Six appeal

Hong Kong is renowned for its materialism. The quest for personal fortune is said to be hardwired into the city's DNA thanks to its history as a trading hub that has attracted entrepreneurs, risk takers and economic refugees. So what do some of the city's recently successful individuals think about money and what are their strategies for more? We rounded up six high-profile Hongkongers from various sectors including entertainment, real estate, and food and beverage for their thoughts on what works and why.

You might know Margaret Chung Lai-kai from the TVB dramas she's acted in or you might recognise her as the serene face of Pure Yoga appearing on billboards all around town.

Born and raised in Toronto, Chung joined TVB at age 18 on a five-year contract.

"The pay for somebody that has never worked in their life was like, 'Wow, I'm getting paid for stuff that is pretty cool.'" She says there is no such thing as budgeting for an 18-year-old or at least not for her at the time. Without any financial commitments, Chung was spending all of what she made each month. It wasn't until she turned 21 and her father retired that she became more serious with her income. She started taking care of her parents and her brother and sister (she's the youngest of three siblings).

"My dad wasn't really that old but I didn't want him to work so hard. I was working anyway, it means I just bought less," Chung says. "That financial responsibility made me become more structured. I knew where the money was going, how much I needed, how much I'd save," she says.

Chung describes herself as a "rookie" investor. She prefers products like index funds because she's bad on following up on specific stocks. She leaves the more active investing to her husband or entrusts it to her friend who is a financial adviser.