Jun 24 2010
It’s not too late for you and me…
I have been observing something recently. It is something that should be of great concern to everybody, you and me.
How I wish that I can have that precious awareness when I was younger and not later like right now. But, deep inside, I still feel blessed because we’re not doing that bad compared to some of our peers.
What I’m referring to is the financial awareness and concern.
I chatted with my brother Budeen yesterday about many things. Things and activities that we are doing. Importantly, we did discuss about our financial management and investment portfolios.
I still remember after returning to Malaysia from United Kingdom with my Chemical Engineering degree, I did not save and invest. Unlike my colleagues, I did not opt to be an engineer. Instead I work as a research assistant and then research officer and earned lower salary. Then I pursued my masters degree, still with little amount of allowances, but still I’m glad of all the fortune granted by God to me and my family. I got married while doing my masters and we lived as a simple couple earlier on.
Budeen introduced my to a huge MLM network business and together me and my wife, we worked our ass out to build a huge empire. We are suppose to earn money not spent money. We lost a lot of money buying all the so call business support system which theoretically will help us grow stronger in the business. To make long story short, we quieted the business and began joined other MLM business. Yes, that kept repeating on and off with other MLM companies until if I’m not mistaken, we stopped totally in any of them in 2005. My wife told me, if anybody invites me to sell anything even stone or wood, I will joined them and grow that bloody MLM business. That was how fanatic I was with the MLM business. It took such a long time, huge financial lost before I came to conclusion that I’m not belong to that business category. Neither MLM or direct selling is not my cup of tea. I totally stopped. I won’t waste my money, time and enery to be involved in any MLM anymore.
When I recalled my past experience, I hope and wish that I am not involve with those kind of business, instead I hope I invest my little money into something more beneficial such as unit trust or gold. But those were just memory now. I can’t change it. I can’t do anything except to improve our live, save some money and invest them wisely.
My youngest brother, Botak, at his age has the most advantage. He is still young, still an undergraduate student but yet he has the awareness and exposed himself to topics such as investment, insurance, gold, unit trust, business etc. Compared to the other siblings, at the same age, he is the richest and have more savings and investments. At 21, I don’t have saving more than RM2,000. Hmmm…I can’t actually remember how much I have that time. Maybe I don’t have even RM1,000. But Botak, at 21 he has accumulated far more than that. With his awareness and investments, I bet he will make the money or gold grow for him as times goes by. Perhaps before 30 he can accumulate 6 figure in total, maybe 7 figure by early 30s.
Why Botak can do that?
I can’t really answer on his behalf. I can only speculate or guess. My guess is that he is studying in KL and always hang around in Budeen’s house in KL. So, Budeen, as an older brother helps to educate his younger brother about financial awareness.
Well, that’s one point.
Having the awareness alone without enough money to save and invest won’t be enough. He must have more money to invest. Yes, he has that. He has make full use of the money he received for his study and from our father and invested it. Unlike many other students or teenagers, he spent his money wisely. Unlike me, I barely have extra money while I was a student like him. My money mostly came from my loan that I have to pay on a monthly basis now to JPA for the next 12 years. My father did gave me some, but it was already quite late and if I’m not mistaken maybe the amount was about RM200 for the final 4-5 months. However, I appreciate it very much because my father bought be a laptop on my final year in UK. At least it the cash of buying the laptop can be counted to lessen his income tax.
As for me… Now I’m struggling to save and invest what ever money I have. It’s not easy because having 3 kids in this family, it is not easy to keep money, nor to invest them. Frankly, our salary is not enough to maintain all our monthly commitments and other obligations. Hence, we need to do more, I mean other part time jobs. My wife is focus on her consultations while I’m focusing on building my online business. That’s why…life goes on and we still need to do what ever it takes to survive the fierce capitalist world, in the right way.
Moral of the story…
No matter how young or how old you are, save some money and invest it wisely. I don’t care if you are 17, 25, 32, 40 or even 51 years old. You should save and invest you money wisely. Invest in gold and unit trust. Make the money work for you. Don’t spend to lavish and buy all those branded merchandises. Live simple. Live happily. I’m beginning to save something and I’ll try to stick on the plan. What about you…
I read somewhere that a common trait in almost all millionaires around the world is they spend wisely, save money and invest them intelligently. They know, money does not come easy and handy. We have to work for it. But at another stage, let the money work for you.
p/s: Adi… Kudos… I wonder what will be your comment after reading this blogpost?
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