A lot of people think saving money means living a miserable life —
no eating out, no enjoyment, no freedom.
But after living and working in Singapore for so many years,
I’ve learned that saving is not about suffering.
It’s about spending smarter, not living smaller.
In fact, with a few simple habits, many Singaporeans can realistically save
around $300–$500 every month without feeling tortured.
Here are the habits that helped me — and I believe they can help many others too.
1️⃣ Don’t chase promotions — chase value
Sales and promotions are dangerous.
We tell ourselves we’re “saving,” but actually we’re spending more.
A simple rule changed my life:
If I didn’t plan to buy it before I saw it,
then it is not a discount — it is a trap.
Once I applied this, my overspending dropped immediately.
2️⃣ Decide your “default meals” on weekdays
Food is the biggest expense in Singapore.
You don’t need to eat plain rice.
Just pick a few good, cheap, healthy meals you enjoy and repeat them.
For me it was:
- fish soup
- chicken rice (with less rice)
- economy rice (2 veg + 1 meat)
Not fancy, but comforting, fast and affordable.
This one habit alone saved me around $200/month without any sacrifice.
3️⃣ Create a simple “fun budget” instead of restricting everything
When we try to cut every enjoyment, the brain fights back and we overspend later.
A better method is:
Allocate a fixed amount every month for enjoyment
If you give yourself:
- $100 to dine out
- $80 for movies / hobbies / treats
you still enjoy life, but within control.
The key is not “don’t spend” —
the key is spend with intention.
4️⃣ Stop comparing with richer people
A lot of overspending in Singapore comes from comparison:
- colleagues buying branded items
- luxury restaurants
- expensive holidays
One day I realised:
Nobody is counting how many times I eat at a café or whether I own luxury items.
I stopped caring about other people’s lifestyle
and saved stress + money instantly.
5️⃣ Automate the first $500 — don’t “wait and see”
If we wait to save “at the end of the month,” we will save nothing.
What worked for me:
Pay yourself first — transfer $300–$500 the moment salary comes in.
The money that isn’t in your spending account → you won’t miss it.
Automation builds discipline without effort.
6️⃣ Find peace, not perfection
Some months you save $500.
Some months you save $200.
Some months you save nothing.
And that’s okay.
What matters is the direction — not perfection.
Over one year:
- $200/month = $2,400
- $400/month = $4,800
- $500/month = $6,000
The amount doesn’t matter as much as the habit.
Final thought
Saving is not for showing off.
Saving is for sleeping well.
When you have emergency funds and extra buffer,
life becomes less stressful:
- you don’t fear losing your job
- you don’t fear unexpected bills
- you don’t fear the future
The reward is not the money.
The reward is peace.
If you start today, your future self will thank you.