Slaves to Money (Part 1 - Active Income)

My company is full of old birds - experienced and highly paid people due to their tens of years in the company. What happens when they eventually are asked to go someday?


Ask yourself 4 questions.
(1) Will your job be replaced by technology and automation?
(2) Will you be replaced by a much younger fresh graduate who is willing to take your job for half the pay?
(3) Will your job be subcontracted to Indians, Chinese, Filipinos etc.... people who value your Singapore dollars more than you?
(4) Will your company merge with another company or relocate to a cheaper location? And what makes you think your company will live forever?

Active income are money you get from salaries, tips and sales commissions which you materially participate.
The day you are unable to work due to sickness/accident/retrenchment etc...., your income becomes zero.

So who will service your housing loans?
Who will help pay your phone bills, utility bills and your child's school fees?

So you end up being held a hostage (a willing one though), by your company!
You cannot afford to lose your job. It doesn't help much if you are a guy - We man are macho breadwinners. And losing a job demoralises your Mr Ego. And having a naggy wife doesn't help.

Taxi drivers cannot afford to stop driving for a day even if they are sick - they have to pay their taxi rental cost regardless of their well-being.

One of my mum's regret is working too hard on her only source of income - her job when my sister and I were young. She wished she had spent more time with us, but we were too poor to have that luxury.


We work hard till retirement age for active income, not just for basic survival, but to also give a little luxury to our loved ones and the young ones.
Those who saved enough have enough for their remaining years.
Those who do not end up picking metal cans from dustbins or help clear plates at kopitiam - hunchbacked and frail.

All for that active income - their only source of income.

You can be a CEO or some overpaid analyst today.
But what happens to you tomorrow when you lose your active income?

Do you really love your job, or are you working just for money?

Money is not everything, but without money, you are nothing.
[To be continued]