Not shaming single moms, but her attitude was...

Honestly, I’m a FAS (Financial Assistance Scheme) student .

I used to feel very ashamed about it, thinking only a few people were under the scheme.

To my surprise, a lot of people are under FAS, and that realization really calmed me down.

There’s honestly nothing to be ashamed of.

My parents work very hard — even though we’re still under FAS, it’s because different jobs have different pay scales.

Hard work doesn’t always mean high income, and that’s okay.

As a FAS student, I received a lot of support from the government during my primary school years such as receiving free textbooks every year, free one pair of school 👟 every year , $25 budget of Chinese 📚 every 2 years ( I get to pick my favourites books from a variety of Chinese books) , some allowance for my meal and my school fees were lesser than non - FAS students.

These was years ago btw.

In secondary school , I also received some allowance for my meal and my school fees were lesser than non - FAS students.

Recently, I had a rather unpleasant experience with a Carousell buyer who wasn’t very respectful.

I sold her 2 IThink magazines, and I mistakenly listed it as “brand new” without checking its condition properly. ( My fault for not checking carefully.)

When she got home, she complained that it wasn’t brand new as there were scribblings on it.

I offered her a refund via PayNow, but she said she didn’t have it.

So I told her I could meet up with her within 3 days to refund her in person, since I was on leave during that time.

But after 3 days, I wouldn’t be available because I’m working full-time.

A week later, she started bombarding me with messages, threatening to call the police if I didn’t refund her.

I sold 2 items for $10.

She even brought up my age, name, and workplace in her texts.

Honestly, it felt so unnecessary and aggressive.

Before this, she told me she was a single mother struggling financially and asked if she could get the item for free.

( The original thick IThink magazines are $23.80, and the normal ones are $11.80.)

Even though I sympathized with her — I’m also struggling financially — I still sold her two thick magazines for $10 just to clear some space.

She claimed she needed them for school, but honestly… what kind of school uses IThink magazines that was published in 2018 and 2019?

Every school would issue updated IThink magazines to students every year.

We have to pay ourselves through an Edusave account, the government would automatically deduct money from the account.

So, it just didn’t add up.

What annoyed me more was that she picked the most expensive ones (the thick magazines) out of all the Ithink magazines that I am selling and bargained the price way down. ( I forgot to blur the original prices)

So obviously, she would pick the most expensive magazine.

Haiss… people these days.

I’m not living in a mansion just because I’m working now.

Plus, I don't own any branded items / an iphone.

I think she thought I’m rich or something. 😂

Just to be clear, I’m not shaming her for being a single mom — I really do empathize with that.

It’s her attitude towards me that made the whole situation so frustrating.