Those were the words i’ll hear my mother say whenever we got our Chinese New Year angpows as a kid – “Let’s save!”
We would count out the money carefully and bring it to the bank, followed by seeing first hand a satisfying row of numbers printed in our savings books.
What i didn’t know then is that a child’s savings under 12 automatically goes to “The Fund for Raising You.”
I was terrible at saving up till… a mere year ago.
Ok there, i admit it.
I’m really awful at saving money.
I earn, i spend, i earn, i spend, i earn, i spend.
That’s how i lived my life… throwing my money away on food, traveling, shopping, drinking, some things i don’t even remember now.
Some of my friends (like this one person whose name starts with K) shared how he saved RM500/month on his future children’s education fund… even before he met his WIFE. Talk about future planning! I was like, “Wow… i wish i was a bit savvier but oh well…. think of all the money i had right now if i started!”
That’s the thing about saving money… it’s so hard to do it cos i think of all the things i’d RATHER spend my money on to live NOW. But recently (yay me *sarcastic cos i don’t deserve that yay btw*) i REALISED how important it is to SAVE.
That little bit that i put aside every month actually turns out to be a FAIR LOT after 5, 10, 15 years!
It seems like such a LONG time but we all know how TIME FLIES now, and when you look into that account after a number of years, you’d astonished and rather proud on how you’re managing your own life like a true blue adult should.
I really do wish i started saving from when i STARTED WORKING.
If i’d started saving back then (even though i wouldn’t know what it’s for), well right now i’ll bloody well know – i’d stream more funds into my new business and projects!
So whatever age you are right now, i implore you to just save… cos one day,
you’re gonna figure out what you wanna do with your life,
have the courage for it,
and need the money for it. 😉
To stop myself from spending what i have (cos no matter how much you tell yourself you won’t touch a CERTAIN amount in your bank account, that just doesn’t happen), i ended up opening up a second account where my savings go into for my home loan. That’s one way of doing it. After calculating with my banker what happens even if i pay an additional RM500/month into my account, the difference in interest was so huge i thought to myself, “OK that’s it. No more silly splurging on WHATEVER i feel like!”
It feels so ridiculous after i do my annual accounting and wonder WHERE DID ALL MY MONEY GO.
All it takes for someone to save is a little push i.e. advice you read here on a blog,
or your parent or mentor sitting you down for a serious talk,
or friends talking about saving and making you ponder about your own savings.
In fact, TRY asking YOUR friends how they manage their finances!
That’s how i started saving in the first place… Aps and i would meet up for our regular drinks and spur each other on to save which is how we ended up buying an asset each (we both got an apartment one directly above the other haha).
Other little things that would give you the right push is all these promotions the banks have now and then, to get you to save.
Saving is never a bad thing, and if you’re gonna do it, you might as well get something out of it 😉
Right now, RHB Bank is having a promowhere if you just open a bank account with RM500 (how funny, i began writing this without even knowing their opening amount and it turns out to be the same i’ve been mentioning all along!), you’ll get a Mini Cooper S miniature!
With the RM500 you initially save, you can get a Mini Cooper S Miniature by being the first 300 who sign up AND stand a chance to win a Mini Cooper S Coupe (the real deal mind you) and other latest gadgets!
Well, you know what you can do with this right, you can put it somewhere funny like your bathroom, look at it, and remind yourself why you have it – to SAVE so you can do something so much MORE with your money in the future!
All you have to do is:
1) Open a new RHB Bank account with a minimum deposit of RM500.
2) Send a text message to RHB Bank at 36266 with the word “MINI<space>Account number.
The first 300 will receive one Mini Cooper S miniature!
Click *HERE* to find out more!
*RHB Bank account = Current Account/Savings Account or RHB Islamic Mudharabah Current/ Savings Account-i
* This promotion ends 15th November 2013
