A university student shared on Threads that her family had just finished paying off a car loan after nine years, and within a short time, her mother had signed up for another one.
The new loan costs RM997 a month and will run for another nine years. Her father earns RM2,500 a month working in a factory and she is the only one in the family who was not excited about the new car.
A household that runs on debt
The previous car loan had cost the family more than RM800 a month over nine years.
By the time it was settled, the student said she had hoped things would ease up financially. Instead, her mother moved quickly to purchase another vehicle, committing the household to an even higher monthly installment for the same duration.
Her father has since complained to her about not having enough money and was reportedly caught off guard when the new car’s road tax came to RM1,300.
The student said her family rarely goes on holidays, does not subscribe to Astro or home WiFi because her parents say they cannot afford it, and the children pay for their own meals when they eat outside. Despite this, her mother reportedly spent more than RM600 on a perfume, paid RM150 to have it engraved, and purchased an iPhone 17 Pro Max on a two-year instalment plan, while her father uses an Oppo phone that costs around RM300.
The month her father mentioned there was less money because of road tax, her mother’s response was to remind everyone to spend less and then buy the perfume the following day.
Children have been carrying their share since school
The student said she has been earning her own income since secondary school because of the family’s financial situation.
Her younger sister, who recently sat for SPM, is already being pressured to work and help cover household necessities.
According to the student, her parents regularly tell the siblings that once they begin working, they will be expected to contribute to grocery expenses. Her mother has also told her that she will be responsible for supporting both parents when she is older.
The student noted that her mother continues to bring up the RM800 tuition fee she paid on her daughter’s behalf during the first semester of her diploma and has never let it go.
Parents Want a lifestyle They Cannot afford
The student ended her post by saying that if she becomes successful one day, she has no intention of giving her parents any money. She described her family as a B40 household that wants a T20 lifestyle, and made clear that she is not angry so much as she is exhausted and disappointed by the pattern and their financial decisions she has watched repeat itself her entire life.
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Read also: ‘I gave up my family to pursue my dreams’ Shares 34 YO M’sian woman – In Real Life
‘I gave up my family to pursue my dreams’ Shares 34 YO M’sian woman
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