What it takes to be financially comfortable
Welcome to the latest edition of ST Headstart, bringing you the best of The Straits Times’ career, personal finance and lifestyle coverage every Tuesday noon. Sign up here to get weekly tips right into your inbox.
I remember getting my first paycheck and thinking, “this is it, adult money”. Then the adulting expenses hit – like bills and groceries, and suddenly my wallet was back in survival mode.
Now, even though I earn more than my parents did at my age, I still find myself feeling weirdly broke. Though not struggling, I constantly feel like money disappears faster than I can earn it. Somehow, no matter how decent my salary is, I still feel “kind of poor.”
The problem is not just inflation – the goalposts for financial comfort have shifted and salaries can’t keep up. What does it take for us to feel financially secure? Find out more in senior correspondent Angela Tan’s piece.
Even though I’m retired from the dating scene, I’d still consider myself a dating app veteran. But LinkedIn? That was one platform I never imagined entering the dating chat. But romance seems to have officially made its way into the corporate ecosystem. Writer Felicia Keok dives into the rise of the #OpenToDates trend where people are swapping polished CVs for soft launches, and using their professional profiles to look for a life partner. Creative networking or unhinged?
Enjoy this week’s selection of stories. Have a good week ahead!
A first job offer? Why the salary might not be the whole story
Fresh graduates are holding out for better offers for too long, the writer finds.
Finding love on LinkedIn: Why are more singles giving it a shot?
Fresh grads need to build at least two years of internship experience, soft skills in AI economy
This is as AI tools automate entry-level roles.
More using Singlish in their daily lives, including at work
Proficiency in Singlish peaked among the younger generation.
Could a digital home gym replace your gym membership?
Digital gyms are gaining traction among space- and time-constrained fitness enthusiasts.
‘Whimsy’, a new trend, may be a life raft for zillennials
Whimsy enthusiasts see it as a response to compounding anxieties over a series of stressors.
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