Buying a big house for the maid and dog to stay
By scheng1
@scheng1 (24650)
Singapore
April 19, 2016 9:04am CST
There are many people in Singapore who work very hard because they have to pay for a big house.
The price of apartments and houses in Singapore is higher than the apartments and houses in many cities.
As a result, both husband and wife have to work very hard. They leave home at 7 am and reach home after 8 pm.
They hire a maid to look after the children, and they have at least a dog at home.
The children have to go to school, stay back for activities, and reach home to do hours of homework.
As a result, only the maid and the dog get to enjoy the big house.
That is why the saying is that when a person buys a big house with a large mortgage, he is buying a big house for the maid and the dog to stay.
10 people like this
11 responses
@arundhatiwriter (276)
• India
19 Apr 16
hahaha 
ironical indeed!
one question: rents are also high in Singapore?
ironical indeed!
one question: rents are also high in Singapore?2 people like this
@hereandthere (45651)
• Philippines
20 Apr 16
@scheng1 so how much should your minimum monthly salary be to afford that small bedroom?
1 person likes this
@youless (112123)
• Guangzhou, China
22 Apr 16
I think why not they buy a suitable house at first? When they have more money, then they can consider to buy a bigger house? Having a large mortgage will give a family a high pressure. What if one of them can't work one day? The future is not certain.
1 person likes this
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
22 Apr 16
@youless One income can afford the mortgage, but not the lifestyle.
The tax structure means that both parents have to work to gain the most in tax benefits.
Working mothers practically pay no tax for many years after the birth of their child.
1 person likes this
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
22 Apr 16
Actually the risk is low.
If they take government housing loan, they will not lose their house.
If one of them loses his or her job, they will send back the maid, and take care of the children themselves.
They are likely to cancel the tuition classes of their children to save cost.
1 person likes this
@hereandthere (45651)
• Philippines
19 Apr 16
a friend told me something similar in the middle east. the nanny/maid is the constant companion of the child because the mom travels a lot, while the dad works in a nearby country.
1 person likes this
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
20 Apr 16
@hereandthere It is a gradual change.
Blame it on our founding Father, Lee Kuan Yew.
He brought all the jobs to Singapore, and encouraged everyone to work, and when everyone starts working, they have financial freedom.
They like to work, and no longer like to take care of babies.
1 person likes this
@hereandthere (45651)
• Philippines
20 Apr 16
@scheng1 have grandparents always been that way in singapore or is this a more recent change?
did you or people older than you have closer interactions with your grandparents when you were children?
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
19 Apr 16
It really does seem pretty silly doesn't it. It would be much better to have a smaller house and to enjoy it.
1 person likes this
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
20 Apr 16
The thinking here is that working hard to pay off the house, and then working hard to save up for retirement.
After that, you have the time and money to enjoy life.
That is why many households hire maids to take care of children, and to clean the place.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
20 Apr 16
@scheng1 Since there is no guarantee that one will love until retirement I think enjoying youth and good health is important.
1 person likes this
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
20 Apr 16
@BelleStarr The problem is that our life expectancy is among the highest in the world.
That is why people worry about retirement, and our thinking is that we have to earn as much as we can when we are young.
1 person likes this
@just4him (306354)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
19 Apr 16
That is the sad reality of most people. I find it interesting that other countries employ maids. Here only the rich have maids. I was asked on one post whether I had a maid. I am not in the class of people who can even think about affording such luxuries. Yet, when I read the posts from the different cultures around the world, it isn't a luxury but something that is natural for any class of people to have a maid. In America it is natural for both the husband and wife or both partners to work. It is natural for the children to have after school activities. It is also natural that nobody is in the house when the parents and children are away except the dog or cat.
1 person likes this
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
20 Apr 16
Over here, the middle class and above can afford a full time maid at home.
The children are in school for long hours too.
They have after-school activities, and many of them have extra classes.
Our students have been consistently among the top in Maths and Science, so the government wants them to work hard to maintain the high standard.
Over here, we have many years of full employment, so it is natural that people want to go out and work.
Doing housework is not the preferred work for most of us.
Even when a family does not have maid, we can hire part time cleaners to come once or twice a week to clean the place.
1 person likes this
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
21 Apr 16
@just4him Yes, the lifestyle for lower to upper middle class is like this.
Work hard, work long hours, then hire someone to do housework, and then save the money to go overseas travel twice a year with the whole family minus the maid and the dog.
1 person likes this
@cherriefic (10400)
• Philippines
19 Apr 16
That's why some people wants to be a maid instead.lol.
1 person likes this
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
20 Apr 16
That is the problem of life in Singapore.
It is very rare for a person to give up a career to stay home and take care of kids.
The worry is the cost of living.
Yet the less time they have at home, the more they have to pay for the maid, and the tutors to teach their children.
@LindaCPearson (2241)
• United States
19 Apr 16
That's too bad you have to work so long and hard. Hopefully, you get some time to enjoy your home, kids and dog!
1 person likes this
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
20 Apr 16
Over here, everyone works.
We have many years of full employment, so changing job is never a problem.
The problem is salary expectation and working hours.
To be frank, leaving home at 7 am and reached home at 8 pm is not considered as working long hours.
Those who can get overtime pay will want to work longer hours.
