For context, I am a 19-year-old girl still studying in Poly, and I’m working part time as a F&B server on the weekends, earning about $8/hr.

Ever since I was in secondary school, I have been using the Samsung Galaxy S6 that my mother bought for me under a cheaper plan with Starhub, for about $50/month which my mum pays for, using it until I started Poly.

I told her one day that I want to get a new phone after my Starhub contact expired, and wanted the Iphone 13 Pro Max.

But it was really expensive, the phone was $989 for a Starhub plan with 30GB, and monthly bill of $65, which was slightly more than my expired plan.

The other option was a Starhub plan that costs $55 per month for 15 GB, which is about the same as my old plan, but the phone could cost $1369.

My mum refused to get it for me and said that she didn’t have the money to spend like that, so I told her to transfer ownership of the plan to my name and I would sign up for the Starhub line myself.

I told her that I will pay for the phone and the Starhub bill myself since I’m working part time on the weekends and have some money.

She said okay, and I then signed up for the 120gb per month Starhub plan at $155 per month (with another $18 in add ons), and used my savings to buy the phone at $209.

I was so happy with my purchase.

However, the first two months I couldn’t afford to pay the bill and had to ask my mum for help. I make about $400++ from my part time job and after minusing my daily expenses for food and etc at school, I simply don’t have enough to pay for the bill.

I am starting to regret my decision, but my Starhub contract runs for 22 more months and I can’t terminate it without paying the penalty fee.

I don’t know what to do now, my mum is really stressed out with the extra financial burden that I am laying on her, please someone gimme advice.