Buying Clothes

First off, clothes will always, ALWAYS look better on the models. Human or non-human. Fact.

You always tend to have this idea that a certain piece of fabric can turn you into this desirable hottie. It doesn't matter if you're a man or a woman. Thing is, fashion sells image. As in, how their clothes can give you the impression that you're part of something better. Wearing Nike makes you feel sporty, no matter the only running you've done all day is running after the bus. Wear Prada and suddenly you're this chic, glamorous, high maintainable girl. Never mind you're actually ah lian.

But, I can agree that whatever it is you want to achieve, you can do it cheaper. By doing so online and sniffing around a bit. There's loads of promotions, and warehouse sales. Just pick your poison, go on, I won't judge. Just find out if they stock the items you want in your size, and hopefully you'll lucky enough to bag a bargain on something you actually want.

I guess the purpose of this post is: a) I haven't updated in a while and now there's a lack of good, healthy competition in retail shops and b) Hey, everybody wears clothes, and it goes down in value extremely fast, so why not?

Food Observation

The same plate of mee goreng (*) costs RM1.50 in the morning and RM4 at lunch. Why is that?

(*) Depends on your local stall. Can be substituted with Nasi goreng, Mihun goreng, ect.

Saving Money on Lunch Food

Sometimes the biggest savings you can make is your choices on food. Today we cover on us office workers' biggest daily spending - our lunches.

Of course I'd first and foremost suggest bringing your own food from home, but I myself is not a big fan of this. This is because I see daily lunches with my co-workers as a chance for us to really bond. What we have for lunch, recommendations and suggestions of food and restaurants, it's a big part of our conversation, no?

Therefore, here I'll focus on how to choose what/where to eat during our lunch breaks.

1) Mamak/ Nasi Campur stall/ equivalant - Of course, this is first choice because of the price, the atmostphere, our culture, and the range of foods available for everyone. Here's how you can save money at these establishments:

a) Get air kosong - free at most places. You'll slash RM1.00++ per day, at least, that's at least RM22 per month. If you want it cold ask for ais kosong.

b) Skimp on the expensive extras: fried chicken, fried fish, ect. Especially at that mamak places where each cost like RM3.

c) On average, noodles/mee hun/ kuey teow soups are cheaper than other dishes. My local store does it for RM3.50.

d) For nasi campur, get 1 main dish (vege preferably, cheaper), then flavour your rice with other dishes (curry from the fish head curry, ect). It still tastes good without looking cheap.

2) Fast food places/ restaurants

a) Again, ask for plain water. These places charge ridiculous prices just for water.

b) Get set meals if possible.

c) If go with friends, combine all your foods so you get lots more choices, a lot more satisfying.

d) If you want, factor in restaurant promotions and discounts.

-- Here are but some tips for cheaper lunches for office workers. There's probably more - in which case I'll update. If you have your own tip you can contribute as well, I'd love to know!

Get your free RM100 worth of free ASM units.

Under 1Malaysia, the gov decided to give 100 units of ASM to first year students in local universities. 1 unit = RM1, so getting RM100 worth of fund is not bad, not bad at all.

T&C:

1) Must be a first-year undergraduate student at local public university (IPTA).

2) Only for the first 50,000 students who have already registered on mid-year.

Sources here and here.

A bit too niche, but that's still pretty nice of them.

Controlling your Petrol Spending.

Wouldn't it be nice, if we have a pre-paid concept for petrol/diesel for our cars? We can allocate ourselves RMx amount of money each month, and just like a mobile top-up, learn to control our petrol usage so that we can't overspend.


Well, we do have something like that. Sort of. Petronas' SmartPay seem to offer exactly that until they shut down the website for maintenance. There's no mention on when they're opening back. Valid only for Petronas, it seems to be the only one of its kind, offering a pre-paid system for gas.

I like this service. It can:

a) Make us more aware of how much we spend on petrol each month.
b) Avoid overspending - the limit, much like a mobile topup, you'll have that, 'nah, I can't use it all up today, I need it for the rest of the week/month' mentality.
c) Parents who let their children drive - it's a good way to control how much they spend on petrol, as well as driving too fast. You see, if you give just enough, they're less likely to speed, as that uses up more petrol. Likewise, you don't have to worry about giving them more money than they should have, which could be spent on anything. 'Anything' in italics because you know how young people are like.

There's probably a few more benefits that I can't think of right now, but the thing is, well, it's not good dwelling on it too much since the service isn't even offered at the time being.

Click on the picture to see how SmartPay works, anyway.

What I do...

I love money management. I don't necessarily love money - it's merely a system we use to gain the lifestyle we want. But money management is all about managing your money into getting what you want, without going over budget. It's not about cutting back, it's about using it well, paying less for the same items, same commodities you want, and setting aside some each month for emergencies or investment. That's it.

Therefore, I should warn first earlier in this blog that I will not cover:

1) Credit cards - they are evil, a method used by banks to tie you in debt with their corporation forever, charging ridiculous rates for money that's not even yours to begin with. They encouraging overspending and make you believe that you deserve, no, are entitled to the lifestyle that you can't possibly afford.
2) Pitiful discounts - I scoff at anything less than 25% discount.
3) Things that you don't need. I will not post a specific deal for a specific item, either for computers, tv, whatever, no matter how cheap it is. I can guide you to the general direction, places you should consider looking and doing before making a big purchase, but I will not suggest a specific place to get something that you can do without.

With that in mind, I'll do my best to keep this blog updated as frequently as possible. So far, so good.

Now go click on that picture for Martin Lewis's Teen Cash Class: Three Lessons to Turn Anyone into a Super Savvy 21st Century Consumer. All credits go to him.

Cheaper McDonald's McValue Meal (12pm-3pm)

For a limited time, McDonald's are lowering their McValue meals, from just RM5.95 in 10 menus. I'm excited because this might ignite a bigger fast-food price war!

Sets comes with French Fries (M) and a Carbonated Drink (M), and is only valid from 12pm to 3pm every day, until promotion ends.

Click on picture for link to full menu items.

However, for the sake of it, the Chicken McNuggets set is the biggest markdown (down 36% from normal price, from RM9.35 to RM5.95!).

Tesco's Clubcard Bonus Day

It's worth noting that in participating Tesco hypermarkets in Klang Valley, Tesco is doing a 2-day Bonus Day, doubling the Clubcard points by 2x (4x if you swipe with Tesco-RHB credit/debit card, and 5x points at Tesco Foodcourt).

Bonus: If you're collecting points, get the Roast Chicken, Eggs, and/or Vesawit oil, and get 200 extra points. 200 points is equivalent to spending RM400 at Tesco's, or RM2.00 in Tesco Cash Vouchers. Click picture for further details.

Spotted! Even cheaper glasses!

Was driving around today doing chores and spotted an ad banner outside an optical store nearby a local university, selling glasses + lens for the grand price of RM39. I was rushing so I didn't ask for more details, but there's a great big lesson in spotting bargains for unlikely items: nearby a known student housing, or local universities.

We know that restaurants, photocopy shops and stationary shops around these areas are ALWAYS competitively priced, we just never think it'd extend to even glasses! Come to the think of it, I did get half-price contact lenses somewhere there about a year ago, bought in bulk (lasting until now).

(While that's a bargain, however, it's worth noting that it might just be a student offer, not for the general public, but one can always find ways to utilize a deal.)

I'll have a prowl there sometime soon just to see what other things might be cheaper than market price...

Spotlight on... Offerstation.com

A nice, nifty site which lists current offers, competitions, sales and vouchers in Malaysia. Click picture for Malaysian site.

Lack of money cited as reason why children abandon parents.

The Star newspaper yesterday highlighted the rise in numbers of older citizens being abandoned in hospitals and even public streets by their children. The top reason cited for this sad, sad situation? Financial woes.

This is an example of how the current economic climate indirectly affects our society, though lack of money is not the only thing to blame, admittedly.

We're an Asian country. We had a good, working system. Children should look after their parents, that's the way it goes, the way it has been. That's why, now, the government is struggling to find good, dedicated carers. Its because there was not much need for them in the past.

I stress to the (few) readers of this blog, please, make your parents a financial priority. They deserve better than being left alone in old age.

Cheap prescription glasses, from RM49.30*

* subject to change to conversion rate

www.selectspecs.com claims to selling the cheapest glasses online, with glasses starting from just 5 pounds (current conversion is 1 GBP to 5.8 MYR) and flat 3.50 pounds worldwide shipping. What's good about them is that besides standard 1.49 single vision lenses, they also include:
- free UV protection
- free Anti-Reflection
- free Scratch Resistant Coatings
- free glasses case
- free cleaning cloth

Get yourself a free eye assessment at any optical store, so all you have to do is select the frame(s) you want, insert your eye prescription, fill up your details, and pay. I personally got one pair with the combined grand total of 8.50 pounds delivered (it was from Hong Kong, so I assume that's why it's so cheap), and while it does look plasticky, it does the job. 8.50, converted right now is RM49.30. Mine arrived in 2 weeks.

Of course, you'll have to pay by either Paypal or credit card. But hey, the cheapest glasses 'package' I saw so far in Klang Valley is RM99, so I have no complains!

Click on picture for direct link. 2 pairs maximum per order.

Up to 50% off KTM train fares

It's little known, but KTMB (http://www.ktmb.com.my/) offers discount cards for Students, Senior Citizens, and Youths which enables them up to 50% off the train fare, which is excellent for frequent travellers. All with T&C attached, click on respective cards for more info or alternatively visit the main site.

1) Student Card
- Offered to all Malaysian and Foreign Students studying in Malaysia or Singapore schools, colleges and varsities .
- Not applicable to part-time students.
- 18 years and above.
- Annual fee of RM30.
- 40% discount on all Intercity Train services and by all class of travel (not applicable on the KTM Komuter train service).

2) Senior Citizen Card
- applicable to all senior citizens, Malaysian and foreigners aged 60 years and above.
- entitles them to a 50% discount on all class of travel.
- RM5 per annum.

3) Youth Card

- For youngsters aged 12 - 17 years old.

- 40% discounts on the travel fares for unlimited travel by all Class of travel to any destination on the KTM Berhad network (not applicable for use on the KTM Komuter trains).

- RM10 per annum.

Special Post - Freecycling

Freecycle is a concept first started in the US to recycle items that you don't need to other people who can use them. When I was living in UK, I got a perfectly functional tv, a bicycle that needs just a little extra air, and lots of books. It's a great concept to combat consumerism as well as keeping our landfills clearer from items that can still be loved. Plus, the beauty of the concept is that it's free - to both give and receive.

That said, though, it's common courtesy to give if you want to receive. It can't work if there's too much demand than supply, you see.

Logo above gives you the link to all the Freecycle groups in Malaysia. Admittedly it's not very active, but we can make it active, we just need a bit more exposure.

Give it a go. Everybody have things lying around in the house that they want to get rid of.

Reducing petrol costs in Malaysia

Good news: Petrol prices cost the same AT EVERY PETROL STATION IN MALAYSIA. The government fixes the prices. So you don't have to do the added homework of searching around for places selling cheapest petrol, like how they do it in many parts of the world (America, UK, ect).

Therefore, the tips on this post are mostly common-sense tips. Don't drive too fast. Check tyre pressure. However, since I'm by no means an expert on cars, I'm posting a few good links below to check out.

Recommended reading: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheaper-fuel

Others: http://www.save-petrol.co.uk/

http://www.economicshelp.org/2008/06/10-ways-to-reduce-petrol-costs.html

Cheapest prepaid plan so far (Under-25 only)

It's called Hotlink Youth Club. Only for Under-25s, unfortunately, and comes in a RM8.80 sim pack. Free if you're from other network provider though.




Click on 1st picture for the official Hotlink Youth Club link.

RM35 free if switch to Digi via Maybank2u.com

If yo're switching anyway and use Maybank2u.com, here's an easy way to get RM35. They'll even deliver the new simcards to you FOC.

Click on picture for more info.