M’sian man breaks down his cost of cooking at home, manages to spend only RM1.47 for a meal

As living costs increase as a result of inflation and a global economy that has still yet to completely recover from the onset of a global pandemic, many Malaysians have been left with no choice but to tighten their belts to get by.

And while government initiatives such as the Menu Rahmah effort have been implemented to alleviate a measure of the burden, there are some who have resorted to using their own methods to make their Ringgit last a little longer, such as this one netizen who recently shared his own budget-conscious ‘hack’ for meals.

Ipoh man breaks down his cost for cooking a meal at home 

In a recent post on Facebook, an Ipoh based man named Chin took to breaking down how much each of his meals cost if he decided to cook for himself at home instead of going out to eat or ordering takeout.

“I’ve encountered a few posts online where people have been complaining on how expensive eating out has been getting and even economy rice is getting non-economical anymore.

Some hawkers would even refuse business to those who they think are unable to afford and I just want to help out where I can by sharing the cost needed to cook a meal.” he said.

According to him, cooking also happens to be something he does that helps him destress from his day. Sharing his recipe for rice vermicelli noodles, Chin included a handy breakdown of the entire dish, from the ingredients down to the condiments used, and even the cost for his cooking gas.

Ingredients: 

• Rice vermicelli noodles (bee hon) = RM1.40 per pack/split into 4 servings, RM0.35 per serving
• A single egg = RM0.45
• A pack of Ayamas-branded hotdogs = RM4.99 for a pack of 10 hotdogs/RM0.50 per hotdog

Condiments wise, he only spent RM1.20 on a pack of salt that he can stretch out for a period of six months, which equates to RM0.006 per day. He adds that he rarely uses any cooking oil or soy sauce in his meals as he has a preference for milder flavours.

In terms of gas, Chin paid RM29 for a single tank but as it can be used up to 6 months in his home, that would make the cost of use per day only RM0.16.

A quick calculation indicates that he spent only RM1.47 for a single meal if he chooses to cook at home! As far as stretching your money goes, this recipe does the trick. Chin adds that he would cook this way around three times a week to help budget his expenses.

Speaking to Wau Post, he emphasized that his way of cooking is catered to his own eating preferences and the ingredients that he shared can be tweaked according to any individual’s liking.

“For those who don’t like hot dogs, they can opt for a healthier version which is to switch the hot dogs to tomatoes.

I would occasionally do that, and one single tomato would cost around RM0.50 and I usually purchase it from the market in Ipoh. They’re kind enough to only sell a single tomato to me”, he added.

His post was quick to garner attention from netizens, with many impressed by how he has managed to bring down the cost of cooking for himself. However, some have suggested that he should also try to treat himself to something nice every now and then when possible.

“While it looks plain, I want to thank you for teaching me how to be more positive when it comes to life, uncle. Thank you for showing me that we should always have gratitude and be grateful for the things we have, life can be great.”

“Sometimes, life isn’t just about surviving, we should live life and if you’re able to afford it, you should treat yourself to a nice meal once in a while. If not, life would somewhat be meaningless, keep up the good work.”

“You should treat yourself better.”

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