China’s economy continues to struggle, with layoffs and pay cuts becoming the norm. Many young people who can’t find work are hoping to secure a job, but some of those fortunate enough to find employment are discovering that their wages are insufficient to cover living expenses. On December 4th, the topic labeled “Can’t afford to work because of the family situation” briefly trended as the second hottest topic on Weibo.
Mother-baby care blogger “Happy Mom Li” confirmed in a post that her cousin, who graduated from university last year in Shenzhen, earns 5000 yuan a month but pays 3000 yuan in rent. After factoring in food, drinks, and other living expenses, Li’s aunt has to additionally provide her cousin with 2000 yuan each month. After a year of working, her aunt has had to support her with at least 30,000 yuan. Unable to bear the burden any longer, during this summer, she told her daughter: “Dear, let’s come back home!”
“It’s quite heart-wrenching to think about – on one hand, young people in big cities are gritting their teeth and trying to make a name for themselves, and on the other hand, parents are quietly coming to the rescue, using their savings to fill the gap in their children’s lives.”
Financial blogger “Quiet Determination” stated, “When ‘Can’t afford to support you in your job’ shifts from a dark humor joke to the real-life dilemma of millions of families in 2025, it reveals the brutal reality of labor returns and the cost of living being out of balance – where working not only fails to support oneself but requires continuous financial support from the family to uphold the façade of a ‘respectable job’. Parents lamentingly say, ‘In the past, we supported education, now we support employment.'”
Esports blogger “Rising Star” remarked, “‘Can’t afford to support you in your job’ is not just a joke; it reflects the reality of many young people in 2025 engaging in ‘pay-to-work’. Monthly salaries of 5000 yuan in first-tier cities face rigid expenditures exceeding 8000 yuan, while in second and third-tier cities, parents might need to supplement with 2000 to 3000 yuan a month. Rent, commuting, socializing, and other costs swallow up wages, leading to a situation where income and expenses are mismatched. Overtime culture drives passive consumption, top-quality positions are concentrated in high-consumption cities, average family members need family support to sustain their presence in the workforce, turning working into a high-cost activity that requires ‘blood transfusions’.”
“This phenomenon reflects the imbalance between wages and living costs, not a lack of effort on the part of young people. Short-term measures like cutting back and downsizing geographically are necessary for self-preservation, while in the long run, there is a need for societal-level optimization of labor reward mechanisms so that work can truly become a means to improve lives rather than a burden.”
Weibo original video blogger “Lin Lin Shun Shun” posted, “‘Can’t afford to support you in your job’ may sound like a joke, but it speaks to a very real economic account. Let’s break down these expenses to understand it.”
Lin Lin listed five major mandatory expenses that come with having a job and stated that they are close to or exceed the income earned.
1. Commuting Costs: Daily bus or subway fares amount to tens of yuan, and if driving, fuel and parking costs add up to hundreds or even thousands a month.
2. “Image” Costs: You can’t wear pajamas to work. Commuting shoes, professional attire, makeup, skincare products, and occasional hair and nail treatments are all part of the ‘invisible tax’ to maintain a professional appearance.
3. Social Costs: Colleague gatherings, afternoon teas, wedding and baby gifts… these are unavoidable expenses to maintain workplace relationships.
4. “Convenience” Costs: If you work late, you’ll need to order takeaway, may not have time to cook or do household chores, and might need to spend money on services like hiring a cleaning person or purchasing pre-prepared food ingredients.
5. The heaviest burden – Parenting Costs: If you have children, this is the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Nanny fees, kindergarten costs, and after-school care fees may directly consume all of one parent’s income.
Lin Lin believes that this phenomenon reveals deep-rooted issues that resonate with many, indicating that it is not just an individual economic problem but also reflects societal problems: high commuting costs, inadequate childcare support, and slow wage growth. “Can’t afford to support me at work” is a self-deprecating phrase filled with bitterness, expressing the helplessness many workers face when weighing the pros and cons of reality.