On Sunday, Ms Alsagoff, 54, attended a half-day money management workshop - her first time at such a programme - to try and learn how to stretch her dollar. Over 30 people signed up for the workshop, which was held at the Punggol Community Club.

It is the first such workshop at the Club, and it is looking at running more such events to help financially-strapped residents cope with the economic downturn, said People's Association assistant constituency manager Sharifuddin Mohd Ali.

The course, conducted by training firm X-Factor Alliance, aims to provide 'lower-middle income families ... (the) majority whom are beneficiaries from the community's financial assistance' with 'basic money management skills, as well as simple tips and tricks in managing expenses', according to the Punggol Community Club statement. The workshop was funded by the North East Community Development Council.

Topics covered include how to identify warning signs of financial problems, ways to cut debt, and how to draw up a personal budget. It was an interactive session, with the participants and X-Factor trainer Ms Tess Lim discussing problems like their savings and debt levels and how to solve these issues.

The course attracted even those who weren't financially strapped.

Finance executive Sharon Tan brought her two daughters to the workshop because she wanted them to 'learn the value of money ... kids these days, money easy come, easy go'.

The 46-year-old is not on any financial assistance schemes, and being in the financial line she was already aware of most of the concepts taught there like not rolling over credit card debt, she said.

Ms Alsagoff, who stopped working three years ago after her 17-year battle with depression worsened, said the workshop was useful but 'not applicable' to her.

Her key problem is that the public assistance handouts were too low. She gives her son $10 on the days he has to go to school, and everything else goes towards food, she said.

'I don't spend on anything besides food and my son ... but children, they don't understand money problems,' she said.

She did not ask her son to attend the workshop because she did not think he would go.