‘Sandwiched class’ couple with S$10k monthly income considers second child but discouraged by rising cost of living

The "sandwiched class" couple, with a combined monthly income of S$10,000, is contemplating the idea of having a second child but has been discouraged by the rising cost of living. The husband, who wrote about their financial struggles on r/askSingapore, expressed that despite both salaries being above the median in Singapore, they still feel the burden of the increasing costs.

As part of the "sandwich generation," the husband also provides a monthly allowance to their parents. The couple, who already have a 4-year-old daughter, is unsure if other parents in Singapore face similar challenges when raising children amid the high cost of living.

In response to the couple's concerns, other parents in the comments echoed their sentiments, expressing that they also cannot afford a second child or lack the energy to raise one. A couple in the same income bracket as the post author expressed worry about the potential increase in expenses when they plan to have their first child, even though the baby has not been born yet.

Earlier this year, a mother shared four reasons why Singaporeans are choosing to have only one or two children, or even no children at all, due to concerns related to the declining marriage and total fertility rates in the country.

The government's response to these concerns came in August when Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced support measures aimed at helping families thrive in Singapore. These measures include additional leave days for parents, lower childcare and infant care fees, and nearly S$70,000 in total support for each child from birth until they turn 17.

While many welcomed these new support measures, some, like a mom and small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) owner, raised concerns about the potential downsides for businesses, such as manpower shortages, as more than 80% of her staff are female.