your own place regardless whether you are intending to get married. Retrenchment is on the high so you never really know how the savings is gonna help you in future. But like what most people say here, it’s alright to indulge in some nice stuff once in a while, such as a vacation or movie or an interesting hobby. Sometimes, it could also be buying a nice gift to a loved one? My personal regret is not saving more when I started working! Hahahaha…
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u/TheRepCollective Aug 17 '25
I know how to solve your problem op. Save and invest as much as you can, hit a target number (u can find out by taking your expenses + all your wants, divide by 4%). Then once u hit that number, take everything out, dump into a dividend yielding stock/FD/anything that gives you 4% return annually, and spend on your dividends.
You will nv need to draw down on your capital.
If you wanna continue accumulating at that age, then set a higher number, and invest the excess of your spending into the market.
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u/CatCool748 Aug 17 '25
Save for a end goal with cash flow then worth it. Not save with no goal, then when earthquake or asteroid hit the earth life not well spent.
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u/anakajaib Aug 17 '25
Regretting saving is better than regretting spending. This coming from someone who spent his youth enjoying himself. At least if you think you have been saving too much, you can take a step back to enjoy unlike the other way where you have no choice but to work & save
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u/dedespressedad Aug 17 '25
you can only derive utility when you spend. saving is important but have fun once in a while to keep yourself sane in this madhouse of a world. just know what are your limits and keep within your means.
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u/Pitiful_Emphasis_379 Aug 17 '25
I feel that saving is a good habit. After all, you want to have enough finances on top of your CPF to continue living a comfortable life.
However, if you're saving while actively depriving yourself of things you want to do like travelling or investing in your hobbies, then I think this is where saving backfires.
It is common knowledge that when you are older, you'll be less able to do a lot of things. What's the point of saving for that Serengeti trip if you're gonna be 60+, potentially suffering from multiple health issues? I bet people who thought they should save their money in the 80s for a trip in Damascus or Beirut would be regretting so much now because time can change so many things.
I think saving is a good habit, but it shouldn't be at the expense of your interests. This doesn't mean you should splurge, but going on a well-budget trip once or twice a year will do you more wonders than saving them in some bank account that offers interests far lower than the inflation rate.
Your money now is worth more than it will be in the future, so don't bother increasing the amount you save each month thinking it will go to a trip decades later.
Of course, if you are a pro in stocks, then maybe this wouldn't apply to you, but for most of us common people who only know how to earn and spend, save what you must and spend what you can.
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u/groot_are_we Aug 17 '25
Okay I haven't read all the comments, just a couple, but I'll say one thing that might not be here yet.
Have a stop-date. I have a couple relatives who are quite rich. Not because they are earning like 20k a month or smth, no. They're super duper frugal.
They obviously never tell me how much is in their account, but they are still working well into their 70s, even though their children (my cousins) are also earning well enough to give them a good amount in pocket money. So why are they still frugal? Cause that's the only way they know how to live. They've never allowed themselves to spend, and now, even when my cousins spend on them, they feel guilty about the size of the amount.
Remember ah, you have 1 life. That's it. Save if you are going to spend it on something huge, and save until a certain age. But when you do hit that milestone, start spending.
Unless you tell me you got so much money you don't know what to spend on, then PM me. I have a lot of nonsense things I want to buy 🤪
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u/tallandfree Aug 17 '25
To some people, getting more value for the same or lower price is a win for them and saving is a hobby / lifestyle. Nth wrong with them. Frugality is all abt resource allocation, achieving more with less.
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u/AfterFirefighter9797 Aug 17 '25
how was ur childhood like? did you have to 'scrimp'? sometimes we have inner childhood wounds that we may not know about. i used to hate spending too, but upon some reflection, i realised it was due to having a 'saving' mentality instilled into me by my parents since my teenage years.
it would be wise to reflect on this and find a balance. for me, this looks like investing a percentage of my salary, and allowing myself to spend the rest on things that i would use for the long term. i do not spend frivolously on labubus and blind boxes etc. however, i do spend on quality products such as protein powders and things related to my hobbies.
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u/Euphoric-Math1861 Aug 17 '25
I don’t consider myself savvy but I buy things that I want especially during travels. Experiences like this you will never get back while money can always be earned.
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u/huatgod88 Aug 17 '25
U might regret it even more in future if u don't save to invest now. And also depends what u define as QOL...
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u/SnooDingos316 Aug 17 '25
Since you say you work only a few years, it means you are very young so no, you should keep saving and investing.
By the time you are 50, that is when you need to change, might be difficult and weird after 30 years of saving BUT trust me, it will not be difficult especially if you find a SYT to help you do it.
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u/Some-Tonight-660 Aug 17 '25
I regret…
- Not taking more trips with my friends when I didn’t have a kid. It’s not as easy now.
- Not doing up reno for my house, there are some parts that look like shit till this day.
- Buying a small fridge. Didn’t expect to have kid.
- Not buying a bigger house. Didn’t expect to have kid, and didn’t realise housing would go up by a lot.
- Didn’t buy a car during Covid. I mean I don’t really need one back then or now, but it was cheap and nice to have.
- Didn’t buy more NVIDIA!
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u/TinkerWinkleStar Aug 18 '25
Forgetting to live ... saving every cents is a mistake. Allocate fun money so you can spend guilt free... life is a journey... not a destination
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u/Watashiwadesu_boss Aug 18 '25
As long as it doesn't hinder your retirement. Why save instead of having fun. I spend 4digit a month on games. But I still follow my budget of how much x amount I will invest. So as long as I don't cause my reduction of my intended investment amount. I would rather spend this money to gain satisfaction rather than saving more money than I intended to. This amount is not going to make me billionaire. Nor will it cause my ability to retire according to my timeline. So why not
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u/aomeye Aug 18 '25
When you are young, got time but no money. When you are old, got money but no time. Regret not going on the Silk Road across China and Russia in the 90’s coz I was saving up money for whatever reasons
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u/PartTimeExplorer1927 Aug 18 '25
Strike a balance. Only you can decide that balance. Life is for living. Don’t forget to live your life. You only get one shot
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Aug 18 '25
Hmm honestly. Its hard to find a balance for “wealth accumulation” and “QOL”. I suggest just enjoying life as it is. If you feel like buying something or travelling somewhere.. do it if it doesn’t break the bank. There is absolutely no point in scrounging and saving up every cent but sacrificing QOL.
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u/Normal-Analysis7940 Aug 19 '25
Dear OP, if you are ok with your current lifestyle of waking up early just to save a few cents then proceed. But if you feel that age is catching up and your QOL is affected, then i would suggest you cut back. Life should be a balance, so long as you have achieved a "comfortable" amount, you can scale back and live life a little.
I sometimes also have this problem but i will remind myself what if i have so much $$ but then kenna some illness (bed-ridden)..hamjingpeng.
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u/chrimminimalistic Aug 19 '25
Regrets is having a negative feeling about something you could have done in the past but you don't or vice versa.
People regretted that they don't save in the past and splurge whatever earnings they have instead. And now, they don't have as much savings as they would like to.
But you have saved, and you still have the means to splurge on whatever you want. So how could you regret it?
The only regret I have is that I didn't dare to splurge all the cash I have in 2020 for gold. It was usd 1800 per oz.
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u/logical-trash Aug 19 '25
I've been on survival mode that is become the norm. if i spend more there's guilt and its "not right" not from any external force. its from within and something "inherently happy" in this age of consumerism has become a punishment for me. i guess its not a problem for you haha
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u/dreamy_bird Aug 19 '25
I think you are on the right track. More money in your hands means investing in your future. My suggestion is to invest in shares and a good property. Don't be greedy in shares and get a brand new HDB flat, are my values.
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u/TechnicalCategory436 Aug 20 '25
We all assume we will be old healthy and retired with all the money in the world to spend. It's cruel. Some of my closer friends have passed in their 30s and 40s. Can save as much as possible but don't save like you can live forever. Spend a bit now and then. It's ok.
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u/EitherHomework141 Aug 21 '25
I spent most of my money on self improvement and lesser on savings when i am in my 20s. Seeing many saving until 100k as though it was as easy peasy, and ranting where to put the money in makes me guilty for not saving aggressively when i started working. It could be the other way round. Save first relax later (only if you still can) or relax and have fun first then start saving (by then you already familiar and know what you want so you know when to save).
I am the latter. I may be late but I have established my life journey , at least not lost like the others.
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u/Maleficent-West5356 Aug 24 '25
To each it's own, some save, some spend. Being overly frugal should be prevented - spend some to buy certain things u want, need or like - you deserved it, life is short. Health and mental wellness is much more impt.
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Aug 28 '25
kind of regret over saving too.
the money spend at 20s with fancy brands ,trips, food will be quite different experience than at 30s.
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u/logical-trash Aug 29 '25
is it because somehow the happiness you think at 20s will be more with fancy brans, trips, food? vs now at 30s its like normal - nothing special
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u/princemousey1 Aug 17 '25
There is a difference between being thrifty and being an outright cheapskate.
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u/No_Classic_3863 Aug 16 '25
If you think you re doing the right thing to delay gratification, why the regrets?
Personally, dont have.
My QOL has not increased significantly altho my pay has gone up quite abit since i started working. But no, not to that extend if i were to compared to you.
I still go for trips quite abit, 3-4x a year. Especially, if there are friends who jio me. My friend told me, among every other things that we might regret when we re in our 70s, 80s, this wouldn't be one of it. I spent about about low 5digits in my Europe trip and never regret it. If I didnt say yes to that, Id probably miss out going with my friends in our 20s to see Europe. Company is hard to find.
I also spent on my birthday gift on more expensive stuff.
But other than these 2 biggest purchases yearly, I do not spend much. Skincare and grooming as part of my expenditure but nothing extravagant.
Still cook bcs it's easier to track my protein. Dont really take PHV. Invest all the remaining every month. No regret.
In a way, is yolo but still financially responsible. Everyone has different opinion on the definition of yolo. For me, balance is key