For many Singaporeans, money is often seen as a measuring stick of success. Even if the old “5Cs” may feel outdated, the underlying idea still lingers. We work hard, save diligently and optimise our finances to feel secure and accomplished.
But beyond material comfort, money is also a practical tool. As the saying goes, time is money. The idea behind this idiom is that time can be exchanged for money. But the converse is also true. Money, to some extent, can also be used to buy back time.
One of the most underappreciated uses of money is 1) buying back time, and also 2) protecting our health. Time is finite, and once health deteriorates, even time itself loses value. The goal is not to spend recklessly or outsource every inconvenience, but to be intentional. Spending on the right things can reduce mental load, prevent burnout and preserve long-term wellbeing.
For those of us who have sufficient money and would like to spend it on time and health, here are six practical ways to do so.
#1 Hiring Household Help
In Singapore, hiring household help is one of the most tangible ways to buy back time with money. For some families, this takes the form of a live-in domestic helper. For others, it may simply be a part-time cleaner who comes in once or twice a week to clean the home.
The most obvious benefit is the reduction in time spent on daily chores. As anyone running a household will know, cooking, cleaning and doing laundry can consume hours every week. When these tasks are taken care of, you have more time.
The less obvious but often more valuable benefit is mental bandwidth. When you no longer need to constantly remember what needs to be washed, restocked, fixed or tidied, the mental worry disappears. That freed-up mental energy tends to show up in subtle but meaningful ways. Some may find they have better focus at work, more patience with their children, more capacity to be emotionally present, or simply feel less exhausted.
This isn’t to say that chores are “bad” and there is nothing wrong with doing them regularly. But if they are consistently draining you or crowding out rest and family time, paying for help can be an option worth considering.
#2 Paying For Childcare & Enrichment
Childcare and student care fees are often viewed as painful expenses because they are recurring and feel unavoidable. Monthly costs can easily run into the hundreds or even over a thousand dollars, depending on the arrangement. But seeing them purely as a cost misses the broader picture.
Reliable childcare buys parents something critical: peace of mind. Knowing that your child is in a safe, structured environment lets you focus on your work and other responsibilities without constant worry about logistics and supervision.
Enrichment classes can offer a similar structure. Beyond academic or developmental benefits, they provide purposeful, supervised time where children are engaged and learning.
That said, external childcare and enrichment programmes are not a substitute for parental involvement. They work best as complements, and parents should be mindful of both the time and money their children spend on them, and the role they themselves continue to play.
#3 Spending On Eldercare Before Burnout Hits
Caring for ageing parents is one of the most emotionally and physically demanding responsibilities many Singaporeans face. What makes it especially challenging is that the strain often builds up quietly over time.
Paying for eldercare services, day care programmes, or respite care is not about stepping away from family duties. It is about making those responsibilities sustainable. Short-term support gives caregivers space to rest, focus on work, or simply breathe without guilt.
In the long run, this matters. Caregiver burnout can lead to health problems, strained family relationships, and even career setbacks. Investing in support early is, in many ways, a way of protecting both the caregiver and the family.
#4 Paying For Temporary Support In High-Stress Seasons
Not all support needs to be permanent. Certain seasons of life are simply heavier, even for households that usually cope well on their own.
Exam years, the newborn stage, caregiving transitions or intense work periods can push families past their usual capacity. In these moments, temporary spending becomes a pressure valve rather than a lifestyle upgrade. Paying for extra cleaning help, short-term meal delivery, occasional babysitting, a confinement nanny, or a part-time nurse can stabilise daily life when everything feels compressed.
What matters is that the spending is intentional. You are not solving for convenience forever, but for survival during a peak stress period. By removing a few non-essential burdens, households regain just enough breathing room to function better.
#5 Spending On Preventive Healthcare To Preserve Energy
Healthcare spending is often reactive because you pay only when something breaks, such as when you fall ill.
Preventive healthcare flips that model on its head. Think of it as going to the dentist regularly. Going once or twice a year for a checkup and general cleaning doesn’t just give you cleaner, healthier teeth; it may even be cheaper in the long run than going to the dentist only when you have gum disease, which by then may be too advanced and cost more to fix.
By proactively seeking out regular screenings, physiotherapy, fitness training or nutrition support, we can help protect our future working years and family time.
The cost of prevention is predictable and manageable, while the cost of neglect can be catastrophic.
#6 Spending Intentionally To Protect Your Relationship
Time with your partner is often one of the first casualties of busy family lives. Yet it is also one of the most important investments you can make in both your mental health and your relationship.
Spending intentionally on date nights and short getaways, or on services that free up evenings (like hiring a babysitter), is not indulgent. It helps couples stay connected. An enjoyable overseas trip taken at the right time may cost you, but it can go a long way toward strengthening a relationship. So is spending money to see the right therapists if they can support the relationship.
Strong relationships support mental health, decision-making and resilience during tough periods.
Using Money As A Tool (Not A Checklist)
Buying back time and health does not mean spending without discipline, nor does it mean doing all of the above. It means aligning spending with what actually helps you function better in your current season of life.
In Singapore’s high-pressure environment, the real luxury is not material goods, but having the time, energy and health to think clearly and show up fully for the people and work that matter.
Money, in that sense, is simply a tool. Used selectively and intentionally, it can help support the life you want to live, not replace the effort, care and presence that still matter most.
Read Also: 6 Things That Quiet Wealth In Singapore Looks Like
Photo Credit: iStock/Thien Woei Jiing
