Budget Update: December 2017

Budget Update: December 2017

Happy New Year! Welcome, 2018!

For me, December 2017 was treat-yo-self month, apparently. I’m embarrassed by the damage, but for accountability’s sake, here it is. Spent RM16.6k. Almost RM10k more than what I spent in November 2017. Eeeep.

I want to say, ‘it’s fine, I can afford it’ but honestly, I have no excuse. I gave myself almost-free reign to spend my money and boy did I. I did have a lot of fun though. At least now I know this level of fun is unsustainable for my budget.

All December, I was hungry for new experiences. Most of what I spent on is for that, not for shiny new things or whatever. I don’t regret the spending, but I do want to tone it down a bit. I want to be equally happy with low-cost activities instead of expensive ones.

What low-cost activities do you enjoy? Need some ideas here. Some I’ll continue (or plan to re-continue) include:

Reading books

Reading articles from the web

Making use of my apartment’s free gym

Making more home-made meals instead of eating out

Going to free/low-cost events and shows

Blogging

How does your list look like?

Yay of the month:

Went to
Maldives
.
Here’s what I got out of the RM3.3k trip
.

Gave away all presents for
Ringgit Oh Ringgit’s Xmas Giveaway
. Congrats, winners! Everyone else, try again next time okay? 🙂

Read 9 books
, probably the highest record of books read in a month in my adult life. They are:
The Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl
 by Belle Du Jour (insightful peek on how sex workers make money while staying safe – I have a lot of respect for them);
New Aging: Live Smarter Now to Live Better Forever
 by Matthias Hollwich with Bruce Mau Design (beautiful illustrations on making happy living efficient);
Books 1 & 2 of Hitchhiker’s Guide to Galaxy
 by Douglas Adams (funneh; lost interest by the third book though – became too draggy);
Bold: How to Grow Big, Create Wealth and Impact the World
 by Peter Diamandis and Steven Kotler (highly recommended if you feel stuck and want to aim higher. Lots of actionable steps);
Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chealsea
 by Chealsea Handler (a trashy read; funny writing though);
The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism
 by Naoki Higashida (insightful, helped me understand autism a bit more);
No Bed of Roses: The Rose Chan Story by Cecil Rajendran
 (life of the infamous striptease artist back during the Malayan days. I respect Rose Chan for the influence she had over high-ranking men of those days) and
Rejection Proof: How I Beat My Fear and Became Invincible through 100 Days of Rejection
 by Jia Jiang (legit made me cry. Another highly recommended book.)

Bought 15 books and 7 notebooks during the
Big Bad Wolf Book Fair
. The buying notebooks thing is new for me. For the longest time I’ve made do with free notebooks received from conferences and stuff. Now I’ve decided to start keeping my old notebooks instead of throwing it away, and I want them to be at least uniform in size so they’re easy to stack. However, I still refuse to buy the overpriced ones – RM20 is the max I’ll pay for a hardcover notebook.

Attended
BarCamp 2017
, an ad-hoc ‘unconference’. Anyone can attend and propose a topic to share. I challenged myself to explain CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women), and was happy to hear great feedback on my presentation 🙂 At one point, I went over the 30-minutes time limit but the audience urged me to continue for another half an hour. One of my best highlights of the month 🙂 🙂

Stockpiled sunscreens
 during a Watson’s sale, got a great price on them. Got about a year’s stock. Sunscreen is a must-have item for me, I wear it (almost) every day.

Saw
The VSC Project
‘s
 Love & Intestine Ft Ismaera show. Love them, highly recommend anything they organise. I like order and organisation; most of the time, this is good, but I do get too rigid in my planning sometimes. Their improv-focused shows force me to appreciate moments as they happen.

December 2017 recorded the
highest monthly traffic for Ringgit Oh Ringgit
! 82k! In December 2016, it was 22k. In December 2015, it was 2k. Thanks so much for your support, you guys <3

Due to the traffic, I also received the
highest monthly Google Adsense payout
 so far – RM661.77!

Christmas and New Years Eve celebration with friends <3

Nay of the month:

Spent way too much money.

My
grandmother
, my last living grandparent, is not well. Please send prayers and good vibes to my family.

Cheated
 out of RM127.20 from a gym. They charged me one extra month. I gave up trying to recover it back, it’s not easy.

Got a vanity cosmetic fix… Injected
dermafillers
 to correct my under-eye situation. RM3.6k gone and only slightly happy about it. Might do a post on the experience.

Spent a lot of time thinking about which
projects
 I want to dedicate my time on, aside from my usual writing-related work. Still have no clear answer and feeling a bit aimless.  I want to do something that both scares and excites me. I want another hill to conquer. It’s not that there’s no hills around, there are a few, and I’m deciding which one(s) to climb right now. It’s a problem, but thankfully a good one.

22% of my spending in December 2017 was for Donations and Gifts – too much? I bought presents for people, might have gone overboard with the gifting :/

Been wanting to try
Steam
 for a while, and I finally did – couldn’t resist the winter sales. Bought Dream Daddy, the dating dad simulation game. It’s amusing rofl. I’m annoyed that I couldn’t stop myself from buying this game but to be fair the entertainment value I got from this RM20.77 game is well worth it.

Things to Look Forward to:

Being frugal while keep building wealth in 2018. I haven’t been good on the frugal part lately.

Growing this website’s traffic and its passive income even more. Dare I aim for 200k monthly traffic by the end of 2018? I dare!

Buying some courses from
Udemy
. They’re having 90% sales now guys! If not mistaken from 01-10 January 2018 only. Any courses to recommend?

Paying my
zakat
 and taxes. I enjoy the whole process (although the payment part stings a bit).

Liquidifying some of my crypto investment and channelling it towards safe investments. My high-risk/low-risk ratio is making me nervous. I’m considering properties, but might just go with the safest option for me, ASB.

Re-Konmari my possessions. Need to sell/donate stuff I no longer use.

Overall, 2017 was very kind to me. It’s my highest-earning year so far, and career-wise I’m at my peak. I hope to keep the momentum and of course, record the journey here in this blog. Please keep supporting me 🙂

To read about my past monthly budget update, click
here
. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (
review
).


Budget Update: December 2018

Budget Update: December 2018

Happy new year! Welcome, 2019! Thank goodness I didn’t go out on New Year’s Eve, or I would’ve spent more than RM6000 in December 2018 for sure!

December 2018 was… alright. A mix of extreme happiness and extreme apathy; a strange, emotionally confusing month. I pushed the limits of my mental strength, and found it. In the same month, I tried to: go to the gym regularly, maintain a strict diet and quit smoking, all on top of my regular schedule and work. It exhausted me. I felt like I was not really ‘there’ most of the time.

I’m glad I found my limit though. Now I know what I can and cannot do, and be more careful when implementing multiple challenges at once (even though they’re all technically good for me). As of time of writing, I’ve decided to stop the strict diet (keto btw) because it’s beginning to be quite damaging to my mental health. At one point, my cravings got so bad I spent an afternoon making a list of food items I that I ‘cannot’ have but really want. It came up to 37 items.

Any of you tested your capability to follow through a strict self-development routine? How’d it work for you?

Yay of the Month:

I’ve
 quit smoking
, after being a heavy smoker since my early 20s. I want to say it feels good, but honestly I feel like crap. I have trouble concentrating on work. I gained 2kg, probably due to increased appetite and food intake after quitting smoking. But this is still a ‘yay’ moment because I’m proud I didn’t light up, despite really, really wanting to.

David from
ClickWP
 gifted me the best
Christmas gift
 – fixed a bug on ringgitohringgit.com mobile version that’s been bothering me forever! Thank you so much, bless <3

Organised a
personal finance bloggers and thought leaders meetup
. 13 people turned up, and we had a great chat about our plans in 2019. It was lovely meeting everyone!

Coincidentally ‘discovered’
Refash.my
, ‘Malaysia’s largest marketplace for buying & selling
secondhand clothes
‘. The prices are much steeper than thrift shops, but the items are of good quality and most are branded too. I like that (1) I don’t have to sort through mountains of clothes to find something that both fits and in good condition, and (2) I get to be a bit more zero-waste. Bought: a RM19 halter-top black dress, a RM39 GAP tan hoodie and a RM39 long flowy black cardigan. So much for no new clothes before 2019, lol. But technically they’re not new, so 😉

Utilised my
 gym membership
 well. The pay-per-entry fee is RM15. I went at least 8 times in December 2018. Keep it up, Suraya!

Some progress made for my upcoming
book compilation
. Commissioned an artist to add some illustrations – 10 short stories, 10 images. Can’t wait to have it published and printed!

Lower-than-usual
public transportation
 costs. Didn’t go out much. I also tried my best to schedule meetings and errands on the same day – that seems to work so I think I’ll continue this approach.

Nay of the Month:

I wasn’t a good daughter. No excuses. I have to do better.

Lost one of the
security passcards
 for my apartment. The replacement card costs RM50. Shouldn’t have happened, but it did, so I have no choice but to pay up.

A couple of months ago I applied for a RM200k ASB loan. Found out that it was
rejected
. I don’t understand, my credit score is high (see below). Perhaps they consider me high risk because my income is irregular? I can’t help it, that’s the life of a freelancer 🙁

Holy cow my
grocery bills
 are high. RM800! I know why though – keto-friendly ingredients are expensive. Sadly, unlike the first time around, I’m not losing weight on it this time, so all that money is kinda wasted. Maybe my appetite increased too much after quitting cigarettes, maybe I’m eating too much protein for muscle growth, maybe I’m not drinking enough water, who knows.

Only managed to read
one book
 – seriously lacked concentration and focus. It was a great book though –
Around the World in 50 Years: My Adventure to Every Country on Earth by Albert Podell.
He went to every. single. country. I didn’t realise some countries are THAT hard to get into! Such an enjoyable read.

Bought a
grammar software
 called WhiteSmoke. It’s crap, I hate using it. That’s RM285.80 down the drain!

Did I forget to pay my bills? I did! Oh fish, better get that sorted out ASAP!

Things to Look Forward to:

Taking off my braces
 in January 2019. The end is near! Halleluyah! I can’t wait to bite into an apple!

Working hard
 and feeding on your energy. I love Januaries. It’s just.. the vibe is magnetic. Many people really do try their best to start the year right, and that motivates me to do my best, too. Let’s do this.

Aside from that, I’m also looking forward to make 2019 better than 2018. Here are some goals I want to achieve in this year.

Financially, I want to:

Max out my
ASB fund

Achieve
>25% savings rate
 (percentage of money saved after deducting all expenses)

Work towards one more source of
passive income

Finally hire an
accountant

Survive another year being
self-employed

Lifestyle-wise, I would like to continue:

Weight training
 2-3x per week

My
no-smoking
 streak (2 weeks smoke-free now!)

Tracking my
expenses

Eating mostly
home-cooked meals

And I would like to improve on:

Mindfulness/meditation
 practice

My
water
 intake

My relationship with
food
 (why does feeling stuffed feels so comforting?)

My relationship with my
family

Selling/getting rid of
clutter

What are your goals in 2019? I’m particularly interested to hear your financial goals – share with me in the comments section!

Protip: don’t say ‘get better with money’ (or the classic: ‘save money’). Instead, give yourself actionable goals, like hitting a certain amount, or getting a specific job, or making a new lifestyle choice. You can even go on
money challenges
 and see where you end up.

To read about my past monthly budget update, click
here
. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (
how expense tracking works
)


Budget Update: December 2019

Budget Update: December 2019

Note: My expense-tracking app, Money Lover got a new visualisation update. I like it fine, except it removed the ‘biggest single expense of the month’ segment in the above graphic. I miss it 🙁

So I spent RM5,444.39 in December 2019. Top 5 expenses were: Dates/Travel, Rent & Utilities, Business, Groceries and Social. More about the breakdown below.

As I write this, New Years Day have came and went. It’s 2020 y’all! It’s still surreal, but I’m sure we’ll all get used to it soon enough.

Lately, I’ve been thinking of the ways that the environment shape our money behaviours. One concept is Nudges, a term popularised by Nobel Prize in Economics winner Richard Thaler. Nudges are measures implemented to gently guide society members to pick one decision over another.

The simplest example is the items positioned at eye level in grocery stores – you still have the freedom to buy whatever you want in the aisle… but you’re more likely to buy the ones positioned at eye level (that’s why companies pay for that space btw).

One powerful nudge is social pressure. For example, studies show that people in a neighbourhood are more likely to recycle if they know that all their other neighbours recycle, too. You don’t want to be the odd one out.

If your new year’s resolution is to save more money or make more money, then use this information to your advantage. Increase your exposure to nudges that work to your advantage.

For example, increasing your exposure to personal finance content creators in various social media (
websites
 |
Twitter
 |
Instagram
 |
Youtube
). If your feed is telling you that it seems that everyone is trying to get better with money,
you will too
.

Likewise, try and recognise when for-profit companies are trying to take your money by nudging you a certain way.

That’s the end of that thought process for now. Let’s continue to be better. All the best in 2020, fam.

Yay of the Month:

Travel made up the biggest expense category in December 2019 but that’s okay because I went to
Bali
 for a holiday and had a great time! Related:
Under-RM2000 Travel: 6D5N Budget Bali Trip

Treated people I love and care about to meals (under Social). Investment in relationships is good investment 🙂

Concluded the
Ringgit Oh Ringgit XMas Giveaway 2019
 – congratulations to all winners!

The realisation that I have pretty good relationships with my fellow personal finance content creators 🙂 It’s nice to be liked by your peers!

Got interviewed on
BFM89.9’s Ringgit & Sense show
 for the second time! You can listen to the podcast
here
 (registration required)

View this post on Instagram

Catch @aarontang84 and I at Ringgit & Sense show @bfmradio 89.9 at 9.30am 2 Jan 2020, moderated by @roshankanesan. Topic: Financial goals! . Edit: episode is over! Later will post the link to podcast 🙂 . #bfm899 #newyearsresolution #financialgoals #ringgitandsense #personalfinancemalaysia #malaysiablogger #bloggermalaysia #radiomalaysia

A post shared by
Suraya Zainudin
 (@surayaror) on
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:38pm PST

Made the grown-up decision to self-contribute RM4k to my
 EPF account
 even though I don’t really wanna. But you know, getting the tax relief is good for my tax submission in 2020 so it had to be done. Last minute decision, too – transferred on 31 December 2019.

No longer going to chiro sessions for the time being. My chiropractor returned back RM500 without much fuss, so that’s good.

Finally got my
 Tabung Haji
 sorted out. I’m going to hajj in 2139 y’all

View this post on Instagram

Done: hajj registration under Tabung Haji. The process used to be automated under Bank Islam, but now upon RM1300 deposit you still have to manually visit TH counter for separate registration . Mixed feelings because yes hajj is compulsory for the able-bodied Muslims but also I hate the idea of giving money to Saudi Arabia, a huge violator of human rights . Edit: since we’re on this topic. Saudi govt is funding war in Yemen, killing as many as 100000 people so far. There is a famine and medical crisis going on, affecting millions. People are literally dying of continuous air strikes, starvation and preventative diseases. Muslims doing that to other Muslims, sigh . #tabunghaji #daftarhaji #muslims #hajj #haji #humanrights #yemen

A post shared by
Suraya Zainudin
 (@surayaror) on
Dec 5, 2019 at 6:32pm PST

Read one book:
The Hollywood MBA: A Crash Course in Management from a Life in the Film Industry by Tom Reilly
. It was better than I expected – the business/management side of filmmaking makes really interesting case studies! I didn’t just learn management tips, I also learned to appreciate the huge amount of work that goes behind making a feature film. Will never watch movies the same way again!

Booked accommodation in Bangkok for
Wordcamp Asia
 event in February!

The Sony Controller that I bought and cancelled the previous month still arrived, but I ain’t mad. Had fun playing Harvest Moon!

View this post on Instagram

Delayed gratification period: 7 years. I haven’t played Harvest Moon, my fav game series since childhood, in at least 7 years. I miss it so much. Been watching game walkthroughs on YouTube but it’s not the same is it . The latest release, Harvest Moon: Light of Hope was on sale on Steam but the controller was a bit of a splurge. Felt a bit guilty but also so excited! Gameplay is so much smoother than what it used to be. I’m so happy 😭 . #delayedgratification #harvestmoon #harvestmoonlightofhope #steamgames #farminggame

A post shared by
Suraya Zainudin
 (@surayaror) on
Dec 2, 2019 at 3:08am PST

Nay of the Month:

I have RM950 stuck in
BigPay
 due to dispute case. Basically what happened was I tried to withdraw money from ATM in Bali but the transaction failed, yet it recorded as valid. It’ll take up to 60 days for the money to be returned back to me. So annoying.

Not just that – did a mistake with
Touch N Go card
 and was charged the maximum amount allowed for PLUS highway toll – RM53.90. I’ve submitted my claim form online, hopefully the money will be returned soon too

Yesterday, I let my Grab driver use my Touch n Go card to exit a highway toll, not knowing that it would charge me the maximum toll amount. He said that the toll was payable per entry, not per entry/exit. He lied

What should I do? RM53.90 is a lot
pic.twitter.com/ahl7YOD5MD

— Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)
December 20, 2019

Well, nothing new but I indulged in so. much. food. Not the happiest about the weight gain but at the same time, my body is healthy and strong despite the viruses going around, I really have nothing to complain about.

This still hurt tho

Indonesian kakaks don’t play around. I went to my regular gym and we made small talk and I jokingly said I overindulged while on holiday and she looked me right dead in the eyes and said “ya gemuk sudah”

— Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)
December 25, 2019

Things to Look Forward to:

Continue working on Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 2

Continue working on Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 1 (Malay edition)

Working on the Ringgit Oh Ringgit Podcast with
ClickWP
! Season 1’s theme will be: SOLOPRENEURS. Watch out for updates!

Working on my financial goals. I’m so pumped!

Another thing to look forward to – writing my annual income and expenses report for the 4th year. Complete transparency – I’ll share where my incomes come from, and the top expenses sorted by amount. Look out for that post soon 🙂

—

To read about my past monthly budget update, click
here
. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (
how expense tracking works
)


Budget Update: December 2020 – Site Revamp!

Welcome to another edition of my monthly budget updates, where I break down my expenses by category and share the highlights and lowlights of the month! By the time you’re reading this, we already entered 2021, so Happy New Year to you!! 🥳

Budget Update: December 2020

In December 2020, I spent RM13,856.14. The top 3 top expenses were:

Donations & Gift (RM5,409.66) – Paid zakat; paid wasiat-writing service for parents; paid parents’ electric bill; contributed a bit to Dad’s dusun project; gifted food treats for family events
Dates & Travel (RM3,366.94) – For flights and accommodation in Langkawi
Business (RM2,258.37) – The balance of Money Stories from Malaysians book (re)order; new website theme (do you like it??)

So how was your December? For me it was a slow month, full of reflection. Looking back, all the events were almost surreal, yet all those things really did happen. As of the time of writing, the global death tally crossed 350,000 people. A huge tragedy.

Yet… can I admit something? 2020 was actually a good year for me. My personal, professional and financial life are doing well. Yes, I am lucky, privileged, extremely fortunate to be in this position, and have been actively resisting the desire to
gloat
 share my own successes and milestones all year. I don’t want to be tone-deaf.

Here’s to a better 2021 to everyone who’s not doing as well. I’m rooting for you.

My Spending Breakdown in December 2020

Here’s what I spent on in the whole month of December 2020, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:

Yay of the Month:

#1 – Completed RinggitOhRinggit.com website revamp!

By now you should have noticed the new website design, yes? That’s one thing from my
21 in 2021
 list that I can already check off!

https://www.facebook.com/ringgitohringgit/posts/2594424887515573?__cft__[0]=AZUg7y32kBQDt6q-cTK2QQHo2AbZShSGIxLnSjxViJxR5ezU-bVnmFztpexRyhrhFAPzyN7bodpW2l9rYHuGv-Nd4srsX8fyS7P9aMiYNpqf_svLEp_VsZXuLigcgTR90zAs2V5f1xoQzCNmWzWfXRKkAc5cNuTBDGq0hF579J7ZpdkldipZ0DW8cGYX4LtPK_Y&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R

Big THANK YOU to David of
ClickWP.com
 for guiding me through the whole design and installation process <3

#2 – Went on Langkawi for Honeymoon

We wondered whether we should still go to Langkawi for Honeymoon slash New Year, considering Covid-19 cases kept rising nearer to our flight date, which we booked since way back in September. In the end, we decided to make the trip, but totally avoided packed places and definitely didn’t attend any parties. We also decided to self-quarantine ourselves after coming back.

Hopefully this will be enough precaution for our loved ones. Our flight was full and not everyone adhered to SOPs.

#3 – Took a financial behaviour assessment

This was a GREAT assessment and I’ll dedicate an article to do it justice, but worth mentioning here. I got the Couple test and completed it with my partner – we found out areas where we are similar in money, and where we are different. Really eye-opening for us.

The Financial Behaviour Assessment is available for individuals and couples. You can buy for yourself
here
 (disclosure: I’ll get a commission on sales, but I was the one who loved it so much and reached out to offer to sell it).

#4 – Bitcoin reached ANOTHER All-Time High!

Although ngl I am anxious af of the upcoming crash (this has happened so many times). As of time of writing, crypto makes around 87% of my total investment portfolio.

As a bitcoin hodler, I thought I'd be at my happiest now, but instead all I have is worry and anxiety
— Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror)
December 27, 2020

#5 – Threw away stuff I hoarded

I have the tendency to hoard stuff, often justifying it under frugalism and zero waste. It’s usually harmless, but sometimes can be a bit on the extreme side.

In December 2020, I threw away old clothes (which I kept around to use as rags but never did), one very old mop, some empty boxes and some other knick-knacks. Will consider this a win.

#6 – Moderated webinar on warrants with Isabelle from Kenanga Investment Bank

Isabelle plays it down, but her trading mindset and strategies are freaking solid.

 View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)

#7 – Lower phone bill

Hey RM20 is RM20 😛 Thanks
Yoodo
 (note: ref code)

Will save RM20 in my next phone bill and pay RM75 instead of RM95 thanks to Yoodo's double special promo + reduced data 🥳
pic.twitter.com/wuQOTRFTTu
— Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror)
December 25, 2020

#7 – Misc

Read
three books
:
Unstuffed: Decluttering Your Home, Mind & Soul
 by Ruth Soukup (Solid tips but a bit on the preachy side);
Unfriending My Ex: Confessions of a Social Media Addict
 by Kim Stolz (would have been insightful when it was published in 2014, but it’s now 2021 so nothing she says about feeling distracted and unfocused is new); and
 2020; An Anthology
 published by Buku Fixi (
one of my best purchases in 2020
!)
One of our favourite restaurants reopened after closed for over 6 months! I thought they went out of business, so was really happy to be proved wrong!

Nay of the Month:

#1 – Series of bad luck during honeymoon

First, I couldn’t sit together with husband on the flight.

In a flight. Wanted to seat together w husband so paid extra. But a lady with two toddlers took our seats. Cannot even be angry because must be understanding 😞
— Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror)
December 30, 2020

Listen, I’m not about to separate a mother with her children on a flight, BUT she should have purchased the seats herself.

And second, I lost one of my earrings. Saw it fell over the balcony and never found it again. It was my favourite pair too 🙁

 View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)

#2 – ‘Burned’ one Fave voucher

I was saving up the voucher for a special occasion and didn’t realise the expiry date 🙁

Here's a reminder to check your fave vouchers and redeem them before expiry
Signed, someone who had to 'burn' one spa session because all available timing before expiry are fully booked (spa tried to accommodate but timeslots given are not suitable 😞😞)
— Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror)
December 22, 2020

Things to Look Forward to:

Slowly ticking off the rest of my
21 for 2021 List!
 I really really really want to achieve #13 ASAP!

What’s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you’re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section!

—

To read about my past monthly budget update, click
here
. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (
find out your budgeting style
)


Budget Update: December 2021 – Took a break

Welcome to another edition of my monthly budget updates, where I break down my expenses by category and share the highlights and lowlights of the month. First of all, Happy New Year!

So how was your December? Was it good, bad or meh?

I don’t know if any of y’all noticed, but I barely updated RoR in December. That’s because I gave myself a 3 weeks break and aside from sporadic posting on social media, I absolutely refused to take on any unnecessary work during the time.

It felt good. This is the longest break I’ve had since I went self-employed 6 years ago.

I gave myself 3 weeks of time off from work and it was glorious. Was burned out but now I'm just refreshed and excited to get back to work and do better than before!
— Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror)
January 4, 2022

I’m happy I took a break, but not that happy about not publishing on my regular schedule. In total, I skipped like 4 days, which is horrible considering I haven’t skipped in years.

The guilt is there… albeit minimal considering I was overworked as heck in November 2021. So in an effort to be kind to myself and to prioritise my mental health, I’m going to (try) let this go and not let it bother me. I can’t change the past anyway – I can only do better in the future.

Let’s get on to the budget part.

Budget Update: December 2021

In December 2021, I spent RM15,876.31. The top 3 top expenses were:

Donations & Gifts
 (RM6977.70)
 – Mom’s bday present, Parents’ electric bill, Dad’s car repair bill, Zakat for 2021, Donation for flood
Utilities & Rent (RM2,525.01)
– Rent, bills, and new mortgage
Dates/Travel (RM2,122.33)
– Payments for 2 trips

Cumulatively, the top 3 expenses make up 81% of my total December 2021 expenses. (My believe is, if you want to save money, always trim from the top 3 expenses rather than cut out a few ringgit from other already-low expenses)

My Spending Breakdown in December 2021

Here’s what I spent on in the whole month of December 2021, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:

Yay of the Month:

#1 – Had 2 vacations

Had a family vacation to Terengganu and a couples vacation to Turkey. Trip and budget breakdown for Turkey coming soon!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)

#2 – Received suraya.eth as a gift

I tweeted this:

I'm not into NFT collecting (artwork is awesome, I'm the one who's uncultured) but I do want a .eth..
What's the gas fee now again 😣
— Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror)
December 9, 2021

And before I knew it, my friend Dave bought it for me (even after I tried declining). But honestly it’s such a thoughtful gift and I’m genuinely happy.

suraya.eth is now mine 🥺❤ thank you
@AppletonDave
 I'm so happy
https://t.co/QQ8cYWN8Hc
— Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror)
December 9, 2021

#3 –  Did teeth scaling

Had an overdue scaling and polishing treatment.  My dentist charged me RM150. I’m fine with the payment, but also wonder how hard it is to make an appointment with Klinik Pergigian Kebangsaan, because I heard that’s just RM1.

I mean… if my tax money is already funding it, why not, right?

#4 – Bought new glasses

After years of delay, I went to Focus Point and got myself new glasses for RM188. The last time I checked my eye power was like, 10 years ago. So yes, it was due.

#5 – Enlisted as board member in AFS Antarabudaya Malaysia

When I was 16, I went on an exchange programme under
AFS Malaysia
, the international, voluntary, non-governmental, non-profit organization that provides intercultural learning opportunities. I spent 1 year in Nagoya, Japan, and lived with a host family, attended high school, the whole experience.

It changed my life.

It benefited me so much that I’ve been a volunteer with AFS Malaysia on and off ever since I returned. In 2021, I’m happy to be given a chance to take on a bigger role in the organisation – as a board member. This is new for me and I can only hope I’ll do a good job 🙂

#7 – Applied for my first IPO

I applied for Farmfresh IPO via MITI. *If* I get it, I plan to sell some to break even, then hold some for long-term ownership.

#8 – Misc

Read 0 books 🙁

Noteworthy shows:

Spiderman: No Way Home at cinema
Witchers Season 2 on Netflix
Don’t Look Up on Netflix

Bought for myself:

1 x course on content creation
3 years SSM extension for my biz
(From Turkey): clothes, soup mixes, food products, tea and coffee, kitchenware

Nay of the Month:

#1 -New financial commitments

We got our new house keys! We got our new house keys! This means 2 things – (1) we’ll be planning our move out/move in in the next few months, and (2) I’ll start paying my share of mortgage and also home renovation costs.

(2) have started. I’ve started paying for these in December 2021:

Home loan – RM1200 per month for 35 years
Renovation instalment (1) – RM1013.21 per month for 12 months
Renovation instalment (2) – RM208.33 per month for 24 months

(That’s only the first instalment, not even the full bill. There will be more costs to pay. Eeep)

#2 – Finding it tough to sell wedding packages

My wedding reception was cancelled due to a small event that is the pandemic. I still have bookings which are non-refundable. They said I can transfer the booking to another person, but selling them is proving to be hard.

Anyway, let’s try my luck here. Here’s what I’m selling.

#1 – Bridal makeup and hairdo/hijab styling package by
Anggun by Deanna

If interested, 1) whatsapp Deanna (click link above for direct link + see her work) and ask if she’s available for your event date, and  2) if she’s available, DM me to take my slot. She has increased her price in 2022 to RM850 so if you take my slot, you save RM100!

TO LET GO! Package bridal makeup + hairdo/hijab styling from MUA Anggun by Deanna. Cover area KL + Selangor. Can check
https://t.co/tsRXUjRXY6
Payment: RM250 (to me)
Balance: RM500 to Deanna lepas confirm
Sebab: let go my slot. dah nikah setahun dah, no more sanding 😅😂 dm me!
pic.twitter.com/FhP4PFArkr
— Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror)
November 18, 2021

#2 – All-in Nikah/Reception/ Wedding package

If interested, 1) message the venue and ask if your date is available. Contact details in
https://beacons.ai/glassgardenhouse/
 2) if yes, message me to take over my slot. You save RM1.5k!

TO LET GO! All-in nikah/sanding/wedding package at Garden Glass Hall Shah Alam
Price:
– 300 pax – RM16.5k
– 500 pax – RM21.5k
Includes: deco, photographer, bridal wear, mc, makeup (see next twt)
I paid RM4.5k and didn't use. Buy my slot for RM3k and pay the rest to event venue
pic.twitter.com/N6QYb0Py6y
— Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror)
January 5, 2022

Things to Look Forward to:

Getting CFP exam results (pray for me!)
Planning our home renovations (this is fun 🙂

Well, that was my December 2021. How was yours? What’s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you’re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section 🙂

—

To read about my past monthly budget update, click
here
. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (
find out your budgeting style
)


Budget Update: December 2022 – Happy New Year! (How to Earn Money in 2023?)

Happy New Year and Welcome to another edition of my monthly budget updates, where I break down my expenses by category and share the highlights and lowlights of the month.

So how was your last month of 2022? Was it good, bad or meh?

For me, I’m ending 2022 with a deep sense of melancholy. I like what I do, and I earn alright, but I’ve been slowly thinking.. what else? As a personal finance content creator, what else can or should I do?

I have no idea how I'm going to earn money next year, nothing much lined up (by choice) but I'm sure I'll figure it out
— Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror)
December 28, 2022

That’s not a hard question to answer. The way I see it, I have 2 obvious paths:

I have two growth paths in front of me. On a crossroad
1) make use of my CFP cert and become a financial planner
2) start churning out lots of video content
Or is there a 3rd hidden road?
— Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror)
January 1, 2023

But somehow, both 1 and 2 doesn’t excite me. But I don’t know what does, so logically might as well do one or both of those until I figure it out, right?

I don’t know. Still in thinking mode. Only I can answer what I want to do, and to be fair I am grateful I have the full agency and autonomy to decide. Let’s get on to the budget part.

Budget Update: December 2022

In December 2022, I spent RM16,572.97. The top 3 top expenses were:

Dates/Travel (RM6,233.84)
– Total used for Vietnam trip, paid in advance Yogyakarta trip

Donations & Gifts (RM3,938.95)
 – Parents TNB bill, zakat for 2022

Misc Needs (RM1,408.62)
 – Luggage bags and travel items, new shoes, towels and yoga mat

Cumulatively, the top 3 expenses make up 71% of my total December 2022 expenses.

Note: My spending for December 2022 was actually a bit unusual and very much circumstantial. I don’t foresee Dates/Travel, Donations & Gifts and Misc Needs taking the top 3 spot again anytime soon. Just so happen these categories required a lot of expenses this month

(My belief is, if you want to save money, trim first from the top 3 expenses rather than cut out a few ringgits from other already-low expenses)

My Spending Breakdown in December 2022

Here’s what I spent on in the whole month of December 2022, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:

Spending notes:

I calculated my groceries total for the year and it turns out, we average around RM750 in Groceries per month for 2 people which isn’t bad! Assuming 200 meals made at home per month (for 2), that’s just RM3.75 per meal on average!

Yay of the Month:

#1 – Bergaji & Pokai Book hit NUMBER 1 BESTSELLER

In November it even made the MPH weekly bestsellers list!!

To say I am happy is an understatement. I am ECSTATIC!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)

If you haven’t gotten a copy and want one, you can buy Bergaji & Pokai book online at
linktr.ee/surayaror
 or at bookstores nationwide 🙂 Keep the receipt because you can use to claim tax relief* :))

*for 2024

#2 – Went to Vietnam

We went to Da Nang and Hoi An, Vietnam for 6 days 🙂

I usually do a budget breakdown article for my travels but this time around I don’t feel like it. It was an alright trip but not amazing. I kinda wish I allocated the money to a better location. Still glad to have went though.

#3 – Paid zakat

I pay my zakat at end of December every year because my income isn’t salary x 12, it’s combination of incomes:

sponsored/brands

speaking engagements

affiliate incomes (multiple platforms)

IPO profit

vending machine income

Money Stories from Malaysians and Bergaji & Pokai book sales

Plus the RM10k EPF withdrawal is also zakat-able

Remembering the first few times I did it and I felt sayangnya to pay zakat. But now its just, ok just get it done, its my obligation plus there are other people’s rightful allocation in my money, so.

#4 – Upgraded insurance

After procastinating on it (for 10 years…), I finally reviewed and upgraded my insurance plan.

Btw, here’s your reminder to re-review your plan every 5 years or so, or after every life major event (marriage, death, new job, new child etc). Old plans can suck and you’re better off switching to the newer products.

Btw re-reviewing your insurance plan is your agent’s job, if you have one. This service is part of the reason why they’re paid commission. If they’re not doing their job, it might be a good idea to get a better, more attentive one.

I think kan, my preference for online insurance is because I tak pernah dapat agent yang best. Yang ni siap reach out to review her policy so tak bayar extra for less coverage. My agent biarkan je I bayar rm170/month for medical w rm190k annual limit, when can get way more 🙁
https://t.co/aJbFF6mxkX
— Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror)
December 15, 2022

#5 – Went to therapy

Am battling some personal inner struggles and suffered panic attacks twice. The second time it happened, I told myself this can’t go on, I need help. Objective help, not from (well-meaning but biased) loved ones.

Total spent was only RM120 for one session but it was so, so helpful. I’m happy. Generally speaking my mental health is good but in 2023, I plan to get help whenever I feel like I need it.

#6 – Appeared on..

#1 –  Private personal finance workshop organised by WOMEN:Girls

#2 –  Leveling the playing field – the social & youth narrative organised by Malaysia Women and Girls Forum 2022

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)

#3 – Helping you navigate money step-by-step by BFM Ringgit and Sense show

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)

#7 – Misc

Read:

Fifty Things that Made the Modern Economy by Tim Hartford

Baby Proof by Emily Giffin

The 5 Essentials: Using Your Inborn Resources to Create a Fulfilling Life by Bob Deutsch, PhD

Bought for myself:

Luggage bags to avoid AirAsia’s check-in baggage fee

Travel adapter

Face masks

New towels (to replace old ones)

New shoes (to replace old ones)

Yoga mat (to replace old ones)

Duvet cover

2 dresses, 2 leggings/pajama pants, 1 top

Nay of the Month:

#1 – Phone screen glitch

After 2.5 years of using my current iPhone, the screen now suddenly got glitch – there’s a couple of lines that should not be there.

It’s a minor annoyance. Will still use it for at least 2.5 years more (hopefully will last), only then will consider getting a new phone.

#2 – Problems with my Maybank Debit Card

In the previous month, my Maybank Amex card stopped working. That got sorted out (after some frustration).

In December 2022, my Maybank Debit card expired but never arrived. Had to go to the branch to sort it out. All done now but sigh, wishing no bank visits or calls anytime soon.

Things to Look Forward to:

Trip to Yogyakarta (managed to get 5 nights at 5-star hotel for approx RM300 per night??? I’ll take it!)

Writing my 23 for 2023 list (done:
bolded what I achieved in 2022
)

Well, that was my December 2022. How was yours? What’s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you’re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section 🙂

—

To read about my past monthly budget update, click
here
. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (
find out your budgeting style
)


Budget Update: February 2016

February Budget Update Summary

Under RM2k!! Yay!

My February expenses have always been low, I don’t know why. I mean, it’s just a few days less, but I spend hundreds less, too. In Feb 2015, I spent RM1467.03.

In February, I feel of the
keto
wagon -_- I blame my sister’s wedding. All those food. I lost 8kg and gained it all back WTF. Ah well, I am keto-ing on.

I also spent an obscene amount of time in front of the computer. As a new
freelance writer
, I wrote
a lot
for other people. I didn’t have much time to update RoR that much (only 4 posts last month, as opposed to 16 posts in December!), however I’m happy that my traffic didn’t decrease. Thanks, guys! I have a lot of ideas in my head, I swear, I just need to carve out the time to actually write it.

All my spending in February 2016:

Yay of the Month:

My sister got married. It was a great wedding
even if I thought it was too expensive.

I got complimented on my wedding outfits (super rare occasion, since I’m known as ‘the unfashionable one’ among my sisters)

Good income from online work yay

Got myself a new blush from a booth vendor (support independent sellers! Here’s
how NOT to be an ass
 when you buy from them)

Nay of the Month:

Can I not be thin already asdfghjk

I notice that it’s harder to sleep at night now, because my brain is too active? I have trouble shutting it down before sleep

Things to Look Forward to:

More work, more money

Paying taxes and zakat for 2015 (no seriously)

I need a good pampering day. Contemplating a facial. Maybe a shopping trip. All my clothes are so cebeh already #frugallife #useitupwearitout


Budget Update: February 2017

February 2017 Budget Update Summary

I’m a bit annoyed with myself because for the past two months, I’ve been spending everything I’m earning. It’s more or less equal. But a significant portion did go towards donations, so… *mixed feelings*

February 2017 was an enjoyable month. Just when I thought I was stagnant, a meetup with personal finance/ self-improvement bloggers Aaron Tang from
Mr Stingy
, DM from
Dividend Magic
 and Charles from
Kopi and Property
 perked me right back up. The conversations about lesser-known income-generating methods were truly insightful, and just like that they inspired me to hustle harder and be more creative to find ways to generate income.

February 2017 was also memorable because my Google Adsense deposited blog advertisement payout for the first time. It took me ~14 months to hit $100 in Adsense income. My aim now is to improve that to $100 per 6 months, because why not? I’d love to upgrade my hosting plan and I want to give readers a good experience when visiting this blog.

So dear readers, what do you want from Ringgit Oh Ringgit? You guys helped me earn, it’s only right to give back in return, no? 🙂

Yay of the month:

Paid my zakat
 (Related:
the writeup on it
). I have no idea how much is my taxes yet, but if it’s anything last previous years, I should get a portion of it back, maybe.

Sunat-ed my other (male) cat
 for RM120. Was extremely satisfied with their service, plus the staff was likeable. If you’re looking for a good vet in Shah Alam area, look for
i-Vet Care
. The last time I neutered my cat, I paid RM150 for not-so-great experience.

(Along with many other people), was interviewed by The Edge about bitcoin 🙂 It’s in issue #1151.

Saw a dress I liked. The tag said RM49, and I thought the price was OK. At the cashier, it was beeped as RM40. Love it when this happens 😀

Stocked up on sunscreens (Biore) and facial lotion (Hada Labo) during
Guardian’s 3-for-2 sales
. Discounts on things you’re going to get anyway = #win.

Bought a
 silicone facial blender
 for RM4. It’s supposed to help you save money by reducing product waste – normal sponge blenders absorb a lot of product. Later found out some online shops were selling it for about RM20. First of all, yay. Second of all, wow I understand the need to make profit and all, but that’s a bit too much, no?

Attended Bloktex’s event –
‘
A Day with Andreas: Discover, Engage and Connect to the Future of Blockchain and Cryptocurrency
‘. Andreas M. Antonopoulos is a bitcoin evangelist – someone who clarifies bitcoin for non-bitcoin demographic. I wrote about what he said
in this post
. After seeing him in action, I became a fangirl – even chasing him for a photo together haha. Actually, February was a good month for bitcoin. I’m happy with the price now.

Nay of the month:

After the cracked phone incident in January, I had to deal with
 malfunctioning keyboard problem
 in February -_- First the ‘W’ button stopped working, so for the first few days I copied+pasted ‘W’ in all my writing work. Then freaking ‘Y’ stopped working. That’s it. I can’t be a writer without using these two keys! Paid for RM180 for same-day replacement in Subang. I was told it was overpriced, but at least it was done in a few hours. A few other people I was asking said it’ll take days to look for the replacement keys.

My Dad was sick
 🙁 He’s one of those people who refuses to take modern medication, so it was frustrating on my end. I believe in modern medication, but I also acknowledge that I’ve never been drugged out of my mind to reject it completely. That’s his story, in a nutshell. He’s better now, thank God. I’m happy his immune system is still strong.

As reflected in low groceries bill, I didn’t cook much in February. A lot of eating out. But I was consistent in working out (10 out of 28 days), and my weight maintained, so yay.

Been spending a lot on
business expenses
 lately :/ Uber/Grab rides to events add up, too.

Things to Look Forward to:

Planned a lot of activities in March! I’m going to Ho Chi Minh City for a short break, then on another weekend I’ll go tubing/caving in Perak, then on another weekend I’ll be watching a show (paid for it too!)

Seems like many of my invoices will be processed soon! Look forward to payment for jobs done these past few months.

Doing my taxes.

Taking on more clients for Quarter 2 onwards. This is a learning process, but I hope to be able to schedule work+rest time more efficiently from now on. I was close to burning out on a couple of occasions because I didn’t like being idle. It’s getting a tad counter-productive – rest time is important, too.

One of my clients, a cool
health-tech startup focusing on brain and mental health
, is now doing a
crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo
! This was my first time working during crowdfunding process, and the experience of working with neuroscientists and engineers passionate about mental health was overwhelmingly positive. Please support them – if you think the product is cool, please share to people passionate about mental health!

March will be awesome, I’m sure of it, InsyaAllah. You guys have significantly improved my life (by making me feel useful), and
seriously
, thank you for visiting RoR.

To read about my past monthly budget update, click
here
.


Budget Update: February 2018

Budget Update: February 2018

February 2018 was testing the limits of my willpower.

This blog is about personal finance, yes. But if you really go deep into the whole ‘health is wealth’ mentality, you’ll see it’s related. Interwoven, even.
All the money in the world can’t buy me adventures that only a healthy body can give. If that is the case, what good is my money for?

With that in mind, I chose to start a severely restrictive diet (Keto) AND quit smoking at the same time in February 2018. For good measure, I also decided to pick up habits like drinking apple cider vinegar every morning and re-starting my exercise routine. Admittedly, progress for the latter is slow.

To be honest, I am miserable without my go-to drugs, sugar and nicotine. I have also fallen off the bandwagon many, many times. But still, I want to go on. Like Celine Dion’s heart.

But damn. Willpower. What a hard thing to control. What a hard thing to
understand
. Have you heard of that ‘willpower is finite’ theory? This theory says that
no one has perfect, unlimited supply of willpower
 and everyone starts the day with a limited amount. Every conscious decision you make reduces the supply of willpower available. Once you run out of willpower for the day, you are at higher likelihood of making easy (read: bad) decisions. This is why, they say, visionaries like Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerburg choose to wear the same thing every day (among other things) – to reduce as much unnecessary decisions they have to make, so they can
conserve their willpower for other things that matter.

It’d be interesting to see how this personal experiment on willpower will affect my spending and expenses. So far, I can see it reflected heavily in the Groceries category.

Back to you: what habits are you learning/unlearning currently to be a healthier, wealthier you?

Yay of the Month:

My high school friends and I completed
Skytrex Shah Alam’s Extreme Challenge Course
. Lived to tell about it. Hell yeah.

Spending
 Chinese New Year
 with good friends and family <3

Donated to the
Home for the Elderly Transgender People
 via
NGOHub.Asia
. Mainly because I was pissed off at #donedakwah Muslims on social media. From now on, I decided that if I was angry at something, I’ll turn that anger into donations.

Ran out of face wash, decided to just use only Micellar water for morning/night routine. A month in, turns out my skin likes it, no breakouts. Cool.

Treated myself to The Nail Parlour’s multi-award-winning
Zenspa pedicure
. Really enjoyed the experience 🙂

Went to
FRIM’s waterfall
 and had a nice chill day in nature with friends.

Read four books
.
Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan and Pakistan by Kim Barker
 (damn witty account of a journalist who covered the wars. If you always read world news and you like behind-the-scenes, you’ll like this book. Highly recommended),
New Aging: Live Smarter Now to Live Better Forever by Matthias Hollwich with Bruce Mau Designs
 (re-read before I went to World Urban Forum),
Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
 (lived up to the hype, beautiful writing) and
Moody Bitches: The Truth About the Drugs You’re Taking, the Sleep You’re Missing, the Sex You’re Not Having, and What’s Really Making You Crazy by Julie Holland, MD
 (most medical research-backed writings use males as test subjects, so reading this and learning specifically about the female psyche was refreshing).

Made
SurayaCoin
 for fun rofl.

Had fun viewing
My Think City
‘s microhome prototype during the World Urban Festival. Love the idea of urban co-housing. I think it’s completely doable in Malaysian cities. Here’s a
business idea
: convert a couple of shoplots (even in shopping malls – we have an oversupply of those anyway) into small homes, around 600 square feet or less in size. Each of the homes will have their own private areas (toilet, kitchen etc) but they also have access to a common area to encourage community living. Wouldn’t it be awesome if we have thematic co-housing solutions? Like this community housing area focuses on sustainable living; they share an edible rooftop garden and a chicken coop. Or that community housing area is IOT-focused; they have weekly tech hangout sessions. Sounds cool, yes? Personally I want to stay in a frugality-focused community rofl.

Microhouse prototype at World Urban Festival. Only 250ish square feet but feels open and cozy. Sustainably-sourced materials Downstairs: porch/dining area, kitchen, toilet Upstairs: bed, wardrobe Stairs double as bookcase Ugh can I move in already. Developers, take note, the demand is there! Thanks Celia from @mythinkcity for your explanation! #WUF9

A post shared by
 Suraya
 (@surayaror) on
Feb 7, 2018 at 12:11am PST

Nay of the Month:

Spent a lot.
 Top expenses: RM2.9k for business-related expenses, RM1.2k for rent (as usual), RM1k for will/trust-writing services, and RM500 each for donation and LLP setup.

So my Surface Pro 4 had this flickering issue going on. Reached out to Microsoft support – we tried remote trouble-shooting but in the end the issue persisted and I ended up
getting a replacement laptop
. I am SO glad I got a total of 5 years’ warranty. Putting this in ‘Nay of the Month’ because sorting everything out was crazy mafan. Microsoft Support team was good though.

OMFG that
high groceries bill
 though. RM782 a month!! Stocking up on keto-friendly food is very expensive. I need to lower my cost-per-meal amount, stat. Spending almost RM30 per day for HOMEMADE meals is unacceptable.

I am one of those people who
sold bitcoin
 when the price plunged to $6-7k. It went past my internal stop loss, my personal ‘will sell if price went down to X amount’. It’s hard not to regret the decision, now that the price is back to around $11k. #traderproblems

Ringgit Oh Ringgit
website traffic went down
 🙁 I think it’s due to Facebook’s new algorithm – at least that’s what the digital marketers are theorising right now. Many content creators also suffer the same fate. Oh well, I guess I have to step up the quality of posts so people will naturally share my content.

Raised my
Personal Accident insurance
 from RM300k to RM500k. The monthly commitment is RM53 now, or RM20ish more per month.

Still in the process of doing my will/trust. It’s taking a while :/ I really want to write about it already.

Decided to not proceed with my
NGO donation platform idea
 and promote
NGOHub.Asia

instead. I feel a slight shame over this, but at least I’m free to pursue other things I’m interested in.

Things to Look Forward to:

Getting more
control of my willpower
. I fought a lot of ‘I want sugar’ and ‘I want to smoke’ thoughts in February 2018. It’s a lot easier now, although those thoughts are always there. I understand that unlearning habits take time, but like, brain, can you speed it up a bit?

Actually
 losing weight on this keto diet
. Wtf I’m still the same weight one month on. The first time I was on keto, I practically
melted
 the fat off. Wtf is going on.

Doing talks and attending events. Write more. Being productive instead of busy.

Planning a show! Registered
Suna Productions
, a theatre productions company. If you like my writings and have always been curious about creative arts and the business side of it, follow us on FB!

While I have you here, can I ask for a favour? I’m looking for an event location. Budget: RM10k for 2 weeks (Thursday-Sunday, plus bump-in bump-out days). Ideally the event space must have high ceilings, beautiful architecture and available in Q3 2018. Can you help to suggest? If you have anywhere in mind, let me know in the comments!

Have an awesome March, you guys 🙂 It’s tax season again. Here’s to getting it over and done with, like ripping off a damn annoying band-aid.

To read about my past monthly budget update, click
here
. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (
review
).


Budget Update: February 2019

Budget Update: February 2019

Your girl got her mojo back.

For the last few months, I’ve been in, for lack of a better word, a slump.

You know how like, no matter how perfect the job is, there will always be parts of it that you don’t like to do, but you have to do it anyway because
it’s your job
?

Easy example – even if you consider professional sleeper/bed tester is the perfect job, you might still complain over the fact that you have to do a report after you wake up.

On my end, I consider blogging slash freelance writer a damn near perfect job. But there are still aspects of the job that absolutely freaks the hell out of me.

One of those parts is… sales. Selling my services. Selling my brand.
Selling my book
.

When I planned on selling the book, I knew that doing the sales part would uncomfortable for me. But I also knew I had to push beyond it, because I want to grow. I can’t grow if I’m not uncomfortable.

Knowing what’s good for me and actually doing it is two different things. Following through with all the sales plans I have in my head was so, so tough. So freaking tough. I would make plans then ditch them. I would go through mountains of study materials, but never act on them.

Because the fact is… I’m embarrassed to even
ask
 people for their money. I worry that what I offer is not good enough.

Despite that, I still did the best I could.

And – sorry sebak sikit – you guys’ punya support has been overwhelming. I know I said thank you a lot in my FB, Twitter and Instagram, but seriously, thank you.

Yay of the Month:

Published my book, Money Stories From Malaysians: Volume 1!
It’s now available for pre-order until 8 March only –
click this link
 to see what you’ll get out of it.

Preorder sales have been much better than expected
. As of writing time, I’ve made over RM5k in sales within 3 days! I thought I would be
lucky
 if I could get RM5k in sales during the 10-day preorder period. And some of you even asked when Volume 2 is coming out?? Omg u guys :’)

Travelled to
Luang Prabang, Laos
 and subsequently wrote a
Luang Prabang budget breakdown post
.

Started
skipping breakfast
 intermittent fasting
. Partly to save money, partly to try something new, partly to gain a bit of extra time, mostly an attempt to lose weight.

Attended
Wordpress KL’s meetup
 and learned more about doing my accounting and taxes as a blogger/freelancer.

Did a
video shoot
 with
Finspark
‘s help. Ringgit Oh Ringgit Youtube channel is coming soon!

Finally finally finally listed some stuff I have lying around for sale on Carousell. Been on my to-do list forever kot. It’s been a while since I sold pre-loved stuff, I forgot how annoying it can be to deal with potential buyers. I made RM65 so far though.

Read three books
:
Straight to Hell:  True Tales of Deviance, Debauchery, and Billion-Dollar Deals
by John LeFevre (pretty much confirmed that the people in international finance industry are scum);
Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow
 by Yuval Noah Harari (so… we can expect a large population of useless people in the future because automation will perform the only types of jobs they could do?); and
Money Tips: How to Invest Profitably, Save More Money and Retire Early in Malaysia, Even If You’re In Heavy Debt Now
by
KC Lau
 (see full commentary in the FB posting below).

Nay of the Month:

Impulse-bought 3 pairs of shoes
 in one day. Total damage was about RM200. I’m not proud of this.

Spent RM187 on solo eating out
 wtf. Gila la your stress-eating Suraya. That’s much, much higher than my average of RM50~ per month on solo eating out. Those are food I bought just for myself, not counting dates, groceries, travel and social activities.

Have not paid my zakat yet. Have to get that done in March, or at least before June 2019.

Things to Look Forward to:

Hustling to sell more copies of Money Stories From Malaysians: Volume 1.
 Looking for bulk buyers. Finding places to list the book for sale, whether its at book fairs, ecommerce stores, bookstores and more. Placing ads on social media and testing different combinations/audience.

Learning more about selling items online
. I buy stuff online all the time, but this is the first time that I am the seller (aside from selling preloved stuff), and my goodness there are so many costs of doing business that I didn’t know before?? For example, did you know that Paypal takes RM2.35 out of the RM7.90 you paid for the ebook? RM5.55 sale is still better than RM0, so I’m not angry, but dang Paypal. This will be a post on RoR for sure.

Taking on a big writing project. I’m excited.

Those of you who do online sales, what tips would you give this first-time online seller? Which platforms would you suggest, and which would you avoid? What are some unexpected costs to look out for? Share your tips (and a link to your online store) in the comments section 🙂

To read about my past monthly budget update, click
here
. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (
how expense tracking works
)


Budget Update: February 2020

Budget Update: February 2020

Did anyone get any work done at all during the two-week political crisis??? Holy smokes on a stick, all that really did happen didn’t it??

Whatever happens, I just hope that (1) we don’t normalise corruption again, and (2) good economic policies benefitting Malaysians – not just rich Malaysians! – will be made.

Now back to my expense breakdown. Business, Rent & Utilities and Groceries expenses made up two-thirds of all my February 2020 spending. Travel and Public Transportation categories are lower than usual, due to lack of events to attend and cancelled events.

I wonder how long this will continue. I’ve read how COVID-19 is accelerating the number of companies offering remote-working option. If this goes on, maybe this will even be the new norm :/ What a situation we’re living through right now.

Does COVID-19 affect your expenses at all? In what way?

Yay of the Month:

March 2020 will be a busy month for me because both
Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 2
 and
Cerita Duit Orang Malaysia: Jilid 1
 book projects are nearing completion!

Picked up my
 first cheque from MPH Distributors
 🙂 Note: before you ask why bookstores take a big cut, know that product creation is NOTHING without marketing and distribution. How do you think they pay overhead costs like rent and employee salaries? I’m happy to pay them. Plus the bragging rights I get for having a book stocked in bookstores nationwide… priceless.

View this post on Instagram

Picked up the first cheque for Money Stories from Malaysians Volume 1 book sales (so far) from MPH Distributors! 😁 This amount is: total sales at bookstores MINUS 55% cut for bookstores MINUS 5% distribution fees . Thank you so much for buying #MYMoneyStories 🙏 sis is happy! . Edit: My guide on how to publish a book in malaysia: http://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/how-to-publish-a-book-in-malaysia/ . Buy the book online at: http://ringgitohringgit.com/product-category/money-stories-from-malaysians/ . #malaysianauthors #mphbookstore #bordersbookstore #bordersmalaysia #popularbookstore #malaysianblogger #bloggermalaysia #sideincomeMalaysia

A post shared by
 Suraya Zainudin
 (@surayaror) on
Feb 11, 2020 at 11:30pm PST

Appeared in
BFM Radio’s Ringgit & Sense
 show again 🙂

View this post on Instagram

And we’re done with another Ringgit and Sense recording at @bfmradio! Enjoyed talking about money and relationships with @aarontang84 and @roshankanesan, thanks for having us again 😊🙏 . If you missed the show, catch it in BFM website or Spotify later! Search for Ringgit and Sense 😁 . I hope your money enables you to be the best, most supportive partner you can be ❤ Have an awesome Vday, xoxo 👩❤👨👨❤👨👩❤👩 . #bfmradio #personalfinancemalaysia #personalfinanceblogger #ringgitandsense #halalgap #valentinesday #kualalumpur

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 Suraya Zainudin
 (@surayaror) on
Feb 12, 2020 at 6:19pm PST

Meeting these ladies <3

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Reposted from @femmefinance.my . Our shenanigans over the weekend 😊 being part of this sisterhood is one of the best things that happened from this Ringgit oh Ringgit journey! . Go and follow everyone! @suyinvests @femmefinance.my @dearduit @aishapreece @showmethemeowy . Also follow: @nicfunemployed @jewelpie (who couldn’t make it but were there in spirit 🙂 . (am I missing any other women personal finance content creators? No malice, just ignorance. Please say hi in the comments below or dm me 🙂 . Edit: would recommend you to follow @syazanazura too! . #malaysiablogger #bloggermalaysia #investmentmalaysia #personalfinancemalaysia

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 Suraya Zainudin
 (@surayaror) on
Feb 23, 2020 at 9:08pm PST

Being part of
HelloGold’s Emaszing Women
 campaign!

View this post on Instagram

Thank you @myhellogold for including me in your #EmaszingWomen campaign 🙌 Do watch our individual videos in HelloGold’s YouTube page 😁🙈 . My ode to gold: I will forever have a soft spot for gold as an investment. I first bought it in my early 20s and have learned so much through the experience. It was the first investment I made with fluctuating value – the price changes every day . Getting used to the price increases and especially sudden price drops helped me become a better investor, no joke . That part is important. Im not saying you *will* make money from gold investment (although historically, the odds should be in your favour, but it’s no guarantee), but what you will learn from it is key . For example: I found out how I behave under stress, and how I *should* behave (ie chill and wait it out). And due to this experience, I’m less likely to panic sell all my other investments at a loss . In short, owning gold helped me shift my short-term, trader mindset (risky!) to long-term, investor mindset (slow and steady wins the race)

A post shared by
 Suraya Zainudin
 (@surayaror) on
Mar 2, 2020 at 7:43pm PST

Breaking a personal record! Thank you for your likes, comments, shares and not to mention you telling your friends about Ringgit Oh Ringgit, it keeps me hella motivated 🙂

My sisters have been telling me to cut my hair for MONTHS. Because I’m a cheap-ass, I tried to wait it out, until I could no longer delay the inevitable. Thankfully, I found the gem that is A Cut Above Academy. RM150 for hair cut + perm for my hair length is CHEAP.

View this post on Instagram

Pic: price list at A Cut Above Academy, where I did my annual hair cut and perming session. Here, hairdressing students get the chance to practice their skills on paying customers, under the guidance of their teachers . Can’t speak for the rest, but I’m a satisfied customer! The ambiance isn’t much but the service is good, super worth it for its price. Have done annual hair perm for years now to cut down on getting-ready time, and this is my fav result so far. I feel pretty 🧚♀ . Protip: check Fave if they have deals – last I checked, they offer hair cut, wash and blow for even less than the price list, at RM10 (whaaaat) . #acutaboveacademy #frugalbeauty #sunway #hairmalaysia #malaysiahair

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 Suraya Zainudin
 (@surayaror) on
Feb 25, 2020 at 4:35pm PST

Read two books:
Hidden Persuasion: 33 Psychological Influence Technique in Advertising by Andrews, Van Leeuwen & Van Baaren
(sure, no one can *force* you to buy something…but they sure can use psychology to make you more likely to buy) and
How Women Decide: Everyone’s Watching You Call the Shots. Here’s How to Make the Best Choices by Therese Huston
(see below)

View this post on Instagram

‘Women who went out of their way to adopt all of the best career-advancement practices still didn’t move up as quickly or earn as much as men who used those same strategies.’ . ‘Most women need to show that making smart and strategic choice is repeatable, and that it wasn’t just luck or timing or connections that led them down the right path. Women face… what they call the “prove it again” bias.’ . These are excerpts from How Women Decide: Everyone’s Watching You Call The Shots: Here’s how to Make the Best Choices by Therese Hudson, PhD . Highly recommend for the insights. Exposes a lot of obvious and hidden biases to women, from men AND women alike. Use the information to navigate your career better . I picked up my copy at Book Xcess at Tamarind Square, Cyberjaya. Hope you’ll find your copy too . #bookloversmalaysia #currentlyreading #howwomendecide #womeninbusiness #jombaca #malaysiamembaca #bookxcess #tamarindsquare

A post shared by
 Suraya Zainudin
 (@surayaror) on
Feb 6, 2020 at 2:51am PST

Interviewed by
The Full Frontal
 – I’m no #3 in the
5 Remarkable Malaysians Talk About Being a Woman in a Progressive Malaysia
 article

Nay of the Month:

Wordcamp Asia got cancelled
 due to COVID-19 fears 🙁 I’m disappointed but I understand. Thankfully everything but my AirAsia flight got refunded, so no major financial loss there.

GrabFood’s 50% off deals REALLY got to me. 4 orders in a month, that’s once a week on average. Really jacked up my Food expense category, which tend to correlate with weight gains.

Still waiting for Bigpay to refund the RM950 that got stuck in dispute since December 2019. First they said it can take up to 2 months to solve, but because the merchant didn’t respond to the dispute, I have to wait until 25 March 2020 to get my own money back. This is so annoying. Never depend on one account for all transactions, you’ll be at their mercy like this. I’m so upset.

Things to Look Forward to:

Set up preorders for
Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 2
 and
Cerita Duit Orang Malaysia: Jilid 1
 books! How shall I bundle them this time around heheheh

Recording some YouTube videos for the long-awaited
 Ringgit Oh Ringgit YouTube channel
! Speaking of which…

Korang, can you subscribe to my YT channel please? I need at least 100 subscribers to change the custom URL. Now the url is
https://t.co/8B5sjdRG4I
 , which annoys the heck out of me!
pic.twitter.com/erIkwiMaFU

— Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)
February 6, 2020

How about you? What are you looking forward to in March, and the rest of the year? Share with me, I wanna know 🙂

—

To read about my past monthly budget update, click
here
. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (
how expense tracking works
)


Budget Update: February 2021 – Indulged in Consumerism

Welcome to another edition of my monthly budget updates, where I break down my expenses by category and share the highlights and lowlights of the month!

How was your February? Mine was memorable – I allowed myself the experience of indulging in consumerism.

This isn’t my usual character – I’m usually against consumerist culture, with all of its psychological warfare to get you to spend more than you should. But I admit I missed retail. So, as a treat, I indulged in a few days of retail exploration when all the shops at the malls finally reopened.

I really enjoyed walking through Mid Valley and The Gardens mall and do the whole people and trend-watching. Clothes look different in person than on Instagram. Louis Vuitton had LONG queues (also I saw at least 10 people wearing LV bags). Some shops just launched, and others closed down. Department stores now feature Work from Home/Study from Home sections.

While I was tempted, I didn’t buy anything except a pair of jeans from Uniqlo (which I returned the next day as they didn’t fit well – they have an amazing return policy, handy for times like these when fitting rooms are closed), and it was great to eat my favourite foods at the restaurant (I MISSED THIS. FOOD DELIVERY AIN’T THE SAME).

Have you been to the malls since they reopened?

Budget Update: February 2021

In February 2021, I spent RM8,489. The top 3 top expenses were:

Donations & Gifts (RM3,128.36)
 – Paid for estate planning services for Mom, donation to Malaysiakini, donation to Syed Saddiq’s tablet initiative for Muar students, paid parents’ house electric bill and some others
Dates/Travel (RM1,402.82)
 – treated my partner to a 4D3N staycation
Utilities & Rent (RM1,328.26)
 – Gotta keep a roof over our heads

My Spending Breakdown in February 2021

Here’s what I spent on in the whole month of February 2021, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:

Yay of the Month:

#1 – Increased net worth

The markets were good to me. All I need to do now is to maintain frugal lifestyle, because what the markets give, the markets can take away.

#2 – Donated a lot (1/3 or February 2021 expenses)

Because of #1. It was a joy to redistribute back some of that money to my parents and other good causes.

#3 – DeFi experiments turned lucrative

This is as close to magic internet money as it gets.

Quick update about this. Already tripled my capital in 1 week.
$GHST
 and
$QUICK
 went up (capital gain), plus I'm earning $30 per day passively
Conclusion: learning about DeFi pays off
https://t.co/oJipbVjBmD
— Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror)
February 20, 2021

Want to learn? It’s not fast and its not easy, but it’s worthwhile. Read this book:

If you wielded
@coingecko
 "How to DeFi" book since it was launched. You not only gained knowledge but likely made some money too –
$UNI
,
$POOL
, perhaps more
Typically you pay for expensive tuition fees to learn. But here you get paid "alot" to learn 🤷♂
https://t.co/yi3YzA1pgx
— TM (@tmlee)
February 19, 2021

Related:
I Am Self-Learning DeFi (Decentralised Finance). Here’s Why.

#4 – Appeared on TV3’s Borak Kopitiam and BFM 89.9 Ringgit & Sense Show

TV3 Borak Kopitiam:

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BFM 89.9 Ringgit & Sense:

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#5 – Finally switched my EPF account from Conventional to Syariah

I thought I did it, but it turns out I haven’t, but now is better than never. If you already have the EPF i-Akaun, you can just do it online. Super simple process.

Request tukar epf dari conventional ke syariah. Semalam buat e-akad, hari ni lulus. Tapi tahun depan baru kuat kuasa
#til

pic.twitter.com/pJKhZDFLwc
— Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror)
March 1, 2021

#6 – Kailan plants growing well!

I’m just amazed they’re still alive! I am NOT used to my plants not dying! This is amazing!

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#6 – Misc

Read
two books
:
Lab Rats: Why Modern Work Makes People Miserable by Dan Lyons
(Main takeaway: be very cautious is your boss idolises Jeff Bezos, aka someone who prioritises profits over people) and
The Virago Book of The Joy of Shopping, edited by Jill Foulston
 (a collection of excerpts from fiction and non-fiction books referencing many aspects of shopping. Really fun to see how the shopping activity have evolved from as early as 1400s to just before Covid)
Bought another
paint-by-numbers kit
. I finished one in January and had so much fun, so I got another one (Cost: RM35~)
Bought a yoga ball and some resistance bands for home workouts
Replenished my book stock:

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Nay of the Month:

#1 – Settled mom’s estate-planning (and reminded of her mortality)

Sorted out: Mom’s estate-planning. I’m glad to have helped her with the paperwork and payments, but I can’t say it was a fun process – I had to face the possibility of her leaving me straight-on. Dammit I’m sad again..

Alhamdulillah pagi ni settle urusan paperwork wasiat dan hibah untuk harta bawah nama Emak. Rasa sebak sebab masa orang tu explain proses, banyak kali sangat cakap 'bila Puan (mak saya) dah tak ada..'
— Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror)
February 24, 2021

#2 – My only watch died

I’m not a watch person (thank God), but I do own one – a gift from my Dad. It recently died 🙁

Thankfully, Twitter friends recommended some places I could go to fix it. I want to hang on to it forever, wearing it reminds me of my Dad.

Jam yang Abah bagi sebagai hadiah dah tak boleh pakai dah 😢 ingatkan battery mati, rupanya rosak terus sbb dah rusty kat dalam. Ada ke orang boleh fix? Kat mana?
pic.twitter.com/NtwmTN1LTM
— Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror)
February 25, 2021

Things to Look Forward to:

Last instalment payment for my iPhone!! Will pay the final RM289.92 in March 2021. Wonder how long I’ll last before another consumer item tempts me
Sitting for CFP Module 1 exams. I’m okay with the theory parts, but the financial calculation parts kill me.

Well, that was my February 2021! How was yours? What’s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you’re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section!

—

To read about my past monthly budget update, click
here
. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (
find out your budgeting style
)


Budget Update: February 2022 – The Perfect Solution

Welcome to another edition of my monthly budget updates, where I break down my expenses by category and share the highlights and lowlights of the month.

So how was your February? Was it good, bad or meh?

In February I got a bunch of inquiries from potential clients. It overwhelmed me, and not in a good way. I dislike saying no yet I also want to protect my time.

So I decided to raise my rates, which despite how it sounds, is quite unpleasant and scary for me. It’s less about wanting more money, but more to having a legitimate excuse to keep small number of clients at any one time. As an
intentional solopreneur
, I can’t cope with too many clients at once.

However, I was also worried that I’d get no clients at all. But happily it wasn’t a big deal. Like at all.

Client didn't even blink at new rate, proceed with project. All the fear was just in my head phew
https://t.co/r7rGLYZ7i3
— Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror)
February 28, 2022

Cool. I think I’ll stick with this tried and tested supply-demand strategy. When demand is high, and supply remains stagnant (there’s only one of me, after all), the price increases.

Let’s get on to the budget part.

Budget Update: February 2022

In February 2022, I spent RM11,760.27. The top 3 top expenses were:

Business (RM4,828.61)
– Mostly towards cost of new laptop
Utilities & Rent (RM1,849.75)
– Rent, bills, and half of mortgage
Home Reno + Deco
(RM1,221.51)
 – Instalments for reno package

Cumulatively, the top 3 expenses make up 69% of my total February 2022 expenses. (My belief is, if you want to save money, always trim from the top 3 expenses rather than cut out a few ringgits from other already-low expenses)

My Spending Breakdown in February 2022

Here’s what I spent on in the whole month of February 2022, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:

Yay of the Month:

#1 – Passed final CFP exam

I got news that I passed the fourth and final CFP exam 🙂 I’ve done it, yay me.

However, I can’t call myself a licenced financial planner, since you need to be attached to a company + have a few years of experience + maintain annual ‘points’ + pay annual fees to get that title.

#2 – Lucky to get the chance to buy FarmFresh IPO

I know the chances to get IPO allocation is very small, I’m very grateful by this turn of events.

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#3 – I got a Macbook

I really didn’t want my 4-year-old laptop with the bloated battery to blow up on me (see Nay of the Month section), so I decided to buy a new laptop.

After much research, and LOTS of recommendations, it appears the best value for money product is the Macbook Air. So, despite the fact I’ve always used Windows, I bought it.

I was worried about the switch from Windows to MacOS but happily it wasn’t that hard. By the time of writing, I’m almost fully adjusted.

Y’all were right, it is a great device. Hopefully this laptop will last for a decade or so 🙂

(Related: I’m also proud of paying in full)

My cashflow this month is super negative 😖 but proud of myself for making lump sum payment instead of taking (another) instalment
— Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror)
February 25, 2022

#4 – Got awesome deal for Microsoft Office!

Now that I got a Mac, I knew I needed to get Microsoft Office. Just my luck to come across an awesome deal – purchased the Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2021 edition for the grand one-off price of RM210. Usually it’s priced over RM1k, so I saved a lot of money!

Note: Don’t know if the deal is still ongoing, nor when it’ll happen again

I just bought this lifetime Microsoft Office access for ~RM210 🤯🤯 LIFETIME
https://t.co/2oQuCvjtlE
— Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror)
February 22, 2022

#5 – Appeared on Actsplore This Podcast

The topic was Money Talk for Couples, which was very timely for Valentine’s Day. Listen to it on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1ZyWN62nNeuQgGGgzGbGY4?si=M52N44qfSHCdlsL-COYdgw&context=spotify%3Ashow%3A02xWljGMOwQEyKWRFFvN3e

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#6 – Helped MalaysianPayGap IG to grow from 74 followers to over 100k within a week

The
MalaysianPayGap IG page
 would have grown anyway without my help, since Malaysians being underpaid is a hot topic, but I did help to make the growth faster.

Shoutout to malaysianpaygap IG, a place for Malaysians to anonymously share your salary. Scroll through and if you realise you're underpaid, this is your sign to find better opportunities
pic.twitter.com/jJ14DhPHEx
— Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror)
February 23, 2022

You can read the founder’s mission to advocate for wage transparency in Malaysia in this
VulcanPost article
.

#7 – Misc

Read 3 books (!! wow good job Suraya keep it up):

For Richer or Poorer: Confessions of a Player by Victoria Coren (poker player, that is)
Carpe Diem: Seizing the Day in a Distracted World by Roman Krznaric
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Noteworthy shows:

Tinder Swindler on Netflix
Love is Blind Japan on Netflix
Love and Leashes on Netflix (I am… slowly watching Korean shows? Ooo this is new)

Bought for myself:

Massage session from Sentuh.my
Thrifted this cute mirror for RM80

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Nay of the Month:

#1 – Extremely frustrated with ProductCare, the extended warranty programme by Harvey Norman

Harvey Norman was like, you must get this problem fixed by Microsoft Authorised Service Centre or you’ll void the remainder of your warranty.

But Microsoft was like, we don’t have any Authorised Service Centres in Malaysia.

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A post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)

I enjoyed my Surface device, but probably won’t get it again. I also suffered from the glitch dubbed flickergate before this (they replaced my device since it’s still within 1 year warranty).

#surfacepro4
 update.
#flickergate
 getting worse, now happening even when device is not connected to the charger. 4 month-old device.
Tried all the solutions in Microsoft help page, inc reinstalling display driver. Didn't work. Apparently the only solution is a replacement. Sux
pic.twitter.com/ABTv9rtMMd
— Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror)
January 30, 2018

#2 – Procrastinated on a few tasks

I really need to:

Complete Money Stories from Malaysians: Vol 3
Get my estate planning done (it’s important but also so mafan ugh)
Investigate why my parents’ home electric bill is so high

Things to Look Forward to:

Furniture hunting

Well, that was my February 2022. How was yours? What’s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you’re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section 🙂

—

To read about my past monthly budget update, click
here
. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (
find out your budgeting style
)


Budget Update: February 2023 – Supporting family members

 Welcome to another edition of my monthly budget updates, where I break down my expenses by category and share the highlights and lowlights of the month.

So how was your February? Was it good, bad or meh?

For me, February was the realisation that I have accepted my role as financial contributor for my parents. I mean, I’ve done it for years, but only recently accepted that ah, this is a forever thing.

'Establish boundaries' 'say no if cannot afford' 'take care of yourself first'
What I tell people is not necessarily what I do. Plus I do have savings
And these are my parents. They prioritised my education at expense of their retirement. This is my time to give back
— Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror)
February 16, 2023

And I’m fine with it. I’m not going to be one of those people who say things like, ‘parents should not view their children as retirement plan’ for internet points. If anything, I understand my parents sacrified
their
 retirement plans for me, for us, their children.

Notes:

This mindset doesn’t apply to parents who view their children as cash cows btw. The ones who have
Dark Triad personality traits
 (Narcissists, Machiavellians and Psychopaths) and ask their kids to take loans or finance big unnecessary purchases to ‘pay them back’

My parents do have assets, but they’re very hard to liquidate in this market. This is also why I’m wary of property and other non-liquid assets as investments

Let’s get on to the budget part.

Budget Update: February 2023

In February 2023, I spent RM9,837.99. The top 3 top expenses were:

Donations & Gifts (RM4,495.70)
 – Parents TNB bill, paid for dad’s dusun project and rental

Utilities & Mortgage (RM1,327)
 – Half mortgage and bills

Groceries (RM757.96)
– Self-explanatory

Cumulatively, the top 3 expenses make up 68% of my total February 2023 expenses.

(My belief is, if you want to save money, trim first from the top 3 expenses rather than cut out a few ringgits from other already-low expenses)

My Spending Breakdown in February 2023

Here’s what I spent on in the whole month of February 2023, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:

Yay of the Month:

#1 – Had fun listening to Budget 2023

FINALLY they presented Budget 2023. I’m quite happy with it actually. Love the focus on eliminating hardcore poor and reducing leakages.

Could it be better for me? Sure. But it is for the better good, so considering my priviledges… I’ll shut up.

#2 – Got more Critical Insurance coverage

Got additional RM200k in critical illness coverage, on top of my current RM200k. Increasing my CI coverage is something I wanted to do for a while so I’m glad I got it done!

For this one, I didn’t even shell out money, I used money in EPF Akaun 2. More info in
Best Insurance and Takaful in Malaysia for B40 and M40 On A Budget

#3 – Had excellent dates

I know I shouldn’t plan for overseas trips anymore (to save money), but I’ll be damned to give up my dates with partner.

That’s what we did. Had an excellent visit to a flowers wholesaler, visited Tsutaya bookstore, went to various malls, grocery shopping trips (scored some amazing ‘atas’ groceries at clearance prices!) and ate nice food.

All that for RM481 in Dates cost (mine, excluding how much my partner paid) is more than worth it!

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A post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)

#4 – Challenging process to turn recording of insurance-buying workshop into course

I was going to complain about how hard it is but you know what? I’ll put it under Yay of the month instead because I’M LEARNING BY DOING and that’s always good.

It’s still hella hard though. The translation part was hard,

WILDLY underestimated how long it'll take me to complete translating my insurance-buying workshop recording into Malay. Thought it'll take me 3 hours. 3 hours in and I'm only 10% done 😂
(laugh emoji but actually I'm very stressed)
— Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror)
February 8, 2023

The video editing part was hard,

Confirm, ghosted. Until now no contact despite many emails. Managed to hire a new video editor thankfully. Was hoping to get the course out by Feb but looks like delayed til March
https://t.co/8QdYaiElg6
— Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror)
February 28, 2023

And choosing the platform to sell the course is hard as well.

But again, I’m learning and at the same time leveling up my skills, so all is good 🙂

#5 – Misc

Read:

Brain Rules for Baby: How to Raise a Smart and Happy Child from Zero to Five by Dr John Medina

Bought for myself:

Kitchen rack (well, for the house)

2 dresses

Skincare top up

Shampoo

Nay of the Month:

#1 – Missed out on Wordcamp Asia

Wordcamp Asia is the regional event postponed since 2020, when the pandemic hit. I bought a ticket, which could still be redeemed, but decided not to go to Bangkok, where it was held. I missed out on all the amazing workshops 🙁

Maybe all is well though. Post-event, they said an attendee contracted Covid. Maybe if I went, I would need to quarantine there or something.

Gotta think positive.

#2 – Liquidated 15g~ worth of gold

HelloGold closed its B2C operations in Malaysia, which means all investors in the platform, me included, had their gold involuntarily liquidated (ie turned to cash, MYR).

For me, that meant receiving RM3k+ back in my account and looked for alternative gold investment platforms.

Both Maybank and Wahed Invest gold investment accounts are good contenders for digital gold investment, but there are more options – see my updated
The Beginner’s Guide to Buying Gold in Malaysia
 article.

Pros of both:
– easy to open online
– low min deposit (RM10 and RM100 respectively)
– both shariah-compliant
Obligatory ref links:
– Maybank MIGA-I:
https://t.co/Mfrs2vxu9n
– Wahed Invest: download app, register and use code 'surbin1' for free RM10
— Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror)
January 31, 2023

Things to Look Forward to:

Working on and releasing digital product

Well, that was my February 2023. How was yours? What’s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you’re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section 🙂

—

To read about my past monthly budget update, click
here
. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (
find out your budgeting style
)


Budget Update: January 2016

January Budget Update Summary

I can easily recap January with these few keywords: bitcoin, content writing, and working out 🙂

Bitcoin
: It’s so
interesting
. I love following up Bitcoin news. But more than that, I love the disruptive nature of Bitcoin (or rather, blockchain – the technology behind it). Guys.
Blockchains is to banks like Uber is to the taxi industry
. I will write more about Bitcoin soon – Malaysians can’t be left out. There’s so much savings we can take advantage of from the small but emerging Bitcoin/cryptocurrency financial industry, when we bypass banks completely.

It’s important to clarify here. Bitcoin can exist as a service, and also as investment. On the latter, DO NOT take any of my writing as investment advice, please.

Content writing
: I am officially a paid freelance web content contributor, on the subject of personal finance 🙂 I contribute to two websites (so far):
The New Savvy
 – a finance and career guide for women, and
 efinancialmanagement
 – a financial management resource. Check out my writing there!

Working out:
 I’ve lost weight, and inches on the
keto diet
. I also lost track of how many times my mom tried to feed me random snacks, just to play with my emotion. Mom -_-;;

Yay of the Month:

I visited
Kuala Sepetang
, famous for its Mee Udang, charcoal and scenic boat rides. Unfortunately, it was raining so no boat rides for us, but if you want to stock up on dried fish and shrimp, it’s 10/10 can recommend. It’s about 1 hour drive from Ipoh.

                        Picture from weelingraphy blog

It’s been a while since I had tailored baju kurung. RM170 (service charge) plus RM50 (cloth) for 2 sets is okay, right?

I changed the theme for this website! It looks nicer, right? 🙂 I used a *gasp* paid theme. It was USD39.

Nay of the Month:

Donated some more money towards my sister’s wedding. To be honest I did this on a whim. I’m not exactly swimming in cash, and I’m spending more than I earn, which is bad. Don’t be like me. I can be a bad example too.

I had to pay a RM300 fine 🙁

Things to Look Forward to:

More writing about financial stuff <3

Making a career out of this.

Want to check out my previous monthly updates? Check
 this link
!


Budget Update: January 2017

January Budget Update Summary

Financially, January 2017 was a good month. In terms of new clients, I have some new bites but no catch yet. Almost 100% of new potential clients are now results of (1) networking, (2) inquiry from work (ie go do interview then the interviewee indicated interest), and (3) this website via my ‘Hire Me’ page.

One familiar feeling throughout January was the feeling of being stagnant, which sucks. I’m at that point where I think I’ve optimised all I could, and I have trouble identifying what else I can do to be better. Even though there were more time to do more fun stuff, I can’t help feeling like I’m wasting time. Yes, I know relax time is important, but the thing is, work is relaxing and enjoyable for me, so I actually feel anxious when I’m not working.

Thinking of adding a skill. A Reddit post I read recently talked about ‘skill-layering’, and how it’s the key to be more employable (and profitable). For example, I know I layer two skills somewhat okay: writing + financial literacy. Other examples of skill-layering includes things like translation + engineering and psychology + advertising. According to the author and the replies, the more the skills, the more you can ‘mix and match’ them, which makes you a lot more desirable as an employee.

So my target in February is to identify a new skill and start learning it. Thankfully
Coursera
 and the internet in general is great as a learning tool. Do you have any particular skills to recommend? Need suggestions lah

Yay of the month:

Went to
Langkawi
for a short weekend trip. It was fun, and a good start to the year. I can’t wait to travel more.

I’m
exercising
 a lot more regularly now. Many articles I read about successful people credited this as one of the catalysts contributing to their continuous success. I don’t particularly like exercising, but it’s getting easier to will myself to do them anyway. Bonus: clothes now fit better 😀

My cats are destroying the new couch, so I bought them a
scratch post
 for RM75.91. It works like 80% of the time, but I’ll take what I can get.

Both
Uber and Grab had ridesharing promotions
 and I saved a lot of money using them, at least RM50. I got 50% off Uber rides code (up to RM10) and second-ride-for-free from Grab (up to RM8 I think). Note: both promotions expired.

Found
Rayban knockoffs
 that I absolutely love for RM15. Bought 2, should last me a while!

Had really good conversations about
insurance
. After my
article about insurance
 was published, some readers contacted me and offered more info. I’ve updated the article with those info, so go read it, especially if you’re planning to buy insurance soon!

Finally had to let go of 3 pairs of well-loved
shoes
. 2 flats, one wedge. It was starting to look unprofessional to wear them, plus they were loose. Because my motto when it comes to shoes is ‘Use until cannot use, then only can replace’, I had permission from myself to go shoe-shopping. I bought a pair of black flats for RM39, and a pair of work shoes for ~RM15 or so (used up RM100 AEON voucher redeemed from Maybank TreatPoints). Aside from this, I have two flip-flops, two sandals and one sports shoes. One of the sandals are getting loose, so that might need replacing soon. Shoe people, any particular brands to suggest? I’d love to get good quality shoes so they’ll last longer.

Nay of the month:

My phone, a 7-months-old Lenovo K4 Vibe, fell and
the screen cracked
. Touchscreen got wonky. Replaced the touchscreen for RM380, but it was still laggy. I rely on my phone a lot for work, so I decided to buy a new one – got a Xioumi Redmi Note 4 for RM924 (inclusive of casing). Thank goodness for emergency savings. Switching phones was a major pain in the ass, so take care of your phones y’all.

Groceries
 were very high. Sure, I stocked up on a lot of non-perishables that’ll last months, but I have to be careful for next month onward.

I paid
 my parents’ electric bill
. It was RM1500 for two months. Sure, they use a lot of aircon (1-3 aircons runs every day and night), but I still want to ask – is this amount even normal? Do we have to get them checked? What would suck that kind of energy? If you have insight, please comment.

I had a major food binge. Ate a whole pizza by myself. Felt horrible. That hasn’t happened in a while. It was triggered by stress (during the phone incident) and Pizza Hut’s RM10 for medium pizza offer. Gosh.

I had a massage, and it was good, but now I’m stuck with
a weird backache
. It’s been about a week – should I be worried?

Things to Look Forward to:

I want to switch back my
mobile postpaid plan to prepaid
. Made the comparison and seems like I can save more money that way. Plus, I can get
cashback on prepaid topups via Lazada and 11thStreet, and credit card cashback too
. Have to plan a trip to one of the centres.

Need to
pay zakat
. This year, instead of giving my zakat to Lembaga Zakat Selangor, I want to give to
Islamic Relief Malaysia
 instead. I’ve been annoyed at Islamic religious authorities in Malaysia for a while, and it feels good to be able to contribute to another organisation.

Meeting up with friends 🙂

Getting more work, so I have better things to do with my time instead of dicking around in Reddit.

Eating vegetarian. Too much meat consumption lately.

To read about my past monthly budget update, click
here
.