When Everything Is Going Up — Except Your Salary : How Malaysians Can Protect Their Future Finances
Have you noticed that in recent years, almost everything around us is going up?
Daily expenses, materials, food prices, rentals, medical fees, and even technology stocks are soaring.
Everything seems to be increasing — except our income.
Everything Around You Is Rising
- Gold prices up
- Commodity prices up
- Cost of living up
- Food prices up
- Fuel prices up
- Rental up
- Medical fees up
- Insurance premiums up
- Education fees up
- Property prices up
- Share market up
- Tech and AI stocks flying
But salaries? Rising slowly — sometimes not at all.
Why Does Everything Keep Increasing?
Because inflation never stops. It’s not a temporary trend — it’s an economic reality.
Think back 20–30 years:
- Chicken rice RM2–RM3
- Fuel RM1+
- Houses RM80k–RM150k
Today? Everything has doubled or tripled.
That’s the power of inflation — silently reducing your purchasing power.
You’re not earning less, but your money buys less than before.
The Real Question: How Will You Survive 20–30 Years Later?
If everything keeps rising but your income can’t catch up, the pressure becomes long-term,
especially if you have family commitments, loans, or children to raise.
We can’t control global economics, we can’t control exchange rates,
and we can’t control inflation —
but we can control our habits.
One Simple Habit That Changes Everything
Spend RM200 less a month and turn that RM200 into long-term investment.
If you invest RM200 monthly:
- After 20 years: around RM120,000
- After 30 years: around RM300,000
That’s the power of compounding — quiet but powerful over time.
If the same RM200 is saved in the bank at 3%?
- After 20 years: about RM65,000
- After 30 years: about RM120,000
Same money, very different outcome.
The Biggest Challenge Isn’t the Market — It’s You
Savings are too easy to withdraw.
- A holiday
- A new phone
- An impulse purchase
- “I’ll put it back later”
A successful long-term financial plan doesn’t start with earning more —
it starts with this habit: Invest first, spend later.
Final Thoughts: The Future Won’t Get Cheaper — But You Can Get Smarter
Inflation won’t stop.
Life won’t suddenly become cheaper.
But you can make a choice today — a small habit that protects your future self.
Start now.
Your future self will thank you.
(Disclaimer: Figures above are illustrations and not guaranteed returns.)
当一切都在上涨，只有工资没有：如何保护未来的自己？
你有没有发现？近几年，我们身边几乎所有东西都在上涨：
生活费、原材料、食物、房租、医疗费、保险费，甚至科技股和 AI 股票也在飞。
几乎所有东西都在涨，只有收入涨得最慢。
你周围的一切，都在涨
- 黄金涨
- 原材料涨
- 生活成本涨
- 食物涨
- 汽油涨
- 房租涨
- 医疗费涨
- 保险费涨
- 教育费涨
- 房产涨
- 股市涨
- 科技股、AI股也在飞
但工资呢？涨得非常慢。
为什么东西会一直涨？
因为通货膨胀从不停止。它不是短期现象，而是长期经济规律。
< poursuivre>回想 20–30 年前：
- 鸡饭 RM2–RM3
- 汽油 RM1+
- 房屋 RM80k–RM150k
现在呢？所有东西都翻了两三倍。
这就是通胀的力量：默默削弱购买力。
你不是赚得少了，而是钱能买到的东西变少了。
真正的问题：未来 20–30 年，你要怎么活？
如果价格不断上涨，但收入跟不上，压力只会越来越大，
尤其当你有家庭、车贷、房贷、孩子教育等责任。
我们不能控制全球经济，也不能控制汇率或物价，
但我们 可以 控制自己的习惯。
一个简单但影响巨大的习惯
每个月少花 RM200，让它变成长期投资。
如果每月投资 RM200：
- 20 年后：大约 RM120,000
- 30 年后：大约 RM300,000
这就是复利的力量 —— 安静却强大。
如果同样的钱存进 3% 银行或定存？
- 20 年后：约 RM65,000
- 30 年后：约 RM120,000
同样的钱，结果完全不同。
最大的挑战不是市场，而是“自己”
储蓄最大的弱点就是 —— 太容易被拿出来。
- 一个旅行
- 一部新手机
- 一次冲动购物
- 一句“以后再放回去”
成功的长期财务规划，不是靠赚更多，
而是靠一个习惯：
先投资，再消费。
最后一句：未来不会变便宜，但你可以变聪明
通胀不会停。生活不会变便宜。
但你可以选择改变今天的小习惯，保护未来的自己。
从现在开始。
未来的你，会感谢现在的自己。
（免责声明：以上数字仅为示例，并非保证收益。）