If you thought rising COE prices and GST hikes were the scariest things in Singapore this year, think again. A bus driver hailing from Sichuan, China, recently unlocked a level of “frugality” so extreme it sent a collective chill down the spines of the entire Singaporean internet—and no, it wasn’t because of the supernatural.

The woman went viral after uploading a video of herself casually harvesting roadside offerings left for the “Good Brothers” during the 7th Month Hungry Ghost Festival.

“Fruit is So Expensive in S’pore!”

In the now-deleted video, the woman can be seen squatting by the pavement, merrily gathering a stash of fresh apples and oranges off the ground. Looking directly into the camera with a bright smile, she justified her roadside grocery haul with total sincerity:

“It’s not easy to work abroad. We have to save every penny. Fruit is so expensive in Singapore!”

To make matters even better, she held up an orange in another clip and offered a bulletproof piece of logical reasoning:

“I picked up the fruit that I offered to Bodhisattva today, so this doesn’t count as stealing. I also thanked the Bodhisattva!”

While her dedication to fighting inflation is almost admirable, her choice of supplier—literally the underworld—left netizens absolutely floored.

The Internet Reacts: From “Ew” to “Inna Lillahi”

Naturally, Singaporeans on TikTok, Facebook, and HardwareZone lost their collective minds over the footage. The public reaction quickly split into three distinct camps:

• The Hygiene Squad: “Bro, that fruit was sitting on dirty concrete next to a monsoon drain. The bacteria alone will get you before the ghosts do.”
• The Spiritual Panic Committee: “Wah lau, steal food from wandering spirits?! Later she drive bus at night, whole bus full of non-paying passengers standing in the aisle!”
• The Unhinged Economists: “Honestly, in this economy? FairPrice orange $1.50 per piece. She just saved $6. Free-range, organic roadside fruit.”

What Do the Cultural Experts Say? (TL;DR: Don’t Do This)

Speaking to Shin Min Daily News, folklore experts stepped in to issue a stern reminder: Do not eat the ghost food.

In Chinese tradition, roadside offerings made during the Hungry Ghost Month are fundamentally different from altars set up at home or in temples. Home altars are dedicated to family ancestors or specific deities (like the Bodhisattva). Roadside offerings, however, are meant specifically for homeless, wandering spirits who have no descendants to pray for them.

Taking food meant for wandering ghosts is considered a major taboo (pantang). Experts warned that disturbing these offerings is seen as directly snatching food out of a spirit’s mouth.

To avoid unwanted supernatural “passengers” or bad karma, experts advised that the woman should urgently return to the exact same spot, lay out fresh offerings, and perform a formal apology.

The Moral of the Story

Working overseas and managing living costs in an expensive city like Singapore is genuinely tough. But no matter how high inflation gets, bargaining with 7th Month spirits for a free dose of Vitamin C is probably a line best left uncrossed.

After all, NTUC FairPrice might be pricey, but an exorcism is definitely going to cost you a whole lot more!

Watch the video here: