Last Updated on October 31, 2025 by Chin Yi Xuan
A late update, but last month (September) has been my largest dividend payout of the year so far:
- Sept 2025: RM970.15
- Sept 2024: RM814.81
- Sept 2023: RM561.38
Hopefully, by sharing my dividend progress over the years, it’ll show you that building a low-maintenance dividend income from scratch is not a dream:
3 tools I use to handle financial emergencies:
Liquidity, or how quickly you can access your money, is the most important factor when it comes to handling emergencies.
The first tool isn’t my emergency fund. Rather…
#1 …it is my credit card
Let me tell you why:
Exactly 1 year ago, my dad collapsed while he was jogging in the park.
With age, his heart became weaker, and he had to undergo a pacemaker surgery (a device to regulate heartbeat).
I remember vividly – on the night before my dad’s surgery, the nurse came to me and said:
“Sir, we’ll require you to pay off the pacemaker device before we can proceed with the surgery tomorrow.”
The pacemaker cost RM25,000, and it was not covered by insurance.
Meanwhile, my emergency fund was saved in low-risk money market funds, and it’d take at least 3 working days to access the money.
Guess what came to save the day?
The credit card for which I just increased my credit limit a few months ago.
Used responsibly, a credit card is a liquidity saviour.
#2 Low-Risk Money Market Funds, or Digital Banks
The next tool that I’ve been using is low-risk money market funds (MMF).
Generally, MMFs pay a return on par (sometimes better) to Fixed Deposits, but with the added flexibility to deposit and withdraw anytime.
My own experience with the withdrawal time of a few common MMFs:
- Versa Cash (3.49% p.a.) and Cash-i (3.27% p.a.): Same day – 2 working days
- ‘Save’ feature under T&G Invest (3.64% p.a.): 2 working days
- StashAway Simple (3.55% p.a.): 3 – 4 working days
For instant withdrawal, I’ve recently transferred a portion of my emergency funds to more flexible options – but all of them come with some compromises:
- Ryt Bank Save Pocket (4% p.a., but only for the first RM20,000. 3% p.a. thereafter)
- T&G Go+ (3% p.a.) – Max deposit limit of RM20,000.
#3 Insurance (let me explain)
Finally, for big, unexpected incidents in life, insurance is still my go-to risk-management tool.
Yes, boring – I know. But let me explain with a financial emergency in life:
How life insurance helps in the event of death:
Did you know that upon death, your assets – including cash in your bank account will be frozen?
Even if you have a will, it’ll still take a few months before your loved ones get access to your assets.
Having life insurance bypasses the legal process of a will (we call it a ‘probate’).
In most cases, your beneficiaries will be paid swiftly, ensuring they do not face money pressure upon your passing.
Question: What are your tips to manage financial emergencies in life?
I hope today’s sharing is helpful!
My question to you: Are you using any other method to prepare for emergencies in life?
Feel free to share your ideas in the comment section below!
Disclaimer:
Not financial advice. Please do your own due diligence and seek professional help before making important financial decisions in life.
