Always Been Prepare And Save for a rainy day
未雨绸缪
If there is one thing that anyone should learn to do, it’s to start an emergency fund.
如果说有什么事是每个人都应该学习的,那就是开始筹备一个“紧急专款”。
Crises, no matter in what form or magnitude, will send you scurrying for money to meet your obligations.
危机,不管以任何形式或力度出现,都会导致你亟需用钱,以支付各种费用。
If you think the chances of a crisis happening to you as remote as a tsunami happening in Malaysia, then think about company downsizing, road accidents or illness and permanent injuries, which can happen to anyone anytime.

倘若你认为面临危机的机率,对你来说就好像发生大海啸那样微乎其微,那请你想想公司裁员、交通意外、生病或永久性受伤,这些事情任何时候都可能发生在每个人身上。
So, what better way than to prepare a fund to tide you over in times of need?
所以,还有什么比准备一项专款,以帮助你度过难关,来的更好更实际?
Apart from having ready cash, an emergency fund also prevents the use of credit cards that may charge interest as high as 18% per annum and push you into the debt trap.
除了拥有随时可用的现金,紧急专款也能避免动用信用卡,其一年18个百分点的利息会把你卷入债务的旋涡。
To this, the Association of Chartered Accountants (ACCA) lists several points to ponder as outlined in its guidebook on personal finance.
有鉴于此,特许会计师协会于个人财务指南中,列出几个要点供大家参考。
1. How much is enough for the emergency fund?多少紧急专款才算足够?
According to financial experts, the fund should be enough for 3 to 6 months of basic living expenses.
根据财务专家,款项应足以应付3至6个月的基本生活费用。
So, it should be able to cover your rent or mortgage, pay the utility bills, buy food and pay the car installments for at least 3 months.
这样一来,你就能够支付房租费或房屋贷款、水电费,购买食物及支付最少3个月的汽车供期贷款。
For couples with children, it is advisable to have a fund that lasts for 6 months.
至于那些有孩子的夫妻,最好是储存可以维持6个月生活费的数目。
The reason is to meet the unexpected or unplanned costs, which may arise.
这是为了能够满足各种可能出现的无法预测或计划的费用。
Other factors that you should consider are insurance coverage, the possibility of securing a new job in the event of company downsizing and the inflation factor.
其它必需考虑的因素包括保险涵盖范围、公司裁员后得以觅获新的工作的可能性及物价上涨率。
If there is no insurance to cover the monthly salary in the event one ends up permanently disabled, then having more than the minimum amount in the emergency fund is a good idea.
如果永久性失去工作能力,又没有保险取代每月收入,在这样的情况之下,最好提高紧急款项的最低数额。
And if it is difficult to find another job due to limited qualification and experience, then you may need to have a larger fund to rely on.
要是由于学历和经验不足,难以找到另外一份工作,那么你就需要依靠一笔更大的资金。
Finally, inflation factor must be taken into consideration.
最后,物价上涨的因素也必需加以考虑。
For instance, after 15 years, at a rate of 3%, your RM18,000 is only valued at RM11,400.
打个比方,15年之后,若物价上涨率为3个百分点的话,1万8千元的价值将只剩下1万1千4百元。
2. How to start saving for an emergency fund?如何着手储蓄紧急款项?
Let’s say your monthly take-home salary is RM3,000, the guide book on personal finance advises that you should pay yourself first by saying 10% of the amount or RM300 every month.
假设你的净月收入为3千元,个人财务指南建议你每月必需储存10%或3百元。
So, if you want to build an emergency fund that is worth 6 months of your salary (RM18,000), then you will need about 60 months or 5 years to meet the objective.
依此类推,要建立一个含有6个月工资(1万8千元)的紧急款项,你需要60个月或5年的时间,以达到你的目标。
However, the amount saved depends on how concerned you are about the current and future financial prospects.
不过,需要储存的数目在于你对目前和未来经济的展望。

3. Where to keep the fund?把款项存放哪里?
While saving the money in the bank is the most sought after option, consider a few factors before deciding which account that one should keep the money.
把钱存放在银行是一般性的选择,然而,决定把钱存放在哪种户口之前,有几个因素值得考虑。
a. Liquidity资产折现力
This refers to how fast one can convert an asset into cash.
这里指多快可以把资产折兑成现金。
And for the reason that it is an emergency fund, one has to make sure the money can easily be reached when needed.
由于此为紧急款项,我们必需确保需要时钱可以轻易到手。
Thus, investing the fund in a residential property is not a good move as it is not a liquid asset and may take months or years to sell.
因此,把款项投资于房地产不是一个明智的举动,因为这不是一种流动性资产,要售卖可能费时几个月或数年。
b. Low risk低风险
Buying shares with the emergency fund is also not a good idea even though they are often more liquid than the real estate.
用紧急款项购买股票也不是个好主意,虽然股票通常比房地产更易折现。
This is due to the fact that stocks are generally risky in nature and can cause losses if forced to sell at a time when the market price is less than favorable.
这是因为股票投资的性质一般来说风险相当大,而且在市场价格低落的时候被迫卖出,将导致损失。

c. Easily available容易得到
The money must be somewhere within your reach but you must have enough discipline not to use the money whenever temptation arises.
这钱必需放在你可以轻易取得之处,但是你必需具有自律的能力,不管任何时候,当诱惑出现,都不得动用这些钱。
If you are the type who has problems in managing cash at hand, then it’s best to deposit the money into a bank.
如果你是那种对处理手头上的现款有问题的人,那么,最好把钱存入银行。
Unlike keeping it in your own safe, cash in the bank is not easily withdrawn.
不象把钱存放在自己的保险柜,银行的现款比较没那么容易取出。
Better still, do not carry your ATM cards in your wallet.
更安全的是,不要把提款机卡放在你的钱包里。
Apart from savings and current accounts, you also have the option to save in fixed deposit (FD) accounts.
除了储蓄和活期存款帐户,你还可以选择把钱存入定期存款帐户。
However, certain charges are imposed if the money is withdrawn before maturity.
不过,若你在未到期前把钱取出,就必须支付某些费用。
The ASB or Amanah Saham Bumiputra is another avenue to save money.
土著信托基金是另一种存钱的方法。
Besides savings, ASB is of low risk and gives excellent returns.
不只储蓄,土著信托基金的风险低,而且回收率也可观。
It helps your emergency fund to make more money.
它帮助你的紧急款项积累更多的钱。
d. Interest rate利率
Keeping money with the financial institutions earns interest.
把钱存入金融机构可以生息。
Banks have different rates for each category of deposits – savings, current and fixed deposits.
各个银行对储蓄、活期存款、定期存款提供不同的利率。
Of the 3, savings offer the lowest and FD the highest.
3项当中,储蓄帐户的利息最低,而定期存款的利息最高。
It is best to keep your funds in an account that offers the highest interest rate.
把钱存入提供最高利率的帐户最为理想。
Most importantly, to cultivate the saving habit, it is best to opt for automatic deductions from monthly salary and choose a bank that can arrange the service for free.
最重要的是,为了培养储蓄的习惯,最好选择从月薪自动扣除各种费用,你可以寻找一间能够作出安排,而服务免费的银行。

In conclusion, an emergency fund is important in helping you to carry on during times of crises.
总之,紧急款项对你来说很重要,因为它帮助你在危机之际得以安然度日。
There is no better time to start that fund than right now.
没有任何时候比今天就开始成立这项基金更为适合。
It is for your sake and the sake of your loved ones.
这是为了你自己,也为了你所爱的人。
Save to avoid being drenched on a rainy day.
储蓄,以备不时之需,以免陷入困境。
A simple action will make your lifestyle change. Always remember, if you can't bring happiness to your family, not even bringing any of painful to them...Be ready for your family member and your loved ones...!!! You are close to your success soon.