Slotting back into her old job as a coffeeshop assistant would help pay for the growing expenses of her two sons, aged five and seven. Her husband, Ah Seng, works as a part-time chef.

'But if I went back to work, who would look after my children? Even with extra income, I would not be able to afford a helper. Yet I needed to find a way to earn more for my family.'

So the young Mum hit upon the idea of setting up an online business with a friend. In January last year (2008), they opened blogshop Cheappo, which sells baby clothes and contact lenses, imported from Taiwan and Korea.

Today, she makes about $300 a month in profits. 'It's not a lot, but a little bit goes a long way in my family and it's most important that I'm there for my boys,' she says.

Read the full report in Saturday's edition of The Straits Times.