At 57 and nearing retirement, this Malaysian man still drives a Myvi.
According to XUAN解忧树洞, he is a senior employee in his company and earns a five figure salary. His child is studying overseas, while his wife has her own career and is financially independent. By most standards, the family is doing well.
Yet despite having savings and being financially comfortable, he has never felt the need to spend money simply to look successful.
He often notices how much importance people place on cars, houses, designer bags and expensive holidays. Salary figures are shared online. Expensive meals are photographed. Hotels, flights and new purchases all become part of social media.
Sometimes, he wonders whether people are actually enjoying their lives or simply trying to prove something to others.
His own car is a Myvi.
Colleagues have asked why someone in his position still drives such a modest car. Some even joke that a person at his level should be driving something more expensive.
His response is simple.
A car is meant to get someone from one place to another.
Of course, he understands why people like expensive cars. They can be more comfortable, quieter and better equipped. But if a Myvi does the job, spending RM200,000 on another car does not seem necessary.
The same attitude applies to his home.
He lives in an older condominium rather than a landed property. His colleagues sometimes ask why he does not upgrade when he clearly can afford it.
For him and his wife, the home is comfortable enough. There is no reason to maintain a huge house simply to impress visitors.
He also does not feel the need to replace his phone every time a new model is released. If the old one still works, there is no urgency to upgrade.
That does not mean he refuses to spend money.
He enjoys good food and is happy to pay for something genuinely worth eating. He simply does not believe an expensive price tag automatically means better quality.
The same thinking applies when travelling. He usually chooses economy class, sometimes paying extra for a seat with more legroom. Business class is certainly more comfortable, but for a short flight, he would rather spend the difference on something he genuinely enjoys.
His philosophy is not about being cheap.
It is about knowing what matters.
His advice to younger people is simple: earning money is important, but spending a lifetime trying to prove success to other people can become another kind of burden.
Money should ultimately be used to build a life that feels meaningful, comfortable and enjoyable, not simply one that looks impressive from the outside.
Jovy Jing (ndreagoh@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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