Divorced mum of 3 says she is running out of savings as she struggles to find a job: ‘I’m 36 and have nothing’

SINGAPORE: A divorced mother of three has turned to Reddit for help finding a job, saying she is running out of savings while struggling to find work that allows her to care for her children.

The 36-year-old woman said she had applied for numerous jobs but had yet to receive a response, leaving her increasingly worried about how she would support her family.

Sharing her situation anonymously on r/singaporejobs, she said she has no “N- or O-Level qualifications” and is currently relying on savings meant for her children to get by.

“I’m 36 and have nothing. Just my kids' savings, which is also depleting as we speak,” she wrote.

The mother said she had reached a point where she felt like giving up, but knew she could not simply walk away because her three children depended on her.

She also explained that their father pays S$600 a month in maintenance but said the amount was not enough to cover the family's needs. According to her, he has remarried and has another child and does not want to take care of their children.

“Their dad gives maintenance but doesn't want to look after them,” she wrote. “He has remarried and has a child too. Why is it all on me?”

Finding a job has also proved particularly difficult because she is still the main caregiver for her children. “My youngest is too young for me to leave her at home, thus the working hours and days are limited. I can't work on the weekends or PH. Not yet for now.”

Despite her circumstances, the woman said she was determined to find a way to become financially independent rather than dwell on the decisions she regretted in the past.

She said her priority now was to improve herself, gain new skills, and eventually build a more stable future for herself and her children.

“I want to improve myself for all of US. To be financially stable and live a good life. But I can't. Is there, like, a company that will sponsor my studies while I work? I want a stable job at the same time to learn new skills too, which I can use,” she wrote, hoping to get some advice from the online community.

‘Slowly but surely everything will get better’

Her post struck a chord with Singaporean Redditors, who offered suggestions ranging from seeking financial assistance to exploring jobs that provide training.

One user encouraged her to visit her nearest Family Service Centre (FSC), where she could get help with her family's financial struggles and be linked up with relevant agencies, schools, and assistance programmes.

According to its website, the FSC is available to help anyone, regardless of age, race, language, or religion. It also welcomes individuals at different stages of life — from couples and families with young children to adolescents and elderly members — as well as those from various family structures.

Those who are interested can reach out to an FSC by phone, by walking in, or by email for support on family, emotional, interpersonal, or other social matters.

Others suggested that she look into infant care work. One Redditor shared that their sister-in-law had taken this path and received sponsorship for the necessary certification.

“You can consider being an infant care teacher! My sister-in-law went down this route. They provide full sponsorship for the required certification, and usually no prior experience is needed. The minimum requirement is around Secondary 2 education.” 

“It’s also quite in demand with opportunities for career progression, so I think it’s a good career to consider, especially since you already have kids. All the best.”

Another added, “I second this. When I was working as a teacher in MFS, there were assistant teachers who were sponsored to study. After studies, you’ll be bonded to MFS for 2 years, if I remember correctly. You’ll receive an allowance/salary while studying too. Benefits are good, salary is fair.”

Meanwhile, some commenters suggested she take on part-time or gig work while continuing to search for a permanent role.

One Redditor told her, “Without educational qualifications, I think you can try to do gig jobs. So that you can control your own hours/how much you want to earn that day. It’ll be nearly impossible for any employer to sponsor your studies, seeing that you don’t even have N or O-level certs.”

Another wrote, “Can do food delivery with a bicycle? In the meantime, you can take part-time studies and slowly finish them until you get a diploma! Slowly but surely everything will get better. Nothing is too late!”/TISG

Read also: Man weighs new job offer with same salary but no WFH—Redditors urge him not to make the switch