This is actually true. My dad is a taxi driver. My mum is a sales executive at an SME so she earns only about 2.5k/mth. Both only have N level certs. But they were still able to pay for my sister's university fees and pay off the 4 room
HDB flat. I was on scholarship so they didnt have to pay for mine, but they still gave me an allowance of $70/week. Last year, my dad was even able to buy my mum a Hermes bag for their anniversary, he said it was his lifetime goal to buy her one. In a good month, he could earn from 4k-5k. That was about 2 years ago when I was still studying, he chionged on the roads each night to pay off my sister's debts ASAP so that it wouldnt incur much interests. Now that we have graduated and are both working. He is slowing down as he is getting quite old. My sis has just moved out to her BTO but Im still stuck here. They decided to rent out one room and are waiting for me to move out so they could possibly rent out mine as well. The other room is taken up by 2 students 700/mth in total.
So my parents are now earning:
Mother: 2500
Father: 3000-3500(slowed down already)
Me and my sis contribution: 1000(will increase as our salaries increase)
Rental: 700
Total: about 8400/mth.
Not too bad. However, they dont have much savings,
CPF is pretty empty because most of it was used to pay for the house. But at least they own a house, and have a roof over their heads, which is the most important thing IMO. They are also still quite young. 54 and 55. So since they are no longer paying for the house and not supporting me and my sis, they can spend the next 10 years or so building up their savings. Even if (touch wood) me and my sis were to pass away before them, I think they are prudent and smart enough to know how to survive.