I had 3 goals when I first came to Singapore, 3 dreams that I wanted to fulfill, and it took me 6 years of savings to achieve them.
I came to Singapore 10 years ago as I needed to support my family and pay back our loans. For the first few years, I didn’t have any savings, I didn’t have any plan for how I should keep my money or where I should invest it. Every month I was sending all my money to my family. But then in 2010, my husband sold my house and my motorcycle and without telling me, he got married to another woman.
So I realized that I had to make plans and start saving if I wanted to have my life back to normal once I got back. In 2011, I started to save my salary from Singapore. Every month, I am now sending $100 to my daughter and my mom and the rest I save. In 2011, I managed to save $3000 for my investments. My husband divorced me in 2012 to live with his new wife but then I received a salary increase, so again I managed to save $3000. In 2013, I went back home. I bought a rubber farm to start with. At that time, 1 hectare for rubber farm cost $5000. I couldn’t afford a house so I stayed with my mom and my daughter.
In 2013, I again saved $3000 and in 2014 I managed to save $3500.
In 2015, I went back home and I invested my money in a rice farm. I also bought cows for my family for emergencies.
Then between 2015 and 2017, I kept on saving money as I wanted to buy a house. I am lucky I managed to buy a house last year.
At last, I have managed to fulfill my dreams.
Now, in 2018, I only have 3 simple plans:
1. I save $100 per month for my daughter’s education.
2. I save $100 per month for my retirement.
3. I save $100 per month to grow my motorcycle workshop business back home.
4. My emergency saving in Singapore is $250 per month.
I now have regular income from my rubber farm and from my investments in the motorcycle workshop. My family get on average $125 monthly so I do not need to send money every month to support them.
I have worked hard these past few years but I fulfilled my dreams. I am proud of what I have achieved because I got it all from my commitment, my hard work and my patience.
Interviewed and edited by Catherine Plagne Ismaël.
