Malaysians want to be richer but are easily satisfied

Malaysia - Bank and insurance company marketers could be more engaging if they show how middle class Malaysians can make more money to take care of needs and with the least hassle. Malaysians constantly think about getting rich but may not want to go overboard in this pursuit.

While three out of four Malaysians say they regularly think about money and how to get more of it (76%), 72% appear to be easily contented as they define success as having what you need and not necessarily what you want, according to a survey by Synovate.

This sentiment is further reaffirmed that 58% of Malaysians felt that the time it took to become financially successful was not worth the time it took away from other more important things. And 65% agreed that the more money one has, the more problems one has.

In how Malaysians think they can get rich, more than half (59%) believed that hard work and being in a well-paying job improves their chances of financial success while one third (33%) read finance related and wealth building books. "Having a roof that you own over one's head was also important, with 11% of Malaysians perceiving home ownership as being financially successful," added MD of Synovate Malaysia, Steve Murphy.

Synovate surveyed 1,018 respondents from the ages of 15 to 64 with combined household incomes of between RM1,000 to RM15,000 about their definition of financial success, where they see themselves in terms of what they have and their attitudes towards money and what actions they take to get more of it.