Your life, your way: What it takes to be the ruler of your own kingdom

Growing up in Singapore, it seemed like our parents were always on our backs about something. “Boy ah, finish your food! Study hard or we’ll give you to the Karang guni man.” 🤦 We may have daydreamed about a world of full freedom without rules (ice cream for breakfast, anyone?). But looking back, we know they weren’t just giving us a hard time for no reason. They had plenty of wisdom to share, like the importance of getting a good education and honest work.

All that has helped us get a great job and so many other things we appreciate about life, but the truth is the real world is a tough place. It can feel like you’re constantly trying to catch up in the rat race, make money and jump through too many hoops to reach your goals. It might be the exhaustion of poring over countless textbooks, the never-ending drag of the 9 to 5 or just the onslaught of bills to be paid at the end of the month. It’s hard not to wonder, is this really as good as it gets? Is financial freedom actually achievable in Singapore?

Here’s a bit of refreshing news to brighten up your day: you have more control than you think. We all have choices to make and it’s not as hard as it seems to embrace freedom of choice in your life.

HOW TO TAKE BACK CONTROL

There’s no miracle cure to fix all of life’s problems (although chocolate comes pretty close 🍫 ). But you’d be surprised what you can achieve with a few straightforward strategies that help you break out of the routine and enjoy the freedom of choice. You’re the ruler of this kingdom, so start acting like one. 👑

Write down what you want

Naturally, we feel freer when doing things on our terms. How often do you actually think about what you really want from life? (We’re not talking about that K-BBQ joint you’re craving for dinner tonight.) We sometimes get so stuck in a routine that we forget to stop and think about what we want to achieve in the long-term, whether to travel the world, own your dream home or anything in between. Writing it down helps cut through the brain fog, set a clear goal and find a path toward it. Don’t worry if it takes a little while to think about it.

Clearing debt

Debt is one of the biggest reasons many people feel tied down. It’s not always avoidable, because many of us need to take out a loan to study or buy a home. Even a credit card has its benefits if used responsibly. But try to avoid debt wherever possible and always think carefully about the new debt you take on. Will that new car save you hours on your daily commute, or is it just another luxury holding you back from financial freedom? Try to clear any debt you have as quickly as possible, especially if you have a credit card. Make it a priority to pay it off in full EVERY month. No excuses. The more debt you pile up, the more you give control to someone else.

Consider your comforts

It’s always tempting to splurge when we’re feeling a little fed up with life. Retail therapy, eating out, festival tix – it’s a dirty habit we’re all guilty of, but it doesn’t usually give us the boost we want it to. Hol’ up, we’re not saying you can’t ever treat yourself. Hell to the no! But it’s easy to fall into the cycle of work, eat, sleep, spend, repeat like some semi-functional zombie 🧟 . Put your money towards things that give you lasting happiness, and consider sitting on expensive purchases for a month. If you still want it after that time, find a way to factor it into your budget.

Start with the best SIM-only plan, then work on the rest

Fixing your phone bill won’t pay off the mortgage, but it’s a damn good place to start. Forget recontracting with a telco that wants to get away with the bare minimum, charging you too much for a sub-par service you can’t even remember signing up for. 😒

Financial freedom is the bread and butter of Circles.Life SIM-only plans: there’s no contract, your monthly bills are easy to understand and you get more data for less. Start with 20GB Smart Start or 100GB Unlimited Data Plan with Rollover, then manage your plan through the app, track usage and tweak your add-ons so everything is always exactly how you want it. All the data you need and your monthly budget sorted, with no contract tying you down – now that’s freedom of choice we’re talking about. 🥳