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It doesn’t come as a surprise that Singapore topped the Worldwide Cost of Living index ( , Nov 2). As a low-income worker, I’m faced with the concerning reality of spiralling costs that are far outstripping wage increases and eating into my income. Everything from power bills to food takes a bigger bite out of my wallet every month, and it’s starting to feel like an uphill battle just to make ends meet. Nevertheless, I’m confident that with the right measures and interventions, our Government can ensure that Singaporeans have access to the essential goods and services they need. Upskilling and gaining higher qualifications are absolutely essential if workers want to remain competitive and secure better job opportunities. I learnt this pertinent lesson two years ago when I worked as a graphic designer and struggled to make ends meet on a meagre salary. I realised that if I wanted to progress in my career, I would need to gain higher qualifications. Therefore, I embarked on a new journey this year, and I am studying information communications technology at a university in hopes of landing a job with higher pay. By continuing our education or training, we can ensure that we are qualified to take on higher-paying jobs, which will help us keep up with the rising costs. If we use Singapore’s status as the world’s costliest city as motivation to push ourselves harder and reach new levels of success, then we’ll be able to offset any increases in costs with greater earnings down the road.