Why alternative pay cycles are turning into a financial necessity

FOR many Singaporeans, payday can’t come soon enough.

Cost-of-living pressures and rising expenses in areas such as groceries and daily essentials are squeezing household budgets. According to the Singapore Department of Statistics, personal disposable income grew by just 5.2 per cent in the first quarter of 2025, a marked slowdown from 9.9 per cent in the previous quarter.

Simultaneously, the personal savings rate edged down to 36.7 per cent from 37.6 per cent. This tells us that households are putting aside a smaller share of their income, even as financial pressures mount.