Living on a RM1,700 basic monthly income, @pingu_finance shows that building wealth doesn’t have to be complicated or stressful. After losing RM15,000 in a business attempt in 2020, he started taking his finances seriously and focused on doing the basics well.
Today, he shares his journey openly—good months and bad—using a simple portfolio made up of unit trusts, fixed deposits, and Bitcoin. Instead of chasing fast returns, Pingu focuses on consistency, discipline, and peace of mind.
In this interview, he shares the lessons he learned from past mistakes, the money rules that keep him consistent, and how he invests calmly on a modest income.
1. Hi Pingu! For readers who are new to your page, could you briefly introduce yourself and share what made you start paying attention to your money?
I’m Pingu, a late-20s Malaysian living on a modest RM1,700 basic monthly income.
My journey began in 2020 when I lost around RM15k in a small business venture. That setback pushed me to really focus on my finances.
Since then, I’ve been mindful of every ringgit and every penny. I don’t chase big financial end goals, I’m more about keeping things chill and peaceful.
My approach is simple: live debt-free, minimize expenses, and focus on financial stability rather than flashy wealth.
2. When you first began investing, what was the very first step you took? (For example, your first product, platform, or a change in mindset.)
I made some financial mistakes in my early to mid-20s switching jobs, failing at business ventures.
I don’t have higher education, only SPM, and eventually realized that maybe I’m not cut out to be a business person.
I needed to focus on saving instead.
Turning 25 felt like a wake-up call. I realized there was so much I needed to change.
The first step came when I discovered the book Atomic Habits, which taught me how small habits can create a truly magical compounding effect.
I decided to apply this mindset to my savings when I started my current job in late 2023. I started completely from scratch, broke, with zero in savings and only RM500 in my KWSP.
Can you imagine that? But that small beginning is where my journey really started.
3. Your portfolio is very simple with just Unit Trust, Fixed Deposit, and Bitcoin. Why did you choose to focus on only these three?
“The general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple where the battle is fought. The general who loses a battle makes but few calculations beforehand.”
I see investing the same way. I’m a very strategic, long-term thinker, and I approach finance like a carefully planned battle.
My three strongest defenses are strategy, consistency, and endurance.
I hate losing whether it’s a war or money so I play the long game, aiming to stay winning no matter what.
For me, this means consistent action: stacking assets, buying BTC every month, and holding for the long term, indefinitely. It’s better than stock picking or trying to time the market.
I’d rather have the peace of mind knowing my money will eventually grow, without even having to think about it. Slow and steady wins the war.
4. Do you have any simple money rules you follow for saving, spending, or investing that help you stay consistent?
For me, paying yourself first is the ultimate game-changer in financial literacy.
I found this approach when I read about the 80/20 Rule, or Pareto Principle, which was first observed in 1897 by Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto.
My method is simple, almost extreme, really. I follow a strict 80/20 rule: 80% goes straight to savings, and the remaining 20% is all I use for the month.
I’m also a very minimalistic person. I have no debt, no car loan, no house loan, just a motorbike.
The only things I spend on are experiences: travel, concerts, and partying with friends overseas.
I follow the principle from the book Die With Zero by Bill Perkins: “Right time matters. Some experiences are best at certain ages, do them when you can.”
For me, that’s the balance between financial discipline and living fully.
5. Looking back, are there any investing mistakes or decisions you wish you had done differently? What did you learn from it?
If I’m being honest, my biggest mistake wasn’t choosing the “wrong” investment, it was trying to move too fast before I was ready.
In my early 20s, I chased income and opportunities without having a solid foundation.
I jumped between jobs and businesses, thinking speed and ambition would solve everything.
Instead, it drained my money and mental energy.
Losing that RM15k business capital was painful, but it taught me something priceless: money grows best when your life is stable.
I learned that before investing, you need discipline, emotional control, and consistency. There’s no shortcut that can replace those.
If I could do anything differently, I would’ve focused on saving earlier, even small amounts, and built habits before chasing big outcomes.
That mistake shaped my current approach: simple, slow, and boring. And honestly, boring works.
6. You share both good and bad months openly. How do market downturns affect you, and how do you stay calm during those periods?
Market downturns don’t affect me emotionally as much as they used to, mainly because I’ve already accepted volatility as part of the game.
When prices go down, I don’t see it as “losing money”; I see it as noise. Nothing has changed unless I sell, and I don’t plan to sell.
What keeps me calm is structure. I invest the same amount every month, regardless of the market. There’s no decision to make, so there’s no stress.
I also keep a large portion of my money in safer assets like Fixed Deposits, which gives me peace of mind and emotional stability. That buffer allows me to hold riskier assets like Bitcoin without panic.
Sharing bad months publicly is also a form of discipline. It reminds me and others that investing isn’t a straight line up. It’s messy, boring, and sometimes uncomfortable.
But if you stay consistent and patient long enough, the calm eventually wins over the chaos. For me, peace is the real return on investment.
7. Unit trusts make up most of your portfolio. What do you like about them, and why do they work well for you?
I like unit trusts because they match my personality. I’m not someone who enjoys monitoring charts, reading financial reports, or making frequent decisions.
Unit trusts let me outsource complexity to professionals while I focus on what I do best working, saving, and staying consistent.
They’re boring, predictable, and slow, and that’s exactly why they work for me.
I invest regularly, reinvest the returns, and let time do the heavy lifting.
I don’t expect explosive gains, but I value stability and peace of mind more than chasing the highest returns.
For someone with a modest income like mine, unit trusts provide a realistic and sustainable way to grow wealth without stress.
8. You often mention keeping investing “simple and stress-free.” What does that look like in your daily life or routine?
Simple and stress-free means automation and routine.
Once my salary comes in, my savings and investments are moved immediately with no thinking and no temptation. After that, whatever is left is my guilt-free spending money.
In daily life, I don’t check my portfolio obsessively. Some months I don’t even open the apps.
I focus on my job, my health, and my relationships. Investing runs quietly in the background, like a system.
When finance stops occupying mental space, life feels lighter, and that’s the real goal for me.
9. When you think about the next 5 years, do you have any personal or financial goals you’re working towards?
I don’t have big, flashy goals like retiring early or becoming a millionaire.
My goals are very practical: stay debt-free, maintain a strong cash buffer, and keep my lifestyle flexible.
Financially, I want my investments to continue compounding quietly so that future me has more options whether that’s switching jobs, taking longer breaks, or dealing with unexpected life events without panic.
Personally, I want to keep traveling, experiencing life while I’m still young and healthy, and staying mentally peaceful.
For me, freedom isn’t about luxury, it’s about having choices.
10. Lastly, what advice would you give to Malaysians who are just starting out with personal finance and feeling confused or overwhelmed?
Start small and start boring. You don’t need complicated strategies, high returns, or insider knowledge.
Focus on building the basics first: control your expenses, avoid bad debt, and save consistently even if it’s RM50 or RM100 a month.
Don’t compare your journey to people on social media. Many are ahead, many are behind, and many are not telling the full story.
Personal finance is deeply personal. Find a system you can stick with for years, not months.
Most importantly, don’t rush. Wealth is built quietly over time.
If you can stay consistent and protect your peace, you’re already doing better than you think.
Final Thoughts
Thank you to @pingu_finance for sharing his story so openly. His journey shows that building wealth doesn’t have to be complicated or stressful.
By staying debt-free, keeping his portfolio simple, and investing consistently, even on a modest income, he proves that small, steady steps add up over time.
Key takeaways:
- Keep it simple. Focus on a few assets you understand, like Pingu’s three-asset portfolio.
- Stay consistent. Automate savings and investments every month, no matter market ups and downs.
- Balance money and life. Protect your peace by spending on experiences while keeping finances stable.
Follow him on Instagram at @pingu_finance for honest updates, practical money tips, and a realistic approach to investing in Malaysia.
