Mt Vernon crematorium is the resting place for my maternal grandma. I visit her a few times a year; whenever I feel like saying hello. (I don't wait for Ching Ming; I listen to my heart. Visiting her is not an obligation) This bond started way way back. I remember when grandma went back to China for visiting before I enrolled in primary school, the many days I've stood looking out the window crying for grandma to come back - especially after getting a beating from mom... When I read stories of how children cry their hearts out when their maids have to return home, I understand that feeling. Next to Mt Vernon is the camp for our Singapore Gurkha Contingent. I often see these young warriors when I visit grandma. After Sunday night's event, I am very glad and thankful we have the services of these professional warriors living amongst our midst.   Sometimes we forget the original purpose of an emergency fund, and through the passage of time, we may get too cute with it, without thinking through the consequences. Imagine some smart aleck, doing a straight line extrapolation, may suggest this: "Since there's no riots in Singapore for the past 40 years, why spend all these money in maintaining this Gurkha Contingent for an event that may or may not happen?" An alternative example: You own a car. You got bitten by the "passive income" flavour of the year bug. So smart of you! Rent out your car to a car leasing company, while you switch to public transport. You earn the carry difference. Now you go telling everyone how you turned a liability to an asset with positive free cash flow every month! Yes, enjoy that euphoric feeling while it lasts. Contrast it with the feeling of panic and frustrations when you need your car urgently back to ferry your sick child, injured wife, or aged parents during a medical emergency. What is the purpose of an Emergency Fund? We all have to answer that ourselves - depending on our personal situation and what we value more in life.  (Goals to reach financial success quicker versus people first?) There will be whispers to our ears and well meaning advice on how much we can save by not having an emergency fund; or how much more we can earn by converting this emergency fund into an opportunity fund. You decide.

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Singapore Man of Leisure (welcome to my blog; just google it!)