By SY Lee and Leong Sze Hian
We refer to the article “Household incomes up, rising most for the bottom fifth” and  ”Resident households spending rose, on higher quality and more expensive goods, services” (Straits Times, Sep 18).
Bottom fifth households had biggest gains in incomes? 
The former states that “Average monthly household incomes have risen across the board, with households in the bottom fifth seeing the biggest gains, according to the latest Household Expenditure Survey.”
Reading the above headlines and the content of the articles may give one the impression that the bottom fifth of households may be much better off.
Spend 10% more than what they earn?
However, according to the Household Expenditure Survey 2012/2013 report – the lowest 20% households average monthly household expenditure at $2,231 is higher than the average income of $2,022.
household expentiture average household income
Does this mean that the lowest 20% households were spending about 10% ($2,231 divided $2,022) more than what they earned?
Disposable income even worse at more than 10%?
Moreover, as income is including employer CPF contribution, and regular government transfers such as Workfare Income Supplement, the bulk of which is not in cash, and accounted for 9.3% of total incomes – the gap between income and expenditure may be even greater from a disposable income perspective.
Most people may not know?
If you didn’t read the entire 325 page report, you may be non the wiser as to the plight of lower-income households.
What’s the point of highlighting that the bottom households’ incomes rose the most, without mentioning that they actually don’t earn enough, relative to what they spend?
As the bottom 20% is 214,628 households – we may be looking at about 800,000 household members who may be struggling to make ends meet.
All households’ net incomes grew 0.9%?
Since the Average monthly household income from all sources rose by 5.3 per cent per annum in nominal terms between 2007/08 and 2012/13 – and average household expenditure rose by a lower 4.4 per cent per annum – does it mean that the net increase in income after expenditure is only 0.9% (5.3 – 4.4%)?
As inflation was 3.1% per annum for the 5 year period – does it mean that the net real increase in incomes for the households after expenditure is a negative minus 2.2% per annum?
If so, then the real net increase in incomes was about a negative minus  11.5% for the past 5 years.

Subscribe
Notify of
2 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
You May Also Like

Inclusiveness in national day song for SG50

[youtube id=”OAbHCe8wi8E” align=”center” mode=”normal”] A lot has been said about how the…

What’s wrong with giving the government a second chance?

There are middle ground Singaporeans who say that while there is no…

Transparent and public Commission of Inquiry should be formed to investigate DBS’ sale of securities by Hyflux to prevent retail investors from getting hurt so badly again

by Khush Chopra The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has declared that…

Open letter asking SMRT to reduce burden for taxi drivers who choose to stay with the company

James Lim, a taxi driver and blogger at Diary of a Singaporean…