Is there anyone like me? I'm in my early 20s and I don't have ambitions to climb the corporate ladder. I would be okay with having a mid 2-3k income for as long as I have a decent work life balance.?

I think one thing that you have to realise that in the modern reality, work-life balance (especially for those who earn 2-3k) is a privilege.

In your case, coming from an upper middle class family gives you that privilege to pursue worklife balance. Your family’s wealth allows you to de-prioritise financial success.

Even if $2k to 3k isn’t enough for you in the future, you can still rely on your parents to look after themselves, and perhaps even receive abit of inheritance. There are already resources for you to deplete.

Now, if you hail from a working class background, the reality is very different. I’ve worked those $2-3k jobs. In my experience, the hours are long and you have to compete with extremely hungry people (including foreigners). You are also low on the food chain and don’t have much bargaining power.

In addition, you’ll need to think about providing your parents healthcare costs, kids, getting a partner, etc. Without existing family resources to deplete, you’re in for an immensely tough life once you factor in inflation and rising standards of living.

Once that happens, work life balance will only be a dream!

Now, back to your situation. If you intend to rely on your family’s wealth in the future, then there’s really nothing wrong with being unambitious. No one has a right to tell you whether or not being ambitious is right or wrong.

Just know that once that wealth is depleted, you will need to accept that you now lead a lifestyle of someone who earns $2,000 - $3,000 a month, not an upper middle class background!

That can be challenging.

Hi Anon! For context, I was once in your shoes. I was satisfied with just a 2-3k paying job. As someone who doesn't have many expenses, 2-3k would be comfortable for me to get by. Furthermore, a comfortable lifestyle and relatively easy/low-stress job would be a win-win situation for me as well.

However, during my undergraduate years, I came to realise 3 points that changed my mind.

Firstly, how satisfied are you with such a job? Satisfaction, in the sense that you are satisfied with the job and the efforts you are putting in to secure the job. Personally, I was satisfied with such a job, however, I could not ignore the fact that I could be trying much harder but did not because I was easily satisfied.

Secondly, how much risks are you willing to take? A 2-3k job with minimal expenses can definitely help you to be prepared in unforeseen circumstances (such as retrenchments etc). However, think of it such that how long can your savings tide you through the circumstances until the situation becomes very critical?

Lastly, how much responsibility do you want to take up for your own families? I considered two versions of family here: one being my parents, the other being my new family. As you mentioned, your family is secured in a sense, so you might want to focus on your new family with your partner. The way I view it is how much stress should I be putting on my partner in my new family. Do I want to put more financial burden on my partner to sustain the family lifestyle? Will my partner be in a miserable situation if I only cared about my own comfort?

However, with all that said, everyone has their own opinions on their own careers. It is up to you to find the right balance for yourself. Nonetheless, before you reach a decision, make sure to consider as many perspectives as possible and allocate your own weightage on what is more important. (:

All the best!