MAKASSAR – Growing up, we have been taught to save money, which brings the oft-quoted Malay proverb to mind: ‘Sedikit-sedikit, lama-lama jadi bukit’.
However, we also know that it’s always easier said than done. How many of us have actually attempted to save money only to spend it on trivial items?
If you ever thought saving up to buy something worthwhile is impossible, this Indonesian couple is a prime example of another proverb, ‘If there’s a will, there’s a way’.
A little goes a long way
Asriadin Syamsuddin and his wife, Ratna had been saving up for three years since September 2018. Their goal? Buying a Toyota Rush, their dream car.
The couple, who work as merchants, would often keep the coins obtained from the balance of their customers’ bill along with any loose change they found in their house into water barrels.

Additionally, not all barrels were filled with coins as some had bank notes in it too.
It wasn’t until all the barrels were filled to the brim that the couple finally decided it was time to use their savings. It was also reported that there were a total of NINE barrels!
Even Asriadi admitted that he wasn’t sure how much he and his wife had collected.
I’ve never actually counted the total amount,” he said.
One step closer
Satisfied with their ‘haul’, the couple brought their savings to a car dealership to buy their dream car, where they realised they had saved 160 million rupiah (RM46,855) in total.
However, Asriadin had to pay the remaining cost as the coins did not reach the 271 million rupiah price tag (RM79,000).

Thankfully, the dealership was more than willing to welcome their first customers despite the sheer volume of coins.
What an example to learn from! Now, where can we get gallons of empty water barrels?
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Cover via: DetikNews
Proofreader: Sarah Yeoh
