As the cost-of-living in Malaysia rises, more and more laymen are now attempting to cope by finding different ways to either earn extra income on the side, or by budgeting as best they can to save as much as possible from their salaries.
With that said, one local man has left people surprised on social media by the lengths at which he is willing to take to ensure that he can afford to live a lifestyle of his choosing, while still having money to spare by the end of every month.
M’sian man earns RM2,200 per month, stays single so he can save up
According to Facebook page Ricebowl, a Malaysian man has shared his ‘tips and tricks’ when it comes to saving money. In his post, he revealed that he only earns a mere RM2,200 while staying in Petaling Jaya. He then listed his expenses list which includes, rent, food, monthly allowance for his family as well as his MY50 travel pass for public transport.
He mentioned that he would spend RM500 for rent, RM450 for food, RM200 for his family and RM50 for his travel pass.
“In total, I have to pay RM1,132 just for necessities and this means that I’m only left with RM968”, he said.
As such, in order to save up some money, he would always opt to skip dinner. While this may seem an unhealthy habit, he mentioned that he would occasionally wind up eating anyway, as he would get really hungry or when his friends and colleagues ask him out.
He also said that with his current finances he has yet to be able to afford insurance and this has helped him cut down some of his expenses. And where renting a room is concerned, he would only use his air conditioner sparingly as it would incur additional charges on his rental.
“I would also try to head out less and not meet most of my friends as it would cost me roughly RM200 or more if I head out too frequently”, he mentioned.
In order for him to save up more, he would also choose to not buy any new clothes unless necessary and would make sure that he stays single. In total, he would have RM668 left and despite being frugal, he mentioned that there are certain expenses that can’t be avoided like visiting the clinic or simple groceries.
“The most I could save up in a month being as frugal as possible is just a mere RM500, sometimes if I decide to head out with friends, I’d most likely be left with nothing to spare”, he said.
As a consequence, he has vowed to remain single for the time being, so not to make further dents in his already meager savings amount.
His ‘tips’, which have since caught the attention of social media users online, has left many amused, if not a little concerned for his wellbeing.
“Socialising is important and you should always socialise. That way you can gain more perspective and perhaps find a better way to make more money.”
“It doesn’t matter if you’re single or married, you have a choice to be frugal with your life but one thing you should keep in mind is your health. Don’t jeopardise your health just to save up, you might end up spending all of it in the hospital.”
“It’s good to save up but you’re only 25 and you have your whole life ahead of you. If you continue to deprive yourself of things you should enjoy or jeopardise your health by not eating, you might end up losing more than you gain.”
“If you think that your pay is not able to live up to your lifestyle, you should find another way to help yourself out. Always look for opportunities because if you don’t you won’t be able to enjoy the life you want.”
“I can stay single but I can’t deprive myself from having dinner.”
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