“Is love enough when we can’t even afford a vacation?”
A heartfelt confession by a Malaysian woman has gone viral after she opened up about the emotional weight of managing a household on her husband’s RM7,000 monthly salary.
Despite having a loving and stable partner, she admitted that financial struggles are slowly eroding the joy and simplicity in their two-year marriage.
In the anonymous post on Facebook titled “Poverty is quietly stealing our love”, she shared her inner conflict: torn between staying grateful for what they have and fearing that love alone may not be enough in the long run.
Financial pressure stealing their peace
RM7,000 should be enough, right? But once you factor in housing loans, car instalments, bills, daily expenses—and possibly raising a child—it feels like we’re barely surviving,” she wrote.
She described waking up in tears at night, overwhelmed by thoughts of an uncertain future.
Husband responds with silence, then a quiet apology
One night, over dinner, she finally asked her husband if he had considered switching to a higher-paying job.
He quietly replied, “I’ve tried. My current job is stable.”
Frustrated, she blurted out, “What’s the point of stability if we can’t even afford one vacation a year or plan for children?”
His only response: “I’m sorry. I know it’s been hard on you.”
That moment, she said, broke her.
Love under pressure: A question of survival
“I’m not greedy, and I’m not blaming him. I’m just scared,” she admitted.
Scared that we’ll keep struggling, that 10 years from now we’ll still be renting, unable to give our children a good life. Scared that love won’t survive the weight of life’s burdens.”
Netizens push back: RM7K is a decent income in Malaysia
Many online commenters disagreed with her view, saying RM7,000 is a respectable amount, especially for single-income households.
Some argued that her expectations, not her husband’s salary, were the core issue.
“RM7,000 is ‘little’? Then what about people earning even less? Getting your child into any school is already enough—many bosses and teachers came from regular schools.
If you can’t earn big money yourself, stop complaining and learn to be content.”
“Marriage isn’t about marrying someone and expecting to coast. It’s about carrying the weight of life together.
You’re not wrong for having anxiety—but you are wrong for putting all that pressure on him alone. A husband isn’t a rescue boat or ATM; marriage is a rowboat that needs two people paddling,” another wrote.
“Even if he earned RM10,000 a month, you’d still say it’s not enough—because you keep comparing.”
“Honestly, your husband’s not the issue. You are. I suggest dual income!”
