Career & Education

The Day I Realised My Job Wasn’t Enough To Keep Me Safe

I still remember that day vividly. An email from the office landed in my inbox, short but enough to make my stomach drop: company reorganisation. Within hours, my colleagues were called in one by one. They came out to the HR room with swollen eyes, some carrying boxes of their belongings. My name wasn’t on the retrenchment list, but the relief only lasted a moment. A voice in my head whispered, “What if it’s my turn tomorrow?” That was the turning point. I realised I couldn’t rely entirely on my main job. If one income stream stopped, I needed a backup. A side income wasn’t just a nice-to-have, it was a necessity. That was when HoneyMoneySG – which began as a casual project during the COVID-19 pandemic – started to feel important. Slowly, I began to see its potential to become something bigger. But I also knew that if I wanted to leave my steady paycheck behind, I had to be prepared. So I saved enough to cover a full year of living expenses. That became my safety net before taking the leap. When I finally handed in my resignation, it was a mix of relief, excitement... and fear. Without a fixed salary, everything depended on me, from securing marketing campaigns and managing clients, to keeping myself productive without a boss to keep me in check. No room to slack off. But for the first time, I felt like my life was truly in my own hands.This journey changed the way I think about money. I learnt that you don’t need to be rich to start managing your finances, you start with what you have. I began planning for retirement in my twenties because time is our biggest asset. Before thinking about growing my income, I made sure to plug every financial leak. I started valuing time as much as money, and if spending on something could save me time to earn more, I’d do it. Looking back now, I’m grateful I wasn’t retrenched that day, not because I was prepared, but because it woke me up. I learnt that financial security isn’t about having a big salary, it’s about having control over your finances. If there’s one thing I can share from my story, it’s this: start now, even if it’s small. Build your emergency fund, cut unnecessary expenses and invest your time and money in things that can grow your income. Because one day, the job you think is safe might be gone. But if your foundation is strong, your financial freedom will stand firm. This article is part of TSS Confessions, a weekly column where we delve into personal finance topics that are unscripted and genuine real accounts from people. Chris Chong is a content creator and founder of HoneyMoneySG, where he shares real-talk personal finance insights, side-hustle ideas, and strategies for financial freedom. You can catch his journey and practical tips on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram.