M'sian man's 7-year savings of 50-cent coins fill up 19-litre bottle; uses it to buy an iPhone

Seven years, 50-cent coins, and a brand new iPhone.

A man in Malaysia seems to have inspired others to go out and get a piggy bank after he posted a TikTok video of him and his friends cutting open a 19-litre water cooler bottle filled with 50-cent coins he had saved since 2016.

His impressive savings of RM5,360 (S$1,550) was enough to afford him a brand new iPhone 14.

"The result of seven years of savings," read the caption in the video as 30-year-old Hafiz Abdul Hamid rolled out a 19-litre water bottle filled to the brim with 50-cent coins.

When he found he couldn't empty the bottle by simply turning it upside down, he and a few friends cut the bottle open with a saw, releasing an avalanche of change in front of them.

According to Hafiz, it took four people some three hours to finish counting the coins.

Speaking to mStar, Hafiz, who works as a housekeeping supervisor at a hotel, said he started saving 50-cent coins in 2016 on a whim, and didn't expect to save up so much.

He stored the coins in mugs and potato chip containers at first, before storing them in a large water bottle.

He said he deliberately avoided using and spending 50-cent coins just to grow his collection. Sometimes he would exchange banknotes with his friends and family for 50-cent coins.

Six Banks

Depositing over RM5,000 worth of coins proved a little tricky, and Hafiz said he had to visit six different banks to deposit all the money.

When asked if he would start a new water bottle of savings again, the Malaysian said it was unlikely. "It's a very tedious process," he added.