{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/blogging/blog-digital-marketing-strategy/", "title": "Case Study: My Blog\u2019s Digital Marketing Strategy\n  ", "body": "Back in college/uni, I studied communications. That\u2019s how I learned the fundamentals of content creation, ie delivering the message in a way that is suitable for the target audience. Freelance corporate writing work remains my main income channel.\n\n\nThat specialisation got me jobs, but the money only started growing as I learned how to sell myself and my services via digital marketing. \nEvery cent I threw in digital marketing got me at least 10x return on investment. All that effort to self-learn digital marketing is worth it.\u00a0\n\n\nThis post is a case study on Ringgit Oh Ringgit\u2019s blog digital marketing strategy, including what works and what I still have to improve on. I figure this information might be useful for freelancers and small businesses looking to explore content marketing as your primary digital marketing strategy.\n\n\nAfter all, I don\u2019t think you see that many case studies from Malaysia-based content creators.\n\n\nRinggit Oh Ringgit Blog Digital Marketing Strategy\n\n\nContent creation refers to any type of content that is informational and/or entertaining, whether it\u2019s in text, graphics or video format.\n\n\nOne-off content is easy, but consistency is hard\n. My specialisation is writing, and I dedicate a few hours a week thinking of content ideas, doing post outlines, creating and sticking to a schedule \u2013\u00a0\nbefore\n the actual writing, editing, proofreading and optimising processes.\n\n\nAll, or almost all great digital marketers I follow emphasise\u00a0\ncontent marketing\n as the best lead generation strategy. Nowadays, sales ads like \u2018We sell beautiful clothes!\u2019 will no longer work. Even if it does, it will only attract price-conscious customers.\n\n\nFreelancers and small businesses can\u2019t \u2013 or rather, shouldn\u2019t \u2013 compete on prices. You can\u2019t compete with developing-world price tags, which big companies can afford to buy/outsource in bulk. That\u2019s the fastest way to get out of business.\n\n\nIn my case, I first created personal finance content in this blog as a hobby (it still is my hobby). Later, as the traffic grew, I used it as a funnel of sorts to attract clients while looking around for other ways to monetise it.\n\n\nThis is why you\u2019re seeing ads and sponsored posts btw. Thanks for understanding, the money keeps me motivated to keep writing free blog articles \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nLet\u2019s go deeper into the blog digital marketing strategies I\u2019m using for Ringgit Oh Ringgit.\n\n\nSEO (Search Engine Optimisation)\n\n\n 23 July 2017-22 July 2018 traffic source report from Google Analytics\n\n\nAlmost 70% of my blog traffic comes from organic search, ie readers who found me when they enter certain keywords into Google.\u00a0\nIt\u2019s the best and cheapest way to get consistent traffic \u2013 \nthe rest don\u2019t even come close!\n\n\nIf you\u2019re reading this article after seeing it on \nmy Facebook\n or \nTwitter\n, you\u2019re in the minority (13.4%). Shoutout to almost 15% of you who come here directly \u2013 you\u2019re awesome and I love you <3\n\n\nI learned about SEO when some clients requested SEO articles during my Upwork (a freelancing platform) days. Gradually I learned by doing and happy to report I got pretty good at it by this point.\n\n\nIf you\u2019re a writer, get yourself acquainted with SEO stat. You can demand higher rates from clients. If you\u2019re a small business, I can say that SEO-optimised content is a worthwhile investment for long-term organic marketing. Here\u2019s a tip \u2013 find out what problems your target audience face, then make high-quality guides to help them.\n\n\nSocial media marketing\n\n\nI\u2019m active in\u00a0\nFacebook\n or \nTwitter\n, but tried and failed with Pinterest and meh on \nInstagram\n. Visuals are really not my strong point at all. I\u2019m still learning and making \nsmall\n tiny improvements \u2013 not giving up hope!\n\n\nIn my particular case, it\u2019s okay to concentrate on the written medium as I sell writing services anyway, but I imagine my income would suck if I sell products.\u00a0 People do expect to see them before they buy them, correct or not?\n\n\nSocial media marketing requires you to keep up with \nconstant algorithm changes\n. I remember my traffic from Facebook plummeted after they implemented a new algorithm in early 2018. My posts no longer rank high in the news feed, unless I pay for it. They\u2019re really after that ad money sighhhh.\n\n\nThere IS a way to not rely on paying for social media ads. Rationally I know I should jump into the infographic and video creation train \u2013 Facebook ranks those higher \u2013 but I\u2019m still strategising how to sustainably incorporate it into my content.\n\n\nIf you have video ideas, I\u2019m all ears. Bonus points if I don\u2019t have to show my face in it. #paisehpeopleproblems\n\n\nNothing makes me happier than people sharing my content, by the way. It\u2019s so\u2026 what\u2019s the word? Emotionally rewarding. Like, despite not using video, despite lacking in graphics, you still share? Just because of the writing? It makes me incredibly, incredibly happy.\n\n\nOther Blog Digital Marketing Optimisation\n\n\nThere are a few bits and pieces that don\u2019t fit in anywhere else here. I\u2019ll just compile them for now.\n\n\n1) Frequency and timing of blog articles\n\n\nI used to update whenever, as long as it\u2019s minimum once a week. Now, I stick to creating two articles per week, published at 10.30am every Monday and Wednesday.\n\n\nThe days and timing weren\u2019t plucked out of thin air. According to Google Analytics, Ringgit Oh Ringgit records the \nhighest traffic between Monday and Thursday, between 11am to 4pm\n. Hey, if that\u2019s when you\u2019ll visit, that\u2019s what I\u2019ll follow.\n\n\n\n\nNaturally, to stick with that schedule I have to make an editorial calendar to keep myself organised. Mine is nothing fancy \u2013 just a page in my notebook, but it helps. I have a few regular series (like my \nmonthly budget updates\n and \nlink roundup series\n).\n\n\nStill, I have to brainstorm around five new and original ideas per month. I\u2019m lucky to be obsessed with personal finance that it doesn\u2019t feel like work most of the time.\n\n\nI wish I have the time and energy to update more often than that because quantity matters, but I don\u2019t want to sacrifice on quality. All my articles are over 1000 words long \u2013 this one is almost 2000 \u2013 and studies have shown that longer, in-depth articles tend to get more shares.\n\n\n2) Website and mobile optimisation\n\n\nAbout half of you are reading this on mobile, and another half on desktop. So I have no choice but to prioritise both types of optimisation.\n\n\nCan I just say that the \ntechnical parts are kinda annoying\n to deal with? Once, a new plugin update completely crashed my website \u2013 I had to scramble around and find out WHY it crashed. Thank goodness for friends and contacts in the Wordpress space.\n\n\nAnd also, tweaking CSS and the like. Like wtf when I started blogging I DID NOT SIGN UP TO LEARN PROGRAMMING TOO. I mean yes fine I get to learn new stuff but would I call it fun? Err no.\n\n\nAside from that, there are so many little things that add up to an enhanced reading experience. Among other things, I:\n\n\n\n\nChanged my hosting package to improve on \nspeed\n\n\nTweaked the \nlayout\n and the font and the font size\n\n\nTest \nplugins\n on a regular basis (WHILE deleting the ones that don\u2019t work as well as it should, because lots of plugins slow down the website), and\n\n\nTry as much as possible to write paragraphs that \nlook good\n on both web and mobile.\n\n\n\n\nThis part will never stop. So FYI. If you\u2019re not a technical person, better get yourself a trusted IT person.\n\n\nTbh, I\u2019m still not completely satisfied with how my website looks on mobile. Am itching to try out another theme.\n\n\n3) Automation\n\n\nI LOVE automation. It saves me so much time. When I hit publish, a few things happen:\n\n\n\n\nThe article gets published automatically to Facebook and Twitter\n\n\nIt gets re-published on Twitter a few hours later on the same day\n\n\nIt gets added on into my automated list, which shares my content (older than 30 days) three times a day on Twitter\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m not comfortable sharing the exact steps I\u2019m using for this because I\u2019m still trying to perfect my automation. I\u2019ve tried \u2013 and abandoned \u2013 my (free) Hootsuite account twice now.\n\n\nAside from that, I also use IFTTT.com to automatically share Instagram images to Twitter. Not as links, but as native images. That I can recommend.\n\n\nDo you have other automation hacks to recommend?\n\n\nOther blog digital marketing things to improve on\n\n\nAs I mentioned, I want to jump into visual-type content. I also want to work towards fixing my mindset \u2013 I\u2019m stingy af when it comes to marketing and purchasing paid Wordpress plugins and stuff. I\u2019d rather not pay for them, but they\u2019re necessary investments.\n\n\nBut aside from those, one thing in particular that I\u2019m keen to work on is my \nemail marketing\n skills. I\u2019ve done sales copies and onboarding decks with MailChimp, but those are always for other companies.\n\n\nI\u2019ve been dragging my ass on email marketing for Ringgit Oh Ringgit for the longest time despite EVERYONE telling me how important it is to get your audience to subscribe. Dunno lah, I personally find pop-ups that ask you to enter your emails annoying so I don\u2019t do that.\n\n\nThe most that I\u2019ve done is having a newsletter subscription box (requested by a reader btw) and a short text at the end of every blog post (in grey \u2013 you\u2019ll see it below. Added using CSS). And a top bar.\n\n\nMany digital marketers like email marketing because it is an effective sales strategy. That\u2019s why many e-commerce websites you visit give you freebies and discounts and stuff just to get your email address!\n\n\nLast words\n\n\nI love high-quality content, and I\u2019m sure you do too. Can I invite you to share blog pages (or YouTube) of small businesses that you think have great educational and/or entertaining content in the comments section? Would love to check them out.\n\n\nI\u2019d also love to get digital marketers reading this to give feedback on areas I can improve myself. I know I\u2019m not the best at it \u2013 if I were, I\u2019d have a million monthly traffic by now \u2013 but dammit I will try because it\u2019s fun to see the effects of the investments I put into it.\n\n\nAs always, thanks for reading! This was one of the most fun blog article to write :p\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/blogging/earn-money-from-blogging/", "title": "How I Earn Money from Home as a Malaysian Blogger\n  ", "body": "\n\nBlogging is not the only way to earn money from home in Malaysia, nor is it the easiest, nor is it the fastest way to make money. \n\n\nIt\u2019s best if I start out this way, so expectations are clear \u2013 \nat no point I want to mislead you into thinking blogging is easy.\n Work, even doing something you love and enjoy, is still work. \n\n\n\n\nArticles go like 'want passive income? try blogging!' \nDo you know how penat it is to write 1000-word articles at least twice a week for a few years until traffic and audience comes in \ud83d\ude02\ud83d\ude02\ud83d\ude02\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nMarch 3, 2022\n\n\n\n\nIn fact, if you need money fast, you\u2019re better off becoming a freelance writer so you can \nimmediately earn from writing articles.\n\n\nHowever, if you have the time, and the inclination\u2026 blogging is a great way to eventually make money \u2013 either from your own blog, or from the skillsets you learn along the way. \n\n\nTo be fair, I\u2019m a bit biased here, because developing RinggitOhRinggit.com from scratch is truly one of the most fulfilling things I\u2019ve ever done, in both personal and professional capacity. Since its inception in December 2015, I\u2019ve made thousands in \nactive\n and \npassive income\n, and appeared on TV and radio. \n\n\n\n\nWhile I\u2019m far from being the highest-paid blogger in Malaysia, I earn alright, enough for me to live my low-key life and put aside some money towards savings and investments. The best part, however, is to have \nfull ownership of my time and schedule\n. This part is priceless to me. \n\n\nHow I earn money from home in Malaysia through blogging\n\n\nIn this article I\u2019m going to share the exact steps I personally used to earn money from home through blogging. I\u2019m not saying ALL bloggers go through the same steps (they don\u2019t), but at least you know how the blogging journey looks like, from one person\u2019s POV.\n\n\nNote that the steps are not linear \u2013 they overlap with each other, but they should be okay to use as a general guideline.\n\n\nStep 1: Create a website and choose a blogging theme\n\n\nI dabbled with Blogspot and Wix, but ended up with \nWordpress\n. Highly recommend it \u2013 this guide has a huge preference towards the Wordpress platform, but use whatever you like.\n\n\nShould you pay for a website name?\n\n\nIf you don\u2019t have the funds for it, or if you\u2019re just \u2018trying this blogging thing out\u2019,\n it\u2019s okay to just make do with blogname.wordpress.com\n. It will work, albeit with fewer functions and personalisation options.\u00a0 \n\n\nIn short, if you don\u2019t have the funds for it, start free, you can always upgrade later \u2013 that\u2019s what I did. I only bought blogname.com at Step 4, when I got serious and decided to do this full-time. \n\n\nShould you pay for a website theme?\n\n\nWebsite themes are website design, or it\u2019s layout. Ringgit Oh Ringgit uses a blog-style layout.\n\n\nAs you can imagine, there are many website themes available \u2013 for personal pages, businesses, photography, news, and so much more. Pick one that fits your style.\n\n\nWhen I started blogging, I used one of Wordpress\u2019 free themes. They have a lot of good free ones \u2013 see some options on \nHongKiat.com\n. Later on (Step 4), I bought a premium theme.\n\n\n\n\nStep 2:\u00a0Start filling in the website with content\n\n\nWhat type of content, up to you. However, \nwebsites that have a niche tend to perform better\n.\u00a0Pleasantly, my topic of interest is personal finance and specifically for urban Malaysian millennials, which people kinda like, so that\u2019s swell.\n\n\nImportant: sort out your niche early!\n\n\nMany people who start blogs make the mistake of not having a niche.\n Their content is all over the place \u2013 they write about a jumble of content, including their travels, what they ate, their lifestyle, their fashion, etc.\n\n\nSome of them are fun to read\u2026 but\u2019s here\u2019s the deal. No one (aside from friends and family) truly care about their lives, unless they are a \u2018somebody\u2019. This is real talk, I\u2019m not going to sugar coat anything. It\u2019s hard to gain traffic this way.\n\n\nYou need traffic to earn money from blogging, and to do that you have to create content that people want to consume even if they don\u2019t know you.\n\n\nWhat type of content do people like to read?\n\n\nContent that people like to read are, overwhelmingly, things that \nhelp people in some way and/or entertaining content\n.\n\n\nIs the restaurant worth visiting? How much is X? Where to get Y? Reviews. Recommendations. Personal opinions and experiences on its own are pretty boring to read if not accompanied by facts, information and humour.\n\n\nMy simplified formula whenever I brainstorm content idea is: think of what the audience wants to read + structure my content in that way. That\u2019s where Step 3 comes in\n\n\nStep 3: Optimise the heck out of my Wordpress and work on content marketing\n\n\nIf content is the outfit, then optimisation in Step 3 and Step 4 is the stitching and detailing. \n\n\nThere are a few components here, including:\n\n\nInstalling plugins (some recommendations below)\nLearning SEO and implementing it\nCommit to writing those content on a regular basis (at least once a week, more is better)\nHaving a consistent, clear format in my articles\nWriting, re-writing, editing and proofreading posts\nSetting up \nRinggit Oh Ringgit Facebook page\n, \nTwitter handle\n and \nInstagram\nEngaging with the audience aka community management\nAnd more.\n\n\nEach of the above was hard work and research. It definitely wasn\u2019t implemented overnight. It took months to incorporate them in Ringgit Oh Ringgit.\n\n\nStep 4: Once I see consistent traffic, I paid for a bunch of stuff to improve my website\n\n\nIf I\u2019m not mistaken, I bought the ringgitohringgit.com domain at around 2k monthly traffic. \n\n\nBasically how it went down was, \u2018huh, people are reading this. I should probably make it look nicer, so they have a good experience and visit more often\u2019.\n\n\nThings I paid for:\n\n\nHosting and Domain (aka ringgitohringgit.com)*\nA premium theme from \nMojoMarketplace.\n My theme costs $49 \n(I\u2019ve since bought another theme)\nA graphic designer to make a pretty-looking blog header (got a good price from \nFiverr.com\n. Note: referral link)\nFacebook ads, but that didn\u2019t go that well\nA Wordpress expert to help speed up my website loading time (also via Fiverr.com)\nCustomisated reports\nProfessional website audits\nCourses after courses to improve myself\nAnd other few bits and pieces\n\n\nEach of these contributes to the overall user experience for my readers. You\u2019d think blogging is cheap, and it can be, but I invest a lot back to my business and spend tens of thousands annually to improve my website and my skills. \n\n\nRelated: \nMy Personal Blog Costs RM1,646.36 per Month. Breakdown Inside.\n\n\n(It doesn\u2019t have to go this high, but it can, especially if you are a lifestyle blogger who travel all the time. This is also why I say you can start free, then pay for what you think is important as you go along)\n\n\nPs \u2013 if you have recommendations on how I can improve Ringgit Oh Ringgit further, I\u2019m all ears. Please share in the comments section.\n\n\n*Hosting Protip: If you\u2019re targeting Malaysians, get hosting provider with servers in Malaysia\n\n\nIt took me \nyears\n to learn this so let me just share with you, to save you time:\n\n\nIf you are targeting international audience, get from reputable hosting provider. \nBluehost\n and \nSiteground\n are both good options. \nHOWEVER, if you are targeting primarily Malaysian audience, \nuse hosting provider with servers located in Malaysia or Singapore\n. If not, your website will be super slow for your audience, and they will leave!\n\n\nI use \nSiteground\n, but for some reason they no longer accept Malaysian users. A good and reputable alternative is \nExabytes\n. Simply pick their Wordpress hosting and go from there. \n\n\n\n\nStep 5: Experimenting with various revenue channels that work for my type of content\n\n\nAt about 5-10k per month monthly traffic mark, you can start selling your influence. There are many ways to do this \u2013 WPBeginner listed\u00a0\n25 ways to make money from blogs\n. \n\n\nAs of time of writing, after much trial and error, I concentrate on these channels:\n\n\nAffiliate marketing (\naffiliate platforms I signed up\n)\nGoogle Adsense (\nhow to setup Adsense in Wordpress without coding skills\n)\nSponsored Posts\nSelling my books (\nMoney Stories from Malaysians\n)\nRecommending great financial products I personally love (like the \nFinancial Behaviour Report\n)\n\n\nWhile you can\u2019t pick companies advertised via Google Ads, you can pick everything else. For example, in Ringgit Oh Ringgit, I promote bitcoin service providers in my \ncrypto guides\n and Shopback in my travel articles (\nlike this Japan trip for RM2500 one\n).\n\n\nShould you target international audience or Malaysian audience? \n\n\nI\u2019d say both have good income potential. With international audience, you have more earning potential from Adsense and affiliate links (lucrative), but with Malaysian audience, you can do more sponsored content (also lucrative).\n\n\nWith a name like RinggitOhRinggit, you can guess which audience I\u2019m stuck with lol (jk jk I love yall)\n\n\nWhere to get influencer jobs\n\n\nIt can work both ways: clients approach you, or you approach clients.\u00a0 For the former, sometimes you\u2019ll get emails from companies or agencies representing companies.\n\n\nFor the latter, the easy way is to join influencer job platforms like Catjira and Nuffnang. Some Facebook groups also post these types of jobs like the \nSocial Media + Blogger Community Group\n and the \nMalaysia Bloggers and Social Media Group\n.\n\n\nThe \nharder\n gutsier way is to cold-call or cold-email companies and tell them your influencer services are available.\n\n\nAs for payment, usually clients offer cash, but sometimes they might offer products or services instead. You can choose or reject offers.\n\n\nHow to work with clients for sponsored posts/\n\n\nThe general flow if clients approach you is:\n\n\nCompanies email you asking how much you charge for a specific type of content or engagement\nYou email back with your rates\nSome negotiation or request for website/social media statistics might happen\nAccept or decline the work at the rate they offer or counter-offer, up to you\n\n\nThe general flow if you approach clients is:\n\n\nIndicate that you\u2019re interested to work with them, what you can offer and give them your website/social media statistic\nIf they\u2019re also interested, negotiate rates and what you can deliver\nAccept or decline the work at the rate they offer or counter-offer, up to you\n\n\nHere are some articles that will help you in the figuring-out process: \n\n\n5 Methods to Figure Out Your Rates\nThe Exact Email Template You Can Use to Get Hired by Clients\nHow I Get Great Clients Who Pay & Treat Me Well\n\n\nNowadays I\u2019m quite choosy with who I decide to accept to promote on Ringgit Oh Ringgit. Personally, I have several rules when it comes to company promotions:\n\n\nIt must be a \nproduct or service that I like\n / use anyway\nIt must come with a \ndisclosure policy\n (for example, some companies legit offered me money to write about them without the [sponsored] tag) (unfortunately, I know some bloggers who do it)\nIt must \nfit into the theme\n of my website (finance-related) and the content I\u2019m writing anyway\nIt must be, to the best of my knowledge,\n a legit platform\n\n\nHowever, I don\u2019t judge other bloggers who hustle hard and earn whatever they can, however they can. \n\n\nConclusion\n\n\nTo earn money from blogging is hard work, but can be fun AND financially fulfilling.\n\n\nMy personal agenda from writing this post is simple:\n I just want to read more good-quality shit from other Malaysians\n. I see your posts on social media. You guys have such amazing information to share, such amazing personalities kept hidden.\n\n\nHow many times have you read \u2018news\u2019 that is nothing more than someone else\u2019s Facebook posting? I want you to monetise your own content, dammit, before other semi-news outlets take that profit from you. It makes me angry.\n\n\nWell anyway. Reach out if you ever need help. I can review websites and blogs and stuff and give you feedback from the user experience side. Now go forth and prosper. \n\n\nIf blogging is not for you, but you still want to earn online, check out my\u00a0\nThe Exact Steps I Use to Earn Online in Malaysia\n article. All tbe best in whatever you choose to do \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/blogging/how-to-create-a-blog/", "title": "[SPONSORED] How to Create a Blog that Doesn\u2019t Suck & Generates Income\n  ", "body": "According to a website report, Ringgit Oh Ringgit blog is A- grade, or \u2018very good\u2019. I have As for SEO, Usability, Social and Security aspects. Only Performance aspect is not great, but that\u2019s because my page size is big (due to the ads).\n\n\n\n\nAt the time of writing, Ringgit Oh Ringgit has been around for 2.5 years, more or less. Figuring out how to create a blog in the beginning was hard; I just wanted to write shit, and I didn\u2019t know there are many other aspects I have to know and consider. \n\n\nAs I was adamant to generate income from this hobby, I had no choice but to learn as I go along. Here are some things I wish I knew earlier. This article is for you fellow bloggers and companies doing content marketing as a lead generation strategy. \n\n\nWHERE to publish your stuff\n\n\nThere are many, many, MANY options available for someone who just wants to get their thoughts and opinions out there. Have I said many?\n\n\nHere are just SOME that I know: Wordpress, Blogger, Tumblr, Steem, Livejournal, Medium and \nNocturnal\n (Malaysia-based so give free backlink!)\n\n\nThen you can also publish on social media, like Facebook, Twitter (micro-content), Instagram, YouTube (vloging), stuff like that. \n\n\nI\u2019ve personally tried a few options, but stuck to Wordpress. About 30% of ALL websites in the world use Wordpress. The community is amazing, and I was surprised to find out specialised guides, experts and services that have been available for it all this while. \u00a0\n\n\nIf you use Wordpress (or exploring it), come join us at \nWordpress Meetup Kuala Lumpur FB page\n!\n\n\nIf you want to use other options, that\u2019s cool too \ud83d\ude42 Just know that some options will limit your blog monetisation options. \n\n\nThe hosting matters a LOT\n\n\nThe hosting = the company that provides the server that keeps all of your blog data. You don\u2019t need to worry about hosting if you publish on free platforms. \n\n\nTo create a blog that is fully customisable and allows the implementation of many types of monetisation strategies, you MUST pay for your hosting. \n\n\nFor one, [blogname].wordpress.com or [blogname].blogspot.com is long and may show you\u2019re \u2018not serious enough\u2019. Two, you can\u2019t do certain things like add Adsense to your blog. \n\n\nI started with the free Wordpress option before I decided to make my blog more \u2018professional\u2019. When ringgitohringgit.wordpress.com became ringgitohringgit.com, I researched for the best hosting package for me. Many online guides suggested BlueHost, so I believed them and bought the plan. \n\n\nLesson learned. BlueHost was good, but \nnot the best for Malaysia-based blogs and websites. \nLast I checked, they don\u2019t keep servers in the region, making the website speed extremely slow. \n\n\nSlow websites will make people leave your page\n. When was the last time you waited for more than 10 seconds for a page to load before losing patience and abandoning it entirely? \n\n\nJust trust me on this \u2013 if you\u2019re targeting the Malaysian audience, make sure your website loads fast in Malaysia. It will make a difference!\n\n\n\n\nI personally use the hosting company SiteGround (\nreview\n | \nlink to hosting plans\n). Here are \nsome other hosting companies\n that work great for websites targeting Malaysia (and Singapore). \n\n\nSticking to a niche\n\n\nImagine you\u2019re on Instagram. You follow this one profile for their, say, fitness-related content. Then one day they just start posting about random things that have nothing to do with fitness, like gardening or whatever. Would you still follow them?\n\n\nRight? Confusing as hell. If they don\u2019t go back to fitness, or at least make it crazy entertaining, I\u2019ll just unfollow. You\u2019ve probably done this too. \n\n\nKnowing this, WHY would you lump every and any topic in your blog? Unless you are a celebrity, no one really wants to know about your life. Hurts but there you go. Real talk. \n\n\nOf course, your primary motivation to become a blogger in the first place is because you want to write about what YOU want to write about. But there must be a fine line between \nbalancing what you want to write vs what people want to read\n. It must provide value to the audience. It must be educational and/or entertaining. That\u2019s how you make them come back and hopefully follow you. You\u2019re known as that subject matter expert. \n\n\nNow, I\u2019m not saying you must be an expert to write about it. Not at all. Obviously, it\u2019ll help by giving you authority, but it\u2019s not a requirement. For example, my niche is personal finance and I\u2019ve seen some \u2018here\u2019s what I\u2019m doing to get out of debt\u2019-type blogs doing really well. \n\n\nDon\u2019t lump Lifestyle + Food + Travel + Fashion + Others together. Pick one overarching theme then do whatever you want as long as it fits that theme. For example:\n\n\n\n\nExploring Malaysian street food under a Food blog\n\n\nNature photography in Country Z under a Travel blog \n\n\nYour workout routines under a Fitness blog\n\n\nToys reviews under a Parenting blog\n\n\nBeauty reviews with ingredients breakdown under a Beauty blog (\nIeyra H does this\n!)\n\n\n\n\nMy blog\u2019s overarching theme is personal finance, so whatever topic I write \u2013 travel, food, tech, life, etc \u2013 has a personal finance angle. Travel posts become budget travel posts. Food posts become grocery shopping hacks. Things like that. \n\n\nLearning how to market your blog\n\n\nPublishing your content in a blog does not automatically bring in traffic. That requires separate skill sets that I really didn\u2019t know about when I first started blogging!\n\n\nThere are many ways to increase traffic to your blog. Some strategies I actively use are:\n\n\n\n\nSEO\n\n\nPaid ads\n\n\nGuest blogging (publishing your content to another source with a wider audience)\n\n\nCreating a community\n\n\nLong-form content\n\n\nOrganising giveaways\n\n\nOrganising contests\n\n\nAnd more! I\u2019m still experimenting!\n\n\n\n\nThis is an awesome post compiling \n27 ways you can do to increase traffic to your blog\n. \n\n\nPaying for a bunch of stuff to improve and maintain it\n\n\nAside from the hosting costs mentioned above, I also paid for:\n\n\n\n\nLogo design\n\n\nSoftware and tools\n\n\nTransportation costs to events and stuff\n\n\nReports and audits\n\n\nPremium theme (website design)\n\n\nSolving technical issues\n\n\nAnd more\n\n\n\n\nBut I don\u2019t mind. With each investment I make, I get more traffic, which translates to more $ opportunities. I wrote about the exact steps I use to earn money from blogging \nin this article\n. \n\n\nPosting regularly and consistently\n\n\nPeople will stop visiting if you don\u2019t publish regularly :/ This one is kind of common sense, but yeah just have to put it out there. \n\n\nI know how to create a blog. I\u2019ve been doing it for years. Why should I listen to you?\n\n\nIn a symbol, $\n\n\nI love personal finance \u2013 money strategies are legit FUN for me. I have personally generated a good amount of side income from Ringgit Oh Ringgit, which is technically a hobby. \n\n\nIt\u2019s nice to get paid for what you love doing. I feel so lucky and incredibly fulfilled in this line. Everybody wins \u2013 you, the audience, the companies wanting to reach your audience \u2013 everybody. I don\u2019t have to defeat competitors to stay ahead, because there\u2019s enough room for all to cari makan. \n\n\nUnless you truly don\u2019t care about the money, and just want to write for fun, and don\u2019t care about people reading it or not, then sure. Making content for the sheer joy of making content is a beautiful thing too. \n\n\nBut for most of us, we want to turn blogging into a viable side income stream. We want that ad money, or attract (high-paying) clients or customers, or AT LEAST gain another type of currency \u2013 reputation and respect among our peers. \n\n\nBloggers reading this, can you share what other things you wished you knew earlier? Leave a link to your blogs \u2013 would love to check it out. What content do you make? What hosting platform do you use (\ndo they have good reviews?\n)? How do you monetise it?\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/blogging/income-malaysian-blogger/", "title": "[VIDEO] My 8 Sources of Income As a Malaysian Blogger\n  ", "body": "Hey everyone! I\u2019ve decided to do a video reveal of all my 8 current sources of income as a Malaysian blogger, and additional income ideas I might consider to do in the future. Combined, I\u2019m not rolling in cash or whatever, but enough la to get by. Most importantly I\u2019m enjoying the process.\n\n\nMy sources of income:\n\n\n\n\nWriting\n\n\nMarketing\n\n\nConsultation\n\n\nSpeaking\n\n\nWriting Ad Revenue\n\n\nSponsored Post\n\n\nAffiliates & Referral\n\n\nProduct Sales (\nMoney Stories from Malaysians book series\n)\n\n\n\n\nA good and affordable course to take is Aisha Preece\u2019s \nHow to Make Money Blogging for Beginners\n course. I personally took her course and it\u2019s really good! She makes it practical and easy to implement.\n\n\nHow many sources of incomes do you have? Are you planning to explore additional sources of incomes? If yes, which ones? Tell me in the comments section!\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/blogging/influencers-in-malaysia/", "title": "4 Things I Learned After Getting Paid for Influencer Services in Malaysia\n  ", "body": "Since I started Ringgit Oh Ringgit, I\u2019ve been lucky enough to be approached by brands that want to work with me. I\u2019ve done \nsponsored content\n for at least 10 companies now, including some pretty big names in the financial space.\n\n\nLike I mentioned in my\u00a0\nWhat It\u2019s Like to be a Personal Finance Blogger in Malaysia\n article, I didn\u2019t set out wanting to be a \u2018KOL\u2019 (key opinion leader), or an influencer of any kind. In fact, hearing people calling me a KOL/influencer is still weird.\n\n\nIt only sunk in after a friend sat me down and berated the shit out of me. Thanks friend for the tough love approach, I appreciate it, even if you did call me some unprintable words.\n\n\nSo with that in mind, I thought it would be fun to write about my experience so far, and a little bit about influencers in Malaysia. Here are some things I learned.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Influencers sell attention, a high-value commodity\n\n\n\n\nI put this as number one in the list for a good reason. Getting attention in this day and age is hard. We are so desensitised to most types of advertisements that often, only concentrated efforts catch our attention. That means producing entertaining and/or educational content as part of a content marketing strategy.\n\n\nIt\u2019s rare for companies to do good content marketing by themselves. Firstly, everyone knows the agenda \u2013 companies want to sell more of their product/services \u2013 so we secretly roll our eyes when they praise and call themselves \u2018the best\u2019.\n\n\nSecondly, companies suffer from something called the \nexpert bias\n. They are so familiar with their products and services that they can\u2019t see alternative viewpoints, let alone come up with out-of-the-box content ideas. That\u2019s where influencers come in.\n\n\nIsn\u2019t it amazing that we live in a world that information is so abundant that influencers get to make money by selling attention? :/ I don\u2019t know what to make of it. A part of me thinks its ridiculous.\n\n\nThen another part of me is like, eh you don\u2019t have to know how it works, you just need to know how to play the game and take advantage of the situation.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 How I get approached and paid for influencer services in Malaysia\n\n\nI\u2019ve been approached from all of the below:\n\n\n\n\nDirect from companies.\n Usually the Communications or Marketing department send me an email from my \nhire me\n page. If the company is small, sometimes even the founder/CEO reach out\n\n\nFrom agencies representing companies\n. Representatives from creative agencies tend to FB message/DM/PM me on my social media profiles instead of emailing. I\u2019m not saying this is the norm, just what I experienced so far.\n\n\nFrom influencer platforms.\n Google \u2018influencer platform Malaysia\u2019 and you\u2019ll see at least like 10 platforms connecting companies with influencers. I get invited to join these platforms sometimes.\n\n\n\n\nIf you are a new-ish influencer and would like to know how to get clients, this \nHow to Get Clients: A Guide for Malaysian Freelancers\n article is a good place to start.\n\n\nAgain, I\u2019ve been lucky enough to be approached by companies so far. What I haven\u2019t done yet is approaching companies myself and pitching my services to them, otherwise known as cold-calling and cold-emailing. This is something I plan to do in 2019 to increase my earning potential.\n\n\nI hope it won\u2019t be too emotionally draining. Like dating, I\u2019ll probably get rejected and ignored by most of the companies I approach, but at the end of the day I have to remember it\u2019s a numbers game.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 The hate on influencers in general are unjustified\n\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t understand why [popular influencer] has millions of followers, she only posts pictures of herself! I could do that!\u201d\n\n\n\u201c[popular influencer] only captions images with vague \u2018inspirational\u2019 quotes. I don\u2019t get why he gets brand deals!\u201d\n\n\nSocmed is full of people who say things like the above. Who knows, you might say it too (I fully admit I did). Sometimes I see people bond over their mutual hatred for a particular influencer, which to be honest is kinda weird if you think about it.\n\n\nLet me share something:\n\n\n\n\nPopular influencers are far from stupid\n. They have mastered the art of digital marketing, a highly, highly valued skill in this day and age.\u00a0\nTheir content are visible because of their skills, not luck. \nDo you think it\u2019s easy to make your content visible amidst\u00a0\nmillions of other content produced in the same\u00a0\nhour\n?\u00a0You think it just so happens that they post at 12pm on a Tuesday? No, they scheduled the post then because data analytics say that\u2019s the highest number of online users at the time\n\n\nPopular influencers are also business-savvy\n. You may see the finished product \u2013 the article, the pictures, the videos. What you don\u2019t see is the contract negotiation, the administrative tasks, the meetings, the pitching sessions and cold calls and cold emails and everything else to make the partnership happen.\u00a0All the rules to self-employment apply, especially number #2 in my\u00a0\n11 things I learned about self-employment in Malaysia\n post \u2013 You still have to do things you don\u2019t necessarily like to do\n\n\nPopular influencers are disciplined with content creation.\n Note that I didn\u2019t say \u2018content ideation\u2019 \u2013 anyone can think of brilliant ideas, they\u2019re like a dime a dozen. I said content \ncreation\n. It takes a lot of work ethics and skills to consistently produce high-quality content.\n\n\n\n\nAgain, I admit I went through the phase where I was salty towards popular influencers. It\u2019s not until I tried to grow an audience myself that I knew how hard it is to grow an audience and realised the difference between our digital marketing skill levels. Compared to them, I have a long, looong way to go.\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nCase Study: My Blog\u2019s Digital Marketing Strategy\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Having said that, the influencer space has some pretty weird things going on..\n\n\nFor example, \nfake sponsored content\n is a thing?? Some people take the \u2018fake it till you make it\u2019 to a whole new level by misleading their followers. They faked brand deals to appear like they \u2018made it\u2019.\n\n\nWhat a turn of events. Wasn\u2019t it juuuust yesterday that people think partnering with brands is like selling out (if not done well)?\n\n\nI\u2019m admin in a Facebook community for Malaysian Bloggers and Social Media, and asked if the incident happens in Malaysia too. Apparently, it does. Apparently, someone labelled Instastories and Instagram posts with the #sponsored and \u2018in sponsorship with\u2019 tag after receiving\u2026 a discount. I know, I shook my head in disbelief too.\n\n\nAnother thing that happens in the influencer community is faking followers and engagement. I\u2019m talking about:\n\n\n\n\nServices where you pay money to gain followers (mostly bots/fake users)\n\n\nOnline communities where rising influencers form \u2018pods\u2019 so they can comment and like each others\u2019 posts\n\n\n\n\n(btw, you can totally use \nthese tips\n to check if the influencer has fake followers)\n\n\nBut fake sponsored content and fake followers/engagement is not the worst. Some are downright unethical, like:\n\n\n\n\nHiding sponsorships and passing (positive) commentaries for products/services off as actual, genuine reviews. Some are obvious, but some are really subtle and done so professionally, you can\u2019t tell at all\n\n\nGetting paid to bash a company\u2019s competitor\n (wtf!)\n\n\n\n\nI mean, seriously, that\u2019s just\u2026 ugh. Do you know of any more unethical practices? Share what you\u2019ve seen in the comments section!\n\n\nWhat do you think of influencers in Malaysia?\n\n\nSpecifically:\n\n\n\n\nWho do you follow, and what made you decide to follow them? You can share lifestyle influencers (food, travel, beauty, fashion) or niche influencers (tech, personal finance, minimalism, etc), your call\n\n\nHave you ever bought something because the influencers you follow recommended them?\n\n\nWhat would you like to see in the local influencers scene in Malaysia?\n\n\nAnd\u2026 would you like to become one? If yes, what niche or personal branding will you take on?\n\n\n\n\nYou don\u2019t have to answer all \ud83d\ude42 Whichever is fine. Can\u2019t wait to hear your viewpoints \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/blogging/personal-blog/", "title": "My Personal Blog Costs RM1,646.36 per Month. Breakdown Inside.\n  ", "body": "\n\nOne day I thought to myself, hmm let\u2019s make a personal blog about my favourite topic, personal finance. It wasn\u2019t easy, but it took off, and my life changed forever. \n\n\nOne of the things I learned in the process is personal blogs can be free to start, but they are certainly not free to continue \nprofessionally\n \u2013 there are a lot more costs than you think. How much do you think professional bloggers in Malaysia spend on maintaining their website(s) and work? Go on, take a guess.\n\n\nI don\u2019t know about the rest, but for me, the amount is \nRM1,646.36 per month on average\n.\n\n\nHow did I get that figure? Well, I know that I\u2019ve spent RM125,123.53 in Business expenses from June 2015 until the time of writing (October 2021). That\u2019s 76 months, more or less. Therefore, RM1,646.36 per month. More or less. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo be fair, not *all* of the amount was used directly for blogging. After I quit my job around June 2015, I just tried a bunch of things, then concentrated all my energy on the one that is making the most progress, which happened to be blogging.\n\n\nI thought it would be fun to go down memory lane and show you what kind of things I paid for since the beginning.\n\n\nStarting out expenses: June 2015 \u2013 December 2015\n\n\nAfter I quit my full-time job around June 2015, I was just blogging passively, as a hobby, at a free platform. I\u2019ve always blogged about personal finance, across different platforms. I just never \nmonetised\n it \u2013 didn\u2019t even see it as an option.\n\n\nSomehow, I thought of this idea \u2013 to offer people a variety pack of instant coffees that they can have fun trying out. Honestly I was just trying different ways to make money at the time. I called it KotakKoffee, and can still find records of it in my social media archives (the link is dead so no need click ok).\n\n\nIntroducing my pet project: Kotak Koffee \nhttp://t.co/RNwU1Oh9Xh\n \npic.twitter.com/QJI7CHmqlg\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nAugust 4, 2015\n\n\n\n\nSo I executed it, but in a few months, I realised it was doomed to fail so I killed it off.\n\n\nIn total, I invested around RM800+ for KotakKoffee, broken into the following expenses:\n\n\nInstant coffee stock\nPackaging and stickers\nAn e-commerce website via Easystore\nNamecards and company stamp\nDecorations and supplies for a booth setup\n\n\nI used to think KotakKoffee was a waste of money (and also a bit embarrassing), but little that I know that the experience taught me a lot of skills that eventually helped me to make a living as a blogger in Malaysia. So I didn\u2019t regret it, not one bit.\n\n\nTaking my personal blog seriously\n\n\nAfter KotakKoffee died, I doubled down on offering my freelance writing services just so I could earn something, anything. Talked a bit more about this in the \nExact Steps I Use to Earn Money from Blogging\n article.\n\n\nThe key moment was buying the ringgitohringgit.com website domain\n. Up until then, I was using ringgitohringgit.wordpress.com (and before that, chickenflossbun.com). That was the foundation that enabled all my other revenue streams, and made me serious about generating income from this personal blog!\n\n\nNow, I earn money from:\n\n\nOffering my content creation and management services directly instead of relying on freelancing platforms (see: \nHire me!\n)\nAffiliate and referral links\nProduct creation (see: \nMoney Stories from Malaysians)\nSponsored posts (see: \nall my sponsored posts\n)\nMoney from website traffic\nOrganising \nworkshops\nAnd whatever money experiments I feel like doing (like \nvending machine business\n)\n\n\nTelling you the above is essential because it would explain the types of Business expenses I make. Some expenses are investments in education, some are products and services to improve this website, some are for marketing, etcetera.\n\n\nI\u2019m going to share with you these expenses \nin the order I paid for it\n. Note: I\u2019m not saying these are the best way to do it (most definitely not), but at least you can see what types of expenses a persona finance personal blog looked like over the years.\n\n\nAll of these expenses were meticulously recorded in my expense-tracking app, so I can write them off as business expenses during tax season!\n\n\nRelated: \nHow Expense Tracking Looks Like (As Someone Who Doesn\u2019t Budget\n)\n\n\nPersonal blog expenses: January 2016 \u2013 December 2016 \n\n\nIn \n2016\n, I paid for the following expenses:\n\n\nWebsite domain and hosting\nA \nWordpress theme\nThe \nRoR logo\n from Fiverr\nBusiness cards\nMembership to Malaysian Writers Society\nA\n virtual assistant\n for RM800 per month\nWebsite speed improvements\n from Fiverr\nBooks\n\n\nPersonal blog expenses: January 2017 \u2013 December 2017  \n\n\nIn \n2017\n, I paid for the following expenses:\n\n\nA new \nphone\n for work\nA virtual assistant for RM800 per month\nProject management\n \u2013 working with Malaysian writers and designers\nSome courses on Udemy (a bitcoin course which helped me to pass the certified bitcoin professional exam)\nA new \nlaptop\n for work\nMembership renewal to Malaysian Writers Society\nEntry tickets to\n industry events\n, such as Wordcamp KL\nFacebook ads\n for Bajet 2018 Lepak Session with Julian Ng and Aaron Tang\nMoved RinggitohRinggit\u2019s hosting/domain to improve speed\nBooks\nGrammarly premium\n\n\nPersonal blog expenses: January 2018 \u2013 December 2018\n\n\nIn \n2018\n, I paid for the following expenses:\n\n\nUdemy courses (adwords, digital marketing etc)\nProject management \u2013 working with Malaysian writers and designers\nBooks\nA virtual assistant for RM800 per month (up until May 2018 only. Decided to let her go)\nEntry tickets to industry events, such as Peatix Backstage Pass KL\nWriters retreat\n organised by Malaysian Writers Society\nMembership renewal to Malaysian Writers Society\nFacebook ads to promote\n writing competition\n for \nMoney Stories from Malaysians\nCoaching and editing services for the book\nBook cover design and illustrations for the book\nDigital marketing bootcamp\nTroubleshooting website errors\nDomain renewal\nStarted monthly subscription to \nEzoic Premium\n to increase income from traffic\nBought Whitesmoke, the proofreading service (but it\u2019s crap. Much prefer Grammarly)\n\n\nAlso, in 2018 I experimented with another business, Suna Productions. We held a theatre show. This venture has since been abandoned since I parted ways with the biz partner.\n\n\nPersonal blog expenses: January 2019 \u2013 December 2019 \n\n\nIn \n2019\n, I paid for the following expenses:\n\n\nContract-related \nlegal services\nPrinting costs\n for \nMoney Stories from Malaysians\nAnd packaging and postage costs to deliver the books to you!\nBought a tripod and microphone to start experimenting with \nvideo content\nRenewed Grammarly Premium subscription\nProject management \u2013 working with Malaysian writers and designers\nReprinting \nMoney Stories from Malaysians\n because I don\u2019t have enough stock on hand to give to bookstores!\nWriting retreat\nSocialbee, a marketing technology (\u2018\nmartech\n\u2018) tool that helps me automate postings\nBought a cake and hired a photographer for the \nbook launch\nEntry ticket to industry events, such as D/M Summit and Wordcamp Asia\nBought a video course, \u2018Confidence on Camera\u2019\nAccountant fees\n to look over my taxes and templates\nSpeech coaching\nSupport package for wordpress troubleshooting\nMic stand for podcast (which end up cancelled)\nFlight ticket and hotel room in Bangkok (cancelled trip)\n\n\n Personal blog expenses: January 2020 \u2013 December 2020\n\n\n In \n2020\n, I paid for the following expenses: \n\n\nGoal-setting workshop\nAdapter to use in my workshop\nFood & cleaning fees for workshop\nBook printing\nBook illustrations\nA few online courses (Pinterest, Mastering Sales)\niPhone for work (and personal hehe)\nDesign thinking workshop\nProofreading software (Linguix)\n3 years of hosting \nEmail newsletter software (Sendfox)\nThe \nvending machine\n business which doubles as content material and side income\nInvoicing software\nCertified Financial Planning\n fees\nNew website theme\n\n\n Personal blog expenses: January 2021 \u2013 October 2021\n\n\n In \n2021\n (so far), I paid for the following expenses: \n\n\nProofreading subscription\nMore CFP fees\nWebsite SEO content audit \nWebsite SEO technical audit \nSocial proof plugin\nNew microphone\nGraphic designer\nBook editing \nFinance course\n\n\nHow I would do my personal blog all over again\n\n\nIf I could do it all over again, I would delay hiring the virtual assistant. It\u2019s not that she wasn\u2019t useful. It\u2019s just I didn\u2019t know how to make the best use of her. I was that boss who didn\u2019t know what they want, just that it should be \u2018better\u2019.\n\n\nAnd let\u2019s be honest. It was more for my ego\u2019s sake, than anything else. Letting her go and freeing that RM800 in monthly expenses was a good decision. Should\u2019ve done it sooner than letting it go on for 1.5 years\n\n\nWhat I *am* happy about though, is all the investments I\u2019ve put into knowledge, skills-building and experimenting. There are also some skills which I realised I\u2019m not good at, and I need a professional (like Wordpress troubleshooting. One time, ringgitohringgit.com rerouted to this cow farm website in China???).\n\n\nSince I\u2019m self-funding this project (ie no loans) and rolling over profits back into the business, the progress may be slower than others (who start at a bigger capital). I mean, only *just* paid for accountancy services in year 4, something that I\u2019ve arguably had to do since year 1.\n\n\nRelated: \n[PERSONAL] What It\u2019s Like to be a Personal Finance Blogger in Malaysia\n\n\nLast words\n\n\nAs a final note, let me just debunk once and for all that making a living as a blogger in Malaysia is easy and cheap. It\u2019s not. I mean, you can do it for cheap, but not \nprofessionally\n for cheap. I pay RM1,646.36 per month on average but others may pay more.\n\n\nAnd that\u2019s not even including the time cost. Oh my God, I really don\u2019t know how people with bigger audiences do it!\n\n\nDo you have a personal blog? Are you a blogger or a content creator? What expenses do YOU pay for? Share with us in the comments section!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/blogging/personal-finance-blog-ideas/", "title": "6 Personal Finance Blog Ideas, Absolutely Free for You to Take\n  ", "body": "Fact: I started Ringgit Oh Ringgit blog because the content I wanted to read did not exist.\n\n\nWhat I mean by that is I wanted to read personal finance content that is:\n\n\n\n\nPreferably Malaysia-specific\u00a0\n\n\nRelatable\n \u2013 I want to read a person\u2019s POV, not a company. I want to see personality!\n\n\nNot too jargon-heavy\n \u2013 that eliminates a lot of articles that appear on The Edge and stuff\n\n\nNot too \u2018sales-y\u2019\n \u2013 we can tell when you\u2019re pushing a credit card, loan, etc on us you know\n\n\nNot too generic\n \u2013 It\u2019s important to save money, they said, without telling you how\n\n\nNot too \u2018advice-y\u2019\n \u2013 Some of the materials can be really condescending\n\n\n\n\nIt turns out that many of you felt the same way, judging by the way Ringgit Oh Ringgit took off. I honestly didn\u2019t expect it. I was so shocked, I wrote this article:\n[PERSONAL] What It\u2019s Like to be a Personal Finance Blogger in Malaysia\n\n\nThe good thing is, as of time of writing, more and more Malaysians are sharing personal finance content online! I keep an updated list at\u00a0\nRecommended personal finance websites in Malaysia\n page.\n\n\nSome of you may be long-time readers and may contemplate starting your own personal finance blogs. In fact, I did get a couple of queries about this very topic.\n\n\nIn this article, I\u2019m going to compile some personal finance blog ideas. Take them, absolutely free of charge, no consultation fee needed.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Anything food-related\n\n\nI had to put this as #1. Saying Malaysians love food is like saying we breathe from our nose. It\u2019s common sense.\n\n\nSome personal finance blog ideas for food topic:\n\n\n\n\nRecipes with the cost breakdown\n\n\nGrocery hauls\n\n\nBargain bin hauls\n\n\nHealthy eating \u2013 vegan, meat-free, organic etc\n\n\nEating lifestyles \u2013 intermittent fasting, keto, meal-prep\n\n\nRestaurant hacking \u2013 eating well with vouchers, special deals, etc\n\n\n\n\nThe only content creator who I know does this (but not often) is Sara Khong of \nJewelpie\n. She wrote a comprehensive guide when she built her edible garden.\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Anything accommodation-related\n\n\nHaving read that Malaysians are rated as the fourth most \u2018obsessed with properties\u2019 in the world, you\u2019d think there would be more personal finance bloggers who concentrate on properties. But no, not really.\n\n\n(I\u2019m not talking about property gurus or speakers by the way. Just us normal folks)\n\n\nSome personal finance blog ideas for property topic:\n\n\n\n\nAttending and reviewing open houses organised by developers\n\n\nBuilding own house\n\n\nAlternative housing (see:\u00a0\nAffordable Housing in Malaysia: 6 Alternatives to Consider\n)\n\n\nAdventures of a landlord/landlady/AirbnB owner\n\n\nHotel hacking \u2013 trying out different hotels with vouchers, special deals etc\n\n\nHome organisation/Interior Design\n\n\n\n\nRight now, I\u2019m keenly following \nAtiqah\u2019s tiny home building series\n. She doesn\u2019t update very often but whatever she has is top quality stuff.\n\n\n\n\nI also enjoyed Renovation Logs posted by \nRinggit Velvet\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Anything hobby-related\n\n\nI kind of do this with one hobby of mine \u2013 travel. My \nTravel Series\n breaks down how much I spend on my travels and for what. I used to be a budget traveller, but now shifted to a value-for-money traveller \u2013 I don\u2019t mind paying more for comfort and convenience. You can do this too.\n\n\nSome personal finance blog ideas for hobby topics:\n\n\n\n\nTech & Gadget \u2013 Setting up PCs for under RMx000, smart home-ing on a budget, etc\n\n\nFashion \u2013 thrift finds, sewing projects with cost breakdown, capsule wardrobe, etc\n\n\nBeauty \u2013 DIY makeup and skincare with cost breakdown, etc\n\n\nTravel \u2013 airline points hacking, etc\n\n\n\n\nThere are so many different types of hobbies that I can\u2019t possibly list them all here. But you get the drift \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nI don\u2019t know anyone who does this type of personal finance blogs. Sometimes I would see creative professionals dedicating one post to explain the business side of their craft, but it\u2019s quite rare.\n\n\nI could be wrong. It\u2019s possible they\u2019re simply not on my radar yet. If you know any, please share them in the comments section.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Debt-free journeys OR Financial Independence/Retire Early\n\n\nDebt-free and FI/RE communities are like two sides of the same coin \u2013 they have the same goals (accumulate a bunch of money as fast as possible) and similar methodologies too.\n\n\nMany highly successful international personal finance bloggers belong to this category too. I love it a lot \u2013 the narrative is something that companies can never, ever replicate.\n\n\nSome personal finance blog ideas for debt-free journeys or FI/RE topic:\n\n\n\n\nFrugal living\n\n\nEarning side income / freelancing\n\n\nDoing lifestyle changes\n\n\nInvestments\n\n\nMinimalism\n\n\n\n\nFor some reason, Malaysians are more keen to share their debt-free journeys on Instagram rather than blog. That\u2019s cool too. The images below were all tagged #debtfreemalaysia, check them out.\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\n21 Malaysia-Based Personal Finance Instagrammers You Should Follow\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Business journeys\n\n\nA whopping 98.5% of all companies in Malaysia are SMEs, but how come we never really hear about them? I understand day-to-day operations must be busy, but (1) this helps so much with your personal branding, and (2) might be really good for inbound marketing.\n\n\nSome personal finance blog ideas for business journey topic:\n\n\n\n\nBehind the scenes of fund-raising processes\n\n\nThe highlights and lowlights of a particular month\n\n\nChallenges in business operations\n\n\n\n\nI think the trick here is to separate \u2018business you\u2019 from \u2018personal you\u2019. For example, \u2018business me\u2019 is most of the articles I write on Ringgit Oh Ringgit, while \u2018personal me\u2019 is all my posts tagged as [PERSONAL] and my \nmonthly budget updates\n.\n\n\nAlternative: using LinkedIn to publish them. I\u2019m personally not that active on LinkedIn, but I know some people are regarded as thought leaders there because they do this.\n\n\nAnyone here are regular LinkedIn users? Any business thought leaders to recommend? Please share them in the comments \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n#6 \u2013 The finance professionals\n\n\nOkay to be fair there are a lot of these types of blogs. Finance professionals exist for most types of financial tools or vehicles.\n\n\nFor example,\n\n\n\n\nKopiandproperty.com only talks about properties\n\n\nGenXGenYGenZ.com is known for credit card tips\n\n\nPelhamBlue shares their warrants trading\n\n\nDividendMagic writes about dividend investing\n\n\nStockMonger analyses stocks\n\n\n\n\nI like the above folks because their articles are a lot more easy to understand than the rest.\u00a0\nThat\u2019s what we lack\n. The best experts are the ones who don\u2019t have to rely on big words to carry their message across.\n\n\nSome personal finance blog ideas for finance professional:\n\n\n\n\nMutual funds and unit trusts \u2013 what is in each fund? Who is it for?\n\n\nMargin-trading\u00a0 experiments\n\n\nForex entries\n\n\nAnonymous banker/venture capital\n\n\n\n\nLast words\n\n\nOh cool you read this far. That must mean you are interested in at least one of the topics above, right? You\u2019d want to read it too, right?\n\n\nHere\u2019s an idea \u2013 why not start your own personal finance blog?\n\n\nIt doesn\u2019t matter if you don\u2019t have the skills \u2013 writing, website management or otherwise. No one was born with the knowledge, everyone starts somewhere.\n\n\nIf you want to try out this blogging thing \u2013 it doesn\u2019t even have to cost money in the beginning, just time \u2013 then read Steps 1-3 in my \nThe Exact Steps I Use to Earn Money from Blogging\n article.\n\n\nWhat do you want to read from the above personal finance blog suggestions? What other topics would you suggest? List them in the comments, who knows someone might be up for the challenge!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/blogging/personal-finance-blogger-malaysia/", "title": "[PERSONAL] What It\u2019s Like to be a Personal Finance Blogger in Malaysia\n  ", "body": "This whole blogging thing. It wasn\u2019t intentional. I mean, it was, the whole writing part was. But the\u00a0\nrecognition\n that comes with it, the knowledge that what I write and say has some form of influence\u2026 that part wasn\u2019t intentional at all. Truthfully I\u2019m still shocked by this blog\u2019s success. The total number of visits crossed the one million mark recently. One million!\n\n\n As of August 2018\n\n\nHere are some personal thoughts, observations and reflections on being a personal finance blogger in Malaysia.\n\n\nThere is an obvious demand for personal finance bloggers in Malaysia\n\n\nThe personal finance blogging niche is far from being oversaturated in Malaysia. If you like personal finance, and you want to try blogging too, I can recommend exploring this niche. If you are already blogging, even better \u2013 here\u2019s\u00a0\nHow to Create a Blog that Doesn\u2019t Suck & Generates Income\n\n\nA big misconception about personal finance blogging is you have to know a lot about finance before you start. That\u2019s not true. Here\u2019s the thing \u2013 there are lots of financial content out there. But there are not a lot of \npersonal accounts\n about managing finances, which is what people want to read!\n\n\nMy biggest tip for personal finance bloggers is this: stay away from giving advice.\n\n\n(Ironically, this is an advice. But anyway.)\n\n\nIf people want to get financial advice, they can go to banks. To AKPK. To the bookstore. To financial platforms which explain GST vs SST and whatnot.\u00a0\nYou don\u2019t have to write about these things.\n\n\nInstead, you can write about:\n\n\n\n\nWhat you\u2019re doing to pay off your debt, plus regular progress updates\n\n\nWhat you cook at home, and how much they cost\n\n\nProperties you viewed and whether you liked/disliked it\n\n\nHow you do your hobbies on a budget\n\n\n\n\nSeriously, I\u2019d personally read the shit out of \u2018I don\u2019t know what the hell I\u2019m doing but watch me figure this money thing out\u2019-type blogs. Do you agree?\n\n\nGo on and start. Share with me your website link. I\u2019ll add it into the\u00a0\nRecommended personal finance websites in Malaysia\n\u00a0list.\n\n\nLOTS of sponsored post opportunities\n\n\nThis links back to the above point (demand for personal finance bloggers in Malaysia).\u00a0Guys. I get my share of inquiries. You know I do sponsored posts on this blog, but what you may not know is I turn down some opportunities on a regular basis, especially the ones that deal with gambling and forex activities.\n\n\nHere are some types of companies that reach out to me to promote their products and services (some may overlap):\n\n\n\n\nfintech\n\n\nproperty\n\n\ninvestment consultation companies\n\n\ngold investment\n\n\ncrypto platforms\n\n\ncompanies doing ICOs\n\n\ncredit card/loan/insurance comparison platforms\n\n\n\n\n\u2026 basically most companies within the financial services sector who want to reach and get you as their potential customer or investor.\n\n\nSome of them are clear-cut nos for me. They want native ads, or positive reviews about them that does not include the \u2018sponsored\u2019 tag.\n\n\nWhen this happens, I refuse the hell out of them, and get a lot more sceptical of their existing online reviews. I mean, I don\u2019t know if user \u2018mike9876\u2019 really liked the product or service or s/he was paid to say that, behind the scenes.\n\n\n(I\u2019ve actually read that up to 30% of all online reviews could be fake and undisclosed paid reviews. Kind of mind-blowing, when you think about it)\n\n\nBlogging made me shift my views on sponsored posts in other ways too. Last time, I used to glaze through sponsored content by bloggers and influencers. Now, I\u2019m more likely to read them because at least they\u2019re upfront about the collaborative nature of the content.\n\n\nI might even go so far as to say I\u2019d trust these companies and bloggers/influencers more \nbecause\n of their transparency.\n\n\nI get called a \u2018financial expert\u2019 sometimes\n\n\nBy companies interested in engaging my services (writing, marketing, communications consulting, etc) mostly, and sometimes by event organisers who want me for speaking/interview opportunities too.\n\n\nEach time I would correct them, saying, hey, I\u2019m not an expert, just a personal finance enthusiast. There\u2019s a difference. I\u2019m not even trying to downplay myself. That\u2019s literally what I am.\n\n\nI might have annoyed some companies by saying this \u2013 they want to hire people who can influence their audience into making specific actions (ie buy their products and services). But I can\u2019t do that. Not with a clear conscience. Plus it\u2019s so easy to call out on my bullshit if I do that \u2013 my audience are crazy smart.\n\n\nA bit more on RoR audience\n\n\nAccording to my Google Analytics data, Ringgit Oh Ringgit has developed a loyal following. That\u2019s another reason to not sell my services to just any company. If I ever tell you to do something without explanation or reason, I\u2019m very sure you\u2019ll lose trust in me, which means a drop in readership and loss of income.\n\n\nCan I just say how proud I am to have you people as my audience? You gave me the best comments, the best advice, the best feedback. You challenge me and make this website\u2019s content better. Not everyone is like that, so pat yourself in the back for a sec.\n\n\nBy \u2018not everyone is like that\u2019, I mean some people do actually look for people to blindly follow. They want \u2018experts\u2019 who tell them exactly what to do with their money.\n\n\nI can understand why. I mean, we are so used to top-down information-sharing culture here in Malaysia. Our whole education system is based on complete acceptance \u2013 and regurgitation \u2013 of facts. We have been encouraged to follow what our leaders say all this while, to accept authority figures as absolute.\n\n\nOne time, I shared my thoughts on a type of investment on Twitter (\nmy handle\n) and ended it with something like \u2018don\u2019t trust everything I say, do your own due diligence\u2019, and some bloke actually DM-ed me and said he would have preferred it if I didn\u2019t add that bit??\n\n\nHe said \u2013 and dead serious about it \u2013 that he would have rather followed and trusted someone so it\u2019s easier for him to make a decision (on investing).\n\n\nWhat the hell, man. When it comes to money, think for yourself, for goodness sake.\n\n\nBeing a blogger in general feels so damn\u00a0\nweird\n\n\nYou have to know that I write all of my blogposts in isolation. So when I meet people who tell me in my face that they enjoyed and even shared articles from Ringgit Oh Ringgit to their family and friends, I get genuinely flustered, like I got busted.\n\n\nIt\u2019s like a mix of pride, embarrassment, happiness, sheer horror\u2026 all rolled in one. Each time, I try my best to be gracious, but internally I always feel like running away.\n\n\nThis only applies to real-life interactions though. Positive feedback and constructive criticism received online through the safety of computer and mobile screens always, always make my day.\n\n\nI am damn proud to be a female personal finance blogger\n\n\nGenerally speaking, women aren\u2019t very influential in the finance world.\n\n\nIf I wanted to make this website neutral, I could. I could have used a unisex pen name. I could have toned down all the women-specific beauty, fashion and shopping articles.\n\n\nBut instead I made sure to remind you that I am a woman. I mean, the damn Ringgit Oh Ringgit logo is pink. I use my obviously-female name, Suraya, freely. My femininity is not something I want to hide.\n\n\nGoogle Analytics broke down the gender. RoR audience is pretty much split evenly between women and men. I\u2019ve made personal finance something that is natural for everyone to talk and discuss about. And for that, I\u2019m going to give\u00a0\nmyself\n a pat on the back.\n\n\nLast thoughts\n\n\nLike I said in the first few paragraphs, I started as a personal finance blogger, but didn\u2019t intend to be a financial \u2018influencer\u2019 or \u2018key opinion leader\u2019 (KOL for short, actual abbreviation used in the industry). It just kind of happened. And it\u2019s opened doors \u2013 so many doors \u2013 for me.\n\n\nThe challenge now is keeping up the quality of content amidst other growing personal finance websites. Ending this article with some questions.\n\n\nWhat do you want to read? What kind of information do you want? What can I do to make your experience on Ringgit Oh Ringgit better? I\u2019ll do my best. You took me here, it\u2019s the least I can do.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/blogging/writing-good-articles/", "title": "The Beginner\u2019s Guide to Writing Good Articles (for Power, Profit and Pleasure)\n  ", "body": "This is a super-meta article about the process of writing good articles.\n\n\nI can\u2019t emphasise how useful writing is, as a skill. You can organise your thoughts with it. You can attract like-minded people when you share it. You can create blogs and websites and earn a living as content creator and/or copywriter. \nCombine writing skill with \ndigital marketing\n and psychology and you\u2019ll be unstoppable.\u00a0\n\n\nIn the spirit of \u2018it\u2019s not bragging if its facts\u2019, I do think I\u2019m qualified to write this guide. I earned a Masters in Corporate Communications, a Degree in Media, Communications and Culture and a Diploma in Mass Communications. And not to mention all the work experience in the communications field, while salaried and now self-employed.\n\n\nAnother reason to learn: \nWriting about personal finance in ringgitohringgit.com made me better at personal finance\n. I want you to sharpen this skill, and see how writing will directly and indirectly benefit \nyour\n financial life, too.\n\n\nHere\u2019s how to write good articles:\n\n\nUse Headings to divide your paragraphs (This one is Heading size 2 ie H2)\n\n\nWhen you use Headings, you\u2019ll create what they call \u2018white space\u2019, which is the \u2018breathing space\u2019 in an article. It\u2019s like built-in breaks for the reader, so they can keep going.\n\n\nIt\u2019s also important to use Headings because many readers don\u2019t read, they skim. If they are curious about the point in the Heading, then they\u2019ll read the accompanying paragraphs (like this one). If not, they\u2019ll skip to the next section.\n\n\nText and paragraph length\n\n\nAs a general rule, keep each paragraph short and sweet, between 1 to 5 sentences long. Avoid really long paragraphs \u2013 they look like a wall of text (especially on mobile, which people tend to use more) and will result in readers \u2018glazing\u2019 over the section without reading. You want to improve readability, not worsen.\n\n\nOther things that improve readability includes using subheading, bulletpoints and images to illustrate your message.\n\n\n\n\n(I am especially a big fan of bulletpoints) \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nWhat writing style to use\n\n\nEveryone has their own style. Mine is conversational, and even though I said to keep sentences short and sweet, I do overuse commas and em dashes a lot and end up making really long sentences \ud83d\ude42 No right or wrong here \u2013 you do you!\n\n\nWhat is important is the variety in your sentences. Write short sentences, write long sentences. USE CAPITAL LETTERS. Use \nitalic\n and \nbold\n and \nunderline\n, where appropriate.\n\n\n\n\nThe format of an article\n\n\nYou can follow this format:\n\n\n\n\nIntroduction\n \u2013 1-5 paragraphs, comprising of 1-5 sentences each\n\n\nHeader 1\n (First point)\n\n\n1-5 paragraphs, comprising of 1-5 sentences each\n\n\nHeader 2\n (Second point)\n\n\n1-5 paragraphs, comprising of 1-5 sentences each\n\n\n(repeat Headers/paragraphs depending on how many points you have)\n\n\nConclusion\n \u2013\u00a01-3 paragraphs, comprising of 1-5 sentences each\n\n\n\n\nAgain, this is just a general guideline suitable for beginners to start with. You can tweak as you go along \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nText font and size\n\n\nText font: pick a common font, like Times New Roman or Arial. In fact, I\u2019d argue that the more generic it is, the better. It reduces the reader\u2019s mental strain. The font shouldn\u2019t distract the reader from your message.\n\n\nText size: make sure that the text is large enough to read and your reader is not squinting.\n\n\nSometimes, you might be tempted to customise your text with \ncolours, \nemojis\n \ud83e\udd13 \nand even do custom css (ie tweak the coding) to do things like reducing the letter-spacing for \u2728\naesthetic\n\u2728 reasons\n. \n\n\nYou can, but perhaps not all at the same time, and definitely reconsider if it sacrifices readability.\u00a0\n\n\n Image credit: webdesignerdepot.com\n\n\nEdit ruthlessly\n\n\nEveryone can write, but not everyone can edit. This is the difference between an okay and a good writer. All good writers are good editors, OR they outsource their editing work.\n\n\nEditing is a whole other skillset in itself, but here are 3 things beginners should know while self-editing:\n\n\n\n\nShorten your sentences. Remove the fluff and filler words.\n\n\nUse simple words over complex jargons\n\n\nUse platforms like \nGrammarly\n and \nHemingway app\n (they help improve spelling and grammar too)\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPersonally, I have an additional step in my editing process (before moving on to editing for digital marketing, but that\u2019s another topic for another day). I practice inclusive writing.\n\n\n\n\nFrom \u201cladies and gentlemen\u201d to \u201cAttention all passengers\u201d and \u201cGood morning everyone\u201d. Such an easy way to be inclusive. Taking notes for my own writing \ud83d\udcdd \nhttps://t.co/x3fK84SbIw\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nOctober 1, 2020\n\n\n\n\nAnother thing that I should mention is you can speed up good writing with practice (of course) and lots of reading. This is undeniable. HOWEVER you\u2019ll still benefit from mental organisation and clarity even with non-perfect writing; the journey is a reward in itself.\n\n\nPlus, \u2018perfect\u2019 writing doesn\u2019t even exist, it\u2019s all subjective anyway.\n\n\nLastly \u2013 Suraya, what should I write about?\n\n\nNow that you know the basics of writing well, what do you write about?\n\n\nI want to say \u2018anything\u2019 but I realise that\u2019s not particularly helpful, so let me suggest a topic that you\u2019re probably interested in, personal finance: \n6 Personal Finance Blog Ideas, Absolutely Free for You to Take\n.\n\n\nIf writing articles freak you out, then write Facebook posts, Instagram captions and tweets.\n\n\nOk fine by this point let me just admit the reason why I\u2019m writing this: I have an insatiable thirst for personal finance content, especially from people outside of the financial industry. Yes now there are more personal finance content than before but I WANT EVEN MORE.\n\n\nHave you written personal finance-related content before? If yes, share it below, want to check out. If not, what\u2019s stopping you? Let me know!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-april-2016/", "title": "Budget Update: April 2016\n  ", "body": "\n\nApril Budget Update Summary\n\n\n\n\nApril was balancing work and life. A friend helped me to correctly identify what I was feeling \u2013 burnt out. I feel like I work too much but simultaneously not enough. There\u2019s always more to do, more to create, more people to network with, more to accomplish.\n\n\nInterestingly, once I identified the feeling, a sense of calm and acceptance washed over me. Like, hey, girl, now you know your problem, let\u2019s fix this.\n\n\nBudget wise, eh, I did alright. I\u2019d say that\u2019s about average. There was \nanother\n unexpected bill this month. Seems like I\u2019ve had unexpected RM200-300 expenses every month this year. In January it was summons. In February it was insurance. March it was zakat (I mean this was kinda expected, but still). April it was overdue loans. I hope to spend less than RM2000 a month soon!\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nNew writing jobs\n. Looks like I will increase my monthly earning by roughly 30% in May.\n\n\nRe-discovered skincare routine, or specifically \nAsian skincare beauty routine\n. I used to look for a product that can \u2018do it all\u2019 but that view completely changed after I read these lines in a tutorial: \u2018Focus on the active ingredient(s) \u2013 each product should have an active ingredient that solves one specific thing, either acne, dryness, redness, etc. That\u2019s why many Korean women, famed for their clear, beautiful skin have 9-step beauty routines\u2019. I recently got a product with hyaluronic acid in it and oh my god, my skin is so much more moisturised. I only follow 3 steps in the morning (cleanse, lotion, sunscreen) but itching to add more.\n\n\nFound a \ncheap haircut plac\ne with a lady who completely dismissed the hair inspiration I showed on my phone, and told me point-blank that it won\u2019t work with my face and another style will look better. \nI love people who are direct.\n She\u2019s right. It looks better. My hair is gorgeous now.\n\n\nWatched quite a few \ngood movies\n: The Jungle King (cinema), World War Z, Grand Budapest Hotel, Deadpool, Ex Machina, The Danish Girl and Steve Jobs. Loved them all.\n\n\nJoined the Night Cycle during \nIpoh Cycle Fest\n. They did a great job \u2013 only RM30 to rent a really good bicycle (not the creaky ones you tend to get), complete with helmets and lights. Cycled from Tambun to Ipoh City Centre and back in 90 minutes \u2013 a good 20-25km \u2013 and that included lots of group photos. I gotta say, for a city surrounded by the freaking mountain range, Ipoh is surprisingly flat.\n\n\nFound a \ngreat massage place\n \u2013 possibly the best massage place in Ipoh. Comfort Spa & Therapy. The branch I went to was in AEON Klebang, but they have a lot of branches in KL, too. Their masseuses went through massage courses \u2013 I know this because they proudly display their certificates on the walls. It was very professional and oh my god so relaxing. The last time I had a massage this good was in Bangkok.\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nSpent a lot on groceries, higher on electric bill (increased air-conditioning due to the heat).\n\n\nMaybank\n slapped me with an overdue bill of RM305.92 because apparently 15 months ago my loan rates increased but I didn\u2019t know about it. And the stupid thing did not auto-increase on its own and to make a long story short I\u2019m still sorting it out. Maybank loan department sucks.\n\n\nBurnt out, a bit. As a result, my cooking mood decreased and I ate out a lot. They were delicious, though. That\u2019s how I discovered the \nhalal Ipoh salt baked chicken\n. Really need to get back to cooking great food.\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nLearning how to perfect the art of copywriting. That\u2019s where the money is.\n\n\nWorking out more. I like working out, enjoy it, even. I just don\u2019t like starting the process of dragging my ass out of the chair.\n\n\n\n\nBring it on, May. Birthday month woo!\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-april-2017/", "title": "Budget Update: April 2017\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: April 2017\n\n\n\n\nMy heart is so full. April wasn\u2019t great financially (spent>earned), but interestingly I didn\u2019t stress about money at all. The old Suraya would have been majorly annoyed but this new Suraya just went \u2018eh\u2019 and moved on.\n\n\nOne of the best things that happened this month was receiving invaluable career advice from some people I\u2019d consider mentors. Here\u2019s a shoutout for \nBobby Ong\n and \nAaron Tang\n, two of the best people I know. Thanks to their advice, I became better at negotiating and received a fair compensation for my services. 200% increase is a lot; must treat them eat buffet one of these days haha \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nThe best people are people who \ngive\n. A book I\u2019m reading now,\n Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success\n by Adam Grant is full of these examples. People are generally divided into three: the givers (people who give without expecting anything in return), the matchers (people who give if it can help them somehow) and the takers (people whose default is to take without offering anything in return). \nThe\u00a0givers are the most successful and have the best reputation\n. Most people are matchers. Takers might win the sprint but they will lose the marathon.\n\n\nGivers aren\u2019t motivated by money, fame or success. They just get it because they are pleasant to work with, known for their integrity and make it a point to just help people for the sake of helping, so people just naturally help them in return. One line particularly stuck out: the 5-minute rule.\n If a favour takes less than 5 minutes to do, just do it.\n\n\nGreat advice, no? \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nYay of the month:\n\n\n\n\nI guess I have a career in \nfintech\n now \ud83d\ude42 Thank you everyone who rooted for me. Sayang korang <3\n\n\nAdded more money in my \nPRS account\n. It\u2019s doing pretty well, I\u2019m happy.\n\n\nThanks to sudden gains in the cryptocurrencies world, I\u2019ve \nachieved my goal of having six-digit net worth before turning 29\n (not including EPF balance). Not quite as impressive as \nDividendMagic\u2019s RM380k net worth\n at 28 years old, but I\u2019m happy nonetheless. Next stop \u2013 complete financial independence by 35! I want to be one of those people who can afford to just live off their passive incomes without relying on active incomes. A girl can dream \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nInterviewed by Charles\n from \nKopi and Property\n about bitcoin! Thank youuu. If you guys like properties, make sure to check his website!\n\n\nA pair off gym pants died. Found a Uniqlo pair that was originally RM79.90 but marked down to RM39.90. It was beeped RM19.90 by the cashier. He laughed, I laughed, all is well <3\n\n\nI was quite obsessed with \nbuying in bulk\n this month and reaped the benefits. Happy Fresh had an additional Tesco discount, which I took advantage of. I saved at least 50% by purchasing cat food in bulk! And because I also stocked up on milk and other grocery items, I also go grocery shopping less, saving time and money by reducing impromptu purchases and transportation costs.\n\n\nRead 2.5 books. Aimed for at least one book per week, but it\u2019s a start. I like to reflect on the books I read, sometimes on this blog, sometimes on Ringgit Oh Ringgit Facebook page, sometimes on Instagram and Twitter (both @surayaror). Find me at all these channels if you like to hear random book musings \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nFinally learned about \nREITs\n\u00a0from a Bursa Malaysia workshop\n. Click on link to read that.\n\n\n\n\nNay of the month:\n\n\n\n\nMy back hurts\n. I need a proper massage or a trip to the chiropractor or something. It\u2019s messing with my exercise schedule, which in turn stresses me\u00a0out because I can\u2019t sweat out my frustrations. Then when I stress, I binge-eat. I can see how this can go downhill really fast, so dammit I need to do something about this, fast.\n\n\nFighting my inner demons. \nI\u2019ve always wanted an iPhone\n, but can\u2019t justify the price point even after the recent discounts. It\u2019s not that I can\u2019t afford it, I can, so the only thing stopping me is myself. Maybe in a couple of years after my new-ish phone dies. Maybe. I\u2019ve been saying maybe for the last 10 years or so.\n\n\nProcrastinating on \npaying my taxes\n. Due date for me is June 30th, but I\u2019m aware I\u2019m wasting time thinking/worrying about it. Idk, I just don\u2019t feel like giving money to the government early\u2026 :/\n\n\nMet \ngreedy repairmen\n in action. I had some electrical problems and was quoted RM300 for under-the-table services \u2013 they said my place needed major-ish wiring work. It turns out that it was a simple lightbulb issue and solved in like, 5 minutes by the landlord\u2019s repairman. Sometimes, I just really want to support blue-collar workers but when things like this happen, my faith in humanity dwindles a notch.\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nMay is my \nbirthday month\n, I\u2019m turning 29 \ud83d\ude42 I have a (local) trip planned, super excited about that!\n\n\nSpending my \nRM100 Ikea gift card\n, which I accidentally won from CIMB. Lol, I spent it \ud83d\ude42 Got shelves and other home items. Slowly, my rented apartment is becoming a home. I still don\u2019t have a bed frame, but that can wait.\n\n\nONE OF MY CATS PLAY FETCH. I love it, it\u2019s the cutest thing ever, but I can\u2019t wait to train him to not bug me with this at 5 freaking AM in the morning. Lemon, I need my sleep. Please let me sleep.\n\n\nAttend more local events, try new things and make new friends. I did this in April and enjoyed it immensely so will do my best to continue.\n\n\n\n\nHave a good May, you guys. I\u2019m planning a post on financial and investment jargons soon, to explain what is ROI, hedge, technical analysis and things like that. If any terms you came across confused you, let me know in the comments and I\u2019ll add it in. #shouldhavelearnedthisinschool\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nreview\n).\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-april-2018/", "title": "Budget Update: April 2018\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: April 2018\n\n\nIn terms of my budget, it\u2019s alright. A big chunk went to my business. A portion went to travels. A sudden request from my dad shot up the Donations category. Rent is the usual amount. These four things make up 80% of my total expenses, a high percentage. But all in all, nothing I can\u2019t manage.\n\n\n\u2026Can I just say that it\u2019s really freaking strange \u2013 coming from a self-confessed frugal person and all \u2013\u00a0\nto see your monthly expenses shoot up to five figures\n?? This is the third time my expenses went above RM10k per month in the last six months. I\u2019m freaking out. Have I just been in denial, all these while?\n\n\nThese high expenses really should worry me, but strangely I\u2019m not. Even now that I\u2019m mostly\u00a0living off the income earned from the past months and year, I\u2019m not. I told myself that it\u2019s okay, I have savings, work will come (I\u2019m choosy nowadays), plus I need the time to work on my own projects anyway. The patronising part of my brain nags though: it said if I\u2019m smarter, I would have just taken on whatever projects I can WHILE working on my own projects. \nCut me some slack, brain\n.\n\n\nBeing self-employed means many things. There are ups, there are downs. But no matter what, you have to constantly create tasks for yourself, or you\u2019ll be stagnant, and THAT is a downward spiral I\u2019d really like to avoid. For the most part, creating tasks is fun to do. There\u2019s a lot of personal agency behind it, so much control.\n\n\nHowever, here\u2019s something they don\u2019t say: when life events throw you curveballs \u2013 and I had some of those in April 2018 \u2013 you get disoriented. Even when you force yourself to make a tasklist, doing them is not as enjoyable. At one point last month, I even started to crave office life, where your tasks for the day are sorted out \nfor\n you. It\u2019s a strange feeling. When I caught myself thinking it, I was stunned.\n\n\nHow strange, too, writing and confessing this to the world. Well, you did come here for\u00a0\npersonal\n finance content. I delivered, didn\u2019t I? It\u2019s futile to pretend our life experiences doesn\u2019t impact our financial life in any way. By writing this, I understand my internal mind a bit more, and therefore my financial habits, especially things I do on auto-pilot when I\u2019m mentally spent.\n\n\nGo on and share your internal mindworks in the comments section, too. Let it off your chest. I assure you it\u2019s very cathartic.\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nRinggit Oh Ringgit is now \nAI-enhanced\n! The ad parts, that is. Who knew there was a service which can test multiple ad combinations and optimise that for you, so you can earn more money from ads? That\u2019s exactly what Exoic does. The integration process was not hassle-free \u2013 it took a few days and at one point, my website was inaccessible \u2013 but now I can see it\u2019s consistently earning me ~USD5+ per day. That\u2019s higher than what I was earning with Google Adsense.\n\n\nPublished a \nsponsored content\n I\u2019m proud of \u2013 this article on \ndesigns on gold bars and gold coins\n. A world I didn\u2019t know existed!\n\n\nWent to Hong Kong\n. 5 days, 4 nights trip. I\u2019m glad I went there, even though it\u2019s not my favourite country, not by a long shot. Now I understand more about the financial hub. A budget travel guide to Hong Kong will be published in RoR later \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nWas reorganising the closet. Turned a pair of pajama pants into pajama shorts, and a dress into a skirt. I didn\u2019t do that great of a job cutting/sewing them up, but they\u2019ll work as house baju. \nRe-purposing\n makes me feel good. I should do more of that rather than just throwing out stuff I no longer use.\n\n\nGave away some stuff I didn\u2019t need. Offered it to the Beli Nothing Project community on Facebook.\n\n\nDecided to \nput more effort into Ringgit Oh Ringgit.\n Will try my best to post 2x a week now. New posts will be out on either Monday/Tuesday and Wednesday/Thursday. Why those days? Google Analytics say those are the highest-traffic days. #datadriven\n\n\nFinally decided to \nbuy new earphones\n. So I\u2019ve been using my old one \u2013 missing one earbud and all \u2013 for close to 6 months now. Kinda ridiculous, and I told myself enough is enough, you cheapskate. Lucky break: the one I wanted, JBL CS100i, was listed as RM26.90 on Lazada. Then it appeared on Lazada flash sales for RM20.90! Quickly cancelled the earlier purchase (refunds from Lazada ewallet is easy and fast) and bought the same one for cheaper price. Win!\n\n\nRead 4 books\n: \nThe Casual Vacancy\n by J.K. Rowling; \nSway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behaviour\n by Ori and Rom Brafman;\u00a0\nDear John \nby Nicholas Sparks and \nThe Handmaid\u2019s Tale \nby Margaret Atwood. It seems that recent events in my personal life are drawing me towards fiction. Escapism, perhaps.\n\n\nAttended a \nWordpress KL event\n. Love these guys, they are super helpful. One of those communities where they share information because they\u2019re so passionate about it, you know? I love that culture of sharing. Find them in \nthis FB group\n.\n\n\nWatched \n2 movies\n: The Avengers Infinity War (on IMAX 3D some more!) and Ready Player One. Both were great. I wonder how it\u2019s like to be part of the script-writing process. Can just imagine writers shooting about ideas with each other. What a great environment to work. I want that. Any idea how to get into it?\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nDisappointed my parents.\u00a0My parents \u2013 love them and all \u2013 are both retired, and now dedicate themselves to only one thing: religion. And it comes up a lot when they remind me of their mortality, and the\u00a0\njob\n they still have to finish before they pass on: turn me into the perfect Muslim daughter, then eventual wife and baby bearer. I wish they have other passions, something else we can talk about. But no. Every other conversation turns into religion talk. It\u2019s draining, but worse of all I know it doesn\u2019t come out of a bad place. It came out of love. I\u2019m working to repair our relationship.\n\n\nThe trust/wasiat thing is STILL not sorted out.\n\n\nMy apartment\u2019s \nstand fan\n gave up on me. Had to replace it. Thankfully it was cheaper than I thought \u2013 just RM95.50 from Lazada, including delivery.\n\n\nThis crushed me \u2013 a client gave me \nbad feedback\n on my writing work. No excuses. I have to perform better. Going to look for business writing classes to improve.\n\n\nI\u2019m \ndating around\n again. Downloaded Tinder \u2013 I like it, it\u2019s a cost-effective way to meet people. But finding someone I like enough to keep going on dates with is proving harder than I thought. My last relationship was ridiculously easy \u2013 instant connection, lasted years. I wonder if Tinder can give me that. Guess I have to keep using it to find out.\n\n\nLately, I feel self-conscious that many of the stuff I own looks\u2026 \nold\n. Result: some clothes shopping. Mixed feelings. On one hand, I like being the type of frugal person who stretches her belongings to its full potential. On the other hand, I want to look presentable too, I\u2019m not immune to peer pressure.\n\n\nBought a couple of books from MPH. I \nforgot to double-check\n the receipt before payment \ud83d\ude41 They charged me RM52.90 for a book, instead of the sticker price RM45.90. MPH helpline is not helping, so I shot them an email. Let\u2019s see if they will honour the price and refund.\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nGrowing Ringgit Oh Ringgit. It simply fits my plans: passive income; location-independent. I\u2019d like to submit more guest articles to high-traffic sites, and make a digital product to sell.\n\n\nPuasa is comiiiiing. Half excited, half dreading.\n\n\nPutting more effort in my skincare and appearance in general. I want to look and feel my best. My confidence took a hit lately and this is one actionable way to go about it, since I have no mood to continue my exercise routine (I really should though).\n\n\nMy birthday. Turning 30 on the 15th.\n\n\n\n\nIsn\u2019t it weird that a third of 2018 is already over? Isn\u2019t it also weird that you always think of the time that\u2019s passed?\n\n\nYou know, I want to be the kind of person who\u2019s like, yep, time passed. Wasted or not, it happened, move on. Can I learn anything from it? I can? Cool, let\u2019s use that lesson for the future. This mindset is not automatic yet \u2013 there was some unlearning involved \u2013 but sooner or later I do hope to be the kind of person who lives her life on her own terms, and not of others\u2019 expectations. I can handle society, but parental expectations\u2026 that\u2019s the tough one.\n\n\nGoodbye, 20s. I learned a lot from you. It\u2019s been wild, I had a great decade, did more than I thought I was capable of. Even though no one knows what the future will bring, I know that the best parts of my life are still yet to come. Can\u2019t wait.\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click\u00a0\nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nreview\n).\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-april-2019/", "title": "Budget Update: April 2019\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: April 2019\n\n\nIn April 2019, I spent just under RM6k, inclusive of Zakat payment. That\u2019s alright, I guess.\n\n\nOkay let\u2019s talk about something else. I like brainstorming for different ways to make money \u2013 regular readers know that. Recently, I thought of two more ways\u00a0\nin addition\n to what I\u2019m already doing now.\n\n\n\n\nCoaching services\n \u2013 Not for financial planning, but for financial \norganisation\n. I\u2019m good at tracking my expenses, putting them neatly in categories, and reviewing them regularly to look for patterns. It\u2019s a service I can sell on an individual or group basis.\n\n\nPersonal finance retreat\n \u2013 Think of it like yoga retreat but for financial mindset. I figure this is a good way to get a fully-paid retreat for myself while helping others at the same time.\n\n\n\n\nWhich one would you join?\n\n\nAgain, both are in the consideration stage, nothing\u2019s concrete yet, they just sound fun and financially worthwhile to do. I\u2019d probably give early access and get beta testers from email subscribers, so join the mailing list if you\u2019re interested.\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nWork is plentiful\n, Alhamdulillah. I\u2019m busy with sponsored posts, website copywriting and script-writing work.\n\n\nMet some bloggers\n I\u2019ve been following and interacting with IRL! It\u2019s amazing to finally meet LuWee from \nEntrepreneur Campfire\n, Ariff Shah from \nAriffShah.com\n and Marion St Joan from \nMimirello.com\n. I\u2019m a happy fangirl ^___^\n\n\nIsabelle Zhen, the Warrants Issuer from Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad is the closest \nbrain twin\n I\u2019ve ever met. We\u2019re actually spooked by how much we have in common. By the time we discovered we\u2019re paying exactly the same amount in monthly rent (RM1200 btw), we\u2019re like wtf is going on already. I\u2019m doing an article about making money from trading warrants soon, so look out for that.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAn obligation yay but a yay nonetheless \u2013 \npaid my zakat\n.\n\n\nBought a ticket for the \nWestlife concert\n!\n\n\nSo happy to watch \nAvengers and Game of Thrones\n. While I\u2019m sad they will end/have ended, I\u2019m grateful to have been part of the journey!\n\n\nCrypto is kinda showing signs of going bullish again, so that\u2019s good! I\u2019ve earmarked my crypto funds as my fuck-you funds, and it\u2019s always nice when they grow\n\n\nGoing through Ramit Sethi\u2019s Earn $1k course. It\u2019s really good. Learning a lot about the professionalism side of earning money as a freelancer.\n\n\nRead 2 books. \nHoly Men, Holy Women: A Journey into the Faiths of Malaysians & Other Essays by Dina Zaman \n(see pic below) and \n1984 by George Orwell \n(now I understand why some institutions ban the book. Also, didn\u2019t expect the manic pixie dream girl part.)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nChapter 17 of Holy Men, Holy Women by Dina Zaman, innocently titled \u2018How to Make Money in Malaysia\u2019 is not what you think. Read the first sentence under the title. . Fascinating book. Available at @gerakbudaya . #holymenholywomen #dinazaman #howtomakemoneyinmalaysia #malaysianbooks #malaysianauthors #malay\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nApr 16, 2019 at 7:26pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBought the annual subscription for Grammarly \u2013 a proofreading tool \u2013 on a whopping 80% sale! Love it when something you want anyway goes on sale <3\n\n\nDid my first public\n\u00a0book reading\n \ud83d\ude42 Apparently authors do this as part of book promotion, I had no idea. Thanks Malaysian Writers Society for the opportunity! Now I can brag that I did a book reading of Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 1 at the \nKuala Lumpur International Book Festival\n at PWTC.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nDONE: my first public book reading! Thanks @mywriters for the giving us the slots at Rehat&Baca corner during KL International Book Fair 2019 \ud83d\ude4f . #klibf2019 #mywriters\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nApr 7, 2019 at 12:48am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nMy watch needed \nbattery replacement\n. Again. I just did it in January 2019 kot \u2013 it lasted barely 3 months. You\u2019d be annoyed too right? It was supposed to last longer than that.\n\n\nAttempts to sell \nMoney Stories from Malaysians: Volume 1\n via Facebook marketing didn\u2019t give good ROI\n. \nNicole from I\u2019m Funemployed\n helped me to setup Facebook Pixel and I ran some ads on Facebook. Unfortunately, I had to pull it because the cost-per-sale ended up being too high \u2013 like RM9 or so per sale. It would be okay if I sold something costing RM100ish, but the book is between RM9.90-32.90. Not worth continuing \u2013 in some cases I even lose money from the sale. Ah well at least I tried\n\n\nTo increase book sale, I also sent some inquiries to bookstores, hoping they would be interested in stocking the book on their shelves. A few said no. I know rejection is part and parcel of life, and it\u2019s good to get used to it, but it still stings.\n\n\nGroceries bill\n was quite high at RM767.95 (!!!!). And\u00a0\nFood\n too at RM171.48 (!!!). That\u2019s almost RM1k spent just for food omg omg omg. No wonder I\u2019m\u2026\n\n\nFacing some body image issues\n. I\u2019ve gained 10kg since I quit smoking 4 months ago.\u00a0Look, I\u2019m happy that I\u2019ve quit and all, but I\u2019ve pretty much only replaced one drug with another: nicotine to sugar. Both are bad and going to affect my health. Sometimes I feel like, might as well I go back to smoking, at least I was thinner and look better then. I need to get my head right la. This is not good.\n\n\nI *am* making effort. Tried out that Noom app, which promises sustainable, psychology-backed weight loss through healthy habits. Still going to the gym around twice a week. To reduce stress and anxiety, I bought a new plant and a watercolour set.\n\n\nThat\u2019s all I can do \u2013 keep trying, right? Try and try and hope one of them, or a combination of them will work.\n\n\nI\u2019m also trying to improve my relationship with my parents.\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nPlanning for Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 2! Look out for the \nwriting contest announcement\n \u2013 you can have your personal finance short stories published, too!\n\n\nIntermittent fasting\n\u00a0Puasa month\n\n\nMy birthday\n. I\u2019m turning 31 on 15th May! It\u2019s going to be boring because it\u2019s the fasting month, but hey.\n\n\n\n\nWish me happy birthday \ud83d\ude42 I would shamelessly ask for presents but your support \u2013 your likes, shares, subscribes, and comments \u2013 make me happy already \ud83d\ude42 Just keep doing that <3\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click\u00a0\nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nhow expense tracking works\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-april-2020/", "title": "Budget Update: April 2020\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: April 2020\n\n\nAnother month where only 4 categories showed up in my expense-tracking app:\n\n\n\n\nBusiness (RM4,877.69) \u2013 mostly paid the balance of book order, and packaging for deliveries\n\n\nUtilities & Rent (RM1,352.47) \u2013 ze living quarters\n\n\nMisc Needs (RM565.22) \u2013 restocked cat food and cat litter, bought office chair, new stand fan and kettle (more on that under Nay section below)\n\n\nEverything else\n\n\n\n\nLet\u2019s talk about something. Donations. This has been on my mind, and I just want to let it off my chest.\n\n\nAs you know, a lot of people are having financial hardship. A lot of people are seeking help.\n\n\nI think\u2026 I\u2019ve become increasingly desensitised to the many, many donation calls which appeared in my social media timeline. Nowadays I simply scroll past most of them, opting to take the \u2018don\u2019t see, don\u2019t know\u2019 approach.\n\n\nAs time goes on, I know that I will only give my attention and money to the donation calls that are especially gut-wrenching. The ones with emotional pictures and copywriting. They work, you and I know they do, think of the last donation you made. And as NGOs understand how well they work, they\u2019ll use that strategy more and more.\n\n\nThe higher volume means I\u2019ll get desensitised to those soon enough, too.\n\n\nFeeling guilty for not doing more when I have the means to do so is a constant feature of my life now. \nI\u2019m aware how much this sounds like virtue-signalling\n \u2013 I\u2019m pissed off at myself too because boohoo kesian Suraya wow she feels horrible, wtf Suraya this ISN\u2019T about you, how DARE you think YOU have it rough when millions, maybe BILLIONS of people will starve. In 2020.\n\n\nI don\u2019t know, you guys. Does avoidance as a coping mechanism make me a bad person? Is choosing to prioritise my FI/RE journey a bad thing? I hate that I hate wealth inequality, yet choosing to do the exact same wealth preservation strategy the rich are making, by \u2018staying invested\u2019.\n\n\nBleak thought process? Well it\u2019s a bleak world. I\u2019ll try and focus on the good, but I can\u2019t lalala my way out of this. The journey to understand my own psyche continues. I hope eventually I\u2019ll come to a better way to cope and/or manage resources. This is part of personal finance too.\n\n\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in April 2020\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nReleased the latest addition of #MyMoneyStories book series \u2013 \nMoney Stories from Malaysians: Volume 2 and Cerita Duit Orang Malaysia: Jilid 1\n \ud83d\ude42 Click the link or the image below to purchase. One person liked it so much, he bought 5 copies to give to friends!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAnd created what I thought is a win-win strategy: \naffiliate system for the #MyMoneyStories\n. I like the idea of creating income opportunities, and this seemed like the perfect solution for marketing as well. Read here for more details: \n[INCOME OPPORTUNITY] Sell Money Stories Book Series and Earn RM1.78-RM17 per order\n\n\nLow groceries expenses\n. Just RM363.58. And that includes a \u2018support\u2019 purchase to Jobbie\u2019s peanut butter (RM65 for 3 jars inc delivery). The low amount makes sense, still finishing up last month\u2019s bulk purchases. Also less frequency in grocery shopping reduced a lot of impulse purchases.\n\n\nAveraged 1 food delivery order per week. That\u2019s an okay frequency, considering how much food is on my mind (it\u2019s puasa after all)\n\n\nComplied with stay-at-home order \u2013 \nZERO transportation cost\n for April 2020.\n\n\nHeld 4 \ncollaborative webinars \nin April 2020: \nthree with AKPK\n and one with Institut Wanita Berdaya Selangor. Their feedback on my sessions is one of the happiest moments in my career so far!!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFeedback from 2 separate clients over the personal finance-themed webinars I conducted for them over the last few weeks. My heartttt \u2764\ufe0f\u2764\ufe0f\u2764\ufe0f\u2764\ufe0f You know when you do something and worry that you weren\u2019t good enough? Getting testimonials like these that proves otherwise makes me so so so happy \ud83d\ude2d\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nApr 23, 2020 at 7:06pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRecorded, edited and published 2 YouTube videos\n!!! This is a big one, I\u2019ve feared the process for \nyears\n. Check them out: \n[VIDEO] Signature Market Review & Unboxing\n and\u00a0\n[VIDEO] My 8 Sources of Income As a Malaysian Blogger.\n The quote that drove me the most was: \u2018You don\u2019t have to be great to start, but you do have to start to be great\u2019. I repeated that in my head again and again and again as I cringe-watch my own work.\n\n\nMany of my investments recovered\n. Gold and bitcoin I can understand, but the stock market and mutual funds/unit trust/ETFs? Them rising amid looming recession doesn\u2019t make sense. Who is buying, aside from dollar-cost-averaging folks? Where\u2019s the money coming from? Don\u2019t get me wrong, as an investor I\u2019m happy. But I\u2019m struggling to understand market sentiment.\n\n\nRinggitohringgit.com website has surpassed 2 million pageviews mark! Thank you everyone for your continued support <3\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMILESTONE: RinggitOhRinggit.com hit 2 million pageviews! . And it only took 4.5 years, with 2x articles per week (approx 500 thousand words written so far), 2-3 x daily posting across social media and countless hours figuring out how to do this blogging thing right \ud83d\ude42 . Yet if it wasn\u2019t for your support, dear audience, I would have quit a long time ago! So thank you so much for the semangat <3 . #malaysiablogger #wordpressKL #contentstrategy #personalfinancemalaysia #contentmarketingmalaysia #businessofblogging #bloggermalaysia\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nApr 18, 2020 at 11:57pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFinally invested in \nemail marketing\n. This will be a painful recurring expense of $30 per month under business expenses, I hope it\u2019ll be worth it.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFinally bit the bullet and subscribed to mailchimp\u2019s plan! After 4.5 years of doing website, and despite *everyone* advising me to jump into email marketing sooner rather than later. Better late than never I guess\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nApril 29, 2020\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBought a \nPinterest marketing course\n from a blogger that I\u2019ve followed for years! I\u2019m happy because (1) I got it on sale, (2) I got to support her, after benefitting from her content for years, (3) I wanted to learn how to do Pinterest marketing right, and (4) it solved my \u2018what should I learn\u2019 analysis paralysis problem!\n\n\nAttended a wonderful webinar, which introduced me to a free (now expired) Strengths Profile test. This is my result:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nI attended possibly the best webinar during MCO (so far) \u2013 Actionising Your Strengths for Resilience by Hanaa Wong Abdullah from Rema Synergy @remasynergy . You know that I like personal finance, especially the personal part. Money works for me, instead of the other way around, and to optimise my money management better I have to make the effort to know myself deeply, intimately. I have to know my strengths and weaknesses . Based on Ms Hanaa\u2019s suggestion, I took the Introductiory Strengths Profile quiz (free until end of April only!) at https://strengthsprofile.com/. Completing it takes ~20 or so minutes . These are my results. I know of some, and surprised by others. What I want to do now is focus on my unrealised strengths so I can be better at what I do . Today is a good first day of Ramadan. Learned something amazing. Special thanks to @cerventus for organising the webinar \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nApr 23, 2020 at 10:13pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nDidn\u2019t read any books. Couldn\u2019t focus. Watched a lot of videos though, including Michael Moore\u2019s latest one, \nPlanet of the Humans\n, which argued that green technology does more harm to the environment than good. That effed me up for a few days.\n\n\nThe stand fan AND the kettle \nbroke down\n ON THE SAME DAY. The replacements took around 10 days to arrive, which meant I lugged the fan from upstairs to downstairs daily AND boiled water from the wok. My drinking water was funky tasting for the first few boils, blegh\n\n\nPaid off some \npending utility bills\n that, um, \u2018escaped\u2019 my attention, amounting to~RM160. Was charged a slight interest on them. Close one eye and paid, was my fault for not staying on top of my responsibilities.\n\n\nRegret purchase\n: Bought an office chair which is (1) not as comfortable as I thought, and (2) ended up being a glorified cat bed. But at least my cats are happy.\n\n\nSeeing all the wedding deals that I can\u2019t take advantage of, for practical reasons\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNowadays banyak wedding-related deals. Venue, photography, baju etc. Understandable, they do it for cashflow reasons\n\n\nBut no matter how good the deal is\u2026 I can\u2019t take now because all plans up in the air \ud83d\ude41\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nApril 23, 2020\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nMy birthday..? Eh, it\u2019ll just be another day. Cannot meet and celebrate with anyone I love. Plus puasa some more. I hereby postpone my birthday until all this is over, thank you.\n\n\nRaya? Also meh about it. But at least after that can eat during daytime again.\n\n\nContinuing my wedding planning? Will this partial MCO lifting also means kursus kahwin will be available again? Let\u2019s see.\n\n\nSurviving another month of staying home. MCO may be partially lifted, but I know the responsible thing to do is still to reduce exposure. Just have to take it one day at a time.\n\n\nWaiting for my \u2018diamond painting\u2019 DIY kit to arrive. I just want to try something new, and under RM30 for 3 kits isn\u2019t a bad price, even if the shipping from China will take ages to arrive. I\u2019ll consider this my own birthday present \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nWell, that was the summary of my month. Full of ups and downs, I didn\u2019t hold back my thoughts. Please tell me how you\u2019re feeling, and don\u2019t hold back either.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nhow expense tracking works\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-april-2021/", "title": "Budget Update: April 2021 \u2013 A Slow Month\n  ", "body": "\n\nWelcome 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!    \n\n\nApril 2021 was half of puasa month, which usually slows down the pace of life. We spent a lot of time staying home and, when I do venture out, spending time with family. Because we\u2019re told to abstain from food, so naturally food is everything I think about and plan my days around. \n\n\nMy expenses reflected that: Both Groceries and Social expenses increased in April 2021. I\u2019ve been having fun cooking up new dishes to try out. I made: Spanish omelette, Coriander baked dory, Creamy spinach mushroom gnocchi, Salted egg chicken, Terung berlada, Baked camembert and more. I also had fun buying various food from different vendors to bring to family gatherings, so we could share together. \n\n\nAll in all, it\u2019s been a nice, peaceful puasa. I\u2019m glad that it is, because it\u2019s the zen I need after getting angry over the news, from #MakeSchoolASaferPlace to #KerajaanGagal to #JusticeforGanapathy\n\n\nOkay, let\u2019s get on to the budget part. \n\n\nBudget Update: April 2021\n\n\nIn April 2021, I spent RM5,794.72. The top 3 top expenses were:\n\n\nUtilities & Rent (RM1,379.98)\n \u2013 Gotta keep a roof over our heads\nDonations & Gifts\n \n(RM1227.73)\n \u2013 Parents\u2019 electric bill, donation to Global Sadaqah, etc\nGroceries (RM771.39)\n \u2013 Stocked up on buka puasa and sahur food\n\n\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in April 2021\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I spent on in the whole month of April 2021, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Paid fellow writers\n\n\nMy fellow writers who contributed short stories to \nMoney Stories from Malaysians: Volume 2\n and \nCerita Duit Orang Malaysia: Jilid 1\n who chose to be paid via profit-sharing method (profits of book sales after 1 year) received RM1,224.54 each! I absolutely loved writing the email to inform the writers about the money they\u2019re due to get. They were so happy!\n\n\nWouldn\u2019t have done it without you, dear readers. Thank you so much for your support. Hope you\u2019ll continue to support Money Stories from Malaysians: Vol 3 as well (in progress)\n\n\n#2 \u2013 High ratings on my webinar\n\n\nIf you\u2019ve been following me, you know that I conduct workshops and webinars sometimes. I used to self-organise, but nowadays I only do collaborations, because I was accused of being unqualified on personal finance topics. \n\n\n\n\n(petty tweet of the day)\ndulu I self-organise workshop kewangan sendiri, ada komen kata I tak layak semua\nso sekarang I buat workshop in collaboration dengan financial institutions/education bodies/ NGOs je\nAlhamdulillah semua yang kritik tu dah senyap semua\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nApril 22, 2021\n\n\n\n\nAnd you know what? I\u2019m good at what I do. \n\n\n\n\nToday's happy news: Rated 4.6 out of 5 on my Pelaburan Di Dalam Aset Kripto webinar, organised by SIDC \ud83e\udd70\nYang kelakar, buat dalam bahasa melayu tapi dapat feedback- terma dipakai patut dalam bahasa inggeris \ud83d\ude05\ud83d\ude02 \npic.twitter.com/VXkaXg9lre\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nApril 26, 2021\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Helped to promote my sisters\u2019 boutiques\n\n\nI love having sisters, it\u2019s the best. Helping them makes me happy <3 Thanks to everyone who supported, hope you have a wonderful photo session this Raya \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nIf you\u2019re reading this in early May 2021, there may still time to browse and buy! See their collection here: \n[Nepotism] Shop My Sisters\u2019 Baju Raya 2021 Collection (Regular & Plus Size)\n\n\n\n\nThank you everyone who support and bought baju raya from my sisters' shops \ud83d\ude4f\ud83d\ude4f\u2764\ufe0f\u2764\ufe0f They are both solopreneurs, semua buat sendiri, from sourcing to photography to delivery \nHave a look! \ud83d\udc49 \nhttps://t.co/gqMFUBqc01\n \npic.twitter.com/QM7VShK3zm\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nApril 20, 2021\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Went flowers shopping with mom and sisters\n\n\nWe managed to fit in one last family activity before puasa, so we chose Mom\u2019s favourite place \u2013 anywhere with plants and flowers. \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Tried a personal styling service\n\n\nI tried Ellegra and had fun trying on different outfits that they picked out for me! Basically I answered some questions about my preference and they send over 5 curated options to choose from, all of which I could return if I didn\u2019t want them. \n\n\n(If you want to try it out, use this \nref link\n. You\u2019ll get 50% off styling fee, and it also includes cost of delivery and returns)\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Received a big mirror\n\n\nA big, full-body mirror has been on my wishlist for the longest time. I delayed for years, before ordering one, but it accidentally broke during delivery so my seller cancelled my order. \n\n\nAnd then my sister reminded me that I left a mirror at my parents home during my moving phase years back, so would I like that back? \n\n\n!!! I completely forgot all about it! \n\n\nSo I took it home and saved the RM300++ that I would have spent on one!\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Hit 25k followers on Twitter\n\n\nThank you for following! If you haven\u2019t please follow me here (as well as \nFacebook\n and \nInstagram\n). The more followers I have the more I can charge my clients \u2013 this business model keeps my content free \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nThis account hit 25k followers, thank you for the support \ud83e\udd70\nThe breakdown is interesting: It took 5 1/2 years to get to 10k followers, but only 1y 3m to get 15k more\nThe pandemic effect, probably \ud83d\ude01anyway I hope you like personal finance cos that's mostly what I talk about!\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nApril 25, 2021\n\n\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Misc\n\n\nRead \ntwo books\n: Bad Choices: How Algorithms Can Help You Think Smarter and Live Happier by Ali Almossawi and Rock, Paper, Scissors: Game Theory in Everyday Life \u2013 Strategies for Co-operation by Len Fisher\nBought a kettlebell after years of deliberating. Now if only my willpower is stronger :\u2019)\nBought a new baju raya set (this is rare for me \u2013 I usually recycle or buy from my sisters to support). I just want to make memories\n\n\n\n\nIt is worth buying a new baju raya set just to be matchy matchy with husband on our first Raya together, right? \ud83e\udd7a\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nMay 1, 2021\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 A reminder that technology can fail you sometimes \n\n\nPros still outweigh the cons, but paying RM14 unnecessarily kind of sucked. \n\n\n\n\nUsually technology helps to save me money. But today, the opposite:\n\u2013 follow Google Maps direction from Subang-Bangsar, went through toll 4 (!!) times. Damage: almost RM10\n\u2013 Grab ride glitch; the ride distance is usually RM5, but somehow showing the long way, so have to pay RM9\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nApril 6, 2021\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 My flower plant \n\n\nMy plant-killing streak continues \ud83d\ude41 After my kailan plants died last month, my salad plants and new flower plant died as well. \n\n\nI am..sad. I don\u2019t have any other plants, and am extremely discouraged to try again. \n\n\n#3 \u2013 Google Analytics glitched\n\n\nI don\u2019t know what happened, but Google Analytics stopped tracking website data for a solid 2 weeks in April 2021. \n\n\nIt\u2019s fixed now, but sucks because there is no way for me to retrieve the lost data, and now the data going forward is inaccurate \ud83d\ude41  \n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\nRaya, and finally able to drink coffee again (I abstain coffee for 1 month, because the withdrawals are ridiculous)\nMy birthday! I\u2019m turning 33!\nA hair perm session which I got for super cheap but expiring in May 2021, so I have to schedule that soon\n\n\nWell, that was my April 2021! How was yours? What\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nfind out your budgeting style\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-april-2022/", "title": "Budget Update: April 2022 \u2013 Autopilot Mode\n  ", "body": "\n\nSelamat Hari Raya 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. \n\n\nSo how was your April? Was it good, bad or meh?\n\n\nFor me, it was so.. what\u2019s the word.. disorienting? I started the first week of puasa with daily horrible headache due to caffeine withdrawals. For the rest of Ramadan, due to sahur, my sleep patterns went out of whack. It was so hard to focus, but somehow, I pulled through. Thanks, Autopilot Suraya.\n\n\nIn an effort to reduce new work, you might also notice (or not, Idk) that I took down my Hire Me page. For now, I\u2019m not taking any more new work, just need to complete pending commitments. \n\n\n(By the way, I don\u2019t want to give the impression that I\u2019m making shitloads of money. I don\u2019t. I make enough to cover my current expenses, and for savings. But beyond that I value my free time more, so I don\u2019t take more work than I have to.) \n\n\nLet\u2019s get on to the budget part. \n\n\nBudget Update: April 2022\n\n\nIn April 2022, I spent RM7,273.95. The top 3 top expenses were:\n\n\nUtilities & Rent (RM\n1,938.12\n) \n\u2013 Rent and bills\nHome Reno + Deco \n(RM1,221.51)\n \u2013 Instalments for reno package\nSocial (RM1036.60)\n \u2013 Buka puasa food with families\n\n\n\n\nCumulatively, the top 3 expenses make up 59% of my total April 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)\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in April 2022\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I spent on in the whole month of April 2022, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Completed some long-term projects\n\n\nSent all the invoices out, so now I\u2019m waiting for around RM15k in payments to hit my bank account, yay!\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Renovation works are progressing!\n\n\nAfter some delays, renovation work for our new place is finally continuing! \n\n\nThat means, final payment for work done will be due soon, too. Lol goodbye money received in #1.\n\n\nSide note: cost to move into new place reaching RM50k. I\u2019ll do an expense breakdown when its all over \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nCost to renovate and buy essential furniture so that we can move into new place reaching RM50k now \ud83d\ude42\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nApril 20, 2022\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Ramadan and Raya \n\n\nRamadan and Raya came and went. Selamat Hurry Raya to everyone, it was unexpected but also kinda fun \ud83d\ude42 I spent almost RM3k for Raya, but this expense will be brought forward to May budget expenses.\n\n\nAs much I\u2019m glad it was over, I enjoyed Ramadan. Managed to visit our families more often for buka puasa and dinner together, which was nice \ud83d\ude42 \n\n\nThe Ramadan effect also skewed the Groceries and Social expense categories \u2013 I spent less for Groceries (RM332 which was low! It\u2019s usually around RM1000 for the both of us) and significantly more for Social (over RM1000 on buka puasa food with family). \n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Progressed with organising\n\n\nIn preparation for the upcoming move to new place, I spent some time organising accumulated items. I\u2019m a bit of a hoarder so it was nice to finally let go of some old items that can\u2019t even be donated. \n\n\nBut this is just the first step. One of these days I have to summon the motivation to list and sell preloved items, clothes and books. Can get RM500, easy. \n\n\nMy only dilemma now is with old laptops. Tweeted it out, got a lot of great advice in the replies. \n\n\n\n\nDo I spend upwards of RM500 to fix and resell 5+ years old laptop to hopefully get RM1.5k back (no guarantee), or do I just skip all the trouble and sell it to ewaste center and get RM20-35 (guaranteed)\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nApril 30, 2022\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Appeared on..\n\n\n#1 \u2013  Consider This show on Astro AWANI\n\n\nCan\u2019t believe I got to talk about how it\u2019s the government\u2019s failure to address wealth inequality and low mean salary and that\u2019s the cause of people wanting to access even their EPF aka retirement money on TV\n\n\nThanks to\u00a0Melisa Idris\u00a0and Astro AWANI\u00a0team for having me and my commentary\ud83d\ude4f\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 #JadiSavvy Speaker Series\n\n\nThe topic was Cybersecurity for Small Businesses, organised by Accelerate by The Asia Foundation\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Misc\n\n\nRead 2 books:\n\n\nA Juz A Day: Summary of the Quran by Yahya Ibrahim\nCaptivate: The Science of Succeeding with People by Vanessa Van Edwards\n\n\nCompleted 1 course:\n\n\nGovernance and Leadership course for new AFS Board Members\n\n\n\n\nAFS International's Governance and Leadership course for new AFS Board Members is so comprehensive. Even includes 10 tips to be effective board member. The switch from operational to governance is a new one for me and this helps a lot, much clearer on my role in \n@AFSMalaysia\n \npic.twitter.com/JlAFZvYCcz\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nApril 26, 2022\n\n\n\n\nNoteworthy shows:\n\n\nFantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore at the cinema\nThe Ultimatum on Netflix\nSelling Sunset Season 5 on Netflix\nDeath on the Nile on Hotstar\nMurder on the Orient Express on Hotstar\nKongsi Raya on Netflix \nThe Kardashians on Hotstar\n\n\nBought for myself:\n\n\nA pair of Oxwhite flats\nA pair of wedges from Sketchers\nA new telekung\nA mini cutting board from Jalan Jalan Japan\nHaircut and scalp treatment session for RM228\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Increase in medical card cost \n\n\nMedical card now costs RM170 per month \ud83d\ude41 It\u2019s annoying, but also \nto be expected\n (and your agent should have told you about it), so I\u2019ll continue to pay. It is a bit high though so I\u2019ve also reached out to my insurer to see what options I have, who knows can tweak to better plan at less price. \n\n\nI do have to say, it was fascinating to see the increase % and frequency by other people. Some increased more than 100% within a few years! See in the replies and QTs of this tweet. \n\n\n\n\nJust realised my medical card increased 50% from RM113.33 to RM170 a month\u2026 \nI understand why (medical inflation) but aaaa so annoying aaaaaa\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nApril 26, 2022\n\n\n\n\nP/s \u2013 To those who wonder why the cost is low. I got stand-alone medical card back in 2014, at around 26 years old. The coverage is low (RM190k annual limit, no lifetime limit) but I wanted the access to bougie healthcare facilities. I also have a secondary medical plan.  \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Paid extra Rent due to delays\n\n\nWe were supposed to move into new place by May, but due to the delays, we will be staying at current (rented) place for a bit longer. That means I have to fork out additional 1.5 months in Rent, paid in advance. That\u2019s RM1800 in extra cost. \n\n\nI would be annoyed, but I\u2019m also really happy. Shopping and browsing for furniture with a partner I love, imagining our new life together, all if it was so joyful. \n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\nMore furniture hunting \u2013 expecting to move out to new place in June! \nMy birthday\n\n\nWell, that was my April 2022. How was yours? What\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nfind out your budgeting style\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-april-2023/", "title": "Budget Update: April 2023 \u2013 Raya\n  ", "body": "\n\nWelcome 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. \n\n\nSo how was your April? Was it good, bad or meh?\n\n\nFor me, April 2023 was full of worry and anxiety. There are a lot of things happening which are beyond my control, yet \ncould\n will affect me. \n\n\nThese isn\u2019t things I\u2019m willing to share publicly so that\u2019s why I bought myself therapy sessions, just so I can talk about it and see how I can manage these negative feelings better. I\u2019m just really glad I could afford therapy, for real. \n\n\nLet\u2019s get on to the budget part. \n\n\nBudget Update: April 2023\n\n\nIn April 2023, I spent RM9,066.77 The top 3 top expenses were:\n\n\n\n\nDonations & Gifts (RM3,253.75)\n \u2013 \nParents TNB bill, Duit raya\n\n\nUtilities & Mortgage (RM1,327)\n \u2013 Half mortgage and bills\n\n\nGroceries (RM910.94)\n \u2013 Self-explanatory\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCumulatively, the top 3 expenses make up 62% of my total April 2023 expenses. \n\n\n(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)\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in April 2023\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I spent on in the whole month of April 2023, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Raya gatherings\n\n\nAttended a lot of family Raya gatherings, my heart is full <3\n\n\n(My stomach is as well!)\n\n\nI also celebrated with preloved Raya outfit scored for only RM45 from Carousell so that was a win!\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Transferred RM7k to EPF + PRS accounts\n\n\nMultiple payments came in so I thought I\u2019d just settle my EPF and PRS contributions for the year. \n\n\nBut when I checked PRS again in late April, it seems the amount went down a little bit so timing not so good :/ Oh well\n\n\n\n\nDone transfer RM4k to EPF & RM3k to PRS to maximise tax relief for 2023. Awal settle ni tahun ni good job Suraya\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nApril 5, 2023\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 My book, Bergaji & Pokai got #1 bestselling spot again\n\n\nIt\u2019s been on the Top 10 list for a good 5 months or so now omg that\u2019s amazing!!\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Refunded a Steam game!\n\n\nDid you know you can refund Steam games? Yes you can! T&C applies of course, but can. You can refer to the process \nhere\n. \n\n\n\n\nWas complaining to my husband that the new Steam game I bought isn't as fun as expected and he said can refund so I checked and it turns out yes can?!! Provided within 14 days of purchase & less than 2 hours game time\nHave submitted refund request!\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nMay 3, 2023\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Appeared on:\n\n\na) AWANI Niaga\n\n\nHad the extreme honour to be featured on Astro Awani\u2019s Niaga AWANI this morning. Gave my commentary on Malaysians\u2019 financial literacy, EPF Account 2 support Facility and more. Special thank you to Tehmina Kaoosji for having me on the show!\n\n\nWatch the full interview at: \nhttps://www.astroawani.com/rancangan/niaga-awani/epf-account-2-malaysias-retirement-savings-gap-2017386\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Misc\n\n\nRead 2 books:\n\n\n\n\nHow to Raise a Feminist: Bringing Up Kids with the Confidence to Change the World by Allison Vale and Victoria Ralfs\n\n\nA Private History of Happiness: Ninety-Nine Moments of Joy from Around the World by George Myerson\n\n\n\n\nBought for myself:\n\n\n\n\n6 x therapy session package\n\n\nSunscreen\n\n\nHair accessories\n\n\nSome makeup and skincare products\n\n\nOne dress\n\n\nOne preloved Raya outfit\n\n\nRenewed Netflix\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Guilt over duit raya\n\n\nI gave less duit raya this year compared to last year (and to less people as well) and feel super guilty about it. \n\n\nYes, I understand duit raya is sedekah and its completely optional and up to my own decision but still. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Overbought therapy package?\n\n\nI bought a package of six therapy sessions for RM480 and found out it comes with an expiry date of 2 months. Love my sessions but I don\u2019t actually need to go that often. Should have just bought individual sessions (RM120 each). \n\n\nI guess I should force myself to make use of them. What shall I talk about hmm\u2026\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nMy birthday month\n\n\n\n\nWell, that was my April 2023. How was yours? What\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nfind out your budgeting style\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-august-2015/", "title": "Budget Update: August 2015\n  ", "body": "\n\n\n\nAugust 2015 was eventful. Boy was it eventful. Big news: I am moving to Ipoh, starting mid October. That\u2019s right. This Klang Valley girl will move to Ipoh. To be honest I\u2019m still gripping with this decision, but this part of why I decided to move \u2013 KL is too comfortable, to comfort zone-y. I\u2019m too stable here. My 20s cannot be characterized by just this \u2013 experience-wise, it makes me feel that my life has peaked and going on a slow, downward trajectory. Plus, I\u2019ve never lived outside of Klang Valley. Time to live a bit more of Malaysia. There are other reasons, too, obviously, but I won\u2019t get into that now.\n\n\nThis decisions affected my spending pattern in August, obviously. Between looking for a new place and actually furnishing it, the \u2018Misc Need\u2019 category ballooned. This expense included stuff like new broom, new clothes rack, stuff like that.\n\n\n\n\nSo obviously I\u2019m resigning from my current job, which scares the hell out of me (my rational side who is practical but unwilling to change is SO conflicted). Will I miss it? Yes. Without a doubt. I love calling myself a Programme Officer of an international women\u2019s rights organisation. I love the work. I will miss the steady income and the benefits. And the traveling. Oh man, having a job which allows you to satisfy your wanderlust is like the biggest perk of all.\n\n\nYay of the month:\n\n\n\n\nLol, I\u2019m going to sound so auntie but I don\u2019t care, confession time. You know one of those ongoing grocery store promotion thingy where you get a stamp for every RM30 purchase or whatever, and after xx stamps you get to redeem it for something? Well I\u2019ve been collecting Aeon\u2019s one, and collected 25 stamps, enough to redeem a kitchen knife. I smile every time I use it XD\n\n\nI completed a Tesco online survey thing and was promised a RM20 voucher! (Although, as of time of writing, the promised voucher have not arrived)\n\n\nAttended Bersih rally. Nothing I can add on here can add more value to the numerous, numerous commentaries on the subject. But you know one of those situational questions? Would you do x for 1 million or something like that? Like, I would lick a (relatively clean) shoe for a mil. No shame admitting also. Heck, I would do it for even 1% of that amount. What would YOU do for 1 mil? 2 mil? 10 mil? 100 mil? 999 mil? 2660 mil? Personally I think we are juuuust starting to see the length of what a person (or persons) would do for that amount. Hey darab 4.2 something tau, banyak tuuuu.\n\n\n\n\nNay of the month:\n\n\n\n\nJust a lot of anxieties. A lot of panic attacks. A lot of \u2018what are you going to do with your life Suraya\u2019 . I\u2019ve contemplated everything from becoming a landlord to going into forex to dedicate myself to become a full time entrepreneur to selling out to whoever can buy my time for the most money in the corporate sector.\n\n\nMy cash reserves in the bank are pretty low at the moment, so that makes me anxious as well.\n\n\nGold prices went up, way up. A part of me is like, uh! Should\u2019ve bought it! But I wouldn\u2019t have the money anyway for a substantial investment and who am I kidding, I am an emotional investor and my heart probably cannot take the additional stress of \u2018do I hold or sell???\u2019 on a daily basis.\n\n\n\n\nThings to look forward to:\n\n\n\n\nFinishing up work. Just enjoying this relative calm before the (hypothetical financial) storm while it lasts.\n\n\nHopefully I can get out of this funk and decide on one thing, one next course of action, and pursue it with determination. The problem now is that there\u2019s too many options. I\u2019m looking at all possibilities. I hope a great opportunity will come up from any of those possibilities. Gotta keep positive.\n\n\nReally looking forward to the possibility of working with my sisters \u2013 we are all business brains, talking to them is damn fun.\n\n\n\n\nIpoh will be fun. Maybe I\u2019ll finally get sick of being spoken to in Chinese all the time and pick it up. Can you imagine that? *speaks angrily in Chinese* \u201cFor the last time auntie-ah, my name is Suraya not Ah Su!\u201d\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-august-2016/", "title": "Budget Update: August 2016\n  ", "body": "\n\nAugust\u00a0Budget Update Summary\n\n\n\n\n#win on so. many. levels. August was AWESOME. Was super productive and hustled like nobody\u2019s business. August was my most profitable month yet! (If everyone pays) I earned RM7k! Breakdown of that income:\n\n\n\n\nRM200~ Affiliate income\n\n\nRM1300~ Advertising/sponsorship income\n\n\nRM5500~ Writing jobs\n\n\n\n\nBut on the flip side I also spent a lot in August.\u00a0\nI spent RM5800\n. Granted that includes my Japan trip (RM2500), and there were quite a few major purchases for professional use, so I ain\u2019t that mad. I got my website banner redesigned, too. Did you notice? \ud83d\ude42 What do you think of it?\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nI registered my sole prop!\n You\u2019re now reading the works of Suraya Zainudin Communications, nyeheheh. I have no idea why I didn\u2019t do this sooner. According to available information, if you make RM3k and above per month you\u2019re supposed to pay taxes, and I\u2019ve always been skema about these things. I don\u2019t want to get into trouble with the law, plus I think going to prison for tax avoidance is like, the least sexy thing a person can do. Now my Google search includes terms like: \u2018what can I claim for small business\u2019, \u2018cloud accounting software\u2019 and \u2018how to do bookkeeping for small business\u2019.\n\n\nI also updated my \nHire Me\n page \ud83d\ude42 It looks damn professional ok. I\u2019m very proud of it. (Coincidentally, I think I found someone who straight out copied the page format and use it for their own freelance page. Ah, imitation is a form of flattery I guess.)\n\n\nAfter last month\u2019s success with my first sponsored post (\nhere\n), \nI\u2019m happy to report that I got two more sponsored gigs\n! One for a property near KL Sentral (\nthis one\n. If I\u2019m honest I saw this property about a year back while it was still developing and thought to myself, dang that is good location), another for a hardware bitcoin wallet (\nthis one\n). I also sold a banner ad space \ud83d\ude42 For all the ways I monetise this blog, you can check out \nthis post\n.\n\n\nGot additional writing jobs.\n\u00a0I provided writing work and wrote press release and articles for various companies.\u00a0I got a job offer because of this website as well \u2013 after sharing\u00a0this post \nabout incomes and expenses of freelance writers in Malaysia\n to a FB group,\u00a0I was contacted by a company and now I have a part-time role there. This will bring me additional income starting from September \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nWent to Osaka and Kyoto, Japan.\n\u00a0Was short but sweet. Ate like a pig. Here\u2019s the breakdown of my \ntrip expenses\n.\n\n\nBought new pants from Uniqlo and shit it fits\n. I\u2019m kind of at the lowest weight I\u2019ve been in a while. Well to be fair the pants stretches, but I feel good about this so let me, ok? It was RM149.90, a bit steep than my usual wardrobe budget (I shop at \nthrift shops\n; many of my clothes cost like, RM5 each), but I literally ran out of pants. Again.\n\n\nSpayed my cat. RM150 at a nearby pet clinic.\n\n\nBought 2 \npersonal finance books.\n One\u2019s called \u2018The Rules of Wealth\u2019 and another\u2019s called \u2018Emotional Currency: A Woman\u2019s Guide to Building a Healthy Relationship with Money\u2019. Both are \nreally\n good. I want to do a proper review on them so watch future posts from me for that. The second one especially, woah. It helped me to realise that as much as I think I am rational with money, I make emotional and irrational decisions too (not necessarily bad, according to the author).\n\n\nFor vanity: bought this under eye brightening cream thing (promoted by a YouTuber \u2013 see what I mean by emotional purchases? By the end of the video, I wanted \nthat\n particular brand) and teeth whitening strips thing. Went for facial that I got from Groupon for less than RM30. I did learn how to groom my own eyebrows though so hopefully I don\u2019t need my RM35 eyebrow sessions any more.\n\n\nGot myself\n Personal Accident insurance\n. Additional RM31.80 a month from now on. Along with my medical card (RM120.13), that\u2019s about RM150 a month I wave goodbye to, every month. I guess it\u2019s ok. Insurance is something you get and hope you\u00a0never have to\u00a0use it.\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nPaid an outstanding Maxis bill\n (finally). I\u2019m no longer blacklisted. Lesson here: Never use your name to open an account for your friends and even (irresponsible) family members. If they don\u2019t pay, you\u2019re stuck with the bill. I\u2019m serious about this. Don\u2019t open a credit card for them, don\u2019t make hire purchase for them, don\u2019t be their guarantor. If they love you, they\u2019ll understand. If they claim you don\u2019t love them because you refuse, that relationship is toxic and one-sided anyway.\n\n\nThis is my current dilemma. Remain on prepaid (and still enjoy this hack to \nsave money on prepaid)\n or switch to postpaid (more data = more value for money). I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO DO. I\u2019ve never had postpaid.\n People who switched from prepaid to postpaid\n, do you like it or do you regret it? Help me make a decision \ud83d\ude41\n\n\nI smoked. A lot. I\u2019m quitting again. I hate having yellow teeth.\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nA lot of job potentials in September and onwards. RM10k per month goal is still on!\n\n\nDo more good. I miss my previous job as an NGO worker terribly. I miss the NGO world.\u00a0I just wish the NGO world pays more. Money, or more accurately the security that money gives is important to me.\n\n\nMake WangTarik.com grow! We just hit 100 likes on FB woo! (\nWe\u2019re hiring Malay-language writers\n! Please pass this to your friends! I\u2019m friendly to newbie writers!)\n\n\n\n\nBring it on, September.\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-august-2017/", "title": "Budget Update: August 2017\n  ", "body": "\n\n\n\n\u00a0Budget Update: August 2017\n\n\n\n\nSpent just little under RM6000. Aimed for under-RM5000, but I\u2019ll take it. More than a quarter (27%) went to business-related expenses anyway.\n\n\nAugust was quite relaxed, in a way. It was a nice mix of manageable work stress and leisure. After being self-employed for a while and not knowing how to \u2018switch off from work\u2019, so to speak, it\u2019s nice to finally let myself enjoy non-working moments. Not there yet though \u2013 still find my mind wandering to work matters during lull moments, but it\u2019s a step in the right direction.\n\n\nI get a lot of jealousy from others over my work status. As someone who takes Uber/Grab a lot, many times my conversations with the driver went something like this:\n\n\nDriver: So what do you do? Do you work here? (referring to the commercial area I stay at)\n\n\nMe: Oh no I stay nearby. I work from home.\n\n\nDriver: *talks about how nice it is to work from home until we reach the destination*\n\n\nYou see, people like to see the greener grass. They imagine working from home as this amazing thing, and don\u2019t get me wrong, it is. It has a lot of perks. But it can also be infuriating sometimes.\n\n\nThey want the \nflexibility\n. But they don\u2019t see the constant pressure from friends/family to drop everything in your schedule and join them for something because the \u2018free\u2019 in \u2018freelancer\u2019 must mean you\u2019re free all the time right.\n\n\nThey want the \nno-commute mornings and evenings\n. But they don\u2019t see how the lack of routine damages your self-discipline. Some freelancers/self-employed individuals can\u2019t take the lack of routine so much, they pay to work at co-working spaces.\n\n\nThey want the \nno-office politics life\n. But they don\u2019t see how lack of work banter among colleagues stunts your professional growth and you have to constantly look for it from other places. I mean, who am I supposed to bounce ideas with, the wall?\n\n\nMy point is \u2013 if you work the \u2018normal\u2019 9-6 job, it\u2019s not a bad thing. You can plan weekends and holidays well in advance. You can get advice and mentorship from your colleagues and bosses. You can expect your salary coming in at the end of the month, like clockwork.\n\n\nI like being self-employed, but sometimes, I do miss the stability of salaried life.\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\n11 things I learned about self-employment in Malaysia\n\n\n\n\nSocial was high \u2013 that was due to hotel room and flight to Penang to catch a friend\u2019s wedding. Misc Wants includes a bag and a skirt I bought from my sister. The rest is okay, within limits.\n\n\nYay of the month:\n\n\n\n\nHomaigod, being one of the speakers at \nMaGIC\u2019s Blockchain Disruptors event\n was surreal. I want to say I\u2019m grateful for the opportunity, humbled etc etc etc \u2013 and yes I\u2019m all of those things but the undeniable primary emotion was pride. The second-biggest emotion was complete terror, but if Jennifer Lawrence fell down (twice) at the Oscars and she\u2019s doing OK then I\u2019ll be OK too. The third is dread, actually. All the networking afterward \u2013 as awesome as it for my career \u2013 is NOT good for my introvert soul.\n\n\nOh by the way I can confirm that there are a lot of job and work \nopportunities in the blockchain space\n. I\u2019m not even from the tech field and I got a few recruitment offers in August. Join the \nAccess Blockchain Association (Malaysia) Facebook pag\ne to put blockchain stuff on your radar. It\u2019s like the internet \u2013 applicable to most industries. If you\u2019re a writer/journalist or a digital marketer, get in here as well. The money\u2019s not bad.\n\n\nCertified Bitcoin Professional\n \nfrom the Cryptocurrency Certification Consortium. I has it. I am it.\u00a0\nProof\n.\n\n\nI got the most perfect \ndish drainer\n and ridiculously happy about it. It has a slot for the water from the dishes to drip out directly into the sink! AND it was half-price \u2013 slashed from RM100+ to about RM59.20. Ah, the things you get happy about when you get older.\n\n\nWorking with clients who produce products/services I like anyway is a complete joy. Not only I get to share it, but they also sometimes pay me for it. Super win-win-win for them, me and Ringgit Oh Ringgit readers. I\u2019ve published one sponsored post by \nHelloGold\n (\nHow to Buy Gold in Malaysia, as an Investment\n) and will publish another sponsored post by \nAsukabu\n later this month \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nGame of Thrones\n season 7 was awesome. Everyone traveled to their destinations damn fast, so much more satisfying than whole SEASONS of walking around in one location.\n\n\nI got one of those\n protein powders\n to maximise after-gym gainz. RM209 for 100 servings, or RM2.09 per serving. Among the cheapest. One of the brands I surveyed costs RM7+ per serving, crazy!\n\n\nDonated to Wikipedia\n and feeling extremely good about it. Like seriously thanks Wikipedia contributors for all the knowledge. Thanks sangat sangat.\n\n\nManaged to\n read 4 books\n in August! \nStatus Anxiety by Alain de Botton\n taught me the historical events and cultural shifts leading to personal possession and wealth accumulation as coveted status chased by many in the modern world. \nThe Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson\n taught me to give less f*cks to things that don\u2019t matter. \nDigital Gold: The Untold Story of Bitcoin by Nathaniel Popper\n taught me the people involved during bitcoin\u2019s early days and the series of events or rather roadbumps it experienced. \nThe Alchemist by Paulo Coelho\n taught me\u2026 not sure actually. Despite 65 million copies sold I actually found it kinda boring :/\n\n\n\n\nNay of the month:\n\n\n\n\nKinda ate a lot. Gained weight. Back on \nketo diet\n. One of the side effects is a more focused head, so it\u2019s not all bad.\n\n\nA routine round of plugin updates\n crashed Ringgit Oh Ringgit\n briefly. Sent an emergency call for help to \nClickWP\n, Wordpress support specialist. David fixed it up real quick, but it was still a sudden and unplanned expense. He was nice enough to include an optimisation report in the price though, so I\u2019m glad I\u00a0made the best of the situation, as annoying as it was.\n\n\nOne of extension cords in my kitchen freaking melted due to too many kitchen devices connected at the same time. Had to pay RM80 for the electrician to come over and replace the switch cover. In the 30 minutes he was here, he spent 10 minutes replacing the thing and 20 minutes lecturing me about not doing the thing again.\n\n\nTried really hard to not spend too much money. \nSpent too much time lusting after new things instead\n. I see people wear watch, I also want a watch. I see people wearing choker. I also want a choker. I see people sleeping on beds (not in person, in pictures lah), I also want a bed for my mattress. Usually when this happens, I try to resist until I (a) forget about it, or (b) find an insanely good deal.\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nReplacing my laptop. Tahan-ed the screen issues for 2 years already\n. Lol as of time of writing I bought a new laptop. Will write about it soon. Need to give it some thought, a better angle, meatier content. I don\u2019t want it to be a \u2018look at my shiny new toy\u2019 post. I want it to be informational to people wanting to buy new laptops.\n\n\nPlanning to switch to another telco provider. Maxis is good but pricey, and I find that I hate this \u2018extra data on weekends\u2019 thing. Just distribute evenly throughout the month la! So tak ikhlas.\n\n\nWorking on a few jobs. It\u2019ll be a busy month but a profitable one.\n\n\n\n\nBe kind, September. I hope I\u2019ll survive without burning out.\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click\u00a0\nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nreview\n).\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-august-2018/", "title": "Budget Update: August 2018\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: August 2018\n\n\nAugust 2018 was kind of a chill month. Spending-wise, I did good \u2013 RM6.2k was my lowest monthly spending since January 2018. I can\u2019t wait to shave off around RM1k by the end of the year \u2013 that\u2019s when both \nlaptop\n and \nbraces\n repayments will be fully paid off!\n\n\nThis is random, but just felt like sharing: I currently stay in a commercial area, as opposed to a residential area, and absolutely love this living arrangement. It\u2019s just so convenient, most of the amenities I need are so near. At the place I\u2019m renting now, I can\u00a0\nwalk\n\u00a0to the bank, the groceries, the dentist, convenience stores, the mamak, the cinema, Starbucks, restaurants and more whenever I want (when they\u2019re open la).\n\n\nThere are downsides, like paying more for utilities (I pay commercial rates) and facing the crowds during events, but overall, it\u2019s pretty damn nice. I know for sure now that if and when I do decide to purchase my own home, I will get a place that will give me a similar lifestyle. Maybe a residential unit attached to a mall, to get the best of both worlds?\n\n\nThose of you renting right now or living with your family. Have you thought of what kind of place you want to get? Or do you decide to just continue renting by choice? Let me know in the comments, I\u2019m curious to hear your opinion about this topic.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nSomehow, I accidentally entered a campaign by CIMB (\nthis one\n) and \nwon myself a Philips Coffee Maker\n?? All I did was use my CIMB credit card as usual, and one day I simply got a call from the delivery person to collect a parcel. Amazing timing too \u2013 just did an article compiling \nhow Malaysians save money on coffee\n and felt serious envy. I\u2019ve upgraded from instant coffee to ground coffee now, woo! My mornings are a little bit nicer now \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nI\u2019m going to Japan in September. Going to stay in Tokyo for a few days before heading to Nagoya, where I\u2019ll stay with my host family. Managed to get the last room in a top-rated \nhostel\n (RM100~ per night), so I\u2019m stoked about that! Also, coincidentally there was a RM20-off discount code for an-already affordable \nportable wifi rental service provider\n. Usually the rental goes for about RM15-20 per day, but Roaming Man offers it for just RM12 per day. Get the discount code AND cashback via\u00a0\nShopback\n (note: referral link).\n\n\nFound my favourite \ngym pants\n \u2013 Nike Dri Fit 3/4 Cropped leggings \u2013 at reduced price. It was just RM135.10 instead of the usual over-RM200 price tag. I\u2019ve tried many different brands\u2019 gym leggings and found the Nike ones to have the best fit and quality. The other one that I own is still going strong after using it regularly for more than three years, too.\n\n\nBought 5 books\n I\u2019ve wanted to read for the longest time from \nBookurve\n. They have better prices than bookstores, plus they have this reward system where you get RM8 off your next purchase if you buy three or more books. If you want RM5 off your first purchase, leave a comment with your email address (I\u2019ll get RM5 off voucher, too). Valid for new accounts only.\n\n\nWent on a family trip to \nCameron Highlands \nover a weekend. The weather was great, and my parents enjoyed the family bonding time.\n\n\nHad so much amazing food during \nHari Raya Haji\n. My dad brought me to meet some relatives. Younger Suraya would have sat that one out, but as I get older I get the importance of family and friends. It\u2019s getting harder and harder to meet people you care about often.\n\n\nOrdered \ngroceries from HappyFresh\n six (!!) times. Was hard to resist stocking up \u2013 kept getting 15-20% discount codes. Plus I love that they have a \u2018Deals\u2019 section just to highlight what products are on sale at the time from the supermarket. It makes it easier for me to stock up on things on sale, and subsequently plan my meals based on what\u2019s on sale to keep my cost per meal low. Use code \u2018suraya63\u2019 to get RM25 off your first HappyFresh order (I get RM20 off, too). Sign up from \nthis link\n.\n\n\nCollaborated with PropertyGuru for \n\u2018Own Your Home\u2019 campaign\n (\narticle\n about it \u2013 spot me in the pic!). I did six articles for them, so if you like my writing, be sure to check them out on the \nPropertyGuru website\n when they comes out!\n\n\nGot back into fitness! Doing weight training regularly again.\n\n\nRead two books. \nEleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell\n (young adult book picked up on sale for RM9.90 at BookXcess; fun read) and \nEyes Wide Open: How to Make Smart Decisions in a Confusing World by Noreena Hertz\n (understand a bit better about how to make my own damn opinions).\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nBought the \nwrong\n \nsize of training gloves\n \ud83d\ude41 Can\u2019t use it, so that\u2019s RM25 down the drain.\n\n\nMy \nexternal hard disk\n gave up on me, which was disappointing. I even bought new cables just to rule it out. You would have thought the Western Digital MyPassport would be more reliable than this, especially since I juuust bought it in January 2018 (for RM219!). Didn\u2019t lose much important data, thank goodness, but I did lose my movie collection \ud83d\ude41\n\n\nMissed a couple of \nbill payments\n from last month. Could have sworn I paid them, but guess not. Had to pay a little bit extra as late penalty.\n\n\n1-day ticket to \nUltra Music Japan\n (the EDM festival) was more expensive than I thought. 15,000 yen. RM580. This really bumped up my travel expense category, but it will be an experience to remember (I hope). It would have cost a bit more if I used a credit card, but I used my BigPay card and saved some money. I can recommend using BigPay if you want to buy stuff that is not priced in RM \u2013 the exchange rates there are awesome, like XE.com rates awesome. Get extra RM10 credit if you use my referral code INLALP7ZLE (I get RM10 too!). To download the app, find BigPay in\u00a0\nPlayStore\n\u00a0(Android) or\u00a0\nAppstore\n\u00a0(iOS).\n\n\nChasing clients for \npending payments\n is never fun \ud83d\ude41 Ah, the downsides of self-employment, I tell you.\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nTaking advantage of \nYoodo\u2019s 20GB for RM20\n promotion. Yoodo is that select-what-you-use telco plan under Celcom, and you can change your data/minutes/sms plan for the next billing cycle anytime. Taking advantage of this promotion,\u00a0I\u2019ve reduced my data plan to just 15GB for September (I usually use about 30GB per month). I\u2019m only saving about RM10, but every little bit counts! If you want to try Yoodo out too, get FREE RM 20 when you sign up using my\u00a0\nreferral link\n\u00a0(I get RM20 too).\n\n\nRinggit Oh Ringgit\u2019s \nwriting competition\n officially ended, and I had fun going through all the entries and selecting which short stories to include in my upcoming ebook. Now I\u2019m in the process of editing it. Aiming to get the personal finance-themed ebook out by end of October, so look out for that announcement!\n\n\nThe Japan trip \ud83d\ude00 Recommend me places to visit and things to do, preferably something a bit kooky and different!\n\n\n\n\nHow was your August? Which areas were good and what can be improved, money-wise? Share in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click\u00a0\nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nreview\n).\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-august-2019/", "title": "Budget Update: August 2019\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: August 2019\n\n\nHave you ever used\u00a0\nlearning\n as an excuse to NOT do something? Like, in a \u201coh I can\u2019t possibly do that yet, I\u2019m still learning about it\u201d way.\n\n\nYeah. Hi. Can I join the club?\n\n\nCreating video content is that thing that I\u2019m forever \u2018learning\u2019. So far, in the last couple of years, I\u2019ve:\n\n\n\n\nAsked many people for advice\n\n\nBought some equipment\n\n\nBought a video-editing software\n\n\nBought and went through courses (including one in August designed to conquer the\u00a0\nfear\u00a0\nof being on camera, a course called \u2018Confidence on Camera\u2019)\n\n\nMade a looooong list of possible video content angles\n\n\n\n\nAnd yet \u2013 and yet! \u2013 at time of writing, I still can\u2019t bring myself to actually do it. The only reason why I have a Ringgit Oh Ringgit Youtube channel set up (\nif you want to be an early subscriber\u2026\n) is because I need a place to house a collaboration video done with HelloGold.\n\n\nOn one hand, ok fine baby steps. On another hand, this baby needs to grow the hell up.\n\n\nSomeone smack some sense into me please. Or suggest video content you want to watch, maybe that might help. I don\u2019t know.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nIn terms of spending breakdown, I spent the biggest chunk (almost half) on \ntravel\n, which makes sense. My family and I went on a trip to Perth and then I turned a work trip to Penang into a weekend getaway. Travel is something I don\u2019t mind spending on, so no complaints there.\n\n\nAugust 2019 was my \nbest-earning month\u00a0\never\n.\u00a0 I generate income from sponsored posts on Ringgit Oh Ringgit website, and in August 2019 I had a record FOUR sponsored post, in addition to incomes from writing work and speaking gigs. Income from website traffic increased too (no idea why, but I\u2019ll take it).\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nScreenshot of my Ezoic account (something like Adsense; one way I make money from ringgitohringgit.com traffic) Not quite sure what I did but August is my best-earning month so far and it\u2019s not even over yet \ud83d\udcaa #ezoic #contentcreator #websitemalaysia #websiteearning #seo #makemoneyonline #malaysiablogger #bloggermalaysia #adsense\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nAug 25, 2019 at 9:28pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOn that note, shoutout to all these amazing companies which hired me <3. Click on the links to see the posts we collaborated on: Affin Hwang Investment Bank; \nHelloGold\n; \nGreat Eastern Takaful\n; \nTouch \u2018n Go\n; and \nPIDM\n. I enjoyed working with them so much, I was inspired to write\u00a0\n[PERSONAL] How I Get Great Clients Who Pay & Treat Me Well\n article.\n\n\nFinally hired an \naccountant\n to go over my tax records, something I wanted to do for ageeees ago. Happily, she said I\u2019ve been doing my taxes right.\n\n\nRead just one book, but a good one: \n21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari\n. I liked the part where he said schools nowadays are ill-equipped to prepare students for future work, because we have no idea how work in the future is going to look like. Instead of technical skills (which may be redundant by the time they finish school), it\u2019s a good idea to teach the \u20184Cs\u2019 instead: Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration, Creativity.\n\n\nHad the \nofficial book launch\n of Money Stories from Malaysia: Volume 1 at Borders Malaysia! This event was so important for me that I hired a photographer to capture our moments, and I\u2019m glad I did \u2013 pictures turned out beautiful! View the album \nhere\n.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n3 Aug 2019 was a special day. My fellow authors and I celebrated the book launch of Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 1 at Borders Bookstore at The Curve! \ud83c\udf89\ud83c\udf89 @borders_my During the event, we talked about the book journey and the complexity of our relationships with money. It was a great panel session \u2013 everyone gave such raw, honest answers Then we officially launched by signing our names on the poster and a cake-cutting ceremony. The book-shaped cake from In the Clouds Cakes turned out amazing! And delicious \ud83d\ude42 Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 1 is available at major bookstores in all of Malaysia. I love how wild this journey has been. In the process \u2013 Volume 2! More pics of the book event at the Ringgit Oh Ringgit Facebook page. Thanks to everyone who came to celebrate with us! #MYMoneyStories #malaysianauthors #booklaunch #bordersmalaysia #bookcake\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nAug 4, 2019 at 7:42pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSo I was on \nBFM\u2019s Ringgit & Sense\n show, hosted by Roshan Kanesan.You can listen to the podcast on the \nBFM page\n, or at Spotify at\u00a0\nthis link\n.\n\n\nFinally did a couple of things on my \ndigital marketing\n checklist: automated 5x postings per week via Socialbee for Facebook (which I managed to get a sweet lifetime deal), and set up Linktree for \nmy instagram\n (I can finally put more than one link there, yay).\n\n\nMy face! On a \nplaying card\n! Thank you Jason from Bitcoin Malaysia team! Get it for just RM25 instead of RM59 during the pre-order period \nhere\n!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBitcoin Malaysia created a playing cards collection featuring people in the crypto scene, both internationally and locally Very flattered that they included me in the pack too. I\u2019m Queen of Hearts! \u2764\ufe0f Do help support the Malaysia crypto community and buy a pack. Its only RM25 per pack now during pre-order period instead of normal price RM59.90 Go here to buy \u2013 https://bitcoinmalaysia.myshopify.com/collections/frontpage/products/cards-collection-2019 #bitcoinMalaysia #cryptomalaysia #queenofhearts #cryptocurrencymalaysia #playingcards #malaysia #MYMoneyStories\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nAug 25, 2019 at 9:48pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nRemember that freak storm in Subang area, where roads flooded hard? Yeah \nmy place got flooded\n too,\u00a0\nand I live at a condominium\n. What happened was the rain was heavier than what my balcony drainage could handle, so the the rainwater pooled and flooded my whole place. Cleaning up after that SUCKED.\n\n\nAnnoyed but resigned to the fact that I \nwasted money\n by buying things I didn\u2019t use up to the max, namely (1) phone data, and (2) luggage allocation while travelling to Perth. Yeah yeah I got peace of mind but does that justify the RM300 I wasted I DON\u2019T THINK SO.\n\n\nIndulged in a lot of food. It\u2019s easy to do that when you\u2019re travel\u2026 My excuse: \u2018they don\u2019t sell this back home\u2019 -_-\n\n\nMet up with a chiropractor for the first time to get a second opinion on my 10-year on-off\n knee pain\n, which doctors have dismissed. So apparently, I have been living with hip subluxation or misaligned hip all this while. The imbalance puts extra pressure on my right knee, which causes the pain. So yeah, I\u2019ll be spending some money for treatments in the coming months. Not complaining though. I\u2019m glad I finally got a diagnosis, rather than being told I simply need to lose weight by other doctors. Fat discrimination is real.\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nContinue working on Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 2!\n\n\nDoing some volunteer work \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nDoing my second Pecha Kucha talk, this time in Melaka! Melaka peeps, come drop by \ud83d\ude42 More info and tix purchase \nhere\n.\n\n\nKeeping things light and easy before October rolls along. I have a ridiculous number of things lined up in October, it\u2019s not even funny. More info will be posted soon in \nRinggit Oh Ringgit FB page\n.\n\n\nDoing my next baby step for \nRinggit Oh Ringgit Youtube channel\n\n\n\n\nLastly, I want to give a reminder to everyone. The number of \u2018personal finance influencers\u2019 in Malaysia are increasing, as are companies doing \u2018thought leadership\u2019 as a strategy.\n\n\nThat\u2019s good, but never, ever, follow their advice blindly without your own research. That includes what I say too. Always think of our underlying agenda. How we will profit out of it. If the things we say makes sense. Don\u2019t put anyone on a pedestal, you hear me?\n\n\nSigning off. Have a lovely September everyone.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click\u00a0\nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nhow expense tracking works\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-august-2020/", "title": "Budget Update: August 2020\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: August 2020\n\n\nOver RM17k. I\u2019ve never spent this much money within a month in my life. Two categories made up 80% of the total spending in August 2020: Wedding (44%) and Donations & Gifts. (36%)\n\n\nWhat can I say? I guess I learned that (1) Wedding planning is expensive, even with drastically reduced guest count due to pandemic \u2013 thanks pandemic, (2) being a filial daughter is my obligation, I will do my best to fulfil financial expectations, and (3) having the money to do both without getting into debt is one of the biggest blessings one could ever have.\n\n\nStill, I acknowledge I do experience financial anxiety, even without debt. I keep thinking of what I can do to increase my income so I can \u2018replace\u2019 that money, keep revisiting non-viable and previously dismissed business ideas. My head goes, what else can you do, Suraya? \nWhat else can you do?\n\n\nIt\u2019s exhausting but nothing worth having is easy, ay?\n\n\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in August 2020\n\n\nIn this section, I\u2019m sharing what I spent on in the whole month, in their respective categories.\u00a0From highest to lowest, my expenses were:\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nMPH Distributors added another order of Cerita Duit Orang Malaysia: Jilid 1 woohoo!\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMPH Distributors made additional restock order for \n#CeritaDuit\n!!! \u2764\ufe0f\u2764\ufe0f\u2764\ufe0f\ud83d\ude06\ud83d\ude06 \npic.twitter.com/eyrfKDVawQ\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nAugust 19, 2020\n\n\n\n\n\n\n[Category: Groceries] Went back to grocery delivery services \u2013 I forgot how amazing \nHappyFresh\n \nwas! Stopped using them for a few months because they kept running out of timeslots during MCO so I gave up on it, but now everything is fine.\n\n\n[Category: Wedding] Bought all of my dulang hantaran items, his ring, cloth for the family outfit, and paid wedding venue deposit. To my extreme happiness, we get to save money on the reception outfits as the boutique included dress rental as part of the package <3 We saved like, what? RM1500 just there alone? Scoreee\n\n\nI have to say, giving myself permission to SPEND was an experience in itself. Had fun shopping and looking for deal-stacking opportunities.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nJust made my first-ever zalora purchase. Sale item, extra coupon code on top of that, upsized shopback cashback, collect credit card points\u2026 What other deal-stacking method did I miss\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nAugust 12, 2020\n\n\n\n\n\n\n[Category: Donations] Gave my dad RM5k to contribute towards his dusun project.\n\n\n[Catergory: Misc Wants] Treated myself to a book haul from \nBookXcess\n! And it happens that two books from one of my fav self-development author are available! Added them to cart real quick.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nMy latest @bookxcess haul! 5 books for RM88.50, plus free delivery, what a deal!! This time I intentionally picked books written by women to gender-balance my bookcase \ud83d\udc81\ud83c\udffb\u200d\u2640\ufe0f It\u2019s still too Western-centric though so next time I\u2019ll make an effort to get books from non-Westerners (or at least non-white people) #BookXcess #BookXcessHaul\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nAug 24, 2020 at 9:27pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n[Category: Misc Wants] Bought myself a new pair of \nNike leggings\n. Even though I got it for cheaper at RM150 at O.C., I still thought it was a fairly pricey item. But gosh I\u2019m so glad I got it \u2013 my two other yoga pants are getting hole-y after years of frequent use and this serves as an early replacement for them.\n\n\n[Category: Misc Wants] I also got myself a \nfire extinguisher\n. A very practical RM42 purchase\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nBought myself a little bit of peace of mind. One of the rare instances where the sponsored ad resulted in conversion #fireextinguisher #minifireextinguisher #whatibought\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nAug 24, 2020 at 12:48am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDid another 30-day yoga challenge. Didn\u2019t complete this time around (I got to Day 27 by end of August), but still proud of myself.\n\n\n[Category: Business] Eliminated one \nrecurring subscription\n! Instead of renewing my subscription to Grammarly, I bought another software, Linguix instead. It was $49 (~RM200) on lifetime deal.\n\n\nRead \ntwo books\n: \nHappy Money: The Science of Happier Spending by Elizabeth Dunn & Micheal Norton\n (how do we extract maximum happiness from the money we spend?)\u00a0 and \nBetter Than Before: Mastering the Habits of Our Everyday Lives by Gretchen Rubin\u00a0\n(how do we \nstick\n to habits?).\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nMostly happy with my spending for the month, except the amount. RM17k\u2026 Still hard to wrap my head around that.\n\n\n[Category: Misc Wants] Bought myself a lash kit\u2026 which I don\u2019t have the skills to use. What was supposed to save me money, didn\u2019t. The experience inspired this tweet:\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDIY projects are worth doing because only then you realise how shit you are at the skill and realise why professionals charge the amount they do \ud83d\udc4d\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nAugust 12, 2020\n\n\n\n\n\n\n[Category: Food] Oh damn, \nGrab\u2019s HOTDEALS\n was my kryptonite. Usually I can wait >1 month before succumbing to food delivery but I made 5 Grabfood orders in August alone!! My tastebuds are happy but I am not >:(\n\n\nStill haven\u2019t received that special SME grant, \nGeran Khas Prihatin\n worth RM3,000, originally announced back in June.\n\n\nTried to \nsell some items\n on Carousell but no one\u2019s biting yet \ud83d\ude41\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nTurns out that I like the 30-day challenge format so I plan to complete another 30-day fitness challenge!\n\n\nStill working on mindful eating\n\n\nLiquidating some of my investments so I can fulfil a promise to my mom: allocate RM20k to do some renovations at family home.\n\n\n\n\nWhat\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section!\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nhow expense tracking works\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-august-2021/", "title": "Budget Update: August 2021 \u2013 Merdeka..?\n  ", "body": "\n\nWelcome 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!    \n\n\nHow was your August? It was Merdeka Month, yet it didn\u2019t feel like it, did it? Not when the people nor the party we didn\u2019t vote for still remain in power. \n\n\nBut hey. Change what you can, accept what you can\u2019t. When the time comes, we\u2019ll simply vote them out again. All we can do now is survive and take care of each other. \n\n\nLet\u2019s get on to the budget part. \n\n\nBudget Update: August 2021\n\n\nIn August 2021, I spent RM8,282.83. The top 3 top expenses were:\n\n\nDonations & Gifts\n \n(RM2,529.50)\n \u2013 Parents\u2019 electric bill x 2, KindBoxProject, Sister\u2019s birthday gift, Rider tips\nBusiness (RM1,485) \n\u2013 Graphic designer, CFP exam fee\nUtilities & Rent (RM1,454.08)\n \u2013 Gotta keep a roof over our heads\n\n\n\n\nCumulatively, the top 3 expenses make up 67% of my total August 2021 expenses. \n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in August 2021\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I spent on in the whole month of August 2021, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Broke my daily website traffic record!\n\n\nThis doesn\u2019t happen very often, so believe me when I say I was insanely happy \ud83d\ude42 Thank you again, for the support <3\n\n\nBtw the traffic surge is due to the \nHow to Get RM10000 per Month in Passive Income (In 3 Steps)\n article \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Received Food Vouchers after doing surveys\n\n\nI got RM20 in Foodpanda voucher for completing a survey and RM200 Grabfood voucher for doing a focus group interview. Yay for subsidised dinner dates. \n\n\n\n\nOh yay I got RM20 in Foodpanda voucher for doing the FIMM Investors' Literacy Survey on Unit Trust Scheme (UTS), Private Retirement Scheme (PRS) and Retirement Planning\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com \ud83c\udff4 (@surayaror) \nAugust 17, 2021\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Subscribed to Disney \nPlus\n Hotstar\n\n\nPaid RM54.90 for 3 months access to Disney Hotstar. I blame the new Spiderman trailer \u2013 that reignited my desire to watch my favourite Marvel movies all over again. But the fresh content library served as a great distraction to whatever\u2019s going on, so I\u2019m not mad!\n\n\nAlso the subscription process was smooth af. Seriously impressed. \n\n\n\n\nDisney Hotstar is the smoothest subscription I've ever experienced. Just telephone number and credit card details and done. No email address, no account registration, no billing account, nothing else. Amazing\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com \ud83c\udff4 (@surayaror) \nAugust 28, 2021\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Gave 3 talks \n\n\nI did:\n\n\nScience-Backed Ways to Buy Happiness (At All Income Levels) with MyAgeing\u2122\ufe0f Financial Literacy and Educational Hub (MyFiLE), UPM\nBagaimana saya buat duit sebagai blogger dan solopreneur at Yezza.io Instagram Live\nInterview with Crypto Kopitiam\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Ate a lot of delicious food\n\n\nAltogether I spent around RM2000 on food, across expense categories Groceries, Dates and Food. It wasn\u2019t particularly healthy but God was I happy. \n\n\n#6 \u2013 Misc\n\n\nRead \ntwo books\n:\n\n\nWhat Women Want: The Science of Female Shopping by Paco Underhill\n (we want cleanliness, control, safety and considerateness)\nFollow the Money: A Month in the Life of a Ten-Dollar Bill\n \nby Steve Boggan \n(satisfies my random adventure fantasies!)\n\n\nNoteworthy shows:\n\n\nVice Youtube channel\u2019s Side Hustle series, particularly \nWe Make $3K/Month Selling Trash\nLoki Season 1 on Disney Hotstar\nThe whole \nSolo Travel Japan\n Youtube Channel (travel video with no voice!)\nFantastic Fungi on Netflix\n\n\nBought for myself:\n\n\n2 dresses\nSome skincare (Vitamin c serum, niacinamide 10% + zinc, rubber masks)\nFalse lashes set\nSome makeup items from So.lek\u2019s going-out-of-business sale \ud83d\ude41\nLavender linen spray and lavender aromatherapy eye pillow from \nThe Asli Co\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Double bill payments\n\n\nI paid a few bills \u2018in advance\u2019, which is not technically a bad thing since it\u2019s something I have to pay anyway, but led to higher expenses in the bills department regardless. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 High groceries bill\n\n\nRM1.4k per month is probably the highest groceries cost for 2 people so far. \n\n\n#3 \u2013 Short-lived low-quality purchase\n\n\nSo this side table I bought for under RM30 barely lasted a month. I know, I should buy quality, but one was swayed by all the number of product sales.\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\nCompleting my CFP Module 3 exam\nOrganising a safe dine-in experience with parents, now that we could..? I haven\u2019t seen them in a while and it\u2019s ok to meet them if they\u2019re fully vaccinated and we maintain SOPs, right?\n\n\nWell, that was my August 2021. How was yours? What\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nfind out your budgeting style\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-august-2022/", "title": "Budget Update: August 2022 \u2013 I\u2019m writing a book!\n  ", "body": "\n\nWelcome 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. \n\n\nSo how was your August? Was it good, bad or meh?\n\n\n For me, August 2022 was stressful. And it was completely my fault. \n\n\nBasically, I was given 4 months to write and submit the first draft of a book. I wrote half of it in 6 weeks, procrastinated for the next 6 weeks then panic-finished the final half of the book in August, the final month. \n\n\nAll throughout August, I was so on edge and anxious all the time. Some days I felt crippling self-doubt and wondered if I am cut out to be a writer at all. \n\n\nMost of all, I felt disappointed in myself for slacking off for one and a half months. It\u2019s not that I didn\u2019t know about the dateline! \n\n\nOn the plus side, I got a lot of advice on dealing with self-disappointment. Click on the tweet below \u2013 there were a lot of helpful replies. Thank you everyone for helping to slap some sense back into me, it was appreciated :\u2019)\n\n\n\n\nWhat do you do/tell yourself when you're disappointed with yourself?\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nAugust 3, 2022\n\n\n\n\nSomething else I learned in the process \u2013 at my lowest, my partner is an amazing cheerleader \ud83d\ude42 He would hug and reassure me and remind me to get some rest. \n\n\nAnyway, all that\u2019s left to say now is I have a book coming out soon, so watch this space \ud83d\ude42 Let\u2019s get on to the budget part. \n\n\nBudget Update: August 2022\n\n\nIn August 2022, I spent RM8,781.49. The top 3 top expenses were:\n\n\nMisc Needs (RM1,775.74) \n\u2013 Mostly LHDN tax payment\nHome Reno + Deco (RM1,662.63) \n\u2013 Monthly EPP for renovation\nUtilities & Mortgage (RM\n1,250\n) \n\u2013 Half mortgage\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCumulatively, the top 3 expenses make up 55% of my total August 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)\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in August 2022\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I spent on in the whole month of August 2022, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:\n\n\n\n\nSpending notes:\n\n\nRM8.8k is alright, considering that is inclusive of EPP (RM1.6k), mortgage (RM1.25k) and taxes (RM1.6k). And I shopped, too (approx RM1k). \nAnd the RM900 I paid for gold earrings also technically can be considered a long-term investment (trying to soothe myself there)\nRelatively high Social cost \u2013 need to suggest more affordable places instead of boujie places. But had a blast with Mom and sisters, so it was absolutely worth it. \n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Finished first draft manuscript of my new book!\n\n\nIt\u2019s not done yet, lots more to go but progress is progress!\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Family trip to Cameron Highlands\n\n\nIn our family, the ideal family vacation is Airbnb/Villa everyone in a house with a full kitchen, bring/buy ingredients and food to cook and eat together and go visit mom-approved, kids-friendly attractions. We had so much fun \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nAlso, self-timers >  ask someone to help take pictures. Love this pic so much!!\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n(Btw I got so many inquires about the brown jacket I was wearing! I got it from \nhere\n, around RM30 only \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Found loose (crypto)coins\n\n\nIt\u2019s like finding money you\u2019ve forgotten in an old bag but BETTER.\n\n\n\n\ntoday's random rezeki \u2013 I found a crypto wallet I've completely forgotten about. got 0.02 btc inside, approx 400 usd \ud83e\udd73\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nAugust 30, 2022\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Family holiday\n\n\nI\u2019m a big fan of grocery shopping and Japan ingredients so I had so much fun grocery shopping at the newly-opened Gyomu Super!\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Appeared on..\n\n\n#1 \u2013  BFM Ringgit & Sense podcast\n\n\nThanks BFM for having me again! Listen to the podcast at\u00a0\nhttps://www.bfm.my/podcast/morning-run/ringgit-and-sense/money-relationship-boyfriend-girlfriend-partner-dark-triad\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Roadmap to Budgeting with HER community, Clinical School JB\n\n\nHER is a student-led women-focused community comprised of students from Clinical School in JB. I couldn\u2019t say no when they asked if I could speak on personal finance. Amazing initiative by amazing students. \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by HER CSJB (@her.csjb)\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Misc\n\n\nRead:\n\n\nExpecting Better: Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom is Wrong and What You Really Need to Know by Emily Oster (award-winning economist)\nHow to Achieve & Maintain a Slim Figure for Malaysians by Jayden Chen\nCerita Orang Bank by Mastura Abd Salim\n\n\n\n\nKak Mastura Mohd Salim ni kerja Islamic Banking lebih 20 tahun, dari unit kecil masa mula2 start sampai berkembang\nKalau nak belajar Islamic Banking cara santai, bacalah. Dia cerita experience dalam buku Cerita Orang Bank ni. Senang faham\nBeli dekat: \nhttps://t.co/O7Nf2T1VoU\n \npic.twitter.com/aAr5xalnrf\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nAugust 20, 2022\n\n\n\n\nWatched:\n\n\nSelling the OC (Its so petty I love it)\n\n\nBought for myself:\n\n\nA pair of gold earrings\n5 books \nA pair of jeans\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Got a call from LHDN\n\n\n\n\nThis morning I got a phone call from LHDN. Like actually LHDN. Nasib didn't cut off the call immediately like I usually do, because it came from a 03 number not some mobile number.\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nAugust 23, 2022\n\n\n\n\nThanks to scammer calls, I was super sceptical but it ended up being a legit call from LHDN. They asked why I didn\u2019t pay CP500 tax estimate instalment. Only started to believe it was really LHDN when the lady instructed me to check website and to sort paperwork myself lol. \n\n\nAnyway, long story short I messed up my tax payment and had to pay RM1.6k in tax estimate for the year. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Still made impulse purchases\n\n\nAugust was supposed to be my no-spend month but I still impulse-bought a few items. Like the gold earrings. And some fitness classes. \n\n\n\n\nI impulse-bought 2 weeks of fitness classes (trial). Feel so lazy but have to summon the motivation to go somehow, if not so sayang waste rm199\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nAugust 25, 2022\n\n\n\n\nI mean both are completely fine purchases and I don\u2019t regret them but it could have waited, you know? That\u2019s the point of doing a no-spend month. \n\n\n#3 \u2013 Stress-ate so much\n\n\nThe scale doesn\u2019t lie\u2026\n\n\nThis is also reflected in the high cost under Food category. \n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\nMelaka trip (friend\u2019s wedding)\n\n\nWell, that was my August 2022. How was yours? What\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nfind out your budgeting style\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-august-2023/", "title": "Budget Update: August 2023 \u2013 Decluttering Month\n  ", "body": "\n\nWelcome 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. \n\n\nSo how was your August? Was it good, bad or meh?\n\n\nFor me, August 2023 was quite the decluttering month. I managed to sell some items (sold off the robo vacuum cleaner), threw away some items, and packed some items for later use (aka hid them under the bed). \n\n\nThere are still more items to sell, donate and throw. I also found out about Zalora\u2019s clothes donation programme that comes with RM20 cashback for each box weighing over 2kg so that\u2019s a fast way to clear out a lot of stuff!\n\n\n\n\nWhy no one told me you can donate clothes to Zalora for up to RM20 cashback!! The clothes will be resold by The Salvation Army NGO\nMore info: \nhttps://t.co/cdefsv3jMI\nAnyone tried? \npic.twitter.com/vst0VV0NCJ\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nAugust 28, 2023\n\n\n\n\nIf you have any other quick decluttering tips, I\u2019ll be happy to hear them \ud83d\ude42 Now let\u2019s get on to the budget part. \n\n\nBudget Update: \nAugust\n 2023\n\n\nIn August 2023, I spent RM6,779.18 The top 3 top expenses were:\n\n\n\n\nDonations & Gifts (RM2,384.50)\n \u2013 Parents\u2019 electric bill, dad\u2019s car payment\n\n\nUtilities & Mortgage (RM1,371)\n \u2013 Half mortgage \n\n\nSocial (RM615.15)\n \u2013 Belanja family makan\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCumulatively, the top 3 expenses make up 67% of my total August 2023 expenses.\n\n\n(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)\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in August 2023\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I spent on in the whole month of August 2023, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Found unclaimed money\n\n\nThe good news is I have RM187.65 to claim. The bad news is they rejected the supporting document (ID) I uploaded so I have to re-do, or go to the office. \n\n\nFind out how you can check too! Refer to \nHow to Check Unclaimed Money in Malaysia & 14 More To Do If You Need Financial Help\n article\n\n\n\n\nThis is your regular reminder to check if you have unclaimed money from the Unclaimed Moneys Registrar\nCheck every couple years or so. I just checked and I have RM187.65 to claim \ud83d\ude4c \npic.twitter.com/0ZRHuYYOfM\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nAugust 17, 2023\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Accepted help\n\n\nMy husband was going to be away for a weeklong company trip. At first I thought of staying home alone with baby Mika, but then decided to accept my parents\u2019 offer to help and stayed with them. \n\n\nI moved out of home in my early 20s so its been a good decade since I lived at home (it has nothing to do with my parents \u2013 they\u2019re lovely. I\u2019m just \u2018super independent\u2019 and wanted to \u2018prove myself\u2019). \n\n\nIt was really nice. I loved seeing my parents bond with their grandchild. In my youth, I had wanted to migrate but now I\u2019m so happy I live near family. \n\n\n#3 \u2013 Sorted out my Tabung Haji account\n\n\nI had wanted to sort out my Tabung Haji account and finally did! Effectively couldn\u2019t log into my account for years because I forgot my account number and didn\u2019t have it logged anywhere. Finally I have THJari on my phone. \n\n\nBefore you say, oh Suraya you should have just called them \u2013 I did. Many times. Maybe just my luck but no one picked up. But it\u2019s ok, the nice officer at Tabung Haji Kelana Jaya branch didn\u2019t even let me line up \u2013 he asked what I needed (just the account number) and printed it out for me.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Met friends \n\n\nAugust 2023 was a great social month. I met my good friends from high school \u2013 we could only meet each other a couple times a year, if at all so I\u2019m thankful we could all catch up after we voted in the last PRN.\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n \n\n\nI also managed to meet friends from AFS Antarabudaya Malaysia during the AGM. Wish we could hang out more but even the short time was fun \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nTo my friends reading this \u2013 Sorry I\u2019m not that great at reaching out. But please know I really do value our friendship.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Work plans\n\n\nLast month, I decided to relaunch the How to Buy Your Own Damn Insurance course, and sell the Money Stories from Malaysians book series.\n\n\nUnfortunately I couldn\u2019t find the time to do them but I did get some interest, particularly after answering some anonymous questions related to insurance/takaful on Twitter. I do believe the demand is there, so its just a matter of working on the relaunch!\n\n\nI also got another positive review, which is nice!\n\n\n\n\nAnother review for my How to Buy Your Own Damn Insurance course \ud83d\ude42 \nThe insurance via EPF mentioned is called EPF i-Lindung \u2013 you can purchase life insurance/takaful and critical illness with funds in your EPF account\nTo get, simply log into EPF i-Akaun > i-Lindung \npic.twitter.com/Hv3OPtxon4\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nAugust 8, 2023\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Appeared on:\n\n\n1)\n Lite FM\u2019s #TheLITEBreakfast\n\n\nTerry and Asha had me on the #TheLITEBreakfast \u2013 topic is saving and budgeting \ud83d\ude42 Listen to it here: \nhttps://www.audacy.com/podcast/the-lite-breakfast-radio-station-eng-7d964/episodes/lite-tips-for-saving-budgeting-suraya-zainudin-a-ringgit-saved-is-a-ringgit-earned-f8f3c\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n \n\n\n2) BFM\u2019s Ringgit & Sense\n\n\nShou Ning from BFM interviewed me on baby-related costs. You can listen to the podcast here: \nhttps://www.bfm.my/podcast/morning-run/ringgit-and-sense/financial-cost-baby-family-malaysia-concerns-2023\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n \n\n\n3) The Star included my commentary on budgeting. You can read the online version here: \nhttps://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/family/2023/08/20/with-savings-and-budgeting-it039s-best-to-start-somewhere-no-matter-your-earning\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n \n\n\n#7 \u2013 Misc\n\n\nRead 0 books (again)\n\n\nBought for myself:\n\n\n\n\nSecondhand books\n\n\nBaju kurung for wedding \n\n\nMilk booster \n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 No more tumpang Netflix \ud83d\ude41\n\n\nSo this happened \ud83d\ude41 It\u2019s been nice paying only RM11 per month for Netflix. \n\n\n\n\nThe person who I've been paying to tumpang Netflix account for 3+ years said she's unsubscribing \ud83d\ude41 I sad\nNetflix is cheap way to be entertained so I will resubscribe, now at higher price sobs\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nAugust 30, 2023\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Stepping down from volunteering roles\n\n\nNowadays, it\u2019s hard to find time to work + take care of baby, what more to volunteer. So I formally tendered my resignation as board member of AFS Antarabudaya Malaysia, and turned out 2 non-paid volunteering activities. \n\n\nSlight guilt, but with limited time, I have no choice but to prioritise my time and attention. \n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nDocumenting Baby Mika\u2019s growth. I made him a (private) instagram and enjoyed posting his growth so far, from a few hours old to 3 and a half months old now. He\u2019s doubled in weight already! Time flies \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nReading books and writing articles\n\n\n\n\nWell, that was my August 2023. How was yours? What\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nfind out your budgeting style\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-december-2015/", "title": "Budget Update: December 2015\n  ", "body": "\n\n\n\n\n\nDecember Summary\n\n\nHappy New Year!! This is my last budget update from the year 2015 #bringiton2016\n\n\nDecember was bliss. I\u00a0 dedicated much of my time building up this website from scratch. I spent a lot of time writing. I spent a lot of time thinking of what to write. Interestingly, my brain\u2019s most active period is right before I\u00a0 fall asleep, late at night. That\u2019s when I get a lot of interesting ideas about personal finance. Now I\u2019ve developed a habit for writing down my thoughts before they float away. It\u2019s great because I recall stuff better, but not great because you\u2019re not supposed to look at bright screens so late at night.\n\n\nI spent more than RM3k (gulp). I\u2019m not particularly happy by the high amount I spent in December, but a third of that was pure donation to my sister, so I guess I\u2019ll have to let it go. Actually, I didn\u2019t really indulge in personal spending \u2013 the majority spent was for legit, sensible stuff. I pay for the usual \u2013 rent, groceries, loan repayment, medical card, mobile, petrol \u2013 but it was the additional, unavoidable stuff that killed my budget. Like website hosting costs, bank fees (categorised under Misc Need) and gym.\n\n\n\n\nYay of the month:\n\n\n\n\nMy blogging/writing/reaching out efforts are paying off \ud83d\ude42 My website traffic is slowly but surely increasing. I get some emails and comments from readers. My Facebook page is nearing 100 likes, which I didn\u2019t expect. I have 3 guest articles coming out in various websites. It\u2019s nice when other people value what you do, especially if you do what you love.\n\n\nI started investing in Bitcoin\n!\n\n\nI\u2019m getting\u2026 toner\u2026 from all these exercises. Results are slowly showing. I\u2019m glad that I didn\u2019t wait until the new year to start. Also, I stopped crossfit (RM120 per month) in favor for gym (pay as you go \u2013 RM5 per entry x ~15 entries a month) to save money.\n\n\nI spent practically nothing on myself. Usually I spend a bit more on what I \u2018want\u2019, but in December it was just RM1.30 thing.\n\n\n\n\nNay of the month:\n\n\n\n\nASB profits dipped below 8%? What what whatttt. Yes I\u2019m still grateful, but damn, I didn\u2019t think it would go that low.\n\n\nI got into a minor accident, but I\u2019m completely fine, no worries.\n\n\nYoshi the kitten is a destroyer. Read the bonus bit below.\n\n\n\n\nThings to look forward to:\n\n\n\n\nI really have to get my baju kurung tailored already. My sister\u2019s wedding is coming up soon.\n\n\nMonitoring Bitcoin\u2019s prices and getting to know the community.\n\n\nMore writing \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nHope you guys had a great 2015. I had a memorable one, with your help. Hugs.\n\n\nBonus: 5 Things Yoshi Destroyed So Far\n\n\nSo this is Yoshi. He\u2019s getting heavier. I can now emphatise with mothers who overfed their children. Yoshi destroyed 5 things so far\u2026. and he\u2019s only been with me for 6 weeks. Look at what he destroyed.\n\n\n\n\nItem #1 \u2013 This pink monkey\n\n\n\n\nItem #2 \u2013 This picture frame of my parents, which I kept since high school\n\n\n\n\nItem #3 \u2013 This toilet paper. 2 toilet papers, actually. He completely destroyed the other one\n\n\n\n\nItem #4 \u2013 The purple vase that used to house these flowers (momento from best friend\u2019s wedding)\n\n\n\n\nItem #5 \u2013 My face powder. IT\u2019S SO ANNOYING TO USE WHEN IT\u2019S CRACKED YOU HAVE NO IDEA\n\n\n\n\nBad Yoshi >:(\n\n\n\n\nI can\u2019t help it. Still gonna keep him. He\u2019s like a cute devil. Ugh look at that stupid face.\n\n\n*melts*\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-december-2016/", "title": "Budget Update: December 2016\n  ", "body": "\n\nDecember\u00a0Budget Update Summary\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0Happy 2017, everyone! I hope you had a good 2016. It was surreal, wasn\u2019t it?\n\n\nDecember 2016 was definitely a good ending to the year for me. I didn\u2019t earn as much (total: RM5863.51), but I also took it easy, being in holiday mood and all. I\u2019m embarrassed that I spent more than I made in December 2016, but hey at least I\u2019m honest.\n\n\nI have so many things to be grateful for in 2016. My freelancing income is stable, and I\u2019m starting 2017 with clients who I\u2019m genuinely happy to be working with. Ringgit Oh Ringgit grew 10x in traffic in one year (!!! thank you!!). I\u2019m living in a cute apartment with two adorable cats \u2013 okay, I can do without them randomly waking me up at night fighting ON MY BED. Nasib baik korang comel kalau tak dah buang kat pasar malam -_-\n\n\nThank you, everyone, for your kind, encouraging words for me. I get high on feeling useful, so the fact that many of you come here for the money tips means a lot to me. I just\u2026 want to make the world a little bit better, a little bit happier. Regardless of your situation, I hope your financial life\u00a0will continue to improve in 2017. As a tool, money brought me great joy, and I can\u2019t wait for you to experience that as well.\n\n\nHere\u2019s to a wonderful 2017, full of self-improvement and learning and continuous love, joy and acceptance.\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nCelebrated New Year\u2019s\u00a0with friends\n. Much laughter, too many chicken wings, and reminder that if you buy charcoal last-minute, you\u2019ll only get the crappy ones.\n\n\nCelebrated Christmas\n. \u201cSuraya, this side of table not halal, this side all halal. We separated them. Everyone, don\u2019t mix the spoons ah\u201d. Oh, God bless all of you. Thank you for sharing your holiday with me.\n\n\nConducted my \nfirst ever giveaway\n! Congratulations Ping on your new bag! I really enjoyed reading all the submissions \u2013 I asked them to answer \u2018what was your most value-for-money purchase in 2016?\u2019 \u2013 read the entries \nhere\n! Thank you Biji Biji Design for sponsoring the prize!\n\n\nMy friend gave me preview passes to the \nBig Bad Wolf Book Sale\n and the experience of leisurely browsing books without much crowd was honestly one of my highlights of 2016. I bought a lot of books, including personal finance books. I might share them with you guys later, after I read them \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nRead \nConfessions of a Sociopath: Hiding in Plain Sight by M.E. Thomas\n. This memoir of a high-performing sociopath was so interesting and insightful. Sociopaths have difficulty with empathy, but it also makes them rational and logical. It\u2019s not a personal finance book, but the author admits to doing extremely well in the stocks market. I guess it makes sense, because emotions make a shit trader. I think, above all, what I learned from this book is characteristics of a sociopath so I can (try) avoid being manipulated by one.\n\n\nFound a \nGREAT eyebrow threading place\n. She\u2019s so good \u2013 the eyebrow threading process did not make me cry once! (On average, I cry between 2-3 times every session). She\u2019s so skilful, and the best part is she only charges RM5 for both eyebrows! Look for Sonia from a boutique shop called Viva Danz Co. No FB or website \u2013 very small place. It\u2019s along Jalan Suppiah Pillay, off Jalan Ipoh. At the Viva Residency area. The one famous for Tommy Le Baker and Theatre360 one. You\u2019re welcome.\n\n\nInterviewed by CompareHero about my 2017 financial resolutions \ud83d\ude42 Read it \nhere\n!\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nGot scammed \u2013 RM1400 gone\n. The summary: contacted an online vendor, ordered RM1400 worth of furniture, and they delayed the delivery until blocked my communication with them. It\u2019s a shame, because I deliberately wanted to support small businesses instead of buying furniture from big stores. I\u2019ve bought many things from online sellers, and this one made me feel\u2026 betrayed. In the end I got IKEA furniture. I\u2019ve made a police report. Let\u2019s see what comes out of it. If you are a small business owner, please take care of your customers. It gives a bad rep to the whole industry.\n\n\nMy new apartment is pretty, but it was also empty. I\u2019m now paying\n 2 x RM200+ instalments for the next 6 months\n \u2013 mostly for the fridge, washing machine and IKEA couch. Took advantage of Tesco and IKEA\u2019s 0% instalment plans.\n\n\nI only receive less than half of my \nsecurity deposit\n from the Ipoh house. Reason: the cat scratched the couch and landlord said it needs to be replaced. Fair enough. My cat, my responsibility. Still mildly annoyed about this unexpected expense, though.\n\n\nSo I might need \nbraces\n. Dammit, I should have done them sooner. My teeth alignment is getting worse. That\u2019s RM3k just for the deposit in January 2017. \nPeople with braces \u2013 what can I do to save money on this??\n\n\nGetting a bit overboard with \nkitchen tools\n. In a month, I bought an oven, induction cooker, pans, hand blender, mixing bowls, salad spinner, baking pans, and other baking tools. I didn\u2019t have an oven in Ipoh, so I didn\u2019t bake anything for a year. I missed baking, but maybe I should be a bit less enthusiastic about it :/\n\n\nWow my \npublic transportation costs\n really skyrocketed. Uber and Grab are still better options for me than having a car, though.\n\n\nLifestyle upgrade.\n I\u2019m trying really hard not to get sucked into this, but I bought myself presents: garment steamer, speakers and a facial session. I shouldn\u2019t need anything else for the time being, though.\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nI bought equipment to start an \naquaponics garden\n: solar pump and pebble clay. Now I just need to get plants and fish. And fish food. I *was* excited about this, but I\u2019m also scared of failing. I know almost nothing about gardening, what more aquaponics gardening. So that means I have to do this challenge.\n\n\nGoing for a mini-holiday to \nLangkawi\n in mid-Jan \ud83d\ude42 As usual, I\u2019ll be doing it on a budget. I\u2019ll write a post about it after I get back!\n\n\nBacklogged payments. Come fast, you \ud83d\ude42 My bank account is\u00a0waiting for you <3\n\n\nWorking hard.\n\n\nPaying taxes. Sometimes I think I take too much enjoyment in this, but idk, the process is fun for me.\n\n\n\n\nAbove all, I hope that I will continue to be better \u2013 new year or no new year. Continuous improvement is my goal \nfor 2017\n in life. And I would love to hear how you plan to improve yourselves this year, too, financially or otherwise. Again, thanks for visiting RoR and let me know what kind of content would be helpful for you \u2013 I always need ideas \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-december-2017/", "title": "Budget Update: December 2017\n  ", "body": "\u00a0\n\n\nBudget Update: December 2017\n\n\n\n\nHappy New Year! Welcome, 2018!\n\n\nFor me, December 2017 was treat-yo-self month, apparently. I\u2019m embarrassed by the damage, but for accountability\u2019s sake, here it is. Spent RM16.6k. Almost RM10k more than what I spent in November 2017. Eeeep.\n\n\nI want to say, \u2018it\u2019s fine, I can afford it\u2019 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.\n\n\nAll 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\u2019t 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.\n\n\nWhat low-cost activities do you enjoy? Need some ideas here. Some I\u2019ll continue (or plan to re-continue) include:\n\n\n\n\nReading books\n\n\nReading articles from the web\n\n\nMaking use of my apartment\u2019s free gym\n\n\nMaking more home-made meals instead of eating out\n\n\nGoing to free/low-cost events and shows\n\n\nBlogging\n\n\n\n\nHow does your list look like?\n\n\n\n\nYay of the month:\n\n\n\n\nWent to \nMaldives\n. \nHere\u2019s what I got out of the RM3.3k trip\n.\n\n\nGave away all presents for \nRinggit Oh Ringgit\u2019s Xmas Giveaway\n. Congrats, winners! Everyone else, try again next time okay? \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nRead 9 books\n, probably the highest record of books read in a month in my adult life. They are: \nThe Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl\n by Belle Du Jour (insightful peek on how sex workers make money while staying safe \u2013 I have a lot of respect for them); \nNew Aging: Live Smarter Now to Live Better Forever\n by Matthias Hollwich with Bruce Mau Design (beautiful illustrations on making happy living efficient); \nBooks 1 & 2 of Hitchhiker\u2019s Guide to Galaxy\n by Douglas Adams (funneh; lost interest by the third book though \u2013 became too draggy); \nBold: How to Grow Big, Create Wealth and Impact the World\n by Peter Diamandis and Steven Kotler (highly recommended if you feel stuck and want to aim higher. Lots of actionable steps); \nAre You There, Vodka? It\u2019s Me, Chealsea\n by Chealsea Handler (a trashy read; funny writing though); \nThe Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism\n by Naoki Higashida (insightful, helped me understand autism a bit more); \nNo Bed of Roses: The Rose Chan Story by Cecil Rajendran\n (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 \nRejection Proof: How I Beat My Fear and Became Invincible through 100 Days of Rejection\n by Jia Jiang (legit made me cry. Another highly recommended book.)\n\n\nBought 15 books and 7 notebooks during the \nBig Bad Wolf Book Fair\n. The buying notebooks thing is new for me. For the longest time I\u2019ve made do with free notebooks received from conferences and stuff. Now I\u2019ve 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\u2019re easy to stack. However, I still refuse to buy the overpriced ones \u2013 RM20 is the max I\u2019ll pay for a hardcover notebook.\n\n\nAttended \nBarCamp 2017\n, an ad-hoc \u2018unconference\u2019. 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 \ud83d\ude42 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 \ud83d\ude42 \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nStockpiled sunscreens\n during a Watson\u2019s sale, got a great price on them. Got about a year\u2019s stock. Sunscreen is a must-have item for me, I wear it (almost) every day.\n\n\nSaw \nThe VSC Project\n\u2018s\n 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.\n\n\nDecember 2017 recorded the \nhighest monthly traffic for Ringgit Oh Ringgit\n! 82k! In December 2016, it was 22k. In December 2015, it was 2k. Thanks so much for your support, you guys <3\n\n\nDue to the traffic, I also received the \nhighest monthly Google Adsense payout\n so far \u2013 RM661.77!\n\n\nChristmas and New Years Eve celebration with friends <3\n\n\n\n\nNay of the month:\n\n\n\n\nSpent way too much money.\n\n\nMy \ngrandmother\n, my last living grandparent, is not well. Please send prayers and good vibes to my family.\n\n\nCheated\n out of RM127.20 from a gym. They charged me one extra month. I gave up trying to recover it back, it\u2019s not easy.\n\n\nGot a vanity cosmetic fix\u2026 Injected \ndermafillers\n to correct my under-eye situation. RM3.6k gone and only slightly happy about it. Might do a post on the experience.\n\n\nSpent a lot of time thinking about which\u00a0\nprojects\n I want to dedicate my time on, aside from my usual writing-related work. Still have no clear answer and feeling a bit aimless.\u00a0 I want to do something that both scares and excites me. I want another hill to conquer. It\u2019s not that there\u2019s no hills around, there are a few, and I\u2019m deciding which one(s) to climb right now. It\u2019s a problem, but thankfully a good one.\n\n\n22% of my spending in December 2017 was for Donations and Gifts \u2013 too much? I bought presents for people, might have gone overboard with the gifting :/\n\n\nBeen wanting to try \nSteam\n for a while, and I finally did \u2013 couldn\u2019t resist the winter sales. Bought Dream Daddy, the dating dad simulation game. It\u2019s amusing rofl. I\u2019m annoyed that I couldn\u2019t stop myself from buying this game but to be fair the entertainment value I got from this RM20.77 game is well worth it.\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nBeing frugal while keep building wealth in 2018. I haven\u2019t been good on the frugal part lately.\n\n\nGrowing this website\u2019s traffic and its passive income even more. Dare I aim for 200k monthly traffic by the end of 2018? I dare!\n\n\nBuying some courses from \nUdemy\n. They\u2019re having 90% sales now guys! If not mistaken from 01-10 January 2018 only. Any courses to recommend?\n\n\nPaying my \nzakat\n and taxes. I enjoy the whole process (although the payment part stings a bit).\n\n\nLiquidifying some of my crypto investment and channelling it towards safe investments. My high-risk/low-risk ratio is making me nervous. I\u2019m considering properties, but might just go with the safest option for me, ASB.\n\n\nRe-Konmari my possessions. Need to sell/donate stuff I no longer use.\n\n\n\n\nOverall, 2017 was very kind to me. It\u2019s my highest-earning year so far, and career-wise I\u2019m at my peak. I hope to keep the momentum and of course, record the journey here in this blog. Please keep supporting me \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click\u00a0\nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nreview\n).\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-december-2018/", "title": "Budget Update: December 2018\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: December 2018\n\n\nHappy new year! Welcome, 2019! Thank goodness I didn\u2019t go out on New Year\u2019s Eve, or I would\u2019ve spent more than RM6000 in December 2018 for sure!\n\n\nDecember 2018 was\u2026 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 \u2018there\u2019 most of the time.\n\n\nI\u2019m 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\u2019re all technically good for me).\u00a0As of time of writing, I\u2019ve decided to stop the strict diet (keto btw) because it\u2019s 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 \u2018cannot\u2019 have but really want. It came up to 37 items.\n\n\nAny of you tested your capability to follow through a strict self-development routine? How\u2019d it work for you?\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019ve\n quit smoking\n, 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.\u00a0I gained 2kg, probably due to increased appetite and food intake after quitting smoking. But this is still a \u2018yay\u2019 moment because I\u2019m proud I didn\u2019t light up, despite really, really wanting to.\n\n\nDavid from \nClickWP\n gifted me the best \nChristmas gift\n \u2013 fixed a bug on ringgitohringgit.com mobile version that\u2019s been bothering me forever! Thank you so much, bless <3\n\n\nOrganised a \npersonal finance bloggers and thought leaders meetup\n. 13 people turned up, and we had a great chat about our plans in 2019. It was lovely meeting everyone!\n\n\nCoincidentally \u2018discovered\u2019 \nRefash.my\n, \u2018Malaysia\u2019s largest marketplace for buying & selling \nsecondhand clothes\n\u2018. 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\u2019t 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\u2019re not new, so \ud83d\ude09\n\n\nUtilised my\n gym membership\n well. The pay-per-entry fee is RM15. I went at least 8 times in December 2018. Keep it up, Suraya!\n\n\nSome progress made for my upcoming \nbook compilation\n. Commissioned an artist to add some illustrations \u2013 10 short stories, 10 images. Can\u2019t wait to have it published and printed!\n\n\nLower-than-usual \npublic transportation\n costs. Didn\u2019t go out much. I also tried my best to schedule meetings and errands on the same day \u2013 that seems to work so I think I\u2019ll continue this approach.\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nI wasn\u2019t a good daughter. No excuses. I have to do better.\n\n\nLost one of the \nsecurity passcards\n for my apartment. The replacement card costs RM50. Shouldn\u2019t have happened, but it did, so I have no choice but to pay up.\n\n\nA couple of months ago I applied for a RM200k ASB loan. Found out that it was \nrejected\n. I don\u2019t understand, my credit score is high (see below). Perhaps they consider me high risk because my income is irregular? I can\u2019t help it, that\u2019s the life of a freelancer \ud83d\ude41\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHoly cow my \ngrocery bills\n are high. RM800! I know why though \u2013 keto-friendly ingredients are expensive. Sadly, unlike the first time around, I\u2019m 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\u2019m eating too much protein for muscle growth, maybe I\u2019m not drinking enough water, who knows.\n\n\nOnly managed to read \none book\n \u2013 seriously lacked concentration and focus. It was a great book though \u2013\u00a0\nAround the World in 50 Years: My Adventure to Every Country on Earth by Albert Podell.\u00a0\nHe went to every. single. country. I didn\u2019t realise some countries are THAT hard to get into! Such an enjoyable read.\n\n\nBought a \ngrammar software\n called WhiteSmoke. It\u2019s crap, I hate using it. That\u2019s RM285.80 down the drain!\n\n\nDid I forget to pay my bills? I did! Oh fish, better get that sorted out ASAP!\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nTaking off my braces\n in January 2019. The end is near! Halleluyah! I can\u2019t wait to bite into an apple!\n\n\nWorking hard\n\u00a0and feeding on your energy. I love Januaries. It\u2019s 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.\u00a0Let\u2019s do this.\n\n\n\n\nAside from that, I\u2019m also looking forward to make 2019 better than 2018. Here are some goals I want to achieve in this year.\n\n\nFinancially, I want to:\n\n\n\n\nMax out my \nASB fund\n\n\nAchieve \n>25% savings rate\n (percentage of money saved after deducting all expenses)\n\n\nWork towards one more source of \npassive income\n\n\nFinally hire an \naccountant\n\n\nSurvive another year being \nself-employed\n\n\n\n\nLifestyle-wise, I would like to continue:\n\n\n\n\nWeight training\n 2-3x per week\n\n\nMy \nno-smoking\n streak (2 weeks smoke-free now!)\n\n\nTracking my \nexpenses\n\n\nEating mostly \nhome-cooked meals\n\n\n\n\nAnd I would like to improve on:\n\n\n\n\nMindfulness/meditation\n practice\n\n\nMy \nwater\n intake\n\n\nMy relationship with \nfood\n (why does feeling stuffed feels so comforting?)\n\n\nMy relationship with my \nfamily\n\n\nSelling/getting rid of \nclutter\n\n\n\n\nWhat are your goals in 2019? I\u2019m particularly interested to hear your financial goals \u2013 share with me in the comments section!\n\n\nProtip: don\u2019t say \u2018get better with money\u2019 (or the classic: \u2018save money\u2019). 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 \nmoney challenges\n and see where you end up.\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click\u00a0\nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nhow expense tracking works\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-december-2019/", "title": "Budget Update: December 2019\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: December 2019\n\n\nNote: My expense-tracking app, Money Lover got a new visualisation update. I like it fine, except it removed the \u2018biggest single expense of the month\u2019 segment in the above graphic. I miss it \ud83d\ude41\n\n\nSo 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.\n\n\nAs I write this, New Years Day have came and went. It\u2019s 2020 y\u2019all! It\u2019s still surreal, but I\u2019m sure we\u2019ll all get used to it soon enough.\n\n\nLately, I\u2019ve 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.\n\n\nThe simplest example is the items positioned at eye level in grocery stores \u2013 you still have the freedom to buy whatever you want in the aisle\u2026 but you\u2019re more likely to buy the ones positioned at eye level (that\u2019s why companies pay for that space btw).\n\n\nOne 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\u2019t want to be the odd one out.\n\n\nIf your new year\u2019s 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.\n\n\nFor example, increasing your exposure to personal finance content creators in various social media (\nwebsites\n | \nTwitter\n | \nInstagram\n | \nYoutube\n). If your feed is telling you that it seems that everyone is trying to get better with money, \nyou will too\n.\n\n\nLikewise, try and recognise when for-profit companies are trying to take your money by nudging you a certain way.\n\n\nThat\u2019s the end of that thought process for now. Let\u2019s continue to be better. All the best in 2020, fam.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nTravel made up the biggest expense category in December 2019 but that\u2019s okay because I went to \nBali\n for a holiday and had a great time! Related: \nUnder-RM2000 Travel: 6D5N Budget Bali Trip\n\n\nTreated people I love and care about to meals (under Social). Investment in relationships is good investment \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nConcluded the \nRinggit Oh Ringgit XMas Giveaway 2019\n \u2013 congratulations to all winners!\n\n\nThe realisation that I have pretty good relationships with my fellow personal finance content creators \ud83d\ude42 It\u2019s nice to be liked by your peers!\n\n\nGot interviewed on \nBFM89.9\u2019s Ringgit & Sense show\n for the second time! You can listen to the podcast \nhere\n (registration required)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCatch @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 \ud83d\ude42 . #bfm899 #newyearsresolution #financialgoals #ringgitandsense #personalfinancemalaysia #malaysiablogger #bloggermalaysia #radiomalaysia\n\n\nA post shared by \nSuraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nJan 1, 2020 at 5:38pm PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMade the grown-up decision to self-contribute RM4k to my\n EPF account\n even though I don\u2019t 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 \u2013 transferred on 31 December 2019.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNo longer going to chiro sessions for the time being. My chiropractor returned back RM500 without much fuss, so that\u2019s good.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFinally got my\n Tabung Haji\n sorted out. I\u2019m going to hajj in 2139 y\u2019all\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDone: 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\u2019re 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\n\n\nA post shared by \nSuraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nDec 5, 2019 at 6:32pm PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRead one book: \nThe Hollywood MBA: A Crash Course in Management from a Life in the Film Industry by Tom Reilly\n. It was better than I expected \u2013 the business/management side of filmmaking makes really interesting case studies! I didn\u2019t 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!\n\n\nBooked accommodation in Bangkok for \nWordcamp Asia\n event in February!\n\n\nThe Sony Controller that I bought and cancelled the previous month still arrived, but I ain\u2019t mad. Had fun playing Harvest Moon!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDelayed gratification period: 7 years. I haven\u2019t 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\u2019s 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\u2019m so happy \ud83d\ude2d . #delayedgratification #harvestmoon #harvestmoonlightofhope #steamgames #farminggame\n\n\nA post shared by \nSuraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nDec 2, 2019 at 3:08am PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\n\n\nI have RM950 stuck in \nBigPay\n 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\u2019ll take up to 60 days for the money to be returned back to me. So annoying.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNot just that \u2013 did a mistake with \nTouch N Go card\n and was charged the maximum amount allowed for PLUS highway toll \u2013 RM53.90. I\u2019ve submitted my claim form online, hopefully the money will be returned soon too\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYesterday, 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\n\nWhat should I do? RM53.90 is a lot \npic.twitter.com/ahl7YOD5MD\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nDecember 20, 2019\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWell, 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.\n\n\nThis still hurt tho\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIndonesian kakaks don\u2019t 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 \u201cya gemuk sudah\u201d\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nDecember 25, 2019\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nContinue working on Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 2\n\n\nContinue working on Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 1 (Malay edition)\n\n\nWorking on the Ringgit Oh Ringgit Podcast with \nClickWP\n! Season 1\u2019s theme will be: SOLOPRENEURS. Watch out for updates!\n\n\nWorking on my financial goals. I\u2019m so pumped!\n\n\n\n\nAnother thing to look forward to \u2013 writing my annual income and expenses report for the 4th year. Complete transparency \u2013 I\u2019ll share where my incomes come from, and the top expenses sorted by amount. Look out for that post soon \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nhow expense tracking works\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-december-2020/", "title": "Budget Update: December 2020 \u2013 Site Revamp!\n  ", "body": "\n\nWelcome 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\u2019re reading this, we already entered 2021, so Happy New Year to you!! \ud83e\udd73\n\n\n\n\nBudget Update: December 2020\n\n\nIn December 2020, I spent RM13,856.14. The top 3 top expenses were:\n\n\nDonations & Gift (RM5,409.66) \u2013 Paid zakat; paid wasiat-writing service for parents; paid parents\u2019 electric bill; contributed a bit to Dad\u2019s dusun project; gifted food treats for family events \nDates & Travel (RM3,366.94) \u2013 For flights and accommodation in Langkawi\nBusiness (RM2,258.37) \u2013 The balance of Money Stories from Malaysians book (re)order; new website theme (do you like it??)\n\n\nSo 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. \n\n\nYet\u2026 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 \ngloat\n share my own successes and milestones all year. I don\u2019t want to be tone-deaf. \n\n\nHere\u2019s to a better 2021 to everyone who\u2019s not doing as well. I\u2019m rooting for you. \n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in December 2020\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I spent on in the whole month of December 2020, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Completed RinggitOhRinggit.com website revamp!\n\n\nBy now you should have noticed the new website design, yes? That\u2019s one thing from my \n21 in 2021\n list that I can already check off! \u00a0 \u00a0\n\n\n\nhttps://www.facebook.com/ringgitohringgit/posts/2594424887515573?__cft__[0]=AZUg7y32kBQDt6q-cTK2QQHo2AbZShSGIxLnSjxViJxR5ezU-bVnmFztpexRyhrhFAPzyN7bodpW2l9rYHuGv-Nd4srsX8fyS7P9aMiYNpqf_svLEp_VsZXuLigcgTR90zAs2V5f1xoQzCNmWzWfXRKkAc5cNuTBDGq0hF579J7ZpdkldipZ0DW8cGYX4LtPK_Y&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R\n\n\n\nBig THANK YOU to David of \nClickWP.com\n for guiding me through the whole design and installation process <3 \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Went on Langkawi for Honeymoon\n\n\nWe 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\u2019t attend any parties. We also decided to self-quarantine ourselves after coming back.\n\n\nHopefully this will be enough precaution for our loved ones. Our flight was full and not everyone adhered to SOPs.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Took a financial behaviour assessment \n\n\nThis was a GREAT assessment and I\u2019ll dedicate an article to do it justice, but worth mentioning here. I got the Couple test and completed it with my partner \u2013 we found out areas where we are similar in money, and where we are different. Really eye-opening for us.\n\n\nThe Financial Behaviour Assessment is available for individuals and couples. You can buy for yourself\u00a0\nhere\n\u00a0(disclosure: I\u2019ll get a commission on sales, but I was the one who loved it so much and reached out to offer to sell it).\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Bitcoin reached ANOTHER All-Time High!\n\n\nAlthough 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. \n\n\n\n\nAs a bitcoin hodler, I thought I'd be at my happiest now, but instead all I have is worry and anxiety\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nDecember 27, 2020\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Threw away stuff I hoarded\n\n\nI have the tendency to hoard stuff, often justifying it under frugalism and zero waste. It\u2019s usually harmless, but sometimes can be a bit on the extreme side.\n\n\nIn 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. \n\n\n#6 \u2013 Moderated webinar on warrants with Isabelle from Kenanga Investment Bank\n\n\nIsabelle plays it down, but her trading mindset and strategies are freaking solid. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n View this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n \n\n\n#7 \u2013 Lower phone bill\n\n\nHey RM20 is RM20 \ud83d\ude1b Thanks \nYoodo\n (note: ref code)\n\n\n\n\nWill save RM20 in my next phone bill and pay RM75 instead of RM95 thanks to Yoodo's double special promo + reduced data \ud83e\udd73 \npic.twitter.com/wuQOTRFTTu\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nDecember 25, 2020\n\n\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Misc\n\n\nRead \nthree books\n: \nUnstuffed: Decluttering Your Home, Mind & Soul\n by Ruth Soukup (Solid tips but a bit on the preachy side); \nUnfriending My Ex: Confessions of a Social Media Addict\n by Kim Stolz (would have been insightful when it was published in 2014, but it\u2019s now 2021 so nothing she says about feeling distracted and unfocused is new); and\n 2020; An Anthology\n published by Buku Fixi (\none of my best purchases in 2020\n!)\nOne 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!\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Series of bad luck during honeymoon\n\n\nFirst, I couldn\u2019t sit together with husband on the flight. \n\n\n\n\nIn 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 \ud83d\ude1e\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nDecember 30, 2020\n\n\n\n\nListen, I\u2019m not about to separate a mother with her children on a flight, BUT she should have purchased the seats herself.\n\n\nAnd second, I lost one of my earrings. Saw it fell over the balcony and never found it again. It was my favourite pair too \ud83d\ude41\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n View this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n \n\n\n#2 \u2013 \u2018Burned\u2019 one Fave voucher\n\n\nI was saving up the voucher for a special occasion and didn\u2019t realise the expiry date \ud83d\ude41\n\n\n\n\nHere's a reminder to check your fave vouchers and redeem them before expiry\nSigned, 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 \ud83d\ude1e\ud83d\ude1e)\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nDecember 22, 2020\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\nSlowly ticking off the rest of my \n21 for 2021 List!\n I really really really want to achieve #13 ASAP!\n\n\nWhat\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section!\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nfind out your budgeting style\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-december-2021/", "title": "Budget Update: December 2021 \u2013 Took a break\n  ", "body": "\n\nWelcome 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!    \n\n\nSo how was your December? Was it good, bad or meh?\n\n\nI don\u2019t know if any of y\u2019all noticed, but I barely updated RoR in December. That\u2019s 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. \n\n\nIt felt good. This is the longest break I\u2019ve had since I went self-employed 6 years ago. \n\n\n\n\nI 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!\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nJanuary 4, 2022\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m 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\u2019t skipped in years. \n\n\nThe guilt is there\u2026 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\u2019m going to (try) let this go and not let it bother me. I can\u2019t change the past anyway \u2013 I can only do better in the future.\n\n\nLet\u2019s get on to the budget part. \n\n\nBudget Update: December 2021\n\n\nIn December 2021, I spent RM15,876.31. The top 3 top expenses were:\n\n\nDonations & Gifts\n (RM6977.70)\n \u2013 Mom\u2019s bday present, Parents\u2019 electric bill, Dad\u2019s car repair bill, Zakat for 2021, Donation for flood\nUtilities & Rent (RM2,525.01) \n\u2013 Rent, bills, and new mortgage\nDates/Travel (RM2,122.33) \n\u2013 Payments for 2 trips\n\n\n\n\nCumulatively, 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)\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in December 2021\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I spent on in the whole month of December 2021, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Had 2 vacations\n\n\nHad a family vacation to Terengganu and a couples vacation to Turkey. Trip and budget breakdown for Turkey coming soon!\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Received suraya.eth as a gift\n\n\nI tweeted this:\n\n\n\n\nI'm not into NFT collecting (artwork is awesome, I'm the one who's uncultured) but I do want a .eth..\nWhat's the gas fee now again \ud83d\ude23\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nDecember 9, 2021\n\n\n\n\nAnd before I knew it, my friend Dave bought it for me (even after I tried declining). But honestly it\u2019s such a thoughtful gift and I\u2019m genuinely happy. \n\n\n\n\nsuraya.eth is now mine \ud83e\udd7a\u2764\ufe0f thank you \n@AppletonDave\n I'm so happy \nhttps://t.co/QQ8cYWN8Hc\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nDecember 9, 2021\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013  Did teeth scaling \n\n\nHad an overdue scaling and polishing treatment.  My dentist charged me RM150. I\u2019m fine with the payment, but also wonder how hard it is to make an appointment with Klinik Pergigian Kebangsaan, because I heard that\u2019s just RM1.\n\n\nI mean\u2026 if my tax money is already funding it, why not, right? \n\n\n#4 \u2013 Bought new glasses\n\n\nAfter 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.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Enlisted as board member in AFS Antarabudaya Malaysia\n\n\nWhen I was 16, I went on an exchange programme under \nAFS Malaysia\n, 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. \n\n\nIt changed my life. \n\n\nIt benefited me so much that I\u2019ve been a volunteer with AFS Malaysia on and off ever since I returned. In 2021, I\u2019m happy to be given a chance to take on a bigger role in the organisation \u2013 as a board member. This is new for me and I can only hope I\u2019ll do a good job \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Applied for my first IPO\n\n\nI 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. \n\n\n#8 \u2013 Misc\n\n\nRead 0 books \ud83d\ude41\n\n\nNoteworthy shows:\n\n\nSpiderman: No Way Home at cinema\nWitchers Season 2 on Netflix\nDon\u2019t Look Up on Netflix\n\n\nBought for myself:\n\n\n1 x course on content creation\n3 years SSM extension for my biz\n(From Turkey): clothes, soup mixes, food products, tea and coffee, kitchenware \n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 -New financial commitments\n\n\nWe got our new house keys! We got our new house keys! This means 2 things \u2013 (1) we\u2019ll be planning our move out/move in in the next few months, and (2) I\u2019ll start paying my share of mortgage and also home renovation costs. \n\n\n(2) have started. I\u2019ve started paying for these in December 2021:\n\n\nHome loan \u2013 RM1200 per month for 35 years\nRenovation instalment (1) \u2013 RM1013.21 per month for 12 months \nRenovation instalment (2) \u2013 RM208.33 per month for 24 months\n\n\n(That\u2019s only the first instalment, not even the full bill. There will be more costs to pay. Eeep)\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Finding it tough to sell wedding packages\n\n\nMy 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. \n\n\nAnyway, let\u2019s try my luck here. Here\u2019s what I\u2019m selling. \n\n\n#1 \u2013 Bridal makeup and hairdo/hijab styling package by \nAnggun by Deanna\n\n\nIf interested, 1) whatsapp Deanna (click link above for direct link + see her work) and ask if she\u2019s available for your event date, and  2) if she\u2019s 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! \n\n\n\n\nTO LET GO! Package bridal makeup + hairdo/hijab styling from MUA Anggun by Deanna. Cover area KL + Selangor. Can check \nhttps://t.co/tsRXUjRXY6\nPayment: RM250 (to me)\nBalance: RM500 to Deanna lepas confirm\nSebab: let go my slot. dah nikah setahun dah, no more sanding \ud83d\ude05\ud83d\ude02 dm me! \npic.twitter.com/FhP4PFArkr\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nNovember 18, 2021\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 All-in Nikah/Reception/ Wedding package\n\n\nIf interested, 1) message the venue and ask if your date is available. Contact details in \nhttps://beacons.ai/glassgardenhouse/\n 2) if yes, message me to take over my slot. You save RM1.5k!\n\n\n\n\nTO LET GO! All-in nikah/sanding/wedding package at Garden Glass Hall Shah Alam\nPrice:\n\u2013 300 pax \u2013 RM16.5k\n\u2013 500 pax \u2013 RM21.5k\nIncludes: deco, photographer, bridal wear, mc, makeup (see next twt)\nI paid RM4.5k and didn't use. Buy my slot for RM3k and pay the rest to event venue \npic.twitter.com/N6QYb0Py6y\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nJanuary 5, 2022\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\nGetting CFP exam results (pray for me!)\nPlanning our home renovations (this is fun \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nWell, that was my December 2021. How was yours? What\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nfind out your budgeting style\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-december-2022/", "title": "Budget Update: December 2022 \u2013 Happy New Year! (How to Earn Money in 2023?)\n  ", "body": "\n\nHappy 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. \n\n\nSo how was your last month of 2022? Was it good, bad or meh?\n\n\nFor me, I\u2019m ending 2022 with a deep sense of melancholy. I like what I do, and I earn alright, but I\u2019ve been slowly thinking.. what else? As a personal finance content creator, what else can or should I do?\n\n\n\n\nI 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\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nDecember 28, 2022\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s not a hard question to answer. The way I see it, I have 2 obvious paths:\n\n\n\n\nI have two growth paths in front of me. On a crossroad\n1) make use of my CFP cert and become a financial planner \n2) start churning out lots of video content\nOr is there a 3rd hidden road?\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nJanuary 1, 2023\n\n\n\n\nBut somehow, both 1 and 2 doesn\u2019t excite me. But I don\u2019t know what does, so logically might as well do one or both of those until I figure it out, right?\n\n\nI don\u2019t 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\u2019s get on to the budget part. \n\n\nBudget Update: December 2022\n\n\nIn December 2022, I spent RM16,572.97. The top 3 top expenses were:\n\n\n\n\nDates/Travel (RM6,233.84) \n\u2013 Total used for Vietnam trip, paid in advance Yogyakarta trip\n\n\nDonations & Gifts (RM3,938.95)\n \u2013 Parents TNB bill, zakat for 2022\n\n\nMisc Needs (RM1,408.62)\n \u2013 Luggage bags and travel items, new shoes, towels and yoga mat\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCumulatively, the top 3 expenses make up 71% of my total December 2022 expenses. \n\n\nNote: My spending for December 2022 was actually a bit unusual and very much circumstantial. I don\u2019t 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\n\n\n(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)\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in December 2022\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I spent on in the whole month of December 2022, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:\n\n\n\n\nSpending notes:\n\n\n\n\nI calculated my groceries total for the year and it turns out, we average around RM750 in Groceries per month for 2 people which isn\u2019t bad! Assuming 200 meals made at home per month (for 2), that\u2019s just RM3.75 per meal on average!\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Bergaji & Pokai Book hit NUMBER 1 BESTSELLER\n\n\nIn November it even made the MPH weekly bestsellers list!!\n\n\nTo say I am happy is an understatement. I am ECSTATIC!\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nIf you haven\u2019t gotten a copy and want one, you can buy Bergaji & Pokai book online at \nlinktr.ee/surayaror\n or at bookstores nationwide \ud83d\ude42 Keep the receipt because you can use to claim tax relief* :)) \n\n\n*for 2024\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Went to Vietnam\n\n\nWe went to Da Nang and Hoi An, Vietnam for 6 days \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nI usually do a budget breakdown article for my travels but this time around I don\u2019t 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. \n\n\n#3 \u2013 Paid zakat\n\n\nI pay my zakat at end of December every year because my income isn\u2019t salary x 12, it\u2019s combination of incomes: \n\n\n\n\nsponsored/brands \n\n\nspeaking engagements \n\n\naffiliate incomes (multiple platforms) \n\n\nIPO profit \n\n\nvending machine income \n\n\nMoney Stories from Malaysians and Bergaji & Pokai book sales\n\n\nPlus the RM10k EPF withdrawal is also zakat-able\n\n\n\n\nRemembering 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\u2019s rightful allocation in my money, so. \n\n\n#4 \u2013 Upgraded insurance\n\n\nAfter procastinating on it (for 10 years\u2026), I finally reviewed and upgraded my insurance plan. \n\n\nBtw, here\u2019s 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\u2019re better off switching to the newer products.\n\n\nBtw re-reviewing your insurance plan is your agent\u2019s job, if you have one. This service is part of the reason why they\u2019re paid commission. If they\u2019re not doing their job, it might be a good idea to get a better, more attentive one. \n\n\n\n\nI 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 \ud83d\ude41 \nhttps://t.co/aJbFF6mxkX\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nDecember 15, 2022\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Went to therapy\n\n\nAm battling some personal inner struggles and suffered panic attacks twice. The second time it happened, I told myself this can\u2019t go on, I need help. Objective help, not from (well-meaning but biased) loved ones. \n\n\nTotal spent was only RM120 for one session but it was so, so helpful. I\u2019m happy. Generally speaking my mental health is good but in 2023, I plan to get help whenever I feel like I need it. \n\n\n#6 \u2013 Appeared on.. \n\n\n#1 \u2013  Private personal finance workshop organised by WOMEN:Girls\n\n\n#2 \u2013  Leveling the playing field \u2013 the social & youth narrative organised by Malaysia Women and Girls Forum 2022\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Helping you navigate money step-by-step by BFM Ringgit and Sense show\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Misc\n\n\nRead:\n\n\n\n\nFifty Things that Made the Modern Economy by Tim Hartford\n\n\nBaby Proof by Emily Giffin\n\n\nThe 5 Essentials: Using Your Inborn Resources to Create a Fulfilling Life by Bob Deutsch, PhD\n\n\n\n\nBought for myself:\n\n\n\n\nLuggage bags to avoid AirAsia\u2019s check-in baggage fee\n\n\nTravel adapter\n\n\nFace masks\n\n\nNew towels (to replace old ones)\n\n\nNew shoes (to replace old ones)\n\n\nYoga mat (to replace old ones)\n\n\nDuvet cover \n\n\n2 dresses, 2 leggings/pajama pants, 1 top\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Phone screen glitch\n\n\nAfter 2.5 years of using my current iPhone, the screen now suddenly got glitch \u2013 there\u2019s a couple of lines that should not be there. \n\n\nIt\u2019s 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. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Problems with my Maybank Debit Card\n\n\nIn the previous month, my Maybank Amex card stopped working. That got sorted out (after some frustration).\n\n\nIn 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. \n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nTrip to Yogyakarta (managed to get 5 nights at 5-star hotel for approx RM300 per night??? I\u2019ll take it!)\n\n\nWriting my 23 for 2023 list (done: \nbolded what I achieved in 2022\n)\n\n\n\n\nWell, that was my December 2022. How was yours? What\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nfind out your budgeting style\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-february-2016/", "title": "Budget Update: February 2016\n  ", "body": "February Budget Update Summary\n\n\n\n\nUnder RM2k!! Yay!\n\n\nMy February expenses have always been low, I don\u2019t know why. I mean, it\u2019s just a few days less, but I spend hundreds less, too. In Feb 2015, I spent RM1467.03.\n\n\nIn February, I feel of the \nketo \nwagon -_- I blame my sister\u2019s wedding. All those food. I lost 8kg and gained it all back WTF. Ah well, I am keto-ing on.\n\n\nI also spent an obscene amount of time in front of the computer. As a new \nfreelance writer\n, I wrote \na lot \nfor other people. I didn\u2019t have much time to update RoR that much (only 4 posts last month, as opposed to 16 posts in December!), however I\u2019m happy that my traffic didn\u2019t 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.\n\n\nAll my spending in February 2016:\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nMy sister got married. It was a great wedding \neven if I thought it was too expensive.\n\n\nI got complimented on my wedding outfits (super rare occasion, since I\u2019m known as \u2018the unfashionable one\u2019 among my sisters)\n\n\nGood income from online work yay\n\n\nGot myself a new blush from a booth vendor (support independent sellers! Here\u2019s \nhow NOT to be an ass\n when you buy from them)\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nCan I not be thin already asdfghjk\n\n\nI notice that it\u2019s harder to sleep at night now, because my brain is too active? I have trouble shutting it down before sleep\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nMore work, more money\n\n\nPaying taxes and zakat for 2015 (no seriously)\n\n\nI need a good pampering day. Contemplating a facial. Maybe a shopping trip. All my clothes are so cebeh already #frugallife #useitupwearitout\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-february-2017/", "title": "Budget Update: February 2017\n  ", "body": "\n\nFebruary\u00a02017 Budget Update Summary\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m a bit annoyed with myself because for the past two months, I\u2019ve been spending everything I\u2019m earning. It\u2019s more or less equal. But a significant portion did go towards donations, so\u2026 *mixed feelings*\n\n\nFebruary 2017 was an enjoyable month. Just when I thought I was stagnant, a meetup with personal finance/ self-improvement bloggers Aaron Tang from \nMr Stingy\n, DM from \nDividend Magic\n and Charles from \nKopi and Property\n\u00a0perked 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.\n\n\nFebruary 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\u2019d love to upgrade my hosting plan and I want to give readers a good experience when visiting this blog.\n\n\nSo dear readers, what do you want from Ringgit Oh Ringgit? You guys helped me earn, it\u2019s only right to give back in return, no? \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nYay of the month:\n\n\n\n\nPaid my zakat\n (Related: \nthe writeup on it\n). I have no idea how much is my taxes yet, but if it\u2019s anything last previous years, I should get a portion of it back, maybe.\n\n\nSunat-ed my other (male) cat\n for RM120. Was extremely satisfied with their service, plus the staff was likeable. If you\u2019re looking for a good vet in Shah Alam area, look for \ni-Vet Care\n. The last time I neutered my cat, I paid RM150 for not-so-great experience.\n\n\n(Along with many other people), was interviewed by The Edge about bitcoin \ud83d\ude42 It\u2019s in issue #1151.\n\n\nSaw 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 \ud83d\ude00\n\n\nStocked up on sunscreens (Biore) and facial lotion (Hada Labo) during \nGuardian\u2019s 3-for-2 sales\n. Discounts on things you\u2019re going to get anyway = #win.\n\n\nBought a\n silicone facial blender\n for RM4. It\u2019s supposed to help you save money by reducing product waste \u2013 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\u2019s a bit too much, no?\n\n\nAttended Bloktex\u2019s event \u2013 \n\u2018\nA Day with Andreas: Discover, Engage and Connect to the Future of Blockchain and Cryptocurrency\n\u2018. Andreas M. Antonopoulos is a bitcoin evangelist \u2013 someone who clarifies bitcoin for non-bitcoin demographic. I wrote about what he said \nin this post\n. After seeing him in action, I became a fangirl \u2013 even chasing him for a photo together haha. Actually, February was a good month for bitcoin. I\u2019m happy with the price now.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nNay of the month:\n\n\n\n\nAfter the cracked phone incident in January, I had to deal with\n malfunctioning keyboard problem\n in February -_- First the \u2018W\u2019 button stopped working, so for the first few days I copied+pasted \u2018W\u2019 in all my writing work. Then freaking \u2018Y\u2019 stopped working. That\u2019s it. I can\u2019t 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\u2019ll take days to look for the replacement keys.\n\n\nMy Dad was sick\n \ud83d\ude41 He\u2019s 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\u2019ve never been drugged out of my mind to reject it completely. That\u2019s his story, in a nutshell. He\u2019s better now, thank God. I\u2019m happy his immune system is still strong.\n\n\nAs reflected in low groceries bill, I didn\u2019t 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.\n\n\nBeen spending a lot on \nbusiness expenses\n lately :/ Uber/Grab rides to events add up, too.\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nPlanned a lot of activities in March! I\u2019m going to Ho Chi Minh City for a short break, then on another weekend I\u2019ll go tubing/caving in Perak, then on another weekend I\u2019ll be watching a show (paid for it too!)\n\n\nSeems like many of my invoices will be processed soon! Look forward to payment for jobs done these past few months.\n\n\nDoing my taxes.\n\n\nTaking 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\u2019t like being idle. It\u2019s getting a tad counter-productive \u2013 rest time is important, too.\n\n\nOne of my clients, a cool \nhealth-tech startup focusing on brain and mental health\n, is now doing a \ncrowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo\n! 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 \u2013 if you think the product is cool, please share to people passionate about mental health!\n\n\n\n\nMarch will be awesome, I\u2019m sure of it, InsyaAllah. You guys\u00a0have significantly improved my life (by making me feel useful), and \nseriously\n, thank you for visiting RoR.\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-february-2018/", "title": "Budget Update: February 2018\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: February 2018\n\n\n\n\nFebruary 2018 was testing the limits of my willpower.\n\n\nThis blog is about personal finance, yes. But if you really go deep into the whole \u2018health is wealth\u2019 mentality, you\u2019ll see it\u2019s related. Interwoven, even.\u00a0\nAll the money in the world can\u2019t buy me adventures that only a healthy body can give. If that is the case, what good is my money for?\n\n\nWith 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.\n\n\nTo 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\u2019s heart.\n\n\nBut damn. Willpower. What a hard thing to control. What a hard thing to \nunderstand\n. Have you heard of that \u2018willpower is finite\u2019 theory? This theory says that \nno one has perfect, unlimited supply of willpower\n 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) \u2013 to reduce as much unnecessary decisions they have to make, so they can \nconserve their willpower for other things that matter.\n\n\nIt\u2019d 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.\n\n\nBack to you: what habits are you learning/unlearning currently to be a healthier, wealthier you?\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nMy high school friends and I completed \nSkytrex Shah Alam\u2019s Extreme Challenge Course\n. Lived to tell about it. Hell yeah.\n\n\nSpending\n Chinese New Year\n with good friends and family <3\n\n\nDonated to the \nHome for the Elderly Transgender People\n via \nNGOHub.Asia\n. 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\u2019ll turn that anger into donations.\n\n\nRan 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.\n\n\nTreated myself to The Nail Parlour\u2019s multi-award-winning \nZenspa pedicure\n. Really enjoyed the experience \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nWent to \nFRIM\u2019s waterfall\n and had a nice chill day in nature with friends.\n\n\nRead four books\n. \nTaliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan and Pakistan by Kim Barker\n (damn witty account of a journalist who covered the wars. If you always read world news and you like behind-the-scenes, you\u2019ll like this book. Highly recommended), \nNew Aging: Live Smarter Now to Live Better Forever by Matthias Hollwich with Bruce Mau Designs\n (re-read before I went to World Urban Forum), \nEat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert\n (lived up to the hype, beautiful writing) and \nMoody Bitches: The Truth About the Drugs You\u2019re Taking, the Sleep You\u2019re Missing, the Sex You\u2019re Not Having, and What\u2019s Really Making You Crazy by Julie Holland, MD\n (most medical research-backed writings use males as test subjects, so reading this and learning specifically about the female psyche was refreshing).\n\n\nMade \nSurayaCoin\n\u00a0for fun rofl.\n\n\nHad fun viewing \nMy Think City\n\u2018s microhome prototype during the World Urban Festival. Love the idea of urban co-housing. I think it\u2019s completely doable in Malaysian cities. Here\u2019s a \nbusiness idea\n: convert a couple of shoplots (even in shopping malls \u2013 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\u2019t 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.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMicrohouse 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\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya\n (@surayaror) on \nFeb 7, 2018 at 12:11am PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nSpent a lot.\n 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.\n\n\nSo my Surface Pro 4 had this flickering issue going on. Reached out to Microsoft support \u2013 we tried remote trouble-shooting but in the end the issue persisted and I ended up \ngetting a replacement laptop\n. I am SO glad I got a total of 5 years\u2019 warranty. Putting this in \u2018Nay of the Month\u2019 because sorting everything out was crazy mafan. Microsoft Support team was good though.\n\n\nOMFG that \nhigh groceries bill\n 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.\n\n\nI am one of those people who \nsold bitcoin\n when the price plunged to $6-7k. It went past my internal stop loss, my personal \u2018will sell if price went down to X amount\u2019. It\u2019s hard not to regret the decision, now that the price is back to around $11k. #traderproblems\n\n\nRinggit Oh Ringgit \nwebsite traffic went down\n \ud83d\ude41 I think it\u2019s due to Facebook\u2019s new algorithm \u2013 at least that\u2019s 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.\n\n\nRaised my \nPersonal Accident insurance\n from RM300k to RM500k. The monthly commitment is RM53 now, or RM20ish more per month.\n\n\nStill in the process of doing my will/trust. It\u2019s taking a while :/ I really want to write about it already.\n\n\nDecided to not proceed with my \nNGO donation platform idea\n and promote\u00a0\nNGOHub.Asia\n\u00a0\ninstead. I feel a slight shame over this, but at least I\u2019m free to pursue other things I\u2019m interested in.\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nGetting more \ncontrol of my willpower\n. I fought a lot of \u2018I want sugar\u2019 and \u2018I want to smoke\u2019 thoughts in February 2018. It\u2019s 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?\n\n\nActually\n losing weight on this keto diet\n. Wtf I\u2019m still the same weight one month on. The first time I was on keto, I practically \nmelted\n the fat off. Wtf is going on.\n\n\nDoing talks and attending events. Write more. Being productive instead of busy.\n\n\nPlanning a show! Registered\u00a0\nSuna Productions\n, 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!\n\n\n\n\nWhile I have you here, can I ask for a favour? I\u2019m 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!\n\n\nHave an awesome March, you guys \ud83d\ude42 It\u2019s tax season again. Here\u2019s to getting it over and done with, like ripping off a damn annoying band-aid.\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click\u00a0\nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nreview\n).\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-february-2019/", "title": "Budget Update: February 2019\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: February 2019\n\n\nYour girl got her mojo back.\u00a0\n\n\nFor the last few months, I\u2019ve been in, for lack of a better word, a slump. \n\n\nYou know how like, no matter how perfect the job is, there will always be parts of it that you don\u2019t like to do, but you have to do it anyway because\u00a0\nit\u2019s your job\n?\n\n\nEasy example \u2013 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.\n\n\nOn 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.\n\n\nOne of those parts is\u2026 sales. Selling my services. Selling my brand. \nSelling my book\n.\n\n\nWhen 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\u2019t grow if I\u2019m not uncomfortable.\n\n\nKnowing what\u2019s 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.\n\n\nBecause the fact is\u2026 I\u2019m embarrassed to even \nask\n people for their money. I worry that what I offer is not good enough.\n\n\nDespite that, I still did the best I could.\n\n\nAnd \u2013 sorry sebak sikit \u2013 you guys\u2019 punya support has been overwhelming. I know I said thank you a lot in my FB, Twitter and Instagram, but seriously, thank you.\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nPublished my book, Money Stories From Malaysians: Volume 1!\u00a0\nIt\u2019s now available for pre-order until 8 March only \u2013 \nclick this link\n to see what you\u2019ll get out of it.\n\n\nPreorder sales have been much better than expected\n. As of writing time, I\u2019ve made over RM5k in sales within 3 days! I thought I would be \nlucky\n 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 :\u2019)\n\n\nTravelled to \nLuang Prabang, Laos\n and subsequently wrote a \nLuang Prabang budget breakdown post\n.\n\n\nStarted \nskipping breakfast\n intermittent fasting\n. Partly to save money, partly to try something new, partly to gain a bit of extra time, mostly an attempt to lose weight.\n\n\nAttended \nWordpress KL\u2019s meetup\n and learned more about doing my accounting and taxes as a blogger/freelancer.\n\n\nDid a \nvideo shoot\n with \nFinspark\n\u2018s help. Ringgit Oh Ringgit Youtube channel is coming soon!\n\n\nFinally finally finally listed some stuff I have lying around for sale on Carousell. Been on my to-do list forever kot. It\u2019s 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.\n\n\nRead three books\n:\u00a0\nStraight to Hell: \u00a0True Tales of Deviance, Debauchery, and Billion-Dollar Deals\u00a0\nby John LeFevre (pretty much confirmed that the people in international finance industry are scum); \nHomo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow\n by Yuval Noah Harari (so\u2026 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 \nMoney Tips: How to Invest Profitably, Save More Money and Retire Early in Malaysia, Even If You\u2019re In Heavy Debt Now\u00a0\nby \nKC Lau\n (see full commentary in the FB posting below).\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nImpulse-bought 3 pairs of shoes\n in one day. Total damage was about RM200. I\u2019m not proud of this.\n\n\nSpent RM187 on solo eating out\n wtf. Gila la your stress-eating Suraya. That\u2019s 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.\n\n\nHave not paid my zakat yet. Have to get that done in March, or at least before June 2019.\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nHustling to sell more copies of Money Stories From Malaysians: Volume 1.\n 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.\n\n\nLearning more about selling items online\n. 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\u2019t 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\u2019m not angry, but dang Paypal. This will be a post on RoR for sure.\n\n\nTaking on a big writing project. I\u2019m excited.\n\n\n\n\nThose 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 \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click\u00a0\nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nhow expense tracking works\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-february-2020/", "title": "Budget Update: February 2020\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: February 2020\n\n\nDid anyone get any work done at all during the two-week political crisis??? Holy smokes on a stick, all that really did happen didn\u2019t it??\n\n\nWhatever happens, I just hope that (1) we don\u2019t normalise corruption again, and (2) good economic policies benefitting Malaysians \u2013 not just rich Malaysians! \u2013 will be made.\n\n\nNow 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.\n\n\nI wonder how long this will continue. I\u2019ve 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\u2019re living through right now.\n\n\nDoes COVID-19 affect your expenses at all? In what way?\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nMarch 2020 will be a busy month for me because both \nMoney Stories from Malaysians: Volume 2\n and \nCerita Duit Orang Malaysia: Jilid 1\n book projects are nearing completion!\n\n\nPicked up my\n first cheque from MPH Distributors\n \ud83d\ude42 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\u2019m happy to pay them. Plus the bragging rights I get for having a book stocked in bookstores nationwide\u2026 priceless.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nPicked up the first cheque for Money Stories from Malaysians Volume 1 book sales (so far) from MPH Distributors! \ud83d\ude01 This amount is: total sales at bookstores MINUS 55% cut for bookstores MINUS 5% distribution fees . Thank you so much for buying #MYMoneyStories \ud83d\ude4f 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\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nFeb 11, 2020 at 11:30pm PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAppeared in \nBFM Radio\u2019s Ringgit & Sense\n show again \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nAnd we\u2019re done with another Ringgit and Sense recording at @bfmradio! Enjoyed talking about money and relationships with @aarontang84 and @roshankanesan, thanks for having us again \ud83d\ude0a\ud83d\ude4f . If you missed the show, catch it in BFM website or Spotify later! Search for Ringgit and Sense \ud83d\ude01 . I hope your money enables you to be the best, most supportive partner you can be \u2764\ufe0f Have an awesome Vday, xoxo \ud83d\udc69\u200d\u2764\ufe0f\u200d\ud83d\udc68\ud83d\udc68\u200d\u2764\ufe0f\u200d\ud83d\udc68\ud83d\udc69\u200d\u2764\ufe0f\u200d\ud83d\udc69 . #bfmradio #personalfinancemalaysia #personalfinanceblogger #ringgitandsense #halalgap #valentinesday #kualalumpur\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nFeb 12, 2020 at 6:19pm PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMeeting these ladies <3\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nReposted from @femmefinance.my . Our shenanigans over the weekend \ud83d\ude0a 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\u2019t make it but were there in spirit \ud83d\ude42 . (am I missing any other women personal finance content creators? No malice, just ignorance. Please say hi in the comments below or dm me \ud83d\ude42 . Edit: would recommend you to follow @syazanazura too! . #malaysiablogger #bloggermalaysia #investmentmalaysia #personalfinancemalaysia\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nFeb 23, 2020 at 9:08pm PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBeing part of \nHelloGold\u2019s Emaszing Women\n campaign!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nThank you @myhellogold for including me in your #EmaszingWomen campaign \ud83d\ude4c Do watch our individual videos in HelloGold\u2019s YouTube page \ud83d\ude01\ud83d\ude48 . 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 \u2013 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\u2019s 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\u2019m 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)\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nMar 2, 2020 at 7:43pm PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBreaking 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 \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMy sisters have been telling me to cut my hair for MONTHS. Because I\u2019m 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.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nPic: 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\u2019t speak for the rest, but I\u2019m a satisfied customer! The ambiance isn\u2019t 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 \ud83e\uddda\u200d\u2640\ufe0f . Protip: check Fave if they have deals \u2013 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\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nFeb 25, 2020 at 4:35pm PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRead two books:\u00a0\nHidden Persuasion: 33 Psychological Influence Technique in Advertising by Andrews, Van Leeuwen & Van Baaren \n(sure, no one can *force* you to buy something\u2026but they sure can use psychology to make you more likely to buy) and\u00a0\nHow Women Decide: Everyone\u2019s Watching You Call the Shots. Here\u2019s How to Make the Best Choices by Therese Huston\u00a0\n(see below)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\u2018Women who went out of their way to adopt all of the best career-advancement practices still didn\u2019t move up as quickly or earn as much as men who used those same strategies.\u2019 . \u2018Most women need to show that making smart and strategic choice is repeatable, and that it wasn\u2019t just luck or timing or connections that led them down the right path. Women face\u2026 what they call the \u201cprove it again\u201d bias.\u2019 . These are excerpts from How Women Decide: Everyone\u2019s Watching You Call The Shots: Here\u2019s 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\u2019ll find your copy too . #bookloversmalaysia #currentlyreading #howwomendecide #womeninbusiness #jombaca #malaysiamembaca #bookxcess #tamarindsquare\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nFeb 6, 2020 at 2:51am PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nInterviewed by \nThe Full Frontal\n \u2013 I\u2019m no #3 in the \n5 Remarkable Malaysians Talk About Being a Woman in a Progressive Malaysia\n article\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nWordcamp Asia got cancelled\n due to COVID-19 fears \ud83d\ude41 I\u2019m disappointed but I understand. Thankfully everything but my AirAsia flight got refunded, so no major financial loss there.\n\n\nGrabFood\u2019s 50% off deals REALLY got to me. 4 orders in a month, that\u2019s once a week on average. Really jacked up my Food expense category, which tend to correlate with weight gains.\n\n\nStill 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\u2019t 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\u2019ll be at their mercy like this. I\u2019m so upset.\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nSet up preorders for\u00a0\nMoney Stories from Malaysians: Volume 2\n and \nCerita Duit Orang Malaysia: Jilid 1\n books! How shall I bundle them this time around heheheh\n\n\nRecording some YouTube videos for the long-awaited\n Ringgit Oh Ringgit YouTube channel\n! Speaking of which\u2026\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKorang, can you subscribe to my YT channel please? I need at least 100 subscribers to change the custom URL. Now the url is \nhttps://t.co/8B5sjdRG4I\n , which annoys the heck out of me! \npic.twitter.com/erIkwiMaFU\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nFebruary 6, 2020\n\n\n\n\nHow about you? What are you looking forward to in March, and the rest of the year? Share with me, I wanna know \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nhow expense tracking works\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-february-2021/", "title": "Budget Update: February 2021 \u2013 Indulged in Consumerism\n  ", "body": "\n\nWelcome 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!    \n\n\nHow was your February? Mine was memorable \u2013 I allowed myself the experience of indulging in consumerism. \n\n\nThis isn\u2019t my usual character \u2013 I\u2019m 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.\n\n\nI 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.\n\n\nWhile I was tempted, I didn\u2019t buy anything except a pair of jeans from Uniqlo (which I returned the next day as they didn\u2019t fit well \u2013 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\u2019T THE SAME). \n\n\nHave you been to the malls since they reopened?\n\n\nBudget Update: February 2021\n\n\nIn February 2021, I spent RM8,489. The top 3 top expenses were:\n\n\nDonations & Gifts (RM3,128.36)\n \u2013 Paid for estate planning services for Mom, donation to Malaysiakini, donation to Syed Saddiq\u2019s tablet initiative for Muar students, paid parents\u2019 house electric bill and some others\nDates/Travel (RM1,402.82)\n \u2013 treated my partner to a 4D3N staycation \nUtilities & Rent (RM1,328.26)\n \u2013 Gotta keep a roof over our heads\n\n\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in February 2021\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I spent on in the whole month of February 2021, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Increased net worth\n\n\nThe 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. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Donated a lot (1/3 or February 2021 expenses)\n\n\nBecause of #1. It was a joy to redistribute back some of that money to my parents and other good causes. \n\n\n#3 \u2013 DeFi experiments turned lucrative\n\n\nThis is as close to magic internet money as it gets. \n\n\n\n\nQuick update about this. Already tripled my capital in 1 week. \n$GHST\n and \n$QUICK\n went up (capital gain), plus I'm earning $30 per day passively\nConclusion: learning about DeFi pays off \nhttps://t.co/oJipbVjBmD\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nFebruary 20, 2021\n\n\n\n\nWant to learn? It\u2019s not fast and its not easy, but it\u2019s worthwhile. Read this book:\n\n\n\n\nIf you wielded \n@coingecko\n \"How to DeFi\" book since it was launched. You not only gained knowledge but likely made some money too \u2013 \n$UNI\n, \n$POOL\n, perhaps more\nTypically you pay for expensive tuition fees to learn. But here you get paid \"alot\" to learn \ud83e\udd37\u200d\u2642\ufe0f\nhttps://t.co/yi3YzA1pgx\n\u2014 TM (@tmlee) \nFebruary 19, 2021\n\n\n\n\nRelated: \nI Am Self-Learning DeFi (Decentralised Finance). Here\u2019s Why.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Appeared on TV3\u2019s Borak Kopitiam and BFM 89.9 Ringgit & Sense Show\n\n\nTV3 Borak Kopitiam:\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nBFM 89.9 Ringgit & Sense:\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Finally switched my EPF account from Conventional to Syariah \n\n\nI thought I did it, but it turns out I haven\u2019t, but now is better than never. If you already have the EPF i-Akaun, you can just do it online. Super simple process. \n\n\n\n\nRequest tukar epf dari conventional ke syariah. Semalam buat e-akad, hari ni lulus. Tapi tahun depan baru kuat kuasa \n#til\n \npic.twitter.com/pJKhZDFLwc\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nMarch 1, 2021\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Kailan plants growing well!\n\n\nI\u2019m just amazed they\u2019re still alive! I am NOT used to my plants not dying! This is amazing!\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Misc\n\n\nRead \ntwo books\n: \nLab Rats: Why Modern Work Makes People Miserable by Dan Lyons \n(Main takeaway: be very cautious is your boss idolises Jeff Bezos, aka someone who prioritises profits over people) and \nThe Virago Book of The Joy of Shopping, edited by Jill Foulston\n (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)\nBought another \npaint-by-numbers kit\n. I finished one in January and had so much fun, so I got another one (Cost: RM35~)\nBought a yoga ball and some resistance bands for home workouts\nReplenished my book stock:\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Settled mom\u2019s estate-planning (and reminded of her mortality)\n\n\nSorted out: Mom\u2019s estate-planning. I\u2019m glad to have helped her with the paperwork and payments, but I can\u2019t say it was a fun process \u2013 I had to face the possibility of her leaving me straight-on. Dammit I\u2019m sad again..\n\n\n\n\nAlhamdulillah 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..'\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nFebruary 24, 2021\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 My only watch died\n\n\nI\u2019m not a watch person (thank God), but I do own one \u2013 a gift from my Dad. It recently died \ud83d\ude41\n\n\nThankfully, 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. \n\n\n\n\nJam yang Abah bagi sebagai hadiah dah tak boleh pakai dah \ud83d\ude22 ingatkan battery mati, rupanya rosak terus sbb dah rusty kat dalam. Ada ke orang boleh fix? Kat mana? \npic.twitter.com/NtwmTN1LTM\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nFebruary 25, 2021\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\nLast instalment payment for my iPhone!! Will pay the final RM289.92 in March 2021. Wonder how long I\u2019ll last before another consumer item tempts me\nSitting for CFP Module 1 exams. I\u2019m okay with the theory parts, but the financial calculation parts kill me. \n\n\nWell, that was my February 2021! How was yours? What\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section!\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nfind out your budgeting style\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-february-2022/", "title": "Budget Update: February 2022 \u2013 The Perfect Solution\n  ", "body": "\n\nWelcome 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. \n\n\nSo how was your February? Was it good, bad or meh?\n\n\nIn 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. \n\n\nSo I decided to raise my rates, which despite how it sounds, is quite unpleasant and scary for me. It\u2019s less about wanting more money, but more to having a legitimate excuse to keep small number of clients at any one time. As an \nintentional solopreneur\n, I can\u2019t cope with too many clients at once. \n\n\nHowever, I was also worried that I\u2019d get no clients at all. But happily it wasn\u2019t a big deal. Like at all. \n\n\n\n\nClient didn't even blink at new rate, proceed with project. All the fear was just in my head phew \nhttps://t.co/r7rGLYZ7i3\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nFebruary 28, 2022\n\n\n\n\nCool. I think I\u2019ll stick with this tried and tested supply-demand strategy. When demand is high, and supply remains stagnant (there\u2019s only one of me, after all), the price increases. \n\n\nLet\u2019s get on to the budget part. \n\n\nBudget Update: February 2022\n\n\nIn February 2022, I spent RM11,760.27. The top 3 top expenses were:\n\n\nBusiness (RM4,828.61) \n\u2013 Mostly towards cost of new laptop\nUtilities & Rent (RM1,849.75) \n\u2013 Rent, bills, and half of mortgage\nHome Reno + Deco \n(RM1,221.51)\n \u2013 Instalments for reno package\n\n\n\n\nCumulatively, 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)\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in February 2022\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I spent on in the whole month of February 2022, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Passed final CFP exam \n\n\nI got news that I passed the fourth and final CFP exam \ud83d\ude42 I\u2019ve done it, yay me. \n\n\nHowever, I can\u2019t call myself a licenced financial planner, since you need to be attached to a company + have a few years of experience + maintain annual \u2018points\u2019 + pay annual fees to get that title. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Lucky to get the chance to buy FarmFresh IPO \n\n\nI know the chances to get IPO allocation is very small, I\u2019m very grateful by this turn of events. \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 I got a Macbook\n\n\nI really didn\u2019t 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. \n\n\nAfter much research, and LOTS of recommendations, it appears the best value for money product is the Macbook Air. So, despite the fact I\u2019ve always used Windows, I bought it. \n\n\nI was worried about the switch from Windows to MacOS but happily it wasn\u2019t that hard. By the time of writing, I\u2019m almost fully adjusted. \n\n\nY\u2019all were right, it is a great device. Hopefully this laptop will last for a decade or so \ud83d\ude42 \n\n\n(Related: I\u2019m also proud of paying in full)\n\n\n\n\nMy cashflow this month is super negative \ud83d\ude16 but proud of myself for making lump sum payment instead of taking (another) instalment\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nFebruary 25, 2022\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Got awesome deal for Microsoft Office!\n\n\nNow that I got a Mac, I knew I needed to get Microsoft Office. Just my luck to come across an awesome deal \u2013 purchased the Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2021 edition for the grand one-off price of RM210. Usually it\u2019s priced over RM1k, so I saved a lot of money!\n\n\nNote: Don\u2019t know if the deal is still ongoing, nor when it\u2019ll happen again\n\n\n\n\nI just bought this lifetime Microsoft Office access for ~RM210 \ud83e\udd2f\ud83e\udd2f LIFETIME \nhttps://t.co/2oQuCvjtlE\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nFebruary 22, 2022\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Appeared on Actsplore This Podcast\n\n\nThe topic was Money Talk for Couples, which was very timely for Valentine\u2019s Day. Listen to it on Spotify: \nhttps://open.spotify.com/episode/1ZyWN62nNeuQgGGgzGbGY4?si=M52N44qfSHCdlsL-COYdgw&context=spotify%3Ashow%3A02xWljGMOwQEyKWRFFvN3e\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Helped MalaysianPayGap IG to grow from 74 followers to over 100k within a week\n\n\nThe \nMalaysianPayGap IG page\n would have grown anyway without my help, since Malaysians being underpaid is a hot topic, but I did help to make the growth faster. \n\n\n\n\nShoutout 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 \npic.twitter.com/jJ14DhPHEx\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nFebruary 23, 2022\n\n\n\n\nYou can read the founder\u2019s mission to advocate for wage transparency in Malaysia in this \nVulcanPost article\n. \n\n\n#7 \u2013 Misc\n\n\nRead 3 books (!! wow good job Suraya keep it up):\n\n\nFor Richer or Poorer: Confessions of a Player by Victoria Coren (poker player, that is)\nCarpe Diem:\u00a0Seizing the Day in a Distracted World by Roman Krznaric\nReady Player One by Ernest Cline\n\n\nNoteworthy shows:\n\n\nTinder Swindler on Netflix\nLove is Blind Japan on Netflix\nLove and Leashes on Netflix (I am\u2026 slowly watching Korean shows? Ooo this is new)\n\n\nBought for myself:\n\n\nMassage session from Sentuh.my\nThrifted this cute mirror for RM80\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Extremely frustrated with ProductCare, the extended warranty programme by Harvey Norman\n\n\nHarvey Norman was like, you must get this problem fixed by Microsoft Authorised Service Centre or you\u2019ll void the remainder of your warranty. \n\n\nBut Microsoft was like, we don\u2019t have any Authorised Service Centres in Malaysia. \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nI enjoyed my Surface device, but probably won\u2019t get it again. I also suffered from the glitch dubbed flickergate before this (they replaced my device since it\u2019s still within 1 year warranty). \n\n\n\n\n#surfacepro4\n update. \n#flickergate\n getting worse, now happening even when device is not connected to the charger. 4 month-old device. \nTried all the solutions in Microsoft help page, inc reinstalling display driver. Didn't work. Apparently the only solution is a replacement. Sux \npic.twitter.com/ABTv9rtMMd\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nJanuary 30, 2018\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Procrastinated on a few tasks\n\n\nI really need to:\n\n\nComplete Money Stories from Malaysians: Vol 3\nGet my estate planning done (it\u2019s important but also so mafan ugh)\nInvestigate why my parents\u2019 home electric bill is so high\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\nFurniture hunting\n\n\nWell, that was my February 2022. How was yours? What\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nfind out your budgeting style\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-february-2023-trial-month/", "title": "Budget Update: February 2023 \u2013 Supporting family members\n  ", "body": "\n\n 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. \n\n\nSo how was your February? Was it good, bad or meh?\n\n\nFor me, February was the realisation that I have accepted my role as financial contributor for my parents. I mean, I\u2019ve done it for years, but only recently accepted that ah, this is a forever thing.  \n\n\n\n\n'Establish boundaries' 'say no if cannot afford' 'take care of yourself first'\nWhat I tell people is not necessarily what I do. Plus I do have savings \nAnd these are my parents. They prioritised my education at expense of their retirement. This is my time to give back\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nFebruary 16, 2023\n\n\n\n\nAnd I\u2019m fine with it. I\u2019m not going to be one of those people who say things like, \u2018parents should not view their children as retirement plan\u2019 for internet points. If anything, I understand my parents sacrified \ntheir\n retirement plans for me, for us, their children. \n\n\nNotes: \n\n\n\n\nThis mindset doesn\u2019t apply to parents who view their children as cash cows btw. The ones who have \nDark Triad personality traits\n (Narcissists, Machiavellians and Psychopaths) and ask their kids to take loans or finance big unnecessary purchases to \u2018pay them back\u2019\n\n\nMy parents do have assets, but they\u2019re very hard to liquidate in this market. This is also why I\u2019m wary of property and other non-liquid assets as investments\n\n\n\n\nLet\u2019s get on to the budget part. \n\n\nBudget Update: February 2023\n\n\nIn February 2023, I spent RM9,837.99. The top 3 top expenses were:\n\n\n\n\nDonations & Gifts (RM4,495.70)\n \u2013 Parents TNB bill, paid for dad\u2019s dusun project and rental\n\n\nUtilities & Mortgage (RM1,327)\n \u2013 Half mortgage and bills\n\n\nGroceries (RM757.96) \n\u2013 Self-explanatory\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCumulatively, the top 3 expenses make up 68% of my total February 2023 expenses. \n\n\n(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)\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in February 2023\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I spent on in the whole month of February 2023, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Had fun listening to Budget 2023\n\n\nFINALLY they presented Budget 2023. I\u2019m quite happy with it actually. Love the focus on eliminating hardcore poor and reducing leakages. \n\n\nCould it be better for me? Sure. But it is for the better good, so considering my priviledges\u2026 I\u2019ll shut up. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Got more Critical Insurance coverage\n\n\nGot 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\u2019m glad I got it done!\n\n\nFor this one, I didn\u2019t even shell out money, I used money in EPF Akaun 2. More info in \nBest Insurance and Takaful in Malaysia for B40 and M40 On A Budget\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Had excellent dates\n\n\nI know I shouldn\u2019t plan for overseas trips anymore (to save money), but I\u2019ll be damned to give up my dates with partner. \n\n\nThat\u2019s what we did. Had an excellent visit to a flowers wholesaler, visited Tsutaya bookstore, went to various malls, grocery shopping trips (scored some amazing \u2018atas\u2019 groceries at clearance prices!) and ate nice food. \n\n\nAll that for RM481 in Dates cost (mine, excluding how much my partner paid) is more than worth it!\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Challenging process to turn recording of insurance-buying workshop into course\n\n\nI was going to complain about how hard it is but you know what? I\u2019ll put it under Yay of the month instead because I\u2019M LEARNING BY DOING and that\u2019s always good. \n\n\nIt\u2019s still hella hard though. The translation part was hard,\n\n\n\n\nWILDLY 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 \ud83d\ude02\n(laugh emoji but actually I'm very stressed)\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nFebruary 8, 2023\n\n\n\n\nThe video editing part was hard,\n\n\n\n\nConfirm, 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 \nhttps://t.co/8QdYaiElg6\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nFebruary 28, 2023\n\n\n\n\nAnd choosing the platform to sell the course is hard as well. \n\n\nBut again, I\u2019m learning and at the same time leveling up my skills, so all is good \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Misc\n\n\nRead:\n\n\n\n\nBrain Rules for Baby: How to Raise a Smart and Happy Child from Zero to Five by Dr John Medina\n\n\n\n\nBought for myself:\n\n\n\n\nKitchen rack (well, for the house)\n\n\n2 dresses\n\n\nSkincare top up\n\n\nShampoo\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Missed out on Wordcamp Asia\n\n\nWordcamp 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 \ud83d\ude41\n\n\nMaybe all is well though. Post-event, they said an attendee contracted Covid. Maybe if I went, I would need to quarantine there or something. \n\n\nGotta think positive. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Liquidated 15g~ worth of gold\n\n\nHelloGold 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). \n\n\nFor me, that meant receiving RM3k+ back in my account and looked for alternative gold investment platforms. \n\n\nBoth Maybank and Wahed Invest gold investment accounts are good contenders for digital gold investment, but there are more options \u2013 see my updated \nThe Beginner\u2019s Guide to Buying Gold in Malaysia\n article.\n\n\n\n\nPros of both:\n\u2013 easy to open online\n\u2013 low min deposit (RM10 and RM100 respectively)\n\u2013 both shariah-compliant\nObligatory ref links:\n\u2013 Maybank MIGA-I: \nhttps://t.co/Mfrs2vxu9n\n\u2013 Wahed Invest: download app, register and use code 'surbin1' for free RM10\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nJanuary 31, 2023\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nWorking on and releasing digital product\n\n\n\n\nWell, that was my February 2023. How was yours? What\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nfind out your budgeting style\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-january-2016/", "title": "Budget Update: January 2016\n  ", "body": "\n\n\n\nJanuary Budget Update Summary\n\n\nI can easily recap January with these few keywords: bitcoin, content writing, and working out \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nBitcoin\n: It\u2019s so \ninteresting\n. I love following up Bitcoin news. But more than that, I love the disruptive nature of Bitcoin (or rather, blockchain \u2013 the technology behind it). Guys. \nBlockchains is to banks like Uber is to the taxi industry\n. I will write more about Bitcoin soon \u2013 Malaysians can\u2019t be left out. There\u2019s so much savings we can take advantage of from the small but emerging Bitcoin/cryptocurrency financial industry, when we bypass banks completely.\n\n\nIt\u2019s 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.\n\n\nContent writing\n: I am officially a paid freelance web content contributor, on the subject of personal finance \ud83d\ude42 I contribute to two websites (so far): \nThe New Savvy\n \u2013 a finance and career guide for women, and\n efinancialmanagement\n \u2013 a financial management resource. Check out my writing there!\n\n\nWorking out:\n I\u2019ve lost weight, and inches on the \nketo diet\n. I also lost track of how many times my mom tried to feed me random snacks, just to play with my emotion. Mom -_-;;\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nI visited \nKuala Sepetang\n, 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\u2019s 10/10 can recommend. It\u2019s about 1 hour drive from Ipoh.\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Picture from weelingraphy blog\n\n\nIt\u2019s been a while since I had tailored baju kurung. RM170 (service charge) plus RM50 (cloth) for 2 sets is okay, right?\n\n\nI changed the theme for this website! It looks nicer, right? \ud83d\ude42 I used a *gasp* paid theme. It was USD39.\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nDonated some more money towards my sister\u2019s wedding. To be honest I did this on a whim. I\u2019m not exactly swimming in cash, and I\u2019m spending more than I earn, which is bad. Don\u2019t be like me. I can be a bad example too.\n\n\nI had to pay a RM300 fine \ud83d\ude41\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nMore writing about financial stuff <3\n\n\nMaking a career out of this.\n\n\n\n\nWant to check out my previous monthly updates? Check\n this link\n!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-january-2017/", "title": "Budget Update: January 2017\n  ", "body": "\n\nJanuary Budget Update Summary\n\n\n\n\nFinancially, 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 \u2018Hire Me\u2019 page.\n\n\nOne familiar feeling throughout January was the feeling of being stagnant, which sucks. I\u2019m at that point where I think I\u2019ve optimised all I could, and I have trouble identifying what else I can do to be better. Even though there were more\u00a0time to do more fun stuff, I can\u2019t help feeling like I\u2019m wasting time.\u00a0Yes, I know\u00a0relax time is important, but the thing is, work is relaxing and enjoyable for me, so I actually feel anxious when I\u2019m not working.\n\n\nThinking of adding a skill. A Reddit post I read recently talked about \u2018skill-layering\u2019, and how it\u2019s the key to be more employable (and profitable). For example, I know I layer two\u00a0skills 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 \u2018mix and match\u2019 them, which makes you a lot more desirable as an employee.\n\n\nSo my target in February is to identify a new skill and start learning it. Thankfully \nCoursera\n\u00a0and the internet in general is great as a learning tool. Do you have any particular skills to recommend? Need suggestions lah\n\n\n\n\nYay of the month:\n\n\n\n\nWent to \nLangkawi \nfor a short weekend trip. It was fun, and a good start to the year. I can\u2019t wait to travel more.\n\n\nI\u2019m \nexercising\n 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\u2019t particularly like exercising, but it\u2019s getting easier to will myself to do them anyway. Bonus: clothes now fit better \ud83d\ude00\n\n\nMy cats are destroying the new couch, so I bought them a \nscratch post\n for RM75.91. It works like 80% of the time, but I\u2019ll take what I can get.\n\n\nBoth \nUber and Grab had ridesharing promotions\n 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.\n\n\nFound \nRayban knockoffs\n that I absolutely love for RM15. Bought 2, should last me a while!\n\n\nHad really good conversations about \ninsurance\n. After my \narticle about insurance\n was published, some readers contacted me and offered more info. I\u2019ve updated the article with those info, so go read it, especially if you\u2019re planning to buy insurance soon!\n\n\nFinally had to let go of 3 pairs of well-loved \nshoes\n. 2 flats, one wedge. It was starting to look unprofessional to wear them, plus they\u00a0were loose. Because my motto when it comes to shoes is \u2018Use until cannot use, then only can replace\u2019, 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\u2019d love to get good quality shoes so they\u2019ll last longer.\n\n\n\n\nNay of the month:\n\n\n\n\nMy phone, a 7-months-old Lenovo K4 Vibe, fell and \nthe screen cracked\n. 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 \u2013 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\u2019all.\n\n\nGroceries\n were very high. Sure, I stocked up on a lot of non-perishables that\u2019ll last months, but I have to be careful for next month onward.\n\n\nI paid\n my parents\u2019 electric bill\n. 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 \u2013 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.\n\n\nI had a major food binge. Ate a whole pizza by myself. Felt horrible. That hasn\u2019t happened in a while. It was triggered by stress (during the phone incident) and Pizza Hut\u2019s RM10 for medium pizza offer. Gosh.\n\n\nI had a massage, and it was good, but now I\u2019m stuck with \na weird backache\n. It\u2019s been about a week \u2013 should I be worried?\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nI want to switch back my \nmobile postpaid plan to prepaid\n. Made the comparison and seems like I can save more money that way. Plus, I can get \ncashback on prepaid topups via Lazada and 11thStreet, and credit card cashback too\n. Have to plan a trip to one of the centres.\n\n\nNeed to \npay zakat\n. This year, instead of giving my zakat to Lembaga Zakat Selangor, I want to give to \nIslamic Relief Malaysia\n instead. I\u2019ve been annoyed at Islamic religious authorities in Malaysia for a while, and it feels good to be able to contribute to another organisation.\n\n\nMeeting up with friends \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nGetting more work, so I have better things to do with my time instead of dicking around in Reddit.\n\n\nEating vegetarian. Too much meat consumption lately.\n\n\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-january-2018/", "title": "Budget Update: January 2018\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: January 2018\n\n\n\n\nAfter \nDecember 2017\n\u2018s spending massacre, I\u2019m happy that my spending last month was so much more under control! I spent RM5.5k in January 2018 (a third of that is business expenses). There\u2019s still room to lower expenses \u2013 specifically, food (read that as snacks-I-couldn\u2019t-resist).\n\n\nPeople say that January felt long. Was it? For me, January was very eventful \u2013 so the motion of time was kinda skewed. It felt both fast and slow.\n\n\nWhat a strange concept, time. We all have the same amount, but we all experience it in different ways. Nowadays I treasure time a lot more than money, an opposite from before. This is a generalisation, but I think all of us will go through these stages:\n\n\n\n\nWork\n; exchange our time for money (the sad thing is, some people never get past this stage)\n\n\nHave enough money\n; use it to manage time more effectively\n\n\nHave time\n; some people use their extra time well (they make stuff \nhappen\n), some people don\u2019t (they \nconsume\n stuff)\n\n\n\n\nRegardless of which stage you\u2019re at, it\u2019s worth thinking of what you want to do with your time, and how you want to spend it. In 2018, I don\u2019t want to be merely happy, I want to be fulfilled. If I can do that while earning money at the same time, all the better.\n\n\nWhat does fulfilment mean to you? What would you do if money is not an issue right now?\n\n\nDeep la pulak. Sorry. Eheh.\n\n\n\n\nYay of the month:\n\n\n\n\nWent to an Orang Asli kampung and taught English\n. I only managed to stay for a couple of nights, but that was enough to fall in love with the village and her super hospitable villagers. Kampung Tual in Pahang has no phone signal; I\u2019m not going to lie \u2013 being cut off from the internet for a few days gave me anxiety at first. But because of that, I absorbed everything \u2013 from the coolness of the morning mist to the creak of the bamboo-made longhouse to the sharp bites of tiny insects to the sing-a-long guitar sessions by the kampung boys to\u2026 this space is not enough to do the kampung justice. Let\u2019s just say it was one of the best experiences in my life by far.\n\n\nRead three books\n. \nRich Malaysia, Poor Malaysians by Anas Alam Faizal\n \u2013 a collection of newspaper columns by the author on various topics, with the overarching theme of educating and inspiring Malaysians to do and be better; \nThe Power of Habits: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg\n \u2013 the most important takeaway from this book is how to break bad habit loops and how to create good routines; and \nThe Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory by Brian Greene\n\u00a0\u2013 talks about general relativity, special relativity, quantum mechanics, string theory and how they work. Theoretical physics is fascinating, but I admit I really struggled to understand what the author was saying around halfway through the book.\n\n\nAttended a 3-hour\u00a0\nPsychological First Aid Workshop\n. The instructor taught us a set of best practices usually given to field workers who are deployed to help people who just experienced a traumatic event. The knowledge is handy to have.\n\n\nCompleted two official Google exams, both related to my work and personal interest. I am now \nGoogle Adwords Certified\n and have the \nGoogle Analytics Individual Qualification\n \ud83d\ude42 The Udemy courses I bought for this purpose helped a lot (and I got them during a massive sale!)\n\n\nThe Power of Habits book deserves some credit for this one: I am trying to destroy bad habits and instil good ones. Ie I am quitting smoking, exercising more regularly and getting back on keto. There were days when my willpower would deplete and I\u2019d binge on food or cigarettes, but I think the worse is over. Wish me luck.\n\n\nRe-dyed two of my faded black jeans \u2013 they now look as good as new \ud83d\ude42 I\u2019d count this as a frugal move, yay.\n\n\nReceived help offers for my \nNGO fundraising platform\n idea. Thank you so much. I\u2019m still working on it \u2013\u00a0 am kinda stuck at the conceptualisation stage and need to figure out a few key elements. In due time.\n\n\nA kind anon gave an amazing present \u2013 links to >100 free Udemy courses! I signed up for tens of courses (this time, greed is good!) and many of you guys did, too. Quick invite for you to follow my \nRinggit Oh Ringgit FB page\n and my \ntwitter page\n \u2013 I share money-related info and sometimes giveaway opportunities all over the place.\n\n\n\n\nNay of the month:\n\n\n\n\nMy grandmother was hospitalised.\n One weekend, I went back to the parents\u2019 and found out my grandmother was just transported to the ER by an ambulance. We thought she wouldn\u2019t make it, we really did. Thankfully, she\u2019s a fighter. She spent a week in the hospital and was released with strict medical instructions. I\u2019m happy, but I\u2019m also mentally preparing myself for the inevitable. When that happens\u2026 guys, I will have to see my mom completely heartbroken. That scares me a lot.\n\n\nI found out that my laptop, a barely 4 months-old Surface Pro 4 has \nflickering screen issues\n \u2013 it would overheat and cause different screens to leave phantom shadows. Investigated and find out many others complaining about the same thing. They even have a name for it \u2013 \nflickergate\n. Contacted Microsoft support and they say it might be due to applications I have installed. Uninstalled some of them and saw immediate improvement \u2013 so far, so good, but let\u2019s see. Anyway, I love this laptop, but this is NOT what I expected from a premium device. I splurged for this expense, dammit.\n\n\nGot \nnew glasses\n. Attracted by the low initial price, then overpaid because of necessary add-ons -_- I gotta fix this weakness of mine and not be swayed by low INITIAL prices too much. I hate it when I try to be frugal but it backfires.\n\n\nBitcoin price plummeted by more than 50%\n. I try not to be, but I am nervous. Sometimes I forget how risky it is.\n\n\nThe \nwill-writing process\n is more frustrating than I thought. I, a liberal Muslim, am trying to work within the frameworks of outdated Islamic inheritance laws. Am I bitter about this? Yes. Am I still going to follow it anyway because I have to, because it\u2019s my obligation as a Muslim and I have no way out of it? Sigh, yes. At least there ARE ways to ensure my Mom and Dad will get equal shares, not 1/3 and 2/3 respectively as per Faraid law.\u00a0 I will share my will-writing journey in a future article, so stay tuned.\n\n\nI got my eyebrows threaded but I don\u2019t like the results \ud83d\ude41\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nThis year is the year of personal projects. I\u2019m happy to say that I\u2019ve decided to \nproduce a theatre show\n, scheduled for Q3 this year. I\u2019ll be working with an amazing director.\u00a0I\u2019ve never been a producer, but I\u2019ll learn. It\u2019ll be fun. More details to come <3\n\n\nAm really itching to do some backpacking-style solo travelling. Haven\u2019t done that in a while, I miss it. Will be keeping a close eye on the next AirAsia sale.\n\n\nPurchasing some more \ninsurance\n. I have a medical card and personal accident insurance \u2013 need to add critical illness, at least.\n\n\n\n\nChinese New Year is around the corner. This means no one will be in working mood, really \u2013 work will get done, but barely. Enjoy your quasi-holiday \ud83d\ude09\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click\u00a0\nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nreview\n).\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-january-2019/", "title": "Budget Update: January 2019\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: January 2019\n\n\nWake up. Brush teeth. Make coffee, have breakfast. Check my daily to-do list. Anxiety. Take out phone, scroll online for hours for distraction. Tell myself to get back to work. Anxiety. Find food to eat. Repeat until midnight. Repeat for days on end.\n\n\nJanuary 2019 should have represented a new start and a new beginning, but it didn\u2019t, at least not for me. For much of the month, I was stuck in a destructive procrastination mode. I\u2019d spend hours mindlessly scrolling the web and eating comfort food,\u00a0\nknowing\n that those behaviours are my unhealthy coping mechanisms.\n\n\nGuys. I want to do so many things. I want to achieve so many things. But they\u2019re overwhelming and I fear failure and instead of rising up to the challenge, I\u2026 get anxious instead. When I feel that way I just want to distract myself (phone) or feel comforted (food).\n\n\nDoes this happen to you? What do you do to break yourself out of that spell?\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nTook off my braces\n!!! I paid RM1000 as final payment in January 2019 and that\u2019s it, the journey\u2019s over. A part of me misses it, but I definitely like not worrying about having food stuck in the braces after a meal.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nRM8500 and 1.5 years later, the treatment is done. I\u2019m no longer a #braceface! \ud83d\ude01 . Google \u2018RinggitOhRinggit braces cost in Malaysia\u2019 if you want to find out the price range, including government services (they\u2019re so much cheaper!). Lots of helpful info in the comments section too! . #damonbraces #bracesMalaysia #malaysiabraces #teethstraightening\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya\n (@surayaror) on \nJan 6, 2019 at 11:30pm PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAttended an eye-opening talk hosted by \nKenanga\n. Learned so much about the stocks market. Here\u2019s the writeup for your reading pleasure:\u00a0\n4 Things I Learned from Kenanga\u2019s Investment Event\n\n\nMy parents safely completed their umrah, Alhamdulillah <3\n\n\nMade good use of my RM80/month \ngym membership\n. Went 11 times in January 2019, making my cost-per-entry a mere RM7.30!\n\n\nWanted a \ngood speaker\n for ages. Was looking at JBL and Harman Kardon range (RM600-RM1300~), but decided to go with a local brand called Vinnfier after testing it out at Lowyat Plaza. The sound quality was\u00a0surprisingly good despite costing only RM99. I\u2019m quite happy with it tbh, it does the job.\n\n\nAttended an event organised by \nOwn Your Story\n. Love the values behind the community \u2013 they\u2019re all about self-development and exploration of new concepts. If that sounds like something you\u2019re interested in, attend one of their events too (and make sure to leave a donation).\n\n\nGuest-lectured at TAR\n \ud83d\ude00 I spoke to a bunch of PR students about what I do (content creation and management and working with brands).\n\n\nInvited to a media dinner organised by \nHong Leong\n. Apparently, and I didn\u2019t know this until I was there, but I was the only blogger in attendance \u2013 everyone else was from big big media companies you\u2019re familiar with. Interestingly, some of the night\u2019s conversation is all about how traditional media organisations are struggling financially. On the flip side, business is booming for online platforms and independent content creators (like myself).\n\n\nRead one book: \nPlato and a Platypus walk into a bar: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes by Thomas Cathcart and Daniel Klein\n. Fun read!\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nLike I said above, \nprocrastinated a lot\n. My weight increased again, despite actively going to the gym. I did tone up though, so maybe some of the weight gain is muscle gain? *wishful thinking*\n\n\nLost my eyebrow pencil. Luckily, the \nGuardian sales\n are going on and I managed to snag an eyebrow kit for 50% off (RM18+ after reduced price).\n\n\nBoth my \nelectric kettles broke\n within one week -_- Complained to Mom, who generously offered her extra set. Thank you Mommy for saving me RM100-ish <3\n\n\nWanted to try \nEscape Room\n for ages. Kind of disappointed by the experience. There are hard clues, then there are purposely-impossible clues. I won\u2019t try it again, not worth the money (RM76 for two people).\n\n\nKena parking fine. RM15 paid out (because paid within 24 hours). Plus RM2.17 because MYEG also want profit.\n\n\nOne of my clients told me they need to receive \ncertified true copies\n of some documents. Asked on Twitter \u2013 most said the price range is reasonable. But\u2026\n\n\n\n\n\n\nI GOT CHARGED RM20 PER PAGE FOR CERTIFIED TRUE COPIES OF MY IC AND SSM REGISTRATION HOLY SHIT\n\n\nBUKAN KORANG KATA RM2.50\u2014RM8 KE??\n\n\nDammit lawyers kat PKNS cekik darah siot. Habis RM60 \ud83d\ude2d\ud83d\ude2d\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nJanuary 15, 2019\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0The upside is I got a bunch of recommendations from you guys, including getting them done for free at police stations and school principals. Some friends and followers also offered me free services the next time I need to get them done again. Thanks so much for the offer. That part was sweet of you.\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nLuang Prabang holiday.\u00a0\nI\u2019m excited to go to Laos and add a new country to my list! Like always, expect a travel guide later in the month \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nMeal-prepping\n. I\u2019ve let food become my pleasure, which is fun if done occasionally, but I\u2019ve definitely taken liberties in indulging my appetite in January 2019. I need to look at food as fuel now.\n\n\nDoing my best.\n I don\u2019t know how to cure this anxiety, but I do want to do the best work I can despite the circumstances.\n\n\n\n\nPlease help by cheering me on. And tell me your demons too. What\u2019s preventing you from doing your best work? Share with me, sometimes I feel hella alone with all this. Thanks so much.\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click\u00a0\nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nhow expense tracking works\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-january-2020/", "title": "Budget Update: January 2020\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: January 2020\n\n\nI had a good start to the year, if I do say so myself! There were definitely more ups than downs in January 2020, I\u2019m feeling very grateful \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nIn terms of expenses, I guess not breaking RM6k is a minor win, given all my ongoing projects \u2013 both business and personal. I think I struggled a bit with focusing, reducing anxiety and \u2018switching off\u2019 (because there were too many things going on!) and while my coping mechanism could be better, it\u2019s not horrible either.\n\n\nFor example, here\u2019s an unnecessary cause of stress: feeling guilty that I enjoy being distracted with work *while* I\u2019m exercising, because it makes the time go faster. It feels like cheating somehow. I actually felt better after giving myself permission to just do it, because at least some exercise is better than no exercise right? Small matter, but there you go.\n\n\nHere\u2019s another unnecesary cause of stress: my parents \u2013 because they love me so much, and also adat \u2013 want a more elaborate wedding procedure than what I would have planned for myself (oh surprise I\u2019m getting married this year). It was hard for me to accept, but I guess it is what it is and above all I want to make them happy. So my solution? I gave them a budget to stick to. Let\u2019s see if that works.\n\n\nAll these, I guess, are examples of \u2018change what you can, accept what you can\u2019t\u2019 in practice. As much as you want to try and change the situation, sometimes you just can\u2019t, you gotta admit that and be okay with it and move on. Life just don\u2019t hand you everything you want because you \u2018want\u2019 it or \u2018worked\u2019 for it.\n\n\nWhat\u2019s something you don\u2019t particularly like but kind of accepted in life, and try to make the best of? How do you reduce unnecessary stresses? Share with me in the comments section!\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nBy the time this article is published, have successfully conducted 4 x sessions of \nmoney management workshop\n. Twitter validated the idea on morning of 14 Jan and by evening, I had the event page set up. Taking action on a business idea feels invigorating, I am hooked, I want to do it again!\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThanks for validating the idea. I\u2019ll make this happen! Perhaps a series of regular workshops!\n\n\nOrganising finances is REALLY FUN for me and I\u2019m so glad there is demand for this weird hobby of mine!\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nJanuary 14, 2020\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe devil works hard but she works harder \ud83d\ude06 I\u2019ve sorted out ticketing for the money management workshop, book your slots now!\nhttps://t.co/AajWSdbUTq\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nJanuary 14, 2020\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRinggitohringgit.com broke 60k/month traffic again, finally!!! Among the things I did to do it includes: learning/buying/testing A LOT of marketing tools, writing 2 articles per week without fail, manage Twitter/FB posting and engagement and lots more! I\u2019m so happyyyy\n\n\n\n\n\n\nConsistency pays off! After almost TWO YEARS of stagnating between 40-55k/month traffic, finally broke 60k/month today\ud83d\ude2d Thank you so much for sharing my articles, it means a lot!!! \npic.twitter.com/N347qL4eME\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nJanuary 31, 2020\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMoney Stories from Malaysians: Volume 2 and Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 1 (Malay edition) is slowly but surely progressing\n\n\nWent back on the keto diet and lost 3kg in one month. Hell yea.\n\n\nBitcoin mooned. Hell yea.\n\n\nBought an air purifier. Wanted to buy it since last haze season, kept procastinating, finally bit the bullet.\n\n\nWanted to try the lashlift trend for a while and finally did it!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nBeauty splurge of the month: lashlift. Kinda feeling it! . And hiring an independent lash technician from Instagram is so affordable?? Saloons charge RM200++ (on sale!). My technician came to MY house and charged RM88 all-in. The price difference is crazy . So yeah. That\u2019s my beauty hack of the day. Go browse #lashliftkl #lashliftsubang or anywhere you prefer. Find the ones with testimonials . You can also make this your side hustle. Take a course (2 days or something), then do your marketing. If you\u2019re good, you\u2019ll have steady customer base who will keep calling you for lash re-lifting every 6 weeks-2 months. They\u2019ll give you word of mouth referral too . #beautyaddictmalaysia #lashliftmalaysia #sideincomeMalaysia #duitpoket #janaincome\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nJan 29, 2020 at 9:54pm PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRead one book: \nNudge: Improving Decisons about Health, Wealth and Happiness by Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein\n. How do we encourage people to make good decisions, without *telling* them to do it? Behaviourial science is fascinating.\n\n\nPaid in advance 6 months of Netflix (through someone else\u2019s main account)\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nI think I miscalculated my annual income (as per written in\u00a0\nAll The Annual Expenses I Have to Make Every Year\n). This is the downside of having various streams of income I guess \u2013 tracking them is complicated. I\u2019ve contacted my tax accountant, she\u2019s going to give me a 1-on-1 coaching session so I can learn how to itemise my incomes and business expenses. The good thing is I have to sort this out \u2013 tax payment for 2019 income is only due in mid-2020\n\n\nGetting back on the \nketo diet\n was a good decision but holy crap \nRM866.19 for groceries\n in one month?! A lot of that was bulk food purchase though \u2013 I bought 1kg x raw almonds, 1kg x almond flour, 2 x bottles MCT Oil, 3 x 250g cream cheese, 3 packs x Lakanto, 1kg x salmon and more, it added up. They should last a while and reduce next month\u2019s groceries bill. I hope.\n\n\nKettle died. Bought a replacement.\n\n\nLost my lipbalm. Bought a replacement.\n\n\nI feel that my house is cluttered again. Need to dedicate a day to do a deep cleaning session. Have listed out things I can sell, just need to advertise them on Carousell\n\n\nRM950 still stuck in \nBigPay\n. They did say the dispute can take up to 2 months to solve but was hoping for shorter timeframe than that.\n\n\nTouch n Go card refused my refund request. I *could* try again, but I\u2019m lazy and tired, so goodbye RM53.90.\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nContinue working on Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 2\n\n\nContinue working on Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 1 (Malay edition)\n\n\nWorking on the Ringgit Oh Ringgit Podcast with \nClickWP\n! Season 1\u2019s theme will be: SOLOPRENEURS. Watch out for updates!\n\n\nGoing to Wordcamp Asia!\n\n\nAttending a goal-setting workshop which includes a vision board-making component, something I\u2019ve always wanted to try!\n\n\n\n\nHow about you? What are you looking forward to in February, and the rest of the year? Share with me, I wanna know \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nhow expense tracking works\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-january-2021/", "title": "Budget Update: January 2021 \u2013 The Start of MCO 2.0\n  ", "body": "\n\nWelcome 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!    \n\n\nJanuary 2021 was the start of MCO 2.0. Obviously I, along with millions of other Malaysians, am bummed out by it. Whatever hope I had for a short lockdown period vanished as the days went by \u2013 it looks like its going to last a while, folks. I soon settled into my WFH lifestyle and busied myself with work and hobbies. \n\n\nMy biggest creative challenge of the month was figuring out how to churn out personal finance content that isn\u2019t tone-deaf \u2013 the last thing I want to do is talk about aggressively investing, while some people are struggling to get by. However, I also get a lot of questions about investing, so I\u2019m conflicted. \n\n\nSo tell me, dear readers \u2013 should I or shouldn\u2019t I cover investing topics? (And which ones?) If not investing, then what do YOU want to read? I need ideas. \n\n\nBudget Update: January 2021\n\n\nIn January 2021, I spent RM5,315.19. The top 3 top expenses were:\n\n\nUtilities & Rent (RM1,262.75) \n\u2013 That\u2019s lower than usual. Hmm, it appears I have not paid my water nor aircon bill. Must get to that\nDonations & Gifts (RM1,101.50)\n \u2013 Mostly for my parents\u2019 electric bill\nGroceries (RM912.22) \u2013 Higher groceries cost than usual, even after husband picked up ~RM250 of the tab as we stocked up on frozen fish, frozen berries, and ground coffee for months to come (we are limiting our groceries run to once a week)\n\n\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in January 2021\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I spent on in the whole month of January 2021, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Abundant work\n\n\nWord of mouth truly is the best way to get jobs. In January, I received multiple work offers, some of which I had to turn down as it was over my capacity to deliver. The opportunities I couldn\u2019t take, I shared around \u2013 that is a source of joy for me as well.\n\n\nThank you everyone who thought of me for \ncommunications-related work\n. You know who you are and you are wonderful.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Learning about DeFi (Decentralised Finance)\n\n\nI\u2019m sure you, too, have heard about the whole GameStop thing. \n\n\nCompanies siding with the hedge funds and calling it part of requirements/guidelines doesn\u2019t surprise me \u2013 the wealthy understand class solidarity very well. The whole fiasco (which is still playing out as I\u2019m typing this) only convinced me to speed up my efforts in self-learning DeFi.\n\n\nI like the way DeFi democratised finance. For me, it is one way to feel less scared of the future, as the concentration of wealth and power continues.\n\n\n\n\nRelated: \nI Am Self-Learning DeFi (Decentralised Finance). Here\u2019s Why.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Finally grew enough courage to start opening submissions for Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 3\n\n\nDespite having done it twice. Despite turning a profit both times. Despite all the kind reviews from readers. It\u2019s still scary. \n\n\n\n\nMe: sold thousands of copies of \n#MYMoneyStories\n and negotiated to have them sold in bookstores nationwide\nAlso me: nervous AF for opening submissions again \ud83d\ude43 what if no one enter \ud83d\ude2d\ud83d\ude2d\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nJanuary 25, 2021\n\n\n\n\nI would love to read your money story submission \ud83d\ude42 Full details at: \nWANTED: Your Personal Finance Fiction/Non-Fiction Stories for #MYMoneyStories! (PAID CONTEST)\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Worked on my balcony garden project\n\n\nHaving a balcony garden is one of my \n21 for 2021 List\n. It\u2019s going on well \u2013 some of the kailan and lettuce seeds have already sprouted \ud83d\ude42 Let\u2019s see how far I can do this! #aspiringgreenthumb\n\n\nExpenses related to this goal: a new IKEA shelving unit, soil, gardening tools \u2013 cumulatively around RM100\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Collaboration with Her Duit\n\n\nBIG thank you to \nHer Duit\n for having me on the Her Duit podcast! My topic was Controversial Money Topics, covering savings, spending, debt and investing. You can listen to the episodes on Spotify \nhere\n.\n\n\n\n\nListen to a snippet below:\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Michelle | Women & Money (@her.duit)\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Misc\n\n\nRead \ntwo books\n: \nThe Psychology of Money\n: \nTimeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed and Happiness\n by Morgan Housel (amazing book, gifted by Aaron Tang aka \nMr Stingy\n) and \nHappier at Home: Kiss More, Jump More, Abandon a Project, Read Samuel Johnson and My Other Experiments in the Practice of Everyday Life\n by Gretchen Rubin \nBought a \npaint-by-numbers kit\n. Have always wanted to try doing one, and I have a lot of time to kill, so I got it. \nWatched a lot of TV\n: Harry Potter (all 8 movies), Bling Empire (it made me empathise with super-rich people. Am not sure how I feel about that), Bridgerton and Call My Agent! (French series on Netflix, about a talent management agency)\nSomehow I lost weight? I don\u2019t know why or how but I hope this effortless weight loss continues!!\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Pets-related unexpected expenses\n\n\nHad to buy new bedsheets because the cats ruined them with their \u2018presents\u2019. While at it, I also bought a new cat litter box, scrating post and catnip. Total damage: almost RM200 \n\n\nI\u2019ve said it before and I\u2019ve said it again. Nasib korang comel. \n\n\n\n\nBalik honeymoon, sampai rumah, tengok kucing tinggalkan 'hadiah' atas katil. Terpaksa la tukar cadar febreze terbalikkan mattress dengan badan letih segalanya\nBila Google 'why does my cat poop on my bed', the results kata: separation anxiety. Sorry anak2 mak tinggalkan 5 hari \ud83d\ude2d \npic.twitter.com/MwYAbFX9EX\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nJanuary 3, 2021\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Covid-19 and family\n\n\nEverything is better now, but we had a couple of Covid-19 infections among family members. It was scary and very much anxiety-inducing. \n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\nFirst Valentine\u2019s Day as a married couple <3 \n\n\nWhat\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section!\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nfind out your budgeting style\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-january-2022/", "title": "Budget Update: January 2022 \u2013 Is it important to enjoy work?\n  ", "body": "\n\nWelcome 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. \n\n\nSo how was your January? Was it good, bad or meh?\n\n\nIn January, I was quite\u2026 lost. What used to be enjoyable to me is less enjoyable and feels more like work. In the process of learning technical keyword research (an important part in SEO \u2013 search engine optimisation \u2013 basically the art and science of getting your article ranked on 1st page of Google on the search terms you want), I kind of lost my passion for writing. \n\n\nAs a result, I haven\u2019t been replying to new sponsored post inquiries. Which is a shame because they pay well. \n\n\nThat\u2019s not the only thing I\u2019ve lost interest in. I also have a project that\u2019s been on pause for a while.  \n\n\n\n\nWhat do you do when you have a project that's half-finished but your heart's no longer in it. Do you push through? Do you quit? Should I test my limits and perseverance or do I acknowledge this is just sunk cost fallacy? \npic.twitter.com/vBQC15VgO6\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nJanuary 20, 2022\n\n\n\n\nWhat an annoying non-issue, right? Got work but lazy to work because it\u2019s not \u2018enjoyable\u2019. I know, I know, I feel guilty about this too. I hope this lack of semangat is temporary, I really do. I hope I buck up. \n\n\nOn the good side, I have picked up ongoing training work for the rest of the year, which I do enjoy, so that\u2019s good. \n\n\nLet\u2019s get on to the budget part. \n\n\nBudget Update: January 2022\n\n\nIn January 2022, I spent RM11,990.94. The top 3 top expenses were:\n\n\nDates/Travel (RM4,810.15) \n\u2013 Cumulative spending money during \nTurkey trip\n \nUtilities & Rent (RM2,509.52) \n\u2013 Rent, bills, and half of mortgage\nHome Reno + Deco \n(RM1,221.51)\n \u2013 Instalments for reno package\n\n\n\n\nCumulatively, the top 3 expenses make up 73% of my total January 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)\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in January 2022\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I spent on in the whole month of January 2022, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Covid positive but asymtomatic\n\n\nI got news that I was Covid-positive on 9 January 2022. It would have sucked, but thankfully I had no symptoms at all, and grateful the only things I had to deal with are minor inconveniences at best. \n\n\nCompleted home quarantine, and considered low risk again by 3rd week of January. Alhamdulillah. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Re-introduced to the joy of cooking and grocery shopping\n\n\nIn terms of grocery amount for January 2022, I\u2019d say yeah what we spent in Jan 2022 was about the average amount. I did the calculation sometime ago and the two of us do spend ~RM9xx per month on groceries. \n\n\n\n\nMy groceries cost up until mid-Nov \ud83d\ude00 total so far RM9847.55 for family of 2. If divide by 10.5 months, that's an average of RM937.86 per month \nHmm actually that's not bad. Assuming ~200 meals per month between both of us, that's RM4.69 per person per meal \npic.twitter.com/YtLN4QxymD\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nNovember 17, 2021\n\n\n\n\nDue to home quarantine + both of us deciding to cook more rather than order in (for budget and health reasons), I had to work around grocery delivery and pay more attention to meal planning. Happily, this is one area in my life that gives me a lot of joy. \n\n\n\n\nFiguring out what dishes I can make from the groceries I have left is such a fun creative process and I'm so happy I get to do it every day\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nJanuary 13, 2022\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Wonderful delivery experience\n\n\nHave to say, \nHappyFresh\n was so reliable, despite a few items here and there out of stock. Got a lot of items on sale too. Since we couldn\u2019t physically go out to buy groceries, this service really saved us and our budget. \n\n\nI\u2019m also thankful for Grab Delivery, which sent over oxymeter and thermometer from a nearby pharmacy. I would be so anxious if the delivery is not instant \u2013 such a relief to check my oxygen level daily and see my stats stable. \n\n\nPerks of living in the city and surrounded by such convenient services. \n\n\n#4 \u2013 Renewed Netflix\n\n\nPaid RM132 for 1 more year of Netflix subscription, aka RM11 per month. I\u2019m using the cheap hack as explained in the \nNetflix Price Malaysia 2022 & Cheapest Way to Get Netflix Premium\n article. \n\n\n#5 \u2013 Appeared on Astro Awani\n\n\nGrateful to be on the Notepad with Ibrahim Sani show. \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Ongoing home renovation going smoothly\n\n\nThe home renovation process is going well. We have done defect check (so many things to fix! If you ever buy a home never skip on this!) and the interior design team have put together some furniture options. \n\n\nSlowly but surely, I can see the house turning into a home \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Misc\n\n\nRead 1 book:\n\n\nA Fork in the Road: Tales of Food, Pleasure & Discovery on the Road edited by James Oseland\n\n\nNoteworthy shows:\n\n\nEncanto on Disney Hotstar\nSpiderman 1 & 2 on Netflix\nSingle\u2019s Inferno on Netflix\n\n\nBought for myself:\n\n\nYoga mat (started practicing again \ud83d\ude42\n4 new books\nUnpacking game on Steam (short but fun!)\nSofa cover (A really good puchase! Swipe to see how the sofa looks like without cover. I bought from \nhere\n)\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 High electric bill for parents\u2019 house\n\n\nOkay, so, I pay for the electric bill for my parents\u2019 house. The monthly amount is actually quite ridiculous \u2013 RM800++ per month on a LOW month, as high as RM1.2k per month once. \n\n\nI know. I\u2019m not happy about it either. \n\n\nThe thing is, it\u2019s hard to know what to do next. People say \u2018check wiring\u2019 and \u2018replace aircon\u2019 as if each one of those won\u2019t easily run in the thousands. \n\n\nTo make it worse, it\u2019s quite a hard topic to bring up. It\u2019s as if I\u2019m saying \u2018you\u2019re using too much\u2019 or \u2018I can\u2019t afford it\u2019. \n\n\nI know I have to do something about it though. And I will. Just.. ugh. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Auto renewal pain\n\n\nForgot to turn off Grammarly subscription so I paid full price instead of deal price.\n\n\n\n\nMy Grammarly subscription auto-renewed for USD139.95. I *understand* this is a necessary business expense for myself but not getting it on sale kills me. I used to get it for USD80 \ud83d\ude29\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nJanuary 26, 2022\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\nGetting CFP exam results (still hasn\u2019t gotten it but they say \u2018after CNY\u2019 so should be soon. Pray for me!)\nFurniture hunting\n\n\nWell, that was my January 2022. How was yours? What\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nfind out your budgeting style\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-january-2023/", "title": "Budget Update: January 2023 \u2013 Trial Month\n  ", "body": "\n\n 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. \n\n\nSo how was your January? Was it good, bad or meh?\n\n\nFor me, January was a very hazy, slow month. I hit my income target and just chilled for the rest of the month, working on personal chores and Project M. \n\n\nA part of me feels guilty of this because if I was more ambitious, I could make more. Which is true. I really need to get my planning in order so I can achieve what I want to achieve. Oh well, let\u2019s just treat January as the trial month, the real work starts in Feb \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nLet\u2019s get on to the budget part. \n\n\nBudget Update: January 2023\n\n\nIn January 2023, I spent RM10,361.42. The top 3 top expenses were:\n\n\n\n\nDonations & Gifts (RM2,323.65)\n \u2013 Parents TNB bill, paid for dad\u2019s dusun project\n\n\nProject M (RM2,257.80)\n \n\n\nTIED \nDates/Travel (RM1,327.47) \n\u2013 Total used for Yogyakarta trip \n\n\nTIED \nUtilities & Mortgage (RM1,327)\n \u2013 Half mortgage and bills\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCumulatively, the top 3 (this time, 4) expenses make up 71% of my total December 2022 expenses. \n\n\n(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)\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in January 2023\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I spent on in the whole month of January 2023, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:\n\n\n\n\nSpending notes:\n\n\n\n\nHave decided to not go on any more international trips for a while. I think I overdid it (post-pandemic effect), need to save money for Raya. Traveling domestically is fine though, on special occasions. \n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Bergaji & Pokai Book hit NUMBER 1 BESTSELLER AGAIN\n\n\nThis was my THIRD time being #1 on MPH Malay general books weekly bestsellers list!!\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nIf you haven\u2019t gotten a copy and want one, you can buy Bergaji & Pokai book online at \nlinktr.ee/surayaror\n or at bookstores nationwide \ud83d\ude42 \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Broke my own affiliate marketing record\n\n\n\n\nBroke my own affiliate earning record \ud83e\udd73 Aside from the money, I love knowing I don't have to depend on brand sponsorships. It makes me a lot more choosy\n[Disclaimer: I probably won't get the full estimated earning, perhaps RM7-10k if I'm lucky- actual amount pending validation] \npic.twitter.com/27GFUCsjZC\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nJanuary 24, 2023\n\n\n\n\nThe affiliate marketing platform pictured is called Involve Asia (read my \nreview\n, or sign up \nhere\n). Can see my review on it in the article below. \n\n\nBut aside from IA, you can also register with Accesstrade (better commissions for some brands) and Shopee Affiliates (better commissions for shopee shops)\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Went to Yogyakarta\n\n\nWent for a trip to Yogyakarta with my in-laws for 6 days. Had a lovely time, had lots of food and fun \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Organised a SOLD-OUT workshop\n\n\nI organised an insurance-buying workshop on a whim and it sold out FAST. Not only that, I received at least 15 DMs asking for another round of workshop or to buy the recording. \n\n\nSo now I\u2019m working on editing the recording to sell as a digital product. \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Misc\n\n\nRead:\n\n\n\n\nInvested: How Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger Taught Me to Master My Mind, My Emotions, and My Money (with a Little Help from My Dad) by Danielle Town\n\n\n\n\nBought for myself:\n\n\n\n\n3-years Macbook warranty\n\n\nNew litter box\n\n\n4 new books\n\n\nCoasters from Ruma\n\n\nBatik outerwear and pareo from Yogyakarta\n\n\nNew phone cable\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Double-booked hotel accommodation\n\n\nI checked into the hotel and was told I made TWO bookings. Thankfully could get partial refund from one of them, but still. Paid RM417 in penalty for nothing. \n\n\n\n\nGuess who \ud83e\udd21 made hotel booking \ud83e\udd21 then found a cheaper option for the same hotel+dates so she rebooked \ud83e\udd21 but forgot to cancel the original booking and both payments went through? \ud83e\udd21\ud83e\udd21 \nThank goodness can get partial refund so not all is lost, but goodness what a stupid mistake\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nJanuary 24, 2023\n\n\n\n\nBut I guess my loss is your gain, because now you get to learn about Agoda\u2019s Best Price Policy Guarantee!\n\n\n\n\nI mean if you buy thru agoda. Then u find same room on bookingdotcom with cheaper price. Dont rebook, just screenshot and send them the cheaper link. They\u2019ll revise the price. I always randomly check other platforms after few days of booking. Travel hack! \npic.twitter.com/IQISrwr7dC\n\u2014 OG KIMI (@HafizHakimi_) \nJanuary 25, 2023\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Lost iPhone cables\u2026 again\n\n\nI rarely lose my stuff, except for iPhone cables. I\u2019ve lose those damn things 3 times in like 3 years. \n\n\nSure they\u2019re easy to replace and all, but I just don\u2019t like losing stuff. Who does!\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nWorking on and releasing digital product\n\n\n\n\nWell, that was my first month of 2023. How was yours? What\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nfind out your budgeting style\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-july-2016/", "title": "Budget Update: July 2016\n  ", "body": "\n\nJuly\u00a0Budget Update Summary\n\n\n\n\nWithout the Duit Raya donation, my spending in July was\u00a0not bad at all.\n\n\nJuly had some\u2026 disappointments. I was hoping to earn more (always, jeez, what\u2019s wrong with me? why never enough one?), but it was stagnant at best. Plus my neighbour decided to make me her enemy. She\u2019s not a nice person. Slammed the door at my face. I don\u2019t need that kind of negativity in my life. But thankfully, I\u2019m not particularly affected by things like this, so life goes on. She can have her own battles, I\u2019m just going to chill and still be my awesome self.\n\n\nBut July also had some high peaks and new opportunities. There are at least 4-5 new jobs for me, if I want them. A guy from a major media house saw my writing samples, really liked me and wanted me down in KL for an interview, and I had to say no (but he graciously extended the invitation when I do come back to KL). My Facebook page hit 300 likes, which is 299 more than I expected! I am a blessed girl.\n\n\nSo when you average it out, July was okay, good month.\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nI had my first sponsored post with CompareHero! Is this real life? I always wonder what kind of blogs would get that kinda honour so I was shocked when this happened! And it felt amazing! I was so semangat, I poured a lot more hours than intended into\u00a0this piece. Now I get to talk about\u00a0blog monetisation methods, something\u00a0I\u2019m sure many of you would be interested to read about \ud83d\ude00 Read the\u00a0post: \nHow to Maximise Cashback Credit Cards\n.\n\n\nMany, many people asked me about Bitcoin, so I wrote a \nnewbie\u2019s guide\n. Both Mr Stingy and Pakdi.Net liked and helped to promote it! My blog count this month is higher than normal because of them. Thank you \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nAside from Raya, my No 1 budget-killer, I did well this month. My grocery bills were alright, my going out was cheap but frequent enough. Nothing broke, thank God.\n\n\nFinally decided to replace my teeth guard. I have bruxism, aka teeth grinding. For a few years now I\u2019ve been wearing teeth guard when I sleep, to avoid teeth and jaw pain. They usually cost upwards of RM300 from the dentist, but I\u2019ve found a\n DIY method \nthat only costs the teeth guard itself (RM15~).\n\n\nMy friendship with best friends from high school still going strong. 10 years! Love you guys <3\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nI spent RM1300 on giving out Duit Raya alone. Oh jeez I\u2019m trying \nreally\n hard to be generous yet gracious, you guys, but \nRM1300\n. I cry wei. At least I had a good \nRaya experience\n.\n\n\nSo I\u2019m trying to be smart, right. My Dad asked my help to sell a couple of his properties (\nhere\n). So I thought, hey, Facebook ads might work. Not. One. Call. Kinda bummed about it.\n\n\nStagnant career. Rethinking my career choice. Or rather, career progression. I aim to earn RM10k by the end of the year, so I have some more hustling to do.\n\n\nI smoked like 3 packs of cigarettes this month. Quitting. Again. So angry at myself, such a waste of money.\n\n\nNeeded sunscreen, looked for sale. Misread price tag. Paid RM38 per small bottle (grabbed 2). This happened earlier in the month but still bugs me \ud83d\ude41\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m going to Osaka and Kyoto for a short trip, woooooooo\n\n\nI\u2019m going to \nbe so fat\n\u00a0 work out and diet better as soon as I come back from Japan!\n\n\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-july-2017/", "title": "Budget Update: July 2017\n  ", "body": "\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nBudget Update: July 2017\n\n\n\n\nI spent more than half of my monthly expenses, or precisely RM5133.23 on medical-related expenses in July 2017. The bulk of it went towards braces deposit (RM3k), teeth extraction (4 teeth x RM100 each) and other teeth-related costs. Medically speaking, I\u2019ve always been lucky \u2013 no broken bones, no major illnesses \u2013 so while I hate shelling out this amount I know it\u2019s the right thing to do.\n\n\nAside from cosmetic reasons, I needed braces to cure my bite problem (ie how I chew food). Long story short, my teeth alignment is wonky and I\u2019ve practically ground my molars. Give it a few years and it\u2019d reach the nerves, and I\u2019d sure like to avoid that hell-on-earth experience.\n\n\nMy diet now consists of much soup, very liquid. I\u2019m so tired of mushroom soup you guys ;_;\n\n\nWhen doing online research, I was blown away by the supportive braces community. Everyone\u2019s like, \u2018don\u2019t worry of what other people think, this is for your self-improvement, people won\u2019t even notice it, just own the #bracelife!\u2019. Yet the first thing my close family and friends said was \u2018ya Suraya you look nerdy af\u2019. My Dad said \u2018you look like Dracula\u2019. Yea thanks Dad for the moral support, I\u2019m only your firstborn daughter -_-\n\n\nOther than this expense and extra food expense, everything else was okay. I spent RM4.6k inclusive of rent, life necessities, travel and even gym (RM1.3k ish). Earned well in July 2017 so I\u2019m okay, money-wise.\n\n\n\n\nYay of the month:\n\n\n\n\nAfter 7 months of procrastination, finally \nenrolled myself in a gym\n and got 10 sessions with personal trainer. This is the fittest I\u2019ve ever been, yay. The gym costs RM127.20 per month if minimum 3 months, if not RM159 with no contract. If I took 24 months contract, it\u2019s RM85 or something per month so I might continue with that if I go consistently enough in these 3 months. The personal training costs RM1060 for 10 sessions, free 1 trial session. Not likely to continue after 10 sessions, I got it to get a professional to check my workout form. Apparently my usual form was shit so this is money well spent.\n\n\nWent to \nRainforest World Music Festival\n in Kuching, Sarawak. Had tons of fun, had tons of awesome food. I think I\u2019ll do a post specifically on this because the event plus the side-event Rainforest Fringe Festival is definitely worth a writeup.\n\n\nSince my 1-year student exchange programme to Japan when I was 17, I have been loyal to\n\u00a0\nAFS Antarabudaya Malaysia\n. It\u2019s always fun and emotionally fulfilling to be involved in AFS activities, and I had the privilege to do so in July. Shoutout to my AFS family and friends, who shaped me into the person I am today, helped me find similarities instead of differences in people. See if you are eligible to study abroad \nhere\n (scholarships available but limited, paid programmes recommended to those who can afford it) or host an international student \nhere.\n\n\nI have a speaking role in a\n blockchain event at MaGIC, Cyberjaya on 16 August 2017\n (!!!! pinch me). RSVP \nhere\n if interested, seats are limited :p\n\n\nHappy birthday little sis Aleeza\n! Nah free shoutout to your awesome boutique \nMarquise.my\n. Short story: we have since got over the whole \u2018let\u2019s guess what birthday present you actually want\u2019 thing. On my birthday, she asked me what I wanted, and I said I\u2019m out of dishwashing liquid so she got me Sunlight rofl. For her birthday, I asked what she wanted and she said her floor mats needs replacing so I got her that hahahah. It\u2019s awesome to get presents you need, no? Highly recommend it \ud83d\ude1b\n\n\nBought my favourite \nshampoo\n in the 1-liter bottle for RM212 instead of the usual 250ml bottle for RM85, saved on cost per ml. Before: RM0.34 per ml. Now: RM0.212 per ml. If you think that\u2019s expensive, this is part of my \u2018buy less buy buy quality\u2019 routine, so shush.\n\n\nTook me a while, but I finished reading \u2018\nThe Heretics: Adventures with the Enemies of Science\n\u2018. Why people believe the things they do. I read it expecting to laugh at Creationists, homeopathy believers and Holocaust deniers, but by the end of the book I got a sobering lesson: Your brain likes to make you the hero of your story, this makes it hard (actually, impossible) for us to view things objectively, even if we *think* we\u2019re rational. Basically you (yes, YOU) will always hold bias opinion in one way or another, no exceptions. It could be religion, it could be cultural or traditions, it could be anything. The more we attack people on their beliefs, the harder they\u2019ll hold on to it, so it\u2019s best to just accept that people have differences and leave it at that. Good to know.\n\n\n\n\nNay of the month:\n\n\n\n\nSpent much of the month in physical \npain\n \ud83d\ude41 Dentist extracted 2 teeth, then extracted another 2 teeth a week later, then fixed in the braces 2 weeks later. My heart also pain because I reality just sunk in that I\u2019m stuck in this braces thing for at least 18 months.\n\n\nThe\n almond milk\n I usually buy from Lazada more than doubled in price. It was RM28 for 3-pack, now it\u2019s RM59 for the same. Ugh.\n\n\nAsked Twitter the question: \nwhich telco is the fastest\n. Most people recommended Maxis, so I made the switch from Umobile. My monthly mobile commitment is now RM135~ from just RM75~ previously. It\u2019s faster for sure, but I still want to shop around for better value for money plans. \nWhich should I try next, Celcom or Digi? Which one faster for Subang area?\u00a0\n\n\nSpeaking on switching telco, I have a story. I actually really like Umobile, their customer service is awesome. Every time I tweet to them, I always get a reply. Since getting Maxis, my tweet to them was not even answered. So anyway. Umobile called me a few hours before my simcard switch, and offered to send technicians to check out my area and find out why the internet is so slow here. They also offered RM5 monthly discount if I stay on their plan. I would have, but my advance deposit with Maxis is not refundable and I don\u2019t want to be out RM128 for nothing so I didn\u2019t take it, but props to Umobile for trying. Please improve your data speed so I can get back on your plan!\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nBridesmaid-ing for a childhood friend\u2019s wedding \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nNot expecting anymore big-ticket expenses in August. My average expenses is now RM7.8k, or more than double than when I was in living in Ipoh (RM3.4k). It was one after the other this year \u2013 Paid zakat lah, paid tax lah, Raya expenses lah, braces lah. So if I can keep it under RM5k in August, I\u2019m happy.\n\n\n\n\nOkay, lots of things to do this month. Packed schedule. Now back to work work work work work,\n\n\nSuraya\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click\u00a0\nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nreview\n).\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-july-2018/", "title": "Budget Update: July 2018\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: July 2018\n\n\nWhat a full month! It was full of intense emotional experiences \u2013 from the low of my grandmother\u2019s passing to the high of Good Vibes Festival to everything in between.\n\n\nI shot my first video campaign (details coming soon!). Got angry at morally-righteous LGBT haters that I made a \npersonal finance guide for LGBTs\n. Decided to visit my Japanese host family and splurged on a very-costly RM1765 flight tickets just because I want to fly off from Chubu Centair International Airport in Nagoya instead of cheaper airports like Osaka. I\u00a0went on shopping sprees, both online and offline. I went on dates (good, bad and GREAT) and attended many events.\n\n\nAll this while working my ass off \u2013 I squeezed for that brain juice so often and so hard, I\u2019m surprised it\u2019s still working. Thank you for being reliable braiiiin.\n\n\nDespite everything, my spending was\u2026 alright? Almost RM7k for this kind of month is okay. My spending is the lowest since January 2018. In the upcoming months, have to keep it even lower \u2013 have to save money for that Japan trip in September.\n\n\nI have no complaints, only gratefulness that my income can sustain this lifestyle. How was your July like?\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nIn June, I discovered I have\u00a0over 175k in Maybank treatpoints. The vouchers finally arrived in the mail so I went on a \nLazada spree\n! With the 2 x RM200 vouchers, I bought: a bed frame (finally not sleeping on the mattress on the floor lol), velvet clothes hangers (for that #minimalism look), magic eraser sponges, a yoga mat, a tefal frying pan, bed sheets and a microfiber mop.\n\n\nWent to \nGood Vibes Festival\n. It was great! I spent RM600 ish for the ticket and accommodation, and maybe around RM200 more for food, drinks and travel. Such a memorable experience. You can really see which artists have better stage presence than others. Some didn\u2019t do any crowd interaction at all except for the standard greeting (\u201cHow are you Malaysia???\u201d *cheers*). Lorde, SZA, Odesza, Honne and The Neighbourhood stood out. No wonder they famous. Talent will only bring you to a certain level, after that it\u2019s all professionalism.\n\n\nOrganised my wardrobe\n and threw out worn-out clothes. Enough of being cheap, I want to look put-together. Bought a bunch of new clothes that I can mix-and-match easily. Also replenished a couple of makeup supplies. I\u2019ve found out that you can use eyeshadow as blush lol. So look out for 2-in-1 deals and stuff!\n\n\nGot a free ticket to attend \nDigital Entrepreneurship Convention 2018\n, because I\u2019m a member of the \nMalaysian Writers Society\n. I learned more things about the topic \u2013 go see \nmy livetweets during the time on Twitter\n! They had speakers presenting on different topics, from making money via Fulfilment by Amazon to how and what to offer as a Social Media Manager to affiliate marketing.\n\n\nCommissioned a \nChibi Suraya\n and used it to replace my face in Ringgit Oh Ringgit social media. \nIT\u2019S SO CUTE OMFG\n. Find the artist on Twitter,\u00a0\n@_neurysm\n. JUST RM35 KOT.\n\n\nDiscovered lots of new \nMalaysia-based personal finance and finance content creators\n! Go see them in the updated \nRecommended Finance Websites in Malaysia\n page.\n\n\nFinally managed to \nsell off my Microsoft Surface Dock\n, the one I received as part of a set when I bought my Surface Pro 4 (\ntips to buy laptop, according to you guys\n). Got pretty discouraged after getting lots of lowball offers, but finally someone matched my asking price. I want to get a Kindle Paperwhite with this money \ud83d\ude00 Posted in Carousell, Facebook Marketplace and Mudah.my. Was surprised that the buyer actually came from FB!\n\n\nWent to \nBack to the 90s RIUH event\n at APW Bangsar. Saw OAG live \u2013 hey they have good stage presence! I\u2019m a bit annoyed that I made some impulse buys there\u2026 But oh well the money went to independent sellers anyway so OKlah kasi support lah.\n\n\nSigned up for SOCAR\n because I loved their marketing effort during RIUH event. They had this large tikam-tikam board and I FELT NOSTALGIC OK. Such a brilliant way to promote their services, taking the target audience in mind (90s kids). SOCAR is that car-hiring service, for as low as RM6 an hour. To try it out and get RM30 off your SOCAR booking, \nuse this invite link\n. I\u2019m so happy there are services like these catering to people who don\u2019t own cars (like me lol).\n\n\nGot more active in the local \nWordpress community\n and presented about what I learned about blogging with Wordpress as a non-tech person. Wordpress users, join our \nWordpress KL Meetup page\n to attend future events!\n\n\nHell yeah my \nGroceries\n cost for the month was low! Total out-of-pocket was just RM100ish. For the rest of my groceries for the month, I paid using money earned from BigPay referrals, plus I get extra discounts with orders via HappyFresh. I love to promote these two because they\u2019re so generous with the referral amounts and both the person who invite and the person who register get money or savings \ud83d\ude42 \nBigPay\n \u2013\u00a0Get extra RM10 credit if you use my referral code INLALP7ZLE (I get RM10 too!). To download the app, find BigPay in\u00a0\nPlayStore\n\u00a0(Android) or\u00a0\nAppstore\n\u00a0(iOS). \nHappyFresh\n \u2013 Use code \u2018suraya63\u2019 to get RM25 off your first HappyFresh order (I get RM20 off, too).\n\n\nIn June, I \nswitched from Maxis to Yoodo\n, that select-what-you-use plan under Celcom. I selected RM85 for 40GB data and 50 call minutes (and no sms), a big jump in savings compared to Maxis\u2019s RM128 40GB and unlimited calls and sms plan.\u00a0 Switching was easy \u2013 everything from sim card order to porting (I\u2019m keeping my number) was done through the app. In July 2018, I saved even further by tweaking my package to 30GB data and 100 call minutes \u2013 now my package is just RM75 per month. If you want to try it out too, get FREE RM 20 when you sign up using my\u00a0\nreferral link\n\u00a0(I get RM20 too). You can also enter my unique Referral Code zwbai7716 at the confirmation page when you activate.\n\n\nGot an invite to watch that \nmixed martial arts event\n \u2013 \nOne: The Pursuit of Power\n \u2013 live. Can I just say I enjoyed it more than I thought I would? Somehow it didn\u2019t occur to me that fights can be non-violent, but there you go. So much respect to the fighters, including Malaysia\u2019s very own Agilan Thani and Jihin Radzuan. Some memorable moments: one fella got his balls kicked twice in the same fight, and another got KO-ed and had to be carried off-stage, still unconscious.\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nMy grandmother, Kamariah binti Sidek passed away\n in early July after a long sickness. Please take a moment to send her some prayers. I miss her.\n\n\nAccidentally lost my Touch N Go card\n \ud83d\ude41 Burn la the RM25 or so in there. When I shared on Twitter, many told me that I could\u2019ve registered the card number and make a report to Touch N Go, and they will reimburse. Stupid me didn\u2019t. I don\u2019t remember the card serial number. I also lost the top up receipt containing the top up number. Oh well. Lesson learned.\n\n\nHave officially resigned as VP from \nACCESS Blockchain Association Malaysia\n. If you know me in that capacity, see my announcement post \nhere\n. It was hard making the decision \u2013 I know it\u2019s a setback for women in blockchain in Malaysia. Sigh. My heart was so conflicted.\n\n\nDid not manage to read a lot. Only one book,\n B: by Hanno Frank\n \u2013 a book which made me think of the concept of \u2018service providers\u2019, which in this context are people who others take for granted for emotional and financial support, and the act of actively saying no to maintain sanity. A simple book, but very enlightening.\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nVisiting my Japanese host family \nwho live in\u00a0Nagoya \ud83d\ude42 And making a side visit to Tokyo to attend\u00a0\nUltra Music Japan\n, one of the biggest electronic dance music festival worldwide! I just really want to see an EDM festival in a country known for its technology. It better not disappoint!\n\n\nPresenting about personal finance blogging at the next \nPechaKucha Petaling Jaya event\n! Other speakers include:\u00a0\nAmir Muhammad\n (founder of\u00a0\nFixi\n),\u00a0\nIqwan Zarif\n (Product Manager at\u00a0\nKatsana Advanced Telematics\n\u00a0(they do navigational technology),\u00a0\nPang Khee Teik\n (founder of Seksualiti Merdeka), \nDr. Nadzariah Cheng Veterinarian Alternative Care\n\u00a0(Veterinarian, specialising in ophthalmology),\u00a0Dr Aznul Sabri (academician specialising in Artificial Intelligence),\u00a0\nMelizarani T. Selva\n, (If Walls Could Talk \u2013 poetry open mic).\u00a0\nCome and learn something new. GET RM6 OFF TICKET PRICE WITH CODE \u2018SURAYA\u2019. Buy it \nhere\n!\n\n\nReading all the entries from the \nwriting competition\n I\u2019m organising. Paying for ads was painful but it paid off! IF YOU READ THIS BEFORE 15 AUGUST 2018, YOU STILL HAVE TIME TO SUBMIT!!!\n\n\n\n\nAs I\u2019m writing this, August looks like it\u2019s going to be an awesome month, too. I\u2019m excited about the future. Whoever you are, I hope you\u2019re doing well too. Let me know if you need help with the money stuff. Investing your time in those knowledge really does pay off. If you\u2019re a new visitor, you may enjoy reading this article breaking down the \nsteps I took to earn online\n.\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click\u00a0\nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nreview\n).\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-july-2019/", "title": "Budget Update: July 2019\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: July 2019\n\n\nI spent over RM7k in July 2019. It\u2019s an okay amount, considering I\u2019m super blessed with work at the moment.\n\n\nLet\u2019s talk about work. Aside from business writing work \u2013 my main source of income outside of Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 I\u2019ve seen a noticeable increase in sponsored post inquiries from potential clients. Is this a side effect from \nhigher focus by the government to improve the nation\u2019s financial literacy\n?\n\n\nIf yes, and I do think so, then woah it\u2019s in your benefit to jump into the personal finance blogging space. Go check out my \n6 Personal Finance Blog Ideas, Absolutely Free for You to Take\n article.\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nLots of work.\u00a0\nYay income yaaaay.\n\n\n Interviewed by Financial Literacy for Youths: Malaysia\n. During our talk, my interviewer Ayena mentioned how FLY Malaysia holds financial literacy and skills-upgrading programmes for vulnerable communities. That\u2019s amazing \u2013 these are college students were talking about! FLY Malaysia could do with a few more sponsors \u2013 contact me if this aligns with your company\u2019s CSR initiative. Happy to link you guys up\n\n\nFinally managed to open my \nASB myPortal account\n so I can check my balance anytime. It\u2019s been in my to-do list for years I think. Happy with the amount I have in there \u2013 past Suraya have been a good girl, socking her money out of sight, out of mind like that.\n\n\nA lot of progress with \nMoney Stories from Malaysians: Volume 1\n \u2013 my head spins thinking about it. First, MPH Distributors added on 100 copies to their original order of 750 copies. Then, they told me it\u2019s available in ALL MAJOR BOOKSTORES IN MALAYSIA. Then, Suraya Pauzi tweeted that she saw it on the bestsellers shelves at KLIA??? Oh my god what even\u2026\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYes, I can confirm that! This is at the KLIA domestic terminal bookshop \npic.twitter.com/nBwYM2BzqD\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Pauzi (@surayapauzi1) \nJuly 31, 2019\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNot just that! Borders Bookstore at The Curve also reached out and asked if I\u2019d like to do a \nbook launch\n there? The best part was telling all the fellow authors in the book. So happy to be in this journey with them <3\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBeing part of the \npanel at Affin Hwang Investment Forum\n. Quite happy to get nice feedback about my talking points afterwards \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWent to \nGood Vibes Festival\n. It was okay. Am I old or Genting itself was more fun than GVF?\n\n\nSpent 23% of my July 2019 expenses on donations. The bulk of it went to replacing my parents\u2019 automatic gate system, which went kaput a few years ago. I paid half, my other sister paid half.\n\n\nTreated myself to a\n shopping spree\n. After last month\u2019s decluttering challenge, I bought myself three new pans, two new pillows, two pairs of shoes from a Fitflop warehouse sale, and seven articles of clothing from my sister\u2019s shop. Been wanting to replace those items for a while now.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nWhen your sister is forced to be nice to you because you\u2019re a paying customer at her boutique \ud83d\ude02 . Check out @marquise.my! Uniqlo vibes, lots of mix-and-match items. I got 7 tops that I can pair with my existing wardrobe. Gotta stretch the clothing budget \ud83d\ude01 . For the plus size version, go to my other sister\u2019s shop @malaysiaplussize \u270c\ufe0f . #capsulewardrobe #minimalismmalaysia #shahalam #plussizemalaysia\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nJul 8, 2019 at 2:23am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOnly managed to read one book in July 2019 \u2013 \nLinchpin: Are You Indespensable by Seth Godin\n. It was okay. Basically talk about the importance of being the type of person who are good at problem-solving.\n\n\nUnexpectedly fell in love with the bag \nI complained about last month\n? It finally arrived, and it\u2019s so beautiful! It was still expensive for my taste though so I\u2019m going to use this bag until it tears apart, watch me.\n\n\nFound the lost gym pants I was looking for! Yay I don\u2019t need to shell out RM100+ to replace it. Sometimes I forget how organisation helps you to save money. The less stuff you lose, the less money you spend to replace them.\n\n\nKeto diet is going well! Getting my cheekbones back hahaha. Also my knee is no longer painful so that\u2019s great!\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nAlmost \nlocked myself out\n of my home. Spent RM80 to replace the door keys. It was an annoying, but necessary expense to make. I know that if I\u2019m locked out, I\u2019ll have to spend way more than that. Am saving myself from tons of frustrations too.\n\n\nDidn\u2019t manage to open up a \nTabung Haji account\n at Bank Islam. Was informed that the system no longer link to each other and I\u2019d have to go to Tabung Haji to get that done. It\u2019s not the easiest chore to do during the peak Haji season, so it\u2019ll have to wait a bit.\n\n\nFell \nsick\n. Not horrible, but definitely caught some strong bug somewhere. I\u2019m fine now though.\n\n\nBuying luggage allocation from Malindo Airlines is frustrating AF\n. At one point, I cried while on the phone with their customer support team, I was so frustrated. It\u2019s still not resolved.\n\n\nI finally got myself a Netflix account. That\u2019s good and all, but I also had to \nincrease my data plan\n. Am paying RM110 a month now for 100GB data + 2000 minutes of calls, instead of my usual RM70 per month for 30GB data + 2000 minutes of calls.\n\n\nHad \nsmoking relapse\n. I smoked a couple of packs of cigarettes after being smoke-free for 7 months. Sigh. Will do better.\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nTaking my parents and family on a\n family trip to Perth\n in August! Malindo better get back to me about the luggage allocation because I heard its cold and we all need clothes to bring with us.\n\n\nGoing up north for \nAffin Hwang Investment Forum \u2013 Penang\n edition! Visit \nhttp://ahc-conferences.com\n for more info \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nThe writing competition for \nMoney Stories from Malaysians: Volume 2\n has ended and I received really good submissions! Will start the same book publishing process all over again. There\u2019s a lot of work involved but its fulfilling work, no complaints.\n\n\nBooked myself for a \nwriting retreat\n in Ipoh! It\u2019s in October, so there\u2019s still a couple more months left to wait, but I\u2019m excited \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nI\u2019ll be on \nBFM radio\n soon. More details will be shared in my social media pages soon!\n\n\n\n\nOh! There will be some sponsored content in Ringgit Oh Ringgit in the next month. I\u2019ve worked really hard to make the content interesting, and can\u2019t wait for you to check them out. One of them \u2013 and this makes me a bit nervous because it\u2019s out of my comfort zone \u2013 is a video. Another content includes a RM100 lucky draw. Look out for them okay? \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nHere\u2019s to a great August!\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click\u00a0\nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nhow expense tracking works\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-july-2020/", "title": "Budget Update: July 2020\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: July 2020\n\n\nBeing an adult is accepting, and preparing for at least one major expense per month.\n\n\nYou can\u2019t escape it. If it\u2019s not paying taxes (my biggest expense in July 2020), it\u2019ll be something else \u2013 home maintenance, car repair, replacing broken appliances, buying \u2018smart\u2019 upgrades (like a nice mattress so you\u2019ll get a good night sleep, or noise-cancelling headphones to work better), medical treatment, whatever.\n\n\nOnce in a blue moon, you\u2019ll get through a month without incurring a major expense, but later you\u2019ll find that some months will incur \nmultiple\n major expenses, so it averages out.\n\n\nI\u2019ve read somewhere that the only way to break this cycle is when:\n\n\n\n\nyou\u2019ve successfully upgraded all your essentials to high-quality versions, so they break less and therefore need replacing less often\n\n\nyou put the payment on an instalment plan. You\u2019re still paying, just not in one BIG chunk. Obviously this is cheating because you still end up paying the same amount\n\n\nyou can afford to pay for longer terms instead of shorter (ie paying for 5 years of driving licence instead of renewing annually). But yeah this is still delaying, not eliminating\n\n\n\n\nI wonder if there are other ways to stop the major \u2018Misc Needs\u2019 or \u2019emergency\u2019 expenses. How can one even FI/RE if we have to deal with this wildcard, forever? If \u2018just budget it in\u2019 the best answer?\n\n\nThoughts on this topic?\n\n\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in July 2020\n\n\nIn this section, I\u2019m sharing what I spent on in the whole month, in their respective categories.\u00a0From highest to lowest, my expenses were:\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nPublished two sponsored posts that I\u2019m damn proud of: \nAll You Need to Know About Buying Unit Trust Through EPF i-Invest\n and \nI Tried BEST Invest by BIMB Investment, the \u2018First Robo-Intelligence Shariah ESG Online Investment App\u2019\n\n\nMPH Distributors restocked \nCerita Duit Orang Malaysia: Jilid 1\n! A whopping 450 copies! Holy hell this is unreal, thank you so much for the support korang!!!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n#CeritaDuit restocked at bookstores nationwide \ud83e\udd70\ud83e\udd70\ud83e\udd70Find it at the Malay-language business section at the bookstore near you \u2764\ufe0f . #kewangan #bukukewangan #kedaibuku #penulisbuku #malaysiaboleh #sayajualbuku\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nJul 19, 2020 at 8:52pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBitcoin and Gold both increased significantly in value, which means my\u00a0\nBreakdown of My (SUPER HIGH RISK) Investment Portfolio\n article is already outdated lol\n\n\n[Category: Groceries] Stocked up on coffee and soy milk powder.\n\n\nOn the latter, I\u2019m happy to report that a minor try-it-out money-saving initiative I\u2019ve been trying out for a few months now, switch from buying fresh milk to soy milk powder, worked out well and will be continued. Added bonus: I suspect the reduced dairy intake improved my skin, too.\n\n\n[Category: Dates] Missed the beach, so we went on a short day trip to \nPort Dickson\n.\n\n\n[Category: Wedding] Paid the deposit for the \nwedding\n \nvenue\n, attended a satisfactory food-tasting event, and tried on my nikah dress (it\u2019s perfect <3)\n\n\n[Category: Donations] Helped out a friend. Also took mom to a plant nursery, aka her happy place, then paid for all her new plant babies (much to her delight) \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nThank you @sarongpartyboy for recommending this nursery. LOTS of plant varieties and really good prices!Took my mom here and she shopped her heart out \ud83e\udd70 . Google map: Lot 54 Weng Thye Brothers Ceramics @ Jalan Tropicana Selatan, Petaling Jaya\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nJul 13, 2020 at 2:11am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n[Catrgory: Misc Wants] While browsing in the bookstore, I managed to find and buy a book that I wanted to purchase, for RM20 less on Carousell. Woohoo!\n\n\n[Category: Social] Met up with Helmi from \nBalkoniHijau\n, had a nice chat about personal finance content creation and life.\n\n\n[Category: Public Transportation] Received a random \nreferral\n worth RM50 from \nSOCAR\n, which is a nice surprise!\n\n\nCompleted a 30-day yoga challenge in roughly 20 days\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMe: I should try this 30-day yoga challenge to reduce my anxiety, caused by obsession towards productivity\n\n\nAlso me: wonder if I can complete the challenge in half the time\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nJuly 14, 2020\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRead THREE books (wow way to go Suraya! What a comeback after unable for focus for months!): \nCommitted: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage by Elizabeth Gilbert\n (ngl, this book really helped with the wedding jitters), \nCity of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert\n (wonderful storytelling, set in 1940s New York) and \nThe Hustle Economy: Transforming Your Creativity into a Career\n \n(Advice from 25 Creative Entrepreneurs) by Jason Oberholzer (editor) and Jessica Hagy\n (Illustrator) (figured out the type of hustler I am \u2013 I am the aimless hustler, the person who wants \u2018more\u2019 but don\u2019t exactly know what \u2018more\u2019 is, but curious and open to the adventures and opportunities).\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\n[Category: Misc Needs] \nPaid my taxes\n well before the due date (31 August 2020), but \nfound out\n that I neglected to claim tax exemptions that I am eligible for! Tu lah, stingy some more to pay for bookkeeping and tax submission service\u2026\n\n\n[Category: Misc Needs] Threw away a couple of old, unrepairable shoes and \nbought 2 pairs of new shoes\n at Sketchers\u2019 \u2018Buy 1, get another pair for RM1\u2019 promotion. Why is this mentioned here instead of in the \u2018Yay of the Month\u2019 section? I don\u2019t know. They\u2019re nice shoes. I needed them. They should be of good quality and should last a while, knowing the Sketchers brand. But still\u2026 I do think that RM260 for two pairs is a ridiculous price.\n\n\n[Category: Pets] My \ncats\n are getting fussier with their food\u2026 Totally regret buying them the Ciao cat treats, now they refuse to eat dry kibbles. I had to buy and mix the dry food with wet food, otherwise they won\u2019t eat ughhhh\n\n\n[Category: Food] My cravings for the best of me and I ordered 3 packs of \ndurian\n via Grabfood. Shouldn\u2019t have, felt horrible afterwards. It was delicious though.\n\n\nI was approved to receive the special SME grant, \nGeran Khas Prihatin\n worth RM3,000 back in June, but it hasn\u2019t been deposited yet. Wonder what\u2019s going on, and will we ever receive it. Am fortunate enough that my own small business is not reliant on the money, but others may be desperate for it as we speak.\n\n\nStruggling with mindful eating challenge. It\u2019s okay. Keep trying.\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nWorking with more clients\n\n\nCompleting another 30-day fitness challenge!\n\n\nWorking on mindful eating\n\n\nReally thinking of what kind of wife I want to be, because if I don\u2019t decide, then I might follow social cues and expectations, and dammit I don\u2019t want to end up doing the \ndouble burden\n thing my whole life. Solution: to continue focusing on career, I need the help of domestic workers. We will allocate budget for that.\n\n\n\n\nWhat\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section!\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nhow expense tracking works\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-july-2021/", "title": "Budget Update: July 2021 \u2013 Busy with work\n  ", "body": "\n\nWelcome 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!    \n\n\nHow was your July? Mine was busy. I had so much work, but nothing I couldn\u2019t cope with. I\u2019m very thankful, Alhamdulillah. \n\n\nBtw, I can\u2019t confirm this at all, but I think the reason why I got so much work is because of karma. Maybe it\u2019s unrelated and a mere coincidence and my brain just desperately looking to assign any reason to justify, but it\u2019s the best reason I can think of.\n\n\n\n\nI don't know la. Maybe it's self-fulfilling prophecy. But when I donate, the money comes right back, in multiples. This month alone I have 5 paid collaborations/sponsored posts with clients I like. It's just amazing how it works.\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com \ud83c\udff4 (@surayaror) \nJuly 12, 2021\n\n\n\n\nNo one asked, but I just want to clarify something \u2013 when it comes to sponsored posts and collaborations, I am \nreally\n choosy with the types of clients I choose to work with. \n\n\n\n\nIf only you know how many 'gurus' promoting property and trading courses reach out to me\u2026\nNot to mention the forex platforms and credit and loan service providers..\nOn average, I reject 1 potential client a day \ud83e\udd74\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com \ud83c\udff4 (@surayaror) \nJuly 6, 2021\n\n\n\n\nEven though I say Not Financial Advice all the time, I am aware some of you do take it as such, so it is my responsibility to minimise harm. Whatever I write \u2013 even in the sponsored posts \u2013 are drafted to be as objective as possible. \n\n\nHowever, I am not without fault. If and when you find areas that can be improved, please do me a favour and tell me about it.  \n\n\nOkay, sorry for the long ramble. It\u2019s just, I really do love my work and I want to continue doing this for a long time, so your feedback is really important to me, I don\u2019t want to \u2018sell out\u2019 without even noticing. So tell me if you see that happening, okay?\n\n\nLet\u2019s get on to the budget part. \n\n\nBudget Update: July 2021\n\n\nIn June 2021, I spent RM9, 876.12. The top 3 top expenses were:\n\n\nDonations & Gifts\n \n(RM4,551.55)\n \u2013 Korban x 4 portions, Parents\u2019 electric bill, Tenaganita, Happy Bank, Rider tips\nMisc Needs (RM1,762.16)\n \u2013 Mostly income tax \nUtilities & Rent (RM1,287.26)\n \u2013 Gotta keep a roof over our heads\n\n\nCumulatively, the top 3 expenses make up 80% of my total July 2021 expenses. \n\n\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in July 2021\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I spent on in the whole month of July 2021, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Completed 2 doses of vaccination!\n\n\nI am now fully vaccinated! Technically got the second jab on 1 August, but I\u2019m so happy and don\u2019t want to wait until August budget update to tell everyone, so here it is!\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Paid Income tax \n\n\nGlad to have this done, after procrastinating on it! \n\n\nIn total, I paid RM1,618.86. I would put this under Nay of the Month, but I am quite happy I got to make use of many tax deductions and rebates and reliefs. Those significantly reduced my total amount payable. \n\n\nIf you haven\u2019t paid your income tax, I gotchu: \nPersonal Income Tax 2021: All You Should Know to File Your Taxes Right\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Took care of my mental health\n\n\nLike many people, I felt angry and helpless from seeing rising daily cases. So I redirected my stress to exercise and painting. \n\n\n\n\nThis govt stresses me out so much, I became that bitch who exercises every day \nhttps://t.co/53JhXQWpy5\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com \ud83c\udff4 (@surayaror) \nJuly 21, 2021\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Had a lot of collaborations \n\n\nJuly 2021 was a crazy month, work-wise \u2013 I collaborated with so many financial organisations. What I\u2019m most grateful for is all of them reached out to me. \n\n\n\n\n6 years ago, when I started freelancing for the first time: spent 90% of my work day looking for paying clients. Fair pay is bonus\nNow: getting well paid work offers every other day, just based on referrals and word of mouth alone\nIt's been quite the journey. Alhamdulillah\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com \ud83c\udff4 (@surayaror) \nJune 10, 2021\n\n\n\n\nIn July 2021, I published:\n\n\n[SPONSORED] What You Need to Know About Payment Relief Assistance\n with Alliance Bank\n[SPONSORED] MIDF Invest Review: Buy US Stocks and ETFs from Malaysia Directly, Securely and Cheaply\n with MIDF\n[SPONSORED] Check CTOS Credit Report for FREE (+ How to Read, Build and Improve Credit Score)\n with CTOS\nInstagram Livestream \u2013 5 Financial Habits You Should Know by 30 with AIA Malaysia\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nThere are a few more collaborative content in the pipeline. Stay tuned and as always, thanks for the support \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Gave 3 talks \n\n\nI did:\n\n\nHow to Save Money: Advanced Strategies You Should Know with MyAgeing\u2122\ufe0f Financial Literacy and Educational Hub (MyFiLE), UPM\nBuy Now, Pay Later: Good, Bad or Complicated?\n on BFM89.9 Ringgit and Sense show (\nI argue BNPL does more harm than good\n)\nA Simple Guide to Good Debt Management\n on BFM89.9 Ringgit and Sense show (again!)\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 My fridge magically fixed itself\n\n\nMy freezer stopped working. Lo and behold it started working again after we tried the ol\u2019 \u2018have you switched it off and turn it back on again\u2019 trick (overnight), after being ghosted by the technician. \n\n\nGood lah. Kind of thankful for the no-show. Saved up at least a few hundred ringgit? \n\n\n\n\nThe fridge technician from kaodim ghosted on us. We set appointment at 11am\u2026then nothing until now\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com \ud83c\udff4 (@surayaror) \nJuly 7, 2021\n\n\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Misc\n\n\nRead \nthree books\n:\n\n\nGirl Up: Kick Ass, Claim Your Woman Card, and Crush Everyday Sexism by Laura Bates\nThe Zoomable Universe: A Step-By-Step Tour Through Cosmic Scale, from the Infinite to the Infinitesimal by Caleb Scharf\nThe Moneyless Man: A Year of Freeconomic Living by Mark Boyle (this book impacted me so much, it inspired the \nThought Experiment: Can We Live Without Money In Malaysia?\n article)\n\n\nNoteworthy shows:\n\n\nAlien Worlds on Netflix\nGlad You Asked Season 2 on Vox Youtube Channel\n \u2013 especially the \n\u2018Do I Want Kids?\u2019\n episode\n\n\nBought for myself:\n\n\nA new chopping board\nNail polish and eyebrow pencil from So.lek\nClothes from \nMarquise Collections\nA new Paint by number set\nSteam games\n\n\n\n\nNeed: escapism. Bought: Steam games.\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com \ud83c\udff4 (@surayaror) \nJuly 8, 2021\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Cat peed on the bed\n\n\nMy cats peed on the bed so many times last month. It was so frustrating. I had to restock Febreze. \n\n\nIn desperation, I bought cat spike mats to put on the bed. So far it is working, they haven\u2019t peed on the bed again since. Let\u2019s hope this will work forever.\n\n\n\n\nThat's it. Cats peed on bed one too many times. Bought one of those cat spike mats thing to put on bed. Aaa I'm annoyeddd\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com \ud83c\udff4 (@surayaror) \nJuly 13, 2021\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Ordered way too many food delivery..\n\n\nGrabFood\u2019s HOTDEALS is my kryptonite, man. It\u2019s so hard to resist, so I didn\u2019t. Usually we only order out a couple of times a month, but in July, we (well, I) ordered at least 10 times. Whatever calories I lost with more frequent exercise, I gained back. \n\n\nOh well. My weight is the last thing I want to think about now. Plus we considered it as dates. \n\n\n#3 \u2013 Lost some money in DeFi\n\n\nSome of the tokens reduced ~85% in value since last month \ud83d\ude42 DeFi is a great way to put your cryptoassets to work, but this is the reminder I needed \u2013 profit is not guaranteed. I need to learn more and improve my skills! \n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\nI am still frustrated by the high number of daily cases, but comforted by our high vaccination rate. Is it too much to hope for relaxed guidelines by end of the year? I want to see my parents and have nice family meals together. \n\n\nWell, that was my July 2021. How was yours? What\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nfind out your budgeting style\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-july-2022/", "title": "Budget Update: July 2022 \u2013 Fully moved :)\n  ", "body": "\n\nWelcome 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. \n\n\nSo how was your July? Was it good, bad or meh?\n\n\nFor me, July 2022 represents a new phase in my life \u2013 the \u2018I deserve this\u2019 phase. Let me elaborate. \n\n\nAll my life, I\u2019ve gotten used to \u2018making do\u2019 with old and cheap items. I didn\u2019t care if something looks ugly and is low quality, as long as it works. Quality and aesthetics are secondary to functionality and practicality. \n\n\nBut now, I care. Everything in our new house has to match, even if it is more expensive. I picked the pricier bed because the other one didn\u2019t come in the colour I want. But not just the deco and furniture \u2013 oh no, I\u2019ve stopped my partner from buying a freaking broom because it\u2019s not white, black, beige or grey. \n\n\nI don\u2019t know how to feel about this lifestyle upgrade. On one hand, I freaking paid RM30k for renovation and interior design. So why waste that money by not putting in effort to maintain the aesthetics?\n\n\nOn the other hand, I don\u2019t know, colour matching seems\u2026 frivolous? Like who am I trying to impress? Plus in the bigger scheme of things, it doesn\u2019t matter. Shelter is a need, a pretty home is a want. \n\n\nStill, I can\u2019t deny how happy this whole process has made me. \n\n\n\n\nNgl I've really enjoyed the 2-months-long shopping spree to buy furniture, appliances and decorations for new home. All the researching, choosing and finally buying was so fun. And all was budgeted for plus we saved so much by not having wedding reception, so no guilt whatsoever\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nAugust 1, 2022\n\n\n\n\nIt was also fun doing this project with my partner. I\u2019m so grateful that he\u2019s such a pleasant person to do the home renovation project with, so easy-going and dependable. I kind of miss having a shared project together. \n\n\nI guess you can say I have post-renovation blues \ud83d\ude42 Let\u2019s get on to the budget part. \n\n\nBudget Update: July 2022\n\n\nIn July 2022, I spent RM14,158.12. The top 3 top expenses were:\n\n\nDonations & Gifts (RM5,716.04) \n\u2013 Korban contribution for 2 person, Dad\u2019s dusun project, parents\u2019 electric bill, contribution to family trip, tips\nHome Reno + Deco (RM2,265.33) \n\u2013 Monthly EPP for renovation, hire contractors and cleaners\nUtilities & Rent (RM\n1,766.74\n) \n\u2013 Half mortgage and all final pending bills for old place\n\n\n\n\nCumulatively, the top 3 expenses make up 71% of my total July 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)\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in July 2022\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I spent on in the whole month of July 2022, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:\n\n\n\n\nSpending notes:\n\n\nChanged \u2018Utilities & Rent\u2019 to \u2018Utilities & Mortgage\u2019 \ud83d\ude42 I pay half of mortgage \u2013 it\u2019s the same cost as my previous rent so no major changes to accommodation budget\nHigh Groceries cost is due to me replenishing depleted groceries. Had the best time planning meals and shopping for groceries\nHigh Pets cost is due to me stocking up up cat food and cat litter in bulk\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Fully moved!!\n\n\nI have fully moved to new house! \n\n\nMoving is no joke, there\u2019s just so much to do. In July, we did all of these:\n\n\nHired movers to bring items to new place\nHired cleaners to fully clean old place\nBought furniture and appliances and arranged for them to be sent over\nAssembled a bunch of IKEA furniture \nSold/donated where I could, but also threw out a bunch of stuff (probably thousands of RM worth..)\nHired contractors to install fire alarm, do minor drill work\nInstalled home wifi\n\n\nAll in all, it took 7 months of coordination and planning from getting the keys to move-in, but now it\u2019s done, and I couldn\u2019t be happier with how things turned out \ud83d\ude42 \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Downgraded mobile plan\n\n\nWill be saving RM68 monthly from now on yay \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nFinally will install home WiFi. I can downgrade mobile data plan now, will reduce from RM93 to RM25 per month. Will save RM68 per month or RM816 per year yay \ud83d\ude4c \npic.twitter.com/oDunpOi4SZ\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nJuly 30, 2022\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Rented a good parking spot (costs extra tho)\n\n\nGOOD parking spots are limited in my area and unfortunately we were assigned a bad one. After about 2 weeks, I couldn\u2019t take it anymore and searched for a more convenient spot to rent, and happily found one fairly quickly. \n\n\nThis will cost me an additional RM150 per month. Worth it for the time savings so it\u2019s fine. \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Family holiday\n\n\nMy MIL treated us to a wonderful resort holiday. It was so fun!\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Appeared on..\n\n\n#1 \u2013  Principal Retirement & Investment Conference 2022\n\n\nThanks Principal for having me! I learned about a new type of financial product \u2013 \ndecumulation solution\n. Retirees concerned about finishing savings too fast can look into it.  \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Misc\n\n\nRead:\n\n\nNone \ud83d\ude41\n\n\nWatched:\n\n\nThe Gray Man\nThe Adam Project\nPersuasion \nKnives Act\n\n\nBought for myself:\n\n\nEssential oil roll-on \nDress from oxwhite\nSome makeup and beauty products \u2013 eyeshadow pencil, eyeliners, lip tints, hair oil, scalp treatment\nThrifted clothes from IG/plussizebundlemy\n\n\n\n\nSuper satisfied with the thrifted clothes I got from IG @/plussizebundlemy \u2764\ufe0f\u2764\ufe0f usually it's very hard for me to find plus size but they have a good selection of tops and pants and really awesome prices too, go check out! \npic.twitter.com/LjrJWvj5Jp\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nJuly 25, 2022\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Unnecessary repair work\n\n\nHad a very frustrating, completely unnecessary repair work due to an accident that was no one\u2019s fault (except perhaps the person who laid the pipes differently than diagram). \n\n\n\n\nThe mistake is due to how the water pipes was laid up, which is slightly different from plumbing diagram\nThankfully, or so I thought, I got the insurance add on from servishero. Should cover the cost\nContacted servishero, no reply after asked about claiming insurance \ud83d\ude42\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nJuly 21, 2022\n\n\n\n\nOriginally ServisHero said the insurance won\u2019t cover the damage, but I argued it wasn\u2019t my fault (because it wasn\u2019t!) and in the end they said can refund the cost of the repair. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Wasted money on clothes that didn\u2019t fit\n\n\nI bought jeans and a sports bra that didn\u2019t fit, and had to be donated \ud83d\ude41 Wasted ~RM80 just like that. Lesson for me to check sizing chart and tag properly.  \n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\nFamily trip \nUse all the condo facilities!\n\n\n\n\nWhile I was a renter, I don't care about using my apartment's amenities\nBut now that I'm gonna move to own place and see how much the maintenance fee costs, I wanna use ALL the amenities provided. Idc I will swim in the pool everyday to make the payments worth it \ud83d\ude02\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nDecember 9, 2021\n\n\n\n\nWell, that was my July 2022. How was yours? What\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nfind out your budgeting style\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-july-2023/", "title": "Budget Update: July 2023 \u2013 Easing back into normal life\n  ", "body": "\n\nWelcome 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. \n\n\nSo how was your July? Was it good, bad or meh?\n\n\nFor me, July 2023 was all about easing back into normal life, except now we have a 2-month old baby to plan around. Some changes include:\n\n\n\n\nPacking diaper bag (and making sure to bring thermos with warm water and some formula so we can quickly feed him)\n\n\nChecking if the location has a baby room\n\n\nChoosing a mall based on visitor density \n\n\nTiming the time we leave the house right after feeding Baby Mika\n\n\nMe scheduling all my meetings on days my partner works from home, so he can look after the baby while I work\n\n\nAnd more\n\n\n\n\nI have to say, it\u2019s not particularly hard but there\u2019s definitely a lot of planning and research involved. But so far so good. \n\n\nLet\u2019s get on to the budget part. \n\n\nBudget Update: July 2023\n\n\nIn July 2023, I spent RM9,803.12 The top 3 top expenses were:\n\n\n\n\nDonations & Gifts (RM2,525.55)\n \u2013 Parents\u2019 electric bill, gave gift money to brother as wedding present\n\n\nMisc Needs (RM1,721.32)\n \u2013 Paid LHDN tax payment in advance\n\n\nUtilities & Mortgage (RM1,371)\n \u2013 Half mortgage and bills\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCumulatively, the top 3 expenses make up 58% of my total July 2023 expenses.\n\n\n(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)\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in July 2023\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I spent on in the whole month of July 2023, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 My baby brother got married\n\n\nMy baby brother got married in July 2023 \ud83d\ude42 Calling him baby is weird considering he\u2019s freaking 34 this year but I don\u2019t care, he\u2019s still baby to me. As a wedding gift, a big chunk of the amount under Donations went to him.\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Surprisingly, I\u2019m earning alright\n\n\nI was worried my pregnancy and maternity leave will significantly impact my earning, and yes I had to turn down quite a few jobs, but despite all that my income up until July 2023 was\u2026 alright? I\u2019m not mad at the amount, not at all. \n\n\nHope this keeps up. So far, I have managed to work from home while caring for baby Mika, but am also considering using babysitting services if necessary. \n\n\n\n\nThinking of using kiddocare so I can get in focused work \n6 hours = RM120\nIf I get it 3 times a week, that's RM120 x 3 x 4 = RM1440\nIt's a chunk for sure but not working is not an option, I want to be a working mom\nHmmm how y'all do it?\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nJuly 11, 2023\n\n\n\n\nIn any case, I have bought a package of 6 babysitting sessions (for RM600) just in case I need to use it.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Allowing myself to buy clothes\n\n\nI\u2019m not sure about you but for our family events, it\u2019s normal to wear colour-coordinated outfits. For my brother\u2019s event, the designated colour was dusty pink \u2013 I wore an outfit donated by my sweet mother-in-law. \n\n\nWe will have more family events in August and September, which means I need new outfits. For those events, I have to look for outfits in sage green, champagne and grey colours.  \n\n\nI don\u2019t have many occasions to shop guilt-free, so I\u2019m enjoying the process haha. Also, I\u2019m somewhat funding this by selling preloved items from Carousell. \n\n\n#4 \u2013 Opened Baby Mika\u2019s SSPN account\n\n\nBaby Mika now have education fund via 2 SSPN-i accounts \u2013 one from me and one from his dad \ud83d\ude42 \n\n\nI fully intend to max out the RM8k in tax relief by the end of 2023. I did a quick calculation via kiracukai.my and I may be able to get my taxes reduced by RM1300 or so??? Sounds good to me! \n\n\n(This is one of the reason why I consider SSPN as one of the \n3 Best Investments in Malaysia\n!)\n\n\nThe only thing that will make this sweeter is if SSPN is doing a campaign or something. Last time people won cash prizes, cars\u2026 a girl can dream right? \n\n\n#5 \u2013 Work plans\n\n\nWork-wise, in addition to doing collaborations, speaking sessions and affiliate marketing, I finally decided 2 things I want to do: relaunching How to Buy Your Own Damn Insurance course, and selling the Money Stories from Malaysians book series. \n\n\nThere\u2019s A LOT of components involved from strategy to execution, but I\u2019m not one to back down from a challenge. Let\u2019s do this go Suraya go. \n\n\n#6 \u2013 Appeared on:\n\n\n1) Astro Awani\u2019s The Future is Female show with Melisa Idris\n\n\nMelisa Idris interviewed me on being a personal finance content creator \ud83d\ude42 Watch it on Youtube:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n2) BFM\u2019s Biz Bytes: \nPersonal Finance Tips and Advice for Freelancers, Business Owners, and the Informal Sector\n \nwith Stev Yong of MyPF.my\n\n\n\n\nYours truly had the opportunity to be a guest on BFM\u2019s \"Enterprise Biz Bytes\" together with \n@surayaror\n. In this episode, we delved into personal finance tips & advice tailored specifically for freelancers, business owners, & those in the informal sector.\nhttps://t.co/mBcmv9VHzd\n\u2014 Stev Yong, CFP MBA (@stev_yong) \nJuly 27, 2023\n\n\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Misc\n\n\nRead 0 books\n\n\nBought for myself:\n\n\n\n\nA few tops and skirts from Carousell\n\n\nOne pair of baju kurung for family event\n\n\nA buy 5 free 1 package from Kiddocare\n\n\nA new phone case\n\n\nRefloxology sandal\n\n\nFace mask\n\n\nA Facebook ads course\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Groceries was RM1254??\n\n\nMy usual groceries expenses averaged around RM750 per month, so imagine my surprise at RM1254 for July 2023!\n\n\nHowever, in the bigger picture, the amount is alright, I guess? I calculated my household\u2019s monthly groceries expenses and on average, the amount only increased by RM100 or so since 2022. Considering inflation etc, it\u2019s not bad. \n\n\n\n\nMy household's average monthly groceries expenses for the last 5 years:\nin 2019: RM514.70 (single)\nin 2020: RM597.20 (single)\nin 2021: RM893.70 (married)\nin 2022: RM737.10 (married)\nin 2023 (so far): RM832.30\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nAugust 2, 2023\n\n\n\n\nP/s \u2013 Groceries cost was much higher in 2021 as I was doing keto then \u2013 lots of cheese, meats, speciality keto food items. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Family down with flu\n\n\nThe flu season was particularly aggressive this year and a few family members were down with the flu. \n\n\nOne of my sisters were also hospitalised \ud83d\ude41 It was worrying but thank goodness all is well. \n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nContinue watching Baby Mika grow. As I\u2019m writing this, Baby Mika is already 2 and half months old! He\u2019s SO CUTE and except for the usual frustrations (why angry cry when sleepy? Go la sleep I\u2019m not stopping you also??!), I\u2019m having a good time \ud83d\ude42 \n\n\nDoing more social activities, both for work and fun. There\u2019s a bunch of family events I\u2019m keen to attend as well \u2013 love seeing family reactions when meeting Baby Mika \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nWell, that was my July 2023. How was yours? What\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nfind out your budgeting style\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-june-2016/", "title": "Budget Update: June 2016\n  ", "body": "\n\nJune Budget Update Summary\n\n\n\n\n*horrified emoticon face*\n\n\n*horrified emoticon face* x 1000\n\n\nRM4.3k\u2026????\n\n\nI spent way, way more than I should this month!!! Complete fail. I had way too much fun, and stopped limiting my expenses because of it. The thing is, all this month my brain was like, \u201cyea Suraya perhaps you shouldn\u2019t\u201d but my heart was like, \u201cGO FOR IT GIRL\u201d.\n\n\nCan I even call myself frugal anymore? Idk \ud83d\ude41\n\n\nOk, let\u2019s recap. Alright. RM4.3k spent\u2026 RM830 was for my new phone\u2026 RM300 was my usual loan repayment\u2026 RM120 was for usual cost of medical card\u2026 rent\u2026 phone top up\u2026 NOPE STILL OVERSPENT. I\u2019ll go sit in the corner and think of what I\u2019ve done\u2026\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nI went on a super fun local trip. This was before puasa time, so I went ahead and ate all the things I wanted. Dim sum. Lots of Japanese food. Fancy scmanchy fusion food. Delicious, but ouch.\n\n\nOrdered 2 \nnew glasses\n on \nSelectspecs\n. This is actually a really good website if you want to order new glasses cheaply. I got 2 for roughly RM120. You have to know your eye prescription, though.\n\n\nI got a new phone! It\u2019s been a long time coming and I budgeted for it, so I ain\u2019t mad.\n Lenovo Vibe K4 Note.\n RM830. I wrote about it \nhere\n.\n\n\nBought some\n clothes from thrift shop\n. Also ain\u2019t mad. Wrote about it \nhere\n.\n\n\nHelped my sister\u2019s \nRaya booth, \nfrom 7am to 11pm. It was tiring, but I managed to sell lots of Baju Raya at Stadium Shah Alam \ud83d\ude42 See my sister\u2019s \nRaya collection here\n.\n\n\nI bought a small RM5 \nbook on sambal\n lol. I made sambal ikan keli and sambal telur that very night, so it was money well spent.\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nSpent a shitton on groceries\n. Almost RM500! Aside from the usual stuff, I bought homemade kimchi from my friend\u2019s mom (RM40, SO GOOD), and 6 packs of smoked salmon (in my defense, it was on sale. 50% off. Of course I had to get them).\n\n\nMy \nwater filter broke\n. Twice. That\u2019s roughly RM130 out of pocket to replace them. And lots of anger in the process.\n\n\nMy \numbrella also broke\n \ud83d\ude41 I loved that umbrella \u2013 got it from Geneva and its such a nice, pretty orange colour. Replaced it with a green stripes one from Mr. DIY (RM20).\n\n\n\u2026Was \noverly generous\n in general. I was in a giving mood, so I paid for and bought gifts for many people. I don\u2019t regret it, but I wish I know how to say no to non-essential purchases\u2026\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nBelt tightening. No more than one meal out per week. No more than one expensive meal out per month.\n\n\nRaya? Idk still no mood yet. This year I have about 15-20 Raya packets to distribute and that\u2019s another unavoidable expense (\nhere\u2019s all my Raya expenses\n). But still. Selamat Hari Raya, Maaf Zahir Batin you alls.\n\n\nMy shit lasting for a while. Praying that nothing else breaks for the rest of the year.\n\n\nBut honestly all in all I\u2019m looking forward to get my mental alertness back. During Ramadan I slept more than I should. I was dazed half the time. It\u2019s a special time, religiously speaking, yes, but I have less motivation to improve on my work. I could have earned more, but I didn\u2019t.\n\n\n\n\nSigh. Have a great July, you guys. Don\u2019t be like me \ud83d\ude41\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n.\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-june-2017/", "title": "Budget Update: June 2017\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: June 2017\n\n\n\n\nOkay, RM8421.75 is a lot to spend in a month. BUT. RM2095 went for Raya (mostly duit raya giveaway \u2013 Raya costs covered in \nthis post\n) and another RM1320.17 went to taxes. So really I \u2018only\u2019 spent RM5k ish, and that\u2019s inclusive rent (RM1200), travel plans in July (close to RM1000) and business-related costs (RM1000~). \u00a0K fine no excuse definitely overspent in June 2017. Will aim to do better for the second half of 2017. Omg so fast.\n\n\nThat brings up an interesting observation. Earning more makes me less calculative with spending. It\u2019s a good problem I guess, but I have to be very, very mindful of this \u2013 as a self-employed individual, who knows when my income will suddenly dwindle. It\u2019s to my best advantage to get used to low expenses rather than being rudely forced to make spending cuts.\n\n\nI\u2019ve also made a few lifestyle upgrades, these past few months. For example, I\u2019ve switched from regular milk to almond milk. This alone is twice the usual cost. It\u2019s a small luxury that I thought I \u2018deserve\u2019. I\u2019ve also stopped relying on thrift shopping for clothes and get them brand new. Lifestyle upgrades are hard to notice, because you always try to justify them somehow, and often there are good justification. In the almond milk example, I told myself that it\u2019s healthier (less/no hormones). \u00a0For the clothes, I tell myself that I save time when buying new from the shops rather than spending hours looking for the right fit/condition/price. For others, I tell myself that choosing the item with the superior quality will last longer, which is technically true.\n\n\nNote to self: balance is key. Focus on experiences, not stuff. Buy quality, sure, but buy less.\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nYay of the month:\n\n\n\n\nRaya\n was surprisingly enjoyable this year. Second-hand happiness from my parents \u2013 they are extremely happy in becoming grandparents. There are 4 generations in my family now, woah.\n\n\nBetween March-May 2017, Ringgit Oh Ringgit logged about 95k in traffic. I \nearned USD146.83 via Google Adsense\n, which arrived as RM581.70 in my bank account. This is not my first Adsense payout, but it was the fastest so far. Last time it took roughly a year to hit USD100. Am amazed and grateful at how reliable blogging is as passive income. Part of it is because of the niche \u2013 finance ads pay higher. Time and time again I\u2019ve invited you guys to also join in the personal finance blogger bandwagon. See got proof now.\n\n\nOnly gained 3kg despite having a lot of \nnice food during Ramadan\n. Happy with my cook-at-home/eat out ratio. One time my sister and I bought a whole side of salmon fillet and pan-fried it (occasion: brother\u2019s birthday). Oh it was so good. Ramadan bazaars this year were amazing.\n\n\nReally enjoyed the \nmango season\n. I think I ate like 10kg by myself. No regrets.\n\n\nTechnically happened on 1st July, but had a really good time trying \nVR gaming\n at VR Lab, Publika. RM60 per room per hour (depends on room) for up to 6 people. Many locations available, check the \nVR Lab website\n\u00a0for more info. Some of my favourite games include: the skiing game, the walk the plank experience and Fruit Ninja (yes, that Fruit Ninja). Many games available, see the list \nhere\n.\n\n\n#TeamRavenclaw\n according to the\u00a0\nTime\u2019s Sorting House quiz\n. Have always rooted for them, a soft spot for them. Ravenclaw was not given enough development in the Harry Potter series.\n\n\nInterviewed by CompareHero and Small Cap Asia \ud83d\ude42 Read it \nhere\n and\u00a0\nhere\n! Topics related to bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. Somehow I\u2019m being known for this, but I actually like personal finance in general.\n\n\n\n\nNay of the month:\n\n\n\n\nNot as productive\n as I could have been. Lethargy due to lack of energy due to fasting was no joke. Thankfully most people were understanding, but I have to work harder, moving forward. Have to keep up my professionalism.\n\n\nI\u2019ve come to the conclusion that the more you tell people that you\u2019re watching your weight during Raya Open houses, the more they will make it their mission to feed you. Am I wrong here lol.\n\n\nDid not manage to even finish reading one book \ud83d\ude41\n\n\nWasted RM20 on a \nparking fine\n ugh\n\n\nBrought a new plant into my home. It died within a week. Poor Dave \ud83d\ude41\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nGoing to the \nRainforest World Music Festival\u00a0\nat Kuching, Sawarak, woo!\n\n\nWant to expand my business and my team. \nAre you a (non-fiction) writer with samples of work\n? Comment below, I may have work for you \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nFinishing off all this Raya food and cookies in the house. Just when the supply was dwindling, received a big jar of chocolate chip cookies. I mean, thank you and all, but\u2026\n\n\nContinuing workouts that I held off in June. Willing myself to make that painful-but-necessary payment for a personal trainer. Used her tips received from just one session, improved a lot. Should be a worth-it purchase for my health. Need to lose that Raya flab and get the dopamine I need. Most successful people put a priority on fitness, I\u2019m not an exception to this rule.\n\n\n\n\nSecond half of 2017, bring it on.\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click\u00a0\nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nreview\n).\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-june-2018/", "title": "Budget Update: June 2018\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: June 2018\n\n\nMore than half of my June 2018 expenses went to Donations and Gifts. RM1250 given out as duit raya, and a whopping RM2500 given to a friend to help her out.\n\n\nMight as well tell you what happened. A friend (someone really dear to me) was driving and got busted for having recreational drugs in her possession. The police demanded RM3000 in bribe money. My friend was not able to negotiate it down and didn\u2019t have enough in her bank account. She had to find the money asap, and came to me.\n\n\nI was pissed off. Pissed off at the friend, pissed off at the police blatantly asking for bribes, pissed off at myself for giving the money anyway thus contributing to this stupid corruption culture in Malaysia.\n\n\nNever again. I will never do this again. This is not the kind of person I want to be.\n\n\nTell me your bribe stories. Everyone has one. Tell me what I can do to protect myself if this happens again.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nAside from Donations category, my other expenses were under control. RM3700 in monthly expenses is an okay amount for the shitload of things I did in June 2018. Am particularly proud of how I saved transportation costs to go to Writer\u2019s Retreat in Penang. Wanted to take a flight, but that would\u2019ve cost me almost RM400. I took the bus instead for RM92 (and got 10% discount, AND cashback via \nShopback\n!)\n\n\nOrganising a writing competition.\n The theme is personal finance, naturally \ud83d\ude09 Here\u2019s an open invitation for you to submit your short stories! I\u2019m offering RM100 cash for each accepted entry out of my own pocket you know. Check the full details and ideas for stories\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n\nTransferred \nRM3k to PRS account\n early this year. Usually I do it around the end of the year. But hey, the earlier I do it, the faster my interest can compound. If you have surplus money to invest, I can recommend PRS (see my guide \nhere\n) \u2013 you\u2019ll get tax relief for up to RM3k annually.\n\n\nFreeMalaysiaToday\n have started to republish my articles \ud83d\ude42 Noticed an uptick in site visitors. If you\u2019re a new reader, welcome!\n\n\nBought 12 games during \nSteam Summer sales\n. Laughed my ass off when playing Racettear: An Item Shop\u2019s Tale. I play a girl who must pay off her family\u2019s debt by selling classic RPG items (think swords, armors, amulets, etc). Don\u2019t think my haggling skills are very good there, I keep getting my house foreclosed lol. Other than that I\u2019m also having fun with Stardew Valley, a Harvest Moon-esque game. Now trying to save up money to buy a barn.\n\n\nUsed up two vouchers from HappyFresh and \nreduced my groceries bill\n by RM35 total \ud83d\ude42\u00a0Use code \u2018suraya63\u2019 to get RM25 off your first order (I get RM20 off, too). ProTip: Go to HappyFresh website from\u00a0\nShopback\u00a0\nand get additional cashback from there!\n\n\nTweaked my \nwebsite layout\n, did you notice? I like that I can fit in more articles in the front page now.\n\n\nRead three books\n: \nThe Kitchen God\u2019s Wife\n by Amy Tan (do you wonder about background stories of immigrants? Why and how they end up where they are? This book tells a Chinese mother\u2019s story in China before she arrived in America);\u00a0\nMe, Myself, and Us: The Science of Personality and the Art of Well-Being\n\u00a0by Professor Brian R. Little (the inspiration behind \nHow You Behave With Money, Based On Your Personality\n article); and\u00a0Y\nou Are a Badass at Making Money: Master the Mindset of Wealth\n by Jen Sincero (like many people, I have this mental roadblock when it comes to charging more for my services).\n\n\nGot myself a new experience \u2013 \na perm\n. It was RM78, which was reduced to RM68.68 after using up existing Fave credits. At the shop, I had to pay RM50 more to get the \u2018better quality perm, not Chinese auntie perm\u2019 \u2013 so ended up paying RM118.68 in total. But hey, I\u2019ve gotten more compliments on my hair so I\u2019m not mad.\n\n\nDiscovered I have \nover 175k in Maybank treatpoints\n. Forgotten all about them for at least a couple of years, so was pleasantly surprised. Browsed the redemption catalogue and decided to get two x RM200 Lazada vouchers for 87.6k each. I\u2019ll earmark the vouchers for \u2018fun\u2019 purchases \u2013 guilt-free spending occasions doesn\u2019t happen very often!\n\n\nSwitched from Maxis to Yoodo\n, that select-what-you-use plan under Celcom. Now I\u2019m paying RM85 for 40GB data and 50 call minutes (and no sms), instead of RM128 for Maxis\u2019s 40GB and unlimited calls and sms plan. \nSavings: RM43 per month, or RM516 per year!\n Switching was easy \u2013 everything from sim card order to porting (I\u2019m keeping my number) was done through the app. If you want to try it out too, get FREE RM 20 when you sign up using my \nreferral link\n (I get RM20 too). You can also enter my unique Referral Code zwbai7716 at the confirmation page when you activate.\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nWent a bit overboard with the food this Raya. Gained 4kg in one weekend alamak. It\u2019s back down, but I need to be more mindful.\n\n\nHave decided to let my virtual assistant go. Taking a more active role in blog management and marketing now. Enjoying the learning process.\n\n\nChasing a client for payment\n. Usually I impose a 50% deposit before work rule, but that assignment was urgent and I stupidly completed the work, thinking I had nothing to worry about as they\u2019re a well-known company. It\u2019s been a couple of months now. I\u2019m annoyed.\n\n\nEarlier this year, I engaged with a\n trust/will-writing\n agent. It was okay in the beginning but became a nightmare: was told what I wanted was not possible, late updates and progress, and then they lost my payment (which they, as it turns out, didn\u2019t charge in the first place despite me filling in the forms \u2013 so lucky me here). So yup. I don\u2019t trust As-Salihin anymore as a company. How can I trust you to manage my money if anything happens to me if you can\u2019t even help me now? Do you have other trust/will-writing companies to suggest?\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nGood Vibes Festival\n!\n\n\nResearching ebook marketing and payment systems to implement. Finding editors and book cover designers. This whole \nebook-creation process\n is fun! And seriously I can\u2019t wait to see what kind of personal finance stories I\u2019ll get. So excited!\n\n\nAttending events and meeting people. I want to look for someone new to love.\n\n\n\n\nOh! You know how media outlets and content creators always ask you to support them by signing up for their monthly subscriptions? I\u2019ve never liked any of them enough to actually commit to that\u2026 until The Try Guys \u2013 formerly of Buzzfeed \u2013 \nwent independent on Patreon\n. Now I\u2019m actually paying them because I *want* to support them. It\u2019s a strange feeling. Do you give your hard-earned money to anyone just to show your support? Friends and family doesn\u2019t count!\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click\u00a0\nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nreview\n).\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-june-2019/", "title": "Budget Update: June 2019\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: June 2019\n\n\nWhat a memorable month. More about that under \u2018Yay of the month\u2019 section below.\n\n\nFor the past few months, I\u2019ve battled my \u2018solopreneur\u2019 identity quite a bit. I feel like I should take advantage of this momentum I\u2019m having and expand, get a team under the Ringgit Oh Ringgit brand. I thought of hiring a team of writers and video editors, create more content.\n\n\nBut slowly, through personal reflection, I figured out that (a) I\u2019m really happy being a one-person team, (2) I have no desire to be the boss of anybody, and (c) having a team would require an office, and I worked so hard so I didn\u2019t have to *go* to an office every day.\n\n\nMaybe I\u2019ll change my mind in the future. Maybe that\u2019ll still happen, out of necessity or change of heart. But for now, I\u2019m loving the way I work. I can still outsource if the workload gets too much. I can still collaborate with other people to create content that I can\u2019t personally create.\n\n\nAny of you consider yourself solopreneurs? Do you plan on staying that way or planning to expand? Let me know in the comments section.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nWent on a fully-sponsored programme to Estonia \n\ud83d\ude42 The programme organisers didn\u2019t skimp on the budget either. I\u2019d estimate they spent RM10k just for my costs, including the flights, accommodation and food. I still spent about RM900 of my own money for travel insurance, souvenirs and personal spending, but that\u2019s nothing in comparison.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nCompleted 1-week media course in Estonia, funded by the Government of Estonia and Baltic Film and Media School, Tallin University . It was great. Learned so much about the media landscape, e-government, startup scene and more . Thank you so much for having me, Estonia. You were beautiful and magical . Article about the trip and lessons learned coming soon in ringgitohringgit.com! . #estonia #tallinn #nordic #baltic #europe\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nJun 25, 2019 at 12:56am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMPH Distributors agreed to stock Money Stories From Malaysians: Volume 1\n?? And the thing is, they don\u2019t just stock MPH Bookstores (like you would assume). They also stock at Kinokuniya, MyNews, Popular Bookstores and other locations. What even is my life oh my God\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPlus, it turns out that MPH Distributors ordered 750 copies of the book for its first order?? I thought they\u2019ll just start with 100-200 books, to minimise risk. I had to spend RM2700 to print more books because I didn\u2019t have enough in stock!\n\n\nOn that happy note, a reminder that\n submissions for Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 2 is still open\n! I can\u2019t guarantee it\u2019ll end up in bookstores too, but you bet your sweet ass I\u2019ll do my best. \nClick here for more information\n.\n\n\nObviously I\u2019m happy it\u2019s no longer puasa month lmao\n\n\nDid a \n30-day decluttering challenge\n. While I wasn\u2019t exactly consistent with it, I still managed to sell, donate, throw and replace items that I\u2019ve been keeping on for a lot longer than necessary. I finally threw away the hole-y dress and pillowcases, and bought myself new mugs (and they were not thrifted!)\n\n\nBlessed with work\n. Received a lot of income-generating inquiries and opportunities. Some in my capacity as a personal finance blogger, some in my capacity as a business writer.\n\n\nObsessed with the \nwhite kebaya top\n I got for Raya (a desire totally evoked by the #bringbackthekebaya crowd, but I ain\u2019t even mad lol). To make things sweeter, my mom gave me like 5 of her old skirts, so combined with skirts I already own, I can get a lot of outfit combinations out of it. I\u2019ve worn it twice since, and received lots of compliments \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nUsing a fancy notebook for the first time. It makes me feel so decadent, mmm\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nMy partner gave me this fancy, linen-covered, name-personalised custom notebook from @summorieco as a VDay present. He picked the cover colours himself \ud83e\udd70 . Now that my previous notebook is running out of pages, time to use this. Writing in it feels decadent, it\u2019s a premium item after all. A few years ago I was exclusively using free notebooks received at events je kot \ud83e\udd37\u200d\u2640\ufe0f . Why is it the nicer something is, the more you DON\u2019T want to use it because \u2018sayang\u2019? This is not just me right \ud83d\ude02 . #thoughtfulgift #notebook\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nJun 10, 2019 at 8:19pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nMy knee pain flared up again. Usually, it\u2019s triggered by strenuous physical activities\u2026 or weight gain. I\u2019m 99% sure that the latter is to blame this time around. Long story short, I\u2019m on the \nketo diet\n again.\n\n\nPissed that I didn\u2019t manage to see \nChristine Lagarde\n, the Managing Director of International Monetary Fund (IMF) live in action. Registered myself for the special engagement session and everything. I blame jet lag (it was the day after I touched down). NST published her \nspeech transcript\n though, so at least I can read that.\n\n\nGave away RM2050 in duit raya money. Wow it sure did increased from last year, what happened? That sure is a lot of mon- Be ikhlas, Suraya.\n\n\nFound out that \nIndah Water Consortium raised their rates\n from RM8 to RM14? Yeah it\u2019s just RM6 but that\u2019s a 75% increase!\n\n\nDidn\u2019t manage to read any books in June 2019. None, zero. I\u2019m a bit disappointed with myself, I\u2019ve always managed to finish at least one book per month for years. Oh well, will do better in July.\n\n\nI lost my favourite pair of gym pants \ud83d\ude41 \ud83d\ude41 I\u2019m irrationally attached to that pair, quite sad I didn\u2019t have the chance to say goodbye.\n\n\nBought \nnew bedsheets\n and threw away the MUJI bedsheets that I bought maybe 8 months ago. You would have thought MUJI\u2019s stuff is high in quality right? I thought so too, but the last time I counted, there are at least 10 small holes in them. Very disappointed, it was expensive kot.\n\n\nI thought I bought a bag from an indie, small shop. It turns out it was a \ndropshipped item from China and sells for way less\n. If it\u2019s any consolation, some of you have pointed out that while the two shops used different images, the quality of the actual bag might be different. Here\u2019s hoping the bag I bought is of good quality.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nBeing part of a panel session at \nAffin Hwang Asset Management\u2019s Investment Forum 2019: Wealth & Beyond\n. Check out my fellow panelists!! Please Suraya don\u2019t make a fool of yourself in front of all these people omg omg NERVOUS KOT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nCome see me at @affinhwangam \u2018s Investment Forum this 20th July at MITEC Kuala Lumpur! . My fellow panelists are: \ud83d\udd39YB @hannahyeoh \ud83d\udd39Pn Fazleen of @akpkofficial \ud83d\udd39@aarontang84 of Mr-Stingy.com \ud83d\udd39Moderated by @drjasonleong . You know how you know you\u2019re not exactly \u2018poor\u2019 poor, but you don\u2019t feel rich either? Yeah we\u2019ll be talking about that . Register and get your tickets at ahc-conferences.com. My session is in the morning so you can still go to Genting for Good Vibes Festival after that \ud83d\ude01 . Also, let\u2019s take a moment to appreciate the gender and racial diversity among speakers and panelists at the event. Good job there Affin Hwang . #mitec #affinhwang #wealthandbeyond #malaysia #kualalumpur #gvf2019 #goodvibesfestival #personalfinanceMalaysia #pelaburan\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nJun 25, 2019 at 11:23pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAnd then going to \nGood Vibes Festival\n directly after the forum lmao. I\u2019m so happy they got Yuna to headline!\n\n\n\n\nTo end this monthly budget update article, another reminder that the writing competition is still ongoing. You have until the end of July to submit your personal finance-related stories. Anything goes \u2013 fiction, non-fiction \u2013 as long as it has a personal finance element, I\u2019ll consider it \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nSee the \ntypes of stories that made it into Volume 1\n for inspiration \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nIf you can\u2019t/don\u2019t want to submit, do me a favour and send the link to the \nwriting competition\n to the most creative writer you know? Most of the authors in Volume 1 were all previously-unpublished authors and it would be great to publish more new authors this time around!\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click\u00a0\nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nhow expense tracking works\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-june-2020/", "title": "Budget Update: June 2020\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: June 2020\n\n\nThere goes half the year. How\u2019s everybody doing? Still alive right. Thankfully we were spared from the murder hornet and the swine flu storylines.\n\n\nIn terms of spending, the data says that I spent a total of RM7,508.45 in June 2020. The top 3\u00a0highest-expense categories were (yet again) Donations & Gifts, Utilities & Rent and Business. The Donations & Gifts data is simultaneously true AND a bit misleading \u2013 read more under the Yay of the Month section.\n\n\nIn terms of earning, well let\u2019s just admit that I failed spectacularly in achieving my lofty \u2018moonshot\u2019 new year\u2019s resolution goal, \u2018earning RM100k by June\u2019. Not even half that. But my earnings weren\u2019t that bad to be honest, considering everything. I still have the rest of the year to work on it. Plus my investment value and net worth still went up, so that lessens the sting a little bit.\n\n\nTalking about investments. Will it keep going up though? We\u2019re acting like everything is okay (well, the stock market is). I\u2019m not buying it \u2013 I do think we\u2019re in a horrible, horrible bubble which is about to pop, and recession will be something we\u2019re forced to deal with, instead of pretending it\u2019s not there.\n\n\nBut of course, I\u2019m no economist, and I know many parties are working hard to AVOID the worst-case scenario from happening.\n\n\nWhat are your thoughts about everything? Are you optimistic or pessimistic about the future?\n\n\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in June 2020\n\n\nIn this section, I\u2019m sharing what I spent on in the whole month, in their respective categories.\u00a0From highest to lowest, my expenses were:\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nDid you, um, saw my \nBernama TV\n \nappearance\n by any chance?\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHad a mini-miracle\n. The payment for a weirdly easy and generous job that I got unexpectedly and out of the blue came through, and almost fully covered the amount I gifted towards my parents\u2019 (large) pending electric bill. Times like these make me feel abundant and full of faith that God will ultimately provide.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFast forward to a few days ago. Decided to pay off bil electric tertunggak rumah parents. Ribu2 jugak la. Close one eye bayar oneshot habis\n\n\nSemalam payment client tu masuk. Almost the same amount dengan bil tu\n\n\nRezeki ni kan, bila tuhan nak kasi, senang sangat\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nJune 13, 2020\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMy application for the \nGeran Khas Prihatin\n, worth RM3,000, was approved. Obviously I\u2019m over the moon about this mini windfall. As of writing time, the money has not been deposited yet into my account, but I\u2019m already planning how to spend it.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nMy application for Geran Khas Prihatin, the special grant for small businesses lulus\u2026 I want to redistribute this money to the Malaysian economy while improving my biz. Suggestions? Note: if you applied, check at gkp.hasil.gov.my #gkp #gerankhasprihatin #bisneskecil #smallbusinessmalaysia #lhdn\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nJun 2, 2020 at 11:45pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCompleted my\u00a0\nonline-based\n\u00a0\nkursus kahwin\n! I\u2019m super happy about this MCO side-effect \u2013 it was both faster AND cheaper. And most importantly, it saved me the time needed to do research and look for recommendations.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGot my online kursus kahwin date sorted out!\n\n\nSo happy. Its faster (4 hours instead of 1.5 days), cheaper (RM50 instead of ~RM80++) and NO NEED TO HEAR LEWD SEXUAL JOKES FROM USTAZ\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nJune 12, 2020\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRehomed some \nbooks\n I had lying around and earned RM125 \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nDone today: audited books collection and sold off 20+ books, oneshot. Added RM125 to this month\u2019s income \u270c\ufe0f . Sure, I could have gotten more for the books. But this method is also an extremely efficient and fast way of selling off clutter in the home \u2013 taken within hours. I\u2019m happy, buyer happy, everybody happy \ud83d\ude01 . Next up: audit wardrobe. I did it in bundle format the last time with great success, too #jualbuku #sellingtips #speedselling #sold #timeismoney #followmeontwitter\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nJun 17, 2020 at 12:45am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAdded a \nnew budget category\n, just to track wedding-related expenses. You\u2019ll see it reflected in the next few months in my budget updates.\n\n\nThis isn\u2019t new, but I\u2019ve really been enjoying cooking at home, mostly after being inspired by various homecook-related content. In the last few months, I\u2019ve made at least 10 new recipes, including chili with black beans, cajun fish, leek & potato soup and more. My obsession with not wasting food or ingredients also perfected a new grocery-tracking system, which I wrote about here:\u00a0\nI Figured Out The Perfect System to Stop Food Waste\n\n\nMPH Distributors ordered more copies of\n Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 2\n to stock in bookstores!! Obviously happy about this!!!\n\n\n\n\n\n\nToday\u2019s blessing-in-an-email: MPH Distributors ordered more copies of \n#MYMoneyStories\n vol 2 to stock up in bookstores nationwide \ud83e\udd70\ud83e\udd70\ud83e\udd70 \npic.twitter.com/ur37tuuQiN\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nJune 30, 2020\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAnother blessing of the month: a couple of new clients, plus the fact that some of my previous clients contacted me again for repeat work. I melt when this happens\u2026 You liked my previous work? You really, actually want to work with me again? Uuuu okay I\u2019ll do my best!!\n\n\nBought \nreusable cloth masks\n for myself, and also as father\u2019s day gifts. Hope the masks actually get used\u2026\n\n\nManaged to (finally) complete reading one book, after not being able to focus for months! Loved Douglas Edwards\u2019 personal anecdotes in \nI\u2019m Feeling Lucky: Confessions of Google Employee Number 59\n. He really gave the readers an insight into how it\u2019s like working for Google during its early days, pre-IPO. At one point, he fantasised about Google stock going up to $10 per share. At this section, I quickly checked the current ticker for GOOG. It\u2019s\u2026 $1450 per share now, as of time of writing. Google made Mr Edwards a rich man, no doubt about it.\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nMy \ncats have been vomiting\n more often nowadays, and I don\u2019t know what caused it. The only difference to their diet is I recently got them one of those Ciao cat treats (which they LOVE). I know what you\u2019re thinking and no, the expiry date seems fine and they even vomit on days when I don\u2019t give them treats. Don\u2019t know what\u2019s the issue to be honest. Will keep monitoring them.\n\n\nSpeaking of cats, my online order of cat toys and cat grass have been \nstuck at the post office\n for a couple of weeks now. Have to make the time to pick them up uuuggghhh so mafaaaan\n\n\nGroceries bill\n was kinda high at over RM800. I\u2019m sure it\u2019ll average out okay, and to be fair I\u2019ve been eating in A WHOLE LOT MORE than before, so it\u2019s okay? Idk.\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nEnjoying my parents\u2019 joy in planning my wedding, which can now (should be able to) go up to 250 guests instead of 20. Yeah, it\u2019s my day, but hey. They\u2019re happy. Plus I can afford it, so why not.\n\n\nLearning online courses which I bought but haven\u2019t gone through yet! Will I ever! We shall see!\n\n\nKeeping this momentum going and read another book. I don\u2019t want to lose my ability to focus again!\n\n\n\n\nWhat are YOU looking forward to, now that we\u2019re in the second half of the year? How are you with your financial goals? Let me know in the comments section!\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nhow expense tracking works\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-june-2021/", "title": "Budget Update: June 2021 \u2013 #KerajaanGagal\n  ", "body": "\n\nWelcome 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!    \n\n\n#KerajaanGagal. Enough said. I am angry and sad and channeling all this negative energy towards bullying BNPL service providers and shading tone-deaf people who are lucky enough to be unaffected by financial hardship at this time and congratulating themselves for being able to save and invest more. Read the room.  \n\n\nOkay, let\u2019s get on to the budget part. \n\n\nBudget Update: June 2021\n\n\nIn June 2021, I spent RM11,985.76. The top 3 top expenses were:\n\n\nBusiness (RM4,515.39)\n \u2013 Paid CFP Module 3 course, bought SEO technical audit package, got a new microphone for work\nDonations & Gifts\n \n(RM3,011.21)\n \u2013 Parents\u2019 electric bill, food gifts/care packs for family, donations to Refuge for Refugees and WeListen Packs\nUtilities & Rent (RM1,287.26)\n \u2013 Gotta keep a roof over our heads\n\n\nCumulatively, the top 3 expenses make up 75% of my total June 2021 expenses. \n\n\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in June 2021\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I spent on in the whole month of June 2021, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Completed CFP Module 2\n\n\n2 down, 2 more to go \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nWanna know what they teach in Certified Financial Planning course? Read here: \nMy CFP Journey, Part 2: What I Learned in CFP Module 1 & Module 2\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Used grocery shopping / meal planning/ ordering food as outlet for sanity\n\n\nI\u2019m generally an optimistic person, but I\u2019m not unaffected by this overall feeling of despair. Aside from helping out via donations, I tried hard to distract myself by finding joy from \u2018mundane\u2019 activities. It\u2019s amazing how grocery shopping, meal planning and ordering food has helped me maintain my sanity.  \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nThe downside is, unfortunately, weight gain. But you know what? I\u2019m not going to let it get to me. If I escape this whole thing with *only* weight gain, God I\u2019m lucky. \n\n\n\n\nYou can't ever fat shame me \ud83d\ude18 \npic.twitter.com/x54msYmqRC\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com \ud83c\udff4 (@surayaror) \nJune 27, 2021\n\n\n\n\nThe other downside is high groceries cost for the month at RM1,175.96, and technically avoidable food ordering totalling ~RM375 \u2013 so RM1500 in makan cost for a household of 2. \n\n\nBut it \nwas \na stock-up month for groceries, which will average out to RM750-850 or so, plus ordering in supports small businesses (this is what I tell myself to feel better haha).\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Increased my steps rate\n\n\nI was checking my phone\u2019s Health app and FREAKED OUT over my lack of daily steps \u2013 some days it\u2019s as low as a few hundred steps only!\n\n\nSo I made some effort to walk around a bit more, even if just in the house. It kinda worked \u2013 my average step count in June 2021 was 4,793 steps per day. Other months were just in the 1xxx range. \n\n\nAnd I managed to 2-in-1 it, too. \n\n\n\n\nPace around my (small) apartment while read articles, know know dah hit 6k steps \ud83d\ude2e\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com \ud83c\udff4 (@surayaror) \nJune 18, 2021\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Re-continued Youtube channel\n\n\nAs a solo personal finance content creator, I find myself constantly overwhelmed juggling content creation + marketing + community management. There is so much to do, so many skills to master! I\u2019m not complaining \u2013 most of it is good stress, I\u2019m enjoying the challenges and learning processes, so it\u2019s all good. \n\n\nWorking on my Youtube channel and learning video editing skills is one of them. Honestly my skills are still amateur at best, I\u2019m still working on it, but you know I give good info, so go watch my latest video ya? \ud83d\ude42 At least with this one my voice is clear. Microphone baru la katakan. \n\n\nWatch it at: \n[VIDEO] 3 Google Chrome Extensions Malaysian Should Know to Save Money! (You MUST Install #1! WAJIB!)\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Gave 3 talks \n\n\nI did:\n\n\nTempat Terbaik Untuk Menyimpan Wang with MyAgeing\u2122\ufe0f Financial Literacy and Educational Hub (MyFiLE), UPM\n3 \u201cMoney Tips\u201d Orang Muda Perlu Tahu with Athirah Nayan, Islamic Financial Planner\nIs Buy Now, Pay Later A Force for Good or Evil? with Fintech Fireside Asia (spoiler alert: \nI argue its evil\n)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThank you to everyone who attended and supported <3 \n\n\n#6 \u2013 Making progress in short term goal \u2013 grow IG to 10k followers\n\n\nStarted at 7.6k, as of writing time it\u2019s at 8.4k, thank you so much! If you haven\u2019t, please follow me on my Instagram \u2013 \nIG/surayaror\n. I really really want the swipe up feature. \n\n\n\n\nNew short-term goal \u2013 get 10k followers on IG so I can get the swipe up feature. I humbly request you to follow me there \ud83d\ude4f\nhttps://t.co/tyNfmHJeRK\n \npic.twitter.com/uTtGADskkj\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com \ud83c\udff4 (@surayaror) \nMay 24, 2021\n\n\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Misc\n\n\nRead \nfive books\n (good job Suraya!!): \n\n\nHow to DeFi: Beginner by CoinGecko\nHow to DeFi: Advanced by CoinGecko\nThe Suitcase Entrepreneur: Create Freedom in Business and Adventure in Life by Natalie Sisson\nOverheard: The Art of Eavesdropping by Oslo Davis \u2013 Note: this is a collection of cartoons by a newpaper cartoonist, not a manual. Must clarify that!!\nWe Are All Weird: The Rise of Tribes and the End of Normal by Seth Godin \n\n\nNoteworthy shows:\n\n\nRorouni Kenshin: The Final on Netflix\nThe Parisian Agency: Exclusive Properties on Netflix\nThe whole \nGreat Art Explained Youtube channel\nBorat Subsequent Moviefilm \n\n\nBought for myself:\n\n\n12 x books from Big Bad Wolf book sale \nFace masks (replenish supply)\nHair mask (replenish supply)\nGym pants (threw out old pair; using the one in one out rule)\nPre-ordered Anna Tan\u2019s latest book \nAmok\n. Look at that cover! Go get yourself a copy, e-book version also available\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Replaced retainer \u2013 cost: RM800\n\n\nMy bruxism (teeth grinding) at night is so bad, I literally go through one retainer a year, when they\u2019re supposed to last you for five\u2026\n\n\nI was going to wait until I was fully vaccinated to go to the dentist, but my retainer wasn\u2019t giving me protection and all the teeth grinding was causing me to wake up with sore jaw. So I finally dragged myself there after getting one jab and got a replacement pair + mouth guard for RM800. \n\n\nOuch at the price, but necessary. \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Hot weather\n\n\nIt *was* hot, wasn\u2019t it?? My aircon bill, which is usually RM13 or so, ballooned up to RM135. \n\n\n#3 \u2013 I miss my family..\n\n\nI understand why lockdown is necessary but also cases aren\u2019t going down, so what the heck, PN govt? :\u2019) \n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\nWe got our\n second dose vaccine date\n! Should be fully vaccinated by mid-August \ud83d\ude42\nPaying my taxes\n. As I\u2019m writing this, LHDN updated the submission date from July 15 to August 31. Shall I just get it done or shall I wait to do it next month? Hmm\u2026\n\n\nWell, that was my June 2021. How was yours? What\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nfind out your budgeting style\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-june-2022/", "title": "Budget Update: June 2022 \u2013 Renovation is Over!\n  ", "body": "\n\nWelcome 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. \n\n\nSo how was your June? Was it good, bad or meh?\n\n\nMy June was consumed by moving process. Now that our home renovation process is over, we could finally:\n\n\nbuy remaining items we need, and\ninstall water filter and bidets, and \nhire movers/ arrange delivery, and \ndeclutter and pack all of our stuff. \n\n\nSo far, the calculations show that we will spend roughly RM58k all in all to transform our 678sqf bare unit into a livable space.  Of that, RM34k is for renovations and RM25k is for furniture and appliances. \n\n\nI\u2019m aware that I\u2019m throwing around all these big numbers, some of you must be going like holy shit RM58k???\n\n\nPerhaps I\u2019m desensitised to it by now, but for those of you who are unaware of home renovation costs, yes it does cost that much. I even know people who spent 6-figures just for renovations ON TOP of the house cost. (Comparatively, this figure makes mine look downright affordable.)\n\n\nSome of you have asked, so I\u2019ll do a breakdown post on exactly what we spent on and where. Look forward to it \ud83d\ude42 For now, let\u2019s get on to the budget part. \n\n\nBudget Update: June 2022\n\n\nIn June 2022, I spent RM15,350.09. The top 3 top expenses were:\n\n\nHome Reno + Deco (RM8,492.54) \n\u2013 Paid the final renovation instalment in lumpsum, plus monthly EPP\nUtilities & Rent (RM\n12,548.69\n) \n\u2013 Half mortgage and extra one month more in rent\nSocial (RM931.81) \n\u2013 Brother and BIL birthday lunch and AFS meetup \n\n\n\n\n\n\nCumulatively, the top 3 expenses make up 80% of my total June 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)\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in June 2022\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I spent on in the whole month of June 2022, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 House renovation finally done!!\n\n\nDue to several factors, our home renovation process was delayed* by a few months but it\u2019s finally done! We got the keys to our new home and it is BEAUTIFUL. The Makeover Guys / EasyHome people did a great job. \n\n\n*Not the Makeover Guys\u2019 fault. They were efficient actually, I\u2019m satisfied with the service. The delay is due to condo\u2019s defect check repair process \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Earned 5-figures from affiliate marketing \n\n\nIt\u2019s going to take some time before I get the money but yeah. Income-wise, June 2022 was a good month for me. I\u2019m on track to reach my annual income goal.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Enjoyed social activities\n\n\nHad fun meeting up with people I haven\u2019t met in *years*. At RM930, this translates to higher social activities cost for the month but meh, it\u2019s worth it \ud83d\ude42 \n\n\n#4 \u2013 Sold items\n\n\nSold my nikah dress and an office chair. Minus delivery fees, I made RM213. \n\n\nI still have a bunch of books and misc items to sell/donate. Hopefully can make a couple hundred more \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Appeared on..\n\n\n#1 \u2013  Booktalk at Pesta Buku Antarabangsa Kuala Lumpur 2022\n\n\nThanks Iman Publications for inviting me along with Enam Angka Menjelang Dua Puluh Lima author Financial Gory at panel session during Pesta Buku Antarabangsa Kuala Lumpur 2022.\n\n\nI\u2019m working on something with them. Stay tuned \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 ALAMAK, TAK CUKUP DUIT! (Cara Bina Cash Flow Keluarga) | Adlil Rajiah + Suraya Zainudin\n\n\nTechnically this happened in July (1st) but close enough. Collaborated with Adlil Rajiah, my high school friend and author of the popular parenting book \u2018Why So Serious, Parents?\u2019. Watch the full video below:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Misc\n\n\nRead:\n\n\nRed, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston\nWonderland: How Play Made The Modern World by Steven Johnson\n\n\nWatched:\n\n\nBasic human rights taken away by governments all over the world hahaha eff everything\n\n\nBought for myself:\n\n\nBooks \nPreloved dress from Carousell\nContainers from thrift store\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Website technical issues\n\n\nPaid to fix some technical issues for the wesbite. Originally quoted a few hundred ringgit, but I was so happy I paid RM500. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Paid one *more* month of rent\n\n\nEvery month delayed to move into new place means I paid extra RM1200 per month in rent. This is in ADDITION to the mortgage we have started paying. \n\n\nTbh I could have saved at least RM3000 if home renovation had been completed on time but let bygones be bygones, I\u2019m not going to let this ruin my mood.\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\nSettling into new place \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nWell, that was my June 2022. How was yours? What\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nfind out your budgeting style\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-june-2023/", "title": "Budget Update: June 2023 \u2013 Confinement Month\n  ", "body": "\n\nWelcome 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. \n\n\nSo how was your June? Was it good, bad or meh?\n\n\nFor me, June 2023 contained multiple big expected and unexpected expenses. The big ones were budgeted for, but the unexpected ones threw me off. \n\n\n\n\nI try so hard to be thrifty and frugal in my daily life but unexpected expenses kills me man. Compound here, RM2.4k gone. Someone asked for help, another RM2k. I can't keep up like this \nNo advice needed, just need to vent\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nJune 21, 2023\n\n\n\n\nAs you can see, I\u2019m spending \nthousands\n in unexpected expenses. And there\u2019s nothing I can do about it. \n\n\nWhile it sucks, I don\u2019t wish to dwell on this longer than I need to and torture myself. All I can do now is make peace with it (and make more money, I guess). \n\n\nLet\u2019s get on to the budget part. \n\n\nBudget Update: June 2023\n\n\nIn June 2023, I spent RM13,295.49 The top 3 top expenses were:\n\n\n\n\nDonations & Gifts (RM4,985.29)\n \u2013 Parents\u2019 electric bill, gift money and presents\n\n\nProject M (RM4,811.40)\n \u2013 Paid balance for confinement lady\n\n\nUtilities & Mortgage (RM1,371)\n \u2013 Half mortgage and bills\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCumulatively, the top 3 expenses make up (a whopping) 85% of my total June 2023 expenses.\n\n\n(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)\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in June 2023\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I spent on in the whole month of June 2023, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Ended confinement period\n\n\nAs some of you may already know, I \ngave birth\n in May 2023. The traditional Malay confinement period \u2013 or pantang \u2013 can last as long as 44 days, but generally one feels \u2018better\u2019 after around 2 weeks post-birth. \n\n\nFor me, I had the extreme luck to get a wonderful stay-in confinement lady, Kak Sha. Y\u2019all, she was amazing. Her massages, her meals, her support with baby care\u2026 top notch. \n\n\nIn June 2023, I paid off the balance for confinement service, which explains the high cost under \u2018Project M\u2019 category. In total, I paid RM6000 for one month of her services. But seriously, she was worth every cent and then some. I must admit I got attached to her and when she left, I cried :\u2019)\n\n\n#2 \u2013 A programmer turned my idea into an app (so cool!)\n\n\nSoftware engineer Afif Sohaili aka Programmer Dad turned my grocery-tracking system into an app, which is FREE for you to use! Try it out at \nhttps://groceror.netlify.app/\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Managed to complete some pending work\n\n\nThanks to Kak Sha my confinement lady, and also my husband, I managed to find time to complete some work pending \u2013 two sponsored posts on two very different types of financial products. Have a read!\n\n\n\n\nThe Beginner\u2019s Guide to FCPO Trading in Malaysia [SPONSORED]\n\n\nExplaining Every ETF You Can Invest and Trade on Bursa Malaysia [SPONSORED]\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Bergaji & Pokai on best-selling list during PBAKL 2023\n\n\nI was so sad over not being able to attend PBAKL or Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair this year, but what to do, I gave birth and all. All I could do was do some online marketing. \n\n\nDespite that, Bergaji & Pokai sold well at the fair?? I\u2019m so happy!\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nNot only that, a follower also reported the book was SOLD OUT at PBAKL 2023, because he fought someone else for the last copy? (My head straight went to rom-com situation LOL)\n\n\n\n\nNo but imagine you found your spouse cos you both fought over my book \ud83d\ude02 I mean why not, both dah suka topic kewangan, dah nampak sikit sekufu kat situ \ud83d\ude02\ud83d\ude02 \npic.twitter.com/LvKLYnHQwM\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nJune 5, 2023\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Bought medical card for baby Mika\n\n\nI bought Baby Mika a medical plan that covers him for up to RM150k annually and unlimited lifetime. Cost: RM143 per month\n\n\nGlad to have this out of the way. Babies are considered high risk, medically speaking. If anything happens (hope not), his bills are covered. \n\n\n#6 \u2013 Misc\n\n\nRead 0 books\n\n\nBought for myself:\n\n\n\n\n2 pants from Uniqlo (impulse buy)\n\n\nNew pans and pots to replace my old ones \n\n\nA haircut\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 OPR increase reflected in mortgage and ASB Loan\n\n\nIn early May 2023, BNM increased the OPR from 2.75% to 3%. Thanks to that, our mortgage increased by RM88 and my ASB loan increased by RM8. \n\n\nI understand why they do the move (some macroeconomic reasons), but sigh higher monthly commitment nonetheless. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Paid RM600 to get 80% SSM discount\n\n\nI covered this in \nBudget Update: May 2023\n article under Nay of the month, but basically I got hit by 4 x RM2000 compounds from SSM. That\u2019s right, 8000 big ones. For the horrible crime of\u2026 not submitting annual declaration.\n\n\nThankfully, one can get discounts via appeals. It\u2019s a long story but I finally got approved for 80% off discounts but only after paying RM600 (or RM800 total). \n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nWatching Baby Mika grow. As I\u2019m writing this, Baby Mika is 6 weeks old \ud83d\ude42 I know the newborn phase doesn\u2019t last very long (2, 3 months at most?), so I\u2019m just looking forward to get as much quality time with him as possible. \n\n\nDip my toes back into work. Technically speaking I\u2019m still in my maternity leave, but there\u2019s no harm doing a little bit of what makes me happy, even if it\u2019s technically work, yes?\n\n\n\n\nWell, that was my June 2023. How was yours? What\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nfind out your budgeting style\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-march-2016/", "title": "Budget Update: March 2016\n  ", "body": "\n\nMarch Budget Update Summary\n\n\n\n\nI don\u2019t know why, but this post was hard to do. It wasn\u2019t like March wasn\u2019t a great month, because it was. I guess there was so many things, and my brain just wants to nope out of the task of organising itself out.\n\n\nIf I can describe March in a couple of words, it would be this \u2013 back on track. Almost exactly 6 months ago, I moved to Ipoh. It was a great learning curve. I tried to open a business \u2013 that failed. I tried looking for local jobs \u2013 salary sucks + not much opportunity in my field. I tried to reach out to my contacts and made a few calls to friends of friends. In one instance, I cold-called a contact given by my uncle \u2013 not technically but I practically grew up with him, he\u2019s my father\u2019s friend since his uni days, a really nice guy \u2013 and broke down crying at the end of that call because I felt so pathetic, like I was begging.\n\n\nThat was the lowest point, but what went down must come back up again, and it did. I became a freelance writer (related: read my guide on \nexpenses and incomes\n of this trade). Now I make more that my old job\u2019s salary, back in KL. And people have been approaching me for writing projects. I have a lot of opportunities, and even turned down low-paying jobs because I can.\n\n\nNow I\u2019m at that point where I feel like I\u2019m back on track, life and career wise. It\u2019s a good feeling. I\u2019m very thankful.\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nI \ndoubled\n what I made in February. And I\u2019m working on projects that I really, genuinely enjoy. From home. Life is good.\n\n\nWorked out\n a lot. I became a regular gym-goer \u2013 at least twice a week. At RM5 per visit, this is an expense I\u2019m happy to pay for. I also got myself a MiBand to track my steps and sleep.\n\n\nRead some really \ngood books\n. I highly recommend \nThe Invention of Nature.\n It\u2019s about Alexander von Humboldt, arguably the first person who talked about man-made climate change and its negative effects. He\u2019s a household name in Europe, and I\u2019m ashamed that I didn\u2019t know about his great contributions to science before reading this book. It\u2019s like that time when I was 17 and met a German girl and she referenced the Holocaust and I went \u2018what?\u2019 and she\u2019s like \u2018you\u2019ve never heard of it??\u2019 and I\u2019m like \u2018no, we didn\u2019t learn about it in school\u2019 and she\u2019s like, \u2018here\u2019s a website about the genocide. With pictures.\u2019 and I finally knew about this important part of history for the fricking first time.\n\n\nTook a \nFacebook ad\n \u2013 something I was always curious about and wanted to try. \nHere\u2019s\n everything I learned about it.\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nSpent \na lot\n this month. Almost RM3k. Granted it was the unexpected insurance premium and zakat that made March so costly. And perhaps I spent a bit too much on groceries. In my defense, a new Jaya Grocers just opened in Ipoh!\n\n\nSpeaking of \nzakat\n\u2026 Don\u2019t get me wrong, I don\u2019t mind the expense. I just don\u2019t like that I feel obligated to support JAKIM and JAWI by giving money to them. Did you know that by paying zakat, I don\u2019t have to pay income tax (or rather, its completely tax-deducted)? I want my money to go towards, say, scholarships fund. Or health care. But no, it goes to the religious body that I don\u2019t even support. I don\u2019t know what to do about this, I feel like my hands are tied. They issued a fatwa about how \nit\u2019s a sin\n to give zakat outside of these institutions and I feel religiously pressured. Suggestions for me?\n\n\nThis is totally selfish, but I hate that RM got stronger slash USD got weaker. I\u2019m \nlosing a few hundred ringgit\n from the exchange rate (because I get paid in USD).\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nWorking on all the projects that I love.\n\n\nLearning and applying more productivity hacks. Time is valuable. I finally learned how to automate my Twitter!\n\n\nI need to be more strict on myself with this \nketo diet\n. I cheat all the time, even though it makes me feel horrible.\n\n\nSpend more time with friends and family. I think I got too side-tracked because of work, but they are supremely important to my life. If I know you in real life and I haven\u2019t met you in a while, please know that I love you and I miss you ;_;\n\n\n\n\nHave a good April, you guys!\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-march-2017/", "title": "Budget Update: March 2017\n  ", "body": "\u00a0\nMarch\u00a02017 Budget Update Summary\n\n\n\n\nI suck, I think I forgot to log some expenses. They are probably closer to RM8k, but I can\u2019t remember the details or what I paid for. Annoyed with myself.\n\n\nI\u2019m consistently spending RM7-8k per month now. Granted, that includes business expenses (about RM2.7k in March) and a short vacation, but still. I\u2019m torn \u2013 should I split my personal and business expenses? \u00a0Or remain it as it is? Splitting makes practical sense, but a budget that works is something that I can do easily, and the easiest is to combine them :/ Readers who track your expenses, how do you do it? Happy to hear all advice!\n\n\nAll-in-all, March 2017 was a fulfilling month. I had fun and worked hard. I learned more personal finance stuff (see my book recommendation under Yay of the Month), and one of the points is regarding earning. Specifically, one should never reveal how much one earns because it\u2019s just not \u2018classy\u2019. I quite enjoy my transparent style when it comes to finances though\u2026 I\u2019ve been sharing my income sources and how much I earned through my work, but now I\u2019m not so sure if I should continue giving this information. Ah well, for now I\u2019ll just say my income>expenses in March and leave it at that.\n\n\nLately,\u00a0the Malaysian personal finance scene is expanding and I\u2019m so stoked to see how this develops. Personally, I\u2019d love to follow someone\u2019s adventure to pay off their big loan, or side-hustles they do to finance a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Do you feel like dabbling in blogging about your personal finance? If yes, I support you \ud83d\ude42 Contact me if you need advice on website-related things and stuff!\n\n\n\n\nYay of the month:\n\n\n\n\nAfter working out somewhat consistently for about a year, I\u2019m so much happier with my body. As in, how \nstrong\n it\u2019s getting. I have arm muscles. \nI have arm muscles\n. I\u2019m less intimidated to go for physical activities, something I\u2019ve mostly avoided all my life. I like this feeling, even if those activities cost more than staying at home.\n\n\nHad a fair few \ncareer-enhancing activities\n. Project meetings. Recurring clients. Handling more\u00a0responsibilities. Networked. Work-wise, I\u2019m at a good place.\n\n\nMade some tweaks to \nGoogle Adsense\n and wtf it increased my blog passive income by a lot. Ringgit Oh Ringgit generated close to USD1 per day despite usual number of traffic. It was only like 30 cents or so previously. I really like blogging as a passive income strategy.\u00a0I get financial benefits and have fun at the same time. Yay to hobbies that make money \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nBought new makeup, had a haircut. Feeling cute \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nWent to \nHo Chi Minh, Vietnam\n.\n\n\nHad a socially fun month. Met up with old and new friends. Entertained a few foreign friends and enjoyed playing host. Siderant: I find it annoying when people find local food that they\u2019ve never tried / don\u2019t like repulsive. We shouldn\u2019t make fun or look down at what other people like to eat, period. Durian-lovers don\u2019t like to hear your\u00a0\u2018eww\u2019 reaction when durian is mentioned. Be respectful to\u00a0other\u2019s peoples\u2019 cuisines, especially if it involves insects or other sources of protein (ie balut).\u00a0Be polite okay?\n\n\nFinished an AWESOME personal finance book! Find \n\u2018The Rules of Wealth\u2019 by Richard Templar\n. If you like my style of writing, you\u2019ll definitely like this book.\u00a0It\u2019s divided into short, 2-page articles about wealth \u2018rules\u2019, from the mindset, to the goal, to ways to grow and preserve wealth, to how to use it to enhance your life. It\u2019s written for the 40-50s age group, but inclusive enough to have something for everyone. I highly recommend it, two thumbs up.\n\n\nThis writer now reviews performance arts, too! Read my thoughts on the play \nA Language Of Their Own\n \nhere\n!\n\n\n\n\nNay of the month:\n\n\n\n\nBeing physically active did cost me: \nmy heel hurts\n when I walk. I need to stretch my feet often and wear supportive shoes. Bought myself a pair of Scholl sandals, they are so expensive wtf (RM228). But no regrets, immediate improvement. The reason why I\u2019ve developed this is because I liked to wear shoes with thin soles, it did nothing to cushion impact when walking. This means I have to gradually replace all my shoes with thin soles with thicker ones. Or maybe I can just ask the roadside cobbler for this? Hm.\n\n\nWhen filling up Form B for tax payment, I found out that my tax bracket is the highest it\u2019s ever been. My income is now \ntaxed 16%\n; previously it was single digits. It\u2019s hard to complain without sounding entitled, so I won\u2019t, but gosh that\u2019s quite a bit of money to give to the government. I have to cut back next month and beyond.\n\n\nBitcoin\n price crashed again and I almost sold all. I didn\u2019t (which turned out to be a good move), but whoah I was so nervous during that time.\n\n\nI\u2019m more lax in expense tracking and I wonder if I missed to log any expenses \ud83d\ude41 Have to improve on this. Must quickly log after each payment.\n\n\nI thought my groceries bill was kinda high\u2026\n\n\nMy only earphone is not working \ud83d\ude41 I need to get a new one; it makes working out more fun and dammit I need all the distraction I can.\n\n\nPutting my \nketo diet\n on hold after a few half-assed attempts. I\u2019ll get back to it if my weight gets out of control again. I\u2019m really enjoying rice though \u2013 haven\u2019t had it in months.\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nParticipating in Bloktex Conference! I\u2019ll be at KL Convention Center on 8-9th for this blockchain event \ud83d\ude42 Come visit me at the Wirex booth! If you want to attend the conference, I have a promo code\n in this article\n (Ctrl+F \u2018Bloktex\u2019)\n\n\nBeen making monthly instalment payments totalling about RM450 per month to pay off washing machine, fridge, couch, and other home stuff. Looking forward to having these expenses paid off by April/May.\n\n\nDo more things to improve my health/fitness. Need to finally try out that gym near my place for variety and fun.\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nreview\n).\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-march-2018/", "title": "Budget Update: March 2018\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: March 2018\n\n\nProfessional life = awesome. Personal life = sucks.\n\n\nTotal expenses = scary, but mostly for the right things. Two-thirds of March 2018 expenses went to donations. Almost a quarter went to essentials like business, taxes and rent. The remaining went to groceries, a flight ticket, insurance, public transportation, mobile bill and some miscellaneous items (like a new chopping board to replace the yucky old one).\n\n\nTwo things that happen on a more regular basis now are invitations to events in my professional capacity and increased interest from advertisers to collaborate. You may be seeing more sponsorship posts in Ringgit Oh Ringgit from companies/organisations that want you to know about their products and services. I will try my best to be objective and fair to all parties, especially the readers.\n\n\nSpeaking of readers, thank you everyone who sent lovely notes and emails. It makes me feel really happy to know that my content helped you in your life. I love you, I mean it. Thanks for making my life purposeful. It\u2019s more than what I hoped for when I first started this blog.\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nProduced my first (and possibly my last)\n theatre show\n. Proud that In A Different Light: An Earth Hour Tribute was a sold-out show. Glad people loved how we did our digital marketing. Happy that we received so much support from the non-theatre world. It will be repaid.\n\n\nServed as a panellist, moderator and participant in a few events. Fun to meet like-minded people. Marion D\u2019Cruz even agreed to be my mentor!\n\n\nPaid \nzakat and taxes\n. Stings, but they had to be done. Like last year, I paid my zakat to Islamic Relief Malaysia (\nwriteup\n) \u2013 they give out receipt for tax purposes. For taxes, I paid but still have to sort out the filings.\n\n\nProvided capital for my sister\u2019s business. She was so touched, she sent me the ugliest crying selfies. Lol padan muka siapa suruh hantar. Love you.\n\n\nAchieved the lowest weight in my adult life. Before you ask, I\u2019m on \nketo\n.\n\n\nFintech Singapore listed Ringgit Oh Ringgit as \none of the best personal finance blogs in Singapore and Asia\n!!!!\n\n\nRan out of protein powder and coincidentally there\u2019s a sale. 100 servings for RM175, or just RM1.75 per serving. The last time I got it, it was RM209. Score!\n\n\nRead two books\n.\u00a0\nBig Magic: Creative Living Without Fear\u00a0\nby Elizabeth Gilbert and\u00a0\nA Short Story of Nearly Everything\u00a0\nby Bill Bryson. The former encouraged me to pursue my creative impulses for the sake of doing, while the latter covered a bit of everything from quantum theory, geology, chemistry, botany, evolution, astronomy and a whole load of other stuff. Unexpectedly, both taught me that life will simply move on, regardless how big (I perceive) my personal problems are. On a personal level, it\u2019s okay to grief. On a cosmic level, it\u2019s way too small to matter.\n\n\nInspired to continually tweak and optimise this website. Notably, fixed a caption issue that bugged me for ages!\n\n\nWebsite traffic\n improved, but only marginally. Small progress is still progress though.\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nThe company that was supposed to do my trust for me (As Salihin) decided that they can\u2019t do the trust after all without a wasiat/will, despite the earlier assurance. Wasted a lot of time with them.\n\n\nIn the span of 2 days, I bought 8 games from Steam. Just RM23.74 in total, so it wasn\u2019t a huge amount to waste. But still, my productivity level dropped.\n\n\nDid not quit smoking after all.\n\n\nOverwhelmingly confused by the tax documents CP500. So LHDN will now calculate income tax based on our last recorded earnings and want us to pay in six instalments?\n\n\nFor the last 5 or so months, I\u2019ve consistently earned more than USD100 per month via Google Adsense. In March 2018 it went below that amount. Have to step up quality, share-worthy posts.\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nGoing on a solo trip to Hong Kong. Got a cheap-ish flight in April. Should be fun. At least, a distraction. And something to write about. Now in the process of booking accommodations. Looking for a \u2018living in the city\u2019 experience \u2013 want to walk around, check out museums, go grocery shopping, meet people. Where should I stay there?\u00a0Any recommendations and tips for Hong Kong travel appreciated.\n\n\nDating again.\n\n\nFiling my taxes and claiming back overpaid payments.\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m hoping for a quiet, reflective, yet busy April. Making an effort to chase happiness. Praying for yours, too.\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click\u00a0\nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nreview\n).\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-march-2019/", "title": "Budget Update: March 2019\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: March 2019\n\n\nMy expenses in March 2019 scared me. The number was so high!\n\n\nThe top 5 expenses in March 2019 were Business, Dates/Travel, Utilities & Rent, Misc Needs and Groceries. Together, those made up 82% of last month\u2019s expenses. \n\n\nLooking at the data, I can see why expenses were high \u2013 there were many lump-sum one-off purchases. For example:\n\n\n\n\nBook printing \u2013 paid off the remaining RM1950\n\n\nBook delivery and packaging costs \u2013 around RM1500\n\n\nGood Vibes Festival 2019 tickets and accommodation \u2013 RM700\n\n\nBought a new fridge \u2013 RM899\n\n\n\n\nLump-sum one-off purchases throw me off. They are the business expenses (important!), the replacements for important gadgets and tools, the events you book so you look forward to the future, things like that. They\u2019re all important.\n\n\nI guess \u2013 and maybe this is a long time coming \u2013 that I have to come to terms that my expenses are never going to get as low as during my early 20s, when I could get by with RM2-3k-ish per month. Every month I beat myself up for saying my expenses were high, but I\u2019m also a much different person since then. I have upgraded some areas in my lifestyle. For example, I\u2019m paying RM1200 per month for the luxury of not having housemates.\n\n\nLifestyle upgrades. Money is finite, desire is not. \nHow do we balance what we buy to make our life a little bit better and more comfortable but at the same time making sure the indulgences doesn\u2019t get out of hand that we get into debt?\n Does anyone else have this worry? I\u2019m sure some of you are battling the exact same personal struggle. Maybe that\u2019s a post worth exploring.\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nMy book, Money Stories from Malaysians broke even within 2 weeks of pre-order sales! The long story, including expenses and breakdowns is at \nSelling Online in Malaysia: My Book Sold Well So Here\u2019s A Case Study\n article\n\n\nIf there\u2019s anything I learned during the whole book publishing process, where I curated short stories submitted by Malaysians, it\u2019s that y\u2019all have such amazing stories to tell. I\u2019ve read books mostly from international authors all this while, and decided to consciously seek and \nread more books by Malaysian authors\n. Had a great start and bought 4 books during a GerakBudaya event during the International Women\u2019s Day sales. Scored some really good titles, can\u2019t wait to read them!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nA post shared by Suraya (@surayaror)\n on \nMar 16, 2019 at 1:32am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHad Nasi Lemak with David Wang (of \nClickWP\n), James Clear (author of \nAtomic Habits\n) and John of \nThe Minimalist Baker\n \ud83d\ude00\n\n\nAttended a \ntime management workshop\n conducted by Ashley Suelyn and found out that I respond well to inner expectation (ie: keeping a New Year resolution or self-imposed goals) but resist outer expectations (ie: meeting work datelines or peer pressure). That means I need \npurpose\n to get meaningful work done \u2013 so I have to find purpose in things I don\u2019t necessarily like to do, but is good for me. It was a great workshop, well worth the RM25 fee. Take \nThe Four Tendencies quiz\n and find out why you act and (equally important) why you don\u2019t act.\n\n\nManaged to sell more items on Carousell and made a bit of pocket money from clutter.\n\n\nPaid RM240 for another 3 months of \ngym membership \nat a local gym. So far, so good. I\u2019m utilising it well. Went 8 times in March 2019. I want to aim for 10 in April 2019.\n\n\nRead 2 books.\n\u00a0\nAtomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones by James Clear\n (TL;DR \u2013 make small but consistent improvements every day) and \nAini\u2019s Railway Odyssey: An Exile\u2019s 18,200km Journey Home from London to Kuala Lumpur by Nooraini Mydin\n (the 8-weeks budget trip costs her around RM27,500, including all the scams she fell prey to. Chinese scammers are\u00a0\nvery\n unapologetic about taking money from tourists.)\n\n\nHelping my dad sell his \noffice at Phileo Damansara\n. If you have RM850k in loose change, hmu\n\n\nBought some tools to help me create more personal finance content!\n\n\nBeing interviewed at Leaderonomic\u2019s The Pennywise Show \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nAccidentally poked a hole while chipping ice from the freezer and \nhad to get a new fridge\n. RM899 in unexpected expenses, ughhhhhh. I was so annoyed I complained to everyone who would listen. In the process, I compiled everyone else\u2019s unexpected expenses too\u2026 so at least I got something out of the whole experience. You can read it here: \n24 Malaysians Share Their Uncommon Unexpected Expenses\n\n\nAccidentally let a facial \nvoucher I bought on Fave expire\n \ud83d\ude41 Wasted RM65\n\n\nWent to \nZoo Negara.\n It was horrible, I\u2019m so embarrassed that this is what we have to offer to the world. It\u2019s not just the dirty, rusted, unkempt cages and sad-looking animals. It\u2019s also the fact that (1) they had the cheek to ask audience members to donate RM10 each to take pictures with the birds, DURING the animal show itself. Can you imagine watching a show with a picture-taking session in the middle of it?, and (2) there were many staff members whose job description is apparently to get you to pay for a picture-taking session at various checkpoints at the zoo. If you had plans to go to Zoo Negara, don\u2019t. Until they get their shit together, go to Singapore Zoo instead.\n\n\nAte too much again. Spent RM140+ and gained weight. Stopped intermittent fasting because it just made me crave food. Sigh, this is quite the process.\n\n\n5 months or so ago, I ran out of my favourite \nshampoo\n, Kerastase. I love it but at RM200+ a bottle (lasting 16 or so months), it\u2019s quite the splurge. So I\u2019ve been making do with RM10-30 drugstore shampoo. Unfortunately, my hair is falling out more than ever. I decided to cut my losses and bought Kerastase shampoo, even though I have not finished all my existing shampoo yet. Sigh, I hate it when the product I love is so expensive!\n\n\nNo takers yet for this cat \ud83d\ude41 Do let me know if you or anyone you know is interested to adopt this cat. She\u2019s a sweetheart. Area: One City USJ\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nWill be reading an excerpt of Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 1 at the \nKuala Lumpur International Book Festival\n at PWTC on 7 April! Thanks again for the opportunity, \nMalaysian Writers Society\n <3 If you\u2019re a writer \u2013 go join as a member. The community is so amazingly supportive.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGood Vibes Festival 2019. \nI know it\u2019s hipster af but I did have a good time last year, so that\u2019s why I\u2019m going again\n\n\nCollaborating on digital marketing with \nNicole from I\u2019m Funemployed\n. I do it ameteurishly, she does it for work. Excited to learn from a pro.\n\n\nTesting out the digital marketing tools and services I bought. Wee I feel like a kid testing out different toys hehehe\n\n\n\n\nA big challenge for April 2019 (and the coming months) is to find my \u2018why\u2019 for things I don\u2019t necessarily like to do, but is good for me and my personal growth. I just want to focus on being a little bit better every day, because as James Clear says, \u2018habits compound\u2019.\n\n\nTo end this month\u2019s budget update, here\u2019s a fun call-to-action for you: take the \nFour Tendencies quiz\n, leave your results in the comments section, and let me know what you want to improve on (pick one: ticking things off your to-do list, beating procrastination, instilling leadership as a core value or to finally finish reading a book).\n\n\nI\u2019ll share with you a habit-forming strategy that works for someone of your tendency. The knowledge blew my mind \u2013 I hope it\u2019ll blow yours away, too.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click\u00a0\nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nhow expense tracking works\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-march-2020/", "title": "Budget Update: March 2020\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: March 2020\n\n\nFor the first time ever, my Expense chart only showed 4 categories:\n\n\n\n\nBusiness (49%, representing RM5,535.74 \u2013 mostly RM4200 as 50% deposit for book printing),\n\n\nDonations & Gifts (RM3,850.95 \u2013 mostly Zakat and Covid-19 donations),\n\n\nGroceries (RM716 \u2013 stocked the hell up), and\n\n\neverything else (combining the other 8 expense categories).\n\n\n\n\nA lot? Yes. Some, I planned. Others, nope. It\u2019s a lot of expenses, but \nall\n most of it were mindful, non-frivolous expenses. I gave what I could, even though I always feel like I could do more.\n\n\nIn terms of mood, I would divide March 2020 into:\n\n\n\n\nFirst two weeks: oh I\u2019m sure this problem is nothing we can\u2019t manage, the government/other parties will sort it out soon enough\n\n\nLast two weeks: OMFG YES WE MUST \nALL\n DO OUR PART TO OVERCOME THIS\n\n\n\n\nWhat a decade, this first three months of 2020.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nAmid the Covid-19 crisis, I\u2019m happy to see lots of \nacts of kindness\n, people being compasionate beings. I am grateful that I have the emotional capacity to process overwhelming grief over sudden life changes and lost opportunities, and the mental resilience to still be able to look at the bright side. You helped: \nMalaysians Share 7 Silver Linings from the Coronavirus Pandemic\n\n\nMy landlady agreed to \nwaive my rent for one month\n. Bless her. Now I\u2019m more motivated than ever to care for the property, make minor repairs, pay future rent and future bills on time.\n\n\nEnrolled myself in \nSOCSO Self-Employment Scheme\n. My one year of coverage costs RM442.80. Read: \nHow to Apply for SOCSO / PERKESO Self-Employment Social Security Scheme\n\n\nRinggit Oh Ringgit FB page hit 10k likes\n! It took 4.5 years. A long time, a lot of effort. Thank you.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAppeared on \nBernama Radio\n. Was supposed to go to the station, but we did it via phone call without (much) problem \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nLive on @bernamaradioofficial now! Listen on radio or on their fb page . Edit: done interview! Listen at https://t.co/tBe18DLIFW\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nMar 24, 2020 at 7:07pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWebsite ad money\n came in via \nPayoneer\n. The sucky exchange rate worked in my favour, I got more RM for the USD. Note: This is 5 months-ish worth of website revenue, only for ads. I use \nEzoic\n instead of Adsense (for websites with 10k and above monthly traffic only)\n\n\n\n\nPaid my zakat. TIL I\u2019ve been doing the zakat-as-tax-rebate thing wrong for YEARS. That\u2019s the thing about personal finance, isn\u2019t it? There\u2019s always areas where you think you\u2019re doing it right, but it\u2019s not. Have to always unlearn and relearn.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThank you everyone for the help. Have since updated my zakat article\n\n\nhttps://t.co/0bMY69cJZe\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nMarch 18, 2020\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBigPay FINALLY refunded my money. I got back my RM950, stuck in a dispute since Dec last year.\n\n\nI scored a \nnice carpet for RM15\n from my local thrift shop (bought before MCO). Finally my living room setup is complete, after living at this apartment for close to 5 years haha. My cats love it \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nSempat \nday-trip-ed with my family to Melaka\n before the MCO. We visited the Melaka Zoo and Jonker Street, and ate way too much <3\n\n\nSempat attended one last workshop before the MCO, I Am Remarkable Workshop facilitated by the brilliant award-winning photographer Shamma of Paloma Pictures (browse her pictures \u2013 so good!)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nWomen circle + powerful conversations at #IamRemarkable Workshop #2! . Thank you @palomapictures.me for creating a safe space to share stories \u2764 . So glad that we completed this before the movement control! #oyscommunity #courage #openness #authenticity #storytelling #iwd2020\n\n\nA post shared by \n Own Your Story\n (@oyscommunity) on \nMar 19, 2020 at 11:04pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRead one book\n: \nNot Buying It: My Year Without Shopping by Judith Levine\n. My personal takeaway is, you can\u2019t truly opt out of consumerism. Even if you do a no-spend challenge for yourself, your decision impacts others. For example, your friends and family might \u2013 out of their own free and goodwill \u2013 spend more so they can enjoy your company. If you take the offer, you\u2019ll feel guilty over taking advantage of them. If you don\u2019t, you might lose quality time, and eventually the relationship. Also, you\u2019ll waste a lot of time if you only look for free things.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nIrony is breaking one\u2019s self-imposed shopping ban for this book #boughtit\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nMar 15, 2020 at 3:13am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nEffing everything\u2019s changed. And yes, things may be worse for others, and yes, I am grateful for everything, but also yes, \nI AM ALLOWED TO GRIEF\n.\n\n\nI was excited to launch \nMoney Stories from Malaysians: Volume 2\n and\u00a0\nCerita Duit Orang Malaysia: Jilid 1\n, but now that\u2019s postponed. I could open orders now, but after thinking about it, I am not willing to take money from you until the printing company can confirm with me when they can start printing again.\n\n\nI was only starting to get excited over my wedding plans \u2013 which was going to be a big (yet frugal) one, hosting 1500 people from both bride/groom side \u2013 but looks like that\u2019s not happening\n\n\nAnxiety levels\n went through the roof. Cried more than a few times out of frustration and helplessness.\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nPlease MCO be over soon \ud83d\ude41\n\n\nBeing creative with what I can make with the groceries I have left (this is becoming a source of joy for me now)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nGroceries running low. Digging out back-of-the-pantry items. I found tapioca flour and I have leftover pasta sauce, and a quick online search brings me to a bomb-ass-looking gluten-free pizza recipe. Score! . #pandemicpantry #glutenfree #tapiocaflour #dudukrumahdiamdiam\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nMar 24, 2020 at 6:41pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOh well. As they say, life goes on, pandemic or no pandemic, the new normal or no. I think I will just embrace the uncertainty, because that\u2019s the only sure thing right now. Easier for the head to cope.\n\n\nHow are you taking everything in? In the acceptance stage already, or still processing?\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nhow expense tracking works\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-march-2021/", "title": "Budget Update: March 2021 \u2013 (New Side Income) Vending Machine Business\n  ", "body": "\n\nWelcome 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!    \n\n\nSo, Q1 of 2021 came and went. I hope you\u2019re still on track with whatever goal you\u2019re pursuing. \n\n\nAs for me\u2026 a lot of my 2021 plans are going along well. But because I\u2019m human, *of course* I\u2019m going to obsess about the one that I\u2019m not doing so good in \u2013 my lack of exercise and lack of discipline with portion control, which resulted in weight gain.\n\n\nAnd here\u2019s the thing: I know why. I eat for comfort, and as an avoidance activity. What am I avoiding? Working on Money Stories from Malaysia: Vol 3, my personal finance short story compilation. It\u2019s something I\u2019m forcing myself to do because I want to be the type of person who does these kinds of projects, but gosh the thought of facing the mountain of work I have to do to produce and publish the book is so overwhelming for me. \n\n\nSo I eat to comfort myself. \n\n\nThis is not an excuse. I *will* get the book done. I\u2019m just sharing the mental load that happens while working, even if the project is supposed to be a passion project. Fact is, no matter how \u2018fun\u2019 a project seems, work is work. And there\u2019s nothing you can do about it except putting in the effort. \n\n\nDone confession. On to the budget breakdown section. \n\n\nBudget Update: March 2021\n\n\nIn March 2021, I spent RM24,881.95. The top 3 top expenses were:\n\n\nBusiness (RM18,272.48)\n \u2013 Vending machine upfront capital \u2013 balance, SEO content audit for RoR, CFP Module 2 payment\nDonations & Gifts (RM1,935.75)\n \u2013 Husband\u2019s birthday present and dinner date, Compound That Sh*t t-shirt from Suyin Invest and DividendMagic, paid parents\u2019 house electric bill \nUtilities & Rent (RM1,276.75)\n \u2013 Gotta keep a roof over our heads\n\n\n(So if you minus the biz expenses, I spent RM6.6k, which includes ~RM2k in donations)\n\n\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in March 2021\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I spent on in the whole month of March 2021, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Testing a new side income with vending machine business\n\n\nWhen I shared this info online, it\u2019s obvious that people were interested about how earning money via vending machine business works. \n\n\nI hear you. I am planning a full article to write about my experience, so wait for that for full detail. Until then, enjoy this twitter thread (click to read more):\n\n\n\n\nTesting earning from vending machine business. Waited for months, now only got location \u2013 in an IT company with 200+ employees \nInitial cost: RM6k\nMonthly recurring cost: machine instalment + location rental + possible Internet cost + refilling service + product cost (RM600-1k)\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nMarch 23, 2021\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Passed my CFP Module 1 exams\n\n\nMy journey to be a Certified Financial Planner is going well \u2013 I passed the first module! Currently taking Module 2 lessons \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1 down, 3 more to go! \n\n\n#3 \u2013 Bought medical coverage\n\n\nMy medical card plan is super old; it only gives me RM200k annual limit. I\u2019d like to upgrade my plan, but don\u2019t have the mental capacity for it. \n\n\nSo I\u2019m doing the next best thing. Bought a term medical insurance with high annual limit. Just in case. \n\n\n#4 \u2013 Celebrated husband\u2019s birthday\n\n\nHis first birthday as a married man \ud83d\ude42 I thought I did well on the celebrating part: I took him out on a nice date and gifted him a professional financial planning session. He was so happy :)) \n\n\n#5 \u2013 Subscribed to Fahmi Reza\n\n\nIs it just me, or the government becomes more and more authoritarian by the day?\n\n\nI wish I\u2019m braver, but I\u2019m not, I\u2019m a coward who fears repercussions. The least I can do is support people who are brave. \n\n\n\n\nI am now a proud patron of Fahmi Reza on Patreon  \nhttps://t.co/D5AoIZSjLs\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nMarch 16, 2021\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Investing into my business\n\n\nI hired a professional to do a comprehensive SEO content audit for Ringgit Oh Ringgit. Depending on the month, I\u2019ve hovered around the 50-75k in traffic per month for the longest time. Time to try new things to hit my goal of reaching 100k per month. \n\n\n#6 \u2013 Misc\n\n\nRead \none book\n: \nThe Vogue Factors: The Inside Story of Fashion\u2019s Most Illustrious Magazine\n by Kirstie Clements. Such fascinating insight on the magazine slash publishing industry. As I was reading, I actively had to resist the pervasive thoughts of lifestyle/fashion as trivial; I shouldn\u2019t be so quick to dismiss them. There\u2019s a reason why they are billion-dollar industries. \nLow groceries. Working on finishing the food we have before we buy more \nExtended Netflix subscription for another 6 months (RM11 per month x 6 = RM66)\nBought a pretty phone case and 2 dresses \ud83d\ude42 I needed more modest fashion options in my wardrobe, and these dresses are so pretty, I got them in two colours \ud83d\ude42 It\u2019s hard to find long dresses (I\u2019m 168cm) so when I find them I tend to stock up!\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by \u2728Plus Size Raya 2023 Collection \u2728 Plus Size Ent SA0436508-D (@malaysiaplussize)\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Feeling really sad about the country\n\n\nI feel discouraged by the current situation. It\u2019s hard not to. The wealth gap continues to widen \u2013 so much that the PM said \nB40 may have expanded to B50\n. Most fresh graduates are \nearning minimum wage\n. At the same time, CEOs (and upper management?) see their incomes increase. \n\n\nWhat, I wonder, will happen once i-Sinar money runs out? What will happen to the small businesses that depend on the B50 purchasing power then? \n\n\nIt\u2019s like watching a slow-moving car driving towards a disastrous end but not able to do anything meaningful about it. \n\n\nWhatever future we\u2019re heading to, I don\u2019t think we\u2019ll like it. I hope I\u2019m wrong. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 My kailan plants died\n\n\nAll of them wilted, then died \ud83d\ude41 I really don\u2019t know what I did wrong.. I\u2019m discouraged, but I don\u2019t want to give up, so back to restarting the balcony garden project I guess.. \n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\nPaying my\u00a0\nMoney Stories from Malaysians: Volume 2\n\u00a0co-writers. If you look at the T&C of the\u00a0\nwriting competition\n, writers can opt to get upfront RM100 OR a % of profits made on book sales. Most of them chose the latter option. Happy to day sales went well \u2013 I think they\u2019ll be happy with the amount!\nThe start of Hungry Muslim month (props if you understood that reference). I plan to kick start my one meal a day, too. \n\n\nWell, that was my March 2021! How was yours? What\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nfind out your budgeting style\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-march-2022/", "title": "Budget Update: March 2022 \u2013 Mixed Feelings over Endemic Phase\n  ", "body": "\n\nWelcome 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. \n\n\nSo how was your March? Was it good, bad or meh?\n\n\nFor me, I have mixed feelings about the endemic phase. \n\n\nNow, OBVIOUSLY the pandemic was bad. Millions of people died and tens of millions more are suffering from Long Covid. The economic impact was enormous, especially on the most vulnerable. So many people waited for the endemic phase so they can improve their business, study better and meet family members. \n\n\nYet\u2026 Can I admit I kind of enjoyed the just-stay-at-home part of the pandemic stage? I feel guilty for admitting it, simply because I know how privileged that sounds, yet as a homebody, I liked how I was at home on most days. I liked how webinars and meetings were shifted online. \n\n\nNow, I\u2019m having anxiety over adapting back to \u2018how it was\u2019. Perhaps you are too (are you? Or just me? Idk).\n\n\nEventually I guess all of us will get used to it. We humans always adapt, don\u2019t we. Happy endemic phase everyone.\n\n\nLet\u2019s get on to the budget part. \n\n\nBudget Update: March 2022\n\n\nIn March 2022, I spent RM11,760.27. The top 3 top expenses were:\n\n\nBusiness (RM1,800) \n\u2013 Paid writers \u2013 more in Nay of the month section\nInsurance and Medical (RM1,390.33) \n\u2013 Usual insurance plus 1 year medical term insurance renewal\nUtilities & Rent (RM1,291.56) \n\u2013 Bills, and half of mortgage\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCumulatively, the top 3 expenses make up (only!) 51% of my total March 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)\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in March 2022\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I spent on in the whole month of March 2022, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Profited from FarmFresh IPO\n\n\nBought at RM1.35 and sold at RM1.73. Minus fees, I made 28% from Farmfresh IPO listing, all within almost exactly a month \ud83d\ude42 \n\n\n\n\nFirst time IPO was a good experience. Panic kejap forgot trading pin but in the end all good. Order matched at 1.73. Syukur \ud83d\ude42 duit raya settled!\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nMarch 22, 2022\n\n\n\n\nIPO strategy is an investment strategy that is medium risk. It does need a fair amount of capital but basically how it works is (1) apply to buy IPO before listing (success rate very low; Bumi folks get 2 chances to apply) and (2) sell the minute market opens (profit is NOT guaranteed but historically in your favour)\n\n\nOf course, there are a lot of nuances and in-depth info and tips. Do you want a separate post on IPO strategy? Let me know, no point write if no demand \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n#2 \u2013 KL Staycation\n\n\nIt was husband\u2019s birthday so I gifted him a staycation \ud83d\ude42 I spent so much but hey I only used part of the IPO profit (and the rest invested and \u2018locked\u2019 back in ASB).\n\n\nAnd as much I hate to admit it\u2026 we are both city folks. Had so much fun visiting Lalaport mall in search of new things to add to our new home and trying new restaurants. \n\n\n#3 \u2013 Met up with friends\n\n\nManaged to meet up with some friends, that made me happy. Hey David \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nAlso met up with friends from the pf space. They\u2019re cool, go follow all of them on IG!\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Appeared on..\n\n\nMarch 2022 was a busy month for me. I appeared on..\n\n\nBursa Malaysia\u2019s Ring the Bell for #equalityforequity campaign\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nTwitter\u2019s #SheInspiresMe campaign\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nHSBC\u2019s Financial Fitness talk\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nAnd BFM\u2019s Enterprise Biz Bytes\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Done Hibah Amanah ASB!\n\n\nIt was quite a mafan process so I compiled what I know into this article: \nThe Exact Steps to Do Hibah Amanah ASNB \u2013 Estate Planning for ASNB Investors\n\n\n\n\nDone hibah amanah ASNB, for myself and husband! Fee was RM100 instead of RM180, yay saved money. Husband belanja pulak tu \ud83e\udd70\nPs \u2013 RM180 fee is completely waived if you add RM30k in fresh fund, not if you have RM30k in account. Staff explain tadi \nhttps://t.co/DCzBNElRv4\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nMarch 16, 2022\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Misc\n\n\nRead 0 books \ud83d\ude41\n\n\nNoteworthy shows:\n\n\nBridgerton Season 2 on Netflix \nA lot of news about Ukraine-Russian war\n\n\nBought for myself:\n\n\nN-Cool pillow pad from Nitori\n2 pairs of ankle pants from Fitgear\nReusable bees wax bag from \nSaffron and Serai\n (the purple bag on the table)\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Saffron & Serai (@saffronandserai)\n \n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 My siblings got Covid\n\n\nIt was stressful but ultimately everyone recovered, so I\u2019m grateful. I\u2019m also happy my parents are still safe so far. Hope it stays that way. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Shelved Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 3 \n\n\nAfter going back and forth and spending countless hours agonising over it, I decided to make a decision \u2013 shelved Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 3. \n\n\nIf you\u2019re one of the writers, you should have received my email. If not, check your inbox, or reach out to me. \n\n\nThis decision cost me money. A few thousand. Not to mention wasted so much time. Yet I feel good. I didn\u2019t want to be sunk-cost fallacy to be my main driver to continue the project if my heart\u2019s not in it. \n\n\n\n\nMade a hard decision that will cost me thousands of RM. I feel bad.. but free. Been living with guilt for almost a year\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nMarch 11, 2022\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Delayed home moving\n\n\nUs: *Submitted defect check report to developer which we just bough new unit from* \u2013 Hi pls fix this as per your obligation, thank you\n\n\nThem: *2 months later* Omg you submitted?\n\n\n\ud83d\ude42 All this while we tried to reach out to get status but now only was told they haven\u2019t started ANYTHING. \n\n\nWe planned to move in by May, now that will be delayed by at least a few more months. As you can imagine, I am pissed. But I am also trying to stay calm and go with the flow. \n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\nFasting month. Not looking forward to the caffeine withdrawals on first week..\n\n\nWell, that was my March 2022. How was yours? What\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nfind out your budgeting style\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-march-2023/", "title": "Budget Update: March 2023 \u2013 Rest is Hard\n  ", "body": "\n\nWelcome 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. \n\n\nSo how was your March? Was it good, bad or meh?\n\n\nFor me, March 2023 was\u2026 disorienting. \n\n\nI\u2019m going through something major at the moment and its driving me nuts. The advice given was simply \u2013 Rest. \n\n\nRest is hard for me, I\u2019m so used to working. Even when I\u2019m not working, I\u2019m thinking about work. So most days I\u2019m just cruising on autopilot, trying not to stress myself out. Work-wise, I could only focus on one thing at a time, ie my course launch and marketing. \n\n\nThis unfortunately meant I wrote less articles. Predictably, my analytics suffered \u2013 both website and social media traffic are down. It\u2019s expected, but still made me sad. \n\n\nYet, I survived another month. And most days I am happy and content instead of succumbing to panic and anxiety attacks (what if no one hires me ever again???). So that\u2019s good. \n\n\n\n\nI'm currently in my 'do less' instead of 'do more' phase and honestly except for the guilt, am having a pretty good time \nThe guilt will take some time to unlearn I guess, if ever\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nMarch 21, 2023\n\n\n\n\nLet\u2019s get on to the budget part. \n\n\nBudget Update: March 2023\n\n\nIn March 2023, I spent RM7,697.36. The top 3 top expenses were:\n\n\n\n\nInsurance & Medical (RM1,522)\n \u2013 In addition to my usual monthly insurance, also renewed my annual term medical insurance \n\n\nDonations & Gifts (RM1,419.70)\n \u2013 Parents TNB bill\n\n\nUtilities & Mortgage (RM1,327)\n \u2013 Half mortgage and bills\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCumulatively, the top 3 expenses make up 57% of my total March 2023 expenses. \n\n\n(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)\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in March 2023\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I spent on in the whole month of March 2023, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Had a successful course launch\n\n\nIn total, 420 people (hehe) bought my How to Buy Your Own Damn Insurance/Takaful course. The launch ended on 31 March 2023.\n\n\nIt\u2019s too soon to say whether the course is doing what it should (help you buy your own damn insurance), but I know it has helped at least one person buy their insurance so far!!\n\n\n\n\nSomeone actually did take action and got themselves insured after attended my course! Hurrah!!! I'm so happy!!\nReview shared with permission \u2764\ufe0f \npic.twitter.com/OcLDSqSpNR\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nApril 2, 2023\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Celebrated my partner\u2019s birthday\n\n\nI got him something he really wanted (something guitar-related, makes sounds, idk that\u2019s the extent of my understanding) and treated him to dinner \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nUsing my money to make loved ones happy is the best <3 I am very grateful. \n\n\n#3 \u2013 Family members facing health issues \n\n\nIn March 2023, multiple close family member faced health issues. At one point we were ready to say goodbye to one of them, even. \n\n\nI\u2019d put this under Nay of the month except for 2 things: (1) Illness and death is unavoidable in life, best to face it head-on with as much love and care as possible, and we definitely tried our best, and (2) the re-realisation of how important family is. \n\n\n#4 \u2013 Appeared on:\n\n\na) Utusan Malaysia centerfold!\n\n\nThis one was such a honour. My mom was so proud of me, and my partner told me his father (aka my FIL) shared it in the family Whatsapp group lol. \n\n\nThe older generations of my family have no idea what I do so this kind of give them some idea. It was nice \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nb) Antarabudaya Malaysia Volunteer Sharing Session\n\n\nGave a talk on topic: Top 5 Popular Investments in Malaysia. Also promoted my favourite NGO, Antarabudaya Malaysia \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nc) Oh Sebenar International Women\u2019s Day Community Event\n\n\nIt was lovely to meet some of you at the event!\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nd) Belum Raya, Dah Pokai? with Iman Publication\n\n\nA fun Twitter Space activity \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Misc\n\n\nRead:\n\n\n\n\nStarted 3 books, finished none \ud83d\ude41\n\n\n\n\nBought for myself:\n\n\n\n\nMuji duvet cover\n\n\nBooks\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 High groceries cost\n\n\nIn March 2023, I spent RM1,183 for groceries for our family of 2. That\u2019s a bit more than the usual RM850 or so average. \n\n\nGuess just have to go on \u2018clear out pantry\u2019 challenge. That always works and reduces expenses (and waste too).\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Liquidated some crypto BEFORE the (minor) moon\n\n\nMy timing sucks la. I\u2019ve been meaning to sell a small bit of my crypto stash and when I finally did, the price went up. \n\n\nYes I know there\u2019s no way I could\u2019ve known but still. \n\n\nI\u2019m not complaining since its not like I sold at a loss or anything, but it\u2019s still annoying. Classic \u2018what if\u2019 syndrome. \n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nRaya holiday\n\n\n\n\nWell, that was my March 2023. How was yours? What\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nfind out your budgeting style\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-may-2016/", "title": "Budget Update: May 2016\n  ", "body": "\n\nMay Budget Update Summary\n\n\n\n\nMay was awesome, the great really out shadowed the bad by like, a mile and a half. All in all, very grateful.\n\n\nThere were moments when I got depressed (for lack of better word) when I saw some new achievements of Facebook friends. Seriously, everytime I go on FB I feel like shit afterwards. Is this common? I looked it up, and apparently yeah, it is. Just shows that nothing you achieve can ever be enough, so just stop letting it distract you I guess. Do your thing, because if not, no one\u2019s going to do it for you. #wahsurayasodeep\n\n\nI also felt re-awakening of my desire to be a digital nomad. For those who don\u2019t know what this term means, it\u2019s basically someone who can work remotely and is location-independent. You can work anywhere as long as you have internet. I\u2019m seriously itching to go grocery-shopping in a Tesco in Europe. I also can\u2019t wait to complain about winter. Oh I\u2019m going to need one of y\u2019all to (gently) break this news to my parents.\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nSome amazing guys and I launched \nWangTarik\n! It\u2019s a personal finance platform in Malay language, so my dears please go ahead and read that one too for money tips ya \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nI turned 28 and no one asked me when I\u2019m going to get married #win\n\n\nBitcoin price skyrocketed like crazy. Ether price increased as well. USD strengthen against RM. Between the three of these, I\u2019m a very, very happy woman.\n\n\nI went on an island holiday (read \nhere \nfor total cost).\n\n\nGot more freelance writing work. Notably, I got published in \nHongKiat\n!\n\n\nWatched One Punch Man for the comedy (highly recommended!) and Owari no Seraph for the eye candy (A+ for character design, C- as soon as they speak).\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nJunk food month. I\u2019m so ashamed of myself, putting this much crap in my body. Because I was traveling, I stopped doing keto for a while\u2026 but I never got back on it once the travel was over. There is definitely a change in general moodiness \u2013 I tend to have higher highs and lower lows while on a normal (ie not keto) diet.\n\n\nAlso did not work out as much as I wanted. No excuse, just plain ol laziness. Which I really have to fix in June.\n\n\nI\u2019ve gotten lazy with logging in my expenses (I use the Money Lover app). Usually I\u2019ll straightaway record whatever spending I make right after I buy it, but now I tend to wait a few days. It\u2019s screwing up my data and I hate it!\n\n\nSo basically, in May I did well in my professional life, but in my personal life I was a lazy piece of shit.\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nFasting month\u2026? Raya\u2026? Tbh I\u2019m not the biggest fan for both but yeah an obligation is an obligation.\n\n\nAlso, screwed sleeping pattern due to waking up to eat sahur at night. This will be my first keto fasting season. Theoretically, keto can make fasting easier because it\u2019s all about satiety. Let\u2019s see if that\u2019s the case or not.\n\n\nIn the spirit of Ramadan, try hard to be a better person. I\u2019m a staunch believer that you can be a better Muslim by being a better person, not the other way around. I\u2019ll start now. You there. Yes, you. Correct your posture. Don\u2019t hunch. Later back pain. Ok? Alright, be well now.\n\n\n\n\nHave a good June, you guys \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-may-2017/", "title": "Budget Update: May 2017\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: May 2017\n\n\n\n\nEventful month. Between work meetings, business travels, networking events, liaising with existing and new clients, getting a new addition to the family,\u00a0relationship issues, creating a new website from scratch and God knows what else, I barely had time for myself. Or rather, when I did have time, most of it were spent thinking about things that needed doing. I tried to read books, but found that I couldn\u2019t focus on the topic.\n\n\nOn the upside, earned > spent. My highest-earning month to date.\n\n\nSo obviously working from home is good for me, income-wise. However I struggle with \u2018switching off\u2019 my mind off work. People have advised me to use co-working spaces, to work from coffee shops (can\u2019t now during Ramadan obviously) and generally to be more disciplined with time management.\n\n\nThe thing is, I can only work to improve on this when I have time. What a catch-22. Motivators among you, can you yell at me, please? I think I need the tough love approach.\n\n\n\n\nYay of the month:\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m an aunt! \nMy sister gave birth\n to a healthy baby boy. I have to find out his name.\n\n\nExperienced \npositive discrimination\n. The field I work in \u2013 blockchain, cryptocurrencies, fintech, and finance in general \u2013 are male-dominated. Some of my colleagues took effort to improve women participation in decision-making level, you guys. I\u2019m VP in a newly-established blockchain association.\n\n\nFun month trying \ndifferent forms of workout\n. Finally tried yoga and Zumba at my local gym. Got a free personal trainer session and she taught me the proper squat form. I\u2019ve been doing it wrong! I was going to get the personal trainer package, but legit forgot about Ramadan month. Have to postpone it for next month.\n\n\nPaid off final Tesco and IKEA installments\n for fridge, couch, washing machine and other home stuff. RM450-ish freed each month from now on!\n\n\nSplurged on\n exercise gear\n. Bought a second pair of sports shoes (the first one is dying) and gym pants. Also bought myself sneakers, because I\u2019ve never had one.\n\n\nBought a kilo of roasted almonds for RM61.50 (cheap!) and 6 1-liter packs of almond milk for RM63.50 (also cheap!). I love \nalmonds\n.\n\n\nA popular cashless payment service provider organised a bloggers session. We all walked away with a \ngift of RM200 in credit\n. To be honest, I\u2019m fairly conflicted. Is this a gift, or is this a bribe? The power is still on me whether to write about them or not, but I admit now I\u2019m slightly more biased towards them. Having said that, I really appreciate that they were open to feedback and criticism during the session. The world of influencers is new to me, it\u2019s very interesting to navigate. Everyone wants you to say nice things about them.\n\n\n\n\nNay of the month:\n\n\n\n\nDespite being my birthday month, I didn\u2019t take much advantage of \nfreely-available birthday treats\n \ud83d\ude41 The Twitter community said that I could claim free tickets from cinemas, get free food and drinks (Starbucks, My Burger Lab, Boost Juice, Tealive), free stuff (Sephora), vouchers (Parkson, AEON) and more. The only thing I used, without my knowledge, was the free 1GB high-speed internet from Umobile.\n\n\nI notice now, on dates, I\u2019m\n much less stingy with food prices\n. I had two meals over RM100 for two \u2013 quite rare. Need to be mindful of this and limit to only once a month, at the most. It\u2019s not a luxury I want to get used to.\n\n\nI tried to go \nketo for Ramadan\n, but it didn\u2019t have the effect I wanted. Instead of having full mental clarity, I was just lethargic and barely productive. Went off it. \nReally\n enjoyed my chocolate chip apam balik, you guys.\n\n\nI have a thing for \ndisclosures\n \u2013 it\u2019s only fair to disclose to your audience that you were paid for an ad, right? Unfortunately, no less than two potential clients wanted me to write for them but requested it to be a native advertisement. Aka they don\u2019t want me to label it as sponsored. Had to turn down those jobs, so no income from them. As a side note, one Instagrammer I really like doesn\u2019t tag her posts as sponsored, even though it\u2019s pretty damn obvious. It pisses me off because I really like her content. Be careful of how marketing agencies use this tactic to sell stuff, guys.\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nRaya so I can\u00a0drink freaking \ncoffee\n again. There is no perfect time to have coffee during Ramadan. Drink it when breaking fast at 7.30pm, can\u2019t sleep at night. Drink it when having sahur at 4.30am, can\u2019t go back to sleep -_-\n\n\nI really do like my work though. I look forward to work plans progressing.\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nreview\n).\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-may-2018/", "title": "Budget Update: May 2018\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: May 2018\n\n\nI have a confession \u2013 in the last few months, I have been spending more than I earn.\n\n\nThis is weird to admit, but I have let lifestyle inflation creep up on me. I honestly didn\u2019t realise my bare-minimum monthly spending \u2013 the amount I need to\u00a0live comfortably but minimally \u2013 is now a whopping RM6k per month. Per month!\n\n\nI dunno why. I kept thinking the number was closer to RM2.5k. Missed the mark by a mile. My goodness.\n\n\nBreakdown of that RM6k:\n\n\n\n\nMonthly must-pay (fixed) \u2013 Rent, Mobile, Insurance, Braces, Laptop payments, Investment repayments, VA \u2013 RM3.5k\n\n\nMonthly must-pay (variables) \u2013 Business, Groceries, Misc needs, Transportation \u2013 RM1.3k\n\n\nMonthly nice-to-haves (variables) \u2013 Social, Misc wants, Donations \u2013 RM1.2k\n\n\n\n\nA few thoughts, since I guess I\u2019m woke now.\n\n\nOne. I have\u00a0\nseven\n\u00a0major recurring monthly payments (!!) The good thing is my laptop and braces payments will end in September 2018 and December 2018 respectively. Can\u2019t wait until I finish paying off these two and free up RM880 monthly. After that, all I have to do is not to get itchy backside and add on other monthly payments.\n\n\nTwo. I\u2019ve been spending a lot for donations lately, and for the most part they\u2019re for my family. I don\u2019t wish to be stingy with them, I really don\u2019t, but it\u2019s getting a bit unsustainable. How do I go about this? Do I just say no? But I don\u2019t want to say no? Do I cap the amount? How do I say that in a nice way? Do you have advice?\n\n\nThree.\u00a0Yes I\u2019m freaking aware RM6k per month is a ridiculous amount. I thought I\u2019m spending well and getting my money\u2019s worth, but it\u2019s time to reassess what I actually need versus what I want. Ok then. No new pretty things, no more outsourcing if I can do it myself. I\u2019ll prepare more vegetarian meals. Whatever it takes to lower my bare-minimum monthly spending.\n\n\nFour. Seriously, how the hell did I allow my bare-minimum monthly spending to reach RM6k??? I don\u2019t even have car payments or mortgage?!?!\n\n\nHave you calculated your bare-minimum monthly spending? What\u2019s the number and breakdown?\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nPakatan Harapan\u00a0\nwon GE14 \ud83d\ude00 Remember the \nelation\n during the time? Something to commit to memory, forever!\n\n\nRead 4 books.\n\u00a0\nThe Rescue\u00a0\nby Nicholas Sparks (meh);\u00a0\nElon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future\u00a0\nby Ashlee Vance (freaking good read, insightful peek into the mind of a hardworking genius);\u00a0\nBargain Fever: How to Shop in a Discounted World\u00a0\nby Mark Ellwood (the chapter covering historical evolution of retail strategies was the best); and\u00a0\nCommitted; A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage\u00a0\nby Elizabeth Gilbert (takeaway; women lose more in a bad marriage. It\u2019s absolutely essential for us to get married to the right person. There is no \u2018making do\u2019 when it comes to life partners, or we\u2019ll suffer the consequences soon enough.)\n\n\nOrganised Ringgit Oh Ringgit\u2019s first-ever \npersonal finance meetup\n! I randomly brought up the idea in RoR FB group, and was surprised by the positive demand. Some even want me to do it in Penang! So yeah, a bunch of us personal finance nerds met up on a Saturday afternoon, chatted about money strategies, and agreed to channel RM200 of our money towards an NGO listed at \nNGOHub.asia\n. It was a fun day \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nAttended a few fun \ncommunity events\n, including a copywriting talk, a Wordpress anniversary party, and a Pecha Kucha event.\n\n\nTurned 30\n. Mood changes between \u2018IDGAF\u2019 to \u2018my God I\u2019m old\u2019, all the time.\n\n\nHad fun exploring all the \newallets\n and getting cashback, discounts and bonuses from them. I think I earned about RM300 in total? Check out\u00a0\nReviews of All The Ewallets in Malaysia I\u2019ve Tried\n article for deets.\n\n\nPassive income\n from this website increased significantly after I implemented Ezoic. If you have a website with >10k traffic per month, you\u2019re eligible. Contact me if you want an honest review.\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nWent off keto, weight immediately ballooned. Now practising mindful eating, which is like 10x harder than keto for me tbh. I need to have a better relationship with food. Something to work on.\n\n\nSplurged on a few \nbeauty products\n to make myself feel better. The damage was around RM120 and includes: hair oil, eyeliner, lip balm, mascara and skincare samples bought from Carousell sellers\n\n\nUntil someone pointed it out on Twitter, I didn\u2019t realise ringgitohringgit.com stopped people from \nsubmitting comments\n! I have no idea how many reader comments I\u2019ve lost, so kinda sad about that \ud83d\ude41 Oh well, at least it was fast to fix. The comments section should work properly now. Open invite to everyone reading this to send me website improvement-related suggestions \u2013 I want to improve it further but sometimes don\u2019t know how.\n\n\nBought a couple of \ngames\n from Steam (RM30+) and some gems for that Harry Potter game (RM5~). \nRakuen\n was great, but I can\u2019t see myself finishing the other games.\n\n\n\u00a0Did not regularly exercise. Only went to the gym twice all month. I miss my muscles.\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nRaya\n End of fasting month.\n\n\nEnlisted myself in a \nWriters\u2019 Retreat \nin June, something I\u2019ve always wanted to try!\n\n\nBought tickets and accommodation to \nGood Vibes Festival\n in July \ud83d\ude00 RM600 gone, but heck it, I want to experience a youth-centric music festival, for once in my life.\n\n\n\n\nCan we end this budget update article with a question about motivation? What\u2019s your motivation in life? What keeps you going? How do you maintain it? What do you do when your motivation is low for extended period of time? Asking for, uh, a friend.\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click\u00a0\nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nreview\n).\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-may-2019/", "title": "Budget Update: May 2019\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: May 2019\n\n\nAn okay month, budget-wise. Things slow down due to fasting season, less events and meetups than usual. That gave me more time to spend on online courses.\n\n\nThe one I\u2019m enlisted in now, Dream Job course by Ramit Sethi, has a component forcing me to identify and list down my mental barriers, or negative beliefs that stop me from achieving whatever it is that I want to achieve.\n\n\nAfter taking some time to think about it, I came up with 6 mental barriers that I personally have:\n\n\n\n\nFear in managing a team\n. This has kept me as a solopreneur all this while, a one-person team. I realise that while I can grow fast, I can\u2019t grow far without hiring people.\n\n\nHard to get out of scarcity mindset\n. It\u2019s not as bad as before, but my default is still to save money rather than earn money.\n\n\nNeed to improve my presentation & speech skills\n. It can be better. It can always be better.\n\n\nStingy with higher-cost self-development tools and courses\n. Self-explanatory.\n\n\nDon\u2019t like working with VIPs or bigshots\n. So I prefer not having them as clients, despite the big paychecks. I\u2019m okay with this barrier actually.\n\n\nUncomfortable with outbound sales\n. I guess the solution for this is to be really, really good with inbound sales.\n\n\n\n\n\u2018Fixing\u2019 myself will be a process, hopefully a fun and fulfilling one. I just want to be the best version of myself, you know? After talking to some friends, a few suggested going to Toastmasters meetups to improve on #3.\n\n\nIf anyone has more suggestions on how I can improve my presentation skills, I\u2019m all ears \ud83d\ude42 Been getting more speaking and presenting gigs nowadays. I just want to do a good job and be worth people\u2019s time.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nBooked flights to Perth for a \nfamily trip in August\n! Managed to get RM800 return flight tickets, which is pretty good for a non-AirAsia flight. Yay can\u2019t wait to pamper my parents.\n\n\nCrypto is bullish\n again yaaay\n\n\nWatched \u2018\nTalking Money\n\u2018, an observational documentary by Sebastian Winkels and screened during the \nFreedom Film Festival\n. This was the first time conversations and power dynamics at the bank is recorded in this way (see the trailer below). At the end of the screening, during the Q&A session, I asked Sebastian about what he learned from the interactions. He said that customers tend to talk too much, explain themselves too much, offer too much personal information. We feel the need to talk through the silence, but sometimes this is used against us. Good point \u2013 banks do their best to portray a friendly image, but sometimes we forget they are profit-focused institutions, too.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTALKING MONEY \u2013 Official Trailer (2019)\n from \nsolo:film\n on \nVimeo\n.\n\n\n\n\nI like trying out different digital marketing hacks, and one of them worked particularly well in May 2019. I managed to \ngrow my \nRinggit Oh Ringgit Facebook page\n by\u2026 1.4k. From 6.2k likes to 7.6k likes in one month, as of writing time. Ask me how \ud83d\ude09\n\n\nIn other digital marketing updates, I also started offering a lead magnet (a downloadable freebie) to \ngrow my mailing list\n. That\u2019s working as well \u2013 it\u2019s growing around 2.5x the usual rate. I made it using Designrr, a marketing tech tool which helps you to easily turn existing content into other formats.\n\n\nRead\n 3 books. \nBecoming Hannah: A Personal Journey by YB Hannah Yeoh\n (very inspiring! I cried a few times), \nDisrupted: Ludicrous Misadventures in the Tech Start-Up Bubble by Dan Lyons\n (laugh-out-loud behind the scenes of Hubspot, an inbound marketing and sales startup) and \nBridget Jones: The Edge of Reason by Helen Fielding\n (I prefer the movie)\n\n\nAttended SJ+ Youth Forum\u2019s event \u2018\nClickbait\n: The Changing Face of Today\u2019s News\u2019 to learn about the use and ethics of clickbait in journalism. Nandini from SAYS couldn\u2019t make it, but it was informational nonetheless.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nStarted a \ndecluttering challenge\n! I aim to get rid of 30 things in 30 days from my home. Got the inspiration from other bloggers, thought it\u2019s a good idea to do it myself. It\u2019s Day 7 as of writing time, so far so good. I\u2019ve donated, sold and threw out a few items.\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nDelayed the \nwriting contest announcement \nfor Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 2. Facing some mental barriers \u2013 for some reason, I fear no one will join this time around. It\u2019s an irrational fear yet it\u2019s still a fear. Need to work on overcoming it.\n\n\nHad to pay \nRM25 x 2 credit card service tax\n. I tried to call them hoping they\u2019d waive it, but no dice. Ah at least I tried.\n\n\nRM480 for \nmonthly groceries\n is a reduction from the previous month, but still too high for my taste.\n\n\nI am obsessed with \nthis one bag\n from The Weekend Edit. It\u2019s so pretty, God so pretty. Obviously they installed Pixel in their website because the ads keep popping up in my Facebook and Instagram, reminding me to buy it. Usually, when I want something expensive that I don\u2019t technically need, I will force myself to wait. If I still remember it after a few months, then I allow myself to make the purchase. It\u2019s a good strategy because 99% of the time I\u2019ll forget it anyway. But this one. I have a feeling I\u2019ll keep remembering it. But I don\u2019t need it, I already have enough bags. But it\u2019s so pretty. This mental dilemma is driving me nuts.\n\n\nAnother live plant died, so I bought a damn fake plant.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nAfter multiple attempts to keep a damn plant alive on this shelf and failing because the damn cats keep knocking them down, I\u2019ve finally decided to buy a damn fake plant . Cost: RM9.90 for the plastic palm leaves from Kaison. Wasted: approx RM100 between 3 or 4 live plants . #igiveup #kaison #kaisonmalaysia #lifewithcats #dekomalaysia #dekorumahmalaysia #malaysiahomedecor\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nMay 29, 2019 at 11:18pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nRaya\n End of \nfasting month\n. Not particularly excited for Raya to be completely honest. It\u2019s just, meh.\n\n\nI might\u2026 go to \nEstonia\n in June? I applied for a journalist programme that I saw from a random Twitter post, and suddenly informed I got it? Nothing\u2019s confirmed yet so far, but if yes, wow. It\u2019s fully-sponsored too!\n\n\nI\u2019m one of the speakers at \nPeople Power forum\n, as part of the Popular Bookstore-organised Bookfest Malaysia 2019 event. Come see me \ud83d\ude42 More info at \nhttps://bit.ly/bfmted19\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nI\u2019m one of the speakers at @popularmalaysia \u2018s People Power talk. Come see me \ud83d\ude0a More info at https://bit.ly/bfmted19 Registration fee: RM10 (includes entry tix to BookFest Malaysia 2019) Date: 8 June 2019 (Sat) Time: 11.00am \u2013 1.30pm Venue: Hall 5, Hospitality Lounge 5 Speakers: Suraya Zainudin \u2013 Enterpreneur, Speaker and Consultant M. Krishnamoorthy \u2013 Author, Professor and Trainer Ching Lee Hwa \u2013 Author, Master Trainer and Coach #bookfestmalaysia #bookfestmalaysia2019 #popularbookstore #tedxkl #trainasia #malaysians #malaysia #KLCC #kualalumpur #bookloversmalaysia\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nMay 27, 2019 at 10:57pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSelamat Hari Raya, Maaf Zahir Batin. Please drop a prayer for my late grandmother, Hajah Kamariah binti Sidek. This is our first Raya without her, and we miss her very much.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click\u00a0\nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nhow expense tracking works\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-may-2020/", "title": "Budget Update: May 2020\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: May 2020\n\n\nIn May 2020, I spent a total of RM4799.69, with two-thirds of that across only 2 categories: Donations & Gifts and Rent & Utilities.\n\n\nMost donations went to Raya food orders (saved my family the trouble to cook on Raya Day 2) and duit raya giveaway. At first I was like hmm I should donate to other causes too (and I did), but then I remembered, charity starts at home.\n\n\nMay 2020 was a very strange month. I think I was out of focus for a good chunk of the month, due to (1) fasting, and (2) still processing the pandemic. Some days I feel like I\u2019m handling it well, some days I just kinda zombie out and just do the bare minimum, professionally speaking.\n\n\nWhat would you suggest I do? Advice wanted. I want to \u2018snap out of it\u2019 so bad. I want my pre-pandemic mental clarity back.\n\n\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in May 2020\n\n\nIn this section, I\u2019m sharing what I spent on in the whole month, in their respective categories.\u00a0From highest to lowest, my expenses were:\n\n\n\n\nSome categories, like Social (activities with friends) are not recorded at all, because those expenses didn\u2019t happen.\n\n\nMoving on to the yays and nays of the month \u2013\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nBought my first ever premium phone \u2013\n iPhone 11\n. Managed to put it on an instalment plan, so that\u2019s RM289.12 which I need to pay every month for the next 12 months. (warning! not promoting instalment plans! I can afford to pay in full.) (I need to mention this purchase enough times so I can justify it as a business expense come tax season lol)\n\n\nHappy to say that MPH Distributors agreed to stock up \nMoney Stories from Malaysians: Volume 2 in bookstores\n! You\u2019ll soon see copies in stores. (although\u2026\u00a0 I\u2019m aware bookstores aren\u2019t doing too well nowadays \ud83d\ude41 Support your bookstores if you can, everyone)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nUPDATE! Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 2 will be available in major bookstores near you soon!! You can get a copy at #mphbookstore #popularbookstore #kinokuniyamalaysia #timesbookstore #bordersmalaysia I. Am. So. Happy. Thanks korang for the support \ud83d\ude2d\u2764\ufe0f I can\u2019t believe I\u2019ll have 2 books in the bookstores uuuu so happy #MYmoneystories #malaysianwriters\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nMay 21, 2020 at 12:54am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSent flowers to my Mom for \nMother\u2019s Day\n and made her very happy \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nHad an okay \nRaya\n, considering everything. My first time Raya-ing in Klang Valley.\n\n\nWebsite traffic\n SHOT THE HELL UP. RinggitOhRinggit.com recoded 75k views in May 2020 (it was hovering between 55-65k per month previously). I still don\u2019t know which page shared it. If that\u2019s you, THANK YOU\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nWHO SHARED MY ARTICLE ON FACEBOOK?! Traffic exploded yesterday and easily broke previous highest single-day view record \ud83e\udd2f\ud83e\udd2f in my analytics I can see the traffic came from Facebook but I can\u2019t find out which page! The new record now is 5878 views in one day. And it looks like I may break it again today \u2013 it\u2019s only 9am and I already have around 2000 views. I\u2019m happy and all but WHAT IS GOING ON #malaysianblogger #wordpressblogger #personalfinanceblogger\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nMay 29, 2020 at 6:11pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDid a few collaborations, including with \nUnrestricted Stage\n:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\u201cBranding is what people say about you when you are not in the room\u201d Catch me on Facebook live this Saturday, 16 May 5pm at @unrestrictedstage \ud83d\ude4c My topic is personal branding and social media for creatives. #unrestrictedstage #personalbranding #socialmediamarketing #inboundmarketing\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nMay 14, 2020 at 11:34pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAnd did my first\n international webinar\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nMy first international webinar this MCO! Join Fouad, Miriam and I this Friday, 15 May 2020 at 10pm Malaysian time. Moderated by *the* Islamic banking expert and @getniyah co-founder Safdar Alam Register at getniyah.com/webinar #islamicfinance #islamicbanking #pengurusankewangan #perbankanislam #getniyah\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nMay 11, 2020 at 8:09pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nDidn\u2019t read any books. Again.\n\n\nPaid a \nbacklog of electricity bills\n that I completely forgot about, totaling RM194.15. Sigh, the sucky part of being an adult is forgetting a problem = postponing the problem, not eliminating it. So it\u2019s just best to tackle it head-on (I should take my own advice)\n\n\nWebsite income\n was greatly affected due to less ad spend by companies\n\n\n\n\n\n\ncovid-19 has greatly impacted my income from website ad \ud83d\ude41 USD200 in Dec \u201919 to USD80 in May \u201920\n#ezoic\n \npic.twitter.com/ivZ3bNNws8\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nMay 26, 2020\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPaid RM75 in \nservice tax for my 3 credit cards\n, or RM25 each\n\n\nMy \ndriving licence expired\n, so I paid RM152 to renew it for another 5 years\n\n\nThe SOCAR car I booked had a flat tyre. Not their fault, and to their credit, they replaced with another vehicle soon enough, but wow was that mafan.\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\n\u2026? What am I looking forward to? I\u2019m not sure. I\u2019ve always had some sort of travel planned out, but obviously none of that is happening now.\n\n\n\n\nWhat are YOU looking forward to? Do share, can do with new ideas and inspiration. Feeling a bit lost.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nhow expense tracking works\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-may-2021/", "title": "Budget Update: May 2021 \u2013 Blurry Days\n  ", "body": "\n\nWelcome 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!    \n\n\nMay 2021 was mostly spent at home. Except for grocery runs and vaccination shot, we didn\u2019t go anywhere else. We haven\u2019t met our families in more than a month now. To pass the time, we\u2019ve been binge-watching Modern Family on Netflix \u2013 definitely getting our money\u2019s worth there. \n\n\nI have a lot of trouble with focusing. Between Covid-19 cases and death rates which reach new highs on daily basis, and crypto swings (like normal; I\u2019m hodling and DeFi-ing) and the news, I feel like my head is all over the place. Days feel like they blur into weeks and before I knew it, May was over. It\u2019s the strangest feeling yet I know I shouldn\u2019t complain \u2013 I\u2019m still one of the lucky ones.\n\n\nHow do you keep your days exciting? Please give suggestions. I miss life and doing stuff. \n\n\nOkay, let\u2019s get on to the budget part. \n\n\nBudget Update: May 2021\n\n\nIn May 2021, I spent RM6,106.41. The top 3 top expenses were:\n\n\nUtilities & Rent (RM1,901.11)\n \u2013 Gotta keep a roof over our heads\nDonations & Gifts\n \n(RM1,204.25)\n \u2013 Parents\u2019 electric bill, donations to an NGO helping Palestine and Kebun Rahmat, a permaculture farm \nGroceries (RM933.60)\n \u2013 Bought extra groceries to make Raya food and desserts\n\n\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in May 2021\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I spent on in the whole month of May 2021, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Got vaccinated! (First dose)\n\n\nAm extremely grateful to be able to get my (first) shot early-ish. Additionally, I\u2019m thankful to be able to get the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine, the (only?) one which promised to NOT profit from the pandemic and \nsell the vaccines at cost price worldwide\n. \n\n\nIf everything goes well, the rest of my family members should also get their AZ shots in June and July. I can\u2019t wait to hug them. \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Raya\n\n\nPuasa came and went. Ngl, it was a sad Raya \u2013 it was just the two of us (four if you count the cats). \n\n\nHowever, I am grateful to celebrate with my partner and be each other\u2019s strength. Both of us had moments where we wanted to break SOP and visit our families because we miss them so much, but we reminded each other to stay put. It\u2019s the right thing to do. \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Managed to sell Baju Raya\n\n\nI bought the Baju Raya above for the sole purpose of picture-taking, then managed to sell it. As a frugal person, I know I could have just used my old baju kurung for Raya and feel slightly defensive of this technically unnecessary \u2018want\u2019, but hey. You only experience your first Raya as a newlywed once. \n\n\n\n\nIt is worth buying a new baju raya set just to be matchy matchy with husband on our first Raya together, right? \ud83e\udd7a\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nMay 1, 2021\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Completed 2-months SEO consultation\n\n\nBack in March I invested in a professional SEO content audit for RinggitOhRinggit.com. It was absolutely worth it. We had weekly chats and covered areas for improvement, as well as future content strategy. Been implementing some of her tips in May 2021 and I\u2019ve seen my web traffic increase, so it\u2019s working. \n\n\n\n\nSpending RM2500 for professional SEO content audit \ud83d\udcaa it's time to take it to the next level\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nMarch 23, 2021\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Gave 3 talks \n\n\nI did:\n\n\nJourney to Financial Freedom webinar in collaboration with MyAgeing\u2122\ufe0f Financial Literacy and Educational Hub (MyFiLE), UPM\nMy Investing Journey in colalboration with AFS Antarabudaya Malaysia\nMoney Matters: How to Manage Personal Finances as a Fresh Graduate with Faculty of Social Sciences, UM\n\n\nThank you to everyone who attended <3 \n\n\n#6 \u2013 Turned 33\n\n\nOne year older \ud83d\ude42 Gifted myself one pretty dress via Ellegra and Body Shop shower gel. \n\n\n#7 \u2013 Misc\n\n\nRead \none book\n: \nTen Lessons for a Post-Pandemic World\n by Fareed Zakaria. The part that I remember the most was how the antivaxx community isn\u2019t ignorant nor stupid (as what I would assume), but rather consume literature that strengthens their bias. And all of us do this \u2013 we pick and choose what to believe. \n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Palestine attacked by Israel\n\n\nLike many Malaysians, I too followed the news and updates of the attack on Gaza Strip by Israel. The sheer feeling of helplessness was unreal. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 My stand fan died on me (again)\n\n\nI don\u2019t know why I have such bad luck with stand fans. This is the second one that broke after lasting barely a year. \n\n\n#3 \u2013 Paid outstanding Indah Water bill\n\n\nI don\u2019t know why but I kept thinking Indah Water bill is more like a suggestion than an instruction\u2026 \n\n\nI haven\u2019t paid for so long, they sent me a stern-looking letter from a legal company and said they may be taking action over the unpaid Indah Water bill, which ballooned to RM576. \n\n\nLesson learned. Paid the whole outstanding amount in one go and will be taking the next Indah Water bills seriously..\n\n\n#4 \u2013 \u2018Burned\u2019 a pre-paid hair perm session\n\n\nI could have used it before it expired in May 2021, but the number of cases were rising so I thought it wasn\u2019t a good idea. Oh well. \n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\nCompleting work commitments. Am lucky enough to be blessed with paying jobs. Alhamdulillah. \n\n\nWell, that was my May 2021. How was yours? What\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nfind out your budgeting style\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-may-2022/", "title": "Budget Update: May 2022 \u2013 Awesome Month\n  ", "body": "\n\nWelcome 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. \n\n\nSo how was your May? Was it good, bad or meh?\n\n\nFor me, I had an \nawesome\n month. I had my birthday (turned 34 yay) and was spoiled rotten by my loved ones. I got: a hotel staycation, two nice birthday dinners, a girls-day-out spa session, and a bunch of presents. At one point I cried because I am so happy with how my life turned out.\n\n\nAnd then, because I like to overthink, I immediately worry. Crap, I am now expected to return the favour, when their turns come around. \n\n\nNow, this is a problem, because I suck at gift-giving. It is not my primary love language, in fact it is my least favourite. But I have no choice but to learn to be good at it, because I refuse to be the person who only receives but never give back in return.\n\n\nIf there is one thing I have learned so far in this short life. You must never be a Taker. No one likes Takers. \n\n\nLet\u2019s get on to the budget part. \n\n\nBudget Update: May 2022\n\n\nIn May 2022, I spent RM14,745.17. The top 3 top expenses were:\n\n\nDonations & Gifts (RM5,788.85) \n\u2013 Cash gifts to family members \nMisc Needs (RM5,238.45)\n \n\u2013 \nPaid taxes\nUtilities & Rent (RM\n1,268.47\n) \n\u2013 Half mortgage and bills\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCumulatively, the top 3 expenses make up 84% of my total May 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)\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in May 2022\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I spent on in the whole month of May 2022, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Received *most* of my pending payments from clients \n\n\nI had 12 pending payments from clients. By writing time, 8 of them had paid \ud83d\ude42 It\u2019s a good month, cashflow-wise.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Found the perfect sofa\n\n\nThis scratch-resistant sofa is not a want, it is a NEED. Tanks to my cats, my 5-year-old fabric sofa is practically a goner.  \n\n\n\n\nFor those asking, I got sofa with custom Aquaclean fabric upgrade. A few shops offer it so ask around (I found a shop near to me via Google) \npic.twitter.com/8xA7uwfyxb\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nMay 9, 2022\n\n\n\n\nI am not kidding about my cats\n\n\n\n\nLook at their handiwork look \npic.twitter.com/hwqcDcrmkq\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nMay 9, 2022\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Paid taxes, maxed out tax relief for EPF and PRS\n\n\nIn May 2022, I\u2019ve:\n\n\npaid taxes YA2021 \nself-contributed EPF RM4k to max out tax relief\nself-contributed PRS RM3k to max out tax relief \n\n\nAnd just like that, almost spent all payments received from clients :\u2019) Oh well, being responsible feels good too. \n\n\n#4 \u2013 Sold old laptop\n\n\nManaged to sell old laptop for RM250 yay. Glad I took the time to list and sell it, instead of just sending to e-waste centre.\n\n\n\n\nThanks to everyone who advice to terus jual without fixing. Sold for RM250. Buyer wants it for parts, mentions the screen mahal\nLater I check on shopee, screen replacement for surface pro je dah RM500++ Happy for the buyer \ud83d\ude42 \nhttps://t.co/36u1QeYpJH\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nMay 5, 2022\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Appeared on..\n\n\n#1 \u2013  Ringgit & Sense on BFM Radio\n\n\nThanks BFM Ringgit & Sense show for having me again \ud83d\ude42 Find my travel budgeting tips in the podcast, listen to it at: \nhttps://www.bfm.my/podcast/morning-run/ringgit-and-sense/how-to-budget-when-planning-your-travels\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 \u201cRinggit Dijaga Keluarga Sejahtera\u201d Webinar with AKPK \n\n\nThank you Experian for having me, happy to present \u2018Cara Berbincang Kewangan dengan Pasangan (Tanpa Bergaduh)\u2019 in the webinar. My slot at 50 minutes in, watch here:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Misc\n\n\nRead:\n\n\nTate No Yuusha No Nariagari manga Vol 1-18 (this counts!!)\n\n\nNoteworthy shows:\n\n\nEverything Everywhere All At Once\nDr Strange in the Multiverse of Madness\n\n\nBought for myself:\n\n\nNew powerbank\nSunscreens and liptint\nIphone cable replacement\nGym shoes\nSpray mop replacement\nLaundry bag so I can wash and sell clothes\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Vet fees\n\n\nNoticed my cat Lemon peeing frequently, everywhere \u2013 on couch, bed, carpet. It turned from bad to worse when I found blood in his pee, so off to the vet he went.\n\n\nThankfully it was just an inflamed bladder and he recovered without needing surgery. By the end of the antibiotics treatment, I became quite the pro at administering pills. \n\n\nCost: RM85. Also upgraded cat food \u2013 they eat Royal Canin now. \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 The market sucks\n\n\nHorrible month for investors. Everything is red, my portfolio is down by at least a third. Trying my best to ignore it. Nothing I can do but just continue DCA as usual.\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\nHopefully can fully move into new place \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nWell, that was my May 2022. How was yours? What\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nfind out your budgeting style\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-may-2023/", "title": "Budget Update: May 2023 \u2013 Birth and Taxes\n  ", "body": "\n\nWelcome 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. \n\n\nSo how was your May? Was it good, bad or meh?\n\n\nFor me, May 2023 was an eventful one: we welcomed our first child. Baby Mika was actually due in early June but decided to come earlier. \n\n\nIn fact, he couldn\u2019t wait to come \u2013 I had a relatively \nshort 2.5 hours birth and actually delivered him before we even reached the hospital\n!\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nThank you again to everyone who wished us well, I super appreciate it. Feel so loved, honestly. \n\n\nThanks to the whole experience, I have ideas for at least 2 articles. The first one is on baby stuff that I bought (and splurged/skimped on):\n\n\n\n\n\u2013 all parenting books especially by Emily Oster is worth it! \ud83d\udcaf\nSplurged & not worth it:\n\u2013 doomoo pillow RM450 (it's good just not great)\n\u2013 Summer & Peach nursing bra RM200+ for 4 (bad quality straps!)\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nMay 28, 2023\n\n\n\n\nAnd the other is on the decision to have a child:\n\n\n\n\nSomeone asked what made me decide to transition from DINK (dual income no kids) to having one, and how I planned my finances \nLove this question. I think I'll write an article about it \npic.twitter.com/OxJncJP0MJ\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nMay 31, 2023\n\n\n\n\nLook forward to those articles in the next couple of weeks \ud83d\ude42 For now, let\u2019s get on to the budget part. \n\n\nBudget Update: May 2023\n\n\nIn May 2023, I spent RM11,058.38 The top 3 top expenses were:\n\n\n\n\nMisc Needs (RM5,708.29)\n \u2013 \nMostly for income tax \u2013 2022 and 2023\n\n\nUtilities & Mortgage (RM1,327)\n \u2013 Half mortgage and bills\n\n\nDonations & Gifts (RM1215.90)\n \u2013 Parents\u2019 electric bill, Mother\u2019s Day, paid for my partner\u2019s medical consultation\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCumulatively, the top 3 expenses make up 75% of my total May 2023 expenses. This is quite the anomaly, as far as monthly budgets go. I don\u2019t pay that much in taxes every month. \n\n\nIf we take out Misc Needs, the next biggest expense is Social \u2013 managed to get a ticket to the Coldplay concert!\n\n\n(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)\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in May 2023\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I spent on in the whole month of May 2023, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Welcomed baby Mika\n\n\nMy default is no kids unless I can afford it AND found someone to go through the parenting journey together. \n\n\nOn the latter, I sure am grateful with how life turned out. I love seeing my partner happy whenever he held baby Mika. He\u2019s going to make an excellent father. I am very very blessed now I have two boys to love. \n\n\n\n\nHe remains the same amazing partner and husband so I made good on my promise \ud83e\udd70 turned a good man into a father today \u2764\ufe0f \nhttps://t.co/jxl1yVKK08\n \npic.twitter.com/aLxA9Ykgam\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nMay 19, 2023\n\n\n\n\nSomething I am VERY happy about: we have already opened a SSPN account for Mika, as well as submitted to receive the Itizam Anak Selangor initiative. I mean why not \u2013 it\u2019s free RM500 towards Mika\u2019s education fund!\n\n\n\n\nSiapa duduk Selangor & ada lahirkan anak tahun 2022 ke atas? Boleh claim RM100 setahun untuk 5 tahun (total RM500!) untuk masuk SSPN!\nSyarat permohonan in pic. Apply di \nhttps://t.co/cw9fZx35yT\n \nhttps://t.co/jwdY2vbXtC\n \npic.twitter.com/RmStPTJVPt\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nMay 10, 2023\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Managed to buy Coldplay tickets\n\n\nMy sisters and I will be going to the Coldplay concert, yay!\n\n\n#3 \u2013 My book, Bergaji & Pokai got #1 bestselling spot again\n\n\nAgain, thank you <3\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Avoided jail time by paying income tax \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nDon\u2019t ask me about my tax arrangements, but I\u2019ve paid around RM5k for taxes in May 2023. It\u2019s\u2026 a lot. Sure paying taxes is my responsibility but I\u2019d be lying if I say I\u2019m happy to pay it, more like I have to lol.\n\n\nInstead of being bitter about paying taxs, I\u2019ll convince myself its just a fee I have to pay to avoid jail time. I\u2019ll put any positive spin on it, cos if not my heart still pain.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Misc\n\n\nRead 0 books\n\n\nBought for myself:\n\n\n\n\nA large tote bag from Jalan Jalan Japan\n\n\nA cute pot from Jalan Jalan Japan\n\n\nA pregnancy photoshoot\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 CLOSING DOWN LLP IS A HUGE PAIN IN THE ASS!!!\n\n\nI \u2013 along with many other LLP owners \u2013 were hit with compounds from SSM in May 2023. After much back and forth with officers, I have since found that winding down one\u2019s LLP in Malaysia is next to impossible, even though it has been dormant. \n\n\nI mean, look at this level of beauracracy just to get the necessary documents and information just to get SPC from LHDN. \n\n\n\n\nSUSAHNYA NAK TUTUP LLP\nNAK TUTUP, KENA ADA SURAT PENYELESAIAN CUKAI (SPC) DARI LHDN\nNAK SPC, KENA ADA NOMBOR PENGECUALIAN CUKAI\nNAK NOMBOR, KENA MINTA TAX IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (TIN)\nNAK TIN, KENA HANTAR PROFIL COMPANY WALAUPUN MMG DORMANT\nAAAAAAAAAAAAAA\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nMay 23, 2023\n\n\n\n\nIn case you want to know the process to close down your LLP in Malaysia, you can use the steps below. As for me, I\u2019ve given up. I\u2019ll pay the bloody RM200 fee for each annual submission. \n\n\n\n\nAm getting too many DMs about this, so compiling what I know from officers I talked to and also from y'all\nTHREAD: What to do if your LLP kena compound by LHDN \nPls add on w more info / correct if wrong! \npic.twitter.com/PTx21Hg3pB\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nMay 11, 2023\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Anxiety about not working\n\n\nThis may sound weird for some of you but as someone who is self-employed and brain always on \u2018work mode\u2019, I find it hard to be on maternity leave, even though I know my body needs the rest after childbirth. I also know we need time to transition into parenthood. When it comes to caring for a newborn, there\u2019s a LOT of things to learn. \n\n\nBut it\u2019s hard to NOT work, because I had always done the work/life integration thing (instead of work/life balance). \n\n\nCase in point: I\u2019m forcing myself to write this budget update to publish. Not so much for everyone else to read, but more to out of habit. \n\n\nI do like that I write a lot though. \n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nMy maternity leave\n\n\n\n\nWell, that was my May 2023. How was yours? What\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nfind out your budgeting style\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-november-2015/", "title": "Budget Update: November 2015\n  ", "body": "\n\n\n\nNovember 2015 felt like 3 months. I had so much \ntime\n. It was such a luxurious feeling, even if it was tinged with homesickness.\n\n\nI spent less than RM2k, which is pretty rare. That even includes some furniture shopping, new gym fee, pet costs, and some leftover utilities bills from last month. Lower cost of living in Ipoh FTW. If I was still living in KL, I would have been hit by LRT increase, toll increase, rental increase, among a bazilion other things. I would have been making more money at work, but even with the raise, it wouldn\u2019t be enough to counter the rising cost of living, no doubt about it.\n\n\nThis is why I\u2019m such a big advocate on trimming your expenses. You can grow your income but if you can\u2019t keep up with the spending, its time to take a step back and reevaluate what you value in life and cut back everything else.\n\n\n\n\nYay of the month\n:\n\n\n\n\nYoshi the kitten came into my life <3 In the span of 2 weeks, he turned from being a scrawny kitty to developing quite a belly.\n\n\nStarted Cross Fit. After last month\u2019s unhealthy binge eating, I decided to resume some sort of fitness regime. Cross Fit is RM120 per month for unlimited classes. I must have attended at least 15 classes so far, making cost per class extremely affordable!\n\n\nLearning coding. So far, HTML & CSS. I want to learn how to develop mobile applications \u2013 I have this amazing idea for an app and I want to try and develop it.\n\n\n\n\nNay of the month\n:\n\n\n\n\nFreelancing/having own business \u2013 while it was a romantic idea, I\u2019ve since realised how tough this actually is. My current plan is to get a job AND do freelancing/own business on the side. My pride and ego took a serious hit when my income is low. It sucked, big time.\n\n\nDue to some delays in receiving past income, I had to take out some money from my investment account to buffer my lifestyle.\n\n\nStill no job. There\u2019s one that I really, really want. The interviews went really well, but in the end they decided to go with someone else. It\u2019s making me feel down, but hey, trying to keep positive and look for other opportunities.\n\n\nI have the opportunity to go back to telesales job (selling hotel membership) and while I\u2019ve done it before and I know I can do it well and make a lot of money, sales jobs drains my soul. I\u2019m stuck between the pressure of making serious money but wanting a worthwhile career.\n\n\n\n\nThings to look forward to:\n\n\n\n\nThe New Year, because dividends will be coming in then. Yay monieesss\n\n\nTaking it easy and use this opportunity to learn new skills and be in better shape. Coding and Cross Fit are proving to be extremely addictive, which surprises me.\n\n\n\n\nEdit: I am using an expense-tracker app called \nMoney Lover\n. I\u2019ve used a lot of apps and this is the best one by far. It\u2019s a \nVietnamese startup and was one of top contenders during MaGIC ASEAN Track Demo Day 2015\n\u00a0 \u2013 support your ASEAN buddies!\n\n\nWant to read more budget updates? \nClick here!\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-november-2016/", "title": "Budget Update: November 2016\n  ", "body": "\n\nNovember Budget Update Summary\n\n\n\n\nEarlier this year, I set myself a target \u2013 to earn RM10,000 or more a month. It\u2019s a big amount, and I came close to it in September\u00a02016 at RM8,743.22.\n\n\nIn November 2016, I\u2019m happy to report that I overshot that target. I earned a cool RM17,911.27. Breakdown:\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRM168.63 in cashback via \nShopback\n\u00a0(note: referral link for RM5 bonus. None-referral link \nhere\n)\n\n\nRM4000 in advertising revenue\n\n\nRM13,742.64 in writing services\n\n\n\n\nHow? I don\u2019t know, I\u2019m still digesting this. I mean, Alhamdulillah and everything. The crashing MYR against USD worked in my favour. I got new clients, one of them incredibly generous (told me to increase my fees!). My VA is a superstar. It feels weird to brag, almost feels like I\u2019m gonna jinx myself, but there you go. When things work out, when rezeki comes, it freaking \ndelivers\n man. *knocks all the wood in the house*\n\n\nSpeaking of house, I moved back to Klang Valley. That\u2019s why my spending for November was so high at more than RM7k. Over half of what I spent last month was on Misc Needs \u2013 new things needed for the house. Now that I\u2019m self-employed, I thought it would be a good idea\u00a0to invest some money in making my living space \u2013 also my working space / home office \u2013 as comfortable and productive as possible. It feels great to move to a new place and furnish it (almost) from scratch \ud83d\ude42 I\u2019m going to do a before/after post with spending breakdown on the cost to furnish this place, once everything is settled.\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nSaw \nFantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them\n. Twice. Can\u2019t wait for the next installments. Can\u2019t wait for gay Dumbledore to show up and make magic rainbows. Please J.K. Rowling don\u2019t die ever, no one else can re-create the same universe!\n\n\nLifestyle upgrade\n. After years of budgeting and saving money and keeping living costs low, I\u2019ve decided to live it up a bit and give myself a small\u00a0lifestyle upgrade. I\u2019ll actually sleep on a bed, not just a mattress, you guys! New bedsheets to replace my 4+ years old one!\n\n\nMy friends visited me in Ipoh and we had the best time and ate so many things <3 Finally visited the\u00a0\nYasmin Ahmad Museum\n (RM3 entry fee). Guys, I highly recommend this place. It\u2019s now included in my \nCheap Things to do in Ipoh\n guide.\n\n\nManaged to \nsell off some of my old stuff\n and gained RM470 yay.\n\n\nSaw a great show at \nTheatreThreeSixty\n\u00a0\u2013 \nMy Every Brilliant Thing\n by director Christopher Ling (Twitter: @\nchrisling\n). It\u2019s about a man\u2019s journey through depression, and the delivery was sweet; hopeful; raw. I loved the character\u2019s list of \u2018every brilliant things\u2019 \u2013 small things that make life great. It was worth all RM38. Such a joy to experience.\n\n\nThe packing process was fun, if brutal. I tried to downsize my stuff as much as I can, but I think I still have too much. At least what I do have, sparks joy #KonMariReference\n\n\nHad one of the best \npineapple tarts\n in my life. My ex-colleague sells it from her instagram page \nhere\n. I am #teamcrust more than #teamjam, and I enjoyed both. Thumbs up Kak Azreen!\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nGetting lazy in working out. The other day I challenged myself to do 100 squats, and I\u2019m still suffering the aftermath. I have to climb up a flight of stairs to get to my bedroom and fml, so pain.\n\n\nI love my new place, but it\u2019s also a commercial building, which comes with commercial rates. Did you know that commercial buildings have to pay 20% more for utilities? Yeah\u2026\n\n\nAND I can\u2019t apply for home internet either! I have to get the business one, which is more expensive. Decided not to get home internet for the time being. Sad \ud83d\ude41\n\n\nWHY ARE THE TOLLS SO EXPENSIVE?? I moved to Ipoh just when they started to raise the toll price, so coming back to it was a nasty shock. RM3 tolls? Uggghhhh\n\n\nAfter moving, I have a lot of leftover boxes. I made this DIY cat scratcher for Yoshi my cat. Turns out he prefers to scratch on my mat rather than this thing. I even bought catnip to entice him, but no dice. Weirdo cat.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nThis bag\n to arrive\n\n\nI\u2019ve been here for a week and already made plans to attend like 5 events/meetups. Ahaha it\u2019s nice to be back to Klang Valley.\n\n\nI\u2019m particularly excited about one workshop: Blockchain workshop with Vitalik Buterin ie the posterboy behind Ethereum. I\u2019ve always wanted to see the guy in person. I have a small crush on him.\n\n\nGardening is one challenge I\u2019ve always failed. Now that I have a balcony, I\u2019m going to try again. I like the idea of having chilies and curry leaves at my disposal anytime I want lol.\n\n\nMore work, more money hopefully. \nI doubt I can earn this much again\n \nI will earn this much again\n.\n\n\n\n\nLet\u2019s make the best we can out of life and this economy. Thank you for reading and for your continued support for RoR. I appreciate it. Much love.\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-november-2017/", "title": "Budget Update: November 2017\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: November 2017\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nI spent RM6.8k, eep. A good chunk of that (41% or roughly RM2.7k) is for business purposes though, so all good.\n\n\nNovember was bittersweet. I\u2019ve parted ways with a long-term client. The decision was not a whim, I sought advice from friends and mentors. I\u2019ve been with them for a good two years and helped out in various capacities: including website copywriting, content creation and management, email and app copywriting, automation and onboarding processes, translation recruitment and management, growth hacking, community management and overall business development.\n\n\nI had to do this because I was feeling stagnant, professionally speaking. It was hard because I also had to let go of financial stability \u2013 now I know why some people get stuck in careers they no longer enjoy. Thankfully my savings will be enough to last me for months and even years to come, so I\u2019m not particularly worried, although I am itching to start something new to not waste this momentum.\n\n\nOn another note, what a relief, owed to savings. I can only afford to let this stable job go because of my current financial security. I sincerely hope all of you get to feel this type of joy, because it\u2019s awesome.\n\n\nLooking forward to deciding on my next career move in the crypto/blockchain space. In the meantime, I still have my other clients to keep happy.\n\n\n\n\nYay of the month:\n\n\n\n\nWent to \nSingapore\n twice. Once for Singapore Fintech Festival (7 days) and another for Blockshow Asia (2 days). I learned so much about the blockchain and crypto world, including in relation to its progress in this part of the world. Also made new friends and gained new mentors.\n\n\nReceiving \nwork inquiries\n. My writing business continues as usual. The day I told people I parted ways with Wirex, I received three potential offers. At time of writing I\u2019ve received five. It\u2019s a very odd feeling, being wanted for collaborations. On the one hand I\u2019m incredibly flattered, on another hand it makes me very aware that it\u2019s not because of just my abilities, per se. It is possible that its simply because of the lack of talent in the blockchain space and there\u2019s barely anyone else to ask. How do I improve this gap in job demand/supply?\n\n\nDoing the\n \nChristmas Giveaway\n \ngives me so much joy! I have gold, bitcoin, ether, Zcoin, Focus Malaysia subscription and Kinokuniya vouchers up for grabs, so make sure to enter it okay. It\u2019s raffles slash lucky draw style, and you can earn more entries by completing certain mini-tasks.\n\n\n\u00a0My \nGrammarly\n subscription ended. That\u2019s the editing software I use to double-check my writing work. Managed to get the annual subscription for 50% off thanks to Cyber Monday. Love it when you get a discount on something you plan on paying for anyway.\n\n\nTreated my family to a \nfamily getaway\n. Booked an apartment in the heart of KL and brought them to the Islamic Arts Museum and Central Market. At night we played a ton of board games. The only person I\u2019ve ever lost Scrabble to is my dad. He\u2019s a sore winner but I let him boast \u2013 it takes me off my pedestal lol.\n\n\nAttended \nWordcamp KL\n. It was the first Wordcamp organised in Kuala Lumpur, and my first foray into the local Wordpress community. Met a friend who\u2019ve I\u2019ve chatted to online for at least a year in person there, finally.\n\n\nRinggit Oh Ringgit\u2019s hosting plan was due to end in mid-December, so I shopped around for better options. I had an optimisation report done last time by \nDavid Wang\n (also the friend I mentioned above) and he suggested switching to SiteGround to improve on \nwebsite speed\n. I did, and oh my goodness this website is so much faster now! Bought three years hosting plan for RM923.45.\n\n\nEarned RM605.47 in \nGoogle Adsense\n in two months. This was the highest payout yet in this timeframe! I believe a lot of it is due to increased traffic \u2013 Ringgit Oh Ringgit recorded 67,000 monthly views in November alone! The improved website speed helped too, I think!\n\n\nBitcoin\n price increased by a lot. Yay.\n\n\nSo I have \nbraces\n right? It\u2019s working. Lately I can scrape the top and bottom teeth, and omg it\u2019s the weirdest feeling ever. My top and bottom teeth have never touched before this. I\u2019m developing this weird habit where I\u2019ll randomly scrape them against each other because the feeling is so foreign.\n\n\n\n\nNay of the month:\n\n\n\n\nHad a \nhaircut\n. The hairdresser tacked on a vague RM20 \u2018consultation fee\u2019 on top of the normal price. I countered, but paid anyway. I liked the haircut and the service but made a mental note to not go there again in protest of this practice.\n\n\nWanted a holiday, decided on Lombok, Indonesia. Then the mountain erupted. Switched plans.\n\n\nReally getting self conscious of my dark \nunder-eye situation\n. A part of me is like, yeah rock it, Elon Musk does so why not me right. Another part of me gets really annoyed when people assume I\u2019m tired all the time. I\u2019ve tried creams, balms, masks, concealers \u2013 nothing works so now I\u2019m considering dermafillers. I have no idea how much they would cost, now in research stage.\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nBooked my holiday to Maldives \ud83d\ude00\n\n\nStocking up on books from the \nBig Bad Wolf Book Fair\n. It\u2019ll run from 8-18th December 2017. Same location \u2013 Mines Exhibition Centre.\n\n\nMaking 10 people who entered the \nChristmas giveaway\n \nvery happy. Reminder that you can get additional entries by visiting daily!\n\n\nWelcoming 2018\n. It\u2019ll be a good year, I know it. Can\u2019t wait to learn new information about money and share it with you guys.\n\n\n\n\nHave an amazing new year. Thanks for supporting me all this while. You guys are awesome.\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click\u00a0\nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nreview\n).\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-november-2018/", "title": "Budget Update: November 2018\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: November 2018\n\n\nSpent under RM6k in November 2018. Top 3 categories were Business (no issues there), Utilities & Rent (ditto) and Dates/Travel (\u2026 I think I need to talk to the partner).\n\n\nAnyway, hey, I want to talk about something else in this section. Martech. Do you know this word? It\u2019s short for \nmar\nketing \ntech\nnology, and companies love it because it helps them rake in more sales. In fact, companies love martech so much that \nChief Marketing Officers are now spending more on martech tools rather than human marketers\n.\n\n\nIn November 2018, I attended a digital marketing bootcamp where I learned about the\u00a0\nmany types of martech tools\n. For example, chatbots which reply to people who type \u2018pm\u2019 in Facebook posts. Platforms connecting companies with influencers. Automated video creation tools. And more \u2013 I\u2019m barely scratching the surface here.\n\n\nMartech is fascinating to me for a few reasons:\n\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s quite fun to go to a company\u2019s website/platform and see what kind of martech tools they are implementing. Last time, they used to prioritise collecting emails. Now, I\u2019ve received promotional updates via Facebook Messenger too! (I hate this btw, so invasive, any company that does this will not get my money)\n\n\nWhich martech tools can *I* use for my own websites? I\u2019m constantly trying out new ones, hoping to find the perfect free+good combinations. Many martech services use subscription-based models, and they can get pretty pricey.\n\n\n\n\nLearn about martech. If you\u2019re a business, it\u2019ll help you make/save money. If you\u2019re a consumer, you\u2019ll be more aware and therefore less susceptible to strategies companies use to part you with your money.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nOverall pretty happy with our new government\u2019s\u00a0\nBudget 2019 plan\n, announced in early November. To read my thoughts on it, and to check how Budget 2019 will personally affect you, see #1 \nin this article\n.\n\n\nSpoke at\u00a0\nWordCamp KL\n and got good feedback \u2013 that always makes me happy \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nGave away an Apple Watch Series 3 to one winner, as part of VISA x AKPK\u2019s \nTreat Your Money Right Campaign.\n\u00a0See the winning entry \nhere\n.\n\n\nGot extremely \nlucky with hotel bookings \nin November 2018. On one occasion, I discovered I have enough Expedia points to cover a night\u2019s stay at a hotel \u2013 saved me RM70+ and at least 4 hours of travel time for that weekend. In another occasion, a homestay provider cancelled on me but Booking.com honoured my booking anyway and replaced it with 4 nights\u2019 stay at a 4-star hotel \nwithout additional charges\n. The cost of ONE night stay at the hotel was more expensive than 4 nights at the homestay!\n\n\nSigned up for \n3 months\u2019 gym membership\n for RM240. Did the calculations \u2013 if the walk-in rate is RM15 per entry, I\u2019ll break even if I go to the gym at least 16 times during the whole period, or 5+ times per month. Doable. Aiming for 2-3 times per week.\n\n\nUsed Yoodo referral money to pay for November 2018\u2019s \nmobile expenses\n, making it essentially free!\u00a0Yoodo is that select-what-you-use telco plan under Celcom, and I like it because you can choose your data/minutes/sms plan and change it anytime depending on your needs. If you want to try Yoodo out, get FREE RM 20 when you sign up using my\u00a0\nreferral link\n\u00a0(I get RM20 too).\n\n\nRead \n3\n\u00a0books\n: \nThe Accidental Renovator\u00a0\nby Barbara Briggs (a funny account of a woman who bought an apartment in Paris on a whim, and the soul-crushing renovation process that follows after),\u00a0\nDo Less, Get More: Guilt-free ways to make time for the things (and people) that matter\n by Shaa Wasmund (this book motivated me to continue on with my \nbook-publishing journey\n!) and\u00a0\nOn Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction\n by William Zinsser (it all boils down to \u2013 write simply and clearly).\n\n\nCoincidentally there was this warehouse sale thing near the place I live at. Snagged 2 x 500ml bottles of Tresemme \nshampoo\n for just RM18. Downgrading from my usual brand, Kerastase, which is good but hella expensive\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nAccording to my records, this 1-liter Kerastase shampoo lasted me 16 months. At RM212 per bottle and an average of one wash every two days, that\u2019s around RM0.88 per hair wash. . I really like this shampoo, but it is kinda pricey for my taste so I\u2019m switching to a cheaper brand. Recently bought Tresemme shampoo after reading good reviews. Let\u2019s see if my hair likes the switch. If not, I\u2019ll probably go back to Kerastase. . Yep, would totally pay extra for nice hair haha. What\u2019s your shampoo? Do you know more or less how much it costs per hair wash? . #kerastase #kerastaseshampoo #haircare #shampoo #malaysianblogger #expensivebutgood #hairroutine #selfcarematters #lookgoodfeelgreat #malaysianhair #valueformoney\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya\n (@surayaror) on \nNov 9, 2018 at 6:29am PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFeatured in \nLifetime Asia\u2019s Woman of the Day\n series <3 I\u2019m super happy and flattered about this!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nThank you @lifetimeasia for featuring me as one of the Woman of the Day \u2764\ufe0f I think you\u2019re too generous with the compliments, but I\u2019ll take it \u263a\ufe0f . @Regran_ed from @lifetimeasia \u2013 Inspiring young women in Malaysia to manage their personal finances have always been @surayaror mission when she started her blog Ringgit Oh Ringgit. Since 2015, she has been chronicling her journey on managing her own finances when she couldn\u2019t find Malaysia-centric information and advice on the topic. Going by the mantra of \u201csave aggressively, live minimally\u201d, she finds that success is when one always strive to improve him/herself instead of staying stagnant. Young people in Malaysia have since started sharing their debt-clearing journeys online, all thanks to Suraya\u2019s efforts. Her advice for young women is to \u201cfree up time for yourselves and use it for self development and money-making activities\u201d. So go attend that networking opportunity, enlist in that enrichment course, travel or open your own side business. #WOTD #LifetimeAsia #Inspiring #Finance #Growth #Success \u2013 #regrann\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya\n (@surayaror) on \nNov 25, 2018 at 8:00pm PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nNot a great month for \nbitcoin and cryptocurrencies\u00a0\n\u2013 the price went down like crazy.\u00a0I feel like the sports fan whose team is suffering a losing streak :/\n\n\nRinggit Oh Ringgit suffered a \ntechnical issue\n and was down for a few hours. Lost some income, and had to pay for technical help.\n\n\nCould not resist a \nLovisa sale\n and bought 2 chokers,\u00a06 hoop earrings and 2 drop earrings for RM60.\u00a0\nTechnically\n I saved over RM100 on the original price, so\u2026\n\n\nMy weight increased \ud83d\ude41 I need to improve my relationship with food and practice mindful eating. I tend to scarf down food without really noticing. Do you have any tips for me?\n\n\nMissed two Poslaju deliveries\n and wasted money. Item 1 is a phone screen. Item 2 is a face wash. I gave up on Item 1, and asked for Item 2 to be shipped to me. The re-delivery cost would be much cheaper than Grab-ing to the collection centre myself! (estimate RM40ish)\n\n\nDid not manage to quit smoking \ud83d\ude41\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nFinishing my book project, a compilation of personal finance stories 10 authors, including myself. My story is a fictional story about how Malaysia looks like if we implement universal basic income. More information coming soon!\n\n\nLaunching a new website project: \na deal-hunting platform\n!\n\n\n\n\nRe: the deal-hunting platform. I am so obsessed with this project right now. It makes me so happy to finally work on the idea that\u2019s been in my head for\u00a0\nyears.\u00a0\nIf you like deals, you will\u00a0\nlove\n this platform. I\u2019m going to make it easy for you to know which deals are good and which aren\u2019t.\n\n\nWho here genuinely enjoys looking for deals? Do you want to help me test it out? If yes, comment below \u2013 I\u2019ll send you the link \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click\u00a0\nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nhow expense tracking works\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-november-2019/", "title": "Budget Update: November 2019\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: November 2019\n\n\nI spent RM5066 in November 2019 \u2013 top 3 expenses were Rent & Utilities, Business and Public Transportation \u2013 all functional expenses. Quite happy with my spending decisions for the month. You can see the deeper breakdown below, in the yay and nay sections.\n\n\nHere I want to take the opportunity to share my thought process for future work decisions. By this point in my career, I have given so many talks that I can give the following presentations from memory:\n\n\n\n\nInvestment options for Malaysians\n\n\nBudgeting tips and implementation\n\n\nHow to charge clients\n\n\nHow to publish a book\n\n\nStarting and growing a website\n\n\nDigital marketing for content creators\n\n\nPersonal branding\n\n\nAnd more\n\n\n\n\nDoing presentations and talks still make me go dub dab dub but what they say is true \u2013 the more you do it, the better you get at it. And feedback so far has been good and very very encouraging.\n\n\nI had few discussions with friends and fellow colleagues and it\u2019s been increasingly clear that I should pivot from providing writing services (my main service offering for the last 4 years) to providing trainings, workshops and consultations in areas related to personal finance and digital marketing.\n\n\nI\u2019ve already been doing the consultations on as-requested basis so it\u2019s not like there\u2019s no demand. As for writing work inquiries, I can always pass those to writers in my networks, who are always looking for jobs. Not an issue.\n\n\nWhat do you think? Is there anything that I\u2019m not considering before I make the switch and edit my \nHire me\n page?\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nDecided to\n translate Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 1 into Malay\n! Lots of people have advised me to tap into the Malay market, and this is the perfect opportunity for it. Plus, I like the idea of contributing to Malay literature. The Malay language is only spoken here in Malaysia. If we don\u2019t produce Malay-language content, who will?\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nNew update! To diversify my income, I\u2019ve decided to get my book Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 1 translated to Malay! . Personal finance content is in demand and it would be stupid of me to not tap the big Malay market right not \ud83d\ude09 . Any of you sell products/services primarily to the Malay market? What\u2019s your advice to make sure sales can jalan? . #MYmoneystories #malaysianauthors #personalfinancemalaysia #malaysiablogger #bloggermalaysia\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nNov 3, 2019 at 8:54pm PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHired a voice and speech consultant (from \nVocapedia\n) because I want to improve my presentation delivery \u2013 an investment into improving my public speaking skillset. It\u2019s not particularly cheap but completely worth it! I find myself being more mindful of my pronunciation, pacing and I even have fun using the speak-from-diaphragm tip to sing along to songs??? (I never sing!!)\n\n\nGot interviewed in \nMyPF\u2019s PodCat series\n! Embedding it below, do watch it \ud83d\ude42 Protip: Watch at 1.5x speed\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nBought myself flight tickets to attend \nWordCamp Asia\n in Bangkok next year! Caught it at a good price, too, I\u2019m happy \ud83d\ude42 Now to sort out the accommodations\u2026 Should I go cheap and hostel it or splurge on a nice hotel room hmmm..\n\n\nMade good investing decisions. I transferred R\nM3k into my PRS fund\n for the tax relief.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDid my annual RM3k top up to PRS fund via fundsupermart. The fund is doing meh. Increased 10% since 2014, effectively 2% per year ROI. Fund management fee 1.5% annually. So in effect it makes very very little profit\n\n\nOh well, at least get to claim tax relief for income tax\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nNovember 7, 2019\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThank you everyone who started investing in roboadvisory platform \nWahed Invest\n with my referral code. A few hundred is quite the number \u2013 thank you for your trust in me and my recommendations.\n\n\nTruthfully I\u2019m nervous \u2013 what if this company turns out to be bad and take all our money? You will blame me, and I don\u2019t blame you. Just want to say that I have done due diligence to the best of my ability and I have skin in the game \u2013 I have RM11k of my own money in Wahed Invest. So if anything happens, it\u2019s my loss too.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nI opened an account with Wahed Invest, the SYARIAH-COMPLIANT roboadvisory platform just approved by Securities Commission! Here\u2019s a step by step \ud83d\ude0a\ud83d\ude4c You need: \ud83d\udd39 Initial fund (RM100 can already) \ud83d\udd39ID card/passport \ud83d\udd39 proof of address doc (MYKad, driving license, utilities bill, etc) \ud83d\udd39my referral code \u2018surbin1\u2032 to get free $10/RM40 \ud83d\ude00 \ud83d\udd39 your phone \ud83d\udd39 1-2 working days for verification and funds transfer to complete Step 1: download Wahed Invest into your phone Step 2: Create an account, complete the 8 questions and let the platform suggest you which portfolio to take. They will also show how they divide up your portfolio which is cool Step 3: after you select which portfolio you want, complete the rest of the registration and verification process. Don\u2019t forget to insert my referral code \ud83d\udc49\u2019surbin1\u2019 for $10/RM40 bonus! Step 4: Fund your account. Can do bank transfer from within the app also. It\u2019ll take a couple of days (if you stopped at step 3, make sure to complete step 4 ie fund your account within a month! If not no bonus already) Thats it really. Done. At 0.79% fund management fee, Wahed Invest is effectively the lowest-fee roboadvisory platform in Malaysia, at least for investments up to RM50k (and its the only halal one so no choice for us Muslims anyway lol) I\u2019m so excited \ud83d\ude06 how long already I wanted to try roboadvisory platform \ud83d\ude06\ud83d\ude06 #wahedinvest #halalinvestment #roboadvisory #pelaburan #etfmalaysia #syariahcompliantfinance #investmentmalaysia\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nNov 5, 2019 at 11:06pm PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAttended kursus pengurusan\n \njenazah wanita \norganised by the local surau. When I shared this, lots of you mentioned how you didn\u2019t know something like this is even offered, and now that you know of it, you\u2019d also like to attend the same course. Hope you find one near your area.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nMom asked us to attend kursus pengurusan jenazah at our neighbourhood surau, how could I say no? . It was very comprehensive. And they only charged RM15 per person, including breakfast and lunch! . Always admire organisations that only charge minimally so the price is not a deterrent to learning beneficial information. May God bless you with rezeki always . #kursusjenazah #shahalam\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nNov 9, 2019 at 8:21pm PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDropped some peria seeds into mixture of soil+leftover ground coffee mix and holy shit, they actually grew???\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nSaved some seeds from bittergourd / peria. Online guide said need to dry them under sunlight, then only its ready for planting . All (yes, all) the plants I cared for so far died, so I\u2019m not optimistic about this one. Still, never try never know I guess :/ . Home gardeners, especially with balcony space only, any tips for me? I\u2019m just planning to drop the seeds in soil + leftover ground coffee mix. What worked for you? . #peria #bittergourd #homegardening #balconygardening #zerowastemalaysia\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nNov 11, 2019 at 7:44pm PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nThese were seeds a week ago, saved from peria I cooked for lunch! \ud83e\udd2f the seedlings grow so fast! . I feel so\u2026 What\u2019s the word? Encouraged. Now I\u2019m googling what other plants are suitable to grow in soil+leftover ground coffee mix. Cost out of pocket is literally zero . #balconygardening #amateurgardener #peria #zerowastemalaysia #tanamsayur\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nNov 22, 2019 at 7:56pm PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAt RM782.91, my \npublic transportation expenses\n for November 2019 was MUCH higher than usual. But. It could\u2019ve been WAY higher, if I didn\u2019t use SOCAR. Loved the service so much I wrote a review \u2013 read it here:\u00a0\nSOCAR Review: 7 Tips to Get Cheap Car Rental in KL, Penang and Johor\n\n\nRead two books\n: \nTengku Noor Zakiah: Malaysia\u2019s Pioneering Stockbroker\n (co-founder of Kenanga Investment Bank \u2013 easy-to-read memoir. Get it in the \nXMas Giveaway\n); and \nThinking, Fast & Slow by Daniel Kahneman\n (GREAT book. Amazing insight into the human psyche \u2013 I highly, highly recommend it. Not the easiest book to go through though. See a snippet of what\u2019s in the book below)\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThis book pretty much said that successful fund managers even in the biggest firms are mostly lucky, not skilled\n\n\nConsider that the next time you come across mutual fund/unit trust companies bragging about their awards \npic.twitter.com/i5MBwIeA7j\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nOctober 30, 2019\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nHad \nbad online shopping experience\n. I bought a bunch of things during the 11.11 sales \u2013 needs not wants! \u2013 and one of them was cancelled (sorry hoh out of stock) and another arrived broken (it was a face serum so you can imagine the mess!). Thankfully both were refunded without problems, but I had to make alternative plans and reorder. Wasted my time haih.\n\n\nHad to return some money \u2013 to the tune of RM2500 \u2013 to a client as they decided not to proceed with a sponsored post. It\u2019s not a huge amount in the overall scheme of things but still lost income opportunity. From what little I know, it seems like a startup running out of runway money problem.\n\n\nReally struggled with binge-eating habit \u2013 sugar is an even more powerful drug than nicotine!! And promos didn\u2019t help \u2013 I ordered more Grabfood than usual *because* of the 50% off code.\n\n\nBought some games from \nSteam Black Friday sales\n. Welp, there goes my productivity for the next month. (I discovered you can use a game controller to play PC games! It excited me so much that I impulse-purchased a Sony Dualshock 4 controller from Lazada. Then buyers remorse set in so I cancelled the order a few hours later).\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nContinue working on Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 2\n\n\nRunning \nRinggit Oh Ringgit XMAS GIVEAWAY 2019\n!!! So exciting, I love me a good win-win-win situation.\n\n\nGoing to Bali for a holi-yay!\n\n\nFreaking 2020 (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)\n\n\n\n\nIn December 2019, I want to try my best to hit my personal goal of hitting six-figure income. My current income for 2019 so far is not super-near that figure but hey, last push. Let\u2019s see what happens.\n\n\nWhat\u2019s the one goal you want to hit in December 2019, before January 2020 rolls along? Share with me \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nhow expense tracking works\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-november-2020/", "title": "Budget Update: November 2020 \u2013 I Got Married :)\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: November 2020\n\n\nIn November 2020, I spent RM14,369.99. The top 3 categories and top expenses within the categories were:\n\n\n\n\nBusiness \u2013 Reprinted Money Stories from Malaysians Vol 2 (stock ran out!), Payment for CFP Module 1 out of 4\n\n\nDonations & Gift \u2013 Present for mom, various tips and donations\n\n\nMisc Wants \u2013 Teeth whitening session, skincare products, books\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in November 2020\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I spent on in the whole month of November 2020, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Got married \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nAmong the first few topics of conversations I had with my partner and his side of the family + friends is my tweet going viral on Twitter LOL. Last I checked, \nthis tweet\n recorded 1.06 million impressions (!!!).\n\n\nThank you for all the well-wishes. I\u2019m blissfully happy.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Appeared on Minggu Saham Digital\n\n\nDefinitely one of my 2020 highlights, thanks everyone who tuned in and shared with me your kind feedback, that\u2019s very sweet of you!\n\n\nYou can watch the full video here\n.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Taking CFP course\n\n\nDecided to do something about my Impostor Syndrome \u2013 enrolled myself in CFP course, so I can be a CFP holder. You can read Part one here:\u00a0\nMy CFP Journey, Part 1: Why, Where and How Much to Be A Certified Financial Planner in Malaysia\n\n\n#4 \u2013 11.11 Sale\n\n\nI went on a budgeted-for, guilt-free shopping spree on 11.11 and bought skincare, books, groceries and even one pair of gold hoops!\n\n\nThe price-checker extension REALLY helped. I decided not to buy a few items because it was on \u2018fake sale\u2019.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Bitcoin reached All-Time High!\n\n\nI *don\u2019t* encourage speculation-as-as-an-investment-strategy, even though ngl I\u2019m glad I did.\n\n\nHere\u2019s a super-defensive post detailing why I choose to keep a large percentage of my net worth in crypto: \nBreakdown of My (SUPER HIGH RISK) Investment Portfolio\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Bought a Critical Illness plan\n\n\nFinally I have all three: Medical Card, Personal Accident, and Critical Illness.\n\n\nMy monthly commitment for insurance now is RM338.26, combined. Have to be okay with this adult purchase :\u2019)\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\n9 Things You MUST Know Before You Buy Insurance in Malaysia\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Received RM150 Lazada voucher\n\n\nI won a lucky draw from InvestSmart event and got RM150 in Lazada voucher! Used that to buy some grocery items and a bokashi bin\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#8 \u2013 Misc\n\n\n\n\nRead \none book\n: \nData, A Love Story: How I Cracked The Online Dating Code to Meet My Match\u00a0\nby Amy Webb. \nThis is such an awesome book! I find it inspiring how she studied algorithms of \nonline dating\n sites, applied best practices so it gives her profile an advantage and eventually found her partner by working with the algorithm instead of against it.\u00a0\n\n\nAs well as one comic: Covidballz by Bro, Don\u2019t Like That La Bro. The series is one of the best things about the pandemic, it gave me so much joy and chuckles. Happy to support by purchasing.\n\n\nTreated myself to a house-cleaning session for the first time.\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 High groceries bill\n\n\nAs predicted, last month\u2019s super-low groceries bill achieved through eat-out-the-pantry challenge resulted in major restocking and high groceries bill for November 2020, totalling RM910.33.\n\n\nI wonder how much my expenses will change, now that I\u2019m buying for 2 people.\n\n\nNote to self: re-read\u00a0\n5 Things I Did To Reduce My Damn High Groceries Bill\n article\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Kind of regretted doing teeth whitening?\n\n\nDon\u2019t get me wrong, the results were all right. It\u2019s just.. this is just a vanity thing. As a daily coffee drinker, the results won\u2019t last that long, 6 months to 1 year max. I don\u2019t know if that is worth RM849 (which is on the lower side as far as professional teeth whitening sessions go, but still).\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nMarried life <3\n\n\nThe usual December rush to self-contribute to EPF and PRS, and pay zakat \u2013 I want the tax relief and exemption!\n\n\nStarting Money Stories from Malaysians Vol 3 process!\n\n\n\n\nWhat\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section!\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nfind out your budgeting style\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-november-2021/", "title": "Budget Update: November 2021 \u2013 1 Year Wedding Anniversary\n  ", "body": "\n\nWelcome 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!    \n\n\nSo how was your November? Was it good, bad or meh?\n\n\nNovember for me was\u2026 full. It went by in a flash. I worked, studied, and enjoyed life. Nothing to complain about, truly. \n\n\nA lot of good things happened, but one of the things I\u2019m most grateful for is marking 1 year anniversary with the wonderful person that is my spouse. Going through the pandemic lows with daily hugs and assurances, sharing meals and household responsibilities \u2013 all these things are exactly what I was looking for in a partner and I got it. \n\n\nAnd now when I read about how they say your spouse selection is one of the most important financial decisions you\u2019ll ever make\u2026 I get it. I truly get it. The people who say it\u2019s better to marry late (or not at all) than marry wrong are absolutely right. \n\n\n(If you\u2019re on the fence about the person, remember \u2013 if it\u2019s not a yes, it\u2019s a no. \nThank you feminism and the women\u2019s movement for giving me the ability to choose my own spouse\n)\n\n\nLet\u2019s get on to the budget part. \n\n\nBudget Update: November 2021\n\n\nIn November 2021, I spent RM10,724.55. The top 3 top expenses were:\n\n\nDonations & Gifts\n (RM5,071.70)\n \u2013 Dad\u2019s dusun project, Parents\u2019 electric bill, Family dinner, AFS lifetime membership\nUtilities & Rent (RM1,276.90) \n\u2013 Gotta keep a roof over our heads\nGroceries (RM1,034.88) \n\u2013 Gotta eat\n\n\n\n\nCumulatively, the top 3 expenses make up 70% of my total November 2021 expenses. \n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in November 2021\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I spent on in the whole month of November 2021, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Reached my income goal for the year\n\n\nReached the income goal I wanted to hit. I can take December off, yay \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n#2 \u2013  Did my medical check\n\n\nThanks to twitter, I realised the importance of getting a medical check-up AND found deals. My results were good. Some lifestyle adjustments needed but alhamdulillah no major issues \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nPersonal thank you to everyone who helped to answer this Q (click to read replies). \n\n\n\n\nDoes anyone know of any good deals or promo for medical check up? \nWould still pay without discount but hey never ask never know \nhttps://t.co/lIe53Ight8\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com \ud83c\udff4 (@surayaror) \nOctober 13, 2021\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Successfully cut my own hair\n\n\nI cut my hair! Just the bangs/fringe part but it counts! I always get excited when I learn new skills that can save me money \ud83d\ude00\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Gave 4 talks\n\n\nI did:\n\n\nJenis Pelaburan Patuh Shariah with MyAgeing\u2122\ufe0f Financial Literacy and Educational Hub (MyFiLE), UPM\nMaking and Managing Money: Solopreneur vs Enterpreneur with Dr Nur Aisyah, founder of IMAN Media Group\nPeluang Pendapatan Pasif dalam Salam & Kripto with Hi WEALTH\nMake your Money & Passion Work for You with SunLife Malaysia\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Got another RM500 from GKP\n\n\nTotal received so far under GKP (\nGeran Khas Prihatin\n): RM6,500\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Had a fun (and budgeted for) 11.11 shopping spree\n\n\nShopping sprees are better when it\u2019s budgeted for \ud83d\ude42 No guilt just whee\n\n\n\n\nSo what did you buy this 11.11 and was it a responsible purchase?\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com \ud83c\udff4 (@surayaror) \nNovember 11, 2021\n\n\n\n\nI bought: \n\n\nCovid test kits (responsible)\nGroceries (responsible) \nKimchi kit (consider groceries so responsible)\nSnacks (not responsible but will reduce my grab delivery hopefully) \nClothes from uniqlo (on sale and I need it so can consider responsible)\nA pair of jeans bought on impulse (Not responsible.. Dammit the countdown timer got me. But still within allocated fun budget) \nIkea rug (purchase for new house, responsible) \nPaint by number kit (my allocated fun budget)\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Misc\n\n\nRead 3 books:\n\n\nHow to NFT by CoinGecko\nMONEY SMART: Achieve Your Financial Goals Faster With Less! by KCLau\u00a0\nThe Almanack of Naval Ravikant\n: A Guide to Wealth and Happiness by Eric Jorgenson\n\n\nNoteworthy shows:\n\n\nThe Eternals at GSC (4DX screen)\nSelling Sunset Season 4 on Netflix\nThe Mind, Explained on Netflix\n\n\nBought for myself (in addition to the 11.11 haul):\n\n\n1 x book\n1 x computer game\n\n\nThe book one I got with discount. Pretty happy about it!\n\n\n\n\nThe book I'm looking for is RM66 new (paperback) but RM50 on Carousell (hardcover). Then got delivery discount code and redeemed grab points. Final payment RM38.55. Awesome morning \ud83e\udd73\ud83e\udd73\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com \ud83c\udff4 (@surayaror) \nNovember 30, 2021\n\n\n\n\nI also managed to borrow a couple things I needed from family members, so that\u2019s as good as a few hundred ringgit saved \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nSold:\n\n\nA pair of shoes\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Unstable internet\n\n\nI don\u2019t know if it was just me, but my internet was quite choppy last month. Even my backup pocket WiFi was not working as good as it should. \n\n\nIt hit me at horrible timing, too. It got cut off during a webinar I was delivering. And during another webinar the following day as well. Honestly frustrated. \n\n\n\n\nWork today sucks. my internet got cut off mid-webinar. After that kelam kabut cari starbucks to so I could attend another meeting. Melayang RM15 for a drink I don't even want just so I could get WiFi code\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com \ud83c\udff4 (@surayaror) \nNovember 25, 2021\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Busy weekends\n\n\nI was working/studying almost every weekend in November. It\u2019s good for personal development and income but also very exhausting. Can\u2019t wait to get the life part in work-life balance back, in second part of December. \n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\nCompleting CFP Module 4 exam\nPlanning our travels at the end of the year (please no border shutdown please)\nReceiving keys to our new place (it\u2019s taking a while but eh. It\u2019s ready when it\u2019s ready)\n\n\nWell, that was my November 2021. How was yours? What\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nfind out your budgeting style\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-november-2022/", "title": "Budget Update: November 2022 \u2013 Election Fever\n  ", "body": "\n\nWelcome 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. \n\n\nSo how was your November? Was it good, bad or meh?\n\n\nI thought October was dramatic, but November 2022 was on a whole new level. Such an emotional rollercoaster. The ending was unexpected. I don\u2019t like the compromises but hey, better than the other alternative.\n\n\nI am personally ecstatic that a former student activist AND someone from relatable financial background became an elected MP. Did you know his declared assets is only RM28.5k, INCLUDING RM13.6k in EPF and RM13k for his car? Good for Adam Adli, seriously. \n\n\n\n\nAdam Adli punya Aset: RM28.5k. Dari situ, tunai RM1.8k, RM13.6k KWSP, RM13k kereta Kelisa, RM111 ASB. Gaji RM3k, perbelanjaan bulanan RM2440\nAnother candidate yang relatable for many Malaysians \nhttps://t.co/wdRa49oyA0\n \npic.twitter.com/Sz3nAnSZhy\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nNovember 7, 2022\n\n\n\n\nHowever, the best part of the whole thing to me was the fact that Twitter didn\u2019t die (understandable worry due to all the Elon Musk hoohaa) and let me just say, netizens definitely went nuts in the shitposts department. \n\n\n\n\nIf twitter dies pls make it after GE15 results cos I wanna see your shitposts one last time\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nNovember 18, 2022\n\n\n\n\nI enjoyed the shitposts so much, I compiled the best shitposts for my own amusement, and now yours. Please enjoy:\n\n\n\n\nList of best shitposts during \n#GE15\n \n1) Wong An Wah \n(pls add whatever I missed) \nhttps://t.co/o3M29oJMTF\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nNovember 24, 2022\n\n\n\n\nClick on the thread and laugh your ass off. Do that then let\u2019s get on to the budget part. \n\n\nBudget Update: November 2022\n\n\nIn November 2022, I spent RM8,538.49. The top 3 top expenses were:\n\n\n\n\nBusiness (RM1,677.69) \n\u2013 Subscription renewals Cyber Monday, Niche site project\n\n\nHome Reno + Deco (RM1,662.63) \n\u2013 \nMonthly EPP for renovation\n\n\nUtilities & Mortgage (RM1,284)\n \u2013 Half of mortgage\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCumulatively, the top 3 expenses make up 56% of my total November 2022 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)\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in November 2022\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I spent on in the whole month of November 2022, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:\n\n\n\n\nSpending notes:\n\n\n\n\nPaid off 1 of 3 credit card EPPs (easy payment plans)! Now my monthly EPPs will just be RM649.50 instead of RM1662.63 \u2013 freed up RM1k per month!!\n\n\nKinda spent too much on social activities, must reduce that for the following month. Next time choose less hipster places Suraya\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Bergaji & Pokai Book was on Bestsellers List!\n\n\nThe good folks at Iman Publication team told me that my book Bergaji & Pokai sold well. In November it even made the MPH weekly bestsellers list!!\n\n\n\n\nWait a sec\u2026 \nBergaji & Pokai is on MPH bestsellers list??? \nTHANK YOU KORANG \ud83d\ude2d\ud83d\ude2d\ud83d\ude2d this means so much to me thank you thank you!!! \u2764\ufe0f\u2764\ufe0f \npic.twitter.com/JKI0XHW6wH\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nDecember 3, 2022\n\n\n\n\nTo say I am happy is an understatement. I am ECSTATIC!\n\n\nIf you haven\u2019t gotten a copy and want one, you can buy Bergaji & Pokai book online at \nlinktr.ee/surayaror\n or at bookstores nationwide \ud83d\ude42 Get one before December and you can use the receipt to claim tax relief too :)) \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Went to Hatyai for weekend trip\n\n\nWe had the BEST time eating amazing food there. Totally worth it, highly recommended weekend trip!\n\n\nYou can read the budget breakdown in the \n2D2N Kuala Lumpur to Hatyai Trip via ETS Train \u2013 Cost Breakdown & Tips!\n article \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Hit my income goal for the year\n\n\nI hit my income goal for the year and am close to hitting many other goals in my 2022 for 2022 list! Yayyyy\n\n\nThe list in question: \nMy 22 for 2022 List: Money, Work, Learning, Health, Relationship and Misc Projects Goals\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Starting a new project with husband!\n\n\nBought hosting plan and domain for a new niche site project with husband! Spent around RM225 or so for this, very affordable. \n\n\n\n\nConvinced the husband to start a niche site project together \ud83e\udd73\ud83e\udd73 best case scenario it makes us at least $1000 a month a year from now, if not he learns website creation process and turns it into his portfolio \ud83d\ude42 Either way is good, I'm excited!\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nNovember 29, 2022\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Appeared on.. \n\n\n#1 \u2013  Lepak Talk organised by GigVentures\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013  Get Ready: Recession 2023 organised by Iman Publication\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Nak Buat Apa Lepas Dapat Gaji organised by Iman Publication\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by IMAN Publication\u00ae (@imanpublication)\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Misc\n\n\nRead:\n\n\n\n\n[Reread] The Tightwad Gazette: promoting Thrift as a Viable Alternative Lifestyle by Amy Dacyczyn\n\n\n\n\nBought for myself:\n\n\n\n\n2 Steam games\n\n\nAnother IKEA shelf because we need the storage space\n\n\nSome skincare products\n\n\nIce cream mold from Mr DIY\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Paid RM100 for stupidity \n\n\nLike seriously it was such a ridiculous unexpected expense and I\u2019m so pissed at myself for it. \n\n\n\n\nYuran kebodohan pagi ni \u2013 tutup pintu tak check, dah terlocked pastu spare key dalam bilik tu. Dah kena bayar RM100 utk locksmith bukakan \ud83d\ude2e\u200d\ud83d\udca8\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nNovember 18, 2022\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Problems with my Maybank Amex card\n\n\nSo my Amex card stopped working. I have no idea why, been using this card for around 10 years. \n\n\n\n\nMaybank Amex card not working\nCalled hotline a few times over a few days, high call volume memanjang, please call back later, send us email \nSent email, no reply\nWhat am I supposed to do \ud83d\ude42 go to branch is it\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nDecember 3, 2022\n\n\n\n\nAfter about 25 calls attempts or so, at around midnight, finally someone from customer service picked up my call. They say they\u2019re going to do something about it, hopefully everything will be ok in a few days from now. \n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nMy trip to Vietnam!\n\n\nNew Years \n\n\nSelangor International Book Fair (come by on 9 Dec!)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nWell, that was my November 2022. How was yours? What\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nfind out your budgeting style\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-october-2015/", "title": "Budget Update: October 2015\n  ", "body": "\n\n\n\nOctober was Buzzfeed videos and unhealthy binge-eating. I forgot how much I rely on work as distraction against destructive behaviour. Without formal 9-5 employment to structure my days, I fell into an endless loop of \u2018I need to catch up with so-and-so series\u2019, and like a zombie, I started watching clip after clip after clip.\n\n\nIn a very self-actualising moment, I realised that \nmy savings is actually preventing me from being productive\n. I *want* to accomplish this and that, but somehow, the motivation is not there because it\u2019s not a sink-or-swim situation yet. In the current situation, I can last for at least a year without panicking about food, rent, you know, \nnecessities\n.\u00a0 At the same time, I am comforted with the fact that my money is growing due to investment choices made years ago.\n\n\nYou know what this feels like? \nRetirement\n. I wake up when I like and do what I like. This is good, but bad too, because I\u2019m super procastinating on Kotak Koffee and this blog. On the other hand, I admit that there is that fear \u2013 is my money going to last? How long?\n I imagine most retirees feel like this all the time\n. Since being old and broke is pretty much my biggest fear, at some point, I have to force myself to be as productive as possible to maximise my earning potential. If you have solid advice on how to be super productive, I would appreciate the tips.\n\n\nI\u2019m also thinking, if procastination and non-motivation comes easily to me, is that my default setting? Or is it just a \u2018funk\u2019, a temporary phase? Did I really quit my job to pursue own business to discover that I needed to be in an organisation in order to be motivated to work? That would suck, because that would mean that I draw motivation from external validation (to not fail others\u2019 expectations) rather than own motivation. Oh well, still figuring this out as I go along. \nYay of the month:\n\n\n\n\nI spent a lot, but most of it is necessity spending \u2013 due to moving and all that. I traveled from KL to Ipoh multiple times, got some furniture, hired a cleaner to clean my old place, and hired a plumber/technician to fix up what needed to be fixed. I\u2019m glad and surprised that I didn\u2019t break the RM3k limit.\n\n\n\n\nNay of the month:\n\n\n\n\nSpent way, way too much on food. I know I gained weight.\n\n\n\n\nThings to look forward to:\n\n\n\n\nHaving a long, hard conversation with myself to decide what is it that I want to do.\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-october-2016/", "title": "Budget Update: October 2016\n  ", "body": "\n\nOctober Budget Update Summary\n\n\n\n\nIn October 2016, I earned about RM6.5k but spent\u00a0RM10k. Well, gave away, more like. My family needed help with money and as above,\u00a064%\u00a0of my October expenses went towards them. My bank account is bare now.\n\n\n\u2018Mak/Abah, takpe, ini Aya bayar\u2019 is such an emotional sentence. I experience positive emotions (pride, joy, fulfillment) but at the same time, can\u2019t dismiss the negative emotions as well. There is a slight bitterness even if I did manage to overcome the stinginess. But I\u2019m glad to end up with no regrets whatsoever. Amin.\n\n\nOctober was hectic, because I\u2019ve decided to move back to Klang Valley. November will be my last month in Ipoh. Moving is stressful and chaotic, but I enjoy the new experiences that the new place can offer. In the last 10 years, I\u2019ve lived at at least 6 locations \u2013 most within Klang Valley itself.\n\n\nOh gosh, my budget will balloon after this move. Klang Valley is expensive to live in. What have I done.\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nOne of my articles, about \ndiscrimination of Malay graduates\n (originally published \nhere\n) were picked up by a couple of online media (\nVulcanPost\n, \nWorld of Buzz\n) and created a mini, and sometimes heated discussion about discrimination. It was interesting to read through them, and the messages and pledges I received about making the situation better (without pointing fingers) gives me hope for a better Malaysia.\n\n\nAside from Donations, my other expenses were \nrelatively low\n. Thank goodness, because I need money for this moving process.\n\n\nI think I have the best \nvirtual assistant\n ever. She\u2019s so helpful. Thank you Jocelyn <3\n\n\nI\u2019m going to be an\n aunt\n \ud83d\ude42 \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nI saw \nDr Strange\n at the movies. It was late night showing and I was sleepy and grumpy but it was so good omfg. Why is it so good. Why do I like this movie so much. Dammit Marvel, you beautiful corporate angel, you.\n\n\nSaw a really good ballet performance by the \nRoyal Durian Academy\n (no link because the FB page is broken?). It made me laugh out loud, which was not what I expected out of \nballet\n. They have ballet classes for non-dancers.\n\n\nFixed my first \nflat tire\n. Knowing\u00a0how to fix flat tires makes me feel more empowered. Awesome.\n\n\nBitcoin\n\u00a0price went up again yay.\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nMi Tarik Warisan Asli opened a branch in Ipoh. I\u2019ve visited and broke my diet twice. It\u2019s so delicious omg.\n\n\nWasted like RM80 in cigarettes. Quitting again.\n\n\nThe moving process required me to view some places in KL. So my travel expenses for the month were pretty high.\n\n\nI had to turn down a few writing jobs because I got too busy. I hate saying no to clients \ud83d\ude41\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nI have quite a few big writing projects lined up, which will secure my finances for the rest of the year (if it goes through, touch wood).\n\n\nI\u2019ve decided to pick a semi-furnished place. It does not come with furniture or important electrical appliances. Browsing for furniture and making checklists for things I need to make this place livable has been fun and a new experience.\n\n\nNeed to live way below my means for some time, to replenish my bank account. And of course, work like crazy to get the amount back up.\n\n\nOh, while you\u2019re still here. I\u2019m selling the below (email me at kotakkoffee@gmail.com if interested; first pay first serve!):\n\n\n\n\nMoto G original casing (white) + earphones + box \u2013 RM35 inc delivery\n\n\n\n\nAntVR Virtual Reality headset for Lenovo (K4 Vibe) \u2013 RM50 inc delivery\n\n\n\n\nThe Other Boleyn book x 2. Both for RM35 inc delivery.\n\n\n(Received 2 books from seller and told to keep it. I read one, but the other is practically new. Gift it or whatever and keep one for yourself. Christmas is coming)\n\n\n\n\nVarious small cloth casings. RM40 inc delivery.\n\n\nHere are a bunch of things you can give as Secret Santa presents this year.\n\n\n\n\nHere\u2019s to a hectic November.\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-october-2017/", "title": "Budget Update: October 2017\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: October 2017\n\n\n\n\nExpenses-wise, I thought RM6.2k was a bit steep, even if business expenses (RM1.5k~) were factored in. Sometimes I wonder how the hell did I survive with \nRM3500 salary\n\u00a0last time.\n\n\nRight now I pay particular attention to \u2018lifestyle upgrades\u2019-type personal finance posts. A lot of people warn about new expenses that creep up without you noticing. This is exactly what\u2019s happening to me \u2013 I keep justifying lifestyle upgrades even though I was equally happy before. Within the last few years, I have upgraded:\n\n\n\n\nMy apartment \u2013 from sharing with up to 3 housemates to no housemates\n\n\nMy laptop \u2013 splurged on Surface Pro 4 plus the warranties\n\n\nMy mobile phone plan \u2013 switched from Umobile to Maxis for the internet speed\n\n\nMy food \u2013 I stick to some (more expensive) products and willing to pay a bit extra for convenience\n\n\nMy entertainment \u2013 Spotify Premium\n\n\nMy social activities \u2013 I don\u2019t mind paying extra to eat nice food with good company (last time, I would politely decline these invitations)\n\n\n\n\nThe lifestyle upgrade posts said that it\u2019s hard to lower expenses if you\u2019re used to spending that amount, and oh my goodness that is \nso true\n. I can\u2019t really cut down much from my top three expenses \u2013 Business, Utilities & Rent and Misc Need \u2013 they\u2019re all important.\n\n\nHowever, as an effort to\u00a0reduce my spending, I decided to not continue gym membership (RM127.20 per month) for next month onward. I\u2019m also going to try cut down my public transport expenses and take more trains instead of Uber/Grab.\n\n\nAt the same time, I\u2019m also contemplating to go back to Umobile\u2019s affordable plan and get a WiFi dongle instead for my data needs. I don\u2019t know about this though. Part of me wants to keep it simple and refuse responsibility for yet another gadget when my phone works fine as a hotspot. Still thinking about it.\n\n\nWhat expenses do you find hard to cut? Why is it hard?\n\n\n\n\nYay of the month:\n\n\n\n\nHad an insanely fun time doing the \nBajet 2018 Lepak Session\n livestream on Facebook with \nAaron from Mr Stingy\n and \nJulian from The Very Long Run\n! Last I checked, the video racked up 1.7k views \u2013 way more than expected. Thanks everyone who joined and gave comments, glad you enjoyed it! We got requests to do livestreams again, too \ud83d\ude42 You can see the video \nhere\n.\n\n\nMy date took me to \nAuntie Aini\n\u2018\ns for some Negeri Sembilan cuisine. It was seriously delicious, highly recommend a makan trip there just for their asam pedas. I first found out about her from the \nGordon Ramsay Meets His Match in Malaysia\n video, and still laugh my ass off at the \u2018clitoria bush\u2019 part.\n\n\nI\u2019m a member of the \nMalaysian Writers Society\n and this year was invited to conduct a session during the MyWriterFest 2017! My topic was \u2018Step by Step: Earning a Living Through Freelance Writing\u2019. Received positive feedback afterwards, super happy about that. Slowly, I\u2019m improving my public presentation skills. It\u2019s not something that comes naturally but I\u2019m glad all those preparation hours paid off.\n\n\nHoly crap on fire Ringgit Oh Ringgit recorded the \nhighest amount of traffic\n yet! Thanks to you guys, I broke my daily views record\u00a0\nthree freaking times\n in October 2017! Damn son.\n\n\nEnjoying my \nSpotify Premium\n account, after months deliberating on this splurge. Read up\u00a0\n3 Ways to Get Cheaper Spotify Premium\n in Malaysia\u00a0article for tips.\n\n\nRead two books: \nDo Androids Dream of Electric Sheep\n by Philip K. Dick and \nMistakes I Made at Work: 25 Influential Women Reflect on What They Got Out of Getting It Wrong\n edited by Jessica Bacal. The former is the book which inspired the original Bladerunner movie, while the latter compiled how various women grew from their mistakes. Both were enjoyable reads.\n\n\nKeep seeing posts about micellar water and decided to get it as a makeup remover. Awesome stuff. Apparently I haven\u2019t been cleaning my face properly for years. Hoping for clearer skin, but let\u2019s see.\n\n\n\n\nNay of the month:\n\n\n\n\nMy gym membership and personal training sessions finally ended. Other people join gym, lose weight. I join gym, gained weight wtf. On the plus side my weightlifting form is so much better now.\n\n\nWanted a houseplant for ages. Got one from a friend, was happy\u2026 for like 10 minutes. After bringing it in the house, I found out that my cats apparently have been craving salad wtf. They keep biting the leaves so now I have no choice but to leave it outside the house. Poor Phil \ud83d\ude41 \nHow do you keep your cats away from your plants??\n\n\nWent through more hassle than I care for to get my passport renewal done. ProTip: don\u2019t go on Fridays between 11am-2.45pm (closed; Friday prayers) and try to go early even on weekdays. I don\u2019t know if its peak passport renewal season or what, but I visited three Immigration offices and all of them were packed by 11am.\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nAttend Singapore Fintech Festival and various blockchain events in Singapore.\n\n\nConduct interviews with interesting people as part of my report-writing work.\n\n\nOrganically grow my writing business while helping other freelance writers earn money (that\u2019s the plan).\n\n\nAttend\u00a0\nWordcamp KL\n \u2013 a community-organised event about everything Wordpress. I hope to find out how to optimise this website further.\n\n\nI heard BNM is going into insurtech and coming up with some affordable insurance products, pretty exciting stuff. I\u2019d love to review my current insurance and get the same products for cheaper if possible.\n\n\n\n\nWishing you an awesome November, lots to be grateful about now that Budget 2018 is sorted out.\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click\u00a0\nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nreview\n).\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-october-2018/", "title": "Budget Update: October 2018\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: October 2018\n\n\nI spent RM21,407 in October 2018. It sounds like a lot (it is), but almost three-quarters of that was a gift to my parents. I\u2019m sponsoring their umrah trip.\n\n\nWhen I was growing up, I heard how my parents \u2013 then newlyweds and financially struggling \u2013 saved a portion of their salaries every month. They told me the bottom of their car had a hole in it, and they didn\u2019t even buy a bed until much later and simply slept on a thin mattress on the floor. They saved aggressively so my dad could afford to send his mom, my late grandmother, to hajj.\n\n\nMy parents have already completed the hajj, but they constantly talk about going back to Mecca so sponsoring their trip has always been in my bucket list. In October 2018, I transferred over RM15,580 so both of them could go for their umrah next year, in January 2019, under Tabung Haji. My mom was so touched, she cried. I feel happy knowing that my money can give them this kind of happiness.\n\n\nWhat do you save up for your parents? Is there something you know for sure they\u2019ll appreciate?\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nExcluding the umrah package gift to my parents, I spent RM5827 in October 2018. That includes RM1251 I spent for professional book coaching and editing, RM1200 for rent, RM190 to renew my business registration, RM600 for braces instalment and other odds and ends.\n\n\nMy \ninvestment portfolio\n is highly risky \u2013 maybe around 80% of my investment money is in crypto. I know I should have re-allocated them sooner, but been dragging my ass. In October 2018, I finally got around to it.\n\n\nAllocated some money for \nP2P lending.\u00a0\nI use Funding Society for the auto-invest feature. If none of the borrowers default on their loan, I should get about 12.4% ROI. If you want to try it, use \nthis link\n so both of us can get RM50.\n\n\nI also put in some more money in\u00a0\ngold,\u00a0\nvia HelloGold \u2013\u00a0\nclick here\n\u00a0to download the app or insert the promo code \u2018SURA024F\u2019 to get RM5 discount if you buy RM50 worth of gold. ProTip: use \nBoost\n to avoid RM1.20 transaction fee \u2013 Enter my invite code sur8oko and get RM5 cashback after first payment or RM10 purchase. Find Boost App in\u00a0\nPlaystore\n\u00a0(Android) or\u00a0\nAppstore\n\u00a0(iOS)).\n\n\nNot only that, I\u2019m also in the process to take a bigger \nASB loan\n (I took RM50k loan last time. Now I\u2019m planning to take another RM150k to max it out). Aside from these, I also checked out a property for investment, but don\u2019t think I\u2019ll put money there kot.\n\n\nRead \n2 books\n: \nOriginals: How Non-Conformists Move the World by Adam Grant\n and \nComedy Hotel by Guy Bellamy. \nThe former inspired me to increase my productivity and output, while the latter is a fun black comedy fiction, a book I picked up for RM2.50 at a charity drive.\n\n\nI love my \nSpotify\n \u2018family\u2019. To save money, I got five other people to join my \u2018family\u2019 plan. Each of us pays only RM44.80 annually, or just RM3.73 per month! Related:\u00a0\n3 Ways to Get Cheaper Spotify Premium in Malaysia\n\n\nMy\n BigPay contactless card\n arrived! I like promoting this card, it gave me awesome exchange rates when I took it to my Japan trip last month (\nwhat I bought\n).\u00a0Get extra RM10 credit if you use my referral code INLALP7ZLE (I get RM10 too!). To download the app, find BigPay in\u00a0\nPlayStore\n\u00a0(Android) or\u00a0\nAppstore\n\u00a0(iOS)\n\n\nWent to \nAquaria KLCC\n and got cheaper tix via 11thStreet \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nAttended \nInvestSmart event\n and got a free 1-hour financial planning session with a licensed financial advisor. I thought it was funny when the financial planner assigned to me shared how her family pooled some money to mine some cryptocurrencies lol. I know, anecdotally, that there is a lot of crypto miners in Malaysia. Wonder how many of them do it small-scale, within family units or among friends.\n\n\nApplied for a job that I really, really want. I hope I get it!\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nMy \nbed broke,\u00a0\nI had to buy a new one. Found a sturdy one at IKEA for RM449. That\u2019ll be the last time I buy RM99 double beds from Lazada \u2013 it lasted me just 3 months! Yea yea I know I should have spent more for quality in the first place.\n\n\nDidn\u2019t realise my business expired. When I renewed it, I had to pay a \nRM30 fine\n \ud83d\ude41\n\n\nI \nlost my wallet seed for WAVES and ZCoin\n, so I can\u2019t access those wallets \ud83d\ude41 That\u2019s around $500 lost, at current rates \ud83d\ude41 \ud83d\ude41\n\n\nKinda pissed at the cancellation of \nIsland Music Festival\n \u2013 I really wanted to go! Oh well, at least I\u2019m not contributing tourism money to Terengganu #alwayslookatthebrightside\n\n\nBought \n2 pairs of shoes\n. Not particularly in love with both of them. The search for the perfect, comfortable, high-quality pair continues. Thanks everyone who gave me suggestions for good brands! I\u2019ll be checking out their sales!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n#financialconfession \u2013 I\u2019m super stingy with footwear. The last 4 pairs of black flats/slip-ons I bought were all low-quality ones ranging RM15-RM30 . Predictably, they were uncomfortable to wear. Even if they were comfortable, they didn\u2019t last very long.. . Finally bit the bullet and bought a higher-quality pair. This one was RM85. Please please please last me at least a year \ud83d\ude4f\ud83d\ude4f . Do you have shoes that lasts for years? What brands are they? I want to keep an eye on their sales! . #helpneeded #blackshoes #comfortableshoes\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya\n (@surayaror) on \nOct 28, 2018 at 11:42pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019ll be one of the speakers at \nWordCamp KL\n! It\u2019s the annual conference organised by Wordpress volunteers for the Wordpress community. The Ringgit Oh Ringgit blog runs on Wordpress and I absolutely love the learning process \u2013 the skills I learned along the way made me so much employable. My talk is about using SEO\u00a0for online content creation, so bloggers reading this, do come! The event is on 17 November 2018, and you can get your tickets \nhere\n\u00a0\ud83d\ude42\n\n\nGiving away an Apple Watch Series 3 to the best-quality answer for VISA x AKPK\u2019s \nTreat Your Money Right Campaign\n! Have you joined? All you have to do is give me your best money-saving tip. More info in\u00a0\nthis link\n.\n\n\nFinishing my book project, a compilation of personal finance stories 10 authors, including myself. My story is a fictional story about how Malaysia looks like if we implement universal basic income. More information coming soon!\n\n\n\n\nWell, that was my October 2018 update. How was your expenses in October? What\u2019s good or not so good about it?\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click\u00a0\nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nhow expense tracking works\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-october-2019/", "title": "Budget Update: October 2019\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: October 2019\n\n\nOh my, my expenses in October 2019 was in the RM6k, almost RM7k range again. Urk. Business, Utilities & Rent and Insurance & Medical expenses took the bulk of it though. Even after all this time, even knowing how I shouldn\u2019t skimp on these expenses, I still wishfully dream for under-RM3k monthly expenses.\n\n\nIs that kind of monthly expense realistic, though? \nTo thrive (not merely survive), at least RM4k+ per month is needed no? I know that many companies advertise jobs with starting pay of RM2.2, RM2.5k. And they expect people to be able to ration that out all thoughout the month?\n\n\nAnd I guess other people got sick of that unrealistic expectations too, because boy did this tweet go viral:\n\n\n\n\nSo sick and tired of all the personal finance advice that accuses Malaysians of not saving enough money when the biggest reason is actually freaking low wages\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nOctober 29, 2019\n\n\n\n\nYes, YES, we *could* live on that amount. If we *only* spend on what we need to spend on to just live, we could.\n\n\nBUT that would mean a living a life devoid of any entertainment, any leisure, any trips home to see the family, any activities with friends, any personal fulfilment, any \nmeaning\n. How DARE they judge every single bubble tea, every nice meal we have, when that could be the only thing that makes life tolerable for us.\n\n\nI\u2019m going to share this article again: \n3 Ways to Get A High Salary in Malaysia\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nSpoke, panel-ed, emceed, moderated some big events\n, including Principal Retail Investment Seminar organised by Principal Asset Management; SCxSC Fintech Conference 2019 organised by Securities Commission; 2 workshops for MYWritersFest; and How Much Should I Charge My Client event at MYWritersFest Finale.\n\n\nThe SCxSC Fintech Conference event deserves a shoutout:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nThank you to Securities Commission for having me as moderator and speaker during #SCxSC19! It was my absolute honour to moderate the digital investment session and speak in the digital marketing session . The topics this year are the most progressive one yet. I\u2019m so grateful to the people behind Securities Commission Malaysia who curate sessions related to Islamic finance, digital assets (crypto!), serving the undeserved and ethical finance, cybersecurity, new fintech platforms (roboadvisory, p2p lending, equity crowdfunding) in a way that is transparent, inclusive and diverse (they took steps to have more women speakers!) Never been more hopeful of the future of finance in Malaysia tbh . As Tarah Wheeley, AI and cybersecurity expert said during her session \u2013 at the end of the day, humans are the ones who build these fintech tools. Let\u2019s support those who serve, rather than harm, humanity . #fintechmalaysia #securitiescommissionmalaysia #securitiescommission\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nOct 23, 2019 at 1:47am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBig payment from client came in, decided to treat myself to two things: One \u2013 booked myself sessions with a \nvoice/speech coach\n. Generally, I\u2019m an okay speaker but I can always be better. Better be overprepared than under correct not? This expense went under Business category, as it should.\n\n\nTwo \u2013 bought myself a new toy,\n a vacuum cleaner\n! Finally allowed myself this purchase after my previous RM79 vacuum cleaner fell apart. At RM750, it\u2019s a BIG upgrade but omg did I mention it\u2019s CORDLESS?? This expense, after much internal debate, went under Misc Needs category\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nYou know you\u2019re an adult when buying a new vacuum cleaner made you ridiculously happy \ud83d\ude02Cordless, baby! . Bought on lazada for RM750ish. Ordered on Sunday, arrived Monday morning (!!) Amazing . #xiaomi #vacuumcleaner #adulting #cordlessvacuum #lazada #dreamev9 . Edit: Update: Tried it. I\u2019ve been living in a dusty shithole apparently . For those who want a review, here it goes: I love it! . Fav parts: \u2013 sucks a lot, which is a good thing to say about a vacuum cleaner \u2013 very quiet! \u2013 nice white colour (not gaudy purple/red combo like dyson \u2013 what\u2019s up w that?) \u2013 3 diff additional attachments including for sofa/bed Cons: -can never go back to the cord life \u2013 you can\u2019t charge and use the vacuum at the same time \u2013 charging to full capacity takes a few hours but you can only vacuum for less than 60 mins\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nOct 13, 2019 at 9:14pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMoney Stories from Malaysians: Volume 2\n is slowly yet surely coming together. Even though I completed vol 1 earlier this year, I\u2019ve completely forgotten how long and mafan the process is it seems. But anyway! You\u2019ll find a short story from me in Vol 2 too!\n\n\nSometimes I feel like wow Suraya syok sendiri much senang senang include your own story in the book everyone else had to go through the writing competition BUT I got my short story draft reviewed from fellow writers and THEY REALLY LIKE IT okay. So there.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nManaged to churn out 2000 words during #MYWritersFest2019 writers retreat!! It\u2019s nice to have progress after being creatively stuck for so long \ud83d\ude0a . I\u2019m so excited for you to read my short story, which will be included in #MYMoneyStories volume 2. Playing around with themes like big data, AI and personal finance in a storyline is really fun \ud83d\ude1d . Feedback from other attendees/fellow writers were encouraging \u2013 they liked the first draft a lot. That made me happy \ud83d\ude0a\ud83d\ude0a . #malaysianwriters #writersofinstagram #writersretreat #ipoh #shortstory #personalfinanceblogger #personalfinance #bigdata\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nOct 11, 2019 at 10:03pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRedeemed my \nMaybank TreatPoints\n! Last year I got Lazada cash vouchers but this year opted for the AEON cash vouchers because the card center offered a better conversion rate for it :p\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nI like redeeming my Maybank Treatpoints at the Card Centres, it\u2019s much faster than online. It so happens that there\u2019s a promo going on and I can get more bang for my ~120k points! Exchanged 10xRM20 AEON vouchers and 4xRM10 McDonald\u2019s vouchers today yay \u270c\ufe0f . Edit: the points mainly come from my Maybank Amex card, the one with 5x treatpoints bonus . #guiltfreeshoppingspree #maybank #treatpoints #aeon #aeonvoucher #mcdonalds\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nOct 8, 2019 at 11:19pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBought a lot of books. It\u2019s fine in itself \u2013 I\u2019ve accepted how I value selecting, reading and adding physical books into my collection \u2013 but have to make sure to not go overboard and find time to read them all. Kenanga Investment Group gave me a book as well, the newly-released Tengku Noor Zakiah: Malaysia\u2019s Pioneering Stockbroker. Quite excited to read that one. You can find it at bookstores \u2013 try MPH.\n\n\nRead two books\n: \nThe Happiness Project: or Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun by Gretchen Rubin\n (she wasn\u2019t \nunhappy\n, but set herself the goal of improving where she could, and I like that mindset); and \nTweetonomics: Everything You Need to Know about Economics in 140 Characters or Less by Nic Compton, Adam Fishwick and Katie Huston\u00a0\n(see below)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nI recommend this book! Got it at @bookxcess at Tamarind Square, Cyberjaya branch for RM12.90, completely worth it! Simplest way to learn a bunch of economic jargon and ideologies, fast \ud83d\udcaf\ud83d\udc4d . #tweetonomics #bookxcess #personalfinancemalaysia #bookloversmalaysia #tamarindsquare #cyberjaya #tamarindsquarecyberjaya #economics\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nOct 29, 2019 at 10:39pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHappy 11th birthday, \nBitcoin\n white paper \ud83d\ude42 Sometimes I feel like, wow bitcoin/crypto has really desensitised me to big price movements. Rationally, I know that bitcoin\u2019s \n42% gain in one day\n at end of Oct was a HUGE EVENT but I still went about my day as normal. (The price corrected itself after that huge gain).\n\n\nMy \ngroceries bill\n is low again. Second month in a row, which is unusual, yet I didn\u2019t starve myself or anything (in fact, may have overindulged *cries in fat*). Is this because I\u2019ve been consciously trying to eat less meat in general? I saw that Netflix documentary about vegetarianism/veganism The Game Changers, and while I still like meat, I\u2019ve reduced my intake. That reflected in the bill :/\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nMy application for Acumen Fellowship \u2013 that\u2019s the leadership development programme towards tackling poverty \u2013 was \nrejected\n \ud83d\ude41 I was so happy after getting through the first round, but oh well. One door close, others will open. God is the best planner.\n\n\nSince taking off my braces in January 2019, I\u2019ve been diligent about wearing my\n teeth retainers\n to keep those teeth in place. Diligent, but not careful, it seems. I broke it, and had to spend RM400 to get a new one \ud83d\ude41\n\n\nI\u2019m not happy with my \nchiropractor\n. But I\u2019ve already paid him a bit and he owes me maybe 5 or so treatments. Hmmm what should I do should I absorb this loss? I know the concept of sunk-cost fallacy, I know it\u2019s better to cut my losses and go, but\u2026 he still owe me :/\n\n\nI thought public transportation expenses were a little bit high but I guess that\u2019s reflective of all the events I had to go to in October 2019\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nContinue working on Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 2\n\n\nAttending WordCamp KL (which will be over by the time this post is published lol)\n\n\nSpeaking at Peatix\u2019s Backstage Pass event: The Price is Right on the 13th Nov (get your tickets \nhere\n!)\n\n\nWaiting for my video collab with MyPersonal Finances to come out \ud83d\ude00\n\n\n\n\nIn November 2019, I\u2019m just going to concentrate on juggling the many things I have on my plate. I have so many projects I want to do, and kind of feel overwhelmed. Maybe I should cut them down? Hmm let\u2019s see. This is an opportunity to push my limits. There is no growth in the comfort zone.\n\n\nHow about you, how\u2019s your Nov going to look like? I know many are probably rushing to get things done so you get to be lazy in December \ud83d\ude1b All the best!\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nhow expense tracking works\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-october-2020/", "title": "Budget Update: October 2020\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: October 2020\n\n\nIn October 2020, I spent RM7,087.30. The top 3 categories were: Donations, Rent & Utilities and Wedding. All in all, it was a comparatively lean month.\n\n\n\n\nProfessionally, October was such a great month! I moderated a session at \n#SCxSC20,\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\u2018Suraya \u2014 you were a great and personable moderator!\u2019 \u2018Great Q&A!\u2019 \u2018excellent moderating \ud83d\udc4f\u2019 Of course in my head there are 10000001 ways where I could\u2019ve been a better moderator during my session at #SCxSC20, I\u2019m my own worst critic. Thankful of the kind feedback which suggests otherwise \u2764\ufe0f Streams available until 9 Oct, then will be on Securities Commission YouTube #fintechmalaysia #securitiescommissionmalaysia #seccommy #sheworkshardforthemoney\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nOct 7, 2020 at 8:04pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAppeared on BNM/FEN\u2019s\n FinLit webinar\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n on \nOct 21, 2020 at 9:10pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAnd appeared on BFM89.9 (again!)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nLet\u2019s talk about freelancing tips and tricks \ud83d\ude01 22 Oct 9.30am at BFM89.9 \u2014 Posted @withregram \u2022 @roshankanesan Tomorrow (Thursday) I ask @surayaror for tips, tricks, and advice for freelancers, side hustlers, & self-employed people. Ringgit & Sense, Thursdays at 9:30am on @bfmradio. Catch it online at bfm.my, on the BFM app, or on the radio waves at 89.9! Suraya Zainudin is a writer, speaker and digital marketer. She is also the founder of the personal finance website RinggitOhRinggit.com and curator of the Money Stories from Malaysians book series.\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nOct 20, 2020 at 9:28pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nI also received other opportunities, both financially and personally, and also heartfelt notes from readers. This feeling of abundance\u2026 God has been kind to me. Alhamdulillah.\n\n\nAll of this was good, but October 2020 was also the month where I felt very high levels of Imposter Syndrome. I am fairly confident in my financial knowledge, but I also know there are so many books I haven\u2019t read and specialisations that I haven\u2019t mastered. More than once I went to the FPAM website and looked at the CFP page, wondering if I should get myself certified as a financial planner.\n\n\nSo yeah, that\u2019s the question mark in my head right now. On one hand, I love that I sort of represent the people who don\u2019t have financial background but love personal finance regardless. On the other, maybe that CFP certification is what I need to overcome that Imposter Syndrome. I don\u2019t know\u2026\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in October 2020\n\n\nIn this section, I\u2019m sharing what I spent on in the whole month, in their respective categories.\u00a0From highest to lowest, my expenses were:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nYAY \nBITCOIN\n! I\u2019m ecstatic about this, been a while since it mooned!\n\n\n[Category: Business] Had this unexpected windfall! Alhamdulillah\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMe: I\u2019ll charge RM1k for the work\n\n\nClient: we discussed internally. We\u2019re paying you RM3k \ud83d\ude0a\n\n\n!!\ud83d\ude2d rezeki kalau nak datang, senang sangat!!\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nOctober 20, 2020\n\n\n\n\n\n\n[Category: Groceries] My \ngroceries expenses\n were RM207.87 which was super duper low \u2013 Operation \u2018eat out fridge and pantry\u2019 really worked! I\u2019ll probably buy more in November to replenish my food supply but it was nice to just clear out the random foodstuff lying around.\n\n\n(Note: Groceries expense is tracked separately from Donation, Food and Social, three other areas where food is consumed)\n\n\n[Category: Wedding] Pre-paid some wedding-related items, which now is in limbo since we don\u2019t know if our reception is happening. Oh well. At least the wedding venue allows postponement without penalty\n\n\n[Category: Donation] I went out of my way to be generous in October. I tipped every food rider, paid a little bit extra and/or bought a little bit more from small businesses, donated to a few individuals and organisations, paid for my mom\u2019s health check, paid my parents\u2019 electric bill and more\n\n\n[Category: Pets] Topped up cat food and cat litter supply, and bought a \npet feeder\n, which is honestly one of the best purchases I\u2019ve made recently. Holy shit the time I\u2019ve saved since I got it!! I got it \nhere\n.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nThe latest time-saving item I bought: automatic cat feeder. Feeds them small portions 3x a day. Saves a bit of money too since reduce throw out stale cat food which they refuse to eat. Kucing bandar ni kan, sometimes \ud83e\udd26\ud83c\udffb\u200d\u2640\ufe0f Nasib korang comel Edit: I bought from this shop in shopee. Cheaper than other places, I\u2019ve checked \u2013 https://invol.co/cl1h9bb\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nOct 13, 2020 at 9:48pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n[Category: Misc Wants] Wanted\n a new dress\n for a while. After abandoning my cart in Zalora a few times, I finally bought one\u2026 on Carousell. This satisfied my shopping mood, and I\u2019m glad I opted for preloved item! Bonus: I got RM5 off from a limited-time promo. I LOVED the dress and got compliments on it, so it was such a satisfying purchase overall \ud83d\ude42 \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nTook advantage of InvestSmart\u2019s #FinPlan4U and had a nice (and free!) session with a \nfinancial planner\n! Asked her to review my insurance \u2013 it\u2019s about time I get myself a Critical Illness plan.\n\n\nHad fun playing around with points systems. Used up my \nBigPay\n \npoints to redeem some groceries\n in the AirAsia app (and just before the points expired too! Good timing!), and \npaid electric bill via Pos Malaysia App\n, which gave me some GrabPoints\n\n\n[Category: Misc Wants] Had an awesome \nhaircut\n! Trying not to think too much of the money I could have saved if I pre-purchased it from Fave!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nThinking of all the time I wasted in researching and comparing the best haircut deals on fave when in the end I walked into a random but convenient saloon and paid RM68 without any discounts, vouchers or even credit card cashback #badfinancialblogger #conveniencewon #atleastsupportedsmallbusiness\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nOct 11, 2020 at 8:23pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAdded in Syok app \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nThank you @syok.my for adding RoR in your content aggregation \u263a\ufe0f\ud83d\ude4c Sambil layan radio, sambil membaca hee \u2014 Klang Valley-based Malaysian Millennial, @surayaror, writes about her expenses, investments, savings and everything related to money management! You can now access Ringgit Oh Ringgit through SYOK! Download it here: onelink.to/syok\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nNov 1, 2020 at 4:19pm PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRead \none book\n: \nSecrets of a Stewardess: Flying the World in the 1980 by Gretchen Ryan\n. It wasn\u2019t the most well-written book (could have used a few rounds of editing), but it was really fun to read (1) how aviation was like during the \u2018golden age of flying\u2019, and (2) a real-life account of a former stewardess, who got to travel the world as part of her job.\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nThe CMCO extension was expected, yet I\u2019m still mad at it. Politics and men\u2019s egos and quest for power I tell you. I WANT A WOMAN TO LEAD US ALREADY\n\n\nSo I found out that I am only 55% healthy which is, um, RUDE but a good awakening. Find out your health score too, via the \nPulse by Prudential app\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nCHECK YOUR HEALTH: BODY + ACTIVITIES + NUTRITION + MENTAL \ud83c\udfc3\ud83e\udde0\ud83e\udd66\ud83e\uddcd\ud83e\udd38 When was the last time you assessed your health and fitness levels? Not in a \u2018ugh I know I need to move more\u2019 way \ud83d\ude29 , more like a \u2018here are specific organs that are at risk and I need to pay close attention to\u2019 way \ud83e\uddd0 There is a free health & fitness app that helps you to do that. The healthcheck feature in Pulse by Prudential app uses an AI-powered chatbot system and took 30 mins to complete (it felt faster, no joke). THEY ALSO INCLUDE MENTAL HEALTH ASSESSMENT Y\u2019ALL By the end of the assessment, I spent a good 15 minutes entranced by my Digital Twin and reading my health report. Red means that the organ is at risk I must admit I got a bit freaked out; I am only 55% healthy?? Straightway restarted my 100-squats-a-day challenge \ud83d\ude05 What\u2019s your Health Check score? Download Pulse by Prudential app and find out -> https://onepulse.page.link/274Y #ad #pulsebyprudential #healthiswealth #prudentialmalaysia\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nOct 30, 2020 at 2:53am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n[Category: Misc Wants] \nImpulse-bought\n Stories of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town on Steam. I should have checked that the controller function is limited \u2013 can\u2019t use my PS4 controller with it, and in the end I abandoned it because I hate gaming using keyboard.\n\n\nFeeling sad that I haven\u2019t reached my personal goal of RM100,000 in income by now. But I also know I shouldn\u2019t be too hard on myself, especially this year\n\n\n\n\n\n\nChecked my 2020 income so far. It\u2019s not as much as I hoped. A part of me is sad, but also a part of me is proud to even able to work at all during a pandemic. I should be kind to myself\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nOctober 30, 2020\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nGetting married, finally <3 I\u2019m glad we didn\u2019t rush into it. We had a long engagement, with more than enough time to talk about and make future plans, including the financial aspects of it. He\u2019s such a positive force in my life, we both feel lucky that we found each other. Please wish the best for us <3\n\n\n\n\nWhat\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section!\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nfind out your budgeting style\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-october-2021/", "title": "Budget Update: October 2021 \u2013 Revenge Spending?\n  ", "body": "\n\nWelcome 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!    \n\n\nSo how was your October? Are you spending more? \n\n\nI am. Can\u2019t even be in denial about it. Just look at the data from my expense-tracking app \u2013 it doesn\u2019t lie. I am revenge-spending for SURE.\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAnd now that borders are also open, I\u2019m also planning trips. So far, I have two trips lined up in December \u2013 one with family, one romantic getaway. Would have taken one more in October, if not for us being scaredy cats hahahhahah\n\n\n\n\nPatutnya kan, this weekend I jalan Frasers Hill. Apartment pun dah book. Tapi family tak boleh join so terpaksa cancel\nKenapa tak boleh pergi je? Sebab..sebab.. Kitaorg laki bini dua2 takut nak stay 2 orang je, takut hantu \ud83d\ude2d\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com \ud83c\udff4 (@surayaror) \nOctober 12, 2021\n\n\n\n\nBut yeah. Revenge spending to release \u2018pent-up demand\u2019 is real, at least in my case. Now that I\u2019m aware of my own tendencies to spend, I\u2019ll have to be really careful with spending and budgeting, especially considering I have a few big expenses coming up that I need to save up for. \n\n\nHow about you? Have you been revenge-spending as well? What did you get?\n\n\nLet\u2019s get on to the budget part. \n\n\nBudget Update: October 2021\n\n\nIn October 2021, I spent RM13,475.62. The top 3 top expenses were:\n\n\nBusiness (RM3,611.79) \n\u2013 Freelance writer, work penalty, book editing fee\nDates/Travel\n \n(RM3,544.49)\n \u2013 Flight tickets x 2, movie tickets\nDonations & Gifts\n (RM1,992.65)\n \u2013 Sister\u2019s birthday dinner, #WeListenPack, Parents\u2019 electric bill\n\n\n\n\nCumulatively, the top 3 expenses make up 69% of my total October 2021 expenses. \n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in October 2021\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I spent on in the whole month of October 2021, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Financially fruitful and fulfilling month \n\n\nGrateful to be working in my chosen sector (financial education), with so many amazing clients in the financial space. Alhamdulillah. \n\n\n#2 \u2013  Reached 10k followers on Instagram!\n\n\nBut almost as soon as I got it, new IG link stickers rolled out hahaha hampeh (swipe up feature is only available for 10k followers and above; link sticker is for everyone)\n\n\n\n\nI worked so hard to finally get to 10k followers on IG to get the swipe up feature but on the very same day they activated link stickers for me \ud83d\ude29 \npic.twitter.com/qvN8pTVCsj\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com \ud83c\udff4 (@surayaror) \nOctober 7, 2021\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Learning about IPOs\n\n\n(IPO = Initial Public Offering. The first time a company offers shares/ownership to the public)\n\n\nSomewhat interested in the upcoming FarmFresh IPO, so I attended a webinar on IPOs and have since opened a CDS account with CGS CIMB. Let\u2019s see if this will work out!\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Gave 4 talks\n\n\nI did:\n\n\nKaedah menjana Pendapatan Pasif daripada Harta Fizikal dan Harta Intelek with MyAgeing\u2122\ufe0f Financial Literacy and Educational Hub (MyFiLE), UPM\nRinggitOhRinggit and Personal Finance with NextUp Asia\nPersonal Finance Chit Chat with Hann Liew and Suraya in Financial Education Network\u2019s Financial Literacy Month 2021 Finale\nSeeking More Fulfilment in Retirement with Federation of Investment Managers Malaysia\u2019s first virtual FIMM Annual Convention 2021\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Consulted workshop design and even participated as one of the judges for Financial Innovation Competition Finale!\n\n\nWas honoured to contribute to Arus Academy\u2019s team in the Fun(d) for Life Financial Innovation Competition. Not only that, also had the extreme honour to be one of the judges for the final round. \n\n\nCongratulations, team Gold Diggers, Sepintar and Rich Woman. All of you did so well <3\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Arus Academy (@arusacademy)\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Received new BigPay card\n\n\nAnd I have to say, she pretty!\n\n\n\n\nTop: old BigPay card. Bottom: new version that just arrived. I like the design upgrade! \ud83d\ude0d\nWill continue using \u2013 great card for purchases in USD. Lowest exchange rate in MY \ud83d\udc4d\nObligatory referral code: INLALP7ZLE (or click direct link in \nhttps://t.co/QEPFaKkiUf\n) \npic.twitter.com/PZGuVl87Fm\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com \ud83c\udff4 (@surayaror) \nOctober 19, 2021\n\n\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Misc\n\n\nRead 0 books. \n\n\nNoteworthy shows:\n\n\nIstanbul Aku Datang on Disney Hotstar\nShang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings\nBlack Widow on Disney Hotstar\nPride & Prejudice on Netflix\nSquid Game on Netflix\nWhat Did You Eat Yesterday on Netflix\n\n\nBought for myself:\n\n\n4 jeans from my sister\u2019s shop\nHair mask\nA maxi dress\nA pair of new slippers\n2 paint by numbers kit\nA pretty mug\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Extremely high groceries bill\n\n\nOur groceries bill for October 2021 came up to RM1530! That\u2019s probably the highest it\u2019s been, it\u2019s usually half of that!\n\n\nBut I can understand. I stocked up a lot of groceries for the diet I\u2019m doing now. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Penalty \n\n\nPaid RM500 in penalty, but worth it. \n\n\n\n\nYesterday I paid a RM500 penalty fee to withdraw from a campaign.  They refused to let me disclose the product is *only* for bumiputera & I didn't want people to inquire just to be disappointed\nToday I woke up to RM4k in commission income\nWhat's meant for me will come to me\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com \ud83c\udff4 (@surayaror) \nOctober 21, 2021\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\nContinuing my extremely intense CFP Module 4 classes (I have classes on EVERY weekend)\nPlanning our travels at the end of the year\nReceiving keys to our new place\n\n\nWell, that was my October 2021. How was yours? What\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nfind out your budgeting style\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-october-2022/", "title": "Budget Update: October 2022 \u2013 Bergaji & Pokai Book is Out!\n  ", "body": "\n\nWelcome 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. \n\n\nSo how was your October? Was it good, bad or meh?\n\n\nOctober 2022 was quite whirlwind, definitely an eventful one. Professionally, I am busier than ever with work (including \nreleasing Bergaji & Pokai book\n!). Personally, I am planning some trips as self-reward. \n\n\nBut just in terms of current events, remember when Tengku Zafrul announced Budget 2023 and got us all excited, but then they announced GE15, rendering the budget in \u2018who knows what\u2019s gonna happen to it now\u2019 zone? That was kinda wild. \n\n\nBut right. Regardless who wins in the election, all I know I can\u2019t depend on the govt 100% for my wellbeing. Demand better policies yes because making citizens\u2019 life better is literally their job, but also I can\u2019t stop my own effort to improve myself.\n\n\n\n\nI feel a lot of apathy this election. Just not that interested in it. I'm going to vote, but can't depend on whoever won to significantly improve my life, at least not in a fast way. I still have to depend on my own effort to create a better life for myself\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nNovember 2, 2022\n\n\n\n\nHappy voting, everyone. Let\u2019s get on to the budget part. \n\n\nBudget Update: October 2022\n\n\nIn October 2022, I spent RM10,702.32. The top 3 top expenses were:\n\n\nDonations & Gifts (RM2,565.80)\n \u2013 Parents\u2019 electric bill, Dad\u2019s dusun, care package\nDates/Travel (RM1,318.59)\n \u2013 Flight tickets, makan dates and outings\nHome Reno + Deco (RM1,662.63) \n\u2013 \nMonthly EPP for renovation\n\n\n\n\nCumulatively, the top 3 expenses make up 62% of my total October 2022 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)\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in October 2022\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I spent on in the whole month of October 2022, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSpending notes:\n\n\nI am only 1 (ONE) payment away from finishing a RM1,013.13 monthly instalment (for \nhome reno\n). Almost there!\nIrregular payments of the month \u2013 Angpow for friend\u2019s wedding, TnG card reload, domain ID renewal\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Bergaji & Pokai Book is out!\n\n\nYou can add Bergaji & Pokai book to cart directly at: \nhttps://bit.ly/3h3GVyl\n.\n\n\nFind out how you can win or earn money by promoting the book in the \nY\u2019All, \u2018Bergaji & Pokai\u2019 Book is Out! (Share & Win RM250!)\n article!\n\n\n\n\nBIG NEWS! My book, Bergaji & Pokai: Membina Kehidupan Bebas Tekanan Melalui Pengurusan Kewangan Yang Realistik is finally out!\nHere's how to get it, who should get it, and how you can win RM250 just by sharing to your friends \ud83d\ude42 \nhttps://t.co/uF6lbCFvkK\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nOctober 31, 2022\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Booked a trip to Vietnam\n\n\nAfter months of surveying flight tickets all over the world and dismayed by the prices (they really jack it up for December!!), I finally decided on Vietnam for year-end holiday. \n\n\nTix cost for 2 pax: RM1940. High for ASEAN country, but way cheaper than going to Europe. Plus hotels, food etc there is CHEAP. \n\n\n#3 \u2013 Ate a lot but didn\u2019t really gain weight\n\n\nI ate so many different things in October 2022, but weight is manageable?? It didn\u2019t decrease, but it didn\u2019t increase, either. \n\n\nNot going to complain, will record this as a yay of the month. \n\n\n#4 \u2013 Found a cheap haircut place!\n\n\nNowadays, RM35 for a haircut (for women in Klang Valley) is CHEAP! Who cares if its no-frills, I think I still look good whoo!\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Appeared on.. \n\n\n#1 \u2013  Gamification Application in Raising Capital Market Products and Services organised by SIDC\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Cara Buat Duit Sebagai Seorang Freelancer Yang Anda Patut Tahu organised by Cakna Kewangan\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 How Should I Spend My Salary or Allowance organised by Iman Publication\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by IMAN+ (@imanplusdotcom)\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Session 4 \u2013 AAA: Alternative Assets Already? for the Annual FIMMAC Convention 2022 organised by Federation of Investment Managers Malaysia\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Hutang Baik vs Hutang Jahat for Financial Literacy Week 2022 organised by EPF Learning Center\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nWhew, October 2022 was definitely a busy month for me. \n\n\n#6 \u2013 Misc\n\n\nRead:\n\n\nCribsheet: A Data-Driven Guide to Better, More Relaxed Parenting, from Birth to Preschool by Emily Oster\n\n\nBought for myself:\n\n\nPowerbank\n3 books\n2 dresses\nPaint by number set\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 My parents caught Covid-19\n\n\nAfter dodging it for 2.5 years, my parents caught Covid-19. Their symptoms were relatively mild and didn\u2019t need hospitalisation, so that\u2019s good. But even after testing negative again, their health has declined a bit. I suspect they might have long Covid \ud83d\ude41\n\n\nJust need to monitor from now on..\n\n\n#2 \u2013 In worse physical shape than I thought\n\n\nIn the end, I was so embarrassed I quit. It\u2019s ok, I\u2019ll still do my swims and walks and yoga for exercise..\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\nMy trip to Hatyai and later, trip to Vietnam!\n\n\nWell, that was my October 2022. How was yours? What\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nfind out your budgeting style\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-september-2015/", "title": "Budget Update: September 2015\n  ", "body": "\n\n\n\nSeptember was\u2026 waiting. A lot of waiting. A lot of pre-planned activities that needed doing \u2013 actually packing, actually selling off stuff, actually re-organising life. It wasn\u2019t fun, it was lonely and melancholic. On the upside, I didn\u2019t spend that much, but the biggest self reminder is that I should ease up on buying \u2018wants\u2019, because I am officially a freelancer now. Without fixed income. Eeep.\n\n\n\n\nYay of the month:\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019ve been telling everyone about my move, and subsequent plans to freelance/ work on Kotak Koffee. As of end of September, I have one well-paying temporary job lined up in October (from friend\u2019s contact), one offer for free booth to sell Kotak Koffee (from friend), and one offer to recommend me to a job if I wanted it (from friend). That doesn\u2019t include the other kind words to help me out, in various forms. Oh goodness, I feel very undeserved of all these kindness. Thank you guys so, so much.\n\n\nkdsksI got my health checked. Except for a cyst in my left breast, and multiple cysts in my ovaries, I\u2019m in good health. The cysts in my ovaries, in particular, got me freaked out a little bit \u2013 but the worse thing it can do is hormone imbalance and perhaps makes it harder for me to get pregnant. I\u2019m good with those symptoms, it can be a lot worse and I\u2019m not complaining.\n\n\nDIY dip-dyed my hair. Light brown at the bottom. I wish I\u2019m one of those girls who don\u2019t give a shit and can just giye their hair in rainbow colours, but I like being practical too much (I mean, what if I have a job interview a few weeks down the line??)\n\n\nOrdered Kotak Koffee namecards and more stickers!\n\n\nA big yay: I can call myself a published writer \ud83d\ude00 \nMy article got published\n.\n\n\n\n\nNay of the month\n:\n\n\n\n\nI have officially ended my work at IWRAW Asia Pacific. It\u2019s so bittersweet. And actually a bit surreal. It\u2019s still sinking in. I\u2019m actually having a hard time digesting this fact \u2013 going to miss working with them. I gave my colleagues semi-DIY thank you cards. I can\u2019t get over how cute they are. Look:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nI don\u2019t know why more people are not freaked out with the fact that \nEPF is now loaning money to 1MDB\n. We give 11% of our income every month to be managed by people who think 1MDB is a good investment strategy, apparently. RM1.5 billion. That\u2019s a hell lot of money. That\u2019s a hell lot individual retirement funds \u2013 our retirement funds \u2013 being used to bail out 1MDB if it defaults. That\u2019s literally our future on the line. If your only retirement fund is EPF, you better get a Plan B, C and D soon. Plan other sources of income. Being old AND poor is a horrible thought. Shit. How can the government get away with this?\n\n\n\n\nThings to look forward to:\n\n\n\n\nSettling in Ipoh. In October I will still be going back and forth between KL and Ipoh. I am slowly moving my shit.\u00a0 I am slowly buying new shit. I am slowly disposing shit.\n\n\nThe freelance lifestyle. Oh man, this will be quite the change. As I\u2019m writing this, it\u2019s only been Day 4. It felt like it\u2019s been \nweeks\n. After working for 10 years now, working for myself and having no set schedule is weird. I don\u2019t know what to do half the time. I write at really random hours. I think I might do a proper post on this.\n\n\n\n\nAll in all, please do a (halal) toast for my well being. Especially for my mental well being.\u00a0 The day feels so much longer now.\n\n\n*clinks glass*\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-september-2016/", "title": "Budget Update: September 2016\n  ", "body": "\n\nSeptember\u00a0Budget Update Summary\n\n\nI earned \nRM8743.22\n. Less than my target of RM10k, but it\u2019s been a good month. Minus expenses for the month (RM3525.17), that\u2019s still RM5k nett income. All of the income came from \nmy writing services\n.\n\n\n\n\nAfter earning between RM3-4k for the majority of my adult life so far, this amount boggles my head. Once I hit RM10k/month, what next? RM15k? RM25k? I don\u2019t know, but I\u2019ll cross that bridge when it comes. It\u2019s not a bad problem to have.\n\n\nSome people asked me how I did it. I think I\u2019ll write this in a comprehensive post. It involves a lot of planning and actual \ndoing\n. I know that sounds vague, but this month I crossed off a lot of \u2018I should work on that\u2019 (finally), and the results showed. So I guess it\u2019s as simple as \u2018do that thing you\u2019ve put off\u2019.\n\n\nShifting between being a hardcore \u2018saver\u2019 to \u2018Eh I\u2019ll just pay this amount, it saves my time\u2019 is a new feeling. I\u2019m not used to it yet.\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nWorked during \nPangkor Dialogue\n.\u00a0\nThis was, hands down, the highlight of my month. Sustainable development is an amazing topic that I wish I\u2019m more clever about.\u00a0I didn\u2019t manage to catch all sessions, but I was overjoyed to sit in during the speeches of\u00a0keynote speakers Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus and creativity expert Fredrik Haren. I was also goddamn happy about Perak pledging\u00a0to be a Social Business city.\n\n\nAttended MaGIC Academy Symposium.\n\u00a0Here\u2019s \nmy writeup\n on it. You can also check #MA2016 on twitter for a gist of what happened.\u00a0All in all, it was a good trip. I wish I networked more, but I did make a few friends (and a potential client, fingers crossed!). MaGIC to me is like the cool kids\u2019 table. I feel intimidated by the brilliant minds there. I want to be them. \u00a0I want to be so convinced of my \u00a0business model that my passion shows whenever I talk about it. The drive\u00a0that many people showed during MA2016\u2026 was super attractive to me. I felt small. It was humbling.\n\n\nWent to \nInapdesa Bonda Saebah\n. Ok, this is not a widely-known place. My dad\u2019s friend since college has a small \nkampung-stay place in Ganchong, Pahang\n. It can only sleep like max 8 people or so. The appeal is (1) kampung life (2) fruit orchard next to the chalet (I picked rambutans right from the trees!) (3) homemade Malay-style lunch buffet with kampung chicken, river fishes, and local vegetables (4) visit to fish farm. I found out that kerai fish is damn expensive (RM100/kilo, minimum). It was\u00a0a lot of fun and my dad\u2019s friends were friendly and chill\u00a0to talk to. If your parents like this kind of experience, take them there!\n\n\nI got some sorely-needed clothes. I took advantage of \n#MyCyberSale\n and got 3 new jeans. The last time I bought jeans, it lasted me 2-3 years. I hope this will last at least 5.\n\n\nOrdered \nbusiness cards\n \ud83d\ude00 Via Photobook. 200 cards for RM34.45 inclusive delivery.\n\n\nRented a car\n to travel to kampung for Raya. I could have saved more by taking a bus, but I wanted to save time. It turned out to be a good choice \u2013 smooth traffic all the way and good ride from a well-maintained car.\u00a0If you\u2019re looking for car rentals in Ipoh, I can recommend \nthis one\n. The service was good.\n\n\nThere\u2019s a subtle \u2013 be definite \u2013 change in my cat\u2019s behaviour since he was spayed. He\u2019s much more\u2026 agreeable now. Less aggressive. He knows how to tug my heartstrings and on occasions, demands to be lifted like a baby. I\u2019m a happy mama.\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nI spent crazy a lot on groceries this month. RM520. Wtf did I buy.\n\n\nIs this why my friend said I gained weight? Dammit! Sadface sadface sadface.\n\n\nI spent some time being unnecessarily annoyed at some things beyond my control. Like how some people decide to spend money even though they admit to being \u2018broke\u2019. It\u2019s certainly not my problem, and jeez, I don\u2019t know the full extend of their life and whatever, I\u2019m just a stranger. Do lah what you want with your money. BUT it still annoyed me.\n\n\nSpent a lot of time in monotony. I wake up, make coffee, have breakfast, work. Eat lunch, work. Eat dinner, work. I finish work by 9pm usually. Then I dick around online or on Reddit and I sleep. Some days I go to the gym. This routine makes me productive, but boring.\n\n\nHmm, that\u2019s not it. I\u2019m ok with being boring. I just want to be more diverse and have more life experiences. What would you suggest? What activities do you do to avoid monotony?\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nTo finish watching Mr Robot season 2.\n\n\nBalance work and life a bit more. That\u2019s why I\u2019m getting a virtual assistant \ud83d\ude42 You\u2019ll probably see him/her online soon to help me manage RoR and make it better!\n\n\nBeing there for my family. It\u2019s a tough time now, for reasons I won\u2019t get into.\n\n\n\n\nBe kind, October.\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-september-2017/", "title": "Budget Update: September 2017\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: September 2017\n\n\n\n\nMoney was good in September. I earned about \ndouble\n my usual income, making it my best-earning month so far. It came from two big writing projects, a couple of sponsored posts/advertisement on this website, my usual business development work with Wirex and additional income from affiliate marketing and Adsense.\n\n\nBut God, the amount of work I had to do for that kinda money\u2026 I am so burned out. Mentally, I am not at my best. I\u2019ve neglected my health and my family. I skipped the gym for weeks and had a horrible relationship with food all month. There were moments of genuine happiness, but I never truly relaxed unless I was sleeping. When attending events, people legit told me to my face that I look tired.\n\n\n\u2026Acknowledging that I am burned out and writing this down was hard. I try to not be a complainer. I try to practice gratitude. But at this point, I feel like I\u2019m just sugarcoating the real situation \u2013 that I am chasing money, but I don\u2019t know \nwhy\n I do it. I mean, I already live comfortably enough as it is \u2013 it\u2019s not like I need more money to fulfill a basic need.\n\n\nHow do you balance between (a) working as hard as you can for the benefit of future you and (b) limit earning potential so you can enjoy\u00a0the money you have now? I *thought* I was doing a combination of the two, but the scale has definitely tipped over to (a) without me realising.\n\n\nSigh. Not enough work is a problem, too much work pun a problem. Then I feel guilty of complaining, and that made me feel worse.\u00a0This reminded me of the time when I reflected my relationship with money (read:\u00a0\n[Personal] How it feels like to constantly obsess over money)\n.\n\n\nAny of you going through a similar experience? Do you feel like you\u2019re working too hard, and not sure anymore if the money is worth it? Please comment how you\u2019re taking care of yourself while going through it.\n\n\n\n\nYay of the month:\n\n\n\n\nBought myself \na new laptop\n, the Surface Pro 4. It was a fun process because Twitter was involved \u2013 I asked for recommendations based on my requirements (i5, 4GB RAM, 128GB hard disk and above, RM5k and below) and got so many helpful replies, so seriously thanks for that. Compiled the best tips in the article\u00a0\n4 Best Tips I Got From You Guys When I Wanted to Buy New Laptop.\n\u00a0I\u2019m now paying RM568.08 x 12 months for the laptop + Microsoft software package + additional 4 years coverage (total 5 years). It\u2019ll now be included in my monthly \u2018Business\u2019 cost.\n\n\nOne of my best purchases of the month was definitely a RM78 \nvacuum cleaner\n from Lazada. I got \nthis one\n. After manually sweeping the floor for years,\u00a0I\u2019d consider this a lifestyle upgrade.\n\n\nI also splurged on \nnew pillows and a duvet cover\n for my bed. Honestly, it was long overdue \u2013 the old pillows frequently gave me neck pains. I just put up with it because it was free (stolen from my parents\u2019 house lol).\n\n\nTraveled to Ipoh and Singapore for work. Had fun working and networking.\n\n\nAttended\n \nthe Duality show by the VSC Project\n three times. It was so visually and emotionally beautiful. One of my highlights of the year.\n\n\nAs stated above, my income for the month was great. Especially love seeing my Google Adsense income grow \u2013 Ringgit Oh Ringgit\u2019s traffic is at its highest and earned me $79 in September alone! A couple of months before it was less than $50 per month, so you can see how fast this passive income is growing. Here\u2019s a writeup if you also want to start your own website and earn money from it:\u00a0\nThe Exact Steps I Use to Earn Money from Blogging.\n\n\nHere\u2019s a gift for you guys, courtesy of HelloGold. Go to the AppStore/PlayStore, download HelloGold app and apply code \u2018SGOLD10\u2019 to \nclaim RM5 in gold\n. No catch, just a generous user acquisition strategy. My writeup on them (plus links):\u00a0\n[SPONSORED] How to Buy Gold in Malaysia, as an Investment.\n\n\nI also enjoyed learning about \nMalaysian stocks\n in September 2017, via Asukabu. Highly recommend it if you ever consider stocks as an investment.\n\n\nA couple\n new Malaysian personal finance blogs\n came out! Check out \nMoneyTalksCafe\n and \nGreyNautic\n. For a full list of recommended personal finance websites, see \nhere\n.\n\n\n\n\nNay of the month:\n\n\n\n\nUnhealthy lifestyle. All-in-all, I gained 5kg since May. Ugh. Tired of complaining, must do something about it. Aiming to lose this amount by the end of the year. 3 months, 5kg \u2013 doable? Should be. You can do this, Suraya.\n\n\nSpent an unhealthy amount of time online and on gadgets. Need to go on one of those digital detox things. Even the thought scares me. I love being online, but not all you love is good for you.\n\n\nDidn\u2019t even finish one whole book. At least I managed to read half of Game of Thrones Book 1.\n\n\nI don\u2019t like Maxis. In fact at this point I straight up loathe it. They hit me with a RM38 roaming charge in Singapore without me asking, the whole process was apparently \u2018automated\u2019 and felt unethical af. I really miss Umobile and its free roaming in some countries, including Singapore.\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nTaking it easy. Perhaps go on a mini-holiday. I\u2019m contemplating attending a personal finance conference in Dallas, Texas. It\u2019s quite the financial commitment to go there \u2013 at least RM10k \u2013 but \nFinCon\n\u00a0has been on my bucket list for years because it\u2019s THE event for personal finance bloggers and content creators like myself. MY PEOPLE IS THERE. As of now I still haven\u2019t made any concrete plans, but let\u2019s see.\n\n\n\n\nReminder that 100-days-until-2018 countdown has started.\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click\u00a0\nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nreview\n).\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-september-2018/", "title": "Budget Update: September 2018\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: September 2018\n\n\nConfession: My bank account was dangerously low all throughout September 2018, and I almost had to dip into my savings, if not for payments from clients that arrived at the end of the month. If I ration it out properly, it should support me until the end of the year.\n\n\nNow, what I really want to do with the money is invest it. I want to add more gold to my investment portfolio \u2013 the price seems great now. I saw a property in the RM500k range that looks promising as rental unit. I want to take another ASB loan to max it out.\n\n\nBut no action was taken yet. My excuse is that I don\u2019t know when is my next big paycheck, so I should just leave all the money in my bank account \u2018just in case\u2019.\n\n\nIsn\u2019t that a stupid excuse for not investing? Rationally, I know I can just set aside a small amount of money every month \u2013 small but regular contributions are better than no contributions \u2013 so why do I still have this \u2018go big or go home\u2019 mentality? Why do I stop myself from investing when I can\u2019t commit large amounts like RM3k and above in one go?\n\n\nDoes anyone else do this? How do you overcome the mental barrier and force yourself to invest anyway? Got advice for me?\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nAll spending categories look okay. They\u2019re not particularly high or low, just within usual range. The biggest expense was predictably travel expenses because I went to Japan.\n\n\nNot including flight tickets, I spent RM2568 for 9 days \nTokyo and Nagoya \ntrip, including accommodation, travel, food and shopping. Did a lot there. Some of them: Attended one day of Ultra Japan festival and danced my ass off. Went to a famous public onsen in Tokyo (\nShimizu-yu\n) and managed to relax despite being butt-naked in public. Visited my Japanese host family (I was an exchange student and was under their care for 1 year when I was 17). Joined a Pokemon Go gathering and caught a Mewtwo. Visited my old school and somehow joined their English class, where the teacher included some questions about Malaysia in a quiz (see pic). All in all, a very memorable trip.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMade the final payment for my \nSurface Pro 4 laptop\n \u2013 it\u2019s all fully paid now! I have been paying RM568.12 per month as past of 12-month instalment. So glad to free up this amount from now on!\n\n\nBlack jeans\n is a wardrobe staple of mine \u2013 as part of my \nminimalist wardrobe\n, I pair it with everything. Both of my 2-year old Uniqlo jeans are looking a bit shabby now, despite my best efforts to re-dye them. Searched for months and decided on Levi\u2019s jeans for the quality and fit. It was RM310 each at the store. Managed to get \ntwo pairs\n for RM300.76 during Lazada\u2019s Shopathon sale. #win\n\n\nI bought RM112.80 worth of products from \nSignature Market\n, but was away when the parcel arrived, so it was returned to sender. Contacted their team, and they kindly offered to \nrefund the full amount with no hassle at all\n (they also offered to re-deliver for additional RM10). Even though they didn\u2019t make any business this time around, this made such a positive impression on me. Thanks so much, Signature Market. What an awesome, customer-first policy. I\u2019ll buy from you next time.\n\n\nI got a \nfree phone\n. 1.5 months after I wrote the \nhonest review for Xiaomi MiA2 phone\n, they contacted and offered the review set. OMG the offer honestly couldn\u2019t have come at a better time \u2013 I was going to buy a new phone anyway after recently (and stupidly) dropped my Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 and cracked half the screen. Thank you Xiaomi <3\n\n\nWent to \nKL Bird Park\n for the first time. Hey not bad you know! The peacocks and I walked next to each other casually, like it was no big deal, like I do it every day, like I\u2019m a Disney princess like that. It was pretty magical.\n\n\nWent to the \nHumans of KL\n Photostory Exhibition and had fun reading the stories and checking out Carcosa Sri Negara, one of the set locations for Crazy Rich Asians movie!\n\n\nRead \nthree books\n. \nConcept of a Hero in Malay Society by\u00a0Shaharuddin Maaruf\n (explains how and why blind loyalty to the Malay elite is a valued trait among Malay\u00a0people, even if they the elites don\u2019t care about you and mainly act for their own material and political self-interest),\u00a0\nCrazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan\n (just for the escapism factor) and \nSapiens by Yuval Noah Harari\n (especially loved the chapter on capitalism). I got the last two books from Bookcurve at a good price, too!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRhymba Hills Tea gave me a free box of tea with my order <3 Love the newer packaging!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nThanks for the free box of tea, @rhymbahills! \ud83c\udf75 Your stuff is delicious! #rhymbahills #tealover #malaysianproduct\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya\n (@surayaror) on \nSep 14, 2018 at 1:37am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAnd finally, my H&M giftcards arrived in the mail <3\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nFind out I was paid less, or at least could have been paid more for some projects.\n\n\nSuper \nprocrastinated on the personal finance ebook project\n. Every day I tell myself to edit the draft. Every day I postpone. Sigh. How to motivate myself. Maybe I\u2019ll just outsource it out\u2026 But I also want to learn by doing\u2026 Ugh I hate making excuses, this isn\u2019t me \ud83d\ude41\n\n\nRinggit Oh Ringgit \nwebsite traffic dropped\n two months in a row.. I have to address this, it shows that I\u2019m not meeting audience\u2019s demands and needs. When businesses fail to keep up, others will take their place. I have no excuses, just renewed motivation to do better in personal finance blogging.\n\n\nCaught a weird souvenir from Japan \u2013 a cold. I\u2019ve been coughing for a week already.\n\n\nReceived \nweird emails\n saying I booked a hotel and bought some psoriasis and eczema cream?? Received these emails within a couple of weeks in my inbox. I DID NOT book the room or order the cream!\n\n\n\n\n The hotel booking. Tbh whoever the scammer was, they were frugal. That\u2019s a cheap room, as far as KL hotels go.\n\n\n the order from wikipedeals. I\u2019ve never had an account with them\n\n\n\n\nThere are so many odd things about these purchases. 1) They\u2019re not phishing emails, I checked. 2) That\u2019s my name, sure, but not my address. 3) I don\u2019t own the card used for payments here, the Visa card ending with 6590.\n\n\nSo what\u2019s going on here? Who made these purchases? Why was the confirmation orders sent to my email instead of the scammer\u2019s? The person who stays at Lot 6371, Lorong Seruling 6, Taman Hipni, Petra Jaya, 93050 Kuching, Sarawak, how long have you suffered skin problems? Sorry, I had to cancel the\u00a0psoriasis and eczema cream order, the email spooked me out too much. But I hope your skin condition is improving. Also, please don\u2019t steal from me?\n\n\n(Also, what were you doing in KL? Short trip ke?)\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019ll be one of the speakers at \nWordCamp KL\n! It\u2019s the annual conference organised by Wordpress volunteers for the Wordpress community. The Ringgit Oh Ringgit blog runs on Wordpress and I absolutely love the learning process \u2013 the skills I learned along the way made me so much employable. My talk is entitled \u2018\nBlogging with\u00a0\nWordPress\n: What I Learned Along the Way, As a Beginner\u2019 \n(note: working title!) and is suitable for those without IT skills who finds Wordpress overwhelming. The event is on 17 November 2018, and you can get your tickets \nhere\n\u00a0\ud83d\ude42\n\n\nGoing to \nIsland Music Festiva\nl! They kindly gave me a discount code, too!\n\n\nAppearing in some (or at least one) video. Look out for those! I\u2019ll share in the \nRinggit Oh Ringgit FB page\n as always \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nHey! There\u2019s only 3 months left until 2019! Forget new year\u2019s resolution, set some goals NOW to start the year right!\n\n\nFor me, my goals are:\n\n\n\n\nEarn at least RM20k in 3 months in combined income\n\n\nPut some money in at least one investment\n\n\nNo new clothes until end of 2018\n\n\nMake at least 1 video of my own\n\n\nFinish that ebook project by end of October\n\n\nLimit calorie intake to 1200-1500 per day, depending on movement activity on the day,\u00a0to hit my goal weight\n\n\n\n\nWhat\u2019s YOUR goals?\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click\u00a0\nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nhow expense tracking works\n).\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-september-2019/", "title": "Budget Update: September 2019\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: September 2019\n\n\nI spent a little under RM6k in September 2019, with half of that going to Medical and Rent & Utilities categories. I\u2019ll expand a bit more about them in the Yay and Nay sections below.\n\n\nNow, let\u2019s talk about how dope personal finance is, as a topic. I can\u2019t get enough of it, I\u2019m still obsessed with it. There\u2019s always something that challenges my thinking.\n\n\nFor example, I have been a \u2018buy experiences, not things\u2019 practitioner. Been so for years. But the tweet below made me seriously evaluate my approach.\n\n\n\n\nBe careful to not take \u2019Buy experiences, not things\u2019 too literally.\n\n\nPrized experiences, like travel, can be just as empty as buying a material item.\n\n\nFor me, clothes ARE experiences. I value the way I feel in them. And I get to relive the same experience over & over for years.\n\n\n\u2014 The Luxe Strategist (@luxe_strategist) \nSeptember 20, 2019\n\n\n\n\nSometimes I forget how different people value different things. Who am I to decide or judge how you interpret happiness?\n\n\nI think it\u2019s time to retire \u2018buy experiences, not things\u2019 from my personal finance approach. Instead, I will use the phrase \u2018intentional spending\u2019 instead, the opposite of \u2018mindless spending\u2019. I want to be more mindful of what I spend on, regardless whether they are experiences or things.\n\n\n(Although, it\u2019s fair to note here that \nresearch did say that spending on experiences, not things usually makes people happier\n. So don\u2019t use this as an excuse to splurge or anything.)\n\n\nAnd thus, I find myself buying \nnon-thrifted\n art for the first time. I\u2019ve never allowed this purchase for myself. I\u2019ve never bought something beautiful for the sake of it being beautiful. Whatever pretty knick-knacks I have, must \nalso\n be practical: think boxes, containers, pillows, candles.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFell HARD for @lynartelier \u2018s beach-inspired pieces \ud83c\udfd6\ufe0f Look at the details!! So happy I took this baby home #thisonesparksjoy #beachart #oceanart #oceanwaves #malaysianartist\n\n\nA post shared by \nSuraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nSep 30, 2019 at 3:16am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAnd you know what? This art piece does make me happy. I don\u2019t regret the purchase.\n\n\nAny of you hold back against collecting art \u2013 however you define it \u2013 because of the \u2018buy experiences, not things\u2019 approach?\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\nFor years, I mainly earn a living from my writing work \u2013 both corporate jobs and blogging-related. Nowadays, I get more \nspeaking engagements\n, which I thought I\u2019d hate but surprisingly okay with doing. Go further down to the Looking Forward sections to see my speaking engagements in October 2019 \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nMade more requests from the Ringgit Oh Ringgit audience to purchase Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 1 at bookstores, because having a best-seller book would be awesome, and omg it worked??? Melisa sent me this image showing \nthe book is now in the Top 10 list at Borders Bookstore \u2013\n I am ecstatic!!! Those of you who haven\u2019t bought it, please consider purchasing a copy (or a few).  The book is available at Borders, MPH, Popular, Kinokuniya and Times Bookstores. Thank you so much in advance!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMoney Stories from Malaysians: Volume 1 is now listed in @borders_my \u2018s Top 10 non-fiction list!!! \ud83e\udd2f\ud83e\udd2f\ud83e\udd2f . Thank you so much Melisa for snapping and sharing this pic. I\u2019m so blessed and grateful for you and everyone\u2019s support. You folks are so sweet I kenot uuuu \ud83d\ude2d . I have a favour to ask. If you have extra pocket money (only if you do okay), can you buy a copy of the book at bookstores near you? That\u2019s literally the only way to remain (and get a higher spot) on the BESTSELLERS LIST . In exchange, let me know what topics you\u2019d like me to cover more in ringgitohringgit.com. I don\u2019t like asking for something without offering something back in return! . Thanks in advance, Suraya . #malaysianauthors #malaysianwriters #malaysiabloggers #bloggermalaysia #bordersbookstore #kualalumpur #personalfinancemalaysia\n\n\nA post shared by \nSuraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nSep 18, 2019 at 12:51am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRead\n two books\n:\n China Rich Girlfriend by Kewin Kwan \n(hella entertaining!) and \nEverything is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo\n (!!!! Life-changing !!!)\n\n\n\n\n\n\nA little bit more about Marie Forleo. She\u2019s my latest motivational obsession. I loved the book and the \n\u2018everything is figureoutable\u2019\n quote \u2013 essentially the importance of implementing a \u2018can do\u2019 attitude. No matter how tough things seem, always look for solutions, always look for learning opportunities, always \ngrow\n. I especially loved the chapter about reframing fear. Instead of seeing fear as a negative emotion, embrace the feeling, it\u2019s actually telling you what you need to work on for your own personal growth. It\u2019s a friend, not an enemy.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHad a wonderful haul at \nJalan Jalan Japan\n, my favourite thrift store!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nShowing off 3 of the 7 clothing items I got from my fav thrift shop @jalanjalanjapanmy recently \ud83e\udd70 . In total I spent RM61 for 4 dresses and 3 tops. The long, blue-white gradient halter top maxi dress is Forever 21! . #thriftshop #jalanjalanjapan #thriftshopMalaysia #subang #subangJaya #fashionmalaysia #fashiononabudget #thriftshopping\n\n\nA post shared by \nSuraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nSep 17, 2019 at 10:53pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDid some \nvolunteering work\n: mentored at Startup Weekend: Women edition and held a financial management workshop for a WOMEN:girls programme.\n\n\nDowngraded my shampoo\n \u2013 from RM200 bottle of Kerastase shampoo to Sunsilk, which I only picked up because it was on sale. I have been treating myself to a series of back-to-back lifestyle upgrades and I just need to do something to break that chain.\n\n\nMade my first presentation in \nMelaka\n. The Pecha Kucha Petaling Jaya team asked if I\u2019d do it for the second time. As soon as they said, \u2018we also want you because we want diversified speakers at the event\u2019, I\u2019m sold, I\u2019m weak against those arguments. My presentation is about you \ud83d\ude42 I hope to get the video to upload and share with you later \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTopic: The community engagement and support during the creation and publishing Money Stories from Malaysians:Volume 1 book. I hyped up the RoR audience like crazy \ud83d\ude1c\u2764\ufe0f . #pechakucha #pechakuchapetalingjaya #biquefest #melaka #MYmoneystories\n\n\nA post shared by \nSuraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nSep 29, 2019 at 2:23am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThere was a tear in my bag. I contemplated buying a new bag, but decided to\n sew it up\n and now its as good as new. This might seem like a minor thing to mention(and it is) and I just want to say the primary reason for that is I refuse to throw the bag away BEFORE its cost-per-use goes down to 10 sen per day or something.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nJoined someone\u2019s \nNetflix\n plan for RM11 per month and omg! Netflix has amazing content!\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAs you can see from my expense breakdown, 29% of all expenses in September was categorised under \nMedical\n. A large chunk of that was the chiropractor payment, the first of 6 that I have to make to fix my spine (months 2-6 will cost RM500 per month).\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSit up straight. I mean it. Or you may end up having to pay ~RM4k in diagnosis and chiro treatments to fix your spine. . Sigh. It\u2019s a huge amount of money. But a necessary expense. I\u2019ll give my medical card provider a call in case they can cover it but chances are low . #scoliosis #posture #chiropractor #medicalexpenses\n\n\nA post shared by \nSuraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nSep 6, 2019 at 1:53am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAte out a LOT\n. Also indulged in a few food deliveries to take advantage of various Malaysia month promos. They were delicious\u2026 but definitely not good for my waistline. Need to make more effort to cook/eat at home. Oh well, at least the silver lining is lower-than-usual groceries bill.\n\n\nI know I spend an absurd amount of time online, so I bought a \ntime-tracking app\n. It basically told me what I already knew \u2013 that I am dependent to my phone. Did the app help me reduce my screen time? Yes, for the first two days. It\u2019s a process, but at least I took the first step to quantify it.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTired of wondering where my time went, I downloaded YourHour, a time-tracking app. The freemium version was so useful that I went ahead and bought the full version for RM6.99 . Apparently, I am \u2018dependent\u2019 on my phone. The top distractions are Twitter and Facebook . Need to do better with time-management. My settings now include a timer when I open these app. It makes you aware of the time you waste, so it works, I guess \ud83d\ude16 . #timemanagement #productivity #paidapp #yourhour #socialmediaaddiction #phoneaddiction\n\n\nA post shared by \nSuraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nSep 22, 2019 at 7:30pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBeing one of the panelist at the Principal Investing Seminar, happening on 5 October! Get your ticket \nhere\n!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCome join the Principle Retail Investment Seminar, happening next weekend on 5 Oct! I\u2019ll be part of the financial literacy panel along with Julian Ng of verylongrun.com and reps from Financial Education Network and AKPK \ud83d\ude01\u270c\ufe0f . Tickets cost RM25 and inclusive of breakfast and bubble tea. Get it at https://peatix.com/event/1327605/view?k=bc9fe23e999b2f5ca7c452e0bdb802df4a6f5a6a (or click the link from my bio!) . Buy your tix because seats are limited! Early bird tix ran out already. See you there \ud83e\udd17 . #personalfinancemalaysia #financialliteracymalaysia #pelaburan\n\n\nA post shared by \nSuraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nSep 29, 2019 at 11:36pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nModerating TWO sessions at Securities Commission\u2019s upcoming SCxSC Fintech event! See the full schedule and buy tickets at \nhttps://scxsc.my/\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nExtremely excited to announce that I\u2019m going to be moderating two sessions at this year\u2019s SCxSC Fintech Conference, organised by Securities Commission Malaysia \ud83d\ude01\ud83d\ude4c . Day 1 (22 Oct) \u2013 Investing Made Easy: Digital Investment Management Day 2 (23 Oct) \u2013 Digital Marketing Practices in Fintech Startups . See the full schedule and buy tix at https://scxsc.my/ . #fintechmalaysia #fintech #startupmalaysia #investmentmalaysia #pelaburan #securitiescommission #scxsc #scxsc2019 #digitalmarketingMalaysia #stashaway #mytheo #roboadvisory #suruhanjayasekuriti\n\n\nA post shared by \nSuraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nSep 19, 2019 at 10:23pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAppearing on a video and livestream session \u2013 see updates at the \nRinggit Oh Ringgit FB page\n\n\nDoing a couple of workshops during Writers Workshop \u2013 see updates at the \nRinggit Oh Ringgit FB page\n\n\nContinue working on Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 2\n\n\nAttending a Writer\u2019s Retreat, organised by the Malaysian Writers Society\n\n\n\n\nOctober 2019 sounds tough\u2026 but everything is figureoutable. Bring it on. FINAL QUARTER OF 2019, LET\u2019S GO.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nhow expense tracking works\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-september-2020/", "title": "Budget Update: September 2020\n  ", "body": "\n\nBudget Update: September 2020\n\n\nOh damn, I beat August\u2019s record. RM20.8k is officially the most money I\u2019ve ever spent in a month, ever. Two categories made up 80% of the total spending in September 2020: Business (44%) and Donations & Gifts. (36%). In fact, just \ntwo\n transactions make up approximately 59% of the total September expense.\n\n\nShall I tell you what those are? Oh why not:\n\n\n\n\nOne is for a new business venture, paid RM6000 under [Business] category. I\u2019ll share the details in due time; the paperwork is still ongoing and I don\u2019t want to get ahead of myself\n\n\nRM6230 is for renovation cost for one of the rooms at my parents\u2019 house, which we\u2019ll use as bridal room. I wasn\u2019t sure whether this expense should be categorised under [Wedding] or [Donations], but I thought it would mess up my Wedding budget calculations, so Donations it is.\n\n\n\n\nAt the time of writing, Covid-19 cases are rising again. A part of me worries that the wedding might be cancelled if MCO 2.0 happens. That makes me sad but you know what, in all seriousness, whatever happens, happens. Just go with the flow. That\u2019s the takeaway I get from this year.\n\n\nDo you have plans that might be ruined if we implement another MCO? Tell me in the comments section, misery loves company.\n\n\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in September 2020\n\n\nIn this section, I\u2019m sharing what I spent on in the whole month, in their respective categories.\u00a0From highest to lowest, my expenses were:\n\n\n \n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\n[Category: Business] Found out that \nGeran Khas Prihatin\n money was disbursed back in June, and spent it all. Here\u2019s an article about it \u2013 \nHow I Applied for and Spent the RM3000 Geran Khas Prihatin Money for Small Biz\n \u2013 if you\u2019re eligible, make sure to apply and claim that money BEFORE 31 October 2020! Go take, is free money!\n\n\nAlso made a lot of business-related software purchases, including email marketing (\njoin RoR newsletter!\n), accounting software and website hosting. Won\u2019t bore you about that here, but you can read about it \u2013 click the GKP article link above.\n\n\n[Category: Groceries] I discovered a frozen seafood merchant from Shopee, and got a big shipment. This is wonderful, because I have recently re-discovered the simple joy of cooking as an activity, and tried a lot of new recipes. I rarely buy seafood and can\u2019t wait to experiment with these ingredients.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nI think Yoshi approved of my frozen seafood shipment :3 RM158 for an assortment of: 1.3kg salmon, 3 pcs saba, 1 pcs unagi, 500g seaweed salad, 250g squid, 500g clams, 8 pcs dory, 1kg cencaru plus 1kg Japanese rice. I rarely buy seafood, can\u2019t wait to experiment with these ingredients and meal prep with them \ud83d\ude0b Bought on shopee. Amazing what you can find there nowadays #groceryhaul #shopeefinds\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nSep 22, 2020 at 12:03am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n[Category: Wedding] Made more wedding-related purchases: makeup/hairdo service, hantaran, inai. Happily, the Spa I\u2019ve always wanted to try is on Fave, and I got 20% PENJANA discount *on top* of platform discounts and credit card points. Nice, purchased, this treatment will count as mandi bunga (even though its not sksksksk)\n\n\nWe also booked honeymoon trip. In hindsight, it was a good idea to get refundable flights and accommodation. Just in case we need to cancel or postpone it.\n\n\n[Category: Social] Spent almost RM500 treating family and future family to food. Money well spent, I\u2019d say.\n\n\nBeing one of the speakers at TalentCorp\u2019s Semester Break Programme\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n on \nSep 4, 2020 at 1:59am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n[Category: Misc Wants] My experience shopping with \nZalora\n in August 2020 was so good that I purchased 3 more items from there, but ended up returning two of them. The one I kept, a pair of jeans from Dorothy Perkins, is really good value for money at just RM55 or so after all discounts.\n\n\n[Category: Misc Wants] Paid six more months of \nNetflix\n (I\u2019m under someone else\u2019s plan). RM66 for 6 months is not a bad deal\n\n\nRead \none book\n: \nThe Four Tendencies: The Indispensable Personality Profiles That Reveal How to Make Your Life Better (and Other People\u2019s Lives Better, Too)\u00a0by Gretchen Rubin\u00a0\n(\nThe Four Tendencies Quiz\n is one of my favourite personality quizzes. I am a Questioner with bits of Rebel, what are you?)\n\n\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n\n\n[Category: Wedding] Nikahsatu.com looks really cool but the service is really slow. They\u2019ve delayed our card printing by at least 2 weeks. Not happy.\n\n\n[Category: Food] Fell to \nGrab\u2019s HOTDEALS\n more time than I\u2019d like, again. Please don\u2019t continue the deals, I am but a weak human, please no more\n\n\n[Category: Misc Wants] \nImpulse-bought\n a few things: a plant, a brow gel, an eyeliner, a RM5 top from the bundle shop (this one is okay, so cheap and satisfies my shopping mood) and two games on Steam (House Flipper and Stranded Sails)\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\n\n\nChecking out all the activities planned in October, aka \nFinancial Literacy Month\n, especially the ones organised by Financial Education Network!\n\n\nBeing part of SCxSC20 \u2013 related: \n5 Sessions You\u2019ll Want to Attend at SCxSC20\n\n\nBeing part of InvestSmart event\n\n\nMaybe enter FPAMFLY\u2019s Personal Finance video competition?? I mean, RM5000 cash prize is tempting!!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nCONTEST ALERT! FPAM, aka the Financial Planning Association of Malaysia is organising a personal finance video competition. RM5000 cash prize, 3 winners \ud83d\ude0d\ud83d\ude0d #personalfinancemalaysia #malaysiayoutuber #youtubermalaysia #fpam #financialplanningmalaysia #malaysiacontest #contestmalaysia #financialliteracyyear\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nSep 16, 2020 at 11:44pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhat\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section!\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nhow expense tracking works\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-september-2021/", "title": "Budget Update: September 2021 \u2013 Transitioning to Endemic\n  ", "body": "\n\nWelcome 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!    \n\n\nHow was your September? Did life change \u2013 and for better or for worse? \n\n\nSeptember was a good month for me. As a nation, we are transitioning to post-lockdown, endemic life. Somehow, my closest family and friends have escaped the worse outcomes of the pandemic. There will be some changes, but things are slowly getting \u2018back to normal\u2019. \n\n\nI\u2019m grateful for so many things: to be able to reconnect with loved ones, after not seeing them for months. Grateful that work is still stable. Grateful to have a wonderful life partner, who has been the most amazing companion in lockdown life. Any and all grievances are minor at most. I know I am lucky. \n\n\nLet\u2019s get on to the budget part. \n\n\nBudget Update: September 2021\n\n\nIn September 2021, I spent RM10,706.53. The top 3 top expenses were:\n\n\nBusiness (RM3,283.18) \n\u2013 Graphic designer, CFP Module 4 fee (!! final!), extra financial calculation class, course, accounting software annual fee\nDonations & Gifts\n \n(RM2,529.50)\n \u2013 WAO, Dad\u2019s dusun project, Rider tips, Friend\u2019s bday\nUtilities & Rent (RM1,220.14)\n \u2013 Gotta keep a roof over our heads\n\n\n\n\nCumulatively, the top 3 expenses make up 71% of my total September 2021 expenses. \n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in September 2021\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I spent on in the whole month of September 2021, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:\n\n\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Enjoying the loosened restrictions\n\n\nSo happy to be able to meet family members again, and to be able to take short holidays. As much as I like staying home, I am also someone who craves experiences and novelty so the weekend spent in KL completely rejuvenated me. We had fun eating and shopping and pretending we were in Japan haha\n\n\nTo be safe, we took the COVID test a few days after returning. Happy to say both of us tested negative, yay \ud83d\ude42 Can do these types of trips again, yay \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013  Passed my CFP Module 3 exam! \n\n\nQ3 2021 is going to be SO BUSY for me but final module, here we go!\n\n\n#3 \u2013 A great month for affiliate marketing\n\n\nAffiliate marketing is one of my income sources, and usually I earn an extra few hundred/thousand per month from it, depending on the month. However in September 2021, one of my posts did extra well and I earned my highest ever income from affiliate marketing. \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Gave 1 talk\n\n\nI did:\n\n\nTypes of Passive Income with MyAgeing\u2122\ufe0f Financial Literacy and Educational Hub (MyFiLE), UPM\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Started home renovation/ home decoration journey\n\n\nWe are about to get the keys to our new home soon, which is very exciting! I have added Home Reno + Deco in my expense tracking app to keep track of the whole cost. \n\n\nMy current game plan is (scroll right):\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Crossed 3 million views\n\n\nHUGE milestone reached! Thank you so much for supporting RinggitOhRinggit.com!! \n\n\n\n\ndidn't realise it but \nhttps://t.co/zwZXP7Vdh6\n crossed 3 million views!!! \ud83e\udd73 \npic.twitter.com/2hvLk9JQ4j\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com \ud83c\udff4 (@surayaror) \nSeptember 11, 2021\n\n\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Misc\n\n\nRead \nthree books\n:\n\n\nWrite Yourself Happy: The Art of Positive Journalling by Megan C Hayes, PhD\n (see review below)\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nS\nurrounded by Idiots: The Four Types of Human Behaviour by Thomas Erikson \n(not the biggest fan of the Red/Yellow/Green/Blue profiling \u2013 Big 5 is better. Still an okay read though)\nS\nurrounded by Psychopaths: How to Protect Yourself from Being Exploited by Others Thomas Erikson\n (see review below)\n\n\n\nhttps://www.facebook.com/ringgitohringgit/posts/331228842133234 \n\n\n\nNoteworthy shows:\n\n\nGuardians of the Galaxy Vol 1 & 2 on Disney Hotstar\nOnly Murders in the Building on Disney Hotstar\nCruella on Disney Hotstar\nKate on Netflix\nElysium on Netflix\n\n\nBought for myself:\n\n\nNew York Times subscription\nHair perm\n3 tank tops (RM11.34 including shipping! Proud of myself)\nMore cosmetics \nA few books\nA fake plant\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Don\u2019t know if my efforts are working\n\n\nI\u2019m aware I\u2019m doing many things at the same time and sometimes I worry about spreading myself too thin, and end up not achieving anything at all, despite all the effort I put into it. \n\n\nI don\u2019t know. All I can do now is to continue the work and trust the process, even though I\u2019m not seeing any immediate improvements at the moment. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Got grey hair-shamed\n\n\nI have grey hair and I\u2019m okay with it, but the folks at the hair salon made a big deal out of it and keep mentioning their clients who come for hair colouring and root touch-up sessions. \n\n\nThe hair perm itself was good, I like how my hair turned out. But dowan go there anymore. \n\n\n\n\nI spent RM536 on hair cut and perm and happy with the results but they ruined it by grey hair-shaming me \ud83e\udd72\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com \ud83c\udff4 (@surayaror) \nSeptember 15, 2021\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\nStarting my CFP Module 4 classes\nCompleting work for various clients. Bracing myself to go through my busiest period yet. \n\n\n\n\nPray for me. 7 ongoing clients currently, on top of my usual content creation work, on top of studies \nI can do this\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com \ud83c\udff4 (@surayaror) \nSeptember 29, 2021\n\n\n\n\nWell, that was my September 2021. How was yours? What\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nfind out your budgeting style\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/budget-update-september-2022/", "title": "Budget Update: September 2022 \u2013 When You Want to Travel But Have to Be Responsible\n  ", "body": "\n\nWelcome 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. \n\n\nSo how was your September? Was it good, bad or meh?\n\n\nFor me, my wanderlust feeling was definitely strong in September. It was always there, but came especially strong after Japan announced they\u2019re going to lift off visa and travel guide requirements. \n\n\nDid you hear me? Japan \u2013 freaking JAPAN \u2013 will open its borders, and I really really really want to take my husband there!! \n\n\nBut\u2026 I am expecting a major expense next year and still paying off my home reno instalments so rationally, a big trip is not the most financially-sound option at the moment. It sucks to be responsible \ud83d\ude41\n\n\nYet, the wanderlust feeling must be curbed. So we\u2019re making do with a short Thailand trip in November, costing less than RM1k total for 2 pax. Oh well, as long as I have something to look forward to. \n\n\nLet\u2019s get on to the budget part. \n\n\nBudget Update: September 2022\n\n\nIn September 2022, I spent RM8,591.90 The top 3 top expenses were:\n\n\nHome Reno + Deco (RM1,662.63) \n\u2013 \nMonthly EPP for renovation\nDates/Travel (RM1,318.59)  \n\u2013 Apartment in Melaka, future trip to Thailand, dinner dates\nUtilities & Mortgage (RM\n1,241\n) \n\u2013 Half mortgage\n\n\n\n\nCumulatively, the top 3 expenses make up 51% of my total September 2022 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)\n\n\nMy Spending Breakdown in September 2022\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I spent on in the whole month of September 2022, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:\n\n\n\n\nSpending notes:\n\n\nI am only 2 payments away from finishing a RM1,013.13 monthly instalment (for \nhome reno\n). Can\u2019t wait!!\nIrregular payments of the month \u2013 Renewed passport for RM200, dentist visit\n\n\nYay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Had a relatively stress-free work month\n\n\nIn September 2022, I delivered a couple of workshops, collaborated with a few brands for their campaigns, and tried my best to think of new ways to earn money while maintaining that elusive life/work balance (same thing as work/life balance, except life comes first). \n\n\nI\u2019m happy that my new book will (hopefully) be an additional source of income. The title is yet to be determined, but the gist of the book is more or like this original title I had in mind. Expanding RoR to the Malay market is exciting and I can\u2019t wait to promote it once it\u2019s out!\n\n\n\n\n'Macam Mana Nak Simpan Duit Kalau Gaji Sikit (Tapi Kadang2 Boros Pun Betul Juga)'\nI'd really like to use this as my book title but it's too long \ud83d\ude05 how la to shorten but contain the same essense\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nSeptember 20, 2022\n\n\n\n\nAside from that, I\u2019m also contemplating a couple of courses, since I see the demand is there:\n\n\nHow to DIY your financial planning\nHow to choose and buy your own insurance \n\n\nWhat do you think? Something you\u2019d buy? What\u2019s the price point? I\u2019m thinking RM99 or so. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Short trip to Melaka\n\n\nIt\u2019s been a while, Melaka! I had so much good food there:\n\n\nNasi ketum ayam\nAsam pedas pari\nCendol \nSotong goreng tepung (10/10 worth another trip there)\nPutu piring gula apong\nOndeh-ondeh\nAsam pedas chips\nAnd not to mention delicious food from my friend\u2019s wedding reception\n\n\nMy tummy and tastebuds were so happy \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Found a new dentist\n\n\nI was loyal to my previous dentist for a good 5 years, but she moved. Happily, a new dental office just opened near my place and I found a new dentist to be loyal to, yay \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nMy dentist: you must use interdental brush. Don't buy the daiso one not the right size for your teeth. Here I give one for free (an expensive Swiss brand). When you need more you buy from shopee, cheaper \nI.. I will be forever loyal to her..\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nSeptember 17, 2022\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Saved RM350 on invoicing platform\n\n\nDecided to stop using my invoicing platform, saved RM350 (after discount). They changed the interface sometime last year and it was such a pain to use. \n\n\nFor now, I\u2019ll use Canva. But will also see if there are better options for bookkeeping. Thankfully my business is fairly easy to keep records.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Appeared on..\n\n\n#1 \u2013  Financial Mistakes I Should Avoid Before 30 on Twitter Spaces with Iman Publication\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Misc\n\n\nRead:\n\n\nStarted two books but finished none \ud83d\ude41\n\n\nWatched:\n\n\nCyberpunk on Netflix\nJust Mercy on Netflix\nBetter with Money on Netflix\n\n\nBought for myself:\n\n\nSome supplements \n2 dresses on Carousell\n5ml decant of my fav perfume\n\n\nNay of the Month:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Intense feeling of being stagnant\n\n\nFor the most part, I enjoy my work. But it\u2019s also getting less and less fulfilling. Work is just work, and I still get things done, but it just feels monotonous. \n\n\nIt\u2019s important to say here that I am NOT burned out. I\u2019ve been there, this is not it. I would choose this job over anything else a hundred times over, I love my flexible schedule. But at the same time, I crave inspiration and motivation. \n\n\nThat prompted this tweet:\n\n\n\n\nToday's state: Not burned out, just lacking creative juice\nAny advice on how to get a refill?\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nSeptember 30, 2022\n\n\n\n\nThanks everyone who offered suggestions. Y\u2019all are the best. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 In worse physical shape than I thought\n\n\nIn the end, I was so embarrassed I quit. It\u2019s ok, I\u2019ll still do my swims and walks and yoga for exercise..\n\n\n\n\nI know it's the effort that matters, and they were super welcoming, but it was still embarrassing to be the worst-performing person at fitness class \ud83e\udd72\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nSeptember 17, 2022\n\n\n\n\nThings to Look Forward to:\n\n\nMy editor said my book is almost done, so I guess I\u2019ll have to take part in marketing it. I can feel the anxiety coming.. \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nI haven't hardsell to my audience in a while. Will need to brush up the skills so I can sell my own damn book next month. \nIdk. Something about hardsell still makes me feel queasy and guilty. I know it's ridiculous to think of it like that tho \ud83d\ude23\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nSeptember 28, 2022\n\n\n\n\nWell, that was my September 2022. How was yours? What\u2019s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you\u2019re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTo read about my past monthly budget update, click \nhere\n. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nfind out your budgeting style\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/my-total-income-and-expenses-in-2017/", "title": "My Total Income and Expenses in 2017\n  ", "body": "\n\nIn January 2017, I posted\u00a0\nMy Total Income and Expenses in 2016\n article and was blown away by supportive comments \u2013 you guys actually liked reading an analysis of my personal income and expenses for the whole year.\n\n\nSo here\u2019s how 2017 turned out for me, based on my financial data. Incomes are recorded via a Google spreadsheet while expenses are recorded via my expense-tracking app \nMoney Lover\n.\n\n\n\n\nIncome in 2017\n\n\nTotal income in 2017\n: RM170,718.33 or an average of RM14,226.53 per month. Happy to report that I significantly increased my earning. Last year, it was RM76,151.19 or an average of RM6345.93 per month.\n\n\nMy second year of \nself-employment\n was a profitable one. That\u2019s good, because I went on an all-out \u2018earning mode\u2019, so to speak. It was exhausting, and I came close to burning out a few times, but it was worth the effort. I\u2019m also glad I took the time to optimise this website as a passive income stream \u2013 all the Google Adsense and referral links really do add up.\n\n\nCan\u2019t believe this all started by just offering \nmy services\n online. \nHere\u2019s how you can start earning online too\n.\n\n\nIn 2018, I don\u2019t actually want to \u2018earn as much as I can\u2019. I want to take it slow, earn where I can, but mostly focus on personal projects and self-development. Will share those plans in later articles \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nExpenses in 2017\n\n\nEvery month, you guys get to see my spending breakdown via \nthese reports\n. I love doing these, because I get to assess where I spent my money. A diary of sorts, except it\u2019s not conveyed in words but in spending data.\n\n\nZooming out to the year view, a different type of analysis can be retrieved. \nWhat you spend on is an indication of your priority. \nIt gives a deeper insight of who you are as a person. I want to get this message across because I want you to find out who you are via this method, too.\n\n\nTotal expenses in 2017:\n RM102,820.26 or an average of RM8,568.36 per month (rounded up to RM8600 per month). In 2016, I spent a total of RM58,154.24 or an average of RM4846.19 per month (rounded up to RM4900 per month).\n\n\nHoly mother of dragons, that translates to 76% increase! That is a big increase! Huge! What did I spend on in 2017?\n\n\nBreakdown of expenses:\n\n\n\n\nAnd here it is sorted by categories, from highest to lowest:\n\n\n \n\n\nBreakdown and comments on each expense category\n\n\n1) Business \u2013 RM21,651.24 or RM1804.27 per month, on average\n\n\nNot surprised. I wasn\u2019t stingy with business expenses in 2017. The whole \u2018you have to spend money to make money\u2019 thing, that\u2019s true.\n\n\nThings included in this expense category:\n\n\n\n\nVirtual assistant\n\n\nBooks\n\n\nProfessional proofreading software\n\n\nTransportation to various events, meetings and networking opportunities\n\n\nNew phone and laptop (Related:\u00a0\n4 Best Tips I Got From You Guys When I Wanted to Buy New Laptop)\n\n\nWebsite hosting and domain name renewal\n\n\nFacebook advert for the \nBudget 2018 Lepak Session\n\n\nEntrance fees to conferences\n\n\nMemberships to trade organisations\n\n\nExam fee to get Certified Bitcoin Professional\n\n\nOnline courses\n\n\nI also had to absorb some losses from a non-paying client\n\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s high, but I ain\u2019t mad. These expenses helped me earn the highest annual income I\u2019ve ever had in my life.\n\n\n2) Donations and Gifts \u2013\u00a0RM15,225.41 or RM1268.78 per month, on average\n\n\nThis category took first place in 2016, but I\u2019m glad it got second place for 2017 \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nAside from the usual \nzakat\n contribution, there\u2019s a definite increase in gifting activities. Looking at my data, I bought and paid for a lot of things for my loved ones and friends.\n\n\nP/s- If you\u2019re a friend slash acquaintance of mine and reading this \u2013 you have helped me a lot, from telling people about this blog, to giving me feedback and advice on my work. I\u2019m very, very grateful for your support. Thank you.\n\n\n3) Utilities & Rent \u2013\u00a0RM12,781.83 or RM1065.15 per month, on average\n\n\nNo surprises here. Gotta stay somewhere.\n\n\nI\u2019m kinda sorta considering buying a property for own stay \u2013 lots of incentives to boost the property market in 2018. Do you guys have property recommendations? My requirements:\n\n\n\n\nBudget: RM600k and under, preferably including renovations (or if not, a semi-furnished place)\n\n\nIn Klang Valley and well connected to business areas\n\n\nWalking distance to public transportation and amenities like groceries and banks is a bonus\n\n\nFreehold or leasehold I don\u2019t care\n\n\nHave a balcony (and ideally have a nice view)\n\n\nIdeally 1000 square feet and under. I don\u2019t really want a big space.\n\n\n\n\nIf you have suggestions, share in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n4) Dates/Travel \u2013\u00a0RM10,077.32 or RM839.78 per month, on average\n\n\nAlmost doubled from last year! Crap, I\u2019m getting too used to paying extra for better services and experiences. Gotta scale back in 2018.\n\n\nIn 2017, I went to \nLangkawi\n, \nHo Chi Minh\n, \nRainforest World Music Festival\n and the \nMaldives\n.\n\n\n5) Insurance and Medical \u2013\u00a0RM8,5670.31 or RM713.36 per month, on average\n\n\nI have medical card and PA insurance \u2013 wrote about them\u00a0\nhere\n. Additionally, I got \nbraces\n in 2017, so that added a chunk to this expense category.\n\n\n6)\u00a0Misc Needs \u2013\u00a0RM7,240.79 or RM603 per month, on average\n\n\nMisc Needs is a category for random \u2018must pay\u2019 things that don\u2019t really fit elsewhere. I have to pay these, or I\u2019ll either go to jail or will pay for it in some way or another. For me, these include:\n\n\n\n\nTax payment\n\n\nPersonal grooming like facials, sunscreen, shampoo and makeup\n\n\nStationaries\n\n\nClothes, shoes and underwear\n\n\nClothes alterations\n\n\nHaircuts\n\n\nPhone cases\n\n\nPassport renewal\n\n\nDevices like hair dryer, washing machine, waterpik (water flossing thingy) and vacuum cleaner\n\n\nReplacing kitchen stuff like water filter, chopping board and kitchen scissors\n\n\nReplacing home stuff like bedsheets\n\n\nHome and laptop repairs\n\n\nSports equipment and accessories\n\n\nCat scratching post\n\n\n\n\n7) Misc Wants \u2013\u00a0RM6,902.89 or RM575.24 per month, on average\n\n\nShit, I bought a lot of things that I strictly didn\u2019t need. A category to improve on in 2018, definitely!\n\n\nI bought:\n\n\n\n\nSteam and mobile games (Dream Daddy ftw)\n\n\nTobacco\n\n\nClothes and shoes that I strictly didn\u2019t need\n\n\nFace masks\n\n\nThe biggest waste of money was the derma filler for RM3,600 \u2013 cosmetic fix injections to reduce my eye bags. It lasts only for like a year or so \u2013 not something I plan to continue at this price. Why did I do this. Why.\n\n\n\n\n8) Groceries\u00a0\u2013\u00a0RM5,096.04 or RM424.67 per month, on average\n\n\nNot that big of an increase from last year, good. I try to buy good-quality products for health reasons, and make meat consumption a treat rather than an everyday thing.\n\n\n9) Loan Repayments \u2013\u00a0RM5,028.78 or RM419.07 per month, on average\n\n\nMonthly deductions for my 25-year ASB loan and paying off the remainder of IKEA instalments for home stuff bought when I moved back to KV in 2016.\n\n\nTechnically I\u2019m still paying instalments for my laptop, but that\u2019s in the Business category and not included here.\n\n\n10) Social\u00a0\u2013\u00a0RM4,502.62 or RM375.22 per month, on average\n\n\nPaying for meals with friends. Sometimes we split the bill, sometimes I just pay for the group. If I can still afford this in 2018, I will continue. It makes me feel like Santa.\n\n\n11) Public transportation \u2013\u00a0RM2,074.95 or RM172.91 per month, on average\n\n\nGotta go places. This mostly goes to Grab and Uber.\n\n\n12) Petrol, Parking & Toll\u00a0\u2013\u00a0RM1,550.11 or RM129.18 per month, on average\n\n\nWhen I use my friends\u2019 or family members\u2019 cars, I fill \u2019em up.\u00a0 No 11 and 12 combined is still cheaper than car ownership, I\u2019m okay with this.\n\n\n13) Mobile\u00a0\u2013\u00a0RM1,118.70 or RM93.23 per month, on average\n\n\nIt got higher because I switched to Maxis postpaid (the RM128+GST per month one) around the middle of the year.\n\n\n14) Food\u00a0\u2013\u00a0RM969.27 or RM80.77 per month, on average\n\n\nThe reason why I\u2019m no longer losing weight. These are not groceries, not makan sessions with friends and family, not dates, just pure lack of discipline to resist snacks when I\u2019m out and about. At least it\u2019s the last one in the list.\n\n\nConclusion and self-reflection\n\n\nI\u2019m effectively saving 39.77% of my income. I\u2019m happy with that savings rate. Let\u2019s just call it 40% and call it a day \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n50% of my expenses in 2017 went to Business, Donations & Gifts and Utilities & Rent. That\u2019s alright. I don\u2019t think Business costs will go up in 2018 \u2013 on the contrary it\u2019s likely to go down. No plans to buy new gadgets and some things I\u2019ve already paid in advance.\n\n\nCategories I need to reduce expenses are: Dates/Travel, Misc Wants and Food \u2013 they cumulatively make up almost 17% of 2017\u2019s spending.\n\n\nThe rest of the categories, I just need to be mindful of them and make sure 1) No one is taking advantage of me and 2) The expenses are worth it and provide value to my life.\n\n\nWell that\u2019s it folks! Thanks for reading until the end. Now the big question is \u2013 what kind of person are YOU, according to your financial data? If you don\u2019t have detailed info, just share with me what you think are your top expenses \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nMy Total Income and Expenses in 2016\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/my-total-income-and-expenses-in-2019/", "title": "My Total Income and Expenses in 2019\n  ", "body": "Welcome back to my total incomes and expenses report, now in its fourth year! In this annual series, I\u2019m as financially naked as I can be \u2013 you\u2019ll know how much I earned for the whole of 2019 and what I spent on during the year.\n\n\nSeriously, I love that I keep such meticulous record of my financial data (even though it\u2019s nowhere near perfect, but perfect is boring and not to mention impossible). I love that I can share this information with you, so you get to see how record-keeping is beneficial in practice.\n\n\nThis article is divided into two big sections: incomes (recorded via a Google spreadsheet) and expenses (recorded via my \nexpense-tracking app\n).\u00a0 If you\u2019re a regular reader, you should already be familiar with my expense breakdowns anyway \u2013 I post them \nevery month\n.\n\n\nIncome in 2019\n\n\n\n\nMy total income in 2019: \nRM93,995.20, or an average of RM7,832.93 per month. Note: This amount is\u00a0\ngross income\n, not \nnett profit\n. Remember, I\u2019m self-employed, so I have business-related expenses.\n\n\nTo be honest, I didn\u2019t know how to best record my 2019 income. There are some straightforward transactions \u2013 sponsored posts, ad money, writing jobs, consultation and speaking fees etc \u2013 but there are also things like:\n\n\n\n\nBook order for Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 1 from MPH Distributors.\n Technically speaking, they \u2018bought\u2019 the books from me to resell in the bookstores, so the five-figure amount I invoiced them is included in the above amount, however \nit has not been transferred to me yet\n. I\u2019m a bit worried because I know that \nunsold books will be sold back to me\n, and in the end the decision to sell the books in bookstores might even cost me money because I still have to pay them the 5% distributor fee\n\n\nMoney earned from referrals\n, which goes straight into various investment platforms, notably Funding Societies and Wahed Invest. Combined, I made ~RM47k in referrals from these two alone, which I did \nnot\n include in the total income of the year because the money is immediately reinvested. Accountants, should I include this amount in my total income for the year or nah?\n\n\n\n\nAside from those two major headaches, I\u2019m happy with my 2019 income performance. I had a loose \u2018earn RM100k for the year\u2019 goal and although I didn\u2019t achieve it (Idk, did I?), my conscience is clear. I turned down a couple of high-paying work opportunities in 2019 and while losing those income sucked, I\u2019m happy I remained true to my values.\n\n\n2019 was also the year that I tried my best to balance work/life \nbalance\n integration. As much as possible, I made sure to make my work fit my life, instead of the other way around. I had so many amazing life experiences:\n\n\n\n\npublished a book,\n\n\nwent to \nLuang Prabang\n, Perth and Bali with loved ones;\n\n\ntook trips to Melaka, Genting and Penang;\n\n\ngot sponsored on a press trip to Estonia;\n\n\nwent on a writer\u2019s retreat in Ipoh;\n\n\nattended various workshops and conferences;\n\n\nand worked on new and existing projects.\n\n\n\n\nIt was an incredibly memorable, fulfilling year. Thank you for joining me in this ride and helping me stay accountable.\n\n\nExpenses in 2019\n\n\nTotal expenses in 2019:\n RM82,376.74 or an average of RM6,864.73 per month\n\n\nBreakdown of expenses.\n\n\n\n\nFrom here I can see that my top three expenses make up almost 60% of my total spending! So if I want to cut back on my spending (I do), the efficient way is to drastically cut back here, not penny pinch on the other categories.\n\n\nHere are my expenses sorted by categories, from highest to lowest:\n\n\n \n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nBreakdown and comments on each expense category\n\n\n1) Utilities & Rent \u2013 RM15,515.55 or RM1,292.96 per month, on average\n\n\nConsidering my rent is RM1200 per month, that means I\u2019m only spending RM92.96 per month on average on electric, aircond and water bills. That\u2019s alright, right? I don\u2019t think I can cut this expense any lower.\n\n\n2) Business \u2013 RM15,262.85 or RM1,271.90 per month, on average\n\n\nIf I earned an average of RM6,864.73 per month, and my business expenses averaged RM1,271.90, then that means my \nnett profit aka salary per month in 2019 was RM5,592.83\n.\n\n\nThings I paid as business expenses in 2019:\n\n\n\n\nFacebook ads\n\n\nEzoic Premium, an ad-optimisation software\n\n\nBook printing (the biggest chunk! 1500 books for RM6600)\n\n\nEditing fees for Money Stories from Malaysians Volume 2\n\n\nTranslation fees to translate Money Stories from Malaysians Volume 1 into Malay\n\n\nVoice and speech coaching sessions\n\n\nGrammarly Premium\n\n\nDomain renewal\n\n\nConference and workshop tickets\n\n\nMemberships to organisations\n\n\nWriters\u2019 retreat\n\n\nBooks\n\n\nAnd other misc expenses\n\n\n\n\nThis is yet another category that I *don\u2019t* want to scale back on, because you need money to make money.\n\n\n3) Dates/Travel \u2013 RM14,881.89 or RM1,240.16 per month, on average\n\n\nHmm. Ok fine, numbers don\u2019t lie. As much as I hate to admit it, I guess I was travelling and eating out too much in 2019. Something to scale back in 2020.\n\n\nMental note: no more than RM500/month on dates/travel from now on. Make it work.\n\n\n4) Donations and Gifts \u2013 RM7,608.62 or RM634.05 per month, on average\n\n\nIn previous year\u2019s annual report, I made a note to significantly reduce my donations and gifts to max RM1000/month. I guess I achieved that goal.\n\n\nIn 2019, the two biggest chunks (about 40% of total) of my Donations and Gifts were (1) Zakat and (2) money to replace my parents\u2019 broken house gate (split with sister). The rest were birthday presents, wedding gifts, family dinners, souvenirs, things like that.\n\n\nI\u2019m okay to increase this expense category a little bit. Also there\u2019s something I\u2019ve been meaning to do for a while now: to give my parents monthly spending money. It\u2019s time. In fact I should have done it sooner.\n\n\n5) Groceries \u2013 RM5,943.81 or RM495.32 per month, on average\n\n\nSimplistically speaking, my cost per homemade meal is just RM4.95. I\u2019m very happy to know that, since I do make an effort to eat healthy and buy quality ingredients \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n(How I got that figure: RM495.32 divide by 100 homemade meals per month)\n\n\n6) Insurance and Medical \u2013 RM5,452.62 or RM454.39 per month, on average\n\n\nRM113.33 and RM53 goes to medical card and personal accident insurance, respectively.\n\n\nThe rest are costs related to new diagnosis of curved spine. I paid a couple thousand for X-ray and chiropractor consultations.\n\n\nI\u2019ve since stopped the chiro sessions, but looking for insurance-covered options (if any) or cheaper treatment options.\n\n\n7) Public Transportation \u2013 RM4,529.28 or RM377.44 per month, on average\n\n\nThis no-car lifestyle is so cheap! I\u2019m happy to continue paying for LRTs, Grabs and \nSoCars\n \ud83d\ude00\n\n\n8) Misc Needs \u2013 RM4,253.23 or RM354.44 per month, on average\n\n\nMisc Needs is a category for random \u2018must pay\u2019 things that don\u2019t really fit elsewhere. I have to pay these, or I\u2019ll either go to jail or my professional life will be jeopardised.\n\n\nIn 2019, the following expenses got logged as Misc Needs:\n\n\n\n\nTax payment\n\n\nCat food and cat litter\n\n\nProtein powder (maybe I should move this under groceries)\n\n\nReplacing home stuff like toilet brush\n\n\nStationaries\n\n\nCordless vacuum cleaner\n\n\nBuying a new fridge since I poked a hole during defrosting AGAIN\n\n\nStocking up on toiletries and skincare like shower gel, shampoo, sunscreen etc\n\n\nEyebrow threading\n\n\nParking fines\n\n\nWatch battery replacement and repair\n\n\nTravel adapter\n\n\nCredit card service tax\n\n\nAnd other misc stuff\n\n\n\n\n9) Misc Wants \u2013 RM4,148.21 or RM345.74 per month, on average\n\n\nMisc Needs, on the other hand, are random \u2018nice to have\u2019 purchases. Not strictly necessary, but I still wanted them\n\n\nIn 2019, the following expenses got logged as Misc Wants:\n\n\n\n\nTeeth whitening strips\n\n\nRadio/speaker\n\n\nShoes, clothes, bags, makeup\n\n\nBooks\n\n\nSteam games and controller\n\n\nHome decor\n\n\nNetflix\n\n\nAnd other random stuff\n\n\n\n\nIs this\u2026 an okay amount to spend on what\u2019s essentially vices? How much do you spend on things you want (not need)? Should I maintain, reduce or increase? Idk, let\u2019s see :/\n\n\n10) Social \u2013 RM4,253.23 or RM354.44 per month, on average\n\n\nI\u2019ve developed some good friendships, so going forward I\u2019m happy to continue spending (within reason) to maintain our relationships. My friends bring a lot of joy and meaning to my life.\n\n\n11) Food \u2013 RM1397.79 or RM116.48 per month, on average\n\n\nEmbarassing expense. This is the food expense that\u2019s NOT part of groceries, dates, travel or social activities. It may be time to admit food delivery is my vice and something I should stop immediately because this expense is completely unnecessary and wasting money!\n\n\n12) Mobile \u2013 RM960 or RM80 per month, on average\n\n\nMy data consumption increased A LOT since I got Netflix (around Sept 2019). I used to consume 30-40GB per month, now its nearer to 75GB per month.\n\n\nAll I can say is, switching to Yoodo was a good financial decision for me. I like tweaking around my data plan, reducing next month\u2019s data quota if I know I\u2019ll be travelling or if Yoodo\u2019s doing free data giveaway (I got free 20GB/month for at least like 3 months).\n\n\nIf you want to try Yoodo out too, get FREE RM 20 when you sign up using my\u00a0\nreferral link\n\u00a0(I get RM20 too).\n\n\nConclusion and self-reflection\n\n\n2017\u2019s savings rate: \n39.77%\n. 2018\u2019s savings rate: \n-48.95%\n. 2019\u2019s savings rate: \n14.1%\n\n\nVolatile much? Maybe aim for consistency, Suraya?\n\n\nAction plan for the year:\n\n\n\n\nEarn RM100k by end of June 2020.\n Why not. Never try never know.\n\n\nGet sponsors for the RinggitOhRinggit podcast!\n Get over your fear of rejection Suraya and just do the cold-calling/cold-emailing, anything to get leads and potential sponsors. Capiche?\n\n\nLaunch and sell books.\n Please buy Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 2 when it comes out! And please buy volume 1 in bookstores if you haven\u2019t!\n\n\nGoal: at least 25% savings rate\u00a0\n(percentage of money left over after income minus expenses)\n\n\nSignificantly reduce food purchases.\n Not groceries. Food.\n\n\n\n\nWell, that\u2019s the end of it. Thank you for reading my income and expense report, folks. How was your 2019 like, financially speaking? What tweaks are you making to incomes and expenses, going forward? Let me know in the comments section!\n\n\nRelated:\n\n\n\n\nMy Total Income and Expenses in 2016\n\n\nMy Total Income and Expenses in 2017\n\n\nMy Total Income and Expenses in 2018\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/my-total-income-and-expenses-in-2020/", "title": "My Total Income and Expenses in 2020\n  ", "body": "\n\nWelcome back to my total incomes and expenses report, now in its fifth year! In this annual series, you will see a review of my financial year- how much I earned and what I spent on throughout the year.\n\n\nThe financial data presented here is nowhere near perfect (but perfect is boring and not to mention impossible), but I love that I can share this information with you, so you get to see how record-keeping is beneficial in practice.\n\n\nThis article is divided into two big sections: incomes (recorded via a Google spreadsheet) and expenses (recorded via my \nexpense-tracking app\n).\u00a0 If you\u2019re a regular reader, you should already be familiar with my expense breakdowns anyway \u2013 I post them \nevery month\n.\n\n\nIncome in 2020\n\n\nI earn my living from various income sources, which you can check here: \n[VIDEO] My 8 Sources of Income As a Malaysian Blogger\n\n\nIn 2020, I recorded\n \nRM71,149.42 in gross income (not nett profit). Remember, I\u2019m self-employed, so I have business-related expenses.\n\n\nIf you take out business-related expenses in 2020 (RM31,874.32; breakdown in Expenses in 2020 section below), I \neffectively earned RM39,275.10 or RM3,272.93 per month in 2020.\n\n\nThe amount is lower than I wanted, but hey. The fact that I still had work in the first year of pandemic is already something to be grateful for. \n\n\nI know I should have done something to earn more and hit my RM100k nett profit goal \nso I can brag about it\n but to be honest my mood to earn kind of dissipated during the pandemic and never came back :/ I wonder if any of you feel the same. I know I\u2019m not particularly ambitious in the first place but this lack of semangat is somewhat worrying.\n\n\nExpenses in 2020\n\n\nAccording to my expense tracker,\n \nI spent RM124,305.93 for the whole of 2020. If you exclude business-related expenses (RM31,874.32), I \neffectively spent RM92,431.61 or RM7,702.63 per month in 2020. \n\n\n\n\nYes, I spent more than I made in 2020.\n More than twice over. I broke the #1 personal finance rule, earn > spend, and I\u2019m not even sorry about it. \n\n\nFor one, I\u2019m \nhappy with what I spent on\n. I remained frugal except for one category, which I spent lavishly on \u2013 Donations & Gifts. I\u2019ll expand further below. \n\n\nSecondly, 2020 was an \nabsurdly good year for my investments\n \u2013 my net worth \nstill grew\n despite me overspending. It\u2019s absurd and ridiculous and yes I\u2019m lucky AF that things turned out well. I\u2019ve decided not to keep all that luck for myself and didn\u2019t want to hoard money for hoarding\u2019s sake, so I spent it. \n\n\nHere are my expenses in 2020 sorted by categories, from highest to lowest:\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe top 3 expenses made up 69% (tee hee) of my total 2020 expenses\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBreakdown and comments on each expense category\n\n\n1) Donations and Gifts \u2013 RM37,547.23 or RM3,128.94 per month, on average\n\n\nBefore you say, oh wow Suraya that\u2019s a lot \u2013 let me just stop you \u2013 I\u2019m not *that* altruistic. Sure, I paid my zakat and made small donations to various charities, but the majority of my Donations and Gifts went to my family. In 2020, I:\n\n\nPaid my parents\u2019 electricity bill (it\u2019s around RM800-900 per month.. I know.. I\u2019d love to lower this expense but I also know they use a lot of aircon so I can\u2019t say anything, I want them to be comfortable..)\nPaid for renovations for a room at family home (also used as bridal room, so really I benefited a lot from this)\nContributed to my dad\u2019s dusun project at kampung land\nGifted an expensive massage chair to mom for her birthday (shared with sisters)\nContributed to meals and gifts for celebrations like birthdays etc\n\n\nEven though I regret none of these expenses \u2013 after all, much of the money ultimately flowed back into the economy, which is good yes? \u2013 I do want to balance this giving spirit with a dash of reality. I was lucky that 2020 has been a financially good year for my investments therefore my finances are still strong, but I know I can\u2019t keep this up if I continue to earn the same income.  \n\n\n2) Business \u2013 RM31,874.32 or RM2,656.19 per month, on average\n\n\nBecause you need money to make money. Things I paid as business expenses in 2020:\n\n\nFacebook ads\nEzoic Premium, an ad-optimisation software\nBook re-printing for Money Stories from Malaysians Volume 2\nHosting and domain renewal\nVarious marketing tools\nMemberships to organisations\nBooks\nNew website design\nAnd a new business venture which I don\u2019t want to expand on yet \ud83d\ude42 Watch this space\n\n\n3) Utilities & Rent \u2013 RM14,517.61 or RM1,209.80 per month, on average\n\n\nBless my landlady, during when MCO 1.0 hit, she agreed to waive 1 month rental for me. \n\n\n4) Wedding \u2013 RM12,062.09 or RM1,005.17 per month, on average\n\n\nTemporary category, obviously \ud83d\ude42 Again, thanks for all the well-wishes! \n\n\nRelated: \nI Spent RM12,062.09 For My MCO Wedding (Cost Breakdown Included)\n\n\n5) Groceries \u2013 RM7,166.25 or RM597.19 per month, on average\n\n\nSpending almost RM600 per month on groceries is more than worth it, considering the joy, source of creative outlet and health benefits I get out of the whole process. \n\n\n\n\nWhat 'mundane' activity do you genuinely enjoy?\nMine is grocery shopping. I love everything about it \u2013 allows me to be creative via cooking (I like figuring out how to use up odd ingredients!), lets me enjoy delicious food at cheaper price and satisfies my shopping mood!\n \nYou?\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nDecember 16, 2020\n\n\n\n\nI wonder how much my groceries will now cost, now that I\u2019m buying for 2 people. Common sense says it\u2019ll double, but let\u2019s see. \n\n\n6) Dates/Travel \u2013 RM4,910 or RM409.17 per month, on average\n\n\nI barely went anywhere in 2020 (though admittedly nor do anyone else). Much of this expense were recorded in December, when we went for a honeymoon in Langkawi. \n\n\n(Defensively, I have to say this: we self-quarantined for 2 weeks after returning home)\n\n\n7) Misc Wants \u2013 RM4,217.25 or RM351.44 per month, on average\n\n\nMisc Needs is a category for those random \u2018nice to have\u2019 purchases. Not strictly necessary, but I still wanted them. I didn\u2019t realise it, but I bought quite a lot in 2020. Small expenses really do add up. \n\n\nIn 2020, the following expenses got logged as Misc Wants:\n\n\nNetflix \nBooks\nClothes\nMakeup and skincare\nHair perm\nMassages\nHome decor\nCourses\nJewellery\nTeeth whitening session \nSteam games\nHouse plants\n\n\nAlright, I \nhave \nto be mindful of this expense. I can\u2019t keep using pandemic-induced anxiety as an excuse to keep buying unnecessary stuff. \n\n\n8) Misc Needs \u2013 RM3,128.96 or RM260.75 per month, on average\n\n\nMisc Needs is a category for random \u2018must pay\u2019 things that don\u2019t really fit elsewhere. I have to pay these, or I\u2019ll either go to jail or my professional life will be jeopardised.\n\n\nIn 2020, the following expenses got logged as Misc Needs:\n\n\nTax payment\nRenew driving license\nHome maintenance and organisation\nReplacing home appliances (my kettle died TWICE ahahaha)\nOffice chair\nMasks and sanitiser gels\nStocking up on toiletries and skincare\nFire extinguisher\nFinancial calculator for CFP \nCredit card service tax\nAnd other misc stuff\n\n\n9) Insurance and Medical \u2013 RM2,339.89 or RM194.99 per month, on average\n\n\nAdded on Critical Illness plan since November 2020. Currently, my monthly commitment for insurance is:\n\n\nMedical card \u2013 RM113.33 \nPersonal Accident \u2013 RM53\nCritical Illness \u2013 RM172\n\n\nRelated: \n9 Things You MUST Know Before You Buy Insurance in Malaysia\n\n\n10) Public Transport \u2013 RM1,827.42 or RM152.29 per month, on average\n\n\n\u2026 Not a bad amount, for someone who doesn\u2019t have a car. Mostly spent on Grab rides and renting cars. \n\n\nRelated: \nSOCAR Review: 7 Tips to Get Cheap Car Rental in KL, Penang and Johor\n\n\n11) Social \u2013 RM1,477.50 or RM123.13 per month, on average\n\n\nTreated family and friends to meals. \n\n\n12) Food \u2013 RM1,237.20 or RM103.10 per month, on average\n\n\nI track Food expenses as (1) they correlate to weight gains and (2) are NOT part of groceries, dates, travel or social activities. \n\n\nRM103.10 per month is quite high for my taste. Something to lower in 2021. \n\n\n13) Pets \u2013 RM1050 or RM87.52 per month, on average\n\n\nWorthwhile expense. The buggers make me happy. \n\n\n14) Mobile \u2013 RM950 or RM79.17 per month, on average\n\n\nMy data consumption pattern fluctuates, but I know I need around 70-100GB per month.\n\n\nOne of the things planned in 2021 is moving to our new home, where we\u2019ll invest in home wifi, which means this expense will be significantly lower around Q4 or 2021 or so. \n\n\nI like that Yoodo gives me the flexibility to increase/decrease my data as my data needs change. If you want to try Yoodo out too, get free data when you sign up using my\u00a0\nreferral link\n.\n\n\nConclusion and self-reflection\n\n\nAnnual savings rate (aka percentage of income saved; higher is better):\n\n\n2017: 39.77%\n2018: -48.95%\n2019: 14.1%\n2020:  -135.34%\n\n\nIf I\u2019m an investment, you should stay far away from this kind of performance. Volatile AF. No consistency. \n\n\nBut that\u2019s life. We can learn all the personal finance theory available and still make \u2018bad\u2019 financial decisions. In my case, I know that I should have earned more than I spent but I didn\u2019t, and in fact I increased my spending. The only reason why my finances are still OK is because of savings plus amazing ROI from investments.\n\n\nWhat will 2021 bring? Will I continue to be lucky? Or will the luck run out? Either way, I know the \nonly \nway to be financially safe in any financial climate is to have sellable skills. No matter how \nlazy\n apathetic about work I may be, I have no choice but to find new areas to love and be passionate about (some which I included in my \n21 for 2021 list\n).\n\n\nWell, that\u2019s the end of it. Thank you for reading my income and expense report, folks. How was your 2020 like, financially speaking? What tweaks are you making to incomes and expenses, going forward? Let me know in the comments section!\n\n\nRelated:\n\n\nMy Total Income and Expenses in 2016\nMy Total Income and Expenses in 2017\nMy Total Income and Expenses in 2018\nMy Total Income and Expenses in 2019\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/total-income-and-expenses-in-2018/", "title": "My Total Income and Expenses in 2018\n  ", "body": "Doing a tally of my total incomes and expenses for the third year in a row! In this annual series, I\u2019m as financially naked as I can be \u2013 you\u2019ll know how much I earned for the whole of 2018 and what I spent on during the year.\n\n\nSeriously, I love that I keep such meticulous record of my financial data (even though it\u2019s nowhere near perfect, but perfect is boring and not to mention impossible). I love that I can share this information with you, so you get to see how record-keeping is beneficial in practice.\n\n\nFYI, incomes are recorded via a Google spreadsheet while expenses are recorded via my expense-tracking app\u00a0Money Lover.\u00a0 If you\u2019re a regular reader, you should already be familiar with my expense breakdowns anyway \u2013 I post them\u00a0\nevery month\n.\n\n\nIncome in 2018\n\n\n\n\nIn the\u00a0\nMy Total Income and Expenses in 2017\n\u00a0article, I wrote: \u2018In 2018, I don\u2019t actually want to \u2018earn as much as I can\u2019. I want to take it slow, earn where I can, but mostly focus on personal projects and self-development.\u2019\n\n\nI did just that. In 2018 alone, I produced \nmy first theater show\n, \norganised a writing competition\n to \nself-publish a book\n and created \na deal-finding website\n.\n\n\nI also traveled to \nHong Kong\n and Japan, danced at music festivals, went on retreats, attended workshops, funded my parents\u2019 umrah and only took on jobs that fit with my schedule. It was an incredibly memorable, fulfilling year.\n\n\nMy total income in 2018:\u00a0\nRM70,739.14, or an average of RM5,894.93 per month.\n\n\nSome notes about my income in 2018:\n\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s a good amount, I\u2019m grateful. However, it\u2019s also \nlower\n than what I earned in 2017 AND 2016 (RM170,718.33 and RM76,151.19 respectively).\n\n\nThe majority of the earnings came from (1) sponsored posts, (2) writing projects, and (3) ad money.\n\n\n\n\nNo doubt I had fun doing \u2018just what I want to do\u2019 for the whole of 2018, but I can\u2019t continue that approach anymore. I need to hustle hard, need to step it up in 2019 so I can get \nfinancially independent\n faster.\n\n\nSo with that note, I need me some of that #abundancementality mindset, that juujuu which attracts wealth and abundance. If you see it, please send some my way pls thanks the very much.\n\n\nExpenses in 2018\n\n\nHow I got my total expenses in 2018\n: I use an expense-tracking app and simply compiled all the spending data in 2018.\n\n\nTotal expenses in 2018:\n\u00a0RM105,369.41 or an average of RM8,780.78 per month (rounded up to RM8,800 per month)\n\n\nI know I spent more than I made in 2018 way before the year ended\n.\n\n\nI\u2019m quite ashamed of this fact, but accountability is accountability, I\u2019m not going to conveniently edit that part out from this article. Knowing that 2018 was a year of \u2018fun\u2019, I should have scaled my expenses back, but I spent more even more than the previous year (I spent RM102.8k in 2017).\n\n\nIn short, I got used to my lifestyle upgrades and didn\u2019t know how to live on a lower amount.\n\n\nThat\u2019s bad, but at least I now know this about myself while I\u2019m still young. I still have time on my side to work my ass off and play catch up.\n\n\nBreakdown of expenses:\n\n\n\n\nAnd here it is sorted by categories, from highest to lowest:\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBreakdown and comments on each expense category\n\n\n1) Donations and Gifts \u2013\u00a0RM29,871.58 or RM2,489.30 per month, on average\n\n\nThe biggest chunk of my expense in 2018 was RM15,580 for my parents\u2019 umrah. If you\u2019re interested to know the motivation, I wrote the background story in the \nOctober 2018 budget update\n article.\n\n\nAnd then the rest is just the usual: zakat, gifts to friends and family, donations to organisations I like, things like that.\n\n\n\u2026Is there\u2026 such a thing as giving too much money away? I\u2019m aware that sounds like the most annoying humblebrag ever, but please hear me out: I\u2019m torn between \u2018the more you give, the more you receive\u2019 narrative and the \u2018only give away what you can afford to give away\u2019 narrative.\n\n\nErr\u2026 any advice?\n\n\n2) Business \u2013 RM18,306.25 or RM1,525.52 per month, on average\n\n\nIf I earned an average of\u00a0RM5,894.93 per month, and my business expenses averaged RM1,525.52, then my nett profit aka salary per month is just RM4,369.41 :/\n\n\nThings I paid as business expenses in 2018:\n\n\n\n\nFacebook ads\n\n\nEzoic Premium, an ad-optimisation software\n\n\nWhiteSmoke, a proofreading software\n\n\nDomain renewal\n\n\nTechnical support when my website went haywire (from the ever trusted \nClickWP\n)\n\n\nAttending the Female Entrepreneurs Movement Bootcamp (FEM Bootcamp)\n\n\nFees for my upcoming book\u2019s editor\n\n\nFees for my upcoming book\u2019s illustrator\n\n\nMemberships to trade organisations\n\n\nLaptop instalments (paid off!)\n\n\nVirtual assistant (although I decided to stop using a VA since May 2018)\n\n\nWriters\u2019 retreat\n\n\nBooks\n\n\nTransportation to various events, meetings and networking opportunities\n\n\nAnd other misc expenses\n\n\n\n\nMy business expenses in 2019 is likely to increase, since I plan to ramp things up. Oh dear God please give me good ROI on those business expenses.\n\n\n3) Utilities & Rent \u2013\u00a0RM14,964.63 or RM1,247.05 per month, on average\n\n\nGotta live somewhere.\n\n\n4) Dates/Travel \u2013\u00a0RM7,603.03 or RM633.59 per month, on average\n\n\nMy personal life sure was interesting in 2018. That\u2019s all I\u2019m going to say.\n\n\n5) Insurance and Medical \u2013\u00a0RM5,501.81 or RM458.48 per month, on average\n\n\nMostly the money goes to my medical card, PA insurance and braces instalment.\n\n\n6)\u00a0Misc Needs \u2013\u00a0RM5,281.97 or RM440.16 per month, on average\n\n\nMisc Needs is a category for random \u2018must pay\u2019 things that don\u2019t really fit elsewhere. I have to pay these, or I\u2019ll either go to jail or will pay for it in some way or another.\n\n\nIn 2018, the following expenses got logged as Misc Needs:\n\n\n\n\nTax payment\n\n\nCat food\n\n\nReplacing a lost security pass\n\n\nReplacing home stuff like towels\n\n\nStationaries\n\n\nPhone screen cover\n\n\nStocking up on toiletries like shower gel, shampoo, sunscreen etc\n\n\nEyebrow threading\n\n\nReplacing my broken bed and broken stand fan\n\n\nSSM renewal\n\n\nReplacing old jeans, tank tops etc\n\n\nSports equipment and accessories\n\n\nReplacing phone charger cables\n\n\nAnd other misc stuff\n\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s good to know my Misc Needs expenses\u00a0\ncan\n reduce \u2013 it averaged RM660 per month in 2017. Although I think it\u2019s due to luck and timing too :/ I mean, if I\u2019m slapped with a RM1000 fine or go to jail, obviously I will pay the fine right :/\n\n\n(touchwood)\n\n\n7) Groceries\u00a0\u2013\u00a0RM5,271.53 or RM439.29 per month, on average\n\n\nKind of the same amount from the previous year. My groceries bill is kind of consistent, wow.\n\n\nAccording to my app, I logged 117 transactions for groceries alone. That means I go grocery shopping an average of once every three days. I don\u2019t know what to make of this info LMAO. Oh well, I love grocery shopping, never mind <3\n\n\nI have to say HappyFresh (\nmy review\n) is just such a godsend. I get to make purchases from Mydin more often (they tend to be cheaper than other supermarkets), and also plan my meals around items on sale easier. Love it a lot, 10/10 would recommend.\n\n\n8) Social\u00a0\u2013\u00a0RM4,948.80 or RM412.40 per month, on average\n\n\nEh? What? I\u2019m not a social butterfly or anything, why is this expense category so high?\n\n\nOhhh no wonder. Top social-related spends for 2018 were:\n\n\n\n\nKevin Hart stand-up show\n\n\nBirthday treats for family and friends\n\n\nGood Vibes\n\n\nHong Kong trip\n\n\nSkytrex Shah Alam\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m not quite sure if I want to scale it back. I like doing all these \u2013 they\u2019re the best parts of my 2018. RM400+ per month is such a small price to pay for such good memories.\n\n\n9) Public transportation \u2013\u00a0RM4,148.21 or RM345.74 per month, on average\n\n\nMy public transportation costs doubled from 2017! But I also pay way less for No 12 \u2013 Petrol, Parking & Toll, so I don\u2019t mind the increase.\n\n\n10) Misc Wants \u2013\u00a0RM4,028.83 or RM335.74 per month, on average\n\n\nThe amount is lower than the previous year, but since I\u2019ve recently quit smoking, I think I\u2019ll save more money for this category in 2019 \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nAside from tobacco (estimate RM80-100 monthly), a lot of my \u2018wants\u2019 in 2018 was beauty products, clothes, shoes and books. I kinda splurged on hair \u2013 permed my hair twice in one year (around RM500 in damages). Something to stop doing.\n\n\nA win: Exchanged my Maybank TreatPoints with 2 x RM200 Lazada vouchers, so I used those to buy some home stuff. I enjoyed that guilt-free spending very, very much.\n\n\n9) Loan Repayments \u2013\u00a0RM3,468 or RM289 per month, on average\n\n\nMonthly deductions for my 25-year ASB loan. Technically I\u2019m still paying instalments for my laptop until August 2018, but that\u2019s in the Business category and not included here.\n\n\n10)\u00a0Mobile\u00a0\u2013\u00a0RM1,320.50 or RM110.04 per month, on average\n\n\nI switched from Maxis postpaid (RM128+GST per month) to Yoodo and now average about RM70-RM85 in monthly payments. It\u2019s nice because I can increase/decrease my data usage for the next month if I know I\u2019ll be using more/less.\n\n\nIf you want to try Yoodo out too, get FREE RM 20 when you sign up using my\u00a0\nreferral link\n\u00a0(I get RM20 too).\n\n\n11) Food\u00a0\u2013\u00a0RM532.22 or RM44.35 per month, on average\n\n\nReduced by almost half compared to 2017! Good job for not snacking as much when you\u2019re out and about Suraya! (Why did you gain weight tho??!)\n\n\n12) Petrol, Parking & Toll\u00a0\u2013\u00a0RM120.05 or RM129.18 per month, on average\n\n\nSignificantly reduced.\u00a0\nI paid RM1550 for petrol, parking and toll in 2017, and less than 10% of that in 2018. I just didn\u2019t use cars that much in 2018.\n\n\nConclusion and self-reflection\n\n\n2017\u2019s savings rate: \n39.77%\n. 2018\u2019s savings rate: \n-48.95%\n\n\nOuch.\u00a0\n\n\nOuch ouch ouch.\n\n\nI dipped into my savings so hard in 2018, you guys. I took around RM35k from my savings to make up the difference in income.\n\n\nThe thing is, I\u00a0\nlove\n my life. I\u00a0\nlove\n my lifestyle.\u00a0I don\u2019t want to make drastic downgrades and changes in 2019, I want the same amount of fun and happiness and joy.\n\n\nSo that means I have no choice but to work hard and increase my income. Remember the\u00a0\nonly\n mantra to successful financial management? Spend less than you earn, earn more than you spend. I need to focus on the second part of that mantra in 2019.\n\n\nAction plan for the year:\n\n\n\n\nReduce my donations.\n Limit it to\u2026 say RM1000 per month. That\u2019s still a good amount right? As far as donations go?\n\n\nDo more sales work to promote my services and get more clients.\n In 2018, I\u2019ve relied mostly on clients approaching me. Imagine how much I can earn if I make the effort! 1 x new client per month is a doable target.\n\n\nLaunch and sell books.\n Please buy Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 1 when it comes out! You get 10 short stories, including one of mine! My short story in there is set in a dystopian Malaysia that implements universal basic income \ud83d\ude00\n\n\nGoal: at least 25% savings rate\u00a0\n(percentage of money left over after income minus expenses)\n\n\n\n\nWell alright. Saying is one thing, doing is another. Wish me the best! And share with me ONE thing from your 2019 money action plan in the comments section!\n\n\nRelated:\n\n\n\n\nMy Total Income and Expenses in 2016\n\n\nMy Total Income and Expenses in 2017\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/budget-update/total-income-expenses-2016/", "title": "My Total Income and Expenses in 2016\n  ", "body": "\n\nI truly believe that personal finance is beyond just simple, boring money. They show insight of who\u00a0you are, as a person. They show what\u00a0you decided were important enough to spend money on, and serves almost like a diary.\n\n\nWell, this is my 2016 diary. It\u2019s a bit nerve-wracking to show them,\u00a0so be nice\u00a0ya \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nIncome in 2016\n\n\nTotal income in 2016:\n RM76,151.19 or an average of RM6345.93 per month.\n\n\n2016 was my first year of self-employment, and it\u2019s been good. Most of my income came from either writing services, advertising/sponsored post services, or affiliate marketing. I\u2019ve written reports, press releases, interviews, online and offline articles, scripts, and also provided rapporteur, editorial and SEO services.\n\n\nIt\u2019s important to note here that during my earlier months of self-employment, I barely made any money. In fact, my income for January 2016 was RM0. Since then, it steadily increased (thank God). My best month was November 2016 at RM17911.27 (close to 24% of\u00a0yearly income), and that was the result of months of negotiation and pending invoices being processed.\n\n\nI\u2019m lucky that self-employment turned out to be profitable for me. Before this, my previous job paid RM3500 per month. Here\u2019s my \nspending breakdown\n during the time, during October 2014-September 2015.\n\n\nRelated: Here\u2019s how I got \nstarted in self-employment.\n\n\nExpenses in 2016\n\n\nThis is the fun part! Dissecting my spending for the\u00a0year brings me back to those moments \u2013 some I\u2019ve already forgotten. It\u2019s a fun thing to do, almost like reliving 2016 all over again. I remember specific purchases I made when I felt happy, or sad, or annoyed, or bored.\n\n\nTotal expenses in 2016:\n RM58,154.24 or an average of RM4846,19 per month (rounded up to RM4900 per month).\n\n\nThis covers all expenses, as much as I know, but I might have missed some expenses, so that\u2019s why I rounded it up. I track my spending via my expense-tracking app Money Lover (\nreview\n).\n\n\nBreakdown of expenses, in a pretty chart:\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nI used to have 16 categories, but as I cleaned it up, it turned out that they can fit into 14. Here are the top eight, from highest to lowest:\n\n\n\n\nBreakdown and comments on each expense category\n\n\n1) Donations and Gifts\n\n\nOnce again, my biggest expense was Donations and Gifts. At\u00a0RM13,423.89, I average about RM1118.66 per month. This surprises me, a little bit, in a very surreal way. I thought I didn\u2019t give away enough, actually.\n\n\nLooking at my expense report, I see how I got this amount: I paid zakat, helped my dad out, and paid for my parents\u2019 multiple bills (mostly electric and water bills).\n\n\nPlease someone tell my parents to switch off the aircon when not in use TT_TT\n\n\n2) Misc Needs\n\n\nRM10213.13?? RM851.10 per month?? How????????????????\n\n\nThis category, made for unavoidable life expenses, is for expenses that\u00a0don\u2019t really belong anywhere else.\u00a0For 2016, this included:\n\n\n\n\nFurniture, home items and electrical appliances for new home in Klang Valley\n\n\nSelf-care items like dental floss and shampoo and stuff\n\n\nPhone\n\n\nA new mattress\n\n\nDentist bill\n\n\nRental stamping fee\n\n\nLaundry (back when I don\u2019t have washing machine)\n\n\nNon-optional clothing, including my outfits for\u00a0\nmy sister\u2019s wedding\u00a0\n\n\nPaying off my blacklisted number\n\n\nSpaying my cat\n\n\nSome fines and bank fees\n\n\n\n\nGosh, unavoidable life expenses do add up, don\u2019t they? Maybe I should make different categories, but most of the above are not recurring enough to warrant its own category :/ If\u00a0you have suggestions, I\u2019m all ears.\n\n\nTo be fair, many of the expenses above is my own fault. I moved to Ipoh then moved back to Klang Valley. Moving is expensive. Thank goodness for friends who help\u00a0you move, if not this would\u2019ve been higher.\n\n\n3) Dates/Travel\n\n\nRM5952.95 or roughly RM496.08 per month for dates and travels. I went to \nKrabi \nand \nOsaka+Kyoto\n. Worth every cent <3\n\n\nI plan to travel in 2017, too, so let\u2019s see how this category will be affected.\n\n\n4) Utilities & Rent\n\n\nRM394.66 per month, on average. Ipoh was cheap to live in!\n\n\nNow I\u2019m paying a lot more than that for my accommodation in Klang Valley. But I figure, hey, it\u2019s worth shelling out more for a comfortable place, now that I work from home (this is my excuse :P).\n\n\nFor a comparison between my KL and Ipoh living cost, read \nhere\n.\n\n\n5) Groceries\n\n\nRM344.51 per month on groceries. I\u2019m happy with this amount!\n\n\nI\u2019m pretty frugal when it comes to groceries (see my guide to groceries \nhere\n). I like the cheap+healthy+keto combo, so I\u2019m glad I got to eat relatively well in 2016 for just this amount. There were a lot of eggs lol\n\n\n(This doesn\u2019t include food I bought for myself while going out or during social activities, though).\n\n\n6) Loan Repayment\n\n\nASB loan repayments. Sigh, ~20 more\u00a0years of this.\n\n\n7) Business\n\n\nRM3500.28 for the year. Includes membership fees, website, software, business cards, VA services, and other things. I thought this category would be higher, actually.\n\n\nI expect this amount will increase in 2017. I\u2019m starting to get more Malaysian clients and attending more events.\n\n\n8) Social\n\n\nGoing out with friends and families. RM256.32 per month. I think this is alright, and\u00a0it is a big jump from RM151.43 previously. I still feel a lot of FOMO though (fear of missing out). I wonder if it\u2019ll ever go away\u2026\n\n\nHere are the next six categories:\n\n\n\n\n9) Misc Wants\n\n\nMisc wants is a category for \u2018I want but I can\u2019t fully justify it\u2019 purchases. At RM252.71 per month, this is a bit on the higher side. I have to reduce my expenses in this category!\n\n\nI spent on:\n\n\n\n\nTobacco (money waster, I know)\n\n\nMy abandoned aquaponics project\n\n\nA garment steamer (because I decided that I\u2019m \u2018over\u2019 ironing. Sigh)\n\n\nClothes and bags that are not strictly \u2018needed\u2019\n\n\nFacials and cosmetics (also not strictly \u2018needed\u2019)\n\n\nApp purchases\n\n\n\n\nNote to self: please, please quit smoking,\u00a0you junkie.\n\n\n10) Insurance and Medical\n\n\nMedical card and PA insurance. I wrote about my insurances \nhere\n. These are grown-up expenses, I can live with this.\n\n\n11) Parking, Petrol & Toll\n\n\nRM147.33 per month for this category. It\u2019s funny because I don\u2019t actually have a car. Mostly I spend for parking, petrol and toll when I borrow my friend\u2019s car and fill up the petrol and Touch N Go in exchange.\n\n\nIt\u2019s kinda high, but I\u2019ll be damned if I don\u2019t contribute.\u00a0An ex-friend of mine, back in college, used to take advantage of me and request free rides all the time without helping to pay for anything (and I\u2019m not the type to ask). I never want to be that person.\n\n\n12) Public Transport\n\n\nOn average, I spent RM117.32 per month for public transport. Mostly Ipoh-Shah Alam bus trips, but now in 2017 this is mainly Uber, Grab and LRTs.\n\n\nSometimes I feel pressured to have a car, but I don\u2019t think it\u2019s a good financial option for me now. I still dream about my dream car (Suzuki Vitara) a lot, though.\n\n\n13) Mobile\n\n\nRM86.41 per month. This is OK, right? Right??\n\n\nI used to have prepaid (\nhow to get cheaper prepaid\n), but now I\u2019m on a \npostpaid plan\n. I pay the same amount monthly, more or less, but get more data.\n\n\nI\u2019d love to switch to cheaper mobile plan but unfortunately that\u2019s not possible now. My place, as awesome as it is, charges commercial rates, which means all internet packages are the more expensive business ones. I\u2019m not going to pay RM180 per month for mediocre\u00a0internet, so phone internet it is.\n\n\n14) Food\n\n\nRM53.75 per month for snacks (like Chatime. I\u2019m legit sad they\u2019re closing), all of them going to my waistline *cries*\n\n\nTo be fair, it used to be RM61.91 per month, so it\u2019s a small victory I guess.\n\n\nConclusion and self-reflection\n\n\nAs I write these out, and compare them to my old budget just 2-3 years ago, it shows how much lifestyle inflation can creep up on\u00a0you. I used to spend RM2888.03 on average, per month. Now it\u2019s RM4900. That\u2019s almost 1.7x more! In 3\u00a0years!\n\n\nHere\u2019s my old budget:\n\n\n\n\nSalary: RM3500\n\n\nMinus: Spending (RM2,888) + EPF (RM385) + SOCSO (RM14.75) + tax deductions (RM33.60)\n\n\nTotal left from salary: RM178.65\n\n\n\n\nAnd this is the new budget:\n\n\n\n\nSalary: RM6345.93\n\n\nMinus: RM4900 (not including EPF or SOCSO!)\n\n\nTotal left from salary: RM1445.93 \u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\u2026I now spend more than I made in my old budget.\u00a0\nAs a self-identified frugal person, I\u2019m not particularly proud of this fact.\n\n\nBut on the flipside,\n\n\n\n\nI have more disposable income per month\n\n\nI no longer have housemates\n\n\nI can afford to support my friends\u2019 businesses\n\n\nI can afford to donate more\n\n\nI can afford to go travelling\n\n\nI should stay put in one location, at least for a few\u00a0years (until I\u2019m bored and feel like living somewhere else), so I\u2019ll save on moving costs\n\n\nI don\u2019t think I have to make any big purchases for a while (mattress, fridge, couch etc)\n\n\nSome business expenses can be deducted (I think)\n\n\nI don\u2019t have to get much \u2018business\u2019 clothes\n\n\nI contribute more to investments\n\n\nGenerally, I\u2019m happier and more stress-free\n\n\n\n\nI apologise if this post seems like bragging in any way, but I\u2019m genuinely fascinated by the insights that my spending habits gave me. I\u2019m glad that, at the end of the day, my biggest expense is still donations to people I love.\n\n\nLike I mentioned in my\u00a0\n11 things I learned about self-employment in Malaysia\n\u00a0post, I\u2019m now in \u2018earning money\u2019 mode rather than \u2018saving money\u2019 mode. Now I\u2019d rather earn more than save more. I think I can probably cut down 20-30% of my expenses if I really try, but I\u2019d rather not live miserably and miserly.\n\n\nTruthfully, I still have trouble digesting my sudden increase\u00a0in disposable income. So far I\u2019ve chucked most of them in various investments, because I don\u2019t know what to do with them and I feel uncomfortable seeing them not doing anything.\u00a0I wonder how other people deal with their disposable incomes, after life expenses? Do they actively look for things to buy? Do they save up for properties? Do they party it all away? It\u2019s fascinating how money amplifies a person\u2019s personality.\n\n\nWith that thought, I\u2019m signing off for now. I would love to hear how\u00a0you decide \u2013 consciously or unconsciously \u2013 to spend\u00a0your money and disposable income. If\u00a0you feel comfortable sharing, do comment.\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/5-reasons-why-malaysians-are-underpaid/", "title": "5 Reasons Why Malaysians Are Underpaid\n  ", "body": "\n\nIt\u2019s no secret that many Malaysians are underpaid. \n\n\nThis is not an opinion, this is data. As of May 2022, the minimum wage in Malaysia was increased\u2026 to a measly RM1500 per month (from RM1200). According to the\u00a0Department of Statistics Malaysia, the median salary for Malaysians in 2021 was just RM2,250. \n\n\n(Note: median salary is a better data point as the average salary in Malaysia differs based on age, education level, industry, gender, geographical location and more. Learn more in the \nSalaries & Wages Statistics\n\u00a0page)\n\n\nWhich is funny (in a sad way), considering that amount is not even enough for a single car owner in Klang Valley to live a meaningful life. They would need to earn at least RM2570. \n\n\n\n\nNote: You can check the \nBelanjawanku budget guideline\n to find out how much other household breakdowns approximately needs at the minimum, from singles to couples with children to single parents to elderly. \n\n\nBut\u2026 why \nare\n Malaysians underpaid? Why Malaysia salary so low?\n\n\nThis part is a bit harder to answer, and I don\u2019t want to fall into the knee-jerk reaction and just say many Malaysian employers are stingy (although they are \u2013 see point #4). \n\n\nHere are 5 reasons why Malaysians are underpaid. Points #1-3 are taken from Bank Negara Malaysia\u2019s Policy & Outlook 2021 document titled \nGetting the Great Reset Right: Structural Labour Market Issues in the Post-COVID-19 World\n, while the rest taken from news sources. \n\n\nReason #1 \u2013 Prevalence of the low-cost production model and high dependence on low-skilled foreign workers\n\n\nReason no 1 as laid out in the BNM document is absolutely out of your control. It stated: \u2018..the prevalence of the low-cost production model and high dependence on low-skilled foreign workers discourages productivity enhancements, depresses wages, and encourages the creation of low-skilled jobs.\u2019\n\n\nIn short, the more Malaysian industries *needs* foreign workers, the lower the salaries will be, especially for low-skilled workers. \n\n\n(P/s- I don\u2019t like the term low-skilled. This is just a capitalistic term to underpay manual labourers. They can do things the rest can\u2019t)\n\n\nSide note: DO NOT BLAME FOREIGN WORKERS FOR YOUR LOW PAY\n\n\nBlame the people who capitalise on their labour, instead \u2013 these are the same people who say locals don\u2019t want to do these types of work, when in actuality, locals are just more willing to quit jobs where they are abused for low pay, while the migrant workers *had* to stay because they are stuck.\n\n\nAccording to migrant workers advocacy group Tenaganita and as reported in \nThe Rakyat Post\n, \u2018the abuse faced by these migrant workers included passport retention, unexplained and illegal wage reductions, heavy indebtedness to labour brokers and excessive overtime work.\u2019\n\n\nNot to mention the foreign workers paid A LOT for the \u2018privilege\u2019 of getting work here. According to \nMalaysiakini article\n, about 500,000 (!!!) migrant workers were cheated in \u2018government-sponsored scam\u2019:\n\n\n\u201c..each applying migrant had paid an average of RM6,000 to the vendors,\u201d said Tenaganita\u2019s director Joseph Paul Malaimauv. \u201cThose who did not obtain the work permit lost all the money that they had paid and in most cases they also lost their passports which they had handed over\u201d\n\n\nReason #2 \u2013 Low creation of high-skilled jobs\n\n\nReason no 2 is also kind of out of your control. I\u2019ll just share this whole part from the \nGetting the Great Reset Right: Structural Labour Market Issues in the Post-COVID-19 World\n document, which quotes multiple data sources:\n\n\n\n\nMalaysia\u2019s share of high-skilled job creation \ndeclined to an average of 27% in the period 2010-2019\n, from approximately 51% in the previous decade. This corresponds to 86,200 employment gains per annum between 2010-2019, while the number of graduates in Malaysia has increased by an average of 151,000 persons per annum over the same period. \n\n\nThese figures complement findings from a Khazanah Research Institute study, which showed that \n95% of young workers in unskilled jobs and 50% in low-skilled non-manual jobs were over-qualified for the occupations they were in\n. \n\n\nThe most recent Graduate Tracer Study by the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) suggests a similar story, revealing that approximately\n one-third of graduates end up in mid-skilled and low-skilled occupations. \n\n\nUltimately, this suggests that the economy has not been creating sufficient high-skilled jobs to absorb the number of graduates entering the labour force, leading to skill-related underemployment. \n\n\n\n\nYou don\u2019t need me to tell you that the lower the salary you start with, the slower your income progression tends to be throughout life. \n\n\nReason #3 \u2013 Significant mismatches between skills required by industry and those that workers possess\n\n\nReason number 3 is the \u2018simple\u2019 case of people having skillsets that many companies don\u2019t particularly need\u2026 and thus won\u2019t pay for.  \n\n\nAs per the same BNM document, \n\n\n\n\nAccording to an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) study on skills imbalances in Malaysia, \nemployers reported shortages in communication skills (e.g. oral expression and writing), social skills (e.g. social perceptiveness and social orientation), and physical abilities (e.g. static strength and stamina)\n. \n\n\n\n\nIn this case, there are *some* things a person can do. It is very common nowadays to switch specialisations and industries \u2013 easier said than done, but there are many courses one can take where they can get qualified in a different field altogether, where work opportunities are more abundant.  \n\n\nIf you are early enough, you could also avoid or switch your major and avoid the skillsets that are lower in demand.  In the Graduate Tracer Study as conducted by the Ministry of Higher Education, and summarised by \nDr Muhammad Hisham\n, he stated: \n\n\n\n\nOut of eight field of studies surveyed by MOHE, the top three register the highest number of unemployed graduates are social sciences, business and law (14,665 or 15.6%); engineering, manufacturing and construction (8,950 or 11.4%); and sciences, mathematics and computing (4,113 or 12.8%)\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nIf you want more information on Reasons #1-3, I invite you to read BNM\u2019s \nGetting the Great Reset Right: Structural Labour Market Issues in the Post-COVID-19 World\n document. Now let\u2019s explore other reasons why Malaysians are underpaid.  \n\n\nReason #4 \u2013 Malaysian employers are stingy\n\n\nI didn\u2019t say this, BNM did. In a nicer way of course. \n\n\nAccording to Bank Negara Malaysia\u2019s 2018 Annual Report and \nas reported in NST\n, \n\n\n\n\nMalaysia\u2019s current wage productivity levels are misaligned\u2026 if a Malaysian worker produces output worth US$1,000, he would be paid US$340. \nThe corresponding wage received by a worker in benchmark economies for producing the same output worth US$1,000 was higher at US$510\n.\n\n\nFurther analysis reveals that most industries in Malaysia compensate workers less than those in the benchmark economies, even after adjusting for productivity.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThat report came out years ago, but the situation didn\u2019t get better. In February 2022, Utusan reported the President of Malaysia\u2019s Trades Union Congress (MTUC) claiming \nMalaysian employers only contribute 25% of GDP as wages to employees\n, compared to Singapore (40%), the Philippines (76%) and Indonesia (84%).\n\n\nEDIT: Thanks reader \nsyzvvn\n for sharing a more updated data. According to \nBernama\n and media release, \u2018Compensation of employees contributes 34.8 pct to the nominal GDP\u2019 in 2021.\n\n\nImage source: https://www.dosm.gov.my/v1/index.php?r=column/cthemeByCat&cat=266&bul_id=NDYzci9qQnJaZDlYelVaalpnRzhQQT09&menu_id=TE5CRUZCblh4ZTZMODZIbmk2aWRRQT09\n\n\n\n\nLook, I\u2019m not saying companies should give ALL their profits to employees, I understand that business is business, not a charity. But at least compensate workers as per their productivity output \u2013 how about earmarking 50% of company profits towards employees wages and benefits? \n\n\nIf SMEs I can understand (especially those barely making a profit), but it\u2019s not like the bigger companies can\u2019t afford the wage increase. \nMalaysian GLCs\u2019 CEOs make 300 times the employee minimum wage\n. And \nthe average Malaysian CEO makes 148x the average CEO salary.\n \n\n\nNo matter how you twist it, Malaysian employees salaries are so laughably low. But why isn\u2019t it increasing? \n\n\nProbably because\u2026\n\n\nReason #5 \u2013 The Malaysian Employers Federation is very vocal\n\n\nI mean, I get why Malaysian Employers Federation would be pro-employers. It\u2019s in the name. I\u2019m not shocked by that. \n\n\nBut I am shocked by how actively anti-employees they are. \nEveryone (most of all, them) should know how \nproductivity\n \nis tied to employee wellbeing\n. Employees can\u2019t produce their best results if they are worried sick about living costs. \n\n\nProof? Sure. In a meta-analysis of independent studies covering the wellbeing and productivity of nearly 2 million employees and the performance of over 80,000 business units, originating from 230 independent organisations across 49 industries in 73 countries, the \nresults suggest a strong positive correlation between employee wellbeing, productivity, and firm performance\n.\n\n\nAgain, employers *should* know this. Yet look at how hard they fought against raising the minimum wage from RM1200 to RM1500 in 2021:\n\n\n\n\nMalaysian Employers Federation is really vocal about not raising minimum wage. Why is that? \npic.twitter.com/DIILPvEmrV\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nNovember 2, 2021\n\n\n\n\nI don\u2019t know why Malaysian Employers Federation is so hell-bent on being anti-employees. Look at these other headlines:\n\n\n\n\n21 March 2022 in The Edge \u2013 \nMEF urges govt to delay minimum wage hike implementation\n\n\n12 August 2022 in NST \u2013 \nMEF urges govt to defer reduction in weekly working hours\n\n\n17 August 2022 in The Edge \u2013 \nMEF urges govt to delay enforcing Employment Act amendments, estimated to cost RM111 bil per year\n\n\n\n\nAll I can say is, \nyou reap what you sow\n. High-skilled people with savings (or people who just had enough) will continue to refuse low salaries and find better opportunities, either online or abroad. Thank you globalisation and the internet. \n\n\nWhile we\u2019re at it, here\u2019s your regular reminder that employee loyalty is only reserved to companies with fair financial compensation, benefits and thriving work culture. If not, no need to be loyal, you don\u2019t owe them anything, find somewhere else. \n\n\n\n\nIn the end \u2013 What YOU can do to get paid more\n\n\nHonestly, you can make noise (and you should, or they\u2019ll think we\u2019re fine with this), you can do advocacy, but ultimately only \nstrong political willpower\n can change all the systemic issues that impact workers\u2019 salaries, from direct (move towards living wage etc) to indirect (lower/free childcare costs, lower living costs, etc). \n\n\nAnd even if things do change for the better, you have to remember these changes will be \ngradual\n, not immediate. It\u2019ll take time. You won\u2019t get living wage overnight. You won\u2019t get social protection overnight. Your living costs won\u2019t be drastically reduced overnight. \n\n\nAs such, the responsibility to \nearn higher salaries\n \u2013 for the sake of your own futures \u2013 will still fall onto your own good self. \n\n\nSome employers will take it upon themselves to offer better salaries and \nbenefits\n so they get better hires, but other employers will continue to offer low salaries (because it\u2019s legal, plus all the other reasons above), so you have no other choice but to be employable, you just don\u2019t. \n\n\n(The good thing is, it\u2019s not hard to be employable? Just look at what good employers offering high pay and good benefits complain about \u2013 critical thinking, problem-solving skills \u2013 then work on that and you\u2019ll be better than 90% of others competing for the same high paid jobs)\n\n\nSorry to end it on this note, but you know what? You\u2019ll be fine \u2013 lots of things you can do. Upskilling. Job-hopping. All those things.  \n\n\nFor those who feel kinda hopeless and perhaps lacking savings and desperate to take any jobs, even low-paid ones, I can only point you to this article: \nResources for the Financially Struggling in Malaysia\n\n\nAll the best everyone. Let\u2019s continue to push the government to do better. \n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/are-we-in-a-recession-malaysia/", "title": "oh shit, are we in a recession?\n  ", "body": "Recession. Hard topic to cover. I am so torn between \u2018don\u2019t create unnecessary panic\u2019 and \u2018don\u2019t be in denial\u2019.\n\n\nAre we? Are we not? What\u2019s the definition anyway. Oh, \u2018a period of temporary economic decline during which trade and industrial activity are reduced, generally identified by a fall in GDP in two successive quarters.\u2019\n\n\nOkay I\u2019m no economic expert or nuthin\u2019, but I think there\u2019s a good chance of that happening, caused by reduced country revenue due to falling oil prices and I dunno, A GLOBAL PANDEMIC halting most economic activities in public spaces.\n\n\nTo the government\u2019s credit, they\u2019re doing all they can to mitigate. They\u2019re assuring us they\u2019re doing all they can. The economic stimulus is being rolled out.\n\n\nBut let\u2019s be clear. Now it\u2019s not about thriving and growing, but about risk management and avoiding worse-case scenario. Being overly optimistic in this kind of environment is just stupid.\n\n\nSo let\u2019s keep it real. Don\u2019t mean to brag but I have been spending A LOT of time online, just observing the situation and your reactions, and this is what I saw:\n\n\nYour net worth probably went down\n\n\nUnless you\u2019re keeping ALL your money in cash (bank notes, savings accounts), I would be really surprised if your investments and net worth are not affected in this market.\n\n\nOur stock market went down \u2013 there goes your EPF returns. Global stock markets went down \u2013 there goes your PRS and roboadvisory platform returns. Property market has been down for ages.\n\n\n\u2018Hedges\u2019 are also not dependable. Crypto went down like crazy (traitor!). Even gold, the traditional safe haven \u2013 went down!\n\n\nPersonally, I suffered quite a hit.\n\n\n\n\nMy net worth just reduced by a third overnight hahahah\n\n\nIt\u2019s really not funny, I don\u2019t know why I\u2019m laughing, but if this is my coping mechanism then so be it. Better than depression I guess\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nMarch 13, 2020\n\n\n\n\nThe only people who are happy with the market are traders, who make money with market volatility (and damn the market is volatile), and cash-rich people, who are waiting to pick up cheap stocks and soon, properties.\n\n\nYou\u2019re lucky if you\u2019re still working/making an income\n\n\nWork is no longer something we complain about. It\u2019s more like a blessing nowadays \u2013 \nnot everyone has it. \nIn fact I would even go as far as to say that having work to do/being employed is a type of flex.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nReposted from @myhellogold . Reviewing my own answer in here. I said that financial independence is choosing to work if I want to, and choosing not to work if I don\u2019t want to . Now that COVID-19 is in full blast, work is\u2026 an amazing distraction. A type of joy and a blessing, even . I\u2019m also thinking how it\u2019s a privilege to still be working, to still have an income source. Not all self-employed individuals can say that . Funny how it takes a recession to finally appreciate work \ud83d\ude0c hang tight everyone, we can do this\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nMar 16, 2020 at 2:02am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nI honestly can\u2019t imagine being in industries that are heavily impacted, like aviation, retail and tourism. I can only hope you have enough savings to last you a while, and/or have a strong support network. There is some assistance from the government but that can\u2019t be enough.\n\n\nIf your income is heavily affected, allow yourself to be sad for 5 minutes (because let\u2019s face it, it is horrible) then get right back into action mode, because life still goes on despite how you feel. Go through my \nEarning Money\n articles \u2013 there are lots of ways to make money even in a crappy economy, I promise.\n\n\nYour definition of \u2018reasonable comfort\u2019 is about to change\n\n\nThere are two types of people with disposable income: those who live beyond reasonable comfort, and those who think they don\u2019t and are lying to themselves.\n\n\nLike many people \u2013 and yes, even you, don\u2019t think you\u2019re above statistics \u2013 I have been living with excesses. Sure, I tell myself that \u2018oh but you know I don\u2019t live\u00a0\nextravagantly\n, like the 1%\u2019, but fact is my fridge and pantry do contain RM70/kg Australian cheddar cheese and RM80/kg Colombian ground coffee.\n\n\n(Groceries is my weak point. Your version might be tech or fashion or whatever else)\n\n\nIf we\u2019re entering a recession, all of our purchasing habits will have to change. Either by necessity, as in we just can\u2019t afford it (and you better make the cost calculation earlier rather than later, so you don\u2019t get into unnecessary debt), or via cultural shift (people spending lavishly and showing it off in social media will be considered tacky, doing it in poor taste).\n\n\nExtravagance is out, frugalism is in\n\n\nLike I said in the previous section, people who show off their wealth during a recession will be considered tacky. Some will do it anyway, and we will make them famous, because hey we love obsessing about people we hate slash secretly want to become (whether that\u2019s rich or worry-free).\n\n\nTo be fair, this extravagance -> frugalism shift has been happening for years. You might realise it, you might not and I don\u2019t blame you \u2013 frugalism lifestyle gets rebranded into catchy names, like FI/RE and minimalism and small home movement and zero waste and #vanlife and capsule wardrobe and whatnot.\n\n\n(No, really. Whatever you\u2019re into, there\u2019s a community for it. Look it up: \n25 Personal Finance Subreddits For You To Find \u2018Your People\u2019\n.)\n\n\nBut yeah. Expect a lot more lifestyle content to promote frugal values in this upcoming recession. I\u2019ve seen the phrase \u2018the joy of missing out\u2019 being thrown about. As someone who does struggle with FOMO and want to experience everything life has to offer, I\u2019m quite happy with this new mindset shift. Was overwhelmed by the choices anyway.\n\n\nPersonally I find myself revisiting this old article of mine:\u00a0\n23 Things That I Can Do At Home, Instead Of Spending Money\n.\n\n\nCan the ultra-rich save us?\n\n\nMy final thoughts for this commentary piece. Sure, we\u2019ll do all we can. Personal responsibility and all. We\u2019ll try to earn more, save more.\n\n\nBut what if that\u2019s not enough?\n\n\nThe ultra-rich came up with the funds to rebuild Notre Dame Cathedral SO FAST. Where are they now? If anything, I read that record number of CEOs of the world\u2019s biggest companies stepped down. \nOver 200 CEOs stepped down in January 2020 alone\n. They\u2019ve abandoned ship.\n\n\nCloser to home, have any Malaysian billionaires donated to the Tabung COVID-19 yet? I\u2019m looking at those in the \nForbes Top #50 Richest Malaysians list\n.\n\n\nSure, not my money, not my place to tell them what to do, but in this type of situation? Really?\n\n\nReminder: 52% of Malaysians have difficulty to raise RM1,000 as emergency funds, and only 24% of Malaysians are able to sustain living expenses for at least 3 months or more if they lose their main source of income (10% can sustain for more than 6 months). Source: \nMalaysia National Strategy for Financial Literacy (2019-2023) document\n.\n\n\nTelling people to save money now won\u2019t help. It\u2019s almost condescending even.\n\n\nI sincerely hope I\u2019m wrong and they\u2019re already doing risk-mitigating work behind the scenes. I really, really hope so. Because lots of people are going to be hit HARD if the recession hits.\n\n\nI guess only time will tell. But based on what I see, we\u2019re still caught up in petty squabbles (read: \n[PERSONAL] Malay and Money: A Reflection\n) and profiting off each other while defending our right to earn under capitalism, so my hopes for humanity is at an all-time low if I\u2019m honest.\n\n\nThat\u2019s all I have. Sorry to end this so bleakly.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/asshole-shoppers-who-haggle-aggressively-with-individual-sellers-small-businesses/", "title": "Asshole Shoppers who Haggle Aggressively with Individual Sellers & Small Businesses\n  ", "body": "Real talk: there\u2019s a special place in hell for people who finds satisfaction in getting the Lowest Possible Price (TM) via haggling with individual sellers & small businesses. These persistent assholes \nrevels\n in getting the trader to hang their head in shame and disgrace, forced to accept an extremely low profit margin in order to make a desperate, survival sale.\n\n\nThis happens a lot to individual sellers & small businesses, and right here, right now, I\u2019m going to address it. Rule of thumb: \nDO NOT HAGGLE WITH INDIVIDUAL SELLERS & SMALL BUSINESSES, WHO ARE JUST TRYING TO MAKE A LIVING. PAY THE BLOODY FULL PRICE.\n\n\n\n\nThese people are Mudah sellers who need to sell their belongings to make it through the month. They are the mobile\u00a0 booth renters at shopping malls who can only afford to employ bored-looking attendants. They are the vendors who rely on seasonal bazaars. They are the traders who keep their stock in the back of their car (and had to pack and leave at a moment\u2019s notice when DBKL comes to check permit). They are the mothers and fathers who sacrificed their careers to be a full-time housewife/husband for the sake of kids but ended up having to start business from home in order to keep up with household expenses. These are the aunties/uncles who peddle their wares table to table, while you were eating at the restaurant.\n\n\nObviously the list above is non-exhaustive. But these are people who NEED the profit margin to be financially better.\n\n\nAsshole shoppers typically say something like this (Malay-centric because taken from own experience).\n\n\n\u201cAlaaa kasi la discount lebih sikit, kalau tak saya beli dari orang lain la\u201d\n\n\n\u201cHarga online masa tu lagi murah. Kalau you match I beli sekarang\u201dsh\n\n\n\u201cKurang lagi RM10 je, boleh la\u201d\n\n\n*pretends to leave to pressure seller to lower price*\n\n\nPlease don\u2019t be that person.\n\n\nI\u2019m ending this post with a brilliant video from India about this horrible behaviour. Please don\u2019t do it. Buy less if you can\u2019t afford to buy a lot, but buy in full price. Don\u2019t demean their time and effort to earn money.\n\n[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZcPtI7McjY&w=560&h=315]\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/cant-afford-retirement/", "title": "So You Can\u2019t Afford Retirement. Now What.\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccording to EPF\u2019s chief strategy officer, \nonly 3% of contributors can afford retirement\n. \n\n\n3%. 3 people, out of \none hundred.\n The T3. \n\n\nTo say that most Malaysians are effed, or will be effed, is an understatement. \n\n\nWhat\u2019s more, the 3% figure doesn\u2019t even take into account people who \ndon\u2019t \ncontribute to EPF, such as the millions of gig workers and people working in the informal sector. If you factor them in, it\u2019s likely even more Malaysians can\u2019t afford retirement.\n\n\nSuck. \n\n\n\u2026Now what?\n\n\nThe best solution (that will probably never happen)\n\n\nThe best situation to happen right now to fix this lack-of-money-for-retirement problem is:\n\n\n(1) everyone gets higher salaries, AND \n(2) government policies that reduce the cost of living and improve social protection, AND\n(3) everyone to save money aggressively and only spend on needs, not wants\n\n\nRealistically speaking, none of those will happen, at least not at the speed and level we want. And it certainly won\u2019t happen while the Malaysian Employers Federation is hell-bent on maintaining RM1200 minimum wage.\n\n\n\n\n(Speaking of which, how are they so influential anyway? It\u2019s not like we\u2019re silent about wanting living wage. It\u2019s not like think tanks and financial institutions like BNM, EPF, AKPK etc didn\u2019t conduct research about the importance and need for increased minimum wage. How do they wield so much power to just stop the minimum wage from increasing?)\n\n\n(Like, do they just see \nEPF\u2019s Belanjawanku\n Expenditure Guide, and went like, nope we still believe RM1200 minimum wage is enough?)\n\n\n\n\n\u201cYeah!\u201d Some of you said, \u201cEmployers are horrible! Give us higher salaries!\u201d\n\n\nThey should definitely provide at least living wage to all employees, but remember: \nif higher salary is the only answer, you wouldn\u2019t have high-income earners in huge debts.\n \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nImportant: getting into huge (consumer) debt it\u2019s not due to lack of willpower and discipline alone. In addition to yes the fault of human desires, high-income earners are also targeted more by advertisements, because they are part of the \u2018affluent customer base\u2019. \n\n\nIn short, when you have higher salary, more marketers will show you \u2018the dream\u2019 (house, car, travelling lifestyle etc etc) and the perceived affordability of said dream (they will tell you something is \u2018\nfrom \nRMxxxx\u2019, don\u2019t they?). \n\n\nIf you are exposed to these ads on a super regular basis, of course you will be tempted. Especially if your friend group (or desired friend group) also has the same lifestyle. This is the basis of my \nWhy We Can\u2019t Stop Spending Money\n article. \n\n\nRelated: \nWhere Do People Get the Money to Afford Their Amazing Lifestyles?\n\n\nThe more realistic solutions\n\n\nI believe that giving everyone higher salaries, lowering the cost of living and improving social protection are just some of the solutions, not \nall\n of the solutions. This issue is too complex to just have one easy solution. \n\n\nWhat can we do about it? \n\n\nTbh, beyond making noise and doing some activism work, there\u2019s not much any of us can do about it. You can be angry (and you should), but if they\u2019re not raising salaries and lowering the cost of living, then ultimately it\u2019s up to us. \n\n\nSo that brings us here. What are realistic solutions to not having enough retirement savings? \n\n\nTwo options come to mind: working beyond retirement age and/or choosing an extremely low-cost lifestyle. Let\u2019s expand both of these. \n\n\nOption 1: Working beyond retirement age\n\n\nIf you\u2019re not part of the 3%, then the traditional idea of working until you\u2019re 55/60 years old and then retiring is no longer applicable. \n\n\nIf you\u2019re up to the challenge, you can of course try your best to join the 3%. There are many ways to earn money nowadays and the world is abundant. You can steadily \nincrease your salary\n and/or earn more via \nside income\n. \n\n\nBut if you can\u2019t work or don\u2019t want to work for whatever reason (I am sympathetic to \nless fortunate people\n but not to complainers), then the only way forward is to accept the fact that you\u2019ll be working beyond retirement age. \n\n\nOnce you get over the initial denial, it\u2019s not the worse scenario actually. If one manages to find a fulfilling job (providing for family counts as fulfilling), it will still be a good life. Personally, I\u2019ve already accepted I might need to work forever as well. \n\n\nOption 2:  Choosing an extremely low-cost lifestyle \n\n\nThe second option is risky on its own, if not done together with Option 1 because low-cost lifestyle is not NO cost lifestyle. Plus emergencies can always come up. \n\n\nHowever, it is possible, so I\u2019m just sharing the possibility out there. \n\n\nYou could:\n\n\nOpt out of modern life, like the man featured in my \nCan We Live Without Money In Malaysia?\n article\nChoose certain lifestyles with cheap or free accommodation, as shared in my \n5 FREE or Cheap Housing in Malaysia\n article\n\n\nEither way, both these options have something in common: they need the support of a strong community. So you better be the friend/neighbour/person who helps people from now, because that will make it easier for others to help you if/when you need it. I mean, do you want to help out a person if they treated you horribly in the past? I guess not, right?\n\n\nTbh this isn\u2019t the worst situation to be in either. Being strong in community equals being rich in relationships, aka the meaning of life. You can still absolutely still be happy living a low-cost lifestyle, as long as you don\u2019t compare yourself with others (even rich people aren\u2019t happy when they compare themselves to people richer than them!) \n\n\nWhat other options are available for people who can\u2019t afford retirement?\n\n\nAside from the two options above, what other options are available for the people who can\u2019t afford retirement? \n\n\nDon\u2019t give me \u2018govt should do this, employers should do that\u2019. Yes, they should. Yes, I\u2019m as angry as the rest of you over the situation, which could be better but isn\u2019t. But I don\u2019t want to spend too much time being angry without doing something about it. \n\n\nSo, let me know in the comments. What do you plan to do, if you know you\u2019re not saving enough? What\u2019s your Plan A, B and C if your money in golden years run out?\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/cant-stop-spending-money/", "title": "Why We Can\u2019t Stop Spending Money\n  ", "body": "Look up any commentary or news piece about poor Malaysians and the (sad) state of our finances, and you can find discussions about our self-control.\n\n\nApparently, some of us lack self-control so much that we simply can\u2019t help buying all the H&M clothes and trying out all the Starbucks drinks against our better judgement. \nThat, said the commentators, is the reason why many of us complain too much about the cost of living, so stop complaining and just buy less lah!\n\n\nThis shallow reasoning makes me angry.\n\n\nAre we simply going to ignore decades worth of behavioural economics research that is used to influence our purchasing behaviour and habits? Or do we just not take into account thousands of people employed in big companies whose jobs is to develop and execute sales, advertisement and marketing strategies?\n\n\nAnd you expect me, a mere individual, to be able to resist all these combined efforts and temptations, 100% of the time? And tell me I lack willpower?\n\n\n\n\nFactors that Led to Us Spending Money\n\n\nI want to make something very clear. There are spenders among us, who really do consider shopping as a legitimate activity for \nevery\n weekend (and even weekdays). There are people who battle shopping addictions. There are people who continually make new purchases after new purchases, just to feel good for that moment, just to distract themselves from whatever hardships they\u2019re experiencing.\n\n\nTo which I\u2019ll just counter back: not my money, not my place to advice.\n\n\nThis opinion piece is more for people like myself \u2013 \npeople who actively make efforts to save money, yet sometimes still fall prey to shiny new items that we rationally know we don\u2019t need\n.\n\n\nRecently, I read a book entitled \nBargain Fever: How to Shop in a Discounted World\n by Mark Ellwood. I picked it up expecting to find bargain-shopping tips, but what I got instead was the historical evolution of retail strategies, and how it got better over time. It\u2019s a great book, I highly suggest it. Look for it at Book Xcess at Amcorp Mall, PJ.\n\n\nHere are a few things I got out of the book, related to strategies used by companies to encourage us to part with our money.\n\n\n\n\nThe role of price consultants\n\n\nPrice consultants advise companies about product pricing. Way back, the accepted pricing strategy was cost of producing item + reasonable profit markup. Nowadays, it\u2019s more to \u2018the highest amount people would pay for them\u2019.\n\n\nBecause the latter is a lot more flexible, price consultants have devised ways to sell the exact same product to people with different price motivations. This is how a garment that costs RM10 to produce can sell for RM100+, RM50+ and finally RM10+ during stock clearances.\n\n\nIt\u2019s almost scary reading about how price consultants can engineer, induce and manipulate dopamine rushes \u2013 the type that we get when we come across \u2018good deals\u2019 (in quote marks because in many cases, they aren\u2019t actually good deals). When we get those dopamine hits, that\u2019s it, our resolve weakens, and we are much more likely to buy things we may not need.\n\n\nPrice consultants use many strategies.\u00a0Like, did you know:\n\n\n\n\nA product with \n$9.99 price tag sells 10-20% more\n than a product with $10 price tag? It\u2019s the \u20189\u2019 ending that somehow tell us the item is a value item, even though it may not be the case\n\n\nThe ridiculously-priced item in the menu is not designed to be sold, but rather designed to\u00a0\nappear\n cheap\n next to the other offerings. In other words, the RM95 Lobster Truffle Extravaganza makes the RM25 burger looks downright affordable. This applies to many shops, including fashion and accessories\n\n\nShops like to display \nthree options\n \u2013 cheap, medium and expensive \u2013 and knowing many of us usually pick the in-between (to not appear cheap but still not splurging, we tell ourselves). The highest profit margin tends to be the middle one.\n\n\nLabelling items as bargains\n or cheaper than usual even though they\u2019re the usual, exact same price.\n\n\nUsing \ntime-sensitive promotions\n will increase sales (even if it\u2019s a fake price reduction).\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\n10 Manipulative Advertising Techniques You Should Know\n\n\n\n\nAs I type this out, I realised I have fallen for these tricks more times than I care to admit. For example, I like Uniqlo \u2013 I think of it as a shop that sells quality and value-for-money clothes. Did I get the \u2018value for money\u2019 part from their price tags, which tend to end in \u2018.90\u2019?\n\n\nI have also bought grocery items not on my grocery list simply because the products were labeled on sale at the shops. More than once, I found out they actually sell for more or less the same price at other places.\n\n\nAnd I have felt good about ordering that RM25 burger after deciding against the RM95 menu items. I felt so good about saving that money (hah!), I even ordered dessert with the money I saved (hah!!).\n\n\nSo price psychology is one aspect explaining why we shop more excessively than we have to. There\u2019s more.\n\n\n\n\nThe role of technology\n\n\nThis segment is broad, but I\u2019ll do my best in explaining how technology is used to encourage your spending.\n\n\nFirstly, the use of technology in \ndata collection\n. Companies can now profile and study your purchasing habits, and send you personalised offers. I certainly received coupons from Tesco that encouraged me to make an additional, unplanned trip just to use it up.\n\n\nThey can even predict what you\u2019re likely to buy in the future \u2013 read up \nthis case\n about a dad who rage-complained to Target for sending coupons for baby products, when his teenage daughter was indeed hiding a pregnancy!\n\n\nSecondly, \nalgorithms\n \u2013 AI or otherwise \u2013 that \u2018adjusts\u2019 prices according to variables like time, location and even your device. Did you know that some prices, like flight prices \u2013 are \nhigher for Apple users\n? This demographic have been targeted as high spenders, thus y\u2019all are paying more than what others are paying.\n\n\nThirdly, technology that\n advertisers use to target you\n. You know this already, I\u2019m very sure you get a shit ton of ads every day. You even get it from this website, because I earn passive income by allowing advertisers to reach you finance-conscious folks.\n\n\nBut here\u2019s the shitty part \u2013 I actually\u00a0\nlike\n receiving targeted ads. I like discovering things I might like, and sometimes I do. So in this case, it\u2019s more like me wanting to be angry but actually not. Yeah privacy and all that, but.. *runs out of excuses*\n\n\nOkay, anyway, my point is that technology both increased the relevancy of ads, AND the frequency of you discovering it. It\u2019s like casting a thousand fish rods \u2013 it\u2019s stupid to not expect any bites!\n\n\nWhere Do We Go From Here\n\n\nNo freaking idea. I concede defeat. I will now refuse to beat myself, and my generation up for not saving as much money as we should. We will always have flaws, we\u00a0 will always experience momentary lapses in judgement, and if we create financial damage out of it, well that sucks, but it\u2019s not the end of the world.\n\n\nWait, hold one. I do not concede defeat, not fully anyway. I understand I cannot fully win all the battles, but I CAN reduce the casualties. I just have to be more diligent with purchases. Set clear wants/needs boundaries. Recognise the price strategies in the wild. \nReduce my technology usage\n. Okay let\u2019s start with these first.\n\n\nWhat do you think? Do you beat yourself up for failing to stop spending money? Do you see now how it\u2019s not all your fault?\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\n8 Rules to When You Should Splurge and When You Should Skimp\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/discrimination-malay-graduates/", "title": "Are Malay Graduates and Job Seekers being Discriminated in Malaysia? Yes, finds this study.\n  ", "body": "High number of unemployed graduates,\n especially Malay graduates are not news in this country. We hear them blaming everything but themselves. But what if the Malays are indeed being discriminated against?\n\n\nYeah right, I muttered at first, as someone who is sometimes ashamed by my own race (how could I not, when I\u2019m assumed to be \u2018easily swayed and confused\u2019 half the time?). EDIT: I\u2019ve since penned the \nMalay and Money: A Reflection\n article, taking ownership of my heritage\n\n\nTrying to keep an open mind, I read this study, and was quite puzzled by the findings. It was entitled \u2018\nDiscrimination in high degrees: Race and graduate hiring in Malaysia\n\u2018 and was published in the Journal of Asia Pacific Economy by UM and UKM researchers. Here\u2019s the paper abstract (bold is my own):\n\n\nThis paper investigates \nracial discrimination in hiring fresh degree graduates in Malaysia through a field experiment\n. We send \nfictitious Malay and Chinese resumes to job advertisements\n, then analyse differentials in callback for interview attributable to racial identity, while controlling for applicant characteristics, employer profile and job requirements.\n\n\nWe find that \nrace matters much more than resume quality, with Malays, Malaysia\u2019s majority group significantly less likely to be called for interview.\n Other factors, particularly language proficiency of employees, language requirements of jobs and profile of employers, influence employer biases.\n\n\nApplicants fluent in Chinese fare better, and Chinese-controlled and foreign-controlled companies are more likely to favour Chinese resumes, indicating that cultural compatibility explains part of the discrimination.\n\n\nMalay resumes tend to be perceived and prejudged adversely, and employers\u2019 attitudes towards public policy outcomes, particularly pertaining to education quality and employment opportunity in the public sector, also account for the observed racial disparities\n.\n\n\nLet me simplify that for you:\n\n\nWhen researchers sent fake resumes of Malay and Chinese fresh graduates, the Malay applicants are\u00a0much less likely to be called back for an interview. Employers perceive\u00a0Malays negatively, think that they have\u00a0lower-quality\u00a0education and always have the safety net in the form of\u00a0government jobs to fall back on.\n\n\nHuh.\u00a0I\u2019ve never been pro-Malay, but I hate discrimination more.\u00a0How was the research conducted to come to this conclusion?\n\n\n\n\nHow the research was conducted\n\n\nThe research:\n\n\n\n\nSent over 3000 fake resumes, divided into 4 categories: AA Malay, AA Chinese, BA Malay and BA Chinese (AA = Above average; BA = Below average).\n\n\nCGPA, university, language and technical skills were randomly assigned.\n\n\nSent the resumes to job vacancies in\u00a0finance and engineering sector\n\n\nDid not include other races\n\n\n\n\nThe researchers:\n\n\n\n\nFound that in general, AA applicants get more callbacks than BA applicants. Interestingly,\u00a0\nAA Malay have lower callback rate than BA Chinese.\n\n\n\u00a0\nShowed that Chinese resumes received 22.1% callback rate on average while Malay resumes received 4.2% callback rate on average.\u00a0\n\n\nMalay applicants for engineering jobs get the lowest callback rate at 2.9%\n\n\nMalay graduates from private universities get the lowest callback\n\n\nShowed that UTAR graduates get higher callback rates, but there is no penalty for UiTM degrees\n\n\nMalay resumes stating proficiency in Chinese get higher callback rates.\n\n\nEnglish and Malay proficiency and good English in cover letter have \u2018negligible impact on call rates\u2019\n\n\nCalculated callback rates among Chinese, foreign and Malay-controlled companies. Malays get lower callback rates in ALL of them. \nEven Malay-controlled companies favour Chinese applicants 1.6 times more than Malays.\n\n\n\n\nAs I read, it dawned to me the long-forgotten early struggles in my career, where I struggled to hear back from potential employers despite sending job applications after job applications. I thought it happened to everyone. I thought all job seekers faced the same problem.\n\n\nWas it\u2026 caused by my (very Malay-sounding) name instead?\n\n\nWhat caused this?\n\n\nThe research said that the data generated cannot give conclusive reasons.\u00a0But some important points to highlight:\n\n\n\n\nCultural compatibility and language ability matters.\n Employers with predominantly Chinese employees perceive\u00a0that Malays are less likely to take jobs offered anyway (or quit within a few months), as Malays have the tendency to\u00a0feel uncomfortable in these settings. The researchers theorise that Malays prefer environments where their religious customs and spoken language in work environment are catered to.\n\n\nMalay applicants are negatively prejudged.\n This explains why BA Chinese get higher callback rates than AA Malays. No conclusive reasons are given, except that the negative stereotypes may be reinforced by past experience and lack of contact between these two groups to prove otherwise.\n\n\nAppears to be the result of pro-Malay affirmative actions. \nPeople tend to think that Malays have lower-quality education and higher opportunities in the public sector anyway. This is a very complex issue, and further research is needed, but the researchers suggest that \npro-Malay policies may in fact hurt Malay graduates\u2019 job prospects\n.\n\n\n\n\nWhat does this mean?\n\n\nFor the longest time, I have thought, \u2018Man, Malays are complainers\u2019 when they say they can\u2019t get jobs or get high pay or have limited opportunities. I thought: \u2018The PM is Malay, the Parliament is majority Malay, the Kings are Malay, the policies are pro-Malay\u2026 what more do you want?\u2019\n\n\nThere\u2019s substantive proof now to back up this discrimination claim. \n22.1% callback rate vs 4.2% callback rate is a big difference\n. 1 in 5 Chinese applicants\u00a0get called for interview, while less than 1 in 20 Malay applicants\u00a0get the same. Remember that the quality of resumes were already factored in.\n\n\nLess callbacks means less opportunities, more likelihood to take\u00a0lower-salary but stable jobs, and being stuck in lower-economic power for longer time.\n\n\nThis is only one research though, and I\u2019m happy to be pointed to other studies to disprove this or question the methodology of this research (for example, I didn\u2019t like that it only compared Malay and Chinese resumes). But until then, won\u2019t you agree that discrimination is discrimination?\n\n\nHow\u00a0now, brown cow?\n\n\nI hate the blame game, so I\u2019m going to end this with a few suggestions on how can we level the playing field a bit more, so \ndeserving\n Malay candidates get equal and fair chance in the job market, too.\n\n\nEmployers (of ALL races):\n\n\n\n\nIf your employees are predominantly composed of a single race, get more diversified. \nDiversified workplaces earn more\u00a0profits\n. It\u2019s literally to your advantage to have\u00a0a racially-balanced workforce.\n\n\nKnow that you (even Malay employers) have a negative bias against Malays, and that potentially makes you lose out on those good Malay candidates.\n\n\n\n\nMalay graduates and job seekers:\n\n\n\n\nIf you have Chinese proficiency, put it in your resume. If you don\u2019t and have difficulty getting callbacks, take Mandarin classes at the same time. This research proved that Chinese proficiency increased callback rates.\n\n\nMake more friends outside of your race.\u00a0Make more friends outside of your race.\u00a0Make more friends outside of your race. You\u2019re the majority. It\u2019s up to you to reach out to others, not the other way around. Actively attend and network in events, not just Malay-organised events. Be a good friend, be a respectful person.\n\n\nEven though you believe in your faith and race 100%, stop making remarks that make you sound stupid, non-accommodating and even violent. \nBe easy to work with\n.\n\n\n\n\nHXSM\n illustrated some stereotypes of Malay behaviour. We are often portrayed as intolerant, close-minded bunch. There\u2019s a grain of truth in that, unfortunately.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/do-your-own-research/", "title": "The (Unintended) Harmful Consequences of \u2018Do Your Own Research\u2019\n  ", "body": "\n\nConfession: I say \u2018Do your own research\u2019 a lot. I say it on this website, I say it in my social media posts, I even say it in person, after someone asks me for financial advice. \n\n\nI repeat it often because it is considered good practice among personal finance content creators. It is even used to sign off, in a \u2018I\u2019m done now, ok bye\u2019 way: Bla bla bla. Remember, not financial advice, do your own research. NFA, DYOR. \n\n\nHowever, an exchange during a webinar with the good folks at \nInstitute of Capital Research Malaysia\n got me thinking. They asked, \u2018but even if you don\u2019t mean to, people who look up to you will still take what you say as financial advice. So what do you do?\u2019\n\n\nI have to admit, that hit me hard. I didn\u2019t know what to say, and mumbled something along the lines of \u2018but by saying it my responsibility is done\u2019. Which isn\u2019t a very good answer. \n\n\nSo that brings us to,\n\n\nWhen is it financial advice, and when is it sharing personal experience/sentiment?\n\n\n I always maintain that personal finance as a topic is NOT the sole domain of financial experts. EVERYONE should talk about personal finance. Normalising money conversations is one of the most important, if not the most important thing in producing a financially literate and responsible society. \n\n\nAnother reason to talk about money \u2013 if you don\u2019t, then the financial content available will only come out from financial organisations and service providers, who don\u2019t necessarily act in your best interest because their business interests come first (nothing wrong with that).  \n\n\n So now that we have established that, the question is: where is the line between financial advice and sharing personal opinion? \nAnd is saying \u2018Do your own research\u2019 after sharing said opinion enough\n, when there are harmful \u2013 even though unintended! \u2013 consequences? \n\n\nThe (Unintended) Harmful Consequences of Saying \u2018Do Your Own Research\u2019\n\n\nI listed them out. Here are 8 unintended yet harmful consequences of saying DYOR that I can think of:\n\n\n1. It\u2019s an easy way to avoid responsibility and consequences. \n\n\nAka \u2018I already told you to DYOR, so why didn\u2019t you?\u2019\n\n\n2. It is usually silent on where to do said further research. \n\n\nThanks for the reminder to learn more, but where are good places to start?\n\n\n3. And even if further materials are provided.. \n\n\nDo they only \nserve to prove one\u2019s \u2018advice\u2019\n, or do they give alternative viewpoints as well?\n\n\n4. It leaves people at the mercy of marketing strategies. \n\n\nDo you think the financial advice you googled for is on the first page of Google by chance? No, they search engine-optimised the heck out of it, with the hope that you\u2019ll buy their products eventually.\n\n\nIn the same vein, financial companies also implement various referral and affiliate programs to encourage people to promote them. The incentives are so attractive that I share my own \nreferral links\n all the time. #meta\n\n\n5. It neglects the human tendency to mistake confidence for competence. \n\n\nYes \u2018DYOR\u2019 is essentially good practice but not when you get info from incompetent people who happen to be confident. (This is also \nwhy mediocre but confident men get promoted or viewed as leaders more\n)\n\n\n6. It scares people and delays them from taking action\n\n\nAs they have to do this massive task of doing the research first. \n\n\nHow are you supposed to \u2018invest as early as possible\u2019 if you are told to \u2018know EVERYTHING you\u2019re investing into\u2019? Heck I still don\u2019t know what EPF invests in exactly but most of us have our retirement money there, don\u2019t we? \n\n\n7. Good intentions =/= good outcome. \n\n\nI could share something which I thought is wonderful, and it could be the worst possible option for someone out there. \n\n\n8. It shifts the blame \n\n\nWhen people make mistakes, they are just dismissed and told off for not doing enough research. Isn\u2019t it is far better for companies to design good products in the first place? \n\n\nThose are the ones I can think of right now; there may be more. \n\n\nBut most importantly, I found out that \nsaying NFA and DYOR is basically\u2026 useless\n. \n\n\nWhat constitutes financial advice, according to the SC\n\n\nSections 2.2 of the Securities Commission\u2019s \nGuidance Note on Provision of Financial Advice document\n is clear in saying that NFA DYOR disclaimers do NOT void someone from responsibility. If someone takes your recommendation, it is, for all intent and purposes, considered as advice. \n\n\n(shoutout to Izwan Zakaria of law firm \nizwanpartners.com\n and \nstartuplawblog.my\n (shares resources for Malaysian startups) for sharing this document with me)\n\n\n\n\nWhat I am doing to be a more responsible personal finance content creator\n\n\n(Important: I\u2019m aware many people aside from myself say Do Your Own Research. I\u2019m not calling anyone out, only myself.)\n\n\nThroughout all my years being a personal finance blogger, I\u2019ve probably contributed to ALL of the harmful consequences, even though, again, I didn\u2019t mean to. And even though I said I blog about personal finance \nfor my own sake more than for your education\n, I can\u2019t stop the negative consequences, only reduce them.  \n\n\nI believe that anyone can contribute to personal finance chatter regardless of financial background (or lack thereof), but the guilt weighed on me so much, it factored into my decision to finally taking the \nCertified Financial Planning (CFP)\n course.  What started as a hobby may now end up as a career in financial planning advisory. (Maybe. I don\u2019t know yet). \n\n\nAnyway, what I\u2019m trying to say is (1) I\u2019ll be more mindful with what I say, and (2) I\u2019ll maintain my style of writing and continue sharing my notes and experience with various financial tools and opportunities. If it sounds \u2018advice-y\u2019, it\u2019s only because I can back it up with experience and/or research. \n\n\nBut! Do Your Own Research is still better than It Depends\n\n\nThis is my opinion, but no matter what, Do Your Own Research disclaimers is still better \u2013 WAY BETTER \u2013 than \u2018it depends\u2019. \n\n\n\n\n'it depends' is a really annoying answer to almost all personal finance questions but it is also the right answer\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com \ud83c\udff4 (@surayaror) \nFebruary 12, 2020\n\n\n\n\n\u2018It depends\u2019 dulls the conversation, even though it is technically the right answer.\n And I argue that bringing excitement to personal finance is what is needed, more than technical accuracy. \nDon\u2019t underestimate fun \u2013 it leads to consistency.\n \n\n\nSo that\u2019s my stance with NFA, DYOR. What do you personally think of the phrase, when you hear people saying it? \n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/financially-behind-in-life/", "title": "It\u2019s NORMAL to Feel Like You\u2019re Financially Behind in Life\n  ", "body": "\n\nCan I tell you a secret? (Almost) everyone you know feels like they\u2019re financially behind in life. \n\n\nAt best, they are making peace with living the life they have to, not want to (I belong in this category). At worst, they are taking on loans and debt to live beyond their means. \n\n\nAnd the reason for that is the average person now is exposed to \n\u2018I have it all\u2019 lifestyle\n, and expects to achieve THAT for their own life. And if they don\u2019t (by a certain age too), they feel like a failure. \n\n\nBut you forget that those people with the \u2018I have it all\u2019 lifestyle are:\n\n\nAlready well into their late 30, 40s, 50s and already established their lives (surprise \u2013 people with money can buy products and services that make them look younger)\nPart of the T0.1 (aka hit the birth lottery)\nFaking it \nSimply have \nsources of funds/incomes that they didn\u2019t disclose\n (like still living with parents, or get allowances from them)\n\n\nWhy *do* you feel like you\u2019re financially behind in life?\n\n\nWe could talk about how many Malaysians are underpaid. It is true that according to the \nSalaries & Wages Statistics\n by Department of Statistics Malaysia:\n\n\nThe median salary for Malaysians in 2021 was just RM2,250\nSkilled workers earn the most median salary at RM4,471, while low-skilled workers earn the least median salary at RM1,601\n\n\n\n\nHowever, that is only one part of the story. \nUnless you don\u2019t have a lot of \u2018wants\u2019 in life, even \nearning RM10-20k a month\n is not enough. \n \n\n\nRationally, you know and I know that RM10k-20k a month is a lot of money. But\u2026\n\n\nMost people want a LOT of things\n\n\nThink about it. If you are in your 20s-30s, here are some things that you probably want to achieve, \nall at the same time\n:\n\n\nBuy a house\n (need 10% of downpayment), or\nRent a place\n (need a few months\u2019 deposit)\nBuy a car\n (even the most basic Myvi will cost at least ~RM1-RM1.5k a month after add all the petrol, insurance etc costs)\nGet married\n (most people spend 5 figures on their wedding, some people even 6-figures)\nHave child(ren)\n (minimum additional RM1k-2k per child per month, excluding big ticket items)\nTravel\n (a few countries)\nIndulge in your hobbies\nEat delicious food at nice restaurants\nPay off your education loan\nAchieve 6-12 months\u2019 worth of savings\nBuy your favourite gadgets \n(at least phone and laptop)\nDecorate/renovate your place to your liking\nHelp out family members\nDevelop strong circle of friends\nWork on your mental and/or physical health\nAchieve the perfect skin/body physique\nInvest in a corrective/enhancement treatment \n(braces, glasses, etc) \nDig yourself out of a financial mistake\n \n\n\nYou can see that even ONE of those is expensive, right?\n\n\nAnd you expect to hit them all by your mid-20s?? When you have just started working for a few years? \n\n\nSure, you can do some of them frugally, and maybe some doesn\u2019t apply to you, but I bet you want at least 5 things on that list for yourself. \n\n\nAnd maybe some of you are like, no Suraya, I don\u2019t want any of those. Ok fine. \n\n\nBut as mentioned in my \nActually, The Simple Life is Still Expensive AF\n article, even the simplest of life that someone dreams of \u2013 a life that is safe for you and family, with adequate protection and can afford you preventative care/gadgets \u2013 is already expensive for the average person. \n\n\nOk, so the life you want is expensive. Now what? \n\n\nKeep calm and continue on\n\n\nWhen I tweeted this out, I saw so many comments from people who feel validated. Some are in their 20s and felt like they have already failed.\n\n\n\n\nIt's actually super normal to struggle financially when you're young (esp under 30). But generally speaking your financial situation will improve with age (+ effort). Social media just exposed you to the 1% of people who reach (financial) success earlier. Chill and continue on\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nOctober 11, 2022\n\n\n\n\nMy loves, you didn\u2019t fail. If anything, you JUST started.\n\n\nKeep continuing to do one \ngood financial habit\n after another. Eventually, with enough effort and a little bit of luck, you\u2019ll start seeing the fruits of your labour. \n\n\nYou\u2019ll notice your savings and investment accounts will start growing. \n\n\nYou\u2019ll notice you no longer worry when buying groceries or paying for minor emergencies. \n\n\nYou\u2019ll notice you might even enjoy living the simple life, as you gain maturity and shift your life\u2019s priorities.\n\n\nIf there is anything I want you to take away from this article, it is this: life is expensive, sure, but you can still be happy. There are \nways to buy happiness\n even at low income level. You don\u2019t have to wait until you\u2019re rich to \u2018have it all\u2019 (what does that mean anyway) to be happy. \n\n\nI hope this article helps, or at least makes you feel less disappointed in your current progress in life, if you are. I hope you realise everyone is faking it until they make it. \n\n\nAgain, chill and continue on. Others have their path, you have yours. You got this. \n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/good-with-money/", "title": "35 Things That Happen When You\u2019re Good With Money\n  ", "body": "\n\nI notice that these things happen to people who are good with money. Not saying I\u2019m that great (OK OK only), but I try. They are based on personal experience and anecdotes collected from various personal finance-related forums, blogs and other sources online.\n\n\nThese are meant to be humourous, so don\u2019t take them too seriously!\n\n\n\n\n1. You walk aimlessly at the mall after finding yourself there out of habit. You don\u2019t really have anything to buy, and you don\u2019t really feel like window-shopping. Also, you don\u2019t want to look at things too closely in case you\u2019ll like it and spend money on it just out of boredom. Related: \nMy \u2018I Want This, But I Won\u2019t Buy It\u2019 List\n\n\n2. Plus, you know prices at malls tend to be higher anyway \u2013 you\u2019ve done your fair share of cost-comparison on online commerce platforms. \n\n\nYou also know that shops like to artificially inflate the price and slash it down so it looks like it\u2019s on sale but it\u2019s actually not. That item at AEON, marked down from RM119 to RM89, is actually RM68 on Lazada. \u00a0\n\n\nIt annoys you but you continue to wander around aimlessly because you have time to kill and the aircon is free so why not.\n\n\n3. You might want to get a snack at the mall simply because you\u2019re bored. Eh, might as well go all the way to the grocery shop at basement level and get some bananas. Cheaper and healthier than Boost Juice.\n\n\n4. Still at the mall. You saw a shop that you used to heavily frequent. You used to spend a lot of money there. \u2018Ah, I was so young then,\u2019 you thought. Sometimes you go in for nostalgia\u2019s sake but you never buy anything. You know it\u2019s hard to stop at just one item so you\u2019d rather not start.\n\n\n5. You like to bring a water bottle even though it makes your bag heavy because you\u2019ll be damned if you have to pay RM2.00 for plain water wtf.\n\n\n6. Sometimes you calculate things based on the hours you have to work for it. Say your salary is RM3000 after all deductions, and you work 40 hours a week. Your hourly pay is effectively RM18.75. \n\n\nEffectively, that Starbucks drink costs one working hour, what! That clear plastic jacket \u2013 you have no idea why it\u2019s considered trendy, so ugly actually \u2013 costs 10 hours, crazy!\n\n\n7. You develop an internal value-for-money-o-meter. You\u2019d rather buy something for RM100 that you can use 100 times than buy something for RM20 that you can only use once. With a tinge of sadness, you put back the sleek leather biker jacket that costs RM299. You ain\u2019t a biker, girl. Put it back, good girl.\n\n\n8. You\u2019re also incredibly honest about your likelihood of using a product. That air fryer is great, sure, yup reduced calories are awesome. But you don\u2019t really cook fried stuff that often so why even bother considering it? \n\n\nYou look elsewhere. Oh look a noodle maker. Sure, I guess making your own noodles can be a bragging point at parties. But you remember that time you almost choked on noodles once, and who are we kidding the person who brings the desserts get the spotlight anyway not the person who bring the noodles. \n\n\nYou walk away.\n\n\n9. Most things in your wardrobe match each other. You tell yourself that your favourite colour is red, but the evidence shows otherwise. \n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nSave Money on Fashion: 5 Steps I Use to Optimise My Clothing Budget\n\n\n10. Your shoes are all or mostly black. What\u2019s not to love? They match everything in your wardrobe, and they don\u2019t stain easily.\n\n\n11. Your bags tend to be in neutral colours: white, grey, khaki, navy, brown, black, black, black.\n\n\n12. You have a big \u2018going out\u2019 bag. You stuff a lot of things in there, to avoid having to buy them for emergencies. This includes, but not limited to: water, wet wipes, paracetamol, band-aids, umbrella, pens, etc.\n\n\n13. You might have a collection \u2013 DVDs, figurines, games, jewellery, perfume, whatever \u2013 but you stopped actively collecting them. You hope your friends and family will help you grow your collection when it\u2019s birthday season. Or, you know, if you happen to find an insanely good deal.\n\n\n14. You\u2019re impressed by a person\u2019s personality, and not what they own. You are confused by phrases like, \u2018Dia bawak BMW siot\u2019 or \u2018Perggh beg Hermes tu\u2019. You are quite aware that actual rich people don\u2019t actually\u00a0\nlook\n rich.\n\n\n15. Likewise, you\u2019re impressed by what people learn on their travels rather than where they went. \u2018I went to London for holiday\u2019. \u2018OK\u2019. \u2018There was this part in the tour where they explained how \nProtestant\n Anglican Church came about. Apparently the King wanted a divorce way back then but the Pope was like nope cannot so he created a new branch of Christianity lol\u2019. \u2018OMG really tell me more!\u2019 \n\n\n#actualhistory\n\n\n16. When you travel, you really like to visit\u2026 grocery stores. Like, going to Tesco in Thailand was downright joyful. You get to see what locals like to buy, in real-time! It\u2019s the best!\n\n\n17. You are weirdly affectionate to your rice cooker. Matilda can do many things, she\u2019s indispensable <3\n\n\n18. Having the same meal for two, three days in a row doesn\u2019t bother you, but it does bother Jason your colleague. \u201cI can\u2019t, I must have different things,\u201d he said haughtily as you showed him the fried rice you packed for lunch. \n\n\nYou considered telling him that this version of fried rice is different \u2013 you added soy sauce and a vegetable side dish. You know its hella delicious, but you also know Jason doesn\u2019t care, so you shrug and tuck in anyway. Jason sucks.\u00a0\n\n\n19. That feeling of happiness when you get an item you needed anyway at a great price\u2026 sigh\u2026. it makes you feel warm inside for weeks.\n\n\n20. You time your purchases based on cashback. Extra 5% cashback for petrol on weekends, and fuel running low? Better drive without aircon on Friday.\u00a0\n\n\n21. You don\u2019t understand why people don\u2019t get phone cases with front covers or at least put screen covers. Are they in denial or something? It falls down a lot, and screen replacements are expensive yo.\n\n\n22. You make do with a lot of things before replacing them. That torn pair of jeans\u2026 eh can still sit down strategically, it\u2019ll be fine.\n\n\n23. Your underwear have holes in them. They can survive one more wear, you tell yourself for the umpteenth time.\n\n\n24. Sometimes, you find yourself wanting something that is strictly a \u2018want\u2019, not a \u2018need\u2019. You hold it and try to talk yourself out of it. The shop assistant finds you annoying because you keep coming back week after week just to look at it. \n\n\nIt\u2019s worth the wait though because hey now it\u2019s on sale. You only get the things that fit into your \u2018entertainment\u2019 budget for the month.\n\n\n25. You have tried various money-saving hacks. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn\u2019t. That time you tried the \u2018no-poo\u2019 movement \u2013 wash hair with just baking powder and apple cider vinegar \u2013 still haunts you. You still don\u2019t like the smell of vinegar after that little experiment. \n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\n50 Ways to Save Money in Malaysia, From Easy to Impossible\n\n\n26. Sometimes you wish you\u2019re the kind of person who change hair colour and styles based on whim. But those require a lot of money to maintain, so you always dismiss the idea. You still like looking at them on Instagram though.\n\n\n27. You used to wear contacts until you came to term with \nglasses\n. Eh at least I look smarter, you said.\n\n\n28. You have a personal best in \u2018how many days can I go without spending money in strictly unnecessary things\u2019.\n\n\n29. You downright LOVE throwing away an empty case after you used up all the product in it. Ah, the feeling of money well-spent, right to the last drop\u2026\n\n\n30. Regardless of your age and gender, you have an Asian auntie\u2019s soul. You have a plastic bag full of plastic bags. You reuse food tupperware.\n\n\n31. You like those cute notebooks but you never buy them. Why buy if conferences and events always give out notebooks for free?\n\n\n32. Ditto pens.\n\n\n33. Opening your online bank accounts doesn\u2019t fill you with dread. You feel proud of the number. There\u2019s a slight flash of \u2018omg what can I buy with this eh\u2019, which disappears as quick as it comes. It became natural for you to ignore that feeling.\n\n\n34. You regularly transfer a portion of that money to your investment account, feeling proud and shit.\u00a0\n\n\n35. You generally feel proud of yourself for adulting right \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nWhich of the above do you relate to? \ud83d\ude09\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/happy-womens-day/", "title": "Happy Women\u2019s Day. Here are 4 Ways to Support Women in Your Life\n  ", "body": "\n\nHappy Women\u2019s Day/ Month everyone. \n\n\nBut is it happy? I\u2019m not happy. Just tired of faux-empowerment messages and \u2018we-appreciate-yous\u2019, when women still, in general,\n earn less than men and retire/stop working earlier than men\n. Considering women have a longer life expectancy, \nhow is she supposed to finance her retirement life\n?\n\n\n(Do NOT say their husbands etc should take care of her finances. Do not erase the struggles of female-headed households, who are already \nmost affected by the pandemic\n)\n\n\nYou can\u2019t separate women\u2019s empowerment and money\n\n\nI don\u2019t shout out this fact often, but I used to work at an international women\u2019s rights organisation. I can answer most questions you have about women\u2019s human rights, or at least point you in the right direction.\n\n\nBut you don\u2019t need to have women\u2019s human rights background to know that women is the gender that tends to be both \noverworked and underpaid\n. The government can only do so much (are they doing enough? Not at all, but that\u2019s an opinion for another day), it\u2019s up to you and me. \n\n\nHere are 4 ways to support the women in your life. This post is written for the male audience in mind, but I invite everyone read, because all of us (even myself) have a little bit of unconcious bias against women in us. \n\n\n#1 \u2013 Include her in financial discussions and decisions\n\n\n\n\nWomen like shopping, amirite? Women also only like fashion, beauty, you know, fluffy stuff. I\u2019ve legit gotten backhanded comments like, \u2018wow, you\u2019re good with money, most girls aren\u2019t\u2019.\u00a0Which is an interesting comment to get, seeing how \nwomen are generally better with money\n.\n\n\nWould it surprise you to know that \nwomen are better investors than men\n? There are more male investors, sure, and finances are male-dominated anyway, but studies have shown, again and again that women\u2019s tendency to take the less risky approach is the\u00a0better investment approach.\n\n\nIt\u2019s a bit grainy, but the stats in bottom half of this Bursa Malaysia slide says women investors outperform men by 40 basis points\n\n\nWhat\u2019s in it for you:\u00a0\n\n\nThe next time you hear about an investment opportunity, talk it out with some women. They might have insights that you wouldn\u2019t have gotten from your male friends. It may help you avoid losing money.\n\n\nOn the women\u2019s side, it\u2019s awesome to talk investment. We don\u2019t grow up feeling like we belong in the financial world. Many top management posts are held by men, and we lack good female mentors and role models. So yes, including us is refreshing.\n\n\nDon\u2019t be discouraged if she says she\u2019s \u2018not good at this\u2019 \u2013 women downplay their abilities a lot. We are taught to be modest, to take a back seat while the men take care of stuff. It took me a while to recognise and unlearn this. \n\n\nAsk her anyway.\u00a0\u00a0Ask her these questions:\n\n\n\n\nWhat are her investments right now? Are they good investments? Are there better options out there? Why is it better?\n\n\nWhat is she interested to invest in, if money slash capital is not an issue?\n\n\nWhat investments she thinks are NOT good? Why?\n\n\nWhat type of investment news does she follow? From which portals?\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Take charge of some chores, and do it well\n\n\nLet me introduce you to the concept of \u2018unpaid care work\u2019.\n\n\nWe all have the same 24 hours in a day, yes? \n\n\nNo, we don\u2019t. \n\n\nIn the typical household, \nwomen spend much more time to do the housework, take care of children, and caring for the elderly.\n In Malaysia, women do up to 2.4x of unpaid care work compared to men. Source: \nKRI\u2019s Time to Care: Gender Inequality, Unpaid Care Work and Time Use Survey\n report.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe more women\u00a0do this:\n\n\n\n\nthe less time she has to work (and earn extra income), \n\n\nthe less she could spend time for self-improvement or go to networking events,\n\n\nthus the less visible she is and less likely to be promoted, and \n\n\nmore likely to be stuck in her economic position.\n\n\n\n\nMen do chores, of course they do. However, men tend to need \u2018reminding\u2019 (note: this is where the \u2018my wife/mother/sister nags\u2019 jokes come in). \nRather than telling you what to do, it is simply faster for us to do it ourselves\n. \n\n\nYeah, maybe we can delegate better, but whatever needs to get done is sometimes worth doing now so that we worry about one less thing that day. We can also avoid \u2018why\u2019d you bother me this time\u2019 stares by the guys.\n\n\nFor me, it\u2019s the same feeling I got when I had to remind someone they owe me money. It\u2019s just an unpleasant thing to do.\n\n\n(Tbh this put me off from marriage for the longest time. Penned \nmy thoughts on marriage here\n)\n\n\nWhat\u2019s in it for you:\u00a0\n\n\nThere is not much benefit, except for increase self-sufficiency skills, but doing this will make you a \nbetter, more caring person to your loved ones\n. This means you will be giving up hours in a week\u00a0to do those chores instead of her. You need to notice things that need doing and do them.\n\n\nChores you can take over:\n\n\n\n\nFood preparation and cleanup\n\n\nLaundry\n\n\nStocking up essential groceries\n\n\nPickup/dropoff duties\n\n\nCaring for parents/grandparents\n\n\nHouse cleaning\n\n\nFix things/arrange for things to be fixed\n\n\n\n\nA good rule of thumb is about 3-4 hours \nmore\n housework each week.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Do some positive discrimination\n\n\nPositive discrimination is a term that simply means \u2018temporarily favouring one group over another\u00a0while we take action to improve\u00a0the situation for the better\u2019.\n\n\nEasiest example \u2013 the women-only coaches. Some ask the need at all. But consider this: sexual harassment in public places can be enough \ndeterrent\n for women to go work. It causes unnecessary stress.\n\n\nWhat happens? If the stress/safety concern is too much and the woman decides to stop working, her income will be gone. If the woman decides to try another method of transportation, it might be more expensive or takes more time.\n\n\nSo that\u2019s why we have our sexual harassment campaigns, AND also have women-only coaches. We need both \nuntil\n the education and awareness seep into society.\n\n\nWhat\u2019s in it for you:\u00a0\n\n\nBenefits range from karma points to higher profits in a company to a safer society.\u00a0Some examples of positive discrimination you can do:\n\n\n\n\nDuring a meeting, properly\n credit female colleagues who\u00a0did outstanding work\n. It may help her get promoted.\n\n\nDuring conversations that are mostly dominated by men talking,\n invite your female colleagues to share her views\n.\n\n\nWhen greeting a couple or male-female pair for the first time, once in a while \ngreet her first\n.\n\n\nIf you\u2019re in a hiring position, ensure women \nmake up 50% of the management posts\n. A study says that \ncompanies with gender-diverse boards earn more\n.\n\n\nIf the list of names considered for promotion is all/mostly male, \nadd in competent female colleagues as options\n too.\n\n\nIf your area is unsafe or dark, and you notice women take the longer route because of it, lobby for DBKL to add lights and \nincrease security\n.\n\n\n\n\nAnd more.\u00a0\nDo some positive discrimination that favour women when you can.\n\n\nEDIT: \nAn argument against meritocracy\n \u2013 This is for people who\u2019re like, \u201c\nI\n make sure to reward people based on their merits not their gender! It\u2019s the only fair thing!\u201d\n\n\nMeritocracy assumes everyone starts from the same playing field\n. Reminder: oppressed groups (women, racial minorities, the disabled etc) have more barriers to overcome. People try to implement merit-based systems, sure, but did you know:\n\n\n\n\nIn an orchestra audition, where musicians are supposed to be judged and hired by their abilities alone, \nthe female applicants\u2019 heel clicks against the hardwood floor was enough to trigger unconscious bias against them\n. Read more \nhere\n.\n\n\nNegotiations \u2013 salaries, promotions, whatever \u2013 should be fought by the individual, yes? In response to \u2018why aren\u2019t more women earning more/in top positions\u2019, it\u2019s so easy to say \u2018oh she should have just asked for it\u2019. See, the thing is, \nwomen are punished more harshly than men for negotiating\n. We are penalised for demanding more. Read more \nhere\n.\n\n\n\n\nThese are just two examples, but enough to point out how flawed merit-based systems are. Internal biases still shape our opinions and decisions \u2013 \nand everyone is biased\n.\n\n\nAlso I don\u2019t like meritocracy because it\u2019s a system that favours the rich to get richer.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Take the punches as they come\n\n\nMen who actively do things to support the women in their lives have some nasty nicknames, don\u2019t they? Whipped by wife/girlfriend, \u2018domesticated\u2019, they say.\n\n\nIt takes a brave soul to dare to do all the things above. Comments, snides, snickers, maybe even a blatant \u2018you\u2019re not a man if you do X, that\u2019s her job\u2019. Gender stereotypes don\u2019t go away overnight, but the good thing is every act of personal activism counts.\n\n\nWhat\u2019s in it for you:\u00a0\n\n\nPeople who react negatively to your positive acts for women do so because they feel defensive. To them, things should work a certain way, so\u00a0their beliefs and values are being challenged. The comments may come from men or women too.\n\n\nIt\u2019s not your job to change them. Your job is just to lead by example. \n\n\nPutting the Happy in Happy Women\u2019s Day\n\n\nObviously, I am inspired to write this post as a tribute to International Women\u2019s Day. My own way to wish Happy Women\u2019s Day in a more productive way, instead of just lip service. \n\n\nI also want to take the time to acknowledge my privileges. I was born in an upper-middle class family. My mother held a top management post in the education sector, while my father prioritised my education. My parents gave me a car that allowed me to safely go to work since 18. \n\n\nBut not everyone has the same background \u2013 I am who I am thanks to these advantages. And more likely than not, you may have some of these privileges as well, so will you help me to help women, especially the worst-off, in addition to other disadvantaged minority groups?\n\n\nWould love to get some pledges. Thank you in advance. Love from Suraya, your friendly neighbourhood feminist.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/how-much-should-you-earn-to-be-considered-financially-ok/", "title": "How much should you earn to be considered \u2018financially OK\u2019\n  ", "body": "\n\nI talk to my Dad sometimes about financial stuff. For fun, I asked what amount people my age should be earning to be considered \u2018doing financially well\u2019.\u00a0 In short,\u00a0 what figure is a \u2018good income\u2019.\n\n\nHe said RM10-15k a month for single people, and people who have families need more.\n\n\nWhat.\n\n\n\n\nI nodded to look cool but inside I\u2019m like,\u00a0 \u201cwtf Dad got meh people pay that much nowadays??\u201d followed by internal screaming and slight pangs of depression over my actual income right now. For the record, I\u2019m earning ok as a freelance writer. I\u2019m just not pulling 5 figures (yet!)\n\n\nTo him, this is not even a luxury lifestyle, just a normal life without stressing over money. And maybe a trip or two a year. And covered in insurance. You know, a comfortable amount.\n\n\nAt first I was annoyed by my Dad\u2019s figure,\u00a0 but then I started calculating my ideal income amount per month. For me,\u00a0 it would probably be\u2026\u00a0 RM20k a month? If I earn more than that I won\u2019t know what to do with it tbh.\n\n\nBreakdown\n:\n\n\n\n\nRM2.5k for accommodation (includes bills, the fastest internet,\u00a0 insurance, damn nice mattress, occasional cleaning service, fixes if something ever goes wrong etc),\n\n\nRM5k for monthly savings,\n\n\nRM3k to add to a car fund (I like the idea of paying my car in full, no interest),\n\n\nRM2k towards travel fund,\n\n\nRM1k to be fully protected with insurance,\n\n\nRM3k for parents,\n\n\nRM1.5k to just donate or give as presents,\n\n\nRM1k for food and going out,\n\n\nand another RM1k for just whatever else I need (toothpaste and stuff).\n\n\n\n\nSee? RM20k already.\n\n\nBut I\u2019m also comfortable at what I\u2019m earning now,\u00a0 so idk, it\u2019s very hard to say. I\u2019m grateful with my income but at the same time a part of me is like, dammit Suraya why are you not earning more?? It\u2019s a very dangerous thought.\n\n\nHow much do you guys think a mid-20s professional in Kuala Lumpur should be earning? Note that I say \u2018should be earning\u2019,\u00a0 not is actually earning. All of us wants to earn as much as possible, but if you have to give a number to that,\u00a0 what would it be?\n\n\nI\u2019d love to hear your own amount, and your breakdown. Comment here, on FB,\u00a0 or on Twitter okay!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/how-people-afford-amazing-lifestyle/", "title": "Where Do People Get the Money to Afford Their Amazing Lifestyles?\n  ", "body": "Is it just me, or do you also feel like other people have better lives than yours?\n\n\nBased on their updates on social media, it seems like everyone is sporting new outfits, getting new blings, updating home decor, buying new toys, traveling to new places, enjoying nice food at fancy restaurants\u2026\n\n\nAnd your sad self wonders,\u00a0\nwhy am I not doing as well as they are? W\nhat else do I need to do to bust my ass in order to\n\u00a0afford those nice things in \nmy\n\u00a0life\n?\n\n\nThis article is all about guessing how and where other people get the money\u00a0to afford their amazing-looking lifestyles. I\u2019ve racked my brains thinking of all the possible ways. Here they are:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 From the obvious sources of funds\n\n\n\n\nThey earn a good income from their \nday jobs\u00a0\n(whether salaried or self-employed)\n\n\nThey earn\u00a0\nside income\n(s)\n from second and third jobs\n\n\nThey earn \npassive incomes\n through property rentals, websites, etc\n\n\nReceived a \nbig bonus\n from work\n\n\nFrom profits they made from various \ninvestments\n\n\n\n\nNo surprises here. Many of us work and invest our money. When I see someone living an amazing lifestyle, I immediately assume they get good incomes.\n\n\nBut not always. I have to remind myself that the money could come from other channels. For example, perhaps the only reason they could afford their lifestyles is because they have..\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Their parents/family, who is supporting them financially\n\n\n\n\nThey still get \npocket money\u00a0\nand allowances\n\n\nThey \nlive at home\n so they don\u2019t have to pay rent or mortgage\n\n\nMaybe they get\n\u00a0subsidies\n in the form of food/groceries, internet, petrol/transportation, childcare services, etc\n\n\n\n\nNot shaming anyone, btw. Getting financial support \u2013 directly or indirectly \u2013 is common in our Asian society. Everything\u2019s cool if everyone\u2019s happy with the arrangement.\n\n\nSometimes I do wonder if I should move back home. If I do, I\u2019ll save a lot of money \u2013 rent, utilities, groceries, internet \u2013 I can certainly use that money to travel more or buy more stuff. But it\u2019ll cost me my freedom la.\n\n\nAlright, moving on to other sources of funds..\n\n\n#3 \u2013 From others (aka the money ain\u2019t theirs)\n\n\n\n\nThey \nstole the money\n (bad, obv)\n\n\nReceived \nbribe money\n\n\nIt\u2019s from \nPTPTN\n\n\nCould be \nscholarship money\n\n\nThey took a \npersonal loan\n\n\nThey\u2019re made use of their \ncredit card\n\u2018s credit limit\n\n\nIt\u2019s their \npartner\u2019s/spouse\u2019s money\n\n\nThey have rich AND generous \nrelatives\n\n\nThey have rich AND generous \nfriends\n\n\nThey have a \nsugar mommy /daddy\n\n\nFestival money\n and/or treats \u2013 Raya, Chinese New Year, Deepavali, Christmas, etc\n\n\nOther people celebrating their \nlife event\n \u2013 birthdays, anniversaries, promotions, pregnancy, etc\n\n\n\n\nIn this category are the people or organisations who may be funding some of these amazing-looking lifestyles. Except for festivals and life event celebrations, you never know if they actually fund their lifestyles through loose ethics, bad decisions or from their relationships with others.\n\n\nNext possible source of funds is..\n\n\n#6 \u2013 From a lucky financial windfall\n\n\n\n\nThere\u2019s a chance they \nwon the lottery\n\n\nOr someone in their family passed away and they \ninherited some money\n\n\nOr they\u2019re \ntrust fund babies\n\n\nWon a \ncontest\n\n\nGot lucky from\n trading\u00a0\n(for people who do it on the side. For people doing it as main income, this falls under day job)\n\n\n\n\nExcept for winning a contest, I wouldn\u2019t tell many people about luck-based financial windfalls \u2013 it would attract the wrong kind of attention, especially if it\u2019s a big amount!\n\n\nAnd last but not least, they could also get the funds..\n\n\n#7 \u2013 From specific situations\n\n\n\n\nThey are\n bloggers/Instagrammers\n who promote certain brands (whether paid or unpaid)\n\n\nThey get the\u00a0\nperks from work\u00a0\n(especially all the traveling they get to do as part of their job!)\n\n\nTheir \nstartup got funded\n\n\nJust \nsold off an expensive\n\u00a0personal belonging\n\n\nA friend/relative/acquaintance \npaid back borrowed money\n\n\nRefund money\n (from tax? From returned products/services?)\n\n\nThey got those products/services at\u00a0\nseverely discounted prices\n\n\n\n\nAll of them are possibilities, no? You just never know!\n\n\nOr..\n\n\n#8 \u2013 They faked their amazing lifestyles\n\n\nThat huge stack of money? That flashy car? Those jewelry? All free, courtesy of Google Images.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nI think I covered all, if not most of the sources of funds a person could possibly have. \nIt came up to 32!\n When I started this list, I didn\u2019t realise there would be this many possible sources!\n\n\n(And I\u2019m sure I missed out some possible sources, too. Comment if you know any more!)\n\n\nWhere do we go from here? A few thoughts..\n\n\nDon\u2019t be too quick to assume\n\n\nI realised that I hated seeing all this humble-bragging, \u2018look how well I\u2019m doing financially\u2019 posts because I assume their lives are better than mine.\n\n\nMaybe yes.\u00a0\nMaybe no.\u00a0\n\n\nI\u2019m allowing social media to get to me\n\n\nThese negative feelings that I have \u2013 jealousy, envy of other people\u2019s better-looking life \u2013 they\u2019re all\u00a0\nside effects from using social media\n, isn\u2019t it?\n\n\nI \nknow\n even the most polished Instagram feeds are run by people who \nmust\n have their bad days, too.\u00a0I \nknow\n\u00a0everything\u2019s curated. I \nknow\u00a0\neveryone shows only the best version of themselves online. Heck, I do this too.\n\n\nResisting \u2018wants\u2019 takes mental effort\n\n\nNovelty is the spice of life, or so the saying goes. It\u2019s human nature to never be content with what you have. You\u2019ll always want to seek out new, exciting things.\n\n\nI have to understand that it\u2019s OK to want things I don\u2019t need, on one condition \u2013 \nmake these indulgences few and far between\n. I think this is the perfect middle ground between \u2018treat yo self\u2019 and \u2018adulting\u2019.\n\n\nOn one hand, what good is money if it can\u2019t make me happy? On the other hand, I need to not give in to every single temptation that comes my way, for the sake of future me.\n\n\nLast words\n\n\nI have so many things I\u2019m not happy with in my financial life, you have no idea. But here\u2019s the thing \u2013\u00a0\nyou\n don\u2019t know this, only I do, because I hide it from everyone. I don\u2019t want anyone to think I\u2019m a loser.\n\n\nMaybe its the same with everyone else.\u00a0We all want to look good to others. We want other people to think we\u2019re successful. That\u2019s why we post only the nice parts of our lives, and rarely the bad, embarrassing parts.\n\n\nHow do we go about this? Two ways I can think of: (1) start posting more \u2018real\u2019, not-necessarily-nice stuff that happens to me. You know, the struggles. Or simply (2) Use less social media.\n\n\nSorry if this post seems kind of rambly. I tried hard to make sense of how I\u2019m feeling, without resorting to shaming others over their spending pattern. But at the same time, I realise that what I feel is totally common, and it\u2019s up to me to rise above the negativity.\n\n\nIdk, does this post even makes sense to you? How does YOUR social media feed make you feel? Let me know in the comments section.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/how-the-fashion-industry-make-money/", "title": "How the Fashion Industry Makes Money (Credit: Fashion Babylon)\n  ", "body": "Since my post on \nsaving money on fashion\n, I am\u00a0on a fashion roll. I\u2019m actively trying to dress better \u2013 this does not mean choosing exclusively branded clothes and accessories, this means paying more attention to quality fabric, good stitching and well-cut, well-fit clothing items.\n\n\nI even read about them, to find out more about how the fashion industry makes money. Read on.\u00a0\n\n\nFashion Babylon by Imogen-Edwards-Jones and Anonymous\n is a book I picked up during Big Bad Wolf Book Sale for RM8. It\u2019s about the world of high-fashion, specifically in London (but includes New York/Milan/Paris anecdotes).\n\n\n\u2018Anonymous\u2019 is the collective of people who work in the fashion industry (models, stylists, seamstresses, fashion influencers, makeup artists, photographers etc), and let me tell you, this book was \njuicy\n. I highly recommend it if you follow any fashion at all.\n\n\n Credit: Amazon\n\n\nBut what made the book interesting to me were the insider knowledge on how the fashion industry makes money. Here\u2019s what I find out.\n\n\nIt\u2019s all about mark-ups\n\n\nThe designer might spend $30 to produce one piece of clothing. They\u2019ll sell it via their shop for $100, but once they have a deal with a department store, they in turn will mark it up further. The book said the typical mark-up rate for UK is 2.9x (they\u2019ll sell the same clothing for $290) and for US is 3.1x (they\u2019ll sell for $310).\n\n\nMakes me wonder how much Parkson, AEON, Zalora and the rest marks up their wares :/\n\n\nAlso, a company can sew one last button in their country and claim its \u2018Made in Country X\u2019. Most clothes and fabric come from developing countries due to cheap manufacturing costs.\n\n\nAccessories, perfume and cosmetics are the actual money-makers\n\n\nBags, keychains, wallets and eyewear. Perfume. Cosmetics.\n\n\nThey are fairly cheap\u00a0to make,\u00a0but can fetch high prices due to branding. They tend to be small so stocking them isn\u2019t usually an issue.\n\n\nIn one of the examples in the book, the main character planned to sell an accessory bought for just $2 for $25 on wholesale, which will sell for $75 to the customer. Some items (notably handbags) are artificially kept in short supply and have \u2018waiting lists\u2019 to keep the illusion of exclusivity and scarcity.\n\n\nSo same idea behind diamonds. Not technically rare, but just marketed as such.\n\n\nPerfumes are particularly cheap to make. Apparently they cost less than $1 to make, \nincluding the box\n. But they sell for absurd prices like $100.\n\n\nDesigners rely a lot on celebrities as fashion influencers\n\n\nNot surprising, but I didn\u2019t know the extent of it!\n\n\nApparently, designers fight for certain celebrities to wear their stuff to award shoes, red carpets, and other PR opportunities. Tonnes of free stuff are sent to them in the hopes of getting some of the items photographed by paparazzis. Some celebs are already known for certain brands, so they only let those designers dress them.\n\n\nLesser-known designers get their \u2018lucky breaks\u2019 when the celebrities they dress win awards or get high level of attention in the press. They\u2019ll see their sales increase after those events.\n\n\nDesigners also have to do a lot of damage control when C or D-list celebrities wear their clothes. They don\u2019t like it when their brands are \u2018tainted\u2019 by those celebrities \u2013 sales go down as the public avoid their brands due to those association. I\u2019m reminded of that time when Abercrombie publicly asked the Jersey Shore cast to stop wearing their stuff haha.\n\n\nWhat happens to leftover clothes that don\u2019t sell?\n\n\nFirst designers will have sales. End-of-season, flash sales, online sales, whatever.\n\n\nIf that doesn\u2019t work, then they\u2019ll sell it to stores like TJ Maxx at cost price (probably Reject Shop / FOS for us?)\n\n\nIf that still doesn\u2019t work, they\u2019ll destroy the clothing. They do this instead of donating just to protect the brand image.\n\n\nI kinda get why they do this, but I\u2019m still annoyed over this fact. So many people can benefit from those clothes \ud83d\ude41\n\n\nDesigners dream of being bought over by bigger brands\n\n\nLesser-known designers handle a lot of stuff. Not only they have to do two full collections a year, they also have to:\n\n\n\n\nmanage production (hire seamstresses, select and buy fabric),\n\n\norganise runways and photoshoots (hire producers, models, photographers, makeup artists, hairstylists etc),\n\n\nmeet and please buyers (shops that stock their stuff),\n\n\nwork with agents (who help them dress celebrities)\n\n\nand more. It\u2019s a stressful life.\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s why the designer in the book, whose brand turns $1-2 million in revenue a year, still get minimal profits. So they dream of \nbeing bought over\n \u2013 that way they will only be in charge of the creative process and let\u00a0the bigger brands sort that out the \u2018admin stuff\u2019 for them.\n\n\nThis made me want to support smaller brands more, to be honest. The high price is a need, not due to greed.\n\n\n\u2018Cabbage\u2019 vs fake goods\n\n\nCabbage is \u2018the stuff that falls off the back of a lorry.. out of factory gates.. and ends on the market stalls next to the cabbage, hence the name\u2019, says the book. They are the leftover product (fabric, zipper, etc) that isn\u2019t used in manufacturing the designer\u2019s order.\n\n\nFor all intents and purposes, cabbage is the exact same thing as the real branded stuff, except they are way cheaper (if you know where to go) and don\u2019t give you the actual experience of buying from the branded store.\n\n\nFake goods, on the other hand, tend to be poorly-stitched imitations of the real thing. Easy to spot.\n\n\nI wouldn\u2019t mind having a cabbage, if I can save that money \ud83d\ude1b (sorry, designers)\n\n\nKeeping up appearances is everything\n\n\nThe designer in the book absolutely got shit-faced stressed out over the pressure of being \u2018fashion-forward\u2019. This can be translated in many ways.\n\n\nThey look at what other designers do, recycle fashion from 20-30 years ago, buy vintage stuff and simply slap their label on them, hire stylists (whose feedback include \u2018I\u2019m feeling it\u2019 or \u2018I\u2019m not feeling it\u2019), be different but not TOO different, and generally spend a lot of time partying (aka networking), drinking, smoking and snorting cocaine.\n\n\nIn short, looking like you made it is a necessity to make it in the fashion world.\n\n\nKeeping up appearances is very, very expensive. Smaller design brands can\u2019t afford it, and thus will never be \u2018high fashion\u2019.\n\n\nBeing put on the \u2018waiting list\u2019 can mean \u2018The item is not actually available, and will never be\u2019\n\n\nIn the book, the designer had a lucky break, and everyone wants to order the same dress a celebrity wore when she won an acting award.\n\n\nThe dress was custom-made. It was not available in stores, there was just one copy, and the actress is unlikely to return the dress. Making it would take months. It may not be cost-effective to make them, plus by the time the dress hit the stores the dress will no longer be in demand because fashion is fleeting like that.\n\n\nSo how do they cater to demand? Everyone who orders it gets on a permanent \u2018waiting list\u2019. I thought this was hilarious.\n\n\nBonus tit-bit\n\n\nApparently, the runways alternate between \u2018lips\u2019 and \u2018eyes\u2019 season. If one season is lips, then the next is eyes, and it rotates. In 2017, and apparently \nsmudged lips is \u2018in\u2019\n, so the book is fairly accurate since 2016 was all about the brows (eyes).\n\n\nWhat do you think about how the fashion industry makes money?\n\n\nPersonally, I think how the fashion industry makes money is cunningly brilliant. It\u2019s not about practicality (which one may argue is the purpose of clothing in the first place), but about creating demand out of thin air, and subtly and not-so-subtly pressuring people like you and me to give in to that demand.\n\n\nThat said, I know that fashion can be art itself. I\u2019m honestly in awe of people who can feel fabric and imagine 1001 possibilities. I can\u2019t do that. Hats off to you, designers and people who are involved in this industry.\n\n\nMy takeaway from this book, when it comes to my personal fashion is simple: don\u2019t buy in marketing and branding gimmicks. Go for quality, but know that quality is not synonymous with expensive.\n\n\nBut what do YOU think? Can exclusivity via pricing structure be justified? Let me know in comments!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/is-budgeting-a-waste-of-time/", "title": "Is Budgeting a Waste of Time? Of Course Not, But Why Do Experts Say It Is?\n  ", "body": "\n\nIs budgeting a waste of time? When I first came across this question, I thought pfft, of course not, budgets are the most useful thing ever! \n\n\nSo why did this CNBC Make It video argue that budgets are a waste of time?\n\n\n\n\nWhat is the biggest problem with budgeting?\n\n\nIn the video, senior money reporter Kathleen Elkins together with experts Ramit Sethi, David Bach and Grant Sabatier argued that a budget is not really necessary. \n\n\nHowever, all of them still advocate for budgeting strategies:\n\n\nTracking expenses (to know approximately how much you spend on different categories every month), and\nSet up automatic savings (set up monthly deductions then spend the rest of your salary, guilt-free)\n\n\nAfter hearing their thoughts, I see the problem. When they say budgeting is a waste of time, what they actually mean is \nstrict, restrictive method of budgeting is a waste of time\n. The kind where you just give yourself RM10 a month on fun when you usually spend RM300. \n\n\nIn this case, then yes, I agree. Strict and restrictive budgeting is almost impossible to stick to, it\u2019s not worth doing at all. \n\n\nWhy is it so hard to stick to a budget\n\n\nThe experts are right in pointing out some disadvantages to budgeting, and why it is so hard to stick to a budget. \n\n\nRamit Sethi \nsaid that (strict and restrictive) budgeting sets you up to fail from the getgo, because despite the best efforts to keep spending within the allocated budget, most people will overspend on some categories (because life happens). This causes guilt, so people will give up. \n\n\nDavid Bach\n has a similar opinion and likens (strict and restictive) budgets to diets, where people start off super optimistic but tend to fall off the wagon after a few months. \n\n\nWhat is the biggest problem with budgeting\n\n\nAccording to \nGrant Sabatier\n, the biggest problem with budgeting\n \nis when people spend so much time and effort to cut out a few dollars here and there. This reinforces scarcity mindset (instead of abundance mindset).\n\n\n\n\nThis makes sense. (Strict and restrictive) budgeting where one obsesses over finding and getting the best deal possible to save a dollar is a waste of time. Not only will you lose valuable time, there is also a limit to how much money you can save. \n\n\nSo, is a budget really necessary?\n\n\nTo me, all these just reinforces my belief that budgeting is NOT a waste of time. You just have to make sure you don\u2019t fall in to the diet version of budgeting, the strict and restrictive budgeting. \n\n\nInstead, one should redirect their efforts to:\n\n\nreduce \nHousing\n, \nTransportation\n and \nFood costs\n as low as possible (without sacrificing health and happiness), and\neliminate expenses that are not important nor meaningful to your lives, so you can reallocate the money to things that do give you joy*, and \nfocus on earning more instead\n\n\n*Ramit Sethi uses the term \nconscious spending plan.\n\n\nHow budgeting changed my life\n\n\nI\u2019m not even kidding when I say budgeting changed my life. Like many people, I felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of things I\u2019m told I have to do, if I want to reach my financial goals. \n\n\nThink about it \u2013 I\u2019m expected to save money AND earn more money AND invest my money AND diversify my money AND get insurance AND do estate planning AND\u2026 it\u2019s enough to scare anyone, especially if they\u2019re just starting out. \n\n\nBut the budgeting strategy \ntracking my expenses\n was simple enough, and that\u2019s what I did to kickstart my financial journey, and suddenly the momentum is there. It gave me back that sense of control. Now I don\u2019t wonder what I spent on, I *know* what I spent on.\n\n\nI love the process of monthly reflection, where I look back on expenses and decide if a particular spending was worth it, or the purchase was just spent because I was in a bad mental state (angry, sad, etc). \n\n\nThat, together with learning \nhow to spend money for max happiness\n, and focusing on earning more have improved my relationship with money so much. I no longer want to spend on things that I don\u2019t care about, nor be restricted by an amount. \n\n\nI\u2019ll end here. If you\u2019re doing the strict and restrictive type of budgeting, you might be setting yourself up for failure, so you might want to try something else. Hope this post will help you improve your budgeting strategy, going forward, all the best \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/joy-of-missing-out/", "title": "17 Things That Give Me JOMO (Joy of Missing Out)\n  ", "body": "\n\nSome time ago, I was introduced to the concept of JOMO \u2013 Joy of Missing Out. It was such a simple concept, yet it changed my life so much, for the better. \n\n\nBut I\u2019m getting ahead of myself. Let me introduce what it is. \n\n\nWhat is JOMO\n\n\nYou might have heard of FOMO \u2013 Fear of Missing Out. In \nMerriam-Webster\n, FOMO is described as the \u2018\nfear of not being included in something (such as an interesting or enjoyable activity) that others are experiencing\n\u2018. \n\n\nPeople who get an extreme case of FOMO spend a lot of time and money to participate in many things just so they don\u2019t \u2018miss out\u2019. Obviously, this isn\u2019t good when they can\u2019t afford said activities and things. \n\n\nJOMO, on the other hand, is the opposite. It\u2019s \nJoy\n of Missing out. Here, you are acknowledging there are simply too many things out there that it is impossible to do or buy every single thing, so you stop trying to fit in everything. You choose what\u2019s important to you and forget about what else is out there. You\u2019re at peace and content. \n\n\nA big part of JOMO is acknowledging the effect of social media in making you feel FOMO in the first place. We only feel there are TONS of things to do because social media gives us access to TONS of people. And you\u2019re only seeing the best stuff from their lives, because everyone curates their feed (myself included). \n\n\n\n\nSo, I thought I\u2019d make a list of things that I no longer want to care so much about. I\u2019ve divided them into a few categories: Big ticket items, accessories and beauty, electronic devices, social media and investment. \n\n\nHere are things that I just gloss over (to the best of my ability) when I see them on social media and not give much thought:\n\n\nBig-ticket items\n\n\n1. Car \n\n\nNot owning a car means I don\u2019t worry about monthly instalment, car insurance, road tax, repair costs, petrol prices, parking cost, and other car-related costs. \n\n\nPlus, it doesn\u2019t make sense to own one when I mostly work from home and it\u2019s so easy (and convenient) to use ridesharing services. \n\n\nAccessories and Beauty\n\n\n1. Watches\n\n\nI\u2019m not a watch person and won\u2019t pretend to be one.\n\n\n2. Luxury bags\n\n\nSometimes I get that \u2018hmm should I\u2019 when I see my peers wear luxury bags. But no, I\u2019d rather keep the RM20k in my investment account. \n\n\n3. New makeup \n\n\nNo restocking until I finish my current stash. \n\n\n4. New jewelry\n\n\nWhat I have now is enough. So what if it\u2019s repeated :/ \n\n\nElectronic Devices\n\n\n1. Latest phones\n\n\nI do own an iPhone, but only with the intention of using it for at least 5 years. \n\n\n2. EBook devices \n\n\nI love physical books and will make room for them in my budget. \n\n\n3. TV\n\n\nCan watch everything from laptop.\n\n\n4. IPad or tablet \n\n\nJust don\u2019t think I\u2019ll get that much use out of them\n\n\n5. Gaming consoles\n\n\nDon\u2019t really want to waste time. Plus I have my Steam account. \n\n\nSocial media\n\n\nHere are all the social media I left or paused\n\n\n1. (Left) LinkedIn \n\n\nTotally deactivated my account and happy about it! \n \n\n\n2. (Left) TikTok\n\n\n3. (Pause) Pinterest\n\n\n4. (Pause) YouTube \n\n\nFacebook\n,\u00a0\nTwitter\n\u00a0and \nInstagram\n\u00a0is more than enough for me, I don\u2019t have to be everywhere \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nInvestment\n\n\nThese are all the investments that I decided not to do, even though they are \u2018hot\u2019:\n\n\n1. Individual stocks\n\n\nI just don\u2019t care about company drama \nthat much \nat all.\n\n\n2. Property (or REITs)\n\n\nNote: property investing is different from own stay\n\n\n3. Trading\n\n\nNot after all my \nnegative experiences in forex trading\n. \n\n\nInvestment-wise, I\u2019m happy with my current approach and portfolio. I\u2019m a big believer in maxing out investments that give tax relief + low-fee mutual fund/unit trust/ETFs + cryptocurrencies (as my fun investment), prioritised in this exact order. Covered this in the \n3 Best Investments in Malaysia (+ The Best Way to Invest Your Money)\n\n\nThe result: I have so much Time\n\n\nDoing this JOMO exercise and deciding what to cut out has given me more hours in the day. For example, I no longer stress about thinking of what to update in LinkedIn, when I give myself permission to leave it entirely. (And as much as people say it\u2019s important for professionalism and all that, leaving LinkedIn made zero impact to my life). \n\n\nNow, I have more time to do the things that *do* give me joy and fulfilment: \n\n\njournaling\noptimising my website\nlearning new ways to make money\nreading\ngrocery shopping and testing frugal recipes\ncompleting my \n22 for 2022 list\nand whatever I feel like doing, like the 2-hour mid-day nap I had today\n\n\nPerhaps JOMO is more impactful considering my results from the \nFinancial Behaviour Report\n show I do score higher on the Openness side, indicating I like novelty and therefore am prone to \u2018Shiny Object Syndrome\u2019. \n\n\nBut as much as I like trying new things, I also want to avoid living with FOMO all the time (it\u2019s exhausting!) and be intentional with the things I choose to do with my limited time here on Earth, and a big part of that is cutting out things that are NOT important to me. \n\n\nFact is, you can\u2019t afford doing EVERYTHING\n\n\nPlus, there\u2019s that small matter of accepting I can afford some things, but not EVERYTHING, so might as well spend on things I actually like. If you\u2019re someone who finds it hard to turn down invitations from well-meaning but affluent friends who are making you broke, please \nlearn how to say no\n before it\u2019s too late.\n\n\nI\u2019m going to end that train of thought here. If any of you feel like you are suffering from FOMO and want to be free from the impossible task of keeping up, then I highly recommend you to follow the principles behind JOMO and finally feel the Joy of Missing Out. \n\n\nPic from \nVecteezy.com\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/live-without-money/", "title": "Thought Experiment: Can We Live Without Money In Malaysia?\n  ", "body": "\n\nCan we live without money? Or very little money? \n\n\nA lot of financial advice will say no, you can\u2019t. You *have* to build up your savings. You *have* to save for retirement. Even if you\u2019re barely getting by now. No, your efforts are not enough. Work more, get higher salary, do more more more. \n\n\nAnd they\u2019re not wrong\u2026 but it is only fair to present an alternative for those who will not earn or save enough money, due to bad luck, \nsystemic inequality and other factors\n. \n\n\nThe Moneyless Man: A Year of Freeconomic Living\n\n\nEnter The Moneyless Man: A Year of Freeconomic Living by Mark Boyle. This book completely blew my mind. In the late 2000s, Mark conducted an experiment to live without using or receiving money for a year, with strict rules against freeloading. \n\n\nNot only he succeeded, but he also ended up happier and healthier. \n\n\n\n\nDisclaimers: \n\n\nAt no point in this article that I want to \nromantise poverty\n \u2013 I\u2019m simply presenting a possible lifestyle choice, \na dignified alternative to the stereotypical \u2018reliant on handouts\u2019 imagery we are often presented of people who have no money\n. \nNor do I want to minimise the role of \nluck \nand \nprivilege\n, which allowed Mark to live his ideals \u2013 notwithstanding his amazing self-determination, he was also a young man with no health complications and had his parents as backup financial support system.  \n\n\nOpting out of modern life\n\n\nThe biggest lesson that I learned from this book is life isn\u2019t expensive\u2026 but modern life is. \n\n\nWhen they talk about the rising cost of living, they are referring to the modern cost of living, where the \ncosts for the basic essentials \u2013 accommodation, transportation and food \u2013 are out of reach for many folks, due to excessive profit markups and yes, corruption. \n\n\nBut what if.. what if we opt out of modern life, voluntarily and even driven by altruistic (unselfish) motives? What if we choose this life and at the same time, help to reduce environmental damage caused by consumerism-driven human activities to the best of our ability?\n\n\nThat\u2019s what Mark did. \n\n\nFor accommodation, he lived in a trailer at a farm and worked 3 days a week to get access to some necessities. \nFor food, he mainly foraged (nature and urban) and grew his own food. \nFor transportation, he mainly walked, cycled and hitchhiked.  \n\n\nYes, not all are practical for Malaysians, you need to adapt it to your situation. But it IS possible.\n\n\nAnd by living this way, suddenly it\u2019s not \u2018giving up\u2019 modern life, but instead,\n \u2018gaining\u2019 the true purpose of life \u2013 complete freedom of one\u2019s time.\n \n\n\nInstead of working to pay for modern life (the rent, the mortgage, the car payments etc), Mark lives a self-reliant life, surviving (thriving!) in nature. \n\n\nAround 2019, a decade after his 1 year (plus) experiment, he has since moved out of his trailer and built himself a cabin.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s good to know that complete freedom is ALSO possible without a lot of money (like what\u2019s always drilled to us), if you combine with creativity, alternative lifestyle choices, and\u2026 community.\n\n\nNot rich in money, but rich in community \n\n\nWhat I really like about this book is Mark constantly reminded he didn\u2019t do it alone. He depended on the community, and they on him. He imposed himself rules against freeloading and hoarding, and emphasised giving and sharing. \n\n\nSome examples \u2013 he:\n\n\norganised freeskilling workshops (people meet up to teach each other skills for free) \nestablished relationships with grocers who gave him food and items that they would otherwise throw out (they are required to, by law; the food is shared)\nbuilt a strong community based on Freeconomy/Moneyless principles\nlives on the principle of giving, even when he literally has nothing. The more you give without expectation, the more people want to help you back \u2013 that\u2019s just how it works. \n\n\nI don\u2019t know why but this part hits me the hardest. Studies have found that the key happiness factor is relationships. Not money. Relationships. \n\n\nFact is.. many of us are relationship-poor in this modern life. I certainly am. I don\u2019t even know my neighbours, and I have lived at my location for more than 5 years now. Money has been my shortcut for getting things I need and want.\n\n\n It\u2019s convenient, sure, but I can\u2019t pretend to ignore the damaging effects anymore \u2013 to the environment and to society. \n\n\nForgoing money altogether is probably too extreme for most people\n\n\nHere is Mark, explaining the reasons he chose to live without money. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBut realistically, what Mark did is probably on the extreme side. Most of us will still need at least a little bit of money, at the very least for medical emergencies. I am not telling you to live without money.\n\n\nBUT. It would be wonderful if we can take his ideas on reducing environmental impact and fostering community bond, both of which reduces consumerism and encourages sharing economy, thus requiring much less money. \n\n\nThose who want to can take it a step further and opt-out from the standard cookie-cutter \u2018modern life\u2019, where each of us is expected to own a house and a car (or two). \n\n\nWhat are your thoughts on living without money in Malaysia? \n\n\nTell me what you think about this thought experiment. \nThe way things are going now, with wealth inequality widening and people withdrawing from their EPF savings and all, I think it\u2019ll take a miracle for each Malaysian to be financially secure. \n\n\nI hope, by sharing this, you\u2019ll be more hopeful of the future, especially if you\u2019re not in a good financial situation right now and can\u2019t afford to save for the future (yet). \n\n\nIt\u2019d be great if you do end up with a seven-figure nest egg, but if not, I want you to know \nit is still possible to live a good life with limited resources\n by learning the \nprinciples behind sustainability\n (Basically: Use it up, Wear it out, Make it do, Do without)\n\n\nAt the end of the day, the trick is to build strong relationships and communities. Start with giving without expectations for reciprocation, identify and avoid the opportunists and freeloaders, and go from there. \n\n\nBottom line: Invest in health, knowledge, and last but not least, relationships. \n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/living-kl-ipoh-expensive/", "title": "Cost of living in KL or Ipoh \u2013 Which is more expensive?\n  ", "body": "\n\nIn this post, I broke down \nhow I spent my RM3500 salary\n while living in the heart of Kuala Lumpur (PWTC area, to be precise). It remained one of my popular blog posts. I also wrote about the \naverage cost of my meals\n (RM2.86) and how I managed to \nrent a master bedroom for RM150\n.\n\n\nSome of you know that I \nmoved to Ipoh \n6 months ago, more or less. Even though I can\u2019t make direct comparison with current data (1 year vs 6 months), I thought it would be interesting to show the breakdown anyway and how my living expenses have changed. I want to know which lifestyle allows me to save more money \u2013 a social worker in KL or a \nfreelance writer\n in Ipoh.\n\n\nEnjoy this table, with an analysis whether my spending in particular categories has increased or decreased.\n\n\n\n\n(P/s \u2013 All expenses were tracked via \nthis app\n)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n\n\nCategory\n\n\nKL life (per month, on average) \n\n\nIpoh life (per month, on average) \n\n\nAnalysis\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDonations & Gifts\n\n\nRM446.45\n\n\nRM561.95\n\n\nIncreased. Mostly donated to my \nsister\u2019s wedding\n as well as zakat.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nUtilities & Rent\n\n\nRM408.05\n\n\nRM329.19\n\n\nDecreased.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMisc Needs\n\n\nRM408.05\n\n\nRM322.78\n\n\nDecreased. Not much home repairs here.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLoan Repayments\n\n\nRM388.31\n\n\nRM289\n\n\nDecreased. PTPTN \ndebt repaid\n.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGroceries\n\n\nRM286.29\n\n\nRM233.83\n\n\nDecreased. Interesting, considering I\u2019m on a \nketo diet\n and now have \ncat-related expenses\n.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMisc Wants\n\n\nRM205.50\n\n\nRM90.7\n\n\nMASSIVELY decreased\n. No smoking + less shopping in general\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDates\n\n\nRM200.09\n\n\nRM147.43\n\n\nDecreased\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSocial\n\n\nRM153.40\n\n\nRM60.49\n\n\nMASSIVELY decreased\n. No friends in Ipoh lol\n\n\n\n\n\n\nInsurance & Medical\n\n\nRM120.54\n\n\nRM173.79\n\n\nIncreased. Included gym costs.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFood\n\n\nRM61.91\n\n\nRM77.66\n\n\nIncreased. WTF did I eat.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBusiness\n\n\nRM84.85\n\n\n0\n\n\nExpense eliminated. No more bizz\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPetrol\n\n\nRM41.72\n\n\nRM61.75\n\n\nIncreased\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPublic transport\n\n\nRM39.55\n\n\nRM69.39\n\n\nMASSIVELY Increased\n. No more reimbursement from work + a lot of Ipoh/Klang trips\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMobile\n\n\nRM28.15\n\n\nRM78.08\n\n\nMASSIVELY increased.\n Paying for mobile data via prepaid.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nParking & Tolls\n\n\nRM7\n\n\nRM8.47\n\n\nIncreased. Still peanuts.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWebsite\n\n\nRM4.84\n\n\nRM110.32\n\n\nMASSIVELY increased.\n Bought new theme and 2-year hosting.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAVERAGE COST OF LIVING IN KL AND IPOH PER MONTH\n\n\nRM2888.03\n\n\n2661.57\n\n\nDecreased by 200 bucks\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSelf-reflection on spending habits since moving\n\n\nNice. As you can see, I can provide proof that moving to Ipoh saved me about RM200 per month in expenses. I managed to decrease my expenses in most categories, which is great (except for less social activities, so that made me sad). Note: I\u2019m not saying you should move to Ipoh because it\u2019s cheaper. The salary scale here is actually really sucky. I\u2019m lucky to earn more as a freelancer.\n\n\nI\u2019ve also taken on (and paid for) more health-related expenses. I have gym and fitness costs now. I used to pay for unlimited CrossFit classes (for RM120 a month) but now go to the gym instead and lift weights there (RM50 for 10 passes, which usually lasts 1.5-2 months). I also have a yoga mat and skipping rope, and do a lot of body weight exercises at home. Look at my Tabata record from Jan-March below heheh.\n\n\n\n\n \n\n\nIpoh, all in all, is a place for me to focus on my work with less distractions. Work-related expenses are cheap \u2013 working at home means no more need to upgrade my work wardrobe (although I enjoy\n thrift shopping\n here) and no more LRT cost (I moved right after the LRT price hike).\n\n\nWhat I can improve on: food cost. Dammit what the effing eff did I eat????\n\n\nSelf-reflection on saving habits since moving\n\n\nYou\u2019d think that I can now put in more money in the ol\u2019 savings account, but this turned out to not be the case at all. I think I force myself to do this. I like freelancing, but I hate that I will no longer receive EPF contribution.\n\n\nAlso, I because I get paid in mostly bitcoin and USD, I kinda like to just leave the money in those currencies for its potential rise in value. I\u2019m one of the few people in Malaysia who actually hated it when MYR strengthen against USD recently \u2013 my pay is now worth less. Selfish reason, I know. As for bitcoin, I\u2019m not going to cash out until at least June/July (everyone in Bitcoin community is waiting for it).\n\n\nLastly,\n\n\nI really enjoy doing these comparisons. Someday, I hope to become a full-fledged digital nomad and move from country to country for the heck of it. I\u2019m thinking Poland, because I\u2019ve heard that the cost of living there is cheap. Those will make awesome reference for \u2018actual cost of living\u2019, don\u2019t you think? \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n(Do you or anyone you know is living overseas and interested to collaborate with me to make these posts? Contact me!)\n\n\nPeople living in KL or Ipoh, care to chime in? Comment here or tweet me at @surayaror \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/money-and-personality/", "title": "How You Behave With Money, According to Your Personality\n  ", "body": "Because money and personality are two topics I love to mesh together.\n\n\nYour Personality, Using the Big Five Personality Traits\n\n\nBefore we go on, we have to spend some time talking about personalities \u2013 what is its definition? In comes behavioural science.\n\n\nThe book \nMe, Myself, and Us: The Science of Personality and the Art of Well-Being\n by Professor Brian R. Little gave me some great info about the categorisation of personalities, so I\u2019m going to use that. There are many ways to test personality types, including the popular Myers-Briggs model, but Prof Little said the one I\u2019m about to share is the most peer-approved one.\n\n\nNote: It\u2019s important to remember that for most people, it\u2019s never as clear-cut as A or B (ie, introvert or extrovert). It\u2019s more like a spectrum. Not only we can have qualities of both, we can adjust it to the situation as well.\n\n\nThe Big Five Personality Traits which can be used to explain the spectrum of our personalities are:\n\n\n\n\nConscientiousness\n. How orderly, organised and careful you are.\n\n\nAgreeableness\n. How pleasant, cooperative and friendly you are.\n\n\nNeuroticism\n. Your sensitivity to negative cues in the environment.\n\n\nOpenness to experience\n. Your receptiveness to new ideas, interactions and environments.\n\n\nExtraversion\n. How much/often you seek high levels of arousal.\n\n\n\n\nNote that I\u2019m summarising whole chapters, so some info is lost, but yeah roughly it\u2019s like that. Read the book for in-depth explanation. I got it from BookXcess.\n\n\nNow, do you want to take a short quiz to know where you stand in each of your Big Five personality traits?\n\n\nOf course you do. Here it is \u2013 the higher you are on the scale, the more conscientious / agreeable / neurotic / open to experience / extrovert you are. \nThese are clues to your personality, and not meant to be a diagnosis.\u00a0\n\n\nTen-Item Personality Inventory (TIPI)\n\n\nWrite a number next to the statement to indicate the extent of which you agree or disagree with that statement. Use:\n\n\n\n\n1 \u2013 Strongly disagree\n\n\n2 \u2013 Disagree moderately\n\n\n3 \u2013 Disagree a little\n\n\n4 \u2013 Neither\n\n\n5 \u2013 Agree a little\n\n\n6 \u2013 Agree moderately\n\n\n7 \u2013 Agree strongly\n\n\n\n\nStatements \u2013 I see myself as:\n\n\n\n\nExtraverted, enthusiastic\n\n\nCritical, quarrelsome\n\n\nDependable, self-disciplined\n\n\nAnxious, easily upset\n\n\nOpen to new experiences, complex\n\n\nReserved, quiet\n\n\nSympathetic, warm\n\n\nDisorganised, careless\n\n\nCalm, emotionally stable\n\n\nConventional, uncreative\n\n\n\n\nI won\u2019t include the scoring system here because it\u2019s not super important, but even this snippet is insightful, so do it, it just takes a few minutes. Scribble the numbers in a notebook.\n\n\nDid you score high in any particular trait? Are you right smack in the middle for some traits? It\u2019s fun to find out before you move on to the next section. If any of you reading are psychology majors, I\u2019d love to hear your input.\n\n\n\n\nWhat Each Trait Means to Your Money Management Style\n\n\nOk, again, before we go on, a big, honking disclaimer. These are mostly conclusions I drew after reading this book. I\u2019m also using my personal observations about money behaviour. But I think I managed to explain traits in relation to money management style in a way that makes sense. Tell me if it doesn\u2019t.\n\n\nOn Conscientiousness\n\n\n\n\nHigh points on dependable, self-disciplined\n\n\nLow points on disorganised, careless\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019d imagine the people who score high in conscientiousness find it easier to turn messy finances into something more organised. They know and track their bill cycles and expenses. They make notes and plans for their future investment. They have systems in place to keep track of financial records.\n\n\nThis describes me so well, actually.\n\n\nIn a couple, it\u2019s probably a good idea to have at least one person who is conscientious by nature. If not your financial records will be all over the place.\n\n\nOn Agreeableness\n\n\n\n\nHigh points on sympathetic, warm\n\n\nLow points on critical, quarrelsome\n\n\n\n\nIf you score high on this trait, people tend to like you. Your natural personality is empathetic and supportive. It\u2019s a highly desirable trait.\n\n\nIn terms of finances, this trait can be used to kinda sorta predict long-term success. In the short-term, people might like you, but they might also walk all over you (you struggle with being assertive). But in the long-term, people prefer you as business allies because they trust you.\n\n\nBut on the flip side, you might find it hard to refuse requests from people, maybe even financial requests. So don\u2019t go signing loans on behalf of someone or something like that. Not good for you.\n\n\nOn Neuroticism\n\n\n\n\nHigh points on anxious, easily upset\n\n\nLow points on calm, emotionally stable\n\n\n\n\nSorry to be the bearer of bad news, but \u2018those who score on the neurotic end of the dimension also score low on many different facets of positive functioning: they have lower subjective well-being, more negative than positive emotions, difficulties in marriage and interpersonal relations, less job satisfaction, and compromised physical health.\u2019\n\n\nIf you consider yourself a neurotic individual, you might want prioritise things that can help you with costs associated to those problems, like insurance, contracts (including prenups) and emergency savings plan.\n\n\nI would say a dash of neuroticism is healthy. Those are all good things to have in place anyway.\n\n\nOn Openness to experience\n\n\n\n\nHigh points on open to new experiences, complex\n\n\nLow points on conventional, uncreative\n\n\n\n\nYou like new things and experiences rather than routine, so it\u2019s easy to see the financial link here: you\u2019d spend more money in the process of trying them out. It does give you a lot of joy though, so you don\u2019t mind it. Be careful though \u2013 some people like experiencing life too much that they don\u2019t save up for their future.\n\n\nOn Extraversion\n\n\n\n\nHigh points on extraverted, enthusiastic\n\n\nLow points on reserved, quiet\n\n\n\n\nInstead of looking at extraversion from a human relations angle, look at it more from a working environment angle. People who score higher on this scale are energised by complex teams dynamics. On the flip side, introverts find energetic work environments overwhelming.\n\n\nNeither is \u2018better\u2019 when it comes to money management style, I don\u2019t think. It\u2019s more of a reflection point on what kind of environment would suit you best and make you as productive as possible. Pick the right fit and you\u2019ll likely thrive in your work (and earn more money).\n\n\n\n\nWhat if you have personality traits that are \u2018not good\u2019 for money management?\n\n\nAll of the above personality traits have their own upsides and downsides. Even\u00a0conscientiousness have a downside \u2013 people who plan well tend to struggle with creative processes, because you can\u2019t plan what comes out of it. Improv is challenging for people like me, but that\u2019s the thing that brings out out-of-the-box ideas, like new solutions to problems. We all know how profitable that can be.\n\n\nBut if it still worries you, I wouldn\u2019t sweat it. Humans are fluid in character, we can and have adapted for thousands of years. The book pointed out the science behind \u2018out-of-character\u2019 behaviour, and it turns out that we do change our behaviour (despite not being your \u2018core\u2019 personality) when it\u2019s the social norm, or if we do it for the sake of professionalism and love. That energetic lecturer could be an introvert who learned how to command a room to teach more effectively. That inheritance money might come from a late uncle who you thought hated your guts.\n\n\nSo there you go. You now know more or less where you lie on the\u00a0conscientious / agreeable / neurotic / open to experience / extrovert scale. I hope by this point, you understand yourself a little bit better, so you can use your tool \u2013 money \u2013 a little bit better.\n\n\nDid you score a particularly high or low point on any of the five personality traits? What do you notice about your money management style?\n\n\nCheck out another money and personality-type article: \nWhy We Can\u2019t Stop Spending Money\u00a0\n\n\nIMPORTANT EDIT: \nClick here\n to buy yourself a personalised financial behaviour test!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/money-lover-review/", "title": "Money Lover Review (Expense-tracking app)\n  ", "body": "A lot of people asked me recently about the app I use to track my expenses. To the best of my ability, I answered them personally \u2013 I use an app called Money Lover. It is available for Android, Apple, and Windows platform. They use the freemium model \u2013 free use, pay to unlock features. Here is the \nwebsite\n.\n\n\nThere\u2019s many reason why I love the Money Lover app more than other types of expense tracking app. I\u2019ve been tracking my expenses for a while (~10 years, give or take), and I\u2019ve used the pen+paper method, custom Excel spreadsheets, and many other expense-tracking apps.\n\n\nFirst up, free expense tracking apps exists. But as of mid 2014 when I stopped using the free ones and used Money Lover exclusively, the free ones suck. The apps would freeze, or it would limit features, or it\u2019s simply not user-friendly enough.\n\n\nSecondly, I maintain that the best expense tracking method is the method that works best for\u00a0 you. If you are comfortable with the abacus, go for it (lol).\n\n\nHere is my Money Lover review, as the 9 things I personally love about the app.\n\n\n\n\nNote: This is not a sponsored post. I do not earn money from this endorsement.\n\n\n1. They are made by our ASEAN friends\n\n\nWhen I first downloaded it, I didn\u2019t know that it was made by a team of \nVietnamese developers\n.\n\n\nHow awesome is that? I\u2019m so happy that they are making it globally. I\u2019m so happy that I get to support our ASEAN buds.\n\n\n2. You can create \u2018Wallets\u2019\n\n\nYou can make multiple \u2018wallets\u2019, if you need to track expenses separately. For me, I only have 2: Income (where I track all of my net worth) and Expenses (where I track all of my spending).\n\n\nI imagine you can add \u2018Business expenses\u2019 wallet too, if you need it. Anything. Personalise it.\n\n\n\n\n3. You can make pretty graphs!\n\n\nI like beautiful graphs. They make me happy. When I view the overview of my expenses, my categories (I have 16 categories, \nhere \nfor breakdown) look like this:\n\n\n\n\nNice, no??\n\n\n4. You can assign your own categories, with a cute icon\n\n\nThe basic icons are:\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNot enough? Need more icons?\n\n\n5. You can get more icons if you want (some free, most icon packs cost RM3.50)\n\n\nLook at all the options you have!\n\n\nYes yes you have to pay for some of them, but honestly, in the perceived world of \u2018boring\u2019 personal finance, I love that they include so much effort in providing great graphics. Anything that makes you excited over doing your finances are a-OK for me.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n6. You can use the widget to easily submit and track your expenses\n\n\nThis is my second screen on my Android device. See the widget? All I have to do is touch the \u2018+\u2019 sign and add my expenses. It\u2019s fast. I don\u2019t have to open the app and find the right page before submitting.\n\n\nTo submit an expense, you set 4 things: category, date, amount, and notes.\n\n\n\n\n7. You can see your spending habits over time in \u2018Trends\u2019\n\n\nI\u2019ve shown this a couple of times, but you can easily check your spending trend using this app.\n\n\nYou can check by category (say if you want to track how much you spent on groceries for the past year), or by month (below).\n\n\n\n\n8. You can make notes of your spending and search for it\n\n\nI mentioned this in passing in No 5, but I love to add notes when I track my expenses.\n\n\nLast time, my landlord wanted to know when I last serviced the air con. How would I remember! Thankfully, I searched the app and found that I paid for it in July.\n\n\nIt\u2019s handy that way \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n8. There\u2019s so many features\n\n\nYou can track progress of existing debts, or create budgets for specific categories. You can set recurring transactions (although this was buggy last time, I hope they fixed it), and turn on \u2018travel mode\u2019 (which I\u2019ve yet to try).\n\n\n\n\n\n\n9. There\u2019s so many tools!\n\n\nOkay to be fair I don\u2019t use a majority of these. I do export it into CSV and Excel for backup purposes. But the array of available tools are impressive!\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLet\u2019s address something, though. Money Lover is a bit expensive for an app, but you get what you pay for.\n\n\nLet\u2019s face it. You can get free apps. You can get the ones that sell for RM3.50. If you\u2019re on a strict budget, give those a go, they\u2019re probably good too.\n\n\nMoney Lover app costs USD4.99. I bought it last year, in July\u00a0 for RM16.68 (I literally searched the app and found the notes I made during the time). With the exchange rate right now, it\u2019s at least RM20.\n\n\nI love this app, so I am endorsing it. I think it\u2019s worth every cent. Do you agree or disagree? What app do you use? What method do you use? Share with me!\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/not-good-with-money/", "title": "To Everyone Who Ever Said \u201cI\u2019m Not Good With Money\u201d\n  ", "body": "\n\nHey you,\n\n\nI have some idea of who you are. Half of you are under 35 years old. Statistically, you\u2019re probably Malaysian, and many of you live in urban areas. Don\u2019t be weirded out or anything, the info is from Google Analytics.\n\n\nMany of you are silent readers, but I get emails and comments from some of you, which is nice (it really is!). You told me about your life, your financial situation and how you\u2019re trying to improve it. \n\n\nMany of you referenced that pivotal moment in your life when you realised how important personal money management is. Some of you were thrown into a situation where you HAD to figure it out, while others were just tired of facing the consequences of frivolous, YOLO-led spending in your youth.\n\n\nBut one thing is clear \u2013 all of you want to be better with money\u2026 because you think you\u2019re not good with it. You don\u2019t think you\u2019re a good enough saver, investor, and/or income earner. \n\n\nWhy is that? Why do so many people struggling with one of society\u2019s most basic foundations \u2013 the money system? We should have been experts \u2013 we use and interact with it daily. But why is money management still so hard to master?\n\n\nIt\u2019s not you, it\u2019s them\n\n\nOr at least, it\u2019s not 100% your fault why you are not confident with money\u2026 yet. \n\n\nTo be clear, some of it *is* your fault \u2013 I\u2019ll delve into that in a bit \u2013 but mostly, \nthe system is rigged to favour the rich\n. If not, how else would you explain the \nTop 50 richest Malaysians gaining USD11 billion MORE during the pandemic\n while most of everyone else\u2019s salaries and wages fell in 2020?\n\n\n\n\nHowever, with my chats with financial planners and advisors, low income is not the whole picture. \nThere are a lot of people who have high incomes and yet STILL are not good with money \n\u2013 they have problems with cashflow management and get into debt. How do you explain that??\n\n\nIn this article, I\u2019m going to attempt to unpack the layers, because I\u2019m sick of people blaming individuals for things that are outside their control. Hopefully in the process, you will see how things work beyond the individual level, and stop blaming yourself, if you do.  \n\n\nHere are things that cause you to believe you\u2019re \u2018not good with this money thing\u2019, aside from not earning enough:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Your parents\n\n\nDo you know what\u2019s the number one predictor of financial success? \nBeing born to high-income families\n. \n\n\nYup. Not your IQ, not your smarts, but simply put, whether you hit the \u2018birth lottery\u2019 or not.\u00a0\nThere are exceptions to the rule, but those are exceptions.\u00a0\n\n\nYour socio-economic background plays such a big role yet is \nfrequently silent in much of the personal finance content space\n. Where you live, the amount of disposable income afforded to your upbringing, your schooling options \u2013 all these attributed back to your parents \u2013 makes a major impact on your relationship with money. \n\n\nFor example, someone raised with parents who don\u2019t talk about money or mentions it negatively will tend to have \nexcessive fear\n with money management, and might even avoid dealing with it. That\u2019s why some people don\u2019t check their debt levels, their bank accounts, do budgeting and so on. They\u2019re scared to confront it.  \n\n\nOn the other hand, someone raised in a financially stable family may talk about business dealings and investments and leveraging all the time. So by the time they reached adulthood, they\u2019re \nalready comfortable\n with the financial jargon and have an easier time understanding and navigating the financial world. \n\n\nI want you to be critical of those entrepreneurs and businesspeople who have the \u2018If I can, you can too!\u2019 mentality. More often than not, they had help; they were born rich and/or have their family\u2019s income as safety net to catch them if they fail. Sure, they may be smart in their own right, but they ignore to mention the escalators they hopped on while everyone else used stairs.\n\n\nAt the same time, I want you to not blame your parents either, because they were also part of a system bigger them themselves. Recognise and resist the negative influences they may still have, but continue your own self-development journey regardless. That\u2019s the only thing you can do to go forward. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 The sophisticated marketing targeting you\n\n\nSerious question: Why do we buy things we technically don\u2019t need? \n\n\nNo, you\u2019re not simply \u2018weak against temptations\u2019. Instead, your buyer profile was dissected by companies who want you to buy their products. You are exposed to hundreds, if not thousands of these attempts \nevery day\n. \n\n\nSo how can you \u2013 an individual \u2013 ever stand a chance against these attacks? Sooner or later you will succumb.\n\n\nCompanies spend a lot of money and effort to get your money. They do this by:\n\n\nAdvertising in spaces that you have to pass through, and in your social media;\nEmploying teams of behaviorial scientists and psychologists to understand your purchasing habits,\nEmploying marketers, digital marketers etc to cut through the noise and get to you;\nTweaking shop and mall layout, lighting, item placement, smells, colours;\nGetting likeable ambassadors to talk about them;\nAppearing in articles, Quora, forums, Reddit (please be sceptical when someone recommends something in \u2018public opinion\u2019 spaces. \nThere are people whose jobs is to do this sneaky form of marketing\n);\nAnd more\n\n\nThe next time you buy a product, think of how they succeeded in influencing you.\n\n\nP/s \u2013 I\u2019m not hating on all companies, mind you. Just the ones that:\n\n\nLobby and receive subsidies from governments (so they can price their unhealthy/low-quality products lower, thus making healthy/high-quality products \nseem\n more expensive)\nPay very low wages \nHarm people (weapons, drugs including nicotine and sugar) and the environment\nand using \nmanipulative marketing techniques\n\n\n#3 \u2013 You and the people around you, aka \u2018The Society\u2019\n\n\nEvery time society and the media positively correlate displays of wealth and excess consumption = success, I cringe. \nStatus symbols that exist as status symbol\u2019s sake have to be one of the biggest wastes of Earth\u2019s resources\n.\n\n\nI bet you have been privy to conversations that look like below:\n\n\n\u201cWow she drives [insert expensive car]\u201d\n\u201cMy boyfriend loves me, he bought me [expensive thing]\u201d\n\u201cYour [item] is old enough and [minor inconvenience], you should get a newer version\u201d\n\u00a0\u201cShopping is my hobby; here\u2019s my [category] haul\u201d\n(posts money/jewellery/limited edition items on social media)\n\n\nHere\u2019s an invitation to rebel a bit. You can choose:\n\n\nNot to compliment on luxury products that people carry/drive/wear;\nTo ignore commentaries on other people\u2019s wealth \u2013 in conversations and in media;\nTo ignore peer pressure to have the latest gadgets, fashion and other similar things;\nTo focus on long-use, quality products;\nTo disassociate yourself with people who brag about possessions and how they\u2019re active consumers;\nTo realise that they could have funded their lifestyle with \nmoney they don\u2019t actually have\n, and is actually in huge debt\nAnd more\n\n\nThe less society focuses on possessions, the better. You can shine without all that, I promise you \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Your own personality\n\n\nOkay, so I mentioned earlier how you\u2019re not totally faultless, yes? Some people have personality traits that may speed up or slow down their personal finance learning process. For example:\n\n\nConscientious people\n tend to have higher self-discipline. They tend to be better at delayed gratification (aka waiting before purchasing something they don\u2019t need) and can follow budgets. \nAgreeable people\n are amazing friends and family members, but might be vulnerable to opportunists, who know you won\u2019t deny their requests for favours, money and time. If this is you, you have no choice but to \nlearn how to say no\n.\n\n\nI\u2019ve written more in-depth on financial behaviours and even shared \nmy own results\n. \n\n\nAdmitting that I am a hypocrite on so many levels\n\n\nSee, here\u2019s the thing. I talk big about us being manipulated by consumerism-driven culture and companies, but I am \u2013 and will continue to be, unless I adopt the \nlive-off-the-land-approach\n \u2013 a consumer. I\u00a0\nlike\u00a0\nwalking in malls and looking at stuff. I\u00a0\nenjoy\n looking at pretty things. I\u00a0\nbenefit\u00a0\nfrom high-volume factory productions that provide me with cheap products, should I want them.\n\n\nNot just that, I\u00a0\nconveniently ignore\u00a0\nbad practices that my favourite companies use. I\u00a0\nexcuse\n the branded content that entertained me. I\u00a0\nassume\n someone else will neutralise my wastes. Sometimes I go, personal responsibility?\u00a0\nWhat personal responsibility?\n\n\nLook. I\u2019m never going to refuse the comfort that money can bring. I\u2019m a city girl. But what I\u00a0\ncan\n do is practice mindful spending. Only buy products I need (not want) and use my money to \nbuy happiness in a more effective way\n. And \u2013 when the means and opportunity comes \u2013 to help those who are most \nfinancially vulnerable\n.\n\n\nAnyway, what I\u2019m trying to say in this commentary piece is you\u2019re NOT not good with money. You just live in a world where, unfortunately, people with excessive greed exists, causing excessive profit-taking and lack of social safety net which ultimately, widening wealth inequality. \n\n\nSo where do we go from here? To me, we should acknowledge the broken parts in this system we live in, and try to improve it. \n\n\nAt the same time, what you can do is cut yourself some slack, stop the negative self-talk and say you\u2019re not good with money, because you WILL be soon enough, through sheer determination and commitment to self-improvement. \n\n\nI\u2019ll end here. I hope this post made you think, a little bit, about the systemic and environmental factors that influenced your relationship with money. All the best, and keep going on. Take care and be safe. \n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/personal-finance-and-life/", "title": "All The Mafan Things About Personal Finance and Life\n  ", "body": "\n\nMafan = slang for \u2018annoying\u2019, \u2018malasnya nak buat\u2019\n\n\nIf you find personal finance mafan, you\u2019re not alone. Heck, I still find it mafan. I\u2019m lucky to get a head start on it, but actually it\u2019s still really quite the mafan. There are just so many things that you have to sort out to be at least semi-good at it.\n\n\nBut that\u2019s adulting for you. You just have to do it, don\u2019t you? Because no one else will. And I\u2019m not going to be that person who lets my partner/parents take care of my finances and life for me, nope. I\u2019ve heard enough stories. We\u2019ve all heard the stories.\n\n\nThis post is all about things we all have to do in order to be \u2018good\u2019 at personal finance and life. Some of them are more mafan than others. I\u2019ll explain. And use cat pics.\n\n\n\n\n \nEngin_Akyurt\n / Pixabay\n\n\nGetting yourself insured\n\n\nNo one is truly excited about the insurance process, I don\u2019t think. \nI don\u2019t buy your smiles and fake laughs, models in insurance campaign ads.\n\n\nInsurance is important, I agree. Leaving money behind for your loved ones and not having to worry about medical bills are things I can get behind.\n\n\nBut please, insurance companies, do us a favour and stop all this lack of transparency nonsense. Can\u2019t you just put an auto-calculator on your website that just gives us an instant quote? Must you make us find agents and do manual comparison ourselves?\n\n\nWhat I\u2019ve heard is, insurance companies do this because they don\u2019t want to make it easy for their competitors to find out their rates. They\u2019re afraid that the industry will resort to price-slashing to attract customers. That means less profit for them. If you\u2019re from the insurance industry and reading this, please by all means go ahead and counter this argument.\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\n44 Thoughts While Buying Myself Insurance in Malaysia\n\n\n \nCapri23auto\n / Pixabay\n\n\nPaying bills and taxes\n\n\nKinda self-explanatory. Tracking and diligently paying them takes up a lot of mental space. I don\u2019t know which is worse, tbh \u2013 once-a-year payments like taxes or once-a-month payments like mobile phone bills.\n\n\n \nAmandad\n / Pixabay\n\n\nSaving your money\n\n\nTruth be told I\u2019d love to just spend all my money away. The only thing stopping me is Future Me. Future Suraya is freakishly strict, like your discipline teacher last time in school, the one who walks around with the rotan. Present Suraya would sometimes go \u2018oooh that looks fun I want to buy that\u2019 but Future Suraya quickly comes and be like, \u2018NOT ON MY WATCH\u2019.\n\n\nIf\n When Present Suraya makes non-essential purchases that cannot be justified, Future Suraya DOES. NOT. FORGET. She hovers around and scolds me like an Asian parent (\u201cSee now regret right? Do lah. Do some more.\u201d)\n\n\nIt came to a point where I\u2019m so conditioned to Future Suraya\u2019s treatment that I just don\u2019t even consider certain purchases, like going to the Burning Man Festival or having the latest gadgets.\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\n50 Ways to Save Money in Malaysia, From Easy to Impossible\n\n\n \nmanfredrichter\n / Pixabay\n\n\nInvesting your money\n\n\nFuture Suraya plays a big role here too. She nags me and nags me until I take action, until I decide on investment products to put my money in.\n\n\nLearning about investments in the first place was\u00a0\nhard\n. The biggest issue is knowing who to trust, aside from your parents. But things get further complicated when you get older and see your parents being human and make financial mistakes themselves, and you think, okay, now aside from them who else can I trust?\n\n\nInvestment companies do all sorts of mind tricks to make themselves appear more trustworthy. They get likeable ambassadors. They use non-threatening cheerful colours and slogans. They invite you to talks and seminars and events (and often, give you merch and feed you too). The dodgy ones even make promises they can\u2019t keep (\u2018DOUBLE YOUR INVESTMENT IN A MONTH\u2019).\n\n\nOver the years, I\u2019ve learned to accept that investment companies will keep doing this, and my role is to cut through all that niceties and get straight to the products they offer. Asking the right questions help. Who are your management team, are they reputable? How much do you charge me for this service? What are the terms?\u00a0 What are your reviews like? Not the paid ones, the real ones.\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nWhat can you invest with RM1000?; A quick guide\n and\u00a0\n12 Types of Investment Available in Malaysia and The People Who Have Them\n\n\nNote: Don\u2019t trust everything I say too. It\u2019s not clever to blindly trust someone from the internet. Do your own research.\n\n\n \nMimzy\n / Pixabay\n\n\nInvesting in yourself\n\n\nThere are a few components in this section, but for simplification\u2019s sake I\u2019m going to divide it into just three: investing in your education, investing in your health and investing in your appearance.\n\n\nInvesting in your education\n\n\nIf you\u2019re lucky, you had an education after high school. If you\u2019re luckier, it was fully or partially paid by yourself, your parents or a scholarship.\n\n\nBut that\u2019s as far as luck will take you, because education doesn\u2019t stop. I don\u2019t know how people get the impression that education stops after college or university.\n\n\nYou need to make your own initiatives to continue learning, so that you can\u00a0keep climbing the ladder, keep growing professionally, and avoid being redundant in your industry. Education comes from many sources: books, online and offline courses, events and seminar, networking sessions, etc. If you find that mafan, \nhooo boy\n\n\nInvesting in your education costs two things: \nmoney and time\n. The internet has drastically reduced this barrier, but not quite \u2013 you still need a device and pay for the internet (if you take this for granted, give a quick blessing to the universe).\n\n\nFor women especially, a lot of our time is consumed by domestic chores.\u00a0In the typical household, women spend much more time to do the housework, take care of children, and caring for the elderly. In Malaysia, Malay women spend the most time doing domestic work (12.15 hours), then Chinese women (8.99 hours), then Malay men (6.29 hours), then Chinese men (3.77 hours). Source:\u00a0\nUnpaid Domestic Work in Malaysia: Exploring Women\u2019s Engagement in Housework\n; other racial demographics not included.\n\n\nI believe unequal distribution of unpaid care work is one of the reasons why women\u00a0don\u2019t get to invest in our education as much as men \u2013 we just have less time to do so. The effects are pretty obvious.\n\n\nNow, knowing this information, what are you going to do about it?\n\n\n(Personally, I moved out. I would 100% credit that decision to why I have so much time to learn and grow professionally. It\u2019s liberating af to be selfish.)\n\n\nInvesting in your health\n\n\nNot just in the exercise let\u2019s sweat it out sense (obviously mafan), but also preventative care, like eating well and sleeping well and walking well. Good food, good mattress and good shoes all cost a hefty sum.\n\n\nI\u2019m quite thankful that the ageing process is designed as it is. Most of us can live relatively care-free lives until we get to the age when we realise we have to start taking care of our bodies (that age is mid to late 20s, according to my friends). When I was younger, I have eaten shit (not literally) and slept on mattresses that gave me backaches, and my body recovered from those with very little problem. Not any more.\n\n\nI\u2019m happy that the personal finance circles that I follow prioritise health. They advice on eating well on a budget, on getting over that \u2018sayangnya duit\u2019 mental block over buying a RM1000+ mattress instead of a RM200 one, among others. I love that they discuss which kitchen tools are worth the money and which are not, and which tools to keep the house to make minor repairs. I love that the discussions can get incredibly niche, like which spices to keep to make homemade meals interesting and varied.\n\n\nSome of the communities I follow:\u00a0\n25 Personal Finance Subreddits For You To Find \u2018Your People\u2019\n\n\nInvesting in your appearance\n\n\nGrooming. Skincare. Clothes. Makeup. Accessories. Things that make you look professional and presentable. People do judge, like it or not. It\u2019s quite essential to commit some money to this category. I find the whole process of figuring out what works what doesn\u2019t quite mafan, but some people really enjoy this type of \u2018investing\u2019.\n\n\nA bit too much, even. Sometimes people mistake \u2018luxury items\u2019 as investments for your appearance. This, I personally do not agree in. I\u2019d rather invest in education and health rather than making myself look rich. I don\u2019t understand why people would buy expensive quality items when there are so many affordable quality items available.\n\n\nYou may disagree, especially if you love, own and collect branded luxury stuff. I don\u2019t really care. You do you. Your money if yours, I don\u2019t and won\u2019t tell you what to do. Not my place anyhow. But this is my blog and this is my opinion, so there.\n\n\n \nSkitterphoto\n / Pixabay\n\n\nLastly, back to you\n\n\nRemember, humans are complex. Just because we complain about something doesn\u2019t mean we don\u2019t and can\u2019t do it. You CAN acknowledge what is unpleasant for you to do. And hopefully, some startup founder out there is listening, and s/he will create the exact solutions we\u2019ve been waiting all along. We\u2019ve already seen this with the financial products comparisons platforms and education/health/education-focused platforms.\n\n\nWhat other things about personal finance and life do you find mafan? Share in the comments section \u2013 welcoming all differences in opinion. Complain to me. Who knows someone will read and do something about it.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/personal-finance-for-lgbt-in-malaysia/", "title": "The Comprehensive Personal Finance and Support Guide for LGBT in Malaysia\n  ", "body": "Let\u2019s face it: Malaysia is NOT a good place for LGBT individuals to freely express themselves. But no one can choose where they\u2019re born at, can they? Discrimination is sadly common, usually justified by religion.\n\n\nIf you disagree with \u2018the LGBT lifestyle\u2019, I ask for your empathy. This is not a \u2018guide to be gay\u2019 article, this is a \u2018what to do when you need help\u2019 article. Know the distinction. Don\u2019t kick people when they\u2019re down. No religion teaches that.\n\n\nThis article answers the following questions (in order):\n\n\n\n\nMy family \nkicked me out\n after they find out I\u2019m gay / lesbian / bisexual / trans / queer. What can I do?\n\n\nI need to check my \nSTD / HIV / AIDS\n status and find out where to find information about medical help, treatment and support\n\n\nMy \ncolleagues at work are bullying\n me because of my sexual orientation / gender identity. I need the job. What can I do?\n\n\nI need to \ntalk to someone\n. What are my options?\n\n\nMy gender does not align with the sex I was born with. How can I \ntransition \nand what kind of expenses can I expect?\n\n\nI can no longer/do not want to \nstay in Malaysia\n. What can I do?\n\n\nI am in a committed, if unrecognised relationship with my partner. If anything happens to me, how can make sure she/he can \ninherit\n my money and properties?\n\n\nI don\u2019t have immediate problems but would like to \nprepare myself financially\n, in case anything happens. What can I do?\n\n\nI\u2019m LGBT individual / ally with financial means. \nHow can I help\n?\n\n\n\n\n\n\n1) My family kicked me out after they find out I\u2019m gay / lesbian / bisexual / trans / queer. What can I do?\n\n\nYour immediate needs are \nshelter and money for daily expenses like food\n. I can connect you to support groups who can help you find a place to stay and job opportunities so you can get back on your feet as soon as possible.\n\n\nPlease comment to reach out and I\u2019ll link you to these support groups after verifying your identity. Your privacy is guaranteed. I won\u2019t publish your comment unless you give explicit consent (i.e a one-liner \u2018you can publish this\u2019 works). \n\n\nYou may also reach out to these LGBT-friendly shelter homes:\n\n\n\n\nSEED Foundation\n (elderly-friendly too)\n\n\nKLASS\n (PLWHIV (Person Living with HIV)\n\n\n\n\nIf you know more LGBT-friendly shelters, please add in the comments section. I\u2019ll add them.\n\n\nNote: If you\u2019re still living with your family and conditions are strained, it\u2019s not a bad idea to prepare an emergency overnight bag that you can grab quickly. Include things like:\n\n\n\n\nA few sets of clothes and underwear\n\n\nShoes\n\n\nCopies of your important documents like IC (you can also snap and pic and keep it in GDrive, or keep in a thumbdrive)\n\n\nSome money\n\n\nSome snacks\n\n\nToiletries\n\n\nSmall towel and/or wet wipes\n\n\nChargers for your phone and/or a full-powered powerbank \n\n\n\n\n2) I need to check my STD / HIV / AIDS status and find out where to find information about medical help, treatment and support\n\n\nMany Klinik Kesihatan branches offer STD / HIV checks for just RM1. Check the following Twitter thread:\n\n\n\n\nLetak sini je la senang eh.\n\n\nStep by step for HIV test!\n\n\n1 of 3 \npic.twitter.com/g3cX2Bd8MX\n\n\n\u2014 Indra (@ardnie) \nJune 30, 2018\n\n\n\n\nWhat I\u2019ve heard is some medical officers can be judgemental and hostile to LGBT individuals, especially to trans individuals. It really depends on your luck and who you get on that day.\n\n\nOther places you can get yourself tested, which can assure non-discrimination to LGBT individuals:\n\n\n\n\nPT Foundation \u2013 \nSTD / HIV Testing and Counselling\n from RM40 \n\n\nKLASS \u2013 \nHospital Peer Support Programme\n and \nWorkshops & Support Sessions\n\n\n\n\nPlease add more, if you know them. \n\n\n3) My colleagues at work are bullying me because of my sexual orientation / gender identity. I need the job. What can I do?\n\n\nYour first priority is your \nsafety\n. If you get verbally harassed or physically attacked, and your employers are unlikely to take action, consider terminating your position and look for other jobs, preferably in urban areas where people tend to be more open-minded. \nIt\u2019s okay to lose the battle so you can win the war. \n\n\nYour health, mental health and sanity are worth more than what your company can pay you. Unfortunately, Malaysian laws do not and cannot give you protection if you\u2019re discriminated because of your sexual orientation and/or gender identity. \n\n\nI understand the job market can be harsh and being selective is only going to narrow your options. Here are \ntips to improve your chances\n. You may also want to consider earning online. Here\u2019s \nhow I do it\n. \u00a0\n\n\n4) I need to talk to someone. What are my options?\n\n\nIf you are not able to talk to friends or family members, p\nlease reach out to any of these organisations:\n\n\n\n\nPT Foundation\n \u2013 offers telephone and face-to-face counselling (HIV / AIDS)\n\n\nBefrienders \n\u2013 offers 24-hour hotline (suicide prevention)\n\n\nSEED Foundation\n \u2013 Peer support and referral case counselling (trans)\n\n\nFacebook groups \u2013 Leave a comment with an email and I\u2019ll help you get in touch. Your privacy is guaranteed.\n\n\nYou can also leave comments here (please make it anonymous) for virtual love and support from all of us\n\n\n\n\nIf you know more options, including professional therapy, please comment. \n\n\n5) My gender does not align with the sex I was born with. How can I transition and what kind of expenses can I expect?\n\n\nThere are medical professionals in Malaysia you can go to get transition-related advice.\u00a0\nThe community has recommendations for doctors and clinics who may be able to help, but I will only give you the info after we vouch your identity. Leave a comment with an email \u2013 I won\u2019t publish the comment unless you explicitly give consent and use an anonymous name. Your privacy is guaranteed.\n\n\nNote: If your immediate environment is not supportive of your transition, and you rely on them for financial assistance, it\u2019s okay to wait. I know gender dysphoria is hard, but I need you to hang in there until you have enough money to support yourself. I don\u2019t want you to end up on the streets and have higher risk of being abused.\n\n\nFor Transwomen\n\n\nInformation received from a transwoman contributor:\n\n\nM : \nTransitioning is a serious decision. It is advisable to get an evaluation done prior to undergoing HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy), and prior to undergoing SRS (Sex Reassignment Surgery). Cost for evaluation varies from RM150-500, depending on the specialist you go to. \n\n\nNext is to get advice from an endocrinologist. AFAIK, not many are willing to work with transgender, especially Muslim ones. Their rates are unknown at this point. Once they\u2019ve identified your suitability for the treatment, they\u2019ll prescribe you hormones. Do not overdose yourself; overdosing will kill you faster than giving you visible results. \n\n\nCost of the hormones varies depending on the regiment and brand. For surgery, Thailand is the place, rates vary depending on what procedure and extent of aftercare. \n\n\nI can only give estimation based on the regiment I\u2019m familiar\n:\n\n\n\n\nTop surgery (removal) \u2013 RM3-5k (citation needed)\n\n\nTop surgery (construction) \u2013 RM4-5k\n\n\nBottom surgery (vaginoplasty) \u2013 RM5-45k\n\n\nAnti-androgen \u2013 RM300-450 (lasts for at least 2 months)\n\n\nCombination of estrogen & progesterone injection \u2013 RM250-300 (for at least 5 weeks)\n\n\n\n\nFor Transmen\n\n\nSeveral online shops in Malaysia sells binders. Google them and you will find. \nPlease do not use bandages or duct tape as binders.\n Important: there are health risks to chest binding, especially for those with larger chests (source: \n2017 study\n). \n\n\nIf you have recommended brands/suppliers, please comment.\n\n\nInformation received from a transman contributor:\n\n\nD :\u00a0You must give consideration to medical insurance (post-transitioning), because trans people who have undergone medical transitioning will have a lot of issues with this. If you have insurance and don\u2019t tell them you\u2019re trans, they will disqualify and void your claims based on non-disclosure even if your claim has nothing to do with transitioning. They can find out from your doctor or hospital. Trans people who disclose to insurance companies are either declined coverage or offered an expensive plan with many exceptions that it\u2019s virtually pointless to take it. The excuse is that we are a risky demographic.\n\n\nTop surgery (mastectomy)\n\n\n\n\nKeyhole: RM6k \u2013 RM10k\n\n\nDouble incision (for larger chested guys): RM9k \u2013 RM15k\n\n\nHysterectomy: RM5k \u2013 RM8k\n\n\n\n\nBottom surgery\n\n\n\n\nMetoidioplasty: I only found one price listed in 2003 from a what we call \u201c5-star\u201d establishment, and it\u2019s USD12k. No idea the price now or if other hospitals in the region do this. Will update if I hear from the guys.\n\n\nPhalloplasty: RM30k \u2013 RM125k. Only quoting prices in the region, not the good types you can get in Europe or elsewhere. That can go up to RM500k.\n\n\n\n\nHormone replacement therapy (many methods to this):\n\n\n\n\nTestosterone (usually self-administered/dosed):\n\n\u2013 RM18/3 weeks dose\n\n\u2013 RM800/3 months dose\n\n\nClinic helping to inject: RM15 \u2013 RM20\n\n\nEndocrinologist: RM850 \u2013 RM1500 (for initial consultation, blood work and hormones)\n\n\n\n\nOther resources:\n\n\n\n\nPersonal account of male-to-female (MTF) transitioning\n (US)\n\n\nPersonal account of female-to-male (FTM) transitioning\n (US)\n\n\n\n\n6) I can no longer/do not want to stay in Malaysia. What can I do?\n\n\nWe have lots of anecdotes of LGBT individuals who choose to live in another country due to Malaysia\u2019s unsupportive stance on it. \n\n\nIf you choose to leave Malaysia, here some financially sustainable options:\n\n\n\n\nApply for jobs in LGBT-friendly countries and work there. \nThese countries\n are friendly towards LGBT expats. You can also join \nmyGwork\n, a global networking platform and job board for LGBT+ professionals (thanks Samuel!)\n\n\nEarn online or get remote jobs. This is \nwhat I personally did to earn online\n. Here\u2019s a\n list of high-demand, well-paying remote jobs\n\n\nStudy in LGBT-friendly countries. If you don\u2019t have funding, check \nAseanop.com\n for scholarship opportunities \n\n\nSave money and/or create multiple streams of passive income to support your daily expenses\n\n\n\n\nAdmittedly, the suggestions above work best for more privileged individuals. Please comment if you know of other options for the less-privileged. \n\n\n7) I am in a committed, if unrecognised relationship with my partner. If anything happens to me, how can make sure she/he can inherit my money and properties?\n\n\nAs luck would have it, I\u2019ve asked a will/trust agent about this. In a nutshell, you can give anything you want to whoever you want \nbefore \nyour passing. The tricky part is inheritance after your passing. Note: \nIt\u2019s easier for non-Muslims than for Muslims\n. \n\n\nFirst, a distinction. \nWills/wasiat\n is for distribution after death. \nTrust \nis kinda sorta similar, but you can also add clauses like \u2018to allocate person x your money for medical care if you\u2019re in a coma/have permanent disability or cannot make sound judgement\u2019 and \u2018to give person y staggered payments according to agreed schedule after your passing\u2019. \n\n\nFor Muslims in Malaysia:\n\n\n\n\nWills/Wasiat\n: You\u2019re bound by Muslim inheritance laws. Muslims can only give up to \u2153 of their wealth to non-faraid (simplistically, non-family) members. \n\n\nTrusts\n: I\u2019ve been told you CAN give more than \u2153 of your wealth to non-faraid members, BUT need to lock in a fairly large cash amount (I believe I heard RM50k). You may also have to do a wasiat before you can do trust. \n\n\n\n\nFor non-Muslims in Malaysia:\n\n\n\n\nWills\n: You can give to whoever you want, regardless of religion\n\n\nTrust\n: Same\n\n\n\n\nIf you have information to improve this section, please comment. \n\n\n8) I don\u2019t have immediate problems but would like to prepare myself financially, in case anything happens. What can I do?\n\n\nPlease \nsave as much money as possible\n as \nemergency savings\n. A good rule of thumb is 3-6 months\u2019 worth of living expenses. Depending on your situation, you might need the money to move out, get medical or mental health help, or support yourself if you lose your job due to discrimination.\n\n\nAfter you have saved up your emergency savings, make \ninvestments \nto grow your money. I\u2019d suggest avoiding non-liquid investments. Non-liquid investments are things like properties and high-value art \u2013 you can\u2019t cash the money immediately if you need it urgently; selling might take ages. \n\n\nInvestments that are more liquid in nature include:\n\n\n\n\nStocks\n\n\nForeign currencies (USD, etc)\n\n\nGold\u00a0\n\n\nMutual funds (if you\u2019re Bumi, get ASB)\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nHere\u2019s my what to \ninvest with RM1000\n guide. If you\u2019ve never invested your money before, check my guide on \nwhat to know when investing for the first time\n. \n\n\nI\u2019ve received information about this option: have International Bank Accounts. Options include Citibank (SG) and Barclays (UK). The amount needed is quite high; be prepared to shell out six-figures for them. Another option is to buy properties (UK, etc) \u2013 that makes it easier to have banking accounts there. You need to inform BNM because they monitor large financial transactions. \n\n\nFinally,\n upskill yourself\n. Get more knowledge, and back it up with certifications. If you ever face workplace discrimination, touch wood, it\u2019s easier to find another job. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\n\nWelcoming all advice. \n\n\n9) I\u2019m LGBT individual / ally with financial means. How can I help?\n\n\nThings you can help with:\n\n\n\n\nOffering jobs/employment\n\n\nOffering donations to help LGBT individuals in need\n\n\nVolunteering\n\n\n\n\nThe easiest way to help is to make donations. \nLots of places need funds to continue their work, so please be generous\n. \nThese NGOs and community groups are LGBT-friendly:\n\n\n\n\nPT Foundation\n\n\nKLASS\n\n\nSEED Foundation\n\n\nJustice for Sisters\n\n\nQueerLapis\n\n\n\n\nIf you have money to spare, do take 5 minutes to click the links and transfer some donations to them. \n\n\nLast words\n\n\nThank you to all the LGBT individuals and allies who contributed to this article. It is by no means complete \u2013 inviting you to help share whatever knowledge you know, so we can all help. If you would like to republish or translate this content, do reach out to me. \n\n\nPlease share this article with your friends who may need the information. Thanks for being a caring human being.\u00a0\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/phone-review-xiaomi-mia2/", "title": "[Under-RM1k Phone Review] Xiaomi MiA2\n  ", "body": "\r\n\r\nDisclaimer: I received a test unit for the purpose of this review. The unit will be returned. All the opinion below is mine. EDIT: 1.5 months after this article was published, they offered me the phone. I accepted and currently using it.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nI love Xiaomi products \u2013 I own two of their phones (using the Redmi Note 4 now), the powerbank and the earphones. I\u2019ve written and promoted them before this,\u00a0\nhere\n and\u00a0\nhere\n.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIn July, I got the opportunity to test out the Xiaomi MiA2 phone. I was particularly excited about it, because I\u2019ve always wanted a phone with good camera, but those don\u2019t come cheap does it?\u00a0The Twitter crowd confirmed this.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\nhttps://twitter.com/BawangByte/status/958970120780460032\n\n\n\n\nhttps://twitter.com/kzamri/status/958970722155610112\n\n\nhttps://twitter.com/kesh1018/status/959269503308673025\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nHaving played around with the test unit, here\u2019s an honest review of the phone. Before we start, price, because that part is the first thing I take into consideration. The Xiaomi MiA2 phone is only \nRM999\n \nfor the 4GB + 64GB\n one and \nRM1199 for the 6GB + 128GB\n one! (Note: price quoted is retail price)\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\nXiaomi MiA2 Review\n\n\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nNow, I\u2019m not even going to pretend I know and understand the tech stuff, because I don\u2019t. I don\u2019t know how good/bad the Snapdragon 660 processor is (I heard it\u2019s good?). This review is more from the user experience side \u2013 what I like and don\u2019t like about it.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe full specs is at the end of this article.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\nWhat I like about the Xiaomi MiA2 phone\n\n\nDaylight pics look BOMBZ\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe 12MP+20MP dual camera does not disappoint. Pictures taken with the phone look super crisp!\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\n\n\nThe portrait shots are absolutely gorgeous\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe front camera is also 20MP, which is great for selfies and wefies. Doing selfies on portrait mode was awesome \u2013 I don\u2019t care if the pictures are AI-enhanced. I\u2019m just happy I look awesome here hahahah\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\n\n\nLow-light shots are pretty good too\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nTo be fair, Xiaomi MiA2 does not give perfect, DSLR-quality shots, but good enough. (I\u2019d be asking for too much if I expect DSLR-quality night shots at this price range).\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\n\n\nHuge and awesome display\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe screen is 5.99 inches and in full HD. Visuals look great!\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\n10-seconds video option as one of the picture settings\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nHandy for social media posts. No need to waste time trimming videos. #timeismoney\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\nFree phone case\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nComes in gold, blue and black. I appreciate it when phone companies give free phone cases, I really do. Can save money.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\n\n\nGoogle Photos instead of Gallery\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nNo wonder they didn\u2019t add in a micro-SD slot for the Xiaomi MiA2 phone \u2013 it\u2019s all Google-integrated. If you didn\u2019t know, Google users can store\u00a0\nunlimited high-quality photos\n\u00a0with their Gmail accounts.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAgain, FREE. UNLIMITED. PHOTO. STORAGE.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nI\u2019ve been using this Google feature for years and absolutely love it. You can opt to make wifi-only photo uploads too, so it doesn\u2019t affect your precious data.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\nFinally get to try AndroidOne!\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nI\u2019ve heard a lot about the \nAndroidOne\n, Google\u2019s built-in AI software. So far it\u2019s only available for\u00a0\nselected phones\n \u2013 Xiaomi MiA2 being one of it. And guys, I have to say \u2013 it\u2019s pretty awesome. Super intuitive. A+ on user experience. No joke.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\nDual SIM\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nDual SIMs are very handy during travels \u2013 I can just buy and insert a local SIM card without removing (and potentially losing) my Malaysian SIM card.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\nNo Bloatware!!!\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThese are all the apps that came with the phone! That\u2019s it! No pre-installed MIUI apps that I can\u2019t delete, unlike in the other Xiaomi phones I tried! Super appreciate this!\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\n\n\nFeels\u00a0\nexpensive\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIt\u2019s super thin. Comes in metal body. Awfully clean design. I\u2019m into it.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nNow that we\u2019re done with the positives, let\u2019s go to the negatives.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\nWhat I don\u2019t like about the Xiaomi MiA2 phone\n\n\nNo headphone jack\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n>:(\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBUT to their credit they did include a Type-C to audio adaptor, so you can still use your (non-wireless) headphones. I\u2019m glad they do this, because phones without headphone jacks are kind of a dealbreaker for me. I don\u2019t really want to splurge on new accessories if I don\u2019t have to.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\nPanorama shots are kinda meh\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nI don\u2019t know if that particular day was too glare-y for it, but all the panorama shots I took looks overexposed.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\n\n\nThey also sell Xiaomi MiA2 Lite, which is kind of confusing\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nXiaomi MiA2 is NOT Xiaomi MiA2 Lite. MiA2 Lite is cheaper (RM600 plus), and although they market it as a dual camera phone, the camera specs are much lower \u2013\u00a0 12MP+5MP, with 5MP front camera (instead of 12MP+20MP, with 20MP front camera). It does come with higher battery capacity though at 4000mAh.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nTo make matters more confusing,\u00a0 MiA2 Lite is also called Redmi 6 Pro :/\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSo yeah if you plan to buy the MiA2, don\u2019t accidentally but MiA2 Lite one or anything. They\u2019re almost like two different phones.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\nType-C USB port instead of mini-USB\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nI\u2019m going to have to buy new sets of backup cables in Type-C now, sigh. If it\u2019s any consolation, this port is supposed to result in faster charging.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nDon\u2019t mind me, I\u2019m just sulking. It\u2019s just that I have lots of spare mini-USB cables and it kind of sucks they will be made redundant when I switch to this phone in the future.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\nVerdict\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nDespite the downsides, the Xiaomi MiA2 phone gets a thumbs up from me! It has so many features and still priced under RM1k kot (for the 4GB + 64GB one) \u2013 very hard to find fault at that price! Other camera phones will cost at least triple!\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nI can\u2019t believe I\u2019m saying this, but I can\u2019t wait for my current phone to die so I can switch to the MiA2 ASAP :p At the time of writing, my Redmi Note 4 is still going strong after about 1.5 years of use. It\u2019s not even slowing down*. Admittedly, this is a good problem to have.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n*The only time the Redmi Note 4 phone slows down is if the weather is really hot and it overheats.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\nFull Specs of Xiaomi MiA2\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nCamera\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\n\n\nRear 12MP + 20MP dual camera\r\n\n\n\nSony IMX486 sensor: 12MP, 1.25\u03bcm, f/1.75\n\n\nSony IMX376 sensor: 20MP, 2\u03bcm Super Pixel, f/1.75\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFront Sony IMX376 sensor: 20MP, f/2.2\r\n\n\n\n4500K selfie-light\n\n\n2\u03bcm Super Pixel, low-light enhancement\n\n\nAI portrait selfies, semantic segmentation\n\n\nFront HDR\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nPerformance\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\n\n\nQualcomm(R) Snapdragon(TM) 660 processor\r\n\n\n\n2.2GHz max\n\n\nQualcomm(R) Adreno(TM) 512 GPU\n\n\n\n\n\n\n4GB+32GB, 4GB+64GB (RM999), 6GB+128GB (RM1199) (Note: at time of writing, 4GB+32GB is not available in Malaysia)\n\n\nAndroid One\n\n\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nDisplay\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\n\n\n5.99\u2033 18:9 display (2160\u00d71080) FHD+\r\n\n\n\n403 PPI, 85% NTSC\n\n\nColour contrast ratio: 1500:1\n\n\n2.5D glass\n\n\nSoftware buttons\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nDesign\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\n\n\nMetal unibody\n\n\nRear fingerprint sensor\n\n\nDimensions: 158.7\u00d775.4\u00d77.3mm\n\n\nWeight: 166g\n\n\nAvailable in: Black, Gold, Blue, Red, Rose Gold (Note: at time of writing, the last two is not available in Malaysia)\n\n\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBattery\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\n\n\n3010mAh(typ) battery\n\n\n5V/2A charging\n\n\nUSB Type-C, USB 2.0\n\n\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nConnectivity\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\n\n\nDual Nano SIM\n\n\nBluetooth 5.0\n\n\nGSM: B2/3/4/8\n\n\nWCDMA: B1/2/4/5/8\n\n\nTDD-LTE: B38/40\n\n\nFDD-LTE: B1/B2/B3/B4/B5/B7/B8/B20\n\n\n\n\nWhere to Buy (Official)\n\n\n\n\nLazada\n\n\nShopee\n\n\nDirectD\n\n\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nProTip: Buy from Lazada via\u00a0\nShopback\n (note: referral link) for some cashback. Layer it with cashback credit cards and/or collect points with it.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWhat do you think of the Xiaomi MiA2? Do you own Xiaomi products? How is it? Let me know in the comments section \ud83d\ude00\r\n\r\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/retirement-planning-in-malaysia/", "title": "10 Ways to Retire, From Awesome to Depressing\n  ", "body": "I have been thinking about my own retirement planning in Malaysia since my 20s, when I first started working. As they say \u2013 it\u2019s never too early to start (nor too late! If you are 40 years old and above, you can benefit a lot from being assisted professionally via a \nfinancial planner\n.)\n\n\nTbh I still don\u2019t know how I feel about retirement. Sometimes I think that retirement is an entitlement for productive members of society, while other times I think it\u2019s incredibly wasteful, even discriminative, to suddenly force someone out of a trade, profession or career due to her or his age.\n\n\nThe many ways to do retirement planning in Malaysia\n\n\nRetirement planning in Malaysia depends on \nhow\n you want to retire. \nWhen \nyou want to retire is secondary \u2013 the usual retirement age in Malaysia is 60 years old, and some want to retire earlier, while others don\u2019t want to retire at all.\n\n\nThanks to both real-life people I\u2019ve met and online accounts, I\u2019ve realised that most people have one thing in common \u2013 personal agency matters more than desire for early or late retirement. What most people really want is to be self-sufficient and not being a \u2018burden\u2019 in old age.\n\n\nTherefore, it\u2019s a good idea for you to know the options out there so you can think ahead for your own retirement planning in Malaysia. Here are 10 ways I can think of. Some of them may overlap.\n\n\n\n\n#1 \u2013 The \u2018Traditional Asian\u2019\n\n\nWhat it is:\n Multi-generational family living under one roof\n\n\nWhat this retiree does:\n Help with house chores, take care of grandkids\n\n\nIncome needed for this type of retirement:\n If it all goes well, zero. Your children are expected to financially support you with the help of your own retirement savings.\n\n\nThis type of retirement should be intimately familiar to many of us, even expected. I experienced this too: my late grandfather lived with us and drove me to school before he got too sick to continue.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 The Visitor\n\n\nWhat it is:\n The retiree may have own home (or an RV) but spends a lot of time travelling. They visit families and friends for a few days/weeks/months then move on to the next one, rotating between them. Their children may live across the country or the world.\n\n\nWhat this retiree does:\n Spends time with family and friends.\n\n\nIncome needed for this type of retirement:\n Varies, according to the method of travelling and living accommodation.\n\n\nI\u2019ve met a few Visitors before, in my travels. One in particular stuck in memory: this lady who decided to take up an invitation from her friend who has a house in rural France. She lived with her for a couple of weeks. I remember this because I recall the friend casually mentioning that she was surprised when she took up the offer, considering they were not that close to begin with.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 The Retirement Community\n\n\nWhat it is:\n A location especially created and targeted for retired individuals, OR a location that garnered a reputation for being elderly-friendly. For example, easy access to healthcare is a must. Some communities are also faith-based.\n\n\nWhat this retiree does:\n Spends time with other retirees doing leisurely and/or religious activities. Families come to visit.\n\n\nIncome needed for this type of retirement:\n\u00a0 I heard they are expensive in the US, so many people also consider settling down in other countries where the living cost is cheaper. This is the one from the movie The Notebook (as well as some other movies, can\u2019t recall).\n\n\nI remember bumping into a lady in Hadyai, Thailand who decided to simply rent out a modest hotel room and retire there. After she helped me with directions, she excitedly showed me where she got her supply of fresh bread. She seems happy.\n\n\nIn Malaysia, I don\u2019t know any formal retirement communities aside from faith-based ones.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 The Subculture Community\n\n\nWhat it is:\n Some subcultures have their own \u2018wise sages\u2019 \u2013 people who stuck to that subculture since the early days and act as mentors in the community. They are valued for their wisdom.\n\n\nWhat this retiree does:\n From what I know, they kind of hang around and enjoy being consulted in the community.\n\n\nIncome needed for this type of retirement:\n Depends on the subculture, but they are fairly self-sufficient and tend to live minimally.\n\n\nWhen I was in Koh Phangan, I recall this kind gentleman who taught people how to poi.\n\n\nI met a contact juggler in Langkawi who busk for a living. He was saving money to meet up some community members in KL, if I recall correctly.\n\n\nI know of a retired art critic who lives in an Orang Asli settlement. He gets regular visits from friends in the industry.\n\n\nI\u2019m sure there are many other examples, but my personal knowledge is limited.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 The HelpXers and WWOOFers\n\n\nWhat it is:\n People who stay in one location (usually not in urban areas) and open their homes to volunteers and other travellers.\n\n\nWhat this retiree does:\n They tend to have pets, farms and livestock, so daily activities usually revolve around that.\n\n\nIncome needed for this type of retirement:\n Need to be fairly self-sufficient but if you have a farm this greatly help in reducing cost of living.\n\n\nI\u2019ve done HelpX a few times and loved it (\nmy writeup on the experience\n). I do think this is a win-win arrangement all around \u2013 volunteers and travellers get to experience the farm life in exchange for food and accommodation, while retirees benefit from the labour.\n\n\nIt doesn\u2019t have to be farm life. There are also hostels and Bed-and-Breakfasts that do this too. I saw some postings specifically asking for people with specialised skills like website designing and photography and stuff.\n\n\n#6 \u2013 The Big Adventure\n\n\nWhat it is:\n People who are like, I\u2019m done working, I WANNA LIVE. Then they book a one-way ticket to a country they\u2019ve never been to.\n\n\nWhat this retiree does:\n Sky diving, swimming with sharks and all kinds of new and exciting experiences.\n\n\nIncome needed for this type of retirement:\n Depends on the type of adventure, method of transportation and living accommodation.\n\n\nI LOVE this kind of people. Every time I bump into them, I hear the best stories. It\u2019s obvious that they re-fell in love with life and everything it has to offer, and that zest for life is honestly contagious.\n\n\nBeing attracted to the DINK lifestyle (Dual Income No Kids), this retirement option appeals to me the most. However, I understand that this lifestyle is only fun when one is healthy. When one is not, the money goes to hospital and medical bills instead. If money runs out, I\u2019m also more prone to the worst possible option \u2013 being poor and abandoned (#10).\n\n\n#7 \u2013 The Cruise\n\n\nWhat it is:\n People who book themselves on long, long cruises.\n\n\nWhat this retiree does:\n Whatever entertainment the cruise offers.\n\n\nIncome needed for this type of retirement:\n I have no idea how much they cost, but it can\u2019t be cheap.\n\n\nCame across this living arrangement in a Reddit thread. Apparently some retirees just get on cruises until they can\u2019t or pass on. Some cruises also target this niche group and have amenities on board for them.\n\n\nThe sea can scare the crap out of me, so I think this is not for me, but I imagine it would be fun for some people. Some cruises are pretty damn big and contain everything from movies to bowling alleys to casinos to live shows. Plus, the food is all-you-can-eat buffet.\n\n\n#8 \u2013 The Ones Who Keep Working as a Hobby\n\n\nWhat it is:\n People who retired, but only by name. They enjoy their work and continue it out of passion, and may or may not be of traditional retirement age \u2013 some simply retire early because they have sufficient funds for the rest of their lives.\n\n\nWhat this retiree does:\n Their usual work. They may choose several routes: provide consultancy, collaborate on a project, set up a new business \u2013 as long as they get to keep doing what they do. They may or may not get paid for their work/hobby.\n\n\nIncome needed for this type of retirement:\n People who do what they love as their work tend to enjoy good financial stability, so cash is not generally an issue. But it\u2019s great that they have an option to select projects they can get paid for.\n\n\n#9 \u2013 The Ones Who Keep Working Because They Need To\n\n\nWhat it is:\n People who have to work past retirement age because they can\u2019t afford to retire. They may live alone or with families, but they\u2019re cash-strapped.\n\n\nWhat this retiree does:\n Whatever work that pays their living costs.\n\n\nIncome needed for this type of retirement:\n It\u2019s not considered retirement. I don\u2019t think anyone would choose this lifestyle.\n\n\nThis subset scares and saddens me. These are the people who suffer from age discrimination and tend to accept lower-paying jobs, usually demanding physical labour or demeaning (by societal standards). You\u2019ve seen them. They\u2019re the people who collect recyclables from garbage bins and sells them. The ones who care for other people\u2019s children and left their own grandkids. The ones who go table to table, asking you to buy their kerepek, despite their aching feet.\n\n\nYet they\u2019re still considered the lucky ones.\n\n\n#10 \u2013 The Poor and Abandoned\n\n\nWhat it is:\n Can\u2019t work due to health or other reasons. No or minimal support from society. May or may not have families or relatives.\n\n\nWhat this retiree does:\n Being in pain, all day every day. Very little social and intellectual stimulation.\n\n\nOnce in a while, some poor and abandoned soul is highlighted in the media. We\u2019ve seen the pictures. The luckier ones get into a donation-based, run-down, understaffed old folks home. The unlucky ones live in bare shacks with minimal amenities, getting by with donations. The unluckiest are homeless.\n\n\nThe sense of hopelessness is soul-crunching. My primary emotion is pity, as condescending as that sounds. I want to help, but often my own priorities get in the way and I conveniently forget about their existence, until the media highlights them again.\n\n\nI take a small comfort over zakat contributions, which is supposed to help them. Still, it\u2019s not enough. I know how expensive healthcare is.\n\n\nDear readers, I hope you\u2019ll never end up poor and abandoned. I don\u2019t know most of you, but I wouldn\u2019t wish this on my worst enemy.\n\n\nConclusion\n\n\nGrowing up, I simply assumed there was just one type of retirement. You serve your company for decades, then receive pension/retirement savings to retire at 55-60+ years old to make room for younger folks. I think many of us have this impression as well. This is the traditional formula in life, isn\u2019t it? Birth, Play, School, Work, Family, Work, Kids, Work, Retire, Die.\n\n\nBut the world has changed, and it\u2019s best to accept that most people do not have enough money to retire. Most companies do not provide pension nowadays. And even if you get one from being a civil servant, it may not be enough. I hope I\u2019m wrong, but most people will either be #9 \u2013 have to keep working because they have to.\n\n\nIn any case, prediction remain prediction until it happens. Personally, I\u2019m going to use the time I have to improve my own odds, because I can\u2019t solely rely on the government to turn things around.\n\n\nBack to you \u2013 I\u2019m very interested to know if you know of any other types of retirement planning in Malaysia, if there\u2019s anything I missed. Which retirement options do you want for yourself, and what do you plan to do to get it?\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/rich-malaysians/", "title": "[SPONSORED] What Rich Malaysians Do With Their Money (That You Don\u2019t)\n  ", "body": "According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia, the T20 in this country received 46.2% of overall income share in 2016, while the M40 and B40 received 37.4% and 16.4% respectively.\n\n\n\n\nImage credit to DOSM\n\n\nLooking at the statistics, you can\u2019t deny that rich Malaysians \nmust \nknow something that the rest of us don\u2019t. I mean, the top 20% can\u2019t have gotten almost \nhalf\n of all the income in Malaysia by accident. \n\n\nI am greatly fascinated by the money mindset that the rich have. Not their lifestyle, mind you \u2013 \nlooking\n rich is not the same as \nbeing \nrich \u2013 but their mindset: what they learned from their parents (if they were born rich) or from life experiences (if they worked hard to get there). \n\n\nHere are some things that I\u2019ve learned about rich Malaysians. \n\n\n#1 \u2013 They buy time\n\n\n\n\nWhoever said that money can\u2019t buy time is wrong. You can. \n\n\nRich Malaysians know this. Instead of doing everything themselves to save money, they would instead \npay for products and services that can save them time\n. Here are some examples:\n\n\n\n\nHousekeeping services\n \u2013 they employ staff who clean their houses, tend their lawns and send their clothes to the laundry.\n\n\nChildcare and ageing care facilities\n \u2013 they employ professionals who can look after their children and ageing parents.\n\n\nQuality products \n\u2013 they last longer and are more efficient compared to lower-quality products. Note that quality doesn\u2019t necessarily mean luxury.\n\n\n\n\nI started my personal finance journey with a frugal mindset \u2013 I\u2019d spend hours looking for \u201cfree and cheap\u201d. It served me well up until now (I\u2019m financially stable), but it\u2019s easy to forget that the cost of looking for free and cheap is time \u2013 time that I can use to earn more money. \n\n\nAt this point, I\u2019m starting with slowly replacing all my low-quality items that wore out or broke down with higher-quality items. I\u2019m still coming to terms with the upfront costs that I have to make \u2013 it\u2019s mentally hard to accept higher prices when you\u2019re so used to the cheap stuff! \n\n\n#2 \u2013 They pay to mingle with the \u2018right\u2019 crowd\n\n\n\n\nAt a recent conference I attended, the speaker said something that made me think. He said, \u201cYou meet a different set of people at paid events as compared to free events.\u201d\n\n\nObviously there are exceptions to the rule (e.g. receiving a free invitation to a paid event, fully-sponsored VIP events, etc.), but as someone who has always preferred going to free events over paid ones, this realisation came as a shock. I mean, I knew, but I didn\u2019t \ndigest\n the statement until now. \n\n\nBut it\u2019s true. The people who shell out money to attend paid conferences and seminars tend to be \npeople who invest in their professional development\n.\n\n\nReflecting back, I can personally attest to this. The buzz at paid events is different. The questions they ask moderators are different. The conversations during tea breaks are different. \n\n\nThis is not to say that free events aren\u2019t good \u2013 no, not at all. But the \nchances\n of meeting people with a growth mindset are much higher at paid events. \n\n\nNow I kind of know why some people pay to access premium places, like country clubs which impose ridiculously high annual fees. They get to network with people with similar economic backgrounds, and some of those networking can potentially turn into high-level business deals. \u00a0\n\n\nIf I\u2019m honest, I\u2019m a bit troubled by the elitism here. It\u2019s a form of economic exclusion, isn\u2019t it? Some of us \u2013 especially those who are just starting out \u2013 can\u2019t afford to shell out the expense. But there\u2019s a way around it \u2013 join online communities where the \u2018right\u2019 crowd hangs out. Be an active contributor and get yourself noticed there. Of course, this is no substitute for face-to-face meets but who knows what opportunities will be present themselves to you. \n\n\n#3 \u2013 They protect their money obsessively \n\n\nThere\u2019s no point in being rich if you can\u2019t \nstay \nrich. When you\u2019re rich (especially if others know it), your money protection game must be strong. Many parties \u2013 from scammers to long-lost relatives to opportunists \u2013 will want a slice of that money pie. \n\n\nThere are many money protection strategies. I\u2019m compiling the ones I know of here:\n\n\n\n\nPlace your money at bank or any authorised financial institutions and buying insurance policy/takaful certificate \u2013 \nfor savings and for protection against unfortunate events. \n\n\nEnsuring high level of digital security\n \u2013 to protect online banking and investment accounts. \n\n\nOptimising bank deposit and insurance policy/takaful certificate protection\n \u2013 eligible bank deposits and takaful/insurance benefits are protected up to RM250,000 and RM500,000 respectively via PIDM (or Perbadanan Insurans Deposit Malaysia in full) in the event of a PIDM member fails. Rich folks who have more than the coverage amount may diversify their monies across different PIDM member banks or insurance companies to get the most out of PIDM\u2019s protection. \n\n\nSet up wills and trusts\n \u2013 to make sure their monies (including proceeds from life insurance policies) goes to the beneficiaries they select themselves, and not to those opportunists. Eligible trust accounts held at PIDM members are also protected by PIDM!\n\n\n\n\nA quick note about PIDM\u2019s protection. It\u2019s free and automatic (you have to know this \u2013 some people were duped into paying money for it!). You can read more about PIDM \nhere\n. \n\n\nYou better click that link \u2013 rich Malaysians already know the information inside it, and if you want to be rich, you should, too. \n\n\n#4 \u2013 They look for leveraging opportunities\n\n\n\n\nLeveraging is the perfect example of working smart, not hard. It\u2019s the art of allocating funds and resources creatively with the intention of creating future profits. Some examples:\n\n\n\n\nLeveraging on talent\n \u2013 rich Malaysians understands the importance of recruiting good talent, so they can leverage on their expertise. Here are \n20 companies that have high profit:employee ratio\n. Fannie May earns USD1,759,000 in profit PER employee! \n\n\nLeveraging on zero/low-interest loans\n \u2013 One example is ASB loans, where you can earn 7-8%-ish returns with 4.x-5.x% loan. Another is using zero-interest or zero-fees credit card balance transfers to invest in fixed deposits, money markets, REITs, etc. (sounds easy, but timing is critical). There are other examples but they\u2019re high risk and I don\u2019t want you to take it as investment \u2018advice\u2019 and potentially lose money.\n\n\nLeveraging on properties\n \u2013 Buy properties and rent it out to tenants who pay higher than the mortgage amount.\n\n\nLeveraging on time\n \u2013 basically what we covered in #1. Paying for products and services that will free up time will allow for not just more working time, but also rest and relaxation time so we don\u2019t burn out!\n\n\n\n\nConclusion \n\n\nI used to view \u2018rich\u2019 negatively. But I\u2019ve since realised that money merely \namplifies \na person\u2019s personality. When good people become rich, they\u2019ll use the money for good. If they\u2019re bad, likewise. Money is just a tool, after all. You can use an axe to chop down a tree, or you can use it to remove a barrier. \n\n\nIt\u2019s in our collective interest to help good people become rich. Support good people \u2013 people who run social enterprises, people who pay their employees fair wages and provide good working environments, people who work ethically in their companies and organisations. The richer they are, the better the position they\u2019re in to make a positive difference to our world. \n\n\nLeave in your comments people and businesses you think we should support. As a final note, do support the sponsor of this post, \nPIDM\n, too. By \nbetter understanding how PIDM\u2019s protection works and benefits you\n, you are better equipped to make informed financial choices regarding deposit, takaful and insurance products for you and your loved ones. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/simple-life-is-expensive/", "title": "Actually, The Simple Life is Still Expensive AF\n  ", "body": "\n\n\u2018I just want a simple life\u2019 \u2013 me, and probably a good chunk of RoR readers, thinking that it\u2019s cheap. \n\n\nNo, not really. It is a misconception that the simple life is cheap. \n\n\nYes, perhaps it is much cheaper than the luxurious life (often funded by debt, but let\u2019s not go there). I\u2019m talking about the more basic things that people want even in the simplest of lifestyles, like\u2026\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Security and safety\n\n\nThis is the \ncrime statistics in Malaysia in 2019\n, as taken from Department of Statistics Malaysia website. In 2019, there were:\n\n\n16,489 violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery and causing injury), and \n66,969 property crimes (home break-in and theft, vehicle theft, snatch theft and other theft)\n\n\nNow, as they say, bad situation got no smell, but I sure as heck will take precautions to NOT be part of the statistics. \n\n\n\n\nAnd part of that precaution involves spending money to be safer. There are a few ways to go about this:\n\n\n#1- Live in a \u2018good part of town\u2019\n\n\nLiving in a \u2018good part of town\u2019 is more expensive. Property prices tend to be higher, as are rental prices. That\u2019s the premium you pay for lower crime rates (as well as other features in the neighbourhood). \n\n\nAt the very least, expect RM500,000 and above for property, and RM1000 and above for monthly rental. \n\n\nThere\u2019s also likely to be additional costs to cover the hiring of security guards. This is common in gated communities.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Get security enhancements\n\n\nWherever you live, you still have to pay for security enhancements: grills, gates, CCTV. At the very least, extra locks (high-quality ones). \n\n\nSome of you may scoff at this. Maybe you don\u2019t care if you\u2019re single, but you will care once you have dependents, whether a spouse or children or heck, ageing parents. You never want them to be in a situation where they have to fight off intruders.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Move to places with lower crime rates\n\n\nWell that\u2019s Klang Valley, it should be better in other states, some of you say. It is true that KL and Selangor has higher crime rates compared to the rest of Malaysia. \n\n\n\n\nOkay, great for people living in other states, or willing to move there. Statistically, Sabah and Terengganu has the lowest crime index ratio compared to other states in Malaysia. \n\n\nBut lower crime doesn\u2019t mean no crime\n. Plus, not everyone can nor wants to move after building their whole life in one location. \n\n\nSo, both good location and security enhancements still doesn\u2019t \nguarantee\n safety \u2013 there\u2019s still a chance of becoming victim to violent and property crimes. Therefore, you need to get\u2026\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Insurance/takaful (a few types at that)\n\n\nSure, you can go without insurance/takaful and just hope nothing bad happens. If you are lucky, nothing will happen to you. \n\n\nBut if you\u2019re not\u2026 it\u2019s not uncommon to fall into debt spiral. Here\u2019s how it happens:\n\n\nDidn\u2019t get insurance\nCrime happens, bill amounts to thousands\nCan\u2019t afford to recover, repair or replace\nCan\u2019t work or focus on work due to stress\nSavings (if you had any) dwindle. Can no longer pay for basic needs \nDesperation kicks in, borrows money at high interest rate\nGets into debt/bankruptcy \n\n\nYou can avoid the worst-case scenario by having a LOT of savings, and/or by having insurance/takaful. \n\n\nThere are a few types of insurance/takaful that are specifically designed to help you recover financially if a crime happens to:\n\n\nYour body: \nMedical, personal accident\n (these help if you get hurt physically, rather than get sick by an ailment or disease. For those, you need to get \ncritical illness insurance, life insurance etc\n) \nYour car: \nCar insurance\nYour property: Home insurance\nMisc: Smartphone insurance, laptop insurance etc\n\n\nEach of them will set you back a few hundred to a few thousand ringgit per year, depending on the coverage and sum assured. Obviously, getting max level protection with the widest coverage and max sum assured will be on the more expensive side.\n\n\nThis is not a PSA to get insurance, although you can take it as such. This is just to highlight how expensive peace of mind is. \n\n\n#3 \u2013 Clean surroundings and consumables \n\n\nWhat else makes a simple life? To quote Jack from Titanic, \u201cI mean, I got everything I need right here with me. I got air in my lungs, a few blank sheets of paper.\u201d\n\n\nWell, thanks to pollution caused by excessive consumption (mostly contributed by the super rich and those living in developed countries), \nthe air in your lungs is dirty\n, and getting dirtier.  \nNowadays, if you want clean air, you have to pay for it.\n \n\n\n(Please join me to hate on the ultra-rich, who contribute the most to excessive consumption)\n\n\n\n\nThis is why I don't like the 'suka hati la dia beli apa, tu duit dia' argument. Excessive consumption is horrible for the planet. Last2 everyone have to buy air purifier, water filter, aircon (esp elderly w heatstroke tendency) cos not safe to live without them. More cost for us \nhttps://t.co/ruIAbvHqPv\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nJuly 20, 2022\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s not all. Another expense you have to shell out for cleanliness is hand sanitisers, soaps, antibacterial wipes, face masks and more. Has to be said, now that we live in \npandemic times\n.\n\n\nAnd of course we can\u2019t forget about \nclean food and ingredients\n \u2013 of course you want this for your simple life right? These affects long-term health, and tend to be more expensive. \n\n\n(Although sometimes I wonder if it\u2019s even worth it, if it\u2019s too late for everyone. You can\u2019t avoid harmful ingredients, I mean they already found \nmicroplastics in your blood\n.)\n\n\nYou can argue in the grand scheme of things, the cost of cleanliness is not that much if you plan your spending well, and adopt certain lifestyles (plant-based, grow/rear own produce, etc), but it adds up. \n\n\nSo, back to my original train of thought: \n\n\nSimple living is expensive\n\n\nYou will notice that \nI\u2019m not even talking about quality products and services, or kids\n, \nor other life experiences you want to pursue\n. Those you should already know are expensive.\n\n\nBut things like security and safety, and insurance/takaful, and even clean surroundings and consumables? This is the most basic of lifestyles, and will still cost serious money.   \n\n\nFact is, \nthe simple life is still damn expensive for most people\n. This is not a complaint, just a statement. I don\u2019t know why we pretend it isn\u2019t. You should acknowledge that it is pricey, so you can earn smarter and budget better. \n\n\nThat\u2019s my commentary for the day. No advice beyond the usual \u2013 earn more (via \nincreasing salary\n and/or \nside income\n), \ninvest for long-term\n. For good measure, compare your expenses to \nBelanjawanku\n so you know which areas you can trim. All the best y\u2019all. \n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/statistics-about-money-malaysia/", "title": "23 Malaysian Statistics About Money That Will Make You Think\n  ", "body": "Let\u2019s do something a bit different than usual. Statistics about money can offer a lot of insight about our financial situation. Here, I listed many facts and figures from reputable Malaysian media, educational institution and government agencies. Sources are in \u2018x\u2019. Let\u2019s get talking \u2013 click to tweet to start online conversations about it. I will RT good commentaries \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\n1. \u00a0Only half of Malaysians have life insurance, but up to 90% of Malaysians \nare under-insured\n.\u00a0Under-insured is when the coverage is only one or two times the annual income. (2015 data;\u00a0\nx\n\u00a0|\u00a0\nx\n)\n\n\nOnly half of Malaysians have life insurance. Up to 90% of Malaysians are under-insured. \nClick To Tweet\n\n\n2. At 67%, Malaysians\u2019 saving habit is one of the highest in the world. Almost 9 out of 10 changed their spending habit in order to improve savings. (\nx\n)\n\n\nMalaysians' saving habit is one of the highest in the world \nClick To Tweet\n\n\n3. What do we use our savings for: Two out of five Malaysians are willing to \nsplurge\n on vacation/travel. \u00a0Almost one out of five are\u00a0willing to upgrade gadgets/electronics, pay for out-of-home entertainment and home improvement.\u00a0(\nx\n) Three out of four\u00a0Malaysian travellers said their choice of holiday was often determined by them being able to secure a good price or a special offer. (\nx\n)\n\n\n3 out of 4 M'sian travellers said price/offer affect their choice of holiday. \nClick To Tweet\n\n\n4. Top three ways to \ncut back spending\n, as preferred by Malaysians:\u00a0 spending less on new clothes (65%), reducing out-of-home entertainment (56%) and switching to cheaper grocery brands (51%).\u00a0(\nx\n)\n\n\n3 ways M'sians use to spend less: less new clothes, reduce entertainment & cheaper grocery brands \nClick To Tweet\n\n\n5. Top four factors that \ncause financial problems\u00a0\nfor Malaysians:\u00a0poor financial planning (22.9%), \nhigh cost of medication (18.3%)\n, business failure (15.2%) and uncontrolled credit card usage (11.1%). (\nx\n) (underlined emphasis is mine)\n\n\nM'sians financial problems: poor financial planning, high meds cost, biz failure & credit card usage \nClick To Tweet\n\n\n6.\u00a0Malaysians spend 31.2% of their\n disposable income\n on food and food away from home, 23.9% on petrol, housing and utilities and 14.6% on transport. (\nx\n)\n\n\nHow M'sians spend disposable income: food, petrol, housing & utilities & transport \nClick To Tweet\n\n\n7. How you\u2019re\n categorised\n:\u00a0According to Economic Report 2015/2016, the B40 (bottom 40% household income) group comprises households with a monthly income of up to RM3,855, while those in the M40 group (middle 40% household income group) earn between RM3,860 and RM8,319. (\nx\n) Middle-class is subjective, but generally refer to individuals earning RM5k-10k per month. (\nx\n)\n\n\nMalaysia's middle income: Individuals earning RM5k-10k per month. \nClick To Tweet\n\n\n8. How\n branding affects your purchasing habit\n:\u00a0About two-thirds of Malaysian consumers prefer to buy new products from brands which are familiar to them, and liked it when manufacturers offer new product options. TV is the number one source of new product information. (\nx\n)\n\n\n2 out of 3 Malaysians prefer buying new products from familiar brands \nClick To Tweet\n\n\n9.\u00a0Malaysians are \nwilling to spend\n an average of RM198.63 on their spouse, RM173.71 on their fianc\u00e9 or fianc\u00e9e, RM 159.03 on their girlfriend or boyfriend, and RM156.09 on themselves. (Rakuten data taken from Valentine\u2019s Day and CNY; \nx\n)\n\n\nM'sians spend RM198.63 on spouse, RM173.71 on fianc\u00e9/e, RM159.03 on gf/bf & RM156.09 on self \nClick To Tweet\n\n\n10. Biggest factors affecting \nMalaysians\u2019 purchasing decisions\n: Bought on promotion/discount (30%), Self-purchases (23%), Urgent needs (21%). (\nx\n)\n\n\nHow M'sians' decide on purchases: Promo/discount, Self & Urgent needs \nClick To Tweet\n\n\n11. Top factors affecting\n consumer behaviour\n (among university students): Economic crisis, lifestyle choices and to reflect personality. (\nx\n)\n\n\nUni students' consumer behaviour: Economic crisis, lifestyle choices and to reflect personality. \nClick To Tweet\n\n\n12. \nGen Y/Millennials\u2019 saving and spending habit:\n\u00a0They save about a quarter and spend three-fifths\u00a0of their monthly income (Gen X saves about a third of their income). Top spending:\u00a0apparel (34%), entertainment (22%) and food (16%). Top reasons why we save:\u00a0\u00a0for emergency (25.6%), \u00a0for future investment (24.1%), for vacation (10.9%) and for wedding (10.4%). (\nx\n)\n\n\nTop spending for Malaysian Millennials: apparel (34%), entertainment (22%) and food (16%) \nClick To Tweet\n\n\nTop reasons why M'sian Millennials save money: emergencies, future investment, vacation & wedding  \nClick To Tweet\n\n\n13. \nGen Y/Millennials and investment\n:\u00a0About a third of Millennials\u00a0have an investment portfolio. Four out of five\u00a0Millennials think the stock market is risky. Millennials invest in: Unit Trust (15.6%), Gold (13.1%) and Shares (8.9%). (\nx\n)\n\n\nInvestments Malaysian Millennials make: Unit Trust (15.6%), Gold (13.1%) and Shares (8.9%) \nClick To Tweet\n\n\n14. \nGen Y/Millennials and credit cards and debt:\u00a0\n70% pay minimum monthly payments and 45% have not paid on time (!!!) Most debt is for car loan and education loan. (\nx\n) Nearly 25,000 Millennials have been declared bankrupt within five years (as of June 2015; \nx\n). You can be declared bankrupt if fail to\u00a0settle minimum debt amount of RM30k.\n\n\nMalaysian Millennials carry debt, but most debt is for car loan and education loan. \nClick To Tweet\n\n\n15. \nThe difference in incomes in different states\n:\u00a0Kelantan and Perak are 84.8% and 81.1% below national average, while\u00a0KL and Putrajaya are 64.4% and 62.9% above average income. (\nx\n)\n\n\nIncome vs states: Kelantan is 84.8% below national average, while KL is 64.4% above average income \nClick To Tweet\n\n\n16. How Malaysians \nabsorb financial shocks\n (or don\u2019t!): Half of households in the country do not have savings. Only one in five households could survive up to three months if income was cut off. (\nx\n)\n\n\n1/2 of M'sian households don't have savings. Only 1 in 5 can survive up to 3 months if no income \nClick To Tweet\n\n\n17. The poorest households spend a\u00a0\nlarger percentage of income on food\n (30.4%), while the richest households only spend 9.9%.\u00a0 (\nx\n)\n\n\nPoorest households in M'sia spend 30.4% of income on food. The richest households only spend 9.9% \nClick To Tweet\n\n\n18.\u00a0\nStay in school,\n if you can. The median monthly salary for employees with tertiary education (RM3100) is two times higher than employees with high school education (RM1500). (\nx\n)\n\n\nMedian monthly salary with tertiary education is 2x higher than with high school education \nClick To Tweet\n\n\n19. The average household \nthrows away a lot of food\n. RM2700 worth of food, annually. Shame on us \ud83d\ude41 (\nx\n)\n\n\nThe average M'sian household throws away a lot of food. RM2700 worth of food, annually! \nClick To Tweet\n\n\n20.\n Very rich Malaysians invest in residential properties\n overseas (technically, they are UHNWI \u2013 ultra high net worth individuals). They like this so much, they\u00a0rank higher than the world average. (\nx\n)\n\n\nVery rich Malaysians invest in residential properties overseas, esp Aus and UK \nClick To Tweet\n\n\n21. Something to be angry about:\n wage and GDP ratio\n. According to an economic think-tank, Malaysian companies keep most of the profits for themselves instead of the other around. The ratio now is 33% for employee wages, 67% as company profit. In advanced countries, companies only keep 40-50% as profit while the rest is distributed as employee wages. (\nx\n)\n\n\nM'sian companies keep 67% of profits for themselves. Advanced countries: 40-50% \nClick To Tweet\n\n\n22. Scary facts about \nMalaysians and scams\n: near half of Malaysians surveyed have been a scam victim. The funny thing is three-quarters of the surveyed are actually aware of \u2018internet scam\u2019. The average loss is a whopping RM7040. Top scams are: work from home (30%), internet auction (22%) and online dating scams\u00a0(20%). (\nx\n)\n\n\nTop internet scams in M'sia: work from home, internet auction and online dating scams \nClick To Tweet\n\n\n23. Nearly four out of five people who contribute to EPF \ncan\u2019t afford to retire\n. (\nx\n)\n\n\nNearly 4 out of 5 people who contribute to EPF can't afford to retire \nClick To Tweet\n\n\nWhich statistic about money made you think? Any other statistics aside from the above that made you go \u2018hmm\u2019?\n\n\nLook forward to your awesome commentaries.\n\n\nxox,\n\n\nSuraya\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/telemarketer-sales-tactics/", "title": "Telemarketer sales tactics you should know (by an ex-telemarketer)\n  ", "body": "When I was 17-18, I worked as a telemarketer for about 3 months. For an outsourcing company, on behalf of a major insurance provider. I can\u2019t remember the name of the insurance company, or even the product name now. That\u2019s weird, because day-in, day-out, I repeated the same script in hundreds of cold calls.\n\n\nI earned at least RM3000 per month in those 3 months. This was the point in my life when I knew I could do sales.\n\n\nHere are some telemarketer sales tactics \n\n\nTelemarketer sales tactic #1: I followed a damn awesome script\n\n\nYou guys should have seen the script they gave me \u2013 it was a work of art.\n\n\nIt starts off jovial, friendly. Then it addresses the problem (don\u2019t waste money by paying for non-investment linked insurance, because you\u2019ll never get it back), and POW, the solution (25-years investment-linked insurance that promised some returns back on your money).\n\n\nWhatever excuse the customer might have, there\u2019s an answer to it.\n\n\nNo time to talk?\n No problem, when\u2019s a good time for me to call you back?\n\n\nAlready have insurance?\n There\u2019s no such thing as being over-insured, and you\u2019ll get to claim more if anything happens.\n\n\nThat\u2019s expensive!\n But you\u2019ll get your money back after 25 years, do you really want to opt for insurance without money back?\n\n\nI don\u2019t need it.\n Ah, but does anyone else in your family need it?\n\n\nWhere did you get my number?\n The numbers were special customers selected from [bank name].\n\n\nI repeat. \nAll excuses you can give, we have an answer for it\n.\n\n\nIn fact, the only reasons we were allowed to cross off a customer\u2019s name is (1) \u00a0when the number is out of service, or (2) when the customer explicitly refused to purchase the product and request to never call you back.\n\n\nAnything else gets re-scheduled through an automatic software.\n\n\nTips for you\n:\n\n\n\n\nIf you receive cold calls, \nthe first 10 seconds is important\n. They will ask if it\u2019s OK to take 5 minutes of your time. \nIt\u2019s never 5 minutes.\u00a0\n\n\nThe products aren\u2019t necessarily bad\n. It\u2019s just another way to sell a product to the public. So if you are shopping for that product (insurance, membership, whatever), you can still hear them out.\n\n\nIf you are not interested, then say no \nclearly\n.\n This is important. You might want to be all polite and say stuff like, \u2018not right now\u2019, or \u2018I already have it\u2019, or \u2018I don\u2019t need it\u2019, hoping they might get the hint and go away. No dice. This might sound rude, but \u2018No, I am not interested to buy, thank you for your time, please don\u2019t call me again\u2019 works best.\n\n\n\n\nTelemarketer sales tactic #2: I was instructed to close the sales right then\n\n\nThe thing about telemarketing is that you only have your voice to convince people. No facial expressions, no other social cues.\n\n\nSo when you manage to hook people in through your voice, you want them to stay enchanted. You don\u2019t want anything to break the spell.\n\n\nI was told to complete the sales right on the phone, no interruptions. Everything. From filling up the forms (I asked, and was provided, so many credit card numbers and their CVCs!), to asking the customer to fax the signed forms back to us.\n\n\nWe tried, as much as possible, to avoid \u2018let me talk to my spouse, contact me again tomorrow\u2019 and its variations. When that happens, we asked for the spouses\u2019 phone numbers and \ntalked to them\n. We don\u2019t like delays. If a potential sale takes more than a few days, it\u2019s probably a gone case.\n\n\nWe used the fake \u2018limited time offer\u2019 tactic, the \u2018only selected customers get this chance\u2019 tactic, and everything in between. Basically, we don\u2019t want you to have time to do your own research.\n\n\nAdvice for you\n:\n\n\n\n\nCurrent telemarketing agencies will hate me for this, gosh, but here goes: do your product research. The product might be good, but compare first. For this reason, I get telemarketers to email me the product brochures. If they give some excuse like its not ready (probably doesn\u2019t exist), or it\u2019s not available for the public eye, the product is a major no for me.\n\n\nBuying a product simply because \u2018the nice lady spent 30 minutes explaining it to me\u2019 \nis a thing\n. You wouldn\u2019t believe how many people get guilted into paying hundreds of ringgit every month for \n25 years\n this way. No! Never feel guilty for this. It\u2019s a huge financial commitment!\n\n\nThe telemarketer is the friendliest person you know. \nDo not laugh along with him/her\n. Do not even like them. It builds rapport, and once rapport is built, selling insurance is like asking a friend to make you a personal favour.\n\n\n\n\nTelemarketer sales tactic #3: I smiled a lot\n\n\nFor some reason \u2013 and I didn\u2019t know this until it worked \u2013 smiles travel across the phone. Even fake smiles.\n\n\n\u2026there\u2019s no advice for you on this point. Most of the time, when I can \u2018hear\u2019 a smile back, I know I can get a potential sale out of it.\n\n\nJust be aware of it.\n\n\n\u2014-\n\n\nI just want to be clear on something. I have the highest respect for sales agents. You guys should too.\n\n\nFor every sale I closed, I was rejected anywhere between 20-100 times. It takes a thick skin and pure survival mode to make it in this industry.\n\n\nEvery encounter you have with a sales agent, you should treat them with respect. Some people were so rude, they reduced me to tears (this happened twice in 3 months, I believe).\n\n\nSome people shouted expletives at me. Some people made sexual, suggestive remarks. One of my colleagues had the bad fortune to talk to a man who masturbated during the conversation. Every sales agent has a \u2018worst day ever\u2019 story.\n\n\nSo, coming from a former telemarketer, here\u2019s how I would like to be treated if the customer wasn\u2019t interested in the product.\n\n\n\n\nWithin first 5 minutes of listening to the sales pitch\n \u2013 say sorry, and thank you for calling, but you are not interested in the product and/or will not buy over the phone \u2013 this would save me time\n\n\nAfter full-blown explanation\n \u2013 say sorry, thank you for calling, but the product is not what you\u2019re looking for and you are not interested in buying \u2013 allows me to take your name off the list instead of having to call you again.\n\n\nDon\u2019t lead me on\n \u2013 sometimes customers would just ask me to call them back many times, because they were too \u2018polite\u2019 to say no. Some of them would just ignore subsequent phone calls. I still have to make those calls. Just tell me to stop calling (nicely), and I will.\n\n\nDon\u2019t get angry at me\n because I called you. This is impersonal. I had nothing against you. I was not trying to ruin your life. Your number popped up and the system made the call. That\u2019s it.\n\n\n\n\nProtip\n: If you are interested in a product, please buy from the sales agent who worked the hardest to serve you. It\u2019s frustrating for sales agents when you end up buying the same product from someone else, because they don\u2019t get the commission.\n\n\nLastly, if you were a former customer, know this: there was a (brief) moment where my heart was full of love for you. You were the one who broke the chain of rejections. Thank you.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/the-financial-ecosystem/", "title": "4 Things You Should Know About The Financial Ecosystem We Live In\n  ", "body": "First off, I want to say that most players in the financial ecosystem are important*. Not even going to deny it. Like banks for example \u2013 they provide tons of job opportunities, safekeeping of funds, access to financial services and overall contribution to the country\u2019s financial health.\n\n\n*most are important except the Ponzi people and other scammers. I pray they will miss all the connection flights in their lifetime\n\n\nBut let\u2019s go beyond the friendly, approachable image the financial industry like to portray to the world.\u00a0 Here are 4 things you should know about the financial ecosystem we live in.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Banks use the money you deposit to make more money\n\n\n\n\nDid you know that for every RM1 you keep in the bank, they can loan \n10 times that amount\n to others and charge interest on it?\n\n\nIe \u2013 if someone deposited RM10,000, they can loan out RM100,000 to others. This is called \nfractional-reserve banking\n.\n\n\nThat\u2019s why banks (1) always want to attract you to deposit money with them and (2) market personal loans and credit cards at the same time. The more money people deposit with them, the more they earn when they lend it out to people and businesses (at double-digit interest, too \u2013 super lucrative!)\n\n\nOf course, they also take risks in the process. What if the people who borrowed defaulted on their loan, or can\u2019t pay it back? So they\u2019re selective with WHO they loan money to. This is where DSR scores come in \u2013 how they check whether the person has the ability to pay back or not.\n\n\nHere\u2019s how you can know if you have a healthy DSR score without even checking \u2013 an increase in marketing calls/emails/sms inviting you to take up more personal loans and credit cards. They know you are \u2018low-risk\u2019, therefore they know you\u2019re more likely to pay back the amount plus \ntheir profit\n the interest.\n\n\nI\u2019m neither angry or felt betrayed by this fact. I used to be. Now I accept it\u2019s just the way it is.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 The poorer you are, the more you pay relative to your income\n\n\nThis. This is my whole gripe with the financial ecosystem. It basically promotes the culture where \nthe rich gets richer and the poor gets poorer\n.\n\n\nThe banks rewards \u2018good\u2019 customers by offering them the best products which have more perks, benefits, better prices and lower interest rates. For example, you\u2019ve seen the difference in return rates between RM1000 vs RM10,000 fixed deposits? Yeah go have a look.\n\n\nThe banks penalise \u2018bad\u2019 customers by imposing fees and penalties, limiting financial options, and sometimes closing it altogether. Why do you think some people are pushed to get money from ahlongs? Because they are deemed high-risk and can\u2019t borrow money from banks!\n\n\nI UNDERSTAND why banks do this. They\u2019re trying to limit their risks. Why lend money to people who have history of not paying back? At the end of the day, they are a business. Their aim is to make a profit and keep shareholders happy.\n\n\nPerhaps I\u2019m idealistic to a fault, but I feel like banks should serve a higher purpose than that.\u00a0I mean, it is so\u00a0\nexpensive\n\u00a0to be poor. They pay fees for late payments because food and rent come first. They pay higher cost-per-unit for their groceries because they can\u2019t afford to buy in bulk. If banks really do want to help (like they say in their marketing campaigns), they would have.\n\n\nBut again, I UNDERSTAND why banks do this. Business.\n\n\nSigh.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 It\u2019s not possible to play the game fairly\n\n\nWe are part of the financial system. Like it or not, we are in this game. Except for complete withdrawal from society (or using crypto exclusively), we are in this game.\n\n\nYou\u2019d expect the rules would be the same for everyone. \nYes, but some people get an extra page of instructions\n.\n\n\nI\u2019m referring to \nlegal loopholes\n within the financial system \u2013 something that only the rich have access too. They get advice from accountants and fund managers and lawyers and together device ways to pay as little as they can get away with, like keeping their money tax-free in some other country. Instead of, you know, paying the full share of their taxes so it can fund development of the country and contribute to welfare programmes run by the government.\n\n\nI don\u2019t think banks and the financial services industry are immoral or unethical for providing this service. Rather, I think they are amoral, neutral. Everything is game as long as it\u2019s technically legal and brings revenue to the company. And I guess it\u2019s just business-savvy to cater to the rich because just one of them can bring thousands and even potentially millions in revenue.\n\n\nSelfishly, I know that if I\u2019m super duper rich, I\u2019d do it too. Who doesn\u2019t want to keep as much of their money to themselves? Plus as much I like the new government as compared to the previous one, there are so many leaks in the system still.\n\n\nBut you know, instead of being salty towards the rich, why not think of it the other way around \u2013 why not make tax-optimisation advice and services and other legal loopholes easily accessible for\u00a0\neveryone\n instead?\n\n\nYo fintech and legaltech industry what are you doing \nit\u2019s time to disrupt this shit\n.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 The next financial crisis is coming\n\n\nIt\u2019s not a matter of IF it will happen. It\u2019s a matter of WHEN. They\u2019re like dormant volcanoes like that. Apparently the average number of years between financial crashes are 28 years or so, but sped up in this globalisation age.\n\n\nI\u2019m not even going to pretend I completely understand all the nuances behind a financial crisis. All I know is when the system fails in a big way like that, millions of people around the world are going to lose their savings, jobs and homes. I was 20 years old when 2008 financial crisis happened \u2013 so still blur blur during that time \u2013 but I have a feeling I\u2019ll experience the next one head on from beginning to end.\n\n\nWhat will cause it? Who knows. Experts make predictions, but I feel like they\u2019re all out of my control anyway, so it\u2019s just better for me to be prepared. None of us can prevent it, so the why and how doesn\u2019t matter.\n\n\nPersonally, I\u2019m keeping at least some of my money in gold and crypto in anticipation of this upcoming crash. As hedge (the fancy way of saying \u2018to protect my money\u2019 I guess). Note: This is not financial advice, go ask other smarter people, I\u2019m just sharing what I\u2019m doing.\n\n\nOh. Another thing that I\u2019m planning of doing \u2013 saving as much money as possible now then go on a spending spree during the financial crash. I want to pick up cheap stocks and properties then. That\u2019s what the rich will be doing anyway.\n\n\nLast thoughts\n\n\nWhen I first wrote this article, it was damn negative towards the financial services industry. I blamed and complained before I edited and re-edited.\n\n\nThen I realise \u2013 we fear what we don\u2019t know. I don\u2019t know the financial industry. The financial ecosystem we live in is a mystery for me still. What I know about it \u2013 listed and explained above \u2013 is probably on the surface level.\n\n\nI\u2019d love to hear what YOU know about it. What bad practices are rife behind closed doors? What ethical discussions are happening, and do they have traction? What does the banking industry actively lobby for to the politicians? \nHow does this all affect mine and your personal finances?\u00a0\n\n\nWhat do you think? Looking forward to hear your thoughts, especially if you work or used to work in the financial industry.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/the-negativity-around-financial-advice/", "title": "[Commentary] The Negativity Around Financial Advice\n  ", "body": "\n[Before we proceed, let me just preface this article with this statement: I\u2019ve never been poor, and I\u2019m certainly privileged. I can educate myself about systemic inequality, but I can\u2019t pretend to know the lived realities of systemic barriers faced by different poor communities all over Malaysia, especially those who face multiple discrimination.]\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBeing poor in this country is no fun.\n\n\nBanks reject their loans and credit card applications. Society judges them for getting married and having children (\u201ccannot afford, don\u2019t la!\u201d). They\u2019re priced out of accommodation near public transportation and have to spend more on transportation (the irony!!).\n\n\n\n\nSystemic inequality is such a frustrating problem because the solutions are simple (but not easy). For example, the most vulnerable urban poor families \ncan benefit a lot from just RM900 per month\n. Minimum wage should be higher, but the negotiations take so long that by the time it is implemented, the cost of living is already higher.\n\n\nWhile all these happen, we are told to improve our financial literacy.\n\n\nWe don\u2019t need financial literacy?\n\n\nOctober 2020 was \nFinancial Literacy Month\n, and along with all the initiatives organised by FEN or Financial Education Network, came this discussion: do we need financial literacy? \nAs one joyful writer from Malay Mail\n puts it, financial education initiatives are so tone-deaf, when what the people truly need is more income and stronger support networks.\n\n\nFirstly\n, I acknowledge the anger. No question about it, it *is* frustrating to be told to save money despite high cost of living.\n\n\nSecondly\n, why are we being binary? It\u2019s not either-or, it\u2019s both, we need both financial education AND higher wages + fix the systemic issues.\n\n\nThirdly\n,\u00a0 sure I admit a lot of financial advice out there is not relevant. There\u2019s no secret here \u2013 \nthe world doesn\u2019t revolve around one person exclusively, so just pick the ones that do work for your situation and move on.\n\n\nBut at the same time, and this pains me to say it, as someone who has been in the personal finance space for a while:\n society actually hates realistic financial advice for the poor.\n\n\nWhy do you hate financial advice catered to the poor?\n\n\nIn the same way that women sometimes undermine and hinder the success of other women (hello Christy Ng, I still remember when you said \nlong maternity leave will deter employers from hiring women in top positions\n), there is a lot of mutual ill-will among the B40 (and struggling M40) group.\n\n\nPerfect example: when Azizul Azli Ahmad shared a sample budget breakdown for RM1500 salary, I saw SO MANY PEOPLE rudely commenting how he\u2019s an enabler for low wages, and WHY DON\u2019T EMPLOYERS PAY MORE INSTEAD.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#TabungBajet BILA GAJI KECIL 1. Bajet ini untuk gaji kita yang kecil, kita masih ada pilihan untuk merancang hidup. 2. Bajet ini untuk keluarga kecil yang hanya ada satu anak paling maksimum dan tinggal diluar bandar. 3. Bajet setiap keluarga adalah berbeza bergantung keperluan keluarga kita, ia tak akan sama dengan mana mana keluarga lain. 4. Sebaiknya jangan ada hutang kerana jika ada hutang akan menekan bajet kita. Bahaya jika anda belum mampu menabung dan mula ada hutang. 5. Bagi gaji bawah RM3000 ushakan jangan beli kereta baru dulu jika ada impian beli rumah. Dapat kereta terpakai pun jadilah, jika tidak kita makin susah nak beli rumah. 6. Susah macam manapun tetaplah ada simpanan setiap bulan. Kita tak tahu bila kita akan susah lagi. Jangan merungut sebab bila kita susah orang belum tentu akan bantu kita. 7. Jika belum mampu mengirim yang ke orang tua, bincang baik baik dengan mereka. jangan diamkan sahaja. Tetapi jika kita percayakan keberkatan dan doa ibubapa. Ia tak akan putuskan rezeki kita. Jangan juga tak beri sumbangan buat ibubapa tetapi kereta luar negara. Sumbangan sihat buat ibubapa adalah lebih dari 5% gaji kita. (Kadar zakat adalah 2.5%, jangan bagi sumbangan kurang dari itu nanti ibubapa kita hanya dapat setaraf penerima zakat sahaja) 8. Jangan juga taksub dengan matematik dalam perancangan kewangan. Percayalah dengan KEBERKATAN . Semakin kita banyak memberi buat keluarga kita dengan baik dan ikhlas, akan ada rezeki luar biasa menanti kita nantinya. Tiada bajet yang sempurna buat sebuah keluarga, yang ada adalah keberkatan bagi setiap rezeki yang kita dapat dan kongsikan dengan keluarga. Salam hujung minggu semua, Kita jaga keluarga kita bukannya ahli politik yang sedang gilakan kuasa. Azizul Azli Ahmad #Kongsikan agar sekecil manapun gaji kita, hidup biarlah merancang dengan baik. jika kita kekal merungut, kita akan susah hidupnyanya nanti. #Belajar cipta pendapatan tambahan jangan bergantung pada gaji kecil sahaja.\n\n\nA post shared by \n Azizul Azli Ahmad\n (@azizulazliahmad) on \nOct 3, 2020 at 7:35pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYou\u2019re all correct in pointing those out, but you know that RM1500 monthly salary (and sometimes even less) is the reality for MANY people, right? They have NEVER seen budget breakdown tailored for them \u2013 \nmuch of the reference materials out there are for people who earn a minimum of RM2k and above salaries.\n\n\nAnd now, finally, there is budget breakdown which the sub-RM2k income earners can use as reference. With this and a lot of \ntemporary\n sacrifices, they can save up RM1000 in as fast as 10 months.\n\n\nWith that money they can use to start a small home-based business or upgrade skills to get better-paying jobs. With that money they can break from the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle and strengthen their financial net. This is exactly the solution, and the first step towards achieving \nfinancial freedom in Malaysia\n\n\nIS THAT NOT WHAT YOU WANT FOR THE POOR? Tell me, because I\u2019m perplexed by the hate received on this post, \namong\u00a0B40 and M40 people themselves\n. That\u2019s stupid!, some said, how is it possible to live like that! Impossible!\n\n\nBut;\n\n\nWe KNOW how resistant Malaysian Employers\u2019 Federation is to increase the minimum wage.\n\n\nWe KNOW how good-paying jobs (or heck, jobs) are hard to come by.\n\n\nWe KNOW how Malaysians are underpaid. Malaysian companies keep 65% of the profits to themselves and distribute only 35% back to employees in wages. In advanced nations, the \nwage-to-GDP ratio\n is nearer to 50:50.\n\n\nWe KNOW how members of the current government aren\u2019t exactly championing to reduce wealth inequality.\n\n\nYet netizens still give that big of a backlash to this person who correctly pointed out that personal short-term sacrifice is needed, for the sake of their future? Then what\u2019s the alternative? To give up?\n\n\nDirect the hate elsewhere, this isn\u2019t helping. At least Azizul Azli Ahmad recognises the low-income earners \u2013 the most overlooked and invisible category \u2013 and offers a way to break free from the cycle.\n\n\nEnable and celebrate progress, even small ones\n\n\nIn an ideal world, we don\u2019t have this problem. It\u2019s unfair, because no one chooses to be poor. But it is what it is.\n\n\nSo, can we \nplease\n create spaces where financially-struggling people can see that their efforts and money journeys \u2013 no matter how small \u2013 aren\u2019t hopeless? Can we offer some encouragement so they don\u2019t lose hope to continue on?\n\n\nInstead of saying, \u2018Eleh can save RM10 only per month, for what\u2019, say \u2018Congratulations, you made progress this month!\u2019\n\n\nInstead of saying, \u2018How can find RM350 house for rent anymore, impossible\u2019, say \u2018how wonderful for landlady/lords who provide that rate, let\u2019s pray for them\u2019.\n\n\nInstead of saying, \u2018Ew I don\u2019t want to marry poor man, life so hard\u2019 (I see what you write ladies), say \u2018I am not afraid of the hard work needed to help my loving, supportive spouse in hard times\u2019.\n\n\nI do believe that the more welcoming this space is, both online and offline, the more people will feel that the effort they put into conscious money management is more tolerable. \nIt\u2019s hard, yes, but it doesn\u2019t mean it should be all-out miserable.\n\n\nAnd of course, if you are in decision-making positions, then you can enable people in other ways:\n\n\nFix the policies and improve the system.\nBe the employer who provides living wage, not just to employees but also cleaners and janitors.\nOrganise personal finance talks and money management lessons.\nBuy from small and home-based businesses where possible.\n\n\nSystemic issues are not something that one person can solve, but collectively we can do a lot.\n\n\nThank you for reading this far, and for being supportive of upwards mobility. Let\u2019s be open to creating positive spaces for financial wins, even small ones. It matters more than you know.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/the-rules-of-wealth-by-richard-templar/", "title": "Book Review: The Rules of Wealth by Richard Templar\n  ", "body": "Oh man. \nOh man\n. What a book.\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m getting ahead of myself. Ok, let\u2019s start again. This post is dedicated to a book I read recently, entitled \u2018\nThe Rules of Wealth\u2019 by Richard Templar\n. It\u2019s an international bestseller for a reason \u2013 it\u2019s SO good. I loved that:\n\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s divided into short, 2-page articles each explaining one \u2018rule\u2019\n\n\nThe \u2018rules\u2019 are comprehensive yet digestible\n\n\nIt\u2019s conversational and easy to read\n\n\nIt includes moral and ethical values that I believe in (including a\u00a0reminder that you can\u2019t take money to the grave, so don\u2019t hold money \ntoo\n tightly)\n\n\nIt challenges my personal finance approach \u2013 more on this below\n\n\n\n\nThere are 107 rules plus 10 more in the edition I bought (2015 edition), divided into the following sections:\n\n\n\n\nThinking wealthy\n\n\nGetting wealthy\n\n\nGetting even wealthier\n\n\nStaying\u00a0wealthy\n\n\nSharing your\u00a0wealth\n\n\nThe rules of other people\u2019s wealth (+10 rules here)\n\n\n\n\nHere are some of the rules that made me think. Think of it as\u00a0a sneak peek into the book before you buy it yourself \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nRule 7 \u2013 Understand your money beliefs and where they come from\n\n\nMany of us have negative connotations about money, including myself. Sometimes I don\u2019t think I \u2018deserve\u2019 to be rich if compared to hardworking Pakcik Leman the security officer who needs the money to feed/clothe/school his 10 children.\n\n\nI also struggle with having money and remaining\u00a0\u2018spiritually pure\u2019 (his words, not mine).\u00a0There\u2019s an unspoken understanding among the human rights circle (where I used to belong) and society in general that to be wealthy, one must be evil. The wealthy got wealthy by\u00a0profiting off many people and not giving a shit about them, full stop. Therefore, by wanting to be wealthy, I am evil by extension too.\n\n\nThere are also people who are like, \u2018I don\u2019t care about money, I just want to do what I love!\u2019 as if monetary rewards will somehow downgrade their love for their craft/hobby/lifestyle. It\u2019s not\u2026 mutually exclusive\u2026 you know\u2026\n\n\nThis book made me realise that I just want \u2018just enough\u2019 kind of wealth. I want my life to be comfortable and I want to have enough to support people I love and donate to whomever I want. Beyond that, money has no use for me, it\u2019s not like I want a private yacht collection or whatever. I refuse to be shamed for wanting money to get this life. I covered this feeling in full in my\u00a0\n[Personal] How it feels like to constantly obsess over money\n\u00a0article.\n\n\n \nElisaRiva\n / Pixabay\n\n\nRule 14 \u2013 Don\u2019t make money by being bad\n\n\nRichard Templar stressed that all the money in the world couldn\u2019t\u00a0buy a restful, conscience-free life. I love this point, it\u2019s hard not to.\u00a0\nOne can be wealthy without\u00a0taking advantage of other people or ruining the environment\n.\n\n\nRule 24 \u2013 Only by looking wealthy you can become wealthy\n\n\nNote: he said looking wealthy not looking flashy. This means well-cut, good-quality clothes.\n\n\nI used to be okay with my \u2018don\u2019t care\u2019 style, but he has a point. Looking wealthy changes how people treat you, whether we like it or not. It\u2019s a subtle \u2013 but important \u2013 shift in perception that will invite wealth into your life. You will feel more at ease with the rich crowd (and pick their brains), get treated better by the service industry, and overall exude more confidence.\n\n\nThis is a major reason why I\u2019ve been \nfocusing on fashion\n lately. I still tend to under-dress, but progress is there. Some of you might disagree with this rule, that\u2019s fine too. I\u2019m still experimenting with this rule myself.\n\n\nRule 32 \u2013 You have to work hard to get rich enough not to have to work hard\n\n\nWhy rich people have so much free time one? \u2013 Me, until 2016.\n\n\nThe rich\u2019s leisure time was paid for well in advance when they worked hard in the beginning. It\u2019s not that they don\u2019t work hard. It\u2019s because they \ndid\n. Gamechanger. Boom. Mental explosion.\n\n\n \nsheadquarters\n / Pixabay\n\n\nRule 58 \u2013 By all means, use the investment professionals (but don\u2019t be used by them)\n\n\nThis part is more relevant for stocks/shares/unit trust/mutual funds. Everyone knows they should invest but overwhelmed by the options. I\u2019m just going to quote and paraphrase him on this because it\u2019s damn good advice: \u2018If you want help to put your money in the markets without putting too much in someone else\u2019s pockets, keep it simple\u2019.\n\n\nHow to be simple:\n\n\n\n\nDiversified funds with low fees\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it. The sad thing is, in Malaysia, \nmost investment professionals will use you\n. Many unit trust/mutual funds in Malaysia offered by private financial institutions have high fees, it\u2019s revolting. \nWhen it comes to unit trusts alone, there are way too many options and way too many fees\n. The average entry fee in Malaysia is 5-6% (this is NOT including management fee, a few more %!).\n\n\nIf you\u2019re intimidated by investing but don\u2019t know what to invest in, use these two options:\n\n\n\n\nAmanah Saham Nasional Berhad \u2013 0% sales and management fees; \nplease correct if wrong\n Edit: was wrong. \nFixed price\n has no sales fee, but the \nvariable price one\n imposes up to 5% sales fee. (credit to reader py for pointing it out)\n\n\nFundSupermart (I have a \nPrivate Retirement Scheme fund\n there) \u2013 1-2% management fee + 1.75% sales charge (+ extra fees for specific funds)\n\n\n\n\nI know there are a shit ton of funds to choose from. If you can\u2019t get ASNB for whatever reason, there\u2019s a\n fund selector tool \nfrom Fundsupermart that I quite like (note: not sponsored to say this).\n\n\nInsert your preferences, if there are still too many options to choose from then just eenie meenie minie more from the final list. Seriously, economists and fund managers make wrong calls all the time too, it\u2019s not worth worrying too much about which fund is the best for you because no one knows, no one has a crystal ball. Pick the one with the least fees for your risk appetite.\n\n\nRule 62 \u2013 Have a set time of day to work on your wealth strategy\n\n\nRichard Templar said that happy, wealthy individuals follow these four principles:\n\n\n\n\nSet targets and get on with it (they don\u2019t procrastinate too much)\n\n\nDon\u2019t tinker too much (if the investment plan is in action, don\u2019t disturb it)\n\n\nWork on financial planning every day\n\n\nAble to take breaks and have a life (and be interesting)\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m not perfect, and sometimes I itch to break principle #2, but I\u2019m on the right track \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nP/s- Still have to keep Rule 80 in mind \u2013 Know when to let go of investments.\n\n\n \nPublicDomainPictures\n / Pixabay\n\n\nRule 79 \u2013 Make your money work for you\n\n\nThis includes things like:\n\n\n\n\nNot letting money sitting idly in bank account if it can generate income somewhere else\n\n\nActively search for better rates, always\n\n\nContinuously make money passively in any way you can with what you have, whether through your assets (cars, houses) or plain cash\n\n\n\n\nBy setting money to work, it will keep growing instead of losing value via inflation. This rule made me happy \u2013 most of my money is generating more money as we speak, I have very little in my bank account. I talked about this in my \npassive income guide\n.\n\n\nRule 90 \u2013 Put something aside for your old age \u2013 no, more than that!\n\n\nI think of my old age an awful lot and it always gives me a bit of anxiety. I can\u2019t help it.\n\n\nWill money help then? I have no idea, maybe yes, maybe not. I\u2019d like to keep the yes option open anyway in case I need it.\n\n\nI wrote about the type of retirement I want to have in \nways to retire article\n.\n\n\n \ncherylholt\n / Pixabay\n\n\nRule 97 \u2013 Never lend money to friends or family unless you are prepared to write it off\n\n\nAgree. 100%. A good relationship is worth more than any amount of money in the world. I never want to lose someone over something as boring as money. When I was younger, I didn\u2019t follow this rule and it just made me resentful. I hated the feeling.\n\n\nThis goes well with Rule 101 \u2013 Find ways to give people money without them feeling they are in your debt.\n\n\nP/s \u2013 obviously don\u2019t let people take advantage of your generosity either.\n\n\n \ntazzanderson\n / Pixabay\n\n\nRule 99 \u2013 You really, really can\u2019t take it with you\n\n\nSo spend it for life experiences. As long as you\u2019re still generating profits from investments AND have multiple sources of incomes, you\u2019ll be good.\n\n\nPair this with Rule 104 \u2013 Spend your own money because no one can spend it as wisely as you. Another mental explosion. Of course I deserve to spend my own money, duh Suraya.\n\n\nNew Rule 3 under The Rules of other people\u2019s wealth (available in 2015 edition) \u2013 Other people\u2019s money belongs to them\n\n\nThis was a hard one to swallow. Sometimes I make judgments on how others spend their money and think \u2018I can spend it better/more effectively\u2019. My new motto now is:\n\n\nIt\u2019s. Not. My. Money. I. Have. No. Say.\n\n\nThey want to spend it on clothes? Go ahead. On ponies? Sure. On $100-per-spoon caviar? Enjoy.\n\n\nDo what you want with your money. Give it all away. Burn it. Whatever. I\u2019m going to try and be Switzerland about this and be super neutral.\n\n\nConclusion\n\n\nPlease buy the book \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nWhat do you think of the rules in the sneak peak above? Agree or disagree? Do you have any other personal finance books to recommend? Comment below!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/topics-related-to-personal-finance/", "title": "20 Topics Related to Personal Finance, According to Millions of People\n  ", "body": "\n\nPeople ask me all the time why I created RinggitOhRinggit.com, a personal finance blog. And the genuine answer is\u2026 I find it fun. Money experiments, budgeting, savings hacks, all that. I love them all. \n\n\nAside from that, personal finance is exciting for me because not only do I get to do money experiments on myself, I also get to learn how \nother \npeople do \ntheir\n personal finance. It\u2019s fascinating. \n\n\nImagining how people live through their money decisions\n\n\nHappily, personal finance is an abundant topic on the web. Every day I have so much fun browsing online financial portals, websites, blogs and social media. As I read the posts, I mentally wander and imagine myself in other people\u2019s shoes. It helps me connect to humanity, all 7.7 billion of us.  \n\n\nI know I\u2019m not the only one with this interest, because as of writing time, the \nr/personalfinance\n subreddit boasts 14.9 MILLION members all over the world. \n\n\n\n\nSo, what are the situations and circumstances that make one\u2019s personal finance, \npersonal\n? It could be country \u2013 different countries have different financial systems. It could be gender. It could be occupation. There could be millions of variables. \n\n\nWhat if we have a macro-level view? \n\n\nWhat topics are related to personal finance?\n\n\nRecently, I found this fascinating tool called \nAnvaka\n, which does exactly that. It renders a graph of related subreddits for any given one. So I present to you: here is the graph that comes out when I type in the subreddit \nr/personalfinance\n. \n\n\n\n\nIsn\u2019t that cool? You can download that image and zoom in (or do yourself at \nAnvaka\n), but let me list all the subreddits that are most \nclosely\n related to the r/personalfinance subreddit (going clockwise from the top):\n\n\n\n\n\n\nInsurance\nLegaladvice\nRelationships\nWhatcarshouldIbuy\nAlmosthomeless\nPFTools\nEatCheapAndHealthy\nMealPrepSunday\nFrugal\nMilitaryFinance\nChurning\nPFJerk\nFinancialindependence\nStudentLoans\nInvesting\nEntrepreneur\nRealEstate\nTax\nJobs\nCareerguidance\n\n\nWhat the graph tells us about personal finance\n\n\nHere are just some thoughts that came to mind, in no particular order:\n\n\n1) While Relationships are not directly personal finance, it will HUGELY affect personal\n \nfinance\n\n\nFor better or for worse, the people around you will affect your finances. For example,\n\n\nDivorces cause financial ruin for a lot of people\nFighting with family members over certain financial decisions (inheritance, wedding planning etc)\nA supportive partner will enable you to improve yourself, including financially\nAn entitled partner will manipulate and leech onto you to finance their lifestyle \nNarcissistic parents will guilt you into buying everything they want, as a way to \u2018repay\u2019 them\nWorkplace drama will cause people to quit even a high-paying job\n\n\nAnd more. \n\n\n\n\n2) Many communities are VERY US-centric\n\n\nSome of these subreddits are not particularly useful for us Malaysians, as the conversations are very US-centric. For example:\n\n\nMilitaryFinance \u2013 Advice for people joining the US army\nStudentLoans \u2013 Advice for people paying off (huge) student debts\nInsurance \u2013 Advice for people looking for insurance in the US\nTax \u2013 Tax advice\nChurning \u2013 \u2018Gaming\u2019 credit cards to get free points for travel etc\nLegaladvice \u2013 self-explanatory\nRealestate \u2013 mostly about US real estate\n\n\nYou might be able to find good advice, but I\u2019d skip it because the products, laws and practices are simply different for us. \n\n\n3) Saving money on food\n\n\nEatCheapAndHealthy and MealPrepSunday are two huge subreddits filled with amazing tips for cooking on a budget. If you need to save money and can\u2019t reduce any more expenses from both Accommodation and Transportation categories, then check these out!\n\n\n\n\n4) Almosthomeless subreddit is an eye-opener\n\n\nThe posts on Almosthomeless (and homeless) subreddit are gut-wrenching \u2013 raw and honest posts from people looking for help, so they can avoid and escape homelessness. Everyone who\u2019ve ever wanted to help the homeless should read \u2013 it\u2019ll give some insight on what kind of help they actually need, instead of what you *think* they need. \n\n\n\n\n5) Financialindependence, Entrepreneur, RealEstate and Investing subreddits strongly link to each other\n\n\nThat\u2019s not surprising, considering running a business, investing money and property ownership give the strongest chance to financial independence.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nReddit =/= the whole internet \n\n\nThose of you who are new to Reddit, I\u2019m going to warn you \u2013 it\u2019s hella addictive. It\u2019s great for finding communities; no matter what you are into, chances are you\u2019ll find your people there. If you\u2019re into personal finance and exploring alternative lifestyles and specific tips, here are \n25 Personal Finance Subreddits For You To Find \u2018Your People\u2019\n. \n\n\nAs mentioned, many Reddit posters represent the US or Western experience, so it would be naive of me to suggest these macro-level view is an accurate representation of the topics most closely related to personal finance. However, it\u2019s a good overview to start with. \n\n\nI have shared my 2 sens on what I thought about the macro-level view. What are your thoughts? Which part of it do you find fascinating, or surprising? As always, I\u2019d love to hear from you \u2013 comment below \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/toughest-financial-situations/", "title": "4 TOUGHEST Financial Situations to be in (Who Helps Them?)\n  ", "body": "\n\nI LOVE the concept of self-determination. I believe in it, 100%.\n\n\nHeck, I even collect self-determination quotes, such as: \n\n\nWhether you think you can, or you think you can\u2019t\u2013you\u2019re right\nYou are the master of your own destiny\nIf opportunity doesn\u2019t knock, build a door\nRefuse to be refused\n\n\nThe quotes are useful \u2013 whenever I feel demotivated, I\u2019d look for them so I would \u2018snap out of it\u2019 and get back to working on whatever problem I was facing.\n\n\nBut I have to admit that often, due to reasons beyond my control, even my best personal efforts won\u2019t be enough, and I will have to cut my losses and move on to the next venture. \n\n\nOn these occasions, I have likely spent money and time (which costs money AND opportunity cost) which I\u2019ll never get back. Thanks to my savings and/or other support systems, I can absorb these losses. \n\n\nBut not everyone can. \n\n\nAnd that\u2019s the subject of today\u2019s article \u2013 everyone will face tough financial situations, but which ones are tougher to overcome than others? I thought of 4 situations:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 When you can\u2019t get ahead because you face SYSTEMIC discrimination\n\n\nYou already know this. Some members of society face more challenges than the rest as they don\u2019t have access to certain services and privileges. According to the \nSocial Protection & Human Rights Organisation\n, people who face the most SYSTEMIC discrimination include: \n\n\nChildren\n \nIndigenous people\nInformal and precarious workers\nLGBTQI+\nMigrants\nMinorities\nOlder persons\nPersons living with HIV/AIDS or other chronic illnesses\nPersons with disabilities\nRefugees and asylum seekers\nRural workers and rural populations\nYouth\n\n\nYou don\u2019t need me to tell you how belonging in one in those categories can make it hard for you to work and earn a living wage. Not impossible, of course, but tough? YES. \n\n\nIdentities can also overlap and compounds the barriers\n. For example, can you even imagine how hard life is or an older person with disability who works in the informal sector??? \n\n\nThe University of San Francisco has one of the best campaigns to highlight systemic discrimination. Think of your life now and what you are enjoying. \nIf you don\u2019t have to think about it, it\u2019s a privilege.\n \n\n\n\n\nThere are a million and one examples of systemic discrimination in Malaysia, but I want to use this space to highlight an issue I learned most recently: the unfair contract system, which keeps our frontliners the hospital cleaners earning extremely low wages (thanks Lee Jun for the info).\n\n\nComment posted with permission\n\n\n#2 \u2013 When you depend on Narcissists, Psychopaths and Machiavellians\n\n\nThe second tough situation is extremely important for you to be aware of, so you can identify and take action to have a better financial life. You might assume that most people are good (and they are), but you have to remember that\n people with dark personalities exist\n.\n\n\nPeople who are Narcissists, Psychopaths and Machiavellians \u2013 \nthe Dark Triad\n \u2013 live among us and wouldn\u2019t think twice before cheating, manipulating and generally taking advantage of people around them. It\u2019s not even their fault, they are simply \u2018wired\u2019 that way.\n\n\n\n\nSource: https://www.scielo.br/j/rcf/a/THWtzMH8GC8Dw6ChqzDL4pz/?lang=en#\n\n\nIt would really SUCK to have them as your boss. This is a more common scenario than you think \u2013 after all, people with Dark Triad personalities are \nover-represented in business and leadership positions\n\u2026 \n\n\nEven having them as your colleagues suck. See below: \n15 Signs You Work with Narcissists, Psychopaths and Machiavellians\n)\n\n\n\n\nIt doesn\u2019t just apply in working life. In personal life, it\u2019s also hard to make good financial decisions when you have familial ties to Narcissists, Psychopaths and Machiavellians. \n\n\nI used to be \u2018oh it can\u2019t be THAT bad\u2019, but I fell into the \nRaised by Narcissists Reddit wormhole\n and\u2026 yes, it is that bad. Children have shared how their parents emotionally guilt them into making bad financial decisions (like taking a loan or buying them expensive things), to \u2018repay them back for raising them\u2019. \n\n\nBased on my (very little) research and reading on the subject, the best advice on dealing with Narcissists, Psychopaths and Machiavellians is to simply avoid them. \n\n\nIf you can\u2019t avoid them, then PLEASE learn how to set boundaries. If you haven\u2019t, quickly learn how to say no. \n\n\nRelated: \nHow to Say No to \u2018Can I Borrow Your Money?\u2019 & Other Financial Requests\n\n\n#3 \u2013 When you have low media literacy\n\n\nIf it looks too good to be true, it probably is. But why do people keep getting scammed anyway? According to Prof Dato Salleh Buang in a letter \npublished in NST\n, \u2018there were 4,764 Macau scam cases involving losses of over RM232 million, and 2,433 arrests\u2019 between Jan and Sept 2020.\n\n\nTHAT IS AROUND RM48.7k IN LOSSES PER CASE!!!\n\n\nWhy does this happen? There are many contributing factors, and many will be quick to just give the one-liner \u2018lack of education\u2019 answer, but nope that\u2019s not it, even highly educated people have fallen to these scams\u2026\n\n\nI think it boils down to media illiteracy \u2013 the inability to identify and defend ourselves against messaging with ill or misleading intent. \n\n\nAnd because it is impossible to review millions of messages out there, it really is up to us to learn media literacy ourselves.\n\n\nThrough media-literacy, we can deconstruct what we see by figuring out who created the message and why. We can identify the techniques of persuasion being used and recognise how media makers are trying to influence us. We notice what parts of the story are not being told, and how we can be better informed.\nAs quoted in \nThe Star\n by Datuk Dr Paul Selva Raj, Secretary-General of the Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association\n\n\nSome of it is obvious (\u2018Get 100% profit in 3 days!!\u2019), some of it is not; \ndark patterns\n are not only used by scammers but also by companies, including by the financial industry. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia literacy is immensely useful \u2013 for example,  I want you to see the \u2018buy now pay later\u2019 services for the bull that it is; a way to take advantage of people who struggle with delayed gratification. \n\n\nI mean, seriously. Do they really think it\u2019s awesome of them to offer people who don\u2019t qualify for credit cards a way to get that expensive item they can\u2019t afford but want? I\u2019d understand if it\u2019s offered for things like groceries or rent, but clothes and travel? \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 When you are part of the Sandwich Generation\n\n\nAnd last but not least are the people who just can\u2019t save up because they are financially supporting both their parents AND children/younger siblings. It\u2019s tough. \n\n\n\nhttps://www.facebook.com/journey2FI/posts/680973499143784?__cft__[0]=AZVyCOfWtYdmMlVEWLTU_1DcoNYolCcsfv2R9-1TjADb9a4q5VvD-xM12t_cH2uee1opg9vBML4mr0JDtYv2wo9C1j2DZybigMAyw3TTI46LUj9lY_5rUWDqkPbRiNhCZcIyebODniKb5Z-5LFZJwL3E&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R\n\n\n\nWho helps them?\n\n\nLike I said in the introduction, yes to self-determination yada yada yada, but who helps people who need it the most \u2013 the ones who are stuck in these 4 tough financial situations? Is the help received enough?\n\n\nAnd a question to myself \u2013 \nhow can I support \u2013 in my own personal capacity since I can\u2019t solve it all \u2013 my fellow Malaysians as I improve my own financial health?  Is donating money the best I can do, because I lack the courage to do the activism?   \n\n\nI don\u2019t have answers, and I\u2019m still thinking and figuring it out, but I\u2019m very interested to hear how you personally approach this subject. Please give inspiration as well \u2013 how do you help people in financially tough situations? Share in the comments, I want to celebrate you. \n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/tourists-to-malaysia/", "title": "6 Ways to Draw More Tourists to Malaysia, According to Malaysians\n  ", "body": "According to the PM, \u201c\nthe government is targeting to achieve 30 million international tourists and RM100 billion revenue in the tourism sector through the (Visit Malaysia Year 2020) campaign\n.\u201d\n\n\nAs you and I know, we as a country have A LOT of debt to pay off (yes this is a 1MDB reference). So I am fully in support of the campaign and initiatives under it. It\u2019s not your or my fault that we\u2019re in this debt\u2026\u00a0 but we\u2019re in this debt.\n\n\nIt sounds like the RoR audience is in support of initiatives that improve the tourism sector, too, because when I asked about what we could do to attract more tourists to Malaysia, I got so many amazing replies! They were so good, I decided to compile some answers here for everyone else to read and contemplate on.\n\n\nHere\u2019s what you say will draw tourists to Malaysia:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Appeal to locals (and people who live here like locals)\n\n\n\n\nMuhammad Asyraf Hamdani\n \u2013 \nAttract locals first, others come second.\u00a0 If locals didn\u2019t get entertain, how will it viral to others.\u00a0\n\n\nDylan Ler\n \u2013 \nEmpower locals to spark tourism entrepreneurship. Give small grants for people to paint their shops(have a mural/make it insta-worthy), decorate their small cities, clean the beaches, hold mini-tours, etc. \n\n\nWhen you empower local people to love their cities and towns, they automatically promote them to others.\n\n\nRinggit Genie\n \u2013 Encourage more high skilled expatriate workers into the country for a more multicultural vibe. Their friends and family are likely to visit them in Malaysia while they are here which will definitely improve tourism.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Promote our lifestyle through popular culture\n\n\nEdmundn Kdupg\n \u2013 I think it is important to take control of the narrative and branding of our culture and history. There has to be more effort to document and present our local food, local histories and local places in a variety of content such as drama, movies, podcasts, comics (and more).\n\n\nFor example, Japanese anime featuring Japanese food is jaw-dropping amazing and helps spread their culture. Same with Korean dramas that feature Korean food. I will definitely support any local anime about Malaysian food.\u201d\n\n\nMetalhead Bill\n \u2013 \nBuild soft power. If people care about your culture, people will come no matter what horrible things they have to say. For example, \n\n\n\n\nAmerica\u2019s entertainment industry despite the gross economic inequality, \n\n\nKpop/Kdrama despite the monopolistic control of the economy through Chaebols and the horrible work life balance they have, \n\n\nJapan\u2019s entertainment industry and so on. \n\n\n\n\nYou get my drift.\n\n\nAlden Lee Chung Zhenn\n \u2013 \nRide on Henry Golding\u2019s (and needless to say Michelle Yeoh\u2019s) Hollywood status. Collaborate and create local dramas with them featuring Malaysia\u2019s beauty. Learn from Kdrama\u2019s success. \n\n\nGenerally people don\u2019t like forceful promotional contents like the Visit Malaysia 2020. Subliminal messages via mediums like local drama, food, music and etc gives more value in promoting Malaysia to the global audiences.\n\n\nCharmaine Pua Li Ping\n \u2013\n Create better (influencer-driven) content like this to attract people. Use 3D tours to show people around or engage with famous local celebrities to show people where they hang out. Most importantly, proper maintenance of places of interest.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Clean up \u2013 both image and public space\n\n\nRinggit Genie\n\u00a0\u2013 Improve the perception about Malaysia in foreign media. Foreign media, portrays Malaysia as an ultra-conservative religious country with not much to do, which is definitely not the case. Don\u2019t think the Visit Malaysia campaigns are good enough to change that perception among tourists right now.\n\n\nRyan Lee Chun Hoe\n \u2013 \nWith more tourist coming in, then I think it will start to push for other initiatives whether individually, government or society to make Malaysia cleaner, safer place to visit because they will realise tourism is also their rice bowl. The locals won\u2019t want crime to happen to deter their \u201crice bowls\u201d away.\n\n\nMing Wee Koh\n \u2013 \nTaking care of our streets and public toilets cleanliness and maintenance with less scribbling on walls and doors.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Create fun travel experiences\n\n\nKurtson Wong\n \u2013 \nEncourage more road trip for north/southbound! Make roadtrips exciting and bring tourist out of the heart of city!\n\n\nAdiba Azhani\n \u2013 I\nmprove public trains. I went to Japan & Singapore because their trains are convenient. So I managed to travel easily\n\n\nMing Wee Koh\n \u2013 \nProvide user & language friendly signboards for streets for easier understanding by all other countries with increase placement of signboards to ensure tourist finds their way at all times. \n\n\nWith an idea of our places of attraction, implementing signboards that leads to those place would be a great help to tourists. Public transport frequency and on time schedule to allow easier movement for tourists with easy reference such as multiple languages, app for tracking on public transport movements.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Market the Malaysian Food Experience\n\n\nJoseph Soosay\n \u2013 \nMarket the traditional Malaysian foods more effectively globally \u2013 I do think we have some of the best food from anywhere.\u00a0\n\n\nFarhana Norlisan\n \u2013 For city, we have to show off our night life and street vendor culture as they are very vast! If we can make the surrounding clean and appealing, it\u2019ll be superb!\n\n\nDebra Wong\n \u2013 Food alternations for people with dietary restrictions such as vegan, gluten-free and keto who would like to try our nasi lemak, roti canai etc (Also: Looking for suggestions for halal, no-eggs no-dairy vegetarian food options to suit my UK boss in town plus my team!)\n\n\nEdgar Lee\n \u2013 P\nromote the things that we are highly proud of: food, nature, and culture. turn malaysia into a food/nature/culture hub in southeast asia, with the right approach to advertising, even a mamak stall can become a hipster cafe.\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Entertain the hell out of them\n\n\nJosh Lim\n \u2013 \nConcerts, seriously concerts. We are skipped so often by big acts because we have a \u2018backward country image\u2019 that isn\u2019t friendly towards live acts.\n\n\nRyan Lee Chun Hoe\n \u2013 \nRave party, music festival or get the license to do those famous theme parks here.\u00a0\n\n\nRinggit Genie\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Host major music festivals and events in Malaysia.\n\n\nSuraya\u2019s note: I understand that most of the people reading this are not working as full-time big-scale event manager so you can\u2019t really do anything about this lol. But still, even in our own individual capacity, we can treat the tourists we come across well, so that they themselves will tell their friends and family about their positive experience in Malaysia.\n\n\nLast thoughts\n\n\nHow obvious was my attempt to make you support Visit Malaysia Year 2020? Haha.\n\n\nBut really though. My personal opinion is the government could really benefit from our help to make Visit Malaysia Year 2020 a successful one. I don\u2019t know about you, but I would like it very much if Malaysia could pay off its outstanding debts without any problem. And one way to do that is by increasing country revenue.\n\n\nSo shall we\u2026 help? Even if all we can do are stuff in our personal capacity, like being nice to tourists and expats. Not just the white ones.\n\n\nOk, Imma quit sounding so preachy now. Feel free to give supportive or counter-arguments, would love the opportunity to learn. Laters.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/urus-bersama-suraya-akpk-17-april/", "title": "[FB LIVE SESSION 17 April] Urus Bersama Suraya (AKPK collab)\n  ", "body": "In this third Urus Bersama Suraya with \nAgensi Kaunseling dan Pengurusan Kredit (AKPK)\n session, I covered:\n\n\n\n\nThe 4 ways for you to get money, fast (all legal!)\n\n\nAnd some slower ways as well (get more salary, side income etc)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWatch the first session on 3 April:\u00a0\n[FB LIVE SESSION 3 April] Urus Bersama Suraya (AKPK collab)\n\n\nWatch the second session on 10 April:\u00a0\n[FB LIVE SESSION 10 April] Urus Bersama Suraya (AKPK collab)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/urus-bersama-suraya-akpk-3-april/", "title": "[FB LIVE SESSION 3 April] Urus Bersama Suraya (AKPK collab)\n  ", "body": "In this Urus Bersama Suraya with AGENSI KAUNSELING DAN PENGURUSAN KREDIT (AKPK) session, I covered:\n\n\n\n\nHow much money you\u2019ll get from the stimulus package, and\n\n\nBest ways to manage it, in order of priority\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWatch the second session on 10 April:\u00a0\n[FB LIVE SESSION 10 April] Urus Bersama Suraya (AKPK collab)\n\n\nWatch the third session on 17 April:\u00a0\n[FB LIVE SESSION 17 April] Urus Bersama Suraya (AKPK collab)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/urus-bersama-suraya-apkp-10-april/", "title": "[FB LIVE SESSION 10 April] Urus Bersama Suraya (AKPK collab)\n  ", "body": "In this second Urus Bersama Suraya with \nAgensi Kaunseling dan Pengurusan Kredit (AKPK)\n session, I covered:\n\n\n\n\nThe 3 reasons why you can\u2019t stop spending money,\n\n\nTwo of which is *not* your fault, and\n\n\nWhat you can do about it\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWatch the first session on 3 April:\u00a0\n[FB LIVE SESSION 3 April] Urus Bersama Suraya (AKPK collab)\n\n\nWatch the third session on 17 April:\u00a0\n[FB LIVE SESSION 17 April] Urus Bersama Suraya (AKPK collab)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/us-vs-malaysia/", "title": "US vs Malaysia: 5 Ways Our Personal Finance Content is Different\n  ", "body": "\n\nChances are, if you are relatively fluent in English, you have consumed personal finance content from US. Maybe you read books written by US-based writer. Maybe you follow Youtube channels of US-based personal finance personalities. \n\n\nThis in itself is not a problem \u2013 one can learn from anyone, including Americans. As long as you ALSO learn from other people, especially people from your own region/country. \n\n\n\n\nAnd thought leaders. And role models. You know what I mean\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nAugust 31, 2021\n\n\n\n\nIn addition, you do have to be careful a bit, because personal finance content meant for US readers may include context that does not apply (or not as much) to you. So you get confused, or worse, make the wrong decisions.\n\n\nWell, I wasted time trying to understand US vs Malaysia personal finance content, no sense for you to waste yours, too. Here are 5 ways our personal finance is different. \n\n\n1. US retirement-earmarked fund is called IRA. Ours is called EPF. \n\n\nSometimes Malaysians need to be reminded how lucky we are to have EPF \u2013 the retirement-earmarked fund which both employees AND employers contribute to on a monthly basis. \n\n\nIn the US, they call it IRA \u2013 individual retirement account. There are a few types of IRA like Roth IRA and 401(k) and whatnot \u2013 you don\u2019t have to know this, it\u2019s not useful info for us Malaysians. \n\n\nHowever, as I understand it EPF is better than IRA, as employer contribution is optional for the latter. Companies may or may not offer employer contribution for their employees. Even if they do, they may only match it up to a certain %. \n\n\nIn contrast, EPF is very clear and most importantly, mandatory. \nYou contribute 11% of salary, and your employer contributes an additional 12 or 13%\n. This helps an employee to build up a sizable nest egg in for their retirement years. \n\n\n(Still not enough though. But maybe people who own homes can supplement retirement income with \nreverse mortgage\n?)\n\n\n2. US student loan is more predatory than Malaysia student loans\n\n\nThe first US vs Malaysia difference in personal finance content is retirement-earmarked funds. The second is on our student loans. Ours is way, way, WAY better. \n\n\nAccording to \nbankrate.com\n, \u2018about 90 percent of student loan debt (in the US) is comprised of federal loans, with interest rates ranging from 4.99 percent to 7.54 percent\u2019.\n\n\nYup, up to 7.54%!\n\n\nHow much is the student loan interest rate in Malaysia? Well if you get it from PTPTN, the rate is just 1% per annum \nflat\n rate. \n\n\nThis is a BIG difference. PTPTN borrowers literally save thousands, if not tens of thousands in interest charges. \n\n\nThis is also why I never understood the Malaysians who jumped on the Cancel Student Debt protest. Cancel for what? PTPTN is literally there to help you get an education, not to make profit. \n\n\nI mean, 1% interest rate for PTPTN student loan is \nnot even enough to cover inflation\n, so what profit are you even talking about? Plus, the 1% is FLAT interest rate, not compounded. \n\n\nFuthermore, PTPTN borrowers who get First Class Honours Degree can apply for \n100% exemption in PTPTN repayment\n, effectively turning the PTPTN loan into a scholarship. No such thing that I can think of for US. \n\n\nSo it is your responsibility to pay your PTPTN loan, if any. There are negative consequences for not paying PTPTN \u2013 If you don\u2019t pay back, less money will be available for future students to pursue \ntheir\n tertiary education. \n\n\nLess money for students = less educated nation. Don\u2019t be that person who does this. Pay back your PTPTN.\n\n\n3. US have high overdraft fees. We don\u2019t\n\n\nIn Malaysia, if you don\u2019t have enough money to conduct a transaction, then the transaction simply\u2026 won\u2019t go through. Not in the US \u2013 no, they make you pay for it. They call it \u2018overdraft fee\u2019. \n\n\nAccording to \nInvestopedia.com\n, \u2018an overdraft occurs when there isn\u2019t enough money in an account to cover a transaction or withdrawal, but the bank allows the transaction anyway\u2019. \n\n\nSo basically, an overdraft fee is a fee charged to you when you swipe your debit card and DIDN\u2019T have enough money in your account. The average cost is $25, and upwards to $35, depending on the bank. \n\n\nThat\u2019s a lot of money. Honestly, the way the US penalises poor people for being poor is just\u2026 sad. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBtw \u2013 overdraft facility does exist in Malaysia, but you have to be offered, or apply for it. This means only financially secure people get the privilege, and banks have the right to reject your application if they think you aren\u2019t going to pay them back. \n\n\nNote: overdraft is not the same as credit facilities like credit card etc. Speaking of credit cards\u2026\n\n\n4. US credit cards have higher interest rates (for people with bad credit score)\n\n\nAside from that, Malaysians have less predatory credit card interest rates too, compared to the US. \n\n\nTypically, your credit card\u2019s interest rate will depend on your credit score, in particular your repayment history. Ie, are you good at paying back the money you borrowed? If no, you are considered more \u2018high risk\u2019 and given a higher penalty, ie higher interest rate. \n\n\nIn Malaysia, if your payment history in the last 12 months is good, your interest rate will be 15%. If not, it\u2019ll be 17% or 18% \u2013 \nthe credit card interest rate in Malaysia is capped at 18%\n.\n\n\nHowever in the US, people with good credit score also enjoy interest rates as low as 15%. However, if you are someone with bad credit score, \ncreditcards.com\n says your credit card interest rate can be as high at 27%. \n27%!!!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n5. However, their low-fee diversified fund is quite dependable as long-term investment\n\n\nFor the average American, the low-stress way to invest is to simply consistently DCA (explained \ndollar-cost averaging in here\n) in S&P 500. As you can see, S&P 500 generally trends upwards over the long term. \n\n\n\n\nWhat is S&P 500 you ask? According to \nInvestopedia.com\n,\n\n\n(S&P 500 is) a stock market index to track the value of\u00a0500 corporations that have their stocks listed on the\u00a0New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)\u00a0and the\u00a0NASDAQ Composite\u2026 (which) represent most of the composition of the U.S. economy. \nAs a result, the value of the S&P and various stocks within the index is closely watched by market participants since their performance represents a gauge of the health of the U.S. economy.\n\n\nIt\u2019s not quite the same thing, but the closest equivalent to S&P 500 in Malaysia is probably FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI \u2013 usually just referred as KLCI. According to \nBursa Malaysia\n, KLCI \u2018comprises the largest 30 companies listed on the Main Board\u2019. \n\n\nUnfortunately, KLCI has not shown the same long-term upwards trend as S&P 500. In fact, it has been stuck in the 15xx to 18xx range since 2012. (This is not making fun of Malaysia, just stating a fact. I wish our economy do better, I really do).\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThis is why it\u2019s common for Malaysians to diversify their investments \ngeographically\n, and popularly in US market. For most years (but not all! Remember historical data =/= future performance!) you should see your investment do better than Malaysian stock market.  \n\n\nP/s \u2013 you can buy S&P 500 through \nMIDF Invest\n (Shariah version also available!). You can also invest in US markets through many \nunit trusts\n and \nrobo advisors\n. \n\n\n\n\nRelated: \n3 Best Investments in Malaysia (+ The Best Way to Invest Your Money)\n\n\nUS vs Malaysia: What other differences in personal finance do you know?\n\n\nI have laid out 5 big differences in how the US and Malaysia is different in our personal finance. There are probably more. \n\n\nPlease share your thoughts in the comments section \u2013 what confused you, when you first started learning about personal finance?\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/van-life-in-malaysia/", "title": "Dreaming of the Van Life in Malaysia [Frugal Fantasy Series #1]\n  ", "body": "\n\nWelcome to the first of my Frugal Fantasy series, where I write about alternative frugal lifestyles that I\u2019ve fantasised and romanticised. \n\n\nIn this article, I will explore the van life in Malaysia \u2013 this whole article is a compilation of the research I\u2019ve done on it, so I can get this daydream out of my system. \n\n\nWhat is the Van Life (and Why do it?)\n\n\nVan living is exactly what it sounds like: you live in a van. You can do it solo, but it\u2019s not uncommon for friends and couples to do the van life together. Some even bring their pets along!\n\n\nI\u2019ll be honest and say the vanlife has a reputation for being a \u2018white people\u2019 thing. It has that boho, I-am-a-free-bird undertone. I find that people who are attracted to van living are usually from the US or from Europe\u2026 or someone who is influenced by their ideology \u2013 myself included.\n\n\nHowever, that is not the only reason people opt for the vanlife. From what I can see, people who choose van living as a lifestyle do it for a few reasons, not just a singular one.  \n\n\nFirst \u2013 let\u2019s get it out of the way \u2013 sure, there are also people who do vanlife for fun and adventure. They want to do \nlong-term travel on a budget\n, and van living happens to be the best choice for them. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNext are the people who are forced into van living (and sometimes car living) to \nsignificantly save money on accommodation\n. For example, Stories from a Van shows how to do van living in famously expensive San Francisco.\n\n\n(I\u2019ve also seen videos where people HAD to live in their cars/vans as their landlords raised their rents exponentially, and they can no longer afford to live there, and have nowhere else to go. This is obviously not an ideal situation to be in, but I\u2019m glad there are resources people can turn to)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAnd lastly (and my favourite), the people who intentionally choose the van living lifestyle so that they can opt out from capitalism and society\u2019s expectations. \n\n\nFor them, van living is simply a \nlow-cost, low-impact alternative living\n. Keep your costs low and you never need to be stuck in the rat race kinda thing. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDoing the VanLife in Malaysia\n\n\n Van life in Malaysia is not common. Aside from the couple from \n24 Hour Travellers\n, I barely see anyone talk about it (or I\u2019m just not in those networks yet? Idk)\n\n\n(24 Hour Travellers have since shifted from doing the van life to the boat life. Check out their website and Youtube for excellent resources to do the van life in Malaysia, like this video on safety tips.)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHowever, even though van living community in Malaysia seems small or non-existant, I do know there is a thriving DIY campervan community in Malaysia. \n\n\nYes, Campervan is not van living, but there are some helpful vehicle modification hacks that is useful for people who aspire to do the van life in Malaysia. They have amazing DIY resources, like building your own sink! \n\n\nFYI \u2013 I didn\u2019t know this before, but you can also do camperCARs! Watch this guy turn his Kancil into a Campercar.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhat\u2019s my motivation to try the van life in Malaysia?\n\n\nI\u2019m definitely attracted to do the whole traveling on a budget thing. But aside from that, I also want to try the van life because I\u2019m a sucker for novelty and unique experiences. \n\n\nI mean, imagine this scenario \u2013 spend a few years doing the van life and visiting all around Malaysia, then going north into Thailand, and eventually reaching (gasp! dare I dream?) Central Asia, Europe and United Kingdom. \n\n\nThat is possible in theory. A family actually did that, but in reverse \u2013 in 2013, a Malaysian family of 6 \ndrove from UK to Malaysia\n. It took over 155 days and cost over RM315,000 (huh. That\u2019a a lot more than I thought. So much for budget. That amount does include a huge van though, and I know those are costly)\n\n\n\n\nAt this point in my life, I know it\u2019s not possible for me to do van life in Malaysia. I like my current life too much to throw it away. It has taken me a lot of blood, sweat and tears to get the life I have now, and I don\u2019t want to leave this behind. \n\n\nSure, never say never, but it\u2019s extremely unlikely. But a girl can dream, thus this post. Maybe in the future I\u2019ll do a 1-week van roadtrip in New Zealand or something \u2013 that would be fun \ud83d\ude42 \n\n\nThat\u2019s the end of this daydream article. I\u2019m sure the actual van life would have its ups and downs, but I had fun writing about it, and that\u2019s enough for now. Like I said in the beginning, the motivation behind this article is primarily to give myself an outlet to get this fantasy out of my system. After all, what use is having a personal blog if I can\u2019t express myself here? \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nAside from doing the van life in Malaysia, I\u2019ve also fantasised and researched other alternative lifestyles: homesteading, tiny home living, co-living, au pair and more. Which of these do you want to read next? \n\n\nWhat alternative lifestyes do YOU like to fantasise about? Let me know in the comments!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/why-you-should-buy-all-your-xmas-presents-from-online-vendors-and-skip-the-malls/", "title": "Why you should buy all your Xmas presents from online vendors (and skip the malls)\n  ", "body": "\n\nI used to like Raya, and then I grew up so the money stopped coming \ud83d\ude41\n\n\nNow, out of all the holidays in Malaysia, I probably enjoy Christmas the most. Gift-giving isn\u2019t really a Malay thing so when I first started exchanging presents I get the most warm and fuzzy feeling inside. Its like, \u201c\nYou picked this up with me in mind? Thank you, that\u2019s so sweet of you!!\n\u201d\n\n\nChances are, you will celebrate Christmas as well \u2013 with your family, friends, and/or colleagues. (Fear not Muslims, this is not haram, I checked \u2013 \u2018..if the stated practice or behaviour is done on the basis of societal or social relationship between Muslims and non-Muslims for the purpose of harmony is permitted in Islam\u2019 \nSource\n)\n\n\nAre you expected to get someone a Christmas present, or be part of a Secret Santa group? Are you are looking around for the perfect Christmas present? Were you planning to grab those presents in a mall? If so, this article is for you \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nReason 1: If you have to spend money, might as well help out individual online vendors rather than big corporations\n\n\nNotice that I said individual online vendors. Not online shops. I don\u2019t mean Lazada or Zalora, I mean Instashops and blogshops.\n\n\nThink about it \u2013 there\u2019s a reason why online vendors have to conduct their business online: they can\u2019t afford a physical shop, or don\u2019t get enough foot traffic because all they can afford is a shitty location, or have to work from home (stay at home parents, students, retirees etc).\n\n\nBig corporations have the system tilted to their favor. Branding and marketing budget? Check. Fancy advertising? Check. Prime locations in shopping malls? Check. I also heard from an insider that big-name retailers can sometimes get their rentals waived for a couple of years. This is especially true for new shopping malls, a tactic used to draw in the crowds. Doesn\u2019t it bug you that already-successful corporations get their prime locations rent-free?\n\n\nIn the spirit of Christmas, give to those who need it more. Individual online vendors will be super grateful for the added income.You are directly sponsoring their children to go to school, or affording them a better quality meal which improves their health.\n\n\nReason 2: Due to online rivals and lack of overhead, prices are likely to be competitive anyway\n\n\nThere\u2019s no shortage of vendors\n. If you go on Instagram, you can search for anything via the #sayajual hashtag. Want to buy clothes? #sayajualbaju. Want to buy a watch? #sayajualjam. Want to buy bags? #sayajualbeg. Don\u2019t know what to buy? Window shop by using #sayajualonline.\n\n\nFor other online vendors, there\u2019s always the trusty search function. I\u2019m talking about the folks at Carousell, Mudah.my, Lelong, and Low Yat forum, where you can compare the prices.\n\n\nReason 3: You can save money on logistics\n\n\n\u201cBut I have to pay for shipping charges!\u201d you say.\n\n\nYes, you probably do. Please don\u2019t ask for free postage unless offered \u2013 someone still have to pay for those and its forcing online vendors to bear the cost is a douchebag thing to do.\n\n\nYou\u2019re still spending less, though. Here\u2019s what you have to pay when shopping from online vendors:\n\n\n\n\nShipping\n\n\n\n\nHere\u2019s what you have to pay for a day in the mall:\n\n\n\n\nParking+Toll*, or\n\n\nLRT/KTM*\n\n\nFood & Drinks (who are you kidding of course you will be tempted to try the special Starbucks Christmas drink)\n\n\nImpulse buys that have nothing to do with your original intended purchase\n\n\n\n\n*recently increased, further ouch!\n\n\nReason 4: Mindful shopping\n\n\nI love this reason the most, because I\u2019m actively trying to be more conscious of the effects of advertising in the way that I spend. Like many people, I don\u2019t enjoy feeling that I was brainwashed into buying something. Advertisers know this, and they rarely go, \u2018buy this!\u2019 anymore, they use other, more subtle tactics to sell their products:\n\n\n\n\nUsing brand ambassadors\n\n\nUsing social media influencers \nwho do not tell the audience that they were paid to promote a branded product\n (this is super unethical, \nthis girl\n who famously quit her successful social media life exposed that she was paid to use/wear some brands. YouTubers do this a lot as well)\n\n\nUsing scents (grocery stores ventilate air from their bakeries so people can smell freshly baked goodies \u2013 induces hunger and encourages spending)\n\n\nFake markdowns \u2013 why do you think bedding is on \u2018sale\u2019 all year round?\n\n\nEven malls are designed to encourage spending.Things are never where they are by chance, they are the result of careful positioning and planning. Escalators located at the far end or even \ninside\n a store. Toilets far away from entrances, forcing you walk past many, many shops. Slow music to encourage shoppers to walk slower. Manipulative, isn\u2019t it? Read more \nhere\n.\n\n\n\n\nVia online shopping, you get to tune out some of the effects. I personally look for shops with terrible pictures, which (to me) is a good indication of a seller who isn\u2019t conscious about advertising AND cannot afford to get a professional to do it for them. I also look for local crafters, and sellers who do things a bit differently\u00a0 (I once saw a brilliant baby clothes shop which did not have a single blue-is-for-boys-pink-is-for-girls stereotype!)\n\n\nConsumer psychology is something that big corporations \ninvest\n on. I don\u2019t think you can be completely free of it, to be honest. But we can try.\n\n\nThere you have it \u2013 4 valid reasons why you should get all your Christmas presents from online vendors this year and skip the malls. Let\u2019s be clear \u2013 I\u2019m not hating on malls. They are great for window shopping, but let\u2019s do the actual shopping online \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThe idea for this post was conceived after the author thought about the actual people struggling in this current economic climate. And then she got angry thinking of TPPA where big, fancy lawyers representing big, fancy corporations sit down together in their fancy ass suits with representatives of the government and they go like, lets further enhance our business in this region, and oh \nlets add a clause that protects our right to profit, if not we will sue you for millions and billions of dollars (of our tax money)\n.\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/before-you-quit-your-job/", "title": "7 Things to Do Before You Quit Your Job to Become A Freelancer/Self-Employed\n  ", "body": "\n\nNowadays, opportunities to \nmake money online\n are much more abundant than ever. It is not uncommon for someone to want to try make it as a freelancer/self-employed individual, especially if they have been denied flexibility and autonomy their whole working life. \n\n\nThese are some things you might want to do before you submit your resignation letter. \n\n\n#1 \u2013 Have savings\n\n\nHaving savings is highly, highly, \nhighly\n recommended. Why? Because, you don\u2019t want to be in a position where you\u2019re desperate enough to take up low-paid jobs. Not making enough + no savings = extremely stressed and vulnerable you. \n\n\nHow much should you save up? I think 3 months\u2019 worth of expenses is the minimum, if possible 6, 12 or even 24 months. \n\n\nNote: Save up x months\u2019 worth of \nexpenses\n, not salary. That means, if your monthly commitment is RM2000, then:\n\n\n\n\n3 months\u2019 expenses is RM6000\n\n\n6 months\u2019 expenses is RM12,000\n\n\n12 months\u2019 expenses is RM24,000\n\n\n24 months\u2019 expenses is RM48,000\n\n\n\n\nYou can use my \nCan You *Really* Afford It? Use the 50/30/20 Rule (Free Editable Template)\n to help you calculate your monthly expenses. \n\n\nAs for \nwhere\n to keep the savings, please refer to \n7 Savings and Investments You can Automate, Aside from EPF Contribution\n article. \n\n\nNext, Numbers #2 and #3 kinda are quite similar so I\u2019ll explain it together:\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Apply for credit card(s) \n\n\n#3 \u2013 Apply for loans (only if you can afford the monthly payment)  \n\n\nIf there is one I miss about being employed, is that payslips made it super easy for me to apply for credit cards and loans. My applications for \nMaybank credit card\n and \nASB financing\n that I made in my early 20s went through without a hitch. \n\n\nIn comparison, after becoming self-employed, my agent asked me for additional documents multiple times when I tried to make additional ASB financing application. I also tried to apply for a few credit cards but they didn\u2019t get back to me \u2013 presumably I got rejected. \n\n\nThis is despite me making an okay living as a self-employed writer, filing my taxes diligently every single year, and having a pretty good \ncredit score\n. I\u2019m really not sure where I did wrong tbh.  \n\n\nDISCLAIMER: Now, do NOT take this as \u2018oh Suraya say go take credit card and loans\u2019. That\u2019s not what I said. I said it is \neasier\n to apply for them when you are employed, so only do so if it makes sense in your situation. Click on the respective links for more information. \n\n\n#4 \u2013 Clean up your online profile(s)\n\n\nNow, unless you are a super extrovert and attend gatherings/networking events regularly and can find potential clients without relying on online world, I highly suggest you to clean up your online profile(s), stat. \n\n\nThis \n5 Ways to Maintain a Professional Online Presence\n article contains solid tips. It is written for teachers, but applies to every professional out there. \n\n\nYou might also want to create a new email address that sounds more professional-sounding. This is especially true if you\u2019re still using yayang_comel8888 at hotmail dot com or similar. \n\n\n#5 \u2013 Add insurance costs to your monthly commitment\n\n\nSwitching from employed to self-employed usually means you will no longer be covered under your employer\u2019s insurance plan, so you have to get your own. \n\n\nHappily, nowadays there are many affordable options for you. Find out more in the \nBest Insurance and Takaful in Malaysia for B40 and M40 On A Budget\n article. If possible, you\u2019ll want to allocate at least RM100 a month for this. \n\n\n#6 \u2013 Get ready to feel super directionless\n\n\nThe first thing you will lose when you quit your job, aside from the salary and certainty of a paycheck and benefits, is\u2026 the structure. Your body and mind are so used to the wake up-get ready-go to work-go home-sleep-repeat grind that it will take some time to get used to the flexibility. \n\n\nBy this point, I\u2019ve been doing this self-employed, \nsoloprenuer\n thing for 7 over years now, and some days I still feel directionless. Don\u2019t get me wrong, being able to do what I want is GREAT, but the possibilities and options can also be super overwhelming that you just end up doing nothing. \n\n\n#7 \u2013 If possible, secure your customers and clients BEFORE you quit your job\n\n\nMany people get stressed with their jobs, then think of quitting, then try to figure out what to do. \n\n\nThe safer way is to get the future source(s) of income sorted out first before you submit that resignation letter. \n\n\nHowever, despite this and thanks to #1 (having savings), I can say that I don\u2019t regret quitting my job without a concrete plan. It was super confusing at the time but looking back, I experienced so much self-growth while trying to figure my path.   \n\n\n\n\nThe last time I did this, I ended up being a personal finance content creator which is my literal dream job so ya \ud83e\udd37\ud83c\udffb\u200d\u2640\ufe0f \nhttps://t.co/tn5M0dqqoO\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nNovember 10, 2022\n\n\n\n\nBut, you should also know I have the privilege to say this because somehow, miraculously, things worked out. There\u2019s an element of survivorship bias happening here. Maybe it worked out for me, but countless others in the exact same situation ended up going back to the safety of a stable job (which is fine). \n\n\nFreelancers/ Self-employed peeps, what else do you think you should have done before you quit your job?\n\n\nI\u2019d really love to hear among the freelancers/self-employed \u2013 what advice would you give yourself, if you were to do it all over again? \n\n\nPlease share in the comments so all of us can learn \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/best-jobs-in-malaysia/", "title": "7 Things to Do to Get the Best Jobs in Malaysia, Regardless of Your Industry\n  ", "body": "\n\nIt\u2019s no secret that many Malaysians are both underpaid AND underemployed*. You really have to stand out to secure the best jobs in Malaysia: the ones offering high salaries, great benefits, and (if you\u2019re lucky,) work-life balance. \n\n\n*Underemployed = \u2018workers who are highly skilled but working in low-paying or low-skill jobs and part-time workers who would prefer to be full-time\u2019 (\nInvestopedia\n)\n\n\nWait, you say. I thought RMxxxx salary is the best I can get, as someone working in x industry. \n\n\nNo, your salary could be *much* higher. That\u2019s because\u2026\n\n\nThe best jobs in Malaysia exist in most, if not all industries\n\n\nBrowse through \nMalaysianPayGap on Instagram\n and see how much someone in your industry could be making. \n\n\nNo, seriously, spend some time looking through. It\u2019s hard to find the motivation to increase your salary unless you realise you are underpaid. People earning RM7k and above salaries by mid-to-late 20s is not uncommon. \n\n\n\n\nAs mentioned, the competition to get these jobs is tight. You\u2019ll need a combination of luck and skills to get them, but it may be a worthwhile endeavour especially if you\u2019re not feeling appreciated or fulfilled in your current role. \n\n\n(Yes, some people might get these jobs via connections. Focus on what you can control, or even better beat them at their own game.)\n\n\nHere\u2019s what you can do. You don\u2019t have to do all, but the more, the better. \n\n\n#1 \u2013 Update your CV / Resume\n\n\nObviously you have to update your CV / resume. What\u2019s the difference? Here:\n\n\nImage credit to Syaza Nazura\n\n\nWhen was the last time you updated your CV and/or resume? If it\u2019s been a while, do this first. \n\n\nYes, update your resume \neven if you are happy with your workplace \nand only \u2018passively\u2019 looking for a new job. Best case scenario, headhunters will reach out with a better offer. Why deny yourself this possibility?\n\n\nUpdating your resume will also make you realise \nhow far you\u2019ve gotten\n \u2013 you\u2019ll have gained lots of experience and skills since you worked there. Bring this up in your next performance review, to negotiate for a higher salary increase. \n\n\nHere are some resources for DIY resume writing:\n\n\n5 resume tips to keep in mind (and mistakes to avoid!)\n300+ Action Verbs, Power Words & Synonyms for Your Resume\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Hire Resume Writing /Editing Service\n\n\nEven if you prefer DIY resume writing, it\u2019s not a bad idea to hire a professional resume writer or editor to review your resume, so that it\u2019s the best version it can be. \n\n\nYou can book affordable resume writing/editing service from \nFiverr\n. Just type in \u2018resume writing\u2019 or \u2018resume editing\u2019 and you\u2019ll find a lot of options. \n\n\n\n\nNote: This may not be a dealbreaker for some companies, but the higher the role you\u2019re applying for, the more it matters. Make sure your CV uses the right version of English, ie use British English if you\u2019re applying to UK/Malaysian companies, and American English if you are applying to American companies\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Polish your LinkedIn profile\n\n\nKind of self-explanatory \u2013 LinkedIn is where you go to \nbrag\n post about work-related stuff. You can find lots of resources on Youtube. \n\n\nThere are lots of recruiters on LinkedIn, so don\u2019t skip this! I personally know a few people who got better job offers, thanks to LinkedIn. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Reach out to Headhunters in your Industry\n\n\nAside from #1-3, there\u2019s nothing wrong with being proactive. Reach out to headhunters in your industry and put yourself on their radar. Their job is to find talent for companies (usually big ones), so make their job easier. \n\n\nResumewriter.my, a resume writing service provider published a great \nlist of headhunters in Malaysia\n, sorted by industry and complete with contact details. \n\n\nP/s \u2013 DO NOT just email with your CV and say you want a new job, that\u2019s rude.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Book Job Interview Coaching Service \n\n\nWhen you have opportunities lined up \u2013 either via recruiters or via your own job search \u2013 you\u2019ll probably need to go through an interview process. Nothing wrong with practicing the interview ahead of time. \n\n\nEven better, do a practice session with a professional. You can book affordable job interview practice sessions from \nFiverr\n. Type in \u2018job interview\u2019 or \u2018interview coaching\u2019 and you\u2019ll find a lot of options. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Follow Career Coaches\n\n\nThere are lots of career coaches across different social media platforms. Many of them offer free content and paid coaching services. \n\n\nNote: Experience > certification, but certification matters too. In the world of professional coaching, certification from International Coaching Federation carries weight. One person I know of who carries the title (as she stated on her website) is Professional Career Coach \nMei Phing\n.\n\n\nLook through her Instagram and you can find how she successfully helped people find the best jobs in Malaysia (and beyond).\n\n\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Create an online portfolio to compile/show your work\n\n\nWriters, designers, coders, photographers, artists, professionals across all industries \u2013 do you have an online portfolio? If no, you might want to make one. It\u2019s a great tool to show (not tell) how good you are at what you do. \n\n\nThere are free and paid options for creating an online portfolio. \n\n\n[FREE option] Use social media as online portfolio\n\n\nYou can..\n\n\nUse Instagram (Business account) to display your design/photo/ art work\nUse Facebook Page to share links/ pictures of your work\nUse Twitter to share unique insights you have on your industry\n\n\n[FREE option] Use specific platforms as online portfolio\n\n\nYou can..\n\n\nUse Github if you\u2019re a coder\nUse Flickr if you\u2019re a photographer\nUse DeviantArt if you\u2019re an artist\nUse Canva\u2019s \nFree Online Portfolio Maker\n (paid option available)\nAnd more\n\n\n[PAID option] Your own website\n\n\nYou don\u2019t *have* to have a website, but it is true that not many people have one, so you\u2019ll stand out. \n\n\nI have a HUGE bias for Wordpress (dotorg not dotcom) so that\u2019s my recommendation. You can sign up for Wordpress Hosting from website providers like \nBluehost\n or \nExabytes\n. The price varies depending on range of services and length but allocate around ~RM1000 or so for ~3 years service.\n\n\nOtherwise, you can also pay around RM50 or so per month for website builders like Wix and Squarespace. \n\n\nAgain, you don\u2019t *have* to have a website. Start with free options \u2013 what you put in your online portfolio matters more than where it is. \n\n\nReady to search for the best jobs in Malaysia for yourself?\n\n\nAs mentioned in my \n3 Ways to Get High Salary in Malaysia, Regardless of Your Background\n article, \njob hopping\n is the best way to get a significant salary increase, but salary is not everything. Doing #1-7 on the other hand can help you find jobs that give you fulfilment as well as compensation. \n\n\nAll the best in your search to find the best jobs in Malaysia. And for those of you who have found your dream jobs, would love to hear how you found them. Share your tips and experiences in the comments section below! \n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/bitcoin-for-free/", "title": "6 Ways to Get Bitcoin for Free in Malaysia\n  ", "body": "\n\nLet me just start this article by saying that no one will give you bitcoin for free with no effort, unless they say that in an attempt to scam you. So if you\u2019re looking for easy ways to get free bitcoins, you won\u2019t find it here. \n\n\nInstead, this article will list out ways for you to get bitcoin for free, through methods that require some effort and/or have T&Cs attached. \n\n\nStill here? Good. But first, \n\n\nWhy bother to look for free bitcoin?\n\n\nWhy find ways to get bitcoin for free when you can just buy them, right? As in, \nbuy bitcoin in Malaysia as an investment\n?\n\n\nFor sure, yes, you can do that. However I don\u2019t recommend you buying bitcoin if you can\u2019t afford to right now. Don\u2019t buy bitcoin with your emergency savings or savings that you cannot afford to lose.\n\n\nBut what if you get bitcoin for free \u2013 even small amounts \u2013 then just wait it out as a strategy? If things go well, the bitcoin will appreciate in value. If not, all you lose is a bit of time and/or small amounts of capital. \n\n\nThis is what I did. In addition to buying my first bitcoin in December 2015, I also looked for ways to get bitcoin for free. \nIt was around MYR1600/ USD400 then. You can check websites like \nCoinGecko\n and \nCoinMarketCap\n for the price now.  \n\n\nSo do you see why I say this may be a worthwhile pursuit for people who are bullish on bitcoin price? \nThis strategy paid off for me, and hopefully it will pay off for you as well. \n\n\nSo let\u2019s jump right in. Here are 6 ways to get bitcoin for free:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Use Lolli\n\n\nLolli\n is a cashback platform, which you can download as an extension. The way it works is similar to Shopback Malaysia \u2013 make your usual purchases and get some money back upon your purchase. However, unlike Shopback, Lolli distributes the cashback in bitcoin. \n\n\nAdmittedly, the stores are US-centric, but you can still find international platforms like Udemy and Booking.com there. \n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Make use of new user bonus signups \n\n\nI would consider this \u2018instant ROI\u2019 opportunities. For example:\n\n\n\n\nNew \nLuno\n users\n who use my code \n7FA6G\n in the rewards section will get RM75 in BTC for after you buy at least RM250 from Instant Buy or Sell. \nThat is instant 30% ROI \n\n\nNew \nTokenize\n\u00a0users\n get 15 Tokenize Points when you sign up with my link. The points are exchangeable for digital assets offered in Tokenize\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAs far as I know, the other two licensed digital asset exchanges in Malaysia Sinegy and MX Global do not have such bonus yet. But if they do, I would make use of them as well. Bonuses for new users don\u2019t last forever. \n\n\nThere are other platforms offering bonus signups, but those are not regulated in Malaysia and I don\u2019t want to piss off SC, so I\u2019ll stop here \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Promote affiliates\n\n\nThe good thing about doing #2 is that you are now automatically eligible to earn bitcoin in Malaysia through the platform\u2019s affiliate system. \n\n\nDon\u2019t knock affiliates. The bitcoin I earned years ago is worth significantly more now. \n\n\n\n\nLet me show you one way I earn bitcoin..\nLeft: my Luno referral bonus 1 year ago, in March 2020\nRight: my latest Luno referral bonus in March 2021 \nI'm earning the same amount, RM25 in btc per referral. The only difference is 0.0009 in btc is now worth around RM200 \npic.twitter.com/OD3JxykjBL\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nMarch 11, 2021\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Get paid in bitcoin\n\n\nWait let me rephrase that. Rather than saying you can get bitcoin for free via this method, it\u2019s more like getting them as payment in exchange for selling your products or services. \n\n\nFor example, back in 2016 I wrote a bitcoin guide on RinggitOhRinggit. From there I got recruited to write articles for other crypto platforms, and eventually worked in a bitcoin startup (it was short-lived). Just like that, I was earning in bitcoin, so I stopped buying them and started accumulating them this way instead. \n\n\nWriting about cryptocurrencies and getting paid for it is cool because: \n\n\n\n\n(1) the research part is something I do \nobsessively\n for fun anyway\n\n\n(2) \nwriting about hard topics helps me learn better\n\n\n(3) by creating good content, we are hopefully showing that not everyone in the crypto community is the YOLO, TO THE MOON types\n\n\n\n\nOne common misconception in the crypto industry is only some people (programmers) can enter it. Not true. The crypto industry needs accountants, lawyers, HR, marketers, list goes on. \n\n\nIn fact, people including from non-tech backgrounds who learn about crypto and blockchain will get a competitive advantage in the job market, as the industry is rapidly growing. You\u2019ll be in demand, even. \n\n\nBonus: it is a remote-friendly industry\n\n\nAs a start, go look through \nCoinGecko\n and \nEtherscan\n\u2018s career pages. They are actively recruiting and looking for all kinds of talents!\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Be a bounty hunter\n\n\nNext one \u2013 if you have cybercrime forensic and other types of skillsets, you can be a bounty hunter and earn by completing tasks. In theory this is a cool way to earn, but there are not many tasks to go around, or the ones remaining are very hard to do (think pro hacker level). \n\n\nRegardless, this is still a valid option. Some websites you can check out include:\n\n\n\n\nBounty0x.io\n \u2013 earn various tokens; many bounty categories including Content Creation and Graphic Design to Programming and more.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n2. \nBitcoin.com\u2019s Bitcoin Bounty Hunter\n \u2013 earn Bitcoin Cash (BCH) rather than Bitcoin (BTC)\n\n\nNote: This is \nbitcoin dot COM\n, not to be confused with \nbitcoin dot ORG\n. \n\n\n\n\n3.\n \n1729.com\n \n\u2013 a newsletter which lists \u2018bitcoin bounties for tasks & tutorials\u2019\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Play Games\n\n\nThis is a new one for me. Credit to Adam Mashrique for letting me know!\n\n\n\n\nAlso: monthly \n@MintGox\n e-sports events, games like \n@lightnitegame\n, CS:GO \nhttps://t.co/PrR4bFrbaR\n\u2014 Adam Mashrique (@sakak_musdom) \nSeptember 1, 2021\n\n\n\n\nFrom what I can see, companies like \nMintGox\n, \nThndr Games\n, \nSatoshi\u2019s Games\n and other independent indie game makers like  \nBattle Royale\n produced various types of play-to-earn bitcoin games, where you can literally get free bitcoin for playing games. \n\n\nDo you know other ways to get bitcoin for free?\n\n\nWhat other ways have you tried out to earn free bitcoin, aside from the methods listed here? \nPlease share your knowledge in the comments section!\n\n\nLastly, keep a record of your bitcoin wallets and accounts, no matter how small an amount you got. If you forgot about them, they will be lost forever, there is no central Jabatan Akauntan Negara equivalent for you to check unclaimed bitcoin. \n\n\nAll the best with your efforts stacking sats (slang for accumulating small amounts of bitcoin). Maybe one day you\u2019ll get this type of pleasant surprise as well. \n\n\n\n\nWhen you check back an old bitcoin wallet and discover the amount you 'abandoned' is now worth a notable amount..\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nFebruary 24, 2021\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/fcpo-trading-in-malaysia/", "title": "The Beginner\u2019s Guide to FCPO Trading in Malaysia [SPONSORED]\n  ", "body": "\n\nFact: Forex trading is haram.\u00a0\n\n\nOkay, *some* types of forex trading are allowed in a macroeconomic, business operations way. But the one you have in mind? The one where you, a solo trader, make a lot of money by \u2018working\u2019 a few hours a day \u2013 yeah that one is clear-cut haram.\u00a0\n\n\nBut! If you still want to trade for a living, there is a way to do it in a Syariah-compliant way. You can do FCPO trading.\u00a0\n\n\nBut wait, let\u2019s go back a bit. What is FCPO? And how do you trade FCPO?\n\n\nFCPO = Crude Palm Oil Futures = One type of Derivatives\n\n\nNote: I learned much of the information here from Bursa Academy\u2019s course, \nThe Fundamental & Technical Aspects of Derivatives Markets\n. Go take it, it\u2019s a great way to learn and amazingly, FREE! They even give you an e-certificate you can brag about \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nYayyy I have completed \n@BursaMalaysia\n 's The Fundamental & Technical Aspects of Derivatives Markets course \nOne step closer to trading FCPO? Maybe. Takpe belajar je dulu \ud83d\ude42\nYou can enroll (it's free)! \nhttps://t.co/BCX2tFW2nY\n \npic.twitter.com/41aOaXAiWp\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nApril 11, 2023\n\n\n\n\nFCPO stands for Crude Palm Oil Futures \u2013 one of the derivatives offered in Bursa Malaysia. A type of Futures contract, it is mainly used by (1) hedgers to offset risks, and (2) speculators (read as traders aka most of you reading this) \nto potentially profit from\n.\u00a0\n\n\nThe Many Types of Derivatives\n\n\nThere are many types of derivatives \u2013 some that you can dabble in with proper risk management, and others that you should probably\u2026 avoid. In short:\n\n\n\n\nFutures and Options Contracts\n \u2013 also known as Exchange-traded Derivatives (ETD) \u2013 go ahead. It\u2019s regulated, the market is liquid, and financial safeguards are in place. FCPO belong under this category\u00a0\n\n\nForwards, Swaps, Contracts for Difference (CFDs),\n etc \u2013 also known as Over-the-counter Derivatives (OTC) \u2013 try to avoid. They\u2019re less transparent and susceptible to counterparty default risk\n\n\n\n\nIf by this section of the article, you think to yourself, \nwhoa that\u2019s a lot of new terms, this is hard\n \u2013 it really isn\u2019t, you\u2019re just not familiar yet. \n\n\nIt is true that Futures and Options Contracts can be considered advanced-level financial knowledge for Malaysians, but it\u2019s nothing that you can\u2019t learn\n \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nDerivatives = Just a step above stocks\n\n\nIf you know about the stock market, then Derivatives are just one step above. It\u2019s the same buying and selling, but with an added element of \ntime\n: the value of a Futures and Options Contract is linked to the expected \nfuture\n price movement of an underlying asset.\n\n\nThe underlying asset could be:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nCommodities (like Crude Palm Oil)\n\n\nInterest rates\n\n\nIndices (like KLCI)\n\n\nStocks\n\n\n\n\nYou can trade all of the above in Bursa Malaysia, but I recommend starting with trading FCPO, simply because (1) FCPO is the most active derivative in Malaysia, therefore (2) there are more resources and communities to learn from!\n\n\nHow to Trade FCPO in Malaysia in 4 Steps (The Safe Way)\n\n\nHere\u2019s how to trade FCPO the safe way. There are only 4(+1) steps, starting with..\n\n\nStep 1: Be financially stable (Do not skip this step)\n\n\nThere is no sugarcoating it \u2013 trading is risky. Most people will take time \u2013 often years \u2013 before learning to profit \nconsistently\n.\u00a0\n\n\nTherefore, before you even consider trading, do make sure you are somewhat financially stable. It\u2019s a good idea to have 6-12 months of emergency savings AND clear off your high-interest debts (credit cards, personal loans etc) first.\u00a0\n\n\nThis also goes without saying but DO NOT borrow money to trade FCPO or any other asset class or instrument.\u00a0\n\n\nDone with this step? Go on to the next. Stuck at this step? Go to Optional Step: Join Futures Trading Apprenticeship Programme (FTAP) section below\n\n\nStep 2:\n \nOpen an account\u00a0\n\n\nTo trade FCPO in Malaysia, you must open an account with a regulated futures broker. The regulated part is non-negotiable \u2013 imagine depositing funds, making money then being unable to withdraw!\n\n\nIn Malaysia, many regulated brokers allow you to trade derivatives. You can start the account opening process through Bursa Malaysia, too \u2013 simply \nselect Derivatives\n, choose the broker(s) you prefer, drop your contact details and someone will contact you to assist with account opening.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nStep 3:\n \nLearn about Derivatives market, FCPO basics and trading strategies\n\n\nI have shared this earlier, but worth sharing again \u2013 I recommend starting with \nThe Fundamental & Technical Aspects of Derivatives Markets\n course. You will learn:\n\n\n\n\nWhat is going long/ going short\n\n\nContract specifications for FCPO (as well as other derivatives)\n\n\nWhat are margin calls, notional value, hedge ratio\n\n\nHow to calculate your FCPO profit (or loss)\n\n\nFactors that affect palm oil prices\n\n\nSpread trading opportunities\n\n\nAnd more\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAfter you\u2019ve done that, go ahead and browse \nother webinars offered in Bursa Academy website\n. Again, they are completely FREE. For starters, you may be interested in these:\n\n\n\n\nHow to Become a Consistent FCPO Trader\n\n\nHow to Manage Your Risk To Be Successful in FCPO Trading\n\n\n5 Techniques in Forecasting the FCPO Market\n\n\nEnhancing Your Portfolio Return Using FKLI & FCPO\n\n\nUnderstand The Different Types of Trading Styles in Futures\n\n\nTrading for A Living: 3 Categories of Professional Traders\n\n\n(there are more)\n\n\n\n\nThis may look like a lot of things to learn but you can go through them on a weekend. Each course/recorded webinar session takes just 1~ hour to complete, depending on your speed.\u00a0\n\n\nNow that you\u2019re ready, you can trade FCPO for real and (hopefully) profit from it! \n\n\nStep 4: Deposit your funds and start trading FCPO!\n\n\nLastly, simply follow the instructions given by the account of your choice to fund your account and you can start trading FCPO!\u00a0\n\n\nHow much $$$ do you need to trade FCPO? \n\n\nYou don\u2019t need a large capital \u2013 around RM10,000 is good enough to start. As Futures are leveraged financial instrument, you only need around 3-15% of notional value of the contract. With RM9000 in funds, you may get the exposure of RM90,000 worth of Crude Palm Oil Futures contracts.\u00a0\n\n\nLet me put that in another way \u2013 thanks to leverage, you can enhance your returns by 20x.\u00a0\n\n\nAdditionally, according to a practitioner, you can even \ntrade FCPO from as low as RM1500\n! (Note: this is a cost-effective trading strategy called spread trading).\u00a0\n\n\nOptional Step: Join the Futures Trading Apprenticeship Programme (FTAP)\n\n\nHow would you like to change careers and become a self-employed trader or join a proprietary trading firm? \n\n\nNo, seriously, this is your opportunity. You can apply to join \nFutures Trading Apprenticeship Programme\n (FTAP) organised by Bursa Malaysia Derivatives and supported by the Capital Market Development Fund (CMDF). In this programme, you don\u2019t just learn how to trade FCPO, but also how to trade options in Malaysia! \n\n\nHow it works is:\n\n\n\n\nYou submit an application for \nFutures Trading Apprenticeship Programme\n (before 6 October). You don\u2019t even need prior trading experience \u2013 just need to be passionate in the capital markets!  \n\n\nIf accepted, you\u2019ll first attend 2 days of Classroom Training on 4 & 5 November 2023 (Sat/Sun) \u2013 Learn theory\n\n\nThen, you\u2019ll go through 10 days of Bursa Trading Arcade on 6-17 November 2023 (Mon-Fri) \u2013 Practice trading all day long under the guidance of seasoned professional traders hand-picked by Bursa Malaysia!\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLimited to 30 pax, the 2-week immersive learning programme costs RM610 (subsidised fee). This is an \namazing \nprice \u2013 I\u2019ve been told a similar training programme would set you back RM20,000.\n\n\nFind out the application requirements, modules, trainers and other info in the \nFutures Trading Apprenticeship Programme\n website. Refer to the application steps below and remember to submit your application\u00a0\nlatest by 6 Oct 2023\n.\n\n\n\n\nOpinion: Learning derivatives is useful for traders and investors, but also for general knowledge\n\n\nTraders and investors should definitely learn about the benefits of exploring derivatives, especially if you\u2019re looking for:\n\n\n\n\nLeveraged trading \n\u2013 Get greater exposure to the underlying asset at a fraction of the total contract value\n\n\nAbility to short sell \n\u2013 When there is a bearish market outlook, a trader can sell a FCPO contract first to initiate a short position and buy back later at a lower price to close out the position. This allows traders the flexibility to benefit from both a bull and a bear market, depending on one\u2019s strategy\n\n\nTime-saving\n \u2013 FCPO (and derivatives) are less time consuming than screening individual stocks to invest in\n\n\nDiversification\n \u2013 Derivatives is alternative asset class to diversify your investment portfolio\n\n\n\n\nHowever, this is my opinion, but I would recommend learning for learning\u2019s sake even if you don\u2019t plan to trade FCPO or other derivatives.\u00a0\n\n\nHere are some things I have personally learned:\n\n\n\n\nYou\u2019ve driven past huge palm oil plantations; you know palm oil is a big part of the Malaysian economy. What do you think affects the price of palm oil? Learn FCPO and you\u2019ll find out\n\n\nIt\u2019s not only traders who buy and sell derivatives! You should learn about the hedgers \u2013 the people who buys/sells derivatives as part of a business risk management strategy\n\n\nFutures and derivatives gives you context to understand important world news. Remember during the pandemic when oil futures prices hit ZERO, because all flights and tourism are effectively dead?\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nIf any of you have used your knowledge of derivatives in real-life examples, I\u2019d love to hear it. Please share in the comments \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nObligatory disclaimer and Good luck in your FCPO trading journey\n\n\nIf you came into this article wanting to learn about trading FCPO, I hope you get more than that. At the very least, you should know that yes, trading derivatives is a legitimate way to make money, and trading FCPO is Syariah-compliant. \n\n\nHere are some disclaimers before you continue your FCPO trading journey:\n\n\nTrading is risky\n\n\nTrading comes with risks, and you should be equipped with knowledge to trade derivatives as safely as possible. Do not skip Step 0 \u2013 to be\n financially stable first.\n I have actually heard of people quitting their jobs to trade for a living using money they don\u2019t have, even taking out loans! This is a bad idea.\u00a0\n\n\nJoin communities, but careful of gurus/herd behaviour\n\n\nWhile joining derivatives trading communities is a good idea, you should know you \nshould not outsource your trading decisions\n \u2013 this is a quick way to lose money. Do learn how to identify overconfident self-appointed gurus, while resisting the temptation to blindly follow a buy/sell recommendation.\u00a0\n\n\nKeep learning and practicing\u00a0\n\n\nBeyond this article, you can find resources to learn and improve your trading skills in Bursa Academy and information-sharing sessions organised by regulated futures brokers.\u00a0\n\n\nAs a last note, if you\u2019re keen on trading derivatives and options as a career, then do apply for Bursa Malaysia \nFutures Trading Apprenticeship Programme\n before 6 October 2023. With trading skills you learned in the programme, you can make back the programme fee of RM610 as soon as a few days. All the best in your application!\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/freelance-writer-in-malaysia/", "title": "Are You A Freelance Writer in Malaysia? Here\u2019s The Business Side of It\n  ", "body": "\n\nBeing a freelance writer in Malaysia was not something I planned. Yet, somehow, here I am, making ends meet with nothing more than my laptop, internet access, and some brainpower.\n\n\nThis isn\u2019t an article about how to write well (refer to \nThe Beginner\u2019s Guide to Writing Good Articles (for Power, Profit and Pleasure)\n for that), but I do want to talk about the business side of it: the income and expenses side, the business setup and accounting and all that. After searching online, I realised there aren\u2019t many resources for Malaysian freelance writers. \n\n\nSo I made one. If you are a freelance writer in Malaysia, either doing it as full-time work or as a \nside income\n, here are some finance-related information about incomes and expenses that you should know about. I\u2019ve divided the article into 5 sections:\n\n\nPart 1: How much can you make as a freelance writer in Malaysia (including how to set your rates)\nPart 2: Where to find clients\nPart 3: What you need to start working as a freelance writer \nPart 4: Business setup and accounting, and\nPart 5: How my freelance writing journey looked like \n\n\nLet\u2019s start.  \n\n\n\n\nPart 1: How much can you make as a freelance writer in Malaysia?\n\n\nHonestly, your income will be somewhat tied to how financially strapped you are when you first start out. If you are in need of fast cash, you will tend to accept lower-paying jobs. I\u2019ve seen content mills paying as low as $1 per article!\n\n\nIf you can afford to wait it out while you look and apply for other jobs, chances are you\u2019ll come across better-paying clients.\n\n\nHow much do Malaysian freelance writers charge for an article?\n\n\nI\u00a0asked around in the Malaysian Writers Facebook page to get an idea of typical payment.\u00a0They said that they earn:\n\n\nPerson A \u2013 RM250-RM850 per article (between 600-1700 words)\nPerson B \u2013 USD5 per 400 words via Fiverr\nPerson C \u2013 RM50 upwards\nPerson D \u2013 RM1000 per magazine article\nPerson E \u2013 RM1 per word for magazine article (looking for 2000 words)\n\n\nAs you can see, the range is quite wide. This is why I said your income is somewhat tied to your financial situation. As you get more established, you might increase your rates.\n\n\nThe good thing about freelance writing as a career is that you\u2019re not limited to Malaysian employers. I\u2019ve completed jobs just via emails before \u2013 the clients didn\u2019t care about my nationality or timezone, just my ability to complete the work well and on time. I get paid in USD, too. \n\n\nHow much should YOU charge?\n\n\nI wrote an entire article about this: check out the\n 5 Methods to Figure Out How Much to Charge Clients\n article\n\n\nPart 2: Where freelance writer in Malaysia can find paying clients\n\n\nYou can find jobs from these three places\n\n\n#1 \u2013 \nFreelancing platforms\n\n\nPersonally, I started with Upwork (other similar websites: \nFreelancer,\n\u00a0\nFiverr\n\u00a0(note: referral link). These websites connect freelancers with potential clients. \n\n\nNote: It\u2019s very easy to get discouraged by the competition \u2013 an article-writing job might attract \nhundreds\n of USD1 bids from freelancers (many from India, Philippines). Apply with your usual rates anyway, and make sure you focus on the quality of work you can deliver. One writer earns USD100+ per hour from Upwork \u2013 find her tips \nhere\n.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 \nWriting job boards\n\n\nThey\u2019re easy enough to google, so go ahead and find one (\nlike the freelance writer resources in this page\n). Companies pay a fee to post an advert, give details about the work, and invite writers to apply. Send them an email containing an introduction about yourself, samples of your work, and how you can help them. \n\n\nFor the love of God DO NOT send them emails like \u2018Hi I\u2019m interested in this job\u2019 with no examples or introduction \u2013 that\u2019s amateurish and will probably get you zero replies!\n\n\n#3 \u2013 \nNetworking and Outreach\n\n\nThis is how I get most of my clients. Some of them found me on this website, some found me on chatting groups, some by word of mouth. Network around and keep telling people you do freelance writing. A pleasant personality helps. You don\u2019t have to be an extroverted social butterfly \u2013 networking online counts, too.\n\n\nFor more\u00a0tips and tricks, read\u00a0\nMake A Living Writing\n. It\u2019s a great resource for everything related to making money as a freelance writer. Read also my guide \u2013\u00a0\nHow to Get Clients: A Guide for Malaysian Freelancers\n.\n\n\nNote\n: Some clients may bully you into late, or even no payment. Here are my tips to \nget great clients who pay & treat me well\n\n\nPart 3: What do freelance writers need to start?\n\n\nYou can be a freelance writer in Malaysia with just the basics (see basic expenses below), although it\u2019s recommended to invest a bit more in professionalism (see professional expenses below). In addition, you need to know the business and accounting side of it, because you ARE running a business. \n\n\nBasic expenses\n\n\nLaptop + internet access\nPhone + phone plan\nA comfortable space where you can write without interruptions\nNotebook and stationery\nDining, transportation and meeting cost for face-to-face interviews or events\n\n\nProfessional expenses\n\n\nWebsite hosting for your online writer portfolio\nWebsite template + extra paid plugins\nProofreading software\nWriting and\u00a0SEO tools\nAccess to further literature\nOnline graphic design services\nStock photography (if you can\u2019t find royalty-free ones)\nRegistered company\nAdvertising/Marketing\nPaid help, if any\n\n\nPart 4: Business setup, accounting and freelance invoice template\n\n\nSetting up a company\n\n\nAfter you\u2019ve done 3 or so jobs and decided to continue freelance writing work, I highly recommend you to set up a company. You can register as\u00a0\nsole proprietorship\n\u00a0(RM60 registration cost \u2013 easiest to start with this) or\u00a0\nLimited Liability Partnership\n (RM500+ registration cost).\u00a0\n\n\nAside from looking professional to potential clients and increasing the likelihood of them hiring you, the great thing about setting up a company is you can claim some expenses as business expenses, thus reducing your payable tax amount.\n\n\nSome of the things you can claim are:\n\n\nOffice expense (hardware, software, furniture, ect for work)\nTelecommunications for work purposes\nToll/parking/petrol for work purposes\nVehicle maintenance\nGifts to clients, meals & entertainment for clients (max 50%, apparently)\nUtilities (also max 50%, as far as I know)\n\n\nThis page\n has a list of other things you may be able to claim as business expenses, as a freelance writer in Malaysia. \n\n\nDISCLAIMER: I am not a tax agent. I have engaged the services of an accountant and gotten advice from tax professionals, but this is based on my specific situation which may be different to yours. Please engage the services of an accountant in your own tax payment.\n\n\nHaving a registered business is also quite handy for receiving government grants and help, where available. As of time of writing, I received ~RM6500 from \nGeran Khas Prihatin\n, the government cash assistance for small businesses in Malaysia (applications are currently closed but follow my social media for updates). \n\n\nAccounting and invoice template\n\n\nFor simple, uncomplicated businesses, I recommend \nBlogJunkie\u2019s Simple Accounting System for Freelancing Business\n guide, which includes freelance invoice templates and bookkeeping tips.\n\n\nPart 5: How did I personally start freelance writing in Malaysia?\n\n\nI\u2019m not saying this is the correct way, and it\u2019s probably not the most efficient way either, but this was how I established myself as a freelance writer, during the beginning and getting-the-hang-of-it stages:\n\n\nBeginning stage\n\n\nI joined freelancing platforms.\n Was on Upwork for a few months. Cashed out ~USD500 for various work.\n\n\nAt the same time, I submitted articles to websites (non-paid)\n. Submitted to Vulcan Post and The Financial Diet. I just wanted some work published online on high-authority sites, so I can use them as work samples \u2013 potential clients tend to be impressed with this.\n\n\nCreated Ringgit Oh Ringgit.\n\u00a0I didn\u2019t expect RoR to help my freelance writing career, but it did. If you have time (and money) to spare, I suggest you make a website to attract clients (instead of you chasing them). For info, see my\u00a0\nThe Exact Steps I Use to Earn Money from Blogging\n guide.\n\n\nApplied for as many writing jobs as I can\n from the freelancing platforms and job boards I mentioned. I learn how to sell myself better from this step.\n\n\nAccepted full-time remote work which allows for extra time to freelance.\n\u00a0I like stability, so I like having a steady income stream. It helps to counter the\u00a0times of the year when work is scarce.\n\n\nIf I were to do it again, I would take the \nHow to Become a Freelance Writer (in 60 Days) course\n\u00a0by Aisha of\u00a0\nOutandBeyond.com\n; $45 (~RM200). The course includes:\n\n\n110+ page ebook\nPitching templates (I spent years learning this)\nSEO training (this is the moneymaker guys. Everyone can write but not everyone can optimise for search engine)\nwriting opportunities,\nand more\n\n\n\n\nGetting-the-hang-of-it stage\n\n\nNetwork like heck. \nNetworking is just being consistent at telling everyone you meet that you do freelance writing (but obviously don\u2019t be spammy). \n\n\nOptimise everything that can be optimised\n. \u00a0I created and automated social media (I have a \nFacebook page\n and \nTwitter\n), made tweaks to increase user experience on RoR website, and created blog posts that help me reach more audiences. In addition, I paid for advertising, virtual assistance and a better website theme, among others.\n\n\nIncrease rates regularly.\n At one point, I had way too much work and did not manage to deliver the same quality. Instead of getting less work (and earning less), I simply raised my rates. \n\n\nThis is good for 3 reasons: \n\n\n(1) it helps you to keep a reasonable workload without overworking yourself (burnout is a thing),\n(2) you can pass on some work to other writers, which helps them make money too, and \n(3) higher rates imply higher quality\n\n\nPicking a niche (specialisation).\n In my experience, most people start off being a freelance writer, then later \u2018niche down\u2019 and select a specialisation. For example, you could call yourself: \n\n\nFreelance translator\nFreelance editor\nFreelance copywriter for websites \nFreelance proofreader\nFreelance resume-writer\nFreelance academic writer\nFreelance article writer\nFreelance social media copywriter\nFreelance script writer\nFreelance grant writer \nFreelance ghostwriter\nFreelance ebook writer\nFreelance whitepaper writer\nAnd more\n\n\nA great way to command high rates is to niche down further and specialise in specific industries, like beauty, health, legal and so on. For example,\n\n\nEnglish-Spanish translator specialising in medical industry\nGrant writers specialising in government proposals\nSpeech writers for politicians\nWhitepaper writer specialising in crypto and blockchain industry\nYou get the gist \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nThe interesting thing is you can also transition into selling your own services. Personally, I niched down to personal finance, and later worked on my personal branding and focused on publishing content on this website ringgitohringgit.com. \n\n\nAgain, I\u2019m not saying you should follow or expect these steps. These were just my personal experience when I first started out. Be efficient; learn from my mistakes \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nShoutout to \nZoe\n\u00a0(professional article writer) and \nJasveena\n\u00a0(professional academic editor), two Malaysian freelance writers for providing helpful\u00a0information on this page! Click their links to engage their services.\n\n\nAre there any more useful information about being a freelance writer in Malaysia that we should know about? Comment, FB, or tweet me at @surayaror!\n\n\nAs always, please share if you find this useful!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/freelancing-in-malaysia/", "title": "Freelancing in Malaysia: 5 Methods to Figure Out Your Rates\n  ", "body": "\n\nAre you doing freelancing work in Malaysia? One of the questions I regularly get from friends and readers who do freelance work is, \u201cSuraya, \na client wants to hire me\n. \nHow much should I charge them?\n\u201c\n\n\nLet me share what I know. Here are five methods you can use to figure out your rates. This guide is better suited for people who sell services like writing, designing, consulting, etc, not products.\n\n\nMethod #1 \u2013 Get the client to make an offer\n\n\nThis is a favourite method of mine \u2013 I use it whenever I can, especially if the request is slightly different from usual and I have no idea what\u2019s considered a \u2018fair\u2019 compensation for it. Your conversation might go something like this:\n\n\nClient\n: Hi, how much do you charge for X?\nYou\n: Thank you for your interest! X will take me x days/weeks/months to complete and involves (brief steps). My rates are flexible and I am happy to receive an offer on your end.\nClient\n: Great! We typically pay [amount]\n\n\nFour things can happen here: \n\n\n(1) the client gives you a better-than-expected rate (I\u2019ve had this happen a few times)\n(2) the client gives you an okay rate (good)\n(3) the client gives you a low rate (not good obv)\n(4) the client insists on getting your rates (see other methods).\n\n\nWhat you can reply back:\n\n\nBetter-than expected rate\n: Great, that is more or less my usual rate \ud83d\ude42\nOkay rate\n:\u00a0Great, I accept the offer\nLow rate\n: I\u2019m sorry, but that is below my usual rate. My usual rate is [higher-than-usual amount]. Can we meet in the middle and settle on [a lower amount that is worth your time]?\n\n\nMy assumption is you\u2019re not desperate for the work. If you are, and you will work for the lower rate just to make ends meet for now, go ahead and accept the offer. I respect your hustle.\n\n\nMethod #2 \u2013 Ask fellow freelancers in the same or similar fields\n\n\nIf the client insists on getting your rates and won\u2019t make an offer, then what you can do is ask your peers. I offer writing services, so my information is biased for this field, but I\u2019ve seen people in writing-related FB groups ask how much to charge:\n\n\nPer word, page or project\nFor editing, proofreading, translating, speech-writing etc\nFor website, brochures, newsletters, articles, reports etc\nAcross different industries and niches\nAnd more\n\n\nSo you can see how varied the rates can be \u2013 no wonder setting them is a hard process for new freelancers! If you\u2019re lucky enough to get replies from your contacts, you can use the rates as a benchmark. Eventually, you\u2019ll want to set your own rates (we\u2019ll get to that in Method #4).\n\n\nIt\u2019s a good idea to start joining groups related to your field now, even if you\u2019re just starting out. Share information and be helpful when you can. Start cultivating those relationships early. Freelancing tends to be a solo activity, but it doesn\u2019t have to be.\n\n\nMethod #3 \u2013 Find out the market rate\n\n\nI personally don\u2019t like this method but sometimes you have to research (read: Google) the market rate because your fellow freelancers won\u2019t tell you their rates and you\u2019re in a rush and need to answer your client soon.\n\n\n\u2018Market rate\u2019 ranges so much between platforms, specialisations and many other factors that it\u2019s hard to pick which rates are the \u2018right\u2019 one when you Google them online.\n\n\nYou may also see lots of people charging extremely low prices, which might demotivate you. When I first started, I thought I was overcharging at $20 per article after seeing many writers on the same freelancing platform charging just $1 for each article!\n\n\nNote: worth mentioning \u2013 some clients picked me anyway despite technically costing 20x more. You won\u2019t get good articles for that low a price, I assure you.\n\n\nHaving personally used this method, I don\u2019t recommend it at all. Maybe this method will work better for other industries outside of writing services? I don\u2019t know tbh, comment if the industry you\u2019re in follows standard rates.\n\n\nMethod #4 \u2013 Calculate your own rates\n\n\nSome people would advise this method first, before everything else presented in this list. Sure, if it works for you. It\u2019s just incredibly hard. I\u2019ve been self-employed for a few years now and STILL sometimes have no idea what is my own rate.\n\n\nMethod #4 forces you to think of how much you value your time, and heck that\u2019s a hard process for the soul.\n\n\nI remember Tina Isaac\u2019s advice here (she\u2019s one of the core members of \nMalaysian Writers Society\n). In a workshop I attended, she said this regarding rates-setting:\n\n\nWork backwards. How much do you want to earn from freelancing per month? How many hours can you dedicate to it?\nSay you want to earn RM4000, and you work 40 hours per week, that means your hourly rate is RM25 (RM4000 divide by 160 hours). If the project takes about 10 hours to complete, then charge RM25 x 10 = RM250.\n\n\nThat sounds simple right? Straightforward. However, from my own research, I\u2019ve seen both advocates and haters of this particular method. It\u2019s fair to highlight haters\u2019 arguments too:\n\n\nYou\u2019re \nlimiting\n your earning potential because you\u2019re already capping your income\nYou\u2019re not paid for \nadmin work\n essential in running your business \u2013 getting leads, answering emails, etc\n\n\nValid points too. Well let\u2019s not choose sides. If you lean towards this method, you can give yourself a high monthly income and include admin hours when billing clients.\n\n\nMethod #5 \u2013 Just pull a number out of your ass\n\n\nI\u2019ve used this method, and, uh, I have to say, it\u2019s strangely effective, if somewhat risky. Let me explain.\n\n\nClient\n: Hi, what is your rate for X?\nYou\n: Thank you for your interest! X will take me x days/weeks/months to complete and involves (brief steps). The total cost of the project is [amount that is favourable for me].\n\n\nFrom here on, there are three possible outcomes: client agrees, client negotiates, or client ghosts you.\n\n\nClient agrees\n: Great! Now you know you can charge this rate and get away with it. Next time you can use this as the benchmark, or maybe even quote a higher amount.\nClient negotiates\n: Good, at least you know this type of work with this specific client cannot fetch this rate. Depending on the counter-offer process and the final rate the client is willing to pay, I may or may not proceed with the job\nClient ghosts you\n: If you want the job, follow up in a couple of days. Sometimes they really did miss your email.\n\n\nThis method works best if you can show the client how solution-oriented you are. \nHere you\u2019re selling efficiency and quality, not just your time.\n It\u2019s a good idea to send a combination of your work samples, testimonials and qualifications to back up your claims. \n\u201cHere\u2019s how I solved a similar problem in the past\u201d works way better than \u201cI can do x\u201d\n.\n\n\nConclusion & Other Freelancing in Malaysia Tips\n\n\nThere you go. Five methods you can use to figure out how much to charge your clients when they are interested in working with you. \n\n\nCombine this with other freelancing in Malaysia tips \u2013 go ahead and read my article on getting \nclients who both pay and treat you well\n \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nEstablished freelancers, which of these methods works best for you? Or do you use another way? Share in the comments section!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/geran-khas-prihatin/", "title": "[ENDS 31 July 2021] How to Apply for Geran Khas Prihatin 2021 for Small Biz (+ What I Spent It On)\n  ", "body": "\n\nGeran Khas Prihatin or GKP is a type of cash payment and financial help given by the government to \neligible micro SMEs\n, as a way to alleviate financial hardship and stimulate the economy.\n\n\nAs of time of writing, Geran Khas Prihatin has been conducted four times:\n\n\nGeran Khas Prihatin 1.0 (May 2020) \u2013 ENDED \u2013 This was the one I successfully applied for\nGeran Khas Prihatin 2.0 (October 2020) \u2013 ENDED\nGeran Khas Prihatin 3.0 (April 2021) \u2013 ENDED\nGeran Khas Prihatin 4.0 (July 2021) \u2013 ENDED \u2013 submit your application at \ngkp.hasil.gov.my\u00a0\nbefore 31 July 2021.\n\n\nGeran Khas Prihatin 2021 Eligibility\n\n\n*Note: May vary; please check full T&C in \ngkp.hasil.gov.my\n\u00a0\n\n\nNot be a previous recipient of Geran Khas Prihatin\nBe Malaysian\nRun a micro SME with (1) annual sales less than RM300,000, and (2) full-time employees not exceeding 4 people, not including owner (no employees/solopreneur also can)\nBe registered with LHDN before or by 30 June 2021\nStill active in running the business at time of application. \n\n\nNote: Sometimes the website hangs due to too many people. Try again another time. It\u2019s worth it. \n\n\nReceiving Geran Khas Prihatin Money\n\n\nUpon successful application, all you have to do is wait for the Geran Khas Prihatin money to be deposited in your bank account. \n\n\nI am one of the people who applied, and successfully received the Geran Khas Prihatin money the first time around. I applied in May 2020, was told my application was successful on June 3rd 2020,\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAnd got the money on June 16th 2020. Quite fast.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nI thought it was a one-off assistance, but in addition to the RM3000, I\u2019ve also received:\n\n\nRM1000 in March 2021 \nRM1000 in June 2021, and\nRM500 in July 2021\nRM500 in September 2021\nRM500 in November 2021\n\n\nMaking the total amount received so far under GKP: RM5,500. \n\n\nWhat can you use the Geran Khas Prihatin money for?\n\n\nAs far as I\u2019m aware of, you can use Geran Khas Prihatin money for anything \u2013 there is no requirement to report on usage. You can use it to:\n\n\nBuy stock\nMarketing and sales\nHire freelancers\nPay rental\nBasically anything\n\n\nThis is a really interesting situation to be in. Ringgit Oh Ringgit is a blog business, ie communications slash media-related business, and having RM3000 that I can funnel into anything I want is a huge opportunity. This is the time to test out different marketing and sales strategies, the ones I\u2019ve been too cheap to spend money on.\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I spent my Geran Khas Prihatin money on:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Promotions by Content creators\n\n\nOf course my priority is to grow RinggitOhRinggit.com as well as \nMoney Stories from Malaysians\n book sales. Being a content creator myself, I prefer to redistribute this money to fellow Malaysian content creators in exchange for promotional work, instead of just spending it all on Facebook ads and the like.\n\n\nI\u2019m doing this via a few ways:\n\n\nPaid RT service \u2013 Twitter-specific; you can hire popular accounts to RT your products and services, so it reaches more audience\nTweet service \u2013 Twitter-specific; same like paid RT except they write the caption for you\nWorking with Illustrators \u2013 In progress; I know design isn\u2019t my strong suit and I want more visuals here in RoR\nWorking with bloggers \u2013 In progress; I just need to figure out for what purpose\n\n\nDo this type of promotion work? This experiment is still in progress \u2013 another content for another day.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Replace subscriptions with LTDs\n\n\nAnother thing that is practical to buy is digital marketing-related software. In the last few months, I have successfully replaced two recurring monthly subscription services with LTDs, or lifetime deals. I replaced:\n\n\nGrammarly (proofreading platform; $139.95 per annum) with Linguix ($50 one-time upfront payment)\nMailchimp (email marketing platform; $29 per month) with Sendfox ($50 one-time upfront payment)\n\n\nBoth products are from AppSumo, the software deal site for entrepreneurs which I\u2019m a huge fan of. If you\u2019re a small business, something there is bound to help your business grow. They also have a ton of good and free resources.\n\n\nGo to AppSumo > Register with \nmy link\n (you get $10 to use towards any product, I get $10 too)\n\n\nProtip: for USD/non-MYR payments, use BigPay card. Better exchange rate than your bank, save some money. Click here to find \nBigPay referral link\n \u2013 you get RM10, I get RM10\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Paid for accounting software\n\n\nEven though I stopped a couple of subscriptions, I did add one: an accounting software. I\u2019ve been meaning to do it for a while actually and now the timing is perfect. Shoutout to \nFinancio\n \u2013 thank you for letting me use the invoice service all these years <3\n\n\nMy fav cloud accounting software \u2013 which I\u2019m using for only generating invoices but anyway \u2013 is stopping it\u2019s free plan sobs. Been using since 2016\nAh fine, this subscription is worth it. Malaysian startup too, I support. New annual biz expense +RM329.50\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nSeptember 8, 2020\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Learning materials\n\n\nCourses, workshops, books and other learning materials are ongoing purchases for me, GKP or no GKP, but this a good opportunity to share about \nRuang Cikgu\n, a local online learning platform in Malay language. It has one of the sickest website UI/UX I\u2019ve ever experienced. Seriously blown away, so clean and fresh!\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOther courses available in Ruang Cikgu includes:\n\n\nDigital marketing\nWedding-related services (flower arrangement, hantaran etc)\nBeauty-related services (makeup etc)\nBakery business\nFashion business\n\n\nCheck Ruang Cikgu\u2019s \nJomBiz\n out \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Renew Ringgitohringgit.com hosting\n\n\nI use \nSiteGround\n to host Ringgit Oh Ringgit website. Been using them for 3 years and love the service.\n\n\nMy hosting is due to expire in November 2020, and I found out that they increased their price by a lot! (I\u2019m on the GrowBig plan btw)\n\n\nIn mid-2020 \n@SiteGround\n raised the prices of their shared hosting plans. Originally starting at $3.95/mo on their StartUp plan, now they are charging $6.99/mo after the increase \u2013 that\u2019s a 75% price hike! \n#siteground\n \n#webhosting\n \npic.twitter.com/ctxVyQzfZM\n\u2014 HostScore (@host_score) \nJuly 30, 2020\n\n\n\n\nI have two options: Remain with \nSiteGround\n and just pay the increased price (after crying), or switch providers. I was eyeing \nExabytes\n since they have good reputation, and plus Malaysian company some more.\n\n\nSo I was going back and forth about this and couldn\u2019t make up my mind\u2026 until \nSiteGround\n reached out and offered me 20% discount as an incentive to stay (they saw my tweet about it and DMed me \u2013 I didn\u2019t even tag them.)\n\n\nSo I guess I\u2019m staying. I paid $503 (RM2.1k) for 3 years instead of $630 \u2013 that\u2019s over RM500 in savings, but that is still double the amount I paid previously, before the price hike and without new user deal. Need to thank my lucky stars because Geran Khas Prihatin can nicely absorb this increased operational price of maintaining a website.\n\n\n(Note: I won\u2019t even consider other hosting providers except for these two, they\u2019re both vouched by the Wordpress community and I care about quality of service and reputation. If you want to try out blogging for realsies and giving yourself one year, \nSiteGround\n will cost you ~$84 or RM350 and \nExabytes\n will cost you RM192 OR RM336 if you take the PRO add-on.)\n\n\n(Lifehack: remember to register your blogging/content creation side hustle with SSM, then you\u2019re eligible for Geran Khas Prihatin and the like in the future. Also you can write off some expenses as business expense, make this hobby pay for itself) (Business people already know this lifehack. You think they don\u2019t use things like company car for personal use? Pfft.)\n\n\nRelated: \nall my blogging-related articles\n\n\nWhat will you use your Geran Khas Prihatin money on?\n\n\nI guess credit where credit is due. Thank you gomen for the financial assistance. I channelled the money for Malaysian businesses where I could, and the rest for practical and operational costs.\n\n\nAny of you got the Geran Khas Prihatin money as well? What did you use the money for? Let me know in the comments section!\n\n\nFor those who are eligible but haven\u2019t applied, go do it, don\u2019t miss out on this one as well \u2013 submit your application at \ngkp.hasil.gov.my\n \nbefore 31 July 2021.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/guide-passive-income-in-malaysia/", "title": "7 Best Passive Income in Malaysia+How to Do Them\n  ", "body": "\n\nThere are many ways to earn passive income in Malaysia. This guide will help you to navigate most, if not all available options and help you decide which ones to consider doing, based on your interest and/or skillset. \n\n\nAt the end of this article, I\u2019ll also share the passive incomes that I personally have.\n\n\n\n\nHow to earn Passive Income in Malaysia \u2013 7 types to explore\n\n\nTo the best of my ability, I have researched all the possible ways to earn passive income in Malaysia. I categorised them into 7 types:\n\n\n\n\nProperty\n\n\nRental\n\n\nIntellectual Property\n\n\nLower risk investments\n\n\nHigher risk investments\n\n\nKeep valuable items\n\n\nReferral\n\n\n\n\nEach of them will be expanded in their respective sections below. But first, \n\n\nPassive income vs active income: how is it different?\n\n\nFirstly let\u2019s make the distinction between passive and active income:\n\n\n\n\nActive income\n is income derived from constant effort, on an ongoing basis. Your day job is an example of this. My writing business is an example of this.\n\n\nPassive income\n, on the other hand, requires one-time massive work and/or capital, then will generate income \u2018as you sleep\u2019. It requires inactive participation \u2013 perfect for \nlazy\n smart people.\n\n\n\n\nNote: \nNo passive income in Malaysia is totally passive\n. There is upfront effort/cost to start it, and there might be some ongoing work to maintain it, but after that, for the most part you can leave them to do their thing. Which is cool, because then you get to do the funner things in life.\n\n\nIt is important to have a few steady sources of passive income\n. When you can\u2019t work \u2013 by choice or by force \u2013 this will be the money to keep you going. For example, RM2.4 million will generate you RM10k monthly income for life (Related: \nHow to Get RM10000 per Month in Passive Income.\n)\n\n\nThey say that \ntrue financial freedom\n comes when you can quit your active income and rely on your passive income. I think that\u2019s true!\n\n\nWith that clarified, let\u2019s get into the first type of passive income, \n\n\nPassive Income Malaysia #1 \u2013 Property\n\n\nWhat this entails: \nBuy and rent out property spaces to tenants. \n\n\nTo make this profitable, the amount of rent must exceed the amount of monthly/yearly payments you make (not just mortgage, but also insurance, taxes, etc).\n\n\nThe (oversimplified) steps if you want to do this type of passive income:\n\n\n\n\nResearch locations and demand\n\n\nBuy/lease the property\n\n\nRenovate it (optional, but common in order to attract tenants and get good price)\n\n\nHire property agent to handle rental inquiries and draw contracts\n\n\nHire property manager to look after the property (optional, but not uncommon. Who wants to deal with leaked toilets?)\n\n\nReceive rental checks monthly or according to agreed schedule\n\n\n\n\nPro\n: If you get tenants for the whole duration of the mortgage, you are essentially getting the property for free by the end of the term.\n\n\nCon\n: Tenant woes; high start-up cost\n\n\nAlternative\n: \nREITs (Real Estate Investment Trust)\n. Similar to above, but the property management team will do the work for you. However, you \ndon\u2019t\n own the property. \n\n\nPassive Income Malaysia #2 \u2013 Rental\n\n\nWhat this entails: \nSimilar to Property, but expanded to other types of assets. For example, car, vending machine, gaming systems, rarely-use products like power washer etc\n\n\nThe (oversimplified) steps if you want to do this type of passive income:\n\n\n\n\nResearch what\u2019s in demand (commonly overlooked)\n\n\nAcquire items to rent out\n\n\nFigure out rental mechanism so you can receive money while not losing the item\n\n\nRent out, receive payment, repeat with more customers\n\n\n\n\nPro\n: Can get pretty good income \n\n\nCon\n: If item is damaged, that\u2019s your loss (unless you can somehow get insurance); may require a lof of work (unless if you hire staff)\n\n\nPassive Income Malaysia #3 \u2013 Intellectual Property\n\n\n \nWhat this entails: \n Create/make software, apps, websites, books, songs, graphics, photographs and sell them on online platforms (either directly or via advertising revenue). \n\n\nTo make this profitable, networking/marketing/advertising efforts must be ongoing so you can expose the product to new audiences. To make it \u2018passive\u2019, you can outsource and/or automate this.\n\n\nThe (oversimplified) steps if you want to do this type of passive income:\n\n\n\n\nResearch what\u2019s in demand (commonly overlooked)\n\n\nMake said intellectual property and trademark it/proof ownership (stealing happens)\n\n\nPackage it to the right target audience\n\n\nChoose selling platforms\n\n\nMarket/advertise the heck out to the target audiences\n\n\nReceive royalties when people buy/use it\n\n\n\n\nPro\n: Lower start-up cost; infinite income potential\n\n\nCon\n: Most IP don\u2019t make much money due to too much competition; piracy; lack of marketing/advertising\n\n\nPassive Income Malaysia #4 \u2013 Lower Risk Investments\n\n\nI\u2019m grouping a few types of investments here because they\u2019re similar: Mutual funds (ASB, ASW, etc), fixed deposit, unit trust, stocks/shares from blue-chip companies that give dividends (big, stable companies that everyone has heard of), ETFs (Exchange-Traded Funds) and REITs.\n\n\nThe (oversimplified) steps if you want to do this type of passive income:\n\n\n\n\nChoose the right vehicles for you \u2013 probably the hardest part. Bumi people have it good with ASB, but the rest of y\u2019all have to research a bit more on brokerage fees that\u2019ll eat into your income\n\n\nContribute monthly/yearly (you can automate this)\n\n\nReceive dividends*, usually yearly (*sometimes you don\u2019t get this if the\u00a0company is not profitable that year, or if they made a loss)\n\n\n\n\nPro\n: Easiest type of passive income to get into; great for long-term investors as you can just forget about it\n\n\nCon\n: Not much control; have to learn withdrawal strategies so you don\u2019t withdraw too much\n\n\nPassive Income Malaysia #5 \u2013 Higher-risk Investments \n\n\nTricky category because higher-risk investments that are NOT scams are pretty diverse. For example, you can invest via\u00a0P2P (peer-to-peer) lending platforms, ECF (equity crowdfunding) platforms, \ncryptocurrencies\n, do investment in durian plantation etc. (Note: Are there more? Add in comments!)\n\n\nThe (oversimplified) steps if you want to do this type of passive income:\n\n\n\n\nPick a legit platform. There are many illegal platforms for these types of investment. This is the\n list of unauthorised investment platforms\n\u00a0in Malaysia, as per Securities Commission. If the one you picked is in here, take your money out ASAP and report their ass.\n\n\nResearch market condition. Everyone wants your money to make money, but will they, realistically speaking? Access to industry-specific insight is a must.\n\n\nGive money to them. There may be maximum limit that you can invest, so check with the platform.\n\n\nWait for them to start making profit so you can cash out.\n\n\n\n\nPro:\n\u00a0If you\u2019re lucky, the profit will be really good. It\u2019s possible to get back 100% return on investment, or more.\n\n\nCon:\n\u00a0\nYou must be OK with the possibility of not getting most or all of your money back\n.\u00a0Your higher-risk investments could generate high returns\u2026or it could reduce -80%. It\u2019s not uncommon to lose all initial investments too (ie losing crypto due to scams, mistakes). \n\n\nFor this reason, higher-risk investments may not be suitable passive income strategy for retirees and people not comfortable with high risk\n\n\nPassive Income Malaysia #6 \u2013 Keep valuable items\n\n\nWhat this entails: \n Some items make great passive income as their value grows. However, there are no guarantee that the worth will remain the same after some time. For example, \ntulip bulbs\n and \nBeanie Babies\n used to be sold/traded for high profits, but not any more.\n\n\nThat said, a few things stood the test of time, but they\u2019re still not guaranteed. For example gold, antiques and rare collectibles. I\u2019d even put properties and currencies in this list. Basically, things that have value, according to society at large. Some may overlap with #4.\n\n\nThe (oversimplified) steps if you want to do this type of passive income:\n\n\n\n\nMake research on supply and demand, know everything about it and the market price (be expert-level, preferably)\n\n\nPurchase said items\n\n\nKeep said items safely and in good condition\n\n\nSell when the timing is right to the right buyer (to be fair, it\u2019s incredibly, incredibly hard to get the timing and buyer right)\n\n\n\n\nPro:\n Suitable for already-hobbyists and experts in the field\n\n\nCon:\n Kind of risky, you won\u2019t know if you\u2019ll make a profit until you sell it\n\n\nPassive Income Malaysia #7 \u2013 Referral\n\n\nI don\u2019t like these at all, but most of you would have been exposed to some of these by now. Some are legit, but others are in the category of investment scams (read \nhow to avoid them here\n). They usually make money for the top few people in the pyramid, but the rest will lose money.\n\n\nThe (oversimplified) steps if you want to do this type of passive income:\n\n\n\n\nChoose a platform to be part of their network, pay their fees\n\n\nPromote to friends, families, colleagues and acquaintances (I\u2019d argue that this makes it borderline active income, but anyway)\n\n\nAs your network below you grows, and your referrals get their own referrals, you get income from \ntheir fees\n\n\nCollect income\n\n\n\n\nPro:\n Technically unlimited income potential\n\n\nCon:\n You\u2019ll become \u2018that\u2019 person; if you promote HYIPs (high yield investment programmes) / Ponzi schemes, there\u2019s a chance you\u2019ll get harassed by people wanting their investment back.\n\n\nMy passive income streams\n\n\nI love the word \u2018streams\u2019, it\u2019s pretty refreshing to have nature references in investment. I have the image of pretty small river trails that leads to the ocean (aka my bank account) \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nHere are my passive income streams:\n\n\nRental\n:\n\n\n\n\nAs of 2020 I\u2019m doing \nvending machine business\n that give rental income\n\n\n\n\nLower-risk investment:\n\n\n\n\nASB (\nI do ASB financing\n, too)\n\n\nEPF \n\n\nPRS (\nmy Private Retirement Scheme guide \u2013 get 0% sales charge\n)\n\n\n\n\nHigher-risk investment:\n\n\n\n\nP2P lending \n\n\nInvestment in a few cryptocurrencies, especially bitcoin (very risky \u2013 read my \nbitcoin\n guide before you even consider this)\n\n\nGold \n\n\nETFs in \nWahed Invest\n and \nMIDF Invest\n (I condiser risky as my portfolio is Aggressive)\n\n\n\n\nNote: There are \nmany investments in Malaysia\n that you can start with RM1000 capital or even lower. \n\n\nIntellectual property:\n\n\n\n\nIncome generated from advertising and affiliate revenue from this blog (borderline active income actually)\n\n\nMy books:\u00a0\nMoney Stories from Malaysians\n, \nBergaji & Pokai\n (You can get it from\u00a0\nImanShoppe.com or Shopee\n, or at major bookstores nationwide)\n\n\n\n\nAny other passive income ideas?\n\n\nThere you go \u2013 the 7 types of passive income ideas plus the simplified steps to do them. As someone who loves the idea of constant income generation even when not working (who doesn\u2019t!), I always look around for more opportunities, so leave a comment if you know of more options!\n\n\nPerhaps a final note before I end this article \u2013 do be careful of passive income claims. A lot of passive income opportunities \u2013 especially those promising high returns \u2013 is most likely investment scams. ESPECIALLY if they depend on referrals. \n\n\nI\u2019m not saying don\u2019t do them, since fortune favours the bold and all. All I\u2019m saying is \u2013 perhaps limit your exposure and only use 1-5% of your EXCESS savings if you want to try them out. \n\n\nWhat do you think of this guide? Are you doing passive income, and if yes which ones? If no, which ones are you considering?\n\n\nAs always, if this guide helped you, share it around \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/high-salary-in-malaysia/", "title": "3 Ways to Get High Salary in Malaysia, Regardless of Your Background\n  ", "body": "\n\nOnce, I had the opportunity to facilitate a financial management workshop for \nWOMEN:Girls NGO\n. One of the questions I asked the group who said they\u2019d prefer to be employed (rather than be self-employed) is what they think they can do to earn a high salary in Malaysia.\n\n\nAnd I don\u2019t know if it\u2019s just that particular group, or if this is the common view among the overall population, but they seemed to think that the way to earn a high salary is to basically:\n\n\n\n\nBe good at the job\n\n\nBe loyal to the company\n\n\nGet rewarded with promotions in due time\n\n\n\n\nAt this point I was like, hmm how do I tell them nicely that the world doesn\u2019t work like that.\u00a0\n\n\nDon\u2019t wait for promotions that may never happen\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m so sorry if I\u2019m the one who has to break this to you, but it doesn\u2019t usually work that way. It\u2019s a bit naive to expect and depend on employers to reward you for good behaviour.\n\n\nYour employer\u2019s job is to leverage on your skills, get the most profit they can out of you. It\u2019s in their best interest to pay the same amount or even less, not more. This is not an accusation, just a fact.\n\n\n(But sometimes some employers do get carried away with greed and try to squeeze more than they should without caring about their employees, and that leads to a whole other topic about workers rights. We\u2019re not going to go there today. I\u2019ll assume the employers pay at least a living wage, and provide a safe work environment.)\n\n\nSo that brings us to today\u2019s topic. If waiting for a promotion doesn\u2019t work, what does? Let me share with you some ways you can do to earn a higher salary in Malaysia.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Negotiate a good salary from the beginning\n\n\nI\u2019ve read a lot of advice columns about salary and promotion negotiation, and I like the step-by-step method by Ramit Sethi the best. He even prepared a script that you can use during job offer negotiation!\n\n\n\n\nNegotiating a high salary since the beginning is ideal because your salary will compound faster with every annual increment.\n\n\nFor example:\n\n\n\n\nA job offering \nRM2.5k\n starting pay with 5% annual increment will be \nRM3k+\n at Year 5\n\n\nA job offering \nRM3k\n starting pay with 5% annual increment will be \nRM3.6k+\n at Year 5\n\n\n\n\nSo do you see how important it is get a high starting pay?\n\n\nWhat if you\u2019re\u00a0\nalready\n accepted a job with shitty pay? Well, there\u2019s a video for that too.\n\n\n\n\n\u2013SPECIAL CONSIDERATION FOR WOMEN\u2013\n\n\nNegotiation is one of those things where we women have to tweak our approach a bit. You can\u2019t take the above script word-for-word. That\u2019s because \u2018\nwhen women bargain like men, they can be perceived as pushy\n\u2026 Previous\u00a0\nresearch\n shows that women can be penalised for trying to negotiate, even by other women.\u2019\n\n\nSo don\u2019t bargain like a man. Use your femininity in your favour. If society penalises you for having an ambition or wanting more money (not a bad thing FYI), then during the negotiation, frame it as you wanting to serve the the community, for the better good.\n\n\nTell them you\u2019re able to serve the company\u2019s customers better in the new role, thus making the company more money. Tell them that you need the higher position so you can nurture the new hires better. It\u2019s less \u2018\nI\n want to get ahead\u2019, and more \u2018\nwe\n get ahead \ntogether\n\u2018.\n\n\nI want you to know that women are not bad at negotiating, not at all. In fact,\n\n\n\n\n\u2018\nwomen outperform men in representational negotiations\n\u2014that is, negotiating for someone else. As a woman, it is unacceptable .. to be greedy on my own, but it\u2019s completely acceptable for me to negotiate for someone else, because that is a caretaking thing, a communal thing\u2019.\n\n\n\n\nSo\u2026 negotiate. Negotiate your ass off. Tell \nyourself\n that if you don\u2019t negotiate, that long-standing internal issue which demoralises employees will never get fixed. Tell\u00a0\nyourself\n that getting that higher pay means \nyour\u00a0\nfamily can eat better and you can afford better care for your ageing parents.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Do some job-hopping\n\n\nOk let\u2019s say you don\u2019t want to negotiate. I didn\u2019t. Personally I chose to job-hop around because 1) I didn\u2019t discover Ramit Sethi until it was too late, and 2) I\u2019m too paiseh to ask my employers for a raise.\n\n\nJob-hopping is simple enough to do. I would regularly update my CV and send it to interesting-looking job openings posted on Jobstreet. My results were okay, but not bombastic. At the most, the salary difference was maybe RM500 higher, but still \u2013 you can do a lot with an extra RM500 per month right?\n\n\nDoes job-hopping work in Malaysia? Heck yeah it does, and not just for me. It ranges by industry, but according to \nMicheal Page\n, the jobs and recruitments agency, you can get 10-25% salary increase by changing jobs.\n\n\n\n\nImage credit to Micheal Page\n\n\nExperts say you should do this even if you\u2019re happy where you are and not actively looking for a job. If you get a GREAT offer you weren\u2019t sure you want to take, than that just means you have a good problem.\n\n\nCombining an awesome job offer with negotiation (#1) is LETHAL.\n\n\nHere\u2019s how to write an awesome CV:\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Consider working remotely\n\n\n(Note: I\u2019ve never tried applying for remote work directly, but I have had a client from a freelance job offering me a remote position. That\u2019s how I got mine then.)\n\n\nBefore you say, look Suraya, that is for US market and for selected employees/companies. Where got Malaysian companies can offer that high a salary, especially if they\u2019re not MNCs and GLCs? Where got companies offering high pay outside of big cities?\n\n\nAnd you\u2019re absolutely right. The job market for Malaysians, especially for new and fresh graduates, is horrible. I was earning RM3k per month when I entered the job market 10 years ago. 10 years ago!\u00a0And now RM2.5k is considered a good amount for graduates??! \nMalaysia is undeniably facing a youth unemployment and underemployment crisis\n. I feel really bad for them.\n\n\nSo what can you do? Well you can browse through job listing offering low salaries and get depressed over it, or you can apply for better-paying international job openings that offer remote positions. Google \u2018\nremote working job listing\n\u2018, A LOT of platforms are available.\n\n\nHere I\u2019m suggesting remote jobs because I know that not everyone have the luxury or the inclination to leave Malaysia for better-paying jobs overseas. Of course, if nothing holds you back in Malaysia, go ahead and apply for them too. Do what\u2019s best for your future.\n\n\nIf you do take that job overseas, eventually contribute back to Malaysia in some way or form okay? #tanahtumpahnyadarahku\n\n\nLast words\n\n\nAs you can see, it\u2019s not impossible to earn a high salary in Malaysia without doing multiple jobs or side incomes (Related: \n25 Ways to Earn Side Income in Malaysia\n). You can negotiate a higher salary, do some job-hopping or apply for better-paying jobs from overseas (remotely or otherwise).\n\n\nThose of you who used one of the methods above and now currently above-average salaries \u2013 I need your help. Can you comment with what you personally did which landed you your high-paying job? What industry are you in? Do share, I want the audience to read as many success stories as possible.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/how-to-earn-money-in-malaysia/", "title": "How to Earn Money in Malaysia: 3 Ways with Social Media Skills\n  ", "body": "\n\nHow does one know how to earn money in Malaysia, preferably with minimal/no capital, and using an existing skillset? What\u2019s that? No skill? But you know how to use social media, do you not? \nThat\u2019s a skill.\n\n\nI\u2019m not kidding. Social media is a HIGH DEMAND skill. If you maintain an active online presence, YOU already have it. Companies with no/minimal online presence don\u2019t know anything about social media culture and algorithm and are looking for people like you!\n\n\nJust a little heads up before you get too excited \u2013 just because social media marketing sounds fun af (and it is), \ndoesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s not work\n. Everyone can do one-off posting. Doing it\n consistently with a strategy\n in mind is the work part.\n\n\nHow to earn money in Malaysia with social media skills \u2013 3 Main Ways\n\n\nThere are three main ways you should know in regards to how to earn money in Malaysia with your social media skills.\n\n\nNote:\n\n\nif you have excellent time management, you can actually do all three at the same time. That\u2019s how you can earn more money in Malaysia with the same skill!\nthis is also an excellent way to earn money as a student!\n\n\nNote: \nYou don\u2019t have to be expert in ALL social media. \nYou can choose to \nspecialise your social media marketing services based on the social media you\u2019re familiar with the most\n \u2013 which should be your \nfavourite\n social media platforms.\n\n\nRight now, you probably know what makes a good post on your favourite social media platform. It\u2019s almost intuitive. Your job now is to dissect the best practices and incorporate them in your execution, so you have higher chance of doing successful social media campaigns.\n\n\nI\u2019ll assume that you already have good social media skills. If not, buy a course or something \u2013 information is everywhere. Now let\u2019s talk about monetising this skill.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 \nGet yourself hired as a social media manager\n\n\nYou can speak meme, but how do you speak business? Before you get yourself hired as a social media manager, let me just share about its responsibilities:\n\n\nResponsibilities of a social media manager*\n\n\n\n\n*Other work titles that may have the same responsibilities: Digital marketer; Copywriter, Online Content Writer, Content Lead, Editor, Graphic Designer, Virtual Assistants, Blogger (hi), Inbound Marketer.\u00a0 If it\u2019s not assigned to you, call yourself anything you want (ie Ninja Copywriter or Professional Storyteller, titles that some people do use)\n\n\nThe responsibilities include:\n\n\nManaging social media calendar (familiarity with scheduling tools like Hootsuite will help)\nKnows how to optimise results using social media analytics\nBe ready to provide campaign idea consultation\nAble to work with people who have the skillsets you need but personally lack \u2013 influencers (for reach), copywriters (for text), graphic designers (for images) and other talents as and when needed\nOnline community engagement and management\n\n\nTo start earning this way, simply look through \nsocial media jobs in portals like JobStree\nt. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 You can manage your own platform and sell promotional services it to inquiring customers\n\n\nOld name: influencer. New name: content creator. \n\n\nThis is considered the slow approach but if done well, the outcome will be more than worth it. You can manage your own platform \u2013 a personal page, a hobby page, doesn\u2019t matter. Do your best to \u2018create content\u2019 regularly and build a following.\n\n\nYou do know if you \u2018made it\u2019? Simple \u2013\u00a0you have companies reaching out to you for potential collaborations or want to hire you.\u00a0If your engagement with followers is good, you\u2019re an even more valuable prospect to clients looking to access your specific target audience.\n\n\nI can personally attest to this. I am a one-person marketing team for Ringgit Oh Ringgit and have clients reaching out to me, wanting to work with me.\n\n\nRelated:\n\n\nThe Exact Steps I Use to Earn Money from Blogging\n[PERSONAL] How I Get Great Clients Who Pay & Treat Me Well\n\n\n#3 \u2013 You can make money online in Malaysia by selling products or skills\n\n\nIf you don\u2019t have your own platform and not planning to make one, other ideas to earn money fast in Malaysia with social media skills include:\n\n\nDo dropshipping.\n This is a great course for Malaysians: \n21 Days to Ecommerce Dropshipping course\n\u00a0\nDo affiliate/referral\n Help someone sell \ntheir\n products and services and \na commission on sales\n (exp: RM10 per sale generated)\nSell your social media skills\n. Kind of like #1 (get hired as social media manager), but on a freelance basis. More on this below:\n\n\nHow do you sell your social media services? Offer a package. You can package your social media skills like so:\n\n\nWhat social media skills companies are looking for\n\n\nAccording to my observation, companies like the idea of buying social media packages that offer the \nwidest\n coverage and reach. If possible, they want you to do marketing across ALL their social media platforms.\n\n\nBut you and I know that being good at ALL social media platforms is not realistic for one person (or even a small team). Here, it\u2019s your job to explain to them that \nit\u2019s better to have great results in ONE or TWO social media platforms than get mediocre results on FIVE different platforms\n.\n\n\nIn my experience, this is quite a fast way to make money. How to earn money fast in Malaysia? All you have to do is package up your services, set your rates and find clients who are willing to pay. (Obviously, here we assume you can do a good job and know how to figure out how to solve problems as they come).\n\n\nHow to package your social media skills\n\n\nInstead of telling you how, I\u2019d like to share \nexamples of packages offered by social media marketing service providers.\u00a0\n\n\nExample #1 \u2013  \n\n\n\n\nExample #2 \u2013\n\n\n\n\nThat should give you an idea of how social media marketing packages look like. For your own offering, mix and match as you please, using the above as examples. For more examples, Google \u2018social media packages\u2019 and their variations.\n\n\nRelated: \n\n\nHow to Charge Clients: 5 Methods Freelancers Can Use\nThe Exact Email Template You Can Use to Get Hired by Clients\n\n\nWould you try to earn money in Malaysia this way?\n\n\nIf you\u2019ve read this far, I\u2019m guessing you\u2019re serious about monetising your excellent social media skills, but perhaps feel a bit of anxiety. Especially if you haven\u2019t \u2018proven\u2019 your abilities, or never tried learning how to earn money in Malaysia.\n\n\nI say \u2013 feel the fear and do it anyway. You don\u2019t have to be great when you start, but you do have to start to be great.\n\n\nAnyone reading this currently doing social media management work? Add in your two cents to make this article even better \ud83d\ude42 What other questions do you have about the topic? Let me know in the comments section!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/how-to-get-clients/", "title": "How to Get Clients: A Guide for Malaysian Freelancers\n  ", "body": "\n\nAfter being self-employed for a couple of years, I know a thing or two about getting clients. Happy to share what I know with you!\n\n\n\n\nMost freelancers get clients by looking and applying for jobs they\u2019re interested in. You\u2019ve done this, no? You keep tabs of places posting new job opportunities: when they post something you\u2019re interested in, you apply.\n\n\nBUT. Did you know clients can also find you? In this article, I\u2019m focusing on this part \u2013 how to get clients to contact and hire you. In technical jargon, this is called \u2018inbound marketing\u2019.\n\n\nClients finding you is better than you finding clients\n. You have to dedicate some time to set it up, but once you do, you will save so much time. Time that you can spend in more effective ways (like making more money).\n\n\nWho is this guide for?\n\n\nThis guide is for those of you \nselling skills.\n\u00a0I\u2019m a freelance writer, but this guide will also work for anyone who is self-employed (part-time or full-time). For example, you could be:\n\n\nA freelance graphic designer\nA freelance photographer or videographer\nA freelance writer, editor, translator, proofreader\nA freelance tailor or seamstress\nAn insurance agent\nA babysitter/ pet-sitter/ house-sitter\nA caterer/home baker\nA freelance masseuse/ holistic treatment\nA makeup instructor (or other beauty services)\nAn independent tour guide\nA private tutor (academic, music, fitness, etc)\nA home/electronics repair person\nAn independent sex worker (be safe, you)\nAnd more\n\n\nThis is NOT an article to find out what services you should sell. That\u2019s something you have to decide on your own.\n\n\nThis is also NOT an article for selling (physical) products. I don\u2019t have experience in that area, but some tips in here may help. May.\n\n\nHow does a client find you?\n\n\nTo answer this question, you have to put yourself in their shoes. Let\u2019s ask YOU this question \u2013 if you\u2019re looking for something, where are the places you turn to?\n\n\nEasy question to answer, isn\u2019t it? In the order of \u2018trustworthiness of information\u2019, you (1) ask your contacts, (2) ask Google/search engines and (3) use specific apps/websites/platforms that have the reputation to list the services you look for.\n\n\nSo to get clients to find you, you have to let your services known (1) among your contacts, (2) in Google/search engines, and (3) in those apps/websites/platforms. Priority-wise, in this exact order.\n\n\nUse a combination of them to maximise your reach to clients \u2013 for example, I\u2019ve gotten clients who heard about me from their friends, who found me on Google.\n\n\nLet\u2019s get in deeper, one by one.\n\n\nHow to get clients #1 \u2013 Getting your contacts to promote your services\n\n\nThe actual phrasing for this is \u2018word-of-mouth referral\u2019, and it\u2019s incredibly powerful. We trust recommendations that come directly from our contacts.\n\n\nTo get your friends to drop your name as a provider of X service, you have to build relationships with people. But it\u2019s not easy \u2013 people can easily figure out ulterior motives.\n\n\nThis is why we are guarded towards overly-friendly insurance agents who approach you out of nowhere, and why most of the business cards we receive in networking events end up in the trash.\n\n\n\n\nIf you do throw out name cards, please make sure to recycle them. Kthnksbai\n\n\nIn the best-selling book, \nGive and Take: Why Helping Others Drive Our Success\n, author Adam Grant categorised people into three \u2013 givers, takers and matchers.\n\n\nThe givers are the most successful in the long run.\u00a0\nTakers may enjoy short-term success, while matchers (people who only help others if there\u2019s something in it for them) have meh success.\n\n\nGiving away help without expecting anything in return is the best way to get people to advertise on your behalf, without even asking them to do it.\n\u00a0People support you because they like you and want you to be successful.\n\n\nIt\u2019s important to note here that takers and matchers \ncannot fake this\n. They just can\u2019t. It\u2019s an inherent quality that sets the givers among us apart from the rest.\n\n\nIt takes a lot of consistency, a certain character to be able to sacrifice your time day after day to help people \u2013 whether they are your friends or strangers. There is no \u2018return-on-investment\u2019 calculation here, no guarantee that \u2018if I help here, I\u2019ll get x\u2019.\n\n\nNonetheless, it\u2019s very powerful \u2013 enough that I can personally vouch for this method\u2019s effectiveness (I imitate what givers do in the hopes of becoming one). Here are some tips that worked for me:\n\n\nLet friends/acquaintances know that I offer X service, but never give them the sales pitch unless they specifically request for it\nLet my services known in my personal social media networks, but sparingly use my profiles as advertisement space\nTry my best to share information that may benefit others. A natural passion in that area greatly, greatly helps \u2013 it doesn\u2019t feel like work!\nAnswer questions from people, but never make \u2018buy something from me\u2019 as part of the solution\n\n\nI know it sounds counter-intuitive because you\u2019re not actively selling per se, but let me tell you \u2013 once people decide that yes, I want to buy from you BECAUSE of you, there is no better scenario for your business.\n\n\nHow to start using this way to get clients:\u00a0\n\n\nTell everyone you know about your services (but don\u2019t sell, unless they ask)\nConsistently help people by sharing information related to the service/industry\n\n\nHow to get clients #2 \u2013 Listing your services in Google/search engines\n\n\nThe next-most effective way is through search engines, especially Google, because that\u2019s what most of us use. It can be easy or hard, depending on the industry and your digital marketing skills.\n\n\nThe most obvious way is to have a website, but you can also list your services on high-quality platforms that may also appear in Google \u2013 for more info on this, see the next section.\n\n\nIf you have a website\n\n\nIf you have a website, it should, at the very least:\n\n\nHave a \u2018Hire me\u2019 page \u2013 to tell potential clients that yes, your services are available for hire\nInclude your work portfolio (ie your photography work if you are a freelance photographer, your writing work if you are a freelance writer, etc)\nInclude testimonials from past clients and employers\nBe easy to navigate \u2013 make sure those potential clients can easily contact you\n\n\nTo make your website rank higher, you should:\n\n\nHave good content (Google\u2019s algorithm takes into account the \nquality\n of the website) \u2013 this is why a lot of websites have a blog section offering advice and tips in that niche\nKnow strategies to rank your website higher in search engines \u2013 ie Adwords advertisement,\u00a0SEO (search engine optimisation). If your page appears on the first page of Google Search, you\u2019re doing it right\n\n\nYour website can be anything you want. For example:\n\n\nIf you are a \nfreelance writer\n who specialises in finance topics, you could write about your personal finance journey (lol me)\nIf you are a \nwedding photographer\n, you can have a gallery-type website with pictures of interesting weddings in Malaysia\nIf you are a \npersonal trainer\n, you can log your fitness routines and post youtube videos of your workouts\nIf you are a \npet sitter\n, some pictures + writeup on how you took care of different animals will help\n\n\nA tip here is to show experience and expertise in your niche. That how clients can see you\u2019re good at what you do.\n\n\nIf you don\u2019t have a website\n\n\nIf you don\u2019t have a website, you can make do with social media platforms like\n LinkedIn,\u00a0Facebook, Twitter and Instagram\n \u2013 it\u2019s free, so there\u2019s really no reason not to. They are kinda like search engines, but of course your potential clients are limited to users of those platforms. For example,\n\n\nmany Malaysians sell their services on Instagram and depend on hashtags for people to find them\nI know some consultants who get their clients purely from LinkedIn\nI\u2019ve seen illustrators get work from Tumblr\nI also had friends who organised (paid) dinner parties in their homes via Facebook events.\n\n\nIn the digital marketing world, this is called \u2018lead generation strategies\u2019.\u00a0Using even ONE of the above platforms can work wonders for your business, because it means potential clients can actually find you when they are looking for your specific type of services.\n\n\nAfter clients come in the door, then what? You hook them in, of course. You must make sure there are incentives to turn those potential clients into paying clients, once they land to your website/Facebook page/Instagram page/etc. Some common strategies:\n\n\nOffering financial incentives \u2013 discounts, cashback, etc\nIncluding proof of quality service via testimonials from past clients and happy customers (or if the space doesn\u2019t permit, then links to those)\nEnsuring good pictures and copywriting\nHaving a good reputation (ratings, support from fans) \u2013 this you have to build up\n\n\nImportant: everyone hates spammers in social media, so don\u2019t spam.\n\n\nHow to start using this way to get clients:\u00a0\n\n\nMake a website, AND/OR make social media profiles. Tweak and optimise the heck out of it\n\n\nHow to get clients #3 \u2013 Listing your services in\u00a0apps/websites/platforms\n\n\nThe third, and final way for clients to find you is to list your services in reputable apps/websites/platforms. Which ones? \nSo many to choose from\n.\n\n\nHere are some of the places you can list your services. The list is NOT exhaustive \u2013 please comment if you have more to add. Also, you don\u2019t have to use ALL of them. Focus on one or two \u2013 better to have a few active platforms than a lot of non-active ones.\n\n\nMudah.my\u00a0\nServices page\nLowyat Services Noticeboard\nFiverr.com\n/\nUpwork.com\n/\nFreelancer.com\n \u2013 International freelancing platforms. You\u2019ll compete with people from other countries, who sometimes accept ridiculously low prices. But focus on providing quality work and you should be able to command a fairer rate.\nBantu.my\n/\nFreelanc3r.com.my\n \u2013 Malaysia-based freelancing platforms\nMyPrivateTutor\n, \nTutorKami\n \u2013 as the name states, mostly for private tutoring services\nMeetup.com\n/\nPeatix.com\n \u2013 best for event-based services like workshops\nCouchsurfing\n/\nTriip.me\n \u2013 great for independent tour guides\u00a0\nCarousell\u00a0(\nAndroid\n/\niOS\n)\nKaodim\n/\nRecommend.my\n\u00a0\u2013 platforms for many types of service providers\n\n\nNow, it\u2019s important to remember that (1) you have to abide by the platform\u2019s T&C and fees when you list your services there, and (2) you will face competition by other freelancers using the same platforms.\n\n\nI think these platforms are great to get your first few clients and collect testimonials. But once you already have a reputation, I say focus on word-of-mouth referrals and lead generation because they work (and pay) better.\n\n\nHow to start using this way to get clients:\u00a0\n\n\nOpen those accounts\nSpend some time tweaking the sales pitch in your page. You can offer package deals, include customer testimonials, whatever it takes to make you more attractive to clients browsing in that platform.\n\n\nConclusion\n\n\nEveryone needs professional services at some point in their lives. Your job as a service provider, aside from providing said services, is to get yourself and your services noticed.\n\n\nMarketing yourself in the digital age is not hard, but it is cluttered. So you have to find ways to set yourself apart from the rest. \nWays #1 and #2 will set you apart from the rest.\u00a0\n\n\nI hope by you reading this, you will have a head start. All the best out there. \nFeel free to list your services in the comments section\n \u2013 who knows, your next client may come from here as well.\n\n\nFurther reading:\n\n\nThe Exact Steps I Use to Earn Online in Malaysia\nThe Exact Steps I Use to Earn Money from Blogging\nIncomes and Expenses of a Freelance Writer in Malaysia\n11 things I learned about self-employment in Malaysia\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/how-to-make-money-in-malaysia/", "title": "How to Make Money in Malaysia: 23 Things I\u2019ve Done, From Kid to Adult\n  ", "body": "\n\nIt\u2019s not hard to find how to make money in Malaysia. The internet (and possibly your circles) are full of ideas and suggestions. Heck, this website shared a lot of money-making options and tips too, like:\n\n\n\n\nHow to Make Money Online in Malaysia\n\n\nHow to Make Money from Vending Machine Business\u00a0\n\n\n3 Things Small Businesses Must Do\n\n\n\n\nThese are just some of the MANY articles under the \nEarning Money category\n, which I\u2019m sure you\u2019ll browse for ideas. \n\n\nBut, ideas are ideas. This article is to share\n what \none person\n (aka me) has done to make money, in their personal capacity\n.\n\n\nHere\u2019s my attempt to do just that. Here\u2019s everything I\u2019ve ever done to make money in Malaysia (and beyond), from my childhood to now adulthood. \n\n\n\n\nSection 1 \u2013 Childhood\n\n\nAge: 5-12\n\n\nI had a very priviledged childhood \u2013 my parents provided food, shelter, education, anything we ever needed. We also received allowances NOT tied to chores, and frequently received \u2018just-because\u2019 extra money and pocket money from relatives too. \n\n\nMy parents also introduced the concept of saving money in banks fairly early. I remember my mom took me to open a Yippee Maybank account, and when we had extra money (say after Raya), they\u2019d always remind us to keep them in the bank so its safer. \n\n\nHere are my \u2018jobs\u2019 at this age:\n\n\n1. \nPlucked my parents\u2019 white hairs\n\n\nHahahha classic small kids job right? They offered 10 sen per hair, what\u2019s the rate you got? Sometimes they paid up, sometimes they kept quiet hahaha MOM I REMEMBER.\n\n\n2. \nFasted during Ramadan\n\n\nDuring primary school age. I don\u2019t know about you, but my siblings and I got RM1 per day per parent for every day we completed. If we complete the full term, we get RM50 per parent!\n\n\n3. \nSold candies in school\n\n\nI was 7 or 8 years old. My dad gave me this bag of tiny candies and I sold them to my classmates. They loved them \u2013 my baju kurung pocket filled up pretty quick! I made a few ringgits, which is a huge sum at that age!\n\n\nUnfortunately, I ran out of stock and that\u2019s the end of that entrepreneurship endeavour \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nBtw I have the utmost respect for kids who help their parents sell stuff, even at a young age, out of economic necessity. \n\n\nSection 2 \u2013 Teenage/College-age\n\n\nAge: 13-19\n\n\nDuring teenage/college, I was a brat.\n\n\nThe reason why I said that is because, thinking back, I can\u2019t believe how entitled I was:\n\n\n\n\nI spent my money only on entertainment\n\n\nI expected my parents to pay for my driving lisence and also provide a car \n\n\nI also expected them to pay for my tiertiary education\n\n\n\n\nI don\u2019t know how I came to that conclusion, it was just kind of expected in our circles. Later on in life as I realised people worked and paid for their own lisence, first car and education, I felt ashamed.\n\n\nI think my exposure to other kids in college who worked part-time jobs made me search for student-friendly work opportunities as well. I\u2019m glad I mingled with them, and not with the spend-daddy\u2019s-money types.  \n\n\nHere are my jobs at this age:\n\n\n4. \nSold CD and DVD boxsets\n\n\nThis was during high school and college time. Remember when CD and DVD boxsets were a thing back in early 2000s? There were shops specialising in them, ranging from American tv shows to anime to Japanese dramas to everything else. \n\n\nI loved them \u2013 I\u2019d save up my Raya money and allowances to buy them. Later, I listed and sold off the ones I no longer want on Lowyat forum.\n\n\n5. \nSold books, mangas and comics\n\n\nSimilar to #4, but with books, mangas and comics\n\n\n6. \nSold gaming consoles\n\n\nThis was during college. My proudest moment was when I managed to buy a secondhand Wii for a great price, played the heck out of it, then sold it off for a higher price.\n\n\nThis was also when I had my first scam experience. I mailed a PSP to a scammer, but the promised money never arrived. That\u2019s why, until now, I refuse to deliver anything UNTIL I get the money.\n\n\n7. \nWorked odd jobs\n\n\nThis was during college. I did a few things, all from part-time job platforms and sometimes referred from friends. Some of them:\n\n\n\n\nworking as a booth attendant for a herbal soap brand from Taiwan, \n\n\ngiving away free Salonpas samples at Guardian pharmacy in Pavilion KL\n\n\nstood around as one of the \u2018door girls\u2019 during some company\u2019s annual dinner\n\n\nAnd more similar types odd jobs\n\n\n\n\nPayment ranged from RM80-RM120+ per day \u2013 great for pocket money during college time.\n\n\n8. \nSold sushi\n\n\nWell, technically my collegemates and I did this to fund our club activities (I was in Japan Club). We made some homemade sushi, set up our booth and sold them to other students.\n\n\n9. \nAttended focus groups\n\n\nI also made money by attending focus groups. They\u2019re hard to get (you have to fit their requirements AND adjust your schedule to their sessions), but they pay very well. I\u2019ve done a couple and received minimum RM200 after a few hours of answering questions.\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nPros & Cons of 4 Part Time Jobs for College Students in Malaysia\n\n\n10. \nWorked as a telemarketer.\n \n\n\nI did telemarketing before uni started. I was looking for short-term job to make money while waiting for college, and was hired to work at this outsourcing company in KL for 3 months. My job was to sell insurance policies over the phone. The more I sold, the more commissions I\u2019d get.\n\n\nIt was hard in the beginning \u2013 I didn\u2019t close any sales until a couple of weeks in. But as soon as I got the hang of it, I consistently sold at least one policy per day. I made around RM10k during the time \u2013 not bad for 3 months!\n\n\nRelated: \nTelemarketer sales tactics you should know (by an ex-telemarketer)\n\n\nSection 3 \u2013 Uni/Masters\n\n\nAge: 20-24\n\n\nAfter college, I got accepted into (the final year) of a uni in UK \u2013 I spent one year there. I received financial help for my parents, but felt too ashamed to ask for more to fund my own travelling in Europe, so I worked. Thanks to that, I managed to visit other parts of England, Scotland, Belgium and France. \n\n\nAfter coming back to Malaysia, I continued on to Masters programme. By this point, I made up my mind to no longer take financial help from my parents, even though they offered. I funded my studies with PTPTN, savings and work. \n\n\nHere are my jobs at this age:\n\n\n11. \nWorked as a waitress.\n \n\n\nI worked as a waitress during uni. I\u2019m glad I had this experience, because it taught me to be respectful to the service staff. I also learned how to pop open a champagne bottle and how to hold three dinner plates in one hand.\n\n\n12.\n Did house sitting\n\n\nI was in Australia, doing some HelpX (that \nwork-in-exchange-for-food-and-accommodation-thing\n), and coincidentally my hosts had to leave for a couple of nights so would I kindly take care of the house while they\u2019re away? \n\n\nThey were kind, and I really didn\u2019t mind doing this for free, but they ended up paying me anyway.\n\n\nLater on in life, I found out some people do this semi-professionally, as a way to travel around the world with minimal cost. Look up house-sitting and even pet-sitting websites to learn more. \n\n\n13. \nWorked two jobs WHILE studying\n\n\nWhile taking my Masters, I worked as a student helper at an international school during the day, then as a student DJ at Putra.fm a couple of times a week. \n\n\nTough? Yeah. Made it? Hell yeah.\n\n\n14. \nTried to start \ncatering service\n\n\nI actually tried to add another source of income during Masters. I wrote one ad in Mudah.my, offering baked goods catering services but didn\u2019t get any customers. Then I got that job at the international school so kind of abandoned the idea.\n\n\nThe funny thing is for weeks later I got a few inquiries from potential customers. But by that point I was already crazy busy so I had to tell them I was no longer offering the service.\n\n\nBut, you know, this just goes to show as long as you make the effort to put up ads describing your service (I just put up ONE!), customers may come. \n\n\n15. Almost joined an\n MLM\n\n\nA classmate of mine during Masters invited me to a \u2018business talk\u2019, and told me all about this educational product which would \u2018practically sell itself\u2019. I admit I was interested (because they dangled the income potential part real low), and intended to try it out.\n\n\nI figured, you know, before I commit a few hundred RM to buy the products from my upline to re-sell them at a massive profit (that\u2019s how MLMs work yo), let\u2019s try and get some potential customers first. So I designed this simple poster and printed a few hundred copies.\n\n\nI planned to spend a few evenings just inserting the flyers into peoples\u2019 homes or distribute them near schools kot. In the end, I abandoned the idea partially due to laziness. My laziness saved me from MLMs hahahaha\n\n\nSection 4 \u2013 Post-graduation\n\n\nAge: 25- now\n\n\nAfter I graduated from Masters, I went right ahead into job-hunting mode. By this point I already saved up a good amount of money so I could afford to be picky with job offers, I wasn\u2019t desperate. \n\n\nWhile looking for opportunities, I\u2019d make it a point to (1) find out how much the job pays (although sometimes they never list them), and (2) only accept the job if they pay over a certain amount.\n\n\nI admit this was only possible because (1) I already had savings, mostly from the telemarketing job, and (2) it\u2019s okay to wait for the right-paying job to come along, because I could still depend on my family for financial support.\n\n\nHere are my jobs at this age:\n\n\n16. \nWorked in the NGO industry\n\n\nBefore I because Suraya-the-personal-finance-blogger, I was Suraya-who-thought-she-could-change-the-world-by-working-in-NGOs. \n\n\nIn order, I worked at an intercultural students exchange organisation (technically I was still in uni here but hey), then at a sexuality rights organisation, then at an organisation which offered resettlement for refugees, then at a women\u2019s human \nrights organisation.\u00a0\n\n\n17. \nBecame a self-employed writer and communications consultant\n \n\n\nI enjoyed my work in the NGO industry, but I wasn\u2019t happy with how much (little) I was earning. So I actually in the process of job-hopping when I \u2018accidentally\u2019 became a self-employed writer and communications consultant (the fancier term to what I actually was \u2013 freelance writer). \n\n\nI originally became self-employed to earn some money while still looking for a stable, full-time job, because that\u2019s what I\u2019m used to.\u00a0But roughly 6 months in, the money earned exceeded what I used to earn so I never stopped. \n\n\nIt was tough in the beginning, super tough, but thank goodness it worked out as a career path omg.\u00a0\n\n\n18. \nCreated and monetised my blog\n\n\nThis is where RinggitOhRinggit (this website) came in \ud83d\ude42 I love writing, and enjoy exploring multiple income streams that I could generate via blogging, including \nbrand sponsorship\n and \naffiliate marketing\n. \n\n\nP/s \u2013 Do NOT think that blogging is free. Starting can be free, but eventually you\u2019ll need to pay. You can read that in detail in the \nMy Personal Blog Costs RM1,646.36 per Month. Breakdown Inside\n article. Here\u2019s the exact steps how I started to \nearn money from blogging\n.\n\n\n19. \nWorked in a cryptocurrency startup\n\n\nThrough mini projects I got as a writer and communications consultant, I got hired in a crypto startup. It was a remote position paying in USD, too. \n\n\nIt sounds good, but all I can say is it was fun until it wasn\u2019t \ud83d\ude42 This barely lasted a year-ish. \n\n\n20. \nProduced a theatre show\n \n\n\nSome of my friends were from the theatre crowd and for fun, I became their producer \u2013 the person who sorts out the logistics and admin and ticketing and sales and all those good stuff. \n\n\nI\u2019m hella proud that I managed to turn a profit despite being a first-time theatre producer ^_^ Here\u2019s a pic during the time!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n21. Dabbled in vending machine business\n\n\nThe only reason why I could write the \nHow to Do Vending Machine Business in Malaysia (My Experience)\n article is because I did it myself.  \n\n\n22. Became a \u2018KOL\u2019\n\n\nKOL = key opinion leader. There is an overlap with \u2018influencer\u2019, except KOL is generally thought of as more niche, a subject matter expert. \n\n\nAs a KOL in personal finance, I get hired to speak in panels, webinars, seminars, roadshows, workshops, trainings and more. \n\n\n23. Wrote books\n\n\nAs of writing time, I have curated and written:\n\n\n\n\nMoney Stories from Malaysians: Vol 1 & Vol 2\n\n\nCerita Duit Orang Malaysia\n\n\nBergaji & Pokai\n\n\n\n\nAll books are available at bookstores nationwide! Find them at Popular Bookstores, MPH Bookstores, Times Bookstores, Borders Books and Kinokuniya KLCC and more\n\n\nTake and send me pics when you get a copy \u2013 that would me super happy!\n\n\nYou can also learn how to publish books \u2013 learn how in the \nHow to Publish a Book in Malaysia: Step-by-Step and Costs\n article. \n\n\nWhat next?\n\n\nI hope the above gave you some ideas on how to make money in Malaysia \ud83d\ude42 I\u2019m aware it\u2019s a lot of different things, but I\u2019ve always been someone who liked to experiment and try things out. \n\n\nHonestly I think I missed a few, especially the ones which I kinda sorta dabbled in but didn\u2019t really put any effort into (at one point, I applied but didn\u2019t proceed with a Work and Travel programme to the US).\n\n\nRegardless, writing this article has been a fun journey back into memory lane. I\u2019ve forgotten a few of the jobs until now!\n\n\nIt was also interesting to note what I used to do at different stages of my life. I\u2019ve lost money for some of them, but gained heck of an experience.\n\n\nWhat kinds of jobs have you done? Any of them similar to mine? How did you make money at different stages of your life? Share with me in the comments \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/how-to-publish-a-book-in-malaysia/", "title": "How to Publish a Book in Malaysia: Step-by-Step and Costs\n  ", "body": "\n\nSo you\u2019d like to learn how to publish a book in Malaysia. To keep our expectations clear, I\u2019ll start off the article with this statement: \nmost people don\u2019t earn that much money from publishing book\ns.\n\n\nIn fact, if your sole aim to write one is to make money from it, and you\u2019re in a fairly tight financial situation, I\u2019d recommend you to \nmake money from freelance writing\n instead. That will give you more immediate income. \n\n\nBut I still want to write a book..\n\n\nIf you\u2019re adamant on making money by publishing a book, but you don\u2019t have online or offline following yet, then your best bet is to pick and write about topics that \ntend to sell well in Malaysia\n, like religion, finance and self-help. \n\n\nThat being said, if you don\u2019t care so much about profit, and just wanted to publish a book in Malaysia for personal or professional reasons \u2013 self-satisfaction, to establish yourself as a subject-matter expert, to leave behind a legacy, to call yourself an author, etc \u2013 then it\u2019s a worthwhile endeavour to take.\n\n\nIn this article, I will cover the exact steps in learning how to publish a book in Malaysia- all the processes involved, from start to finish. I will NOT cover HOW to write a book \u2013 that one different story. \n\n\nAt the end of this article, you will also find a newly-added bonus section: my own experience after publishing 4 books in Malaysia. You should know I am writing this guide from expert advice as well as experience. \n\n\nStep 0: Write the manuscript\n\n\nFor new, never-before-published writers, you will probably need to write that book first, or at least finish a few chapters. You probably won\u2019t get anyone to agree to publish your book without something to show for it. \n\n\nIn short, \u2018Hi I have a book idea in my head\u2019 won\u2019t work.\n\n\n\n\nSometimes, the publisher may be able to commit to publishing a book without the manuscript. However, this privilege is only reserved for selected people, such as authors who have written commercially-successful books and authority figures with a large following.\n\n\nI\u2019ll go ahead and assume you have not been published before, but would like to. Let\u2019s go on to the first actual step in how to publish a book in Malaysia.\n\n\nStep 1: Choosing between traditional publishing, Half/half publishing or self-publishing\n\n\nSo you:\n\n\nwrote your first draft, \ngot it edited, \ncollected feedback from beta readers, \nworked on it a bit more, \nre-edited it, \nand repeated this process again and again until you\u2019re satisfied with your manuscript\n\n\nNow you are ready to publish your book! You have three publishing options:\n\n\nOption 1: Traditional publishing\n\n\nAside from the writing part, they will do \neverything\n for you \u2013 edit, format, proofread, print, distribute, do marketing*, you name it. In return, they will take a 90%** cut. \n\n\n**Note: All numbers are based on current book publishing trends in Malaysia. Specific publishers may use different figures or structures.\n\n\nYes, 90%. That means if your book sells for RM29.90, you\u2019ll get RM2.90 or 10% from each book. \n\n\nExamples of traditional publishing companies: \nMPH\n, \nGerakbudaya\n, \nBuku Fixi \n\n\nTraditional publishing is great for:\n\n\nWide distribution\n \u2013 They tend to be big names, and have branches at many locations thus maximising reach for your books. Also, being \u2018endorsed\u2019 by these brands will greatly increase your credibility as an author\nLeast work\n \u2013 Your job is to write, and market the books afterwards. That\u2019s it.\nNo upfront cost\n \u2013 All you need is brain power and writing tools\n\n\nTraditional publishing is NOT great for:\n\n\nProfit cut\n \u2013 You only get 10% of book sales\nCustomisation\n \u2013 The publisher usually get the final say on editing, design, book cover, and things like that\nSome genre not accepted\n \u2013 To minimise the likelihood of low book sales (and therefore losses for the company), traditional publishers may not accept some types of content\n\n\nNote: Always check the publisher\u2019s page and check the submission requirements BEFORE you send off your manuscript. Make sure to give them the information they need, or chances are you won\u2019t hear back from them.\n\n\nOption 2: Half/Half publishing (also called Vanity publishing)\n\n\nCompanies categorised under Option 2 (Half/half / Vanity publishing) may also use the term \u2018supported self-publishing\u2019, \u2018assisted self-publishing\u2019 or \u2018guided publishing\u2019, which makes things a tad confusing. \n\n\nBasically, choosing this option means you will be paying companies an \nupfront\n fee to turn your manuscript into a book. Yes, \nyou\n need to pay \nthem\n. By the end of the arrangement, you will have the final version of your book. \n\n\nExamples of half/half or vanity publishing companies: \nNotionPress\n, \nThe Inspiration Hub\n, \nSnappars Publishing\n\n\nHalf/Half or vanity publishing is great for:\n\n\nOutsourcing some work out\n \u2013 Depending on which package you select, they can help you sort out editing, formatting, cover design and printing (other services may be available). \nExample of packages with transparent pricing (Singapore)\n.\nBook and Ebook distribution\n \u2013 Some of them can help you place your books at bookstores, as well as help you turn your book into an ebook and list them at ebook-selling networks\n\n\nHalf/Half publishing is NOT great for:\n\n\nConsistent quality\n \u2013 They may do a good job, they may not. The only way to find out is to find their past customers and ask for an honest review. \nHere are some things to note\n.\nPeople without capital\n \u2013 You will need to pay a hefty sum upfront. Check out Anna\u2019s cost comparison post below\n\n\n\n\nOption 3: Self-publishing in Malaysia\n\n\nIf you choose to do self-publishing in Malaysia, then basically you do \neverything\n yourself. \n\n\nYou can either DIY all parts of the work yourself, or outsource people to take over specific tasks, like designing the book cover. Technically, you can create and publish a book with zero cost if you do everything yourself. You could even not pay printing costs if you choose to only sell digital copies, aka ebooks.\n\n\nSelf-publishing is great for:\n\n\nComplete control\n \u2013 You get to choose what subjects to write about, how you want the final version to look like, who to hire (book printer, editor, etc) and more. You will also learn how to publish a book (or ebook, or both), from start to finish, during the process\nMaximum profit\n \u2013 You get 100% of the profits from the book sales, minus the upfront cost and whatever expenses you incur while selling it. \n\n\nSelf-publishing is NOT great for:\n\n\nThose without marketing skills\n \u2013 Unless you just want to keep a stack of books in your house, the selling part is all up to you\nThose who just want to write and not deal with the business side of book publishing\n \u2013 it takes a fair amount of effort, organisational skills and discipline to do everything by yourself\n\n\nThere are plenty of online tools, guides and resources that can help you write, edit, proofread, design, format your book and more. You can also sell your work via free online selling platforms, including directly from your social media profiles.\n\n\nHowever, you might want to invest some money to make your book look more professional and attractive to your target audience. Some to consider:\n\n\nBook cover design\nISBN registration (\nHow to apply for ISBN in Malaysia\n)\nProfessional editing and formatting\nIllustrations\nMarketing materials and tools\nWebsite/landing page\nAnd more\n\n\nNotes on book printing:\n\n\nAs a rule of thumb, the more copies you print, the lower the cost-per-book\nCustom (book size, shape and measurements, etc) might incur higher charges\nKeep the colours minimal for reduced printing costs\n\n\nWhich publishing option to pick?\n\n\nWhich option(s) are the best? Up to you. If all you want to do is write, pick traditional publishing. If you want to test your business and marketing skills, try the other options.\n\n\nYou may also do a bit of mix and match. For example, you may go with traditional publishing for the physical book, but self-publishing for the ebook version. There are ebook distributor platforms in Malaysia where you can submit and list your ebooks for sale.\n\n\nE-Sentral\n, the largest of such platform takes a 50% cut from each ebook sold. You can also choose to list your ebooks in your own platforms (websites, etc), or platforms like \nSmashwords\n, \nAmazon Publishing\n (35-70% cut, depending on pricing) and \nGoogle Play\n (50% cut). Related:\n\n\nStep-by-step guide to publish on E-Sentral\nStep-by-step guide to publish on Amazon\n\n\nStep 2: Reading the contract \n\n\nIf you go with the traditional publishing or half/half or vanity publishing route, you will probably need to sign a contract. How to publish a book in Malaysia if no paperwork is in place right?\n\n\nMake sure to read and understand what you\u2019re signing. Some may include clauses that p\nrohibit you from selling on other platforms\n. Some \nlimits your rights to your own work\n, and others are \ntime-bound\n. Get a lawyer friend to help you decipher the document if you must.\n\n\nWhen you\u2019re happy with what you\u2019re getting into, go ahead and sign that contract \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nStep 3: Do the work, if any\n\n\nDepending on what\u2019s required of you, work with whoever you need to work with and do what you need to do to get your manuscript finalised into the final product, a book.\n\n\nSome tasks include:\n\n\nRewriting chapters\nWorking with editors\nCollaborate with book cover designer\nPrint out the books (and sorting out the logistics \u2013 where to keep the books, how to post to customers etc)\nWriting blurbs, synopsis, excerpts and whatever else required\nTaking nice pictures of yourself for promotional use\nLooking for interview opportunities so you can get press coverage\nAttending writing or book events for networking\nPresenting or giving a talk at events\nAnd more\n\n\nFrom my own experience, at least 6 months is needed to write a book. It\u2019s not uncommon for the process to take years. \n\n\nStep 4: Market the book and collect royalty/sales\n\n\nBy this stage, your book is out! Congratulations!\n\n\nFrom here onwards is the fun part \ud83d\ude42 The company(ies) you enlist with might have payment schedules, and all you have to do is wait for the money to come in. \n\n\nObviously, with some marketing effort on your end to encourage demand for your book, you can ensure continuous sales and maybe even re-prints (for physical books).\n\n\nIf you choose to sell your books yourself without the help of a book distributor, then marketing and sales are more important than ever. Don\u2019t forget to factor in expenses in your book prices, or you might be selling your books at cost price or even worse, make a loss!\n\n\nWhat\u2019s next after this step? Write another book and do it all over again!\n\n\nAcknowledgements\n\n\nI know nothing about how to publish a book in Malaysia if not for the kind contributions of our local writers and members of the \nMalaysian Writers\u2019 Society\n. My sincerest thanks to \nGina Yap Lai Yoong\n and \nAnna Tan\n (click the names to see their writing portfolio).\n\n\nPublished writers, I need your input here to make this article even better. Please comment tips you know about publishing a book in Malaysia. What worked for you, and what didn\u2019t? What could\u2019ve been better? Let us know!\n\n\nBonus section: My own experience publishing books in Malaysia\n\n\nAs of time of writing, I have published 4 books under my name. They are:\n\n\nMoney Stories from Malaysians: Volume 1\n (self-published) (\nread first chapter\n)\nMoney Stories from Malaysians: Volume 2\n (self-published)\nCerita Duit Orang Malaysia: Jilid 1\n (self-published)\nBergaji & Pokai: Membina Kehidupan Bebas Tekanan Melalui Pengurusan Kewangan Yang Realistic (traditional publishing with \nIman Publication\n) \u2013 Will be out on 1 November 2022 \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nBelow, I\u2019ll share with you my experience with both. \n\n\nMy first 3 books were self-published. I sold them through my platform ringgitohringgit.com, and made a nice profit.\n\n\nHowever, here\u2019s something many people didn\u2019t realise \u2013 \neven if you self-publish, you can approach bookstores and ask if they could put your books on their shelves. \n\n\nI can confirm you can absolutely do this, because *I* did it. MPH Distributors carried my books in all major bookstores in Malaysia, including MPH, Popular, Kinokuniya and more. \n\n\nGetting Bookstores to carry my self-published books\n\n\nTo do this, you need to (1) meet or email book distributors, and (2) convince them that the book will sell, if not they won\u2019t do it. What I did was:\n\n\nShared proof that people were buying my books \nListed what marketing activities I plan to do to promote the books\nSend them a few books for review \n\n\nIf they say yes, then they will send the paperwork and contract to sign, and get you to arrange to drop off/send the books to their warehouse. How it works is: the distributor buys your books (at a steep discount), and stocks them in bookstores they manage. \n\n\nHowever, I do want you to think twice before proceeding with distributing this way, because this service is \nnot free\n. There is also a distribution fee of x% of book price which you have to pay, regardless whether your books sold or not. \n\n\nFor example, let\u2019s say the distribution fee is 5%, the book is sold at RM35 and you supplied 1000 books to the distributor. The distribution fee will be: 0.05 x 35 x 1000 = \nRM1750\n. \n\n\nSo if you want bookstores to carry your books, you better do your marketing and promotional activities or you\u2019ll suffer a loss. That\u2019s the last thing I want for you. \n\n\nGetting a collaboration offer from a publishing house\n\n\nFor the longest time, I wanted to self-publish my fourth book myself, but the passion and motivation wore off so I cancelled it after about a year in (and pocketed ~RM5k in personal losses). It wasn\u2019t an easy decision, but the right one.\n\n\nLittle did I know that the universe wanted me to be in the right headspace for an upcoming opportunity. Soon after, I got a collaboration offer from \nIman Publication\n \u2013 a publication house I personally admire for creating and curating great content primarily for the Malay audience. \n\n\nThey asked if I\u2019d like to write a personal finance book in Malay and I\u2019m like, in Malay? I\u2019ve never done that, I\u2019ve mostly written in English! Polishing my Malay writing skills? Targeting a whole new target audience? Interesting, yes I\u2019m in!\n\n\nAs a \nsolopreneur\n and someone used to working alone,  working with a professional team was a joy. Not worrying about editing and designing book covers on my own was wonderful. And unlike self-publishing (and half-and-half publishing), I didn\u2019t have to pay anything out of pocket!\n\n\nBergaji & Pokai: Membina Kehidupan Bebas Tekanan Melalui Pengurusan Kewangan Yang Realistic\n will be out online from 1 November 2022 onwards, and later in bookstores. It would be swell if y\u2019all could pick up a copy \ud83d\ude42 \n\n\nThanks for reading, and all the best in publishing your own books! \n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/how-to-sell-books-in-malaysia/", "title": "How to Sell Books in Malaysia: Eveything I Did to Increase Sales\n  ", "body": "In 2019, I launched my first ever book, Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 1. That did well (so much that I wrote a \ncase study on selling online\n), so I worked on (1) a sequel and (2) the Malay translation.\n\n\nAfter over a year of planning \u2013 including organising a writing competition to source for the short stories, hiring a Malay translator, getting the book designed and printed etc \u2013\u00a0 On 26 April 2020 finally I launched 2 new additions to the #MyMoneyStories book series:\n\n\n\n\nMoney Stories from Malaysians: Volume 2. \nThe sequel of the Money Stories series. It contains 11 personal finance-themed short stories\n\n\nCerita Duit Orang Malaysia: Jilid 1. \nThe Malay translation of\u00a0 Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 1, with two additional stories (total 13 stories).\n\n\n\n\n>>Click \nhere\n to purchase all #MyMoneyStories books<<\n\n\nLaunching the books means *selling* the books. Because this is my second time doing it, and by now I have a bit of experience, I decided to make a how to sell books in Malaysia guide. I figured this guide would be useful for not just current and future book sellers, but also any online seller.\n\n\nBefore we start, a confession: SELF-PROMOTION IS STILL HELLA HARD FOR ME. I have a lot of mental block when it comes to promoting my own work (ESPECIALLY my own work). And that is NOT the trait of a good salesperson.\n\n\nBut\u2026 one does not grow in the comfort zone. So what if it\u2019s hard, I get to challenge myself. And as one of my fav personalities, Marie Forleo said, \u201cDo hard things\u201d and \u201cEverything is Figureoutable\u201d.\n\n\nHow to Sell Books in Malaysia: What I Did to Increase Sales\n\n\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Collaborating with writer-KOLs\n\n\n\n\nIn total, 12 new authors contributed short stories in both books, in addition to the initial 10 authors. Some of those writers are also KOLs (key opinion leaders) in their own right.\n\n\n\n\nHere I have to say that their short stories were selected for #MyMoneyStories on their own merit \u2013 the stories were good. It\u2019s just, their added reputation is definitely an added bonus.\n\n\n\n\nIn the new #MyMoneyStories, you can find stories from:\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAzraei Mohamad\n\u00a0aka\u00a0\nFinancial Gory\n,\n\n\nRaja Ummi Nadrah from\u00a0\nUmmi Goes Where\n\n\nKong Ing Hong of\u00a0\nThe Stockmonger\n\n\nSukhbir Cheema, co-founder of\u00a0\nEksentrika\n\n\nAnd more; I\u2019m just listing the ones whose works I\u2019m most familiar with\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Doing a pre-order sale\n\n\nAs some of you may be aware, I held a special launch slash pre-order sales from dates 26 April \u2013 8 May 2020, where the books cost a little bit cheaper than RRP (the sales ended already, just in case that wasn\u2019t clear).\n\n\nIt should come to anyone\u2019s surprise that doing sales tend to boost, well, sales.\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Doing a combo deal\n\n\nI also decided to do a 2-in-1 book deal, which helped to push two books at once instead of 1.\n\n\n\n\nNote: Some of you asked why I didn\u2019t bundle up Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 1 and Volume 2 together. The reason is simple: to make the book sales\u2019 calculations really clear. Many of my co-writers opted for profit-sharing option, or getting paid 1 year\u2019s worth of profits from book sales. You can read more about this \nhere\n.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Promoting via my social media\n\n\nFinally, we get into the marketing side of it. Of course, in addition to posting about the book launch in ringgitohringgit.com, I also promoted the books in the Ringgit Oh Ringgit social media channels, which at the time of writing has around 29 thousand or so combined followers across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n[OUT NOW] Money Stories from Malaysians: Vol 2 and Cerita Duit Orang Malaysia: Jilid 1 are now available for preorder! You said you loved the first volume. I hope you\u2019ll love these too <3 . Go on, read something fun this MCO! Click link in bio to purchase \u2013 Special sales price until 8 May 2020 only \ud83d\ude04 . #personalfinancemalaysia #MYMoneyStories #ceritaduit #malaysiablogger #bloggermalaysia #ebookmalaysia #belionline #sayajualbuku #sayajualbukuonline #kewangan #bukukewangan\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nApr 26, 2020 at 8:07pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nI also managed to plug the books in my new venture, the newly-launched \nRinggit Oh Ringgit YouTube channel\n!\n\n\nSide note about the channel. I\u2019m so happy I finally got the guts to do it, after at least 2 years of *thinking* of doing it. I\u2019m so glad I took the step!\n\n\n\n\nOne of my videos passed 1000 views???! Omg wow so exciting!!!\n\n\nThis really reminds me of my early days blogging. Every single pageview made me so happy. I missed this feeling. Now I get to experience it all over again with Youtube \ud83e\udd70 \npic.twitter.com/6IxP4FiebM\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nMay 11, 2020\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Sharing testimonials to social media\n\n\nI love this method the most, because it\u2019s so genuine. Just me and a happy customer. For example, this interaction still makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Launching an affiliate system\n\n\nLaunching an affiliates system is hands-down one of my better ideas. I get to (1) encourage #MyMoneyStories book reviews and (2) let the RoR audience earn money from referrals at the same time??! What a perfect win-win situation!\n\n\nAnd it\u2019s working! I saw that a bunch of people successfully earned affiliate income already \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nFor more information about the affiliate system, please read this article:\u00a0\n[INCOME OPPORTUNITY] Sell Money Stories Book Series and Earn RM1.78-RM17 per order\n\n\n\n\nHere are some reviews and mentions I\u2019ve gotten!\n\n\nFrom Cindy, who reviewed on GoodReads!:\n\n\n\n\nFrom \nBujang & Broke\n:\n\n\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Started on an email funnel\n\n\nEmail marketing is something that\u2019s fairly new for me. Now that I\u2019m paying for MailChimp\u2019s monthly subscription plan ($30 per month okay, it\u2019s not a small amount!), I plan to make full use of it.\n\n\nHow the email funnel works is:\n\n\nA) I offer you a freebie, in exchange for joining my email subscriber list\n\n\n\n\nZe topbar is back \npic.twitter.com/QOsQbcQPlb\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nMay 11, 2020\n\n\n\n\nB) Every email subscriber will now get updates upon every new article released on Ringgitohringgit.com\u2026 plus a reminder to get the books if they haven\u2019t.\n\n\nIt\u2019s a very crude system. I don\u2019t know if it\u2019ll work, but a girl\u2019s gotta try. By telling you this, sure I\u2019m telling you my sales and funnel strategy, but I also feel at ease about it. Email marketing can be a bit manipulative sometimes and I don\u2019t want to be manipulative.\n\n\nHow to Sell Books in Malaysia: What I Did NOT Do to Increase Sales\n\n\nSo I\u2019ve shared how to sell books in Malaysia via methods #1-#7 listed above. Equally important, I feel, is sharing with you what strategies I decided NOT to do.\n\n\nI\u2019ve contemplated, and rejected these methods:\n\n\n\n\nTelling you a portion of the sales will go to charity\n. I\u2019m still donating, but that\u2019s from my own pocket. I\u2019m not going to capitalise on charity. I\u2019m not going to use it as a marketing angle.\n\n\nWorking with influencers aka blogger outreach.\n Mostly because I thought corresponding with lots of them wasn\u2019t an effective use of my time/effort. Rather than contacting and convincing them, I\u2019d rather do the \naffiliate system method\n\n\nSpend on Facebook Ads.\n I\u2019ve decided on no ads, at least not yet\n\n\nHire a PR firm.\n Out of my budget. I could DIY it and write a press release and spam every reporter I know, hmm\u2026.\n\n\nOrganise live events\n. Honestly speaking, my mental health is at its limit and I just can\u2019t bear the thought of doing these. My anxiety levels are already crazy as it is\n\n\n\n\nOutcome of book sales (so far)\n\n\nHowever, even with all those effort, I have to admit that unfortunately, I didn\u2019t manage to hit my (ambitious) sales target. I wanted to hit RM15k during the 2 weeks of pre-order sales. But I only managed to hit RM5k.\n\n\n\n\nObviously, I wasn\u2019t happy about failing this personal goal. In my\n money journal\n, I listed out the possible reasons why:\n\n\n\n\nPeople have less money. It\u2019s the freaking \nrecession\n\n\nPeople have other things to worry about, rather than get excited about my books. Like their health and livelihood\n\n\nPeople just weren\u2019t in the mood to read. Heck, *I* had trouble focusing. I usually read 2 books an average per month but in April, I couldn\u2019t even finish one.\n\n\n\n\nThose should be the reasons. Although, at the back of my head, there is this monster that keeps going \u2018maybe its because people don\u2019t like you anymore, Suraya, that\u2019s why they didn\u2019t buy\u2019.\n\n\nI pushed that voice away. That is the toxic part of my psyche talking, the one that keeps telling me to give up. I *know* I have support, and amazing audience. The lack of sales is due to timing. Just pure timing.\n\n\nIf you\u2019ve read this far and, Idk, felt sorry for me or something, I want to say: \ndon\u2019t\n. I\u2019m happy I gave it my all. I did what I could. It wasn\u2019t enough, but I did my freaking best, given the situation, my capabilities and mental health.\n\n\nAnd that\u2019s enough, I am satisfied. Onwards and upwards. This is just the start anyway. I still have ~11 months to go to hit \u2013 and break \u2013 my sales target. Bring it on.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/influencer-rate-card/", "title": "How to Create Your Influencer Rate Card & Get Paid as an Influencer in Malaysia\n  ", "body": "\n\nSo you have been \nsharing your passion\n for a while, maybe made some money from \naffiliate marketing\n, and one day, you receive something that looks like this in your DM: Hi, we love your content and would love to explore possible collaborations! Can you send us your influencer rate card?\n\n\nTo which you reply back: of course! To which email shall I send it to? \n\n\nThis has happened to me quite a few times over the past few years, so much that I\u2019ve streamlined my client onboarding processes. So I figure, let me just share what I do so you can use it as a guide (leave a comment if you use a better way, so all of us can learn :). \n\n\nBefore that, quick side note on what is an influencer rate card, and who it is for. \n\n\nWhat is an influencer rate card? And can I use it if I\u2019m not an influencer but still kinda famous in my circles?\n\n\nWhen people hear the term \u2018influencer\u2019, what usually comes to mind is \nlifestyle\n influencers \u2013 ie people who share beauty, travel, fashion and food-related content, usually on social media or blog. \n\n\nHowever, influencers can talk about anything, not just those topics. The word literally just means someone who influences their audience. If that\u2019s what you do in *your* niche, then you \u2013 for all intents and purposes \u2013 are an influencer. \n\n\nHow you feel about the word is up to you. You can use it proudly (\nI respect people who do\n), but if it doesn\u2019t sit right somehow, you can also call yourself a KOL (key opinion leader), a content creator, a community builder, a speaker, whatever floats your boat. \n\n\n\n\nProtip to influencers: don't call yourself an influencer. Orang tak suka. Altenatives: Content creator, [niche] enthusiast, video producer, blogger, YouTube broadcaster, reviewer, etc\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nFebruary 20, 2019\n\n\n\n\nWith that clarified, let\u2019s get into the core topic: how to create your rate card as an influencer, so you can send it over to the potential client and hopefully score a lucrative gig.  \n\n\nThere are 2 main ways to do it: send a media kit, or email over your services and rates. Let\u2019s go over both of them. \n\n\n#1 \u2013 Send a Media kit\n\n\nThe first way to send your influencer rate card is by sending over a media kit, which is basically a (or a series of) pdf or jpg containing these key infos: \n\n\nImage\nAbout me\nKey statistics\nServices and Rates\nPast collaborations/work\nContact details\n\n\nYou can DIY, or use the influencer rate card template from Canva. You can also search the term \u2018media kit\u2019 for more template options. It looks something like this:\n\n\n\n\nYou can use the free options, or you can subscribe to \nCanva Premium\n to use the premium ones (with crown logo). \n\n\n(Another advantage of using Canva Premium is you can use their invoice templates, social media templates, ebook templates, course templates and others too. Not bad for RM250 per year)\n\n\n(To compare, I\u2019m currently paying RM350~ per year for accounting platform alone. As a content creator slash speaker, I only send max 5 invoices out per month so this is a bit of an overkill, so I\u2019m gonna jump to Canva Premium when my subscription ends. Save money and I get all the other add-ons in the price too, worth it).\n\n\nThe common question here is, \nhow much should you price your services\n? The answer is in another article,\n 5 Methods to Figure Out Your Rates\n. \n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Send an email with your services and rates\n\n\nThe second way to send out your influencer rate card is via email. \n\n\nPersonally, I prefer sending an email because I can send more details. However, I do think if you\u2019re visual-focused (instagram, Youtube), then Media Kit (#1) is the better approach. Leave a comment if you disagree.\n\n\nRegardless, this is how my email template looks like. This is what I send to clients who are interested to engage in my services. \n\n\nHi X, \nAs promised, sending you my services, rates and statistics below. Three options are available: Social media package, Live event (webinar etc) and\u00a0sponsored\u00a0post. Based on what we discussed,\u00a0the\u00a0option you are looking for falls under [Option X]. Here are\u00a0the\u00a0breakdown of each\u00a0package:\n\u2014\nOption 1: Social media package (3 x mix and match: Instagram\u00a0post; Instagram Story; Facebook\u00a0post; Twitter thread*) *min 5 tweets in a thread\u00a0\nSuitable for: one-off campaign (for example, to promote an event or a limited-time offer)\nThis option is:\n\u2013 Inclusive of copywriting rates\n\u2013 Image provided by client\n\u2013 Inclusive of keyword and hashtag research (where applicable)\n\u2013 Inclusive of all administrative and logistical charges\u00a0\n\u2013 [Sponsored] tag and disclosure must be included; no native advertisement\u00a0\u00a0\nCost: RMxxxx per\u00a0package, 50% advance deposit required\nOption 2: Live event\u00a0\nSuitable for: one-off campaign (including speaking sessions)\nThis option is:\n\u2013 Inclusive of\u00a0content\u00a0creation and marketing consultation\u00a0\n\u2013 Inclusive of sharing across my social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)\u00a0\u00a0\n\u2013 Inclusive of all administrative and logistical charges (within Klang Valley)\n\u2013 [Sponsored] tag and disclosure must be included; no native advertisement\u00a0\u00a0\nCost: RMxxxx for up to half-day event (including event-day prep time), 50% advance deposit required\nOption 3:\u00a0Sponsored\u00a0Post\u00a0on Ringgit Oh Ringgit (500-1000 words)\u00a0\nSuitable for: long-term SEO/brand awareness\u00a0\u00a0\nThis option is:\n\u2013 Inclusive of\u00a0content\u00a0creation and marketing consultation\u00a0\n\u2013\u00a0Inclusive of all aspects of\u00a0the\u00a0writing process, including keyword research and search engine optimisation (SEO)\n\u2013 Inclusive of sharing across my social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)\n\u2013 Inclusive of all administrative and logistical charges\u00a0\n\u2013 Unlimited revisions until your complete satisfaction\n\u2013 [Sponsored] tag and disclosure must be included; no native advertisement\nCost: RMxxxx per\u00a0article, 50% advance deposit required\nNote: New\u00a0articles\u00a0stays on\u00a0the\u00a0front page of\u00a0\nringgitohringgit.com\n\u00a0for ~6 weeks\nArticle\u00a0will be auto-shared in perpetuity in Twitter and Facebook platforms (rotation-based)\nHow\u00a0the\u00a0sponsored\u00a0post\u00a0process usually works is:\n\u2013 Confirmation of engagement and deposit\u00a0\n\u2013 Ideation, drafting and writing process with continuous feedback from your team\n\u2013 Content\u00a0optimisation (SEO etc)\u00a0\n\u2013 Publishing and promotion\n\u2013 Final payment\n\u2013 Submission of statistics from my end\u00a0post\u00a01-week and\u00a0post\u00a01-month of\u00a0content\u00a0publishing\u00a0\nHappy to receive an offer from your end for other types of work not included above, or in a different combinations \ud83d\ude42\nPast work with clients\nYou can have a look at my past\u00a0sponsored\u00a0content\u00a0from various companies here:\u00a0\nhttps://ringgitohringgit.com/tag/sponsored/\n\u00a0.\u00a0\n\u00a0\nI have helped many clients with their campaigns, would be glad to do\u00a0the\u00a0same for\u00a0your organisation. \u00a0\nFor your information, my current stats are:\nRinggitohringgit.com website\n\u00a0\u2013 approx xx monthly traffic (H2 2022 data)\nFacebook page\u00a0\n\u2013 xx followers\nTwitter\u00a0\n\u2013 xx followers\nInstagram\u00a0\n\u2013 xx followers\nYoutube\u00a0\n\u2013 xx subscribers\u00a0\u00a0\nThe\u00a0reach of each\u00a0post\u00a0varies based on\u00a0the\u00a0type of\u00a0content. Optimisation tips will be covered during\u00a0the\u00a0consultation and throughout\u00a0the\u00a0content\u00a0creation and marketing process.\u00a0\nIf you are happy to proceed, we can have a chat to discuss\u00a0further.\u00a0Let me\u00a0know if you have any questions, happy to answer them \ud83d\ude42\u00a0\nBest,\u00a0\nSuraya\n\n\nYou might notice that I put 50% deposit as one of the requirements. As I shared in my \nHow I Get Great Clients Who Pay & Treat Me Well\n article, this method helps me weed out non-paying clients. The last thing I want for you is wasting time working for a non-paying client and running out of savings.\n\n\nBe clear about payment for your work\n\n\nSome clients will reach out already with budgets. But don\u2019t assume \u2013 some clients may just hope for free content from you, in exchange for free (or just discounted!) product or service. \n\n\nSo sending your influencer rate card sends a clear message that engaging you will be a PAID job. You want to be firm that you are not offering your services for free. \n\n\nWhat if they have a paid job\u2026 but offering super low rates? I quite like the take below. There are other great replies as well, go check it out. \n\n\n\n\nNegotiation tip: if you\u2019re dying to work w/ a client no matter what, when they say a low budget, say, \u201cYou know, I\u2019d do this no matter what the budget is. I\u2019m doing this to work with you, not for the money. But I\u2019m wondering, is there any more in the budget?\u201d Then be silent.\n\u2014 Chris Do (@theChrisDo) \nSeptember 5, 2022\n\n\n\n\nNote: it is absolutely fine to do free/low-paid work if you truly love the product or service, or if its a social enterprise. There\u2019s no hard and fast rule. But you have to remember \u2013 every unpaid job takes time away from paid jobs. You gotta eat, so prioritise paid jobs\n\n\n(When you do decline, do it nicely, don\u2019t burn bridges. There are \nways to say no\n without being adversarial. Who knows they\u2019re just out of marketing budget for the month/quarter/year, and can engage you when they get more). \n\n\nThat\u2019s all I have for you today. Don\u2019t forget that income from promotional activities are taxable income \u2013 read \n3 Things You Must Do When You Start Your Small Business in Malaysia\n to set up your biz right \ud83d\ude42 Being an influencer is fun but challenging, so wishing you all the best out there, you can do this! \n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/invest-in-yourself/", "title": "Why \u2018Invest in Yourself\u2019 Advice Sucks\u2026 Even Though They\u2019re Right Ugh\n  ", "body": "\n\nLet\u2019s play a game. Anytime you see someone asking the understandably common question of \u2018What/Where should I invest in?\u2019 online \u2013 in Facebook, Twitter, any social media really \u2013 try and see if you can find that one fella who reply \u2018you should invest in \nyourself \nfirst\u2019.\n\n\nWhich is, you know, not wrong. \nBut it *is* condescending and useless advice if told without additional, helpful details\n. I said what I said.\n\n\n(Btw \u2013 the actual answer to what/where to invest your money is in \nthis article\n. Most people can start their investment journey this way and personalise it as they go along)\n\n\nBut fine. Like I said, those fellas are not wrong. It *is* important to invest in yourself first, I agree.\n\n\nHow does \u2018invest in yourself\u2019 look like in practice though? In this article I\u2019d like to share how I\u2019ve been interpreting that statement. The steps are loosely chronological.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Get access to learning materials\n\n\nLearning materials are:\n\n\n\n\nBooks, in both non-fiction AND fiction* categories\n\n\nCourses \u2013 online and offline\n\n\nAny source of new knowledge, paid or free\n\n\nAny new method(s) to apply said knowledge better\n\n\nI\u2019d put travel in this category too\n\n\n\n\n(Note: Finance and self-development people LOVES non-fiction books, but \nfiction books are important for soft skills and EQ development\n. \n\n\nAs mentioned in \nthis Harvard Business Review article\n, \u201cReading literary fiction helps people develop\u00a0\nempathy\n,\u00a0\ntheory of mind\n, and\u00a0\ncritical thinking\u201d\n. These are all necessary for personal and professional success)\n\n\nTbh you already know investing in yourself requires learning materials \u2013 it\u2019s too obvious and I\u2019m not even going to expand this section beyond this.\n\n\nI will say though that I have books you can consider reading:\n\n\n\n\nMoney Stories from Malaysians series\n \u2013 helps you expand your understanding of \u2018personal finance\u2019 from other people\u2019s POV. Read a \nFREE chapter\n\n\nBergaji & Pokai\n \u2013 Malay-language beginner\u2019s guide to money management (You can also double this as a way to improve your conversational Malay)\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Look for ways to increase personal time so you can use it for self-improvement\n\n\nI didn\u2019t make the connection early, but oh\u00a0\nboy\n is time important.\u00a0\nBuying all the learning materials means nothing if I didn\u2019t have time to go through them\n!\u00a0\n\n\n(Plus, having time also allows me to explore free sources of information. You can even find \nvideo summaries of the best investing books on Youtube\n!)\n\n\nGetting more personal time is easier for some than others. For example, someone who grew up with a domestic helper in the household (like I did \u2013 admitting my privilege here) tends to have more free time because someone else handles the housework.\n\n\nOthers use different strategies to find the time, like the \u2018hack\u2019 of waking up early. People who do this belong to what they call The 5am Club \u2013 I\u2019m not even kidding about this. It\u2019s a whole book and everything.\n\n\n\n\nThe good thing is you can use money to \nbuy\n time. For example:\n\n\n\n\nBuying gadgets and tools that cut down time spent on performing household chores, like robo vacuum cleaners that automatically clean the house\n\n\nHiring someone to do work that would take you ages to complete, like hiring a plumber\n\n\nHiring someone who can help you exercise effectively\u00a0\n\n\nUsing ride-hailing services instead of LRTs and busses\n\n\nBuying tools that help automate parts of your business\n\n\n\n\nSo those expenses,\u00a0\nas long as within reason and within your budget\n, I would consider as an \u2018investment in yourself\u2019.\n\n\nThis is also why I support government policies that help people save time rather than save money. Like childcare services and better public transportation connectivity. Giving cash handouts is cool but sometimes I look at people queueing up for hours and think, wow that\u2019s counter-productive.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Attend in-person events\n\n\nAs you gain more time and money \u2013 they kind of feed off each other in a positive loop; \nmore money gives you more time and more time gives you the opportunity to make more money and so on\n \u2013 you can do more things that require more resources, like attending workshops, conferences, and networking events.\n\n\nYour motivation to attend these events is to meet more like-minded people and learn new knowledge. Later on you realise that paid events tend to result in better connections and knowledge, so you start to dedicate some money towards it.\n\n\nNote: free events aren\u2019t necessarily bad. It\u2019s just\u2026 if I\u2019m being frank, I find that the sort of people who attend exclusively free events and the sort of people who attend paid events are different sorts of people. The latter are usually more driven, ambitious. The former complains the free food isn\u2019t good enough.\n\n\nI talked about this a bit more in the\n What Rich Malaysians Do With Their Money (That You Don\u2019t)\n, under Point #2.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Cultivate relationships that matter\n\n\n(Note: Cultivate is such a strange word to use since some people I meet through #3 became great friends and even lovers.)\n\n\nThis is what people mean when they say you should \u2018invest\u2019 in relationships \u2013 spending the time (aka money) to meet them regularly so they can strengthen their bond because they know that quality relationships matter more than quantity.\n\n\nThe awesome part is the better your relationships get, the better you grow \ntogether\n. You\u2019ll introduce new friends and bounce off ideas and pass on work to each other. They hype you up and you hype them back. It\u2019s a nice, supportive environment to be in.\n\n\nHow do you invest in yourself?\n\n\nWhat comes after #4? Do you agree with my loosely chronological structure at all? What is the one investment you have made for yourself that has been transformational and life-changing?\n\n\nWould love to hear your thoughts, leave \u2019em in the comments section below \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/involve-asia-review/", "title": "I Made Thousands in Affiliate Income: My Involve Asia Review\n  ", "body": "\n\nThis is my Involve Asia review as someone who has used the platform for over 2 years and earned thousands from it. \n\n\nIn case you\u2019re not familiar, Involve Asia is one of the biggest affiliate marketing platforms in Malaysia and Asia. With over 1000 brands in its platform, they allow everyone to earn commission (read: extra income) by promoting various products and services. \n\n\nYou can sign up with \nthis link\n, or click the image below.\n\n\n\n\nEarning via Involve Asia is pretty straightforward:\n\n\nSign up to the platform\nPick brands you want to promote (some require you to apply in advance)\nWrite and edit your content \u2013 make sure it suits your target audience \nPublish the post along with your affiliate link\nHopefully someone buys\nWithdraw your income after the transaction is validated (may take a few months) AND after you hit minimum withdrawal amount (RM80) \n\n\nInvolve Asia Review: Is it legit? Can really earn money?\n\n\nYes, Involve Asia is legit, at least from my experience. I have made withdrawals of my earnings to my bank account multiple times with no problems. To date, I have earned ~RM3000.  \n\n\n\n\nCoincidentally, as of writing time, I am also waiting for USD5,273 or around ~RM23k in earnings to be validated. Once validated, it will be available for withdrawal. \n\n\n\n\nDon\u2019t be too impressed with the amount, I probably won\u2019t get the full RM23k. That\u2019s because\u2026\n\n\nEstimated earnings =/= successful conversion\n\n\nThe RM23k is \nestimated\n earnings, not successful conversion. The two are not the same. \n\n\nI learned this the hard way. Previously, I promoted a similar product and \nonly a third of the recorded earning resulted in successful conversion.\n The dashboard said I got RM6k in estimated earnings, but I only got RM2k. \n\n\n\n\nI don't know why do I even remain with this affiliate company when they reduced my confirmed earning from RM6k to RM2k. Without notice.\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nApril 18, 2022\n\n\n\n\nWhat happened with the Involve Asia payment?\n\n\nWhen my dashboard showed my Involve Asia payment reduced from RM6k to RM2k without notice, I was livid. You\u2019d be too \u2013 RM4k is a lot to lose!\n\n\nI emailed my account manager and after a few attempts, they finally replied and explained. It turns out the reduced income is due to the type of product I was promoting \nhaving a high rejection rate\n. \n\n\nIn short: Some products are straightforward purchases (think Shopee, Zalora purchases), while others require \nextra validation\n. Mine was the latter, thus my income was lower than originally projected. \n\n\nSo yeah, something I learned by experience. Estimated earnings are not necessarily successful conversion, so don\u2019t get too excited over high estimated earning amount, and definitely don\u2019t pre-spend the money until it\u2019s available for withdrawal. \n\n\nCan you earn a lot of money as Involve Asia affiliate?\n\n\nPersonally, I have earned thousands as an Involve Asia affiliate, but not regularly. It just so happened that one of my recent attempts was wildly successful. Most months, I only earn a couple of ringgits here and there. I concentrate most of my efforts on other \nreferral programmes\n and \nincome generation methods\n instead. \n\n\nThe reason I don\u2019t earn that much from Involve Asia is simple: As a personal finance blogger, I try not to deviate too much outside of the Finance niche, so that significantly reduces my options. I\u2019m also choosy and don\u2019t promote certain things (like personal loans, forex etc), so that reduces my options even more. \n\n\nHowever, when I do find good products to share, I believe they are \ngood\n. That\u2019s why I got that RM23k in estimated earning within 3 weeks. \n\n\nNote: I\u2019m not even going to pretend I am good at affiliate marketing, because others are way better at it, no contest. Top affiliate marketers in Malaysia earn five-figure incomes every month*!\n\n\n*I tried to look for the source but unfortunately can\u2019t find it at writing time. If you know the link, please share in the comments\n\n\nI may have my limitations, but you don\u2019t. If you are a lifestyle content creator, or even a regular consumer and social media user, you have way more products and services you can promote across various niches, including:\n\n\nElectronics,\nFashion,\nFinance,\nHealth & Beauty,\nMarketplace,\nServices, and \nTravel\n\n\nYou can sort by category easily\n\n\nSo you can promote whatever you want. As long as you \nconsistently\n create interesting content alongside your affiliate links, you\u2019ll be able to get some sales and earn via affiliate marketing in no time.\n\n\nBest practices to earn money via affiliate marketing in Malaysia\n\n\n\u201cBut Suraya, I don\u2019t have many followers\u201d\n\n\nYou want to know something? Most of the top affiliate marketers don\u2019t have a lot of followers. \nContrary to popular belief, you don\u2019t need to have a high follower count to earn via affiliate marketing. \n\n\nInstead, they:\n\n\nAre good at copywriting, and\nAre familiar with at least one type of digital marketing (be it SEO or social media marketing or whatever), and\u2026 \nAre contributors in huge Facebook groups\n\n\nThe first and second are obvious, but the last one blew my mind when I first learned about it. \n\n\nBut for real, that\u2019s what many top affiliate marketers in Malaysia do. \nThey didn\u2019t limit product promotion on their own social media page with limited followers/friends. Instead, they posted in Facebook groups with hundreds of thousands, even a million members. \n\n\nWhich Facebook groups? There are so many of them, but here are a few examples to show what I mean:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn the groups, you\u2019ll find various product recommendations from contributors along with their affiliate links. Some of them are drafted so well, they get thousands of shares beyond the group too! \n\n\nSo if you want to try out affiliate marketing to earn extra income, but worried that you don\u2019t have the followers count for it, don\u2019t worry, it\u2019s not a requirement.  Go ahead and join the groups and study what types of posts do well, and try it for yourself. \n\n\nMy recommendation is, \ndo a 30-in-30 challenge \nwhere you create at least one post a day \u2013 the more you post, and the more consistently you post, the higher the chance of you making sales. \n\n\nIt\u2019s worth remembering the \nPareto Principle \nhere: 80% of your sales will come from 20% of your posts. \n\n\nInvolve Asia Review and Verdict: Good place for beginner affiliate marketers to start earning\n\n\nAll in all, I like my experience with Involve Asia:\n\n\nThey have many established brands that people already know and trust\nI love the fact that they have both Shopee AND Lazada marketplaces \u2013 this means you have countless products and services to promote in one platform, you don\u2019t need to apply separately\nIt\u2019s free to start, no upfront capital needed\n\n\nAs you can see, while I have some ups and downs with this  affiliate marketing platform, I\u2019m still a big fan of it. I think affiliate marketing is excellent for people looking to earn extra income, and you get to learn sales and marketing at the same time too. \n\n\nI\u2019ll end this Involve Asia review here. Share with me your experience with affiliate marketing in the comments, and how you are improving your sales and conversions. Would love to hear your best practices \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nYou can sign up with Involve Asia with \nthis link\n, or click the image below.\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/jobs-for-students-in-malaysia/", "title": "4 Best Jobs for Students in Malaysia Looking for Fast, Quick Money\n  ", "body": "There are many jobs for students in Malaysia, but the question is, which one can give you fast, quick money?\n\n\nIn this article, I will different types of part time jobs for students in Malaysia, as well as their pros and cons so you can make an informed decision. I\u2019ll also share WHERE you can find the jobs. Let\u2019s start.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Booth attendant / Promoter / Event staff\n\n\n\n\nPersonally, I think this is one of the best jobs for students in Malaysia. I did some myself \u2013 the ones I remember:\n\n\n\n\nHanding out Salonpas samples at multiple pharmacies around KL\n\n\nManning booths during fairs (the ones at malls)\n\n\nTasked as a \u2018greeter\u2019 at a corporate event\n\n\n\n\nPros:\n\n\n\n\nGood, immediate money. Payment ranged from RM80-200 per day\n\n\nThe employers don\u2019t tend to micromanage. They check up once in a while, but mostly leave you to do your work\n\n\nIf you do good work, the recruiter may remember and get you again for their next events\n\n\nPersonally, manning booths during fairs were busy but quite fun! Time passes by very fast\n\n\nA LOT of opportunities during festive seasons and annual events like book fairs etc\n\n\n\n\nCons:\n\n\n\n\nTiring. Some of the jobs were all-day jobs, may need to stand for up to 12 hours. You need to be in good health\n\n\nSeems to be competitive (but to be fair what job is not competitive nowadays). I was only hired for maybe 1 out of 10 or so applications I submitted\n\n\n\n\nPlaces to browse for these jobs:\n I used \nParttimejobs\n. \nUpal\n looks good too. Share more good options in the comments section!\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Focus group\n\n\nNote: not to be mistaken for online survey jobs. Those pay crap. Focus groups are face-to-face discussions, conducted for the purpose of market research.\n\n\nPros:\n\n\n\n\nGREAT money. I remember being paid RM200 (if I remember correctly) for one 2-hour session\n\n\nEasy. All you need to do is be there and answer questions by the moderator and give your own personal opinions on a product/service\n\n\n\n\nCons:\n\n\n\n\nYou need to fulfil the exact requirement of that focus group setting, and that\u2019s out of your control. Some may need for you to be a car owner. Others need you to be new mother. There\u2019s a reason why I only did a couple of sessions \u2013 I didn\u2019t qualify for the rest\n\n\nTiming is fixed. If you can\u2019t make it to the session \u2013 usually conducted during office hours \u2013 too bad\n\n\nNot immediate. Upon signing up in focus group platforms, you may have to wait weeks or months to get an invitation you\u2019re qualified for\n\n\nWith improvements in technology, I\u2019m not sure if companies still want to shell out money for expensive focus groups tbh. There are other cost-effective ways to conduct market research. I personally think its a dying \u2013 if not dead \u2013 industry. Feel free to comment\n\n\nCan be spammy. I remember receiving bulk invites via email and text, for focus groups I am not eligible for\n\n\n\n\nPlaces to browse for these jobs:\n \nOpinionHero\n is one option. comment if you\u2019ve tried it or other platforms.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Service jobs\n\n\nSimplistically, there are two ways to make money: sell products or sell services.\n\n\nAs a college student, selling products can be a bit hard because you may not have the money to keep stock \u2013 unless you get paid by commission, which I\u2019d argue is no longer a part-time job.\n\n\nDoing service jobs, on the other hand, is selling your time and skills for cash. You can either browse job sites, or offer your own services. \nKaodim\n is a good place to browse for an overview of service jobs:\n\n\n Screenshot from Kaodim.com\n\n\nPersonally, I\u2019ve done:\n\n\n\n\nTutoring (at an international school) \u2013 for 1 year\n\n\nWaitressing (at a fancy restaurant near my uni in UK) \u2013 for a couple of months\n\n\nCatering baked goods \u2013 failed before it started\n\n\n\n\nFrom the limited experience that I had, my favourite was the tutoring one. It paid more and the environment was comfortable.\n\n\nPros:\n\n\n\n\nComplete autonomy, until you are employed and have to listen to your bosses/clients\n\n\nSometimes you kind of stumble into it when people around you offer to pay you for the services. For example, I\u2019ve certainly told my friend I\u2019d pay good money for their cookies they made and brought to a potluck, and hired someone for their tech services when I see them posting about it online\n\n\nTechnically unlimited income potential\n\n\n\n\nCons:\n\n\n\n\n(For people who know what services they are good at and can sell) Other people take advantage of your passion and use that as an excuse to pay you less. Unsupportive friends and family may ask for discount or even expect it for free. Have to learn to say no\n\n\n(For people who don\u2019t know what skill they can sell) You get stuck in analysis paralysis and can\u2019t pick what to offer\n\n\nDifferentiating yourself from other similar service providers might be a challenge\n\n\nYou have to learn marketing, networking etc to get potential customers\n\n\n\n\nPlaces to browse for these jobs:\n Go to your preferred job listing websites, or if you want to be self-employed, read my \nHow to Get Clients: A Guide for Malaysian Freelancers\n article\n\n\nRelated:\n\n\n\n\nHow I Get Great Clients Who Pay & Treat Me Well\n\n\nHow to Charge Clients: 5 Methods Freelancers Can Use\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Student jobs in uni\n\n\nSome of your schools may put up student job listings. I\u2019ve heard of people working as lecturer assistants, staff at student bookstore, staff at student cafeteria and more.\n\n\nPersonally, I worked as a student DJ when I was studying at UPM. I\u2019m very sure no one tuned in but it sure was fun. Until now I put \u2018English DJ at Putra FM\u2019 in my CV.\n\n\nPros:\n\n\n\n\nConvenient because it\u2019s located right there in school compound\n\n\nMay give you perks like discounts, free meals and/or access to areas restricted to students. Gives you bragging rights\n\n\nEasy to find the job listing \u2013 just go to the student center. If it\u2019s not displayed, ask where you can find it\n\n\n\n\nCons:\n\n\n\n\nThey don\u2019t usually pay well\n\n\nTry not to mess up too badly. May have lasting consequences\n\n\n\n\nPlaces to browse for these jobs:\n just go to the student centre. If the job listing is not displayed, ask where you can find it\n\n\nLast words\n\n\nThus concludes the 4 types of jobs for students in Malaysia, its pros and cons, and where you can find them. Am I missing any other types of jobs or platforms?\n\n\nI\u2019d love to hear more tips from you. Share in the comments section your own experience working while studying \u2013 what did you do to earn money? Can you share with us how you got the job, and if you\u2019d do it again?\n\n\nAny tips would be appreciated!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/make-money-from-personal-finance/", "title": "Personal Finance is Trendy. Here\u2019s How You Can Make Money From It.\n  ", "body": "Confession: It\u2019s really\u2026 weird\u2026 that personal finance, as a topic, is getting more attention than ever. I mean, it\u2019s good and all, it\u2019s just strange to be right smack of it all, as a personal finance blogger.\n\n\nAnd shit REALLY got real ever since the Malaysian government launched the National Strategy for Financial Literacy (2019-2023) on July 2019. I\u2019ve personally gotten more outreach requests for interviews, speaking engagements and collaborations since then.\n\n\nRelated: \n19 Financial Education Initiatives in Malaysia You Should Know\n\n\nSo, there\u2019s no questioning that personal finance is a HOT topic. For today\u2019s article, I\u2019ve decided to brainstorm and compile how YOU \u2013 a personal finance enthusiast \u2013 can take advantage of this situation. Here are some ways to make money from this hot trend.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Create anything educational\n\n\nYou\u2019re familiar with these personal finance products and services. I\u2019m talking about:\n\n\n\n\nBooks\n\n\nApps\n\n\nCourses\n\n\nWorkshops\n\n\nConferences, events etc\n\n\n\n\nThe key here \u2013 as with all product and services offering \u2013 is to zero in on your target audience. There are lots of educational materials out there \u2013 what makes yours different? Browse in your local bookstore to get ideas. I personally find the ones targeting the Malay market fascinating.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThis is the Malay-language business and management section at the bookstore . I\u2019m showing this to you because I find the copywriting, personal branding and niches fascinating. They\u2019re very different from their English-language counterparts, the ones I usually read . For example, there are the usual \u2018get better with money\u2019 books, but there are also investment and entrepreneurial topics on: \ud83d\udd39Becoming an agent \ud83d\udd39Making money in doorgift business \ud83d\udd39Taking advantage of online influence and making/selling products \ud83d\udd39Making money by making music/DJ-ing \ud83d\udd39Digital marketing (email marketing, online branding) . What\u2019s the one Malay-language business book that you would recommend? I want to read more of them . #marketresearch #mphbookstore #personalfinancemalaysia #malaysiainfluencer #on9branding #tipskewangan #bukumelayu #bisnesonlinemalaysia #membaca #bisnessendiri\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nSep 24, 2019 at 10:35pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAnd you\u2019re familiar with financial literacy workshops too I\u2019m sure. There are many types, catering to all types of audiences, covering all sorts of topics. Recently I found out there\u2019s an events company in Malaysia which organises financial empowerment retreats for (rich) women!\n\n\nFinancial-themed workshops have been in demand and will continue to be. Just be careful of that \u2018financial literacy workshop\u2019 that turns out to be a two-hour long sales pitch for some MLM or 5-figure product or service. (I say, hey no harm attending, but I\u2019d leave my wallet at home. If they have it their way they want you to sign up and pay up there and then.)\n\n\nSo yeah, I guess there is demand for all types of financial education material.\u00a0Here I want to share my soft spot for \nGrow the Goose\n, a social enterprise which funnels 60% of profits from paid workshops to run free financial education programmes for participants in rural and marginalised communities. Bless.\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Be a personal finance content creator\n\n\nI\u2019m using the term content creator not KOL (key opinion leader) or influencer because even I find those terms a bit ew. My view is, other people can call you that but you cannot.\n\n\nAnyway, yes! Come join us!\n\n\nBeing a content creator is really fun because you can play around with income-generating ideas and THAT CAN BECOME YOUR CONTENT. You can do merch:\n\n\n\n\nor create products and services (overlap with #1). I know of some personal finance figures in Malaysia who sell their own seminars, coaching services and books.\n\n\nI did this too. When I made \nMoney Stories from Malaysians: Volume 1 Book\n, I had the best time getting you folks involved! You helped me share the writing competition, helped me decide on the book cover design, helped me decide on pricing, and more! It got into the Top 10 Best-Selling list because of you!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMoney Stories from Malaysians: Volume 1 is now listed in @borders_my \u2018s Top 10 non-fiction list!!! \ud83e\udd2f\ud83e\udd2f\ud83e\udd2f . Thank you so much Melisa for snapping and sharing this pic. I\u2019m so blessed and grateful for you and everyone\u2019s support. You folks are so sweet I kenot uuuu \ud83d\ude2d . I have a favour to ask. If you have extra pocket money (only if you do okay), can you buy a copy of the book at bookstores near you? That\u2019s literally the only way to remain (and get a higher spot) on the BESTSELLERS LIST . In exchange, let me know what topics you\u2019d like me to cover more in ringgitohringgit.com. I don\u2019t like asking for something without offering something back in return! . Thanks in advance, Suraya . #malaysianauthors #malaysianwriters #malaysiabloggers #bloggermalaysia #bordersbookstore #kualalumpur #personalfinancemalaysia\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nSep 18, 2019 at 12:51am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCome get some ideas:\n\n\n\n\n6 Personal Finance Blog Ideas, Absolutely Free for You to Take\n\n\n12 Malaysia-Based Personal Finance Twitter Accounts to Follow\n\n\n21 Malaysia-Based Personal Finance Instagrammers You Should Follow\n (I should update this to include newer ones! If you\u2019re not in there, can you share link to your profile in the comments section please!)\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Stationaries\n\n\nOtherwise, if you don\u2019t want to do #1 or #2, then may I suggest creating personal finance-related stationaries? People with art backgrounds especially \u2013 this is one way to make money from your craft! Here I\u2019m using the term \u2018stationaries\u2019 to refer to anything that makes financial planning fun, from:\n\n\n\n\nBudgeting\n\n\nSaving money\n\n\nInvesting\n\n\nMeal-planning\n\n\nBusiness/Entrepreneurship planning\n\n\nAnd more\n\n\n\n\nSome ideas include (all images are from Etsy):\n\n\nMaking and selling personal finance-related printables\n\n\n\n\nMaking and selling cash envelopes (it\u2019s a budgeting style. More info \nhere\n)\n\n\n\n\nMaking and selling money-themed posters and home decor\n\n\n\n\nAnd more!\n\n\nI\u2019ve also seen people selling notebooks, stickers, pens, cards, tshirts, bags etc with money themes/slogans on them in various platforms, to various audiences. It\u2019s not a bad idea!\n\n\nAnd you\u2019ll be doing us a favour too. The more \u2018visual\u2019 personal finance is in our society, the more collective awareness of this important topic will rise, no? Financial institutions \u2013 bless them \u2013 do try to create these stuff but I think you can make prettier ones for sure.\n\n\nLast words\n\n\nComment if you or anyone you know already sell any of these products and services \u2013 would love to check out the wares \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nDo you have other money-making ideas to share, to take advantage of this personal finance trend? Let us know in the comments section!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/make-money-online/", "title": "25 Ways to Make Money Online in Malaysia (+ My Exact Steps)\n  ", "body": "\n\nIn this article, I\u2019d like to share how I make money online in Malaysia. I started from zero knowledge and experience \u2013 in fact at the time I was still sceptical about it and was still sending out my resume. This online work thing was meant to be pocket money *while* I find a suitable salaried position. \n\n\nBut the job offers weren\u2019t good, and I still had a little bit of savings left and no dependents, so I continued my efforts\u2026 and somehow it started working. Slowly, then all at once. \n\n\nAnd before you know it, as I\u2019m writing this, it\u2019s been 7 years since I entered this world of online income generation, exploring and implementing various ways to make money online in Malaysia. At last count, I have no less than \n8 income streams\n (!!! Sometimes I feel like I\u2019m dreaming..)\n\n\nSo yes, I can confirm. It works. Online money is \nreal\n. \n\n\nHow to earn money in Malaysia \u2013 25 Options AND the platform to use\n\n\nThere are many \u2013 and I mean MANY \u2013 ways to learn how to earn money in Malaysia. \n\n\nThe easiest is by checking out \nhttps://sidehustlestack.co/\n, a FREE resource to find platform-based work. It doesn\u2019t just give you options, but also \nthe exact platforms to use\n. \n\n\n\n\nYou can make money online in Malaysia by being a(n):\n\n\n\n\nAdult Content Creator\n\n\nAudio Content Creator\n\n\nChef\n\n\nCoach\n\n\nCommunity Leader\n\n\nContent Creator\n\n\nE-Commerce\n\n\nEvent Organizer\n\n\nDriver\n\n\nFitness Instructer\n\n\nGamer\n\n\nHealth \n\n\nLivestreamer\n\n\nPersonal Shopper\n\n\nPet Caretaker\n\n\nPodcaster\n\n\nRentals\n\n\nReseller\n\n\nRestaurant Worker\n\n\nSalesperson\n\n\nTasks & Services\n\n\nTeacher\n\n\nTech\n\n\nVideo Content Creator\n\n\nWriter\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s a lot of options, right! All you have to do is pick one, and put in the work!\n\n\nThe Exact Steps I Use to Make Money Online in Malaysia\n\n\nSo, like you, I also had analysis paralysis. Having many options to make money online in Malaysia is good! But\u2026 which one to pick? How to even start! This is overwhelming! \n\n\nIt\u2019s ok to feel like that. I did. So let me share my journey, as someone who once knew nothing. I hope you\u2019ll find this sharing useful.\n\n\nThe steps below are not linear. I did them in this order, but you don\u2019t have to \u2013 tweak it to your unique situation. You might even skip a few steps, or add your own. It\u2019s just to give you one perspective from someone who tried to navigate this world as a beginner. \n\n\nHere\u2019s how I did it, here are my steps:\n\n\nStep 1: I identified \na\n skill that I can sell. \n\n\nFor me, I chose writing skills to concentrate on. For you, this might be: photography, graphic design, translation, coding, marketing or other skills. \n\n\nNo skills? I don\u2019t think so. From experience, \neveryone\n has something to offer. The fact that you\u2019re reading this in English means that you have an advantage. If you\u2019re not sure, get a friend/family to tell you what you\u2019re good at, or start by \nmonetising your hobby\n. \n\n\nOr see Step 2.\n\n\nStep 2:\u00a0I joined a few freelancing platfo\nrms.\n\n\nI joined \nUpwork\n, \nFreelancer\n and a few other freelancing platforms. Also; \nFiverr\n and trade-specific job boards. If you\u2019re still not sure what services you can offer, go ahead and browse around on these platforms for ideas. \n\n\nAnother reason to check out these platforms: you\u2019ll find out the terminologies professionals use for your skillsets, and how/where they are applied. You\u2019ll also see what types of online jobs are \u2018hot\u2019. \n\n\nStep 3: I applied for\u00a0\na lot\n of jobs\n.\n\n\nI spent a few months:\n\n\n\n\njust polishing my profiles/resumes,\n\n\ntweaking my services,\n\n\nsubmitting articles to online media (to\u00a0provide as samples to potential clients),\n\n\napplying to job offers (and not getting replies from the majority of them \u2013 rejection is normal, get used to it), and\n\n\nperforming low-paying jobs.\n\n\n\n\nPersonally, I did a lot of lower-paying jobs that were not worth my time, like reviewing 12-hour webinars for USD8 :/ But I did my best and as a result, got myself good reviews from clients. \n\n\nLittle did I know that this step is basically \u2018building my online portfolio\u2019 and \u2018collecting client testimonials\u2019. More on that in a bit. \n\n\nStep 4: I decided on a niche. \n\n\nThe more client testimonials I have, the easier it got to get jobs on the platforms. I was making money online \u2013 not a lot, but enough to know that it could work out after all!\n\n\nAfter doing some low-paying jobs for a while, I decided it got\u00a0too time-consuming. Plus, I wanted to earn more. After reading around, it was clear that I need to be known for \u2018something\u2019 \u2013 to have a specialisation or a niche. \n\n\nIt makes sense. There are A LOT of freelancers online. More than you think. And many of them claims to be able to do it all, which is factually impossible. So it\u2019s better to zero in on something you\u2019re good at (and also enjoy) so it sets you apart from the rest. \n\n\nThis is the point where I started to market myself as a personal finance writer. At this time I was into \nbitcoin and cryptocurrencies\n as well, and I was recruited by at least 2 editors because not many people can write about these topics.\n\n\nNiche. They work. \n\n\nThis is the part where I got confident that yes, it is not just possible to make money online in Malaysia, but it\u2019s also profitable and fulfilling. I have fallen for the \nself-employment life\n. There is no turning back. For better or for worse, I am my own boss.  \n\n\nStep 5: I paid attention to professionalism\n\n\nSay you have two applicants for the same role.\n\n\nApplicant A gave you a PM stating her/his interest in the work.\n\n\nApplicant B gave you her/his name card (with business registration number), a professional website, samples of previous work, testimonials of previous clients, and a quotation for the work. Additionally, Applicant B is also a member of a related professional trade organisation.\n\n\nWho would you pick, assuming their rates are similar?\n\n\nExactly.\n\n\n\n\nStep 6: I started networking and showing people what I do\n\n\nAn important point here is \u2018show, don\u2019t tell\u2019. A lot of people are used to ads and ads-language, so we automatically tune that out. So something like \u2018Contact me for x work\u2019-type ads don\u2019t generally work.\n\n\nInstead, share the work you\u2019ve done with the group. \nBeing a useful contributor can significantly increase your likability and job offers\n. Give information freely, help others, and celebrate other people\u2019s successes.\n\n\nAlso \u2013 good news for introverts \u2013 it doesn\u2019t have to be physical attendance, online presence works as well. Join groups related to your trade and subject of expertise. I have been recruited from Twitter, Instagram and Facebook simply by maintaining an active presence and showing people what I can do.\n\n\nRelated: \nHow to Get Clients: A Guide for Malaysian Freelancers\n\n\nStep 7: I created a website. \n\n\nThis is where Ringgit Oh Ringgit comes in \ud83d\ude42 I like writing, and I offer writing services, so it really made sense to create a blog. This also allowed me to explore other ways to earn money online. More info about this is in\u00a0\nThe Exact Steps I Use to Earn Money from Blogging\n article. \n\n\nNote: You don\u2019t \nhave\n to have a website to make money online in Malaysia. But if you\u2019re doing networking well (Step 6), and tired of freelancing platforms taking a cut from your hard-earned money, then having a website is definitely recommended. \n\n\nSo in my case, my website ringgitohringgit.com is where I provide samples of my writing for future clients. And because I genuinely love writing about personal finance and be part of the personal finance community, it\u2019s a hobby that pays itself off (a REALLY nice bonus).\n\n\nCreating a website is also a great way to learn new skills by doing. I learned skills that I now can offer as part of my writing services (like SEO). Others learned how to code, or do e-commerce stores. \n\n\nNot good at writing? Do it anyway \u2013 no time like the present to start polishing your writing skills. \n\n\nRelated: \nThe Beginner\u2019s Guide to Writing Good Articles (for Power, Profit and Pleasure)\n\n\nStep 8: I stopped using freelancing platforms completely\n\n\nAs beneficial as it was, it was time to cut myself loose from freelancing platforms and go my own way, and work directly with clients. This is great, because 1) generally speaking, direct clients pay more; and 2) freelancing platforms charge fees on your earnings, which eats into your income.\n\n\nThis is roughly 6 months in, if I remember correctly. If you\u2019re good at what you do, you\u2019ll also get word-of-mouth referrals, so work is constant (provided you keep up the quality). \n\n\nFrom browsing online, a lot of other freelancers worldwide have this tactic, too. They\u2019d use freelancing platforms to get started, then use the experience and contacts to work on their own.\n\n\nThis step is a bit tricky because you\u2019re now doing more admin and accounting work for yourself. Plus, bad clients who don\u2019t pay also exist. \n\n\nIt\u2019s not a perfect solution, but I have some tips that may help: read my \nHow I Get Great Clients Who Pay & Treat Me Well\n article.\n\n\nStep 9: I became obsessed with optimisation, self-improvement and productivity\n\n\nBy this point, I have gotten myself a few regular and semi-regular clients. I mean, if you cast a big net early on (over 50 applications in a week), something\u2019s bound to catch, right?\n\n\nDoing work consumes time (of course), and my focus is to \nlearn how to negotiate my rates better\n so I can add more \nhigh-paying clients\n to replace my lower-paying clients. This is one type of optimisation \u2013 more value in exchange for my time. \n\n\nThere are a lot of tips, tricks and hacks online about how to do things more effectively. My optimisation strategy is: what do I spend a lot of time on \u2192 how do I do that in less time? \n\n\nFor example: making images for my blog. I am not good in graphic design, and even my best efforts only result in \u2018meh\u2019. So I got help. Seriously, this was my previous blog header. So amateur right. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nSo I explored Canva, and some time later got a logo professionally designed. Instead of publishing something \u2018perfect\u2019, I focused on \u2018done\u2019 \u2013 if it was a little bit better today than yesterday, that\u2019s good enough. \n\n\nOne of the quotes that kept me going here is: Quantity leads to Quality. \n\n\nTry a lot of things. Attend the workshops. Try the hacks. Some of them are bound to work. The effort compounds, like magic. \n\n\nLast words\n\n\nWhat\u2019s next? Are there additional stages? \u00a0Maybe, I\u2019ve yet to reach that stage. Even after 6 years, I know I have so much more room to grow. Experienced freelancers reading this, what can you share from your own experience?\n\n\nFor new or aspiring freelancers, I hope you find the above steps helpful. I don\u2019t want you to think earning online is easy \u2013 work is still work. But the good thing is that it should get easier as you go along. \n\n\nSpecific questions not answered here? Comment below. I\u2019ll answer if I can. Know friends and families looking for ways to make money online in Malaysia? Share this with them. \n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/malaysia-business-for-sale/", "title": "7 Places to Find Business Opportunities in Malaysia\n  ", "body": "\n\nLooking for business opportunities in Malaysia? Did you know instead of starting from scratch, you can \nbuy\n a Malaysia business for sale? Some of you may already know this, but I didn\u2019t up until my mid-20s, so here I am putting that fact out there.\n\n\nIf you\u2019ve always wanted to test your entrepreneurial side, you can buy a business from any of the options listed below, instead of starting one from scratch. Kind of like the same idea as buying clothes off the rack rather than sewing it yourself. Might need alterations, but it\u2019s ready-to-wear.\n\n\nWhat type of business, you ask? Oh dudettes. \nSo many types\n. Anything you can think of. We\u2019re talking:\n\n\n\n\nIndustries\n: F&B, Manufacturing, Hospitality, Education, Ecommerce, Wholesale, Fashion, Franchise and more\nCapital\n: From a few thousand to a few million, depending on the type of business\nCustomer\n base: Online, Retail (offline), Malaysians, Global\n\n\nOh also. For the sake of clarification, this article is\u00a0\nnot:\n\n\nBusinesses teaching you how to start a business in X industry (like buying and repackaging cosmetics or perfumes)\nBusinesses telling you how you can be your own boss, but actually you\u2019re a sales agent, or part of an MLM (multi-level marketing) or Ponzi scheme. Actually, I\u2019d go as far as recommend you to \navoid\n the business opportunities which uses variations of \u2018Be your own boss!\u2019 as a selling point :/\n\n\nAnyway, here are some places to look for business opportunities in Malaysia that I personally know of. Feel free to check out any and all of them out.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Mudah.my\u2019s Business for Sale in Malaysia page (\nLink\n)\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Malaysia.BusinessForSale.com (\nLink\n)\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 BusinessBrokers.com.my (\nLink\n)\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Lowyat.net\u2019s Business for Sale page (\nLink\n)\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Buy online businesses (\nFlippa\n)\n\n\nNote: Flippa is not the\u00a0\nonly\n place to buy an online business in Malaysia, but they\u2019re definitely one of the best, if not \nthe\n best. That\u2019s a good thing because you don\u2019t want to deal with scammers, especially if they\u2019re not in Malaysia. \nCannot\n Very hard to catch and sue if anything goes wrong.\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Social media\n\n\nThis really depends on your luck but I\u2019ve personally came across the ads in my social media feed. For example:\n\n\nIdk what happened but ceritakitastudios is selling their business. A shortcut if you\u2019ve ever wanted to start own photography/videography business, equipment is all included. All you have to do is find clients \npic.twitter.com/dA00nZhbK0\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nFebruary 7, 2020\n\n\n\n\nAside from that I\u2019ve also came across people in my feed:\n\n\nSelling their ecommerce stores\nSelling all their inventories (if it\u2019s a product-based business, that\u2019s almost the same as selling a business)\n\n\nFor more information, you can learn more about this in my\u00a0\nSide Income Malaysia: 4 Fast Ways to Earn Extra Income in 2021\n article\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Your own networks\n\n\nI\u2019ll go ahead and guesstimate perhaps 50% (?) of all businesses for sale is not listed anywhere, except whispered among your networks.\n\n\nMaybe the percentage is higher for Malaysia/Asians in general because of our \u2018save face\u2019 culture. It\u2019s very rare for a businessowner to admit that they\u2019re having business troubles. Some also feel that by listing their business, they\u2019re \u2018devaluing\u2019 their business.\n\n\nSniff around opportunities around you. If your negotiation skills are on point, you might even convince someone to sell their business to you (a high offer helps), or at least to keep you in mind when they\u2019re ready to sell.\n\n\nImportant note\n\n\nThere are pros and cons to buying a business, definitely. Find seasoned businesspeople and talk to them about it, but the simplest way I can put it, based on my research, is this pros/cons list:\n\n\nPros to these business opportunities in Malaysia:\n\n\nThe fast(er) way to be a businessowner in Malaysia. Someone else did the initial setup for you, which may include: renovations, social media pages, website etc\nSometimes you can get a great deal, because the owner just wants to sell off the business, fast. They might be in financial trouble and need the money urgently, or they\u2019re leaving the country, or they have too many things on their plate, whatever\nThe possibility of high profits, obviously\nSometimes the owner can help you out, like sharing their business contacts list for suppliers, etc\n\n\nCons to these business opportunities in Malaysia:\n\n\nYou need to apply good judgement and act FAST.\u00a0 Good opportunities don\u2019t last very long\nObviously that means you need to have ready capital (ie money)\nYou still need to do the work. Just because you bought a business doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019ll be profitable. You still need to find clients/customers yourself, and sort out cashflow, and do other business-y things\nYou don\u2019t get to learn how to setup a business from scratch\nThere\u2019s a possibility of buying a \u2018bad\u2019 business, doomed to fail from the beginning. Perhaps the paperwork isn\u2019t in order. Perhaps the retail location has really bad foot traffic. You gotta put in the research\n\n\nFeel free to add more pros/cons in the comments sections \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nTo end this article, an invitation to readers \u2013 Would you consider buying a business? What type, and why? What\u2019s stopping you from taking action?\n\n\nI\u2019m also interested to hear from those of you who have \nbought\n a business before. How is it like? Any tips from your personal experience?\u00a0Do share your hard-earned knowledge with us \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/monetise-your-hobby/", "title": "16 Malaysians Share How They Monetised Their Hobbies\n  ", "body": "While I\u2019m a big believer in having hobbies for nothing more than the sheer joy and fulfilment it can bring to your life, attempting to monetise your hobby is not a bad way to start dipping your toes in entrepreneurship culture. The transition from \u2018hey this is fun\u2019 to \u2018omg people want to pay me for this??\u2019 is nothing short of amazing. I sincerely hope everyone will get to feel that.\n\n\n(Note: Not everyone\n can or should be an entrepreneur\n, but everyone should have entrepreneurial \nmindset\n, ie problem-solving skills and all that, wouldn\u2019t you agree?)\n\n\nRoR started as a hobby, too\n\n\nPersonally,\u00a0 I started writing personal finance blog articles as a hobby. I offered it as a service while I was looking for a new job, but it eventually expanded into this whole Ringgit Oh Ringgit shebang and its current \n8 sources of income\n, so I never looked back. But of course, I also \nfailed\n figured out a few ways that didn\u2019t work along the process.\n\n\nObviously, I wasn\u2019t the only Malaysian who have attempted to monetise my hobbies. And \nwhen I asked RoR readers about it,\n I was blown away by the variety of answers \u2013 your hobbies are hella cool, some of them I never even heard of!\n\n\nWith their permission, I compiled some of the answers \u2013 thanks so much to everyone who agreed to be featured in this article \ud83d\ude42 Definitely opened my eyes on the many possibilities of side incomes, and I hope it\u2019ll do the same for other readers too.\n\n\n\n\nNote: Answers are listed in no particular order and has been edited for clarity\n\n\nMalaysians Share How They Monetise Their Hobbies\n\n\n1.\u00a0\nJasmine KarJa Kwok\n \u2013 \nSurprisingly, I\u2019ve been \nvideo editing\n and doing \nphotoshopping\n (image editing) for 12 over years now and it got me some odd jobs.\u00a0\n\n\nAnd I\u2019m not sure if this is considered a \u2018hobby\u2019 but I used to collect anime merchandises, ended up doing \u2018split boxes\u2019 so I got quite a decent side income from that. It started out with just buying a box of 12 characters and I only wanted one out of 12, so I sold the other 11 characters. \nSuraya\u2019s note\n: I\u2019ll just call this \nreselling\n \ud83d\ude00\n\n\nSomething I\u2019m not ready (to monetise yet) but will consider (in the future): I may also \nwrite \nor \nprogram\n for visual novel games (depending on which skill is stronger, the coding or the writing, or even both). I\u2019ve seen indie developers offering their creative writing skill to VN projects and programming skills to these projects. (Currently) I\u2019m a writer of 2 games and a solo creator of 3 WIP projects but never thought of monetising until I can improve on my skills.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\n2.\u00a0\nAzam Razali\n \u2013 \nI play guitar for fun and during MCO, have started to \nteach guitar online\n (to earn extra income). At first, I offered my services at a lower price, and now I am able to charge higher (rates) because I am more confident.\u00a0\n\n\n(I get my students by) Promoting my classes online on social media \u2013 most of my students are from twitter, few are from Instagram. I have two classes: basic and intermediate. For basic, students can join with zero knowledge, they just only need a guitar. For intermediate, sure you need to have some basics (guitar skills) \ud83d\ude42 \n\n\nRight now my price is still RM40 for 4 classes. In July I probably will charge RM60. If you are interested or want to know more details, feel free to message me through whatsapp \nhttps://api.whatsapp.com/send?phone=+601135328978\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\n3. \nJun King Sze\n \u2013\n I once sold\n Transformers set made of Lego.\n My partner, \nAlan Yap\n and I sourced the parts one by one \u2013 buying tiny parts of Lego were expensive!\n\n\nIt was exciting at first, until packing time, as we needed to individually the parts. I set up a small conveyor system to pack ala congkak-style but it was still very time consuming and back-breaking. And if I thought I missed one, I had to check them again, ONE BY ONE.\n\n\nAfter we started selling, we realised the market demand was very tiny because it was an unofficial release and only a very small niche of customers were keen. From here, I learn by first entrepreneurial lesson: check to see if people are willing to pay you for something. So, don\u2019t\u00a0fall\u00a0into the passion trap.\n\n\nWe couldn\u2019t sell the set for years, until someone from China bought everything at one go. (That person ended up) doubling the price.\n\n\n\n\n gambar hiasan\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\n4.\u00a0\nFirdaus Jamaludin\n \u2013 Ever since I was young, \nI love to explore new technology especially in IT. What I did in my leisure time was studying laptop specifications and features before purchasing a secondhand laptop. (Through that method), I will be able to experience firsthand the differences between each laptop. \n\n\n(As a way to earn money,) I normally will \ntroubleshoot the laptop for better performance\n before reselling it to the market. I was able to gain profit of around 5 to 10 percent of the purchase value. I am happy that I was able to learn and make money at the same time.\u00a0\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\n5.\u00a0\nLoke Vincent\n \u2013 (I am doing) \ngames l\nive-streaming on \nYoutube\n. Because \nI play games, I thought it would be nice to have a crowd to watch and since there are easy ways to do it, I gave it a try. (In order to) monetise (livestreaming) via YouTube, I would need to get 1k subs and 4k watching hours over 12 months. Other streaming platforms like Twitch and Mixer allows watchers to give you currency which is equivalent to a certain amount in real money via donations, which you can cash out upon (hitting) a threshold. \n\n\nHowever, (I think the income generation process is) looks bleak. O\nver-saturation (of live-streamers) is a problem throughout all platforms. So I probably have to find a niche or do something unique to get through.\u00a0\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\n6.\u00a0\nHasyimi Bahrudin\n \u2013 \nI love Italian food and can \nmake pasta from scratch\n. During MCO, my wife and I made lasagna (including homemade bolognese and bechamel sauce), and she jokingly said she will be taking orders. Surprisingly a lot of people were interested. Until now we have been making and selling lasagna almost daily.\n\n\nIf anyone interested, here\u2019s her IG page:\u00a0\nhttps://www.instagram.com/deqahbakery\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nBon app\u00e9tit! Interested to try our homemade lasagna? Dm us, or check our bio to Whatsapp us. #freshlybaked #bonappetit #lasagna #freshlasagna #homemade #codkajang #codbangi #bandarseriputra #codserikembangan #codcyberjaya #codputrajaya\n\n\nA post shared by \n Deq-ah Bakery\n (@deqahbakery) on \nJun 12, 2020 at 8:27pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n7.\u00a0\nJesper Lee\n \u2013 (The hobby I have tried to monetise is) \nCooking\n. I tried to become a private chef to accommodate 6-8 pax per session, but then found that people want good food but don\u2019t want to pay for good ingredients. Because I am also against using subpar ingredients for my clients/customers, it fizzled out. (In my experience,) the limit people were willing to pay for dinner experiences was RM65-70 per pax.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\n8.\u00a0\nNadia Ahmad\n \u2013 \nI learned how to \nbake\n at 16 or 17 years old, after helping out my aunt at home as she made cakes to order. After I graduated and gotten a job, it still became a hobby of mine to try out new recipes.\u00a0\n\n\n I managed to make money out of it for a year plus, by supplying my cakes to a local cafe and taking personal orders. But after the cafe closed, (my cake-supplying business) fizzled. It was a good experience, (even if I realised) I was not good at money management back then (as I didn\u2019t save the money I earned).\u00a0\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\n9.\u00a0\nShafiq Ibrahim\n \u2013 (My hobbies are) \nr\neading \nand \nautocad drafting\n. Autocad is the software that people in the construction industry use to make blueprints. Everyone uses it \u2013 architects, engineers, interior designers, contractors. \n\n\nI have done proofreading for 2 masters theses, minor translation works here and there, and drafting electrical schematics. But I\u2019m too much of a softie to demand payment. In most cases, I just ask them to belanja me food!\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\n10.\u00a0\nKhor Hui Min\n \u2013 \nI turned my \nwriting\n hobby into full-time job as a freelance writer 3 years ago. Other hobbies I make money from, from time to time, as a side income \u2013 \n3D jelly cake, baking, crystal jewellery making,\n etc.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\n11.\u00a0\nEric Lim\n \u2013 \nI liked \ndiving. \nGot myself a diving instructor license, but ended stopped teaching as I found I that I like diving and not teaching!\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\n12.\u00a0\nSantik Sengthong\n \u2013 While I was a college student, I became an audiophile and have done lots of self-study to research my newly found hobby. I went down the rabbit hole, looking for \u201cgood-sound\u201d, then \u201cgreat-sound\u201d until \u201cperfect-sound\u201d.\n\n\nBeing a poor college student, I have \nmade my own audio upgrade cables\n for my headphones, interconnects and even made audio amplifiers. My intention is to beat the audiophile stereotype of an expensive hobby.\n\n\nThose days, I have gone to many audiophile gatherings, where we interact and try out each other audio setups. Somehow it became a venue I would showcase my DIY work. It was pure satisfaction when people liked my audio setups.\n\n\nNaturally, fellow hobbyist asked me to improve their audio setups, make upgrade cables for them and paid me for my work. Slowly my audio work is made known in the community and more requests came in. From there it became a \u201cside-income\u201d hobby. Although (the amount was) not much nor consistent, it was something I enjoyed working on.\n\n\nAfter graduation and being in the workforce, I no longer got the time to service those requests and slowly declined them. Those were the fun, carefree days where I used my free time to enjoy my hobby and sometimes monetise on it. It gave me satisfaction.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\n13.\u00a0\nTamim Khalili\n \u2013 \nMy wife likes to go to IKEA, now she became an\n IKEA personal shopper.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\n14.\u00a0\nNeutrals Fong\n \u2013 \nI love \nManipulative arts\n and \nEsports\n, monetised both. (Manipulative arts are) those like yoyo, magic, diabolo, juggling, etc.\u00a0\nMine was dice-stacking, cups stacking, and speed solving Rubik\u2019s cube.\n\n\nI earned money through stage performances, roadshows/events, sales of these products, and intro videos for ads.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\n15.\u00a0\nMuhammad Amar Hasshim\n \u2013 \nI like to \nread comic\n and sometimes \ndraw\n. I found that learning about stock investing is quite challenging, and after going through multiple books and videos, I decided to start \nStockforsnack.com\n, a blog I created to share what I learn about stock investing in the form of comic, to make learning easier. \n\n\n\u00a0Any positive feedback is much appreciated!\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\n16. \nPatricia Angela Pinto\n\u00a0\n\u2013 I have tried to monetise a few hobbies. The only successful one is my \nvoice acting hobby\n \u2013 I got into it because I liked reading things in a sarcastic/straight toned voice for friends, then I carved a niche out for myself on Fiverr reading Malay-language ads.\n\n\nAbout 90% of those who hire me are for ads.\u00a0 A large number of those focuses on mobile ads (ie sub 1 min jobs). Note that I work in the Malay voiceover space, where it\u2019s much more niche and less competition (to an extent).\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nSo how? Cool right? I\u2019ve never thought some of the above hobbies are even a \u2018thing\u2019. Thanks for letting me peek into various communities through this lens of personal finance \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nPersonal realisation and conclusion about the process of monetising your hobby\n\n\nI *was* going to end this article by encouraging you to start monetising your hobbies, too, but that would be boring and the lazy way out. Instead, I give you some things I realised about the hobby-to-income transition:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 It\u2019s practical\n\n\nHave to put it out there. What\u2019s good about monetising a hobby is that you don\u2019t need to learn a new skill to offer as a service. \nYou already have the skill\n.\n\n\nIt\u2019s not a bad idea to at least attempt to monetise your hobby, even if your job is secure. It\u2019ll make a nice back-up plan \u2013 you and I know all about the economy shrinking and the downsizing and the higher unemployment rates nowadays.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 You may need to realise how good you are first\n\n\nIt\u2019s not uncommon for a hobbyist to not realise how good they are at their craft, \nuntil it is pointed out to them\n. Some of the answers above went kind of like that.\n\n\nI can understand why. I mean, all this time you were practicing and having fun, you\u2019re always learning from people who tend to be more advanced than you, skills-wise. So you can only see how far behind instead of how far ahead you are from non-hobbyists, who (you forgot) have absolutely no skill whatsoever.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 You may need to overcome some feelings of guilt for charging\n\n\nKind of a spin-off from #2. The hobby is so enjoyable, and there are so many areas of improvement to discover, that when people ask you to do it as a service, you *may* undercharge or even refuse payment.\n\n\nThere is some danger in this. Don\u2019t get used to undervaluing your labour. There are plenty of weirdos in this world who always look for people they can exploit like this.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 You may NOT want to sell it as a service after all\n\n\nYou may realise that monetising your hobbies is not the right call after all, as it takes away your enjoyment of the hobby, and thus your life. Maybe you\u2019re not suited to teach, maybe people are not willing to pay your rates, whatever.\n\n\nIn this case, meh. At least you learned this part about yourself. You continue to work hard in your day job, so you can continue to use your salary to fund your hobby(ies). That\u2019s fine too.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Or you may find the business side of your hobby FUN AS HECK\n\n\nThis happened to me. I found out that I really, really enjoy exploring the business side of content creation. I also really enjoy learning about the processes involved in running a micro business, whether in my own or for other industries.\n\n\nIf this is the same as you, good. Now you have two hobbies \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nHave YOU tried to monetise your hobby?\n\n\nIf yes, how did it go? If no, why not?\u00a0 Share with us in the comments section below! If your business is ongoing, don\u2019t forget to put links below so people can check out!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/money-making-tips/", "title": "4 Money Making Tips I Wish I Knew Earlier\n  ", "body": "Making money is a type of high that is hard to describe. Seeing the numbers in your bank account grow is \nextremely, extremely satisfying\n.\n\n\nAs someone who is obsessed with personal finance, I read a lot of articles and books that give various money making tips. Here are some that weren\u2019t immediately obvious, things that I wish I knew earlier.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 You have to have (some) money first before you can invest it\n\n\n\n\nIt sounds so freaking obvious now, but when I first started, I didn\u2019t know this.\n\n\nI\u2019m not alone too. I\u2019ve seen people \u2013 usually young adults and teens \u2013 ask for investment advice in forums and social media, and they were surprised that you need money to start investing. It came as a rude shock to them.\n\n\nSo yup. Tip #1 is obvious to some but not to others*. You can\u2019t make 10% annual ROI on RM0.\n\n\n*I think it\u2019s an environment thing. High-income families tend to have more conversations about business and investment.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Pick one to do first \u2013 Save money or earn money\n\n\nNow that you know you need money to make money by investing, which is better to get that money in the first place: saving money or earning money?\n\n\nSome people belong in the #savemoney team, others in the #earnmoney team.\n\n\nIdeally, if you want to have more money, you should do both. But for many people, myself included, we\u2019re naturally drawn to our \u2018default\u2019, whether its saving money or earning money.\n\n\nI understand why. Doing both at the same time can be overwhelming. Some people are like, cook my meals at home AND work extra hours as a Grab driver? No thank you!\n\n\nKnowing which one to do first \u2013 saving money or earning money \u2013 can be paralysing. That\u2019s why I made this pro/con list to help you decide.\n\n\nSaving Money: A Pro/Con List\n\n\nPros of Saving Money\n\n\n\n\nEasy and intuitive to start\n. Just have to reduce \u2018Entertainment\u2019 spending, or simply stay home more often\n\n\nCan be turned into \nfun lifestyle experiments\n. For example, reducing food budget by going on a cook-at-home vegan cooking challenge\n\n\nAs the quote goes, \n\u2018It\u2019s not how much you earn, it\u2019s how much you save\n\u2019, which is true.\n\n\n\n\nCons of Saving Money\n\n\n\n\nImpossible\n to do if you\u2019re not\u00a0 currently earning any income (duh)\n\n\nThere\u2019s \nonly so much you can cut from your budget\n before all that\u2019s left are essential items\n\n\nHard to sustain for people with legit \nshopping addictions\n or self-control issues\n\n\nIt\u2019s \nhard to break some money-wasting habits\n. Easy example: smoking\n\n\n\n\nHelpful articles to start saving money:\n\n\n\n\n50 Ways to Save Money in Malaysia, From Easy to Impossible\n\n\nMalaysians Share How They Save Money on Coffee\n\n\nSave Money on Fashion: 5 Steps I Use to Optimise My Clothing Budget\n\n\nHappyFresh Review: 10 Tips to Save Money and Time!\n\n\n9 Money Challenges to Try\n\n\n\n\nEarning Money: A Pro/Con List\n\n\nPros of Earning Money\n\n\n\n\nTechnically \nunlimited income potential\n\n\nEasy to enter the \ngig economy\n and become a freelancer/independent consultant. Tons of opportunities\n\n\nThe opportunity to turn a hobby into a source of income\n\n\nIf done well, will bring amazing \nself-satisfaction and fulfilment\n.\n\n\nComes naturally for some people. Some get started simply because others know they\u2019re good at the skill and \nget work requests\n (ie home cooking, doing home repairs, etc)\n\n\n\n\nCons of Earning Money\n\n\n\n\nHigh-paying gigs are practically inexistent for \nunskilled and low-skilled individuals\n\n\nHard for people who don\u2019t have: \ntime, capital, equipment and/or contacts\n\n\nMindset matters\n. People with \u2018fixed mindset\u2019 tends to give up fast\n\n\nIf not done well, will \naffect relationships and health\n\n\nAnalysis paralysis\n \u2013 you don\u2019t know what to do or where to start? Should you negotiate for a higher salary? Earn a side income? Which one? Picking one is hard\n\n\n\n\nHelpful articles to start earning money:\n\n\n\n\n22 Things I\u2019ve Done to Make Money in Malaysia (From Kid to Adult)\n\n\nThe Exact Steps I Use to Earn Online in Malaysia\n\n\nThe Exact Steps I Use to Earn Money from Blogging\n\n\n\n\nMy natural default is actually to save money. Personally, I\u2019ve implemented money-saving tips and strategies first before I implemented strategies to earn more income.\n\n\nAs for you, look at the pro/con list, then decide and pick one for now. Later on, you can do the other one.\n\n\nIt doesn\u2019t matter which road you take because the destination is the same \u2013 financial independence (hopefully).\n\n\n#3 \u2013 When in doubt, try it out\n\n\nPresently, I make the majority of my income from writing work.\n\n\nI didn\u2019t know I was going to make writing the main source of my income until I tried it out. At some point, I thought, okay, let\u2019s just try to apply for this writing job, and see if it works.\n\n\nI got lucky and it did. It spurred a chain of events leading to this blog creation and here we are today.\n\n\nIt\u2019s not luck. I failed a lot before I hit jackpot with this one.\n\n\nThe last time I counted, I\u2019ve tried \nover 20 ways to make money\n. I failed or discontinued most of them. That didn\u2019t even include half-assed attempts.\n\n\nEach failure was a lesson. Or like Thomas Edison puts it, \u201cI have not failed. I\u2019ve just\u00a0\nfound 10,000 ways\n that don\u2019t \nwork\n.\u201d.\n\n\nIdk about you, but those \u2018what success actually looks like\u2019 images finally made sense.\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Less talk, more action\n\n\nYou\u2019ll have to excuse my bluntness in this section.\n\n\nHere it goes: some people never make enough money because they complain a lot. They always, always have an excuse why they can\u2019t do something instead of how they can.\n\n\nThe fact is, people who \ndo what they have to do to make money don\u2019t have the time to complain\n.\n\n\nI know this because I \nam\n was a complainer. It\u2019s a lot more under control now, but I still sometimes complain about complainers to close friends, because that\u2019s me projecting my own issues and insecurities.\n\n\nIf I could go back in time, I wish I spent less time complaining and more time doing. The latter makes money. The former doesn\u2019t.\n\n\nLet me give you some examples:\n\n\n\n\nInstead of complaining about \nthe high cost of living\n, do more things to save and earn more money\n\n\nInstead of complaining that \nsalaries are low\n, learn high-value skills and switch to that industry\n\n\nInstead of complaining that the \ngovernment is not doing enough for your industry\n, make the proposals to create opportunities anyway\n\n\n\n\nPlease forgive me if I hurt your feelings. There\u2019s a reason why I chose to write this just when Ramadan is coming. Get some extra pahala points for letting go of bad feelings.\n\n\nLast thoughts\n\n\nAll four money making tips above were my own \u2018aha\u2019 moments. Did it make you \u2018aha\u2019 as well?\n\n\nWhat additional tips would you add on? Leave them in the comments section.\n\n\nAs always, if you liked this article, share it around, thanks so much.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/raise-money-for-business-in-malaysia/", "title": "All The Ways to Raise Money for Business in Malaysia, Compiled\n  ", "body": "So you have an awesome business idea. And you want to pursue it, hoping that it will generate you a nice bit of income.\u00a0\nIt could be for a full-blown business, or a flexible side income after work/school hours. But you quickly hit a problem: you need money. You came to the right place \u2013 Here are all the ways to raise money for business in Malaysia.\n\n\nNote: If anything is wrong or missing, please let me know by commenting. Also,\n this article applies to us common folks, not to people who are born into money\n. Not all options might apply to everyone.\n\n\n\n\nFirst up: do you even need money to fund your business?\n\n\nWell yes you certainly need \nsome\n money, but some people get really caught up with their business plan and start listing 1001 things they \u00a0think they absolutely need to buy and get before they even start. I know I did, with my own writing business. I even thought I needed to rent an office (legit thought it was a requirement) (actually no need, I just didn\u2019t know what I didn\u2019t know). \n\n\nThere are businesses you can start with no or little up-front costs. First, check if what you want to do is listed in this \n101 businesses you can start with just $100\n article. If it is, good, you really don\u2019t need that much money then. See \u2018Ways to raise money for business in Malaysia under RM10,000\u2019 in the next section. \n\n\nFor the rest of you requiring more money than that, see \u2018Ways to raise money for business in Malaysia over RM10,000\u2019 further down this article. \n\n\nWays to raise money for business in Malaysia under RM10,000\n\n\nIn the bigger scheme of things, RM10,000 really isn\u2019t that much. With personal discipline and some side hustling you can probably save up that amount in less than a year. Here\u2019s how to fund your business if you only need up to RM10,000.\n\n\nOwn savings\n\n\nHave to put this out there even though it\u2019s obvious. \n\n\nAfter you saved up your emergency funds (3-6 months\u2019 worth of living expenses), consider using this money to fund your business. Other options can work, but you\u2019ll immediately save on the respective loans\u2019 interest rates and/or time to apply for those financing. \n\n\nI intentionally omitted \u2018family and friends\u2019 here as a funding source. Dunno lah, I think it\u2019s not nice to ask people you know to fund you unless it\u2019s a) freely offered or b) you\u2019re willing to jeopardise your relationships with them. \n\n\nAdvance cash option from banks\n\n\nPersonally, I\u2019ve applied for Maybank\u2019s EzyCash option a couple of times, and thought the 3.88% fee is reasonable (well, effectively 7.76% per annum). It was crazy easy, too \u2013 applied via Maybank2u and the money appeared in my bank account straightaway \u2013 I just have to pay it back within 6 months. I\u2019d consider credit cards and personal loans as advance cash options too.\u00a0\n\n\nHave not tried with other banks, so I don\u2019t know their rates, but go ahead and check.\u00a0\n\n\nWhichever you choose, just make sure you\u2019ll be able to make the repayments. The consequences for missing payments are HUGE. It\u2019ll affect your credit score and ability to buy a car/house. Mentally, you\u2019ll get stressed and depressed. You may have to spend years to pay back the loan, and be forced to take any job that come your way, even the ones you hate.\n\n\nWays to raise money for business in Malaysia over RM10,000\n\n\nAh, now it gets trickier. Requirements that you should have to get this amount of money and more:\n\n\n\n\nA business that you want to \ngrow\n, rather than \nstart.\u00a0\nThat means you need a company already.\n\n\nOr if you have not started the business yet, then you need a proper business plan + pitch deck + whatever that will convince the other party to give that money to you. There are very limited options for businesses in this stage, also called the Ideation stage. Investors like to see at least an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) aka what is it you\u2019re actually offering.\n\n\nHelps that you are a tech startup or rural business, a lot of funding is prioritised there nowadays\n\n\n\n\nMaGIC Central\u2019s Resource page\n\n\nIf you click \nthis page\n, you\u2019ll find a listing of funding available specifically for aspiring entrepreneurs. Select preferred funding options too if you want: they listed Angel Fund, Crowd Funding, Loan, Grant,\u00a0\nVenture Capital & Equity and\u00a0\nGuarantee Service options.\u00a0\n\n\nI thought that this resource page is only for tech startups, but that\u2019s not the case. For example, I found:\n\n\n\n\nCreative Industry loan\n (2-4% interest rate) \u00a0\u2013 covering everything from fashion to performing arts ventures\n\n\nScience Fund\n\u00a0grants for research and development-related projects (EDIT: broken link)\n\n\nAnd of course a fair few tech-focused funds, including \nCradle Fund\u2019s CIP Catalyst\n which gives pre-seed funding (like, idea-in-your-head stage)\n\n\n\n\nLast I checked, there were 73 options.\n\n\n\n\nSME Bank\n\n\nHaving browsed through their website, I can see that there are really a lot of good financing programmes being implemented, with very reasonable loan rates. See picture below for the programmes as of time of writing (July 2017). There are specific funds for:\n\n\n\n\nyoung people (\nYoung Entrepreneur Fund\n),\n\n\nwomen (\nFinancing Program for Women Entrepreneur\n),\n\n\nonline business (\nOnline Business Financing Program\n),\n\n\nracial groups (\nMy Seed SME Scheme \u2013 Indian\n; for Malays/Bumiputera check yourself below)\n\n\nand more. Check out the full website \nhere\n.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSME Corp-listed SME Financing\n\n\nThese come with specific terms and conditions that you need to fulfill in order to qualify. Available under various ministries, agencies and private entities, there are four types of help available:\n\n\n\n\nLoan schemes\n\n\nGrant schemes\n\n\nVenture Capital\n\n\nGuarantee schemes\n\n\n\n\nLast I checked, there were 148 entries covering a wide variety of sectors and stages of business. Go ahead to \nthe website\n and browse for yourself.\n\n\n\n\nSmall business loans from banks\n\n\nQuite straightforward, most of us know this option is available. Last time you had to ask each bank individually for their rates, but now it\u2019s easier \u2013 iMoney has a comparison tool which lists banks and their interest rates. Click \nhere\n.\n\n\n\n\nP2P (peer-to-peer) lending platforms\n\n\nA relatively new offering, P2P lending platforms connect businesses to individuals who are willing to lend their money, in return for an agreed interest rate. Here are all the available P2P lending platforms in Malaysia now:\n\n\n\n\nB2B FinPal\n\n\nEthis Kapital / \nKapital Boost\n \u2013 the only one focusing on Syariah-compliance\n\n\nFundedByMe Malaysia\n\u00a0\u2013 good if your business wants to attract international investors, not just Malaysians\n\n\nManagePay Services\u00a0\u2013 no website yet as far as I know\n\n\nModalku Ventures /\u00a0\nFunding Societies\n\n\nPeoplender / \nFundaztic\n\n\n\n\nI think that P2P platforms is an attractive option for the lenders because it gives quite high rates (over 8% is common). Some time ago I actually deposited money in one of the platforms above, but promptly took it out because there was nothing available for me to invest in. Don\u2019t know if the situation improved.\n\n\nFor the business side, even though rates are higher I think it\u2019s worth considering P2P lending platforms for the added marketing/advertising element, especially if you don\u2019t want to let go of any equity in your business.\n\n\nEquity crowdfunding (ECF) platforms\n\n\nAlso a fairly new offering, equity crowdfunding platforms allows individual investors to hold some ownership in your startup/business in exchange for funding. Here are all the available equity crowdfunding platforms available in Malaysia now:\n\n\n\n\nPitchIN\n \u2013 focuses on tech startups, links with incubator WatchTower & Friends. Open for startups in ideation stage\n\n\nFundedByMe Malaysia\n\u00a0\u2013 good if your business wants to attract international investors, not just Malaysians\n\n\nAta Plus\n \u2013 Blockchain-enhanced ECF platform\n\n\nEureeca\n \u2013\u00a0good if your business wants to attract international investors, not just Malaysians\n\n\nCrowdPlus.Asia\n \u2013 Accepts established businesses across different sectors looking for growth\n\n\nCrowdo\n \u2013 Says that it connects Asia\u2019s startups to global market\n\n\n\n\nECF platforms are also great for the added marketing/advertising benefit, as well as the business mentorship.\n\n\nAngel investors\n\n\nDid you know we have our very own \nMalaysian Business Angel Network (MBAN)\n? \u00a0They are comprised of High Net Worth Individuals (over RM3m) or High Income Earners (RM180k per annum, or RM250k with spouse) who can enjoy tax benefits up to RM500k under the Tax Angel Incentive Programme if they invest in your business.\n\n\nTo be eligible, your company must be:\n\n\n\n\nMinimum 51% Malaysian-owned\n\n\nCore business must be tech-related\n\n\nCumulative revenue less than RM5m\n\n\nBeen operating for 3 years or less\n\n\nAnd registered as a Registered Investee Company (apply \nhere\n)\n\n\n\n\nEven though I don\u2019t personally know any angel investors, I do know that this way of getting financing relies a lot on networking and your personal ability to convince individuals (all of whom are businesspeople, mind you) into believing into your business idea. They have to love it enough to fund it.\n\n\nVC firms (venture capital firms)\n\n\nNexea Angels has a very good list of available venture capital firms providing financing to Very Early Stage (RM>2m) and Later Stage (RM>2m) startups. Find it \nhere\n.\n\n\nHonestly, I don\u2019t really know how VC firms work. I know that they look for high-potential startups to invest in, and that many of them reduce risk by investing in more mature businesses with already-established userbase/clients with projected profit revenue and whatnot. If you have insight into the world of VC funding, can you share in the comments section, please?\n\n\nConclusion\n\n\nThe above are all the ways I know to raise money for your business in Malaysia. Many of them come with added benefits like mentorship and advertising. Try as much as possible to avoid getting funding from credit cards, personal bank loans and loan sharks \u2013 I think the risks to your personal finance are too big in case the business fails (and statistically, 9 out of 10 businesses close shop within 5 years, so).\n\n\nYou\u2019re not limited to one funding option; you can choose a few depending on what you want at different stages of your business.\n\n\nThis article is not as complete as I\u2019d like. Aside from own savings and cash advance method, I\u2019ve not personally tried the rest. My own business is quite small, and I\u2019m in the process of brainstorming ways to grow it. When I\u2019m ready to scale it and exploring funding options, I\u2019ll update this article with more information.\n\n\nIf you\u2019ve personally tried any of the funding methods above \u2013 successfully or otherwise \u2013 can you share your experience in the comments for the rest of us to learn? Thanks! \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nSide Income Malaysia: 15 Business & Part-Time Ideas to Try Now\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/referral-programme-malaysia/", "title": "12 Referral Programmes in Malaysia I Signed Up to Earn RM1000++ a Month\n  ", "body": "\n\nIn this article, I would like to share with my fellow content creators \u2013 both current, future and even casual ones \u2013 the referral programmes in Malaysia that I have experience in using, plus the amount of income they have generated for me so far.\n\n\nSome disclaimers before we start:\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMy strategy with product promotion is it must be a \nwin-win-win situation\n for all parties \u2013 my audience (primary consideration), myself, and the company.\n\n\nResults may vary for you\n. I\u2019m just sharing how these affiliate programs have worked for me, a personal finance blogger with an audience who identifies as money nerds (own it and say it with pride, fellow money nerds)\n\n\nMy primary platforms are this website (ringgitohringgit.com), Facebook and Twitter. Sometimes I post on Instagram, but not that consistently.\u00a0\nYou can still earn money from affiliate marketing even if all you have is your social media \u2013 use the networks you already have because word-of-mouth is incredibly powerful!\n\n\n\n\nWith those in mind, here we go. The referral programmes here are listed in 4 categories: e-commerce websites, fintech platforms, lifestyle, and direct partnership (the one that most people don\u2019t know about). \n\n\nCategory: Ecommerce platform\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Shopee Affiliate Program Malaysia\n\n\nWho haven\u2019t heard of or seen Shopee affiliate links by now \ud83d\ude42 Basically how it works is you will earn a commission if someone purchases the product you recommended through your own generated link.\n\n\nYou can register to Shopee Affiliate Program Malaysia directly on the \nShopee Affiliate page\n. \n\n\nImportant: You must abide by \nShopee Affiliate Program Terms and Conditions\n, or your account might be suspended. \n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Lazada Affiliate Program Malaysia\n\n\nSimilar to #1, you can also promote any item that is listed on Lazada platform and register for Lazada Affiliate Program Malaysia directly from the \nLazada affiliate page\n. \n\n\n#3 \u2013 Shopback\n\n\nShopback is not technically an e-commerce platform but it houses many big stores, which Shopback users can click from to earn cashback.\n\n\nShopback\n gives you RM5 when the person you refer spends a minimum of RM25 through their platform and their cashback turns redeemable. (The second part of the sentence is important. Some cashbacks take 60, 75 days to turn redeemable, so it\u2019s not instant.)\n\n\n#4 \u2013 InvolveAsia\n\n\nInvolveAsia is an affiliate marketing platform where it lists many opportunities to promote more products and companies, some which may already use and love. You can \njoin InvolveAsia\n and start promoting (and get RM5 bonus too). \n\n\nCategory: Fintech services\n\n\n#5 \u2013 BigPay\n\n\n\n\nType:\n Ewallet with debit card\n\n\n\n\nBigPay\n gives you RM10 when the person you refer download the app through your link and activates their card. In return, they get extra RM10.\n\n\nBigPay used to be easier to promote back when you HAD to get the card to avoid the card fees when you buy AirAsia tickets. Now their only selling point is the good exchange rate (which is still a good selling point imho). They\u2019re also easy for lifestyle bloggers to promote \u2013 insert it in your traveling-related content and posts.\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Luno\n\n\n\n\nType:\n Digital asset investment platform\n\n\n\n\nLuno gives you RM25 in bitcoin when the person you refer buys a minimum of RM250 worth of cryptocurrency. In return, they also get extra RM25 in bitcoin.\n\n\nThe flunctuation in value can be a double-edged sword. If you received RM25 in bitcoin and the price drops, too bad. But on the flip side I\u2019ve also earned btc when the price was super low years ago, so the RM25 I earned per referral effectively turned into RM250 per referral if I sell it now. If you don\u2019t need the money, just keep it in btc and pray for the price to go up.\n\n\nEDIT: Luno has an upgraded their referral programmes in Malaysia where top affiliates are given higher payout. For example, if you buy RM500, get RM50 in BTC (instant 10% ROI) with my code \u2018\nLNSURAYA50\u2032\u00a0\n(valid for new users only).\n\n\nSteps: Open a new account at\u00a0\nLuno.com\n\u00a0> Go to REWARDS > Choose ENTER CODE > Enter the given promo code > Click Apply Code > Deposit the minimum amount required > Buy the minimum transaction amount > Get rewarded with the additional Bitcoin.]\n\n\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Funding Societies\n\n\n\n\nType:\n Peer-to-peer lending platform\n\n\n\n\nFunding Societies\n gives you RM30 when the person you refer invests a minimum of RM1000 in their platform. Their incentive to use your link: they also get extra RM30.\n\n\nThe money will be deposited right into your account, which you can use to re-invest (thus making you more money, if everything goes well). You can also withdraw the money out to your bank account.\n\n\n#8 \u2013 Wahed Invest\n\n\n\n\nType:\n Digital investment platform\n\n\n\n\nMost of my income from Wahed Invest referral comes from \nThe Ultimate Wahed Invest Review (2.5 Years In, RM11,000 Invested)\n article. \n\n\nWahed Invest gives you RM10 when the person you refer invests a minimum of RM100 in their platform using your code. Their incentive to use your link: they also get extra RM10.\n\n\nLike Funding Societies, the money will be deposited into your account and re-invested. You can withdraw it out if you wish. \n\n\nCategory: Lifestyle\n\n\n#9 \u2013 Yoodo\n\n\n\n\nType:\n Telco plan with pay-for-what-you-need option\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYoodo\n gives you RM20 in credit when the person you refer signs up and activates their line. In return, they get RM20 in credit too.\n\n\nCategory: Direct partnerships\n\n\nNote: This is a special category that is especially negotiated between myself and these companies and not available to the public. Basically what happened was they reached out to me OR I reached out to them and proposed a mutually beneficial arrangement because I genuinely like the product\n\n\n#10 \u2013 RinggitPlus Financial Planning \n\n\n\n\nType:\n Financial Planning service\n\n\n\n\n\n\nUse code \u2018Suraya50\u2019 to get RM50 off any of the \nRinggitPlus Financial Planning Packages\n.\n\n\n#11 \u2013 Financial Behaviour Test\n\n\n\n\nType:\n Financial Planning test\n\n\n\n\nI love this product so much and got so much benefit from it that I asked the person offering the service if I could help sell it. You can find it \nhere\n. \n\n\n#12 \u2013 Vending Machine\n\n\n\n\nType\n: Side hustle\n\n\n\n\nI personally ventured into the \nvending machine business\n, found it interesting and worth it, and asked to join the referral program. \n\n\nOther referral programmes in Malaysia \n\n\nI won\u2019t pretend this is a comprehensive list of referral programmes in Malaysia \u2013 it\u2019s not, far from it. This list only contains products and services that:\n\n\n\n\nI personally use. \nI actually take a lot of pride in making sure my content, though contains referral links, is as objective and transparent as possible. And part of that is being an actual user.\n\n\nSatisfies my ethics threshold\n. There are more referral programmes out there that I haven\u2019t tried (and will never try). For what it\u2019s worth: I\u2019ll never promote get-rich-quick platforms, MLMs (ALL of them), Forex platforms, gambling platforms and those in similar vein\n\n\nAre worth my time and effort\n. I\u2019ve dabbled with others like Boost, FoodPanda and Fave. But some of the rewards are so small (RM1 and below per successful referral) and some have incredibly limiting Terms & Conditions (\u2018up to 10 referrals only\u2019) that I didn\u2019t think they were worth my time and energy to focus on, when there are bigger rewards out there to reap.\n\n\n\n\nAside from those, there are also super niche referral programmes in Malaysia from individual companies and organisations which I haven\u2019t tried, like \nrefer-a-friend programs\n for education (lots of universities and colleges do this), properties, financial products, headhunting and others.\n\n\nWhat is your experience with referral programmes in Malaysia?\n\n\nWhich of the above have you tried, and have you had success with it? Have you tried any other referral programmes in Malaysia? What tips do you have to maximise conversion? Do you use any particular strategy?\n\n\nAs always, do share your knowledge with us in the comments section. While you\u2019re at it, put your ref links in too \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/self-employment-in-malaysia/", "title": "11 things I learned about self-employment in Malaysia\n  ", "body": "I\u2019ve been self-employed for about a year now!\n\n\nFor those who don\u2019t know the story, it\u2019s basically this: moved to Ipoh late-2015, tried to open a business. Failed. Tried to look for jobs. Failed to find high-paying jobs. Started freelance writing. Now I am a self-employed writer.\n\n\nPrior to this, I had always had 9am-6pm jobs. Like many people, I liked the stability of a full-time job. But I\u2019ve also been envious of entrepreneurs and other people who \u2018work for themselves\u2019. Not having a boss seems like a nice concept, even though I liked all of my bosses.\n\n\nWhether you\u2019re currently self-employed, or considering to take the self-employment route in Malaysia, I think you\u2019ll find this post insightful. Here are\u00a011 things about self-employment in Malaysia that I found out in the past year.\n\n\n\n\n1. You\u2019ll still have bosses\n\n\nQuitting your job so that you can be your own boss is a popular reason why people become self-employed. But let me tell you \u2013 I now juggle between at least 5 bosses/employers/clients. You still have to be a good employee who is easy to work with AND deliver results each time, every time.\n\n\nTo be fair, you do have a degree of choice in terms of who you accept as a client. But being ultra-choosy is not sustainable for your business. If you find fault with everyone who contact you for work purposes (already a rarity), you will end up with no clients at all. And that means no income.\n\n\n2. You still have to do things that you don\u2019t necessarily like\n\n\nA misconception about self-employment is you get to do only things you like. No, not really. Sometimes you do have to do some types of work that you don\u2019t like or don\u2019t fully agree with.\n\n\nCheryl Yeoh \u2013 you know her as the Former CEO of MaGIC \u2013 helped me navigate this grey area. In a \nblogpost\n, she said this about facing adversity, cynicism and compromise:\n\n\n\u201cPlay the 80-20 rule. Sometimes, in order to fulfil a bigger purpose (the 80%), we have to compromise and do things we don\u2019t fully agree with (the 20%). As long as it doesn\u2019t violate your personal values and principles, you can live with it.\u201d\n\n\nI\u2019ll give you an example. Once I was tasked to write articles justifying the United States\u2019 military deployment as necessary in war-torn countries. I had to paint them in a positive light. I refused the hell out of that, because frankly, that kind of moral superiority is sickening. \u00a0That was an easy no.\n\n\nBut something like sales copies \u2013 which I ensure are written in non-discriminatory language \u2013 I accept, despite personally believing that spending money unnecessarily is wrong.\u00a0(Yes, I admit that \u2018unnecessary spending\u2019 is subjective)\n\n\n3. You don\u2019t have to limit to earning only in MYR\n\n\n \nAlexas_Fotos\n / Pixabay\n\n\nI think (and correct me if I\u2019m wrong) that many self-employed Malaysians look for work from other Malaysians.\n\n\nIt\u2019s not wrong, but depending on the industry, it can be pretty limiting. Selling products and services to only Malaysians will stagnate your income. If everyone accepts RM200 (for example) is the max they\u2019ll pay for something, then it\u2019s hard to find Malaysians who are willing to pay more than that.\n\n\nI know it\u2019s easier said than done, but regardless of what you sell (products or services), try and market it to international clients. You can make a website, or list USD prices in your Facebook shop (with delivery costs), or advertise to the non-Malaysian target audience.\n\n\n4. You have to step up your personal branding game\n\n\nThe best scenario for your business is that people buy your products and services because of \nyou\n. Self-employment is all about how easy to work with/effective/solution-oriented you project yourself as a temporary employee. In short, you must immediately stand out as capable in solving the client\u2019s problem, whatever they may be.\n\n\nSomething made me super happy recently. A company\u00a0contacted me via Facebook. They were looking for a writer to help with their annual report. The person said that I was recommended by her colleague, who liked what she read on this blog (which is reflective of my personal branding).\n\n\n(If this was you, \nthank you\n. God bless you \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nShow your values and your professionalism. Potential clients dig that. Now that we\u2019re online-everything, choose your words carefully when you\u2019re online. Avoid abusive language, avoid complaining without offering solutions, avoid things that \u2018cheapens\u2019 your image, so to speak.\n\n\n5. Pricing yourself high will get you better clients\n\n\nClients are generally divided into two groups. The first group prefers the cheapest cost possible. The second prefers \u2018get this job done right despite the cost\u2019. Both are good, as long as they pay\u00a0up. They just have different approaches.\n\n\nCan you get cheap and quality work from a self-employed individual? Yes. But the searching process is time-consuming as heck, because it\u2019s somewhat of a rarity (at least in the freelance writing world). Also, cheap tends to be synonymous with \u2018not good\u2019.\n\n\nI say you should price yourself high because:\n\n\n\n\nThe positive connotation of expensive = good is a powerful first impression. Those who contact you first will assume that you\u2019re good at what you do\n\n\nYou can always reduce your fee if the client is interested in working with you, but it\u2019s harder to increase prices\n\n\nThis is an anecdote, but clients who don\u2019t haggle with my prices tend to be clients who are very easy to work with, professionally speaking\n\n\n\n\n6. Pricing your products and services is a very, \nvery\n hard process for the soul\n\n\n \nkatermikesch\n / Pixabay\n\n\nAbove: my actual face during this process.\n\n\nSelf-employed people, especially in the services industry\u00a0should be able to relate to this. This process forces you to ask yourself \u2018how much do I value myself and my time?\u2019 and actually put a number on it.\n\n\nLike, I\u2019d love to say \u2018my time is priceless!\u2019 but I still have to submit quotations and invoices to clients, and they need actual numbers.\n\n\nHow much do you want to price your time? RM10 per hour? RM20? RM5? RM100?\n\n\nOne year in, I still struggle with this. Even though I think my prices are fair, even cheap if compared with what Westerners charge, sometimes\u00a0I feel like I\u2019m \u2018not worth the price\u2019. It\u2019s ridiculous because I\u2019ve only received good feedback on my work.\n\n\nIt\u2019s a confidence thing? Maybe. It might also be the \nImpostor Syndrome\n \u2013 where individuals struggle to internalise and self-validate their accomplishments. Idkkk\n\n\n7. \u201cWe Malaysians have one of the most public holidays in the world!\u201d now means NOTHING\n\n\nYou work weekends. You work on public holidays.\n\n\nIt\u2019s fine though, because if you do self-employment right, you\u2019ll actually enjoy your work. And that\u2019s why I\u2019m writing this on a Sunday night.\n\n\n8. People not paying you\u2026 will happen\n\n\nI don\u2019t want to sound like a pessimist, but this happens. I belong to the Malaysian writers\u2019 FB group and have heard anecdotes of non-paying clients/ clients who pay less than agreed.\n\n\nI\u2019ve heard sellers who had buyers giving themselves discounts, and it was too late/ not strategic to do anything about it. I know someone who was promised high salaries, but received \ncoupons\n in return for their work instead!\n\n\nOn my side, I have not had this happen yet, but I\u2019m emotionally and financially prepared for it. I know that protecting myself through contracts can only do so much. When it\u2019s time to cut ties and let go, you have to cut ties and let go. And ideally warn others about it, because that\u2019s the right thing to do.\n\n\nBeing self-employed is all about looking forward, never looking back.\n\n\nEDIT: I\u2019m sad to report that I lost about RM8k due to a non-paying client.\n\n\n9. Income/expense accounting and taxes are confusing but also kinda fun\n\n\n \nJuralMin\n / Pixabay\n\n\nI mean, I\u2019m a personal finance enthusiast so yes this process of understanding finances during self-employment is actually downright fun for me \ud83d\ude1b\n\n\nIn the past one year, I\u2019ve figured out:\n\n\n\n\nThe need to separate my business and personal bank accounts\n\n\nOpening a company\n\n\nAccounting for small businesses\n\n\nHow to give quotations and invoices\n\n\nHow to accept money from international clients (beyond PayPal)\n\n\nWhat I can and cannot claim as part of business expenses\n\n\nHow to monetise website\n\n\nHow to make a writers\u2019 page\n\n\nThe benefits of having a virtual assistant to help me earn more/get better work-life balance\n\n\nLearning how to outsource\n\n\nRemote working\n\n\nAutomating stuff, especially marketing\n\n\nHow to be an influencer (kinda), ethically\n\n\nAnd others, via online research and asking around\n\n\n\n\nI wrote above some of the above in this website. See:\n\n\n\n\nIncomes and Expenses of a Freelance Writer in Malaysia\n\n\nMust-Have Financial Tools to Make Freelancing in Malaysia Easier\n\n\nMy\u00a0\nHire me!\n\u00a0page\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m still learning.\n\n\n10. \u00a0Saving money actually became harder after self-employment\n\n\nDisclaimer: Pure anecdote from my end. Hear me out.\n\n\nWhen I was employed, I know how much I\u2019ll get in a month. From then, I\u2019ll ration out my salary appropriately to cover expenses like rent and utilities. I wrote about this in my \u2018\nMy actual monthly budget with RM3,500 salary a month\n\u2018 article. Because my income was consistent, I was in \u2018saving money\u2019 mode.\n\n\nNow that I\u2019m self-employed, my focus is to earn as much as possible every month. I am now in \u2018earning money\u2019 mode, and I find that I spend more freely now. It\u2019s quite a big shift in mentality and habits, and I\u2019m trying to adjust as well as possible. I\u2019ll give you an example:\n\n\n\n\nA = earn RM2000 and save RM1000\n\n\nB =\u00a0earn RM10,000 and save just RM500\n\n\nWhich is better?\n\n\n\n\nIf you chose A, you\u2019re right. I\u2019m becoming more like B now. I need to have a saving money plan in place, and fast. Every month I tell myself to add more money to ASB, and every month I postpone this.\n\n\nMany times I\u2019m reminded that I can make voluntary deductions for EPF, and many times I postpone this, too. This is bad, because I do care about my retirement. If possible I want to retire early and just travel around. I don\u2019t think I\u2019m alone in this dream. I\u2019m sure you have it too.\n\n\nOne of my favourite personal finance heroes, Mr Money Mustache wrote this must-read article \u2013 \nThe Shockingly Simple Maths Behind Early Retirement\n. It\u2019s a bit oversimplified, but according to the chart, if I can save 80% of my earnings, \nI can retire in just 5.5 years\n.\n\n\nThat\u2019s freaking good motivation right there.\n\n\n11. It\u2019s hard until it\u2019s easy\n\n\nExtremely common: months of little/no income when you first start out. Extremely rare: making money right from the start.\n\n\nSteep learning curve? \nYes\n. The first few months of self-employment for me were depressing as heck. I wasn\u2019t making money. I doubted my ability (because we believe that the amount we earn is related to our self-worth, no?). I was stressed out. Continued anyway.\n\n\nThen one day it just\u2026 stopped being hard. Enough things were put in place and they need little maintenance. My blog generates consistent traffic from posts written months ago. Some previous clients contacted me for repeat work. Being self-employed now is easier than a year ago, and I know it\u2019ll be even easier a year from now.\n\n\nThe best advice to go through the hard part is to follow Sheryl Sandberg\u2019s advice \u2013 \nDone is better than perfect\n. If I had insisted to self-design and self-edit all blog images into perfect Instagram-worthy images, things might still be in the hard phase instead of the easy phase.\n\n\nSo just get things done \u2013 you can always make it better later.\n\n\nSelf-employment in Malaysia \u2013 What do you think of it?\n\n\nIf you\u2019re self-employed, I want to hear from you SO bad. Do you agree with the above, and what additional things can you share about working for yourself?\n\n\nIf you\u2019re currently employed/unemployed and thinking of transitioning to self-employment, were any of the above things shocking to you?\n\n\nTake a minute to share what you think \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/selling-online-in-malaysia/", "title": "Selling Online in Malaysia: My Book Sold Well So Here\u2019s A Case Study\n  ", "body": "In February 2019, I released my first book, \nMoney Stories from Malaysians Volume 1\n after almost a year of working on it.\n\n\nIt made RM9.5k within 2 weeks.\n\n\n\n\n\u2026 Actually, it made over RM10k. I received some generous donations as well. For example..\n\n\n\n\nI hope all of you will get clients like this. They exist, I promise you \npic.twitter.com/jglYyklVF6\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nMarch 4, 2019\n\n\n\n\nI know. I didn\u2019t believe it at first. Just stared at that text for a long time, digesting what just happened. And that\u2019s not the only donation I received too. Including this amount, I can safely say that I\u2019ve recovered all upfront costs, and then some.\n\n\nTo show you my gratitude, I would like to break down the details and behind-the-scenes of selling online in Malaysia in this article.\u00a0My product is a book but you can apply the knowledge to anything else. Hope it\u2019ll be useful for you, for your own ecommerce shop (now or future).\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Calculating cost price \u2013 Beyond the printing cost\n\n\n\n\nBefore doing this project, I naively thought that the cost of the book (and the delivery) is the only thing I had to worry about.\n\n\nHahaha \nnope\n. The book itself costs only RM3.90 each to print, but the base price almost doubles if you add other necessary upfront expenses.\n\n\nI spent RM7150 in upfront expenses. The breakdown is:\n\n\n\n\nPrinting \u2013 RM3900 for 1000 books\n\n\nMarketing (FB ads) \u2013 RM1000\n\n\nBook coaching, manuscript editing, ebook formatting, print layout \u2013 RM1250\n\n\nBook cover design and illustrations for each story in the book (10 illustrations) \u2013 RM600\n\n\nWriters\u2019 fees \u2013 RM200 (see how writers are paid \nhere\n)\n\n\nMisc (custom printing, stationaries, etc)\u00a0 \u2013 RM200\n\n\n\n\nFrom here, you can calculate the base / cost price of one book: RM7.15.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Packaging and Delivery costs are surprisingly expensive!\n\n\nIf #1 is the cost price, then #2 is \nthe cost of getting the book to you in good condition\n.\n\n\nLike everyone else, I took these costs for granted. Too used to getting free shipping. Too used to not think of packaging costs (I usually throw them away without thinking!).\n\n\nThe original plan was to (1) concentrate on sales and marketing and (2) outsource packaging and deliveries. Remember that the book is supposed to be a passive income project \u2013 I wanted to spend as little time on it as possible, so I can focus on doing more money-making projects.\n\n\nUnfortunately, while I was searching for \norder fulfilment service providers in Malaysia\n \u2013 companies that help you to store, pack and ship the products to customers \u2013 I quickly found out that it\u2019s not suitable nor cost-effective for me to use this service, at least not in the beginning stage.\n\n\nFor example, one option is available only if I sell the books on Lazada (and Lazada alone) while another would cost RM10.85, RM18.77 and RM16.45 respectively per order to Peninsula Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak \u2013 too high for me to absorb.\n\n\n(Btw shoutout to \nTresgo.my\n for explaining the process and cost breakdown. Their prices are actually very reasonable plus the team is female-led and local \u2013 deliveries just happen to cost that much via delivery companies)\n\n\nSo I thought, Suraya, just put in the work. Put in the manual labour. Don\u2019t be so atas and think that packing parcels is beneath you. Do what you need to do to recover your upfront costs. If you can at least break even, \nthen\n you may consider outsourcing the work.\n\n\nAnd that\u2019s what I end up doing. Here\u2019s what I\u2019m doing now to reduce packaging and delivery costs:\n\n\n\n\nDIY bubble mailer envelopes\n. Instead of buying convenient bubble mailer envelopes, I bought unpadded envelopes and bubble wrap and DIY-ed it myself. This brought down the packing cost from RM2.40 per order to roughly RM0.70 per order.\n\n\nUsing my sister\u2019s Easyparcel account.\n One of my sisters actually run the \nMalaysiaPlusSize Instagram shop\n. Out of the goodness of her heart (and maybe in exchange for a post to promote her Raya collection later lol), she let me use her account to get cheaper delivery rates, free flyers and free pickups. I estimate that this alone will save me at least RM3000 in all. Plus, she let me store the books at her shop for free too.\n\n\n\n\nI believe the packaging and delivery cost is now around RM8ish per order, which is higher than the cost of the actual book wth.\n\n\nThis is how the packaging looks like.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nShowing off the custom-printed thank you card with personalised note, included in every Gold/Platinum order for #MYMoneyStories book \u2764\ufe0f . Total sales during the 10-day preorder period \u2013 RM8.5k. THANK YOU UGH I SAYANG GILER KAT KORANG \ud83d\ude4f\u2764\ufe0f\ud83d\ude4f\u2764\ufe0f . #malaysianwriters #writersofmalaysia #sayajualbuku #malaysianbloggers #bloggermalaysia #selfpublished\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya\n (@surayaror) on \nMar 11, 2019 at 9:14pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Calculating the profit markup\n\n\nBy this point, you know that the cost per book order, inclusive of delivery is RM7.15 + RM8ish = RM15ish. However, I\u2019m selling each book at over 100% profit markup, or RM32.90.\n\n\nI\u2019m 100% comfortable sharing this with you, because you need to know that 100% profit markup is \nnothing\n. Some companies impose much higher profit markup, enabled by volume, branding/marketing and sometimes, by sheer monopoly (ie \u201cI\u2019ll charge this price because I can and you have no choice\u201d).\n\n\nThe 100% markup also allows me to absorb costs that don\u2019t fit in anywhere else, like:\n\n\n\n\nPaypal Checkout fees\n \u2013 They take 3.2% + RM2 per order you make\n\n\nPrice difference to Sabah/Sarawak delivery\n \u2013 I\u2019ve decided to impose a flat delivery rate to all Malaysians, including Sabah and Sarawak. I\u2019m taking a bit of a financial hit here but oh well, I feel like it\n\n\nBuying extra tools and services\n \u2013 that helps with payment processing, shipping, marketing, etc\n\n\n\n\nMy profit, as well as profits for co-authors of the book, comes from this profit markup. Conservatively, we\u2019ll earn RM8-10k to share between us IF we sell out all 1000 books. However, as of writing time, we\u2019ve sold almost of a quarter of that, so I\u2019m optimistic!\n\n\n(and who knows we might sell out and reprint more books?? Ok chill Suraya finish this pile first)\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Doing preorder sales was a GREAT idea\n\n\nThis was you! You gave the idea! I\u2019m so happy I took your advice! Just look at the order stats! 353 orders in 10 days is crazy!!!\n\n\n\n\nSeriously, I was so worried about not making sales at all. I had so much anxiety, so much \u2018what if it fails\u2019 thoughts. Thank goodness everything worked out.\n\n\nAside from the obvious financial incentive for doing the preorder, I\u2019m also glad I did it for another reason \u2013 to make packages offering extra perks, which I could sell at a higher price. I did this to (1) recoup the upfront costs faster, and (2) create sales momentum. The Silver, Gold and Platinum packages have since expired (and renamed), but you can still see them \nhere\n under Reason #3.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Choosing to sell on RoR website\n\n\nTheoretically, I could choose to sell the book on most ecommerce platforms out there, including but not limited to: Lazada, Shopee (I actually got a personal invitation from them), Mudah, Carousell, Instagram (not technically ecommerce but can act as one), Twitter (ditto), and more.\n\n\nHowever, I chose to sell Money Stories on the RoR website first for a couple of reasons:\n\n\n\n\nI knew that my primary target audience during the preorder period is \nexisting RoR readers\n, not new ones\n\n\nI wanted to \nautomate the process\n as much as possible. Wanted to avoid \u2018whatsapp/PM/DM to order\u2019 system at all costs\n\n\n\n\nThe day before preorder started, on the 26 Feb 2019, I had this Google Forms system set up in Ringgit Oh Ringgit to receive orders.\n\n\nGoogle Forms\n, korang. \nGoogle Forms\n. It was old-fashioned, and not intuitive, and \nhella ugly\n, but I thought \u2018done is better than perfect\u2019.\n\n\nBut at the last minute, I decided to go with the \nWooCommerce plugin\n, a free plugin for the Wordpress platform that enables checkouts in websites. It also tracks orders made and provides statistics \u2013 the screenshots above were all taken from WooCommerce. You can \npay extra to get extra features\n, but even the free version is pretty powerful (I\u2019m using the free version).\n\n\nI\u2019m glad I used the WooCommerce option. Sure, it\u2019s not perfect \u2013 I still have to manually check and approve orders made via bank transfers, and Paypal\u2019s fees are pretty high \u2013 but other than that it\u2019s good enough for my situation.\n\n\nMost importantly, I could start accepting payments (bank transfers, credit cards and Paypal payments) \nwithout upfront fees\n, which is something that is imposed on \nother payment gateways out there\n. Remember that in the beginning I still wasn\u2019t sure if I was going to make any sales, so I took the path of least financial risk.\n\n\nAnother thing that I really like about WooCommerce \u2013 finding the little notes you left for me at the checkout page :\u2019) I saw your notes of encouragement \u2013 \u2018Keep it up Suraya\u2019, \u2018Congrats Suraya\u2019, \u2018Support you all the way sis\u2019 \u2013 my darlings, you are so, so sweet. Order processing was a menial task but seeing these notes made me so happy.\n\n\nAll of this has been crazy. I don\u2019t know how I got so lucky. Because of you, I get to make a living doing what I love. Because of you, I get to earn while contributing back to society. Thank you so much. I feel so blessed.\n\n\nSelling Online in Malaysia: Next Steps for Money Stories book\n\n\nEDIT: THE BOOK IS NOW AVAILABLE AT MAJOR BOOKSTORES IN MALAYSIA\n\n\nThe above explained what I have done so far. What next?\n\n\nI have not locked down the specific action plans, but in the next couple of weeks/months I\u2019m going to focus on:\n\n\n\n\nMaking bulk sale orders\n. Anyone want the Money stories book as gifts for your company/customers? Know an indie bookstore that\u2019s willing to stock the book? Leave a comment, I\u2019ll contact you back!\n\n\nPromoting the heck out of these books wherever I can\n. This is kinda awkward because I don\u2019t want to be like, hey I have a book, buy my book, because that seems a bit annoying? If someone does that to me I\u2019ll be like, tak tanya pun?? Let\u2019s see if I could figure out a subtle way to do it\u2026\n\n\nMaybe \ncreate some FB ads\n and spend some ad money there? Can test my digital marketing and copywriting skills too.\n\n\nFeaturing Money Stories book front and center in Ringgit Oh Ringgit website\n. I\u2019ve already done this \u2013 want to tempt as many of you as possible heheheh. Go get it, the price starts from RM9.90 only for ebook version. Click the image below to go to the product page \ud83d\ude00\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhat do you think of those plans? What would you do if you\u2019re in my situation? Any online selling in Malaysia tips that I should know? Let me know in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/side-income-malaysia/", "title": "25 Ways to Earn Side Income in Malaysia (All From Home!)\n  ", "body": "\n\nSo you want to earn a bit of side income in Malaysia. Maybe you want to pay off a debt. Maybe you want to build your emergency savings. Maybe you just want to travel, or buy something you\u2019ve always wanted. Whatever it is, you know you have to work for it, so I\u2019m here to show you how!\n\n\n25 Side Income Opportunities in Malaysia\n\n\nHere are 25 ways you can earn side income in Malaysia, all from the comfort of your home*:\n\n\n* Prioritising home-based side income opportunities in Malaysia as not everyone has a car to move around, but you probably have access to internet. \n\n\nAdult Content Creator\nAudio Content Creator\nChef\nCoach\nCommunity Leader\nContent Creator\nE-Commerce\nEvent Organizer\nDriver\nFitness Instructer\nGamer\nHealth\nLivestreamer\nPersonal Shopper\nPet Caretaker\nPodcaster\nRentals\nReseller\nRestaurant Worker\nSalesperson\nTasks & Services\nTeacher\nTech\nVideo Content Creator\nWriter\n\n\nHow do you start earning side income in Malaysia? After you pick what you want to do, go over to\u00a0\nhttps://sidehustlestack.co/\n, a FREE resource to find platform-based work. It will tell you\u00a0\nthe exact platforms to use\n.\n\n\n\n\nNow that you learned the side income options you have, and the platforms you can use, let\u2019s go over the most important part \u2013 how to actually make money with the side income. It\u2019s a good idea to start off with a goal of earning RM1000 a month \u2013 the amount is realistically achievable to everyone who put in the work. \n\n\nThe way I see it, no matter which side income options you picked, you can use these 4 methods to start earning RM1000 a month. \n\n\nMethod #1 \u2013 Sell first, fulfil later\n\n\nTime needed to make an extra RM1000 a month: \nAs fast as 1 week\n\n\nThe basic idea of sell first, fulfil later is:\n\n\nIdentify an area where there is a lot of demand \nMake sure there are no/very few competitors\nNegotiate to supply the product/service\nGet upfront deposit (this is important)\nCreate or secure the order (now only you buy the stock)\nFulfil the order and collect your remaining payment\n\n\nIt sounds simple, but many people don\u2019t do #1-4 \u2013 they buy the stock first THEN look for buyers. If they\u2019re lucky, the product sells itself. If they\u2019re not\u2026 that\u2019s pure loss. \n\n\nHere\u2019s an example of capitalising on an opportunity where demand was high and there were no competitor. \n\n\n\n\n \n \n@surayaror\n \nBusiness 101: finding opportunities to make money \n#malaysiatiktok\n \n#businesshack\n \n#makingmoney\n \n\u266c Aesthetic Girl \u2013 Yusei\n \n \n \n\n\n\n\nMethod #2 \u2013 Follow a practical course\n\n\n \nTime needed to make an extra RM1000 a month: \nDepends on the course length\n\n\nTake \none\n course, then implement the strategies. Do NOT look out for other options before you finish the course, do NOT take two at the same time. Just one. \n\n\nMake sure it\u2019s a PAID course, because psychologically speaking, the human brain appreciates something that you paid more than something you get for free. Use your psychology to your advantage, skin-in-the-game style.\u00a0\n\n\nAs for which course to take \u2013 whichever is action-oriented, preferably one which has clear timelines. Avoid \u2018do at your own pace\u2019 courses if you are really serious about it. \n\n\nBecause I am team #BuyMalaysian, here I\u2019d like to promote two \nMalaysian course creators \nwho I\u2019ve followed for a while \u2013 their free content is already great, so the structured content is even better. \n\n\n1) \nHow to Become a Freelance Writer (in 60 Days) course\n by Aisha of \nOutandBeyond.com\n; $45 (~RM200)\n\n\nYou get: \n\n\n110+ page ebook\nPitching templates (I spent years learning this)\nSEO training (this is the moneymaker guys. Everyone can write but not everyone can optimise for search engine)\nwriting opportunities,\nand more\n\n\nLink to purchase:  \nHow to Become a Freelance Writer (in 60 Days) course\n \n\n\n\n\n2) \n21 Days to Ecommerce Dropshipping course\n by Hafiz of \nDropshipKartel.com\n \u2013 RM397; intake is open only a few times per year\n\n\nYou get:\n\n\n21 x step-by-step videos to learn ecommerce dropshipping\nEmail marketing guide\nFacebook ads guide\n1-year support and guidance on running your ecommerce dropshipping business (important for motivation and accountability!)\nAnd more\n\n\nLink to purchase:  \n21 Days to Ecommerce Dropshipping course\n\n\n\n\nBoth courses are suitable for complete beginners. Most importantly, these courses are very affordable \u2013 the information is worth thousands but only cost a couple of hundred.\n\n\nMethod #3 \u2013 Monetise your hobby\n\n\n \nTime needed to make an extra RM1000 a month: \nAs fast as 1 week \n\n\n\u2026Monetising your hobby could be the best idea ever (profit from something you love? Wowowoww), OR the worst idea ever (your hobby may not bring you joy anymore). \n\n\nMy personal take is: it\u2019s worth trying to \nmonetise your hobby\n. It may not work, but\u2026 what if it does? The potential upside is worth the trouble. \n\n\nPersonally, this is what I did. Personal finance blogging is a hobby of mine and I now \nearn a good income as a blogger\n. Best. Decision. Ever. \n\n\nMethod #4 \u2013 Explore your curiosity\n\n\n \nTime needed to make an extra RM1000 a month: \nAs fast as 1 week \n\n\nHave you always wanted to try something? Now\u2019s your chance to figure out how to do it while ALSO thinking of monetary compensation!\n\n\nI\u2019ve brainstormed and compiled some side income in Malaysia ideas that I personally think seems fun. This list is NOT exhaustive \u2013 these ideas are\u00a0mostly my personal interests (internet culture, ecommerce, organisation porn).\n\n\nInternet tutor for adults.\n Help adults (and by adults here I really mean technologically-challenged people) make email accounts, create social media accounts, open blogs/Tumblr/websites, suggest best websites to visit, etc. I think many elderly people would really enjoy getting this lesson from patient youngsters.\nCollect and sell recyclables.\n This might work well for apartments/flats/condominiums because you can get a lot in one shot. Get permission to install recycling bins, then promote recycling via flyers etc. Collect and sell them. Aside from the usual recyclables, you can also collect other \u2018junk\u2019 \u2013 IT junk, home knick-knacks \u2013 and recycle/sell those online.\nHALAL CHINESE FOOD.\n Do you have any IDEA how big the demand for halal Chinese food is in Malaysia?? \nChef/Baker specialising in Pinterest/Buzzfeed/YouTube recipes.\n Send them the link, ask them to make it. I mean, I\u2019ve scrolled my Facebook a few times and saw the recipes and went, \u2018yum\u2019 but have no interest in making them myself. Related: Sell frozen cookie dough that people can buy so they can make freshly baked cookies in their homes.\nOffer virtual tours in your neighbourhood.\n Food tours. Graffiti tours. Temple tours. Just because we can\u2019t travel don\u2019t people don\u2019t want to experience new locations. Get some ideas (and list your virtual tour) at \nAirBnB experiences\n. \nOffer KonMari services.\n Help people to declutter their shit. Great for natural organisers among you (you know who you are!). Even better if you can take and sell the stuff they no longer want! \n\n\nIf you know what you want to do, then all you have to do is \nto do it\n. I know, that sounds simple, but it\u2019s true. Open your social media accounts. Make your ads. Tell people you offer this product/service. Find marketing channels to focus on. \n\n\nConclusion\n\n\nSo which of the above do you want to take action on, so you get to earn extra side income in Malaysia? If you have no idea, then \nMethod #2 is for you\n. Get the skills then find the passion for it later. \n\n\nUltimately, don\u2019t take too long to decide. Just pick one and roll with it, because inaction is the problem. Not only you won\u2019t earn anything, but inaction also won\u2019t make you learn anything.\n\n\nDo you have any other ideas for businesses, part-time jobs or side income ideas in Malaysia that have high demand nowadays? Please share in the comment section \ud83d\ude42 And if you\u2019re already hustling, I want to know about it \u2013 share in the comments section too! \n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/small-business-in-malaysia/", "title": "3 Things You Must Do When You Start Your Small Business in Malaysia\n  ", "body": "\n\nSo, you want to start your small business in Malaysia. You have figured out what business idea to focus on (if you haven\u2019t, scroll at the end of this article for 100+ small business ideas in Malaysia), \nhow to get clients\n, and \nhow to charge for your services\n. \n\n\nNow, what else is considered a must-do? Have you done these 3 things:\n\n\n\n\nRegister your small business with SSM\n\n\nOpen a bank account earmarked for business income/expenses ONLY\n\n\nHave a simple accounting system\n\n\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Register your small business in Malaysia with SSM\n\n\nI highly recommended for you to register your small business in Malaysia with SSM or Suruhanjaya Syarikat Malaysia. \n\n\nWhy? So you can \ndeduct some expenses as business expenses when declaring income tax\n. This will lower your total payable amount. \n\n\nWhat you can deduct as business expenses depends on your type of business.\n My suggestion is \u2013 hire an accountant a few months before you\u2019re paying taxes, the earlier the better.\n\n\nNote: I am only familiar (ish) with expenses related to my industry, writing services. If you happen to be in the same industry, you can refer to the \nAre You A Freelance Writer in Malaysia? Here\u2019s The Business Side of It\n article.\n\n\nHow to register your small business with SSM\n\n\nNowadays, it is easy to register your small business in Malaysia \u2013 just apply online at \nezbiz.ssm.com.my\n. Refer to the \nEZBiz User Account Registration Guideline\n if you get stuck.\n\n\nThere are 3 types of business registrations: \n\n\n\n\nSole Prop / Sole Proprietorship\n [Cost: RM30/RM60 annually] <\u2014 best option if you\u2019re starting small and solo\n\n\nLLP / Limited Liability Partnership\n [Cost: ~RM500 annually] \n\n\nSdn Bhd / Sendirian Berhad\n [Cost: ~RM2000++ annually]\n\n\n\n\nWhat name should I give my business?\n\n\nI want to say \u2018anything you want\u2019, but obviously there are some guidelines. Here are some ideas:\n\n\n\n\nYour full name (this option is just RM30 annually)\n\n\nXYZ Enterprise\n\n\nXYZ Services\n\n\nXYZ Design\n\n\nXYZ Communications (My approach \u2013 I do writing work; my biz name is Suraya Zainudin Communications)\n\n\nEtc. Refer to SSM\u2019s \nBusiness Name Registration Guidelines\n document for more ideas\n\n\n\n\nImportant: Don\u2019t get too hung up on the name selection or worse, take weeks/months on it. Just decide on a couple of name options (in case one is taken, you have another one) and finish your business registration. \n\n\nRemember to do a basic google search to make sure your chosen name doesn\u2019t belong to someone else. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Open a bank account earmarked for business income/expenses ONLY\n\n\nIf you have been using your personal bank account to receive business income and pay for business expenses, stop.  Make a new bank account. From now on, all your future business-related income and expenses go through there. \n\n\nA question I get asked a lot is which bank account to open. Well, you have 2 options:\n\n\n\n\nOption 1: You can open a business bank account, offered by many banks. For example, Maybank\u2019s look like this:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOption 2: Or you can also open a regular savings account and earmark that as your business account\n\n\n\n\nWhich option is better?\n The first option is better, but it\u2019s a bit tricky especially for someone who is super new at starting their small business in Malaysia (what if you don\u2019t even have the RM1k needed to open the account?). \n\n\nSo if the first option is not possible now, make do with the second one until the first Option is required to continue your business. \n\n\nThe main thing is the separation of funds.\n As long as your personal income/expenses is separated from business income/expenses, that\u2019s good enough for now. \n\n\nHaving a registered business is also quite handy for receiving government grants and help, where available. As of time of writing, I received ~RM6500 from\u00a0\nGeran Khas Prihatin\n, the government cash assistance for small businesses in Malaysia (applications are currently closed but follow my social media for updates).\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Have a simple accounting system\n\n\nYou need to learn a way to record your business incomes and expenses. The reason is obvious: so you know if your business actually makes you money or not. No point doing business if money out > money in. \n\n\nFor simple, uncomplicated businesses, I recommend\u00a0\nBlogJunkie\u2019s Simple Accounting System for Freelancing Business\n\u00a0guide, which includes freelance invoice templates and bookkeeping tips.\n\n\nI also recommend you join workshops and courses where available. For example, iSkill.my offers business accounting classes. (EDIT: They have since taken down these courses. I\u2019ll try find other options. If you know of any, please let me know in the comments section)\n\n\n\n\nThere you go, 3 things you must do when you start your small business in Malaysia. To recap, they are: \n\n\n\n\nRegister your small business with SSM\n\n\nOpen a bank account earmarked for business income/expenses ONLY\n\n\nHave a simple accounting system\n\n\n\n\nIf you want to go even further, you can also:\n\n\n\n\nApply for SOCSO / PERKESO Self-Employment Social Security Scheme\n\n\nRead all my \narticles on earning money\n\n\n\n\nAre you a small business owner? What else is considered must-do when one first start their small business in Malaysia? Appreciate your advice, tips and guidance in the comments section!\n\n\nBonus: 100+ Small Business Ideas in Malaysia\n\n\nLooking for small business ideas in Malaysia? Here are 20 types of sectors listed under PERKESO\u2019s Self-Employment Social Security Scheme \u2013 look through and see which small business you are most interested in pursuing, or best suits your existing endeavours.  \n\n\nNote: Bear in mind that small business in Malaysia is defined as:\n\n\n\n\nRM300,000-RM15 million in sales turnover OR from 5 to 75 employees (Manufacturing), or \n\n\nRM300,000-RM3 million in sales turnover OR from 5 to 30 employees (Services and Other Sectors)\n\n\n\n\nSo,  technically speaking, your small business in Malaysia might actually be a \nmicro\n business in Malaysia. Don\u2019t feel bad or anything, a micro business owner (better yet a \nsolopreneur\n) who\u2019s earning six-figures can live a damn good life already.  \n\n\nImage source: \nSME Corp\n\n\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Sector: Accommodation\n\n\nClass:\n\n\n\n\nHomestay\n\n\nChalet\n\n\nMotel\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Sector: Agent\n\n\nClass:\n\n\n\n\nInsurance\n\n\nReal estate\n\n\nCurrency Changer\n\n\nDirect Selling\n\n\nSelf-Employment Scheme\n\n\nZakat Officer\n\n\nRemisier\n\n\nProduct\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Sector: Agriculture\n\n\nClass:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nVegetable and fruit\n\n\nPalm oil\n\n\nRubber\n\n\nPaddy\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Sector: Art\n\n\nClass:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nCelebrities\n\n\nSinger\n\n\nActress\n\n\nMusician\n\n\nDancer\n\n\nProduction Crew\n\n\nHandicraft\n\n\nPainter\n\n\nPhotographer\n\n\nBusker\n\n\nExtra Actor\n\n\nWriter\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Sector: Beauty & Healthcare\n\n\nClass:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nMassager\n\n\nTradition Medicine Practitioner\n\n\nMidwife\n\n\nMakeup / Makeover Artist\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Sector: Construction\n\n\nClass:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nConstruction\n\n\nMaintenance\n\n\nWiring\n\n\nPlumbing\n\n\nRenovation\n\n\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Sector: Data Processing\n\n\nClass:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nCensus / Survey\n\n\n\n\n#8 \u2013 Sector: Fishery\n\n\nClass:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nFishermen\n\n\nAquaculture\n\n\n\n\n#9 \u2013 Sector: Food\n\n\nClass:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nPreparation\n\n\nWaiter\n\n\nSeller\n\n\n\n\n#10 \u2013 Sector: Forestry\n\n\nClass:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nHarvesting Forest Product\n\n\n\n\n#11 \u2013 Sector: Goods and Foods Transport\n\n\nClass:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nCar\n\n\nMotorcycle\n\n\nLorry\n\n\nVan\n\n\nBicycle\n\n\n\n\n#12 \u2013 Sector: Hawker\n\n\nClass:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nMarket\n\n\nStall / Kiosk\n\n\nFood Truck\n\n\n\n\n#13 \u2013 Sector: Household Services\n\n\nClass:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nPart Time Caregiver / Nanny\n\n\nHousekeeping\n\n\n\n\n#14 \u2013 Sector: Information Technology\n\n\nClass:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nWebsite\n\n\nMobile Application\n\n\nSystem Maintenance\n\n\nNetwork\n\n\nSystem Security\n\n\nData Centre\n\n\n\n\n#15 \u2013 Sector: Livestock\n\n\nClass:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nBreeder\n\n\nLivestock Product\n\n\n\n\n#16 \u2013 Sector: Manufacturing\n\n\nClass:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nWood Product\n\n\nFabric Product\n\n\nPlastic Product\n\n\nChemical Product\n\n\nMetal Product\n\n\nSoil Product\n\n\n\n\n#17 \u2013 Sector: Online Business\n\n\nClass:\n\n\n\n\nClothes\n\n\nFood\n\n\nCosmetic\n\n\nMedicine\n\n\nService\n\n\nSpare Part\n\n\nFurniture\n\n\nElectric\n\n\nElectronic\n\n\n\n\n#18 \u2013 Sector: Passenger Transport\n\n\nClass:\n\n\n\n\nTaxi Driver\n\n\nGrab Driver\n\n\nHired Car Driver\n\n\nOther E-Hailing Driver\n\n\nSchool Bus Driver\n\n\nFactory Bus Driver\n\n\nOther Bus Driver\n\n\n\n\n#19 \u2013 Sector: Professional Services\n\n\nClass:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nLawyer\n\n\nAccountant\n\n\nAuditor\n\n\nTax Consultant\n\n\nArchitect\n\n\nEngineer\n\n\nResearch and Development\n\n\nDesigner\n\n\nVeterinary\n\n\nPharmacist\n\n\nPsychiatrist\n\n\nDentist\n\n\n\n\n#20 \u2013 Sector: Support Services\n\n\nClass:\n\n\n\n\nTour Guide\n\n\nMountain Guide\n\n\nTutor\n\n\nMaintenance\n\n\nCoach\n\n\nOwner of business sole proprietor or partnership\n\n\nDigital Economy Services\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/tight-with-money/", "title": "Guide: What To Do When You\u2019re Tight With Money\n  ", "body": "While I have never been truly broke, I\u2019ve had moments when money was tight. It became necessary to save money. It became necessary to allocate where each ringgit should go.\n\n\nTherefore this guide. Here I\u2019ve compiled all the strategies you can use to get through moments when you\u2019re tight with money.\u00a0To make things clear and actionable, I have divided the strategies into categories.\n\n\nRemember that:\n\n\n\n\nCut down expenses = Awesome (this post focuses on this)\n\n\nEarn money = Awesome\n\n\nInvesting money = Awesome\n\n\nCut down expenses + Earn money + Investing at the same time = HOLY GRAIL TO FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE YEAH\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSome notes before we begin:\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0You might want to add on \nextra categories\n. For example: \u2018Children\u2019, \u2018Pets\u2019 and \u2018Medical\u2019. I don\u2019t know much about saving money here, but please comment and share if you do so the rest of us can learn.\n\n\nThere are varying levels of brokeness\n. Some people say \u2018I\u2019m broke\u2019 when what they mean is \u2018I have no disposable income to spend on this item/experience, but I won\u2019t die if I don\u2019t spend on it\u2019. For others, it\u2019s literally \u2018I don\u2019t have enough money for my next meal/ to pay next month\u2019s rent\u2019. I\u2019m making this article as comprehensive as I can for both types.\n\n\nTo get started with \ninvesting\n, see\u00a0\nWhat can you invest with RM1000?; A quick guide\n\n\n\n\nAlright, let\u2019s start.\n\n\nThe \u2018Necessary\u2019\n\n\nAka things you absolutely have to pay for to live.\n\n\n \nElasticComputeFarm\n / Pixabay\n\n\n#1 \u2013\u00a0\nExpense Category:\u00a0\nGroceries\n\n\nWhat is it:\n Things you buy from Tesco and Giant to cook at home\n\n\nWhat to do when you\u2019re tight with money:\n\n\n\n\nSee my\u00a0\nThe Comprehensive Guide to Save Money on Groceries in Malaysia\n\u00a0article\n\n\nPack \nlunch to bring to work\n, obviously. See:\u00a0\nSave Money on Food: Intro to Meal-Prepping\n\n\nPersonally, I\u2019ve done mini-challenges like healthy cooking under RM3 per meal. If you stick to that, the monthly cost for your food is 4 meals per day (breakfast + lunch + dinner + 1 snack) x 30 days x RM3 per meal = RM360 per month per person for groceries. Related:\u00a0\nHack: How I cook (for RM2.86 a meal)\n\n\nProTip: \nCooking for 2 or more people will bring the costs down\n. I don\u2019t know why or how, it\u2019s like magic.\n\n\nIf you don\u2019t have that amount to spend on groceries, you might have to sacrifice quality and/or quantity of food. \nRM1 per meal is tough, but doable\n. Don\u2019t expect too much variety, but you\u2019ll be fed.\n\n\nIf home cooking is not possible due to whatever reason, then a common way to save money is to buy nasi campur during lunch. Ask for extra rice, then divide that into two. Eat the other half for dinner. RM3 or less per meal is doable, depending on where you buy.\n\n\nIf you want to start cooking from home but have no equipment whatsoever, save up money to buy these kitchen appliances. In order: electric kettle, rice cooker (+steamer attachment), stove/induction cooker (+pans). You can make so much food with just these.\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013\u00a0\nExpense Category:\u00a0\nMobile phone\n\n\nWhat is it:\n Your mobile phone plan\n\n\nWhat to do when you\u2019re tight with money:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nIf your monthly plan is expensive, switch to a cheaper provider and/or get on the cheaper plan.\n\n\n\u201cBUT I NEED ALL THAT DATA\u201d, you said. Okay, fair enough, I\u2019m not going to tell you what social media or entertainment to cut down. You big already. Decide yourself.\n\n\nIf you use prepaid, get top-ups for cheaper with\u00a0\nHack: Get cheaper prepaid in Malaysia\n\n\n\n\n \nDanielReche\n / Pixabay\n\n\n#3 \u2013\u00a0\nExpense Category:\u00a0\nCar\n\u00a0/ Parking & Toll / Petrol\n\n\nWhat is it:\n All your car-related expenses, if you have one\n\n\nWhat to do when you\u2019re tight with money:\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019d tell you to \nuse public transportation\n more if it makes sense, but you already know that.\n\n\nGenerate income with your car\n via the following ways: Uber/Grab, or get paid to use your car as advertisement (please comment if you\u2019ve tried this)\n\n\nUse \ncashback credit cards\n to earn back some petrol money. For example, the Amex card from Maybank 2 Cards gives you 5% cashback for selected weekend spending, including petrol.\n\n\nIf you have an expensive car with ridiculous monthly payments, consider \ndowngrading it\n to a Myvi or something. That\u2019s better than having your car repossessed.\n\n\nIf you don\u2019t use your car that much, sell it. \nCar ownership costs more than you think\n.\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013\u00a0\nExpense Category: Public transportation\n\n\nWhat is it:\n All your non-car transportation-related expenses\n\n\nWhat to do when you\u2019re tight with money:\n\n\n\n\nIf you can\u2019t walk, cycle. If you can\u2019t cycle, LRT. If you can\u2019t LRT, Uber/Grab.\n\n\nI\u2019d say \ncarpool\n but Idk this is not our culture. Anyone successfully do this? How?\n\n\nUber vs Grab \u2013\n compare both\n prices before you order one. If the price is equal/similar, use Grab. You can collect Grab reward points and claim free rides.\n\n\nWorth noting: sometimes, it also makes sense to \nmove nearer to your workplace\n so you can walk to work and save money on transportation.\n\n\nOr start transitioning to work-from-home. No more transportation cost to go to work. This is not a quick fix, but it\u2019s worth planning for. See:\u00a0\nThe Exact Steps I Use to Earn Online in Malaysia\n\n\n\n\n \nSephelonor\n / Pixabay\n\n\n#5 \u2013\u00a0\nExpense Category:\u00a0\nUtilities & Rent\n\n\nWhat is it:\u00a0\nThe costs to having a roof on your head. This expense category only applies for those not living rent-free\n\n\nWhat to do when you\u2019re tight with money:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nPick one: \nM\nove to a cheaper place\n OR \nget roommates/housemates\n. Notice that I didn\u2019t say move back to your parents (if that applies).\u00a0\n\n\nDon\u2019t use aircon. In my experience, this is the biggest energy sucker.\n\n\nCheck if any other electrical equipment in your house are energy suckers. Make plans to replace/get rid of them.\n\n\nHack:\u00a0\nHow I rent a master bedroom in Kuala Lumpur for RM150 a month (not including bills)\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013\u00a0\nExpense Category:\u00a0\nBills & Loan Repayments\n\n\nWhat is it:\u00a0\nMonthly recurring payments \u2013 think insurances, credit cards and mortgages\n\n\nWhat to do when you\u2019re tight with money:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nMake a list of all your recurring payments. Then cut down where you can.\n\n\nRelated:\n\u00a0What Subscriptions I Pay For And Why\n\n\nIf you have debt,\n this is the best method to pay it off\n\n\n\n\n \nvainodesositis\n / Pixabay\n\n\n#7 \u2013\u00a0\nExpense Category:\u00a0\nMisc Need / Money Emergencies\n\n\nWhat is it:\u00a0\nRandom but important payments you have to make \u2013 medical, repairs etc\n\n\nWhat to do when you\u2019re tight with money:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nNot much unfortunately. Here it\u2019s all about \n\u2018prevention is better than cure\u2019\n. Keep your health and stress level a priority, and take good care of your items so they last longer.\n\n\nPray that you don\u2019t get into any accidents or be at the wrong place at the wrong time.\n\n\nWhatever items you can request from friends/family, do it. Asking for help is something we need to do more anyway. It\u2019s humbling. Note: strictly items, not money. I personally don\u2019t believe in borrowing money from friends/family unless they were the ones who offered.\n\n\nIt\u2019s worth asking from the \nBuy Nothing Project\n people, too \u2013 who knows someone is trying to get rid of the exact same thing you needed.\n\n\nThe last time I calculated, I spend around RM1k per month on Misc Needs. I can definitely do better. Here\u2019s the \nbreakdown of my money emergencies\n.\n\n\n\n\nFor money-saving tips that I\u2019ve personally implemented, see\u00a0\n50 Ways to Save Money in Malaysia, From Easy to Impossible\n\n\nNow let\u2019s go on to things that are\u2026\n\n\n\u2018Not Technically Necessary\u2019\n\n\nSay hello to your new mantra:\n\n\n\n\nIf you don\u2019t buy these, you won\u2019t technically die. Here you have to stop actively looking for new things ( damaging hobby tbh) and be content with what you have. Use up what you have, and if you don\u2019t have it, oh well. Life goes on, it doesn\u2019t matter.\n\n\n#1 \u2013\u00a0\nExpense Category: Social / Dates\n\n\nWhat is it:\u00a0\nCosts related to meeting people, because humans are social animals\n\n\nWhat to do when you\u2019re tight with money:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nIf you\u2019re an \nintrovert\n, you can ruthlessly say no to social engagements you don\u2019t really want to go in the first place anyway. Say you\u2019re trying to save money, everyone understands that. If they\u2019re judgmental, then definitely don\u2019t go.\n\n\nIf you\u2019re an \nextrovert\n, actively choose to hang out with friends who don\u2019t use expensive items and experiences as a status symbol. You\u2019ll die broke trying to keep up with them.\n\n\nMake friends with people who are business-minded. \nMake friends with people who prefer to make things instead of consuming things.\n It\u2019ll rub off on you. That\u2019s a good thing.\n\n\nReminder: \nIf you\u2019re having sex, you can\u2019t afford not to buy condoms.\n\n\n\n\n \nEngin_Akyurt\n / Pixabay\n\n\n\u00a0#2\u00a0\u2013 Expense Category: Food\n\n\nWhat is it:\n Food, snacks and drinks consumed because you\u2019re bored, stressed and/or lonely. Not to be confused with Groceries. Deserves a special category because we\u2019re all foodies here in Malaysia.\n\n\nWhat to do when you\u2019re tight with money:\n\n\n\n\nRecognise that food is a \n\u2018mini luxury\n\u2018. We buy Chatime, Starbucks etc to feel better about ourselves, to reward ourselves when we\u2019ve been good with expense-cutting measures.\n\n\nKnowing that, it\u2019s a good idea to not be at places where food is easily available when you\u2019re bored, stressed and/or lonely. That means: \nno roaming around aimlessly in malls and no going out for the sake of going out.\n\n\nWhat to do with all that time? Find ways to earn money. See: \nSide Income Malaysia: 15 Business & Part-Time Ideas to Try Now\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Expense Category: Donations & Gifts\n\n\nWhat is it:\n\u00a0Money given to others\n\n\nWhat to do when you\u2019re tight with money:\n\n\n\n\nIf you\u2019re truly broke, halt all donations. If you\u2019re \u2018broke\u2019 and something is important to you and you want to donate, go ahead, but limit yourself.\n\n\nIf you need to give gifts, \nre-gift what you already own, make something or create an experience\n.\n\n\n\n\n \nKasman\n / Pixabay\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Expense Category: Random shit\n\n\nWhat is it:\n\u00a0Thing you KNOW you shouldn\u2019t buy or get until your finances get in better shape. They tend to become junk soon enough.\n\n\nWhat to do when you\u2019re tight with money:\n\n\n\n\nIdentify your weaknesses\n. For some people, clothes. For others, games. It can also be: collectables, gadgets, tobacco etc\n\n\nGive yourself a small amount (RM10 per month to be a good start) to spend on these. That limitation will force you to be creative while not stopping your hobbies cold-turkey.\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nMy 5 Rules to Make Beauty Products Affordable\n\n\nRelated:\n\u00a0Save Money on Fashion: 5 Steps I Use to Optimise My Clothing Budget\n\n\n\n\nI think we\u2019re done with all the major categories!\n\n\nWhich ones from the above would you do when you\u2019re tight with money?\n\n\nAnd what else do you do? Comment below!\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/vending-machine-business-in-malaysia/", "title": "How to Do Vending Machine Business in Malaysia (My Experience)\n  ", "body": "\n\nThis article records my own personal experience in doing vending machine business in Malaysia, as a way to \nearn extra income.\n If all goes well, I will enjoy \n~200% returns\n by the end of the fifth year. \n\n\nBut I\u2019m getting ahead of myself. Let\u2019s start from the beginning. This article covers the following sections:\n\n\n\n\nPart 1 \n\u2013 Learning how the vending machine business works\n\n\nPart 2\n \u2013 Learning how to start vending machine business in Malaysia\n\n\nPart 3\n \u2013 Vending machine price in Malaysia\n\n\nPart \n4 \u2013 Is vending machine a profitable business?\n\n\nPart 5 \n\u2013 My bad experience with the vending machine supplier company\n\n\nPart 6\n \u2013 Guaranteed Rental Return vending machine package\n\n\nPart 7\n \u2013 How much can you earn from vending machine business\n\n\n\n\nPart 1 \u2013 Learning how the vending machine business works \n\n\nIn September 2020, I was happily browsing through the Home & Living Fair Expo at Mid Valley when I chanced upon the vending machine supplier\u2019s booth. I have no idea what they were doing there, but I, too, have heard about the high income potential from doing the vending machine business in Malaysia. \n\n\nSo I inquired. A nice sales lady immediately assisted me.  \n\n\nShe told me about the company, which specialises in manufacturing and supplying vending machines all over Malaysia, and the \nvarious types of vending machines\n they offer, including:\n\n\n\n\nSnacks vending machine (available in multiple configurations. The most high-tech one got touch screen and e-wallet payment option)\n\n\nHot food vending machine\n\n\nDrinks vending machine\n\n\nMystery box vending machine\n\n\nCustom vending machine\n\n\nCashless vending machine\n\n\nCoffee vending machine\n\n\nAnd more\n\n\n\n\nThe vending machine price ranges from around RM8000 to over RM20,000 each, excluding financing (if available). \n\n\nPart 2 \u2013 Learning how to start vending machine business in Malaysia\n\n\nMy sales rep, who claimed she runs 2 vending machines herself, said they have been a profitable venture for her (to be fair, of course she would say that), and it is easy for individuals to start a vending machine business in Malaysia (that too). \n\n\nIf I want to start, all I have to do is: \n\n\n\n\nChoose (and pay for) a vending machine package\n\n\nPick a location I want (locations are provided) \n\n\nCollect the sales profit every month\n\n\n\n\nShe showed me a list of 100 or so \u2018hot\u2019 locations with \u2018ready\u2019 customers, all approved and waiting for vending machines to be installed. Locations vary; some are at public places, some at offices/factories, some at residential areas.\n\n\nShe explained the benefits of starting vending machine business through the company, as they provide many \ntypes of assistance, \nincluding: \n\n\n\n\nFinding suitable locations and negotiating rental with the property management\n\n\nDelivery of the machine \n\n\nProviding a variety of vending machine-friendly items \n\n\nStocking the items\n\n\nRefilling the items\n\n\nProcessing the payments\n\n\nHandling repairs\n\n\nAnd more\n\n\n\n\nNote: some services are included in the price, some comes with extra charge\n\n\nPart 3 \u2013 Vending machine price in Malaysia\n\n\nAs for the \nvending machine\n \nprice\n, the company designed 3 types of business packages:\n\n\n\n\nBuy package \n\u2013 Buy a smart vending machine for RM20,000 in upfront capital + monthly cost of approx RM200-400 for location rental, possible Internet cost and refilling service (optional)\n\n\nRent-to-own package\n \u2013 Put RM6000 downpayment for a smart vending machine + monthly cost of approx RM600-1000 for location rental, possible Internet cost and refilling service (optional) \n\n\nGuaranteed Rental Scheme package\n \u2013 more details on this in Part 6\n\n\n\n\nHer sales pitch was very good and it\u2019s obvious she is an experienced salesperson. The projected returns sound great (\u201cmost people break even by the second year, after that what you earn is pure profit\u201d). \n\n\nPart 4 \u2013 Is vending machine a profitable business?\n\n\nThe salesperson made it sound like vending machine business is the easiest thing in the world to profit from. But of course I have to do my research. \n\n\nWhat I found out: \nIt has potential, yes, but like all businesses, it\u2019s not as \u2018easy\u2019 or \u2018passive\u2019 as the sales agent suggested. \n\n\nBased on my research, \nI would be lucky if I broke even within 1.5-2 years; it really depends on the location.\n If you happen to pick a bad location, then \nyou may not turn any profit at all!\n The risk of losing money is always there, because this is a business. \n\n\nWhen I asked on social media, some people replied with their own experiences. \n\n\n\n\nSome made great profit (they got great locations, sourced own machines, etc). \n\n\nSome make a loss (horrible location, etc). \n\n\nSome bought/sold their vending machines from other buyers/sellers, bypassing companies like these altogether. You can find vending machines listed on \nMudah.my\n.\n\n\nSome said they, too, have also heard and tempted by over-optimistic sales projection by agents. \n\n\n\n\nI found out that there is also a type of vending machine scam in Singapore! \n\n\n\n\nJust saw your experience with vending machine biz and I recall a recent saga in SG :\nhttps://t.co/FPzE5cCxny\n\u2014 Kevin | Turtle Investor (@turtle_investor) \nApril 1, 2021\n\n\n\n\nDespite that, I still wanted in. I checked and am satisfied with the legitimacy of the vending machine company. But mainly I was curious about the vending machine business. I figured, at the very least, I can write about it (you\u2019re reading this).\n\n\nPart 5 \u2013 My bad experience with the vending machine supplier company\n\n\nInitially, back in September 2020, I picked the Rent-to-Own package and paid RM6,000 to the vending machine supplier company (later, I switched to the Guaranteed Rental Return package \u2013 more info in Part 6). \nHowever, my personal experience with this package was not great.  \n\n\nFirst, I was told that all the locations shown to me during the expo were no longer available, they \u2018ran out\u2019 despite me paying the downpayment to book them. In short: they have pulled the classic overpromise and underdeliver tactic. \n\n\nI was told to wait for new locations. Because it was the peak pandemic period and stay-home orders were given and everything, I (stupidly) accommodated and waited. \n\n\nFinally, around January 2021, (a good 3 months after), a new sales agent contacted me. He introduced himself and told me he would contact me after they found new locations. \n\n\nAround the same period, I received a letter via email, informing me of the delay of the vending machine (as if I didn\u2019t notice). They blamed Covid-19 and offered a free month of rental as an apology. So I waited some more. \n\n\nIn March 2021, after about 6 months since I signed the contract, my sales agent finally contacted me with a location.  \n\n\nA location. \nOne\n. That was a far cry from the list of ~100 over locations shown to me during the first sales pitch. I knew that location matters, so I asked as much details about the location as possible. After some prodding, I was given one more (just one more) possible location, which isn\u2019t as good. \n\n\nWas I annoyed? Yes. I wanted choice, and now it seems like I have to take whatever location is available. I had wanted to visit some locations before making my decision, to see the foot traffic and type of possible customers and safety of the location. \n\n\nThere were other things displeased me. I was told to attend a \nvending machine maintenance class,\n so I can learn basic troubleshooting of the machine in case it malfunctions. I was never told this, or if it was, only in passing. \n\n\nI was also told to \ncreate a new company\n for the purpose of registering for e-wallet functionality. Reader, I signed the paperwork 6 months ago and was told everything was okay. Suddenly I was told to do additional work. How\u2019d you feel?\n\n\nPart 6 \u2013 Guaranteed Rental Return vending machine business package\n\n\nAfter complaining to my agent, he informed me of a NEW package that is better suited for me: the \nGuaranteed Rental Return\n package. Essentially, this is a vending machine rental scheme \u2013 I basically rent vending machine \ninstead \nof profit from item sales. \n\n\nHow it works is:\n\n\n\n\nPay RM22,000 in upfront capital\n, get the machine within 31 days\n\n\nReceive \nmonthly rental payment for 3 years\n \u2013 RM300 per month in Year 1; RM350 per month in Year 2; RM400 per month in Year 3 (Totaling RM12,600)\n\n\n\n\nAfter the 3 years, I have 3 options: \n\n\n\n\n(1) Take the vending machine for own business, \n\n\n(2) Renew and continue earning rental payment of RM400 per month for 2 more years (RM400 x 24 = RM9,600), or \n\n\n(3) Sell the vending machine back to the company for RM22,000 (my upfront capital)\n\n\n\n\nIt sounds good. The contract is better than the rent-to-own scheme, too (I read the cancellation penalty for that one \u2013 it is ridiculous). And he\u2019s right, this is a better package for me compared to ownership. I wanted minimal work for the next five years. \n\n\nWhy I took the vending machine rental package\n\n\nUnder the vending machine rental model, I don\u2019t have to worry about opening a new company, stocking the vending machine, maintaining the vending machine, and more. \nI will simply receive income every month, no other action necessary\n. \n\n\nSo while it will give me less profit potential, but it will also give me more peace of mind. Easy decision to make. \n\n\nMy contract came into effect in April 2021. As of writing time (July 2023), the plan is still going well \u2013 I received RM300 per month in Year 1 and RM350 per month in Year 2. Now in Year 3, I am receiving RM400 vending machine rental income per month. \n\n\nIf you\u2019re interested in the same plan, leave your contact details in the comments section (or you can DM me on my social media) and I\u2019ll pass your contact to my agent. You\u2019ll also get RM1,000 discount (RM21,000 instead of RM22,000)\n\n\nNote: Nothing is risk-free in business. I will be so happy if this business works out, but I will also not depend on it. You\u2019ll be advised to use the same approach as well \u2013 don\u2019t use life savings or emergency funds for this. \n\n\nNote 2: \nThe plan is subject to change at any time.\n Refer to the agent and your contract\n\n\nPart 7 \u2013 How much can you earn from vending machine business\n\n\nSo, if you ask me, how much can you earn from vending machine business, my answer is \u2013 it depends. You could earn RM300-400 per month like I do from the Guaranteed Rental Return plan, or you can earn RM0-four figures a month if you do vending machine business in Malaysia yourself. \n\n\nFrom this whole experience and what I have learned, here\u2019s what I would do if I were to do vending machine business myself:\n\n\nHow to do vending machine business yourself\n\n\nTo do vending machine business yourself, you need:\n\n\n\n\na location, AND \n\n\ncapital (ie upfront money), AND\n\n\ntime to refill the machines, AND \n\n\ntechnical capability to fix the machines (or know who to call if/when it breaks)\n\n\n\n\nHere is the oversimplified steps if you want to do vending machine business yourself:\n\n\nStep 1:\n buy the vending machines directly from whichever vending machine supplier with the best price (you can even \nbuy vending machines on Shopee\n) or better yet, from previous owners (look for vending machine for sale at Mudah.my, etc). \n\n\nStep 2: \ndraft an agreement (or simply \nbuy the agreement template on Shopee\n) between you and the owner of the location, stating their agreement to rent the space for you to place the vending machine\n\n\nStep 3: \nPlace the vending machine, collect money and restock as necessary (buy drinks and snacks wholesale; buy \npremix instant powder\n if you have vending machine selling hot drinks, etc)\n\n\nHowever, if you\u2019re unsure how to do this all yourself, then you can \ngo through a company\n, like I did.\n\n\nGoing through company is probably the safest way to do it, they have the expertise. Be very sceptical of profit projection though \u2013 so far I am happy with the vending machine package I picked, but I need to remember that every business carries risk. \n\n\nThat is my experience in doing vending machine Malaysia business so far. If you are interested in it, what else do you want to know? If you have experience, how is your vending machine business doing and what did you wish you knew when you first started?\n\n\nLet me know in the comments!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/work-from-home-schedule/", "title": "How My Work From Home Schedule *Actually* Looks Like\n  ", "body": "You fantasised about working from home. Now suddenly you have to. Yeah I know context is everything, but how is it?\n\n\nTu lah. Be careful what you wish for. Kan dah kena. \n\n\nAnyway. Working from home. If you\u2019re in this situation during this RMO period, you\u2019ve probably:\n\n\n\n\nGoogled work from home tips (Set up a dedicated work space! Dress for it! Keep distractions minimal!)\n\n\nBought home office equipment from Shopee/Lazada\n\n\nScrambled to make room for the new office equipment \u2013 where to find the space at home hmm\n\n\nDiscussed with your partners on each other\u2019s work schedule so that your video meeting call times don\u2019t overlap. Plus who\u2019s minding the kids ya? One ten jus\n\n\nAll of the above\n\n\n\n\nListen. I\u2019ve worked from home for about 5 years now, and I still haven\u2019t fully adjusted to it, so I just want to start this article by saying\u2026 be kind to yourself. Know that this transition will take a while to adjust to. Do your best, sure, but don\u2019t expect a smooth transition. You\u2019re still figuring out what works and what doesn\u2019t.\n\n\nLet me just take you through my day of working from home. I am \nself-employed\n, and I don\u2019t have a boss (or you can argue I have many bosses), so I generally set my own time and pace. If your employer is the \u2018don\u2019t care what you do as long as the work is done\u2019 type, this might be helpful. If not, hey at least you have one person\u2019s perspective.\n\n\n7-9am\n\n\nI wake up naturally. This is one of my favourite things about working from home \u2013 no alarms, no need to rush in the morning to get in a long commute.\n\n\nThe first thing I do is check my phone \u2013 this takes from 5 seconds up to 30 mins sometimes. Yeah it makes me feel guilty but I\u2019ve accepted it. Ok still trying to.\n\n\nAfter that, I go to the kitchen to boil some water. They say it\u2019s healthy to drink warm water with a splash of apple cider vinegar first thing in the morning so I do that, not sure if it works but I\u2019ll take it, even if its placebo effect.\n\n\nThen I put the coffee maker on. The smell of freshly-made coffee makes me happy every single day.\n\n\nMy mornings are not that rushed, generally speaking. Once in a while I have early meetings, but I like to schedule things between 11-4pm so I can savour that leisure time.\n\n\n9-12pm\n\n\nDepending on the day, I have different activities to do. But it usually consist of some sort of writing, digital marketing or communications work. Either for myself (Ringgit Oh Ringgit) or for clients.\n\n\nI\u2019m lucky enough to live alone, with two cats, so even though my place is small I have more than enough space to work at. Sometimes I work at the living room, on the couch. Sometimes I switch it up and sit at the kitchen.\n\n\nNote: they are like three steps away\n\n\nSo I sip my delicious hot coffee, power up my laptop (Surface Pro 4!), and open up my notebook to check what tasks Yesterday\u2019s Suraya assigned for Today\u2019s Suraya. And I spend the next three hours working.\n\n\nHahahaha joking joking I probably waste at least one hour just scrolling my phone during this time. At least one hour. Usually more.\n\n\nI used to be guilty (again, that word) about this until I realise\u2026 I\u2019m not the only one doing this. The reason I\u2019m online is because y\u2019all post interesting stuff.\n\n\nAnd if you\u2019re posting those stuff\u2026 that means you\u2019re not working on what you\u2019re paid to do.\n\n\nUnless if that *is* part of your work Idk. At least I can say I\u2019m online because I\u2019m \u2018researching content ideas\u2019 and \u2018engaging with the audience\u2019. You?\n\n\nAnyway, its now lunchtime.\n\n\n12-1pm\n\n\nThe time varies, but 12-1pm is usually when I eat my first meal of the day. More often than not I do skip breakfast. I\u2019d call it laziness but the new name for it is Intermittent Fasting.\n\n\nAfter I prepare my meal, I eat it while watching YouTube. Lately I\u2019m very into grocery haul videos. It\u2019s nice to have a bit of fantasy.\n\n\n1-11pm\n\n\nAfter lunch, I work until 11pm.\n\n\nI try to have some sort of work-life balance but in all honesty, even after 5 years of working from home, I still don\u2019t know when to switch off from work.\n\n\nThe quote \u2018Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion\u2019 is SO TRUE. It doesn\u2019t matter if I only have one article to do or do copywriting for a whole website. I will work until 11pm at night, possibly longer.\n\n\n\n\nIf you\u2019re working from home for the first time, know that there\u2019s a possibility that Parkinson\u2019s Law will hit you HARD too. With an office setting, you \u2018switch off\u2019 when you leave the office, that physical space. At home? No such thing.\n\n\nThat\u2019s why I\u2019ve favoured the phrase \u2018work-life integration\u2019 instead of \u2018work-life balance\u2019. With that mindset, I allow myself the flexibility to do whatever I want during the day as long as I complete my To Do list. Even if \u2018completion\u2019 means dashing to write an article at 11pm to schedule for the next day at 7.30am.\n\n\nThat\u2019s not a joke. This is literally what I\u2019m doing right now. I have, yet again, allowed my work to expand so as to fill the time available for its completion.\n\n\nYou might ask \u2013 so what do I do with the time if I didn\u2019t work?\n\n\nWell, I use the \u2018as long as the activity is good for my well-being\u2019 excuse, as in:\n\n\n\n\nI do more \u2018research\u2019 and \u2018engaging with the audience\u2019\n\n\nI do home chores (cordless vacuum made this chore pretty fun tbh)\n\n\nI go to the condo gym\n\n\nI do meal-prepping\n\n\nI look up recipes\n\n\nI cook\n\n\nI \nread a book\n\n\nI watch more YouTube videos\n\n\nI take a nap\n\n\nI prepare To Do list for Tomorrow\u2019s Suraya\n\n\nI look for other \nthings to do in RMO period\n\n\nI do things in my financial to-do list (for example, I recently enrolled myself in the\n\u00a0SOCSO / PERKESO Self-Employment Social Security Scheme\n)\n\n\n\n\nSo yeah.\u00a0Yes, RATIONALLY I know I should do the work first to get it out of the way, then do all these other activities. I KNOW.\n\n\nEasier said than done. You try yourself la. You try and see.\n\n\nBut\u2026 at the end of the day (night), I usually get my work done. And that\u2019s good enough for me.\n\n\nIt\u2019s 11.34pm now. I should sleep, so I\u2019ll end this article here. Hell yeah, made it through another day of working from home.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/44-thoughts-grocery-shopping-in-malaysia/", "title": "44 thoughts I\u2019ve had grocery shopping in Malaysia\n  ", "body": "\n\nHave anyone else had these thoughts?\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOkay, this should be a quick trip\n\n\nWhy are all the shopping carts so dirty one. Wait. Do they even get sanitised? Ewww\u2026.\n\n\nI read somewhere that the bigger your shopping cart, the more you\u2019re inclined to fill it up, therefore the more you spend\u2026. holy crap this place even have shopping carts for kids! So sneaky\u2026\n\n\nWait I vaguely remember that toddlers used to have their own seat in the shopping cart. Where did it go? When did the trend go away??\n\n\nUncle why you leave your shopping cart in the middle of the aisle. Eh don\u2019t la give evil eye, I\u2019m just pushing it aside to go through!\n\n\nThere must be a kakak with a sparkly /dangly under-chin tudung pin. Yep, there she is. Every time.\n\n\nI wonder if its cheaper to buy toothpaste here or Guardian/Watson\u2019s. How about shampoo?\n\n\nWho actually buys clothes from grocery stores?\n\n\nI would so play at the toy section if its more socially accepted. Those balls look so BOUNCY.\n\n\nThey say you have to avoid items placed on eye-level. But whose eye level exactly? If I\u2019m taller than average, that means that I can ignore this rule, right?\n\n\nOoooh I want you, but you\u2019re overpriced. I\u2019m adding you to my mental note \u2013 \u2018things to buy when it goes on sale\u2019, and \u2018things to check out at Mr DIY in case there\u2019s a cheaper version\u2019.\n\n\nThis item is RMxx for xxxml. That one is RMxx but with bigger volume. Can I math this in my head or should I take out the calculator.\n\n\nYou advertise yourself as \u2018big value pack\u2019 but you\u2019re actually the same price, weight to weight, with the smaller packs. THIS PISSES ME OFF.\n\n\nOh come onnn why some of you use weight and some of you use volume! This makes comparison harder! (these are things like laundry detergent, kitty litter, etc)\n\n\nOh look at me, such a responsible adult, zooming past the processed food section. You no longer have power over meeeee\n\n\nOrganic section! Let\u2019s look at organic section!\n\n\n\u2026 And we\u2019re out from the organic section. That was like a one-sided love story.\n\n\nChinese aunties swarming around a produce section! That must be a good bargain! I must go there!\n\n\nThe water drops on the parsley\u2026 must shake discreetly\u2026 save myself a few cents\u2026\n\n\nAm I in the mood for red or\u00a0 yellow onions\u2026 Oh well red one is 50 cents cheaper, red onions it is.\n\n\nThe line for the produce weighing station is so long! Hmm, can I live without these onions\u2026\n\n\nWhat\u2019s the difference between old ginger and new ginger again?\n\n\nHere, watermelons, pineapples and papayas are cheap. In the west, those are super expensive \u2018exotic\u2019 fruits. I wonder if there\u2019s any Mat Salleh fawning over the cheap prices right now.\n\n\nI mean, I was practically buying all the apples, blueberries and strawberries when I was overseas because it was SO MUCH cheaper there. If the reverse is true, they must stockpile like me also right?\n\n\nLike seriously do you not find it disgusting that a small pack of blueberries is like RM25 here??\n\n\nClearance stock gods, please be nice to me today.\n\n\nYaaaaasss 90% off cereals, tinned tomatoes, and fancy ass dips <3\n\n\nNooooooo gross wilted salads, off-color chicken, and opened food items.\n\n\nWhy do all grocery stores carry potato bread. It doesn\u2019t even contain potatoes!\n\n\nDon\u2019t look too impressed, miss. I\u2019m only pretending to know how to choose fresh fish. I\u2019m only buying it from here so the workers can gut it for me.\n\n\nThat guy at the 10-and-below-items-only checkout lane clearly doesn\u2019t know how to count.\n\n\nYaaaaasss the cashier just told him off!\n\n\nResist. Checkout. Lane. Impulse. Buys. RESIST.\n\n\nOooohh new Mentos flavor!\n\n\nRESIST.\n\n\nThirsty\u2026 that 100 Plus looks super refreshing.\n\n\nRESIST.\n\n\nI\u2019m going to pretend to be a detective and find about your life based on what\u2019s in your shopping cart. You, miss, need to eat less junk food. You, sir, are probably a food seller, judging from the 5 full bags of onions.\n\n\nNow where is my loyalty card. I wonder how many points I\u2019ve accumulated.\n\n\nLet\u2019s play: spot if there\u2019s a price discrepancy!\n\n\nThey have data of my spending pattern in this store right? Is it possible to ask them if I can take a peek? Super curious.\n\n\nArrrgggghh I forgot its the weekends! 20 cents per plastic bag? Okay what to do..\n\n\nOh look my total is rounded up again. Why is it always rounded up and not rounded down.\n\n\nWait hold on what\u2019s the time again? I spent an hour an a half? Time flies when you\u2019re having fun I guess \ud83d\ude42 Can\u2019t wait to go grocery shopping again!\n\n\n\n\n\u2026 And that is my random list of 44 thoughts I\u2019ve had while grocery shopping in Malaysia\u2026\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/amanah-saham/", "title": "Amanah Saham: 4 Advanced Strategies You Should Know [SPONSORED]\n  ", "body": "\n\nEvery Malaysian should know about \nAmanah Saham Nasional Berhad\n, usually referred to as Amanah Saham or ASNB, the unit trust management company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of \nPermodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB)\n. As of 31 December 2020, Amanah Saham controls RM167.12 BILLION worth of funds, much of which are local investments.\n\n\nIn this article I\u2019d like to share with you 4 \nadvanced \nstrategies that you should know as an ASNB unit holder. We\u2019re not talking about \nASB financing\n, we\u2019re going deeper here, we\u2019re talking power users.\n\n\nHere we go.\n\n\n1 \u2013 The myASNB App\n\n\nDid you know ASNB created the myASNB app? Yup, they did. And you can do so many things with it. For example..\n\n\na) You can open a new account\n\n\nThrough the myASNB app, a new customer can open an account and make investments without going to the branch, as it has always been done before.\n\n\nIf you\u2019re a new user, follow these steps to sign up:\n\n\nStep 1: Download the myASNB app. It is available on \nAndroid\n, \niOS\n, and \nHuawei\n.\nStep 2: Click on Sign Up\nStep 3: Enter in your personal details\nStep 4: Upload your IC\nStep 5: Finalise account information\nDone! The whole process only takes minutes\n\n\nYou can read more about the eKYC process \nhere\n.\n\n\n\n\nb) You can verify your phone number\n\n\nAs an elderly Millennial, I\u2019d just like to say this \u2013 y\u2019all Gen Zs (and new ASNB investors I guess) have it easy. Back in my day I had to drag my bottom to ASNB or agent branches just to update/ verify my phone number. This mandatory process was required to access the myASNB portal, so while I complained, I still did it, because I had to.\n\n\nOther than verifying/updating phone number, you can also perform these transactions on the myASNB app:\n\n\nBalance enquiry for ASNB unit trust funds \nBuy additional Subscription to ASNB unit trust funds\nAccess to recent transactions\nAccess to electronic statement\nRegister for any ASNB unit trust funds\nSearch for ASNB branches nationwide\n\n\nc) You can make investments\n\n\nAfter you create your account, you can straightaway make your investments, starting from as little as RM10 and subsequently in increments of RM100.\n\n\nSpeaking of investments..\n\n\n2 \u2013 ASB is just ONE of Amanah Saham\u2019s funds\n\n\nASB is arguably the most popular fund by ASNB, but did you know there are 16 funds in total, consisting of fixed price and variable price funds?\n\n\n \nASNB\u2019s Fixed price funds \n \nASNB\u2019s Variable price funds \n\u2013 Amanah Saham Bumiputera (ASB)\n\u2013 Amanah Saham Bumiputera 2 (ASB 2)\n\u2013 Amanah Saham Bumiputera 3 \u2013 Didik (ASB 3 DIDIK)\n\u2013 Amanah Saham Malaysia (ASM)\n\u2013 Amanah Saham Malaysia 2 \u2013 Wawasan (ASM 2 WAWASAN)\n\u2013 Amanah Saham Malaysia 3 (ASM 3)  \n \u2013 Amanah Saham Nasional (ASN) \u2013 Growth fund\n\u2013 ASN Equity 2 \u2013 Growth fund\n\u2013 ASN Equity 3 \u2013 Growth fund\n\u2013 ASN Equity 5 \u2013 Growth fund\n\u2013 ASN Equity Global*\n\u2013 ASN Imbang 1 \u2013 Mixed Asset funds\n\u2013 ASN Imbang 2 \u2013 Mixed Asset funds\n\u2013 ASN Imbang 3 Global* \u2013 Mixed Asset funds\n\u2013 ASN Sara 1 \u2013 Conservative fund\n\u2013 ASN Sara 2 \u2013 Conservative fund \n\n\n*ASN Imbang 3 Global and ASN Equity Global are funds with global exposure, great for diversification if you are over-invested in the Malaysia market\n\n\nWhich ASNB fund to get\n\n\nEach ASNB fund is a unit trust which you can get for investment purposes, suiting various financial goals. To help you pick a suitable fund, the myASNB app has a really cool feature \u2013 take the simple 6 question suitability assessment and it will direct you to a matching product under the following categories:\n\n\nConservative variable price\nModerate variable price\nAggressive variable price\nFixed price\n\n\n \nHere\u2019s how the fund-buying process looks like:\n \n\n\n\n\n3 \u2013 How to get fixed price funds for non-Bumiputera\n\n\nOk I know what some of you are thinking \u2013 Suraya I want the fixed price fund, I want ASB and ASM, but I can\u2019t get my hands on them.\n\n\nFixed price funds are more popular than variable price funds on two simple factors: (1) no sales charges, and (2) historically, they have performed well (remember 1990-2001, where the annual ROI was 10-14%? The ROI nowadays are not bad but nowhere near there. Miss the good old days).\n\n\nUnfortunately, ASB is only available for Bumiputeras (or Muslim converts, according to \nthis Ringgitplus articl\ne), and ASM funds are harder \u2013 but not impossible \u2013 to get for non-Bumiputeras.\n\n\nHere are 5 methods to get ASM:\n\n\nMethod 1\n \u2013 Ask your bank if they have additional ASM units available for purchase. Very mafan and low likelihood, not recommended.\n\n\nMethod 2 \n\u2013 Log in to the myASNB portal and see if there are additional ASM units available for purchase. Also very mafan and low likelihood.\n\n\nMethod 3\n \u2013 Wait for additional subscription units to be available. As per the \nFAQ section on ASNB page\n, an additional 1.5 billion units of ASM are available for subscription for the Indian community.\n\n\nMethod 4 \n\u2013 Offered through your bank, especially if you\u2019re a premier customer. DividendMagic shared his experience in getting ASM units through his banker in \nthis article\n. However, he was charged 4% sales charge for the privilege of owning ASM, which is the variable price\u2019s portion of the package.\n\n\nIf you think Methods 1-4 doesn\u2019t sound too good\u2026 then Method 5 is for you.\n\n\nMethod 5 \n\u2013 Take the \nFinancial Planning Solution Package\n\n\n\n\nPackages 2, 3, and 4 combine ASM with a variable price fund. It allows you to conveniently invest in two funds at once on a 50/50 basis, and only charges you between 1.75% to 2% sales charge. The minimum investment is RM10,000 and can be conducted via the myASNB app.\n\n\nNote: This offer is valid until 31 December 2021.\n\n\n4 \u2013 The estate planning service by Amanah Saham\n\n\nThe last power user tip is not investment related at all. It\u2019s more on planning how the money will get to your loved ones when you pass on.\n\n\nDid you know ASNB offers an estate planning service? Not only they offer it, but they also are running a promotion \u2013 you can do Hibah Amanah or Trust Declaration with just RM180 fee. Go to asnb.com.my > Services > \nEstate Planning Instruments\n.\n\n\n\n\nAs of time of writing, you still have to go to the branch to complete the whole process but you can still do online pre-registration and lock in the promo rates now.\n\n\nWhy do Hibah Amanah or Trust Declaration? Because of the speed in inheritance distribution. With Hibah Amanah, everything can be done in 21 days. Compare that to 3 YEARS of waiting, without estate planning.\n\n\n\n\nNote: Aside from the RM180 charge, there are other related \nASNB Hibah Amanah fee\n you should know, like the claim fee and annual fee (RM10 per year). As an example, the claim fee for investment holding balance of RM200,000 will total just RM2,125 in fees \u2013 this amount will be deducted from the balance before distributed to beneficiaries.\n\n\nUltimately, you know your family best \u2013 if your heirs are responsible and will use your money to take care of the people you leave behind, good. But if you have any concerns, then definitely do the Hibah Amanah and decide who you want as your ASNB funds\u2019 beneficiaries.\n\n\nDownload myASNB\n\n\nThose are the advanced strategies for ASNB unit holders that I have for you today. What do you think? Do you have any other power tips? Which fund are you invested in or would like to get? Let me know in the comments section!\n\n\nDownload the myASNB app. It is available on \nAndroid\n, \niOS\n, and \nHuawei\n.\n \n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/asb-loan/", "title": "5 Reasons You Should NOT Take ASB Loan\n  ", "body": "\n\nI took RM50k in \nASB loan\n back in 2011, when I was 22 years old. It was one of the best financial decisions I\u2019ve ever made. I remember feeling excited over my first-ever ASB dividend payout \u2013 I received RM2.4k for the year by just paying RM289 every month! \n\n\nWhat is ASB financing\n\n\nIf you want to know what is ASB financing, it\u2019s basically when you take a loan from the bank specifically to invest in Amanah Saham Bumiputera, one of the fixed-priced funds offered by \nAmanah Saham Nasional Berhad (ASBN\n). \n\n\nHow ASB financing works\n\n\nHow ASB financing works is, once you take ASB loan, the funds are IMMEDIATELY placed in ASB. You CANNOT take the initical capital out or use it for other purposes. \n\n\nNote: ASB loan is the same as ASB financing is the same as ASBF.\n\n\nAs mentioned above, taking ASB loan was a good decision for me, but as with everything else, there are some good reasons NOT to take advantage of ASB loan. Here they are:\n\n\nReason No #1 \u2013 You\u2019re not categorised as Bumiputera\n\n\nUnfortunately, ASB investment is only for the Bumiputera \u2013 that means the ethnic Malays, Orang Asli and the indigenous communities in East Malaysia. So that means if you\u2019re not Bumi, there\u2019s no point doing ASB financing \u2013 your application will be dismissed anyway.  \n\n\nYes, it\u2019s not fair. Yes, it should be needs-based rather than race-based. Personally, I\u2019ll continue to speak out against it and I encourage other Malays to do the same. \n\n\n\n\nRelated: \n[PERSONAL] Malay and Money: A Reflection\n\n\nASB for non-Bumi is not possible, but \nyou CAN get ASM \u2013 \nAmanah Saham Malaysia fund. Similar to ASB, ASM is a fixed-price fund. ASM for non-bumi used to be notoriously hard to get, however nowadays you can get them easily through the \nFinancial Planning Solution Package\n. \n\n\n\n\n*There are no ASM financing or other loans for investment that is similar to ASB financing\n\n\nOk, assuming you are classified as Bumiputera. What are other bad reasons to take ASB loan?\n\n\nReason no #2 \u2013 If ASB returns are \nconsistently \nlower than ASB financing rate\n\n\nRemember this: Taking a loan to invest *only* makes sense if the returns are \nconsistently\n higher than the financing rate.\n\n\n\n\nBetween 2010-2020, the annual returns for ASB investment ranged from 4.25% to 8.9% (source: MyPF.my\u2019s page on\u00a0\nASB annual returns\n). It is true that ASB returns have been shrinking in recent years and the lowest it\u2019s ever been in 2020. \n\n\nOn the other hand, ASB financing rates are between mid-to-high 3.xx% to low 4.xx%* (see what affects the financing rate below). \n\n\nTherefore: while ASB returns and ASB financing were dangerously close in 2020, the former was never lowER, and as of time of writing, has only been a one-off event and not a pattern (yet). \n\n\nHOWEVER, if say ASB investment performs worse than 2020 in the next few years, then yes ASB financing wouldn\u2019t make sense anymore. You\u2019ll be losing money. Why take ASB loan to invest if you\u2019re going to lose money. \n\n\nCommon question: What ASB financing rate can you get? How to get the lowest ASB interest rate?\n\n\nAs a general rule, \nthe lower the ASB financing rates you can get, the better\n.\n Your ASB interest rate depends on: \n\n\n\n\nhow much you borrow (you get better rates for RM50k ASB financing and above),\n\n\nthe base rate (BR), \n\n\ntaken with takaful or without, \n\n\nwhich bank (and bank agent) you got it from,\n\n\netc (tell me if there are other ways to get good ASB financing loan rates in the comments section!)\n\n\n\n\nHowever, even the best ASB financing rate doesn\u2019t matter if..\n\n\nReason #3 \u2013 Your income is unstable AND you have little-to-no savings\n\n\nThe thing about taking an ASB loan is you have to pay them back every month. It doesn\u2019t care if you had reduced income a few months in a row, or if you lost your job, or if you have to pay for medical emergencies, or whatever. The instalments go on. \n\n\nThe actual numbers depend on your ASB financing rates, but this is how much will be deducted automatically from your bank account every month, assuming you took a 20-to-30-year ASB loan:\n\n\n\n\nRM10k ASBF (min amount) \u2013 RM4x to RM5x per month\n\n\nRM50k ASBF \u2013  RM2xx to RM3xx per month\n\n\nRM100k ASBF \u2013 RM4xx to RM5xx per month\n\n\nRM150k ASBF \u2013 RM6xx to RM8xx per month\n\n\nRM200k ASBF (max amount) \u2013 RM9xx to RM1,1xx per month\n\n\n\n\nSource: \nASB Maybank financing monthly instalment repayment schedule\n.\n\n\nSo yeah. How confident are you to pay up to RM1,1xx per month for the remainder of your term? Thankfully, it is possible to cancel the ASB loan and generally speaking, the penalty is minimal, if any. Check with your banks and the contract you signed.\n\n\n(Alternatively, you can also pay instalments using past years\u2019 ASB profits. Some people call this the \u2018rolling\u2019 strategy. I think it\u2019s better to not touch profits and let it compound, unless absolutely necessary aka for health or safety reasons ONLY)\n\n\nReason #4 \u2013 Banks don\u2019t let you borrow money from them\n\n\nHow to take ASB loan if banks don\u2019t let you borrow from them? You may want but you may not be able to get. \n\n\nThere are a few situations where you can\u2019t secure a loan from the bank, not just for ASB financing but also other types of loans like home loan, hire purchase (aka car loan) and more. You can read more in \nthis LoanStreet article\n, but briefly, here are some causes:\n\n\n\n\nDon\u2019t have steady job\n\n\nDon\u2019t have/can\u2019t show income source (if from business, you need documentation)\n\n\nAlready have too many loans/commitments\n\n\nBlacklisted \n\n\nYou want ASB financing-i but only offered ASB financing\n\n\n\n\nPersonally, while my RM50k ASB loan in 2011 went through, my application for RM150k loan around 2018 failed. I think it\u2019s because my income fluctuated too much since I became \nself-employed\n, but I don\u2019t know for sure. \n\n\n(A part of me slightly regretted not taking a higher ASB loan amount, but I also know early 20s-me would have struggled with the payments, so I made peace with it.) \n\n\nReason #5 \u2013 Taking on debt bothers you\n\n\nSome people just don\u2019t sit well with taking debt, any debt, and that\u2019s fine. I kind of even get it. \n\n\nIf that\u2019s the case, you can do normal ASB saving without the ASB financing \u2013 just put in RM100 or RM200 or however much you can afford into ASB every month. You can also do other investments. \n\n\nRelated: \nWhat to Invest with RM1000: 15 Options You Should Know\n\n\nOther reasons not to take ASB Financing? + FAQ on ASB Loan\n\n\nThese are 5 reasons NOT to take ASB financing that I can think of. If none of them are problems for you, then perhaps it\u2019s not a bad idea to get it. Again, I\u2019m personally happy with my decision to both take ASB financing AND add on more funds to my ASB by regular saving \u2013 my goal is to max out the RM200k cap ASAP. \n\n\nLastly, let\u2019s quickly go over some frequently-asked questions:\n\n\nWhere to get ASB loan \n\n\nYou can get ASB financing from:\n\n\n\n\nDirect from banks \u2013 you can get from \nMaybank\n; \nBank Islam\n; \nRHB Bank\n; \nAmbank\n; \nCIMB\n; \nHong Leong Islamic Bank\n; \nBank Muamalat\n; \nAffin Bank\n; and possibly more\n\n\nFrom agents \u2013 find them on social media. Get a few agents/quotations and compare ASB loan rates \n\n\nFrom ASB loan comparison websites\n\n\n\n\nIs ASB financing worth it?\n\n\nIs ASB financing worth it? Scroll back to #2, the section on ASB return rate and ASB financing rate. Basically, if ASB returns are \nconsistently \nlower than ASB financing rate, then ASB financing is NOT worth it. \n\n\nThe reverse is true. If ASB returns are \nconsistently \nhigher than ASB financing rate, then it is worth it. \n\n\nHistorically, ASB financing is worth it. \n\n\nShould I take ASB loan Maybank? ASB loan CIMB? ASB loan from other banks? Which one?\n\n\nGenerally speaking, the lower the rate, the better.  So if ASB loan Maybank give you 3.5% (let\u2019s say) and ASB loan CIMB give you 3% (example), then pick the lower one. \n\n\nGo and ask around, but in my experience, \nMaybank\n seems to have the lowest ASB financing rate. \n\n\nAnother consideration is the Takaful that comes with ASB financing \u2013 just check if included and how much is the additional cost, if not included. Yes, you need it. \n\n\nHow to get the lowest ASB interest rate?\n\n\nYou will notice that most people have different ASB interest rates, and some people are offered lower ASB interest rates than others. That\u2019s because ASB interest rate depends on: \n\n\n\n\nhow much you borrow (you get better rates for RM50k ASB financing and above),\n\n\nthe base rate (BR), \n\n\ntaken with takaful or without, \n\n\nwhich bank (and bank agent) you got it from,\n\n\netc (tell me if there are other ways to get good ASB financing loan rates in the comments section!)\n\n\n\n\nHow to terminate ASB loan\n\n\nIf, for whatever reason you want to terminate ASB loan, you can do so by contacting your bank and request for termination. The penalty is usually minimal, if any. \n\n\nTabung Haji vs ASB\n\n\nTabung Haji vs ASB \u2013 which is better? The answer is actually\u2026 both. Do both. \n\n\nBoth Tabung Haji and ASB are suitable for savings and low-risk investing purposes. Personally, I earmarked my Tabung Haji savings for Hajj purposes and earmarked ASB savings for emergency savings/ general savings. \n\n\nTabung Haji may have an edge over ASB if you don\u2019t want to go through the \nhassle\n obligation of paying Zakat ASB, which can get pretty complicated. The good folks at Tabung Haji will help you to zakat out your Tabung Haji savings, if eligible. \n\n\nLearn more about paying Zakat in my \nComplete Zakat Guide\n article. \n\n\nASB vs Unit Trust\n\n\nASB vs unit trust \u2013 which is better? Objectively speaking, ASB wins, hands down. My reasoning:\n\n\n\n\nYou can\u2019t get loan to invest in unit trust (personal loan doesn\u2019t count and doesn\u2019t make sense)\n\n\nWhich unit trust are you comparing with ASB? There are \nhundreds \nof unit trusts. *Of course* some of them will outperform ASB dividends, but most will not, and do you really want to test your luck\n\n\nASB dividends are more stable compared to the vast majority of growth (read: high-risk) unit trust\n\n\nYou simply can\u2019t beat ASB\u2019s sales charges. It\u2019s 0%. Unit trust\u2019s sales charge can go up to 6%\n\n\n\n\nTo be fair, I\u2019m not the biggest fan of unit trust. My only exception is unit trusts with no/low sales charge like \nPrivate Retirement Scheme\n (not all platforms offer 0% sales charge for PRS), and the ones offered through \nBEST Invest\n. \n\n\nRelated: \n3 Ways to Pick the Best Unit Trust in Malaysia (Advisory & DIY Method)\n\n\nConclusion\n\n\nAny of you took ASB loan? Where did you get it from, how much, and what ASB loan rates did you get? And \u2013 most importantly \u2013 are you happy with your decision? Share your experiences in the comments section below!\n\n\nObligatory disclaimer: not financial advice, just lots of research and personal experience\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/beginners-guide-warrants-in-malaysia/", "title": "[SPONSORED] The Beginners Guide to Warrants in Malaysia\n  ", "body": "On 27 April 2019, I attended my first warrants-specific talk. \n\n\nThe event was called Demystifying Structured Warrants, which is apt tbh. I\u2019m a complete beginner in this financial instrument. I know almost nothing about it.\u00a0\n\n\nThis was my second engagement with the Kenanga Investment Bank, after writing about the \nMarket Outlook Symposium 2019: Smart Investing or Dare Betting?\n \ninvestment event\n \nback in January 2019. \n\n\nI\u2019m happy to report I liked two out of two Kenanga-organised events so far. Good content. No fluff, just lots of good info. Then they gave free food some more. \n\n\nLike the first article, this is a sponsored post, but all opinions are mine. It\u2019s great that I can share what I learned about warrants from the event, as someone completely new to the world. \n\n\n#1 \u2013 What \nis \nwarrants?\n\n\nThis is the textbook definition:\n\n\n\n\nDoes that make sense to you? I kinda sorta understand\u2026 ish. It\u2019s a very theoretical financial instrument. I feel like I\u2019m learning quantum physics. \n\n\nBut for beginners, it\u2019s enough to know that warrants:\n\n\n\n\nIs a \nshort-term\n trading instrument \n\n\nUses \nleverage \n\u2013 it \nmagnifies \ngains and yes, losses \n\n\nHas limited losses, \nunlimited upside \n\n\nIs \na type of option\n issued by Financial Institutions \n\n\nAre \nbased on individual shares & indices\n\n\nAre traded on \nBursa Malaysia \n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nBut what\u2019s more important to know is\u2026\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Warrants trading is a higher-risk type of investment\n\n\nI can\u2019t emphasise this part enough. During the event, the speakers repeated this many times, which I appreciate. \nDon\u2019t do warrants trading in Malaysia if you\u2019re totally new to investing. \n\n\nWarrants trading is considered higher-risk because you need to be familiar with both fundamental analysis \nand \ntechnical analysis of the stocks market, said Isabelle Zhen, the speaker at the event and a warrants issuer at Kenanga Group.\n\n\nHere\u2019s an example, taken from the speaker\u2019s presentation slides. Notice (1) her notes, taken from news sources, financial statements etc (fundamental analysis) and (2) the charts and the colourful lines each represent market movement (technical analysis).\n\n\n\n\nIf you\u2019re not familiar with the stocks market at all, \nthen avoid warrants trading for now\n. It\u2019s not for you, not yet. \n\n\nBut if you\u2019re already a value investor making consistent positive ROI on your stock picks and now itching to learn trading skills to increase your portfolio\u2019s profits, then maybe consider learning it. \n\n\nIsabelle warns against putting all your investment money ONLY in warrants. Instead, she recommends the \n60:40 Weighted Portfolio Strategy\n.\n\n\n(It can also be 70:30 or 80:20 or 90:10, depending on your risk appetite). \n\n\nThat means you allocate 60% of your money to buy the stocks you want to purchase and the other 40% to buy the warrants issued for it. Like so:\n\n\n\n\nThe above table basically says that if you only buy HIBISCS shares, and the price moved from RM1 to RM1.10, you\u2019ll gain 10% while its warrants equivalent will gain 25% for the same trade. This strategy increases ROI potential while limiting losses.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 There\u2019s a healthy warrants community in Telegram\n\n\nI was pleasantly surprised to learn from Kenanga\u2019s talk that there\u2019s a big warrants community in Malaysia. And that there\u2019s a growing interest for it. \n\n\nIsabelle encouraged people interested in warrants trading to join the \nright\n warrants trading community. It\u2019s useful because you can observe and learn from other people\u2019s trading strategies and mindset. People share when they enter and exit trades. \n\n\nYou\u2019ll get buy bid promos. You\u2019ll get tips on how to use the live matrix tool better. You may even learn from other people\u2019s mistakes \u2013 some people lose a lot of money when they forget to set up stop loss system, or bought put warrants when they should have bought call warrants*!\n\n\n(*Put warrants and call warrants are opposites of each other)\n\n\nHere are some Telegram communities you can join:\n\n\n\n\nKenanga\u2019s Warrants Trading Ideas \u00a0\u2013 \nhttps://t.me/KenangaWarrants\n\n\nKenanga\u2019s Market-Making Hotline (Private Chat) \u2013 \nhttps://t.me/PRIVATECHAT_KenangaWarrants\n\n\nMalaysia Warrants \u2013 \nhttps://t.me/Malaysiawarrants\n\n\nElliot Wave Technical Analysis \u2013 \nhttps://t.me/KLSETA\n\n\nKim\u2019s Stockwatch \u2013 \nhttps://t.me/kimstock\n\n\nTradeVSA \u2013 \nhttps://t.me/tradevsatradingideas\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Who are warrants issuer and what do they do?\n\n\nThere are 6 warrants issuers in Malaysia. Kenanga Investment is #1 local warrants issuer in Malaysia (Macquarie is from Australia). \n\n\n\n\nWarrants issuers\u2026 issue warrants. Like, they\u2019re the ones who choose which blue-chip stocks or indices will be the underlying instrument to the warrant, the \u2018mother share\u2019. They need to make use the 6 components to calculate the pricing, then publish the terms of the warrant. \n\n\n\n\nThe \nnaming for warrants\n in Malaysia is straightforward. If the stock is listed as INARI on Bursa Malaysia, the warrants issued will be called INARI-CA (first time listed), INARI-CB (second time), INARI-CZ (26th time), INARI-C1 (27th time listed) and so on. \n\n\nWarrants issuer make money\n by (1) something called the time value decay (see image below), (2) hedging and (3) spread between buy/sell. Isabelle said warrants issuers CANNOT make money by manipulating the market, Bursa Malaysia has very clear guidelines on that. \n\n\n\n\nIf warrants issuers are caught manipulating the market, they\u2019ll get the other warrant, the one from the police. \n\n\n#5 \u2013 How to choose warrants\n\n\nSo as of 8th May 2019 (YTD), there are 650 active warrants in Malaysia \u2013 553 equity and 977 index warrants. From 39 industries. \u00a0\n\n\nHow do you pick which one to trade? \n\n\nThis is where it gets interesting. There are advanced tools to use for warrants trading, I had no idea. The one offered by Kenanga is called the Warrant Scanner Tool, following the E.S.T.I Strategy. It\u2019s available at \nNagaWarrants.com\n.\n\n\n\n\nThe speaker emphasised how you really have to pick issuers that have a Live Matrix. In Malaysia, currently only two out of the six issuers offer has a live matrix tool. Kenanga is one of them. \n\n\nLast words\n\n\nAlright, those were some things Kenanga taught me about warrants in Malaysia. I\u2019m not about to explain what is E.S.T.I. Strategy in full or how to use the Live Matrix. To be honest, I\u2019m still wrapping my head around it myself. \n\n\nThe speaker knew that and assured us that warrants trading \nis \nan advanced topic. Isabelle actually said:\n\n\n\u201cI\u2019m happy if you can understand 50% of this talk. And maybe 60% from the next talk, then 70%, and so on.\u201d\u00a0\n\n\nWhich is quite reassuring tbh. Usually speakers expect you to understand everything, and you feel stupid when you don\u2019t.\n\n\nIf you\u2019re truly new to warrants trading and interested, either buy a book about warrants or buy an online course and learn it yourself, or attend educational talks like this one. I really liked Isabelle\u2019s style of presenting \u2013 she knew what terms are confusing for beginners, and included exercises to learn them in the presentation.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nWorth repeating: please don\u2019t do warrants trading without learning, because you *will* lose money if you do that\n. \n\n\nIsabelle Zhen and her team at \nNagaWarrants\n take lunch appointments and hold monthly educational talks about warrants. You can connect with them at 03-2172 2615 during office hours. You can also private chat them via Telegram at \nhttps://t.me/NagaWarrants_by_Kenanga\n (also during office hours). \n\n\nSome images above came from\u00a0\nKenanga\u2019s free Trading Guide to Structured Warrants ebook. Message Kenanga \nhere\n to receive a copy.\n\n\nAny of you do this type of investing? What else can you add about warrants in Malaysia?\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/best-invest-by-bimb-investment-review/", "title": "I Tried BEST Invest by BIMB Investment, the \u2018First Robo-Intelligence Shariah ESG Online Investment App\u2019 [SPONSORED]\n  ", "body": "\u201cWhat the heck is robo-intelligence,\u201d I thought to myself when I first heard about Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad (BIMB)\u2019s new fintech product, BEST Invest, \u201cis it the same as robo-advisory?\u201d\n\n\n\u201cRobo-intelligence is not robo-advisory,\u201d said Amirul Safuan, Head of Marketing & Digital Business Unit at BIMB Investment Management Berhad, in a cheerful yet repetitious tone that implies he had to answer that question hundreds of times. \n\n\n\u201cIt is the use of big data technology, analytics, algorithms to assist on systematic processes of a large quantity of information and data in the decision-making process. It is about the \u201cprocess\u201d, not \u201cadvisory\u201d.\n\n\nHe answered this during an online press event in May 2020, shortly after the app\u2019s official launch. I was pleasantly surprised to be invited, happy that he took (and answered) all my questions, and then went ahead to hire me to write a user review, even after knowing my (transparency-first) writing style.\u00a0\n\n\nTo be honest, I am a fan of the keywords BEST Invest are using. Fintech. Big data. Artificial Intelligence. ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) aka Sustainable Investing. Top it off with Shariah compliance. Awesome, awesome, awesome. The only keywords missing are blockchain and cryptocurrency (jk jk).\u00a0\n\n\nAnd so, it is my utmost pleasure to test out the BEST Invest app, and present to you a list of its pros and cons.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nPros of BEST Invest App\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Delivers on initial promises\n\n\nEverything in this image is true:\n\n\n\n\nYou can start with RM10 deposit. \nUsually with unit trust products, the minimum initial deposit is RM100 or RM1000, depending on the fund you want to get. I know one fund which requires RM100,000 (!!!) minimum initial deposit.\u00a0\n\n\nThere is zero sales charge.\n I can say that BEST Invest is probably one of the cheapest places to get unit trust products.\n\n\nThis is nuts considering FundSupermart (now rebranded to FSMOne) used to be *the* place to get cheap unit trust, as traditional unit trust providers typically impose something like 5% in sales charges PLUS other fees.\n\n\n\n\nIt is simple and easy. \nDigital natives shouldn\u2019t have any problem with the account opening and onboarding processes. Personally I am impressed with the UI/UX, I thought whoever designed it did a good job. I have no complaints, but the Youtuber \nTheHaikal\n did point out that the font is a bit small but I\u2019m guessing the target audience is also on the younger side.\u00a0\n\n\nIntelligent Robo and Sustainable Investing\n. \u2018Robo-intelligence\u2019 isn\u2019t a regularly-used term, but sustainable investing is. In case you didn\u2019t know, you can\u2019t simply use the term \u2018ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) investing\u2019 for fun. You have to get certified and accredited for that. That costs money, but also draws ever-growing values-conscious investors. Like me. Hashtag virtue-signalling.\n\n\n(And the fact that many studies say ESG funds correlate positively with higher return on investment makes me like these types of funds even more $_$)\n\n\n\n\nAbove: Screenshot taken from \nFrom the Stockholder to the Stakeholder: How Sustainability Can Drive Financial Outperformance report\n\n\nBacked by an Islamic Financial Institution\n. BEST Invest is a product by BIMB Investment Management Berhad, which is a fully-owned subsidiary of Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad.\u00a0\n\n\nNo lock-in period\n. I am generally super supportive of financial products that are liquid and easy to access. (However, take note. The \nFAQ\n said that withdrawal ie selling of funds can take up to 10 calendar days.)\u00a0\n\n\nShariah-Compliant product\n (yay <3) as well as\n regulated by Securities Commission Malaysia\n.\u00a0\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Good investing journey \u2013 clear process with areas for flexibility\u00a0\n\n\nA few things stood out as I started investing in BEST Invest. The step-by-step process is really clear. You can really feel like you\u2019re going down a funnel, as the system figures out what\u2019s best for you. Let me share how my journey was like.\u00a0\n\n\nFirst, you have to answer the Great Investment Risk Profile Quiz. Answer 10 or so questions, and the system will tell you your risk appetite. I got aggressive growth-oriented.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nThen, you can pick between two options: Do It For Me (use robo-intelligence) or Do It Yourself. I wanted to try the robo-intelligence feature so I picked that.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nAfter you pick your option, you can pick your goal (I chose Hajj/Umrah*), target amount (RM15,000 should be enough right) and target date (I\u2019ll be 42).\u00a0\n\n\n*Other goals: Retirement, Travel, Car, Marriage, Children, etc. You can even decide and write your own goal. You can also set multiple goals.\n\n\n\n\nWith a target and goal in mind, it will then ask you if you\u2019d like to invest monthly or one lump sum. I picked the former. Somehow, my monthly contribution amount is the nice round figure of RM100 per month (how\u2019d that happen?)\n\n\n\n\nNow, the fun part. At this stage, the robo-intelligence system recommended a mix of 3 funds. I didn\u2019t expect that, I thought it was only going to give me one type of fund, so that was cool.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nAccording to the recommendation, my RM100 contribution will be divided into the following funds every month:\n\n\n\n\nRM30 or 30% going to BIMB-Arabesque Asia Pacific Shariah-ESG Equity Fund\u00a0\n\n\nRM60 or 60% going to BIMB-Arabesque Global Dividend Fund 1\u00a0\n\n\nRM10 or 10% going to BIMB ESG Sukuk Fund Class A\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nInterestingly, you \ndon\u2019t \nhave to accept the recommendation. You can change the weight (percentage) or delete it altogether and select other funds.\u00a0\n\n\n\u2026 Which is exactly what I ended up doing. I looked through what\u2019s in each fund, then changed to these funds and ratios instead:\n\n\n\n\nRM40 or 40% going to BIMB-Arabesque Asia Pacific Shariah-ESG Equity Fund (increased 10%)\n\n\nRM20 or 20% going to BIMB Dana Al-Fakhim \u2013 20% (new fund NOT suggested by BEST Invest)\n\n\nRM40 or 40% going to BIMB-Arabesque Asia Pacific Shariah-ESG Equity Fund (new fund NOT suggested by BEST Invest)\n\n\n\n\nTHIS IS NOT INVESTMENT ADVICE. PICKING WHAT THE APP SUGGESTED IS PERFECTLY FINE. I completely ignored the app\u2019s warning sign.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0All I can say is, two of the funds (which was NOT recommended to me) looked real attractive. I like the idea of investing in money markets with the following holdings,\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nAnd I like the idea of investing in ESG companies from Asia Pacific specifically, since I have other investments that cover global markets. Diversifying and all, you know?\n\n\n\n\n(Again, not a recommendation. Follow the system\u2019s recommendations if you\u2019re new in investing.)\n\n\nSo after I picked my funds and happy with everything, I set up the monthly automatic deductions.\u00a0\n\n\nBtw \u2013 I love this feature! Big fan of automating investment!\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAnd with that, I am done. All I have to do is regularly review it, maybe once every quarter or 6 months or so, but otherwise the automatic deductions and time will do its work for me.\u00a0\n\n\nThose are parts which I liked. The cons? Nothing is perfect, and you\u2019ll find out soon enough anyway so might as well I tell you.\u00a0\n\n\nCons of BEST Invest App\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Fees are low for unit trust standards, but not as low as ETF\u00a0\n\n\nHave to put it out there, since you\u2019ll ask about fees anyway (and you should). Even though getting unit trust via BEST Invest can be considered revolutionary and cheaper than traditional unit trust, they still can\u2019t beat rates by ETF.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nHOWEVER, and as mentioned above, BEST Invest beats Fundsupermart/ FSMOne\u2019s rates, hands down. 2% or so sales charge PLUS management fees PLUS other fees are still very common there.\u00a0\u00a0\n\n\nNote: Even though unit trust and ETF are structurally different financial instruments, I\u2019m comparing them both because they\u2019re used for similar purposes: typically (but not always) included in a diversified, long-term investment portfolio\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Only 5 funds to choose from\n\n\nI understand the whole robo-intelligence system is to help investors to pick suitable funds.\u00a0\n\n\nBut also, there are only\u2026 5 funds\u2026 to choose from.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n(Also it goes without saying that all funds are products from BIMB Investment only)\n\n\nYes, I understand that the mix-and-matching of funds and ratios is probably part of the robo-intelligence system at work. And I don\u2019t know if BEST Invest plans to add on more funds to the mix. \n\n\nBut for now at least, it\u2019s still just 5 funds. As opposed to tens (or hundreds) of funds.\u00a0\n\n\nConclusion of My BEST Invest Review\n\n\nEven I can see that my cons are nitpicky at best. Overall, the pros far outweigh the cons.\u00a0\n\n\nIn terms of \u2018legitimacy\u2019 as a fintech product, no issues there. Bank Islam is a reputable bank. A few years back, Islamic fintech products like this were almost non-existent, and you had to be really intentional about choosing Shariah-compliant products.\u00a0\n\n\nNow the easy option is there. Not only I get Syariah-compliant funds, they\u2019re ESG aka Sustainable Investing too. Almost too perfect. It justifies the fees.\u00a0\n\n\nIn any case, I admit I\u2019m a new user, so I\u2019ll report back in a couple of months after using BEST Invest app for a bit more. Stay tuned. EDIT: so far, so good.\u00a0\n\n\nExisting users of BEST Invest app, seeking your comments and feedback. How are you finding it? Let me know in the comments section!\n\n\nFor everyone else who is curious, feel free to try it out. Scan the code below to download the app.\n\n\n\n\nRead more:\n\n\n\n\n10 Types of Islamic Investments in Malaysia (that Everyone Can Get)\n\n\nWhat is the Best Robo Advisor in Malaysia?\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/best-investments-in-malaysia/", "title": "3 Best Investments in Malaysia (The Best Way to Invest Your Money)\n  ", "body": "\n\nThe best investments in Malaysia are \nINVESTMENTS IN YOURSELF\n. \nInvest\n \nin\n your EDUCATION! LEARN! BUY BOOKS AND COURSES.\n\n\nLol no jk jk I\u2019m not that annoying (usually). I mean, that advice is true. But it *is* off-topic.\u00a0\n\n\nFor real though \u2013 here\u2019s the 3 best investments in Malaysia: \nEPF/KWSP, PRS and SSPN/SSPN-i.\n\n\nWhy these 3? Because you can get\n income \ntax relief\n of up to RM15,000 annually, combined\n. \n\n\nRegardless whether the investment performs well or not \u2013 and this is outside your control anyway, depends on the economy and all \u2013 \nyou will still \u2018gain\u2019 via reduced tax payment and other practical benefits uniquely offered from each of them\n.\n\n\nWait, you say. I disagree! I think [insert investment here] is THE best investment in Malaysia!\n\n\nWho told you there can only be ONE best investment? The best investment strategy is a combination of MULTIPLE investments, and it should include \nat least\n one of those three.\u00a0\n\n\nThe best way to invest in Malaysia*\n\n\n*opinion not advice. All standard DYOR disclaimers apply\n\n\nI\u2019ll just get right to it. \nMOST people will be okay financially if they use this exact investment strategy\n, \nor at least use it as a starting point until they tweak it to fit their personal situation\n. The strategy is simple enough.\n\n\nFirst, a\nccumulate a minimum of \n3 months\u2019 worth of expenses \nin your bank account as emergency fund\n\n\n\n\nIf you spend RM1000 per month, you should have a minimum of RM3000 as emergency fund\n\n\nIf you spend RM2000 per month, you should have a minimum of RM6000 as emergency fund\n\n\nIf you spend RM3000 per month, you should have a minimum of RM9000 as emergency fund\n\n\nAnd so on. Y\nou can increase it to 6 months\u2019 worth if you want, especially if you don\u2019t have \ninsurance\n or your income is unstable.\n\n\n\n\nThen, \nwithout touching or reducing your emergency fund\n, \ntransfer the below amounts \nevery single month\n:\n\n\n\n\nRM333.33 per\n \nmonth\n* \nto EPF\n \n\n\nPLUS \nRM250 per\n \nmonth\n \nto PRS\n\n\nPLUS \nRM666.66 per month\n**\u00a0\nto SSPN\n \n\n\nPLUS \nRM250 per month*** to \nASB financing\n \nfor RM50k loan (Bumiputera only) OR \nASNB Funds\n OR \nRoboadvisor\n OR \nTabung Haji\n\n\nPLUS \nRM500 per month\n**** to any \u2018Fun\u2019 investment(s) of your choice. Go ahead and do \nStocks\n, \nREITs\n, Property, \nGold\n, \nCrypto\n, \nForex trading\n, Art, NFTs, whatever you want \n\n\n\n\n\n\n*Skip EPF contribution if you\u2019re a salaried employee earning living wage. Allocate the money to #4\n\n\n**Skip SSPN if you don\u2019t have children. Allocate the money to #4\n\n\n***You can mix-and-match #4. For example, you can allocate RM125 each per month to 2 roboadvisors\n\n\n****You can mix-and-match #5. For example, you can put RM100 towards Gold, RM250 towards Crypto and RM150 towards trading. If you\u2019re not interested in any of the \u2018fun\u2019 investments, or you want to learn first, then just put the money in #4, not in your bank account. Remember: Time in the market > timing the market\n\n\n\n\nDo all these, exactly\n \nin this order,\u00a0\nand you\u2019re already investing RM2,000 per month and well on your way to building healthy savings/investment portfolio and a comfortable retirement fund.\u00a0\n\n\nNote: If you have more than RM2000 to invest every month, then you can afford to \nhire a financial planner\n. They will be able to give you personalised advice.\u00a0\n\n\nHow this investment strategy looks like in practice\u00a0\n\n\nHere\u2019s an example for someone who have RM400 to invest every month. This person is a salaried employee, single and no children, and already maxed out 3 months\u2019 salary worth of emergency fund. Every month, they should put:\n\n\n\n\nRM250 to PRS (skip EPF because already contributing through salary deduction via employer)\n\n\nRM150 to \nASB financing\n for RM50k loan (Bumiputera only) OR \nASNB Funds\n OR \nRoboadvisor \nOR Tabung Haji\n\n\nTotal: RM400 per month\n\n\n\n\nWhat if you have RM700 per month to invest, same situation?\n\n\n\n\nRM250 to PRS (skip EPF because already contributing through salary deduction via employer)\n\n\nRM250 to\u00a0\nASB financing\n for RM50k loan (Bumiputera only) OR \nASNB Funds\n OR \nRoboadvisor \nOR Tabung Haji\n\n\nRM200 to any other investment(s) of their choice (or just add on ASB financing/ASNB funds/ Roboadvisor/ Tabung Haji)\n\n\nTotal: RM700 per month\n\n\n\n\nHow about RM1200 per month to invest, same situation except you\u2019re self-employed (aka no EPF contribution from employer)?\n\n\n\n\nRM333.33 per month to EPF\n\n\nRM250 to PRS\n\n\nRM250 to\u00a0\nASB financing\n for RM50k loan (Bumiputera only) OR \nASNB Funds\n OR \nRoboadvisor \nOR Tabung Haji\n\n\nRM366.67 to any other investment(s) of their choice (or just add on ASB financing/ASNB funds/ Roboadvisor/ Tabung Haji)\n\n\nTotal: RM1200 per month\n\n\n\n\nLet\u2019s go into details for EPF, PRS and SSPN, and why they should be your priority.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 EPF/KWSP (Employees Provident Fund/ Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja)\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhat is it:\n You know what this is. The de-facto retirement fund for Malaysians\n\n\nWhy it\u2019s great:\n\n\n\n\nYou can get up to \nRM4,000 in income tax relief\n\n\nif you are salaried employee earning ~RM1600 and above per month, then your plus employer contribution already maxed it out\u00a0\n\n\nIf you are self-employed, you can always do self-contribution (direct online banking)\n\n\nIt\u2019s for your own retirement. Inability to withdraw is a feature, not a bug. It\u2019s better to have more money than you need after you retire, than not enough\n\n\nAside from retirement, you can \nmake withdrawals for other reasons\n, including for health and education purposes\n\n\nYou can also channel a portion of your EPF fund into unit trust. Read: \nAll You Need to Know About Buying Unit Trust Through EPF i-Invest\n\n\nYou can directly nominate your EPF money to anyone you want. More info \nhere\n\n\nYou can make use of \nRetirement Advisory Service\n, which is free of charge for EPF members!\n\n\n\n\nOfficial website:\u00a0\nhttps://www.kwsp.gov.my/\n\n\n#2 \u2013 PRS (Private Retirement Scheme)\n\n\nWhat is it:\n Like EPF, but optional (but recommended)\n\n\nWhy it\u2019s great:\n\n\n\n\nYou can self-contribute and get up to \nRM3,000 in income tax relief\n\n\nThe money is meant for your retirement. Again, more money is better than less. Retirement is very expensive.\u00a0\n\n\nProtip: you can get \nPRS with ZERO sales charge\n\n\nYou can directly nominate your PRS money to anyone you want. More info \nhere\n\n\n\n\nOfficial website:\n \nhttps://www.ppa.my/\n\n\n#3 \u2013 SSPN/SSPN-i (Skim Simpanan Pendidikan Nasional)\n\n\nWhat is it:\n A fund to prepare for your children\u2019s education. Note that \nonly parents and legal guardians can open SSPN/SSPN-i accounts for their children\n\n\nWhy it\u2019s great:\n\n\n\n\nYou can get up to \nRM8,000 in income tax relief \n(edit: increased from RM6,000. Thanks ck!)\n\n\nFor me this is a subtle way for PTPTN to let you know that PTPTN loan may not be as readily available for future generation. Whatever is the reason, don\u2019t let your children be affected by the consequences\n\n\nYou can also double it as insurance/takaful for your child. More info \nhere\n\n\nThey have a lot of attractive promotions and competitions to attract depositors. Last I checked they have a lucky draw offering RM100,000 cash prize\n\n\n\n\nOfficial website:\n \nhttps://lovesspn.ptptn.gov.my/\n\n\nOther Investments in Malaysia: Are they good?\n\n\nIMO, calling something the \u2018best investment in Malaysia\u2019 requires some context. They can be the best investment in Malaysia for you, if you position them in specific light. For example:\n\n\n\n\nYes, investing in environmentally-conscious companies are wonderful for our future (you can do sustainable investing easily via \nBEST Invest\n)\n\n\nYes, investing in physical gold allows you to have the option to get secured personal financing (as shared by one reader in \n4 Things You Can Do If You Need Money URGENTLY in Malaysia\n article)\n\n\nYes, investing in fixed deposits/bonds/money market funds is safe and therefore can be considered the best investment for those with low-risk appetite\n\n\nYes, investing in \ngold\n/\nstocks\n/\ncrypto\n/property/whatever are all good if you have the knowledge\n\n\n\n\nBut EPF/KWSP, PRS and SSPN/SSPN-i are probably the best investments of them all, for reasons given above. This is a sample size of one, but I shared this opinion with the CEO of a large fund management company and she agreed with me, so :/\n\n\nDo you agree or disagree? Feel free to share with me what other investments you think are great. I\u2019d love to hear what you think \u2013 leave a comment below.\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/best-robo-advisor-in-malaysia/", "title": "Ultimate Comparison Between 8 Robo Advisor in Malaysia\n  ", "body": "\n\nWhich robo advisor in Malaysia is the best? I hate \u2018it depends\u2019, so let\u2019s answer it this way: which of the criteria below are the most important to YOU? \n\n\n\n\nBy ROI (return on investment) \u2013 which robo advisor has the best returns?\n\n\nLowest Fees \u2013 which robo advisor has the lowest fees?\n\n\nGlobal Exposure \u2013 which robo advisor offers geographically diverse portfolios?\n\n\nEthical Investing\u00a0\u2013 which robo advisor offers ESG funds?\n\n\nShariah Compliant\u00a0\u2013 which robo advisor can I use as a Muslim?\n\n\nBest UI/UX- which robo advisor is easiest to use?\n\n\nHome-grown- which robo advisor is made in Malaysia/support Malaysia?\n\n\nTechnology- which robo advisor offers incorporates the best tech/ offer tech funds?\n\n\nCash Management Accounts \u2013 which robo advisor can be used as Savings account/ Fixed deposit alternative?\n\n\nInvest in REITs \u2013 which robo advisor offers REITs investment?\n\n\n\n\nPick a number, then go on the sections below to see which robo advisor(s) you should use\n. Disclaimer: Do not take the info in this article as financial advice. Use this rob advisor comparison guide to learn, but cross-check with other platforms/parties. \n\n\nBut first, if you\u2019re new to the whole concept \u2013 what *is* robo advisor? How many are there in Malaysia? How do they invest your money? \n\n\nLet\u2019s cover all that in..\n\n\nWhat are robo advisors? What makes it robo investment?\n\n\nRobo advisors, or its technical term, Digital Investment Managers (DIMs) \nas per the Securities Commission\n fall under the umbrella of wealthtech services. \n\n\nThe \u2018tech\u2019 part is important. Unlike a traditional portfolio manager, robo advisors have streamlined/automated various labour-intensive/mafan parts of investing: the risk profiling, suitability assessment, asset allocation and rebalancing processes.  \n\n\n\n\nIs it good to invest via robo advisors?\n\n\nI think robo advisors are EXCELLENT for investors, including and especially for newbie investors. The entry barrier is ridiculously low. All you need to do is:\n\n\n\n\nopen an account (or a few), \n\n\nupload your identification documents, \n\n\nadd funds into the portfolio recommended for you (guided process), and \n\n\njust continue to add funds until you reach your goal(s)\n\n\n\n\nList of robo advisors in Malaysia\n\n\nHow many robo advisors are there in Malaysia? As of Mar 2022, there are 8 licensed Robo Advisors aka Digital Investment Managers in Malaysia listed in \nSecurities Commission page:\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nAkruNow\n by Akru Now Sdn. Bhd; The home-grown Malaysian one \n\n\nAiro.my\n by BH Global Fintech Solutions Sdn. Bhd\n;\n the latest roboadvisor. Seems to partner with Interactive Brokers and Pacific Trustees\n\n\nMytheo\n by GAX MD Sdn. Bhd.; Malaysian partner of Theo from Japan \n\n\nRaiz Invest\n by Raiz\u00a0Malaysia\u00a0SdnBhd; invest-your-spare-change platform. JV between PNB (aka ASNB) and Raiz Invest Australia\n\n\nStashaway\n by StashAway Malaysia Sdn. Bhd\n.\n; expanded from Singapore\n\n\nUOBAM Invest\n by UOB Asset Management (Malaysia)\u00a0Berhad; \u2018robo-advisory for business\u2019. Skip this if you\u2019re managing own funds\n\n\nWahed Invest\n by Wahed\u00a0Technologies\u00a0Sdn. Bhd.; expanded from New York \n\n\nKenanga Digital Investing\n (KDI) by Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad, the largest independent investment bank in Malaysia \n\n\n\n\nIn addition to the above, I will add 2 digital investment apps in this robo advisor comparison article.\n\n\nNot technically robo advisor but might as well be: BEST Invest and Versa Asia\n\n\nIn addition to the 8 robo advisors, I will also include:\n\n\n\n\nBEST Invest\n \u2013 they use \u2018robo-intelligence\u2019 to select suitable shariah-compliant and ESG unit trusts for you\n\n\nVersa Asia\n \u2013 you can use Versa Invest to invest in unit trust, REITs and gold. They also offer Versa Save, a good place to park your savings  \n\n\n\n\nAgain, both is NOT technically classified as Digital Investment Managers and therefore cannot becalled roboadvisors, but might as well be as the tech used is on par. \n\n\nAnother reason I add them here is because they have 0% sales charge for their unit trusts. Those who buy unit trust will know how rare 0% sales charge is. It can go up to 6%, not including the other fees that you have to pay.\n\n\nHow your money in Robo Advisor is invested, using the \u2018Fruits Basket\u2019 Analogy\n\n\nUsing a robo advisor for investing is similar to buying a fruits basket. You are buying a product which includes a variety of components. \n\n\n\n\nThe fruits basket from one robo advisor is \nnot the same\n as the fruit basket offered at another robo advisor. In fact, the fruits baskets that two people might buy from the same robo advisor \nmight be different too\n, as we may have different preferences/risk appetites/ financial goals in mind. \n\n\n What exactly are you buying/investing in? Depends on the fruits basket. Imagine each fruit as a type of asset:\n\n\n\n\nshares (in different markets/regions/ industries/themes),\u00a0\n\n\nbonds/ sukuk,\u00a0\n\n\nproperties/ real estate/ REITs,\u00a0\n\n\ncash/currencies,\u00a0\n\n\nprecious metals (gold etc)\u00a0\n\n\nAnd more\n\n\n\n\nLet\u2019s give a situation for 2 different investors:\n\n\n\n\nA robo advisor might recommend you a fruits basket containing only bonds and cash, as you informed them (through questionnaires) that you are a super conservative investor.\n\n\nThe same one might recommend another investor with high risk appetite a fruits basket containing high-growth stocks/index fund in various emerging markets. \n\n\n\n\nWhat people tend to forget is \nyou can buy a few fruits baskets, for different scenarios\n. Maybe one is for retirement. Another one earmarked for property ownership. Another one for marriage fund. \nYou don\u2019t have to pick just one. \n\n\nNow let\u2019s go on to dissecting which robo advisor is the best, based on different benchmarks. \n\n\n#1 \u2013 Which robo advisor in Malaysia has the best returns?\n\n\nMaybe you\u2019re like, Suraya can tell me which robo advisor can give the most profit, the most return on investment? I don\u2019t care about anything else, I just want to get rich fast. \n\n\nUnfortunately you can\u2019t and shouldn\u2019t do that, because \nall of the robo advisors can theoretically give you negative or positive double-digit annual return on investment, depending on \nthe state of the economy\n \nand\n \nthe portfolio you pick\n (recommended to you based on YOUR answers in the risk appetite quiz). \n\n\nIn addition, your behaviour when investing makes a big impact to the returns. Choosing the portfolio which predicts high returns doesn\u2019t matter if you are not suitable for it. \nIf you selected one that is not suitable for your temperament, all you\u2019re going to do is panic sell during bad market conditions\n. \n\n\n(And don\u2019t say \u2018Oh I won\u2019t one\u2019 \u2013 you will. Chances are, you will.) \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Best Roboadvisor in Malaysia: Lowest Fees\n\n\nOkay, so with that out of the way, maybe you want to concentrate on low fees next. \n\n\nThe fees for all robo advisors in Malaysia are similar; all below 2% per annum. That figure is combined from each robo advisor\u2019s:\n\n\n\n\nAnnual fees\n* \u2013 ranges between 0.2-1% (this is the one listed on their main page), AND/OR \n\n\nAnnual fund expense\n \u2013 ranges between 0.04-1.8% (this one you have to dig a bit in their FAQs/T&Cs; varies depending on the fund you\u2019re investing in)\n\n\n\n\nGenerally speaking, the more funds you deposit in a platform, the less you pay in fees, percentage-wise.\u00a0(See additional notes on fees below)\n\n\nHowever, my view is \nunless you have six-figures or seven-figures, it doesn\u2019t make sense for you to choose a robo advisor solely based on fees\n. Other factors are more important. \n\n\nYou can see comparison of robo advisors fees \nin this iMoney article\n and at each platforms\u2019 website. But, again, fees aren\u2019t the most important factor. \n\n\n*Additional notes on fees: \n\n\n\n\nIt does not make sense to invest in Raiz Invest if you have small amounts of funds in there, as they charge a flat RM1.50 per month for accounts under RM6,000. Imagine if you have RM10 in there and they take out RM1.50 \u2013 that\u2019s 15% in fees! \n\n\nFor \nVersa Asia\n\u2018s Versa REITs specifically, the Annual Management fee is 1.80% p.a \n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Best Roboadvisory in Malaysia: Global Exposure\n\n\nWinner: \nMytheo\n, \nWahed Invest\n (US, China, Emerging market), \nAkruNow \n(US, China, Developed markets, Emerging markets)\n\n\nAlso good: \nBEST Invest\n, \nStashaway\n, \nVersa Asia\n (US, China market)\n\n\nIf you are looking for global exposure (which you should if your current investments are all Malaysia-focused), then all the options above are good options. \n\n\nOn the other hand, Raiz Invest is mostly invested in Malaysian companies. \n\n\n#4- Best Roboadvisor in Malaysia: Ethical Investing\u00a0\n\n\nWinner: \nBEST Invest\n (all ESG funds)\n\n\nAlso good: Stashaway (\nscore: 3.21-3.57 out of 5\n), Wahed Invest (no gambling/ alcohol/ firearms etc companies)\n\n\nPersonally, ethical/ESG investing is one of my top criteria in choosing a robo advisor. There are \nresearch that links ethical investing to higher profits\n, too = the perfect two birds one stone situation for me. \n\n\nHere\u2019s how a sample portfolio might look like:\n\n\n\n\nRelated: \n[VIDEO] A Conversation on Socially Responsible Investing feat. Najmuddin Mohd Lutfi, CEO of BIMB Investment\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Best Roboadvisor in Malaysia: Shariah Compliant\u00a0\n\n\nWinners: \nWahed Invest\n, \nBEST Invest\n (tie \u2013 both Shariah-compliant)\n\n\nAlso good: Raiz Invest (Is Raiz Shariah compliant? Kind of \u2013 they received \n\u2018permissible\u2019 aka harus status\n) (note: use my \nRaiz referral code\n: you get RM10)\n\n\nYes, at writing time, those are the only options for Shariah compliant robo advisor/ investment platform.\n\n\nNote: I have personally used Wahed Invest for over 3 years and happy with it. If you want to open an account and try Wahed Invest yourself, \ndownload the Wahed Invest app from Appstore/iOS\n and \nuse my referral code \u2018surbin1\u2019 to get free RM10 bonus\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Best Roboadvisor in Malaysia: UI/UX\n\n\nWinner: \nStashaway\n, \nWahed Invest\n \n\n\nAlso good: the rest\n\n\nIt is unfortunate that Stashaway is not Shariah-compliant or I would totally try this out. If Shariah-compliance is not your dealbreaker and you want to try, get reduced fee via my Stashaway referral code Malaysia in \nthis link\n.\n\n\nStashaway\u2019s UI/UX is one of the best (if not the best). Stashaway team is ahead of the rest in terms of community involvement and management, and high-quality content marketing. I frequently see them organise \neducational talks\n, and they publish \namazing articles\n. \n\n\nArticles by Freddy Lim, Co-founder and CIO (Chief Investment Officer) of Stashaway offers great insight into the fund management industry. In particular, I enjoyed this article explaining their \ntrademarked ERAA strategy\n, which is they say is better than the Nobel Prize-winning Modern Portfolio Strategy (a strategy used by some robo advisors in this list).  \n\n\n\n\nAs for Wahed Invest, you can read my whole review in my \nThe Ultimate Wahed Invest Review \narticle. \n\n\n#7 \u2013 Best Robo advisor in Malaysia: Home-grown\n\n\nWinners: \nAkrunow\n, \nRaiz Invest\n and \nKenanga\u2019s Digital Investing\n \n\n\nAlso good: \nWahed Invest\n \n\n\nBecause #sapotlokal. Akrunow is a home-grown startup, while \nRaiz Invest\n invests in ASNB funds, which includes a lot of blue-chip companies listed in the Malaysian stock exchange. \nKenanga\u2019s Digital Investing\n is from Kenanga Investment Bank, the largest independent bank in Malaysia.  \n\n\nWahed Invest invests in Malaysia-made ETF in Moderately Conservative portfolio and above. \n\n\n#8 \u2013 Best Robo advisor in Malaysia: Technology\n\n\nWinners: \nBEST Invest\n (for using \u2018robo-intelligence\u2019), \nKenanga\u2019s Digital Investing\n (for using AI), \nStashaway\n (for their technology-focused thematic portfolios), \nAiro.my\n (includes Tech ETFs in some portfolios)\n\n\nAlso good: The rest. \n\n\nTbh I\u2019m not particularly convinced by AI or robo-intelligence, since it\u2019s only as good as the data you feed them, and \nhuman biases in data collection\n is a well-documented issue. \n\n\nBUT who am I but a no0b when it comes to technology. Plus thousands of datapoints are factored in, so theoretically that easily beat humans\u2019 capabilities, so take this as an opinion at best. \n\n\nI do like Stashaway\u2019s thematic portfolios though. It\u2019s like investing in tech startups, and that\u2019s always tempting. \n\n\n#9 \u2013 Cash Management Accounts (Savings account/ Fixed deposit alternative)\n\n\nWinners: \nKenanga\u2019s Digital Investing\n (KDI Save), \nStashaway\n (Stashaway Simple), \nVersa Asia\n (Versa Save)\n\n\nAlso good: Conservative portfolios from the other robo advisors, and Touch N Go\u2019s Go+ (the only Shariah-compliant cash management account, if that matters)\n\n\nReminder that you may lose some money while investing in robo advisors, especially in the short term. If your goal is to NOT LOSE MONEY AT ALL, then look for these places to save your money: \n6 Best Savings Accounts in Malaysia to Put Your Emergency Funds\n\n\n#10 \u2013 Invest in REITs\n\n\nWinners: \nWahed Invest\n (Thematic portfolio > REITs), \nVersa Asia\n (Versa REITs)\n\n\nWahed Invest \noffers Shariah-compliant Local REITs, while \nVersa Asia\n\u2018s Versa REITs gives you exposure to real estate assets in Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and United States\n\n\nHere\u2019s how to buy REITs from both platforms.\n\n\nHow to buy Local REITs from Wahed Invest\n\n\nHere\u2019s the step-by-step process to buy Local REITs from Wahed Invest:\n\n\n\n\nOpen Wahed Invest account (Obligatory referral code: \nDownload app\n and use code \u2018surbin1\u2019 to get FREE RM10 bonus)\n\n\nSelect Thematic > Local REITs (If you already have existing investment, click Add account in Dashboard)\n\n\nCash in (fund your account) a minimum of RM100 and complete your purchase\n\n\nCongrats, you have invested in the REIT \ud83d\ude42 Repeat the purchase next month, or consistently\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHow to buy Versa REITs from Versa Asia\n\n\nHere\u2019s the step-by-step process to buy Versa REITs from Versa Asia:\n\n\n\n\nOpen Versa Asia account (Obligatory referral code: use code \u2018SURAYA\u2019 or click \nhere\n to get FREE RM10 when you deposit RM100 in your account)\n\n\nSelect Investments > Versa REITs\n\n\nCash in (fund your account) a minimum of RM100 and complete your purchase\n\n\nCongrats, you have invested in the REIT \ud83d\ude42 Repeat the purchase next month, or consistently\n\n\n\n\nVersa REITs gives you exposure to real estate assets in Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and United States.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRobo advisor comparison: Which will you choose?\n\n\nWe have come to the end of this robo advisor comparison article, based on different categories. By now, you should have an idea of which criteria that are most important to you. \n\n\nIf not, go back to the above categories and select a couple of robo advisors based on the criteria that are most important to you (as an example, for me Shariah-compliant robo advisor is non-negotiable). Check the websites, download the apps and start your investing journey: time in the market > timing the market and all that. \n\n\nI still don\u2019t know which robo advisor to choose!\n\n\nIf you have a few hundred ringgit or more, \nit\u2019s not a bad idea to try a few\n, just to compare between platforms. For example:\n\n\n\n\nRM100 in robo advisor A (winner of category of your choice)\n\n\nRM100 in robo advisor B (winner of category of your choice)\n\n\nRM100 in robo advisor C (winner of category of your choice)\n\n\n\n\nIf you end up liking one over the other, you can always withdraw and allocate everything in one place. None of them charge withdrawal fees. \n\n\nWith that, I\u2019ll end this guide here. What questions do you have about robo advisors in Malaysia? Which one(s) are you using now, and how are you liking it? I invite you to share your experience investing through robo advisors in the comments section so the rest of us can learn \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/best-unit-trust-in-malaysia/", "title": "3 Ways to Pick the Best Unit Trust in Malaysia (Advisory & DIY Method)\n  ", "body": "\n\nWhich is the best unit trust in Malaysia? As always, the answer is it depends. What is your definition of \u2018best\u2019?\n\n\nIf you think \u2018best\u2019 means \u2018highest returns\u2019, then let me just say: you\u2019ll never know which one will generate the highest returns because no one can predict the future. See the end of the article for best/worst performing funds in 10 year period.\n\n\nHowever, there are a few ways to pick a \ngood enough\n unit trust in Malaysia, something that has a good chance of generating returns AND suits your risk profile. You can find these unit trusts via:\n\n\n\n\nFund management companies, or\n\n\nRecommendation from financial planner, or\n\n\nProcess of elimination\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019ll be covering all three methods in this article, read on below. Additionally, I\u2019ll also cover:\n\n\n\n\nUnit trusts with low sales fee (you can get these without agent)\n\n\nASB vs Unit Trust investment: Which is better\n\n\nETF vs Unit Trust investment: Which is better\n\n\n\n\nDisclaimer: NOT FINANCIAL ADVICE. Just sharing the process that I used to select the best unit trust in Malaysia for myself. Get other people\u2019s advice too.\n\n\nMethod #1: Fund management companies\n\n\nSuitable for: \ncomplete beginner investors. Need a person to talk you through the products and process. Maybe unit trust is your first investment. \n\n\nDo you have a preference for any of the fund management companies? Some people base their decisions on that. They trust Company A so they pick what Company A offers. Some companies win investment awards, which is an indicative (not guarantee) of good performance.\n\n\nIf so, go find unit trust agents who sell those products. They\u2019ll be happy to hear from you, they\u2019re always looking for clients. \n\n\nNote: Just make sure you pick fund management companies approved to operate in Malaysia. Find the official \nList of Unit Trust Funds and Approved Management Companies in Securities Commission\n. \n\n\nMethod #2: Recommendation from financial planners \n\n\nSuitable for: \nIntermediate and expert investors. Unit trust is not your first investment. \n\n\nSome people get unit trust recommendations after their financial planner reviewed their investment portfolio. Perhaps their current investment portfolio has too much exposure in X, so they were recommended to find Y to balance/diversify a bit.  \n\n\nTbh, this method is the most recommended way to find best unit trust in Malaysia for yourself. Unlike unit trust agents, who may be motivated by sales and commissions, financial planners are bound by Code of Ethics to give objective recommendations to their clients, aka you. \n\n\nThe catch is, of course, is there are fees involved. Read more in: \nPlaces to Find A Financial Planner in Malaysia\n\n\nMethod #3: Via process of elimination\n\n\nSuitable for:\n DIY investors, from beginner to expert\n\n\nLast but not least, this method is for people who don\u2019t want to meet anyone at all. You prefer to get your fund recommendations from financial websites, media or other sources. \n\n\nAfter all, fund management companies and unit trust portals frequently publish articles and videos giving fund recommendations, so why not learn yourself?  \n\n\nThe problem with this method is you will quickly run into a problem: \nyou still end up with too many fund recommendations, and get overwhelmed with the choices anyway.\n There are literally hundreds of unit trusts to choose from.\n\n\nThis is exactly what happened to me, so to reduce the available choices, I used the \nprocess of elimination\n to choose the best unit trust in Malaysia. \n\n\nHere\u2019s how it works. \n\n\nHow I used the process of elimination when choosing the best unit trust in Malaysia\n\n\n\n\nFirst I eliminated all unit trust funds with \nhigh sales charges\n. Anything over 2% is high for me (\nsee section below for unit trust platforms with low sales fee\n)\n\n\nSecond, I \nnarrowed it down to PRS unit trust only\n (PRS unit trust is one subtype of unit trust) (\nI want the tax relief\n) (you can get \nPRS funds with 0% sales charge\n)\n\n\nThird, because I am still young, I decided to focus on \nGrowth funds\n. Therefore, I eliminated Conservative and Moderate funds\n\n\nFourth, I eliminated \nnon-Syariah funds\n. The Muslim guilt is real\n\n\nFifth, I eliminated funds that invested heavily in Malaysian equity. Figured I have enough of those in my other investments and \nprioritise other countries/regions/sectors\n\n\nSixth, I also took into account the possibility of investing part of my \nEPF money into unit trust\n. However, as I didn\u2019t reach the minimum threshold, this option is eliminated for me\n\n\n\n\nAll these eliminations drastically reduced my unit trust options, from hundreds to literally a handful. \n\n\nYou might go through some more process of elimination. Some people might not want to invest in industries they think are dying/ don\u2019t believe in, or don\u2019t align with their values, or whatever. For example, I have a preference for \nSustainable and Responsible funds, or ESG funds\n as well. \n\n\nWhat to do next?\n\n\nOkay, so by this point, you should have only a few unit trusts to consider. All you have to do is read up the factsheets and longer reports, or cross-reference them with other recommendations to make your final pick. Make the best possible pick with the information you have.   \n\n\nRemember: \nif you can\u2019t pick just one unit trust, nothing\u2019s stopping you from getting two or a few at the same time. \nYou can put a few hundred/thousand to each, no problem (depends on the funds\u2019 minimum investment requirement).  \n\n\nAs mentioned, part of my elimination process is eliminating all unit trusts with high sales charges, or above 2%. But where to find them? Unit trusts with low sales fee used to be hard to find, but not any more:\n\n\nWhere to get Unit trust with low sales fee in Malaysia\n\n\nThe way I see it, if none of the fund management companies can \nguarantee\n returns on the unit trusts they sell, then might as well get the ones with the lowest fees. The less you pay in fees, the more your funds will grow in size. \n\n\nAll of these platforms allow you to invest in unit trust (and mutual funds) yourself, with less than 2% sales fee (some are even 0%). \n\n\nWhich of the above should you pick? Go back to Method #3 \u2013 process of elimination. Refer to the chart below:\n\n\n\n\nMyASNB\n \n\n\nFSMOne \n\n\nBest Invest by BIMB\n (Bank Islam subsidiary) \n\n\nEZInvest by HSBC\n\n\neunittrust by Philip Mutual \n\n\nRaiz (partnership with PNB) (careful because there\u2019s a RM1.50 monthly fee for balance under RM6k)\n\n\nVersa (via Versa Invest)\n\n\nGoInvest on TouchNGo app\n\n\n\n\nPlatform\nGot Shariah funds?\nGot PRS funds?\nGot app?\nGot bonus?\nMyASNB\nYes \u2013 Harus\nNo\nYes\nMay have campaign\nFSMOne\nYes\nYes \nYes\n1% maximum sales charge\nBest Invest\nYes\nNo\nYes\nMay have campaign\nEZInvest\nUnsure\nNo\nYes\nMay have campaign\neunittrust\nYes\nYes\nNo\nMay have campaign\nRaiz\nYes \u2013 Harus\nNo\nYes\nRM5 bonus\nVersa\nNo\nNo\nYes\nUse code SURAYA for RM10 (min RM100)\nGoInvest\nYes\nNo\nYes\nNo\n\n\nASB vs Unit Trust investment: Which is better\n\n\nYou might be wondering, ASB vs unit trust, which is the better investment?\n\n\n(ASB or Amanah Saham Bumiputera is one of the 16 funds offered by Amanah Saham Nasional Berhad)\n\n\nObjectively speaking, ASB is better if (1) you are Bumi, and if (2) you are looking for \nconsistent \nreturns. It is extremely unlikely for ASB returns to go into negative returns, which \ncan\n happen to unit trust investment in some years. \n\n\nMore importantly, at 0%, ASB\u2019s sales charges is hard to beat. Plus, you can consider leveraging \nASB loan\n as well. \n\n\nOn the other hand, unit trust may be better if you want exposure to different:\n\n\n\n\nCountries (Malaysia, US, China, etc)\n\n\nMarkets (Developed Markets, Global Emerging Markets, etc)\n\n\nRegions (Asia, Europe, Greater China, etc) \n\n\nSectors (Healthcare, Technology, etc)\n\n\nAnd more. \n\n\n\n\nETF vs Unit Trust investment: Which is better\n\n\nHowever, unit trust is not the only way to get exposure to some countries/markets/regions/ sectors etc. You can also get ETFs from:\n\n\n\n\nBursa Malaysia\n\n\nMIDF Invest\n, and \n\n\nRobo advisor platforms\n\n\n\n\nAgain, you can get a few, not one or the other. I have ASB, unit trusts AND ETFs. The more important factor in successful investing is you consistently invest every month. \n\n\nHowever, if you are considering between ETF vs unit trust investment, I can say that it is possible to get lower fees on ETF, especially via robo advisors. \n\n\nImportant: Profits are NOT guaranteed\n\n\nEarly in the article, I mentioned how you\u2019ll never know which one will generate the highest returns because no one can predict the future. \n\n\nLet me say that again. \nNo one, including the fund management company you got it from and the unit trust consultants, can guarantee profits. \n\n\nThe unit trust you pick could be the best performing unit trust in Malaysia 10-year period,\n\n\nImage taken from FSOne on 15 May 2022\n\n\nOr it could be the worst performing unit trust fund in Malaysia the same time period.\n\n\nImage taken from FSOne on 15 May 2022\n\n\n(Don\u2019t be swayed by unit trust with high returns on short timeframe, because it\u2019s almost never sustainable. The longer the timeframe, the better)\n\n\nI know this can be hard to grasp for some people, especially if you\u2019ve been told you should invest in unit trust to grow your money. Hopefully yes, maybe no. \n\n\nSo if you have a hard time with this, and need someone to help to guide you through the process emotionally, it might be worth doing Method #1 or #2 instead of #3. Just engage their services and pay the sales charges or consultancy fees. \n\n\nThis way, you get to ask their advice on what you should do if the unit trust you picked didn\u2019t give the returns you wanted. (Plus, you get to blame someone else, not yourself lol)\n\n\nHope this article helps you in the process of picking the best unit trust in Malaysia for you to invest in. Now, I want to hear from you \u2013 if you invest in unit trust, how did you make the decision?\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/binance-ban-in-malaysia/", "title": "Binance Ban in Malaysia: 4 Options You Can Take\n  ", "body": "\n\nThe announcement of Binance ban in Malaysia by the Securities Commission Malaysia on July 30 2021 took the whole crypto community by surprise.\n \n\n\nI mean, it shouldn\u2019t have, considering Securities Commission Malaysia did include Binance in the \nInvestor Alert List in July 2020\n, but no one thought they would actually go through with banning them. \n\n\n\n\nFor \u2018illegally operating in Malaysia\u2019, Securities Commission Malaysia made three enforcement actions. \nAs per the press release\n, all Binance entities are ordered to:\n\n\nDisable the Binance website (www.binance.com) and mobile applications in Malaysia within 14 business days from 26 July 2021;\nImmediately cease all media and marketing activities, including circulating, publishing or sending any advertisements and/or other marketing material, whether via emails or otherwise, to Malaysian investors; and\nImmediately restrict Malaysian investors from accessing Binance\u2019s Telegram group.\n\n\n14 business days from 26 July 2021 means the final allowed date for Binance to adhere to all of the enforcement actions is 15 August 2021, thus \nBinance users in Malaysia can expect to no longer be able to access binance.com by 16 August 2021\n (or even sooner). \n\n\nEDIT after 16 Aug 2021: It seems that Binance.com is still accessible to existing Malaysian users. You can use it like normal. But new users can only sign up \nwith modified steps\n.\n\n\nThe reaction from Binance Ban in Malaysia\n\n\nBased on what I see in social media and group discussions, most people reacted negatively to the news. \n\n\nIt was clear that Binance has a significant and loyal user base in Malaysia, who have been using them to get access to more cryptocurrencies than what is allowed in Malaysia, trading platform (with more pairing and better liquidity), P2P trading, derivatives and more. People use them because the range of services is WAY beyond what is offered on licensed exchanges. \n\n\nI\u2019ll miss the options on Binance \ud83d\ude41\n\n\nHowever, \nas pointed out in FintechNews Malaysia\n, Malaysian regulators aren\u2019t the only ones cracking down or issuing warnings to Binance. Other countries, including the UK, Canada, Japan, Thailand and more are also concerned over the same issues \u2013 customer protection, KYC/AML (Know-Your-Customers and Anti Money Laundering) and more.\n\n\nThe good news (? depends on who you ask) is Binance CEO Zhao Changpeng has committed to proactive compliance, so hopefully you\u2019ll see Binance as a licensed entity in Malaysia eventually, which you can\u2019t deny will give users better protection. RinggitPlus have also reported \nBinance looking for Country Manager in Malaysia\n. \n\n\n\n\n.\n@binance\n pivoting from reactive compliance to proactive compliance. Stay tuned.\n\u2014 CZ \ud83d\udd36 Binance (@cz_binance) \nAugust 6, 2021\n\n\n\n\nBut until that happens, \n16 August 2021 deadline is 16 August 2021 deadline\n. Binance customers STILL have to do something about their funds in Binance. \n\n\nAlso, even if Binance is licensed in Malaysia, which is unlikely to happen anytime soon (the process to get licensed by Securities Commission Malaysia, I am told, is lengthy), you can probably forget about some services/cryptocurrencies deemed too \u2018risky\u2019 for the general public, like futures and memecoins. \n\n\nSo here are 4 options you can take. I will also include which option is most suitable for which crypto user \u2013 after all, there are more to us than investors and traders. Do note that you can pick more than 1 option. \n\n\n#1 \u2013  \nT\nake out all your funds from Binance, move to licensed exchanges\n\n\nSuitable for:\n long-term investors (aka hodlers); some traders\n\n\n(this is the option Securities Commission Malaysia wants you to take, probably)\n\n\nAs of time of writing, there are \n4 licensed digital assets exchanges in Malaysia\n: Luno, Tokenize, Sinegy and (the newest) MX Global.\n\n\nIf you don\u2019t have an account yet, simply open one, register an account and make the transfers. \n\n\nWithdrawing funds from Binance\n\n\nI need to mention something because I see it happening. Please do not be too clever and change the network to \u2018save money on fees\u2019. \n\n\nIf you\u2019re withdrawing BTC, then use Bitcoin network (Binance automatically selected it for you anyway). If you\u2019re withdrawing ETH, please use the pre-selected Ethereum network, don\u2019t switch to Binance Smart Chain. \n\n\nThis is important. If you switch chains and withdraw, your funds will NEVER arrive. It\u2019s lost, FOREVER. \n\n\nEDIT: See comment section on retrieving funds sent on the wrong chain, *if* you control private keys of receiving wallet\n\n\n\n\nWithdrawing other cryptocurrencies\n\n\nWhat if you have other cryptocurrencies other than the 5 allowed in Malaysia: Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Ripple (XRP), Litecoin (LTC) and Bitcoin Cash (BCH)? How to withdraw to the licensed digital asset exchanges in Malaysia?\n\n\nThe answer is you can\u2019t, so you have to (1) convert them all to any of the 5 cryptocurrencies above, or (2) Use options 2-4 below. \n\n\nIMPORTANT: Options 2-4 should be taken with extreme caution. I am not responsible for any mistakes or funds lost. Please do additional research and exercise due diligence before conducting them. \n\n\nHow to Withdraw Money from Binance to Bank Account Malaysia\n\n\nNow that P2P function is disabled for Malaysian users and can no longer sell cryptocurrencies directly on Binance platform, how to cash out? \n\n\nYou can withdraw money from Binance to your bank account in Malaysia by doing these steps:\n\n\nExchange your cryptocurrencies in Binance to Bitcoin (BTC), Ripple (XRP), Litecoin (LTC) or Bitcoin Cash (BCH)*\nTransfer it to any of the 4 licensed digital asset exchanges in Malaysia\nSell it from the platform\n\n\n*ETH is not recommended as the fees are very high\n\n\n \nObligatory referral code\ns:\n\n\nLUNO: Buy RM500, get RM50 in BTC (instant 10% ROI) with my code \u2018\nLNSURAYA50\u2032\u00a0\n(valid for new users only).\n\n\nSteps: Open a new account at\u00a0\nLuno.com\n\u00a0> Go to REWARDS > Choose ENTER CODE > Enter the given promo code > Click Apply Code > Deposit the minimum amount required > Buy the minimum transaction amount > Get rewarded with the additional Bitcoin.]\n\n\n\n\nTOKENIZE: Click\u00a0\nhere\n\u00a0to get 15 Tokenize Points when you sign up with my link. The points are exchangeable for digital assets offered in Tokenize.\n\n\n#\n2 \n\u2013  \nT\nake out all your funds from Binance, move to other international exchanges \n\n\n \nSuitable for: \nOther traders\n\n\nBinance may be banned\u2026 but \nother international exchanges like\n \nKucoin \nand \nHuobi\n \nare not banned. \nYet\n. \n\n\nPersonally, I have not used them, so I can\u2019t say if they are good or not. I just know they have a reputation as fairly reputable trading platforms, so traders looking to trade other pairs aside from the 5 allowed cryptocurrencies in Malaysia can go there. \n\n\nOf course, by choosing this option, you also understand the risks of using unregulated platforms, including lack of protection. \n\n\n#3 \u2013 Leave your crypto in Binance\n\n\nSuitable for: \nTechnologically advanced internet users\n\n\nFrom online discussions, it was clear that some users are not phased by the Binance ban in Malaysia. They have ways to circumvent it and still access Binance.com after 16 August 2021. \n\n\nDon\u2019t ask me how. I know the methods in theory, but not in practice. (Use VPN; Change DNS)\n\n\n(This is assuming Binance doesn\u2019t block everyone who registered with Malaysian ID, which you did during the KYC stage. If they fully cooperate with Securities Commission, they technically can stop you from using the platform, VPN and DNS be damned) \n\n\nWorth mentioning here: even if you leave your crypto in Binance and can\u2019t access it, the funds will still be in there. You can\u2019t access it but it should be safe there, until you learn how to access it or *if* Binance gets licensed in Malaysia, whichever comes first. \n\n\nEDIT: Existing Malaysian users can still use most features, including P2P. But new users can only sign up to Binance \nwith modified steps\n.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Use non-custodial crypto wallets\n\n\nSuitable for:\n DeFi users, GameFi players, blockchain developers, builders, NFT collectors, hodlers of cryptocurrencies other than the 5 allowed and more. Reminder that \nnot everyone in the crypto world is a mere investor or a trader.\n\n\nAnd last but not least, non-custodial wallets. This option is ONLY suitable for people who\u00a0\npractice good digital security habits\n. This is similar to keeping gold in your own safe \u2013 the responsibility to safeguard it becomes 100% your own responsibility. \n\n\nIn case that is not clear, I\u2019ll say it again \u2013 \nthe responsibility to keep your funds safe is 100% yours\n. If your funds are stolen/ if you get scammed/ if you make mistakes, there is no way to recover the funds. \n\n\nSo why keep it yourself? The answer is you don\u2019t have to, you can just stick with keeping your funds in regulated exchanges, but this option gives you the most direct ownership over your own assets, and allows you to continue interacting with blockchain platforms and networks. With non-custodial crypto wallets, you can continue gaming (and earning from it), farming, building, collecting, and everything else without limitation. \n\n\nThere are many types of non-custodial wallets, but in here I\u2019ll share three main ones:\n\n\n(IMPORTANT: For all of them, PLEASE store your passphrase safely and NEVER share it with anyone, not even people who claim to represent \u2018support team\u2019 (one type of scam). \nUse a password manager\n if you haven\u2019t)\n\n\n1)  Hardware wallets\n\n\nGet yourself a Ledger Nano (pictured below) or Trezor \nfrom authorised resellers like Cryptobilis\n or directly from their main Ledger and Trezor website. According to community members, shipping only takes days. \n\n\nNote: It is IMPORTANT to buy your hardware wallets from the right source as \ntampered hardware wallet is a type of scam as well\n. \n\n\n\n\nHardware wallet is best for hodling and passive safekeeping, rather than active use. If you\u2019re planning to use the wallet often, then\u2026\n\n\n2) Use Metamask wallet (browser + mobile)\n\n\nMetamask\n is a software cryptocurrency wallet used to interact with the Ethereum blockchain. It allows users to access their Ethereum wallet through a browser extension or mobile app, which can then be used to interact with decentralised applications. (Source- Wikipedia)\n\n\nAfter you create your account, the default Metamask setting is:\n\n\nEthereum Mainnet (store your ETH here)\nAnd a bunch of test networks (for testing purposes)\nLocalhost \nCustom RPC (for you to add new configurations)\n\n\n\n\n You can, like me, add on:\n\n\nSmart Chain\n aka Binance Smart Chain. Here\u2019s how to \ninstall Smart Chain in Metamask\n. This allows me to store BNB \nMatic Mainnet\n. Here\u2019s how to \ninstall Matic Mainnet in Metamask\n. This allows me to explore \nPolygon\n, \u2018Ethereum\u2019s Internet of Blockchains\u2019. After all, as a Malaysian I am supportive of the National IR4 Policy, one of which is embracing blockchain technology <3\n\n\nTo learn more about Binance Smart Chain and Matic Mainnet and what you can do with them, please go down the \nDeFi \nrabbithole. \nCoinGecko\u2019s How to DeFi: Beginner and Advanced books\n is a fantastic place to start and cost only $30. It\u2019s not a bad thing to learn \u2013 the career and income opportunities in this space is MASSIVE. \n\n\n3) Use Trust Wallet (mobile only)\n\n\nAnother wallet you may want to use is \nTrust Wallet\n, \n\n\nAnother wallet compatible with the Ethereum blockchain is Trust Wallet, which has some fundamental differences with MetaMask. For instance, while MetaMask is both a browser and mobile-based wallet, Trust Wallet is only available on mobile.\n Additionally, Trust Wallet supports more than just Ethereum and its assets. Users can store a wider range of digital currencies, including ETH, Bitcoin (BTC), Litecoin (LTC), and Ripple (XRP). \nSource \u2013 \nCoinmarketcap\n\n\nAgain, there are other types of wallets, and feel free to explore them in your own time,  but the ones I shared here are considered must-know. \n\n\nWhich option to take\n\n\nGo back to #1 and look at \u2018Suitable for\u2019 in each section. That should give you an idea of which option(s) to take. \n\n\nThe only other thing to add here is: please be honest with your own knowledge and capability. I have been in the crypto space since Dec 2015 and at one point, was a Certified Bitcoin Professional and still consider myself a 5 out of 10 in the whole scheme of things. I\u2019m still experimenting and \nlearning DeFi\n, and don\u2019t what I\u2019m doing half the time, so knowing this I only put minimal amounts. I avoid trading altogether. \n\n\nLastly, it\u2019s good to try out different things aside from hodling, and yes no risk no reward, but take some time to learn risk minimisation and defensive strategies. Curate the thought leader(s) you\u2019re following, make sure they\u2019re not too binary in their arguments. \n\n\nAvoid being overconfident and definitely avoid TO THE MOON bros (and sis) shilling memecoins. It\u2019s ok to have them for fun but to be part of the cult? Nah. \n\n\nWhat do you think of the Binance ban in Malaysia? What do you plan to do?\n\n\nPersonally, I belong in the camp of \u2018Whyyyy Securities Commission Malaysia do that\u2019, but I also get why they had do it: considering relatively low levels of financial literacy in Malaysia, and their role in safeguarding users, it is only fair that they take the steps to protect vulnerable folks and reduce their potential losses. \n\n\nHowever, I am concerned about the implications. As mentioned above, not everyone in the crypto community are investors and traders. Niche crypto communities exist, and I fear they may reduce sharing their work or stop altogether \u2013 how is that good for the development of the blockchain industry in Malaysia? \n\n\nIn any case, I am aware that good folks are working together and aiming for the sweet compromise between protection and innovation. Here\u2019s hoping Binance (and other crypto entities) will be welcomed with open arms in Malaysia, supplying not only jobs but opportunities. \n\n\nI\u2019ll end here, these are my thoughts. What are yours? If you\u2019re a Binance user, what action did you take following the ban? Let us know in the comments!\n\n\nEDIT: How to download Binance in Malaysia for new users \n\n\nNew users can download Binance in Malaysia using these \nmodified steps\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/buying-gold-in-malaysia/", "title": "The Beginner\u2019s Guide to Buying Gold in Malaysia\n  ", "body": "\n\nBuying gold in Malaysia is not hard, but can be confusing for a beginner. So here\u2019s a no-BS article outlying what you need to know about buying gold in Malaysia as an investor.\n\n\nIn this article, I will answer:\n\n\n\n\nWhy buy gold as an investment (hint: you don\u2019t have to)\n\n\nWhy you don\u2019t need to buy a lot of gold for investment\n\n\nHow much gold to buy\n\n\nWhere to buy investment-grade gold in Malaysia\n\n\nWhat happens after I buy gold in Malaysia as an investment? When do I sell?\n\n\n\n\nLet\u2019s go!\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Why buy gold as an investment?\n\n\nActually, you don\u2019t have to buy gold for your investment. In fact you can skip it. It\u2019s not technically necessary. You can just focus on other savings/investment vehicles. Here are some options:\n\n\n\n\n6 Best Savings Accounts in Malaysia to Put Your Emergency Funds\n\n\n3 Best Investments in Malaysia (+ The Best Way to Invest Your Money)\n\n\n18 Shariah-Compliant Investments in Malaysia for Halal Investing\n\n\n\n\nYou should also probably skip gold investment if you are still paying off high-interest debt (credit card, personal loan etc) and/or still building your 3-6 months emergency savings. \n\n\nBut if you\u2019ve done that and pretty sure you want to venture into gold investment, then just remember\u2026\n\n\n#2 \u2013 You don\u2019t need to buy a lot of gold for investment\n\n\nLike other types of assets, gold investment is best used to diversify your investment portfolio. That just means, just a little bit is fine, not ALL of your savings should be allocated to it. \n\n\nTo make this clear:\n\n\n\n\n100% of your money in cash = not good\n\n\n100% of your money in stocks = not good\n\n\n100% of your money in cryptocurrencies = not good\n\n\n100% of your money in properties = not good\n\n\n100% of your money in gold = also not good\n\n\n\n\nGet the picture? Basically, putting 100% of your money in any ONE type of asset is not a good strategy.\n\n\nBut what\u2019s a good %? That depends. Generally speaking, 5-10% of your overall portfolio is a safe amount. Depending on the situation, the % could go higher \u2013 talk to your \nfinancial planner.\n \n\n\n#3 \u2013 How much gold to buy for investment\n\n\nSo, I mentioned 5-10% of your overall portfolio is a safe amount in the previous section. That means:\n\n\n\n\nIf you have RM1000, then not more than RM50-100\n\n\nIf you have RM5000, then not more than RM250-500\n\n\nIf you have RM10,000, then not more than RM500-1000\n\n\n\n\nMost (but not all) options to buy gold in Malaysia requires you to buy a minimum of 1 gram of gold, which as of writing time, costs around RM250 per gram. That means \nyou may want to only consider getting gold when you have saved up RM5000 and above, so you have more options to choose from. \n\n\n#4 \u2013 Where to buy gold in Malaysia for investment\n\n\nThere are quite a few options to buy gold in Malaysia. I\u2019ll list them briefly, then expand further below:\n\n\n\n\nBuy gold from banks\n\n\nBuy gold from jewelry stores \n\n\nBuy gold ETFs \n\n\nBuy gold from agents of gold investment companies (I don\u2019t really recommend this)\n\n\n\n\nLet\u2019s expand on each option:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Buy gold from banks\n\n\nMany banks offer gold savings/investment accounts. Some options include:\n\n\n\n\nMaybank Islamic Gold Account\n (MIGA-i) \u2013 from RM10\n\n\nCIMB e-Gold Investment Account (e-GIA)\n \u2013 from 1 gram\n\n\nPublic Bank Gold/eGold Investment Account\n \u2013 from 5 gram/ 1 gram\n\n\nUOB Gold Savings Accounts\n \u2013 from 5 gram\n\n\nKuwait Finance House Gold Account-i\n \u2013 from 10 gram\n\n\n\n\nPictured: Maybank\u2019s MIGA-i account\n\n\nThere may be more, I\u2019ll update this section as I find them \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nTo open a gold savings/investment account from banks, simply:\n\n\n\n\ncheck the bank of your choice if they have one, \n\n\nopen an account, and \n\n\nmake the initial deposit to purchase your gold\n\n\ndone!\n\n\n\n\nThese are probably the safest way to buy gold in Malaysia for investment purposes. The buy and sell price (also called margin) also tends to be better than other options in this list, plus you don\u2019t have to keep the gold yourself (and worry about it being stolen). \n\n\nBut if digital gold if not your thing, and you prefer to HOLD the gold in your own hands, then\u2026\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Buy gold from jewelry stores\n\n\nYou can buy \nphysical gold coins\n and \ngold jewelry \n(rings, bracelets, necklaces etc) from REPUTABLE jewelry stores. Some popular options include: \n\n\n\n\nHabib Official Store (\nShopee\n | \nLazada\n)\n\n\nWah Chan Official Store (\nShopee\n | \nLazada\n)\n\n\nPoh Kong Official Store (\nShopee\n | \nLazada\n)\n\n\nTomei Official Store (\nShopee\n | \nLazada\n)\n\n\n\n\nThe con of this option is you\u2019ll \nprobably\n most definitely pay a higher price per gram of gold, because there is design and craftmanship costs included. Someone had to make the pretty gold coins and jewelry. \n\n\nDespite the con, this is definitely one of my favourite way to own gold investment. It\u2019s literally investment that I can wear. In theory, I can wear my jewelry until I\u2019m bored of it, then exchange it for another gold jewelry of similar price/weight \u2013 ta-da, a new pretty thing to wear at no/little additional cost to me \ud83d\ude42 \n\n\nThe most important thing to remember here is to get \n916/22k or 999/24k gold ONLY\n. The rest \u2013 precious stones included \u2013 do not retain value as much as these, and NOT suitable as gold investment. \n\n\n(Note: You can get gold-plated jewelry, precious stones like diamonds etc for daily/special wear of course. Just don\u2019t expect them to retain or increase in value. In fact, they may be sold for only a fraction of their original price the moment you walk out the store.)\n\n\nNote: You can also buy gold coins from other places than jewelry stores. But I\u2019m prioritising brand reputation here. \n\n\nThe next option to buy gold in Malaysia for investment purposes is\u2026\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Buy gold ETFs\n\n\nYou can buy gold \u2013 and even silver ETFs \u2013 from various digital investment platforms. \n\n\nGold ETF is NOT a beginner-friendly option. I\u2019d say this is for more experienced investors, because you do need to know:\n\n\n\n\nWhat the heck are ETFs (exchange-traded funds), and \n\n\nWhy get gold ETFs instead of physical or digital gold (you can automate your purchase and DCA; you want gold mining ETFs, you have a CDS account, etc)\n\n\n\n\nyou can set up weekly/monthly gold purchase from Wahed Invest\n\n\nThe easiest way to buy gold ETF is through:\n\n\n\n\nWahed Invest \u2013 use code \u2018surbin1\u2019 during registration to get FREE RM10\n\n\nVersa Gold\n\n\n\n\nI will keep to my promise and keep this article beginner-friendly, but if you are keen to learn more, you can read my \nHow to Buy ETFs in Malaysia Easily and SAFELY\n article \u2013 see the can I invest in gold ETFs in Malaysia section. \n\n\n#4 \u2013 Buy gold from agents of gold investment companies\n\n\nHere are some options: Public Gold, Quantum Metal (you can also buy yourself through their digital platforms)\n\n\nThis is just my opinion, but don\u2019t recommend this option. I just don\u2019t see the point of buying gold from an agent. My reasons:\n\n\n\n\nAgents are commission-driven. \nThey probably won\u2019t tell you to limit your gold purchase to 5-10% of your overall portfolio. Why would they? The more gold they sell to you, the more they make. \n\n\nThey might over-promise ROI. \nI saw one of the marketing materials and they assume gold returns at 8% per year?? That\u2019s too optimistic..\n\n\nIt\u2019s already so easy to purchase gold yourself\n?? I don\u2019t get it, I really don\u2019t.\n\n\n\n\nBut Suraya, some you may say, there are unique benefits. This one allows leverage*, and that one lets me pay for my gold in instalments**.\n\n\n*I saw the presentation and not convinced by the leverage thing they offer. Sounds too good to be true.\n\n\n**So does some gold jewelry shops \u2013 I don\u2019t recommend it, but you \ncan\n buy gold there for up to 24 months 0% instalment \n\n\nSo yeah, no for me. I\u2019ll make a special exception *if* you meet a spectacular agent who provide you more value-added services, but otherwise still a hard no. Go ahead and use your play money if you still want.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 What happens after I buy gold in Malaysia as an investment? When do I sell?\n\n\nAfter you buy gold as an investment, ideally you do\u2026 nothing. That\u2019s it. \n\n\nIf you buy physical gold (coin or jewelry), you can admire it or wear it, but otherwise you do nothing for at least 3-5 years or so. Hopefully by then the price have increased and you have the \noption\n to sell it for profit.  \n\n\nBut\u2026 If you\u2019re anything like me when I first started buying gold as investment, you\u2019ll gain a sudden interest in any news related to gold, and especially news about the price. You keep thinking about when to sell and get profit. After all, that\u2019s what investment means, right? To make profit?\n\n\nWatching gold prices\n\n\nIf you are a beginner investor, the moment you hold gold, news about\n price increase\n will make you happy. Sometimes you\u2019ll find yourself calculating your profits and grinning alone. You\u2019ll be like, I bought 10 grams at RM250 per gram (example), now it\u2019s RM300 per gram, I\u2019ve made RM500 woo!\n\n\nOn the other hand, news about \nprice tumbles\n will make you worry. I\u2019ve had almost-sleepless nights, when I contemplate whether I should sell my gold or not. \n\n\nBeing tempted to buy and sell (aka trade) is normal\n\n\nLittle did I know this feeling is common not just for gold investment, but also stocks, cryptocurrencies, and so many other types of investment. It\u2019s just something you have to go through when you first start out as an investor. \u00a0\n\n\nI regret to say I did sell some of my gold, after only a few months of purchasing. I wish I hadn\u2019t \u2013 should have reminded myself that gold is good for long-term investing. But at that time, what do I know right? \n\n\nSince then, gold price has increased way more. Ah well, you learn from your mistakes. I\u2019m not selling my remaining gold stash now yet.\n\n\nOpinion: Gold investment is great for beginner investors\n\n\nI do think that gold is a worthwhile investment for beginner investors, because the things you learn in the process can help you \nlearn\n \nabout the global commodities market, international supply and demand, trading price charts and investing strategies\n. \n\n\nOver time, I\u2019ve learned to be at peace with price movements, and to have more long-term view. I truly believe gold investing made me a more experienced investor. \n\n\nSo even if your gold stash doesn\u2019t increase in value in 3-5 years (this may happen), I\u2019d say the experience of owning it and learning is worth it. But of course, this was just my experience. You might have a different experience altogether, but either way you\u2019ll learn \ud83d\ude42 \n\n\nDo let me know if you have questions or other tips you may have about gold investment in Malaysia \u2013 just leave them in the comments section. Share this article around if it helped. All the best in your gold investment journey!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/confessions-of-a-lucky-investor/", "title": "It Wasn\u2019t Skill, It Was Luck: Confessions of a Lucky Investor\n  ", "body": "\n\n\u2018This is how much you would have made if you invested $1000 in [X] 10 years ago.\u2019\n\n\nIf you\u2019ve spent enough time browsing through financial media, you\u2019ve probably seen variations of this headline. It goes on to compare the performance of some high-growth stock (usually) or other asset classes against other investments, like the S&P 500 or gold. \n\n\nThe comparison is usually comical, like 500% return on investment versus\u2026 6% or something. \n\n\n\n\nThese kinds of articles offer no value. At best, it\u2019s filler content for slow news days. At worst, it activates your FOMO, making you think you \u2018missed out\u2019 on an opportunity of a lifetime and causes you to act irrationally at the next hyped-up investment making its rounds in social media.  \n\n\nWhich is strange and hypocritical of me to say, because\u2026 I\u2019m one of those lucky people who caught one of those opportunities of a lifetime and acted against my rational thought process and yes, profited a lot from it. As mentioned in my \nBreakdown of My (SUPER HIGH RISK) Investment Portfolio\n article, I am overallocated in a single asset class \u2013 over 50% of my net worth was in cryptocurrencies. \n\n\nIt\u2019s a risky strategy and\n I don\u2019t recommend it\n\u2026 but it paid off. When I wrote that article on 22 July 2020, 1 bitcoin was $9,384. As I write this, 1 bitcoin just broke $49,000. (Before you ask \u2013 I have enough to choose my clients, but not enough to retire)\n\n\nIn short, I got lucky. Crazy lucky. So here\u2019s me trying to wrap my head around this. \n\n\nObligatory disclaimer: nothing in here is financial advice, I\u2019m just a poyo personal finance blogger.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 I maintain I am lucky more than I am skilled\n\n\nLet\u2019s get one thing out of the way. I *am* knowledgable on personal finance \u2013 it\u2019s been my obsession for the past decade, even before I became Suraya the personal finance blogger.\n The reason for that is I view money as the ultimate security against a world that is so obsessed with controlling women\u2019s behavio- Suraya this is not the time nor place for this argument later later\n\n\nYet luck played a bigger role here. More than my skills and knowledge. \n\n\nAs Morgan Housel wrote in The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness, \n\n\n\n\nLuck and risk are siblings. They are both the reality that every outcome in life is guided by, other than individual effort. \n\n\n\n\nI knew I was taking a big (and calculated) risk. I could have lost it all if it ended the other way, but it didn\u2019t. While I can contribute part of the outcome to my ability to research and hodl, it wouldn\u2019t feel right to give myself the full credit when ultimately I simply got lucky. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Dissecting my luck \n\n\nLuck comes in many forms. \n\n\nFirst, there\u2019s all the privilege-type stuff: I came from an upper-middle-class family, had my tertiary education covered by FAMA and PTPTN, fluent in English, am Bumi. Without all of these, I doubt I could save up enough money to invest in the first place. \n\n\n(Side note: fluency in English is probably the reason why I was making RM3k per month when I was 18. That soul-crushing but \ntemporary gig as a telemarketer\n allowed me to save up a lot of money when I was young and forever changed my life) \n\n\nSecond type of luck is the timing of it all. The situation was just right. It just so happen I stumbled on bitcoin in a Reddit forum. It just so happen I had a lot of time to make the research. It just so happen I got jobs which paid me in bitcoin. \n\n\nWhile all of this was happening, I was also lucky to have savings, which means I didn\u2019t have to convert bitcoin to fiat (often) to pay for my bills and daily necessities. So mostly, I just held on to my crypto stash and pretended it wasn\u2019t there. Again, because this part is important: I used excess savings, not emergency savings. \n\n\nOf course, I had bad luck here and there too. I tried to time the market and got burned. I tried a \ncopy-trade platform and lost all my money\n there. I also forgot at least one of my crypto account\u2019s seed passwords (trying not to remember how much I had in there..)\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Don\u2019t mistake luck for skill\n\n\nNow that we\u2019ve established that luck played a bigger role than skill in high-risk-high-reward investments, can we talk about the people who brag about their crazy gains as if they had this magic ability to see the future?\n\n\nYou can see this play out when they say stuff like:\n\n\n\n\nPrice sure go up one!\n\n\nIt will go to [10x the amount] by the end of the year!\n\n\nJust buy when it\u2019s low and sell when it\u2019s high and repeat! (my personal pet peeve)\n\n\nI made [amount] so easily. You should have listened to me \n\n\n\n\nThis doesn\u2019t just happen in crypto space, but also in other fields, such as \nthe stocks and property space\n as well. There are people who are rich now because they followed the great glove rally of 2020 (still \nongoing\n). There are people who made a fortune buying and selling houses during Malaysia\u2019s property boom between 2005-2015 (admittedly property people are much quieter nowadays since \nthe boom is over\n). \n\n\nAll I\u2019m saying is, before you follow any advice they might give, ask yourself if luck has anything to do with their brilliant investment decisions. Some people reached out to me asking if they should buy Gamestop stocks and Dogecoin because their friends recommended to them and I\u2019m just\u2026 woah.\n\n\nMaking your own luck by diversification \n\n\nAs much as I love crypto, it is not my only investment. I\u2019m not and will never be \u2018all-in\u2019. The only thing I understand about the economy is it has too many moving parts and no one can predict what will happen, just what *may* happen. Therefore, \ndiversification plus risk reduction\n is my strategy of choice.\n\n\n\n\nMy primary investments: asb, gold, roboadvisory platforms, crypto\nMy partner's primary investments: property (for own stay first until further plans), stocks, reits\nBetween us we cover almost everything and diversified as heck\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nDecember 21, 2020\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m not the only one who uses this strategy. VC funds (the people who invest in startups hoping they will become big, profitable companies) invest in tens of startups. Professional art collectors buy tens and hundreds of art pieces. \n\n\nMost of the investments will have modest or even negative return on investment, but a couple of those will outperform the rest and provide most of the profits.\n\n\nSo by now it might cross your mind: oh hey, I need to diversify too.\n\n\nWhat\u2019s cool is if you\u2019re doing \nthese 3 practical investments\n, you\u2019ve already started the diversification process. If you\u2019re a step ahead and \nautomating your investments\n, even better. \n\n\nAnyway, here\u2019s where I\u2019ll end this. Idk la. I see so many FOMO in the investment space right now, I had to write this article. I\u2019m not saying don\u2019t try risky investments, I\u2019m saying\u2026 at the very least, don\u2019t use survival money for it and certainly don\u2019t get financial advice from overconfident lucky people, because \nluck is not an investment strategy\n. \n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/create-your-own-cryptocurrency/", "title": "I Created My Own Cryptocurrency For Fun (And How You Can, Too)\n  ", "body": "Before I begin this,\n\n\nHI BNM! YOU\u2019RE DOING AN AWESOME JOB! BTW THIS \u2018CRYPTOCURRENCY\u2019 I DID HAVE NO VALUE AT ALL! ABSOLUTELY NONE! THIS \u2018CRYPTOCURRENCY\u2019 IS MORE LIKE A FUN BUCKETLIST PROJECT AND A CREATIVE EXPRESSION RATHER THAN A CURRENCY PER SAY. IN FACT THINK OF IT LIKE TOKENS OR POINTS. I AM A TAX-PAYING CITIZEN!\n\n\nOkay now that\u2019s done\u2026\n\n\nGuys, I made SurayaCoin! 1000 of them! And it\u2019s super simple via the Waves Platform \u2013 literally just 4 steps! [EDIT 2021: Waves Platform is no longer operational \u2013 such is the lifespan of crypto projects \ud83d\ude42 Anyway the point is, making cryptocurrencies is not a hard process so think twice before being sucked into a token just because its \u2018crypto\u2019]\n\n\n\n\n\nHere\u2019s how to do it, assuming you have bitcoins but have never tried the \nWaves platform\n before (ie you don\u2019t have Waves \u2013 the utility token for it \u2013 yet).\u00a0If you don\u2019t have bitcoins, yea you kinda need that first. Read my \nbitcoin guide\n.\n\n\nAlso, Waves is not the only platform that allow token creation. You can do via any/most blockchain platform that allow dApps (decentralised apps) creation, including\u00a0 but not limited to Ethereum, NEM, Lisk, Neo etc\n\n\nStep 1: Create a wallet at \nWavesWallet.io\n\n\nSuper simple. Go to the address above, type in your email, write down your seed and keep it somewhere safe. The bunch of words like pumpkin lemon ceiling horse \u2013 those words collectively is called a seed. You need the seed to recover your account, in case you lose your password.\n\n\nAfter you have an account, your main wallet looks like this.\n\n\n\n\nStep 2: Convert bitcoin into Waves\n\n\nYou need 1 Waves to create your own cryptocurrency via the Waves Platform. At writing time, 1 Waves is $6ish. I decided to convert the nice round number of 0.001 bitcoin into the not-so-round number 1.18588263 Waves. So essentially, this project costs me less than RM40, including the bitcoin network fee. That\u2019s really cheap.\n\n\n\n\nThere are a few platforms where you can exchange bitcoin into\u00a0Waves. Personally, I used \nChangelly\n\u00a0(note: referral link) \u2013 it took around 20 minutes to arrive. For more places to get Waves, check the Exchanges section at \nr/WavesPlatform\n.\n\n\n\n\nStep 3: Make your token\n\n\nAfter you have at least 1 Waves in your wallet, you can now make your own cryptocurrency slash token. Select the Token Creation Lab button.\n\n\n\n\nGive your token a name, add a description, decide on total tokens issued and its decimal points. Make one token, make a billion tokens, whatever. It\u2019s the same price \u2013 1 Waves.\n\n\n\n\nYou can make your tokens re-issuable or non re-issuable. If not re-issuable, then your cryptocurrency will permanently have that same amount in circulation.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIf you\u2019re happy with everything, click Confirm.\n\n\nStep 4: Token successfully created!\n\n\nThat\u2019s it! You\u2019ll get a notification that your tokens were created. Your wallet will have one less Waves in it.\n\n\nView your freshly-made cryptocurrency in the Portfolio section.\n\n\n\n\nEDIT: The next day after I made SurayaCoin, I found that people have been sending Waves-based tokens to my address. I didn\u2019t request, they just arrived. Cool. I didn\u2019t know you can earn passive airdrops this way. One of them is a payments token and another one is an ICO.\n\n\n\n\nFinal notes\n\n\nWhat I said in the above shoutout to BNM is worth repeating here. \nSurayaCoin has absolutely no value whatsoever\n. I did it for the kicks, that\u2019s it. Now that I\u2019m done creating it, they\u2019ll probably lay forgotten in my wallet (I\u2019m too lazy to even make a coin design for it).\n\n\nThis point is important to stress, because the idea of having a value-less cryptocurrency is something that many people find hard to grasp, especially crypto-people. Isn\u2019t the point of having cryptocurrency is to let the price appreciate in value, so you can re-sell it for higher amounts?\n\n\nNaaaaah. For me, this experience is more educational. I wanted to try out a platform that promises token issuance. That\u2019s what it promised, that\u2019s what it delivered. I can technically say \u2018I created my own cryptocurrency\u2019 now. Which is pretty cool considering I have almost no technical or coding knowledge whatsoever.\n\n\nNow that you know how easy it is to create your own cryptocurrency, I hope it\u2019ll make you more sceptical of them as an \u2018investment\u2019. Literally anyone can create one and slap some fancy words on it (blockchain! decentralised!) and tell you its valuable, so gimme your money.\n\n\nSo if not for \u2018investment\u2019, what are blockchain-based token creation good for? Let\u2019s see..\n\n\n\n\nFor pure fun and experimentation, like an art project (SurayaCoin is for this)\n\n\nUse it as a novelty way to raise money for charity\n\n\nTurn it into some sort of loyalty points thing for your business\n\n\nMake this into a school project where kids can learn about blockchain and cryptocurrencies the fun way (I would personally LOVE to see their coin designs!)\n\n\nProbably need a legal hand here, but how about using these tokens as a way to prove ownership over property or other indivisible items? I believe the term is fractional investment, where tokens are representative of a portion of that property (or art, or vehicle, whatever)\n\n\nAnd more\n\n\n\n\nWould you consider creating your own cryptocurrency? What would you name it? What would you use it for? Let me know in the comments section!\n\n\nP/s \u2013 if you\u2019d like a couple of those value-less SurayaCoin, put your Waves wallet address in the comments section. If you have Waves-based tokens to give away (not sell!), let the rest of us know by commenting as well. We can start a crypto-coin collecting group. Like collect Pokemon like that.\n\n\nMy Waves address is\u00a03PLBLwz5X7L5HLgdNVToBQyTHo1hmYLwnuL\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/crypto-malaysia/", "title": "The ULTIMATE Cryptocurrency in Malaysia Guide [2023 Update]\n  ", "body": "\n\nSo you want to learn about crypto in Malaysia. Maybe you want to learn how to buy bitcoin in Malaysia, as an investment. Maybe you want to learn how to keep it safe. \n\n\nYou\u2019ll find all those must-know information here. However, first I have to say..\n\n\nGO BACK if you are not willing to learn about \ndigital security\n. I\u2019m dead serious, GO BACK. Cryptocurrencies as an investment are NOT suitable for you right now. You\u2019re entering the high risk, high rewards zone. The risk mostly comes from (1) greed and (2) lack of digital security knowledge. \n\n\nAdditionally, if you don\u2019t have \n3\n \n6\n 12 months\u2019 worth of savings, then go to the \n6 Ways to Get Bitcoin for Free (for People Bullish on Bitcoin Price)\n article. Unless you have \u2018play money\u2019 aka amount you can afford to lose, prioritise accumulating bitcoin with your time and skills rather than buying them. \n\n\nDisclosure\n\n\nAlright, full disclosure time \u2013 I am a crypto investor, since the end of 2015. I can talk your ears off about its utility value but let\u2019s face it, \nmost people get into it for the profit potential, including myself\n. \n\n\nProfit potential, with emphasis on \npotential\n, is not guarantee. Most of the time, cryptocurrencies\u2019 value is driven by supply and demand. While it has fundamentals rooted in decentralisation, many have dismissed the asset as purely speculative.\n\n\nIn case that isn\u2019t clear, I\u2019ll repeat: (1) I\u2019m biased because I\u2019m a crypto investor, and (2) cryptocurrencies can be seen as speculative or even gambling for people who don\u2019t value decentralisation as a feature. \n\n\nStill here? Good, alright let\u2019s move on from the disclaimers and get into the actual how-to. Please be aware that the information here is not meant as financial advice, do your own research. In fact I insist on it \u2013 if you\u2019re someone who\u2019s lazy to do research, sooner or later you\u2019ll be eaten alive.\n\n\nIntroduction \n\n\nThe first thing you should know, IMO, is despite having \u2018currencies\u2019 in its name, \ncryptocurrencies are mostly not used as money\n, in the strictest sense of the word. For example:\n\n\n\n\nBitcoin\n \u2013 Except in specific situations (El Savador, donating, surviving in a dictatorship regime, country has very high inflation, etc), most people don\u2019t use it as currency or for making payments. Rather, it\u2019s treated as digital asset, a store of value\n\n\nOther cryptocurrencies \n\u2013 there are thousands of them. They could be smart contract platforms, payment network, gaming, \u2018bitcoin 2.0\u2019, \nscams\n, jokes, basically it can be 1001 things because the underlying technology (blockchain) can be applied in so many ways\n\n\n\n\nWith that out of the way, let\u2019s go to the first section,\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Are cryptocurrencies legal in Malaysia?\n\n\nYes, selected cryptocurrencies are legal in Malaysia. Securities Commission Malaysia regulates them under the \nDigital Assets Guideline\n, issued on 28 October 2020. \n\n\nAs of time of writing, four exchanges are approved to sell cryptocurrencies in Malaysia: Luno, SINEGY, Tokenize and MX Global. \n\n\nI can\u2019t stress how much regulation of crypto exchangers in Malaysia was a big deal to the community \u2013 I heard over a dozen exchangers applied for the licence to operate but couldn\u2019t meet SC\u2019s stringent requirements, and the negotiation process itself took years so only the most \nstubborn\n persistent survived.\n\n\nBefore you ask, no, \nBinance\n is not licensed to operate in Malaysia. Why? I don\u2019t know why, they just didn\u2019t bother to go through the application processes. \n\n\nBut that doesn\u2019t stop some people from using Binance, as well as other unregulated platforms. So I would say to everyone \u2013 you want to use the unregulated exchanges, sure. Just be aware of the risks. \n\n\n\n\n*In boomer voice* I GET IT, YOU DON'T WANT TO USE REGULATED EXHANGES, YOU WANT TO USE BINANCE AND OTHERS. KIDS THESE DAYS DON'T KNOW HOW IT'S LIKE TO BE CONSTANTLY AFRAID OF YOUR EXCHANGE BEING HACKED AND ALL YOUR FUNDS LOST, BACK WHEN IT WAS UNREGULATED\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nApril 27, 2021\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 10 Cryptocurrencies You Can Get in Malaysia\n\n\nAs of time of writing, Securities Commissions have approved the buying and selling of these 10 cryptocurrencies in Malaysia: \n\n\n\n\nBitcoin (BTC)\n \u2013 The OG crypto. The one you heard about the most, and the one that started it all\n\n\nEthereum (ETH)\n \u2013 Blockchain platform with smart contract functionality.  Founded by Vitalik Buterin\n\n\nLitecoin (LTC)\n \u2013 kinda like budget version of bitcoin (oop I said it). They say that if bitcoin is digital gold, then litecoin is digital silver \n\n\nRipple (XRP) \n\u2013 Ripple is actually a private and CENTRALISED company, which means crypto purists hate it. Holding XRP is kinda sorta like holding stocks in a remittance service provider\n\n\nBitcoin Cash (BCH) \n\u2013 A fork of Bitcoin. See Section #9 \u2013 Why are there two bitcoins\n\n\nUniswap (UNI)\n \u2013 Decentralised crypto exchange\n\n\nChainlink (LINK)\n \u2013 \u2018Blockchain oracles for hybrid smart contract\u2019\n\n\nCardano (ADA) \n\u2013 Blockchain platform.  Founded by Ethereum co-founder Charles Hoskinson\n\n\nSolana (SOL)\n \u2013 Blockchain platform with smart contract functionality. \n\n\nAvalance (AVAX)\n \u2013 Blockchain platform with smart contract functionality. \n\n\n\n\nWhich of the above should you buy? Personally, I think Bitcoin and Ethereum are excellent as a starting point \u2013 they have the longest history and good reputation.  \n\n\nCan you get other cryptocurrencies? Can. See #5. But let\u2019s see how to buy crypto in Malaysia through regulated exchanges first. \n\n\n#3 \u2013 How to buy crypto in Malaysia \u2013 List of Licenced Exchanges\n\n\nSo, how to buy bitcoin in Malaysia? How to buy crypto in Malaysia? The easiest and recommended way is through the licensed exchanges. As of time of writing, Securities Commissions have approved 4 digital asset exchanges in Malaysia: \nLuno, SINEGY, Tokenize and MX Global. \n\n\nAccount opening is easy: \n\n\n\n\nGo to the websites, \n\n\nregister and complete KYC (know-your-customer process), \n\n\ntransfer money, and \n\n\nbuy any of the cryptocurrencies offered\n\n\n\n\nHere are all four platforms, the cryptocurrencies offered in each platform, and how the interface looks like. \n\n\n1) Luno \n\n\nGet: BTC, ETH, LTC, XRP, BCH, UNI, LINK, ADA, SOL, AVAX (basically all 10 options)\n\n\nOf all the options, I\u2019ve used Luno the longest, and had good experience. It\u2019s not a bad idea to buy crypto in Malaysia from Luno as (1) they offer the widest digital asset selection, and (2) they have generous new user sign up bonus you can take advantage of. \n\n\n\n\n[Obligatory referral code: Buy RM250, get RM75 in BTC (\ninstant 30% ROI\n) with my code \n\u2018\n7FA6G\u2019\u00a0\n(valid for new users only). \n\n\n\n\nSteps: Open a new account at \nLuno.com\n > Go to REWARDS > Choose ENTER CODE > Enter the given promo code > Click Apply Code > Deposit the minimum amount required > Buy at least RM250 from Instant Buy or Sell > Get rewarded with the additional Bitcoin.]\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n2) SINEGY\n\n\nGet: BTC, ETH\n\n\nSINEGY\n is Malaysia\u2019s homegrown exchange! \n\n\n\n\n\n\n3) Tokenize\n\n\nGet: BTC, ETH, LTC, XRP, BCH, SOL, UNI\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFirst launched in Singapore, \nTokenize\n made news when \nKenanga Investment Bank acquired 19% stake\n in its Malaysian operation. \n\n\nObligatory referral code: Click \nhere\n to get 15 Tokenize Points when you sign up with my link. The points are exchangeable for digital assets offered in Tokenize.\n\n\n4) MX Global\n\n\nGet: BTC, ETH, XRP\n\n\nMX Global\n is the newest licensed exchange in Malaysia, and also a home-grown platform \u2018built in Malaysia for Malaysians \u2018.\n\n\n\n\nNow that you\u2019ve learned how to buy bitcoin in Malaysia, let\u2019s learn\u2026\n\n\n#4 \u2013 How to sell bitcoin in Malaysia (or sell other cryptocurrencies)\n\n\nYes, you can sell bitcoin in Malaysia, as well any of the 10 approved cryptocurrencies. The easiest way is to sell directly on the 4 licenced exchanges. Upon a successful Sale, you\u2019ll receive MYR, which you can withdraw directly into your bank accounts. \n\n\nHow to sell bitcoin in Malaysia for cheaper fee\n\n\nMy recommendation for new users: make use of any new user promo when you start (*cough \nLuno\n gives you RM75 if you buy RM250 from Instant Buy or Sell, or instant 30% ROI if you use my code \u2018\n7FA6G\n\u2018\u00a0\ncough*), then \nlearn how to use the exchange feature\n (rather than the instant buy/sell feature) so you can save money on fees. \n\n\n\n\nKenapa kena belajar pakai exchange, walaupun bukan trader\nKiri: instant buy/sell. Jual 0.1btc. Fee 2% = RM422.17\nKanan: jual @ exchange. Jual 0.1btc. Fee 0.5% = ~RM105.54\nMasa, amount jual = sama. Beza fee ~RM316 \npic.twitter.com/i1bCLfrAs7\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nApril 26, 2021\n\n\n\n\nHere Suyin explains how to use the interface to get the cheaper fees:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 What other cryptocurrencies should I get (and how)?\n\n\nAs mentioned, you can buy and sell 10 cryptocurrencies in Malaysia directly from the licensed exchanges. If you\u2019re new to the world of cryptocurrencies, I suggest you start your crypto journey with any of the 10 approved cryptocurrencies in Malaysia first. \n\n\nAs you learn more and gain more experience, then \nmaybe \nyou can branch out to other cryptocurrencies. You can see explore other cryptocurrencies on websites like \nCoinGecko\n and \nCoinMarketCap\n. \n\n\nGetting other cryptocurrency in Malaysia is pretty easy:\n\n\n\n\nGet BTC/ETH from any of the 4 licensed exchange above\n\n\nTransfer to another exchange that offers the cryptocurrency you want. Make sure it\u2019s reputable (*cough \nBinance\n is not bad cough*)\n\n\nMake the exchange. Whenever you\u2019re stuck, remember to check the FAQ and Academy sections, everything is there\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m not able to suggest or recommend any particular cryptocurrencies to get. Personally, I use these \nthree strategies to decide which cryptocurrencies to get\n. \n\n\nIs investing in cryptocurrencies based on fundamentals and technology enough?\n\n\nPeople like to say, look at fundamentals and technology before deciding to \u2018invest\u2019 in a particular cryptocurrency. They\u2019re not wrong, but that is no guarantee that the investment with generate positive returns. \nSometimes\n often, even the most promising projects fail \u2013 I\u2019ve had tokens that lost 99% of their value and never recovered.\n\n\nIn crypto, you just don\u2019t know what\u2019s going to happen \n\u2013 I mean, no one predicted the Dogecoin phenomenon, the founder created it as a joke. But as I\u2019m writing this, the market cap for Dogecoin is 41 BILLION dollars.\n\n\n(As of Sept 2022, Dogecoin\u2019s marketcap is down to 8 billion dollars)\n\n\n\n\nSo, here\u2019s the approach I suggest: Rather than using the gambling approach, go \ncheck out different cryptocurrencies and what they are used for\n because not all of them are for \u2018store of value\u2019. \n\n\nSome platforms use cryptocurrencies/tokens to interact in the platform. So if you\u2019re interested in the project, then it is not a bad idea to get the cryptocurrencies \nfor learning purposes\n. \n\n\nFor example:\n\n\n\n\nProgrammers interested to learn how to build DApps (Decentralised Apps) and code smart contracts can check out the Ethereum platform and \nETH KL team\n, or Solana, or Cardano\n\n\nGamers interested in play-to-earn opportunities can check out \nAavegotchi Malaysia\n and \nAxie Infinity Malaysia\n groups\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m barely scratching the surface here \u2013 there are loads of crypto communities out there and so many things to do. It\u2019s honestly a fun rabbit hole to go down into, and if you happen to make a bit of money in the process, consider it a bonus \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n#5 \u2013 5 Rules to not get scammed when you invest in crypto in Malaysia\n\n\nRemember all these as you explore the crypto world:\n\n\nRule #1 \u2013 ALWAYS check if you\u2019re buying from the right platform\n\n\nCheck for https, check spelling of URL and social media profiles, check everything.\n\n\n\n\nas taken from SINEGY\u2019s FB page\n\n\nRule #2 \u2013 Buy from licenced exchanges\n\n\nI\u00a0\nunderstand\n you might want to look around other ways to try and buy crypto in Malaysia for cheaper, and yes it\u2019s possible, but you\u2019re taking an unnecessary risk, especially if you\u2019re new in all this.\n\n\nOne \u2013 P2P platforms like Remitano and Localbitcoin is rife with scammers.\n\n\nTwo \u2013 direct dealing is hella dangerous. If anyone ever contact you to buy or sell, just ignore and block them.\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m just flattered this scammer thought I have 2689 bitcoins lol\n\n\nWhat\u2019s the modus operandi, I wonder? Hold a gun to my head during the f2f to force me do the transaction? \npic.twitter.com/7VYNQdDeYg\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nAugust 25, 2020\n\n\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m not even joking about the \u2018holding a gun to my head\u2019 part. Crypto robberies happen. \nThis fella\n was tortured with a drill in front of his 4-year old daughter.\n\n\nJust pay the exchangers\u2019 fees. You\u2019ll be safer.\n\n\nRule #3 \u2013 Keep your crypto in multiple places\n\n\nIf you have \u2018a lot\u2019 (define yourself what constitutes \u2018a lot\u2019), then I highly recommend you to distribute your stash around and not keep your cryptocurrencies in one location/wallet. Why?\n\n\n\n\nYou might get hacked.\n Remember, transactions are not reversible and aside from a police report, there\u2019s nothing much you can do. Reminder to set up your 2FA if you haven\u2019t.\n\n\nThe \nexchange\n might get hacked OR suffer insider theft\n. It\u2019s happened to many reputable exchangers before (not in Malaysia AFAIK tho)\n\n\nEven if you keep all your stash yourself via cold storage methods like paper wallets or hardware wallets (I use Ledger Nano S; RM300ish per device), \n*you* might forget your passcode or seed address\n.\n\n\nOnly get your hardware wallet from \nauthorised resellers like CryptoBilis\n! \nTampered hardware wallet\n is also another type of scam\n\n\n\n\nSpreading your crypto around is not a bad thing actually. The \u2018bonus\u2019 is getting \nhands-on learning\n \u2013 the more wallets and platforms you try, the better. \n\n\nRule #4 \u2013 Join a community \u2013 having an interest in crypto in Malaysia leads you to vibrant communities!\n\n\nThe longest-running bitcoin community in Malaysia, \nBitcoin Malaysia #1 Group\n encourages discussions and sharing, and organises free (and some paid) webinars and events. Feel free to ask questions, usually people are kind enough to answer. Check the latest happenings \nhere\n.\n\n\nYou can also type \u2018scam\u2019, \u2018scammer\u2019 etc in the search box and see other types of seasonal and creative scam methods. Important: Holding cryptocurrencies is a commitment \u2013 you have to keep updated with the latest scam methods.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRule #5 \u2013 Be a hodler not a trader\n\n\nHodlers (the misspelling is intentional) are people who buy \u2013 either little by little or big upfront amount \u2013 then don\u2019t sell, despite the market condition, unless necessary (financial emergencies etc).\n\n\nHodlers make peace with volatility. The price goes up, the price goes down, but life goes on.\n\n\nFor the most part, I am a hodler.\n\n\nTraders, on the other hand\u2026 do the whole chart thing, the technical analysis. It\u2019s like forex trading but on crack. Unlike currencies pairing or the stock market, \nthe crypto market opens 24/7\n.\n\n\nI don\u2019t really have much to say to traders, except:\n\n\n\n\n(1) reminding you trading with leverage is haram, \n\n\n(2) good luck, don\u2019t trade money you can\u2019t afford to lose, and \n\n\n(3) don\u2019t believe that copy-trading is \u2018easy money\u2019 \u2013 I lost everything there when I tried it out lol.\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 [Muslim corner] Is cryptocurrency halal? How to calculate zakat on cryptocurrency?\n\n\nIs cryptocurrency halal? \n\n\nThe short answer is \nyes\n , if you don\u2019t take excessive risks and acquire them through legal and ethical means. The long answer can be found at Securities Commission\u2019s \nDigital Assets from Shariah Perspective\n page.\n\n\nHowever, there are differing views. For example, the \nIndonesian Ulema Council deemed it haram\n. \n\n\nIt\u2019s ok if crypto is not for you. Just do other investments, focusing on \nhalal investing\n.\n\n\nHow to calculate zakat on cryptocurrency?\n\n\nIn Malaysia, both \nPerlis\n and \nJohor\n Fatwa Council has decreed that \nbitcoin\n (and by extension, other cryptocurrencies treated as digital gold) are zakat-able. The calculation is (taken from news article):\n\n\n\n\n\u201cAdapun pengiraan zakat untuk Bitcoin ialah nilai terendah unit Bitcoin dalam satu tahun didarabkan dengan bilangan unit Bitcoin, kemudian ditambahkan dengan keuntungan hasil dagangan sepanjang tahun sebelum jumlahnya didarabkan 2.5 peratus\u201d.\n\n\n\n\nAdditional info: \nGlobal Sadaqah\n allows \nzakat and waqaf payments using bitcoin\n. \n\n\n#8 \u2013 Are gains from cryptocurrency taxable in Malaysia?\n\n\nAccording to this RinggitPlus article, \n\n\n\n\nThe Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) has clarified that cryptocurrency investors who actively trade their assets at the digital asset exchange (DAX) are required to declare their gains for their annual income tax.\n\n\n\n\nSo the answer is, no, capital gains from cryptocurrency is not taxable, but profit from \ntrading \ncryptocurrencies is taxable. \n\n\nTo clarify: If you \nregularly \nand \nconsistently \nand \nwith strategy \nbuy and sell cryptocurrencies, that\u2019s trading = taxable. But if you just buy to keep for long term, then your gains are not taxable. \n\n\n#9 \u2013 Why are there two Bitcoins?\n\n\nSo why is there Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash? Why two?\n\n\nThe short answer is a long time ago, the Bitcoin community disagreed on the best way to scale bitcoin to allow more transactions without congesting the network (and resulting in high fees). They had different solutions to solve the same problem.\n\n\nSo Bitcoin split into two: Bitcoin (BTC) and Bitcoin Cash (BCH) \u2013 two sets of data ledgers that implement different solutions but came from the same ancestry. The event was quite notable and covered in Bitcoin 101 videos, like the one below. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nActually, there were more bitcoin splits \u2013 also called forks \u2013 and also bitcoin copycats. So just be careful when you\u2019re buying bitcoin or doing swaps, just make sure you\u2019re getting the right one. Here are some of the other bitcoins:\n\n\n\n\nFrom an investor POV, both Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash has potential. They\u2019re both digital assets and tradable. The rest, I would avoid tbh. More often than not they\u2019re just capitalising on the \u2018Bitcoin\u2019 name.\n\n\nConclusion\n\n\nLong-term hodlers, what else should people know about buying cryptocurrencies?\u00a0 What do you wish you know when you first started? How is your experience like as a member of the crypto community? \n\n\nLeave your advice and experience in the comments section for all of us to learn \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/different-types-of-investments-in-malaysia/", "title": "Roasting Different Types of Investments in Malaysia (Everything That Sucks About Them)\n  ", "body": "\n\nFor non-Millennials out there, I don\u2019t mean \u2018roasting\u2019 like cook chicken like that. I mean \u2018roasting\u2019 as in giving snarky comments.\n\n\nHold my earrings, my inner bitch persona is coming out. Enjoy this post roasting the different types of investments you can get in Malaysia.\u00a0\n\n\nInvestment: Mutual funds / Unit trust\n\n\n1) ASB and other mutual funds by \nAmanah Saham Berhad\n that\u2019s only available for Bumi folks promote the continuation of racism in Malaysia. I said what I said.\n\n\nRelated: \n[PERSONAL] Malay and Money: A Reflection\n\n\n2) There are too goddamn many \nunit trusts products\n out there and who the hell has the time to check each prospectus to decide which one \u2018is suitable for them\u2019?\n\n\nI got so frustrated that I pretty much eenie-meenie-minie-mo\u2019d the unit trust I picked for my PRS account. Damn you for making this a borderline gambling activity.\n\n\n3) \nFund management companies\n slapping you with up to 6% sales fee for every transaction PLUS high management fees \u2013 you\u2019re committing daylight robbery and you know it.\n\n\n4) \nFunds worth billions of ringgit from \nEPF\n were channelled to 1MDB\n. They say that things should be fine, but nervous siot that\u2019s a lot of our retirement money on the line!\n\n\n5) \nTabung Haji\n, primarily used by Muslims to save up for their hajj, contributes to the development and wealth of Saudi Arabia, essentially a glorified family business. They ain\u2019t so good with protecting human rights, too.\n\n\nNote: I invest in ASB and PRS\n\n\nInvestment: Fixed Deposits\n\n\n1) Last time (before May 2018), banks will at least give you 1/2 of the interest rates if you withdraw prematurely, provided you\u2019ve let the money sit there for at least 3 months.\n\n\nNow they changed the policies \u2013 \nno interest will be paid at all if you withdraw prematurely\n.\n\n\nSuck. Not enough profit is it? Must give penalty to those who have no choice but to withdraw early because they need the money is it? (Thanks to reader Mr Lim Chin Kah for telling me about this!)\n\n\nInvestment: Gold\n\n\n1) Gold-holders kinda get happy when there is \neconomic uncertainty\n and the stocks market not doing well, because then the gold price tends to go up. What a sucky thing to be happy about.\n\n\nNote: I invest in gold\n\n\nInvestment: Property\n\n\n(Strictly referring to property as investment. Not buying property for own stay)\n\n\n1) So many people buy it to rent it out as homestay or AirBnB for the higher ROI (as opposed to renting it to long-term renters). There are even groups who pool their money together to buy properties in \u2018wholesale\u2019 from developers, thus getting it cheaper. \n\n\nYou know that \npushes property prices higher\n and affecting everyone else who simply want to buy property for their own stay right? Ugh, no wonder we\u2019re in a property bubble.\n\n\nInvestment: Cryptocurrencies\n\n\n1) \nCryptocurrency mining\n uses at least\u00a0\ntwice the energy of mining gold and copper.\n What a waste of energy. Can\u2019t imagine it being good for the environment! (Edit: A reader sent evidence to contradict this \u2013 see comments section)\n\n\n2) Crypto bros showing off their wealth from \ncrypto gainz \u2013\n Lambo here Lambo there ugh feel like vomiting.\n\n\nNote: I invest in cryptocurrencies\n\n\nInvestment: Stocks\n\n\n1) \u2018Good\u2019 stocks from \nblue-chip companies\n tend to be companies that promote consumerism as a lifestyle. Keep telling you to buy shit you don\u2019t need.\n\n\nInvestment: Equity Crowdfunding (ECF)\n\n\nDon\u2019t know enough about this. Those who do it, what do you not like about it? Give me your roasts in the comments section.\n\n\nInvestment: P2P Lending\n\n\n1) Investors are pretty much \nglorified loan sharks\n. We take advantage and profit a high 12-18+% from companies that are not able to borrow money from banks.\n\n\nNote: I invest in P2P lending\n\n\nInvestment: ETF (exchange-traded funds)\n\n\n1) ETFs are generally good but apparently the ones available in Malaysia right now not so liquid. Meaning if you buy it, very hard to sell in case you need the money.\n\n\nGive me YOUR roasts for different types of investments in Malaysia!\n\n\nWell that\u2019s a lot of things off my chest! Kinda nice to rant about these different types of investments, usually you only hear good things about them. Yes yes I know no system is perfect. There are so many things still that \nwe can improve about our financial ecosystem\n.\n\n\nThis is not an article to deter you from investing btw. You should totally do it, right after you clear off your high-interest debts and save up emergency money (3-6 months of living expenses).\n\n\nWe just have to make sure we\u2019re okay with the cons of the investment type and that it doesn\u2019t clash too much with our personal values, because if it does, that\u2019s on our conscience.\n\n\nHow about you? Which investments do you have and what don\u2019t you particularly like about it?\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/epf-contribution/", "title": "6 Savings and Investments You can Automate, Aside from EPF Contribution\n  ", "body": "\n\nEasy investment tip: \u2018get the set-and-forget\u2019 ones. Unless you have a natural passion (or desire to learn about) stocks and properties and other research-heavy investments, \ngo for the investments you can automate\n.\n\n\nWhy? Because the challenge with investing is not about picking which investment(s) to do. There are a lot of \ngood investment options in Malaysia\n. The challenge is \nadding more money to it on a regular basis, usually monthly, over the long term\n.\n\n\nThey may use different names for it: dollar-cost averaging, recurring deductions, monthly deductions, monthly debits, auto-invest, recurring deposits, auto-deductions, etcetera \u2013 but it means more or less the same thing. \n\n\nStarting an investment is easy. Adding more to it is hard. \n\n\nMost investors will start, then \u2018forget\u2019 to contribute to their investment portfolio on a regular basis. And by not adding, \nthe money will never grow as fast as you want.\u00a0\n\n\nI know because I\u2019m talking about myself. Despite being an investor for over 10 years now, transferring money out of my banking account to my investment account still hurts each and every time.\u00a0\n\n\nTherefore, it\u2019s a good idea to \nfeel the pain once (as you set up the recurring deductions), rather than feeling the pain many times over many years\n.\n\n\nIn this article, I\u2019ve listed out all the investments that you can automate in Malaysia,\u00a0\nthat I know of\n. If there are more, let me know in the comments section.\n\n\nCategory: Mutual Funds/Unit Trust/ETFs\n\n\n\n\nThose three things are not the same, but close enough \u2013 they all belong in the \u2018diversified funds\u2019 category. Depending on which one you get, you might a combination of Malaysian stocks, US stocks (and other regions), precious metals, real estate, and/or other commodities, etc.\n\n\nSome Mutual Funds/Unit Trust/ETFs you can automate include:\n\n\n#0- EPF Contribution \n\n\nYou (probably already) know this option. Salaried people already have a portion of their salaries automatically deducted to EPF account \u2013 this goes straight to your retirement fund. \n\n\nBy law, EPF employer contribution is set at 13% (for monthly salaries of RM5000 and below) OR 12% (for monthly salaries of more than RM5000).\n\n\nIf you include your (employee) contribution rate of 11%, therefore your EPF contribution rate is equivalent to 23% OR 24% of your salary each month. \n\n\n\n\nYou can self-contribute for EPF, and automate it as well. For self-employed, or people who want to make additional EPF contributions, you can set up Set Recurring in your respective banks. \n\n\nIf you\u2019re using Maybank, the process is:\n\n\n\n\nLog in your online banking account\n\n\nGo to Pay & Transfer tab > Pay\n\n\nUnder \u2018Pay to\u2019, Set to Payee > type and select \u2018EPF\u2019\n\n\nEnter your EPF Member No, Account type, and other details\n\n\nToggle \u2018Set Recurring\u2019 and follow the next steps as instructed\n\n\n\n\n*People using other banks may have slightly different processes. Check with your banks. \n\n\n\n\nBonus section #1 \u2013 Get up to RM250 for FREE under i-Saraan Scheme\n\n\nWho doesn\u2019t want free money? Self-employed people can get up to RM250 from the government for FREE when you self-contribute under i-Saraan scheme. \n\n\nTo get the maximum RM250, you have to \nself-contribute a minimum of RM1667 per year (or RM139 per month)\n. When you do Set Recurring, put your Account type to \u2018i-Saraan/i-Suri Contribution\u2019. \n\n\n\n\nATTENTION all Self-Employed! Dah register i-Saraan \n@KWSPMalaysia\n? Dulu kena print isi hantar borang bagai now boleh buat online je! Get up to RM250 per year from gomen when you self-contribute to EPF\nSteps:\n\u2013 Go to \nhttps://t.co/OV26vQqdvA\n\u2013 Enter IC & Profession\n\u2013 Done! \npic.twitter.com/64zpZGRljY\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nMay 19, 2022\n\n\n\n\nBonus section #2 \u2013 How much should I self-contribute to EPF? Here\u2019s your EPF contribution calculation\n\n\nOne common question people have (especially self-employed people) is how much they should self-contribute to EPF so they can have a comfortable retirement nest egg. \n\n\nYou can calculate this. Go do your EPF contribution calculation in your \nEPF i-Akaun\n. \n\n\n\n\nLogin > Main page > find Retirement Savings (under Account Summary)\n\n\nEnter your Age, Retirement Age, Salary, Salary Increment Rate (put 0 if no increment), and Bonus, if any\n\n\nEnter Contribution Rate. If your salary is RM5000 and you plan to put RM1000 monthly, then your contribution rate is 20%\n\n\nEnter Annual Dividend Rate (EPF\u2019s annual dividend rate varies annually but can just put 5%)\n\n\nClick Calculate\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYou will see how much your potential Retirement Savings in EPF. In this example, I\u2019ll have almost RM900k by age 60 if I contribute RM1k per month to EPF from now until age 60\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEPF is good, but not the only place to put your retirement funds. You can also use\u2026\n\n\n#1 \u2013 PRS (Private Retirement Scheme) \n\n\nPRS or Private Retirement Scheme is like secondary, optional EPF. Many funds allow automating monthly contributions. \n\n\nTo learn more about this option, check out my \n3 Places to Get PRS in Malaysia with ZERO Sales Charge\n article\n\n\n#2 \u2013 ASNB funds\n\n\nYou can use the Target Labur and Auto Labur features in MyASNB app to automatically calculate and set up monthly deductions for any financial goal you have. \n\n\nFor example, let\u2019s say you want to save up RM10,000 in 2 years 2 months. Therefore, you can set up a monthly deduction of RM376 to reach your goal. \n\n\nRead more about this feature and how to set it up in \n3 Features in myASNB App You Should Know \narticle.\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Robo advisors\n\n\nThere are a bunch of roboadvisors in Malaysia, including Stashaway, Wahed Invest, Mytheo, AkruNow, and more. \n\n\nI use \nWahed Invest\n but only because it\u2019s the only Shariah-compliant one. As you can see, it has a weekly and monthly recurring deduction feature. \n\n\n\n\nLearn more in the \nWhich is the Best Robo Advisor in Malaysia? Ultimate Comparison Guide\n article\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Unit trust\n\n\nThere are also so many platforms to buy and automate your unit trust investment in Malaysia. Personally, I only get unit trust for PRS (#2 in this list), but you can get others and a few at once. \n\n\nLearn more in my \n3 Ways to Pick the Best Unit Trust in Malaysia (Advisory & DIY Method)\n\n\n#5 \u2013 P2P lending platforms\n\n\nYou can also automate investment via P2P lending platforms. Simplistically, how P2P lending works is you agree to lend money to businesses in return for profits.\n\n\nThere are a few P2P lending platforms out there. I use \nFunding Societies\n because (1) they have auto-invest bots, and (2) they have Shariah-compliant option. \n\n\nRead more: \n[SPONSORED] I Asked Hard Questions to the CEO of Funding Societies Malaysia\n\n\nAdd-on: According to \nBlackbelt Millionaire\n, Fundztastic also has a SmartInvest programme which you can enrol. It invests up to 5 investments at a time. I have not tried this. \n\n\n#6 \u2013 Cryptocurrencies\n\n\nNot for everyone, but it *IS* an option as some of the platforms allow automatic and regular deductions. I know it\u2019s possible in Luno \u2013 you can set up repeat buy. \n\n\n\n\nObligatory: \nBonus for new users\n\u00a0\u2013 New users can get RM50 in BTC on minimum RM500 deposit (instant 10% ROI) with my code \u2018LNSURAYA50\n\u2032\n. \n\n\nSimply open a new account at\u00a0\nLuno.com\n\u00a0> Go to REWARDS > Choose ENTER CODE > Enter the given promo code > Click Apply Code > Deposit the minimum amount required > Buy the minimum transaction amount > Get rewarded with the additional Bitcoin.\n\n\nFor more info, read:\u00a0\nI\u2019m a Luno User since 2015. Here\u2019s My Luno Malaysia Review\n\n\nWhat do you think of automation as an investment tip? \n\n\nDo you do automating in your personal life? If yes, which ones? \n\n\nFor me, I automate some of my investments, and manually do the rest. Personally, this is what I do in my own financial life:\n\n\n\n\nAdd on to \nEPF\n and \nPRS\n once a year, to take advantage of the tax reliefs (I do this after a big payment comes in)\n\n\nPay back my \nASB\n \nloan\n \u2013 I took RM50k loan for 25 or so years, so I\u2019m paying ~RM289 per month (technically this is more like \npaying debt\n but meh, I\u2019ll take it)\n\n\nAutomate \nFunding Societies\n and reinvest my profits\n\n\nI\u2019d also like to set up the weekly deposits to my \nWahed Invest\n account. Still scrounging up the courage\n\n\n\n\nHow about you? Which of the above do you personally do for yourself? Do you know of any other options/platforms that allow you to automate your monthly contributions?\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/epf-i-akaun/", "title": "[SPONSORED] This is Why You Need to Use EPF i-Akaun\n  ", "body": "\n\nThis is a continuation of a series of sponsored posts about EPF and retirement. See the previous two articles here: \nWill You Fight or Flight?\n and\u00a0\nWhat Actual Retirees Say\n.\n\n\nHere I\u2019ll share an EPF tool, called i-Akaun and why you need to use\u00a0it. For the purpose of this article, I created my own EPF i-Akaun.\n\n\nClick \nhere\n for the original i-Akaun article on CompareHero.\n\n\nHow to Create EPF i-Akaun\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFor first-time login, get the activation code first. You can do this by:\n\n\nGo to EPF counter or EPF Kiosk\n, or;\nCall KWSP at 03-89226000\n. Press \u20180\u2019 to talk to the nice operator, then answer some personal questions for identification purposes. They\u2019ll send the code via SMS.\nTHEN go to the first-time login page \nhere\n. (this page took me a while to find)\nFor subsequent logins after activation, click \nhere\n.\nOptional but handy \u2013 download the EPF i-Akaun app.\n\n\nReasons to Use EPF i-Akaun\n\n\n1. View and check EPF statements\n\n\n\n\nThis is how much you should have, based on your age.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n2. Check how much you can withdraw\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYou can withdraw for education and housing purposes. View status of withdrawal application here too. Note: You can only withdraw from Account 2.\n\n\n3. Check who\u2019s your beneficiaries\n\n\nI.e. who is going to get your EPF money. If you haven\u2019t added beneficiaries, I suggest you do that asap. It\u2019ll make it much easier for them to withdraw later on. Note: You can only submit the names at EPF counter. For security and anti-fraud reasons.\n\n\n4. Check \u00a0when is the last time your employer submitted your EPF\n\n\nSometimes, irresponsible employers conveniently \u2018forget\u2019 about this. If you work, your employers should contribute 13% (or 12%, depending on how much you earn) of your salary towards your EPF. If they did not contribute this, they are in the wrong.\n\n\n5. Latest info on EPF and office locations\n\n\nQuite handy I think.\n\n\nConclusion\n\n\nHaving tried it out, I\u2019ll have to say the experience was good. It\u2019s convenient \u2013 I managed to change my address with no problem. I also checked my beneficiaries and felt secure seeing their names listed there \u2013 it\u2019s reassuring to know that if anything happens to me, they will be able to access my EPF money. If you haven\u2019t, I highly recommend you to open your EPF i-Akaun now!\n\n\nThis article was written in collaboration with \nCompareHero\n. To stay up to date with the latest news on personal finance in Malaysia, please follow\u00a0\nCompareHero Facebook Page\n.\u00a0\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/etf-on-bursa-malaysia/", "title": "Explaining Every ETF You Can Invest and Trade on Bursa Malaysia [SPONSORED]\n  ", "body": "\n\nLet\u2019s start this article with this fact: I *love* ETFs. Short for exchange-traded funds, I think it is one of the better ways to invest than stock-picking (for most people) and have been promoting it for a while.\u00a0\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nI dunno who needs to hear this but if you don't have time to read financial statements n no industry knowledge, tak payah buat stock picking, tak payah pilih2 saham\nGet mutual fund, unit trust, ETF (my fav cos low fee) w/ exposure in multiple markets \u2013 MY, US, China etc. Cukup\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nAugust 20, 2021\n\n\n\n\nThe low fee and exposure parts are true. As per Bursa Malaysia\u2019s \nETF explainer video\n, ETFs tend to be more cost effective (cheaper fees) yet allow the investor to get a diversified portfolio of stocks and bonds. \n\n\n\n\nThe easiest way to understand ETFs is that they are funds (like unit trusts)\u2026 that are traded (bought and sold) on exchanges. Imagine buying ASB, ASM, EPF etc on the stock market. That\u2019s kind of how ETF works.\u00a0\n\n\nIn Malaysia, you can \ninvest in ETFs through various platforms\n. All-in-all, there are thousands of ETFs you can choose from around the world!\u00a0\n\n\nIn this article, I want to give you some exposure to the world of ETFs \u2013 by explaining all 16 (just 16!) \nETFs listed on Bursa Malaysia\n. I\u2019ll explain: types of ETFs, what you can tell by their names, which investors they are suited for, and more. This way, you can easily read/dissect other ETFs as well.\u00a0\n\n\nLet\u2019s start!\n\n\nETFs listed on Bursa Malaysia\n\n\nETFs are still considered a new type of investment in Malaysia. In fact, the first ever ETF listed on Bursa Malaysia was back in 2005.\u00a0\n\n\nAt writing time, there are 16 ETFs listed on Bursa Malaysia across 5 Categories:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nCommodity ETF\n\n\nEquity ETF\n\n\nEquity ETF (Shariah-Compliant)\n\n\nFixed Income ETF\n\n\nLeveraged & Inverse ETF\n\n\n\n\nNote: Which ETFs to invest in depends on your financial goals \u2013 go to the Best Way to Invest in ETFs section below for more information. Periodically, new ETFs may be added so be sure to bookmark the \nExchange-Traded Funds page in Bursa Malaysia\n website!\n\n\nWhat\u2019s in the (ETF) name?\n\n\nThe name of each ETF offers a lot of clues to what they are and what assets make up each ETF. Let\u2019s use \nTradePlus Shariah Gold Tracker (0828EA) \nas an example:\n\n\n\n\nTradePlus means the ETF is under AHAM Asset Management Berhad,\u00a0\n\n\nShariah means its Shariah-compliant,  \n\n\nGold Tracker means this ETF closely tracks the performance of the price of gold, and\n\n\n(0828EA) is the stock code\n\n\n\n\nThe name of the ETF might also include the country or region (Malaysia, ASEAN etc), the underlying index (FTSE, KLSI, etc), the quantity of tracked companies (50 biggest in China, etc) and more.\u00a0\n\n\nYou\u2019ll see what I mean, continue reading below \ud83d\ude42 Next, let\u2019s understand each of the ETF categories:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Commodity ETF\n\n\nCommodity ETFs are ETFs that track the price of a given commodity. Commodities are physical products that are meant to be consumed or used in the production process \u2013 things like oil, gold, wheat, etc.\u00a0\n\n\nThere is one Commodity ETF listed on Bursa Malaysia:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nTradePlus Shariah Gold Tracker\n \n(0828EA) \n\u2013 You already know you can do gold investment through digital platforms or in physical gold (coins, jewellery etc). But you can also do gold investment through this ETF!\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Equity ETF\n\n\nSimplistically, equities are shares issued by companies. This category of ETF is the most similar to mutual funds/unit trusts and most popular among investors seeking long-term and/or strategic investment opportunities.\n\n\nGenerally speaking, Equity ETFs are GREAT for investors seeking exposure into different markets (ASEAN, China, Asia, U.S. etc) and have medium-to-high risk appetites.\u00a0\n\n\nThere are six Equity ETFs listed on Bursa Malaysia:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nFTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI ETF (0820EA) \n\u2013 exposure to the 30 biggest listed companies that collectively represent the Malaysian stock market\n\n\nPrincipal FTSE ASEAN 40 Malaysia ETF (0822EA)\n \u2013 tracks the performance of 5 ASEAN markets and consists of 40 constituent stocks from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines\n\n\nPrincipal FTSE China 50 ETF (0823EA)\n \u2013 tracks the FTSE China 50 index that gives exposure to 50 largest and most liquid Chinese stocks listed and traded on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange\n\n\nTradePlus S&P New China Tracker (MYR Class: 0829EA; USD Class: 0829EB) \n\u2013 tracks the performance of the S&P New China Sectors Ex A-Shares Index, which are Chinese listed companies in the consumption and service-oriented industries\n\n\nTradePlus DWA Malaysia Momentum Tracker (0836E)\n \u2013 invest in Malaysian stocks with high momentum movement in terms of pricing\n\n\nTradePlus MSCI Asia Ex Japan Reits Tracker (0837EA)\n \u2013 invest in high dividend paying real estate investment trusts in Asia (excluding Japan)\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Equity ETF (Shariah-Compliant)\n\n\nEquity ETFs (Shariah-Compliant) are the same as Equity ETFs, except they also adhere to additional Islamic guidelines.\u00a0\n\n\nThere are five Equity ETFs (Shariah-Compliant) listed on Bursa Malaysia:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nMyETF Dow Jones U.S. Titans 50 (0827EA) \n\u2013 tracks the performance of the Dow Jones Islamic Market U.S. Titans 50 Index which comprises of the 50 largest companies listed on NYSE and Nasdaq\n\n\nMyETF Dow Jones Islamic Market Malaysia Titan 25 (0821EA)\n \u2013 tracks the performance of 25 largest Shariah-compliant companies listed on Bursa Malaysia\n\n\nMyETF MSCI Malaysia Islamic Dividend (0824EA) \n\u2013 tracks the performance of the Benchmark Index, which is a price return index comprising 16 to 30 Shariah-compliant securities listed on Bursa Securities with higher than average dividend yield\u00a0\n\n\nMYETF MSCI South East Asia Islamic Dividend (0825EA) \n\u2013 tracks the performance of the MSCI South East Asia IMI Islamic High Dividend Yield 10/40 Index which objectively and passively represent the dividend yield opportunity within South East Asia\u2019s Shariah equity markets\n\n\nVP-DJ Shariah China A-Shares 100 ETF (0838EA)\n \u2013 tracks the performance of the largest 100 Shariah-compliant A-share stocks screened from the Dow Jones Islamic Market China A universe which are eligible for Stock Connects\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Fixed Income ETF\n\n\nFixed Income financial products typically promise investors payout on a regular basis or upon maturity. This type of ETF suits investors with a more conservative risk profile (like retirees) and those looking at diversifying their portfolio with fixed income.\n\n\nThere is one Fixed Income ETF listed on Bursa Malaysia:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nABF Malaysia Bond Index Fund (0800EA) \n\u2013 exposure to Ringgit denominated government and quasi government debt securities\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Leveraged and Inverse ETFs\n\n\nUnlike other ETFs in this list, \nLeveraged and Inverse ETFs are for short-term trading\n, not medium-to-long-term investing. One can profit from both bullish (Leveraged) OR bearish market (Inverse) using Leveraged and Inverse ETFs.\u00a0\n\n\nThere is one Leveraged ETF and one Inverse ETF listed on Bursa Malaysia:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nKenanga KLCI Daily 2x Leveraged ETF (0834EA)\n\n\nKenanga KLCI Daily (-1x) Inverse ETF (0835EA)\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019ll be upfront: Leveraged and Inverse ETFs are not recommended for beginners \u2013 they are only suited for sophisticated investors, who are knowledgeable traders with high risk tolerance.\u00a0\n\n\nLeveraged and Inverse ETFs have gained popularity among sophisticated investors as they aim to deliver magnified returns. For example, a 2x leveraged ETF seeks to deliver double the daily performance of the index it trades. Inverse ETFs seek to deliver the opposite of the daily performance of the index it tracks.\u00a0\n\n\nThat said, don\u2019t let me stop you from learning. You can start your journey to become a sophisticated investor by enlisting in Bursa Academy\u2019s \nEmpower Your Leveraged & Inverse (L&I) ETF Investment Journey\n course. It\u2019s FREE to enroll.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nBeyond Bursa Malaysia: Global ETFs\n\n\nI hope the explanation of 16 ETFs above will give you some idea of (1) the different types of ETFs, and (2) who they are suitable/not suitable for.\u00a0\n\n\nAmong all the global ETFs, it might be useful for you to be aware of one particular ETF, called the S&P 500 ETF. Different asset management companies may offer it, but basically it is a highly popular ETF that tracks the performance of top 500 companies in the US.\u00a0\n\n\nWhy is the S&P 500 ETF popular? Well, because:\n\n\n\n\nFinancial media tend to be dominated by US market updates\n\n\nThe US market recorded positive growth for most years\n\n\n\u00a0S&P 500 ETF are frequently recommended by popular finance personalities\n\n\nThe fees are very, very low (for Americans)\n\n\n\n\nHowever, as a Malaysian, you need to think twice about investing in S&P 500 ETF\n. It\u2019s not that you can\u2019t, because exposure beyond Malaysia markets can be a good idea, but definitely seek advice from professionals so it fits into (rather than harm) your investment portfolio.\u00a0\n\n\nWhere and How to Buy/Invest in ETF in Malaysia\n\n\nMalaysian investors can invest in ETFs through 3 main ways:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nRegulated brokers\u00a0\n\n\nRegulated robo advisors\n\n\nRegulated online investment platforms\u00a0\n\n\nNote: The regulated part is non-negotiable \u2013 imagine depositing funds then they don\u2019t let you withdraw! Best to be safe and avoid this situation.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nWhich option to pick, out of the 3? Well, you can read the pros and cons of each option in the \nHow to Buy ETFs in Malaysia Easily and SAFELY\n article.\u00a0\n\n\nETF Rewards 2023 Campaign \u2013 Win a trip for 2 to Langkawi, Bali or Tokyo\n\n\n\n\nHowever you *might* want to take advantage of the \nETF Rewards 2023 Campaign\n, and win yourself a trip for 2 to Langkawi, Bali or Tokyo! Here\u2019s how to join:\n\n\n\n\nStep 1: (skip this if you already have a CDS account) Open a CDS account from any of the \nregulated brokers\n (select Equity)\n\n\nStep 2: Buy RM1,500 worth of ETFs between 1 May \u2013 30 June 2023, and/or RM2,000 worth of ETFs between 1 July \u2013 31 August 2023, and/or RM2,500 worth of ETFs between 1 September -31 October 2023.\u00a0\n\n\nStep 3: That\u2019s it! Just wait until the Lucky Draw announcement and see if you win. For a higher chance of winning, simply invest more. New investors get DOUBLE entries too \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nDo check the \nETF Rewards 2023 Campaign\n for more info on campaign mechanism and T&C. All the best!\n\n\nBest Way to Invest in ETF\n\n\nThe best way to invest in ETFs depends on the type of ETF. Briefly, from the Categories we\u2019ve learned so far:\n\n\n\n\nCommodity ETF\n \u2013 If Gold, then limit to 5-10% of your portfolio. If other types of commodities, seek professional advice (or less than 5% of your portfolio to be safe)\n\n\nEquity ETF \n\u2013 use DCA strategy (see below)\n\n\nEquity ETF (Shariah-Compliant)\n \u2013 use DCA strategy (see below)\n\n\nFixed Income ETF\n \u2013 for people seeking regular income and lower risk investment\u00a0\n\n\nLeveraged & Inverse ETF\n \u2013 for advanced investors with trading skills. Note that L&I ETFs are not Shariah-compliant\n\n\n\n\nUse Dollar-Cost Averaging strategy\n\n\nThe best way to invest in (Equity) ETFs is to use the DCA or Dollar-Cost Averaging strategy. How this strategy works is:\n\n\n\n\nPut in RMxxx in Week 1, Week 2, Week 3\u2026 until Week 52 and repeat, or\n\n\nPut in RMxxx in January, February, March\u2026 until December and repeat, or\n\n\nPut in RMxxx in Q1, Q2\u2026 until Q4 and repeat\n\n\nJust repeat this strategy for years, and save for extremely bad market conditions, you should find yourself with a significant amount\n\n\n\n\nWhy should you do this strategy? \nBecause consistency > timing the market\n. By allocating a set amount, you do not need to worry if the price will go up or down next week, month or quarter. You may get more ETF units when the price is lower, and vice-versa. \n\n\nOver time you would average out your cost, hence the strategy name \u2018Dollar-Cost Averaging\u2019.\u00a0\n\n\nWhen to \u2018cash out\u2019 on your ETF investment?\n\n\nSome of you may ask \u2013 Suraya, when do I withdraw the money, when do I cash out?\u00a0\n\n\nThe answer is to seek professional advice from \nlicensed financial planners\n. \n\n\nAs a general rule though, you should almost never \u2018cash out\u2019, unless you need to use the money. The key with any long-term investment is to stay invested.\n\n\nFurther learning\u00a0\n\n\nI hope the explanation on the 16 ETFs listed on Bursa Malaysia above helps you understand ETFs. By now, you should know some of the categories and can tell more or less what the ETF tracks based on its name. Use this information to make an informed decision in your investment journey.\u00a0\n\n\nAgain, ETFs are one of my favourite investment vehicles as they (tend) to be lower in fees. Less fees mean more profit kept by you (or less loss)!\n\n\n\n\nBeyond this article, you can find resources to \nlearn more about ETFs in Bursa Academy\n and information-sharing sessions organised by regulated platforms offering ETFs.\u00a0\n\n\nDo you invest in ETFs? If yes, which ones? If no, I hope this article will kickstart your ETF journey \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/etfs-in-malaysia/", "title": "How to Buy ETFs in Malaysia Easily and SAFELY\n  ", "body": "\n\nHow to buy ETFs in Malaysia, you ask? You\u2019ve come to the right place. Short for exchange-traded funds, these investments are gaining popularity and may be a better option than unit trusts. \n\n\nSo here\u2019s a quick run-through some questions I sometimes get: (1) are ETFs a good investment, (2) are there good ETFs options in Malaysia, and (3) do I personally have investment in ETFs.\n\n\nAnd the answers are, (1) yes, with caveat (2) yes, and (3) yes.\n\n\nIn this article, I\u2019ll share why ETFs is a good investment (or not), how to buy ETFs in Malaysia, through which platforms (plus pros and cons of each), and answer some FAQs on buying ETFs in Malaysia. Let\u2019s start with,\n\n\nIs ETFs a good investment?\n\n\nYes. Yes it is. ETFs are awesome. It is recommended by many top personal finance experts I respect, including Sallie Krawcheck and Ramit Sethi.\n\n\nEllevest\n (where Sallie is the CEO) has the easiest-to-understand definition of ETFs:\n\n\n\n\n\u201cExchange-traded funds (ETFs) are baskets of investments that resemble mutual funds, but trade on an exchange like a stock. They also tend to have low fees.\u201d\n\n\n\n\nThe low fee part is important.\n Even \nBursa Malaysia Exchange-Traded Funds page\n said \u2018Lower annual management fees for ETFs compared to unit trusts makes ETFs economical to buy and to maintain in the long run.\u2019\n\n\nHowever, this is not a blanket statement \u2013 ETFs may NOT be a good investment if:\n\n\n\n\nYou have not completed Step 3 in the\n 7 Steps to Achieve Financial Freedom in Malaysia\n guide\n\n\nYou do not invest with long-term horizon (for short-term savings, use these \nSavings Accounts\n instead)\n\n\nYou play around with Leveraged/Inverse ETFs without knowledge (those are for high-risk investors/traders)\n\n\n\n\nHow to Buy ETFs in Malaysia\n\n\nThere are 3 main ways to invest in exchange-traded funds in Malaysia. I\u2019ve ranked them (loosely) from easiest to hardest: \n\n\n\n\nVia robo advisors \n\n\nThe ones listed on Bursa Malaysia\n\n\nVia online investment platforms\n\n\n(Are there more? Let me know in the comments \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nNote: You can also buy ETFs via other platforms outside of Malaysia, but I wouldn\u2019t recommend it. I don\u2019t care if other people use it and claim it\u2019s safe. I wouldn\u2019t. \n\n\nNot only it is UNREGULATED, it also requires you to open a foreign account before you can top up your accounts. It\u2019s also messy and inconvenient, so ignore this option if you want to keep it safe and simple. \n\n\n#1 \u2013 Buy ETFs via robo advisors\n\n\nThe easiest way to invest in ETFs in Malaysia is through robo advisors. This is a great method for most investors \u2013 just top up monthly or regularly. \n\n\nAs of time of writing, there are 8 robo advisors serving the Malaysian market \u2013 at least 1 of them will be perfect for you. See comparison between them in\u00a0\nUltimate Comparison Between 8 Robo Advisor in Malaysia\n article.\n\n\nWith robo advisors, you may not invest in just one ETF, but rather a combination of, depending on your portfolio (they will help you choose). For example, this particular portfolio has 65% allocation in Global Stocks, 20% in Emerging Market Stocks, Sukuk and Cash. \n\n\n\n\nPros of investing in ETFs via robo advisor:\n\n\n\n\nAmazing UI/UX. Easy to navigate and beginner-friendly\n\n\nThey help you select which ETFs to invest in and/or % of ETFs in your asset allocation, based on your risk appetite and goals <\u2014 this is a HUGE pro!\n\n\nAccess to ETFs in global markets\n\n\nYou can automate monthly topup so it\u2019s a nice way to invest passively. A set-and-forget system. This strategy is called \ndollar-cost averaging\n \u2013 arguably the best investment strategy there is\n\n\nNo matter how many times you buy or sell ETFs, you only pay a set annual fee, calculated in %. It\u2019s very straightforward and affordable\n\n\n\n\nCons of \ninvesting in \nETFs via robo advisor:\n\n\n\n\nPeople who have excessive Domestic Ringgit Borrowing (local loans/debt) may not be able to open an account. BNM rules\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Buy ETFs listed on Bursa Malaysia\n\n\nThe second way to invest in ETFs in Malaysia is to buy the ETFs listed on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia. \n\n\nAs of writing time, there are 16 ETFs available, divided in the following categories:\n\n\n\n\nCommodity ETF\n\n\nEquity ETF\n\n\nEquity ETF (Shariah Compliant)\n\n\nFixed Income ETF \n\n\nLeveraged & Inverse ETF (avoid this if you are new in the stock market/ investing in general, concentrate on Commodity, Equity or Fixed Income ETFs first)\n\n\n\n\nYou can read more info on each ETF listed on Bursa Malaysia in the \nExplaining Every ETF You Can Invest and Trade from Bursa Malaysia\n article.\n\n\nBuying ETFs listed on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia should be easy if you are already familiar with the stock-buying process. Just use your CDS account to find and buy the ETFs you want. If you don\u2019t have a CDS account, you need to open a stock brokerage account first. \n\n\nPros of \ninvesting in\n ETFs listed on Bursa Malaysia:\n\n\n\n\nOptions available for low risk, medium risk and high risk investors\n\n\nAccess to Malaysia, China, US and some Asian markets\n\n\n\n\nCons of \ninvesting in\n ETFs listed on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia:\n\n\n\n\nUnlike robo advisor, I don\u2019t think you can make automatic monthly topups. Let me know if it\u2019s possible\n\n\nYou\u2019ll be charged per trade so there\u2019ll be some strategy involved. You don\u2019t want to make small, but frequent trades = will lose a lot %-wise in fees\n\n\nYou need to be aware of your own risk profile so you can pick the right ETFs for yourself\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Buy ETFs via online investment platforms regulated in Malaysia\n\n\nAFAIK, there are 3 online investment platforms that allow you to buy/sell ETFs easily in Malaysia: \n\n\n\n\nMIDF Invest (read my \nMIDF Invest review\n)\n\n\nFSMOne\n\n\nRakuten Trade\n\n\n\n\n(Let me know if there are more online investment platforms that offer ETFs in Malaysia!)\n\n\nPros of \ninvesting in\n ETFs via online investment platforms:\n\n\n\n\nA LOT of ETFs options\n\n\nAccess to ETFs in global markets\n\n\nYou can also use the same online investment platforms to buy stocks in various markets, unit trusts (I use FSMOne to buy my \nPRS fund\n), bonds and more\n\n\n\n\nCons of \ninvesting in\n ETFs via online investment platforms:\n\n\n\n\nYou\u2019ll be charged per trade so there\u2019ll be some strategy involved. You don\u2019t want to make small, but frequent trades = will lose a lot %-wise in fees\n\n\nThe fact that there is a LOT of ETFs options can also be a con. They may offer educational materials and selector tools but at the end of the day, YOU as the investor must know your own risk profile and investment goals \n\n\nI am not kidding about how many options there are. As of writing time, \nFSMOne\n alone offers 3,420 ETFs in their platform! (If this alone overwhelms you, just use robo advisor or pick ETFs listed on Bursa Malaysia)\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFAQs Section on Investing in ETFs in Malaysia\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Which is the best ETF in Malaysia\n\n\nThe best ETF in Malaysia is the one that suits your risk profile and diversification strategy. Are you a low risk, medium risk or high risk investor? Are you over or under-invested in particular markets?\n\n\nIf you don\u2019t know, then I highly recommend using Option 1- robo advisors, or engage with a \nfinancial planner\n \u2013 they can suggest some suitable ETFs combinations suited for your portfolio.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Can I invest in gold ETFs in Malaysia?\n\n\nAnswer: Yes, you can invest in gold ETFs in Malaysia. Here are some ways:\n\n\n\n\nOpen a Wahed Invest account and open a Gold Portfolio. It invests 97.5% of the funds in \nTradePlus Shariah Gold Tracker\n (\ndownload Wahed Invest from Appstore/iOS\n\u00a0and\u00a0\nuse my referral code \u2018surbin1\u2019 to get free RM10 bonus\n\n\nBuy \nTradePlus Shariah Gold Tracker\n directly from your CDS account. It\u2019s listed in the Bursa Malaysia Main Market\n\n\nYou can buy various types of Gold ETFs from online investment platforms\n\n\n\n\nNote: You can also buy Silver ETFs in Malaysia, but only from online investment platforms\n\n\nAre there other ways to invest in gold ETFs in Malaysia? Let me know in the comments \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Can I invest in US ETFs in Malaysia?\n\n\nAnswer: Yes, you can invest in US ETFs in Malaysia. Here are some ways:\n\n\n\n\nOpen a Wahed Invest account and open a US Stocks Portfolio. It invests 97.5% of the funds in \nWahed FTSE USA Shariah ETF\n (\ndownload Wahed Invest from Appstore/iOS\n\u00a0and\u00a0\nuse my referral code \u2018surbin1\u2019 to get free RM10 bonus\n\n\nGo to \nUltimate Comparison Between 8 Robo Advisor in Malaysia\n article and see the Best Roboadvisory in Malaysia: Global Exposure section\n\n\nBuy \nMyETF Dow Jones U.S. Titans 50\n directly from your CDS account. It\u2019s listed in the Bursa Malaysia Main Market\n\n\nYou can get various types of US ETFs from online investment platforms too (probably the easiest way to get the famous \nVanguard S&P 500 ETF\n in Malaysia)\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAre there other ways to invest in US ETFs in Malaysia? Let me know in the comments \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Can I invest in China ETFs in Malaysia?\n\n\nAnswer: Yes, you can invest in China ETFs in Malaysia. Here are some ways:\n\n\n\n\nOpen a Wahed Invest account and open a China Stocks Portfolio. It invests 97.5% of the funds in \nVP-DJ Shariah China A-Shares\n (\ndownload Wahed Invest from Appstore/iOS\n\u00a0and\u00a0\nuse my referral code \u2018surbin1\u2019 to get free RM10 bonus\n\n\nGo to \nUltimate Comparison Between 8 Robo Advisor in Malaysia\n article and see the Best Roboadvisory in Malaysia: Global Exposure section\n\n\nBuy \nPrincipal FTSE China 50 ETF\n and/or \nTradePlus S&P New China Tracker\n and/or \nVP-DJ Shariah China A-Shares\n directly from your CDS account. It\u2019s listed in the Bursa Malaysia Main Market\n\n\nYou can get various types of China ETFs from online investment platforms too\n\n\n\n\nAre there other ways to invest in China ETFs in Malaysia? Let me know in the comments \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n#5 \u2013 What is the best ETFs investment strategy?\n\n\nI maintain that for most people, \ndollar-cost averaging\n strategy is the best investment strategy they can use. How it works is:\n\n\n\n\nPut in RMxxx in Week 1, Week 2, Week 3\u2026 until Week 52 and repeat, or\n\n\nPut in RMxxx in January, February, March\u2026 until December and repeat, or\n\n\nPut in RMxxx in Q1, Q2\u2026 until Q4 and repeat\n\n\nYou get the gist\n\n\n\n\nAFAIK, only robo advisors (see #1) can automate this process \u2013 let me know if others can as well. \n\n\nI myself primarily invest in ETFs through robo advisors (secondary: online investment platforms). Otherwise, you have to manually make the order yourself every week/month/quarter. Easy in theory, but easy to skip (speaking of myself). \n\n\nDo you do ETF investment in Malaysia?\n\n\nIf yes, which ones? How long? How is it so far?\n\n\nAs for me, you can view my ETF performance via the robo advisor that I chose \u2013 see \nThe Ultimate Wahed Invest Review (3+ Years In, RM11,000 Invested)\n article.\n\n\nI\u2019ll end this here. What tips, pros and cons related to investing in ETFs in Malaysia would you add in this article? Share in the comments so all of us can learn!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/ethical-investing-malaysia/", "title": "[VIDEO] A Conversation on Socially Responsible Investing feat. Najmuddin Mohd Lutfi, CEO of BIMB Investment\n  ", "body": "Let\u2019s talk about SRI, or \nSocially Responsible Investing\n, also known as S\nustainable Investing\n, \nESG Investing\n (Environmental, Social and Governance) or otherwise under the umbrella of \nethical investing\n. I like the idea of my money being used for good, even while investing it.\n\n\nBut \u2013 how do you invest in \u2018good\u2019 companies? How do you even quantify \u2018good\u2019? Joining me is Mr Najmuddin Mohd Lutfi, CEO of BIMB Investment Management Berhad. That\u2019s the company behind BEST Invest app, which offers sustainable funds for retail investors (ie you and me) to invest in.\n\n\nIn this video, you\u2019ll find out:\n\n\n\n\nThe terms SRI and ESG Investing\n\n\nHow it is defined, from the financial point of view\n\n\nThe usage of data in quantifying \u2018good\u2019\n\n\nHow it is used to make better (read: more profitable) investments\n\n\nThe catch of using this method of investing\n\n\nPlus my commentary on accountability\n\n\n\n\nView the full video below \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nDo you factor in ethics while making investment decisions? What investments you *won\u2019t* do because it doesn\u2019t reflect your values? Tell me in the comments section!\n\n\nFurther reading:\u00a0\n[SPONSORED] I Tried BEST Invest by BIMB Investment, the \u2018First Robo-Intelligence Shariah ESG Online Investment App\u2019\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/forex-trading-malaysia/", "title": "Forex Trading Malaysia: My Experience with 3 Forex Brokers\n  ", "body": "\n\nLet me just start this forex trading Malaysia guide by saying that yes, forex is legit, but many forex brokers are not.  If you combine that with the haram factor (oh yes, \nforex trading is haram\n), then it\u2019s not the most appealing of industries to enter. \n\n\nBut I\u2019m getting ahead of myself. Let\u2019s start from the beginning. We will cover terms like forex trading, leverage, and my experience with forex brokers. \n\n\nThe Forex Temptation\n\n\nIf you\u2019re a finance nut like me, chances are you have been exposed to Forex broker advertisements. Maybe from Facebook, maybe from YouTube, definitely from Google. \n\n\n\n\nI mean, you\u2019ve ignored those forex broker ads, of course. You\u2019re already used to it. It\u2019s likely that your eyes sorta glaze over those ads, barely even registering it.\n\n\nBut once in a while, they catch your attention. And you, with your tight budget, starts to wonder, \nwhat if forex trading is the solution to my financial problems?\n\n\nAs someone who felt the exact same thing and kinda dabbled in it, let me give you the lowdown on forex trading, including my experience with a few forex brokers. \n\n\nForex trading Malaysia basics:  What is Forex trading\n\n\nForex\n is short for Foreign exchange market, and \ntrading \nis buying and selling, so forex trading is essentially \nthe buying and selling of currencies\n. It\u2019s the world\u2019s largest liquid market, and literally any currency from a sound government can be traded against each other.\n\n\n(Liquid means that the value is ready to be spent, to be transacted. RM1 million in cash is highly liquid, you can use portions of it for anything. RM1 million in property have to be sold in order to be spent, so it\u2019s not considered liquid)\n\n\nFinancial institutions and individuals (aka retail investors) trade currencies in this market. Forex trading for beginners starts with learning the simple principle of supply and demand \u2013 if a lot of people are buying currency X, the price will go up. If a lot of people are selling currency Y, the price will go down. (It\u2019s more complex that than but enough to know for now).\n\n\nForex exchange market hours are Monday-Friday. It is closed during weekends and public holidays. \n\n\nBasics of buying and selling currencies\n\n\nYou have used the services of the currency exchange booth, either at the mall or bank, yes? They usually display their buy and sell price, for example:\n\n\nSell 1 USD for MYR 4.25\nBuy 1 USD for MYR 4.05\n\n\nThey make money by charging you a fee for the service, as well as pocketing the margin, or the difference between buy and sell price.\n\n\nHow about you? Can YOU make money this way? Yes, IF you previously bought USD for a lower price and wait to sell it at a higher price. For example, if you bought 100 USD for MYR 3.50 each a month ago (let\u2019s say), and sold it to the currency exchange booth for MYR 4.05 each, then you would have made 55 sen profit for each USD (before deducting fees).\n\n\nWhat a simple way to make money, right! Theoretically, if you bought USD1000 at RM3.50 and sold at RM4.45, you would have made \nRM950\n, or 27% profit in less than a year. \n\n\n\n\nBut of course there\u2019s a catch: wild currency fluctuations don\u2019t happen very often. The forex chart above happened in 2015, and since then USD/MYR pair has been comparatively stable. In 2021, USD/MYR traded between the MYR 4.00-4.25 range. \n\n\nIn fact, this type of \u2018trading\u2019 is considered so safe, you can open foreign currency accounts in banks and hold many types of foreign currencies. Your deposits are even \nprotected by PIDM\n. \n\n\n(Alternatively, you can also keep the money as physical cash. Or if you\u2019re crypto-savvy, you can keep a type of \ncryptocurrency \ncalled stablecoins. Up to you). \n\n\nImage screenshot: Maybank\n\n\nForex brokers and forex leverage\n\n\nNow, the above example is NOT the high-risk, high reward forex trading you\u2019re thinking of. Some of you may even think \u2013 USD 1000 capital and \nonly\n RM950 profit in a good \nyear\n? That\u2019s not good enough for me! How about the people who profited thousands within days? I want to know *that* type of forex trading. \n\n\nThat\u2019s where \nforex brokers \nwhich offer forex \nleverage\n come in. You no longer care whether the currency will rise or fall, because you can profit from both circumstances. \n\n\nForex brokers essentially make money by charging you fees to enter trades. Most, if not all brokers offer a service related to technical analysis, whether webinars, seminars, classes, or their own forex chart software, helping you spot patterns and trends.\n\n\nThere are countless forex brokers out there, and aside from the technical analysis service, one of the main features people look for is how much forex leverage they offer. For example, let\u2019s say you have USD100 in capital:\n\n\nIf they offer \n1:10, \nthat means you can trade USD 1000 worth\nIf they offer \n1:100\n, that means you can trade USD 10000 worth\n\n\nThis is what makes it high risk, high return\n. If you have winning trades, you can 10, 100x your profits. But the reverse is also true \u2013 and that\u2019s the dangerous part. \n\n\nTechnical Analysis and Reading Forex chart \n\n\nSo I mentioned patterns and trends. I won\u2019t go too much into details right now, that\u2019s literally whole books and courses. Basically, there are forex chart indicators that a trader can use to predict whether the market will go up or down, and by how much. From the information, they will \u2018long\u2019 or \u2018short\u2019 the market. \n\n\nThis sounds simple in theory, but because the market is so wildly unpredictable, and indicators can be read wrongly, \nmany inexperienced traders will lose money\n.\n Technical analysis is not an easy skill to learn.\n \n\n\nImage credit: tradingview.com\n\n\nThe problem: many forex brokers make it sound easy \n\n\nSo if you ask me, can you make money from forex trading in Malaysia, I will say yes, it is, but you have to be super careful where you learn forex trading from, because forex brokers will usually try to make technical analysis sound super simple. This ad says you can learn in 4 days (??!! many people take months/years to learn! And they have probably lost a lot of money as \u2018tuition fee\u2019 in the process!)\n\n\n\n\nAs mentioned, Forex brokers charge you fees to enter a trade, so basically \nthey don\u2019t care if you make a profit or a loss\n \u2013 they will make money either way. \nIt is in their best interest to encourage you to enter as many trades as possible in the shortest time frame\n. \n\n\nIt\u2019s not uncommon for inexperienced traders \u2013 people who were misled into thinking technical analysis is easy \u2013 to wipe out their whole account in a single trade. On top of that, they may even owe debt!\n\n\nThere\u2019s no hard data (that I can find), but this article says that \n95% of traders lose money in Forex\n. In the comments, someone said that he is still losing money despite being 3 years in!\n\n\nNot all forex brokers are unethical\u2026 but many are\n\n\nTo be fair, some forex brokers are more honest than others. They have the reputation for offering good customer service, transferring your earnings quickly, and have easy-to-use trading platforms.\n\n\nSome forex brokers use the \u2018Free to start. Free to try. Free bonus money.\u2019 approach. Understandable, a lot of companies use this tactic too. \n\n\nOthers are a bit more\u2026 unethical. I\u2019ve seen forex brokers that do advertisements that appeal solely to your emotional, desperate side. \u2018Get $XXXXX of cash in a few days!\u2019-types. If you are financially tight, this would be very dangerous. \nEmotions make a shit trader.\n\n\nOther forex brokers hire \nforex influencers \nwho imply forex trading is an easy way to get rich. You know the trope: posing in front of big houses and cars, bling outfits, bling watch. This is not bad, per se \u2013 but they conveniently ignore people who lose all their money while trying to copy them.\n\n\nLet me share my own experience with 3 forex brokers. You\u2019ll see what I mean by unethical. \n\n\nForex broker #1 \u2013 That time I unknowingly worked in a forex company\n\n\nIn my early twenties, I applied for a lot of jobs in KL and was selected for what I thought was an executive-something position. This company has (had?) a really fancy office with KLCC view. Their office space took a whole floor in a shiny office tower, the fixtures were swanky, and the staff looked professional. \n\n\nI was told that before they can sign me on, I have to undergo a week-long training. Monday came, I was really excited, although I didn\u2019t really know what the job really entailed. I was a Shah Alam kid and this was a job in KL \u2013 whatever it was, I was eager to learn.\n\n\nI was put in a small group of about 4 people to train together, and mentored by an elder woman who asked us to call her Madam. From the start, she was really nice, and encouraged us to bond.\n\n\nI didn\u2019t realise this at the time, but the \u2018training\u2019 was actually a crash course in technical analysis. She printed out forex charts, showed us how to spot indicators, and asked us to practice calculating potential profits from the example trades. \n\n\nRight off the bat, we were making \nhypothetical thousands of ringgits\n in just a few hours. She showered us with praises when we correctly spotted trends, and her manager told me that she foresee me doing really well, at the rate that I\u2019m learning.\n\n\nBy mid Day 2, I thought that the job was to manage funds for other people. The thought didn\u2019t scare me. I was high from all the praises \u2013 I even thought I was naturally talented at it!\n\n\nBy Day 3, Madam told me that I have a lot of potential and should continue to work there, but she said, and here I quote, \u2018\nit would be really hard for people to view you as respectable fund manager if you are not managing an account\n\u2018.\n\n\nHow do I get an account, I asked.\n\n\nWe fund our own accounts, she said. \n\n\nMadam told me she managed her husband\u2019s account, and how it turned out to be more profitable than they thought and their retirement is all but guaranteed. \u2018You should get your family members to join,\u2019 she said, \u2018so your family will be richer, instead of random people\u2019.\n\n\nShe pointed to the large screen which showed a bunch of live currency forex charts. \u2018I get all the support system for trading here, we colleagues help each other so our accounts get bigger\u2019.\n\n\nShe pointed to some staff members and told me the accounts they managed. That staff also manages her family account. That one over there manages two accounts for friends and family.\n\n\nAll it takes to open an account, she said, is RM500,000.\n\n\nRM500,000.\n\n\nI\u2019m ashamed to admit that I was so brainwashed with the idea that I asked my dad if he could open an account. I might have freaked him out. He said no real fast.\n\n\nWhen I told that to Madam, she said that she was disappointed with my father\u2019s \u2018lost opportunity\u2019. \nShe then suggested that I should find some family friends to \u2018pool together the RM500,000.\u2019\n\n\nBy this time the alarm bells rang. The next day, I didn\u2019t even bother turning up.\n\n\nI don\u2019t know if the company was a scam. The paperwork, the establishment screamed legit.\n\n\nI think that this is just the way this company, which is actually a forex broker, recruited clients. Other forex brokers use ads. They used the job vacancy section. \nThey turned their employees into clients.\n\n\nThat was a bullet dodged. Thank goodness we didn\u2019t have RM500,000 lying around, like normal people.\n\n\nForex broker #2 \u2013 Get customers from Webinars and Seminars \n\n\nOn another occasion, I enlisted myself in a \n12-week technical analysis forex trading webinar\n. The quality of the material was good but not great, and they kept dangling the \u2018pro classes\u2019 where they promised to teach me how to make money while I traded live. \n\n\nDid you get that? The classes were a customer recruitment method for a forex broker, after all! After the webinar ended, the staff followed up via email and phone calls relentlessly, for months in an effort to sign me up. \n\n\nThat wasn\u2019t the only one. I also went to a free \n\u2018learn ways to make extra income\u2019 seminar\n advertised in The Star. Their \u2018special method\u2019 for forex trading uses Chinese astrology, I kid you not. I can\u2019t imagine how they even use dragons and sheep in technical analysis! \n\n\n(They also pushed for the audience to buy the full coaching course, which carried a 4-5 figure price tag (credit card payment is available of course).\n\n\nForex broker #3 \u2013  Online Forex Copy Trading broker\n\n\nYes, I got sucked in forex copy trading as well. Basically what happened what I funded my account with cryptocurrency, and \u2018copied\u2019 the trades performed by high-performing traders. \n\n\nNeedless to say, I \nlost all my money\n there. I say this from experience \u2013 don\u2019t believe forex copy trading\u2019s \u2018easy way to make money\u2019 promises. It\u2019s not as easy as they make it sound. \n\n\nForex trading Malaysia: What you NEED to remember\n\n\nI shared these stories not to scare you, but to remind you that the financial instruments may be legit, but many parties out there will want to exploit your desire to make money. \n\n\nAfter all of these learning experiences, I became more selective with my investment opportunities. I also developed extra sensitivity to the psychology of limited-time offers. The moment some coach is like, \u2018IS FEAR HOLDING YOU BACK FROM RICHES\u2019, I\u2019m like, STFU YES SO WHAT.\n\n\nI\u2019m happy being a slow investor. I like to have time to research, and have a healthy sense of fear. Perhaps it\u2019s not making me fast money, but I\u2019m not losing money either.\n\n\nRemember, No 1 Rule of making money: \nDon\u2019t Lose Money\n.\n I think it\u2019s fine to lose *some* money \u2013 it\u2019s inevitable in the learning process, and even the best investors/traders lose money at least some of the time. But definitely learn to \nlimit your losses\n. If you wan\u2019t to dabble with forex out of curiosity (like I did), only use play money, not rent money. \n\n\nDo you have any experience with forex trading? Was it positive or negative? Share in the comments section so all of us to learn.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/gold-coin-gold-bar-malaysia/", "title": "[SPONSORED] 20+ Interesting Gold Coin and Gold Bar Designs\n  ", "body": "\n\nIf you\u2019re keen to collect \nsomething\n, why not collect gold coins and gold bars? They tend to appreciate in value in the long run. If you get bored of your collection or need money, you can resell it and get back what you paid (and perhaps more than that). You can\u2019t say the same for most other collections. \n\n\nIn this collaboration post with \nbuysilvermalaysia.com\n (which actually sells a lot of gold too despite the name), we would like to share some interesting gold coin and gold bar designs for your visual pleasure. Your inner pirate will appreciate this.\n\n\n\n\nAll gold coins and gold bars from \nbuysilvermalaysia.com\n have 99.99% purity and backed by reputable companies such as PAMP Suisse, Perth Mint and Royal Canadian Mint, or backed by banks and governments. Most of them come with authentication certificates. \n\n\nGold Coins\n\n\nPerth Mint Series\n\n\nTIL Perth Mint releases Chinese Zodiac animals-themed gold coins. No prize for guessing who they\u2019re targeting. Three choices available are Lunar Dog, Lunar Rooster and Lunar Monkey. Queen Elizabeth seems to be a popular choice as back design. Check her out in Lunar Rooster \u2013 got cheekbones for days wow. \n\n\nLunar Dog \n\n\nAvailable in 1/10 oz |\u00a0\nLink\n\n\n\n\nLunar Rooster\n\n\nAvailable in 1/10 oz |\u00a0\nLink\n\n\n\n\nLunar Monkey\n\n\nAvailable in 1/10 oz |\u00a0\nLink\n\n\n\n\nPerth Mint Series\n\n\nAside from the Lunar series, Perth Mint also released the Australian Kangaroo coin and a rectangle (???!!!) dragon coin.\u00a0\n\n\nAustralian Kangaroo\n\n\nAvailable in \u00a01 oz |\u00a0\nLink\n\n\n\n\nDragon\n\n\nAvailable in \u00a01 oz |\u00a0\nLink\n\n\n\n\nRoyal Canadian Mint\n\n\nNo other country is as obsessed with a \nleaf\n like Canada, correct or not? Even the Golden Eagle design also got leaf there. \n\n\nNoting with interest the different coin denomination (see back designs). The smallest coin is 50 cent; the bigger and biggest coins are 50 dollars and \n200 dollars\n. \n\n\nMaple Leaf\n\n\nAvailable in 1 oz |\u00a0\nLink\n\n\n\n\nCanada Maple leaf\n\n\nAvailable in 1 oz |\u00a0\nLink\n\n\n\n\nCanada Golden Eagle\n\n\nAvailable in 1 oz |\u00a0\nLink\n\n\n\n\nCanada Maple Leaf \n\n\nThis one is also from Canada but not from Royal Canadian Mint specifically. It\u2019s backed by the Canadian government. To commemorate Idk 25 years of worship for maple leaves probably. \n\n\nAvailable in \u00a01 oz |\u00a0\nLink\n\n\n\n\nGold Britannia Series\n\n\nThis is probably my favourite design in this list. So cool, so detailed. This coin, under the Gold Britannia series is backed by the British government\n\n\nAvailable in 1/10 oz |\u00a0\nLink\n\n\n\n\nPeople\u2019s Bank of China Series\n\n\nIt\u2019s China, so not surprised by the panda-themed coins. One closeup shot, one full body shot. Both chubby. \n\n\nChinese Panda\n\n\nAvailable in 30 grams |\u00a0\nLink\n\n\n\n\nChinese Panda 2\n\n\nAvailable in 3 grams |\u00a0\nLink\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nGold Bars\n\n\nThis section is all about gold bars! I was surprised by the offerings, tbh. The packaging is much more amazing than I thought! \n\n\nPAMP Suisse Series\n\n\nPAMP Suisse is one of the biggest names in gold industry \u2013 their reputation is solid. \n\n\nIt slightly bothers me that the Lady Fortuna image is anatomically incorrect. How you hold the gold coins if your body turned sideways like that?\n\n\nLady Fortuna\n\n\nAvailable in different sizes as little as 1g! \nLady Fortuna 5g\n is very popular |\u00a0\nLink\n\n\n\n\nLady Fortuna\n\n\nAvailable in 10 grams |\u00a0\nLink\n\n\n\n\nRomanesque\n\n\nNice design. If you\u2019re offended for any reason, just imagine it\u2019s the letter \u2018t\u2019. \n\n\nAvailable in 5 grams |\u00a0\nLink\n\n\n\n\nLove Always\n\n\nMakes a \nvery \nacceptable present. \n\n\nAvailable 5 grams |\u00a0\nLink\n\n\n\n\nPAMP Suisse Lunar Series\n\n\nAnother Lunar series, this time by PAMP Suisse. Amazing details! The dog and goat got anak!\n\n\nLunar Dog\n\n\nAvailable in 5 grams |\u00a0\nLink\n\n\n\n\nLunar Rooster\n\n\nAvailable in 5 grams |\u00a0\nLink\n\n\n\n\nLunar Monkey\n\n\nAvailable in 5 grams |\u00a0\nLink\n\n\n\n\nLunar Dragon\n\n\nAvailable in 5 grams |\u00a0\nLink\n\n\n\n\nLunar Goat\n\n\nAvailable in 5 grams |\u00a0\nLink\n\n\n\n\nLunar Horse\n\n\nAvailable in 5 grams |\u00a0\nLink\n\n\n\n\nLunar Snake\n\n\nAvailable in 5 grams |\u00a0\nLink\n\n\n\n\nPerth Mint Series\n\n\nAvailable in two designs: a surprisingly sleek-looking kangaroo design and \u2018Oriana\u2019 design. I don\u2019t know who Oriana is. Google says it\u2019s a medieval name. It\u2019s also the name of a ship and a hotel in Malta. \n\n\nKangaroo\n\n\nAvailable in 1, 5, 10 and 20 grams |\u00a0\nLink\n\n\n\n\nOriana\n\n\nAvailable in 5 and 10 grams |\u00a0\nLink\n\n\n\n\nGold bars\n\n\nThese are the ugliest gold bars among the lot, but the most valuable \nby sheer volume\n. Yes, that\u2019s how 50g, 100g, 500g and a kilo of gold looks like. That\u2019s what banks stack up in vaults. In movies, you always see a mountain of them right? Click the link to find out how much ONE of them cost. \n\n\n50g / 100g |\u00a0\nLink\n\n\n\n\n500g / 1kg |\u00a0\nLink\n\n\n\n\nLast Words\n\n\nGold is considered a safe store of value \nprovided you get them from reputable sources\n, and suitable for diversification purposes. \n\n\nBuySilverMalaysia.com\n is a wholesaler for gold and silver which has been in the market for over 7 years. If you want to buy gold for investment, do check them out as their prices are 20-30% lower than the retail gold shops!\n\n\nAnother reason to buy from them is their prices are based on 24 hours Live International Pricing. This means that you can buy at anytime of the day and reap maximum savings when the gold price is low.\n\n\nTo view all of these gold coins and bars in one place, as well as silver coins and bars, check out \nbuysilvermalaysia.com\n. \n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/halal-investing/", "title": "17 Halal Investment Options: Find Best Shariah Compliant Investments in Malaysia\n  ", "body": "\n\nA decade or so ago, halal investment options for Muslims are limited. Nowadays though, there are many! Learn how to invest halal in this article \u2013 I\u2019ve compiled everything I know about halal investing in Malaysia!\n\n\nI love the underlying values behind halal investing, like how usury (interest) or riba is prohibited, and how excessive risk-taking or gharar is not encouraged, and how maysir or gambling is forbidden. \n\n\nI also love how Islamic finance and banking are structured in the for-the-good-of-the-ummah outcome, even though admittedly \nthings are never perfect in practice\n. \n\n\nYour Halal Investment Options\n\n\nThroughout the years, I\u2019ve researched all the different types of Shariah-compliant investments in Malaysia, which are deemed either halal or harus. \n\n\nIt came up to 17 halal investment options, which I\u2019ve divided into 4 categories:\n\n\n\n\nIslamic Unit trust in Malaysia/ Mutual funds/ Diversified funds \n\n\nShariah-compliant stocks\n and equities in Bursa Malaysia\n\n\nFixed deposits and cash management platforms\n\n\nOthers \n\n\n\n\nBefore you proceed with this article\u2026\n\n\n\n\nThere are four things I need to say first:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 \nMuslims can still make non-Shariah compliant investments\n \n\n\nNo one is going to stop you. There is no Islamic police who will arrest you or anything. It\u2019s a personal choice.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 \nNon-Muslims can do halal investing in Malaysia\n\n\nYou absolutely can, no problem. The only downside is the selection is much smaller, and at times non-existent \u2013 \nwarrants\n, futures, and options trading are all \nnot\n Shariah-compliant. \n\n\n(Don\u2019t @ me, this is completely true)\n\n\n#3 \u2013 \nSpellings may differ\n\n\nFor example, sometimes you\u2019ll see Syariah, sometimes Shariah. Doesn\u2019t matter, same thing.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 \nI\u2019m taking it in good faith\n\n\nIslam may be perfect (for believers), but Muslims are not. If Islamic finance experts and bodies gave an Islamic product the halal stamp, I\u2019ll add them here, even if there may be conflicting views about the \u2018Islamic-ness\u2019 of it all.\n\n\nWith that in mind, let\u2019s start.\n\n\nCategory #1: Islamic Unit trust in Malaysia/ Mutual funds/ Diversified funds\n\n\nThere are many options for diversified funds, including Islamic unit trusts and mutual funds in Malaysia. Let\u2019s go through them one by one.\u00a0\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Tabung Haji\n\n\nTabung Haji is fully Shariah-compliant. They will also \nsort out and pay zakat contribution from your investment profits on your behalf\n.\n\n\nThose of you who want to go on hajj, you HAVE to open Tabung Haji account and maintain a minimum balance of RM1300.\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 ASNB funds\n\n\nThe most popular ASNB (\nAmanah Saham Nasional Berhad\n) funds are ASB (Amanah Saham Bumiputera) and ASN (Amanah Saham Nasional). \n\n\nTo be absolutely clear, even though a significant chunk of the fund is invested in non-Shariah compliant assets, it received the \n\u2018harus\u2019 fatwa\n from the National Fatwa Council based on the principles of Maqasid al-Shariah (top row, furthest right). \n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 EPF/KWSP\n\n\nIf not mistaken, accounts registered before 2017 are conventional accounts by default. So if your EPF account is registered before then, you need to do the switch from conventional to Shariah yourself. \n\n\nThe process to switch from conventional to Shariah is very simple:\n\n\n\n\nLog in to \nEPF i-Akaun portal\n\n\nFind Simpanan Shariah at the top bar\n\n\nComplete e-akad\n\n\nDone; it will be implemented from 1 Jan the next year\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Islamic unit trusts from Private fund management companies\n\n\nAs for other Islamic unit trusts, you can generally (but not always) find out if the fund is shariah-compliant or not \nby looking at the fund name\n. If it has the words \u2018\nShariah\n\u2018, \u2018\nIslamic\n\u2018, and/or \u2018\nSukuk\n\u2018 (Islamic version of Bonds) in the name, it\u2019s an Islamic investment.\n\n\nYou can also tell that they\u2019re Shariah-compliant investment if they use Arabic terms like Al-[name] in the name, or it\u2019s issued by an Islamic fund management company, like AIIMAN.\n\n\n\n\nTo learn more about investing in unit trusts and where to find them, please refer to my \n3 Ways to Pick the Best Unit Trust in Malaysia (Advisory & DIY Method)\n article.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Robo advisor\n\n\nAs of writing time, Wahed Invest is the ONLY Shariah-compliant roboadvisor in Malaysia. \n\n\nOriginally from New York, this platform is great for Muslim investors who want to diversify their investments easily, as they can guide and suggest various portfolios suitable to one\u2019s risk appetite. They also have very affordable fees.\u00a0\n\n\nI love it as they help me diversify into US and emerging markets, and help to calculate zakat pelaburan as well, making the purification process easy. \n\n\n Read my review: \nThe Ultimate Wahed Invest Review After 3+ Years In, RM11,000 Invested\n\n\nCategory #2: Shariah-compliant Malaysian stocks and equities\n in Bursa Malaysia\n\n\nAll Shariah-compliant stocks and equities are managed by Bursa Malaysia Islamic Services Sdn Bhd (BMIS), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bursa Malaysia which is regulated, transparent and fully Shariah-compliant.\u00a0\n\n\nImportant note: \n\n\n\n\nIt is possible for stocks to be added to the shariah-compliant list, or taken\u00a0\nout\n of it.\u00a0Refer to the most updated list\n\n\nShariah-compliant stocks, ETFs and REITs make up a fraction of the overall stocks, ETFs and REITs\n. \nFor example, only 5 out of 19 REITs are Shariah-compliant investments.\u00a0\n\n\nBursa Academy\n is a GREAT place to learn \u2013 workshops available all the way from beginner to advanced investors \n\n\n\n\nAll the data here are taken from \nList of Shariah-compliant securities\n from Securities Commission\n. \n\n\n#1 \u2013 \nShariah-compliant Stocks in Bursa Malaysia\n (i-Stocks)\n\n\nGo through the latest halal stocks list and see which ones you may want to own, whether for short or long term. You still have to apply \nstocks investing strategies\n. \n\n\nNote: Even though everything in the halal stocks list is Shariah-compliant, you still have to avoid Interest, Uncertainty and Gambling (Riba, Gharar and Maysir) as they are prohibited under Islamic Finance guidelines.\n\n\nFor example\n, using one\u2019s life savings to invest in just one stock based on a rumor would be considered speculative bordering on gambling and therefore not encouraged, even if it is a Shariah-compliant stock.\u00a0\n\n\n#2 \u2013 \nShariah-compliant Exchange-Traded Funds \nin Bursa Malaysia\n (\ni-ETFs\n)\n\n\nAs of writing time, there are 6 Shariah-compliant exchange-traded funds listed in Bursa Malaysia:\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 \nShariah-compliant Real Estate Investment Trusts \nin Bursa Malaysia\n (\ni-REITs\n)\n\n\nAs of writing time, there are only 5 out of 19 REITs are Shariah-compliant.\u00a0Here they are:\n\n\n\n\nIn addition to the above REITs, \nAHB\n or Amanah Hartanah Bumiputera is fully Shariah-compliant. They will also \nsort out and pay zakat contribution from your investment profits on your behalf\n.\n \n\n\n#4 \u2013 FCPO Contract (Crude Palm Oil Future Contract)\n\n\nIf you want to do halal trading in Malaysia, this is the one for you!\n\n\nAccording to \nBursa Malaysia\n, Crude Palm Oil Future or FCPO contract is Shariah-compliant. Muslim traders can check out this option. Apparently even short-selling is permissible (how does that work..? Nevermind)\n\n\n*This is the extent of my knowledge on FCPO contracts. If you have experience, or know good places to learn, please add in the comments section. \n\n\nCategory #3: Fixed deposits and cash management platforms\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Shariah-compliant fixed deposits\n\n\nIt\u2019s super simple to identify Shariah-compliant fixed deposits in Malaysia. All you have to do is make sure the fixed deposit name ends with \n\u2018-i\u2019.\n\n\nRinggitPlus.my makes fixed deposit product comparison easy. You can just click on the Islamic tab, and choices will appear on the right-hand side. You can even further sort it out by tenure. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Shariah-compliant cash management platforms\n\n\nCash management platforms are like fixed deposits, except with no lock-in period. There is no early withdrawal nor penalty for taking out your money whenever you want. In effect, I consider it a better than fixed deposit. \n\n\nAt the time of writing, there are 4 cash management platforms in Malaysia. \nOnly Touch N Go\u2019s Go+ is Shariah-compliant. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nFAQ: Is Stashaway Halal? \n\n\nNo, Stashaway is not Shariah-compliant. Stashaway Simple used to be Shariah-compliant, but not any more.\n\n\nCategory #4: Others\n\n\nThere are various types of assets that Muslims can invest in and profit from capital gain and/or dividend and/or revenue. Some examples include gold, property and more. Let\u2019s cover a bit about them:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Gold\n\n\nAs an investment, generally speaking, gold is super halal. In fact you can even say that Islam LOVES gold. So much that the \nState of Kelantan wants to be more Islam by trying to promote gold dinars and dirhams usage as legal tender\n.\n\n\nYou can invest in gold through a few methods: \n\n\n\n\nPhysical gold \u2013 coin, bar, jewelry\n\n\nDigital gold \u2013 e-gold, gold investment account\n\n\nETF \u2013 Trade Plus Shariah Gold Tracker (GOLDETF) (you can get at Bursa Malaysia, Wahed Invest etc)\n\n\n\n\nNote: \nYou can read more about investing in gold in Malaysia in the \nThe Beginner\u2019s Guide to Buying Gold in Malaysia\n article.\n\n\nHow to determine gold investments\u2019 halal status\n\n\nPhysical gold\n\u2018s halal status is easy enough to determine. Like property, all gold jewelry, coins, bars, etc, must be bought with halal income/salary and it\u2019s halal.\n\n\nWith \ne-gold or digital gold or gold investment accounts\n though, it can be a bit trickier to determine. Unethical parties HAVE used the gold name to promote Ponzi schemes, or sometimes claim that they have the gold but in fact, don\u2019t. \n\n\n(A\u00a0requirement to halal status is the company MUST have the gold in their possession. It can\u2019t be some \u2018hypothetical\u2019 gold).\n\n\nGold scams happen fairly often, which is sad.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Global stocks and ETFs\n\n\nMany brokers allow you to buy global stocks and ETFs, of which a fraction of it are halal investment funds. To learn more, visit my \nHow to Buy ETFs in Malaysia Easily and SAFELY\n article (you can also buy stocks from the platforms mentioned in the article). \n\n\nHere, I must give a shoutout to \nMIDF Invest\n \u2013 it can help you filter Shariah-compliant stocks and ETFs easily (not all brokers have this feature). \n\n\n#3 \u2013 Property\n\n\nProperties, whether house or land is considered shariah-compliant investment provided it is not obtained via illegal or unethical means, nor used for illegal or unethical purposes. \n\n\nOne should also be mindful to take Islamic finance products (ie Islamic loans and takaful) instead of conventional when purchasing and managing said properties.\u00a0\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Cryptocurrency\n\n\nHold up, some of you might say. \n\n\nIs cryptocurrency halal investment?\n\n\nSome types of assets may have conflicting fatwas depending on their usage. For example, there are various fatwas on \ncryptocurrencies/ digital assets\n, with some fatwa councils in some countries issuing the \u2018haram\u2019 ruling, while others giving guidelines on cryptocurrency zakat (thus implying permissibility).\u00a0\n\n\nTherefore, fatwas must be taken into context \u2013 for example, cryptocurrencies may be viewed as haram if used for overly speculative or risky activities, such as trading with leverage. \n\n\nIf you don\u2019t know what you\u2019re doing \u2013 and most people don\u2019t \u2013 it\u2019s just borderline gambling and therefore haram.\n \nHowever, if you keep and treat cryptocurrencies like (digital) gold, then it is permissible\n.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Equity Crowdfunding (ECF)\n\n\nEthis Co\n is an equity crowdfunding platform specialising in projects benefitting the ummah. \n\n\nMy personal opinion is this type of investment opportunity is only for Muslims who have reached \nfinancial freedom\n and would like to use their wealth to benefit society.\n\n\n#6 \u2013 P2P Financing \n\n\nFunding Societies is a peer-to-peer financing platform. Essentially, you gain profit by lending money to SMEs.\n\n\nAs of May 2022, \nFunding Societies\n have started offering Shariah-compliant Islamic financing option. \n\n\nObligatory \nFunding Societies referral link\n: Get RM30 when you deposit a minimum of RM1000. \n\n\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Other assets\n\n\n \nFor other assets or investments without the Shariah-compliant label or certification, it is wise to refer back to Islamic Finance guidelines \u2013 it\u2019ll tell you \nwhether the investment fits the Islamic investment criteria by its activities. \n\n\nAccording to Bursa Malaysia, companies will be deemed as Shariah non-compliant if they are involved in the following core activities:\n\n\n\n\nFinancial services based on\u00a0\nriba\n\u00a0(interest);\n\n\nGaming and gambling;\n\n\nManufacture or sale of non-\nhalal\n\u00a0products or related products;\n\n\nConventional insurance;\n\n\nEntertainment activities that are non-permissible according to Shariah;\n\n\nManufacture or sale of tobacco-based products or related products;\n\n\nStock broking or share trading on Shariah non-compliant securities,\n\n\nand Other activities deemed non-permissible according to Shariah\n\n\n\n\nHalal investments I personally have\n\n\nMy own halal investing portfolio includes: \n\n\n\n\nASB\n + \nASB loan\n \n\n\nTabung Haji\n\n\nEPF and PRS for retirement fund\n\n\nCryptocurrencies\n (I accumulate most of my \ncrypto stash for free by working for it\n)\n\n\nWahed Invest\n \u2013 love the US and China ETFs (obligatory referral code \u2013 use \u2018surbin1\u2019 to get signup RM10 bonus)\n\n\nBest Invest\n\n\nGold\n (I have both digital and jewelry)\n\n\nMIDF Invest\n \u2013 I have the S&P 500 Shariah ETF\n\n\n\n\n(Disclaimer \u2013 none of these should be taken as personalised investment advice.)\n\n\nSo which is the Best Shariah Compliant Investments in Malaysia?\n\n\nYou might see all these halal investment options but what you really want to know is\u2026 which is the best Shariah compliant investments in Malaysia? Which one(s) should YOU invest in?\n\n\nI personally invest in a lot of different types of Shariah compliant investments but that\u2019s only due to my work as a personal finance content creator. \n\n\nYou don\u2019t have to do ALL the investments I did \u2013 the best halal investing strategy can be as simple as following these 3 Steps:\n\n\nFirst, complete Step 1:\n\n\n\n\nSave up 3-6 months\u2019 expenses in ASB, Tabung Haji, and/or Touch n Go Go+\n\n\nAt the same time, open up retirement accounts like EPF and PRS and invest consistently there. \n\n\n\n\nThen, Step 2:\n\n\n\n\nContinue increasing your income and investing consistently in any of the diversified funds (see Category #1). Start with what you can afford \u2013 RM100 per month, then increase to RM200, RM300 and so on\n\n\nContinue until you accumulate six figures. In the meantime, if there is anything else you\u2019re interested to invest in, only allocate 1-5% of your savings to that investment to start*\n\n\n*This will help you avoid losing (a lot of) money due to inexperience and/or scam, but still allow you the chance to learn and make mistakes (everyone will make mistakes)\n\n\n\n\nOngoing \u2013 Step 3: \n\n\n\n\nHire a financial planner\n so they can give you personalised investment recommendations and advice\n\n\n\n\nIf you\u2019re new to investing, I suggest starting with this article: \n3 Best Investments in Malaysia (+ The Best Way to Invest Your Money)\n. It tells you which investments to prioritise first and general guidelines before doing risky investments\n\n\nAny other ways to invest halal in Malaysia?\n\n\nThat should be most of the halal investing options available in Malaysia, for Muslims and our friends. At this point in my life, not ALL of my investments are halal, but most of them are. I\u2019m a work in progress, as we all are. \n\n\nAre there any other ways to invest halal? Please help me to improve this halal investing article \u2013 I\u2019m no Islamic finance expert, just a passionate student. I\u2019m also someone who sins a lot and tries her best to make up for it by writing (hopefully helpful) articles like these. \n\n\nThanks for reading. God willing, my pahala points \u2013 and yours \u2013 will add up \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/how-to-read-financial-statements/", "title": "DividendMagic Taught Me How to Read Financial Statements and Buy Stocks\n  ", "body": "If you\u2019re into Malaysian stocks, you must have heard of Leigh from \nDividendMagic\n, the 28-year old financial blogger. Leigh\u2019s investment of choice is dividend investing, and in his blog he freely (and anonymously) share the stocks he keeps (and sells) and how they perform over the years.\n\n\nI told Leigh how stocks have always been intimidating for me, and asked if he could teach me how to read financial statements so I will know what information to look out for in that long-ass document. He said yes \ud83d\ude42 With his permission, I\u2019m sharing what I learned with you people too!\n\n\n\n\nSome basic info before we start:\n\n\n\n\nI can be considered a \ncomplete beginner in the stock market\n. I don\u2019t follow the news at all. Thus this article is suitable for blur blur people like me too.\n\n\nOther people may have \ndifferent ways of reading financial statements\n. We\u2019re not saying this is the right and only way \u2013 this is simply one beginner-friendly way.\n\n\nThis article is for people want to do \nfundamental analysis\n, not technical analysis. (Note: See the difference between the two in #1 at \u2018\nI just want to invest; what does these investment terms even mean?\n\u2018 article)\n\n\nDon\u2019t ask us which stocks to buy in Malaysia\n. Like seriously just don\u2019t. Both of us have the same principle \u2013 we share what we invest in, sure, but we never tell people what they should buy.\n\n\n\n\n\u201cOrait Suraya, just print out the latest annual report of the company you\u2019re interested in,\u201d said Leigh cheerily, \u201cand we go through what BASIC info I personally look out for before I decide to buy the company\u2019s stocks.\u201d\n\n\nLeigh and I have been friends for a couple of years now and until now it messes with my head how this tattooed fella is a legit certified financial planner. Registered with the Financial Planning Association of Malaysia all.\n\n\nThe company I\u2019ve always been interested in is\n AirAsia Group Berhad\n. I went to their website, found \u2018Investor Relations\u2019, and downloaded the 2017 Annual Report. (Note: not linking back to AirAsia because I\u2019m not promoting them. They\u2019re just an example here).\n\n\n\n\nAirAsia\u2019s 2017 Annual Report is like 386 pages long. And the cover, woah. If I didn\u2019t know any better, I would have thought they\u2019re an MLM.\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s usually not like that\u2026,\u201d said Leigh, \u201cusually annual reports are much shorter\u2026 100 to 200 pages or so\u2026 and have old men on the cover or something boring like that.\u201d\n\n\nAh ok. AirAsia is just damn extra then. They don\u2019t reflect other public-listed companies. Got it.\n\n\nHow to read financial statement (for Malaysian companies, at least)\n\n\nIn this section, I\u2019m going to cover all the sections in the financial report where Leigh pointed and said \u2018that one important.\u201d\n\n\nI was worried it was going to take long. It didn\u2019t. Excluding our chit-chat, it was like 10-15 mins looking at the report in total?\n\n\nHere\u2019s what we looked at, in order.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Key highlights page\n\n\n\n\n\u201cJust have a glance at the company statistics,\u201d said Leigh, \u201cAirAsia nicely turned this section into a visually-pretty infographic, but it\u2019s not always like that.\u201d\n\n\nIt\u2019s important to note that \nsome statistics are industry-specific\n. For example, load factor is super important for the airline industry. The higher it is, the better. I\u2019m guessing this is why they say you should invest in industries you\u2019re familiar with, so you intuitively know what metric and information to look out for.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 5-Year Financial Highlights\n\n\nAt first, this page intimidated me. I mean, look at the numbers packed in here!\n\n\n\n\nSo here\u2019s the most important figures to look at and why.\n\n\n\n\nSome notes:\n\n\n\n\nNote the \nindustry-specific statistics\n on this page. They are important too. In this case, for airline industry, increase in passengers carried and load factor are considered good\n\n\n\u2018\nRestated\n\u2019 (see under 2016) means last time maybe got material inaccuracy and this data is the correct version\n\n\nMost times, you \nwon\u2019t\n get a company financial report that show everything is perfect one. As long as most are good (ie whatever that should increase, increased), then the company have potential. Case in point: AirAsia recorded -RM908 million negative cash flow in 2016, but it was due to its financing activities.\n\n\n\n\n#3 -Look for these \u2018statements\u2019\n\n\nStatement of profit and loss\n. I think in this particular case, it\u2019s unique because AA just incorporated in August 2017 and that\u2019s why it has a net loss of RM6.336 billion? I mean most other metric record increase in growth and revenue so that much loss doesn\u2019t make sense..\n\n\n\n\nIncome statement\n \u2013 Just kinda have a look at their revenue, what they spend on, and how they calculate their \u2018net profit\u2019 total.\n\n\n\n\nStatement of financial position\n \u2013 check \u2018liquidity ratio\u2019, ie do they have enough money to pay their debtors if all ask at the same time. Calculation: net current liabilities divided by assets.\n\n\n\n\nIn AirAsia\u2019s case, it\u2019s in the negative. That\u2019s not good actually.\n\n\nWhat to do after reading financial statement\n\n\nIf you liked what you read, buy the stocks. DividendMagic has a comprehensive guide \nhere\n.\n\n\nIf you don\u2019t like what you read, don\u2019t buy it. Pick up another financial statement and do the above simple analysis all over again. Over time you\u2019ll understand a bit more and a bit more until you expert.\n\n\nI was curious about \nwhen \nto buy the stocks, so I asked Leigh if we should wait until the price is \u2018right\u2019. Leigh said:\n\n\n\n\nIf the fundamentals are good and it just so happen that the price is negatively affected due to temporary bad PR or other factors (CEO died or something), get it like NOW. Usually the price will increase again soon\u00a0(but not always!)\n\n\nIf fundamentals are good and we\u2019re not sure if the price is going up or down, then if you want it, just get it because the price really could go either way. If you wait too long, you may not act. The slower you act, the less you get hands-on learning, the actual process that makes you a better investor. Remember to always stay invested.\n\n\n\n\nOther stocks-related questions\n\n\nI asked Leigh what\u2019s his usual \nprocess of picking stocks\n. He shrugged and simply said he buys stocks of companies that offer products / services that its customers generally cannot live without and use on a daily basis.. If you look at \nhis portfolio\n, he has a combination of company stocks, from banking to food to property.\n\n\nHow many different types of stocks\n should one have, I asked. Maybe stocks from around 5 or 6 companies to start?, Leigh said. Diversify a bit. No max, but maybe cap at around 20 because the more you have, the harder it is to keep track and update your portfolio.\n\n\nWhat\u2019s your \nroutine\n like with stocks, I asked? I log in my trading app occasionally to review prices, maybe once a week, Leigh said. And then really delving into companies if a particular share is doing extraordinarily well or badly. I also read The Edge to keep up with recent updates.\n\n\nI shared with Leigh my plan to pick stocks \u2013 go with process of elimination. First, eliminate all the non-syariah companies. Then look through the remaining companies and see if I\u2019m familiar with their industry enough. If yes, I\u2019ll take a stab at reading their financial statements. If they look good, I\u2019ll consider buying their stocks.\n\n\nCan also, Leigh said.\n\n\n(Side note: you think Bumi and Muslim people get many privileges in this country. But it also eliminated a lot of our investing options! I can never invest in Genting boooo)\n\n\nWhy choose stocks as investment, though?\n\n\nI mean, you can just get mutual funds or unit trusts, right? They are comprised of individual stocks, usually across different industries for diversification\n\n\nBUT \nmutual funds and unit trust charge fees. Some pretty low at 0.35% (ASB), some pretty high at 3% or more.\n\n\nSO..\n by picking your own stocks, you\u2019re avoiding those fees. It can add up to quite a lot. Read up DividendMagic\u2019s calculations in his \nThat 1% Fee Impact \u2013 Mutual Funds vs Investing on your own\n article. \n\n\n(note: stocks is not fee-free either. There are charges when buying/selling them).\n\n\nBut fund managers are smart people, I hear some of you protest. You\u2019re paying them the fee for their ability to pick good stocks! \n\n\nHere I have to let you know that actually\n fund managers don\u2019t necessarily make the best stock picks\n, despite all the jargon they spew out. In fact, \nrandom stock picks may perform better\n (source: \nthis Nasdaq article\n). I\u2019ve also heard the story about the monkeys choosing stock picks by throwing darts and even those outperformed picks by fund managers?\n\n\nSo, like, I guess I feel intimidated over stocks over nothing? All the hard language they use, all those people in powersuits\u2026 doesn\u2019t make a difference? Makes you wonder what else the financial industry makes you feel inferior about (even though it\u2019s probably unintentional on their end).\u00a0\n\n\nPersonal opinion. Feel free to give your counter-arguments in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/invest-with-rm1000/", "title": "What to Invest with RM1000: 15 Options You Should Know\n  ", "body": "\n\nSo you are new at investing, and wondering what you could invest with RM1000 that you\u2019ve finally, painfully saved up.\n\n\nThat is not an insignificant amount to you. Truthfully, even though you\u2019ve been told \u2018investing is important!\u2019 and \u2018you should invest early!\u2019, you\u2019re afraid. \n\n\nThere are two types of fear here, and they compound each other. One is the fear of losing money, which is understandable. The second is the fear of playing it too safe and NOT maximising profit potential! \n\n\nIt\u2019s ok, I\u2019ve been there, I\u2019ve felt the nerves you\u2019re experiencing. Here are some suggestions on where and what you can invest with RM1000, written for beginners in mind. Disclaimer: Not financial advice. \n\n\nFirst off \u2013 Pay off debt\n\n\nBefore you start investing, take note of what you owe first. \nCredit cards, bank loans, and other high-interest loans\n charging 8% or so in annual interest MUST be paid off first. \n\n\nWhy? Because if you skip this step, whatever profit you get from your investments goes straight into paying off those interest instead of padding your pocket. If your investment return is less than your debt, you\u2019re even making nett loss! \nNo point in investing like that.\n\n\n\n\nNo bad debt? Good. Go on to the next line.\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nExplaining Snowball Method, The Best Way to Pay Off Debt\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Invest with RM1000: Practical Mode \n\n\nIf you want to be really practical about it, you can prioritise these investments:\n\n\nEPF\n (Employees Provident Fund aka KWSP) \u2013 for retirement \nPRS\n (Private Retirement Scheme aka kinda like optional, secondary EPF) \u2013 for retirement\nSSPN/SSPN-i\n (education fund for your children) \u2013 for children\u2019s education\n\n\nRead more about these investment options in: \n3 Most Practical Investments in Malaysia (Prioritise These Over Others\n\n\nThese are the most \u2018practical\u2019 investments to make, even if they\u2019re not particularly exciting. You\u2019ll need the money in the long term anyway so might as well start now. You get tax relief and other benefits too. \n\n\nThe only downside for these investments is you CANNOT withdraw and use the funds before retirement/for its intended purposes.  If that\u2019s important for you, then consider\u2026\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Invest with RM1000: Emergency savings \n\n\nUnlike #1, these options does NOT \u2018lock\u2019 your money \u2013 you can withdraw them anytime. This is a good option if you want to grow your savings while studying other investment options in #3. They are easy to understand and have minimal maintenance \u2013 just deposit and get on with your life. \n\n\nASB/Tabung Haji\nHigh-interest savings Account\nFixed deposit/cash management portfolio\n (ok FD does lock your money for the short term, so the latter is better)\nGold\nForeign currencies\n\n\nRead more in: \n5 Best Places to Save Money in Malaysia, Ranked\n\n\nBy this point, you have easily used up your RM1000 allocation \u2013 it\u2019s not uncommon for people to save up six, seven-figure amounts in the options in #1 and #2 alone. Personally, I would divide my first RM1000 into 2, 3 or even 4 different ones, just to learn by doing. \n\n\n#3 \u2013 Invest with RM1000: Diversification mode\n\n\nIt\u2019s been a few months/years since you worked on increasing your savings in #1 and/or #2. And you\u2019re thinking of yourself \u2013 now that my \u2018safe\u2019 investments are sorted out, maybe I should use some (not all!) to diversify into other investments. What other options are out there?\n\n\nLots. Too many, perhaps. Let\u2019s see..\n\n\nThere are \nroboadvisor\n platforms (a great place to start tbh) \nBest Robo Advisor in Malaysia: Lowest Fees, Syariah-Compliant, Global Exposure and More\n\n\nThere are individual unit trusts, some of which you could get under \nEPF i-Invest\n \n[SPONSORED] All You Need to Know About Buying Unit Trust Through EPF i-Invest\n\n\nThere are \nstocks\n \n7 BEST Articles to Read Before You Jump into Stocks Investing in Malaysia\n\n\nThere are \ncryptocurrencies\n \nHow to Buy Cryptocurrencies in Malaysia [2021 Guide]\n\n\nThere are real estate investment trusts aka \nREITs\n \n5 Things I Learned About REITs in Malaysia (From a Bursa Malaysia-Sponsored Workshop)\n\n\nThere are \nwarrants\n (do stocks first) \n[SPONSORED] The Beginners Guide to Warrants in Malaysia\n\n\nThere are \np2p lending\n \n[SPONSORED] I Asked Hard Questions to the CEO of Funding Societies Malaysia\n\n\nWhich one to pick from #3? \nFollow your curiosity.\n If you\u2019re like most people, you will have a natural interest in one or more options, so you\u2019ll start your exploration there. For example, stocks appeal to people who like keeping up with news about what big companies do. That\u2019s already a ridiculously big world to explore.\n\n\nPersonally, I don\u2019t care about stocks and properties, so I don\u2019t even bother with them. I absolutely love cryptocurrencies and roboadvisors, so those are my picks. You can see my portfolio breakdown here: \nBreakdown of My (SUPER HIGH RISK) Investment Portfolio\n\n\nImportant: you don\u2019t have to rush #3. It\u2019s good to just take your time learning as much as you can, without making rash decisions.\n\n\nConclusion\n\n\nSo, what will you do? What will you invest with RM1000 (or more) that you have?\n\n\nAs mentioned, start with #1 and #2, then slowly introduce #3 into your life. In any case, the key is to START, then learn as you go along.\n\n\nHope this helps anyone looking to start investing their first RM1000. Questions? Give em here or comment via FB, Twitter, etc \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nP/s \u2013 Have you gotten insurance? It\u2019s not strictly an investment, yes, but I argue the best offense is useless without a good defence. It\u2019s like putting all attack-type players in your party with no healers \u2013 bad idea. Read my insurance article: \n9 Things You MUST Know Before Buying Insurance in Malaysia\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/investing-for-the-first-time/", "title": "6 Things to Know When You\u2019re Investing for the First Time\n  ", "body": "The other day, someone wrote to me. She asked, \u2018Suraya, can you do a post about \ngetting over one\u2019s nerves when investing for the first time?\n\u2018\n\n\n\n\nThis person has saved up some money but found it difficult to proceed to the next step \u2013 actually starting with the investment. She doesn\u2019t have any high-interest debt. She knows that she will have to invest her money for her future, but how can she be \u2018sure\u2019 of her investment choice, she asked?\n\n\nInvesting for the first time, the checklist\n\n\nThis post is not about the \u2018process\u2019 side of investment. She knows very well how to open investment accounts, how to research different investment types, how to use online tools. It\u2019s the \u2018being sure\u2019 side that she wants to know.\n\n\nSo I told her I\u2019ll write about what works for me, and the steps that I go through when I add a new type of investment into my portfolio. Hope this will help everyone else.\n\n\nDisclaimer: I\u2019m not a certified financial planner or anything. Take this article with a pinch of salt, and ask other people more knowledgeable about this. If anything is wrong, please let me know by commenting.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 You checked for red flags. It\u2019s not there.\n\n\nThe first line of defense when considering every new investment opportunity is making sure it\u2019s not an investment scam. I wrote about identifying these in the article\u00a0\nHow to spot investments that are actually investment scams.\n\n\nNote that sometimes it\u2019s not the investment type, but the \ncompany\n\u00a0offering it that is scammy. If the investments you\u2019re considering tick any of these boxes, you need to reconsider.\n\n\n\n\nMultiple hits from Google search when you type \u2018Company name + scam\u2019\n\n\nAny variation of \u2018guaranteed return of investment\u2019 or \u2018daily/weekly/monthly profit\u2019. If the company promises this, run.\n\n\nThe company\u2019s founders and/or management team was involved with some dodgy things in the past.\n\n\nAny mention of recruiting investors under you. That\u2019s a sign of MLM, or worse Ponzi schemes\n\n\n\n\nKnow for sure that the company is reputable and legit? Awesome, let\u2019s move on.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 You are comfortable with the investment\u2019s risk level\n\n\nInvestments are not created equal (you already know this). Some of them are truly safe; you know with a degree of certainty that you won\u2019t ever lose your money, like fixed deposits. Some of them have higher risks and can possibly make you lose (a portion of) your initial investment amount.\n\n\nSimplistically,\n\n\n\n\nIf you are \ninvesting for the first time\n, choose a safe investment first. The learning process will prepare you for the higher-risk investments. Safe investments should be boring; usually just do one time and forget about it.\u00a0For the record, I\u2019d consider the following as safe investments: fixed deposits, low-fee unit trusts/mutual funds, blue chip stocks, ASB and similar.\n\n\nIf you \nalready have mostly safe investments\n, consider medium or higher risk investments that you have an interest in. Many factors will affect the return on investment \u2013 you want to make sure that you have the mental capacity to be at least mildly excited about news updates and make adjustments to your portfolio when needed.\n\n\n\n\nMy first ever investment was ASB. That was boring; go to the office, create an account, transfer the minimum amount, then periodically add more money to it via online banking. Find out the dividends announcement once a year, and if I\u2019m not lazy I\u2019d go to the post office to update the accounts book so I can grin at my new balance.\n\n\n(Technically, my first investment was EPF. That one more boring and mandatory anyway, so I won\u2019t count it)\n\n\nMy second investment was \ngold\n, if I remember correctly. Still considered a safe investment, but in recent years it\u2019s a bit more volatile so I\u2019d rate this as medium risk. I still keep gold now and once in a while I check back that it\u2019s still performing okay. If it the value drastically goes up or down, I\u2019d consider selling or buying more gold. The fancy phrase for this process is \u2018rebalancing your investment portfolio\u2019.\n\n\nHigher-risk investments tend to have higher returns on investment, but only if you can stomach the risk. This brings me to\u2026\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Your risky investments = the amount you can afford to lose\n\n\nI\u2019m still young, so I can afford to take higher risks at this stage in life. For example, I keep more than 50% of my money in high-risk investments (\nbitcoin\n and \ncryptocurrencies\n). I\u2019m aware I can lose that 50% very fast if the market decides to turn against me (touch freaking wood).\n\n\nHowever, I know I can afford to lose that amount if shit hits the fan. If that happens, I will work my ass off and earn back the money through active income (ie my day job). Time is on my side.\n\n\nIf say my safe investment: risky investment ratio tips over to 10:90. \nI am not okay with this. I do not want to potentially lose 90% of my money\n. So I turn back some of the bitcoin to MYR and channel it back to safe and medium-risk investments. I\u2019d say 50% or more in high-risk investment is my max.\n\n\nThe ratio is different for everyone. Men tend to take higher risks, so take note \u2013 this can be your downfall. As a general rule, the younger you are, the higher your risk tolerance, because you can still recoup the lost money by working for it.\n\n\nHowever, I also know some young people who are \nnot comfortable with high risk\n. Maybe they are breadwinners of their families and don\u2019t want to jeopardise their family\u2019s future with their investment choices. That\u2019s fine too. Keeping most of your money in something safe-ish like mutual funds that average 7-8% per year is also a good investment strategy.\n\n\nIf you\u2019re young but not sure which higher-risk investment to go with, it\u2019s also okay to start with 100% safe investments and slowly introduce small amounts of higher risk investments to diversify when you\u2019re ready. The point is to start \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n#4 \u2013 You know, more or less, when you need the money\n\n\nSome investments really lock in your money; you can\u2019t access it in the near future. For example:\n\n\n\n\nProperty\n. Reselling properties in the first five years after purchase got high tax one, many people avoid unless they plan to live there long term.\n\n\nAnything retirement-related like EPF and PRS\n (\nPrivate Retirement Scheme\n). Can only access after you retire.\n\n\nAnything with time-based contracts like fixed deposits and peer-to-peer lending\n. You commit to only getting back your money after the contract ends.\n\n\n\n\n\u2018Locking in\u2019 your investment is not necessarily a bad thing. Sure you can\u2019t access it, but you also won\u2019t be tempted to spend it or sell your investments for a loss. It\u2019s good for people who have a spending problem or tend to make impulse decisions. However if you plan to migrate soon or have plans for the money before its \u2018unlocked\u2019 to you, then I don\u2019t recommend these types of investments.\n\n\nIf accessing the investment money is important to you, then pick something that can be easily liquidified, aka turned back to MYR relatively fast. Some which are fast includes:\n\n\n\n\nStocks\n. Mind the fees. See #5\n\n\nNon-retirement-earmarked unit trusts and mutual funds\n. Mind the fees. See #5\n\n\nCryptocurrencies\n. Mind the scammers.\n\n\nCurrencies and Gold\n. Mind the spread. See #5\n\n\nAnd more.\n\n\n\n\nNote that you can either make a profit or a loss on the above, but hey they are some of the options available if you value access to your investment money, fast. \u2018Fast\u2019 here ranges from minutes to days. For my amateur writeup on different types of investments available in Malaysia, see\u00a0\nWhat can you invest with RM1000?; A quick guide.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 You note the fees and spread (and choose low-fee and low-spread options where possible)\n\n\nALL private investment platforms will have fees. The ones that say they don\u2019t will have higher spreads aka indirect fees. The only investment platforms without fees that I can think of is some government-linked mutual funds like ASB and Tabung Haji.\n\n\nOn fees\n\n\nI\u2019m not the biggest fan of fees but I guess I have to suck it because employees need to be paid somehow right. But the rule of thumb is, the lower the fees, the better.\n\n\nFor Private Retirement Scheme offering retirement-earmarked unit trust, I went with FundSupermart. Just 1% management fee from them. I\u2019ve heard some unit trust providers charge \nup to 6% fee\n, crazy! Even if you get 10% annual return on investment from them, you only get 4% in profit after all those fees!\n\n\nAnother thing that needs an attention to fees: stocks and REITs. They need CDS accounts, and there are a few companies offering these accounts with differing fee structures. DividendMagic nicely compiled the rates in \nhere\n.\n\n\nRelated:\n\n\n\n\n5 Things I Learned About REITs in Malaysia (From a Bursa Malaysia-Sponsored Workshop)\n\n\n\n\nOn spreads\n\n\nLet\u2019s use gold to explain spread. Let\u2019s say a legit company offers you to buy/sell gold on their platform. They sell it for RM150 per gram of gold (example), and buy it back from you for RM145 per gram of gold (example) on the same day. That RM5 difference translates to 3.45% spread, or how much profit the company earns when they resell the gold that you sold to them.\n\n\nIdeally, you want the spread to be as low as possible. However, it\u2019s okay to pick a gold investment company with reasonable spread (not necessarily the lowest) if they are reputable and can guarantee safekeeping and quality of your gold. The same applies to other investments that use spread, like currencies. You do NOT want your investment to disappear along with the company one fine day. Nuh uh.\n\n\n#6 \u2013 You accept the responsibilities of a DIY investor\n\n\nDIY investing is an investment style that doesn\u2019t involve a fund manager. Many people start with this option \u2013 they make their own choices on what to invest in, after doing self-research and careful deliberation. I\u2019ve yet to come across someone (online and offline) who uses a fund manager, to be honest. I think they\u2019re more for the HNW/UHNW (high net worth/ultra high net worth) individuals, but you can let me know if I\u2019m wrong.\n\n\nDIY investing means that:\n\n\n\n\nYou get to choose your own investments.\u00a0\nFun! See:\u00a0\n12 Types of Investment Available in Malaysia and The People Who Have Them\n\n\nYou have to keep track of all your investment accounts, including the security side.\n Enhance your security with these \ndigital security tips\n.\n\n\nYou decide how often you want to contribute to your investments\n. You can automate this and set up auto-monthly deductions. You can also take advantage of taxes and stuff \u2013 for example, I will contribute at least RM3000 to PRS every year because that will give me tax relief.\n\n\nYou balance your portfolio yourself.\n This means checking your investment portfolio at least once a year and make sure you\u2019re still comfortable with the risk level, and move the funds around as needed.\n\n\n\n\nPersonally, I use an app and a notebook to list down all my investments, the amounts and the percentages. For example, I have:\n\n\n\n\nASB, RMxx, xx% (low risk)\n\n\nEPF, RMxx, xx% (low risk)\n\n\nPRS, RMxx, xx% (low risk)\n\n\nGold, RMxx, xx% (medium risk)\n\n\nBitcoin, RMxx, xx% (high risk)\n\n\n\n\nAgain, when the last two combined make up more than 50%, I get nervous and make the appropriate adjustments.\n\n\nIn some Western countries, \nrobo-advisors\n are getting more common. They ask you a bunch of questions, and from there make investment recommendations for you, much like a fund manager. I believe no robo-advisors serve the Malaysian market yet, but I know that Securities Commission already have a framework for it and I look forward to trying it out when it\u2019s available.\n\n\nConclusion\n\n\nThe above is pretty much a rough guideline for you guys who:\n\n\n\n\nAre investing for the first time, and having anxiety over it\n\n\nNeed a checklist before committing to a new investment\n\n\n\n\nThere are other things to know. The timing of the investment (ooooh, tricky), the fair value of the investment choice (there\u2019s calculations for stocks and stuff, to avoid buying overvalued stocks), and some others. \nYou can slowly learn about these, but don\u2019t let it stop you from investing in safe investments first\n. Time is the key ingredient that will make you money, so don\u2019t waste too much time waiting to \u2018know everything\u2019. There\u2019s no such thing.\n\n\nI highly suggest subscribing to \nInvestopedia\u2019s\n newsletters. They send over easy-to-understand materials about various types of investments. You can also read my\u00a0\n\u2018I just want to invest; what does these investment terms even mean?\u2019\n article.\n\n\nDid I miss anything important? Do you have additional questions? Any wrong or misleading info in here? Do comment, would love to hear from you. If this article helped, please share \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/investing-in-malaysia/", "title": "What No One Tells You About Investing in Malaysia\n  ", "body": "Here are some of the things you always hear about investing: it\u2019s important, you should do it early, and you shouldn\u2019t put all your money in just one basket (one type of investment vehicle).\n\n\nI\u2019m not going to focus on that here. This article is all about what people\u00a0\ndon\u2019t\n tell you about investing in Malaysia. Or not enough, anyway.\n\n\n\n\nLet\u2019s start. If anything is inaccurate, let me know and I\u2019ll edit.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 It\u2019s boring\n\n\nAfter the initial excitement (depending on your character, tbh), all you have to do is wait. And review back occasionally, just in case it\u2019s not going in the direction you\u2019re hoping for.\n\n\nWhen this happens, what you do is re-allocate your investment. Move the money around, see if other investment options make more sense to your situation. For example, if most of your investment is risky, you might want to move some of the money in there to safer options.\n\n\nYou can find out what\u2019s generally considered low-risk, medium-risk and high-risk in this article:\u00a0\nWhat can you invest with RM1000? A quick guide\n\n\nSo yeah, most of the time you do nothing.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 There are investing styles\n\n\nThere are two main ones: passive and active investing. Active investors, if they\u2019ve read this far, would have already disagreed with Point #1 lol.\n\n\nActive investors act as their own portfolio managers and always look for ways to beat the market, and take bigger risks.\n\n\nDepending on their abilities, some of those risks might pay off. They analyse documents and information a lot, look for tiny nuggets of information that most people miss, and hope that their \u2018if x, then y\u2019 conclusion is correct.\n\n\nI won\u2019t say which style is better than the other, because that really depends on the individual\u2019s skills and luck, but I can say that I personally prefer passive investing because I have other shit to do than read those boring financial papers. Note: boring is subjective \u2013 if you enjoy it, good for you fam. Rock on.\n\n\nFor further reading on this topic, check out \nthis Investopedia article\n.\n\n\nYou can read my article about \npassive investment options available in Malaysia\n here.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 There are old and new types of investments\n\n\nThe old types of investment \u2013 okay maybe won\u2019t call them old, let\u2019s call them\u00a0\nestablished\n instead \u2013 stood the test of time. They have history; \u2018this is what my parents, grandparents and great-grandparents invested in\u2019 kinda investments. They include stocks, gold, property, la di da.\n\n\nNewer types of investments can be broken down in further two categories: the ones that are completely new (cryptocurrencies, for example), and the ones that use technology to make investing in the \nold\n established investments more user-friendly and efficient. Summed up in a word; \nfintech\n.\n\n\nFintech covers a whole load of stuff, and we won\u2019t go into detail here, but here how they are related to investing specifically:\n\n\n\n\nRobo-advisory\n figures out your profile and risk aversion, then recommends mutual funds suitable for you (in early stages in Malaysia)\n\n\nP2P lending\n connects lenders to borrowers. Lenders get paid their capital plus interest when the borrower pays up by the end of the term (if they don\u2019t default ie run away with your money)\n\n\nEquity crowdfunding\n allows investors buy into small businesses with the potential of becoming huge\n\n\nCryptocurrencies\n is a completely new type of store of value. Note: super risky\n\n\nThen there are websites and apps that educate and/or makes it super easy for you to buy traditional investments like gold (like \nHelloGold\n), stocks\u00a0and mutual funds (Fundsupermart)\n\n\n\n\nNot surprisingly, tech-savvy individuals are receptive to fintech companies.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 There are Syariah and non-Syariah options\n\n\nI think we take this for granted in Malaysia. There are platforms here that allow you to filter mutual funds by its Syariah status, or at least make it easy for you to find the information.\n\n\nMalaysia is one of the top Islamic Finance capitals of the world \u2013 something we should be proud of! Many popular investment options come as Syariah-compliant as default (ie ASB).\n\n\nThere are Islamic ETFs, Islamic REITs, Sukuk (bonds), stocks from Syariah-compliant public-listed companies \u2013 list goes on. For more info, see my \nIslamic investments in Malaysia \narticle.\n\n\nSometimes and briefly, I get jealous of my non-Muslim friends over the wider options they have. But on the flip side, I don\u2019t have to do as much research on the ones I can\u2019t have, so that\u2019s good I guess, less analysis paralysis. Plus, more pahala points for me.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 How investing kinda sorta works\n\n\nAs far as I know, all types of investment generally fall into one of these categories\n\n\n\n\nBuy low, sell high (capital appreciation) \u2013 currencies, properties, stocks, collectables\n\n\nBuy and as long as you keep, you get bonus (dividend yield) \u2013 mutual funds, unit trust, FD, REITs, properties\n\n\n\n\nSome types of investments may overlap. For example, properties can be both. If you buy low and sell high, that\u2019s capital appreciation. If you buy and rent it out, that\u2019s like dividend yield. Stocks can be both, and so can cryptocurrencies.\n\n\nIt took me a long time to realise this :/\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Your personality influences your investment preference a lot\n\n\nLike, seriously. It does. Your likes and dislikes, your habits, your behavioural tendencies \u2013 they all factor into your choice of investment vehicle.\n\n\nLike, I know that I\u2019m \nlazy\n resource-conscious and defensive of my free time. So my investment style is mostly passive. Sit and wait. While I enjoy life.\u00a0I also like technology and the novelty it brings, not just to the finance world. So I like fintech products.\n\n\nI covered this topic a bit more in full in the \n12 Types of Investment Available in Malaysia and The People Who Have Them\n article.\n\n\nOne of the more dangerous behavioural types is the \u2018instant gratification\u2019 type. Ie people who want high returns on their investment, fast. It\u2019s best to outgrow that one. If not your future very pain.\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Who to trust when it comes to investment advice\n\n\nYo, Millennials, we\u2019re a sceptical lot. We know \u2013 or learned the hard way \u2013 that some investment advice is bad. Only slightly more than third of us (37%) sought professional advice.\n\n\nWhen we do, we ask for advice on\u00a0savings and investments (56%), advice on mortgages or loans (41%), retirement planning (32%) and debt counselling (22%). Source: \nThis Asian Institute of Finance publication about Malaysian Gen Y and Money\n\n\nWhen we are asked why we don\u2019t get professional advice, we say we prefer to do it on our own.\u00a0\n\n\nAccording to the same publication, it\u2019s not because we\u2019re sombong, it\u2019s more that we distrust financial institutions and agencies.\n\n\nThe exact wording was \u2018The level of distrust is \nalarming\n for financial institutions and\u00a0agencies/associations and is \nconsistent with the populous view of the sector post the financial crisis\n. Such an environment has led to a distrust of financial advisors.\u2019\n\n\nSo okay, if we distrust financial institutions, who do we trust then? You wanna comment on this? Who do you trust? Give me specific organisations or names. I want to online-stalk them.\n\n\n#8 \u2013 You CAN invest in investment products offered in other countries!\n\n\nYou don\u2019t have to stick to Malaysian market. Go to US, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, other regions.\n\n\nFor example, you can invest in US stock market easily via MIDF Invest: Read \n[SPONSORED] MIDF Invest Review: Buy US Stocks and ETFs from Malaysia Directly, Securely and Cheaply\n\n\nLastly\n\n\nWhat are some other things about investing that you figured out on your own? Super curious about this. Please let me know! I love hearing people\u2019s finance-related \u2018aha\u2019 moments.\n\n\nAs always, if you liked this article, share it around \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/investment-terms/", "title": "13 Investment Terms that Beginners MUST Know\n  ", "body": "\n\nInvestment is such a loaded word. I guess you can say it\u2019s similar to the word \u2018science\u2019. If you\u2019re not from that world, it will probably confuse you in the beginning. It\u2019s like, you need A\u00a0to understand B to understand C to understand D. \n\n\nThis is one of the reasons why beginners find investing intimidating, at first. So this is my attempt to explain them. I\u2019ll be covering: Technical analysis, fundamental analysis, hedge, arbitrage, ROI, equity, options, futures, IPO, bull and bear market, and pump-and-dump.\n\n\nDisclaimer: not a financial expert. If any of my personal understanding below is wrong, please comment and I\u2019ll edit.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Technical Analysis (TA) / Fundamental Analysis (FA)\n\n\nThe analysis people use in making an investing decision. An investor usually favours one over the other. By default, most of us probably start out with Fundamental Analysis, and later on, may dabble with Technical Analysis.\n\n\nFundamental analysis\n is for people who make investment decisions based on what they learn from current events, news and updates. A bit of applied macroeconomics, FA is when you take into account the bigger picture. Usually for long-term investing decisions, you consider the who what why when and how.\n\n\nFA can be used for all, if not most types of investments. For example, stocks. A good investor doesn\u2019t just blindly buy, they\u2019d consider:\n\n\nIs the company sound? Do they have good management? Do they have a large amount of debt?\nWill the current economic climate support their growth? Any world events that might form a threat to its growth? If yes, how likely is that to happen?\nWhat is the market demand, and will it grow? How?\nAnd more.\n\n\nYou can read my\u00a0\nDividendMagic Taught Me How to Read Financial Statements and Buy Stocks\n article for more info \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nTechnical analysis\n, on the other hand, is for (1) people who is not intimidated by numbers, graphs and charts and (2) people who prefer short-term trading (hours and days as opposed to months or years). \n\n\nThere are equations that they can use to calculate and predict whether the stock/commodity/currency/similar will go up or down in value, and by how much. None of them are conclusive, just an indication. \n\n\n\n\nTA is maths and patterns. To a certain degree,\n what is being traded doesn\u2019t matter, the profit potential does\n.  It is very popular among traders, whether \nforex\n, \nwarrants\n or even in the \nstocks market\n. \n\n\nTA is an easy skill to learn, but difficult to master. Mistakes can be very costly, because leveraging is common. Leveraging is when the platform allows you to make bigger trades than what you actually have in your account. \n\n\nHow leveraging works: Say I have $100, and the platform allows 1:10 leveraging, this means I can make a $1000 trade. If my \u2018prediction\u2019 is accurate, I\u2019ll get a huge reward for my risk. But if I\u2019m wrong, likewise. \n\n\nImportant: NO TRADER WORTH THEIR SALT WILL SAY THEY ARE RIGHT IN 100% OF THEIR TRADES.  Learn more about how ACTUAL traders trade in: \nI Interviewed A Professional Trader from a Malaysian Investment Bank\n article.\n\n\nEDIT: TA can be used as a long-term trading tool too. An example given is the \nKondratieff Wave\n\u00a0which can be used to predict economic booms and recessions. Credit goes to Robin Lee of \nHelloGold\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Hedge / Hedging\n\n\n\u201cHow do I protect the value of my wealth in case my country\u2019s currency drops?\u201d <\u2014 how people usually start thinking about hedging.\n\n\nEveryone lives somewhere and need fiat (government-issued money) to buy stuff and live. Hedging is when you convert a part of that money in another store of value \u2013 another currency is common \u2013 to protect or increase the value of the\u00a0money. \n\n\nPeople usually factor in liquidity \u2013 how easily they can be converted back to their own money. Therefore, gold (and silver) and currencies (USD, GBP, EUR, crypto), among others are popular options.\n\n\nCredit: IRunTheInternet.com\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Arbitrage\n\n\nBuy low, sell high at its finest. This is when a trader takes advantage of different prices in different markets, so they buy low in X and sell high in Y. It\u2019s used when trading commodities, securities and currencies.\n\n\nCommodities: raw material or agricultural product. Examples are palm oil and copper.\nSecurities: Things that mean you \u2018own\u2019 a part of a company or institution. Examples are stocks and bonds.\nCurrencies: Examples are fiat currencies (MYR, USD, GBP) and cryptocurrencies\n\n\nAs an analogy, think of it like this \u2013 I buy 1000 TVs in Malaysia at RM1000 each. I know that I\u00a0can sell it for RM1300 each in Russia or whatever. I sell it and make RM300k on the difference in price.\n\n\nPeople are usually secretive about arbitrage opportunities as they want to keep the advantage to themselves. If other people find out, they\u2019d do the same and the extra supply will push down the price, lowering the profit potential.\n\n\n\u00a0#4 \u2013 ROI (Return on investment) and Compounding\n\n\nThe investment term ROI or return on investment simply means \u2013 how much you get back on the money you put in. It\u2019s calculated in percentage.\n\n\nFor example, you purchased RM1000 worth of stocks in Company X. It performed well\u00a0and a year later, the value of your stocks is now RM1100. Your ROI for this investment is therefore 10%. ROI is a very common term and can be used for all types of investments.\n\n\nCompounding, on the other hand, is when the RM100 profit from the example above generates more profit the following year. It\u2019s kinda like,\n\n\n\n\nIn numbers, assuming the investment generates 10% every single year (impossible scenario lol, but let\u2019s use it as an example anyway), it\u2019ll look like this:\n\n\nYear\nAmount, compounded\nAmount, if NOT compounded\n0\n1000\n1\nRM1100\n2\nRM1210\nRM1200\n3\nRM1331\nRM1300\n4\nRM1464.10\nRM1400\n5\nRM1610.51\nRM1500\n6\nRM1771.56\nRM1600\n7\nRM1948.72\nRM1700\n8\nRM2143.59\nRM1800\n9\nRM2357.95\nRM1900\n10\nRM2593.74\nRM2000\n\n\nDo you see why compounding is the bombz! \n\n\nThe good thing is, if you\u2019re invested in \nEPF, PRS, SSPN\n, \nrobo advisors\n, \nmutual funds like ASB\n and putting in money every month and never (as much as possible) take out the money, you\u2019re already doing \u2018compounding\u2019 \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Equity\n\n\nEquity means different things in different contexts. But as an investing term, you can think of it as something like, \u2018ownership\u2019. \n\n\n The \u2018equity market\u2019 is somewhat synonymous with company shares in the stocks market, but there are other types of equities too. For more examples, see this \nInvestopedia article on equity\n.\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Options and Futures\n\n\nSo trading is, in simple terms, buying and selling. By default, the buying and selling is assumed to happen in real time but what if the trade happens upon meeting conditions, or in the future? That\u2019s where Options and Futures comes in.  \n\n\nOptions\n is when the buyer gives the seller the opportunity to make the purchase at X price for a specific time frame. \nFutures\n is similar, but for X price at a later date.\n\n\nTo learn Options and Futures in more detail, you usually have to have an intermediate or expert grasp in the stock market, it\u2019s quite advanced stuff and carries more risk. \n\n\nBut honestly? You don\u2019t \nneed\n to know in depth about Options and Futures, it doesn\u2019t make you a better investor or anything. The compounding strategy in #4 is good enough (and recommended for most people tbh).\n\n\n#7 \u2013 IPO \n\n\n\n\nIPO stands for \nInitial Public Offering\n.  It is the first time a \nprivate company\n offers its shares to the public, and it is a regulated process. The funds raised is meant to expand and scale the company (or pay debt, or\u2026 read the documents, they will list it out).\n\n\nPeople are excited about new IPOs because in many cases (but not always!),\u00a0if they\u2019re popular/solid company, the ROI can be quite good when they launch. For this reason, IPO launches attract a lot of attention and is considered newsworthy.\n\n\nIPO strategy is an investment strategy that is medium risk. It does need a fair amount of capital but basically how it works is (1) apply to buy IPO before listing (success rate very low; Bumi folks get 2 chances to apply) and (2) sell the minute market opens (profit is NOT guaranteed but historically in your favour)\n\n\nYou also need luck. Depending on the company, the success rate of getting IPOs before launch is under 10% for us regular folks (retails investors). \n\n\nOf course, there are a lot of nuances and in-depth info and tips. Do you want a separate post on IPO strategy? Let me know, no point write if no demand \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n#8 \u2013 Bull and Bear Market\n\n\nA way to describe if the market (stocks, usually) is unusually good or unusually bad. \n\n\nBull market\n is when the overall stock prices go up in value (how to remember \u2013 bulls use horns to \nlift up\u00a0\ntheir opponents) while \nbear market\n is when the overall\u00a0stock prices go down in value (how to remember \u2013 bears\n take down\n their opponents).\n\n\n\n\nBull statues are common in financial districts. The Wall Street in New York have a famous one, and closer to home you can find one at Bursa Malaysia.\n\n\nBear markets are not necessarily bad. Some people wait for bear markets to buy stocks in good companies at a cheaper price, in preparation for the next bull run. No one is really sure which point they are in during bull or bear markets; analysts might make predictions, and often experts will contradict each other.\n\n\n\n\n#9 \u2013 Pump-and-dump\n\n\nPump-and-dump describes a situation where the value of a financial instrument (stocks, etc) is \nartificially inflated\n, then nosedives, fast. The people who do it or can identity it will sell off their shares/ownership\u00a0while the ones who were caught unaware will be left with worthless stocks. \n\n\nPump-and-dump are really dangerous, which is why there are regulations in place to stop this from happening. Howevr, in unregulated spaces like \nDeFi\n, a lot of people have lost money.\n\n\nHow does it work? \n\n\nUnethical people hype up and promote the \u2018investment\u2019, with false positive statements.\nA lot of people buy in, hoping to make 1000% ROI or whatever\nAt its peak price, the same unethical people will cash out and deplete all the value, thus making the remaining shares worthless.\n\n\n\n\nThis is why you have to be very careful with anything hyped up in the investment world. Research the company you want to buy into and make sure none of the people affiliated have history in pumping and dumping. \n\n\nEVEN IF you want to join, NEVER go all-in, never use 100% of your money. If you want, \nmaybe\n 1%, max. That way you get to scratch your gambling itch (let\u2019s call it what it is) and even if you lose it all, you still have 99% of your money. \n\n\nWhat other investment terms do you want to know? \n\n\nWhat other investment terms do you want to know, aside from the above? Put in the comments section, I\u2019ll add on to and improve this list \ud83d\ude42 \n\n\nI also want to say here that there are no stupid questions \u2013 all beginners have to start somewhere. Ask me anything; even if I can\u2019t answer maybe other people can.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/investments-i-want-to-try/", "title": "3 Investments I Want To Try (But Haven\u2019t)\n  ", "body": "Here are some types of investments that I have: mutual funds/unit trust, gold and crypto.\n\n\nThis article is all about investments I\u00a0\ndon\u2019t\n have yet, but always been curious to try. I may or may not proceed with one or any of them in the future. It\u2019s just to show you what I\u2019ve done about them so far, and why I didn\u2019t proceed with them yet.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 ETFs (Exchange-Traded Funds)\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019ve heard really good things about ETFs. How they tend to be low in fees, how they\u2019re fairly low-risk, how they\u2019re the passive investment of choice for many in the financial circles.\n\n\nThe ONLY reason why I haven\u2019t invested in ETFs yet is because I\u2019m still waiting for a fintech roboadvisory company to offer Syariah-compliant ETFs. Too lazy to go through Bursa.\n\n\nEDIT: This article was originally written in 2018. Since then, many roboadvisors and platforms to buy ETFs are available for Malaysians. See how to get them at:\n\n\n\n\nWhich is the Best Robo Advisor in Malaysia? Ultimate Comparison Guide\n\n\nMIDF Invest Review: Buy US Stocks and ETFs from Malaysia Directly, Securely and Cheaply\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Properties\n\n\nSpecifically, I want to make money from properties via two methods: REITs and rental units\n\n\nFor \nREITs\n, I\u2019m sort of interested, but just not that passionate about them. If you are interested in REITs, see my \n5 Things I Learned About REITs in Malaysia (From a Bursa Malaysia-Sponsored Workshop)\n\u00a0article.\n\n\nRental units\n, on the other hand, is something I have more passion for. I\u2019ve always had this idea of buying a multi-room property, live in one of those units, then rent out the rest.\n\n\nIt\u2019ll solve both (1) my accommodation and (2) passive income strategy. Usually, when you buy property, you have to pick one or the other \u2013 for own stay or for investment. I thought this kind of solution, in theory at least, can be a \u2018best-of-both-worlds\u2019-type of solution.\n\n\nI got the idea from a chap called Alan Corey in his book, \nA Million Bucks By 30: How to Overcome A Crap Job, Stingy Parents, and A Useless Degree to Become A Millionaire Before (or After) Turning Thirty\n. He bought a big house, lived in the smallest room, and rented out the rest.\n\n\nThere are lots of trade-offs for this strategy, though. Summarised in two words, tenancy woes. Living with other people can be frustrating, to say the least. How much do I want to sacrifice my quality of life, privacy and landlady-related headaches in exchange for the money?\n\n\nA possible solution is complete boundaries between myself and my tenants. Different entrances, living areas, bathrooms, kitchens, the works. But that sounds expensive \u2013 that\u2019s already considered an apartment unit, and hell I don\u2019t have money to buy a whole apartment unit!\n\n\nSo until I see a property in my budget range that can work for this kind of situation, the search continues.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Equity Crowdfunding (ECF)\n\n\nHave you watched Shark Tank? That\u2019s kind of how equity crowdfunding works, except the investors are a bunch more people instead of individual \u2018sharks\u2019.\n\n\nAt time of writing, there are seven licensed equity crowdfunding platforms in Malaysia (\nlist in Securities Commission website\n). I\u2019ve been tempted to put my money in various companies many, many times. Especially startups which I thought was brilliant, like \nMe.Reka Makerspace\n.\n\n\nWhat\u2019s stopping me? Simple. I don\u2019t want to over-allocate high-risk investments in my portfolio. I \nhold\n hodl cryptocurrencies. The wild volatility already gives me anxiety. It takes all my willpower to not cave in and sell everything, especially during bear markets.\n\n\nAnyhow. I\u2019m planning to keep my crypto holdings for at least a few more years. This could be my best investment decision, or the worst, let\u2019s see. If it turns out well, I\u2019ll re-diversify and consider investing in startups.\n\n\nLast thoughts about investments I want to try\n\n\nThere are some investments I\u2019m absolutely not interested in, like \nart\n (collectibles in general), \nforeign exchange\n (USD/EUR/etc money), and individual \nMalaysian stocks\n.\n\n\nI\u2019m not saying they\u2019re bad investments, I\u2019m saying I don\u2019t enjoy them and therefore won\u2019t be motivated to research them, which is not a good trait to have as an investor for those types of investments.\n\n\nHow about you? What investments:\n\n\n\n\nDo you have?\n\n\nDo you want to try?\n\n\nYou are NOT interested in?\n\n\n\n\nShare with us in the comments section!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/lost-all-of-my-money/", "title": "3 Investments Where I Lost All of My Money\n  ", "body": "Want to know a secret? Everyone makes mistakes during our investment journey. Sometimes we pay too much in fees because we didn\u2019t know better, sometimes we try to time the market and it didn\u2019t work, and sometimes we trust the wrong people and get sucked into some shady Ponzi scheme.\n\n\nI made plenty of mistakes myself, like the many, many times I tried to time the market but it went on the opposite direction (WHEN WILL I LEARN?!?). But this article is NOT about those kinds of mistakes. I don\u2019t mean losing money when the market is not in your favour. Fluctuations in price and value is normal and even expected for some types of investments, like properties, gold/precious metals, things like that.\n\n\nThis article is about the times where I lost ALL of the money in the investment. Here they are, compiled in one post.\u00a0\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Gold: Gold Bar\n\n\nIn my early 20s, circa 2010s, there was this gold rush, this gold craze. The price went up like crazy, and naturally it generated a ton of attention. I covered this in more detail in the\u00a0\nWhat You Should Know About Gold Prices In 2008-2018\n article.\n\n\nAt the time, I bought some e-gold from a bank (and made some profit there). But I also bought something else \u2013 a gold bar. From Lelong.com.my.\n\n\nPhysical gold is a type of investment, yes, but because I was young and stupid, I bought a gold-\nplated\n bar, which I now know is pretty much useless as an investment. At the time, I just thought I snapped a bargain. Again, I was young and stupid.\n\n\nPlus, the gold bar never arrived too. I think it was a scam seller -_- Double bodo.\u00a0It wasn\u2019t a huge amount to lose, but I might as well throw that money away.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Forex: Copy-trade platform\n\n\nHave you seen the forex trading advertisement using images like these?\n\n\n\n\nThe idea is you can use technical analysis to predict if the market is going up or down, enter a trade, and hopefully make a profit. Rather than investment, I\u2019d say forex trading is more like a skill. Many people have lost a lot of money because they overestimated their trading skills.\n\n\nI\u2019ve kind of dabbled in forex trading, but never lost actual money\u2026 until I decided to try a copy-trade platform called 1Broker (\nUS authorities have taken down the platform on October 2018\n).\n\n\nHow it works is (for this particular platform):\n\n\n\n\nYou fund your account\n\n\nYou \ncopy \nsomeone else\u2019s trading activities in the platform. When they enter a trade, you\u2019ll automatically enter the same one as well.\n\n\nYou make a profit/loss if they make a profit/loss\n\n\n\n\nIn June 2017, I transferred in an amount I could afford to lose into the account (if not mistaken, around $500). I didn\u2019t \nwant\n to lose that money you know. To \u2018diversify\u2019 and reduce my risks, I copied trades from at least 3 people who had high ratings. Each of them had over 50% ROI on their own trades. I also set small entry amounts \u2013 only $10 for each trade.\n\n\nI thought it would be easy money. But in just two months, my account ran out of funds. I lost everything I deposited.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Cryptocurrencies: Waves & ZCoin\n\n\nBroadly speaking, there are two types of crypto wallets: the one where you have complete control and ownership, and the one where the company acts as a custodian for your cryptocurrencies. Compare it like physical gold that you keep yourself in your own password-ed vault versus e-gold that banks keep for you.\n\n\nTo make long story short, I\u2019ve done a classic newbie mistake and forgotten the seeds for two crypto wallets which I have complete ownership \u2013 my Waves and ZCoin wallets. The seeds are a bunch of random words or a long alphanumeric passkey. I can\u2019t possibly reproduce and bantai the words to gain access.\n\n\nWithout the seeds, I can\u2019t access my account. And if I can\u2019t access my account, I can\u2019t access those cryptocurrencies. Forever. Not even the developer team can help me.\n\n\nI\u2019m not sure how much I lost exactly, but at least $500 easily, as of current rates (and now crypto market is bear-ish, too!). To my defence, I thought I saved those seeds somewhere. Maybe someday I\u2019ll discover I did actually write it down.\n\n\nNote: I still love crypto as an investment. The rest of my cryptocurrencies are safe.\n\n\nLessons from losing money\n\n\nDoes it hurt? Hell yeah it does. It hurts not just my finances, but my ego as well. Each time it happens, I always go \u2018\nyou should have known better\n,\n you idiot\n\u2018.\n\n\nAh, the power of hindsight ay?\n\n\nBut you know what? I won\u2019t cry over the lost money. I accept these losses and will consider them as expensive mistakes instead. No investment or financial course can teach me these valuable life lessons. In fact, I\u2019m grateful they happened:\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m grateful that the amounts I lost were comparatively small. Some people have lost much more than I did\n\n\nI\u2019m grateful that I still have time on my side to earn money and recover these losses\n\n\nI\u2019m grateful that they made me super sceptical of new types of investments I come across\n\n\nI\u2019m grateful that I get to write about them so that YOU don\u2019t make the same mistakes I did\n\n\n\n\nGoing forward, these mistakes won\u2019t deter me from trying out new types of investment platforms and financial services (that\u2019s kinda my hobby). But I will be more selective of what I pick from now on.\n\n\nHave you lost money at any point during your investing journey? Share in the comments section, so all of us can learn and ultimately be better investors together.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/luno-malaysia-review/", "title": "I\u2019m a Luno User since 2015. Here\u2019s My Luno Malaysia Review\n  ", "body": "\n\nThis is my long-overdue Luno Malaysia review after being a long-time user.\n\n\nLet\u2019s start this article with this little tidbit of information:\n\n\nBefore Luno Malaysia, they were called.. BitX\n\n\nI\u2019ve signed up with Luno since December 2015, back when they were still known as BitX. They only rebranded into the Luno that you know in 2017. I\u2019m not sharing this info to be ter-paling crypto early adopter (I know people who were earlier!). More to prove that I\u2019ve been using their services for a long time. \n\n\n\n\nIn this Luno Malaysia review, I\u2019m going to cover Luno Malaysia platform ONLY. For other questions like what other crypto exchanges are available in Malaysia and is bitcoin halal and what\u2019s the difference between Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash, please head over to \nThe ULTIMATE Cryptocurrency in Malaysia Guide [2022 Update] article\n \u2013 I\u2019ve already covered it there. \n\n\nLuno Malaysia Review: Features You Should Know\n\n\nIn all my years of using the platform, I can say there are 4 areas where Luno Malaysia excels in: \n\n\nUser interface (the UI/UX\n) \u2013 very easy to use, foolproof even. Trading knowledge useful but not required. Great security features\nCan set up repeat buy\n \u2013 You can set up crypto purchase monthly, weekly or even daily, from RM1. A great set-and-forget, sikit-sikit lama-lama jadi bukit strategy (the fancy term for this investment strategy is DCA \u2013 dollar cost averaging)\n\n\n\n\nBonus for new users\n \u2013 New users can get RM50 in BTC on minimum RM500 deposit (instant 10% ROI) with my code \u2018\nLNSURAYA50\n\u2032\n. Simply open a new account at \nLuno.com\n > Go to REWARDS > Choose ENTER CODE > Enter the given promo code > Click Apply Code > Deposit the minimum amount required > Buy the minimum transaction amount > Get rewarded with the additional Bitcoin.\nTrustworthy\n\n\nI want to expand on that last part.\n\n\nCan you trust Luno Malaysia?\n\n\nI personally have a lot of trust in Luno Malaysia. \n\n\nTwo reasons why I say that \u2013 One, Luno Malaysia is registered with Securities Commission Malaysia and regulated under the\u00a0\nDigital Assets Guideline\n, issued on 28 October 2020. \n\n\nIn fact the initial batch of approved crypto exchanges in Malaysia \u2013 Luno, SINEGY and Tokenize \u2013 have my biggest respect. It\u2019s not too far-fetched to say that without their perseverance in getting licenced, crypto wouldn\u2019t be this mainstream. \n\n\nSecond is my own personal experience with the team. I don\u2019t know what they do to promote such a community-focused culture in the organisation, but it\u2019s great. Even from the early days, my interactions with Luno employees have been nothing but positive. \n\n\nI even provided some work in an informal capacity (wrote some articles) and at one time interacted directly with co-founder and CEO of Luno, Marcus Swanepoel and he was super nice and respectful. \n\n\nAnd the positive interactions continued on even now. The Luno Malaysia team reaches out from time to time to offer updates, benefits, support and learning opportunities. As of the time of writing, they are conducting free webinars aimed to increase women\u2019s participation in crypto.  \n\n\nHowever, please note that \ntrustworthiness doesn\u2019t mean \u2018confirm won\u2019t lose money\n\u2018. That brings me to:\n\n\nLuno Malaysia review: Common complaints\n\n\nCommon complaint #1 \u2013 Losing money\n\n\nLuno Malaysia the company is regulated but (1) the value of your bitcoin will still go down during bear market, and (2) you can still get scammed and lose your crypto. It\u2019s the same idea as using banks \u2013 if you accidentally transferred funds to a scammer, or if your account got hacked, the bank is not responsible for the loss.  \n\n\nThere is no 100% guarantee way to prevent losses, but you can significantly reduce the chances by:\n\n\nImplementing 2-factor authentication\nImplementing Biometric login\nUsing strong passwords for your Luno login AND email address\nUsing hardware wallet if you have a significant amount \n\n\nYou can read more about digital security and other security measures in the \nThe ULTIMATE Cryptocurrency in Malaysia Guide [2022 Update]\n article. You can also refer to \nLuno Blog section on Security\n for more tips. \n\n\nCommon complaint #2 \u2013 Not enough cryptocurrency options\n\n\nCurrently\n, the platform only offers BTC, ETH, LTC, XRP, BCH, ADA and SOL \u2013 a far cry from the hundreds/thousands of crypto assets options offered from popular (but unregulated) exchanges like Binance and KuCoin. \nAaron Tang, Country Manager of Luno Malaysia (you may also know him as mr-stingy.com) has said that the number one customer request is more crypto assets.\n\n\nEven though Aaron has assured that \nmore coins will be offered later in 2022\n, it is unlikely that they will add more than 10 additional crypto assets. It is also unlikely that your favourite dog coin will be approved by Securities Commission and listed in Luno. \n\n\nThis is not a bad thing. \n\n\nRather than lack of options, think of it as Securities Commission doing the work to \u2018vouch\u2019 cryptocurrencies on our behalf. When they approve a crypto asset, they\u2019re basically saying ok this one safe, not scam. \n\n\nPlus, once you get BTC, it\u2019s not hard to exchange that to whatever crypto asset you want \u2013 it\u2019s just a matter of learning how. So not having options in local exchanges is not that big of an issue tbh. \n\n\nPersonally, I choose to concentrate on mostly hodling BTC and ETH myself because they\u2019re the safest options. For a longer version of that argument, read more in the \nWhich Cryptocurrencies to Invest In? 3 Ways I Use to Decide\n article. \n\n\nCommon complaint #3 \u2013 No staking or farming options\n\n\nSometimes I see people asking when Luno Malaysia will offer staking or farming options. They are both terms used in\u00a0\nDeFi\n, or Decentralised Finance. In case you don\u2019t know what it is:\n\n\nStaking is kinda sorta like fixed deposit where you earn by \u2018locking\u2019 your cryptocurrencies in exchange for profit\nYield-farming is kinda sorta like earning from being a liquidity provider (a fancy term that basically means, you supply money for borrowers)\n\n\nNow, two points that I want to make:\n\n\nFirst, Luno is a CENTRALISED company and regulated. Staking and farming are part of DeFi, which is DECENTRALISED finance and unregulated by nature. Therefore, Luno CANNOT offer staking or farming. It\u2019s just fundamentally incompatible\nSecond, *if* they do want to offer similar-but-not-quite-the-same-type of services, they\u2019ll have to call it \u2018crypto savings account\u2019 or \u2018interest-bearing account\u2019 (instead of staking) and \u2018lending platform\u2019 (instead of yield-farming) or something\n\n\nHope that settles it. \n\n\nFinal say: Don\u2019t take regulated exchanges for granted\n\n\nPerhaps some of you read this article wanting to know why you should use Luno or other regulated exchanges when unregulated ones offer more services and crypto assets. Just one reason: your safety. \n\n\nI wish more people know how scary it was to invest in cryptocurrencies in the early days. It was very common to lose money. I\u2019m oversimplifying, but it went more or less like this: \n\n\nCirca 2015-2017:\n Many exchangers and p2p platforms allowed Malaysians to buy and sell crypto, but not all of them are great with due diligence or security. A lot of people lost money when the exchanges got hacked or when they got scammed\nCirca 2018-2019\n: It got so bad that many local banks were not willing to work with crypto exchanges, making customer deposit/withdrawal difficult. Regulatory body Securities Commission started on the Digital Assets framework, aimed to increase customer protection \nCirca 2020 \u2013 now\n: About a dozen crypto exchanges applied for the licence but only some (including Luno) successfully met SC\u2019s stringent requirements. Now, Malaysians can easily own (selected) digital assets\n\n\nWhat I\u2019m saying is, being a licensed exchange is a hard-won battle and the extra few ringgit paid is well worth your own security and protection, especially if you\u2019re new to crypto. When you gain more experience and knowledge, then you can go nuts and explore the wild wild west side of it.  \n\n\nLast but not least, don\u2019t forget to get that \nBonus for new users\n. \nNew users can get RM50 in BTC on minimum RM500 deposit (instant 10% ROI) with my code \u2018\nLNSURAYA50\n\u2032\n. \n\n\nSimply open a new account at\u00a0\nLuno.com\n\u00a0> Go to REWARDS > Choose ENTER CODE > Enter the given promo code > Click Apply Code > Deposit the minimum amount required > Buy the minimum transaction amount > Get rewarded with the additional Bitcoin. \n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/midf-invest-review/", "title": "MIDF Invest Review: Buy US Stocks and ETFs from Malaysia Directly, Securely and Cheaply [SPONSORED]\n  ", "body": "\n\nThis is my review of MIDF Invest, an online stock trading and investment platform which gives Malaysians direct and secure access to stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq at competitive rates. \n\n\nIn this MIDF Invest review, I\u00a0will cover MIDF Invest\u2019s features and fees. \nI will also compare it to other stock trading platforms. \n\n\nThe article is divided into the following segments (ratings added):\n\n\nHow to \nopen a MIDF Invest account\n\u00a0\u2013 4.5 out of 5\nIs MIDF Invest \nlegit\u00a0\n\u2013 5 out of 5\nIs MIDF Invest \nhalal\u00a0\n\u2013 4 out of 5\nMIDF Invest \nfees\u00a0\n\u2013 Depends (very cheap for a local platform)\nMIDF Invest vs Online International Brokers vs Local brokers\n \u2013 1 out of 5 for people who don\u2019t mind unregulated platforms, 5/5 for people who prefer regulated platforms\nWhere is the \nbest place to buy US Stocks from Malaysia\nMIDF Invest \nfuture plans\n and improvements\nBonus: Stocks Investing 101\n \u2013 3 Things Newbies to the US Stock Market NEED to know\n\n\nOk, let\u2019s start with:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 How to open a MIDF Invest Account\u00a0\n\n\nMy rating: \n4.5/5\n\n\n\u201cIt takes 10 minutes to register an account while approval will be evaluated individually. It differs from 10 minutes to 24 hours for MIDF to process and approve a user account according to the Know Your Customer process.\u201d \n\u2013 Khairi Shahrin Arief Baki, MIDF senior vice-president and head of digitalisation.\u00a0\n\n\nHave tried it, can confirm, registration was fast and all done online. Unlike traditional brokers, no in-person office visits or paperwork was necessary. Except for a small hiccup due to, well, lighting issue, the registration went well, I\u2019m satisfied.\u00a0\n\n\nThe 3-step process to open a MIDF Invest account is:\n\n\nStep 1: Download MIDF Invest\u00a0\n\n\nDownload MIDF Invest at:  \nhttps://link-to.app/SurayaZainudin\n | \nGoogle PlayStore\n | \nApple App Store\n\n\n\n\nStep 2: Complete registration and eKYC\n\n\nThe next step is completing a short questionnaire and to submitting your IC and selfie for eKYC purposes (KYC = Know Your Customer = a legally required process in an effort to reduce money laundering and other criminal activities).\n\n\nMy only recommendation here is to complete the KYC process during daytime, so it is less likely for the eKYC system to reject your IC\u2019s picture. If for some reason that still doesn\u2019t work, then contact their \u2018Happiness Agents\u2019 right from the platform \u2013 their customer service will assist you.\u00a0\n\n\n(My other recommendation is to take a nice selfie, because the same image will stare back at you in your dashboard. I hate my own picture, I wish I looked nicer, don\u2019t repeat my mistake.)\u00a0\n\n\n(OK I have been told by MIDF Team you can change your profile pic in Settings. Cool cool)\n\n\nStep 3: Fund your account\u00a0\n\n\nNext, you can choose to play around the demo account, or you can start trading for real. I chose the latter and deposited RM1000 \u2013 the amount arrived instantly and ready to be used for any US stock and ETF purchase.\u00a0\n\n\n\u2026It\u2019s so fast, theoretically I could join a social media-driven stock rally on the same day. Not investment advice.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nAdditional info from MIDF team:  \n\n\nThe account type is nominee account\nThere is no minimum deposit, but you need at least USD50 to start trading (~RM210)\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Is MIDF Invest Legit\n\n\nMy rating: \n5/5\n\n\nYes, MIDF Invest is legit. It is a partnership between:\n\n\nMIDF Amanah Investment Bank Bhd\n, a wholly-owned subsidiary of MIDF (\nMalaysian Industrial Development Finance Bhd\n; been around since 1960), and \nSaxo Markets\n, an online brokerage and division of Saxo Bank Group, a fully licensed Danish bank with more than two decades of experience in award-winning electronic trading platforms used by more than 120 global financial institutions.\n\n\nThis is how the interface looks like. Some people who are familiar with Saxo have commented that it is an easy-to-use platform, and suitable for beginners, so that\u2019s good to know.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nMIDF Amanah Investment Bank is regulated by the Securities Commission and Bank Negara Malaysia.\u00a0\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Is MIDF Invest Halal\n\n\nMy rating:\n 4/5\n\n\nMIDF Invest comes in two versions: Conventional and Islamic. During the registration process, you can select which account you\u2019d like to proceed with. If you select Islamic, then going forward, \nthe platform will only show you Shariah-compliant stocks and ETFs.\n\u00a0\n\n\nThe ONLY reason why I knocked out 1 star despite Islamic filter being a rare and expensive feature is because it significantly reduces ETF options for me. I can\u2019t even view the Conventional ETFs, let alone buy them :< \n\n\nHowever, I have to admit that beyond being a religious obligation, the shariah filter also acts as a helpful process of elimination. Even with the filter, I\u2019m still left with a bunch of stocks I still can buy, including the popular ones like Tesla, Apple, Microsoft etc. So.. good enough.\u00a0\n\n\nAs a refresher, halal investing is investments that are allowed in accordance with Islamic principles. \nHalal investing is not just for Muslims\n \u2013 Non-Muslims reading this, you are free to practice halal investing as well if you strongly dislike the following industries:\n\n\nExcess debt\nTobacco\nAlcohol\nFirearms\nGambling\nAdult entertainment\nImpure foodstock\nUsurious institutions\n\n\nscreenshot of the US stocks I can buy (Islamic account)\n\n\n#4 \u2013 MIDF Invest Fees\n\n\nMy rating: \nDepends \n\n\nMIDF fees are as follows:\n\n\nTrade value under USD1000 \u2013 USD8 min or USD0.015 per share\nTrade value over USD1000 \u2013 USD10 min or USD0.015 per share\n\n\nIs this cheap? Is this expensive? Read on in #5.\n\n\n(If you lazy to scroll \u2013 it\u2019s cheap for a local platform. Other local competitors charge USD25 per trade)\n\n\n#5 \u2013 MIDF Invest vs Online International Brokers vs Local brokers\u00a0\n\n\nMy rating:\n 1/5 for people who don\u2019t mind unregulated platforms, 5/5 for people who prefer regulated platforms\n\n\nBefore MIDF Invest, someone who wants to buy US stocks from Malaysia must pick between using online international brokers OR local brokers.\u00a0Those are the only two options. \n\n\n Which one do people choose? \nMy own personal observation is that users of online international brokers and users of local brokers are two different crowds.\u00a0\n\n\nUsers of online international brokers\nUsers of local brokers\nThe investors and traders tend to have smaller capitals (so cost per trade matters more)\nThe investors and traders tend to have bigger capitals (for people who make 5, 6, 7-figure trades, USD25 per trade is nothing)\nAccepts risks that come with platforms\u00a0unregulated in Malaysia. Relies on the platform\u2019s reputation and track record. Understand it is hard to report to Malaysian authorities if anything happens\nDoes NOT accept risks that come with platforms unregulated in Malaysia. No matter what, peace of mind comes FIRST. The broker MUST be registered to operate in Malaysia.\u00a0\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Where is the Best Place to Buy US Stocks from Malaysia\n\n\nThis is a continuation of section #5.\u00a0\n\n\nSo where is the best place to buy US Stocks from Malaysia? As always, the answer is it depends on the type of investor you are. Now that MIDF Invest entered the picture, here are the top pros and cons of each platform:\n\n\nTypes of Brokers\nPros\nCons\nOnline International Brokers \n(eToro, TigerBroker, TDAmeritrade etc)\n\u2013 Cheap (low to zero commission)\n\u2013 Unregulated in Malaysia\n\u2013 Takes time to open account\u00a0\n\u2013 Funding account takes days (may even get stuck for weeks)\nLocal brokers \n(Hong Leong, CIMB, etc)\n\u2013 Regulated in Malaysia\n\u2013 Expensive (USD25 per trade!)\n\u2013 Takes time to open account\u00a0\nMIDF Invest\n\u2013 Regulated in Malaysia\n\u2013 Cheaper than local brokers\n\u2013 Can open account in 10 minutes\u00a0\n\u2013 Fund deposits arrive instantly\n\u2013 Not as cheap as online international broker\n\u2013 New; still in Beta\u00a0\n\n\nIf your definition of \u2018best\u2019 is:\n\n\ncheap, and\nyou don\u2019t care about regulation status, and\u00a0\nyou want to trade more often,\u00a0\n\n\nThen those online international brokers are \u2018best\u2019.\u00a0\n\n\nBut if you\u2019ve always been seeking out a regulated platform to get US stocks and ETFs at lower fees, then MIDF Invest is worth a try. \nMIDF Invest is for people who want a broker that is BOTH regulated in Malaysia AND cheap(er than existing options)\n.\u00a0\n\n\n#7 \u2013 MIDF Invest: Future plans and improvements\n\n\nMIDF Invest is still in beta phase and has lots of room to grow. There are big plans for the app, online broking is just the first product. When asked about it, Khairi Shahrin Arif Baki, MIDF senior vice-president and head of digitalisation replied this to an online query:\n\n\n\n\nSo here\u2019s hoping for fractional shares, automatic portfolio allocation and other nice features in future updates \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n#8 \u2013 Bonus: Stocks investing 101 \u2013 3 Things Newbies to US Stock Market NEED to know\n\n\nThere are many things to know about the stock market, but here are some that newbies to US stock market NEED to know:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Basically what stock investing is\n\n\nWatch this video if you\u2019re very new to the stock market, as an investment. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe stock market attracts\n investors and traders\n. There are many differences between them, but I\u2019d say the primary difference is the \nfrequency \nof trades \u2013 traders buy and sell stocks more often, as frequent as a few times a day (day trading) to a few times a week/month/quarter (swing trading)*.\u00a0\n\n\nIn contrast, a traditional investor \u2018stays the course\u2019 more and would rarely sell unless changing strategies or rebalancing their portfolio. With investors, keeping their stocks for \ndecades \nis not unheard of.\u00a0\n\n\nImportant: Both investors and traders can become gamblers if they let greed take over. It is especially dangerous with leverage, ie when they allow you to make trades bigger than your capital. It amplifies your wins, yes, but also your losses.\u00a0\n\n\n*There are more types of trading. Won\u2019t go there here.\u00a0\n\n\n#2 \u2013 There are many stock markets around the world\n\n\nIn Malaysia we have Bursa Malaysia, which lists Malaysian companies. If that is all you have known so far, then may I introduce you to a snapshot of the global stock market in various geographies.\u00a0\n\n\nSource: https://howmuch.net/articles/all-stocks-capitalization-around-the-world\n\n\nPuts things in perspective, doesn\u2019t it? Malaysia market is so smol in comparison to the US stock market. The US market is also the center of innovation, and innovation tends to have the highest growth.\u00a0\n\n\n#3 \u2013 You don\u2019t have to get individual stocks\n\n\nPersonally, as much as I believe in diversifying my investment portfolio to include the US stock market, I also have no interest in individual stock picking (unless you\u2019re working in and/or super familiar with an industry, I think it\u2019s mostly luck tbh) nor do I have interest in trading (ie frequent buy frequent sell).\u00a0\n\n\nIf you\u2019re like me, then the financial instrument you\u2019re looking for is called ETFs \u2013 exchange-traded funds \u2013 baskets of investments that resemble mutual funds, but trade on an exchange like a stock. All I want to do is get my hands on ETFs that track the top companies in the US, and just leave it to grow.\u00a0\n\n\nHappily, this is something that MIDF Invest offers. Vanguard S&P 500 ETF is *the* ETF to get if you believe that the US economy as a whole will grow in the long term.\u00a0In addition, Muslims can also get the halal version of S&P 500 ETF (this is the one I got for myself!)\n\n\n\n\nDownload MIDF Invest at: \nhttps://link-to.app/SurayaZainudin\n | \nGoogle PlayStore\n | \nApple App Store\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/most-profitable-investment-in-malaysia/", "title": "Ranked: My Most Profitable Investment in Malaysia to Least Profitable\n  ", "body": "\n\nThe classic investment advice says slow and steady wins the race, but all of us are hares. Whether you like it or not, we are attracted to BIG, FAST results. Despite knowing better, words like \u2018highest return on investment\u2019 and \u2018most profitable investment in Malaysia\u2019 *will* capture your attention.\n\n\nAdmit it.\n Even though we know that we should think long-term, all of us try to chase that sweet, fast high. And I think it\u2019s okay to acknowledge that, because denial won\u2019t do any of us good.\n\n\nOn an individual level, yes we\u2019re greedy and impatient. But also on a societal level, we\u2019ve also been conditioned to think that fast growth=better. You can see this mentality all over:\n\n\n\n\nBursa Malaysia ranks stocks by \u2018top gainers\u2019 and \u2018top losers\u2019.\n\n\nThe default search for unit trusts is usually by \u2018Best Performing Funds\u2019 based on 1-month period (so short !!) \n\n\nProperty investors are advised to factor in property rental rate growth, the higher the better.\n\n\nWhen gold prices soared, *more* people bought more of it, causing a self-fulfilling prophecy.\n\n\nAnd more\n\n\n\n\n\n\nI personally admit that I constantly look for opportunities to get high investment returns, too. If I didn\u2019t, cryptocurrencies wouldn\u2019t have made more than half of my total \ninvestment portfolio.\n You can read my reasoning in the article, but basically it started as a small % before ballooning to higher % over the years.\n\n\n\n\nMy investment portfolio as of July 2020\n\n\nSo in that spirit, I think I want to write about the actual return on investment that I got from my investments, based on personal experience.\n\n\nOBLIGATORY DISCLAIMER\n\n\nOne \u2013 Just because I got these return on investment, doesn\u2019t mean you will too. Lots of factors are at play, including my risk appetite and pure dumb luck (main reason).\n\n\nTwo \u2013 I am not a financial expert, just a poyo, konon-terer DIY investor. Half the time I don\u2019t know if I\u2019m doing the right thing. This is both good and bad, because it forces me to constantly learn more about personal finance. It turns out learning is also an awesome coping mechanism to the financial anxiety that I get.\n\n\nReturn on Investment vs Annualised Return on Investment\n\n\nBefore we start, we need to differentiate between the terms Return on Investment and Annualised Return on Investment, because they CANNOT be used interchangeably. \n\n\nAccording to\u00a0\nInvestopedia\u2019s How to Calculate Return on Investment article\n, you can calculate ROI with these two methods,\n\n\n\n\n\n\nand Annualised ROI with this method.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhere possible, I\u2019ll use the ROI/Annualised ROI numbers that was given to me from the investment platforms OR historical numbers.I\u2019ll also use \nCalculator.net\u2019s ROI Calculator\n where applicable\n\n\nBut! Take the info here with a grain of salt \u2013 over the years I have added more funds, withdrawn, moved funds around at various timelines so everything except data from official sources is more of a rough estimate than a true figure.\n\n\nAlright, here we go.\n\n\nRanked: My Most Profitable Investment in Malaysia to Least Profitable\n\n\n#10 \u2013 Money in bank\n\n\nNot really an \u2018investment\u2019, but hey got la small amount. My primary account, which is a \nMaybank Savers\n account gives 0.60% return on investment per annum. The other accounts give 0% I think\n\n\n#9 \u2013 Tabung Haji\n\n\nFrom 2010-2021, the annual returns ranged from 1.25% to 8% (\nsource\n). That\u2019s not bad, considering (1) it never went negative, and (2) the profits have already been zakat-ed on your behalf.\n\n\nHowever, I probably won\u2019t use Tabung Haji for anything other than hajj funds. It didn\u2019t do very well in 2018 and 2019 (1.25% and 3.05% respectively), plus I\u2019m nervous over the alleged \nmisappropriation of Tabung Haji funds\n.\n\n\n#8 \u2013 Unit Trust \u2013 PRS\n\n\nPRS = Private Retirement Scheme = think of it as optional EPF. My one and only PRS fund at FSMOne generated 27.84% profit over 6 years, or 4%-ish in annualised ROI (had to calculate myself).\n\n\nWhy continue this investment? Because it gives me up to RM3000 in tax relief annually.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSpecial note: There are literally tens of PRS-specific unit trust, and hundreds if not thousands of unit trusts. Your unit trust ROI range will vary A LOT. \n\n\nHere are \n3 Ways to Pick the Best Unit Trust in Malaysia (Advisory & DIY Method)\n\n\n#7 \u2013 EPF\n\n\nFrom 2014-2020, the annual returns ranged from 4.75% to 6.9% (depends on conventional or syariah). Data taken from \nKWSP Dividend page\n.\n\n\n#6 \u2013 ASB\n\n\nFrom 2010-2020, the annual returns ranged from 5.5% to 8.9%.\u00a0MyPF.my maintains a great page on \nASB annual returns\n. You can see the returns shrunk in recent years (but still good).\n\n\nimage credit: MyPF.my\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Unit trust \u2013 BEST Invest\n\n\nQuite new at this one, but VERY excited over its possibilities. I love that it is (1) syariah-compliant, and (2) ESG investing ie Environmental, Social and Governance ie sustainable investing ie ethical investing.\n\n\nAt the moment, it\u2019s already showing 7.08% absolute returns after only 2 months or so in.\n\n\nRelated:\n I Tried BEST Invest by BIMB Investment, the \u2018First Robo-Intelligence Shariah ESG Online Investment App\u2019\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 P2P Financing\n\n\nCurrently, with some defaults, my annualised portfolio performance is a comparatively low 10.23%. However before defaults, it was as high as ~16-18%.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n(Note: The screenshot is from Funding Societies. My referral link is \nhere\n)\n\n\n#3 \u2013 ETFs \u2013 Robo-advisory\n\n\nMy portfolio is Moderately Aggressive, and this is its allocation. If not mistaken, the \u2018US Stocks\u2019 part is channelled towards \nWahed FTSE USA Shariah ETF\n.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAnd I\u2019m getting a whopping 20.17% gains from my portfolio right now.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nI don\u2019t understand the (US) economy, I really don\u2019t. Record numbers of people are unemployed, the poor are getting poorer\u2026 yet the stock market is booming :/\n\n\nThe bubble will burst, though. I don\u2019t think this will last, it\u2019s not sustainable at all.\n\n\n(Note: The screenshot is from Wahed Invest. Use code \u2018surbin1\u2019 to get RM10 for free when you open an account. Find the app in Appstore)\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Gold\n\n\nGold is a tricky one to rank because it reaaaaally depends on when you buy and sell. Same like buying and selling (non-dividend) stocks, I imagine.\n\n\nIf you bought 5 years ago, circa 2015, you\u2019ve probably made a nice profit.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBut if you bought in 2011, then you either (1) have sold at a loss, or (2) now only see (small) profit\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPersonally, I bought gold many times in small amounts over the years, and I can\u2019t even properly calculate my ROI. But I estimate somewhere around 30-50% return on investment? Hard to say.\n\n\n(Note: The screenshot is from HelloGold. My referral link is \nhere\n)\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Bitcoin & Cryptocurrencies\n\n\nAnd I guess to no one\u2019s surprise, the highest returns of all my investments belong to cryptocurrencies. This was the most profitable investment in Malaysia, and possibly the whole world in 2020. \n\n\nAccording to my calculations, my ROI for crypto \u2013 mostly BTC plus some ETC and a scattering of airdropped alts \u2013 is a whopping 2900%, or 134% in annualised ROI.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLike gold, it\u2019s very hard to calculate ROI for crypto because it really depends on the time you buy and sell. I was lucky (dumb luck I tell you) to stumble upon crypto relatively early, therefore I get that kinda ROI.\n\n\nEqually important: I\u2019m not a trader. I don\u2019t buy and sell often, I don\u2019t try to make money in the wild price swings (even though I\u2019m tempted). My strategy is literally to buy and keep for years, because as said in this \nPantera Capital\u2019s Medium article\n: Don\u2019t look at the highs, look at the lows.\n\n\n\n\nAs investors, we tend to get caught up in the all-time highs. Equally important are the yearly lows. Looking back at the low-print of the market for each year, Bitcoin has shown consistent positive growth \u2014 there\u2019s only one year with a lower low than the previous years.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThankfully it worked out. But of course, I can say this because (1) survivorship bias, (2) As a crypto holder, *of course* I want more people to get into it, the demand will push the price higher. So again, take what I say with the biggest effing grain of salt.\n\n\n(Note: I bought my first BTC from Luno. My referral link is \nhere\n)\n\n\nConclusion\n\n\nOkay, so those are all my investments and their respective return on investment. I hope it gives you \u2013 especially if you\u2019re new to investment world \u2013 an insight into one person\u2019s actual investment performance. \n\n\nAgain, I want to stress how lucky I am, AND I also want to take this opportunity to invite you to read up my article about \ninvestments which I lost ALL of my money.\n\n\nSo far, I don\u2019t have investments in properties (\nREITs\n, flipping, rental etc) and in the stock market (Read: \n7 BEST Articles to Read Before You Jump into Stocks Investing in Malaysia\n) and a few more, so I don\u2019t know the ROI range for those investments.\u00a0If you\u2019re doing those, please share your return on investment in the comments section.\n\n\nHow have your investments performed over the years? Which performed the best, and which, the worst?\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/my-investment-portfolio/", "title": "Breakdown of My (SUPER HIGH RISK) Investment Portfolio\n  ", "body": "Obligatory disclaimer: This article is for SHARING purposes only! NOTHING in here is a recommendation, so don\u2019t say \u2018Oh Suraya say must do like that\u2019 HELLO I NEVER SAY THAT\n\n\nWhen Mr Stingy posted his \nHow I Invest My Own Money\n article, where he gave the complete breakdown of his investment portfolio, I \nknew\n I wanted to write out my own version as well.\n\n\nInvestment portfolios are like a reflection of our personalities. It exposes our risk appetite and maybe some traits as well (see: \n(Stereo)types of Malaysian Investors: Who You Are Based on What You Invest In\n).\n\n\nIn this case, I realised that while some of our investments do overlap with each other, the percentage breakdown is\u00a0completely different.\n\n\nSo, I\u2019ll be sharing the breakdown of my investment portfolio. Like Aaron, I also don\u2019t feel like disclosing the total amount, just the percentage of each investment type.\n\n\nEverything is accurate as of time of writing (July 2020). Let\u2019s hope that the eventual market downturn will be kind to us *laughs nervously*.\n\n\nBreakdown of My Investment Portfolio, %, & Risk Level\n\n\nHere are all my investments, sorted by highest to lowest, as calculated and screenshot-ed from Excel sheet:\n\n\n\n\nIn chart format,\n\n\n\n\nOkay, time to address the elephant in the room \u2013 Suraya, \nWHY IS YOUR RISK SO DAMN HIGH\n?\n\n\nI get it. If you add it up, my high-risk investments make up 63.5% of my total investment value. As a comparison, Aaron\u2019s portfolio is nearer to ~80:20\u00a0 safe:risky ratio.\n\n\nAnd the reason for that is\u2026 well, the value of my crypto holding grew exponentially. I started collecting cryptocurrencies from December 2015, especially bitcoin. One bitcoin was around RM1600 then. It\u2019s around RM40,000 each now.\n\n\nIF the prices remained at 2015/16 prices, my crypto holdings would just make up 10%-ish of my overall investment portfolio.\n\n\nBut yeah, as it stands, it is what it is. Over half of my overall investment portfolio is in crypto. And now you might ask,\n\n\n\u2018Why don\u2019t you sell your bitcoin? To reduce the risk of your investment portfolio\u2019\n\n\nThat\u2019s a GREAT recommendation. At least two \nlicenced\n financial advisors told me the same thing. But I\u2019ll tell you why I won\u2019t, at least not in the near future, in a multi-part answer:\n\n\n\n\nI did.\n Over the years, I\u2019ve sold off \nsome\n of the crypto gains to channel into other investments. If I didn\u2019t, the percentage would\u2019ve been even higher\n\n\nI\u2019ve gotten used to it.\n I\u2019m aware I have this weird cognitive dissonance situation thing going on, but honestly having a large percentage of crypto feels BOTH safe and risky for me, for different reasons\n\n\nI\u2019m confident in my ability to earn\n. If (touch wood touch wood TOUCH EFFING WOOD) I lose access to all my crypto, or it gets stolen or whatever, obviously that would suck but I can earn it back. Or attempt to.\n\n\nI\u2019m not a trader\n. Traders look for opportunities to make a quick buck during the volatile swings. I\u2019m more interested in the long-term potential\n\n\n\n\nBut\u2026 NGL I am nervous about the estate planning side of it. If anything happens to me, all that value will be locked up forever. If any of you cryptoheads are reading this, please leave your suggestions in the comments section. How do YOU plan to pass it down?\n\n\nMy other investments\n\n\nMy other investments are (comparatively) less exciting. I have a huge preference for investments that:\n\n\n\n\nCan be automated\n. Related: \n10 Places to Automate Your Investments in Malaysia\n\n\nAre practical\n. I self-contribute to EPF and PRS accounts every year because can claim as tax relief. If I could \npurchase unit trust from EPF account\n, I might have done that too.\n\n\nAre convenient\n. Almost all of them can be managed online. Many are fintech options, like HelloGold (for \ngold\n), \nBEST Invest\n, \nFunding Societies\n etc\n\n\nAre Syariah-compliant and/or ESG/sustainable investing\n. Related:\u00a0\n10 Types of Islamic Investments in Malaysia (that Everyone Can Get)\n\n\n\n\n(all referral links at \nlinktr.ee/surayaror\n) (please read all my \ninvestment-related articles\n first)\n\n\nPersonal conclusion\n\n\nIs my investment portfolio good? Is it bad? I don\u2019t know, but I can say that I\u2019m (1) happy with my net worth overall and (2) can sleep at night, even with the risks. The latter is important especially for me \u2013 as a woman, my natural tendency is to play it safe.\n\n\n(Note: studies actually concluded that women\u2019s tendency for low-risk investing is actually the better investing style. But the fear does potentially make us lose out on more profitable, high-risk investments) (In reverse, usually men have to\u00a0\nlearn\n how to reduce their risk)\n\n\nHowever, once I beat my fear of embracing riskier types of investments AND made sure I have a good amount in low-risk investments, I find that I couldn\u2019t get enough of high-risk investments. I enjoy doing them\u00a0\nin the safest way possible\n.\u00a0For example:\n\n\n\n\nAll accounts are set to incredibly complex passwords and 2FA where possible (read:\u00a0\nHow to Digitally Protect Your Money; A Checklist on Digital Security in Malaysia\n\n\nNot planning to dip into investments, everything except money in the bank account is for long-term\n\n\nI have a mental \u2018stop loss\u2019 \u2013 will sell if it ever dips below a certain amount\n\n\nFor mutual funds and unit trusts, I\u2019ve diversified in multiple regions, both in and outside Malaysia\n\n\nFor p2p lending, I automated it to make small but many investments, to reduce the impact of loan defaults if and when it happens\n\n\n(and perhaps most importantly) Never stop learning skills that allow me to earn (more) money so market recessions will have minimal, if any, impact on me. The idea is, if it goes down, I\u2019ll simply earn more to make up for it\n\n\n\n\nAnyway, this concludes my investment portfolio breakdown article. How does yours look like? Are you happy with the way you allocate your resources? Let me know in the comments section!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/myasnb-app/", "title": "3 Features in myASNB App You Should Know [SPONSORED]\n  ", "body": "\n\nIn the \nAmanah Saham: 4 Advanced Strategies You Should Know\n article, I mentioned how useful the myASNB app is, for both new and existing ASNB investors. As someone who has personally spent hours commuting and waiting for my turn at the ASNB branch to open an account and conduct a transaction, the ability to do the same thing from my phone is definitely appreciated.\u00a0\n\n\nIn this article, I\u2019d like to expand on the myASNB app \u2013 what other features do they have, and what can you use them for? And most importantly, how can they help you achieve your financial goals?\n\n\nFeature #1 \u2013 Target Labur\u00a0\n\n\n\u201cA dream without a plan is just a wish\u201d\u00a0\n\n\nDo you have a financial goal you\u2019re working towards? Then the first feature is for you \u2013 let\u2019s make your dream a reality.\u00a0\n\n\nFor example, let\u2019s say you want to have RM3000 in your Emergency Fund. You aim to complete this goal in 8 months, starting in January 2022 and ending in August 2022. How much do you need to save monthly to achieve that goal?\n\n\nYou don\u2019t need to do the calculation yourself, let the app do the work. While return expectations may vary \u2013 the final amount depends on the fund you choose \u2013 but saving RM375 per month is a good starting point.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nThe awesome thing about the Target Labur feature is it is \ngreat \nfor long term goals, because it factors in compound interest in the calculation.\u00a0\n\n\nLet\u2019s try another example just to show what I mean: let\u2019s say you want to finance your own business, and give yourself 2 years and 2 months (26 months) to raise the initial RM10,000 capital.\u00a0\n\n\nIf you save the money using a bank account (or a literal tabung in your house), you need to save RM384.62 per month (RM10000 divided by 26 months)\nHowever, if you save using myASNB Target Labur, then the amount you need to save per month becomes\u2026 RM376 per month*\n\n\n*Expected return of 4.15% per annum used as a guide; actual returns will vary\n\n\n\n\nThe Target Labur feature comes preset with 8 common financial goals, such as saving for retirement, purchasing a house, purchasing a car, planning a holiday and more, plus Custom Goal option for anyone who, I don\u2019t know, wants to buy a horse or something.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nWatch the Target Labur tutorial below.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nProtip #1: Set up as many goals as you want \u2013 it\u2019s common to want it \nall \n\u2013 but prioritise what\u2019s most important for you, especially if financial resources are limited.\u00a0\n\n\nProtip #2: Notice that Paying Off Debt is not included as a financial goal above. If you have high-interest consumer debt such as credit cards and personal loans, then please prioritise paying those off first.\u00a0\n\n\nFeature #2 \u2013 Auto Labur\n\n\nImagine one day you check back your myASNB account, and find out that wow, you have RM10,000 in your account! Then you remember, oh yeah, you have set up the Auto Labur feature some time ago but forgot all about it. Good job, Past Self!\n\n\nThat\u2019s pretty much the function of the Auto Labur feature. Set it up. Then forget about it. One day, get pleasantly surprised by \u2018bonus\u2019 money that compounded over the years.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nTo set up Auto Labur, simply click the Enrol Now button during myASNB operation hours (7am to 6pm) and fill up the particulars:\u00a0\n\n\nWhich fund (there are 16 funds. Learn more in \nASNB product page\n or see next section)\nWhich bank the deduction is from\nHow much to deduct (the minimum amount is RM30 per month), and\nDate of deduction (choice of 2nd, 25th or 28th of every month)\n\n\n\n\nProtip #3: Combining Target Labur with Auto Labur is a GREAT idea. Target Labur tells you how much to save monthly, and Auto Labur does it for you automatically. It\u2019s the perfect combination!\u00a0\n\n\nFeature #3 \u2013 ASNB Wakaf\u00a0\n\n\nThe next feature I\u2019d like to highlight in this article is ASNB Wakaf, a super cool application of fintech in making contributions and donations. Usually, donations are made on a one-off basis. How\u2019d you like getting that pahala/good karma on an ongoing basis?\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nHow it works is:\n\n\n1) Apply for WAKAF via MyASNB app\n\n\nYou can find it right in the main page of MyASNB app\n\n\n\n\nSelect Click to Wakaf\n\n\n\n\n2) Select the fund and the WAKAF amount (min RM1000)\n\n\nIf you have multiple funds with ASNB, then select the one you want to make the contribution from. If you don\u2019t have money in the fund, then you can easily top up via the MyASNB app as well.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nImportant: Only the return on the investment will be distributed for wakaf projects, thus maintaining the principal intact to generate returns for subsequent years. For example, let\u2019s use Amanah Saham Bumiputera\u2019s 5% dividend for 2021 as a benchmark. Therefore, RM50 (5% ROI on RM1000) will be your contribution under Wakaf ASNB for the year. This method ensures your contribution lasts FOREVER.\u00a0\n\n\nWhere does the contribution go? It will be channeled towards Wakaf Projects benefiting Health, Education, Community Empowerment and Humanitarian Missions.\u00a0\n\n\n3) Confirm your application and done\n\n\nRead and understand the T&C and Wakaf Statement and if you\u2019re happy with your decision, complete the Confirmation page and you\u2019re done!\n\n\n\n\nAside from the features mentioned above, you can also perform these transactions on the myASNB app:\n\n\nCreate a new ASNB account without going to the branch\nPerform balance enquiry for ASNB unit trust funds\nPerform additional Subscription to ASNB unit trust funds\nAccess recent transactions\nAccess account statement\nRead prospectuses\nRegister for any ASNB unit trust funds, and\nSearch for ASNB branches nationwide\n\n\nProtip #4: It\u2019s cheaper to do additional subscriptions of variable price ASNB unit trust funds from myASNB app rather than through the counter. The latter\u2019s sales charge can go up to 5%, as opposed to 1.5-2% through the former.\u00a0\n\n\nDownload myASNB App today\n\n\nWhat do you think of myASNB app\u2019s features? What other features do you want them to add? Let them know \u2013 drop a comment below!\n\n\nIf you\u2019re a new myASNB user, follow these steps to sign up:\n\n\nStep 1: Download the myASNB app. It is available on \nAndroid\n, \niOS\n, and \nHuawei\n.\nStep 2: Click on Sign Up\nStep 3: Enter in your personal details\nStep 4: Upload your IC\nStep 5: Finalise account information\nDone! The whole process only takes minutes\n\n\nYou can read more about the online account opening process \nhere\n.\n\n\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/popular-investments-in-malaysia/", "title": "Pros & Cons List of 5 Popular Investments in Malaysia\n  ", "body": "\n\nIn this article, I\u2019m going to give you a condensed but concise pros/cons list of five of the most popular investments in Malaysia: \n\n\nfixed deposits\nmutual funds/unit trust/ETFs\nstocks\ngold, and \nproperties/land. \n\n\nWhy these five? Simple \u2013 because \nthe overwhelming majority of us will start our investing journey with one of them first\n. Eventually, you need to know the tried-and-tested strategies that work well with each type of investment, so learn them all here in this one article. \n\n\nLet\u2019s get right into it.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Fixed Deposit\n\n\nWhat it is:\n Agree to let bank keep your money for x time. After a few months to a few years, they return back the money to you plus a bit of interest/dividend, which is your profit.   \n\n\nPros\n:\n\n\nEasy to get\n. Many banks offer it.\nEasy to \ncompare rates\n. Many financial comparison platforms list rates from different banks. Use them, it saves a lot of time\nSuper super safe\n. Your initial capital is guaranteed.\nSet-and-forget system\n. Pretty passive\n\n\nCons\n:\n\n\nSmall return on investment\n. Depending on the OPR, you\u2019re lucky to get 4.x% ROI. Usually it\u2019s 2-3.x%. That\u2019s barely keeping up with the inflation rate.\nYour money is \nlocked away\n for the duration. Cannot use for up to 5 years.\nThere are \npenalties\n if you do need to take out the money before the term is up.\n\n\nStrategies\n:\n\n\nBetter to use \ncash management platform\n instead. Same concept as FD except no lock-in, aka you can take the money out whenever you want with no penalties.\nBe \nrealistic\n. Don\u2019t chase the highest rates offered if you\u2019re not sure if you can spare the high minimum amount needed. Don\u2019t lock it away for years unless you have a healthy-sized emergency funds socked somewhere else\nIt\u2019s not a bad strategy to open a new fixed deposit every month/every 3 months/ every 6 months. Over time, you\u2019ll always have \nFDs expiring every so often\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Mutual funds/Unit trust/ETFs\n\n\nNote: Mutual funds, unit trusts and ETFs are not technically the same things, but similar enough that I grouped them together\n\n\nWhat it is:\n Instead of buying one asset at a time (stocks, properties, precious metals etc), you get to buy it as a \u2018package\u2019. Ie, buying the S&P 500 means you\u2019re buying a small portion of the top 500 companies in the US stocks market, at once. \n\n\nPros\n:\n\n\nIt\u2019s like \ninstant diversification\n in your investment portfolio. Your mutual funds/Unit trust might have a mix of: stocks (of different markets), properties, precious metals, currencies and more\nSo. Many. Options. To. Choose. From.\n There are probably hundreds of different Mutual funds, unit trusts and ETFs that you can buy\nDifferent products have different risk levels, so they suit different risk profiles. You can choose based on its risk level. \nThe higher the risk, the higher the potential income\n.\nSome mutual funds and unit trusts have\n tax benefits\n too. When filing taxes, don\u2019t forget to deduct amounts contributed to \nEPF, PRS*, SSPN**\n and investment-linked insurance products. Yes those are considered a type of mutual funds and unit trusts too\nAn investment in Tabung Haji specifically lets you queue up for haji\n\n\n*PRS = Private Retirement Scheme. Kinda like secondary, but optional EPF\n\n\n**SSPN = education-earmarked funds for your kids\n\n\nCons\n:\n\n\nSo. Many. Options. To. Choose. From\n.\nSome are only available for some people: ASB for Bumi folks, Tabung Haji for Muslims, some unit trusts for high net worth individuals\nYou really have to check the \nfees\n offered by some financial institutions. Some can get pretty high (5% sales fees is HIGH, there are lots of low-fee options nowadays). \nExcept for some, many people forget that the \nROI for most unit trusts by fund management companies is not guaranteed\n. As such, many people investing in high-risk growth funds especially have lost money, especially if they couldn\u2019t take the bear market and withdrawn funds\n\n\nStrategies\n:\n\n\nIf you\u2019re Bumi, take advantage of the \nASB loan\n if you can commit to the monthly payments.\nGenerally speaking, \nroboadvisory platforms\n (which include ETFs) have much lower fees than unit trusts. It\u2019s 1% (or even less than) vs up to 6%. No brainer\nDo take advantage of the mutual funds/unit trusts that can give you \ntax benefits\nYou can take out a portion of your \nEPF money to invest in other unit trusts\n, or to buy property (whether you should is another matter. Personally I vote no, I don\u2019t want to kacau my retirement money)\nTabung Haji and some platforms like \nWahed Invest\n help you to calculate and pay \nzakat\nYou can buy \nPRS\n funds with zero sales charge\nYou can diversify into US market and buy S&P 500 easily from \nMIDF Invest\n. And they even have Shariah version!\nAutomate monthly contributions\n to your preferred mutual funds/unit trust/ETF and it\u2019s as passive as it can get\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Stocks\n\n\nWhat it is:\n Stocks represent your \u2018ownership\u2019 over a (small) part of a company\n\n\nPros\n:\n\n\nSuper fun for people who like to read and \ndo research\n. Lots of publications and seminars you can attend.\nYou get to choose to learn about the \nfundamentals, the technicals\n, or both.\nYou can trade, you can do \nwarrants\n, you can do IPO, you can do value investing, lots of options\nAs a shareholder, you get to attend \nAGMs\n and get nice doorgifts\n\n\nCons\n:\n\n\nNot so much fun if you have no interest in company news and updates, and macroeconomics in general\nYou get the\n \u2018what if\u2019 syndrome\n. What if bought lower? What if sell higher? What if I waited? Why didn\u2019t I sell then?\nA lot of survivorship bias. While lots of people made money on the stock market, don\u2019t forget lots of people have lost money there, too\n\n\nStrategies\n:\n\n\nIf you like \nfundamental analysis\n, you\u2019re suited for value investing and dividend investing strategies. Read those books and attend those talks\nIf you also like\n technical analysis\n, you can potentially increase your ROI with \nwarrants trading\n. Read those books and attend those workshops\nIf you\u2019re a long-term holder, except for rare events, \ndon\u2019t disturb your stocks\n after you buy them. Just hold them for the long term. Many people itchy fingers like to buy/sell too often.\nBuy when others are selling, sell when others are buying\n\n\nRelated articles:\n\n\nDividendMagic Taught Me How to Read Financial Statements and Buy Stocks\n7 BEST Articles to Read Before You Jump into Stocks Investing in Malaysia\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Gold\n\n\nWhat it is:\n The yellow-coloured metal\n\n\nPros\n:\n\n\nHistorically holds value\n. Probably won\u2019t go down to zero\nYou can get them in \nphysical and digital versions\n. Physical gold is quite fun because you can wear gold jewellery and start coin collections and pretend you\u2019re a pirate\nYou can also temporarily \npawn physical gold\n to use as emergency money, and buy it back when you can\nBut on the other hand e-gold is very practical and hard for thieves to steal\nBuy-and-forget type of investment\n. Pretty passive\n\n\nCons\n:\n\n\nPhysical gold can be \nstolen\nAnd if it gets stolen, you might get hurt or your house might get broken into. Buy insurance.\nMuslims are obligated to \npay \nzakat\n on gold (over a certain amount)\n\n\nStrategies\n:\n\n\nThe price \nfluctuates\n. Buy a little bit every month to average it out\nRemember that gold prices \ntend\n to go up when the stock markets are not performing well (this theory doesn\u2019t hold well lately)\nIt\u2019s probably not a good idea to make gold your \nonly\n investment. Many experts advise limiting gold to max 5-15% of investment portfolio\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Properties/Land\n\n\n*Note: this is not property purchase for own stay, strictly for investment purposes\n\n\nPros\n:\n\n\nBig. Solid.\n Very satisfying to own.\nYou can earn from \ncapital appreciation\n (the value of the property) AND \nrental income\n. The \nestimated annual ROI is 8%\n for properties in Klang Valley.\nYou can make any adjustments you want. Anything. Put in a fireplace even though you live in tropical Malaysia? Why not YOU OWN IT WHAT.\n\n\nCons\n:\n\n\nNothing about it is cheap\n. You need 10-20% of the property value as downpayment. You need to pay legal fees and stamp duties (some developers may waive this). You need to buy house insurance. That\u2019s not including furniture, installing fixtures, renovations. So many things to pay for.\nBecoming a landlord/landlady/Airbnb owner is no joke. It\u2019s \nhard work.\nYou always need to have \nextra money\n for repairs and more renovations.\nHarder to liquidate\n (turn back to cash) than other types of investments. It\u2019s also not the best time to sell houses in Malaysia right now, there\u2019s a housing oversupply.\n\n\nStrategies\n:\n\n\nThe holy grail is to find tenants that can \npay more in rent than the monthly mortgage\n. Not impossible, but definitely not easy\nYou can \noutsource some work\n to agents (for rental) and AirBnB property management company (for AirBnB). It\u2019ll cut into some profit, but it\u2019ll save you a lot of time\nOr you can always opt for the least-hassle one, \nREITs\n. Think of it as the mutual fund version of properties.\n\n\nRelated articles\n:\n\n\n5 Things I Learned About REITs in Malaysia (From a Bursa Malaysia-Sponsored Workshop)\nHi MORTGAGE Review: I Found Out How Much Home Loan I Can Get\n\n\nLast words\n\n\nThis concludes pros, cons and strategies of five of the most popular investments in Malaysia: fixed deposits, mutual funds/unit trust, stocks, gold and properties/land.\n\n\nIf you\u2019re completely \nnew in this investing thing\n, your first few investments would probably be one of the 5 investments mentioned in this article. You could mix-and-match them, or simply stick to mutual funds/unit trust/ETFs, that\u2019s actually fine too.\n\n\nAs for how much, you can use the \n50/30/20 budgeting rule\n and set aside at least 20% of your income to go to these investments. More is better.\n\n\nHow about other investments and strategies? Consider that \u2018play money\u2019, money that you can afford to lose. You can try out other less popular (and riskier) investments like \ncryptocurrencies\n, \np2p lending\n, \nforex\n, equity crowdfunding and the rest later.\n\n\nDo you agree or disagree with my analysis? What else would you add? Share them in the comments! Let\u2019s help each other make good investment decisions.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/professional-trader-malaysia/", "title": "I Interviewed A Professional Trader from a Malaysian Investment Bank\n  ", "body": "\n\nIf you thought being a professional trader means only working for a couple of hours a day, while sipping cold drinks by the beach, you\u2019ve been told a lie by opportunistic marketers, my friend.  I can tell you that, because I interviewed a professional trader who shared with me how the #tradinglife is \nreally\n like. \n\n\nMeet Isabelle Zhen from Kenanga Investment Bank. She is the first (and to date, only) person who could explain trading \u2013 and specifically warrants* trading \u2013 to me in a language that I can actually understand. I learned more about \nwarrants trading in a two-hour workshop conducted by her\n than literal years from other sources.\u00a0\u00a0\n\n\n*Warrants = a financial instrument. You can trade other things \u2013 more info further below\n\n\n\n\nIsabelle has an interesting job \u2013 she is the Warrants Issuer and Spokesperson at Kenanga Investment Bank. Her job scope involves both trading warrants professionally and organising educational talks. After some prodding I found out that Isabelle has been there for 4 years (so far), and already promoted twice. I think that speaks for itself.\u00a0\u00a0\n\n\nThe Daily Routine of a Professional Trader\n\n\nIsabelle specialises in trading derivatives, specifically warrants, and maintains a strict daily routine which debunks all the trading-is-easy-money fantasies sold to you by irresponsible trading platforms and self-declared trading \u2018gurus\u2019.\u00a0\n\n\nIsabelle\u2019s Daily Schedule\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTime\nActivities\n6.30am\nWake up, have black coffee and start the day with spiritual activity (read Bible)\n7.00am\nListen to BFM 89.9 for local newsflow updates (\u201cwhile I shower\u201d) and turn on CNBC to find out what happened in Western markets\u00a0 (\u201cwhile I get ready\u201d)\n8.30am\nStationed at desk and ready to start work. Double-check charts and trading systems\u00a0\n9.00am-5pm\u00a0\nThe market opens; Trading and other work activities\n(Isabelle: When I start trading, I talk to the stocks like they are my babies\nMe: Even in front of your co-workers?\nIsabelle: They\u2019re used to it)\nAfter work and weekends\nDo personal projects, reading and practice trading for fun\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSome trading tools Isabelle uses include:\n\n\nBroker \n\u2013 Kenanga Investment Bank (of course)\nInformation/Newsflow \n\u2013 \u201cIn addition to BFM89.9 and CNBC, I scan through every related news source. But my favourite is our Bloomberg terminal (it\u2019s like a Google for companies)\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\nStructured Warrants\n \u2013 \nNagaWarrants.com\n for warrant terms, indicators and Live Matrixes.\u00a0\n\n\nSomething that is immediately apparent about Isabelle is how much she LOVES trading. During the course of our conversation, her face LIT UP when we talked about trading mindset, thought process and strategies. She admitted she \u201clikes to visualise candlestick chart patterns before sleep, before The Queen\u2019s Gambit made it a thing\u201d.\u00a0\n\n\nListen, I don\u2019t exactly have the best experience with trading (got burned when I attempted copy-trading, which serves me right tbh), but Isabelle made it sound downright fascinating, so let\u2019s talk about that.\n\n\nLife of a professional trader: Trading mindset, thought process and strategies\n\n\nCan I admit that while I\u2019m aware there are books about trading as a skillset, I had no idea there are biographies and memoirs of great traders?\n\n\n\u201cI like knowing the history of trading greats; like Richard Dennis who believes that trading is a learnable skill, W.D Gann\u2019s trading rules, and Jesse Livermore\u2019s big wins and big mistakes,\u201d said Isabelle, \u201cI also love the works of Richard Thaler in behavioural finance and apply when I execute trading execution\u201d\n\n\nHow do you apply that? I asked.\n\n\nI\u2019m simplifying it, but here\u2019s how Isabelle explained it:\n\n\nFirst, \nvisualise your trading goals \nand \nmake a trading plan\n. For example, you might set RM10k in income as your goal. From there you can decide on suitable financial instruments which can help you reach your goal, given available capital and your risk profile\nSecond, look at \nbehavioural quirks\n. What works for AND against your own personality? For example, Isabelle said she\u2019s aware she has \u2018itchy fingers\u2019 \u2013 the tendency to over-trade \u2013 so she mindfully sets trading limits\nThird, \nexecute the plan following trading rules\n*. \u201cTrading rules are like the red signal light at the traffic light. You can always break it, but be prepared to face harsh consequences.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n*Isabelle\u2019s Three Trading Rules\n#1 \u2013 \nTo have an abundance mindset\n. Never feel like you should enter a trade because you don\u2019t want to miss a \u2018once-in-a-lifetime opportunity\u2019; there will be other opportunities and more good trades to catch in the future\n#2 \u2013\n Being constantly self-aware and staying humble\n. The market attracts the overconfident and humbles us quickly \u2013 that\u2019s just the nature of this beast. But it is a game of probability where you can improve your odds of success by doing the homework.\u00a0\n#3 \u2013\n Trade like a robot\n. This means analysing the market objectively and consider which weapon aka financial product to attack it with. It\u2019s important to set stop losses and target prices, then mercilessly cut loss like a robot, if it gets hit.\u00a0\n\u201cMy trading rules come from understanding the trading greats and simplifying it for myself.\u00a0\u00a0In the 1900-1950s, you\u2019ve got the main principles from Charles Dow, the market structure from WD Gann and chart patterns from Richard Wyckoff & Robert Rhea in the 1930s, the boom of technical indicators from Richard Dennis, George Lane, John Bollinger, John DiNapoli & Wilder in the 1950s, Japanese candlesticks from Steve Nison in the 2000s & now is the age of the Quant.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n(Suraya\u2019s note: I only have a very shallow understanding of these people and concepts. Guess you have to learn from Isabelle by attending her workshops \u2013 scroll all the way down for the video)\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nIn addition to improving trading as a skill via self-practice, and learning from history/notable figures, another strength that Isabelle has is the ability to succinctly describe concepts and approaches.\u00a0\n\n\nFor example, when I confessed my own fear of trading, Isabelle explained \nsatisficing\n as the decision-making strategy which she applies in her trading life \u2013 \u201cAt some point, you have to realise you have learned all the theory you could at one go, and can only learn further by executing.\u201d\n\n\nThe 4 Type of (Professional) Traders\n\n\nAccording to Isabelle, there are 4 main types of professional traders: scalpers, day traders, swing traders and position traders. The differences between them, in her words:\n\n\nScalpers \n\u2013 The goal of a scalper is to make 1 tick or break-even, and do this many, many times through the day. I used to do this. I know a few traders who make at least 10 trades a day \u2013 7 break-evens, 2 wins and 1 cut loss. This machine-gun style of trading suits \u201cactive personality\u201d types but there is the risk of \u201cover-trading\u201d.\u00a0\nDay traders\n \u2013 Day traders open and close trades intraday, meaning they close their positions before the end of the day, so they don\u2019t expose their capital to overnight risk. They usually have a \u201cview\u201d for the first half, second half or whole market day.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\nSwing traders\n \u2013 These traders hold on to a trade for several days or weeks. Usually working professionals can\u2019t monitor prices through the day, so they do their homework and analysis at night. For swing traders trading Structured Warrants, I find them profiting the MOST as they get to harness the full power of the Force, I mean gearing.\u00a0\u00a0\nPosition traders\n \u2013 These traders hold positions from weeks to months to even years. The main risk is that such traders may ignore \u201ctrend reversal\u201d signals or experience \u201copportunity costs\u201d from tying up your money for too long.\u00a0\u00a0\n\n\nThe same trading skillset can be applied to each instrument*, but most professional traders concentrate on one or two instruments at most as they require different background research.\n\n\n*You can trade many financial instruments, including cash instruments, derivatives instruments, stocks, foreign currencies (\u2018forex\u2019), cryptocurrencies and more.\n\n\nWatch Isabelle\u2019s Warrants Trading Workshops\n\n\nIs warrants trading for you? Maybe yes, maybe no, but it is something that stocks investors favouring blue-chip companies can explore \u2013 unlike other financial instruments, derivatives and warrants trading is a regulated activity in Malaysia, so you\u2019re somewhat protected (reminder: most of those aggressive forex platforms are not licensed in Malaysia).\n\n\nTo end this, I\u2019d like to share here a 20-min beginner-friendly guide to trading warrants, presented by Isabelle herself, plus the Q&A session where we talked more about trading mindset and experience. You can find intermediate and advanced materials at the \nKenanga Youtube channel\n and also join the \nNagaWarrants telegram group\n for warrants-related information, community support and learning opportunities.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n*This is not a sponsored article from Kenanga, but I was paid for the webinar appearance, which took place on December 2020. Information were summarised from our conversations before and during the webinar. \n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/prs-in-malaysia/", "title": "3 Places to Get PRS in Malaysia with ZERO Sales Charge\n  ", "body": "\n\nLooking to invest in PRS in Malaysia, so you can have a better retirement? You deserve to know the cheapest options out there, and nothing is cheaper than 0% sales charge. \n\n\nIn fact, nothing more is acceptable. This is money for your retirement we\u2019re talking about. The alternative \u2013 paying 0.5%-3% in sales charges \u2013  means losing out on thousands of ringgit over the long term. And you need all you can for your retirement \u2013 that shit\u2019s expensive. \n\n\nIn this article, I\u2019ll share:\n\n\n\n\nPart 1: What is PRS \u2013 Introduction to Private Retirement Scheme in Malaysia\n\n\nPart 2: Where to buy PRS in Malaysia without the sales charge\n\n\nPart 3: FAQs \u2013 Which PRS in Malaysia is the Best? Which PRS Fund to pick?\n\n\n\n\nPart 1: What is PRS \u2013 Introduction to Private Retirement Scheme in Malaysia\n\n\n(skip this part if you\u2019re already familiar with PRS. Beginners please read)\n\n\nPRS or Private Retirement Scheme is another place to park and grow your retirement savings. That\u2019s the money you need when you hit 55/60 years old, depending on when you retire. \n\n\nHow does PRS work\n\n\nThink of it like optional EPF. If you are a working adult, you know that 11% or 12% of your salary is deducted for EPF right? The money goes into a \u2018tabung\u2019 managed by EPF, who will invest it on your behalf. \n\n\nSimilarly, the money you contribute to PRS goes into a \u2018tabung\u2019 managed by a provider of your choice, who will invest it on your behalf.\n\n\nMust I do PRS? Isn\u2019t EPF enough for retirement?\n\n\nMaybe EPF is enough for retirement, *if* you have around RM800k MINIMUM to a few million (recommended) in your EPF account. That\u2019s not even a huge amount \u2013 it allows you to enjoy a \nmodest \nretirement, not an extravagant one. \n\n\nNote: The figures are based on \nretirement calculators\n and advice given by financial advisors.\n\n\nHowever, \nover half of EPF contributors aged 54 have savings of LESS THAN RM50,000 for retirement\n. Therefore, unless they have alternative arrangements, including relying on their children/family members, they probably won\u2019t be retiring and will continue to work in old age, even if battling health conditions. \n\n\nThat\u2019s why retirement planning is a significant part of good personal financial planning, and why they keep telling you to \nsave for retirement early, as soon as you start working. \n\n\nWhy open PRS online account\n\n\nSome of you might ask \u2013 why not just keep retirement savings in EPF? Why need to open PRS? \n\n\nThe easy answer is you don\u2019t have to, but the tax relief from contributing to PRS funds is worth getting. \n\n\nHow much is PRS tax relief \n\n\nPRS tax relief will be given up to RM3000 in contribution within one calendar year. According to PRS Tax Relief Calculator from \nFSMOne\u2019s PRS Guide\n, if your annual chargable income is RM40,000 (approx RM3k+ salary per month), then maxing out the annual contribution will give you tax savings of RM240. \n\n\n\n\nIs it worth doing Private Retirement Scheme for the Tax relief?\n\n\nSome people say that it\u2019s not worth doing PRS in Malaysia just for the tax relief alone but Idk man. RM240 in tax savings on RM3000 contribution that goes towards my own retirement sounds pretty good to me. It\u2019s equivalent to an immediate 8% profit. \n\n\nDifferences between EPF account and PRS online account\n\n\nThere are many differences between EPF and PRS, but some that you should know are:\n\n\n\n\nEPF is basically one giant tabung \u2013 you deposit money, the good folks at EPF manage and invest it on your behalf. \n\n\nHowever, \nthere are many PRS funds\n, from \nmany PRS providers\n (asset management companies). For better or for worse, you can choose which ones to invest in \u2013 yes, plural, because you can choose more than one PRS funds\n\n\nEPF funds are guaranteed to provide at least 2.5% returns per annum. \nThere is no such guarantee for PRS funds.\n You *could* lose money, but generally speaking, many funds should do okay, given the long time horizon\n\n\nPRS is NOT the same thing as EPF i-Invest\n. To invest in PRS funds, you need fresh funds, aka a new source of money. To invest in selected unit trust via EPF i-Invest, you are allowed to take some money out of your EPF Account 2. For more info, read: \nAll You Need to Know About Buying Unit Trust Through EPF i-Invest\n\n\n\n\nPRS fees and charges\n\n\nAs for fees, PRS funds impose these charges:\n\n\n\n\nSales charge \n\u2013 to pay for marketing and servicing services \u2013 up to 3% per annum) (\nthis is the one you want to drastically reduce\n)\n\n\nAnnual management fee\n \u2013 to pay for investment management services \u2013 Up to 1.8% per annum\n\n\nTransaction fees \ni.e. switching fee, transfer fee and redemption charge \u2013 to pay for administration of your transaction\n\n\n\n\nNote: Check \nhere\n and \nhere\n for the latest update on fees and charges. For more information about PRS, please browse the \nPrivate Pension Administration page\n.\n\n\nAlright, now that we covered the similarities and differences between two retirement schemes in Malaysia, let\u2019s go on to how to open PRS online account in the most cost-effective way \u2013 here are 3 places to get 0% sales charge. \n\n\nPart 2: Where to buy PRS in Malaysia without the sales charge \n\n\n#1 \u2013 Via PRS Online Enrollment (for 30 years old and under only)\n\n\nWeb link: \nhttps://prsenrolment.ppa.my/\n \n\n\nThe first option is unfortunately only available for people aged 30 years old and younger. As per the landing page, \n\n\n\n\nFor applicants age 30 and below who perform self-enrolment through PPA\u2019s PRS Online Enrolment service, the PRS Providers\u2019 sales charge will be at 0%.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNote: I don\u2019t have an account with PPA\u2019s PRS Online Enrolment service, so I don\u2019t know how good the platform is. If anyone have experience, appreciate you sharing in the comments section. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Via eunittrust.com.my\n\n\nWeb link: \nhttps://www.eunittrust.com.my/Home/Banner1\n\n\nThe second option is through enittrust, an online platform where you can purchase unit trusts from multiple providers. They have PRS funds as well (note the difference of sales charges from offline vs online in the image below)\n\n\n\n\nNote: I don\u2019t have an account with PPA\u2019s PRS Online Enrolment service, so I don\u2019t know how good the platform is. If anyone have experience, appreciate you sharing in the comments section.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Via FSMOne\n\n\nWeb link: \nhttps://www.fsmone.com.my/funds/tools/fund-selector\n > More Filter > Check PRS Providers Only\n\n\nThe third option, from a platform that I personally use, is FSMOne, which is formerly called Fundsupermart. Like #2, FSMOne is also a platform to purchase unit trust online, and they also recently allowed stocks and ETFs purchase. \n\n\n\n\nThis is not a sponsored post \u2013 I quite like FSMOne. They send good newsletters, organise financial webinars, and even gave me RM40 in Touch \u2018n Go eWallet credit just for topping up my PRS fund (so I get tax relief AND ewallet credit). \n\n\nIf you end up using this option, would appreciate you opening an account via \nmy referral link\n. You get a token to enjoy unit trust purchase at a lower sales charge of 1% \u2013 way less than what unit trust agents charge (5%). \n\n\n\n\nPart 3: Frequently Asked Question \u2013 Which PRS in Malaysia is the Best? Which PRS Fund to pick?\n\n\nDisclaimer: NOT AN EXPERT. Just sharing the process that I used to select which PRS fund is the best for me. Get other people\u2019s advice too.\n\n\nHint: you\u2019ll never know which one is the \u2018best\u2019 one because you can\u2019t predict the future.\n\n\nMethod #1 to pick PRS in Malaysia: Pick based on providers\n\n\nDo you have a preference for any of the \nproviders\n? Some people base their decisions on that. They trust Company A so they pick what Company A offers. \n\n\nList of PRS providers, as of writing time:\n\n\n\n\nAHAM Capital AM\n\n\nAIA\n\n\nAmInvest\n\n\nHong Leong Asset Management Bhd\n\n\nKenanga Investors\n\n\nManulife Investment Management\n\n\nPrincipal Asset Management\n\n\nPublic Mutual\n\n\nRHB AM\n\n\n\n\nSome companies win investment awards, which is an indicative (not guarantee) of good future performance.\n\n\nMethod #2 to pick PRS in Malaysia: Pick based on recommendation from financial planners or financial media\n\n\nSome people get recommendations from their \nfinancial planners\n. \n\n\nYou may get fund recommendations online too, whether from financial newsletters or media or other sources. \n\n\nMethod #3 to pick PRS in Malaysia: Pick based on process of elimination\n\n\nPersonally, I didn\u2019t use any of the methods above. What worked for me is the \nprocess of elimination\n \u2013 use the information available to reduce fund options and pick from the remaining. How it works:\n\n\n\n\nFirst, I eliminated all funds that have sales charge. This was easy \u2013 I went through FSMOne. Last I checked, 61 PRS funds were available \n\n\nBecause I am still young (under 45 years old), I decided to focus on Growth funds. Therefore, I eliminated Conservative and Moderate funds\n\n\nI also eliminate non-Syariah funds. The Muslim guilt is real\n\n\nI also eliminated funds that invested heavily on Malaysian equity and prioritise other geographical locations \u2013 I figured I have enough of those in my other investments\n\n\n\n\nThis drastically reduces my PRS fund options. You might go through some more process of elimination. Some people might not want to invest in funds in industries they think are dying, or in REITs, or whatever. \n\n\nThat\u2019s it. You can read up the factsheets and longer reports, or cross-reference with other recommendations to make your final pick. Make an educated choice based on the information you have.\n\n\nRemember: \nif you can\u2019t pick just one PRS fund, nothing\u2019s stopping you from getting a few. \nYou can split the RM3000 into two PRS funds (RM1.5k each) or 3 funds (RM1k each), etc. \n\n\nIs it worth saving for retirement?\n\n\nIf I\u2019m honest, I no longer believe in the traditional concept of retirement, where you get to stop work/earning income completely and live on savings. Not any more. And many others feel the same way I do. The amount you need is too much. \n\n\n\n\nPersonal opinion: Retirement is no longer an achievable goal for most of us. We are the generation that will work forever, or until we can't. It's less 'just tahan until retire' and more 'prioritise well-being, don't burnout'\nI'm not even sad about it. I've accepted it.\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nApril 22, 2021\n\n\n\n\nHOWEVER. It doesn\u2019t mean I\u2019m not even going to try. What\u2019s the worst that could happen? That I have access to more money at 55/60? That\u2019s not a bad problem. Plus I can\u2019t assume I\u2019ll be healthy enough to work at that age.\n Dahla makan banyak exercise tidak \n\n\nSo, if I have to do it for the sake of Future Me, then might as well optimise it by reducing fees. You don\u2019t want to waste up to 3% in sales charge, you want to let every single cent compound over decades. \n\n\nI wish you the best in your journey to save and earn money for retirement, whether by choice or by force. All the best opening your PRS online accounts and building your retirement accounts. \n\n\nTruthfully, by the way things are, with low wages and everything, not everyone can make it in the end. Hope the odds will be in our favour. \n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/reits-in-malaysia-bursa-malaysia/", "title": "5 Things I Learned About REITs in Malaysia (From a Bursa Malaysia-Sponsored Workshop)\n  ", "body": "\n\nBack in April 2017, I attended a full-day REITs Analysis Workshop organised by Bursa Malaysia. It was part of the Bursa Investor Education Workshop Series where they talk about different investment vehicles and investment strategies. \n\n\nHere are 5 things I learned about REITs in Malaysia from the workshop that I want to share with you, plus additional info I learned along the way. \n\n\n#1 \u2013 REITs investment in Malaysia: What you should know\n\n\n\n\nREITs stands for Real Estate Investment Trust. The investment allows retail investors, aka you to\n profit from commercial properties\u2019 rental income\n. \n\n\nCommercial properties comes in a few types, including:\n\n\n\n\nOffice;\n\n\nIndustrial;\n\n\nRetail;\n\n\nHotel;\n\n\nMixed (combination of the above, may also include Hospital, Education, Business Space and Plantation)\n\n\n\n\nEach REIT is managed by a Trust, ie a bunch of people who make big decisions for the REIT. Multiple properties managed by the same Trust is common. \n\n\nAs mentioned, REIT investors earn from rental income, which comes from:\n\n\n\n\nRetail shops at malls (from H&M to Guardian);\n\n\nOffice lots at office buildings;\n\n\nMedical, logistical, industrial and educational institutions at whole buildings;\n\n\nHotels at hotel buildings;\n\n\nand more, as long as they are commercial (not residential) properties.\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Where and how to buy REITs in Malaysia?\n\n\nYou can buy REITs in Malaysia from: \n\n\n\n\nBursa Malaysia \u2013 Local REITs\n\n\nRoboadvisors \u2013 Local and international REITs, and \n\n\nOnline Investment platforms \u2013 Local and international REITs\n\n\n\n\nNote: Local REITs means the real estate assets are located in Malaysia. International REITs means the real estate assets are located outside of Malaysia\n\n\nHere\u2019s how to buy in REITs from each option. \n\n\n1) How to buy REITs listed in Bursa Malaysia\n\n\nHere\u2019s the step-by-step way to buy Local REITs listed in Bursa Malaysia:\n\n\n\n\nOpen a CDS account (Skip this if you already have one)(Here is a \nlist of organisations you can open a CDS account from)\n\n\nFund your account\n\n\nSelect which REITs you\u2019d like to invest in and take note of the price per unit\n\n\nPurchase 100 units (or the minimum amount allowed). For example, let\u2019s say 1 unit is RM1, so 100 units is RM100.\n\n\nCongrats, you have invested in the REIT \ud83d\ude42 Repeat the purchase next month, or consistently\n\n\n\n\nThere are \n20 REITs listed in Bursa Malaysia\n. \n\n\n\n\n*Note: There are 20 REITs listed in Bursa Malaysia, but only 4 are Syariah-compliant. They are:\n\n\n\n\nAl-\u2018Aqar Healthcare REIT\n\n\nAxis REIT\n\n\nKLCC REIT\n\n\nAl-Salam REIT\n\n\n\n\n2) How to buy REITs from Investment Apps\n\n\nYou can buy Local and international REITs from 2 investment apps:\n\n\n\n\nWahed Invest\n (roboadvisor) \u2013\n \noffers Syariah-compliant Local REITs, \n\n\nVersa Asia\n\u2018s Versa REITs (\u2018digital wealth management app\u2019) \u2013 gives you exposure to real estate assets in Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and United States\n\n\n\n\nHere\u2019s how to buy REITs from both platforms.\n\n\nHow to buy Local REITs from Wahed Invest\n\n\nHere\u2019s the step-by-step process to buy Local REITs from Wahed Invest:\n\n\n\n\nOpen Wahed Invest account (Obligatory referral code: \nDownload app\n and use code \u2018surbin1\u2019 to get FREE RM10 bonus)\n\n\nSelect Thematic > Local REITs (If you already have existing investment, click Add account in Dashboard)\n\n\nCash in (fund your account) a minimum of RM100 and complete your purchase\n\n\nCongrats, you have invested in the REIT \ud83d\ude42 Repeat the purchase next month, or consistently\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHow to buy Versa REITs from Versa Asia\n\n\nHere\u2019s the step-by-step process to buy Versa REITs from Versa Asia:\n\n\n\n\nOpen Versa Asia account (Obligatory referral code: use code \u2018SURAYA\u2019 or click \nhere\n to get FREE RM10 when you deposit RM100 in your account)\n\n\nSelect Investments > Versa REITs\n\n\nCash in (fund your account) a minimum of RM100 and complete your purchase\n\n\nCongrats, you have invested in the REIT \ud83d\ude42 Repeat the purchase next month, or consistently\n\n\n\n\nVersa REITs gives you exposure to real estate assets in Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and United States.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n3) How to buy REITs from Online Investment platforms\n\n\nAside from CDS Account and through roboadvisors, you can also buy Local and International REITs from online investment platforms. For example, you can:\n\n\n\n\nBuy Local REITs from Rakuten.my\n, and\n\n\nBuy International REITs from \nFSMOne\n (they have a bunch of interesting ones, see picture below) \n\n\n\n\n\n\nAside from those two, there may be other online investment platforms you can get Local and International REITs from. Let me know what I missed in the comments. \n\n\n#3 \u2013 Which is the best REITs in Malaysia?\n\n\nNaturally, the next question you as an investor want to know is, which is the best REITs in Malaysia? Which one(s) should you invest in? \n\n\nUsing simplified fundamental analysis approach, the speaker focused on three things:\n\n\n\n\nDividend Yield\n \u2013 did the REIT yield steady or growing returns in previous years? If yes, that\u2019s a good indicator.\n\n\nGrowth Potential\n \u2013 will the rental demand for the properties increase or decrease in 5 years?\n\n\nLoan Related Risk\n \u2013 is the REIT in a financially stable position? Whatever is their asset value, they must have less than 45% in debt. For example, if they manage RM100 million worth of properties, the debt must be less than 45\u00a0million. They also must have good interest coverage ratio (more than 3 is good; this part I\u2019m still struggling to calculate).\n\n\n\n\nPersonally, I think that \nDividend Yield\n and \nGrowth Potential\n parts were easy enough to understand. It\u2019s just looking at one chart then do the market forces assessment. \n\n\nOn the other hand, the \nLoan Related Risk\n part requires you to read the REITs\u2019 balance sheets and calculate the debt to asset ratio and interest coverage ratio. \n\n\nHot tip: Finding the best REITs in Malaysia based on Dividend Yield\n\n\nYou may not know this, but Local REITs or Bursa-listed REITs have pretty good performance. \n\n\nLook at the Yield section in the picture below, taken from \nThe Edge \n\u2013 \nnotice how none of the REITs have negative returns in the last 3 years\n? This is indication (but not guarantee) of continuing good performance.  \n\n\n\n\nYou can see historical REITs dividend yield beyond the 3 years at \nklsescreener.com\n or \nTradingView.com\n. \n\n\n#4 \u2013 REITs from fundamental analysis approach \u2013 what\u2019s that?\n\n\n\n\nAgenda of the day\n\n\nI really liked the fact that the speaker took the time to explain fundamental analysis versus technical analysis. Both can be used when making your choice. \n\n\nIn case this is your first time hearing about fundamental and technical analysis, here\u2019s the difference between both:\n\n\n\n\nFundamental analysis (FA)\n:\u00a0assess factors that make an investment good or bad; suitable for long-term investing. \u201cI think the property will continue to attract renters and yield a steady passive income because of its proximity to an expanding university.\u201d\n\n\nTechnical analysis (TA)\n: the type of investment doesn\u2019t matter, the profit potential based on charts does; mainly for short-term trading. \u201cBased on indicators, there is a strong likelihood that the market will correct itself and the price will decrease therefore I will short X\u201d.\n\n\n\n\nREITs in Malaysia: Pick Fundamental or Technical Analysis?\n\n\nChua said that both FA and TA approach can work, but \npick a primary approach\n because using both can sometimes give you contradicting results and get you stuck in analysis paralysis. \n\n\nMy personal preference (as well as the speaker) for REITs is fundamental analysis. If one were to take the FA approach for REITs, the speaker\u00a0emphasised market\u00a0forces, like:\n\n\n\n\nBecause e-commerce is growing, REITs that concentrate on retail (ie shopping malls) may lose tenants as they can\u2019t compete with online shops;\n\n\nLikewise e-commerce is likely to help push\u00a0REITs that include logistics industry;\n\n\nBooming tourism means that REITs in the hospitality/tourism sector have a good chance of doing well;\n\n\nREITs that includes medical industry might do well as\u00a0Malaysia is set to be an ageing population by 2030;\n\n\nAnd more.\n\n\n\n\nThe analysis above are examples, there are more things to take into consideration. There is no one correct answer. They can even be personal opinions, but you get the gist.\n\n\nAdditionally, according to Chua, it\u2019s quite easy to see good-performing REITs in action \u2013 go to any of the managed properties and see the tenant occupancy rate.\u00a0If there are a lot of shops (more than 80% filled) and many people at the building, that\u2019s a good sign.\n\n\nThe bottom line is \u2013 if you think the properties is managed properly (good maintenance, etc) and can attract tenants, it has potential. Think from the tenant\u2019s POV \u2013 would I rent here if I have a shop/office? If no, avoid. \n\n\n#5 \u2013 Additional information about REITs in Malaysia\n\n\n\n\nBursa Marketplace\n \u2013 Go to\u00a0The Mkt > REITs \u2013 Lists all available REITs in Malaysia. Click on each one for more info.\n\n\nYou can also learn about REITs from \nBursa Academy webinars\n\n\nThe Complete Guide to REITs in Malaysia by Dividend Magic\n\n\nAs mentioned, you need a CDS account to buy REITs. You can find more information about CDS accounts \nhere\n. \n\n\nThe REITs\u2019 individual websites \u2013 Google their names and their websites should pop up. The website should contain reports, types of properties they manage, the people behind the trust, and more.\n\n\n\n\nConclusion\n\n\nREITs is like the stocks version of properties, bundled up in package like unit trust and managed by professionals. So if you like the idea of property investment but lazy to manage it yourself, REITs might be a good option for you. \n\n\nLastly:\u00a0My knowledge on REITs in Malaysia is by no means complete, so I invite you to share your knowledge in the comments section below.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/rm3500-budget-salary/", "title": "My actual monthly budget with RM3,500 salary a month\n  ", "body": "I love that more people are talking about their monthly budgets!\n\n\nOne of my favorite Malaysian PF (that\u2019s personal finance in case you\u2019re not familiar with the jargon), \nMr Stingy\n aka Aaron Tang recently published an article where he outlined his monthly budget when he was earning RM3,500 a month in 2010. His article was inspired from \nthis Pakdi.Net article\n written by a fresh graduate who said that his RM3,500 salary wasn\u2019t enough!\n\n\nI was earning RM3,500 until a few months ago (in communications/NGO line, that was considered a decent salary okay), so I would like to share my own monthly budget then.\n\n\nFYI I enjoy tracking my expenses and I have data of every. single. transaction. For the sake of this article, I will be taking the average spending during 1 year period, October 2014-September 2015. This means that I will be dividing each category by 12.\n\n\n\n\nHere are my tallied expenses for that time period. Notice that not all months are created equal \u2013 I definitely overspent in May, June and July 2015. But for the most part, I was doing okay.\n\n\nI heart February 2015.\n\n\n\n\nThis was my spending by categories during the same time period. Don\u2019t worry, I\u2019ll explain each of those categories. Read on.\n\n\n\n\nMy top 8 spending were:\n\n\n\n\nWow, my top spending from October 2014-September 2015 was Donations & Gifts! #humblebrag Let\u2019s break it down:\n\n\n1) Donations & Gifts. RM5,357.33 / 12 months = RM446.45 per month, on average.\n\n\nI gave out zakat, helped my sister\u2019s engagement, gave presents, contributed to charity.\n\n\n2) Utilities & Rent. RM4,926.83 / 12 months = RM410.57 per month, on average.\n\n\nNecessary spending, includes rent, internet, utilities bills. Read how I managed to pay only RM150 in rent for a master bedroom in KL in this \narticle\n.\n\n\n3) Misc Needs. RM4,896.63 / 12 months = RM408.05 per month, on average.\n\n\nMisc Needs is a category that I created for random, unavoidable expenses. Home repairs? Misc Needs. Fixing shoes? Misc Needs. I suspect the amount is high because I needed to replace my old laptop (it was still running on Windows XP, that\u2019s how old it was!).\n\n\nYes, as a young professional, a laptop is a required work item, okaaay.\n\n\n4) Loan Repayments. RM4,659.75 / 12 months = RM388.31 per month, on average.\n\n\nThis is to repay 2 loans: PTPTN, which I successfully paid off earlier this year (and took advantage of the 20% discount!), and an investment loan.\n\n\nSometimes I kick myself for not taking a bigger investment loan, but I admit that\u2019s my greedy side talking.\n\n\n5) Groceries. RM3,435.47 / 12 months = RM286.29 per month, on average.\n\n\nGotta eat. I cook a lot and always bring lunch to work to save money on food.\n\n\nSo far, 1-5 are all \u2018responsible\u2019 expenses. That\u2019s about to change, I\u2019m not a boring person \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n6) Misc Wants. RM2,466.03 / 12 months = RM205.50 per month, on average.\n\n\n\n\nMisc Wants is a category for things that isn\u2019t strictly needed but would be \u2018nice to have\u2019. This includes new clothes, or just generally pretty things that I wanted.\n\n\nSignificantly, I was smoking during this time \u2013 that\u2019s about RM80 I was burning (literally) away. I\u2019ve since quit.\n\n\n7) Dates. RM2,400.99 / 12 months = RM200.09 per month, on average.\n\n\n<3\n\n\n8) Social. RM1,840.85 / 12 months = RM153.40 per month, on average.\n\n\nGoing out with friends. Friendships are investments, too.\n\n\nThe next 8 categories!\n\n\n\n\n9) Insurance & Medical. RM1,446.51 / 12 months = RM120.54 per month, on average.\n\n\nPrimarily for my Medical card. And the occasional band-aid and panadol.\n\n\n10) Food. RM742.97 / 12 months = RM61.91 per month, on average.\n\n\nOoooh this is bad. This is food that I bought that wasn\u2019t part of groceries or dining out with family and friends. In short, this is pure glutton and the reason why I\u2019m fat -_-\n\n\nMy appetite is very healthy lol.\n\n\n11) Business. RM658.16 / 12 months = RM84.85 per month, on average.\n\n\nFor my small business (Kotak Koffee) stock and items.\n\n\n12) Petrol. RM500.69 / 12 months = RM41.72 per month, on average.\n\n\nI don\u2019t have a car, but I use my friend\u2019s car all the time. Of course I have to refill the tank, I\u2019m a good friend.\n\n\n13) Public transport. RM474.58 / 12 months = RM39.55 per month, on average.\n\n\nLow, isn\u2019t it! My (ex)office allowed us to claim back on public transport, up to RM100 a month!\n\n\n14) Mobile. RM337.80 / 12 months = RM28.15 per month, on average.\n\n\nI subscribed to Umobile\u2019s RM28 per month plan, it satisfied my needs.\n\n\n15) Parking & Tolls. RM84 / 12 months = RM7 per month, on average.\n\n\nPffttt peanuts.\n\n\n16) Website. RM58.03 / 12 months = RM4.84 per month, on average. \n\n\nThis category was deleted since I was a nO0b and didn\u2019t know that you have to pay for hosting plans! GoDaddy wanted USD200 from me to recover the lost data, so GoDaddy lost my business.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nIf I add up all the average monthly spending, it totals to \nRM2,888.03\n.\n\n\n\n\nSalary: RM3500\n\n\nMinus: Spending (RM2,888) + EPF (RM385) + SOCSO (RM14.75) + tax deductions (RM33.60)\n\n\nTotal left from salary: RM178.65\n\n\n\n\nNo wonder I didn\u2019t manage to save much during this time period!\n\n\nSo yeah. I know that we like to hate on the people saying that this \u2018high\u2019 salary is not enough\u2026 but for a person who was actually living on it, it\u2019s kinda true. I can only imagine how people get by with a lesser salary.\n\n\nWhat do you think of this breakdown?\n\n\nP/s \u2013 check my maths in case not correct, can?\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/stocks-investing-in-malaysia/", "title": "7 BEST Articles to Read Before You Jump into Stocks Investing in Malaysia\n  ", "body": "In case you didn\u2019t know, Bursa Malaysia is having a moment right now. It kept smashing records.\n\n\nAs of the time of writing, it broke the \ntrading record high of 27.8 billion shares in volume worth RM7.8bil on 11 Aug 2020\n, AFTER \nbreaking the trading record high of 26.65 billion shares worth RM9.05bil on 7 August 2020\n, AFTER \nbreaking the trading record high of 15.62 billion shares worth RM10.45bil on 4 August 2020\n (and it broke records the day before that, too).\n\n\nAnd investors went crazy. Like moths to a flame, the (price) action attracted a lot of attention. This phenomenon isn\u2019t unique to stocks; the same thing happens to other commodities, too \u2013 you\u2019ve seen the long lines at gold jewellery stores when gold price broke RM300/gram.\n\n\n(P/s \u2013 Never think you\u2019re immune to FOMO, best to stay humble. Having an ego and thinking you\u2019re more rational than the crowd \ncould\n will be your downfall.)\n\n\nSo\u2026 you want to start exploring stock investing in Malaysia, but don\u2019t know where to start. Here are 7 articles, to read *in order* that will help you in your stocks investing journey. \n\n\nArticle #1 \u2013 \nA Guide to Stock Investment in Malaysia by DividendMagic\n\n\nThis evergreen article covers the basics, must-know information about stocks investing in Malaysia. It covers:\n\n\n\n\nWhat is Bursa Malaysia\n\n\nWhat is CDS account and why you need one\n\n\nWhich brokers are available (and which one to use)\n\n\nHow much to start with if you want to start investing in Bursa Malaysia\n\n\n\n\nArticle #2 \u2013 \nA Beginners Guide to Shares Investing by My Personal Finances\n\n\nSimilar to Article #1, but gives you a slightly different perspective and other information, such as types of shares traded on Bursa Malaysia. I like that it shows you how buy and sell order interface looks like (in this case, the screenshot is from Rakuten platform).\n\n\n\n\nArticle #3 \u2013 \nIni 15 Panduan Beginner Perlu Tahu Tentang Pelaburan Saham di Bursa Malaysia by Majalah Labur\n\n\nThis article is a must-read for Muslims as it includes information about Syariah-compliant stocks, which make up only a fraction of all public-listed stocks in Bursa Malaysia. If it matters to you, of course.\n\n\nNote: Syariah-compliant stocks might also be attractive to those who like SRI investing, or socially-responsible investing. They don\u2019t touch gambling or liquor.\n\n\nArticle #4 \u2013\u00a0\n10 Important Things to Know Before Invest in Stock Market by Marcus Keong\n\n\nAnother overview of stocks investing in Malaysia article. I like how systematically Marcus laid out important things you should know before you start investing in the stock market.\n\n\n\n\nArticle #5 \u2013 \nMy Stock Investing Workflow: A Step-by-Step Guide by I\u2019m Funemployed\n\n\nNow we get to the fun part \u2013 how people actually invest in the stock market. The styles they use. Out of all the articles, I like Nicole\u2019s the most.\n\n\nIn her words,\n\n\nHere I will share my own workflow, the actual step by step process of what tabs and windows I open when I\u2019m doing research, trading, and also monitoring my portfolio\n\n\n\n\nShe even shows you a snapshot of the apps she uses exclusively for stocks investing.\n\n\n\n\nArticle #6 \u2013 \nI Tried Bursa Marketplace\u2019s Mirror, Learn & Trade Platform\u00a0\n\n\n(my article, sponsored by Bursa Malaysia)\n\n\nAnother way to peek into how people do stock investing is by following \u2013 for lack of better word \u2013 stocks influencers, (self-proclaimed) stocks experts.\n\n\nInformation is of course valuable and investment in knowledge is a good idea, but if you\u2019re still \u2018trying it out\u2019, a free way to learn from *actual stocks investors who actually trade for a living in financial companies in Malaysia* is through Bursa Malaysia\u2019s MLT Platform. No need to shell for that four, five-figure stock investing \u2018course\u2019.\n\n\nYou can see the trading styles of experts in fundamental analysis. Experts in technical analysis. Experts in specific industries (ie Oil & Gas sector). They were all hand-picked by Bursa Malaysia, so don\u2019t have to worry about legitimacy.\n\n\nThe experts also can give you ideas on which stocks to buy and when, because they enter trades *with real money*. I see them as kind of your personal real-time stock picker.\n\n\nArticle #7 \u2013 \nDividendMagic Taught Me How to Read Financial Statements and Buy Stocks\n\n\n(also my article)\n\n\nAnd finally, when you decide you want to be a stocks investor, learning how to read financial statements is part of the journey. After all, you can follow tips and advice, but not doing the legwork and reading the financials behind the company you\u2019re buying is still plain betting.\n\n\nConclusion\n\n\nIn no way I am claiming that just these 7 articles are enough reading material \u2013 they\u2019re just a starting point, but they are damn good starting points. Again, read them in the order \u2013 there\u2019s a reason why I started you off with foundation (theory) before moving to practical.\n\n\nTo go deeper, you can explore more articles on each website. Lots of embedded links in there.\n\n\nAlright, have fun kiddos. If you know of other amazing stocks investing in Malaysia article, do share with us in the comments section!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/types-of-investment-available-in-malaysia/", "title": "12 Types of Investment Available in Malaysia and The People Who Have Them\n  ", "body": "\n\nIf you were to check out personal finance and investment commentaries \u2013 from blogs, forums, websites \u2013 you\u2019ll see that different people have their preferred investment vehicles (types) based on their personality.\n\n\nIt\u2019s very interesting, because after a while you start seeing a pattern: people who prefer investment X tend to be Y. It\u2019s super fascinating.\n\n\nLook at this from a behavioural point of view. Many personal finance and investment experts like to say \u2018select an investment that works for you\u2019, but what does that mean \nexactly\n? How do you choose from many different types of investment available in Malaysia?\n\n\n\n\nWell, one way to kind of eliminate investments that \u2018does not work for you\u2019 is by reading on below.\n\n\nWhat I\u2019ve done is basically compile different types of investment available in Malaysia\u00a0and give you \nthe defining traits of each type of investor\n. There might be people who don\u2019t fit all the traits, but I think in general it\u2019s pretty accurate.\n\n\nRelated: \nWhat to invest with RM1000\n\n\n \nPexels\n / Pixabay\n\n\n#1 Property\n\n\nDefining traits of people who invest in this investment vehicle:\n\n\n\n\nLikes to look at\u00a0properties\n and might even do this unconsciously. Also looks at finishing, distance to amenities (schools, petrol stations, banks, grocery shops etc) and linkages to public transport and major highways.\n\n\nUsually look for\n indicators like rental demand or appreciation rate\n of a location before making their purchase.\n\n\nFollows \nnews from major developers\n. Knows who are the bad developers so they can avoid buying their properties (to avoid buying properties that never get completed).\n\n\nTend to be better at \nspatial intelligence\n. They know the direction to KL no matter where they are. They tend to know shortcuts that even Waze don\u2019t know.\n\n\nIf they don\u2019t have capital (money) to buy property and/or don\u2019t want to deal with tenants, they might opt for \nREITs\n.\n\n\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\n5 Things I Learned About REITs in Malaysia (From a Bursa Malaysia-Sponsored Workshop)\n\n\n#2 Unit trust/Mutual funds/ETFs\n\n\nDefining traits of people who invest in this investment vehicle:\n\n\n\n\nPrefer someone else/another company to \nhandle their money on their behalf\n. May or may not know how the money is being invested, but ultimately don\u2019t care as long as the average profit is alright.\n\n\nPrefers \nlong-term, stable and safer approach to investing\n. This money is earmarked for retirement, not for next year\u2019s holiday.\n\n\nSome get their unit trust investment through their investment-linked insurance products.\n\n\nUsually, the particular unit trust/mutual fund investment is picked based on a \nrecommendation from agents\n or friends. For example, \u2018I got this one because my agent said at my age I should concentrate on growth fund\u2019.\n\n\nIf they are familiar with macroeconomics, they will make very specific picks. For example, \u2018I want to invest in developing countries in Asia Pacific\u2019 or \u2018I want the fund to include precious metals\u2019 or \u2018I want to invest in real estate in Asia\u2019.\n\n\nMight not know how much their fund manager charge them for management fee. Go check \u2013 it usually ranges from 1% up to 5%. The lower the better. The lowest is the Amanah Saham stuff, next is ETFs offered by Stashaway at 0.2-0.8% in fees. Bonus: You get 50% off management fees for the first RM100k invested in the firs\nt 6 months through this link:\u00a0\nhttps://bit.ly/2JNs4pU\n\n\n\n\n#3 Stocks (Blue Chip)\n\n\nDefining traits of people who invest in this investment vehicle:\n\n\n\n\nFinds \nhigh-level company drama\n interesting. Follows major announcements of big companies via Business newspapers and/or websites and/or social media.\n\n\nProbably works as a white collar worker. Maybe in an MNC (multinational corporation).\n\n\nAre actual\n fans of the companies.\n That\u2019s probably why they decide to buy their stocks.\n\n\nSince they own a part of the company, they tend to be very opinionated about the company\u2019s business strategy.\n\n\n\n\n \ne-zara\n / Pixabay\n\n\n#4\u00a0Equity Crowdfunding (ECF)\n\n\n(Someone who gives money to new businesses, usually early-phase startups).\n\n\nDefining traits of people who invest in this investment vehicle:\n\n\n\n\nGenerally divided into \n3 categories\n: retail investor (individual), angel investor (individual) and businesses. Considered a high-risk investment, kind of all-or-nothing (may lose all investment money).\n\n\nMight be philanthropic as they only invest in businesses that they believe in and reflects their values.\n\n\nProbably goes to a lot of networking events \u2013 ECF investors usually hear of these startups via word-of-mouth recommendation.\n\n\nHas secret daydreams about choosing startups that eventually become unicorns\n\n\n\n\n#5 Fixed Deposits (FDs)\n\n\nDefining traits of people who invest in this investment vehicle:\n\n\n\n\nLikes surety, \nprefers small profit over no profit\n. Compares rates from banks and takes advantage of special offers.\n\n\nMay use it as a way to lock their savings somewhere they can\u2019t touch it.\n\n\nAttractive to non-Bumis (as this is the best safe alternative to ASB).\n\n\n\n\n \nStevebidmead\n / Pixabay\n\n\n#6 Gold/Silver\n\n\nDefining traits of people who invest in this investment vehicle:\n\n\n\n\nA bit old school. Prefers the \u2018tried and tested\u2019 route. Knows that gold (and to a lesser extent, silver) can be used to \nhedge against fiat\n.\n\n\nMight hold gold coins (or bars if they\u2019re ballin\u2019). If they\u2019re paranoid about keeping it at home (risk of being stolen), they\u2019ll pay for safekeeping services.\n\n\nIf not, they\u2019ll buy \u2018e-gold\u2019 issued by banks or private companies. The margin is not the best but at least it\u2019s safe.\n\n\nSome consider their gold jewellery as an \u2018investment they can wear\u2019. They\u2019re not wrong, technically speaking.\n\n\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nHow to Buy Gold in Malaysia, as an Investment\n\n\n#7 Art/Antiques/Jewellery\n\n\nDefining traits of people who invest in this investment vehicle:\n\n\n\n\nTend to have \na lot of money\n. Their art/antiques/jewellery investment is their \u2018fun\u2019 investment.\n\n\nSurrounds themselves and their home with art. Tend to appreciate good interior decorating.\n\n\nFamiliar with names like \nSotheby\u2019s and Christie\u2019s\n.\n\n\nProbably a \nhistory buff\n. Might take a liking to a particular time period for a particular nation (for example, Ming Dynasty). Collects items from this era for fun.\n\n\nIf not a history buff, then they are probably the other extreme \u2013 \nmodern/contemporary art buff\n.\n\n\n\n\n \nAlexas_Fotos\n / Pixabay\n\n\n#8 Fiat Currencies\n\n\n(Fiat = Government-issued money, like RM or USD)\n\n\nDefining traits of people who invest in this investment vehicle:\n\n\n\n\nFollows world news\n. Religiously. Cares about new laws, policies and regulations, especially regarding trade and finance. Knows and understands the Brexit and Venezuela situation.\n\n\nMay do forex trading. May dabble/took a course in technical analysis.\n\n\nProbably tried a few trading platforms before sticking with one they liked.\n\n\nMight have learnt the importance of stop loss the hard way (or heard horror stories about it).\n\n\nAside from fiat, might also dabble in commodities.\n\n\n\n\n#9 Hedge funds\n\n\n(Strategy-focused high-risk, high-reward investments)\n\n\nDefining traits of people who invest in this investment vehicle:\n\n\n\n\nIdolises George Soros\n. If not idolise, then greatly respect him.\n\n\nVery rich\n.\u00a0Probably a HNW or UHNW individual (high net worth or ultra high net worth). Has a fund manager. Maybe too busy\u00a0for DIY investing.\n\n\nBelieves in and have no problem with borrowing money to make money (\nleveraging\n).\n\n\nHedge funds are not that common in Malaysia, so these people probably mingle more with the international folk and get advise/tips from them.\n\n\n\n\n#10 Cryptocurrencies\n\n\nDefining traits of people who invest in this investment vehicle:\n\n\n\n\nMaybe likes the internet a bit too much.\n\n\nFascinated by the technology behind it (blockchain). Sometimes compares some cryptocurrencies to penny stocks for its \u2018unlimited potential\u2019.\n\n\nTakes (or should take) \ndigital security\n seriously. Have heard the phrase \u2018not your keys, not your coins\u2019 way too many times.\n\n\nKnows its a \nhigh-risk investment\n. (By right) They should be able to take the hit from price volatility/swings.\n\n\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nFAQ: Everything You Should Know about Bitcoin in Malaysia, as a Newbie\n\u00a0&\u00a0\nFAQ: How to Invest in Cryptocurrencies in Malaysia (Aside from Bitcoin)\n\n\n#11\u00a0P2P financing platforms\n\n\nDefining traits of people who invest in this investment vehicle:\n\n\n\n\nNot a particularly sexy type of investment. Kinda boring. There\u2019s no real interaction beyond \u2018hey this company needs to borrow money and they can pay back x% by [date]. You in or not?\u2019\n\n\nTech-savvy and familiar with fintech landscape.\n\n\nKnows what is supply chain financing and invoice financing.\n\n\nFavoured by people who like short-term investments.\n\n\n\n\nRelated: \nI Asked Hard Questions to the CEO of Funding Societies Malaysia\n\n\n#12 Skim-Cepat-Kaya/ Get Rich Quick Schemes\n\n\nDefining traits of people who invest in this investment vehicle:\n\n\n\n\nThinks they found a \u2018hidden gem\u2019 investment that is both (1) high profit and (2) easy.\n\n\nWhen they were approached by friends/family/advertisement, they were attracted by these words: \u2018\nGuaranteed Profit!!\n\u2018, \u2018Passive Income\u2019, \u2018Easy Money\u2019, \u2018Fast Paying\u2019, \u2018Start with $xx, earn $xxxxx\u2019.\n\n\nIf the investment gives profit, they tend to give positive word of mouth about it to friends and families and encourage them to join too. Why not? Can earn referral profit for them while \u2018helping\u2019 others grow rich. It\u2019s win-win.\n\n\nMore prevalent in tight-knit communities, especially if it was promoted by community leaders (teachers and ustads).\n\n\nIf they get into the \u2018programme\u2019 fast, they might make money. If they joined an oversaturated one, they will probably lose their money.\n\n\nKind of stubborn and loyal to the cult, up until they lose all their money.\n\n\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nHow to spot investment that are actually investment scams\n\n\nConclusion\n\n\nMany, if not most investors don\u2019t just invest in one type of investment. Taking a few is common (and the smart thing to do).\u00a0The safest strategy is to put more money into the safer types of investments than the riskier types of investments.\n\n\nIn this list, I would say Fixed Deposit is the safest type of investment, followed by mutual funds and unit trusts (depends on which ones), then blue chip stocks (depends on which ones).\n\n\nBy this point in the article, I hope you found at least one type of investment that \u2018fits your personality\u2019, so to speak. Some investing vehicles work for some, but not the rest \u2013 we\u2019re all comfortable with different things. For me, I like passive investing. Check out \nmy passive income guide\n (and what I personally invest in).\n\n\nLiked this article?\u00a0Do you identify with any of the characteristics? Let me know in the comments \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nFurther reading:\u00a0\n6 Things to Know When You\u2019re Investing for the First Time\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/types-of-malaysian-investors/", "title": "[VIDEO](Stereo)types of Malaysian Investors: Who You Are Based on What You Invest In\n  ", "body": "What are the stereotypes of a property investor? A stock investor? Gold? Crypto? Join me as I list out the stereotypes and impressions I have about different types of Malaysian investors.\n\n\nThis video is inspired by an article I wrote a few years back: \n12 Types of Investment Available in Malaysia and The People Who Have Them\n\n\n(If you want more bitchiness, you\u2019ll LOVE this one: \nRoasting Different Types of Investments in Malaysia (Everything That Sucks About Them)\n\n\nDo you agree with the way I stereotyped Malaysian investors? Disagree? Tell me in the comments section!\n\n\nAlso please follow the \nRinggitOhRinggit Youtube channel\n. I\u2019m currently exploring YouTube as an additional income stream. So help me out by watching and subscribing, I\u2019m trying to hit 1000 subs and 4000 watch hours so I can write about the monetisation process \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/unit-trust-through-epf-i-invest/", "title": "All You Need to Know About Buying Unit Trust Through EPF i-Invest [SPONSORED]\n  ", "body": "According to an article published in \nThe Edge\n portal, \u2018as of April 2020, EPF i-invest had recorded approximately 25,000 transactions worth RM219.3 million\u2019.\n\n\nThat is pretty significant, for two reasons:\n\n\n\n\nThat means the average transaction size is RM8,772 (!! that\u2019s bigger than I thought!), and\n\n\nIt also means that there\u2019s a lot of demand for buying unit trust through EPF i-Invest platform, considering it \njust \nlaunched in Q3 2019.\n\n\n\n\n The launch of EPF i-Invest platform, taken from instagram.com/kwspmalaysia\n\n\n\n\nWhat is EPF i-Invest\n\n\nSo, EPF/KWSP (Employees\u2019 Provident Fund/ Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja) is your \nretirement-earmarked fund\n. The 11% deduction to your salary every month (plus your employer\u2019s 13% contribution) goes towards this fund. This part you already know.\n\n\nEPF i-Invest is the self-service online platform which allows \nEPF i-Akaun\n users to divert \npart of your EPF funds\n in unit trusts.\n\n\nIts selling points are easy to see:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Sales charge capped at 0.5% maximum\n\n\nI believe low sales charge is THE reason why so many EPF members bought unit trust through EPF i-Akaun.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Lots of unit trust options offered\n\n\nThey started with five fund management institutions (one of which is the sponsor of this post, \nPrincipal Asset Management Berhad\n) and have since, at the time of writing, increased that number to \nten\n.\n\n\n(But of course, more funds = more headache during the selection process. We\u2019ll cover a bit about the selection process further down this article)\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Digital everything\n\n\nHave you set up your \nEPF i-Akaun\n yet? This account is something you should have anyway if you\u2019re on company payroll. Click on the \u2018First Time Login Guide\u2019 if you don\u2019t have it yet, and EPF will guide you through the next steps.\n\n\n\n\nAll the unit trust-buying happens through the \nEPF i-Akaun\n portal\n.\n You can:\n\n\n\n\ndo all the researching, buying and selling of unit trust there\n\n\nview your consolidated portfolio online\n\n\nfind out your eligible investment amount automatically without manual calculations (see #4)\n\n\n\n\nSide note: Check your EPF i-Akaun at least semi-regularly, just for your own financial planning.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 You\u2019re only diversifying your surplus savings, not your whole EPF savings\n.\n\n\nYou can only invest \nup to 30% of the amount in excess of the required basic savings in Account 1 as per your age\n (see table below).\n\n\n Source: https://www.principal.com.my/en/others/faq-generalinfo\n\n\nAs provided in \nPrincipal Asset Management\u2019s General info section\n, a member aged 34 with RM118,926.56 (banyaknya. Kerja apa tu) in her/his Account 1 is eligible to invest RM20,077.97 in total, following EPF\u2019s requirement.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTotal Savings in Account 1\n\n\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0RM118,926.56\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBasic Savings required in Account 1\n\n\nRM52,000\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAmount in access of Basic Savings\n\n\nRM66,926.56\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEligible Amount (30% x RM61,926.56)\n\n\nRM20,077.97\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhat people say about EPF i-Invest\n\n\nWhenever the subject of EPF i-Invest or investing EPF money in unit trust comes up in discussions (as it often does), a few types of people show up:\n\n\n\n\nThose who can\u2019t use EPF i-Invest because \ndon\u2019t have enough Basic Savings\n amount\n\n\nThose who diversified their EPF money, and are \nhappy \nwith the returns\n\n\nThose who diversified their EPF money, and are \nNOT happy \nwith the returns (they tend to be very vocal)\n\n\nThose who haven\u2019t, and \ndon\u2019t plan to diversify their EPF money\n into unit trust (don\u2019t want to take the risk with retirement savings, completely understand)\n\n\nThose who haven\u2019t, and are \nconsidering to diversify their EPF money\n into unit trust (got more than enough in Basic Savings and want to take advantage of incentives all)\n\n\n\n\nPeople in \nthe FIFTH category. \nCan we talk?\n\n\nBeing Realistic with Your Unit Trust Returns\n\n\nAs I was doing my research for this piece, a few key phrases jumped out. One of them is \u2018for the informed investor\u2019.\n\n\nFor. The. Informed. Investor.\n\n\nAre you an informed investor? Do you have a selection process in mind, for this process of picking unit trusts? You know there are tens of unit trusts to choose from, right? Do you have the time to read each one, or have the resources to hire someone for advice?\n\n\n EPF i-Akaun will also remind you about this every time you enter the Investing section\n\n\nTo be a more informed investor, you have to actively learn about unit trusts investment, especially you want to do it the DIY way via EPF i-Invest (so you can enjoy 0% sales charge).\n\n\nOne place to start the learning process is through Principal Asset Management\u2019s \nKnowledge Centre\n page.\n\n\n\n\nSo. For anyone considering to buy unit trust through EPF i-Invest. Be an informed investor. Know, at the very least:\n\n\n\n\nIf the unit trust is Syariah-compliant or not (if it matters to you)\n\n\nWhich region(s) is it investing in\n\n\nThe risk ratings\n\n\nThe different types of unit trusts (keywords to learn: money market fund, equity fund, balanced fund)\n\n\nAnd more, including the exact steps of purchasing the unit trust fund through EPF i-Akaun platform\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOr you can go through the shortcut: Principal publishes monthly \nInvestment Outlooks\n, which \nrecommends funds by risk profile to meet your risk tolerance and expected returns.\n\n\nAll the best. Share with us in the comments section your experience with EPF i-Invest, so the rest of us can learn and be better and more informed investors.\n\n\nDisclaimer: This article is sponsored by Principal through a collaborative writing process.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/wahed-invest-review/", "title": "[2023 Updated] The Ultimate Wahed Invest Review After 3+ Years In, RM11,000 Invested\n  ", "body": "\n\nAs per popular request, here is my long-due in-depth Wahed Invest review. Wahed Invest is a \nroboadvisor platform\n (the technical term is Digital Investment Manager (DIM) \nas per the Securities Commission\n) and falls under the umbrella of wealthtech services. \n\n\nAs of the time of writing, I have been using Wahed investment platform for 3+ years, since November 2019. Here you can see my deposit of RM1,000 on 3 November 2019 and an additional deposit of RM10,000 on 7 November 2019. \n\n\n\n\nIf you liked this review and want to open an account and try Wahed Invest yourself, \ndownload the Wahed Invest app from Appstore/iOS\n and \nuse my referral code \u2018surbin1\u2019 to get free RM10 bonus\n\n\nSee my Wahed Invest review and rating for each process/category below:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Opening a Wahed Invest account \u2013 4 out of 5\n\n\nOpening an account with Wahed Invest is a simple process: all you need to do is download the app, create an account, upload your identification documents, add funds into the portfolio recommended for you (guided process), and just continue to add funds until you reach your goal(s). \n\n\nYou will need:\n\n\n\n\nYour phone to \ndownload the Wahed Invest app from Appstore/iOS\n\n\nInitial fund to deposit into your account- it\u2019s RM100 minimum to start\n\n\nID card/passport \n\n\nProof of address document \u2013 MYKad, driving license, utility bill, etc\n\n\n1-2 working days for verification and funds transfer to complete\n\n\n(Optional but recommended) \nUse my referral code \u2018surbin1\u2019 to get free RM10 bonus\n\n\n\n\nThe only reason I gave it 4 out of 5 is because there is no web platform for Malaysians yet, only app.  \n\n\n#2 \u2013 The Account Registration Process \u2013 4 out of 5\n\n\nMy own experience opening an account with Wahed Invest was slightly bumpy. What happened was I got stuck at proof of address document (driving licence) upload stage. I think they tried to use software to automate the registration process but it was not perfect and I was rejected FOUR times. \n\n\nHowever, their support team was helpful and it got sorted out soon enough. Aside from this, I personally have not experienced any other problems \u2013 it\u2019s a solid investment app in Malaysia market. In fact it might be one of the best investment apps in Malaysia. \n\n\nNote: Some users were unaware that the registration process needs 1-2 working days for verification and funds transfer to complete\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Is Wahed Invest legit \u2013 5 out of 5\n\n\nYes, Wahed Invest is legit. It is one of the seven \nlicenced roboadvisory platforms in Malaysia\n, and the only Syariah-compliant option.\n\n\nNote: \nlegitimacy doesn\u2019t mean profits are guaranteed\n, it just means the company is unlikely to steal your funds, and *if* they do anything shady, you can\n lodge a complaint at Securities Commission Malaysia\n and they will look into it.  \n\n\nUltimately, your profits with Wahed Invest (or lack thereoff) still depends on market conditions \u2013 if the market goes up, you\u2019ll make some money. If the market goes down, you\u2019ll lose some. \n\n\nThe good news is the market *tends* to go up \nover the long term\n, so as long as you stay invested and don\u2019t panic sell when you get short-term losses and (even better) continue to top up your account, you *should* end up with more than you started with.  \n\n\nHere\u2019s a projection of your portfolio balance if you invest RM500 per month for 20 years. \n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Is Wahed Invest Halal \u2013 5 out of 5\n\n\nSo you might wonder, is Wahed Invest halal type of investment?\n\n\nThe answer is yes, Wahed Invest practices halal investing, structured in accordance to Islamic principles. \n\n\nHalal investing is not just for Muslims\n \u2013 Non-Muslims reading this, you are free to practice halal investing as well if you strongly dislike the following industries:\n\n\n\n\nExcess debt\n\n\nTobacco\n\n\nAlcohol\n\n\nFirearms\n\n\nGambling\n\n\nAdult entertainment\n\n\nImpure foodstock\n\n\nUsurious institutions\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBut that\u2019s not all. What impresses me about Wahed Invest is they go above and beyond to also \npurify the <5% of revenues that may come from prohibited business activities, which is technically allowable as per halal investing guidelines\n. \n\n\nThis is what they say in their own words (received via email newsletter):\n\n\n\n\nCompanies which have less than 5% of their revenues coming from prohibited business activities are said to have passed the Sector-based Shariah-compliant Screens. But the proportion of dividends attributed to revenue generated from such non-permissible business activities and interest income will have to be purified. \n\n\nWahed helps you purify all dividend income from the ETFs automatically, without any action on your side. \n\n\nWe do so by calculating the amount to be purified every time a dividend payout happens and we channel the purification amount directly to Malaysian Medical Relief Society (MERCY Malaysia) on your behalf.\n\n\n\n\nAnd sure enough, they followed through. I received an update on amount purified and donated to MERCY Malaysia on my behalf. \n\n\n\n\nThey could have skipped this step, but they didn\u2019t. I am honestly very happy and impressed with this level of dedication to halal investing.\n\n\nThat\u2019s not all. They also help you in..\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Paying Zakat with Wahed Invest \u2013 5 out of 5\n\n\nPaying zakat pelaburan (investment zakat? Idk the term in English) is easy via Wahed Invest.\n\n\n They will send you an email with the calculations AND a payment link, and all you have to do is click on the button and complete the payment yourself. There is also prompt encouraging non-Muslims to donate the money to charity, if they want to. \n\n\n\n\nNote: You will only receive the email if you had an active account for \na full calendar year\n, which means you have completed a full haul (time required). The zakat money will be channelled to a zakat collection body and distributed to people who are qualified to receive it. \n\n\nImportant: The nisab for 2020 calendar year was RM15,762 (this amount may change). If the money in your account is lower than this at any point during the year, then you don\u2019t need to pay zakat.\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Wahed Invest Returns \u2013 5 out of 5\n\n\nYour return on investment with Wahed Invest depends on which Portfolio you select. There are twelve portfolios to choose from:\n\n\n*All average returns are accurate as of writing time, as shown in the Wahed Invest app\n\n\n\n\nVery Aggressive\n (highest risk, potentially highest rewards) \u2013 10.92% Average return \n\n\nAggressive\n \u2013 9.11% Average return \n\n\nModerately Aggressive\n (this is the one I picked for myself) \u2013 8.26% Average return \n\n\nModerate\n \u2013 6.51% Average return \n\n\nModerately Conservative\n \u2013 5% Average return \n\n\nVery Conservative\n (lowest risk and safest) \u2013 2.98 Average return \n\n\nGold\n (basically like investing in gold, but digitally) \u2013 3.96% Average return \n\n\nUS Stocks\n (97.50% invested in the US stock market) \u2013 12.86% Average return \n\n\nThematic Portfolio: China Stocks\n \u2013 for long term investors\n\n\nThematic Portfolio: Emerging Market Stocks\n \u2013 for long term investors\n\n\nThematic Portfolio: Local REITs portfolios \n\u2013 Real Estate Investment Trusts; for long term investors\n\n\nThematic Portfolio: Money Market Fund\n \u2013 low-risk; a great fixed deposit alternative\n\n\n\n\nEach Wahed Invest portfolio invests your money in \ntwo or more\n of the below individual assets/funds:\n\n\n\n\nMalaysia Stocks \u2013 MyETF MSCI Malaysia Islamic Dividend\n\n\nUS Stocks \u2013 Wahed FTSE USA Syariah ETF \n\n\nChina Stocks \u2013 VP-DJ Shariah China A-Shares 100 ETF\n\n\nSukuk \u2013 RHB Islamic Bond Fund, Malaysia Maybank Sukuk Fund\n\n\nGold \n\n\nCash \n\n\nREITs\n\n\n\n\nWhat makes each portfolio different, if they more or less contain the same thing? The allocations of the assets/funds of each portfolio, \nthe breakdown\n. \n\n\nFor example, this is the breakdown of \nWahed Invest Very Aggressive portfolio\n. See how the majority is allocated in Global Stocks and Emerging Market Stocks?\n\n\n\n\nThis is the breakdown of \nWahed Invest Moderately Aggressive\n portfolio. See how Sukuk (ie Islamic version of Bond) allocation is bigger? \n\n\n\n\nAnd this is the breakdown of \nWahed Invest Very Conservative portfolio\n. See how it\u2019s mostly comprised of Sukuk?\n\n\n\n\nAs you can see, the allocation breakdown makes all the difference.\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Which Wahed Invest Portfolio to choose\n\n\nEven though there are only 12 portfolios in Wahed Invest (6 if you take out Gold portfolio, US Stocks portfolio, and the 4 thematic portfolios), one of the questions I get a lot is which portfolio to select. \n\n\nThe way I see it, there are two main methods:\n\n\n1) Let them suggest one for you\n\n\nThis method is great especially for new investors. You can take a quiz to find out your risk appetite, aka the reason why so many investment advice boils down to \u2018it depends\u2019, because they have no idea what you can stomach without knowing you better. \n\n\nImportant: You don\u2019t have to pick the portfolio selected, you can select another one. Initially, my quiz outcome recommended Aggressive but I chose Moderately Aggressive instead.\n\n\n\n\n(The reason I reduced my risk \u2013 My risk appetite is actually pretty high. However, considering my overall portfolio is already super high risk \u2013 \ncryptocurrencies \nmake up a big chunk of \nmy investment portfolio\n \u2013 I thought I\u2019d take my risk down a notch).\n\n\n2) Get multiple portfolios\n\n\nThe second way is to simply pick more than one portfolio, so you don\u2019t wonder how the one you didn\u2019t choose will perform. \n\n\nSince Wahed Invest allows multiple portfolios in one account, you can get different ones at the same time and monitor their performances. This may be a good idea for those of you who feels paralysed by fear by the choices available and end up not deciding/investing at all. \n\n\nAlternatively, you can also get multiple portfolios and earmark each of them for different purposes, like so:\n\n\n\n\n#8 \u2013 My Wahed Invest Returns \u2013 4.5 out of 5\n\n\nAs mentioned, I have one portfolio in Wahed Invest account \u2013 Moderately Aggressive. \n\n\nImportant: \nYour Wahed Invest returns will be different from mine\n. I have seen people share \nnegative returns all the way to 5X% returns\n. The ROI % depends on:\n\n\n\n\nAt which \npoint you entered the market\n. Remember, in a bull market, every investor is a genius\n\n\nThe portfolio(s) you selected. \nAs a general rule, the more aggressive the portfolio, the higher the risks and potential rewards \n\n\n\n\nPersonally, my Wahed Invest performance has been great, ngl. I expected low single-digit returns, but it performed better than that. I think I \ngot lucky\n with the timing. \n\n\n(1) My Wahed Invest returns 8 months in:\n\n\n\n\n(2) My Wahed Invest returns 1-year in:\n\n\nNote: the huge drop is due to withdrawal \u2013 I took some money out\n\n\n\n\n(3) My Wahed Invest returns 1.5 years in:\n\n\n\n\n(4) My Wahed Invest returns 2 years in:\n\n\n\n\n(5) My Wahed Invest returns 2.5 years in:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n(6) My Wahed Invest returns 3+ years in\n\n\n*Note: I added more during market downturn. They say to be greedy when others are fearful, so\u2026\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAs you can see, there were some short-term dips, but over the long term, my portfolio value increased steadily. \n\n\nSo don\u2019t panic too much if your Wahed Invest portfolio value is negative \u2013 continue investing consistently and at the same time \nincrease your salary\n and/or \nside income\n to add more every month and you should be okay. \n\n\nThis is what you should remember if your \ninvestment is losing money.\n \n\n\n#9 \u2013 Wahed Invest Fees \u2013 4.5/5\n\n\nWahed Invest has one of the lowest fee structures among the \nrobo advisory platforms in Malaysia\n:\n\n\n\n\n0.79% for RM100-RM499,999 deposited\n\n\n0.39% for >RM500k deposited\n\n\nFor each additional account, you are charged the 0.79%/0.39% fee structure OR RM2.50 per month, whichever is higher.\n\n\n\n\nThere are no other fees, EXCEPT:\n\n\n\n\nFees charged by investment funds\n, which you can\u2019t escape from regardless, and\n\n\nAdditional charges for fund transfers\n \u2013 (manual) bank transfers are still free, but as of 10 May 2021 there is a RM1 charge for recurring deposit collections (its not their fault, but yes this is why I took 0.5 stars off. Charging for this means people are less likely to automate their investment)\n\n\n1% currency exchange fee \nfor deposits, withdrawals and inter-fund transfers to portfolios denominated in USD. Applicable to US Stocks and Emerging Markets Stocks portfolios \n\n\n\n\n\n\nOther than that, can\u2019t complain. I think Wahed Invest fees are very reasonable. Just 0.79% is tremendous value for money, when unit trusts charge more than that just for sales charges. \n\n\n#10 \u2013 Wahed Invest vs Stashaway\n\n\nWahed Invest vs Stashaway \u2013 which is better? Which one should you pick?\n\n\nBoth are good but Wahed Invest is Syariah-compliant and Stashaway is not. So if \nhalal investing\n is important to you (it is to me), then Wahed Invest is your pick. \n\n\nIf you don\u2019t mind either way, you have more choices beyond Wahed Invest. See my \nroboadvisors in Malaysia comparison article\n\n\n#11 \u2013 Final verdict of this Wahed Invest Review\n\n\nIn case this Wahed Invest Review wasn\u2019t obvious, I am a happy Wahed Invest user. I\u2019m especially won over by:\n\n\n\n\nThe exposure to \nUS stock market\n, which is usually expensive and mafan for retail investors (I can say I indirectly invest in Apple and Tesla!), and\n\n\nThe exposure to \nChina stock market\n, and \n\n\nThe ability to \neasily buy local REITs\n, and\n\n\nThe \ndedication to halal investing\n, especially the voluntary purification of <5% of revenues that may come from non-halal investing (but still satisfy halal investing guidelines)\n\n\n\n\nAs for \nwithdrawals\n, I\u2019ve had no problems withdrawing money from Wahed Invest, but leave a comment if you did.\n\n\nHow\u2019s your experience like with Wahed Invest? What do you like/don\u2019t like about it? Do you have any other questions not covered here? Let me know in the comments!\n\n\nObligatory final reminder: This is not a sponsored post. If you liked this review and want to open an account and try Wahed Invest yourself, \ndownload the Wahed Invest app from Appstore/iOS\n and \nuse my referral code \u2018surbin1\u2019 to get free RM10 bonus\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/which-cryptocurrencies-to-invest-in/", "title": "Which Cryptocurrencies to Invest In? 3 Ways I Use to Decide\n  ", "body": "\n\nInvesting in cryptocurrencies has been one of the wildest rides I\u2019ve been on. The price swings are so volatile, I\u2019ve experienced exhilaration, extreme anxiety, and everything in between. \n\n\nBut one thing I know for sure: I have no regrets about investing in cryptocurrencies. Especially because I accumulated most of my stash \nfor free/ in exchange for labour\n.  \n\n\nHere\u2019s what I take into consideration to decide which cryptocurrencies to invest in. At the end of the article, I\u2019ll also share the safest way to invest in cryptocurrencies. All standard DYOR disclaimers apply. \n\n\n#1 \u2013 Prioritise Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH)\n\n\nIf you die die don\u2019t know which cryptocurrencies to invest in, then let me just say, start with Bitcoin and Ethereum. Crypto is risky, but they\u2019re the safest of the lot. \n\n\nWhy did I say that? Because, I have observed \nCoingecko\u2019s\n Top 10 Ranking since 2015, and Bitcoin and Ethereum have consistently stayed in the #1 and #2 spots, while other cryptocurrencies come and go. That means they have staying power, they have reputation, they have strong community. \n\n\nScreenshot taken on 12 Nov 2021\n\n\nIf we dissect numbers 3-10 in the current Top 10 Ranking, \n\n\n2 are stablecoins \u2013 Tether (USDT) and USD Coin (USDC) (both pegged to USD1)\n2 are private companies \u2013 Binance (BNB; crypto exchange) and Ripple (XRP; remittance network)\n3 are Ethereum rivals \u2013 Solana (SOL), Cardano (ADA) and Polkadot (DOT)\n1 is memecoin \u2013 Dogecoin (DOGE) (just the week before, both DOGE and SHIB made it in the Top 10 Ranking)\n\n\nPast, and probably Future Top 10 Ranking will likely follow the same format:\n\n\nNo #1 \u2013 Bitcoin\nNo #2 \u2013 Ethereum\nA combination of private companies, Ethereum rivals and/or memecoins\nAnd/or whatever is trendy or hyped up at the time (new blockchain use cases, new dApp platforms, whatever)\n\n\nDoes this mean I don\u2019t get cryptocurrencies aside from BTC/ETH? Not at all. I do get them \u2013 some projects are so interesting and you need tokens to participate. \n\n\nBut I go in with the understanding that the project might fail and/or the value might drop and never recover.\n Any cryptocurrency can be popular now and even be in the Top 10 Ranking, and still face the chance of dying out. I\u2019ve seen it happen again and again. \n\n\nWhen this happens, losing money is not the only annoying part. It also sucks because no one likes to be wrong in a project they actually liked, ESPECIALLY if one is a strong believer and community member. So it\u2019s like double pain \ud83d\ude41\n\n\nSo keep this in mind: You can get ANY cryptocurrencies you want, as long as you accept the risk of losing it all. Sure you can do whatever you want with your money, but it\u2019s probably wise to not go all-in in a single cryptocurrency aside from BTC and ETH. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Cryptocurrencies \u2018vouched\u2019 by licensed crypto exchanges in Malaysia\n\n\nNothing to shout about here. I own all the cryptocurrencies offered in licensed crypto exchanges in Malaysia \u2013 BTC, ETH, LTC, XRP and BCH. The way I see it, if they have passed SC\u2019s extremely strict guidelines, they\u2019re good enough for me. \n\n\nYes, even XRP. Not the biggest fan, but yes I have a little bit. \n\n\n#3 \u2013 Cryptocurrencies that I can use to earn\n\n\nAside from Bitcoin and Ethereum, I also like to own cryptocurrencies that can be used for earning, especially for staking and yield-farming purposes. These include:\n\n\nEthereum (ETH)\n \u2013 Example DEX: UnisWap. I\u2019ve yet to do here though as the gas fees alone is >$100++ per transaction. \nBinance Coin (BNB)\n \u2013 Example DEX: PancakeSwap. Fairly straightforward to learn, low fees (10 cents or so per transaction). \nPolygon (MATIC)\n \u2013 Example DEX: QuickSwap. Took me some time to understand but fees are very low (less than 1 cent per transaction!). \n\n\nThere are other ways to earn with cryptocurrencies aside from staking and yield-farming, such as trading, Play-to-Earn and NFT flipping ( \nDeFi\n world is so big; see below). My personal view is it is awesome to learn how to earn beyond hodling (although there\u2019s nothing wrong with just hodling, you diamond hands you!).\n\n\n\n\nNote: Staking and yield-farming are both terms used in \nDeFi\n, or Decentralised Finance. In case you don\u2019t know what it is:\n\n\nStaking is kinda sorta like fixed deposit where you earn by \u2018locking\u2019 your cryptocurrencies in exchange for profit\nYield-farming is kinda sorta like earning from being a liquidity provider (a fancy term that basically means, you supply money for borrowers)\n\n\nExtra: My staking and yield-farming experience\n\n\nFor example, one of the things I\u2019m doing is staking $CAKE in PancakeSwap, one of the DEX (decentralised exchange) using Binance Smart Chain. There are many tutorials online so learning it wasn\u2019t that hard, and honestly, it is so worth knowing how to do this for freaking double-digit APY (annual percentage yield).\n\n\n\n\nHow can I not like crypto? This is 2 months worth \u2013 I get USD500 per month passive income with USD6000 capital from staking alone\nAnd this is considered basic, not even advanced. Pls go learn crypto, it will free you from RM1.2k employers \npic.twitter.com/7BYdp0dR5r\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com \ud83c\udff4 (@surayaror) \nOctober 3, 2021\n\n\n\n\nSimplistically, what you need to earn money by staking at PancakeSwap is:\n\n\nSome cryptocurrencies (you can get BTC, ETH, LTC, XRP and BCH from \none of the licenced exchanges in Malaysia\n)\nBinance\n\u00a0account (so you can exchange to BNB)\nMetamask wallet installed with \nSmart Chain\n\u00a0aka Binance Smart Chain. Here\u2019s how to\u00a0\ninstall Smart Chain in Metamask\n (so you can interact with PancakeSwap)\nAnd you can pretty much exchange your BNB for whatever token you want and start staking in PancakeSwap ($CAKE is a popular option, but only one of many)\n\n\n(Should I do an in-depth, step by step guide on how to do staking? Let me know in the comments)\n\n\nYou might see some people talking about extremely high APYs, sometimes going up to EIGHT DIGITS or more (???). Of course, those gains only come with riskier pools and platforms. Plus you also have the overall crypto market to worry about.  \n\n\nI also want to mention that earning is not guaranteed, especially during volatile crypto market seasons. I should know, I\u2019ve lost some money along the way \ud83d\ude42 \n\n\n\n\nDeFi is wild because I'm earning $30 a day from staking and yield farming but also lost $4k since last week cos the crypto market went down\nAnyway. Current strategy is to prioritise stablecoins \ud83d\ude42\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com \ud83c\udff4 (@surayaror) \nJune 11, 2021\n\n\n\n\nI can\u2019t stress enough that you need to learn bitcoin first before you do this DeFi stuff.\n Bitcoin knowledge is the primary level info and DeFi is like degree level, so don\u2019t skip steps. \n\n\nIf you\u2019re new, check out my \nThe ULTIMATE Cryptocurrency in Malaysia Guide [2021]\n article\nThen, check out my \nI Am Self-Learning DeFi (Decentralised Finance). Here\u2019s Why.\n article\nThen, check out the section on non-custodial wallet in my \nBinance Ban in Malaysia: 4 Options You Can Take\n article\n\n\nIMPORTANT: You NEED to be super clear about networks, because transferring your cryptocurrencies to different networks (for example, from Ethereum to Smart Chain) may cause you to lose your crypto! \n\n\nFor example, you can only send ETH on the ETH network \u2013 some people have tried to \u2018save money on fees\u2019 by using another network. It won\u2019t work \u2013 if you\u2019re lucky the platform will stop you, but if not you will be responsible for your own loss. Imagine it like train tracks, and only the ones with the right wheels are compatible. \n\n\n\n\nWhich cryptocurrencies do you invest in? Why?\n\n\nTo recap, here are cryptocurrencies I currently own, divided into Hodl, Earn and Fun:\n\n\nHodl\n: BTC, ETH (biggest chunk) plus LTC, XRP, BCH\nEarn\n: BNB, MATIC, and whatever is needed to stake/pool, including but not limited to CAKE, TUSD, USDC, QUICK, WEX and more\nFun \n(combined, max 1% of crypto portfolio): Whatever I feel like speculating/experimenting with at the time. I\u2019ve had DASH, STEEM, AAVE, GHST and more. If I\u2019m into memecoins, I\u2019d include them here as well \n\n\nSo those are my guidelines in deciding which cryptocurrencies to invest in. How about you? What guidelines do you follow? I would love to hear your strategies and tips!\n\n\nOf course I can\u2019t end this article without the obligatory disclaimer and again, a reminder to practice safe investing. Speaking of which,\n\n\nThe safe way to invest in cryptocurrencies\n\n\nIf you want to be really safe about it, sort out your \nEPF, PRS and SSPN\n first, then your \nASB\n/ unit trust/mutual funds/ ETFs (easy via \nrobo advisors\n), BEFORE doing a fun investment of your choice, including cryptocurrencies. \n\n\n(Yes, I do consider cryptocurrencies as \u2018fun\u2019 investment \u2013 it\u2019s exciting because it includes an element of risk, speculation and some level of geekiness (aka people who do it and are good at it are obsessed with learning, including the technical side).  Other investments I grouped as \u2018fun investment\u2019 also includes stocks (\ntrading\n, \nwarrants\n etc), gold and property.)\n\n\nIt\u2019s not a bad idea to use this DIY investor scenario as a guideline. Do #1-5 first before you do #6.\n\n\n\n\nAlternative way to safely invest in cryptocurrencies\n\n\nOtherwise, you can also use the \u2018\nnot more than 5%\n\u2018 rule. If you have RM10000 to invest, then only start crypto with RM500. \n\n\n(Hack \u2013 get 10% ROI immediately. Buy RM500, get RM50 in BTC with my code \u2018\nLNSURAYA50\u2032\u00a0\n(valid for new users only). Steps: Open a new account at\u00a0\nLuno.com\n\u00a0> Go to REWARDS > Choose ENTER CODE > Enter the given promo code > Click Apply Code > Deposit the minimum amount required > Buy the minimum transaction amount > Get rewarded with the additional Bitcoin.])\n\n\nOkay, this is where I\u2019ll end it. Remember to like, comment and share this article if you like it, and let me know what you want to read next!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/investing/why-is-my-investment-losing-money/", "title": "Why is My Investment Losing Money? 5 Things to Remember [SPONSORED]\n  ", "body": "\n\nDon\u2019t just save money, you have to invest, they said. Invest as early as you can, they said.\u00a0Inflation is the silent killer, they said. \n\n\nSo you did, and things are alright for a while, until one day you check your investment account and\u2026 wait why is my investment losing money? Isn\u2019t the point of investing is for my money to grow? Why has the amount shrunk instead? This isn\u2019t what I signed up for! I want my money back! \n\n\nWait, hold up. Don\u2019t do anything yet. You need to remember these 5 things.\u00a0\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Welcome to your first bear market (this will be your first of many)\n\n\nIf this is your first bear market, welcome. Loosely defined as \nprolonged market declines\n, bear market is the opposite of bull market \u2013 \nprolonged market upside\n. It is normal for bull and bear markets to alternate every few years.\u00a0\n\n\nIt is normal for your investment portfolio to lose some value during bear markets, but the good news is historically speaking, your portfolio will recover (and then some) when bull market comes.  \n\n\n\n\nNote: bear market is not the same as market correction, which is more short-term in nature. Read more about \nbear market vs market correction\n.\u00a0\n\n\nWhen did you start investing? During bull or bear market?\n\n\nChances are, you started your investment journey during the bull market. \n\n\nFor many people, the hype around bull market encourages them to start investing in the first place. Everyone around you, including (especially?) the media keeps talking about how the stock market or gold (or whatever hot investment at the moment) keeps reaching new record highs.\u00a0\n\n\nBut it didn\u2019t last. The \u2018record highs\u2019 announcements stopped, and replaced with \u2018lowest since x\u2019 announcements instead.\n\n\nAt first, you thought the price drop was temporary. Then, as time goes on, you start to panic and second-guess your decisions. You start to question yourself:\n\n\nWas investing \nreally\n the right idea? \nMaybe I should have stuck to just saving instead? \nWhat should I do \u2013 should I sell or buy or do nothing? But if I sell, I will make a loss. Oh no, the price keeps falling, I have to make a decision now or I may end up with nothing!\n\n\nI don\u2019t know about you, but that was me. Almost everyone goes through their first bear market with a lot of fear. \n\n\nIt might sound unthinkable now, but \nthe longer you invest, the more you will get used to bear markets\n. You may even start to expect it, when the market is going too well for too long.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Trying to time the market isn\u2019t worth the effort.\u00a0\n\n\nSome of you might be looking at the bull vs bear market chart above and go, oh that\u2019s easy! Just buy the investment when it\u2019s at the lowest, and sell at its highest! If I study hard enough, I can make a lot of money from investing!\n\n\nThis, my friends, is what\u2019s called trying to\n time the market\n. Some people do it professionally, most people do it amateurishly.\n\n\nNoted investor Peter Lynch, who averaged an impressive 29.2% annual return between 1977 until 1990, argues that the effort to time the market is\n more trouble than it\u2019s worth\n. As elaborated in his book, and shared in the \nFar More Money Has Been Lost By Investors Trying To Time Corrections Than In All Corrections Combined\n article,\u00a0\n\n\n\u201cStarting in 1965 if you invested at the peak of the market in each year, your annual return was 10.6%. If you timed the market perfectly, invested at the low point of each year, your return was 11.7%. \nThe difference between great timing and lousy timing was only 1.1%\n.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYes, just 1.1%. So which would you rather?\n\n\nSpend a few hours a day learning about stocks fundamentals and technicals in addition to working your day job, or\nLearn high-paying skills and find a job you love, while investing consistently in diversified funds.\u00a0\n\n\nIt is absolutely fine to choose the first option if you love everything about the stock market. Some people do.\n\n\nHowever, if you don\u2019t, \nyou\u2019re better off with the second option\n. You will save so much time \u2013 time that you can use to spend on people and things you do care about.\u00a0\n\n\nSo how does one invest while not actively learning about the stock market on a daily basis? \n\n\nSimple. Just DCA in diversified funds.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Just DCA in diversified funds\u00a0\n\n\nDCA is short for \nDollar Cost Averaging\n, which basically means \ninvesting consistently\n. \n\n\n\u2018Consistently\u2019 can mean daily, weekly, biweekly, monthly, quarterly, or biannually, but in most cases usually refers to weekly or monthly. If you are setting aside even RM100 per month to invest, you are DCA-ing.\u00a0\n\n\nDCA can also be applied to many types of investments, from gold to individual stocks, but it is best applied to diversified funds, aka funds with different asset allocations. An example of diversified funds is Wahed Invest\u2019s portfolios, which contain two or more of the below individual assets/funds:\n\n\nUS Stocks \u2013 Wahed FTSE USA Shariah ETF\nChina Stocks \u2013 VP-DJ Shariah China A-Shares 100 ETF\nSukuk \u2013 RHB Islamic Bond Fund, Malaysia Maybank Sukuk Fund\nGold\nCash\nREITs\n\n\nFor example, the image below shows Wahed Invest\u2019s Moderately Aggressive portfolio. As you can see, it is diversified in geographical presence, risk level and even includes gold investment (so you don\u2019t need to buy extra gold for investment, unless you want to).\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYou can also automate your DCA with Wahed Invest. Simply setup Recurring Deposit via the app \u2013 you can choose to schedule a minimum of RM100 every week or month.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDoing DCA will save you so much time. After the initial Recurring Deposit setup, you don\u2019t have to do anything else, just enjoy your life and let the auto-deduct do its thing. You can ignore the market news as well (if you can \u2013 they tend to be given a lot of airtime/ column space).\u00a0\n\n\nUse the time you saved to learn in-demand skills, find higher salaries and grow your income, so you can invest more. All you need is regularly meet up with your financial planner to review your overall financial life, just to make sure you are on track to reach your financial goals.\u00a0\n\n\n#4 \u2013 How about other investments? What if I lose money there?\n\n\nSo far, I have elaborated the DCA strategy for diversified funds, and how it is considered the most low-effort way to grow wealth over the long term.\u00a0\n\n\nHowever, some of you might be holding onto other types of investments that are currently down, maybe by a lot. Maybe you hold individual stocks. Maybe you hold cryptocurrencies. Maybe properties.\u00a0\n\n\nHere, cutting loss and rebalancing may be a good idea, or it may not \u2013\u00a0 there are lots of other factors to consider. For such a big decision, you are advised to \nget professional advice from a licensed financial planner.\u00a0\n\n\nI know it\u2019s tempting to DIY it, but do yourself a favour \u2013 skip the forums, just go straight to a professional. This is a no-brainer decision \u2013 the few hundred ringgit investment might potentially save you thousands, plus you save so much time as well.\u00a0\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Remember the fundamentals\n\n\nInvestment is an exciting topic. With the emergence of new technologies and options, plus easy access to financial influencers online who\u2019re giving away \u2018hot tips\u2019, it\u2019s easy to get caught up with it.\u00a0\n\n\nThat\u2019s all fine, whatever rocks your boat. Learning and experimenting with different investments isn\u2019t wrong. In fact, it can be the best part of your investment learning journey.\u00a0\n\n\nHowever, make sure your foundation is right BEFORE you invest. Make sure you have:\n\n\n3-6 months\u2019 worth of living expenses as emergency funds if you are a salaried employee,\u00a0\n6-12 months\u2019 worth of living expenses as emergency funds if you are self-employed,\u00a0\nNo high-interest consumer debt (credit card, personal loan etc)\nIncrease your income (if you can)\nNever go 100% \u2018all-in\u2019 with one particular type of investment or asset\n\n\nThis way, you can ride out the bear market when it comes with minimal impact on your day-to-day life. Thanks to your savings and your ability to earn, you won\u2019t be forced to liquidate long-term investments at a loss, nor have to take on debt to cover commitments.\u00a0\n\n\nMy Investment with Wahed Invest\n\n\nAs of the time of writing, I have been investing with Wahed Invest for around 2.5 years, since November 2019. The ROI on my portfolio (Moderately Aggressive) hovered between 1x% to 2x%.\u00a0\n\n\nY\nour\n \nreturns will be different from mine\n. I have seen people share negative returns all the way to 5X% returns. The ROI % depends on:\n\n\nAt which \npoint you entered the market\n. Remember, in a bull market, every investor is a genius\nThe portfolio(s) you selected. \nAs a general rule, the more aggressive the portfolio, the higher the risks and potential rewards\n\n\nIt is counter-intuitive, but the best time to invest is during the bear market, where you essentially get to scoop up assets at a discounted price. Personally, I am continuing my investments, including with Wahed Invest. My portfolio may be down but I won\u2019t stop DCA-ing (while trying my best to ignore doomsday-type market news).\u00a0\n\n\nIf you haven\u2019t started with Wahed Invest, do check out my \nWahed Invest revie\nw\n article, covering the account registration process, portfolio selection process, return on investment and more.\u00a0\n\n\nSome reasons why I chose Wahed Invest includes:\n\n\nShariah Compliant\n \u2013 Halal investing is important to me\nExposure to global market\n \u2013 I wanted to invest in US & China company stocks, as historical data shows KLSE (ie Malaysia market) has been underperforming in the last 10 years.\nLow capital requirement \n\u2013 Just RM100 to start\nLow fees\n \u2013 the fees range from 0.39% to 0.79%, more attractive than unit trust fees\nNo lock in period\n \u2013 you can withdraw anytime\n\n\nKickstart your investing journey now \u2013 #LaburCaraWahed by downloading the Wahed Invest app: \nhttps://app.wahedinvest.com/go\n.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNote: When it comes to investments, there is #CapitalAtRisk and investors are advised to read Wahed Invest\u2019s disclaimer before investing: \nhttps://ethical.wahedinvest.com/generaldisclaimers\n\n\nWell, hopefully this article helped to ease your anxiety somewhat. Hope the points made in #1-5 is useful for you, not just in this bear cycle, but in future bear cycles you\u2019ll go through in the future. All the best!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-10/", "title": "Link Roundup #10: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. Share your suggestions for #belanjawan2019 \u2013 Ministry of Finance Malaysia\n\n\nWanted: your suggestions! Saw this tweet from the Ministry of Finance \u2013 decided to share here for wider reach!\n\n\n\n\nKementerian Kewangan mempelawa rakyat Malaysia untuk memberikan cadangan dalam penyediaan Belanjawan 2019 bagi 12 kategori yang terdapat di \nhttps://t.co/fkcjAjZSz0\n. Jangan lupa gunakan hashtag \n#belanjawan2019\n \npic.twitter.com/FTMieis3A8\n\n\n\u2014 Ministry of Finance (@MOFmalaysia) \nAugust 29, 2018\n\n\n\n\nThe 12 categories are:\n\n\n\n\nCost of Living\n\n\nEducation and Training\n\n\nPublic Sector Reform\n\n\nTechnology and Innovation\n\n\nEntrepreneurship and Business\n\n\nAccess to Financing\n\n\nIncome and Employment Opportunities\n\n\nRakyat Welfare and Well-Being\n\n\nHealthcare and Healthy Lifestyle\n\n\nHousing, Infrastructure and Public Safety\n\n\nSocial Justice and Equitable Development\n\n\nEnvironment and Sustainable Development\n\n\n\n\nFor more information, \nview the Belanjawan 2019 page\n (English version).\n\n\nYou can submit your suggestions on Twitter (click\u00a0\nhere\n to see the current #belanjawan2019 discussion on Twitter), but I suggest you submit directly at the Belanjawan 2019 main website at \nthis page\n.\n\n\nIf you have suggestions on how the nation should spend its money, remember to give them by 30 September 2018, because YB Lim Guan Eng will present it on 2 November 2018!\n\n\n\n\n2. \nTen Things I Never Knew About Las Vegas Until I Ran a High-Roller Suite\n \u2013 Bloomberg\n\n\nWacky stories about crazy-rich gamblers, as told by someone who did a stint there (and probably blacklisted after the article is out). All I can say is, man, rich people are \nweird\n.\n\n\n3. \nNine out of 10 Malaysian students work while studying: HSBC survey\n \u2013 The Star\n\n\n\n\nLots of interesting findings from the HSBC survey\u2026\n\n\n\n\n9 out of 10 Malaysian students work while they are still studying.\u00a0Two-thirds of them do it to earn money\n\n\nMalaysian parents say they contribute an average of RM24,100 towards children\u2019s university education (not per year. In total.)\n\n\nBut students estimate they spend RM67,600 in total to cover tuition fees, accommodation, bills and lifestyle costs. \nWhich means they need an additional\u00a0 RM43,500 from other sources\n\n\n\u201cMalaysian students spend a large proportion of their time in paid employment \u2013 an average of 3.4 hours a day, more than they spend in the library (2.1 hours) or studying at home (2.3 hours)\u201d\n\n\n\u201cSeparate research on the topic suggests that when the number of hours worked per week by a student exceeds 20 hours,\u00a0\nit has a negative impact on grades\n\u201d\n\n\nBUT: \u201cthe same piece of research also concludes that \nthe academic performance of students who work 10-19 hours per week was superior to their peers\n.\u201d\n\n\n\n\nI can\u2019t help feeling like we as a nation are failing our students\u2026\n\n\n4. \n47% of youths have high credit card debts\n\u00a0\u2013 The Star\n\n\nI\u2019m sharing another The Star article. Not for the headline, although that\u2019s important too, but because it\u2019s such a hot mess.\n\n\n\n\nParagraph 1\n said 47% of Malaysian youths have high credit card debt (did not elaborate on what constitutes \u2018high\u2019), and 38% have personal loans\n\n\nParagraph 2\n said more than 3,400 people between 20-30 years old sought counselling and help from AKPK in 2017\n\n\nParagraph 3\n quotes BNM\u00a0Assistant Governor Nazrul Hisyam Mohd Noh:\u00a0\u201cI challenge all of you to break the myth that the young generation are not financially savvy and do not contribute to these statistics.\u201d A little bit patronising, but okay.\n\n\nParagraph 4\n elaborates the #IDAREYOUChallenge (?????) held by the\u00a0Malaysia Life Insurance Association (LIAM) and Education Ministry. Apparently it\u2019s a competition to select the best marketing presentation and video on the importance of life insurance among 10 finalists from four universities\n\n\n(I have to point out that nothing much appeared online when I tried to look for that #IDAREYOUChallenge thing)\n\n\nParagraph 5-8\n mentions insurance statistics, insurance products for the B40, and a quote (not very important \u2013 awareness of insurance is important, la di da)\n\n\nParagraph 9\n congratulates Lee Ming Chin from UM for winning the #IDAREYOUChallenge took home a combined RM17,000 in cash (nice! Good for you girl!)\n\n\n\n\nLike I said. A hot mess of an article. Who wrote this?? Why suddenly debt topic become insurance topic one??\n\n\nPlus can we address something more important? If #3 said that the majority of Malaysian students work to earn extra money, and #4 said young people get into debt anyway, doesn\u2019t that mean the REASON why almost half of us are in debt is because \u2013 drumroll \u2013 \nwe\u2019re not paying them enough for their work?\n\n\nStop bloody blaming us for our debt. Sure, some of us have a spending problem. But most of us try our best to juggle work and studies and STILL find it \nhard\n impossible to cope with the cost of living and cost of education.\n\n\n5. How I Built My Edible Garden Under RM1000 (\nPart 1\n | \nPart 2\n ) \u2013 JewelPie\n\n\nI am absolutely floored by Sara\u2019s passion for healthy cooking, to the extent of \ngrowing her own organic farm\n. You hear this kind of stuff overseas, but not in Malaysia!\n\n\nPlus, she wanted to show \nhow the garden could be done on a budget just to prove it\u2019s possible\n. How can you not respect that!\n\n\nHats off to you, Sara. Check out \nNewMalaysianKitchen\n to get her recipes (I convinced her to have a halal section lol)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n@sarakhong showing me the chili and basil section in her organic garden, which has over 50 varieties of edible plants \ud83c\udf3f What an awesome thing for a chef to have at her disposal! #urbangardening #malaysianfarmer #malaysiancook\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya\n (@surayaror) on \nSep 2, 2018 at 5:39pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n6. \nBirthdayBeep Service\n\u00a0\n\n\nYou already know you can get specific promos and freebies on your birthday (or week or month), right? I always want to take advantage of these, and always wish there\u2019s a way to just find them conveniently. I want them nicely compiled for me, so malas to search around!\n\n\nWell someone took the idea and went wild with it. \nBirthdayBeep\n is a new, FREE email subscription service that does exactly that! On your birthday month, you\u2019ll get an email with all the offers and freebies you can only redeem for your birthday!\n\n\n(Note: Have not tried. My birthday is in May \u2013 long time to wait. If you\u2019ve received the email, can you give a review in the comments section?)\n\n\n7. \nWhatsApp Has a New Feature That\u2019s Going to Make It a lot of Money\n\u00a0\u2013 Inc\n\n\nSoon, you\u2019ll be able to\u00a0\ntext\n businesses on Facebook via Whatsapp for Business\u2019s new API (reminder: Facebook owns Whatsapp).\n\n\nAnd businesses can respond for free, but ONLY if they do so within the next 24 hours. If they reply after that time frame, they will be charged a fee.\n\n\nHell yeah faster replies to customer inquiries. Hell yeah less phone calls to businesses.\n\n\n8.\u00a0\nA mom transforms old clothes into trendy outfits \u2014 and the before-and-after photos are incredible\n \u2013 Business Insider\n\n\nMama\u2019s got sewing skillz! You MUST see the before/after pics \u2013 if it wasn\u2019t mentioned, I would have believed they are two different garments, not the same one!\n\n\nHonestly, I\u2019d love to pick up sewing as a skill, but I know I just don\u2019t have the passion for it. Do you even know how much you can earn if you offer sewing services, especially around festive seasons and to upscale clients?\n\n\n(Actually, I also don\u2019t know how much, but I assume a lot. It\u2019s uncommon for tailors to be fully booked months before Hari Raya. Higher demand means you can command higher rates!)\n\n\n9.\u00a0\nGoogle, Apple and 13 other companies that no longer require a college degree\n \u2013 CNBC\n\n\nTrends from big companies do tend to spill over, so expect this to become a norm soon! Eh wait this is Malaysia. Okay maybe give it at least 5 more years (is that too soon also?)\n\n\nHaha, dark humour aside, isn\u2019t this a cool trend? Don\u2019t get too excited though \u2013 this doesn\u2019t mean no skill also can apply. Employers still will want to see what you can bring to the table, either from coding bootcamp or vocational classes.\n\n\n10.\u00a0\nWhy Concert Tickets Are Way Too Expensive, According To The People Who Really Know\n \u2013 The Fader\n\n\nTL;DR \u2013 Staging costs are higher (they\u2019re getting more and more elaborate now), scalpers, and booking fees.\n\n\nThe content is US-specific, but we can see concert ticket costs rising here in Malaysia too. Wonder if there are other factors pushing up the prices locally? Anyone from the industry can chip in?\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-11/", "title": "Link Roundup #11: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1.\u00a0\nHere\u2019s how some of the wealthiest people are investing their cash\n \u2013 CNBC\n\n\nThis is interesting. Apparently, there is a high-net worth group called TIGER 21. They have about 630 members, and each of them has at least \n$10 million\n in investable assets.\n\n\nCheck out what they\u2019re investing (and not investing) in, according to their Q2 2018 report. Interesting read.\n\n\nThat accompanying image in the article though. I feel like slapping all of them. Look so atas like that.\n\n\n\n\n2. \nChinese Entrepreneur Tries to Bring Shenzhen Miracle to Africa\n\u00a0\u2013 Bloomberg\n\n\nThis is an article about economic development in Africa, but that\u2019s not why I included it in this list.\n\n\nInstead, I want you to know about Helen Hai, the \u2018Chinese Entrepreneur\u2019 in the title. I\u2019ve noticed that fewer women are directly named in the business sections as opposed to men. This is my small part to give her more star power \u2013 I think she deserves it. In the future, I hope articles will refer her by name in the title.\n\n\nAccording to the article, Helen Hai:\n\n\n\n\nWas the youngest female partner at U.K. insurance broker Jardine Lloyd Thompson. Later, she returned to China as chief actuary for Zurich Financial Services.\n\n\nLeft Zurich to set up a shoe factory in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Exported shoes to the US within three months, and has over 4000 employees within 2 years.\n\n\nImpressed the former Ethiopia Prime Minister so much that she became the first Chinese adviser to the Ethiopian government. They want her help to set up more manufacturing factories in Africa.\n\n\nWithin months, she set up the Made in Africa initiative, which is backed by UNDP. It aims to help Africa create manufacturing hubs. When the going got tough and she couldn\u2019t find foreign investors, she co-founded a factory in Rwanda with fellow Chinese investor Candy Ma (another woman!) \nas a demonstration model\n. The company now employs 2000 people. They also set up the factories in Senegal and Ethiopia which helped the\u00a0manufacturing industry investments in Africa increase almost 9 percent in 2017, to $21 billion.\n\n\n(There are more info in the article and I\u2019m summarising the best bits)\n\n\n\n\nAside from that, Helen Hai:\n\n\n\n\nIs the UN Industrial Development Organization\u2019s \ngoodwill\u00a0ambassador\n\u00a0in Africa\n\n\nHeads the $100 million Binance Blockchain Charity Foundation\n\n\n\n\nIsn\u2019t she amazing? Role model material.\n\n\n3. \nHow to Stick to A Budget \u2013 While Still Being a Social Human Being\n \u2013 Refinery29\n\n\n\n\nRecently, Aaron from \nMr-Stingy.com\n and I delivered personal finance talks to the young lawyers crowd. We received a fair amount of \u2018how do we budget with social commitments\u2019-type questions. Many young people find it hard to save money when friends and family organise meetups, gatherings and parties. For example, one person shared how she\u2019s expected to shell out some money to celebrate a friend\u2019s bridal shower at a fancy restaurant. She thought the price tag was steep, but she couldn\u2019t exactly suggest \u2018let\u2019s do it at a cheaper place\u2019 either.\n\n\nAaron had his views \u2013 I\u2019ll let him share those at his platform. And the link above has some great suggestions too. I particularly liked #1 \u2013 Create a \u2018fun money\u2019 account and #4 \u2013 Learn when to put yourself first.\n\n\nIf you find it hard to say no to social invitations, here\u2019s MY tip: find work to do in your free time. Not only it gives a great socially-acceptable excuse (\u201cthanks for inviting me, but I can\u2019t, I have work\u201d), you\u2019ll also be able to earn money. Which you can then spend to meet people who ARE important to you, in your precious remaining free time.\n\n\nPersonally, I lost some friends during this whole adulting journey. Related: \u2018Money affects my social interactions\u2019 under\u00a0\n[Personal] How it feels like to constantly obsess over money\n article\n\n\n4. \n44 Ways To Find Yourself In Your 20s, Without Quitting Your Job Or Buying A One-Way Ticket To India\n \u2013 The Financial Diet\n\n\nLove this article.\n\n\nLike many of you, I like to travel as a way to \u2018find myself\u2019 \u2013 what I like, what I don\u2019t like, what are my limits, etc.\n\n\nWhile I\u2019ve never regretted any of my travels, I\u2019ve also wondered if this habit has turned me into someone who is only able to \u2018search\u2019 \nwhile\n travelling, you know what I mean? Optimally, I want to be able to find meaning in everyday activities, not just when I\u2019m in another country.\n\n\nThe article shared lots of free/cheap ways to make life more meaningful. Meditating, journaling and exercising are all great. But here\u2019s some deeper questions I\u2019m asking myself: Why do I place less importance on free/cheap activities, when they\u2019re just as meaningful as travelling? Do I favour travelling more because it\u2019s considered a status symbol among my generation?\n\n\n5. \nProcedures and Guidelines for Assessment for Mutilated Notes and Defaced Notes\n\u00a0\u2013 Bank Negara Malaysia\n\n\nDid you see the viral pictures of RM50 notes eaten by termites? Ouch, right?\n\n\n\nApparently, yes you can return the money to BNM and get back some or all of the value. The document linked above and also shown below is the guideline and procedures. From the comments section, some people have done it successfully, so now you know what to do in case your money was accidentally (partially) destroyed!\n\n\n\n\nDepends on the severity of damage. \npic.twitter.com/yGlIvzhChB\n\n\n\u2014 Mano-o (@BeardiePrime) \nSeptember 15, 2018\n\n\n\n\n6.\u00a0\nA brilliant way to save money: Treat your favourite anime character like a\u00a0stripper\n \u2013 SoraNews24\n\n\nI\u2019m just going to leave this here, lol. If it helps to motivate you to save more money, then my job is done.\n\n\nNote: If you\u2019re not into anime, substitute to whoever/whatever you like. Movie stars, singers, bands, they all will work.\n\n\n\n\n\u53cb\u9054\u304c\u8003\u3048\u305f\u8caf\u91d1\u65b9\u6cd5\u304c\u5929\u624d\u3059\u304e\u3066\u65e9\u901f\u79c1\u3082\u3084\u3063\u305f\u3002\u63a8\u3057\u306b\u304a\u91d1\u304c\u306d\u3058\u8fbc\u3081\u308b\u305e\ud83d\ude0a \npic.twitter.com/TDWRQ1OKru\n\n\n\u2014 \u3053\u307e\u3064 (@kuronosu90246) \nAugust 23, 2018\n\n\n\n\n7. \nA Silicon Valley engineer who moved to the US from India 7 years ago reveals the most surprising things about class in America\n \u2013 Business Insider\n\n\nLove how fresh eyes dissect cultural differences. Love these money-related insights:\n\n\n\n\n\u201c\nAnybody can buy anything, thanks to credit\n. Obtaining credit in this country is extremely easy. Anybody can buy anything, for the most part, except for something like a Maserati, obviously.\u00a0As a result, most monetary possessions aren\u2019t really status symbols. I believe that the only status symbol in America is your job, and possibly your educational qualifications.\u201d\n\n\nIn America, \u2018\nit\u2019s very difficult to tell who\u2019s wealthy and who\u2019s not\n\u2018. The wealthy people usually don\u2019t have many material possessions. Every millionaire I know drives old cars, wears Levi\u2019s jeans, etc. They tend to spend more on experiences. \nA lot of people I know who have fancy stuff usually go into credit card debt in order to fund their lavish lifestyle\n. It\u2019s strange! Perhaps expensive material possessions are simply a form of validation that rich people usually derive from their work, their family, friends, etc, which may not necessarily be the case for the average consumer. I\u2019m almost certain that the 1% isn\u2019t the main clientele for any luxury brand in the US.\u201d\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m very sure these observations apply here, too.\n\n\n8.\n\u00a09 mistakes you\u2019re making on LinkedIn that are putting off recruiters and making it harder to find a job\n \u2013 Business Insider\n\n\nI had the pleasure of having a long chat with a Grab driver who used to be in the headhunting business. He earned a living by finding compatible candidates for companies. His main tool to find those candidates? LinkedIn.\n\n\nThere might be companies looking for someone exactly like you and are prepared to offer a higher salary. Go and polish your LinkedIn profile now, so headhunters and recruiters can find you easier.\n\n\n9. Deep Thought App \u2013 \nKeyword \u2018Money\u2019\n\n\nDeep Thought App is a project by Malaysian Aizat Faiz, which compiles thought-provoking questions under many, many categories. You can ask yourself these questions (great for self-reflection) and also submit your answers.\n\n\nOf course, I\u2019m sharing the page with keyword \u2018money\u2019 for personal finance-related questions. Some popular questions include:\n\n\n\n\nAre you proud of spending your parent\u2019s money?\n\n\nDo you count your pennies?\n\n\nDo you know the value of money?\n\n\nDo you want money?\n\n\nHow do you budget your money?\n\n\nHow do you waste your money?\n\n\nHow has money made you unhappier?\n\n\nHow much money should you have such that you do not have to worry about money and can live off your interest?\n\n\nHow would you use money to accelerate your business idea?\n\n\nWhy do you want to make money?\n\n\n\n\nGo add your answers, then share your profile link here!\n\n\n10.\u00a0\nWhat you do is not why you do it \u2013\u00a0Finding your purpose at work\n \u2013 The Ladders\n\n\nIf you\u2019re reading this, chances are you do some sort of work for a living. Can I ask what is your \u2018why\u2019? Your personal purpose?\n\n\nThat\u2019s the topic of the article, or rather a transcription of a\u00a0\nconversation\n between\u00a0\nSimon Sinek\n\u00a0(the bestselling author and leadership expert, famous TED Talk speaker) and\u00a0\nJordan Harbinger\n\u00a0on\u00a0The Jordan Harbinger Show.\n\n\nIt\u2019s only fair if I share mine, I guess. I write for a living \u2013 that\u2019s what I do. I guess my \u2018why\u2019 is the fulfilment that comes from helping people figure out this money thing? Demystifying finances, making it less scary, more approachable? I guess this is my fulfilment, my \u2018why\u2019 \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-12/", "title": "Link Roundup #12: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nThat 1% Fee Impact \u2013 Mutual Funds vs Investing on your own\n \u2013 DividendMagic\n\n\nWhen it comes to mutual funds and unit trusts, always follow this golden rule \u2013 the less fees, the better.\n\n\nThose of you with mutual funds/unit trusts with 3% fees or more. You might want to check out this article. You\u2019re losing way too much. A ridiculous amount.\n\n\nI just checked my own portfolio. I have ASB (0.35% per annum management fee) and a \nPRS\n fund (1.5% per annum management fee). Both should be okay, since for the latter I got RM500 free from gomen (it\u2019s RM1000 free now for under 30 years old) and up to RM3000 in tax rebate too.\n\n\n(Out of curiosity. Those of you who took mutual funds and unit trusts by popular fund managements companies like Kenanga and Public Mutual. How much do they charge as management fee?)\n\n\nEDIT: I\u2019ve heard anecdotes that you can call them up to nego and reduce your management fees down to 2%. Worth a try if your fee now damn high and you don\u2019t want to stop contributing there.\n\n\n\n\n2. \nCan A No Spend Month Actually Help You?\n\u00a0\u2013 Making Sense of Cents\n\n\nI\u2019ve deliberated about going on a no-spend month forever. But you know what? I don\u2019t think I will, because my \u2018unnecessary purchases\u2019 is just a mere 5% of my total spending. I know this because I checked my spending data and dissected everything I technically \u2018didn\u2019t need\u2019 in \nthis article\n.\n\n\nBUT. For those of you struggling with impulse spending, consider taking this money challenge for yourself. Making Sense of Cents is one of the top personal finance blogs in the world and her advice to get started with no spend month in the article is really, really good.\n\n\n3. \nYour Idea of Being Rich Is Probably Wrong\n \u2013 Mr-Stingy\n\n\n\n\nLove all the points Mr Stingy made in this article. #4 is my favourite \u2013 \u2018living \u201crich\u201d ironically makes you poorer\u2019. Yep, it sure does.\n\n\nPersonally, I am salty towards:\n\n\n\n\n\u2018Rich\u2019-looking celebrities and influencers who posts bundles of money, expensive cars, branded luxury items etc in their social media\n\n\nArticles glorifying the \u2018the most expensive ever \u2018, which most of the time is simply product + tons of precious stones/metals/expensive ingredients\n\n\nPeople and media who preach about the importance of having \u2018this season\u2019s must-have items\u2019 and make you feel less for not keeping up with the trends\n\n\nAnything that promotes excessive consumption, generally speaking\n\n\n\n\nBut hey. Your money. Not my place to tell you what to do and how to spend it. I judge only.\n\n\n4. \nThese Are the 27 Coolest Products of 2018\n\u00a0\u2013 Inc\n\n\nFinding this article with list of products cool because they\u2019re ranked by (company) growth.\n\n\nTaking the top spot, PopSockets\u2019 growth was\u00a0\n71,423.8%. \nHoly cow. The rest don\u2019t even come close. The No 2 product (Brooklinen)\u2019s growth was an amazing 9,154.2% but still that looks minuscule in comparison!\n\n\n(I can\u2019t recall PopSockets taking off in Malaysia though. Can you? Does that mean a wave is coming soon?)\n\n\n(Btw this is how they look like)\n\n\n\n\n5.\u00a0\nSwearing on social media really could cost you your job\n \u2013 World Economic Forum\n\n\nTo be fair, not just swearing. Here\u2019s everything else you post on social media that affects your employability.\n\n\n\n\nSo\u2026 yeah. Express yourself, sure. But know that others are watching (and judging).\n\n\n6. \nI\u2019ve saved nearly $270,000 at age 28, and I\u2019m convinced the key to growing your net worth is spending less on 3 things\n \u2013 Business Insider / The Money Wizard\n\n\nThe three biggest expenses are housing, transportation and food.\n\n\nI wrote a whole article about spending less on these categories for PropertyGuru. The article is for saving money for a downpayment, but it works for saving money in general I think. Read it \nhere\n.\n\n\n7. \nI Paid Off $202,000 in Debt in Seven Years Using These 4 Behavioral Psychology Tricks\n\u00a0\u2013 Time\n\n\nThe four behavioural psychology tricks Joshua Holt used to pay off his debts are:\n\n\n\n\nVisualising debt by hanging paper chain in his house, with each chain representing $1000. Each time he made payments, he tore off a portion\n\n\nAdjusting his tax withholding to receive one large refund during tax season instead of more money in his paycheck each month (not applicable to us?)\n\n\nPaying himself a salary first and putting the rest into a Vanguard account (US-based investing platform)\n\n\nTiming his last loan payment to Christmas Day (article doesn\u2019t explain how this trick helped)\n\n\n\n\nI like the idea of implementing behavioural psychology tricks for myself and testing it out. One of it is \u2018paying yourself first\u2019, which I\u2019ve never managed to do myself. I think I\u2019ll add this as a financial goal to accomplish before 2019.\n\n\nDo you psycho yourself in any way to make your financial life better? How?\n\n\n8. \n20 Useful WooCommerce Wordpress Plugins for Your Online Business\n\u00a0\u2013 HongKiat\n\n\n30% of ALL websites in the world are powered by Wordpress\n. (Ringgit Oh Ringgit also uses the Wordpress platform. Big fan.)\n\n\nWithin the Wordpress ecosystem, WooCommerce is the undisputed plugin-of-choice for ecommerce platforms.\n\n\nWooCommerce is so popular there are other plugins that are designed to specifically work with that plugin.\n\n\nThis article lists 20 of those plugins and what they do to make running your online business easier. Handy to know and bookmark if you ever plan to open a Wordpress-based online shop.\n\n\n9.\n\u00a0\nBulk of salary goes to repaying debts\n \u2013 The Star\n\n\nNote: the headline would be more accurate if it reads \u2018Bulk of salary of Malaysia\u2019s civil servants goes to repaying debts\u2019, because the article is about them specifically.\n\n\nBased on the article, which drew conclusions from BNM\u2019s Financial Stability Review titled\u00a0\u201cCivil Servants\u2019 Debt: Risks and Policy Considera\u00adtions\u201d, it doesn\u2019t seem like civil servants in Malaysia have good financial habits. Consider these findings:\n\n\n\n\n97%\n of civil servants had some form of borrowings.\u00a0The study, which covered 1.26 million out of 1.6 million civil servants, comprising permanent federal government employees and police\n\n\nThey spend \nmore than half\n of their monthly salaries repaying debts, and this is \u2018more apparent in those earning less than RM5,000 monthly (about two-thirds of the civil servants)\n\n\nAlmost half of the borrowings or 47% are for \nconsumption purposes\n such as personal financing, motor vehicles, credit cards and others. This is higher than the national average of 35%.\u00a0Housing debts account for 49% of civil servants\u2019 debts.\n\n\nPersonal financing\n has been one of the major contributors to debt accumulation by civil servants, amounting to 34% of their total debt compared to the national level of 15%\n\n\nThe \ndebt repayment capacity of civil servants remained lower\n than the average borrowers at the national level. As at end-February this year, the total outstanding civil servants debt stood at RM236bil, equivalent to 20% of total household debt or 17% of the GDP. This is higher than levels observed in 2012 at 18% of total household debt or 15% of the GDP.\n\n\n\n\nHere\u2019s what I understand.\n\n\n\n\nAlmost all Malaysian civil servants borrow money. About half of that is for housing debt (understandable; no issues here), but another half is for consumption? As in, for cars, credit cards, and other personal financing? What?\n\n\nAnd even with the \nlower interest rates that they get from the banks\n, their repayment capacity is LOWER than average borrowers??\n\n\n\n\nWhat is going on with Malaysian civil servants? Is there a widespread \u2018keeping up with the Joneses\u2019 culture in the system itself? Is being part of Malaysian civil servant changing their financial management habits for the worse?\n\n\nOr am I looking at it the other way around, and people who are not great with financial management are attracted to civil servant posts in the first place? If yes, why?\n\n\nI care about this issue. On an individual level, debt brings stress. Stress affects productivity. \nReduced levels of productivity affect the nation\n.\n\n\n10. \nYou\u2019ll Never Get Rich Playing Defense With Your Money\n \u2013 Entrepreneur\n\n\nLike the author, I was also \u2018raised on the \u201cdefence of finances\u201d strategy\u2019. When money is tight, my first instinct is to cut down on expenses.\n\n\nNothing wrong with that, of course. But I would be so preoccupied with trying out different saving money strategies that I completely abandon my offence \u2013 strategies to \nearn more\n \nmoney\n.\n\n\nPlaying offence doesn\u2019t come naturally to me. To be completely honest, I still struggle with the idea that there is money out there for me, and all I have to do is find ways to get it. I find the author\u2019s three-step plan refreshingly simple and easy to understand.\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-13/", "title": "Link Roundup #13: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1.\u00a0\nReport: Rising household expenditure driven by food inflation\n \u2013 MalaysiaKini \nand\u00a0\nResearch: Malaysian households earning RM2,000 may have only RM76 left after expenses\n \u2013 The Malay Mail\n\n\nDifferent headlines by different news publications reporting from the same source \u2013 \u2018\nThe State of Households 2018: Different Realities\n\u2018 report by Khazanah Research Institute.\n\n\nThere are lots of data inside both articles, but here\u2019s what you need to know: the poor spend a much bigger portion of their income on expenses, leaving them without much safety buffer (if any) for emergencies.\n\n\nWith Budget 2019 coming up, I expect lots of financial support given to this income group (as it should).\n\n\n\n\n2.\u00a0\nRenovation Log \u2013 How I Saved in Curtain Purchase\n \u2013 \nRinggitVelvet\n\n\nSharing an article from a new Malaysian personal finance blogger! Really enjoyed the writeup on how she researched and saved money on getting custom curtain sewing and installation done for her rental home. Bookmark \nthis link\n the whole website if you\u2019re into doing rental property as passive income strategy.\n\n\n3. \nCheap is Great but Free Will Cost You\n \u2013 Bloomberg\n\n\nSubheading:\u00a0Whenever a company offers something at no charge, that means the price is hidden and out of sight.\n\n\nI agree. When it comes to finance, there *is* no such thing as free lunch. I know this.\n\n\nBut why am I still so attracted to that word? How do I resist \u2018free\u2019 in marketing and sales copies? Any ideas?\n\n\n4.\u00a0\nCosts of Mental Health Treatment in Malaysia\n\u00a0\u2013 I\u2019m Funemployed\n\n\nGreat article listing:\n\n\n\n\nmental health treatment options available in Malaysia\n\n\ntheir respective costs\n\n\nand their pros/cons\n\n\n\n\nThere are options for face-to-face therapy (individual and group), phone hotline, online support groups and tech-assisted methodologies.\n\n\nYou know yourself better than anyone. If you need help \u2013 what\u2019s stopping you?\n\n\n5.\u00a0\n9 Questions To Always Ask Before You Accept A New Job, According To HR Managers\n \u2013 Bustle\n\n\nThe questions are:\n\n\n\n\n\u201cHow Long Do I Have To Accept The Offer?\u201d\n\n\n\u201cWhat Are The Core Working Hours?\u201d\n\n\n\u201cDoes The Salary Package Include Any Benefits?\u201d\n\n\n\u201cIs The Salary Negotiable?\u201d\n\n\n\u201cHow Can I Make An Impact In This Job?\u201d\n\n\n\u201cAre There Opportunities For Growth?\u201d\n\n\n\u201cWhat Are The Company\u2019s Values/Mission?\u201d\n\n\n\u201cHow Will My Success As An Employee Be Evaluated?\u201d\n\n\n\n\nClick the link to read\u00a0\nwhy\n the questions are important.\n\n\n6.\u00a0\n6 Routine Mistakes People Make When Setting Up a Dropshipping Online Store\n \u2013 Entrepreneur\u00a0\n\n\nLike everyone and their grandmothers, I kind of considered setting up a dropshipping online store. Making money without keeping inventory or dealing with packaging and delivery *does* sound appealing. It seems like an easy way to make money.\n\n\nThat\u2019s why I enjoyed reading this article so much. I didn\u2019t even know those are considered mistakes! If I did dabble in the dropshipping business, I\u2019d have made them too!\n\n\n7.\u00a0\nOnly 55% of Malaysians pay their bills on time, says AKPK\n \u2013 The Edge Market\n\n\n\u2026which is 25% below world average..\n\n\nWe are so bad at this that AKPK (Agensi Kaunseling dan Pengurusan Kredit) literally just launched the \u2018Pay-On-Time\u2019 Campaign..\n\n\n I not kidding ley\n\n\nAccording to this \nFocus Malaysia article\n, the campaign:\n\n\n\n\nWill \u2018share a series of informative but fun content throughout a period of 8 weeks ending 12 December 2018\u2026 that highlight the adverse consequences of late payments and even non-payments of credit card bills, personal loans, hire purchases, home loans plus how one\u2019s CCRIS is affected by all this\u2019\n\n\nWill \u2018organise three (3) live quiz games via Malaysia\u2019s first locally developed live streaming quiz app, LitLive\u2026\u00a0\nMoney prizes of up to RM15,000 are up for grabs\u2019\n\n\nWill use the hashtag\u00a0#PayONTIME\n\n\n\n\nThey made two videos for the Pay-On-Time campaign (\nwatch them here\n). Both of them feature husbands who didn\u2019t pay bills on time, despite having wives who reminded them.\n\n\nHonestly men are you not angry over being stereotyped as irresponsible husbands who need to be nagged all the time to be semi-competent in life?\n\n\n8.\u00a0\nA leaked email reveals why you can\u2019t always trust Sephora product reviews\n\u00a0\u2013 Vox\n\n\nIf you\u2019re surprised by this, can I just say this is pretty tame in comparison to what other companies do to earn your trust online?\n\n\nPersonally, I\u2019ve:\n\n\n\n\nWorked with a digital marketer who posed as a \u2018real user\u2019 and made a comparison chart reviewing the same type of product by various companies. Naturally, the best product is the company he represented\n\n\nBeen approached by brands who want me to write sponsored posts but \u2018please don\u2019t tell the audience it was sponsored\u2019\n\n\nCame across a popular aesthetic clinic which promised me beauty sessions if I signed an agreement agreeing to \u2018no negative reviews\u2019 (even reader reviews!) and that I\u2019ll \u2018automatically be their sales agent\u2019 and will be bringing in clients in for them (I did not sign)\n\n\nRead fake product reviews in Lazada\n\n\n\n\nThose of you in the PR/marketing/sales line. Can you share some shady practices you\u2019ve witnessed in the industry? What did those companies do to manipulate customers into buy from them?\n\n\n9.\u00a0\nThe Surprising Statistics Of Stock Market Corrections\n \u2013 Seeking Alpha\n\n\nAt the time of writing, I\u2019m quite semangat to get into stocks, and reading all I can about the subject (which admittedly I know very little about). One thing I learned soon enough is that I should be prepared for stock market corrections.\n\n\nSo you can imagine how much I love this data-oriented article! For example:\n\n\n\u201cOn any given day, stocks have roughly a\u00a0\n53 percent chance of rising\n\u00a0and a 47 percent chance of falling. Over any given 3-month period, stocks rise 68 percent of the time, dropping the other 32 percent of the time. Over a typical 12-month period, the\u00a0\nodds of making money in stocks rise to roughly 75 percent\n. However, if you are in the market for a long enough period of time, there is a 100 percent chance that you will experience temporary price declines at times.\u201d\n\n\nI also love that it covered whether or not you should wait to buy into pullbacks (dips in price). Spoiler: no. Buy and hold and diversify is the best strategy there is.\n\n\n10. My appearance in Bbazaar Malaysia\u2019s Let\u2019s Talk About It!\n\n\nDisclaimer: I was paid for this appearance #fulltransparency\n\n\nBtw, the dress in the video? I got it in Japan for 972 yen, or roughly RM35. Found it on a sales rack, tried it on and damn son it was perfect.\n\n\nThere are two parts. Linking you part 2 because I look cuter in this thumbnail.\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-14/", "title": "Link Roundup #14: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1.\u00a0\n#Budget2019: 25 Highlights From Pakatan Harapan\u2019s First Budget In Power\u00a0\n\u2013 Says.com\n\n\nA good summary of what you need to know about Pakatan Harapan\u2019s\u00a0\n#\nBudget2019\n\u00a0/\u00a0\n#\nBelanjawan2019\u00a0\nannouncement.\n\n\nI like most things from Budget 2019, except:\n\n\n\n\n P2P lending as a way to finance housing\n. From what I\u2019ve observed so far, P2P lending\u2019s interest rates are pretty high, from 12-18%. Why would anyone want to finance their home ownership via P2P lending, when normal housing loans are just around 4%? Also, apparently investors make their money on the\n appreciation value\n of the property. That makes the borrower a \u2018custodian\u2019 of the property, instead of for their long-term housing solution? It just doesn\u2019t make sense, but to be fair we haven\u2019t seen the full guidelines of the implementation method yet. So let\u2019s see, but until then I\u2019m highly sceptical.\n\n\nHigher budget allocation for JAKIM\n. They got an additional RM100 million, from RM1.1 billion to RM1.2 billion. Sigh, expect more moral policing next year too I guess. Note: I\u2019m not attacking Islam, I\u2019m attacking Jakim. You can\u2019t deny their actions give the religion a bad reputation, not only nationally but internationally as well.\n\n\n\n\nA lot of people didn\u2019t like the \ndigital services tax\n. As a Spotify premium subscriber, this affects me too. But you know what? I\u2019ll take the hit. First of all, I\u2019m already paying lower because I\u2019m in a family plan (related:\u00a0\n3 Ways to Get Cheaper Spotify Premium in Malaysia\n). Secondly, I\u2019m just happy they didn\u2019t increase the personal income tax, after it was lowered last year! This is pretty much the only \u2018sacrifice\u2019 I have to make, so OK la, no complaints!\n\n\nMalaysiaKini has a handy tool to check how #Budget2019 will affect you personally. I can recommend it. Take it \nhere\n, or click the picture below. Good job creators\u00a0\nLee Long Hui\n and Sean Ho!\n\n\n\n\nWhat are YOUR thoughts on Budget 2019?\n\n\n\n\n2.\u00a0\n5 Financial Personality Types That Affect Your Money Habits\n\u00a0\u2013 \nI\u2019m Funemployed\n\n\nLOVE this article! She explained the different financial personality types pretty well, including the investing, spending and saving money styles. There are five main types: The Spender, The Hoarder, The No-Eye-See, The Lalang and The Calculative Bugger.\n\n\nI can see that I have elements of the Calculative Bugger, the Hoarder and little bit of the Spender. Which type are you?\n\n\n3.\u00a0\n5 Malaysians Earning More than US$100 on Patreon and What They are Doing to Make Money\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Entrepreneur Campfire\n\n\nI didn\u2019t know there are Malaysians making money from Patreon! What a cool compilation!\n\n\nIn the article, there are 5 Malaysian content creators making more than $100 per month on Patreon, plus 6 more who make less than that (at the moment).\n\n\nYou know, ever since I\u2019ve become a content creator myself, I\u2019ve become a lot more open to paying for online content, which is something I always expected for free last time. I\u2019m still stingy, so it\u2019s a learning process, but I do contribute a (small) monthly amount to the Try Guys on Patreon.\n\n\nWhich content creator do you support and contribute money to? I\u2019m not referring to media portals (although they count too), but more to individual or group content creators.\n\n\n4.\u00a0\nThese 15 Behaviors Will Make You Almost Irreplaceable At Your Workplace\n\u00a0\u2013 Forbes\n\n\nAgree with everything on the list, especially #9 \u2013 they are problem solvers, not complainers!\n\n\nLook out for people at your workplace who show these behaviours. They\u2019ll go far, mark my words.\n\n\n5.\u00a0\nThese Tiny House Kits on Amazon Start at Only $4,690\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Apartment Therapy\n\n\nIsn\u2019t it amazing that you can now buy HOUSES on e-commerce platforms?? And some can be installed within a day!\n\n\nIf one day I get tired of living in the city, I\u2019d do this: buy cheap land somewhere, install a house, and live/work from there.\n\n\nIt\u2019s not an unattainable dream. We don\u2019t have companies selling house kits yet in Malaysia (not that I know of), but Atiqah is currently in the process of building her \nEpic Home\n\u00a0tiny house. You can check her updates \nhere\n.\n\n\n6. \n3 Steps to Living Below Your Means\n \u2013 The Motley Fool\u00a0\n\n\nI\u2019ve been overspending a lot recently and appreciate the reminders in this article. I HAVE to get around to automating my savings, dammit.\n\n\nAny of you set up a \u2018transfer and forget\u2019 system? Where does it go to, and how much?\n\n\n7.\u00a0\nKorean Women Are Destroying Their Makeup to Protest The Unpaid Labour of Beauty\n \u2013 Quartz\n\n\nThis is an interesting article \u2013 I\u2019ve never thought of beauty as a form of unpaid labour. In this particular case, I see this movement as more of a reaction to South Korea\u2019s extreme standards of beauty. I mean, over there they normalise plastic surgery what. Women spend a lot to be considered \u2018attractive\u2019, which they hoped will help them to get ahead in life. I understand why they\u2019re angry when their money and efforts didn\u2019t show the ROI they want.\n\n\nAfter I read the article, I thought of beauty in relation to income. There\u2019s evidence to believe that wearing makeup \u2013 or at least grooming \u2013 will \nhelp you earn more money\n. For that reason I do spend some amount of money on beauty products.\n\n\nOn the other hand, I read this article with the headline \u2018\nvery unattractive people earn significantly more money\n\u2018, and I\u2019m confused again, back to square one.\n\n\nIn any case, I have no plans to expand my 5-10 minutes makeup routine. Am suddenly very thankful to Mom for passing me nice genes.\n\n\n8. \nHow You Duit: Blogger Edition\n\u00a0\u2013 CompareHero\n\n\nIt\u2019s so nice to be included in the list, thanks again CompareHero! I enjoyed answering the questions, and reading replies from other financial bloggers \ud83d\ude42 Click the link to read the article.\n\n\n9.\u00a0\nFrom Jan 1, solar power users to enjoy cheaper electricity bills\n \u2013 The Star\n\n\nThis is super cool! I think financial incentives are great to promote sustainable energy projects! These will be implemented through two policies:\n\n\n\n\nSupply Agreement for Renewable Energy (SARE) programme\n. You can install solar panels in your homes with zero upfront cost, and monthly payments are done every month to TNB\n\n\nNet Energy Metering (NEM) mechanism\n. You can produce solar power to get better rebates from TNB .\n\n\n\n\nAt writing time, I can\u2019t see much information about both policies yet, but those of you who are interested to lower your energy costs and be more environmentally conscious at the same time, look out for them!\n\n\n10. \nFour Strategies to Help Small Business Increase Customer Retention\n \u2013\u00a0\nEntrepreneur\n\n\n\u201cAccording to the\n\u00a0\nHarvard Business School\n, a minimum of 5%\u00a0increment in customer retention rate increases profit by 95%. Meanwhile, acquiring a new customer is 25 times more expensive than retaining existing ones.\u201d\n\n\nThat\u2019s a damn good reason for you small business owners out there to focus on customer retention rather than pure customer acquisition only!\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-15/", "title": "Link Roundup #15: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1.\u00a0\n101 Ways to Make More Money\n \u2013 Forbes\n\n\nA great list of money-making ideas. Some of them are not applicable to us Malaysians (do we even have mock jury duty jobs?), but most of them are possible.\n\n\nI have personally done at least 11 of the ideas in the list, and in the process of doing one more \u2013 publish an (e-)book (\nthe update\n). How many have you done, and what are you planning to do next to get more money?\n\n\n\n\n2. \nMalaysians Could Each Be Paying One PS4 Pro, for 1MDB\u2019s Debts. Here\u2019s How\n\u00a0\n\u2013\n\u00a0\nCilisos.my\n\n\nScientifically speaking\n, it\u2019s hard for the human brain to grasp big numbers, like RM49.5 billion. So I really appreciate the Cilisos.my team in taking the time and effort to explain the repercussions of 1MDB\u2019s debts in a way that we can understand.\n\n\nSo. RM1537.27. Each. That\u2019s how much \neach\n Malaysian must pay to fix this whole 1MDB mess, if we accept Cilisos.my\u2019s calculations. They invite readers to check the numbers btw, so go ahead and reach out to them if you\u2019re good at this sort of thing.\n\n\n3.\u00a0\nGoldman Sachs bankers \u2018cheated\u2019 Malaysia over 1MDB \u2013 PM Mahathir\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Reuters\n\n\nAnother 1MDB-related article. Did you know that Goldman Sachs \u2013 one of the biggest multinational investment bank firms in the world \u2013 earned USD600 million in fees from 1MDB? Those fees come from taxpayers\u2019 money. THOSE FEES ARE OUR MONEY.\n\n\nAnd the thing is, they\u00a0\nknew\n how shady the deal was. According to \nthis Washington Post article\n,\n\n\n\u2026(Goldman Sachs) \nexceeded what banks typically make from government deals\n. The bank\u2019s revenue from the 1MDB deals amounted to about \n7.7 percent\n of the face value of the securities. Underwriters collected \naverage fees of 1.32 percent in 2013 on comparable deals\n, according to Bloomberg data.\n\n\nGoldman\u2019s lead banker for the bond sales, Tim Leissner, has confessed to U.S. law enforcement that he \nbribed officials to get Goldman hired for the bonds deals\n, and that he and others\n arranged the fundraising as debt offerings because that would generate higher fees for the bank\n.\n\n\nProsecutors assert \u2026 a number of employees at Goldman knew about a bribery scheme but \nworked to hide it from the firm\u2019s compliance and legal departments\n.\n\n\nYou know what seriously sucks about all this? It\u2019s the fact that the greed of a few people is the cause of it. It\u2019s not that they can\u2019t earn money, they just wanted MORE money. To these people, to hell with all Malaysians, what do they care?\n\n\nI\u2019m very sure there are other examples of Wall Street greed going on right now. We just don\u2019t know about them.\n\n\n4.\u00a0\nThe most \u2018disciplined\u2019 people don\u2019t have more self-control than you \u2014 they just make a different daily choice\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Business Insider\n\n\nTL;DR \u2013 you can have better self-control by \navoiding temptations in the first place\n rather than resisting them.\n\n\nWhat an illuminating observation. Putting this in the context of personal finance, here are some things I\u2019m going to do to improve my self-control with money:\n\n\n\n\nAvoid going to shopping malls when I don\u2019t actually need to buy anything\n\n\nUninstall and unsubscribe apps and emails from shopping platforms (very hard; I mute notifications but some still slip through via texts)\n\n\nLimit exposure to people who like to show off what they own (doing well with this)\n\n\nInstall adblockers in computers/phones\n\n\nPay for the ad-free versions of services I like to use, where available\n\n\nLimit my social media use (very hard too, not gonna lie)\n\n\n\n\nWhat else can I do? What are your suggestions? Leave them in the comments section!\n\n\n5.\u00a0\n10\u00a0Situations When We\u00a0Lose Our Common Sense and Buy Useless Stuff\n\u00a0\n\u2013 BrightSide\n\n\nThis brilliant article was shared by a Twitter follower (thanks Dzu!)\n\n\nI am definitely weak against a bunch of these situations, in particular #7 \u2013 Sales and Promotions. I just, uh, bought 2 chokers, 6 hoop earrings and 2 drop earring from Lovisa because they had a sale\u2026\n\n\n\n\n6. \nUN warns over human rights impact of a \u2018digital welfare state\u2019\n \u2013 TechCrunch\n\n\nThis is the first time I came across the term \u2018digital welfare state\u2019. As I understand it, from reading the article and the \nStatement on Visit to the United Kingdom, by Professor Philip Alston, United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights\n, \u2018digital welfare state\u2019 is when we use technologies like AI to identify and/or disperse assistance to the financially vulnerable in society.\n\n\nWhat\u2019s important to know is while the technology is cool and saves a lot of money, it is also binary in its results \u2013 you either get assistance or you don\u2019t \u2013 and it can (and have) miss out people who (1) do not have the digital skills or tools to access the help they need and (2) are excluded by error, because the system is not perfect.\n\n\nPresently, I don\u2019t \nthink\n know if Malaysia has implemented high-level technology for welfare assistance and disbursement. But eventually \u2013 in a decade or two \u2013 we will, no? When that happens, we really have to keep this warning in mind.\n\n\n7.\u00a0\nMost Money Advice Is Worthless When You\u2019re Poor\n\u00a0\u2013 Vice\n\n\nHell to the yes.\n\n\n8.\u00a0\nHK$20 Miniso facial cleanser just as good as pricey SK-II version, Hong Kong Consumer Council finds\n\u00a0\n\u2013 South China Morning Post\n\n\nHK$20 = ~RM10.70, according to exchange rates at writing time\n\n\nA few thoughts crossed my mind after reading this article:\n\n\n\n\nWoah Miniso\u2019s products really are that good?\n\n\nHow did SK-II and other high-end beauty brands get away with selling products \u2018that are just as good\u2019 at a much higher price? Is it really as simple as \u2018because people are willing to pay for them\u2019? I mean, SK-II is\n\u00a020 times more expensive\n\u00a0kot. Are we really that gullible with branding and advertising?\n\n\nNine out of 60 products they tested contain allergy-causing substances? That\u2019s 15%, a pretty high rate. Why would companies knowingly include bad ingredients?\n\n\nA whopping 19 out of the 60 products did not list their full ingredients on their labels? That\u2019s one-third!\n\n\nThe study was done in Hong Kong, for Hong Kong consumers. If we do a similar study in Malaysia, what would we find? Are we better with the price/value ratio and ingredients-labelling, or worse?\n\n\n(Most important) I am never buying super-expensive beauty products ever again\n\n\n\n\n9.\u00a0\n6 work-life balance asks to request instead of a raise\n \u2013 The Ladders\n\n\nThe requests are:\n\n\n\n\nProfessional development opportunities\n\n\nRemote work\n\n\nStart-up fund\n\n\nMore paid time off\n\n\nWellness at work\n\n\n\n\nYep, there are only five suggestions instead of six. But they\u2019re good suggestions, no? Sometimes it\u2019s not just about the money. It\u2019s about the quality of life.\n\n\n10.\u00a0\nWatch This Woman Curl Her Hair With Just A Plastic Bottle And Hair Dryer In 10 Seconds\n\u00a0\n\u2013\u00a0\nSays.com\n\n\nAnd finally, a genius and much cheaper way to achieve the same result from a $500 Dyson hair-curling tool (which apparently took over 200 engineers and six years to develop):\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-16/", "title": "Link Roundup #16: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1.\u00a0\nHere\u2019s How You Can Start a Side Business in 10 Minutes Per Day\n\u00a0\u2013 Inc\n\n\nI don\u2019t agree that 10 minutes per day is enough to start and maintain a side business, but I like the idea behind the article \u2013 even if you\u2019re swamped with work and chores, spend some time on your side business on a consistent basis because the effort adds up.\n\n\nSome never get past Step #1 \u2013 decide what skills you have and what you can sell. Here are my 2 cents, for what it\u2019s worth. Make your decision based on:\n\n\n\n\nSomething you\u2019re good at, according to friends and family (if they never mentioned it, ask them)\n\n\nNoticing problems that do not have solutions yet (protip: hang out with complainers for a bit and you\u2019ll know)\n\n\nSomething you\u2019ve always wanted to learn (I wanted to know how to build websites; RoR was born this way)\n\n\nSkills that you learned from your job or hobby (easiest example: doctors who moonlight on the side)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n2. \nHow to overcome laziness and get motivated\n\u00a0\n\u2013\n\u00a0\nLadders\n\n\nI\u2019ve always felt guilty over the occasional lazy days, but this article puts it in perspective. It wasn\u2019t laziness, per se. Instead, I was overwhelmed or feared to make the wrong decisions.\n\n\nFor example \u2013 starting a side business. If you haven\u2019t, it\u2019s not because you don\u2019t want to or lazy to do it. You want to. You want extra income every month, and a sense of fulfilment and ownership on your own project. But it IS overwhelming, isn\u2019t it? It\u2019s the same with other big projects, like \u2018make a website\u2019, or \u2018lose weight\u2019.\n\n\nBig shoutout to all the content creators out there who make \u2018Step-by-Step\u2019 and \u2018How to\u2019 guides. Isn\u2019t it amazing that all we have to do is type \u2018how to x\u2019 in Google and we have all the resources at our disposal? Amazing time we live in.\n\n\n3.\u00a0\nWe Went to a Steak Dinner Annuity Pitch. The Salesman Wasn\u2019t Pleased.\n\u00a0\n\u2013 The New York Times\n\n\nBefore you ask:\n\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s not a common term in Malaysia, but some companies do offer it (Google \u2018annuity Malaysia\u2019).\n\n\nAnyway, the article is about an investment annuity event \u2013 and a dodgy one at that \u2013 that was marketed specifically to the elderly.\n\n\nMaking a mental note to ask my parents if any of their contacts have approached them with a \u2018business opportunity\u2019 or \u2018investment opportunity\u2019. I also want to make more effort to remind them that they can discuss with me about any and all money matters.\n\n\nAdult children of ageing parents, take care of them. It\u2019s unfortunate but there are people out there who see them as easy prey.\n\n\n4.\u00a0\n35 Mini-Missions To Improve Your Life and Money!\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Budgets Are Sexy\n\n\nWhat fun missions to play! Remember that thing about small steps adding up? Same thing here! Here\u2019s how Days #1-5 look like:\n\n\n\n\nDay #1:\n\u00a0Opt out of buying 1 thing (\ntweet\n)\n\n\nDay #2:\n\u00a0Pay a bill you\u2019ve been putting off forever (\ntweet\n)\n\n\nDay #3\n: Declutter one drawer (\ntweet\n)\n\n\nDay #4:\n\u00a0Pay off $20 of debt (\ntweet\n)\n\n\nDay #5:\n\u00a0Get rid of something you never wear! (\ntweet\n)\n\n\n\n\nThey\u2019re mostly easy challenges, but as the days go on, you\u2019ll see some not-so-easy challenges in the mix, like:\n\n\n\n\nDay #9:\n\u00a0Buy one stock (\ntweet\n)\n\n\n\n\nWoah there. Suddenly escalated.\n\n\n5.\u00a0\nHere Are 10 Ways To Make More Money As A Grab Driver!\n\u00a0\n\u2013 RojakPot\n\n\nGreat information for Grab drivers and riders alike. For example, I didn\u2019t know Grab will now change the fare structure to also take \ntime spent on the road\n into account!\n\n\n\n\nWill this increase fares? Probably :/\n\n\n6.\u00a0\nPayless Opened a Fake Luxury Store, \u2018Palessi,\u2019 to See How Much People Would Pay for $20 Shoes\u00a0\n\u2013 AdWeek\n\n\n\u2018The answer? A hell of a lot\u2019\n\n\n7.\u00a0\nClient Didn\u2019t Pay? Here\u2019s What to Do to Get Your Freelance Payment!\n\u00a0\u2013 LoanStreet\n\n\nExcellent article for freelancers out there. The next time your client ghosts on you, go make a small claims procedure. All steps in the article.\n\n\n8.\u00a0\nIndividual tax exemption for women who return to work from 2019\n\u00a0\n\u2013 News Straits Times\n\n\nGreat news for current stay-at-home career-minded women! If you decide to join the workforce, you\u2019ll get \u2018individual tax exemptions of up to 12 months\u2019 \u2013 earning you anywhere between a few hundred to a few thousand ringgit, depending on how much you earn.\n\n\nGo make that money.\n\n\n9. \nThis New Reality TV Series Features Your Favourite Homegrown Brands Fighting For RM250,000\n\u00a0\u2013 Says.com\n\n\nI watched the first episode. Except for the many, many, many shots of Alliance Bank, it\u2019s a pretty decent show. Awesome finalists with good gender ratio (although only comprised of two races):\n\n\n\n\nAndrew Ngo, Founder of IDOTSHIRT\n\n\nEugene Tan, Founder of Carput\n\n\nKarine Low, Founder of Offspring Natural\n\n\nKelly Low, Founder of Breakout\n\n\nKeong Chun Chieh, Founder of IGL Coatings\n\n\nDylan Lee Tek Loong, Founder of Salad Atelier\n\n\nMandy Leong, Director of Chriszen\n\n\nMuhamad Shahril Bin Sidek, Founder of Klezcar\n\n\nNoor Diyana, Co-Founder of OhMostWanted Cosmeceuticals\n\n\nSee Chaur Yih, Founder of Food Market Hub\n\n\nStephen Lim, Co-Founder of JuiceLab\n\n\nWirdalina Tauhed, Founder of Wirdora\n\n\n\n\nYou can watch the show for free \nhere\n.\n\n\n10.\u00a0\nAre You Ready To Consider That Capitalism Is The Real Problem?\n\u00a0\n\u2013\u00a0\nFast Company\n\n\nThe article is great (seriously, read it), but I mostly want to point out the video that was embedded in the article. It\u2019s only 2 minutes-plus. Watch it.\n\n\n\n\nThe video was created by an organisation called \nThe Rules\n, \u2018a\u00a0global network of activists, organisers, designers, researchers, writers, coders and others dedicated to changing the rules that create inequality, poverty and climate change\u2019.\n\n\nThe organisation\u2019s aims and objectives speak to me. I\u2019d like my money to be used for good. I\u2019d like to see a post-capitalist world, where the value of life and natural resources are not secondary to the amount of profit a company makes.\n\n\nWho\u2019s with me?\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-17/", "title": "Link Roundup #17: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1.\u00a0\nThe e-wallet infinity war in Malaysia \u2013 Everything you need to know about e-wallet starts here\u2026\n\u00a0\u2013 ecInsider\n\n\nFirst of all, the article\u2019s accompanying image though hahahahhahahah:\n\n\n\n\nThe image kinda describes the e-wallet scene in Malaysia right now \u2013 there are so many players that you can\u2019t help to wonder who will \u2018disappear\u2019 and who will make it in the end. The author\u2019s predictions, backed with pretty solid arguments \u2013 is #5 as listed in its\u00a0table of contents.\n\n\n\n\nThe dawn of the e-wallet infinity war\n\n\nDoes e-wallet provider need a license in Malaysia?\n\n\nWhat is BNM\u2019s policy on e-wallet?\n\n\nWho are the e-wallet providers in Malaysia?\n\n\nWhich e-wallet providers will stay in the long run?\n\n\nWill Malaysians use e-wallet?\n\n\nUnderstanding e-wallet 1-2-3\n\n\nWhy should retailers\u00a0& etailers care?\n\n\nHow to differentiate Static vs Dynamic QR payment?\n\n\nWho will win: network-based or card-based e-wallet?\n\n\n\n\nThere\u2019s a link in the article, right near the end, which points you to the e-wallets in Malaysia Facebook community. I\u2019ve personally learned a few e-wallet-related money hacks from the group, can recommend *thumbs up*\n\n\nE-wallet deals also appear a lot in\u00a0\nBestDealsMalaysia.com.\n\n\n\n\n2. \nThe 100 Greatest Innovations of 2018\n\u00a0\n\u2013\n\u00a0\nPopular Science\n\n\nHoly cow this is an \namazing\n list of\u00a0innovations in aerospace, gadgets, auto, home, security, entertainment, recreation, health, software and engineering\n.\u00a0\nThese products are the results from billions, if not trillions of dollars in R&D.\n\n\nThere\u2019s a flying suit in there.\n\n\n3.\u00a0\nHow To Save Time And Money With A Capsule Wardrobe\n\u00a0\n\u2013 ChooseFI\n\n\nDoesn\u2019t \u201cI am curating a capsule wardrobe\u201d sounds so much hipper than \u201cI\u2019m frugal with my clothing budget\u201d? Lmao\n\n\nBut seriously though. I like that my frugality allows me to wear the same outfits over and over again in the name of \u2018capsule wardrobe\u2019 (when actually I\u2019m just lazy to think about what to wear).\n\n\nI like that I get to feel morally superior than people who hoard clothes and follow excessive consumption as a lifestyle (as bitchy and judgemental as that sounds).\n\n\nI like knowing that each time I exited a store without buying anything, I\u2019ve resisted all the company marketing and sales attempts to make me spend money there (I feel like I\u2019ve \u2018won\u2019!)\n\n\n4.\u00a0\nTabung Haji is in trouble. What happens to the savings of 20 million Malaysian Muslims?\n\u00a0\n\u2013 AskLegal\n\n\nTL;DR \u2013 The money is safe, because the funds in Tabung Haji is guaranteed by the government.\n\n\nThat\u2019s good for Tabung Haji depositors, but not good for taxpayers. That\u2019s where the money will come from, if push comes to shove.\n\n\nI was curious to know what the RoR audience plans to do with their funds in Tabung Haji. So I asked Twitter and Facebook.\n\n\n\n\nRe: the Tabung Haji scandal. Some depositors are withdrawing their funds. Anyone here has money in TH? What do you plan to do? \nhttps://t.co/x9ymdb8r3E\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nDecember 12, 2018\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYou can click the links to read the comments yourself, but there were two main types of replies:\n\n\n\n\nConcerned about the mismanagement of funds.\n Wants to move their money out. Some of them (Muslims) do plan to keep just enough amount in TH so they don\u2019t lose their haji queue (RM1300 apparently)\n\n\nNot that concerned.\n\u00a0 Life goes on as usual.\n\n\n\n\nMuch respect to people in the first category.\n\n\n5.\u00a0\nThe School-to-Work Transition of Young Malaysians (Report)\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Khazanah Research Institute\n\n\nThe report\u00a0 by Khazanah Research Institute examines:\n\n\n\n\nhow the education and training system \nprepares youth for employability\n;\n\n\nhow young men and women go about their \njob search\n and the \nbarriers and opportunities\n for getting the jobs they want;\n\n\nhow young workers are doing in terms of their \nemployment status and working conditions\n; and\n\n\nthe \nperspectives and preferences of employers\n toward hiring young people.\n\n\n\n\nYou can click the link to read the full report\u2026 or you can read this Twitter thread from Dzameer Dzulkifli, Managing Director of \nTeach for Malaysia\n, who condensed key points from the report.\n\n\n\n\nSpending the morning with Khazanah Research Institute. Key finding is that there are 4 times more graduates vs 40 years ago. Our private and corp structures have not adapted. Wages only grew 2x while edu / housing cost grew by 3-4x. \npic.twitter.com/sGfZ4mYgGC\n\n\n\u2014 Dzameer Dzulkifli (@Dzameer) \nDecember 12, 2018\n\n\n\n\nI am\u2026 honestly worried about our generation\u2019s retirement. If we don\u2019t earn enough, how are we going to save enough? Individually, sure, some of us may do better than others. But how about as a group, as a segment? What kind of solutions, if any, will we come up with in anticipation of this bleak future?\n\n\nFood for thought.\n\n\n6.\u00a0\nFinance & Illustration: My First Year of Freelancing\n\u00a0\n\u2013 CharisLoke.com\n\n\nAnyone here freelancing as an illustrator? If yes, you will find Charis\u2019 2017 budget and income breakdown a mighty good read! Her breakdown even includes what kind of work-related expenses she had to shell out as an illustrator, insightful af.\n\n\n\n\n7.\u00a0\nWhy Generation Z has a totally different approach to money\n\u00a0\u2013 World Economic Forum\n\n\n\u201cGen Z saw some of their older friends take on massive amounts of debt, while also struggling to find well-paying jobs.\n\n\n\n\nAs a result, this new generation (born 1997 and onwards) is taking a much more \npragmatic approach to the world of personal finance\n. Gen Zers generally want to \nsecure well-paying and stable jobs\n, and to \ngrow their savings\n rather than spending money that they don\u2019t have.\u201d\n\n\n\n\nMalaysians reading this who are 21 years old and below. The article says that your generation is better with money than others. Is it true, for yourself and among your peers? What did you observe?\n\n\n\n\n8.\u00a0\nHere\u2019s How to Get Promoted \u2013 According to 7 Managers\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Refinery29\n\n\nHonest talk: I\u2019ve never been promoted.\n\n\nTo be more precise, I\u2019ve never stayed in an organisation long enough to get promoted (kinda job-hopped a lot).\n\n\nSo while I can\u2019t speak from personal experience on\u00a0\nhow\n to get promoted, I\u00a0\ncan\n share this article.\n\n\nSometimes I forget not everyone wants \u2013 or have the time \u2013 to do the 2kerja, side income, side hustle thing. Some of you would rather be good at your day jobs and earn higher incomes through promotions.\n\n\n9.\u00a0\nThis $1 million climate prize went to organizations you wouldn\u2019t expect\n\u00a0\u2013 Fast Company\n\n\nThe four organisations that won $250,000 each from \nRoddenberry Foundation\n:\n\n\n\n\nKadAfrica\n, which trains and empowers \nyoung women in farming communities\n in Uganda.\n\n\nVoteRunLead\n, which trained more than 33,000 \nwomen in the U.S. to run for office\n.\n\n\nThe Green Monday Foundation\n, based in Hong Kong, which shifted 1.6 million \nHong Kong residents to eat a plant-based diet\n.\n\n\nWaste and Resources Action Programme\n,\u00a0or WRAP, which created a campaign to\n reduce food waste in the U.K\n. by 21%.\n\n\n\n\nHonestly, I didn\u2019t expect gender issues to be in that list, so I love how the winner selection challenged my thinking, challenged how I thought solutions to climate change would look like. As Lior Ipp, CEO of the foundation, said,\u00a0\u201cReally, the motivation is to let the world know that there are other ways of thinking about climate change.\u201d\n\n\nAbsolutely.\n\n\n10. \nIn Defense of Being Unproductive\n \u2013 Refinery29\n\n\n\u201cFor a long time, I felt like any time spent doing anything purely for fun was wasted time. I turned all of my hobbies (writing, music, cooking) into \u2018side hustles\u2019 of some sort \u2013 something I could monetise, or use in my career, or put on Instagram to \u2018build my brand\u2019,\u201d says Amy Jones, 28, \u201cIt got to a point where I couldn\u2019t relax at all. I turned all my hobbies into projects, and if I wasn\u2019t working on one of them then I felt like I was wasting time.\u201d\n\n\nDamn, that hit too close to home. I have trouble with idleness, too. Many times I stop myself from doing fun things if they don\u2019t help me earn money in some way.\n\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s not that I succeed in being productive all the time, too. I have days when my brain just don\u2019t work. I feel a ton of guilt on those days, for not working hard enough. To compensate, sometimes I work on weekends, my rest days.\n\n\n\n\nI need to learn how to relax and shut off. Any of you in the same boat? What helped?\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-18/", "title": "Link Roundup #18: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1.\u00a0\nThis Is What Life Without Retirement Savings Looks Like\n\u00a0\u2013 The Atlantic\n\n\nOne of my biggest fears in life is being forced to work to cover my living costs when I\u2019m old and in pain. This article interviews people who are exactly in that situation.\n\n\nRead the article, then note how you feel. For me, it was fear, helplessness and renewed motivation to work my ass off while I\u2019m still young \u2013 in that order. If I have this much time to plan, I don\u2019t have any excuse for letting the worst-case-scenario happen to me, do I?\n\n\n\n\n2. \nStarting 1 Jan 2019, M\u2019sians in B40 Group Can Get Free National Health Insurance\n \u2013 WorldOfBuzz\n\n\n\n\nAmazing initiative for the financially vulnerable in our society. The health insurance, called the\u00a0B40 National Protection Scheme is for 4.1 million people in the B40 income group, who is between 18-55 years old. The protection lasts 5 years.\n\n\nThere\u2019s an application process (ie it\u2019s not automatic enrolment). If you or your friends/family are eligible, keep an eye out for the announcement.\n\n\n3. \nFashion History Lesson: The Iconic Hermes Birkin\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Fashionista\n\n\nI personally wouldn\u2019t have clicked on that headline and read the story, but the tweet version got me:\n\n\n\n\nBirkin bags are actually a better investment than stocks or gold: \nhttps://t.co/hxcCVuOw1y\n\n\n\u2014 Fashionista.com (@Fashionista_com) \nDecember 30, 2018\n\n\n\n\u201cA recent study showed Birkin bags are actually a\u00a0better investment\u00a0than stocks or gold, increasing\u00a0in value by 14.2 percent on average each year.\u201d\n\n\nHoly cow. 14.2% increase? PER YEAR?\u00a0\nFor a bag?\n\n\nYes yes, I know it\u2019s not the bag itself, it\u2019s the branding of the bag, how the company has successfully made it desirable even at $12,000 price tag (minimum). It makes a fascinating case study. You can say what you want about it, but 14.2% ROI is 14.2% ROI. I even dug up \nthe study\n\u00a0\u2013 apparently, the waiting list for the bag is \n6 years\n.\n\n\nIt\u2019s not a bad idea to buy handbags based on its investment potential. I mean, why not, right? You get to wear it and then\u00a0sell it off when you\u2019re bored with it. According to \nFashionista\u2019s 5 Classic Handbags Worth the Investment\n article, some handbags do have high resell value (around 80-ish percent of its original value), but it seems that the Hermes Birkin is on a class of its own \u2013 \ngaining\u00a0\nvalue instead.\n\n\nBtw, Rosmah has\u00a0\nat least\u00a0\n12 Birkin bags. Can we take them and use the money to pay off 1MDB debts please.\n\n\n\n\n4.\u00a0\nHow Much of the Internet Is Fake? Turns Out, a Lot of It, Actually.\n\u00a0\n\u2013 New York Magazine\n\n\nI can\u2019t believe the lengths people would go to make money. I\u00a0\nwant\n to believe that people are essentially good, but honestly by this point I\u2019m just jaded.\n\n\n\n\nI never tire of looking at videos of Chinese click farms. It\u2019s just so surreal to see hundreds of phones playing the same video for the purposes of fake engagment. \npic.twitter.com/bHAGLqRqVb\n\n\n\u2014 Matthew Brennan (@mbrennanchina) \nDecember 10, 2018\n\n\n\n\nWhile we\u2019re on this topic, I want to share one of my favourite Reddit forums,\u00a0\nr/HailCorporate\n. Here, redditors call out \u2018secret ads\u2019, or fake ads published to look like native ads. I highly recommend you to subscribe to this forum so you\u2019ll develop some scepticism against shady tactics marketers use to sell products and services.\n\n\nI also want to be more diligent with reviewing crap products that have amazing, overblown reviews on Lazada and Shopee.\n\n\n5.\u00a0\nThis Is What \u2018Self-Care\u2019 REALLY Means, Because It\u2019s Not All Salt Baths And Chocolate\u00a0Cake\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Thought Catalog\n\n\nSuch a beautifully-written piece. It made me more aware of products that are marketed as self-care and pampering products, when actually what I\u00a0\nreally\n need is to force myself to do the things that are actually good for me. At the end of the day, I want a life that I love, not a life that I want to regularly escape from.\n\n\n6.\u00a0\nSome of the biggest livestreamers in China are not teenagers, but farmers\n\u00a0\n\u2013 TechInAsia\n\n\nWhat a\u00a0\nfascinating\u00a0\nphenomenon, and a genius way for rural farmers to reach new customers! I can understand why some people would want to tune in \u2013 I find myself romanticising the idyllic farming life, too!\n\n\n\n\n7.\u00a0\nWhy Insecure People Buy More Things\n\u00a0\u2013 BigThink\n\n\n\n\nMy first thought after reading the article: Ha! So those people are just insecure after all! Show off lah your purchases some more, that just makes you look more pathetic!\n\n\nMy second thought: Wtf Suraya why are you so judgemental why do you derive pleasure out of this you sick woman.\n\n\nMy third thought: You\u2019re not that unmaterialistic yourself, you know, you wannabe minimalist. Look around yourself. You\u2019re surrounded by shit you don\u2019t use.\n\n\nMy fourth thought: Do better. Also notice when you feel like buying stuff \u2013 it\u2019s likely that you\u2019re simply feeling insecure then.\n\n\n\n\n8. The Give Back Box Allows You To Donate Old Clothes From Home\u00a0\n\u2013 Money\n\n\nWhat a simple, yet efficient way to make donations! My mind is blown! Can someone implement the same for Malaysia please?\n\n\n\n\n9.\u00a0\nWe\u2019re Already in A Bear Market \u2013 We Just Can\u2019t Admit It Yet\n\u00a0\u2013 Pelham Blue Fund\n\n\nI really enjoyed this insightful post about stock trends in Malaysia, especially the industries that find themselves struggling after enjoying the \u2018premium\u2019 status for many, many years. It\u2019s a brilliant thought article about the upcoming recession.\n\n\nI think 2019 may be the year I finally get into stocks. The plan is to curate a list of say 20 or so companies, follow their news, make 8-10 picks based on how value for money they are and their likelihood of surviving the recession, and buy them when their prices are low, to keep for long-term. Those of you who are into stocks \u2013 what do you have to say about this strategy?\n\n\n10.\u00a0\n30 Online Purchases That Will Start Saving You Money on Day One\n \u2013 MoneyTalksNews\n\n\nCan I just say that you don\u2019t really\u00a0need all the items in the article? Sometimes I feel that things that are marketed as a \u2018money-saving\u2019 item is just a ploy to get you to buy more stuff.\n\n\n\n\nTake reusable bottles, for example. Yes, it\u2019s great to use them. No, you don\u2019t need the fancy RM120 tumblers.\n\n\n\n\nOr how about reusable bags? Yes, awesome, save yourself 20 cents per plastic bag, and great for the environment, too. But instead of buying a pretty bag, how about re-using the freebie totes that companies give you during events and stuff?\n\n\n\n\nSometimes I get sucked into the whole narrative, too. I\u2019ve considered buying a sprouts growing kit so that I can \u2018save money\u2019 on fresh sprouts. I\u2019m tempted to get coupon books to get access to deals, all while aware that it will encourage me to spend more money to make the purchase \u2018worth it\u2019.\n\n\n\n\nThat said, I\u2019m not about to stop reading these articles. Something about \u2018being allowed\u2019 to make these purchases if I want to is just super appealing to me. But yeah. I have to remember my rule often: \u2018use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without\u2019.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-19/", "title": "Link Roundup #19: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \n16 Influencers Shared Their Best Money Tips in 2019\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Mr Stingy\n\n\nMr Stingy aka Aaron Tang compiled money tips from 16 personal finance thought leaders in Malaysia and beyond, including: Lee Ching Wei (of iMoney), KC Lau, Pakdi, Julian Ng, DividendMagic, Stanley Lim, Charles Tan of KopiandProperty, GenXGenYGenZ, Natalie Pringle of The New Savvy, RinggitOhRinggit (me!), Dawn of SGBudgetBabe, Farid Bahrudin, Mohd Kauthar, Faiz Wahab, Kevin L of Turtle Investor and Lionel Yeo of The Cheerful Egg.\n\n\nWill you find money tips that\u2019ll work for you? With 16 people, chances are you will, so go give the article a read!\n\n\nI also want to use this space to gush about Aaron, who truly is a wonderful human being <3\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nIt\u2019s very surreal to have your mentor think so highly of you\u2026 Thank you for including me in the list Aaron aka Mr Stingy! . Back in May 2015, when I haven\u2019t even started Ringgit Oh Ringgit, I sent @aarontang84 a fanmail. He replied the same day, inviting me to a meetup with another personal finance enthusiast. I remember him assuring me that the location is at a public area, and I am free to bring a companion for safety reasons. . He didn\u2019t have to do it. I was a nobody, yet he extended the offer, and made sure I would feel comfortable too. That\u2019s just the kind of person he is. . Fast forward until now. We have met up a few times, even shared a stage. We have sought each other\u2019s advice. Thank you for the friendship and support bro, I\u2019m very happy and grateful to have a person like you in my life . OK done sappy sappy \ud83d\ude42 Find yourself an Aaron, it\u2019s seriously the best \ud83d\ude42 also, go read the article at Mr-stingy.com! . #bloggerfriends #malaysianbloggers #bloggermalaysia #hestaken\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya\n (@surayaror) on \nJan 15, 2019 at 7:57pm PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n2. How to Ask Your Boss for a Raise by Barbara Corcoran \u2013 Business Insider\n\n\n\n\nI first knew of Barbara Corcoran from Shark Tank, and I love her direct-style responses. If you want to get a raise this year, the video below is well worth a watch. There\u2019s also specific observations about men vs women negotiating for raises.\n\n\n\n\nGood tips from \n@BarbaraCorcoran\n on how to ask for a raise \npic.twitter.com/VMyYTfXUf9\n\n\n\u2014 norizan sharif (@nobisha) \nJanuary 10, 2019\n\n\n\n\n3.\u00a0\nJohn Bogle, who founded Vanguard and revolutionized retirement savings, dies at 89. \n\u2013 r/Investing\n\n\n(Note: he actually went with the name Jack Bogle, rather than his birth name John)\n\n\nI admit that I didn\u2019t know about Jack Bogle before this, although I have seen his name around in the investment circles. When I saw news of his passing, I was blown away by the level of respect people have for him for his life\u2019s work \u2013 to make low-cost investing possible. I saw the top personal finance gurus thanking him for his service. I saw members of personal finance communities giving him tributes online.\n\n\nThere are many articles out there about Jack Bogle and his amazing work. I chose to link the Reddit thread in r/investing so you get to witness how raw gratitude looks like from actual people. In the thread, you\u2019ll see anecdotes of Jack Bogle\u2019s ethics, wit and drive.\n\n\n4. Your best & worst purchases in 2018\n\u00a0\n\u2013 RoR mini-forum\n\n\nIn early January, I asked the following question in RoR Twitter and \nRoR Facebook\n.\n\n\n\n\nRoR mini-forum: Tell me your best and worst purchase in 2018?\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nJanuary 8, 2019\n\n\n\n\nI love the replies. Click the tweet above to read them. I love how varied the answers are! Thank you so much for the insightful peek into your life <3\n\n\n\n\nbest: Ikea Markus swivel chair\n\nworst: RM2000++ whitening injections plus products for my body scars. the scars still apparent lol. later might invest in lasers instead. \nhttps://t.co/z4H01df4pv\n\n\n\u2014 ami with the good hair. (@silentami) \nJanuary 8, 2019\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBest: got an IPhone X. Hugeeeee upgrade and quality of life improvement from my 5 year old 5s\n\n\nWorst: brought my whole family to NY Steak House. Worst RM300 dinner bill I got for the food and service quality \nhttps://t.co/z5RxEsxiAA\n\n\n\u2014 k_nazran (@khairulnazran) \nJanuary 8, 2019\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBest purchase: Bought a 250g pack of locally sourced coffee grounds monthly to curb my coffee drinking habit instead of buying instant coffee/coffee takeaways, saved a lot on that.\n\n\nWorst purchase: a 3rd party replacement cable for my AT earphones, only lasts for a few weeks \ud83d\ude21 \nhttps://t.co/cBGNVKtAHZ\n\n\n\u2014 \u2022\u2022||\u2022|||\u2022\u2022 (@iqrarzahin) \nJanuary 8, 2019\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBest : Bowers & Wilkins P9 Headphones. Totally devoted my life to music ever since. Superb first-rate sound experience.\n\n\nWorst : Signed up and paid for a marathon run and ended up overslept for the day. \nhttps://t.co/YKtaACifR3\n\n\n\u2014 \u795e\u306e\u76ee sam (@shafiqhaikal) \nJanuary 8, 2019\n\n\n\n\n5.\u00a0\nJAKS \u2013 My Most Expensive Mistake\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Koon Yew Yin\n\n\nMr Koon Yew Yin is known as \u2018one of Malaysia\u2019s best stock pickers\u2019. That\u2019s why I included this article in here \u2013 it\u2019s extremely rare that someone with that recognition would come clean with their mistakes, especially one as big as a RM64 \nmillion loss\n. The transparency just made me respect him more. After attending a few stocks-related seminars, I know enough that most self-proclaimed gurus/coaches/mentors tend to brag more about their stock wins, and not their losses.\n\n\n(In fact, some may make it seem that they didn\u2019t suffer any financial losses at all! They build up this image then ask people to shell 4 to 5-figures to sign up to their courses.)\n\n\n6.\u00a0\nSenarai Terkini Sekuriti Patuh Syariah oleh Majlis Penasihat Syariah Suruhanjaya Sekuriti Malaysia\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Kapital.my\n\n\nNice Malay-language article containing updates of latest Shariah-compliant securities as per Securities Commission\u2019s Shariah advisory body. I didn\u2019t know that a solid 76% (689 out of 902) securities listed in Bursa Malaysia is Shariah-compliant!\n\n\nThe article also explained the methodology behind Shariah classification, what makes those securities Shariah-compliant or not. Good read for everyone. By now you *should* know that (1) Malaysia is one of the leading Islamic finance hubs in the world, (2) the demand for Shariah-compliant financial products are growing\u00a0\nfast,\u00a0\nand (3) the money in an Islamic finance career is good (and open to people of any faith).\n\n\n7.\u00a0\nSC Imposes Deadline For Crypto Exchanges Before They are Deemed Illegal\n \u2013 FintechNews My\n\n\n\n\nOh my my my. The biggest development for the Malaysian cryptocurrency scene of late. Tighter regulations for crypto exchanges in Malaysia, the place where many Malaysians get and keep their crypto holdings.\n\n\nBecause I have friends in the crypto world and belong to a few online communities, I know some updates. I know that urgent meetings have been set up between the SC and cyrpto exchanges operating in Malaysia, and I know some legit platforms are committed to follow the full extent of the law.\n\n\nThis development does not surprise anyone tbh. We knew tighter regulations are coming, it\u2019s a worldwide trend. It\u2019s progress in the right direction, fundamentally speaking.\n\n\n\n\n8.\u00a0\nThe Top 10 Side Gigs for 2019 (Infographic)\n \u2013 Entrepreneur\u00a0\n\n\nThis is such a great infographic. Not only it tells you what types of freelance gigs are most in demand, but also the percentage of people making over a certain amount per hour. For example, almost half (46%) of freelancers in the highest-paid category, Accounting+Finance, earn over USD50 per hour! It\u2019s also awesome to know that a lot of people in the Design+Creative category make good money.\n\n\n\n\n9.\u00a0\nTalent is worldwide. Opportunity is not. How can we redistribute it?\u00a0\n\u2013 World Economic Forum\n\n\nTalent is everywhere, but not everyone gets equal access to opportunities. You and I know that much. But the reason why I shared this article is for the introduction to \nWorldQuant University\n, \u2018a nonprofit organization, which offers students around the world an \nonline master\u2019s program in financial engineering\n as well as a module in which they can learn about data science. WQU is tuition-free, enabling those with the interest and talent, but perhaps not the opportunity, to expand their skills in areas that are in high demand today.\u2019\n\n\nShare this information widely to your networks.\n\n\n10.\u00a0\nYou obviously don\u2019t *have* to loan friends money, but here\u2019s what to do when they ask\n\u00a0\u2013 Well+Good\n\n\nFriends asking for money. It\u2019ll happen sooner or later (it may already did). You should probably know what to do when it does.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-2/", "title": "Link Roundup #2: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this new regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 articles informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nConsumer Reports Tested 73 Sunscreens, and This Formula Got a Perfect\u00a0Score\n \u2013 Byrdie\n\n\nYou already know how important it is to wear sunscreen, but not all of them are created equal. Some formulas give next-to-nothing protection even if applied \u2013 a big money waster, if you ask me. The honour for the perfect sunscreen formula apparently goes to a product called Anthelios Clear Skin Dry Touch Sunscreen, produced by the company La Roche Posay. It costs $20 for 50ml, so I don\u2019t think I\u2019ll get it (even if it\u2019s available in Malaysia).\n\n\nBUT there are near-perfect formulas that are a lot more affordable! Anyone know where I can get these in Malaysia? Share in the comments section!\n\n\n\n\nSport Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50\n by Equate ($5 for 237ml);\n\n\nQuik Gel Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 50\n by Bull Frog ($9 for 147ml);\n\n\nWater Babies\n and \nUltra Guard\n by Coppertone ($7 for 237ml);\n\n\nPure & Free Baby Mineral Sunscreen by Neutrogena\n ($11 for 88ml).\n\n\n\n\n\n\n2. \n6 Entrepreneurs Share the Brilliant, Crazy Ways They Took Their Companies From Pennies to Profit\n \u2013 Entrepreneur\n\n\nLaughed out loud to some of the ways these resourceful individuals did for the sake of their companies, especially the woman who lied to her parents and pretended she was still working a stable job for 18 months to not disappoint her Asian parents (I can relate!). There are a lot of think-outside-the-box-type tips here, love it.\n\n\n3. \nWhat to Do Right Away After Inheriting Money\n \u2013 Vice\n\n\nWhile you certainly shouldn\u2019t\u00a0\nexpect\n\u00a0to come into a sudden windfall, it could happen, and you should know what to do IF it does. Here it is: nothing. Don\u2019t tell anyone, and don\u2019t touch the money for at least a few months so you have time to digest it.\n\n\n4. \nThe Next Time You Want to Complain At Work, Do This Instead\n \u2013 Harvard Business Review\n\n\nFascinating article exploring how useless and unproductive complaining is. Title is a bit of a clickbait, since what the author suggests is complaining still, but directly to the person who is pissing you off, instead of complaining to your colleagues, which does absolutely nothing to the problem. In a respectful way, of course.\n\n\n5.\u00a0\nThe 4 Words Every Hiring Manager Wants to Hear, According to a Headhunter\n \u2013 Money\n\n\n\u2018I want this job\u2019. The longer version in the article is very nicely drafted, too. Go on and use it the next time you have a job interview, to make yourself stand out.\n\n\n6. \nBody Wash is a Scam and You Fell For It\n \u2013 Lifehacker\n\n\nAfter my current body wash stash runs out, I\u2019ll go back to body soap. It\u2019s true \u2013 soap is much cheaper. I have no idea why I switched in the first place. Every little bit helps! #frugalism\n\n\n7.\u00a0 \nMost successful entrepreneurs are older than you think\n \u2013 The Ladders\n\n\nThe average age for successful entrepreneurs is actually\u2026 45. Not young 20-something college dropouts that we constantly read about \u2013 those are the exception, not the norm.\n\n\nI find this article oddly assuring. We compare ourselves to our peers a lot, and we always see our friends doing great things. It\u2019s important to remember that people only tend to share good things on social media, not the bad ones.\n\n\n8.\u00a0\nMeet America\u2019s Highest-Paid CEO, a 66-Year-Old Immigrant From Malaysia Who Calls Himself a \u2018Frugal Guy\u2019\n \u2013 Money\n\n\nI didn\u2019t know about Hock Tan before this, either!\n\n\n9. \nI Want to Be Rich And I\u2019m Not Sorry\n \u2013 The New York Times\n\n\nWritten by a woman who is absolutely unapologetic about wanting money for the power it brings. This particular paragraph hit me hard: \u2018This trickles down to the way we socialize kids \u2014 girls are expected to be caretakers, boys the ones who will deliver a return. If you want to create your own wealth, the confidence to take calculated risks is a necessary skill. Placing the needs of others above your own is not.\u2019\n\n\nYes, women do tend to spend more time caring for others, and in doing that, we reduce our income potential. I\u2019m not saying here to stop caring for your loved ones (it\u2019s not freaking binary), but I do want to say to women reading this: are you happy with your income level now? Can you cut/outsource any of your unpaid care work (house chores, children, elderly care) to your spouse while you focus on improving your income?\n\n\n10.\u00a0\nSurvey shows Malaysians prefer to buy a home than rent\n \u2013 Free Malaysia Today\n\n\nA whopping 92% of you would prefer to own a home than rent if you can afford it, finds the survey results. Family and peer pressure are strong, ay? Can\u2019t blame ya, I find home ownership appealing too, if only to get my perfect Pinterest dream home. But that dream will have to wait, because I know perfection is expensive. A home with a great location in Kuala Lumpur that comes with all the amenities and designs I want will cost me about a million ringgit, realistically speaking.\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this week, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n or \nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click \nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-20/", "title": "Link Roundup #20: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \n7 Ways To Deal With Burnout, According To Science\n\u00a0\u2013 Bustle\u00a0\n\n\n\u201cThere are..\u00a0three main elements to burnout:\u00a0\u201cexhaustion, cynicism (less identification with the job), and feelings of reduced professional ability.\u201d\n\n\nThe last one, woah. That one hit me hard the last time I experienced major burnout. It wasn\u2019t fun. I remember overcoming it by deciding to do focus on passion projects in 2018, but I wish I knew about these tips earlier.\u00a0The recommendations in the article are solid advice:\n\n\n\n\nDo emotional intelligence exercise\n\n\nUnderstand the roots of burnout\n\n\nTake control of your commute\n\n\nPrioritise rest\n\n\nChallenge perfectionism with cognitive behavioural therapy\n\n\nPractice mindfulness\n\n\nChallenge organisations to do better\n\n\n\n\nNot all of the tips may apply to you. For example, as a self-employed person who works from home, #3 and #7 doesn\u2019t apply to me. Maybe you can\u2019t reduce your commute time. Maybe you are not able to carve in more sleeping time. Still, I think it\u2019s a good starting point.\n\n\nHugs to everyone reading this who\u2019s feeling overwhelmed and burned out right now. You\u2019ll be alright. This is temporary.\n\n\n2. \nScience Has Just Confirmed That If You\u2019re Not Outside Your Comfort Zone, You\u2019re Not Learning\n \u2013 Inc\n\n\n\n\nIf you\u2019re not challenging yourself, you\u2019re not learning. We kinda knew this right? No pain, no gain and all.\n\n\nBut what I love about the article is\u00a0the section on how to add strategic instability in your life. Great suggestions all around:\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTravelling abroad.\u00a0\nLearning guaranteed,\u00a0especially about your own capabilities, likes, and values.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nChanging your routine.\u00a0\nEven\u00a0a new lunch joint\u00a0or afternoon activity might jolt your brain into learning mode, helping you master new skills or see old ideas in a new light.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nStarting a new project.\n\u00a0It might fail but you\u2019re guaranteed to learn something.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSearching out weird, new ideas.\n\u00a0Here\u2019s\u00a0\na list of sources\n.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTalking to people you disagree with.\n\u00a0It\u2019s both an\u00a0empathy\u00a0and a learning booster.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPersonally, I\u2019m obsessed with learning new things \u2013 it helps that I score high on the \u2018openness\u2019 trait under the \nBig Five Personality Dimension\n. I go to one or two new countries almost every year \u2013 in fact, at writing time, I just came back from a short trip to Luang Prabang, Laos. And I did start a new project, the Best Deals Malaysia website (which might fail, but yes I did learn something, so no regrets).\n\n\nTell me how you challenged your comfort zone recently?\n\n\n3. Malaysia has\u00a0become the world\u2019s top destination for plastic waste \u2013 Al-Jazeera English\n\n\n\n\nMalaysia has become the world\u2019s top destination for plastic waste. \npic.twitter.com/gSt3fz4Xu9\n\n\n\u2014 Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) \nJanuary 28, 2019\n\n\n\n\nWHAT. Since when?? How many of you know this? I didn\u2019t!\n\n\nOk, beyond the yes plastic waste is obviously bad for the environment and we should do better and climate change and all (\ndo join the Zero Waste Malaysia FB group to see how everyday Malaysians reduce their plastic usage\n), I also want to talk about\u2026 unsexy industries. I don\u2019t think many people grow up thinking, hmm you know what I\u2019m\u00a0\nreally\n passionate in? \nPlastic waste disposal\n.\n\n\nThere are many, many industries out there that only exist because the founders saw the gap in the market and decided to capitalise on it. Despite the ethics of plastic waste disposal, I actually find myself admiring the type of people who create a lucrative business in industries that not many people hear about, let alone want to go into. They just saw opportunities, took the risk, and if it pays off, it pays off \nwell\n.\n\n\nWhat other industries do you know of that are fairly \u2018unsexy\u2019?\n\n\n4.\u00a0\nNo, wealth isn\u2019t created at the top. It is merely devoured there\n\u00a0\n\u2013 The Guardian\n\n\nThere is an ongoing discussion on the ethics of hoarding vast sums of money. It divides people \u2013 on one end, some people argue that wealthy people \u2018deserve\u2019 their wealth because they \u2018worked hard and smart to gain that money\u2019. On the other end, why would one keep that much money \nuntouched\n knowing that billions of people around the world still lack access to the most basic things to survive \u2013 food, water, medical attention, etc?\n\n\nThis (bloody good) article illustrates exactly how wealthy people have been \u2018leveraging\u2019 on the effort, time, and yes, lives of others in order to increase their wealth. It\u2019s a good rebuttal to the \u2018trickle down economy\u2019 argument. And it exposes the sheer greed which exists\u00a0in the financial system that we all have no choice but to be a part of. I\u2019m pissed off by how much wealthy people have gotten away with.\n\n\n5.\u00a0\n6 secrets from highly ambitious (and successful) people\n\u00a0\u2013 Ladders\n\n\nAmbitious people make fascinating conversation partners. I love talking to them. They tend to be unapologetic about how they want to live their life, even if it may be a bit \u2018unconventional\u2019. I also love finding out their \u2018why\u2019, their motivation to succeed, one of the \u2018secrets\u2019 in the article.\n\n\nIf you want to be more successful in what you do, and even if you don\u2019t consider yourself ambitious (I don\u2019t), read the article for some tips. Some of the paragraphs made me think. I hope it does the same for you.\n\n\n6. \nGovernment to Regulate Low-Cost Property Prices and Rental\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Property Insight Malaysia\n\n\nWhat I learned from the article:\n\n\n\n\nPutrajaya will be introducing the Rent Control Bill to clamp down on profiteering, and aimed at low-cost homes\n\n\nRent will be capped at 25-30% of household income (note: B40\u2019s household income? B40+M40 combined? Not sure yet)\n\n\nThe move was made because \nenough\n\u00a0people (\u2018property investors\u2019) have been snapping up cheap properties to flip them for profit, or renting them at high prices, making rent affordable for the people who\u2019s supposed to benefit from low-cost housing\n\n\n\n\n7. \nMoney (Personal Finance) in 9 Diagrams\n \u2013 Mr Stingy\n\n\nSimplifying vague concepts into visuals is not an easy task, but Aaron did it. I got a couple of \u2018aha!\u2019 moments myself, too!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n8.\u00a0\u00a0\nJulian NG\u2019s 5 Money Pro-Tips: \u201cRent, Don\u2019t Buy a House\u201d\n\u00a0\n\u2013 BBazaar Blog\n\n\nJulian Ng\u2019s five tips are:\n\n\n\n\nAutomate your investments to get rich\n\n\nBuy insurance policies online\n\n\nRent, don\u2019t buy a house\n\n\nDon\u2019t buy a car\n\n\nLearn to cook\n\n\n\n\nDisagree with any of the tips above? Do me a favour and comment\u00a0\nafter\u00a0\nyou understand where Julian is coming from \u2013 watch the videos in the article.\n\n\nYou can get more of Julian at\u00a0the \nVery Long Run\n and on BFM\u2019s The Breakfast Grille.\n\n\n9. \nThe Ethics of Design: Fyre Festival\n \u2013 UX Collective\n\n\nJust because something looks good and appeals to you, doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s the best for you.\n\n\nSomething to keep in mind, because the companies\u00a0\nlove\n telling you how they only have your best interest at heart. They want you to think they are the best for you. Nope, not always. Doesn\u2019t hurt to be more sceptical in this day and age.\n\n\n10. \n5\u00a0Tips to Make Your Employees Feel Appreciated\n\u00a0\u2013 Enterpreneur\n\n\nAnd last but not least, I love this article listing steps you can do as an employer (now or in the future) to make your employees feel appreciated. Apparently, \n42% of employees are unhappy in their jobs\n. We\u2019re better than many other countries, but we can do better definitely.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-21/", "title": "Link Roundup #21: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nMalaysia Hits Deflation for First Time Since 2009 Global Crisis\n \n\u2013 Bloomberg\u00a0\n\n\nThe deflation IS JUST FOR JANUARY 2019. As someone on \nRinggit Oh Ringgit FB\n rightfully pointed out, one month\u2019s stats is not a trend made. Plus, the deflation only occurred because Transport category fell so much (-7.8%).\n\n\n\n\nBut still, while we\u2019re on the topic, I wanted know if deflation is good or bad. Learning opportunity and all right. This short video is the easiest way to learn about the effect of deflation.\n\n\n\n\nI hope this deflation trend doesn\u2019t get out of hand.\n\n\n\n\n2.\u00a0\nMy girlfriend and I spend less than $150 a month on groceries and eat at home 5 nights a week \u2014 here\u2019s exactly what we buy\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Business Insider\n\n\n\n\nMy monthly groceries bill is RM439.29 (on average, as per my \n2018 expenses report\n). Assuming 25 meals per week or 100 per month (estimation), that\u2019s RM4.40 per meal, on average.\n\n\nLook, groceries is one aspect of my budget that I splurge a little bit on. I buy (mostly) good, healthy ingredients. I thought I can\u2019t reduce the amount any more, not without downgrading my ingredients.\n\n\nNot until I read this article. \nThere are many great tips in this article, but one tip in particular jumped out. Guys, I think I can reduce my groceries bill by\u2026 removing breakfast. Call it intermittent fasting if you want, make it sound fancier a bit. It may even help with my weight management!\n\n\nWhat do you do to eat well on a smaller groceries budget?\n\n\n3.\n\u00a0\u2018Don\u2019t feed the monster!\u2019 The people who have stopped buying new clothes\u00a0\n\u2013 The Guardian\n\n\nYou already know that fast fashion is bad for the environment. Nothing new there. \nMillennials are already leaving fast fashion in droves anyway\n. Many of you, myself included, now curate simpler, smaller, higher-quality wardrobes. Related:\u00a0\nSave Money on Fashion: 5 Steps I Use to Optimise My Clothing Budget\n\n\nBut what if you really, really like clothes but absolutely refuse to buy new ones at all?\n\n\nOf all the ideas in the article, I really like the community clothes exchange. Clothes swap parties should be a thing. It could even be a business idea! Think about it,\u00a0 RM20 entry fee (covers venue cost, F&B etc) and participants can bring all of their unused-but-in-good-condition clothes to swap with other clothes. All leftover clothes can be kept for the next round. Good idea no?\n\n\n4.\u00a0\n7 ways being single could help you save more money\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Ladders\n\n\nSharing for the truth of #3 \u2013 You have more time to hustle. Yup singles do tend to have more time.\n\n\nUnless, of course, if you and your partner with ways to work on money-making projects together?\n\n\n5.\u00a0\nSo, You\u2019re Retired but Don\u2019t Have Enough Money to Be Retired. Now What?\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Barron\u2019s\n\n\nI\u2019ve always kinda assumed that people who don\u2019t have enough money for retirement are people who neglected to work hard and make money during their careers.\n\n\nThat\u2019s not the case. Sometimes, one could retire with a healthy sum but the retirement money simply dwindles at a faster rate than they thought..\n\n\nThe author of the article talks about the shame and humiliation that comes with downgrading her lifestyle, a decision she rationally (and rightfully) made to make her retirement money last.\n\n\nDespite all we can do to prevent being in a similar situation, this might happen to you and me. All it takes is a stroke of bad luck. Remember that many scammers do target retirees, and their methods get more and more sophisticated by the day.\n\n\nIF that happens, I can only hope that my downgraded lifestyle will still be able to bring me joy in my retirement years.\n\n\n6.\u00a0\nTIME FOR HAPPINESS: Why the pursuit of money isn\u2019t bringing you joy \u2014 and what will\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Harvard Business Review\n\n\nBrilliant article originally shared on \nMr Stingy\u2019s FB page\n. Some amazing new concepts in here, like time affluence and time poverty. Briefly, someone who is time-poor find that they lack the time to do what they \nwant\n to do each day. Instead, they do what they think they \nhave\n to do to make themselves happy, which is work in exchange for money.\n\n\nIf you find that this describes your situation, click on the article, read it, and especially focus on the \u2018how to start (reduce your time poverty)\u2019 section.\n\n\n7. \n50 Ways to Live Life on Your Own Terms\n \u2013 Ladders\n\n\n\n\nOne of the best articles I\u2019ve read in my life. That\u2019s all I have to say about it.\n\n\n\n\n8.\u00a0\u00a0\nI Lost Something In My Pursuit For Financial Independence\n\u00a0\u2013 Elizabeth Tai\n\n\n\u2018I have a confession to make.\n\n\nIn terms of money management, I\u2019ve come really far. In 2008, I had a six-figure debt and was living paycheck to paycheck. I didn\u2019t have enough savings to pay my bills for a month if I lost my job.\n\n\nNow, I have enough to last a year (or two) without a paycheck. Back in 2008, my network was probably in the negative. Now, it\u2019s positively positive.\n\n\nIt took a lot of sacrifice, grit and discipline to get where I am today.\n\n\nBut I think I lost something along the way.\n\n\nI think I have lost the courage to live life the way I want.\u2019\n\n\nLove this article by Elizabeth, who bared her soul with us. Thanks for the transparency.\n\n\n9. \nThe Modern Trap of Turning Hobbies Into Hustles\n \u2013 ManRepeller\n\n\nThis article was shared by Nicole from \nI\u2019m Funemployed\u2019s FB page\n. After reading it, I felt better. I now feel like I\u2019m \u2018allowed\u2019 to do something just for the sheer joy of it. I don\u2019t\u00a0\nhave\n to monetise everything I enjoy doing.\n\n\n10.\u00a0\nYes, You Can Make Money Playing Video Games. Here Are 7 Ways to Do It\n\u00a0\u2013 The Penny Hoarder\n\n\nHAVING SAID THAT. It\u2019s still cool to know the options available to you IF you want to monetise your hobbies. In case you fall into hard times and need to find new ways to get cash, what better way to start than doing what you\u2019re already good at, ie your hobbies?\n\n\n\n\nYou know what I\u2019m always fascinated by? The many, many ways available for people to earn an income from any niche at all, including something that is stereotypically \u2018unproductive\u2019 like gaming.\n\n\n\n\nFor example, in this article along, I\u2019ve learned that there are such things like\u00a0 \u2018amateur tournaments\u2019 and \u2018gaming tutors\u2019, among others.\n\n\n\n\nAny of you made a career out of your passion? Share what you do in the comments!\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-22/", "title": "Link Roundup #22: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nThe Batshit Lengths These Guys Go to Retire by Age 40\n\u00a0\n\u2013 MEL Magazine\u00a0\n\n\nTHIS. Finally someone said it. This is why I never identified with the FIRE community.\n\n\nDon\u2019t get me wrong, I love the idea of FIRE (financial independence, retire early), I really do, but what they say and do can be too much. The FIRE community idolises FIRE gurus like Mr Money Moustache and Jacob Lund Fisker of Early Retirement Extreme, who promote \nextreme\n frugalism as a way of life.\n\n\nThat would be fine. You-do-you and all. But it *is* annoying when some male members of the community complain about how hard dating is for them. They want wives who find their extremely frugal life appealing \u2013 the unwashed clothes and all. They label women who want a little bit more in life as \u2018gold diggers\u2019, and thinks the majority of women are \u2018shallow\u2019 because we like pretty things.\n\n\nModeration. Is. Key.\n\n\n\n\n2. \nKL To Paris Via Land: The Journey Of A Lifetime\n \n\u2013 Astro Ulagam\n\n\n\n\nOmg omg omg bucket list alert bucket list alert. Oh wow it would be super cool to travel all the way to Paris by land! Look at this route!\n\n\n\n\nI love that the article included not just which transportation methods to take, but also the estimated cost for busses, trains and visas. You definitely need more than RM5k (and over 2 weeks, by the looks of it) to complete the journey.\n\n\n3. \nEven Millennials with Money Are Miserable Now\n \n\u2013 Vice\n\n\nExcuse me while I hyperventilate. Technology makes our world exciting and fast-paced, yes, but wow does it make you anxious about the future too.\n\n\nThis article is a mess to read btw. It doesn\u2019t make that much sense, neither does it have an assuring or conclusive ending. One may argue that makes it perfect as a metaphor for life too I guess.\n\n\n4. \nRead This Before You Activate Maybank\u2019s New E-Wallet\n\u00a0\u2013 VulcanPost\n\n\nI\u2019m a simple girl. I see new ewallet. I know they will give perks and discounts to get new users. I download.\n\n\nAt the moment, they have a simple game where you can win money. I saw some people won up to RM4+ in a single game! Ok la for <1 min of work.\n\n\nThe puns are a bit annoying. MAE-hem la. It\u2019s gotta be MAE la. But oh well.\n\n\nFind Maybank\u2019s MAE app in the Maybank app or at playstore/Appstore. Use code sbz0515 to get..? not sure but hey you never know, insert je la.\n\n\n5. \nForeign Leaders Showered the Trump Family With Over $140,000 Worth of Gifts in 2017 \n\u2013 Time\n\n\nWhat do world leaders gift each other? Lots of expensive but useless trinkets, it appears.\n\n\nUnless it appears in some trivia or game show quiz, I will probably never need the information in this article. Yet I find myself clicking the headline anyway. Apparently,\n\n\n\n\n\u2018\nChinese President Xi Jinping\n gave Trump and first lady Melania Trump the two most expensive presents in 2017: an ornate calligraphy display and presentation box worth $14,400 and a porcelain dinnerware set that includes plates imprinted with the pink house at Trump\u2019s Mar-a-Lago resort worth $16,250\u2032;\n\n\n\u2018The Saudis and Gulf Arab states gave at least $24,120 in gifts to the Trumps. Those included a $6,400 ruby and emerald pendant necklace from \nSaudi Arabia\u2019s King Salman\n, a gold-plated fighter jet model worth $4,850 from \nBahrain\u2019s crown prince\n, a $3,700 bronze statue of three oryx from the\n crown prince of Abu Dhabi\n, a set of gold-plated Kuwaiti coins worth $1,610 from \nKuwait\u2019s emir\n and \u201croyal\u201d perfume in a reptile-skin carrying case worth $1,260 from the\n deputy prime minister of Oman\n\u2018;\n\n\n\u2018The Trumps received a personalized hardcover book of Psalms worth $4,500 from the \nrabbi in charge of the Western Wall in\n \nJerusalem\n, a gold and diamond necklace and similar pendant from the\n Church of the Holy Sepulchre\n valued at $5,800 and a mother-of-pearl Nativity scene worth $4,200 from the \nGreek Orthodox patriarch of Jerusalem\n\u2018\n\n\nAnd more. Some gifts are pretty blatant attempts at ass-kissing too\n\n\n\n\nAgain, this information is useless. I don\u2019t know why I\u2019m including it here. Sorry to waste your brain cells.\n\n\n6. \nReport Finds Industry Salaries Well Into Six Figures\n \n\u2013 MediaPost\n\n\nI majored in communications \u2013 Diploma in Mass Comm, Degree in Media Comm and Culture, and Masters in Corporate Comm.\n\n\nWhen I took Mass Comm back in mid-2000s, the subject (and the students) were kind of\u2026 looked down upon? No one was impressed by it, not like engineering or law or medicine. I want to say I didn\u2019t care, but of course I did.\n\n\nInterestingly, and fortunately for me, the world took a different turn. We are now super in-demand. If you know what you\u2019re doing, communications practitioners across different specialisations can fetch a high price in the job market.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYou might argue that this is not the case for Malaysia. Marketing and communications-related jobs never offer that much here!, you may say. And you are right. But only because salaries for ALL (or most?) industries are not too hot at the moment.\n\n\nREGARDLESS. If you have a comms/marketing/similar background, know that you can make serious bank with your skills. You just have to find the right employers.\n\n\n7. \n22 Crypto Exchanges Now Seeking Approval from Securities Commission Malaysia\n \u2013 FintechNews Malaysia\n\n\n\n\nTL;DR \u2013 There were 42 crypto exchangers operating in Malaysia. Securities Commission Malaysia said no-supervision play time is over, come report to us. 22 crypto exchanges reported. The rest close shop (or will face legal action).\n\n\nClick to see the list of crypto exchangers that will be ceasing operations in Malaysia.\n\n\n\n\n8. \nAn Oxford researcher says there are seven moral rules that unite humanity\n \u2013 Quartz\n\n\nThe group \u2018studied ethnographic accounts of ethics from 60 societies, across over 600 sources\u2019 and came up with the following seven moral rules that unite humanity:\n\n\n\n\nHelp your family\n\n\nHelp your group\n\n\nReturn favors\n\n\nBe brave\n\n\nDefer to superiors\n\n\nDivide resources fairly\n\n\nRespect others\u2019 property\n\n\n\n\n\u2018The team found that these seven cooperative behaviors were considered \nmorally good in 99.9% of cases across cultures\n\u2018.\n\n\nIn a nutshell, we could be of different races, cultures, countries, religions etc but the majority of us hold the same moral values. Isn\u2019t that\u00a0\nfascinating.\u00a0\n\n\n9. EPF\u2019s Belanjawanku Expenditure Guide \n\u2013 Compiled by \nCilisos.my Twitter account\n\n\nThe Belanjawanku guide estimates the\n minimum expenses\n of households in the Klang Valley. I have to bold that part before *some* of you say the guide is out of touch with everyday Malaysians. Minimum okay.\n\n\nMany media outlets published the guide, but I like the one compiled by Cilisos.my. They really do have a knack for delivering \u2018heavy\u2019 messages in easy-to-read way la. Here are some of them:\n\n\n\n\nEPF assumes the \u201cminimum expenses\u201d are what ugaiz would need to:\n\n\n1. Afford basic needs\n\n2. Have a social life\n\n3. Live a meaningful life\n\n\nThey put together this guide based on surveys, focus groups, and gomen data. \npic.twitter.com/1GmkBb7Qsd\n\n\n\u2014 Cilisos (@cilisosmy) \nMarch 4, 2019\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIf you\u2019re single and use public transport, the guide estimates you need a minimum of RM1,870 if you live in the Klang Valley and are renting a room. \npic.twitter.com/QqWRz4JBWm\n\n\n\u2014 Cilisos (@cilisosmy) \nMarch 4, 2019\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBudden if you\u2019re single and have your own transport, your minimum budget jumps quite a bit.\n\n\nWe\u2019re wondering what car/vehicle this figure is based on. \npic.twitter.com/FoOvIqE8cC\n\n\n\u2014 Cilisos (@cilisosmy) \nMarch 4, 2019\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIf you\u2019re a married couple without kids, the minimum expense calculation according to the budget is RM4,420 (about RM2,210 per person?).\n\n\nThis is less per person than the RM2,490 needed if you\u2019re single, assuming couples share some of the costs of living together. \npic.twitter.com/Ijf5EAteXD\n\n\n\u2014 Cilisos (@cilisosmy) \nMarch 4, 2019\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBecome a mummy and daddy, and a couple\u2019s minimum expenses jump almost 30% to RM5,730. Have another bb and it increases by another 15% to RM6,620. \ud83d\udc76\ud83c\udffd \ud83c\udf7c \npic.twitter.com/AU7VkKQXui\n\n\n\u2014 Cilisos (@cilisosmy) \nMarch 4, 2019\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFor elderly couples whose kids have spread their wings and flown away, the guide estimates minimum expenses of RM3,090.\n\n\nAssuming you retire at age 55 and want to die at 75, that means you would need savings of\u2026 RM741,600. And we haven\u2019t even included inflation yet. \ud83d\udcb8 \npic.twitter.com/5x0SFCcb8T\n\n\n\u2014 Cilisos (@cilisosmy) \nMarch 4, 2019\n\n\n\nAgain, the figure above is the minimum. Or as Cilisos.my puts it:\n\n\n\n\nGais, pls understand that this report is based on assumptions of MINIMUM expenses. Ya la, ya la, we get it. Ugaiz spend more on skincare, cinemas, gas, rent, etc. \n#WeirdFlex\n \n#ButOK\n\n\n\u2014 Cilisos (@cilisosmy) \nMarch 4, 2019\n\n\n\n\n10. \nMinimum Wage is Now RM1100. But How Did The Gomen Actually Calculate it? We Investigate \n\u2013 Cilisos.my\n\n\nSO. We know that we need \nat least\n RM1870 if we don\u2019t have dependents, car or housing commitments, and the minimum wage is set at RM1100. No one can say the gap is not there.\n\n\n\n\nI like how the Cilisos.my article explains how the calculations are made and most importantly,\u00a0why we can\u2019t simply,\u00a0\nmagically\n raise the minimum wage too much too soon.\n\n\n\n\nCilisos, you guis did a good job with ending the article on a good note. Thanks for reminding us the promises made by the PH government.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-23/", "title": "Link Roundup #23: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \n4 things millionaires have in common, backed by research\n\u00a0\n\u2013 The Ladders\n\n\nWhat millionaires have in common:\n\n\n\n\nMany are self-employed\n\n\nThey choose their careers strategically\n\n\nThey\u2019re not geniuses but they have a strong work ethic\n\n\nThey\u2019re cheap (read: frugal)\n\n\n\n\nI highly encourage you to read the article because this is not some opinion piece, telling you some inspirational bullshit. The article is backed by research and every other sentence will make you rethink your whole life, like this one: \u2018you\u2019d need to earn 2.5 times as much money to be as\u00a0\nhappy\n as someone who is self-employed.\n\u2018\n\n\n\n\n2. \n12 Fintech Events Happening in Malaysia You Need to Check Out in 2019\n\u00a0\n\u2013 FintechNews Malaysia\n\n\n\n\nIf you\u2019re in the fintech scene or interested in fintech (who isn\u2019t? we love our ewallet cashbacks amirite), take note of these events. Lots of sub-niches including Islamic finance, blockchain, startup weekend and more.\n\n\n3. \nThe Problems in Remote-Working \n\u2013 by Product Hunt\u2019s Ryan Hoover\n\n\nI greatly admire Ryan Hoover, the founder of \nProduct Hunt\n. I browse there because it\u2019s useful, but stayed for the community. Ryan is a ridiculously good community leader, a real giver. His \ntweets\n are always full of insight.\n\n\nThe article itself discusses problems in remote-working, all of which I face myself. But even if you don\u2019t work remotely or not even interested to, browse through Ryan\u2019s many articles. Something is bound to be useful for you.\n\n\n4. \nWhere millennials turn for financial advice \n\u2013 Financial Times\n\n\n\u201cShunned by traditional advisers, younger investors use apps and digital platforms\u201d\n\n\nRelatable. I know there are platforms that make it easy for me to hire financial advisors in Malaysia (\nSmart Finance\n), but I still feel like there\u2019s this barrier, something that stops me from even getting a quote from them.\n\n\nDon\u2019t get me wrong though. I believe in paying for advice. I see the value of having a specialist supporting and guiding me through hard financial decisions. But still I ask myself \u2013 what if I don\u2019t have enough net worth to make the session(s) worth our time?\n\n\nSo\u2026 financial advisors reading this. Can you help to answer that? When should we consider engaging in your services?\n\n\n5. \nHow To Put Together A Self-Care Routine For $0\n \n\u2013 The Financial Diet\n\n\nBecause I hate those Facebook and Instagram ads that tell you to \u2018treat yo\u2019self\u2019 by splurging on shit you don\u2019t need just to make yourself feel better. Some of them even say things like, \u2018buy now, think later\u2019. WTF???\n\n\nEff you. I can feel better by using the things I already have, on ZERO budget, thank you very much.\n\n\n6. \nCompanies Are Using Job Candidates as Free Labor and That\u2019s Just Plain Wrong\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Inc\n\n\nTL;DR \u2013 if a company asks you to come up with \u2018assignments\u2019 as part of their \u2018hiring process\u2019, run far, faaaaar away.\n\n\nThese assignments can range from:\n\n\n\n\nMaking graphics\n\n\nWriting articles\n\n\nPreparing whole presentations and concept papers\n\n\nAnd stuff that\u2019s beyond whats reasonable to expect from a job candidate\n\n\n\n\nRead the article to find out ways to defend yourself against exploitation.\n\n\n7. \nThis 19-year-old is paying her way through college by naming over 677,000 Chinese babies\n \n\u2013 CNBC\n\n\n\n\nShe made over $400,000 by providing a solution that Chinese parents are willing to pay for: what English names to give to their babies. Hired people to do the algorithm for her and everything, then she automated the process to make it a source of passive income. Freaking smart, sis.\n\n\n\n\n8. \nScroll, Tap, Buy: The New Instagram Checkout Allows You to Make Purchases Directly From Your Feed\n \n\u2013 The Ringer\n\n\nTbh I\u2019m just surprised it took Instagram this long to include the checkout feature. People love window-shopping from Instagram. I know that because (1) common sense and (2) I have TWO sisters who own and operate their own Instagram-based businesses.\n\n\n(Btw \u2013 dropping their wares here to show support. Click the images to go to their respective pages!\n\n\nMarquise.my\n\n\n MalaysiaPlusSize Instagram\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n9. \nAre You Working on the Next Fyre Festival?: Identifying a Toxic Workplace\n \n\u2013 Bitches Get Riches\n\n\nThere are bad workplaces, then there are\u00a0\ntoxic\n workplaces. I wouldn\u2019t wish toxic workplaces on my worst enemy. The article shares how you can identify toxic workplaces. Even if you don\u2019t read it, I need you to know this super-important fact:\n\n\n\n\n10. \nPennywise Show Ep 2: Ringgit Oh Ringgit and Money Stories with Suraya Zainudin\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Leaderonomics\n\n\nLast but not least, my biggest thanks and gratitude to the Leaderonomics team for having me on the Pennywise show! We talked about my personal finance journey, money motivations and money projects \u2013 all my favourite topics!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe link above will take you directly to the podcast, hosted on Spotify \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-24/", "title": "Link Roundup #24: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nThe 11 M\u2019sians On The Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia List And Why They\u2019re So Outstanding\n\u00a0\n\u2013 VulcanPost\n\n\nIf I\u2019m honest, I\u2019m a little bit jealous, but mostly proud of their achievements. Being featured in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia List is a big deal!\n\n\nI\u2019m also particularly happy that Bobby Ong and TM Lee of \nCoinGecko\n made the cut. I know both of them personally (and at one point, wrote some articles for the website), and they\u2019re great.\n\n\nI thought that Malaysians would be happy, but discovered some people are dismayed by the lack of racial representation *coughMeleiscough*. I\u2019d be more sympathetic if they weren\u2019t so bitter and toxic about it.\n\n\n\n\n2. \nWhen less is more: the beauty bloggers exposing the industry\u2019s wasteful secret\n\u00a0\n\u2013 The Guardian\n\n\n\n\nThis article zooms in on PR companies that send influencers products on behalf of the beauty brands they represent. It\u2019s a wasteful practice, so it\u2019s good that influencers are speaking out.\n\n\nTwo points that I want to make:\n\n\n\n\nMake no mistake \u2013 \nthe wastage is not limited to the beauty industry\n. PR companies representing fashion, technology and other industries also send out a lot of products to influencers so they\u2019d promote it\n\n\nConsumers are reacting positively to the less-waste movement\n. Anti-hauls*, project pans**, empties*** and declutter videos get higher and higher views on YouTube. Companies have their work cut out for them to increase growth\n\n\n\n\n///Glossary///\n\n\n\n\nAnti-haul \u2013 Where people talk about products they\u2019re NOT going to buy\n\n\nProject pans \u2013 Where people use up their makeup \u2018until they see the pan of the eyeshadow/etc\u2019\n\n\nEmpties \u2013 Where people show off a completely used-up product\n\n\n\n\n3. \nBank Negara Malaysia to Pave the Way for Neo Banks\n \u2013 FintechNews MY\n\n\nNeo banks = banks that are 100% digital, with no physical branches. The idea is, less money spent on rent and personnel will translate to competitive rates for consumers like you and me. Here are some neo banks operating in Asia:\n\n\n\n\nMalaysia is a bit slow but we may see some sort of guidelines and requirement for virtual banking license by the end of 2019. If true, THIS IS SERIOUSLY EXCITING, GAME-CHANGING STUFF. I can\u2019t wait to hear the development.\n\n\n4. \nWant to visualize inequality? View cities from above \n\u2013 National Geographic\n\n\nJohnny Miller\u2019s \u2018Unequal Scenes\u2019 series show how \u2018drone photography exposes the economic divide within cities. Roads, canals, and fences become barriers that split the land separating the rich and poor.\u2019\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nA post shared by Johnny Miller (@millefotosa)\n on \nJan 18, 2019 at 6:53am PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n5. \nYale Let Anyone Take Its Most Popular Class Ever for Free. Here\u2019s What 1 Guy Learned in 5 Weeks. \n\u2013 Inc\n\n\nHow amazing is it that Yale\u2019s most popular class, \nThe Science of Well-Being\n \u2013 taken by a whopping 1 in 4 students \u2013 is all about how to be happy and is \navailable for FREE at Coursera\n???\n\n\nIf you can\u2019t take the 10-week course at the moment, do yourself a favour and at least click on the article to find out the types of \u2018assignments\u2019. The first one is a quiz that helps you \nfigure out your strengths and best qualities\n, WHICH IS ALSO FREE*.\n\n\nThe internet is an amazing place, seriously.\n\n\n*The comprehensive reports cost money though\n\n\nI took the test myself. According to the VIA Survey, my top 10 Character Strengths (out of 24) are:\n\n\n\n\nFREAKING GRATEFUL THAT CONTENT CREATION AS A CAREER PATH ALLOWED ME TO USE MY BEST CHARACTER STRENGTHS!!!!\n\n\n6. \nKondo Craze Hits Retail\n\u00a0\n\u2013 AdAge\n\n\nNo, I am not tired of the \u2018Spark Joy\u2019 movement yet. I freaking love Marie Kondo.\n\n\nSo does millions of other people, apparently. Enough to see big retail shifts, like:\n\n\n\n\nIncrease in sales of storage products\n\n\nIncrease in secondhand apparel business (not mentioned: decrease in fast fashion)\n\n\n\n\nIn the bigger picture, I think we\u2019ll also see companies making less of those cheap branded swag. You know, the ones that they give out at events. Nobody wants them, it messes with the #clutterfree aesthetic. I\u2019ve personally politely declined these items, giving \u2018thanks, but I just decluttered\u2019 as an excuse too.\n\n\n7.\n \nThis Is What Small Businesses Look Like Around The World\n \n\u2013 Buzzfeed\n\n\n\n\nSay what you want about Buzzfeed, but this is one of the most beautiful opening paragraphs I\u2019ve ever read in my life:\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPhotographer Vladimir Antaki has\n\u00a0\ntraveled the world to document the unique and curious spaces where passion becomes business\n. His new book\n\u00a0The Guardians,\u00a0\npublished by Kehrer Verlag, is a collection of portraits from his journeys that capture shopkeepers in their places of work.\n\u00a0\nWhat\u2019s revealed is something that can\u2019t be bought or sold online \u2014 humanity.\n\n\n\n\nYou know, we idolise big businesses and corporations a lot \u2013 we see their products in the stores, buy their stocks, keep up with their news \u2013 but often we forget that some businesses just cannot scale the way they do, thus they remain small and passion-driven rather than profit-driven.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nI absolutely love this article. There\u2019s a lifetime of stories behind each picture. Some favourites:\n\n\n\n\n Mario Antonio Herna\u0301ndez Escamilla, sculptor and restorationist in Mexico.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n Denise Acabo, chocolatier in Paris.\n\n\n\n\n Dominique \u201cMe\u0301nick\u201d Perazzino, barber in Montre\u0301al.\n\n\n\n\n8. \nMalaysian workers receive lower wages than peers in advanced economies \n\u2013 News Street Times\n\n\nAre Malaysians underpaid? A big, fat YES. Bank Negara said if a Malaysian worker produces output worth US$1,000, he would be paid \nUS$340, as opposed to US$510\n by a worker in benchmark economies. Productivity levels factored in.\n\n\nWell then what can we do about it? BNM has some answers:\n\n\n\n\nAre Malaysian workers paid fairly? What should Malaysia do to improve on the situation? View infographic for more info.(Part 1) \npic.twitter.com/qf1yiiBLxU\n\n\n\u2014 Bank Negara Malaysia (@BNM_official) \nApril 2, 2019\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAre Malaysian workers paid fairly? What should Malaysia do to improve on the situation? View infographic for more info.(Part 2) \npic.twitter.com/HQLfK0P1oQ\n\n\n\u2014 Bank Negara Malaysia (@BNM_official) \nApril 2, 2019\n\n\n\n\n9. \nDoes having kids make couples happier? New study says yes, but \u2026\n \n\u2013 MedicalXpress.com\n\n\nThis study is noteworthy because a lot of other studies say that \nhaving children reduces parents\u2019 happiness levels\n. However, \u2018The Dartmouth College-University of Paris Economics research team concluded that having children makes adults happier, \nas long as they don\u2019t make it too hard to pay the bills\n.\u2019\n\n\nHow hard is too hard though? No idea, the article didn\u2019t expand on that part. Send me links to new studies if/when you find them.\n\n\n10. \n21 job interview questions that are designed to trick you \n\u2013 Ladders\n\n\nNervous about an upcoming job interview? Worried about not being able to impress your interviewers? Then this article will help you greatly. Listing the tricky interview questions below:\n\n\n\n\nCan you tell me about yourself?\n\n\nHow would you describe yourself in one word?\n\n\nHow does this position compare to others you are applying for?\n\n\nCan you name three of your strengths and weaknesses?\n\n\nWhy do you want to work here?\n\n\nWhy do you want to leave your current job?\n\n\nWhat are you most proud of in your career?\n\n\nHave you ever considered being an entrepreneur?\n\n\nHave you ever stolen a pen from work?\n\n\nWhat kind of boss and coworkers have you had the most and least success with, and why?\n\n\nIf you could work for any company, where would you work?\n\n\nHow do you define success?\n\n\nWhat career regrets do you have?\n\n\nWhy were you laid off?\n\n\nWhat would you do if you won $5 million tomorrow?\n\n\nHave you ever been asked to compromise your integrity by your supervisor or colleague?\n\n\nCan you give us a reason someone may not like working with you?\n\n\nWhy have you been out of work for so long?\n\n\nTell me about a time you disagreed with a company policy.\n\n\nHow did you make time for this interview? Where does your boss think you are right now?\n\n\nWhat\u2019s a difficult situation that you turned around?\n\n\n\n\nI think the article is worth a read even if you\u2019re not actively job-searching \u2013 some really out-of-the-box, brilliant answers in there. If you *are* looking for work, all the best in your upcoming interview(s) \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-25/", "title": "Link Roundup #25: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nSuper-Productive People Do 3 Things That Others Don\u2019t, According to This MIT Productivity Test\n \n\u2013 Inc\n\n\nAnyone else obsessed with finding productivity tips and hacks? I know I am. I\u2019m fascinated by both (a) the habits of the super-productive (click the link to read about it) and (b) the productivity test itself, taken by almost 20,000 people. You can take it yourself \nhere\n.\n\n\nPozen Productivity Test is a 21-question survey based on seven habits of productivity:\n\n\n\n\ndeveloping daily routines\n\n\nplanning your schedule\n\n\ncoping with messages\n\n\ngetting a lot done\n\n\nrunning effective meetings\n\n\nhoning communication skills\n\n\nand delegating tasks to others\n\n\n\n\nI took the test, and scored 65 out of 105. To be fair, many of the questions are not applicable to me (I don\u2019t work in a team most of the time, and neither attend regular meetings nor delegate work to subordinates). But it definitely gave me some pointers on areas to improve.\n\n\nWhat\u2019s your score?\n\n\n\n\n2. 7 Staggering Facts about Inequality \n\u2013 World Economic Forum\n\n\n\n\nWhen wealth inequality as a topic comes up, you\u2019ll usually see two extreme viewpoints: \u201cHoarding money is morally wrong as it comes at the expense of workers\u201d vs \u201cThe wealthy has the right to make and keep as much money as they can because they took the biggest risk\u201d\n\n\nI\u2019m still\u2026 learning about this topic. Two excellent videos came up in my Twitter timeline. Sharing them here:\n\n\n\n\n26 billionaires own the same wealth as 3.8 billion people.\n\n\n\ud83d\udcd5 Read more: \nhttps://t.co/mmXubFkt6A\n \n#inequality\n \n#economics\n \npic.twitter.com/2bOvuvqr6w\n\n\n\u2014 World Economic Forum (@wef) \nApril 15, 2019\n\n\n\n\n\n\nA breathtaking, three-minute takedown of banking fatcat Jamie Dimon. h/t \n@JonnyGeller\npic.twitter.com/B2sbGqzs8N\n\n\n\u2014 Ian Fraser (@Ian_Fraser) \nApril 13, 2019\n\n\n\n\n3.\n \n\u201cWhat are the best SaaS platforms you\u2019ve used? What was great about them?\u201d Answer by @NikkiElizDeMere\n \u2013 NicholeElizabethDemere.com\n\n\nSaaS = Software as a Service, in case you\u2019re not familiar with the term.\n\n\nThere are a LOT of SaaS platforms out there, and usually getting one that works for you (and your team) is a trial and error thing.\n\n\nIn this article, Nichole shared 14 SaaS recommendations, ranging from SEO tools to user onboarding checklists to social media management platforms and many more.\n\n\nIt\u2019s a\u00a0must-read for everyone interested in using tech in business.\n\n\nAlso: 10/10 would recommend following Nichole on Twitter. Follow them \nhere\n.\n\n\n4. \nThe Best Skin Care Trick is Being Rich\n \u2013 The Atlantic\n\n\nOMG YES! If I see another rich person attributing their beauty to just \u2018drinking enough water, eating well and getting enough sleep\u2019, I\u2019m going to pull my hair out. This part of the article is 100% true:\n\n\nThe guidance usually comes from the wealthy, who have all the access in the world to the best skin products and treatments, and it tends to overemphasize the importance of lifestyle while sweeping under the rug the actual cost of tinkering with your facial chemistry.\n\n\nAh well. I think this is something all of us know, a \u2018finally someone said it\u2019 moment. I\u2019m not angry or anything.\n\n\nPlus it\u2019s hard to be angry at beautiful women. Damn some women are so fiiiiine you\u2019re a work of art I tell you. Keep on rocking sis I\u2019m not about to hate on you and bring another woman down nuh uh.\n\n\nJust don\u2019t promote or sell hyped-up / dangerous beauty products to your followers though. That\u2019s not cool.\n\n\n5. \n\u2018Influencer Fraud\u2019 Costs Companies Millions of Dollars. An AI-Powered Tool Can Now Show Who Paid to Boost Their Engagement.\n \n\u2013 Entrepreneur\u00a0\n\n\nSocial media marketing is SO fast-paced it makes my head swim.\n\n\nOne subset of it is influencer marketing, where the industry is still kind of figuring itself out. As we speak, best practices and hacks to beat algorithm changes are being developed and implemented.\n\n\nHonestly it\u2019s quite fun to see how influencers and companies try to out-smart each other. Companies used to only hire influencers with high followers count. Those can be bought now.\n\n\nThen companies wisen up and look at engagement too (usually, the followers:likes/comments ratio). And what do you know, influencers can arrange for that too.\n\n\nAnd now there are tools designed to uncover influencers who fake their engagement numbers. I wonder what is the next move by influencers.\n\n\n6. \nI just cleared out my Gmail using a simple trick that took only a few minutes \u2014 here\u2019s how to do it\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Business Insider\n\n\nSimple, step-by-step article to clear out a lot of old junk taking up space in your Gmail account. May this info stretch out the time until you finally have to upgrade and pay for more Gmail storage, Amin.\n\n\nProtip: if you frequently send large attachments, follow \nGoogle\u2019s own tips\n too to clear A LOT of storage.\n\n\n7. \nWhen You Pitch an Idea, Gestures Matter More Than Words\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Harvard Business Review\n\n\nThis opening para summarised it all:\n\n\n\n\nJoep Cornelissen of Erasmus University and his team asked experienced investors to watch a video of an entrepreneur pitching a new device.\n\n\nHe did four versions of the presentation: One used a lot of figurative language; one included frequent hand motions; one deployed both; and one used neither. People who saw the video with only the frequent gestures were on average 12% more \ninterested in investing.\n\n\nThe conclusion: \nWhen you pitch an idea, gestures matter more than words\n.\n\n\n\n\nSomething to think about the next time you\u2019re doing a presentation!\n\n\n8. \nWhat it\u2019s like to work at the most successful hedge fund in the world, where 30% of new employees don\u2019t make it and those who do are considered \u2018intellectual Navy SEALs\u2019\n \n\u2013 Business Insider\n\n\nRay Dalio is the latest \u2018personality\u2019 that I\u2019m fascinated with. He\u2019s the founder Bridgewater Associates, the biggest hedge fund in the world and author of Principles: Life & Work which is recommended by people I respect.\n\n\nIn fact, at time of writing, someone in my social circle just mentioned the book again. I really have to get my hands on it soon.\n\n\nBut until then, I\u2019ve been reading this article, and\n the video\n (which CBS doesn\u2019t allow me to embed) with lots of interest. Highly recommend if you\u2019d like to see radical transparency in action within the workplace setting.\n\n\n\n\n9. \n7 Ways That 2019 Mirrors The Dotcom Bubble\u00a0\n\u2013 Investopedia\n\n\nAnother doomsday article, lol. But it\u2019s fun (and educational) to see the parallels. The 7 ways are:\n\n\n\n\nVenture capital\u00a0investments in tech companies at excessive levels\n\n\nA rush of highly-touted tech\u00a0IPOs\u00a0coming to market\n\n\nFinancial crises\u00a0in\u00a0emerging market\u00a0countries\n\n\nThe Fed paused interest rate hikes in 1998, as they have now\n\n\nTech stocks lead the market in 2019, as they did in 1999\n\n\nAlmost daily gains in stock prices, with little retreat\n\n\nGrowth stocks\u00a0outperforming\u00a0value stocks\n\n\n\n\nNote that this is a US-focused article. Impact to Malaysia, \nif\n when the bubble bursts, is unknown.\n\n\n10. \nAmbik Kau was an April Fool\u2019s Prank to Copy Other Sites Content. And it Got Copied Too\n \n\u2013 Cilisos.my\n\n\n\n\nAs a content creator myself, I read about Cilisos\u2019s April Fool\u2019s prank with much joy. Did you know I discovered some portals have been stealing my content and posting it as their own? It pisses me off, but I\u2019m not about to give them free publicity, those bleeping bleep.\n\n\nImagine someone taking your awesome FB post or tweet then passing it off as their own. Angry not? Angry right? Same la.\n\n\nSo do me a favour. Share work by original content producers like Cilisos.my, Rojak Daily, Soya Cincau, AskLegal etc and less of copiers like Malaysia Today, The Coverage, Malaysia Chronicle, World of Buzz etc.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-26/", "title": "Link Roundup #26: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \n6 things you must organize to be healthy, wealthy, and happy\n\u00a0\n\u2013 The Ladders\n\n\nSometimes I\u2019m not sure if I\u2019m a \u2018go with the flow\u2019 type of person, or an organised person. I guess I\u2019m a little bit of both, like most people.\n\n\nOn a scale between 1-10, how well-organised are your environment, money, relationships, health/fitness, spiritual life and time? Answering that is like doing a regular checkup, a self-assessment.\n\n\nIf you\u2019re giving yourself a low score, the checklist in the article is pretty helpful to get you back on the right track.\n\n\n\n\n2. \n4 things you should never buy refurbished (and 4 things you should) \n\u2013 Reviewed\n\n\n\n\nAccording to the article, you shouldn\u2019t buy these items refurbished: HDDs or SSDs, phones, televisions and printers\n\n\nWhile these things should be safe to buy refurbished: laptops and tablets, vacuums, headphones and household appliances\n\n\nIt\u2019s a very US-centric article though. What do you think? Agree with the above or no? What items do you buy refurbished?\n\n\n3.\n \nThe benefits of having a fuck-off fund\n \n\u2013 Quartz\n\n\nTL;DR \u2013 If you don\u2019t agree with what your company is doing because it violates your principles, it\u2019s *really* nice to be able to quit in protest.\n\n\n4. \nFresh Grad 101: Evaluating a Job Offer\n \u2013 Silent Confessions by Syaza Nazura\n\n\nSyaza is a rare one. Currently pursuing her Masters in Education (Youth & Community) in the UK, she is passionate about helping fresh graduates navigate their careers.\n\n\nShe recently shared the newly-released 2019 Malaysia Salary Guide produced by Kelly Capita. You can view the pdf \nhere\n.\n\n\nHere are some highlights of the report:\n\n\n\n\nSome info about 2019 Salary & Hiring Outlook, as well as some \u201chot jobs for 2019\u201d. \npic.twitter.com/CeF0WBOQJR\n\n\n\u2014 Syaza Nazura (@nazu2308) \nApril 27, 2019\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSalary range for some Engineering positions. \npic.twitter.com/Ni8wjxfnFw\n\n\n\u2014 Syaza Nazura (@nazu2308) \nApril 27, 2019\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSalary ranges for some Finance & Accounting and Human Resources & Administrative positions. \npic.twitter.com/doMIckYykQ\n\n\n\u2014 Syaza Nazura (@nazu2308) \nApril 27, 2019\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSalary ranges for some IT positions. \npic.twitter.com/C5K0mlxkwq\n\n\n\u2014 Syaza Nazura (@nazu2308) \nApril 27, 2019\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSalary ranges for some Marketing & Sales positions. \npic.twitter.com/9n8s9mgJ0Y\n\n\n\u2014 Syaza Nazura (@nazu2308) \nApril 27, 2019\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSalary ranges for some Property & Construction and Supply Chain & Logistics positions. \npic.twitter.com/EeOXWjDbmI\n\n\n\u2014 Syaza Nazura (@nazu2308) \nApril 27, 2019\n\n\n\n\nAre you being paid fairly for your work? If yes, good, continue your course. If no, negotiate a salary increase or switch to another company. The article linked above is a good guide to evaluate your new job offer.\n\n\n5.\u00a0 \nThe next gig economy will be on-demand knowledge \n\u2013 World Economic Forum\u00a0\n\n\nThe intro says it all:\n\n\n\u201cIn a world with an overwhelming amount of information available, it is sometimes not easy to figure out how to apply it.\n\n\n\n\nBusiness models based on advertising revenue and marketing tools such as influencer content have diminished our trust in information on the internet. We need to filter in our mind whether or not the information is credible, as many websites feature content sponsored by brands and businesses.\n\n\nRecommendations from online reviews are also questionable, as businesses have been known to pay strangers to write positive reviews. (In fact,\u00a0\nfake review writers\n\u00a0can be hired at $5-$10 per review on Fiverr.com.)\n\n\nSimilarly, the credibility of answers on Q&A sites like Quora also suffers over time, as more and more businesses post answers on the platform as a part of their marketing strategy.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWe need to efficiently cut through the clutter. By and large, rather than taking our chances with Google, we can benefit from talking to the right person with relevant knowledge\u2014someone with the ability to apply information based on his/her experience and expertise.\n\n\nFairly soon, systems will emerge to enable instantaneous knowledge sharing and monetization at scale. It could be as ubiquitous and easy as a Google search is today.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe right person with the right answer is already out there. We just need to index human know-how and work out how to provide on-demand access to it.\u201d\n\n\nImagine this: an AI-powered platform that knows your exact preferences exact, then matches you with the best person. It\u2019s a bit scary, but also very cool and convenient.\n\n\n\n\n6. \nGoldman, Bank of England and stock exchange targeted by climate activists in London\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Reuters\n\n\nI was wondering why climate activists target the financial industry, specifically. To the extent of glueing themselves to the road outside Goldman Sachs European headquarters on Fleet Street.\n\n\nThen I remember this video I watched a while back, arguing against capitalism and growth.\n\n\nI\u2019m still learning about this stuff myself. Like many of you, I\u2019ve been told that growth = great too. But watch it, for a different perspective.\n\n\n\n\nBrilliant. This is brilliant. \npic.twitter.com/8a6TJcRGHy\n\n\n\u2014 James Corden (@JKCorden) \nApril 12, 2019\n\n\n\n\n7. \nHere\u2019s How You Can Design Your Own Product in Less Than 24 Hours\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Inc\n\n\nDid you know there are print-on-demand services that you can use to sell your designs without keeping inventory? I actually have friends \u2013 a combination of designers and people who know how to hire designers \u2013 who do this for a living or as a side income.\n\n\nPersonally, I\u2019ve been tempted to earn a side income this way. Imagine if I sell mugs or notebooks or t-shirts with text like \u2018Future Millionaire\u2019 or \u2018It\u2019s so \nrude\n how everything costs money\u2019? I bet some of you would buy that.\n\n\n8. \n7 signs that you\u2019re actually a problem employee\n\u00a0\n\u2013 The Ladders\n\n\nWhat if, just what if, it\u2019s not them, it\u2019s \nyou\n?\n\n\nScary thought, but if \nyou\n were the problem, it\u2019s better to know it sooner rather than later. It may suck now but it\u2019s probably better for you in the long run.\n\n\nHere are the 7 signs of a problem employee:\n\n\n\n\nYou have trouble finding past managers willing to serve as references for you\n\n\nYou can\u2019t think of a single boss whom you\u2019ve liked\n\n\nYou do exactly what\u2019s required of you\u2026 and never anything more\n\n\nYou\u2019re very invested in office gossip\n\n\nYou struggle with punctuality, even after managers have raised the issue with you\n\n\nWhen you make a mistake, you seek someone else to blame rather than accepting responsibility\n\n\nYou overstep your role during your interactions with coworkers\n\n\n\n\nClick the article to read the full version.\n\n\n9. How much capital you need to open a franchise business\n\n\nDepends on what franchise you want. Some cost a lot, but if you choose the right location, you can make serious bank.\n\n\nI\u2019m linking the tweet below to let you know there is such a thing as Franchise Asia Magazine, sold in major bookstores like MPH. I\u2019ve also seen them in MyNews.\n\n\n\n\nBerapa modal kena ada untuk bukak bisnes francais.\n\n\nBisnes francais untung dia adalah permasaran dikelola oleh HQ brand tersebut. Contohnya Mcd, kita fokus kat operation je. Marketing apa semua dah settle dh. \npic.twitter.com/G479igxhKJ\n\n\n\u2014 Twt Bajet (@twt_bajet) \nApril 23, 2019\n\n\n\n\nYou can also browse the online directory \nhere\n.\n\n\n\n\n10. \n15 As Seen on Shark Tank Products You\u2019ll Want at Home\n \n\u2013 The Family Handy Man\n\n\n\n\nI want 7 out of the 15 things on the list, how about you?\n\n\nSigh, Shark Tank is such a great show. Best of all you don\u2019t feel like you\u2019re wasting time because you\u2019re learning about entrepreneurship, lol.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-27/", "title": "Link Roundup #27: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \n9 things no one tells you when you\u2019re starting a business\n \u2013 The Ladders\n\n\nIt\u2019s a bit oversimplified, but serves as a nice checklist of things you probably don\u2019t know when you\u2019re starting a business, especially if you\u2019re jumping from salaried life to self-employment life.\n\n\nThe 9 things are:\n\n\n\n\nBegin with revenue.\n Your ideas are great, but how will it bring in the money?\n\n\nProtect your IP\n. Things get stolen all the time.\n\n\nMarket yourself.\n Not just your products and services.\n\n\nKnow your \u2018why\u2019\n. The reason for it all.\n\n\nUnderstand yourself so you can make great hires.\n Hire people who are good at what you\u2019re not good at. Take the \nDISC personality test\n.\n\n\n\u00a0\nYou are NOT the boss.\n The customers are the boss (but that doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t fire them.)\n\n\nBuild a structure and find balance.\n Find a routine that works and won\u2019t burn you out.\n\n\nBuild a tax savings account and emergency savings.\n Practical\n\n\nEmbrace change and challenges.\n You\u2019ll be putting your problem-solving skills to the test.\n\n\n\n\nAny of you want to add on to this list? Add them in the comments section.\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\n11 things I learned about self-employment in Malaysia\n\n\n\n\n2. \nFrance Seeks to Stop Fashion Brands From Destroying Unsold Goods\n \n\u2013 Business of Fashion\n\n\n\n\nYou know how some industry practices utterly shocks and disgusts you? This one is pretty bad, for a glamorous industry. Here\u2019s the open secret: some fashion brands would rather destroy unsold stocks to \u2018protect their reputation\u2019 and avoid it being sold at discount stores and end up owned by \u2018poor people\u2019.\n\n\nAnd no one, no country, has taken action so far. France is the first one. It\u2019s surprising, considering it\u2019s a widespread practice. Burberry got caught, but every other luxury brand does it too.\n\n\n\n\n3. \nFive easy ways men can reduce the burden of emotional labor at work\n \n\u2013 Quartz\n\n\nWhat is emotional labour, you ask?\n\n\nEmotional labor is the invisible work women do to keep those around them comfortable and happy, encompassing both mental load work and emotion management. It holds women back in the workplace by reinforcing double standards, eating away at focused work time, and creating a more emotionally exhausting workday.\n\n\nHere\u2019s what you can do to make the workplace better for women:\n\n\n\n\nCurtail interruptions.\n Women are more likely to be interrupted during conversations. Redirect the focus back to her after it happens. Say: \u201cThat\u2019s a great point, but I\u2019m interested to hear what Sarah was saying. I don\u2019t think she was finished speaking.\u201d\n\n\nListen fully.\n It ensures that women\u2019s ideas are being heard, properly credited, and elevated.\n\n\nTake your own notes\n. Don\u2019t ask your female peers to take notes for you, to photocopy something you could copy yourself, or to send out summary emails. Don\u2019t expect them to organize all the office parties.\n\n\nCreate cultural change.\n If \u2018locker room talk\u2019 exists at your workplace, simply saying \u201cThat\u2019s not funny\u201d or \u201cWhy did you say that?\u201d is enough to upend the comfort and confidence of those engaging in toxic behaviour.\n\n\nThink outside your work.\n Support your own partner and family members.\n\n\n\n\n4. \nHow a Costco-Lover Eats for $125 a Week in Greenville, S.C.\n\u00a0\n\u2013 The Kitchnn\n\n\nI enjoyed reading this type of food diary \u2013 it\u2019s literally someone\u2019s day-to-day, meal-to-meal account, complete with grocery shopping trips.\n\n\nI like how she fits in meal prep and recipes that work for her busy lifestyle. It\u2019s really cool that she eats mostly healthy but also not annoyingly \u2018too healthy\u2019 \u2013 there are marshmallows and frozen foods, and also celebratory meals with friends and family. It\u2019s so much more relatable and sustainable than most food accounts I follow.\n\n\n\n\n5. \nI Was Happy to Marry a Poor Man. Then Things Changed.\n \n\u2013 Bitches Get Ritches\n\n\nI love this article so much, even though the title *is* a bit of a clickbait. My heart was so full by the end of the article. The writer\u2019s partner ended up earning $160k per year, from $20k when she first met and married him (and when she was the breadwinner).\n\n\nI want to be in this kind of relationship too. The one which my partner and I do our best to out-happy and out-support each other, using our money as a tool to enable each others\u2019 happiness and life fulfilment.\n\n\nSeriously, doesn\u2019t that sound like the best thing ever? *Happy sigh*\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\n[PERSONAL] How Money Affects My Dating Life\n\n\n6. \nThe 5 Best Books to Take Hold of Your Finances in 2019\n\u00a0\n\u2013 The Ascent from the Motley Fool\n\n\nBecause which RoR reader doesn\u2019t want more personal finance book recommendations? I got you.\n\n\n\n\nYour Money or Your Life: 9 Steps to Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independence\n, by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez\n \u2013 for a healthy relationshop with money\n\n\nBroke Millennial: Stop Scraping By and Get Your Financial Life Together\n, by Erin Lowry\n \u2013 for those in their 20s-30s\n\n\nThe Little Book of Common-Sense Investing: The Only Way to Guarantee Your Fair Share of Stock Market Returns\n, by John C. Bogle\n \u2013 for passive investing via index funds\n\n\nOne Up on Wall Street\n, by Peter Lynch\n \u2013 to learn about stocks\n\n\nThe Millionaire Next Door\n, by Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko\n \u2013 to understand the lifestyle and habits of the wealthy\n\n\n\n\nFor more book recommendations, hit up\u00a0\n10 Best Books to Learn About Investing, According to Malaysians (With Video Summaries)\n\n\n7. \nThis Is What It Takes to Be in the 1% Around the World\n \n\u2013 Bloomberg\n\n\nThis chart absolutely blows my mind. Somehow it didn\u2019t occur to me that 1% is defined differently around the world? Of course it does, duh Suraya.\n\n\nLook at freaking U.A.E.* and Singapore, blowing past everyone else. Holy hell.\n\n\n*The 1% in U.A.E. also doesn\u2019t have to pay income tax.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n8. \nMeet the 2019 CNBC Disruptor 50 companies\n\u00a0\n\u2013 CNBC\n\n\nThis is one of the most deceptively simple article I\u2019ve ever come across. It compiles the best disruptors in the private sector, sure, but along with it they also included super-short descriptions of each of those companies.\n\n\nIt\u2019s honestly brilliant copywriting at work. I don\u2019t know many of the companies on the list, but the descriptors immediately tell me what it is. Some of my favourites are:\n\n\n\n\nCasper \u2013 Bed in a box\n\n\nDuolingo \u2013 G\u014dntan ao \u016bndegon Tymptir D\u0113mal\u0233ti m\u014dr\u012b bantis? (I googled this \u2013 it seems like it\u2019s High Valyrian, of GoT? Lol)\n\n\nTextio \u2013 A.I. for help-wanted ads\n\n\nCoursera \u2013 50% off master\u2019s degrees (BRILLIANT COPYWRITING)\n\n\nNiantic \u2013 the wand chooses the wizard\n\n\n\n\nGo ahead and check the full list. It won\u2019t hurt to be familiar with the names of these companies. Go and quickly find out what they do.\n\n\n9. \nMalaysia ranks 4th in the world for being crazily obsessed with properties\n \n\u2013 Mashable SE Asia\n\n\nAccording to a HSBC Malaysia online survey,\n\n\n\n\nMalaysia ranks 4th in the world after the United Arab Emirates, the United States and Taiwan\n\n\nOn average, a whopping 4.37 hours in a week is spent by Malaysians when it comes to viewing properties\n\n\nMalaysians spend longer time viewing property than they do keeping fit at the gym, reading books, or reading and watching the news\n\n\nMore than 26% of these Malaysian extreme property addicts spend between 7 and 9 hours searching for properties online\n\n\nOne out of five Malaysian is crazily obsessed about properties. Extreme house hunters are estimated to spend more than 10 hours hunting for properties by sifting through magazines or online websites.\n\n\n38% of Malaysians are impulsive buyers while 55% of them are put off by difficult neighbours\n\n\n\n\nI don\u2019t know who needs to hear this but chill down a bit, properties are not going anywhere.\n\n\n10. \nAfter men in Spain got paternity leave, they wanted fewer kids\n \n\u2013 Quartz\n\n\nDomestic work is hard. It seems easy because the majority of it has always been performed by women, a type of invisible work.\n\n\n\n\nAn amazing experiment on Moroccan men \npic.twitter.com/NdkQiMvuyO\n\n\n\u2014 Captain Morocco\ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\udde6 (@AtIasLion) \nMay 10, 2019\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPart 2 \npic.twitter.com/wKmLDGvJQK\n\n\n\u2014 Captain Morocco\ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\udde6 (@AtIasLion) \nMay 10, 2019\n\n\n\n\n\n\nChildcare is one type of domestic work, and this fascinating study showed how men wanted fewer kids after getting paternity leaves.\n\n\nThe researchers of the study, Farr\u00e9 and Gonz\u00e1lez \u2018think that spending more time with their children\u2014or the prospect of having to do so\u2014may have made men more acutely aware of the effort and costs associated with childrearing\u2019.\n\n\nMakes one think, no?\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-28/", "title": "Link Roundup #28: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nThe Real Reason Why You\u2019re Bad With Money\n \u2013 VICE\n\n\n\u2026could be that you\u2019re too, well, nice. According to the article,\n\n\n\u201cThose with \u2018a higher degree of the personality trait known as \nagreeableness\n, meaning they are more likely to be altruistic, kind, and trustworthy than the rest of us make great friends, but they\u2019re also more likely to be bad with money.\u201d\n\n\nIf a good friend of yours has this personality trait, please look out for them. Their personality literally makes it hard for them to avoid helping others, even if it causes their financial ruin. These are the ones who co-signs a bad loan, lends people money (and never asks or gets it back), and quick to offer to pay for lunches and drinks.\n\n\nIf that describes who you are, don\u2019t change. The world needs kind souls like you. But do learn how to say no, and practice it regularly. If saying \u2018no\u2019 is hard, repeat the phrase \u201cLet me think about it\u201d over and over to the requester.\n\n\n\n\n2. \nThis is how to survive in a toxic workplace: 3 secrets from research\n\u00a0\n\u2013 The Ladders\n\n\n\n\nMost people don\u2019t quit jobs, they quit people who make their workplace topic.\n\n\nBut sometimes you can\u2019t just quit a job. Maybe you can\u2019t afford to. Maybe you\u2019re serving a scholarship bond. Maybe it\u2019s a family business.\n\n\nSo here are the 3 ways to survive a toxic workplace, according to the article:\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0Avoid them. As much as possible\n\n\nUse reappraisal. Reframe it as a challenge\n\n\nFight back \u2013 carefully. Use tools that you have at your disposal strategically\n\n\n\n\nRead the article for a full explanation for each of the methods.\u00a0 Hang in there and all the best.\n\n\n3. \nThis Young Investor\u2019s Lucrative Passion: Collecting Million-Dollar, One-Person Businesses\n \n\u2013 Forbes\n\n\nWhat an interesting business model, I\u2019ve never heard anything like it.\n\n\nHere\u2019s how it works:\n\n\n\n\nHe buys high-potential one-person online businesses\n\n\nHe builds a team that supports the operations of these businesses, like marketing, so it can scale much bigger\n\n\nHe collects management fee from the businesses\n\n\n\n\nMy brain is\u2026 thinking. I like this idea a lot.\n\n\n4. \nThe 86 Best Days of the Year to Get a Fresh Start, According to 700 Scientific Papers\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Inc\n\n\nOh wow, \u2018reset\u2019 opportunities are more abundant than I thought. That\u2019s almost 1 every 4 days.\n\n\n\u201cPink identifies 86 days in the year when we can make a fresh start. The most effective include: Mondays (52), the first day of the month (12), and the first day of each season (4).\n\n\nThe list also includes national celebrations, religious holidays, your birthday, the first day of school, the first day of a new job, anniversaries, and the day you finish a big project.\u201d\n\n\nDaniel H. Pink is a best-selling author and a \nvery\n popular TED speaker. The video below is well worth 18 mins of your time.\n\n\n\n\n5. \nWomen are happier without children or a spouse, says happiness expert\n\u00a0\n\u2013 The Guardian\n\n\nYou might have seen this article around. It certainly made its rounds in social media. They compared happiness and misery levels among unmarried, married, divorced, separated and widowed individuals, and the healthiest and happiest population subgroup are women who never married or had children.\n\n\nTo be completely honest, the results gave me mixed feelings. On one hand, I feel like gloating to traditionalists \u2013 no, don\u2019t pressure me to get married and have kids! Don\u2019t make me miserable like you!\n\n\nOn the other hand, this study is a generalisation, and extremely happy and fulfilled married women with children DO exist, it\u2019s just they\u2019re not as common. They\u2019re anomalies, outliers, the exception to the rule.\n\n\nI think at the heart of this study is asking\u00a0\nwhy\n married women with children are not happy and fulfilled?\n\n\nIs it because they work too much? Sacrifice too much? Face too much discrimination? Didn\u2019t get enough support?\n\n\nMaybe we can, as a society, work on those issues so one day they\u2019ll be as happy as their single counterparts.\n\n\n6. \nThere Is Too Much Stuff\n\u00a0\n\u2013 The Atlantic\n\n\nThe article talks about the sheer amount of products offered in Amazon, Target and Walmart, but I think we can all relate and agree that yes, there *is* too much stuff.\n\n\nEthics and environmental issues aside, the article rightly pointed out that the culture of \u2018too much stuff to choose from\u2019 gave us choice anxiety and analysis paralysis, and has led to the rise of\n\n\n\n\nOverstocking solutions \u2013 There are businesses where its main objective is to resell excess stuff\n\n\nAlgorithm \u2013 Products are recommended to you based on your past internet history\n\n\nInfluencers \u2013 Following the recommendations of people and brands you follow\n\n\nA new type of business model focusing on simplicity \u2013 They intentionally limit their choice of products\n\n\n\n\nWhat a world we live in.\n\n\n7. \nMacKenzie Bezos signed the philanthropic commitment her ex-husband spurned\n \n\u2013 Vox\n\n\nAll you need to know is (1) Jeff Bezos refused to sign the Giving Pledge for years, and (2) MacKenzie immediately did, just months after their divorce.\n\n\nAn additional $17 billion (BILLION) to make the world a better place. $500 billion (BILLION) pledged from billionaires so far via the Giving Pledge. I hope it goes far. I hope it\u2019ll make a difference. The world needs it.\n\n\n8. \nTop 10 Most Valuable Types of Collectibles in the World\n\u00a0\n\u2013 MoneyCrashers\n\n\nThe 10 are:\n\n\n\n\nFine Art\n\n\nRare coins\n\n\nThoroughbred horses (oh!)\n\n\nJewelry and gems\n\n\nStamps\n\n\nFaberg\u00e9 Eggs (I\u2019ve never heard of this!)\n\n\nClassic and exotic cars\n\n\nFine wines\n\n\nChinese porcelain\n\n\nTimepieces\n\n\n\n\nRead the full article to see how valuable each of them can get, why they are sought after and notable collectors. It\u2019s a well-researched article, really enjoyed reading it.\n\n\n9. \nThe Best and Worst Time of Day to Ask for a Raise or to Close a Sale\n \n\u2013 Inc\n\n\nTL;DR \u2013 Do the big ones in the early morning, small ones on the late afternoon.\n\n\n10. \nLet Us Pitch Bitcoin Better than Tom Lee Ever Could \n\u2013 Pelham Blue Asset Management\n\n\nI don\u2019t know who\u2019s behind Pelham Blue Asset Management, a group of self-described Malaysian traders, and frankly I don\u2019t care. I just really enjoy their blogposts and tweets, detailing their adventures (and misadventures) in warrants trading.\n\n\n\n\nWe hate to use gambling terminology\u2026 but we hit the jackpot today.\n\n\nTM call warrants.\n\n\n60% return on investment (you heard that right).\n\n\nRM9,000 gross profits.\n\n\nAll in 79 minutes.\n#trade\n \n#saham\n \n#bursa\n \n#finance\n \npic.twitter.com/UKT9mBz7RM\n\n\n\u2014 Pelham Blue Asset Management (@pelhambluefund) \nMay 30, 2019\n\n\n\nThis particular post is highly entertaining for me, because it makes fun of people who preach bitcoin for the sake of preaching bitcoin.\n\n\nLong-time readers know that I have crypto. Some may even know that I was the founding member of ACCESS Blockchain Association Malaysia, before stepping down as Vice President in 2018.\n\n\nAnd let me tell you, we as an association freaking hate it when some dude (and it\u2019s always dudes) suddenly appear in the limelight telling others \u2018crypto is an investment in a lifetime and if you don\u2019t buy in you\u2019re missing out\u2019.\n\n\nEff the right off. How irresponsible.\n\n\nFact: No one knows how crypto is going to perform in the future. It\u2019s highly speculative.\n\n\nFact: Whoever tells you that \u2018CRYPTO PRICES *WILL* SKYROCKET, SECURE YOUR FINANCIAL FUTURE\u2019 is an overconfident bullshitter whose only interest is their own.\n\n\nEspecially if they promote some random crypto project and tell you how it\u2019ll replace money in the future. Hey did you know making a cryptocurrency is easier than you think? Go and read \nhow I made SurayaCoin\n.\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-29/", "title": "Link Roundup #29: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nThe Radical Plan to Save the Planet by Working Less\n \u2013 Vice\n\n\nThis is my first time being exposed to the degrowth movement, and while I\u2019m still learning more about it, I have to say\u2026 I like it.\u00a0For far too long, we as a society have measured \u2018success\u2019 by how well we\u2019re doing financially and economically, rather than our happiness and well-being.\n\n\nAnd it *is* true that the planet can\u2019t sustain our current lifestyle and consumption.\n\n\n\n\n2. Heat map of the rental market in Klang Valley by the Red Angpow team\n\n\nThe \nRed Angpow\n team did something really cool. They combined one vertical of high tech, big data, into one vertical of finance, the property market.\u00a0 With the data, they could generate things like this freaking heat map denoting rental market in Klang Valley.\n\n\n\n\nThis the heat map for the rental market in Klang Valley.\n\n\nKL-PJ corridor commands the highest rental price generally more than 2k per month.\n\n\nSource: Red Angpow \u2013 We painstakingly collected the data from all property websites that covers the whole of Malaysia.\n\n\n1/n \npic.twitter.com/EMGIv5vaFe\n\n\n\u2014 RED ANGPOW (@red_angpow) \nJune 10, 2019\n\n\n\n\nI can\u2019t emphasise how cool this is. It\u2019s freaking amazing. I\u2019ll be following this startup\u2019s development for sure.\n\n\nThe Red Angpow team also has nice content over at their \nblog section\n. I especially liked the article analysing the relationship between a property\u2019s distance to train stations and its price.\n\n\n\n\n3. \nForeclosures on the Rise \n\u2013 The Star\n\n\nA must-read article. Did you know that circa 2009/2010, at the height of the property boom in Malaysia, developers used all sorts of tactics to encourage property sales, some of them borderline unethical to buyers?\n\n\nAnd now that the property market is not as great, people can neither afford to pay those instalments neither sell off their properties, so the number of foreclosures are on the rise\n\n\nThe article is a bit confusing, so I picked some sentences out that gives you a gist of it.\n\n\n\n\n\u201cPeople bought properties in droves over the past 10 years, paying minimal downpayment and some made multiple purchases.\u201d\n\n\n\u201cThe purchase of multiple units, prevalent in the years starting 2009/10 was due to developers giving huge rebates, the use of mortgage brokers, investor clubs and the speculative element in society.\u201d\n\n\n\u201cThese mortgage brokers may apply up to six banks for a buyer. When three approve a loan, instead of buying one house which cost RM800,000, the buyer may end up buying three.\n\n\n\u201cAssuming a 30% rebate, that is RM240,000 per house. So the borrower takes a 90% loan, or RM720,000. The buyer gets a \u201ccash back\u201d of RM160,000. Buyers rationalise he can use the cash back to pay the car loan or use it for one of the three houses on completion and flip the other two.\u201d\n\n\n\u201cAs a result of the excesses of the past years, today, some banks want the unit to be valued independently when the developer sells to buyers. They want to know \u201cthe real price\u201d of the house to base their loan approval, and not the SPA price (after \u2018cashback\u2019), the source says. \u201cSome banks are more careful and stringent now. They are beginning to realise the negative repercussion of rebates,\u201d the source says.\u201d\n\n\n\n\nWhat a messy situation.\n\n\n4. \nWhy You Should Tell Your Co-Workers How Much Money You Make\n\u00a0\n\u2013 The New York Times\n\n\nBecause no one wins but your employer. And when I say employer, I mean the business entity (ie, Genting Group or something) and not the person (although s/he\u2019d get pretty rich from it too).\n\n\n\n\na male counterpart told me he was making $10,000 more than me a year for the same job. he then helped me prepare to ask for a salary increase. I got it. had we not discussed our salaries, I would have never known.\n\n\nnot discussing salaries only benefits the employer. \nhttps://t.co/ATYvYccO13\n\n\n\u2014 khaleesiana (@cleopatrasoul6) \nJune 13, 2019\n\n\n\n*Especially* share salaries if you\u2019ve been at your company for a while. Sometimes you might find that the newer employees are paid the same, or even more than you even though they have a lot less experience. At a certain skill level, job-hoppers are compensated better than loyal employees who\u2019ve stuck with the same company for a while.\n\n\nAnyone here has had that open, honest discussion with your colleagues? Any tips you can share on opening the topic?\n\n\nMaybe\u2026 sending this article to them with a note like, \u2018I\u2019m happy to share if you\u2019re open to it. Lunch?\u2019\n\n\n5. \n5 Steps to Achieve Anything (From One of the Top Marketers in the World)\n \n\u2013 Inc\n\n\nIs not so much as what the top marketer said, it\u2019s\u00a0\nwho\n said it. I don\u2019t know who Roland Frasier is, but I think I need to start following this fella because his credentials are amazing. According to the article:\n\n\n\n\nHe is\u00a0the co-founder and/or principal of three current Inc. Magazine fastest growing companies.\n\n\nHe has founded, scaled, or sold 24 different 7 to 9 figure businesses ranging from consumer products to industrial machine manufacturing companies with adjusted sales ranging from $3 million to $337 million.\n\n\nHe is currently growing DigitalMarketer.com, RivalBrands.com, and Plattr.com while advising over 150 other companies on digitally centric customer acquisition, activation, referral, retention, and revenue strategies and plan implementation.\n\n\n\n\nGo read the 5 steps, who knows it will spark something in you.\n\n\n6. \n11 tips for starting a small business with little to no money \n\u2013 Business Insider\n\n\nThis article is more like a compilation of great Quora answers. Great answers though. Highly suggest you read through if you\u2019re starting a business and don\u2019t have much money to begin with.\n\n\n7. \nThese Are The Best Jobs For Work-Life Balance \u2013 & How Much They Pay \n\u2013 Refinery29\n\n\nDisclaimer: \u2018best\u2019 is relative, and the data is from UK not Malaysia. But in any case, if you\u2019re looking for careers in lines that might give you better work-life balance, you might be interested to look up these jobs:\n\n\n\n\nSales Development Representative\n\n\nResearch Fellow\n\n\nCustomer Success Manager\n\n\nMarketing Assistant\n\n\nEngagement Manager\n\n\nData Scientist\n\n\nRecruiter\n\n\nCopywriter\n\n\nWeb Developer\n\n\nAudit Manager\n\n\nRecruiting Manager\n\n\nOperations Analyst\n\n\nExecutive Assistant\n\n\nProduct Manager\n\n\nHR Business Partner\n\n\n\n\n8. \nPSA: The National Library Has Over 10,000 Free eBooks That You Can Read Online\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Says.com\n\n\nWhy didn\u2019t we know about this amazing and FREE resource sooner! Ah now I ikhlas sikit for paying taxes lol.\n\n\nRegistration is free for Malaysians and PRs, and you can borrow up to 10 books at a time. Click the Says.com for instructions.\n\n\nI was excited to see that have two REALLY GOOD personal finance books, The Money Game by Adam Smith and Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki!\n\n\n\n\n9. \nGetting rich can boil down to 6 \u2018wealth factors\u2019 no matter your age or salary\n\u00a0\n\u2013 The Ladders\n\n\nMany, many, \nmany \nstudies have been done to find out the rich are rich. You can read the answers and results in many formats, but I love the wealth factors presented in this article for how succinct they are. The 6 are:\n\n\n\n\nFrugality\n, or a commitment to saving, spending less, and sticking to a budget\n\n\nConfidence\n in financial management, investing, and household leadership\n\n\nResponsibility\n, which involves accepting your role in financial outcomes and believing that luck plays a little role\n\n\nPlanning\n, or setting goals for your financial future\n\n\nFocus\n on seeing tasks through to their completion without getting distractions\n\n\nSocial indifference\n, or not succumbing to social pressure to buy the latest thing\n\n\n\n\n10.\u00a0\nEven though I could afford a $2 million home, my house costs a fraction that much because I\u2019ve embraced a truth most people don\u2019t understand\n \n\u2013 Business Insider\n\n\nHolly Johnson has a high net worth, but bought a house costing below $200,000, way less than the $2 million house \u2018recommendations\u2019 from mortgage and housing affordability calculators.\n\n\nShe did it because she knew that she doesn\u2019t\u00a0\nhave\n to buy a high-priced property, because it doesn\u2019t reflect the life that she wants.\n\n\nKeep that in mind the next time you use a housing loan calculator. The amount they gave you is the maximum property amount that you can afford. They \nwant\n you to buy the expensive properties \u2013 they earn more that way.\u00a0\nYou don\u2019t have to take their recommendation\n.\n\n\nFor example, if the calculator said that you can afford a RM600,000 home, maybe consider a RM300-400,000 one instead.\n\n\nPlus there are so many hidden fees, direct and indirect, when it comes to properties. Ask any of your friends who bought a house.\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-3/", "title": "Link Roundup #3: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this new regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 articles informational\u00a0\ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1.\u00a0\n7 work-from-home jobs that pay over $100,000\n \u2013 CNBC\n\n\nBecause chances are you have dreamt about working from home, and making bank at the same time. Any of these job titles sound appealing to you? Work towards it. The article includes each of the job descriptions.\n\n\n\n\nUX Designer\n\n\nFront-End Developer\n\n\nProject Manager\n\n\nSenior Software Engineer\n\n\nSenior Manager, Global IT Security\n\n\nDirector, pharmacy \u2013 financial plan and analysis\n\n\nChief Marketing Officer\n\n\n\n\n\n\n2.\u00a0\n10 New Services That\u2019ll Make You Say, \u2018Why Didn\u2019t I Think of That?\u2019\n \u2013 Entrepreneur\u00a0\n\n\nProblem-solvers of the world have always struck me as creative types. The beauty of their \u2018art\u2019 is measured in their solution\u2019s real-life practicality and ease of use.\n\n\nHighly enjoyed this article which showcased 10 different variations of this kind of creativity.\u00a0I am especially floored by \nKairos\n, which \u2018builds and funds companies that tackle problems worth solving\u2019, problems like student loans, housing costs, childcare, the future of work and costs of senior care. That AI-powered personal assistant sounds pretty damn cool, too.\n\n\n3.\u00a0\nIt Costs $2.50 to Make Lipstick \u2014 Here\u2019s Why You\u2019re Charged So Much More\n \u2013 Racked.com\n\n\nTL;DR \u2013 The company wants as much profit it can squeeze out of you. They increase the perception of \u2018worth\u2019 by applying marketing and branding strategies.\n\n\nGreat article, full of examples of actual costs of makeup production, from raw materials (apparently some pigments cost more than others, interesting) to packaging to distribution. Fun read if you\u2019re interested in the business and logistics side of makeup.\n\n\n4.\u00a0\nMalaysia Asks $8.3 Billion Question on 1MDB. Here\u2019s What We Know\n \u2013 Bloomberg\n\n\nLim Guan Eng (our Finance Minister) asked these three questions about 1MDB:\n\n\n\n\nWhere has the $1.83 billion invested with\u00a0PetroSaudi\u00a0International Limited between 2009 and 2011 gone to?\n\n\nWhere has the $3.5 billion raised in 2012 for the purposes of acquiring power plants in Malaysia gone to?\n\n\nWhere has the $3 billion raised in 2013 for the purposes of investing in TRX gone to?\n\n\n\n\nThis article doesn\u2019t have all the answers (not comprehensively, at least), but it\u2019s easy to read and easy to understand. A feat, since the whole 1MDB saga is very, \nvery\u00a0\ncomplicated.\n\n\n5.\u00a0\n8 reasons first-class airfare is so expensive\n \u2013 Business Insider\u00a0\n\n\nWhy are first-class airfares expensive? Lots of reasons, but this line pretty much sums it up:\u00a0\u201cAt a certain level of wealth, price doesn\u2019t make much difference\u201d.\n\n\nCompany-sponsored tickets aside, can you imagine being so rich that you go like, eh, might as well take first class, it\u2019s only RM8000 more? I\u2019m frugal and can\u2019t imagine ever saying this myself, but the \nthought\n of it is still nice.\n\n\n6.\u00a0\nMeet the Woman Disrupting 88 Years of the Tampon\u00a0Industry\n \u2013 MyDomaine\n\n\nSharing this because I bet you, too, know very little about the female hygiene industry. Like, did you know the tampon was invented by a man?\n\n\nI enjoyed reading this article for the brilliant insight into product creation. Question: What would happen if a woman design menstrual products? The answer: something a lot more comfortable! Read more about menstrual discs in the article, an alternative to tampons and menstrual cups. Apparently you can even have sex while wearing it, which is like, woah.\n\n\n7.\u00a0\nA Former Googler Shares His Decision-Making Process to Move Back to India\n \u2013 Quartz India\n\n\nWhen you are deciding between two or more options, how do you pick the best choice? That\u2019s a hard question for anyone to answer.\n\n\nThis article doesn\u2019t have the answer, but it does show one type of decision-making process I rarely, if ever, came across. He used, I kid you not, charts, growth parameters, weighted average and opportunity evaluation matrix framework (??!) to decide if and when he should move back to India.\n\n\nI may not understand exactly what he\u2019s talking about, but I love knowing there are people who think like this. Humans are SO interesting.\n\n\n8.\u00a0\nGeneration Z is already moving away from Facebook, and 6 more industries could be next\n \u2013 Business Insider\n\n\nRetail trends reflect the personality of a generation. Check out what kind of personality the world might morph into in the next decade.\n\n\n9.\u00a0\nAirPods are what the Apple Watch should\u2019ve been\n \u2013 Quartz\n\n\nI don\u2019t use Apple products anymore (used to have an iPod, but sold it off), and I don\u2019t think I will go back, but Apple products fascinate the hell out of me. It\u2019s the application of \u2018it just works\u2019 mindset and how it influences the whole design process.\n\n\nI remember when AirPods first came out. So many people made fun of it, said they look stupid. Yet it became a bestseller, people love it. That kind of negative-to-positive shift in consumer mindset is rarer than you think. Can you think of another example?\n\n\n10.\u00a0\nMy Love Affair With Comfort and Why I Had to End It\n \u2013 Entrepreneur\n\n\nMany of us want a drama-free career, one that naturally progresses as you level up in skills and experience. That\u2019s completely fine.\n\n\nHowever, if there is one thing we Malaysians should learn from the GE14 elections, is the fact that circumstances can change quite rapidly. People who are \u2018too big to fail\u2019 have lost their jobs.\n\n\nEven if you feel super comfortable with where you are now, it\u2019s worth thinking about your next move, in case you ever lose your job and/or stable income. It\u2019s like insurance; best case scenario is you\u2019ll never use it. What would you do if you know your days at your company is numbered? Automation\u00a0\nis\n coming, you know.\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this week, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-30/", "title": "Link Roundup #30: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \n20 Professional Skills You Can Learn for $30 or Less\n \n\u2013 Entrepreneur\n\n\nWhat \ncan\u2019t\n you learn online? Seriously, what an amazing world we live in.\n\n\nYou already know that, of course. But the sheer number of options available can also be crippling sometimes. I certainly get my fair share of analysis paralysis whenever I want to decide what to learn next.\n\n\nIf you\u2019re feeling professionally stagnant, check out this article for 20 new skill ideas. It ranges from digital marketing, communications, technical, investing and more.\n\n\n\n\n2. \nHow a Trivial Cell Phone Hack is Ruining Lives\n \u2013 Engadget\n\n\nThis article is a MUST READ. What a scary scam. It\u2019s not just losing money. It\u2019s also losing access to your online identities, and being made helpless trying to regain it all back (if you regain it back).\n\n\nAccording to the article, SIM-swap attacks is:\n\n\n\u2026where someone uses pieces of personal information to convince your cell service provider to transfer (port) your number and associated phone account to a device in the attacker\u2019s possession.\n\n\nWith control of your phone number and account, they proceed to break into all connected accounts, usually beginning with email. The attacker changes info in your accounts so you can\u2019t get them back, sets up email forwarding in case you regain control of your email, and goes through all your cloud-stored documents looking for things of value.\n\n\nRead all the way until the end for tips to \navoid\n reduce the chance of this scam happening to you. Hint: Use offline password managers, and \ndon\u2019t\n sign in with Facebook/Google etc for new website and app logins.\n\n\n3. \n7 career tips for when you aren\u2019t sure what position is for you\n \u2013\n\u00a0The Ladder\n\n\nSome people are lucky enough to know their \u2018passion\u2019. They\u2019re automatically drawn to those careers then stick in that line their whole lives.\n\n\nOthers are not. Some people have no idea what they want to do, work-wise. Some of you may even want a career change, after discovering the industry you worked in all this while is unfortunately and sadly, no longer what you want.\n\n\nRelatable? Then click on the article \u2013 I thought the tips were solid. All the best.\n\n\n4. \nAsian firms with female leaders deliver better financial results \n\u00a0\n\u2013 Free Malaysia Today\n\n\n$$$ tip \u2013 buy stocks from companies that have a higher ratio of female leaders.\n\n\n5. \nFirefox Will Give You a Fake Browsing History to Fool Advertisers\n\u00a0\n\u2013 VICE\n\n\nThis is amazing, I can\u2019t help but laugh oh my God. They\u2019re right. Why fight a losing battle against privacy when you can fool them instead?\n\n\n\n\n6. \nThis is the most impressive resume I\u2019ve ever seen\u2014based on my 20 years of hiring and interviewing\n \n\u2013 CNBC Make It\n\n\nGREAT article. Twitter thought so too. When I shared, it got 1.8k RTs and 5.5k likes, as of time of writing.\n\n\n\n\nThis is the most impressive resume I\u2019ve ever seen\u2014based on my 20 years of hiring and interviewing \nhttps://t.co/F58b6fq3Xr\n \npic.twitter.com/C7Wf1U9hUe\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nJune 27, 2019\n\n\n\nPoint #6 was divisive. Some took the opportunity to complain. All I can say is, complaining isn\u2019t going to do much. If you *are* at a disadvantage, what are *you* going to do about it?\n\n\n7.\n Sorry, Being Born Rich Still Leads to Success More Than Working Hard in School \n\u2013\u00a0 VICE\n\n\nReality is reality. Being born rich does make life a whole lot easier.\n\n\nBut worth repeating:\n\n\nComplaining isn\u2019t going to do much. What are you going to do about it?\n\n\n8. \nWhat counts as a \u201cgreen\u201d investment, anyway?\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Quartz\n\n\nI\u2019m leaving a lot of details out, but environmentally-sustainable investments are:\n\n\n\n\nActivities that are already low carbon and therefore compatible with plans for a net-zero carbon economy by 2050, zero-emissions transport;\n\n\nActivities that are clearly contributing to a net-zero carbon economy, such as low-emissions cars; and\n\n\nActivities that enable the previous two, such as the manufacturing of wind turbines\n\n\n\n\nI hope one day Malaysians will be able to choose investments based on its social or environmental impact. Those options are already available in developed countries.\u00a0 I wonder when\u2019s our turn.\n\n\n9. \nMeet the New York couple donating millions to the anti-vax movemen\nt\n\u00a0\n\u2013 The Washington Post\n\n\nHow the Selzes came to support anti-vaccine ideas is unknown, but their\u00a0financial impact has been enormous. Their money has\u00a0gone to a handful of determined individuals who have played an outsize role in spreading doubt and\u00a0\nmisinformation about vaccines\u00a0\nand the diseases they prevent.\n\n\nThe groups\u2019 false claims linking vaccines to autism and other ailments, while downplaying the\u00a0\nrisks of measles\n, have led growing numbers of parents to shun the shots. As a result, health officials have said, the potentially deadly disease has surged to at least 1,044 cases this year, the highest number\u00a0\nin nearly three decades\n.\n\n\nImagine having all that money and making the world worse. Sigh.\n\n\n10. \nHow to Make Yourself Work When You Just Don\u2019t Feel Like It\n \n\u2013 Inc\n\n\nBecause all of us have those days. We\u2019re not robots. Still, there are ways to overcome or work around it.\n\n\nHonestly, I deeply admire people who can still show up and work even when they don\u2019t feel like it. On the flip side, people who rely on \u2018motivation\u2019 and only work when they feel like it are\u2026 unreliable.\n\n\nI said what I said.\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-31/", "title": "Link Roundup #31: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nHow to Sell Absolutely Anything to Absolutely Anybody, According to Scientists and Sales Gurus\n \n\u2013 Inc\n\n\nThe \u2018the single most essential insight culled from over 15 years of interviews with over 100 experts with thousands of years of cumulative experience\u2019 boils down to:\n\n\n\n\nCreate trust\n\n\nLink what you\u2019re selling to the customer\u2019s desires\n\n\nAsk for a decision\n\n\n\n\nHow you put these three steps into action varies according to industry and medium and so many other factors, but there you go.\n\n\n\n\n2. \nThis woman retired as a millionaire at age 31. She says anyone can do it\n \u2013 The Lily\n\n\nKristy is part of the FI/RE \u2013 financial independence, retire early \u2013 movement. Note: anyone = anyone who earns a high income AND lives a very frugal lifestyle\n\n\nI\u2019m sharing this article because it explains the \u20184% rule\u2019:\n\n\nIt comes down to the 4 percent rule: You can safely withdraw 4 percent out of your accumulated money each year, if it\u2019s invested through index funds, and have that money last for the rest of your life.\n\n\nTo figure out your \u201cFI number,\u201d or how much money you need to accumulate before you can achieve financial independence, use the 4 percent rule of thumb: You take your yearly expenses then multiply by 25. My yearly expense is $40,000. That means my FI number is 40,000 x 25 = $1 million.\n\n\nI\u2019ve tried to \ncalculate my FI/RE number before and found it hard\n. The 4% rule\u2019s calculation is a heck of a lot more easier.\n\n\nI also liked the part where she explains POT scores \u2013 Pay Over Tuition. It pretty much boils down to \u2018pick jobs that pays well in relation to its learning cost\u2019. Based on this, a doctor has a low POT score, while a plumber has a high POT score. Interesting way to look at it.\n\n\n3. \nSingle\u00a0\n&\n Child-Free: Who\u2019s Going To Take Care Of Me When I\u2019m Old?\n\u00a0\u2013\n Refinery29\n\n\n\u201cFirst of fucking all, partnering and choosing to raise children (or not) are not decisions to be made with a focus of any kind on the availability of late-in-life services.\u201d\n\n\nOMG YES\n\n\nThe swearing aside, this article penned down a lot of my own emotions when it comes to children. Should I have them just so I have \u2018family\u2019 taking care of me in old age? That doesn\u2019t seem right. Yet that\u2019s pretty much expected in our culture, no?\n\n\nSo what do we do? \u201cMaybe the real difference in being single is that I\u2019m just going to have to put things in place for myself in advance, and I\u2019m cool with that.\u201d\n\n\nAny of you are child-free, either by choice or otherwise? What are your plans? How early is too early to pick which nursing home I want?\n\n\n4. \nHow I am side hustling my way to financial independence \n\u2013 The Ladders\n\n\nI thought her side hustle idea and execution is genius. She made $40,000 for selling temporary tattooes for bachelorette parties on the internet.\n\n\nIn the article, she outlined what she did to boost sales. Ecommerce sellers targeting the female audience should give this one a read.\n\n\n5. \n\u2018I Have Zero Motivation to Do My Job\u2019\n \u2013 The Cut\n\n\nCan relate to the sentiment above? Read this advice column for tips.\n\n\n6. \nTop freelance sites for finding paid work online\n \n\u2013 Android Authorities\n\n\nYou might have heard of Upwork, PeoplePerHour, Fiverr and Freelancer.com\n\n\nBut the rest is new to me. Who knew there are specific freelance sites for programming and 3D modelling work??!\n\n\n7. \nI\u2019ve Picked My Job Over My Kids \n\u2013\u00a0 The New York Times\n\n\nWhat a thought-provoking opinion piece. The author argues that by prioritising her (fulfilling and well-paying) work, she sets a good example for her children. Rather than being resentful of \u2018sacrificing it all\u2019 for them.\n\n\nAnd the decision was made not without guilt. She does her best to balance it all but still misses some key events.\n\n\nWorking mothers. I salute you. You make hard decisions every day. Society judges you a lot. And your only crime is that you don\u2019t have unlimited time.\n\n\n8. \n4 Tested and Failed Side Hustles\n\u00a0\n\u2013 The Money Geek\n\n\nThis is a good article! Failure is common yet it\u2019s very rare to read about them.\n\n\nThe author tried and failed 4 types of side hustles:\n\n\n\n\nTranscribing audio files at Rev.com\n\n\nSelling on Amazon\n\n\nDirect Sales\n\n\nSelling baked goods\n\n\n\n\nFind out why each of those side hustles didn\u2019t work for her.\n\n\n9. \nHow Scammers Trick People Into Thinking They\u2019re Wealthy\n\u00a0\n\u2013 The Cut\n\n\nProtect yourself against con artists!\n\n\n10. \nThe purpose of life is to be a nobody\n \n\u2013 Design Luck\n\n\nCan I be honest for a sec?\n\n\nSometimes, when I think of my ability to inform and influence others through the RoR platform, my ego swells.\n\n\nAnd I don\u2019t like it. I feel this inflated sense of self-worth. I think I\u2019m important. I get arrogant. I become a bitch.\n\n\nI don\u2019t want to be a bitch.\n\n\nYou have to know that what I\u2019m feeling now is absolutely human. Everyone who has ever been complimented feels this. I\u2019m reminded of that story of a great Islamic scholar who was found scrubbing toilets despite being well-respected figure.\n\n\nSomeone asked him why. He replied, \u201cI was sitting in the masjid and I started to think I\u2019m this great Qur\u2019anic scholar. So I wanted to kill this arrogance.\u201d\n\n\nWhat are some other \u2018toilet cleaning\u2019 equivalents to practice humility?\n\n\nWhat are some ways to be a nobody?\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-32/", "title": "Link Roundup #32: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nEntrepreneurs don\u2019t have a special gene for risk\u2014they come from families with money\u00a0\n\u2013 Quartz\n\n\nYou know what\u2019s the best predictor of success? \nBeing born by wealthy parents\n.\n\n\nUsually, when I post things like this, some joker will be like, \u2018yeah but not all. Look at [rich and successful person from modest backgrounds]\u2019\n\n\nYes, true, but those are \nexceptions\n to the rule.\n\n\n\n\n2. \nAsset Allocation for Malaysians: What is The Best Portfolio Mix for You?\n\u00a0\n\u2013 I\u2019m Funemployed\n\n\nLove this article! My favourite part of Nicole\u2019s article is her sharing (1) her own asset allocation breakdown and (2) what stocks are in her portfolio.\n\n\n\n\nAlways nice to see how other people diversify their investment \ud83d\ude42 Great content.\n\n\n3. \n\u2018I don\u2019t want to lose everything\u2019: Why more women are keeping their money separate from their partners\n\u00a0\u2013\n iNews UK\n\n\nThe first paragraph hooked me right in:\n\n\nAn increasing number of women are choosing to remain financially independent of their partner.\u00a0\nIn a study of 4,000 women conducted by Netwealth\n, around 45 per cent said it was to maintain their own autonomy, and 23 per cent said that they viewed ownership over their own money as freedom.\n\n\nYes! That\u2019s exactly how I feel. I don\u2019t ever want to financially depend on my partner if I can help it! One, because I\u2019ve heard enough horror stories. Two, because I never want my partner to think they are mere cash cows.\n\n\nThe three women have varied backgrounds. One is a single mum who is used to be self-reliant. Another saw her mother financially abused and later fell to the same situation herself. The last one enjoys being in a relationship where they could each buy what they want without checking with the other. Great read.\n\n\n4. \nYour commute is making you miserable. Here\u2019s how to make it more enjoyable\n \u2013 Fast Company\n\n\nYou\u2019ve probably heard how commutes are generally bad for your mental health. The article lists some helpful suggestions so you can make the best out of the situation.\n\n\nI find the last suggestion hilarious. \u2018If you can\u2019t improve it, abandon it. Find a job where you can work from home.\u2019\n\n\n5. \nOur lives have been co-opted by the Convenience Industrial Complex\n \n\u2013 Treehugger\n\n\nThis is a painful article to read. Fact is I love convenience in my life.\n\n\nMy first reaction is defensiveness. I tell myself that I don\u2019t use as much disposable items as other people. I tell myself that my lifestyle is greener than others.\n\n\nThen there it comes, the realisation that yes while I may not be the worst, I am not the best either.\n\n\n6. \nOn Male Vs. Female Financial Literacy & Feeling \u201cStupid\u201d When It Comes To Money\n\u00a0\n\u2013 The Financial Diet\n\n\nGenerally speaking, women underestimate their abilities, including in the area of money. Personally, I\u2019ve heard many women tell me how they\u2019re bad with money. Not once have I heard the same sentence from a guy.\n\n\nSis, don\u2019t say that anymore. The more you say it, the more you\u2019ll believe it. Literally no one knows everything there is to know about personal finance. We\u2019re all learning as we go along.\n\n\n7. \n9 skills you should learn that pay dividends forever \n\u2013\u00a0 The Ladders\n\n\nI enjoy this article because the skills were not what I expected:\n\n\n\n\nEmotional intelligence (EQ)\n\n\nTime management\n\n\nListening\n\n\nSaying no\n\n\nAsking for help\n\n\nGetting high-quality sleep\n\n\nKnow when to shut up\n\n\nTaking initiative\n\n\nStaying positive\n\n\n\n\nAlthough you can argue that except for getting high-quality sleep, everything else is EQ\u2026\n\n\n8. \n90% of high performers at work are emotionally intelligent. Here are 14 signs you are too\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Business Insider\n\n\nSpeaking of emotional intelligence! There\u2019s a high correlation with high performers with high EQ. I gotta admit, I originally clicked the article to see which of the 14 signs of high-EQ people that I can relate with. I wanted to see if I am considered a \u2018high performer at work\u2019.\n\n\nThe 14 signs are:\n\n\n\n\nYou have a robust emotional vocabulary\n\n\nYou\u2019re curious about people\n\n\nYou know your strengths and weaknesses\n\n\nYou\u2019re a good judge of character\n\n\nYou are difficult to offend\n\n\nYou let go of mistakes\n\n\nYou don\u2019t hold grudges\n\n\nYou neutralize toxic people\n\n\nYou don\u2019t seek perfection\n\n\nYou disconnect\n\n\nYou limit your caffeine intake\n\n\nYou get enough sleep\n\n\nYou stop negative self-talk in its tracks\n\n\nYou won\u2019t let anyone limit your joy\n\n\n\n\n\u2026I have areas to improve, definitely\u2026\n\n\n9.\n \nI Changed the Way I Think About Dining Out \u2014 And It\u2019s Helping More than Just My Budget\u00a0\n\u2013 Kitchn\n\n\nThe author argues that dining out would be a less frequent if its only done for celebration purposes. It makes it more special, too, since it\u2019s a rarer occasion.\n\n\nBut \u2013 and I find this weird \u2013 she also mentions how her family now looks for things to celebrate (like finally reorganising a room???) so they can justify eating out? That I don\u2019t really get. It\u2019s nice to have to family moment, yes, but also\u2026 where do you draw the line when it comes to celebrations? I can understand promotions or birthdays but after cleaning out the garage??\n\n\n10. \nThese Are The Diversity Initiatives Your Employees Actually Want \n\u2013 Forbes\n\n\nMoral argument: equal opportunities for all. Capitalist argument: Diversity is good for business. Pick one or both, then implement these initiatives:\n\n\nFemale employees\n want visible role models (in upper management levels) and flexible-work programmes.\n\n\nEmployees of colour\n want employers to recruit a diverse workforce (via blind resume test, for example) and desires bias-free day-to-day experience.\n\n\nLGBTIQ employees\n want their organizations to participate in LGBTIQ-friendly external events, wants appropriate healthcare and desires bias-free day-to-day experience.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-33/", "title": "Link Roundup #33: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nThis Is What People Think of You When You Wear Headphones at Work (According to an 800 Person Study)\n \u2013 Inc\n\n\nDo you wear headphones at work? I did. I never really thought of how others would think of me (I just wanna get work done okay), but apparently here\u2019s the breakdown of this study\u2019s responses:\n\n\n\n\nWant to be left alone \u2014\u00a027 percent\n\n\nFocused \u2014\u00a022 percent\n\n\nBusy \u2014\u00a017 percent\n\n\nLove music/music quality \u2014\u00a016 percent\n\n\nRude/Pretentious \u2014\u00a09 percent\n\n\n\n\nThis sentence made me laugh: \u201cInterestingly, the perception of being pretentious tripled when co-workers were wearing in-ear headphones (like AirPods)\u201d.\n\n\nIf you still get interrupted for wearing headphones, or can\u2019t for whatever reason, then click on the article to find other ways to minimise disctractions at work.\n\n\n\n\n2. \u2018Ringgit Oh Ringgit\u2019 on Savings, Tracking Expenses and Money Stories from Malaysians\u00a0\n\u2013 BFM Radio\n\n\nGuess who finally appeared on BFM Radio???\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nThanks @roshankanesan for having me! Catch us at @bfmradio Ringgit and Sense show this Thursday, 15 Aug! \ud83d\udcfb #bfm899 #bfm #personalfinancemalaysia #ringgitandsense\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nAug 12, 2019 at 10:41pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYou can\u00a0 listen to the podcast on the \nBFM page\n, or at Spotify at \nthis link\n.\n\n\n3. \nGrow Your Audience Guide\n \u2013\n ClickWP\n\n\nI co-wrote a digital marketing guide with ClickWP \ud83d\ude42 We covered topics such as:\n\n\n\n\nIf you struggle with getting more audience for your business or website, give it a read okay? All the best!\n\n\n4. \nHow to Trick Yourself into Shopping Less\n \u2013 The Cut\n\n\nTL;DR \u2013 companies made the shopping process too easy, so you have to make it harder for yourself.\n\n\nHow can you do that? Some tips from the article:\n\n\n\n\nDisconnect all payment methods from your phone (if you buy online too often)\n\n\nUse cash instead of credit card or other cashless methods (more \u2018pain\u2019 when handing it over)\n\n\nFind your shopping triggers then do something about it\n\n\n\n\nThanks \n@adella\n for sharing this article with us \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n5. \nHow To Fix Procrastination With Psychological Tricks, According To Experts \n\u2013 Bustle\n\n\nAmazing article which addresses the root causes of procastination and what you can do about it.\n\n\nIf you think you\u2019re a chronic procastinator and procastinate on reading this article, I can\u2019t help you no more buddy.\n\n\n6. \n11 signs you\u2019re not ready to buy a house, even if you think you are\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Business Insider\n\n\nHouse purchase is no joke. We throw around phrases like \u201930-year mortgage\u2019 like it\u2019s nothing, but oh my God that\u2019s an absurdly long time to commit to something. Read the article so you are ABSOLUTELY SURE.\n\n\nThis is also a good slot to share this twitter thread:\n\n\n\n\n1. First of all, aku dah ada 2 rumah sebelum umur 30. Rumah pertama semi D 2 tingkat di Kedah dibeli hasil perniagaan pada tahun 2014.\n\n\nTapi dah jual baru ni sebab aku tersiksa dengan rumah ni. Nanti aku story.\n\n\n\u2014 Iffatsalleh (@iffatsalleh) \nAugust 20, 2019\n\n\n\n\n\n\n3. Beli rumah masa muda, nampak gah. Is it?\n\n\nActually ianya tak gah. Anda rasa nak beli rumah sendiri bukan atas sebab keperluan tapi terikut dengan orang lain.\n\n\nIt is not your priority if you are under 30 & not married yet!\n\n\n\u2014 Iffatsalleh (@iffatsalleh) \nAugust 20, 2019\n\n\n\n\n\n\n5. Jadi kalau gaji anda layak bayar rumah bulanan Rm1500. At least kena tambah Rm1000 untuk bil lain.\n\n\nKalau gaji cukup2 bayar Rm1500, hold dulu. Bukan masanya lagi untuk beli rumah\n\n\nRileks, naikkan gaji dulu\n\n\n\u2014 Iffatsalleh (@iffatsalleh) \nAugust 20, 2019\n\n\n\n\n(go read the rest on Twitter I\u2019m lazy to embed all the tweets)\n\n\n7. \nBetter Work-Life Balance Starts with Managers \n\u2013\u00a0 Harvard Business Review\n\n\nYou know that quote? \u2018Employees don\u2019t leave companies. They leave managers\u2019.\n\n\nYeah.\n\n\n8. \nAre you adding your soft skills to your resume? Here\u2019s how\n\u00a0\n\u2013 The Ladders\n\n\nIf your current resume isn\u2019t getting you any interviews, perhaps adding soft skills might help?\n\n\nRead the article to find out exactly how you can do that. The article included top soft skills that employers look for, how to identify your top soft skills, and how to insert it into your resume, cover letter and LinkedIn profile.\n\n\n9. \nI Made $50,000 from Android Apps and You Can Too\n \n\u2013 Android Authority\n\n\nA self-introspective post and a brilliant case study written by a programmer who analysed how the app he created to fix his own problem end up selling well in the Play Store. Love the humility within the post.\n\n\n10. Free Lectures on Islamic Banking \n\u2013 Safdar Alam\n\n\nSafdar Alam is an Islamic banker, Author, and the former Global Head of Islamic Structuring at JPMorgan. An expert, basically.\n\n\nAside from writing articles at \nSafdarAlam.co.uk\n, he recently started to produce free lectures on Islamic Banking. I think it\u2019s a great resource if you\u2019re interested in the topic. I\u2019ve embedded the first lecture below:\n\n\n\n\nAs of time of writing, Safdar have uploaded up until Introduction to Islamic Banking: Lecture 5. Watch the rest at his \nYoutube page\n.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-34/", "title": "Link Roundup #34: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nExperience Doesn\u2019t Predict a New Hire\u2019s Success\n \n\u2013 Harvard Business Review\n\n\nSay whatttttt. But doesn\u2019t the whole job hiring process center around experience??\n\n\nSo if not experience, what does predict new hire\u2019s success in their new role? The professor recommends \u2018focusing on the knowledge, skills, and traits directly rather than using experience or even education as a proxy.\u2019\n\n\nHowever, there are certain scenarios where experience matters, like task-based performance (like driving or operating machines).\n\n\nRead the article to know more about this fascinating study.\n\n\n\n\n2. The chart that predicts recessions \n\u2013 Vox\n\n\nWhen it comes to economic predictions, I care less about what \u2018experts\u2019 say and more to what the charts say.\n\n\nIt turns out there is a chart pattern which predicts recessions \u2013 it\u2019s called the inverted yield pattern. And it appeared in August 2019.\n\n\nThis will be my (our?) first recession as an adult. I hope we Malaysians will get out of it okay.\n\n\n\n\n3. \nInvestor Education: Encouraging minority shareholder activism\n \n\u2013\n Tan Zhai Yun of The Edge Malaysia\n\n\nI learned a new term\u00a0 \u2013 shareholder activism.\n\n\n\u201cShareholder activism has been on the rise in Malaysia, especially in relation to issues such as directors\u2019 pay and corporate governance.\u201d\n\n\n\u201cIn July last year, the EPF strongly opposed the re-election of Sapura Energy Bhd\u2019s directors, including its group CEO, due to the latter\u2019s \u201cexcessive\u201d annual take-home pay. During the AGM, shareholders also raised concerns about this matter.\u201d\n\n\n\n\nRoR readers who are also shareholders \u2013 what concerns have you always wanted to raise?\n\n\n\n\n4. \nFrom sex to money: the eight deep discussions that can save a dying relationship\n \u2013 The Guardian\n\n\nThis part surprised me:\n\n\nAccording to a \nstudy\n\u00a0at the University of California, Los Angeles, couples with small children, and who both have careers, talk for just 35 minutes a week, and mainly about errands.\n\n\nHealthy relationships is a core component to a happy life and something I\u2019m happy to invest time, energy and money in. And I\u2019d like to have a healthier, more nourishing relationship than 35-minutes-a-week conversation.\n\n\nThe article promotes a book called \nEight Dates: Essential Conversations for a Lifetime of Love\u00a0\nby John and Julie Gottman, and I like that one of the essential conversations to have with your partner is about money. The idea is both of you dedicate time to go on dates and ask questions about your relationship and inluence of money behaviour, so you understand each other more.\n\n\n5. \nHow to Love Your Job Even When You Hate Your Job\n \n\u2013 The Ladders\n\n\nLOVE this article. Finding things you like from a situation you hate, making the best of what you have \u2013 that\u2019s a worthwhile lifeskill to develop.\n\n\nIf you don\u2019t particularly like your job, then definitely read this. Actually, read it even if you like your job. Amazing perspective.\n\n\n6. \nI interviewed over 200 millionaires, and about half of them followed the same straightforward path to wealth\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Business Insider\n\n\n100 millionaires interviewed said that the got wealthy from \nliving below their means, saving consistently, investing those savings, and giving them time to grow.\n\n\nThe author called it the Saver-Investor path, and it\u2019s fairly simple. These millionaires are \u2018ordinary people who did not have any special advantages in life\u2019. They didn\u2019t grow up rich, or earn high salaries, or inherit money, or have any special knowledge. They just made sure that their home, cars, clothes and possessions were modest.\n\n\nDoable, right? You can be wealthy via this method too.\n\n\n7. \nWhy you should never, ever hire a friend or family member \n\u2013\u00a0 The Ladders\n\n\nThe author\u2019s stance is too binary; I\u2019m more of a \u2018never say never\u2019 person. That said, I do kinda agree.\n\n\nHow about you? What\u2019s your stance in this topic? Would you hire a friend or amily member in your company?\n\n\n8. \n6 futuristic jobs that will soon exist in the financial industry\n \u2013\n\u00a0The Next Web\n\n\nHow will jobs in the future look like? No one can say for sure, but I love this article for its predictions, based on current trends.\n\n\nThe jobs are:\n\n\n\n\nFintech headhunter/liaison\n\n\nSelf-driving finance engineer\n\n\nSustainable wealth manager\n\n\n\u00a0Cryptoforecaster\n\n\n\u00a0Trust officer\n\n\nCross-company cybersecurity liaison\n\n\n\n\nInteresting titles, no? Click the article to read what their roles might entail.\n\n\n9. \nHow Women Can Escape the Likability Trap \n\u2013 New York Times\n\n\nYou want to know something? I like using my femininity to my advantage. I don\u2019t want or need to be \u2018like a man\u2019 to succeed. I can just be, well, me.\n\n\nLearning about behaviorial research in gender dynamics was a gamechanger. I had no idea women have distinct disadvantages (and advantages!) in the working life. Many of the career advice out there were given by men and can only work for men, in the same way that medical research used the adult male body as de-facto standard human specimen. Some of the tips they gave did not work for me.\n\n\nWomen with a career mindsets reading this, I highly recommend reading this NYT article. It\u2019ll give you some tips that will help you get ahead in the workplace. Go crush it.\n\n\n10. \nThe most effective way to implement a behavior change\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Fast Company\n\n\nThe article is a bit of a clickbait, since it eventually promotes a tool called RescueTime, which alerts you when you spend too much time dicking around.\n\n\nNonetheless, I\u2019m sharing it anyway because the tool does look interesting to try out. In a study they conducted, using RescueTime to limit then block distracting websites worked well \u2013 \u2018this group received higher grades, experienced a 24% increase in time spent working, and was 40% more likely to finish the (online) course (which usually have a high drop-off rate).\u2019\n\n\nHave you tried to block distracting websites so you\u2019ll be more productive? I haven\u2019t, but I\u2019m curious enough to try and see if it works.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-35/", "title": "Link Roundup #35: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1.\u00a0 \nIf You Suck as an Employee, You Will Probably Suck as an Entrepreneur\n \n\u2013 Entrepreneur\n\n\n\u201cOf course there are exceptions and extenuating circumstances that make someone a better entrepreneur than an employee, but generally, you need to build the work ethic to thrive in any environment first.\u201d\n\n\nHow\u2019s this for real talk?\n\n\n\n\n2. \nResearchers say there\u2019s a simple way to reduce suicides: Increase the minimum wage \n\u2013 The Washington Post\n\n\n\u201cResearchers have found that when the minimum wage in a state increased, or when states boosted a tax credit for working families, the suicide rate decreased.\u201d\n\n\nThat\u2019s the first direct link between suicide and income level that I\u2019ve come across. It\u2019s something to keep in mind, knowing that \nsuicide cases in Malaysia have been on the rise\n.\n\n\nEmployers and upper management staff members reading this, please take care of your employees, including your contract employees. I heard that re-hiring contract staff at a lower pay to increase company\u2019s profit margins is a thing, and that\u2019s really sad.\n\n\n3. \nResearch: When Women Are on Boards, Male CEOs Are Less Overconfident\n\u00a0\n\u2013\n Harvard Business Review\n\n\n\u201cHaving women on the board results better\u00a0\nacquisition and investment\n\u00a0decisions and in\u00a0\nless aggressive risk-taking\n, yielding benefits for shareholders.\u201d\n\n\nI have not invested in the stock markets yet, but I know I will pay attention to board member announcements.\n\n\n4. \nSelf-made millionaire: The simple strategy that helped increase my odds of success by 42%\n\u00a0\u2013 CNBC\n\n\nThe simple strategy is goal-writing and the self-made millionaire is my latest role model obsession, Marie Forleo.\n\n\nGoal-writing is not a secret or anything, but I love how Marie broke down her goal-writing process into actionable steps, which you can read in the article.\n\n\nMarie released a book recently called \u2018Everything Is Figureoutable\u2019 and I can\u2019t wait to get my hands on a copy.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nA post shared by Marie Forleo \u2022 Entrepreneur (@marieforleo)\n on \nAug 21, 2019 at 3:17am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n5. \nThis Tiny Change to Your Morning Routine Will Supercharge Your Productivity All Day, New Study Says\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Inc\n\n\nThe tiny change mentioned is something called \u2018work reattachment process\u2019, and it\u2019s pretty cool. Basically, you ask yourself three questions every day, before you start your work:\n\n\n\n\nWhy does the work I do matter to me? How does my work impact the lives of others?\n\n\nWho are the people\u2013both at work and in my personal life\u2013who support me and my professional success?\n\n\nWhat would I like to focus on today?\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nEngaged employees are \u201cmore satisfied with work, more committed to work, enjoy work tasks more, perform better and help out more with extra tasks,\u201d study\u00a0\nco-author Charlotte Fritz comments\n.\n\n\n6.\n Awkward silences are the trick to getting more money in a salary negotiation. Here\u2019s how to use them without coming off as nervous or unprepared.\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Ladders\n\n\nRecently, I wrote an article about \nways to earn a high salary in Malaysia\n. One of the ways is negotiation. Maybe you\u2019ll want to embrace awkward silences during the process \u2013 try it, it may work in your favour.\n\n\n7.\n \n6 Simple Ways to Use a Bullet Journal to Manage Your Money \n\u2013\u00a0 The Penny Hoarder\n\n\nJournaling enthusiasts, definitely check out this article. They included many pictures (and a video) of pretty and practical personal finance-related layouts.\n\n\nI\u2019m a big fan of using notebooks as a tool myself. Check out my \n17 Things to Include in Your Money Journal\n article.\n\n\n\n\n8. \nHow to Work for a Boss Who Has Unrealistic Expectations\n \n\u2013\n Harvard Business Review\n\n\nAre you doing work that\u2019s meant for two (or more) people? If yes, your boss has unrealistic expectations. Often, they\u2019re not doing it out of malice \u2013 they\u2019re simply unaware of the work burden or too optimistic.\n\n\n(But if they do it because they\u2019re too stingy to hire another staff, then jump that ship. It\u2019s not going to get better)\n\n\nSo what\u2019s a person to do? Find out in the article.\n\n\n9. \nWinners of the 10th Annual Plutus Awards\n \u2013 The Plutus Foundation\n\n\nOk this is really cool. As some of you may know, I started RoR out of sheer frustration that there was lack of personal finance content that I could read as a Malaysian. Everything seemed to be geared towards the US/Canadian/Western audience.\n\n\nThe situation is much better now, and we have so much more \nMalaysia-based personal finance content creators\n. HOWEVER, it\u2019s a whole other ball game for them. The have AWARDS for personal finance content creators. In multiple categories, too!\n\n\nCheck out all the winners from the 10th Annual Plutus Awards, as awarded by the Plutus Foundation, which was set up to \u2018celebrate excellence in financial media\u2019.\n\n\n\n\nBest Investing Blog\u00a0\nWinner:\u00a0\nWallet Hacks\n\n\nBest Investing Podcast \nWinner:\u00a0\nAfford Anything\n\n\nBest New Personal Finance Book \nWinner:\u00a0\nWork Optional: Retire Early the Non-Penny-Pinching Way\n by Tanja Hester\n\n\nBiggest Impact \nWinner: Sandy Smith\n\n\nBest Personal Finance Blog for Women \nWinner:\u00a0\nHer First $100K\n\n\nBest Personal Finance Podcast for Women \nWinner:\u00a0\nThe Fairer Cents\n\n\nBest Canadian Personal Finance Blog \nWinner:\u00a0\nMixed Up Money\n\n\nCommunity Builder Award \nWinner: Tanja Hester\n\n\nBest Debt Freedom Blog \nWinner:\u00a0\nThe $76K Project\n\n\nBest Entrepreneurship/Side Hustle Blog \nWinner:\u00a0\nDo You Even Blog\n\n\nBest Entrepreneurship/Side Hustle Podcast \nWinner:\u00a0\nSide Hustle School\n\n\nBest Family Finance Blog \nWinner:\u00a0\nMarriage, Kids and Money\n\n\nBest Financial Planner Blog \nWinner:\u00a0\nRoger Whitney\n\n\nBest Financial Independence/Early Retirement Blog \nWinner:\u00a0\nTread Lightly, Retire Early\n\n\nBest Financial Independence/Early Retirement Podcast \nWinner:\u00a0\nChooseFI\n\n\nBest Personal Finance Freelancer or Contributor \nWinner: Sarah Li-Cain\n\n\nBest Generation X/Baby Boomer Blog \nWinner:\u00a0\nWomen Who Money\n\n\nBest Millennial or Generation Z Blog \nWinner:\u00a0\nPaychecks & Balances\n\n\nBest International Personal Finance Blog \nWinner:\u00a0\nMs ZiYou\n\nFinalits: Cash Flow Cop | Go Curry Cracker | JordonCox.com | The Poor Swiss\n\n\nBest New Personal Finance Blog \nWinner:\u00a0\nThe Fioneers\n\n\nBest New Personal Finance Podcast \nWinner:\u00a0\nWhat\u2019s Up Next?\n\n\nBest Real Estate Blog \nWinner:\u00a0\nCoach Carson\n\n\nBest Retirement Blog \nWinner:\u00a0\nCan I Retire Yet?\n\n\nBest Series: Blog, Podcast, or Video \nWinner:\u00a0\nBreadwinning, Six Figure, Millionaire Women (Chief Mom Officer)\n\n\nBest Personal Finance Article \nWinner:\u00a0\nHow To Negotiate With A Spendy Partner Or Family Member\n by a Purple Life\n\n\nBest Use of Social Media \nWinner:\u00a0\nDumpster Doggy\n\n\nBest Student Loan/Student Debt Blog \nWinner:\u00a0\nThe College Investor\n\n\nBest Video Blogger or YouTube Channel \nWinner:\u00a0\nThe Financial Diet\n\n\nLifetime Achievement \nWinner: Sandy Smith\n\n\nBlog of the Year \nWinner:\u00a0\nRich and Regular\n\n\nPodcast of the Year \nWinner:\u00a0\nChooseFI\n\n\nPeople\u2019s Choice \nWinner:\u00a0\nYes, I Am Cheap\n\n\n\n\nThere were also awards given out for best financial products, \u2018selected by a representative panel of the independent financial media\u2019, in the following categories:\n\n\n(I took out the majority of them out because they are mostly products for Americans)\n\n\n\n\nBest Checking/Transaction Account\n\n\nBest Savings/Money Market Account\n\n\nBest CD Offering\n\n\nBest Overall Bank\n\n\nBest Alternative Banking/Payment Offering\n\n\nBest Robo-Advisor\n\n\nBest Online Broker\n\n\nBest Overall Investing Company\n\n\nBest Tax Prep Software\n\n\nBest Debt Management Software/App\n\n\nBest Financial Planning Tool\n\n\nBest Overall Budgeting Software/App\n\n\nBest Small Business Credit Card\n\n\nBest Travel Rewards Credit Card\n\n\nBest Cash Back Credit Card\n\n\nBest Secured Credit Card\n\n\nBest Overall Credit Card\n\n\nBest Software/App for Content Creators \nWordPress\n\n\nBest Advertising or Affiliate Network \nMediaVine\n\n\n\n\nWouldn\u2019t it be cool if we have the same awards for Malaysia or for Asia? Oooh the wheels in my brain are turning\u2026\n\n\n10. \nI\u2019m a financial adviser to 6-figure earners, and my clients have proven 5 habits keep them wealthy\n\u2013 Business Insider\n\n\nThe article is more like a PR and exposure for the author, who is a financial advisor (presumedly looking for more clients) and a blogger as well, but it\u2019s still worth a read.\u00a0The 5 habits are:\n\n\n\n\nThey refuse to settle for jobs with limited income potential\n\n\nThey have a morning routine\n\n\nThey create short-term and long-term goals\n\n\nThey are always learning\n\n\nThey don\u2019t let failure knock their goals off track\n\n\n\n\nEverything is common sense, except for the first one. I think some of you might go \u2018duh\u2019, but being in \u2018earning money\u2019 mode (as opposed to my natural state, \u2018saving money\u2019 mode) is still not intuitive for me. This article is a good reminder \u2013 I need to always improve my present earning and look for more ways to make money.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-36/", "title": "Link Roundup #36: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1.\u00a0 \nHow to Start a Business With No Money \n\u2013 The Street\n\n\nNote: you can start a business with no money but there\u2019s no such thing as starting a business with no effort.\n\n\nHere are 8 methods listed:\n\n\n\n\nStart a service or consultation business\n\n\nCrowdfunding\n\n\nIncubators\n\n\nAngel investors\n\n\nLine of credit\n\n\nSmall Business Administration (I\u2019m not sure we have an equivalent for Malaysia \u2013 let me know if we do)\n\n\nSmall business grants\n\n\nFriends and family\n\n\n\n\nThis is just me, but I consider people who like to fund their business ventures with mostly OPM (other people\u2019s money) as somewhat entitled. I stay far away from them.\n\n\n\n\n2. \n4 Simple Techniques to Remember Everything You Learn \n\u2013 Enterpreneur\n\n\nLearning is one of the greatest joy in life. The fact that we can learn almost anything we want through the internet is nothing short of amazing.\n\n\nRemembering what you learn is another matter, though.\n\n\nThis article does a good job in explaining tecniques you could do to remember what you\u2019ve learned. I\u2019m happy to note that I\u2019m already doing some of them in practice. For example, I love doing reflections. In a way, doing these link roundup series is also a way I use to remember things.\n\n\nI\u2019m very grateful that sharing what I love to do (learning about personal finance) helps others. It\u2019s very fulfilling.\n\n\n3. \nMalaysians Set for 26% Pay Hike If Women Get Fair Access to Work\n \n\u2013\n Bloomberg\n\n\nAnd that\u2019s according to a report by the World Bank.\n\n\nThe same report also said:\n\n\n\n\nMalaysia should expand child care coverage until up to 17 years of age, from as old as 6 currently,\n\n\nImprove access to affordable child and elderly care especially for the urban poor, and\n\n\nMore than half of women cite housework as their reason for not joining the labor force\n\n\n\n\n4. \nFinancial Independence Will Not Set You Free\n \u2013\u00a0The Ladders\n\n\n\u201cOnce you no longer have to worry about paying the bills, the more money you earn will not make you feel any different. Sure, you won\u2019t have money problems anymore, but you will still have human problems.\u201d\n\n\nThat\u2019s a really good quote and reminder for myself. Money can\u2019t fix everything.\n\n\n5. \nWhat if nearly everything we thought we knew about poverty was wrong?\n \n\u2013 World Economic Forum\n\n\nThis article made me think. The author, Martin Burt, who wrote a memoir about his work to eradicate multidimensional poverty through the\n\u00a0Poverty Stoplight\n\u00a0initiative\n \u2013 \nis completely right to point out that solutions to poverty have been been designed by people who are \nnot\n in poverty.\n\n\nInstead, he challenged the reader to think about:\n\n\n\n\nWhat would happen if we gave poverty back to poor people?\n\n\nWhat would happen if we could find a way for poor people to ask their own questions and create their own poverty indicators?\n\n\nWhat if we could collect poverty information in a way that put relevant data into the hands of families, so they could be the ones planning and implementing their own family poverty-elimination program?\n\n\nAnd what if we allowed poor people to define what success looks like?\n\n\n\n\nFood for thought. Too many people want to \u2018save\u2019 the poor, and while the effort is commendable, it is also true that sometimes we can be ignorant and make things worse by using the wrong approach.\n\n\n6. \n19 Clever Money Hacks That Will Make You Say, \u201cWhy Didn\u2019t I Do This Earlier?\u201d\n \n\u2013 Buzzfeed\n\n\nI really like #14 \u2013 If you\u2019re prone to impulse purchases, only carry cash when you\u2019re out and about. \nCashless payment methods promotes overspending\n.\n\n\nIn practice, I probably won\u2019t stop carrying my phone (for the ewallets) and my credit cards (in my purse), but I think I\u2019ll do my best to only pay for impulse purchases with cash to induce \u2018the pain of paying\u2019. That negative feeling will hopefully reduce my impulse spending tendencies.\n\n\n\n\n7. \nThe Sneaky Marketing Tactic That Always Makes You Spend More Than You Want, & How To Avoid It\n \n\u2013\u00a0 The Financial Diet\n\n\n!! Amazing article, a must-read! It is in your advantage to know and recognice the practice of\u00a0\ncross-selling.\n\n\nCross-selling isn\u2019t just the \u2018Users who purchased this item also bought X, Y and Z\u2019 section. It is also:\n\n\n\n\nClothing that requires special accessories, storage, or cleaning\n\n\nBeauty products \u2013 like the ones that require special brushes\n\n\nHome organisation tools \u2013 before you buy containers, do some decluttering first. You may not need them after all\n\n\nTechnology upgrades \u2013 Apple is famous for this. There are so many upsells in the iOS ecosystem\n\n\n\n\nThe author ended the article with the call-to-action \u2018stop buying stuff that requires you to buy more stuff\u2019. LOVE IT.\n\n\n8. \n2 Easy Ways to Help Build Your Employees\u2019 Confidence at Work \n\u2013\n Inc\n\n\nIs your manager doing a good job in encouraging and instilling your confidence? Especially for female staff members?\n\n\n\u201cWithout confidence, high growth isn\u2019t possible. And confidence is experienced differently between men and women at work. A Hewlett-Packard internal study found men applied for promotions when they met \n60 percent\n of the requirements; \nwomen only did when they met 100 percent of the posted qualifications\n.\u201d\n\n\n9. \nWhy I Don\u2019t Budget\n \u2013 Wanderlust Wendy\n\n\nAs I shared in my\u00a0\nHow Expense Tracking Looks Like (As Someone Who Doesn\u2019t Budget)\n article, I don\u2019t particularly like budgeting in the truest sense of the word too. Glad to know I\u2019m not alone in this mindset.\n\n\nIts not that I\u2019m against budgeting. If it works, it works, but I don\u2019t like the constraint. I like how Wendy likened budgeting to dieting, and expense tracking to mindful eating.\n\n\nHaha isn\u2019t it funny how you can use diet analogies to personal finance? There are also concepts like spending fast and things like that.\n\n\n10. Til Debt Do Us Part episodes on YouTube\n\n\nTil Debt Do Us Part is a US TV series where financial advisors give reality checks to people who are really, really bad with money. Many episodes are available on YouTube.\n\n\nEmbedding one of the top-viewed episodes here \u2013 a couple which somehow did not realise they are spending 3 times their income every month. Seeing their positive attitude towards fixing their money issues is very satisfying.\n\n\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-37/", "title": "Link Roundup #37: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nHalf of millennials and 75% of Gen-Zers have quit jobs for mental health reasons\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\u2013 CNBC\n\n\nThe data came from US demographics, but mental health is universal and this discussion is applicable to us Malaysians as well.\n\n\nI don\u2019t have solutions, but I agree with this gentleman\u2019s sentiment:\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019ll say it again: If you hate your job stop blowing the money that they\u2019re paying you. Stack that money so you can put it into things so you eventually won\u2019t need that job anymore. Spending recklessly while working a job you hate is STUPID. Stop bullshitting.\n\n\n\u2014 Zigg \u267b\ufe0f (@XaviercMiller) \nOctober 6, 2019\n\n\n\n\nBut of course I admit that\u2019s a priviledged way of looking at it. Some people truly can\u2019t afford to quit their jobs because non-negotiable commitments are too high.\n\n\nSo here I want to say\u2026 employers, take care of your employees. I can give many reasons why you should \u2013 happier employees are more productive, etc \u2013 but at the end of the day\u2026 the reason you should take their wellbeing into consideration is because they\u2019re fellow human beings.\n\n\n\n\n2. \nBudget 2020: 16 Things That Might Affect YOU, Financially\n \u2013 LoanStreet\n\n\nSo\u2026 Budget 2020 or Belanjawan 2020 happened, didn\u2019t it? Many news outlets covered it. This article from LoanStreet is the funnest one to read out of them all, very clear and concise and edutaining.\n\n\nDefinitely click on the article to have a read. I have my favs too:\n\n\n\n\n3. \nHow to make yourself work when you\u2019re not feeling it\n \u2013 The Ladders\n\n\nSharing for this brilliant infographic!\n\n\n\n\n4. \n5 Brilliant Productivity Hacks You\u2019ll Wish You Learned Sooner\n \n\u2013 MyDomaine\n\n\nThe productivity tips are truly brilliant and something everyone should know! They are:\n\n\n\n\nThe Pomodoro Technique\n\n\nThe Top 3 Rule\n\n\nThe Pareto Principle\n\n\nPlain Boxing\n\n\nSaying No\n\n\n\n\nClick the article to learn more about each of them \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n5. \nTypical Meal For KL\u2019s Poor: Rice, Fried Eggs, Soy Sauce\n\u00a0\u2013 Galen Centre\n\n\nThis is an article about\u00a0\nchild nutrition\n. That\u2019s what they eat on a daily basis. Malnutrition shouldn\u2019t happen in our country \u2013 we throw out a LOT of food \u2013 yet it does. \u2018According to the United Nations agency\u2019s \nState of the World\u2019s Children 2019: Children, Food and Nutrition\n\u00a0report\n, 20.7% of children under five in Malaysia suffer from stunting, 11.5% from wasting, while 12.7% of children (aged 5 to 19 years) are obese.\n\n\n6. \nWhy Budget Cooking Tips Are Useless For Low-Income Families\n \u2013 HuffPost\n\n\nAnd no, low-income mothers can\u2019t just \u2018spend more time to prep food for their children\u2019. As much as they want to, they can\u2019t, they tend to also be poor in another resource \u2013 time.\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe most time poor people are the poor. They have longer commute time, longer hours at work but cannot outsource it. This adds to their material poverty\u201d \n@Jayati1609\n \n#MYTimeUse\n\n\n\u2014 Khazanah Research Institute (@KRInstitute) \nOctober 3, 2019\n\n\n\n\n7. \nA trio of economists have won the Nobel Prize for their work in fighting global poverty\n\u00a0\n\u2013 World Economic Forum\n\n\nWhich makes this news extra timely. I\u2019m exceptionally happy hearing about the 2019 Nobel Economics prize not just because its work in the field of global poverty, but also one of the winners is Dr Esther Duflo, \u2018only the second female economics winner in the prize\u2019s 50-year history, as well as the youngest at 46\u2019.\n\n\nHear her talk about social experiments they conducted in the below TED Talk, recorded 9 years ago. It\u2019s fascinating how heavy subsidies in preventative healthcare, such as vaccination and providing nutritious foodsource \u2013 work in alleviating poverty.\n\n\n(Therefore, I\u2019m a big supporter of gov\u2019s decision to provide meals to schoolchildren)\n\n\n\n\n8. \nThe Myth of the Frivolous Female Spender \n\u2013\n The New York Times\n\n\nThis article struck a chord because it\u2019s so true \u2013 shopping are viewed as \u2018women\u2019s activity\u2019. In popular culture, many consumables like fashion and beauty products are marketed as justifiable \u2018just because\u2019 spending, something to take the stress off daily life. At the same time, grooming products for men are marketed as power and status symbols.\n\n\nYou can make the argument that the difference is due to psychology between genders, but I\u2019d argue back: which perpetuates which? Does media/marketing not influence behaviours and expectations?\n\n\nI\u2019m not saying marketing for women should be more like marketing for men. We\u2019re different, after all. I\u2019m just saying, frugal people like me can\u2019t relate.\n\n\n9. \nMalaysia\u2019s Halal Crisis \n\u2013 Asia Sentinel\n\n\n\u201cSME proprietors and F&B managers told Asia Sentinel that JAKIM officials routinely request cash payments above the statutory fees in order to guarantee registration.\u201d\n\n\n\u201cA Muslim Lebanese butcher from Australia was setting up a halal choice meat cut butchery in Kuala Lumpur for retail and distribution. A JAKIM official requested a RM50,000 payment for registration. Due to the company\u2019s policy of not paying bribes due to the firm\u2019s religious moral philosophy, investment in Malaysia was immediately aborted. \u201d\n\n\n\u201cCompanies have found\u00a0\nbucking the system by complaining only leads to drastic consequences\n, like have their operating licenses suspended and being put out of business. \u201d\n\n\n\u2026 Doesn\u2019t that anger you? What the hell, JAKIM?\n\n\n(I\u2019m even angrier knowing that JAKIM will receive RM1.3 BILLION allocation from Budget 2020. Please report corrupt practices, that\u2019s the Islamic way.)\n\n\n10. \nThe Millennial Urban Lifestyle Is About to Get More Expensive\n\u00a0\n\u2013\u00a0 The Atlantic\n\n\nIf you are a tech-savvy Millennial especially living in urban areas, your lifestyle have been subsidised by big tech investors. You and I know this, and we LOVE it.\n\n\nUnfortunately, you and I also know that good times are not going to last. Already, some types of cash incentives are a thing of the past.\n\n\n\n\nI miss Grab rides discount codes \ud83d\ude41\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nOctober 10, 2019\n\n\n\n\nSo\u2026 grab what you can, while you can. Here are some of my \nreferral links\n to services Millennials like \ud83d\ude1b\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-38/", "title": "Link Roundup #38: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nMalaysian Salaries Are Insufficient\n \u2013 The Star\n\n\nFinally, we as a nation are focusing on low salaries. Before this the narrative seems to be more to blaming \u2013 as if we\u2019re struggling solely because we\u2019re simply poor savers and budgeters.\n\n\nThe Star\u2019s editorial team rightfully pointed out that even EPF (aka KWSP)\u2019s Belanjawanku guide lacks so many necessary expenses, like insurance, phone bill, PTPTN and contribution to parents.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n2. \nI thought becoming a landlord would bring in $400 a month, but it ended up costing me. There are 6 things I wish I\u2019d known before I rented out my house\n\u00a0\u2013 Business Insider\n\n\nBuying property with the intent of renting it out is a popular passive income strategy. Theoritically, if you can get someone to rent your place more than the mortgage amount, you\u2019ll get the property for effectively free, by the end of it all.\n\n\nWell that\u2019s the plan anyway. Things don\u2019t always go as planned. Read the article for some really good insight on things that might not go well.\n\n\nPersonally, this article pretty much convinced me to always hire a property management company (if I ever plan to buy/rent out property) because the author \u2018learned the hard way that if you\u2019re not direct and confrontational, or you would rather avoid awkward situations involving finances and your personal assets, being a landlord isn\u2019t the best idea.\u2019\n\n\n3. \nQuitting Your Job? How to Tell Your Boss You\u2019re Leaving Brilliantly and Authentically\n \u2013 Inc\n\n\nThis is a great article to bookmark for those of you who are planning to put in your one/two/three-months\u2019 notice. How amazing is this template though?:\n\n\nI Have Another Opportunity: I\u2019ve really enjoyed the opportunity to work with you, but I have another opportunity that I just can\u2019t say no to. It\u2019s exactly what I\u2019ve been seeking for my next career move. At this time, I don\u2019t believe this kind of opportunity exists here, but I\u2019d love to keep in touch and explore ways to work together down the road.\n\n\nThere are 5 more templates you can choose from, depending on your situation.\n\n\n4. \nReality-TV Show Tries Financial Makeovers for Those With Student Debt\n \n\u2013 The Wall Street Journal\n\n\nThe show is called \u201cGoing from Broke\u201d, produced by Ashton Kutcher and will be streamed at Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment (first time I\u2019ve heard of this media also). It\u2019s going to be an entertaining and educational show about debt reduction. The fact that we have content like this\u2026 what a world we live in.\n\n\nHere\u2019s the trailer:\n\n\n\n\n5. \nThe real cost of not wearing makeup at the office\n\u00a0\u2013 The Fast Company\n\n\nLook at these two studies:\n\n\n\n\nA 2016 study by sociologists Jaclyn S. Wong and Andrew M. Penner found that\u00a0\nattractive individuals outearned their peers by about 20%\n. When researchers started factoring in \u201cgrooming\u201d (which for women included whether or not they wore makeup), the gap narrowed.\n\n\nBut being considered too attractive can also hurt women. Another study,\u00a0\npublished in 2019\n, found that \u201cattractive businesswomen are judged as being less truthful than less attractive women.\u201d\n\n\n\n\nAh, makeup. Damned if you do, damned if you don\u2019t.\n\n\nAlso, this part is so true:\n\n\n\u201cThe whole \u2018Don\u2019t wear makeup if you want to save money\u2019 is not an option for a lot of people. It\u2019s also demeaning. It pits this sort of \u2018I\u2019m the smart cool girl who doesn\u2019t wear makeup\u2019 to \u2018Well, you\u2019re the brainwashed girl who does wear makeup.\u2019\u201d\n\n\n6. \nASNB \u2013 Getting Fixed-Priced ASM Units\n \n\u2013 DividendMagic\n\n\nDividendMagic got his hands on some ASM funds and wrote about it, since it\u2019s pretty hard to get for nonBumis because of, um, *shifts uncomfortably* racial politics.\n\n\nThe sales charge wasn\u2019t cheap, though:\n\n\n\n\nASNB \u2013 Getting Fixed-Priced ASM Units. How I got RM17,500 worth of ASM funds. At a cost of RM1,300. Effectively, a 7% sales charge on it. \nhttps://t.co/CreO5t2END\n \npic.twitter.com/B8zdzswFk3\n\n\n\u2014 Dividend Magic (@DividendMagic) \nOctober 29, 2019\n\n\n\n\n7. \nAsk the Bitches: My Dad Sucks with Money. How Do I Make Him Change? \n\u2013 Bitches Get Riches\n\n\n\u2026 I didn\u2019t expect \u2018don\u2019t\u2019, but the reasoning makes sense.\n\n\nHow about when your parents get sucked into some MLM or Ponzi scheme, though? Or if they excitedly tell you about some random \u2018business\u2019 or \u2018investment\u2019 opportunities which don\u2019t make sense? How then?\n\n\nStill figuring it out :/ I\u2019m torn between being protective of my parents and understanding I don\u2019t need to control their money behaviour.\n\n\n8. \n4 rules of success I learned from working in Hollywood for 10 years\n \u2013\n\u00a0The Ladders\n\n\nThe industry may be Hollywood, but the rules apply everywhere. I especially liked Rules #1 and #2: always talk to the decision-maker (can confirm; if not have fun not getting things done); and learn to sift through the BS (need to detect people who like attaching themselves to projects they know nothing about).\n\n\n9. \nHow meritocracy harms everyone \u2014 even the winners\n \n\u2013 Vox\n\n\nPure meritocracy doesn\u2019t exist because privilege is real.\n\n\n\n\nBut this I think you know already. What\u2019s surprising (to me at least) is how the \u2018winners\u2019 (ie the rich/elites) will lose too. Click on the link to read the article.\n\n\n10. Study by Sisters in Islam\n\n\nAnd finally. A fact that just needs to be known by everyone.\n\n\n\n\n70% lelaki yang berpoligami mengakui berpendapatan kurang RM3000. Pendek kata kalau tak mampu berlaku adil dari segi masa, nafkah dan lain2 jangan berangan nak kahwin lebih. \npic.twitter.com/XnSgsQXmvw\n\n\n\u2014 Hakim Rahman (@HakimAWANI) \nOctober 17, 2019\n\n\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-39/", "title": "Link Roundup #39: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nMicrosoft Japan\u2019s 4-day workweek experiment sees productivity jump 40%\u00a0\n\u2013 CNBC\n\n\nThis article went VIRAL in social media, for good reason \u2013 who doesn\u2019t want an extra day off per week?\n\n\nSo I thought I\u2019d use this space to dig a little bit behind the headline. Here\u2019s what I found:\n\n\n\n\n\u2018Productivity\u2019 was measured in sales per employee, and 40% increase in sales is no joke\n\n\nThey capped in-person meetings to 30 minutes\n\n\nThey reduced operations cost: \u201823.1% less electricity used and 58.7% fewer pages printed over the period\u2019\n\n\nThe experiment \u2018also incorporated self-development and family wellness schemes\u2019\n\n\n\n\nWould this work in Malaysia, you think? I don\u2019t know. Obviously Japan and Malaysia\u2019s working culture is different \u2013 we work hard of course but they literally \ninvented a word which describes dying by working hard\n (\u2018karoshi\u2019).\n\n\nHowever, common sense tells me that it wouldn\u2019t hurt to at least try to reduce our meeting time, no?\n\n\n\n\n2. \nCEOs Who Cheat in Bedroom Will Cheat in Boardroom, Study Shows\n \n\u2013 Bloomberg\n\n\nNot just CEOs. Also corporate executives, financial advisers and brokers. When their position is that high up the career ladder, their integrity matters more than we think.\n\n\n\n\nDon\u2019t give leaders a pass for the choices they make outside work.\n\n\nEvidence: people who cheat on their spouses are twice as likely to cheat on their finances.\n\n\nIntegrity is not a 9-to-5 job. Character counts in every realm of life.\n#SundayThoughts\n \nhttps://t.co/Tfrpra2J2L\n\n\n\u2014 Adam Grant (@AdamMGrant) \nNovember 17, 2019\n\n\n\n\n3. \nCommentary: Are you better off working from home than in the office?\n\u00a0\u2013 Channel News Asia\n\n\nAnswer: yes it\u2019s better to work from home if the office is an open plan office. \u2018A number of studies have found that employees working in modern open-plan offices are so easily distracted and constantly interrupted, they cannot concentrate on their tasks.\u2019\n\n\n4. \nFacebook\u2019s new payment service will let you send money without fees across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger (FB) \n\u2013 Business Insider\n\n\n\n\nI am both excited and scared of this development. Giving Facebook access to my payments data will allow them to deliver better-targeted ads to me. I\u2019m still on the fence whether that\u2019ll be a good or a bad thing.\n\n\nWorth knowing \u2013 this payments system is seperate from Libra, Facebook\u2019s planned cryptocurrency. Although I suppose they will integrate it in due time. Also not sure how to feel about that.\n\n\n5. \nAmerica\u2019s 1% Borrow Money, Too. Here\u2019s What the Rich Are Paying for With Loans.\n \u2013 Barron\u2019s\n\n\nTL;DR \u2013\n\n\n\u2018The rich don\u2019t fund consumption with debt and they don\u2019t borrow to buy depreciating assets. (They) seem to borrow only to fund tax-advantaged, appreciating assets. And over the long run, housing prices have increased.\n\n\nPoorer households, on the other hand, rely on debt to pay for post-high school education and transportation, while carrying credit-card balances. Unlike housing, cars aren\u2019t an appreciating asset.\u201d\n\n\n6. \nIn Her New MasterClass, Self-Made Billionaire Sara Blakely Shares 7 Remarkable Tips for Turning Any Idea Into a Successful Company \n\u2013 \nInc\n\n\nSara Blakely \u2013 the founder of Spanx \u2013 has great perspectives on entrepreneurship mindset. I highly recommend you to read this article and at least read #5 \u2013 understanding the four types of customers.\n\n\nBut beyond that, Sara Blakely is just someone amazing to follow in general. She has GREAT personal branding, and amazing in making sales pitches (the non-sleazy kind).\n\n\nI\u2019m really tempted now to shell $90 to enrol in her Masterclass hmm\n\n\n\n\n7. \n101 Ways to Live Sustainably \n\u2013 Curbed\n\n\nIt\u2019s obvious they put a lot of effort behind this listicle \u2013 the graphics, the flow, the copywriting \u2013 everything works.\n\n\nFor me, striving to be a more ethical consumer is not just better for my personal finance, but also for my conscience.\n\n\nI want to be more mindful with my purchases, and stop the process of accumulation for the sake of accumulation. I want to be happy with what I have, instead of always feeling like I don\u2019t have enough. Capitalism does that to you.\n\n\n8. \n5 Key Steps to Build Your Side Hustle\n \u2013\n Enterpreneur\n\n\nSome people planned their side hustles. Others are really lucky with theirs \u2013 they were just doing passion projects, then get job requests from people who love what they do. They may even do the steps (outlined in the article) backwards.\n\n\nBoth types can benefit from this article. You may learn what you don\u2019t know you don\u2019t know.\n\n\n9. \nWe bought a $1 house in Italy. Here\u2019s what happened next\n \u2013 CNN\n\n\n\n\nThey spent money on renovations, but it\u2019s still *super* cheap.\n\n\n*cries in severely unaffordable Malaysian homes*\n\n\n10. The Laundromat \u2013 streaming on Netflix\n\n\nWant to learn how the super-rich and corrupt hide their money, through a \nvery\n entertaining movie?\n\n\nLook no further than The Laundromat, inspired by the Panama Papers scandal and stars Meryl Streep, Gary Oldman, Antonio Banderas, Jeffrey Wright, David Schwimmer, Matthias Schoenaerts, James Cromwell, and Sharon Stone.\n\n\nIt reminds me of The Big Short, another good movie explaining another financial scandal, the 2008 financial crisis.\n\n\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-4/", "title": "Link Roundup #4: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this new regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 articles informational\u00a0\ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1.\u00a0\nThe-Fuck-Over-Ability Index\n \u2013 Millennial Revolution\n\n\nThis content is so good I\u2019m breaking my personal \u2018no f word in the blog\u2019 rule. The Fuck-Over-Ability Index is\n an actual calculator\n they invented to measure how \u2018fucked over\u2019 you are in your life. Said situation is calculated based on how much you need your job because you need to pay your monthly commitments, like mortgages and car payments. The higher your score, the more likely you will put up with your crappiest bosses.\n\n\nThe author admitted they were drunk when they discussed and created this lovely thing. This article is definitely in the category of dark humour.\n\n\n2.\u00a0\nPrice\u2019s Law: Why only a few people generate half of the results\n \u2013 Darius Foroux\n\n\nTurned out to be a motivational article for people who may feel discouraged because they are not among the top performers. Not the angle I expected, so I thought the writing was cool.\n\n\n3.\u00a0\n9 Daily Extravagance Habits Frugal People Don\u2019t Have\n\u00a0\u2013 Wallet Hacks\n\n\nI love it when good storytelling is weaved into personal finance articles, it makes them very enjoyable to read. Here are the points:\n\n\n\n\nAllowing Others to Dictate Your Spending\n\n\nForgetting to Comparison Shop\n\n\nOverpaying for Convenience\n\n\nIgnoring Stock Up Opportunities\n\n\nWasting Food\n\n\nPaying for Services You No Longer Use\n\n\nBuying Cheap All The Time\n\n\nTurning Special Treats into Common Events\n\n\nPreventing the Diderot Effect\n\n\n\n\nYeah, it was my first time finding out about Diderot Effect too. It\u2019s \u2018a social phenomenon where people buy things that are complementary and when they buy something that isn\u2019t complementary, they feel a need to buy more things to make the whole universe of possessions complimentary\u2019.\n\n\n4. \nMeghan Markle Worked Side Hustles. Now She\u2019s the First Gig Economy Royal\n\u00a0\u2013 Inc\n\n\nAfter reading this, my awe for this woman increased significantly. I didn\u2019t know she was beyond \u2018actress\u2019, which is what the media use to describe her. Among the gigs she worked aside from acting:\n\n\n\n\nCalligrapher\n\n\nRestaurant hostess\n\n\nTV show extra\n\n\nFounder of a lifestyle website\n\n\n\n\nDamn. Now I\u2019m inspired to look for gigs outside what I already do (writing for businesses) so I can earn more.\n\n\n5. \n6 Ways to Learn How to Become a Scopist\n \u2013 World of Scopists\n\n\nApparently scopists make good money turning documents from court reporters into final transcripts. I was surprised to find it\u2019s a location-independent-type job!\n\n\nTbh I have no idea if this job market exists in Malaysia but we do have courts, so chances are there are professional Malaysian scopists out there. Perhaps. If not, lovely. A nice gap in the market is good for the pocket.\n\n\nTo be a high-demand scopist, you need to be dependable and have good listening/transcribing/technical or legal knowledge. If that sounds like you, check out how to be one in the article.\n\n\n6. \nThe 4 Kinds of Side Businesses You Can Start\n \u2013 Justin Mare\n\n\nBloody good read for those of you wanting to start side businesses as a way to bring in extra income. According to Justin, the four kinds are:\n\n\n\n\nBuy an existing asset\n\n\nLaunch a product on a marketplace with existing demand\n\n\nLaunch a unique, one of a kind product in a new space where you can buy demand (adwords, facebook, etc.)\n\n\nArbitrage (craigslist, airbnb, trading, uber)\n\n\n\n\nSo which ones are you doing? I\u2019m leaning towards #1 and #3.\n\n\n7.\u00a0\nWhy I Moved Closer To Work, And Why You Should Too\n \u2013 Elizabeth Tai\n\n\nMalaysian blogger! Elizabeth shared her personal upsides after moving closer to her workplace. Those of you with long commutes, I imagine you\u2019ve always wanted to know what it\u2019s like to have short commutes instead. Don\u2019t be too sad reading this okay? Everyone makes sacrifices towards financial freedom. Yours will be worth it someday!\n\n\n8. \nNew Malaysian Kitchen\u2019s Budget Category\u00a0\n\n\nSara\u00a0\nknows\n her food \u2013 she\u2019s the cookbook author behind One Pot Wonders, Malaysian Meals in 30 Minutes and 3 Ingredient Recipes. I like how Sara makes cooking sound non-threatening to people like me, people who just want fast, easy and nutritional meals! Check out her website\u2019s Budget Section for meal ideas. She has a free e-book on the website, too \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n9.\u00a0\nForget early retirement \u2014 people who saved enough money to travel for weeks or years say a \u2018mini-retirement\u2019 is just as rewarding\n \u2013 Business Insider\n\n\nWho here is planning a mini-retirement? Who here didn\u2019t know you wanted a mini-retirement until now? Lol.\n\n\n10. \nWhy Workplaces Need to be Fairer to Working Dads\n \u2013 Harvard Business Review\n\n\nI\u2019m a feminist, and\u00a0\nthat\u2019s why\n I\u2019m sharing this and advocating for fairer workplaces for working dads. In the US, almost 3 out of 4 dads say their workplaces are not supportive of their needs as a father. I\u2019d imagine the same survey would get worse results here in Malaysia!\n\n\nPaternity leaves will go a long way towards more balanced parental responsibilities. Happier employees = more productive employees. But it\u2019s not about just offering them, it\u2019s also about the culture of\u00a0\ntaking\u00a0\nthem. Does any of you work in an environment where they\u2019re encouraged? Please comment if yes, would love to know (and support) those companies.\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this week, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-40/", "title": "Link Roundup #40: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nHow to Improve Your Resume According to Science\n \u2013 The Ladders\n\n\nAmazing infographic. I particularly liked this one \u2013 \u2018Don\u2019t include a photo unless requested. Candidates (are \nperceived as unprofessional\n and) face 88% rejection rate if they do\u2019.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n2. \n11 Productivity Tips for Remote Workers\n\u00a0\n\u2013 PR Daily\n\n\nRemote working is not just for the self-employed anymore. Quite a few workplaces now implement optional office days between Mon-Fri \u2013 a best-of-both-worlds solution for those preferring paid employment too. If you\u2019re new to it and struggling to be productive, recommend you to read the article for some solid tips.\n\n\nFor me, my best productivity tip is still the to-do list system in my notebook. That plus looming datelines and pressure to earn as much as I can while I can in this unpredictable field.\n\n\n3. \nLearn About Kakeibo: The Japanese Art of Saving Money\n\u00a0\u2013 Refinery29\n\n\nThe Kakeibo is a \u2018budgeting journal\u2019, \u00a0invented back in 1904 by Hani Motoko, Japan\u2019s first female journalist, and was designed to help busy women keep on top of their finances.\n\n\nHonestly it looks like just another \u2018write down your budget\u2019-type advice, but I have to remind myself not to dismiss it too easily. Thre is value in added insight into the Japanese psyche. We all know how systematic and efficient the Japanese is. I want *that* in my budgeting methodology.\n\n\nThey just released the English-language version of the book. I\u2019m going to look for it.\n\n\n\n\n4. \n4 incredibly simple things happiness scientists say you should do instead of buying things\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Fast Company\n\n\nThe four things are:\n\n\n\n\nSpend time in nature\n\n\nMeet a friend\n\n\nDo something creative\n\n\nExercise\n\n\n\n\nSimple in theory, need the reminder for the actual execution. Don\u2019t forget that we all live in a world where we are constantly bombarded with messages that basically say we\u2019ll only be happy if we bought X, Y and Z; and *of course* shopping is a legit stress-busting activity.\n\n\nUnlearning that is an ongoing process.\n\n\n5.\u00a0\nHow to Set Boundaries When Your Family Is Bad With Money\n \n\u2013 \nLifehacker\n\n\nMUST-READ for anyone who is frugal but have spendthrift parents, siblings and even close friends!! Money topics can be tricky to navigate while maintaining good relationships with them.\n\n\nI quite like this one: \u2018..a lot of clients had to pull back on their relationships with their siblings because of their financial choices. If you get to this point, it\u2019s important \nnot to shame the person\n for their financial choices. (Instead,) \u201cLead by example\u201d\u2019\n\n\n6. \nT\nhis striking percentage of couples regret combining their finances \u2013 especially the higher-earning partner \n\u2013 \nLadders\n\n\nTL;DR \u2013 1 out of 5 couples regret combining their finances, and the higher-earning partner regret it 29% of the time.\n\n\nBut that also means 4 out of 5 couples DID NOT regret combining their finances, and the higher-earning partner DID NOT regret it 71% of the time. You can play around the statistics to make it fit your narrative :/\n\n\nI\u2019m actually on the \u2018let\u2019s not merge\u2019 camp, but I can see how a joint account would be handy for shared expenses and expense-tracking purposes.\n\n\n\n\n7. \nYour Face Alone Tells People Whether You\u2019re Rich or Not, Research Shows\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Inc\n\n\n\u201c..the subjects were able to sort them into rich and poor with 68 percent accuracy\u2013much more than can be accounted for by random chance.\u201d\n\n\nThen,\n\n\n\u201cAlthough subjects could always make the most accurate determinations from entire faces, the researchers found that mouths, and to a lesser extent eyes, gave participants the greatest ability to correctly categorize people in the photos as rich or poor.\u201d\n\n\nThe mouth area, huh? Why is that? Is perhaps a full set of teeth (though hidden) is an indicator of diet and health? The study also mentioned how \u2018people were (guessed to be) wealthy when their neutral faces seemed to subtly reflect happiness and well-being.\u2019\n\n\nI like how the article ended with a call to recognise this as a possible bias, which has real-life consequences \u2013 \u2018it means people who start out without a lot of money will have a harder time landing a well-paying job, and if they\u2019re entrepreneurs, perhaps a harder time getting financing as well.\u2019\n\n\nLet\u2019s be aware of it. It\u2019s another layer of addressing wealth inequality.\n\n\n8. \nA Cheapskate\u2019s Guide to Building Your Own Peloton Bike for a Fraction of the Price \n\u2013\n MEL Magazine\n\n\nTwo reasons why you should read this article:\n\n\n\n\nI love a good \u2018how to get the experience from this expensive item for cheaper\u2019 tutorial, and\n\n\nThe writer is hilarious\n\n\n\n\nFor context, a Peloton \u2013 that\u2019s the fancy exercise bicycle with attached screens \u2013 retails at $1900 (!!). His hacked version of a Peloton costs $150. Lol.\n\n\n9. \nIf You Can\u2019t Find a Spouse Who Supports Your Career, Stay Single\n \n\u2013 Harvard Business Review\n\n\nObviously this topic struck a chord with Twitterjaya \u2013 it got 1.3k RTs at time of writing.\n\n\nAnd for good reason. Take a look at the findings of the study:\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s not that these husbands don\u2019t see themselves as progressive and supportive.. But often caught by trade-offs they were not expecting. They are happy to have successful, high-earning wives. They applaud and support them \u2014 until it starts to interfere with their own careers.\u201d\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nNovember 28, 2019\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cAs one woman put it, \u201cHe has always said to me, \u2018You can do whatever you want to do.\u2019 But he\u2019s not there to pick up any load.\u201d\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nNovember 28, 2019\n\n\n\n\nA commentor said, relationship is all about give and take. You\u2019re right. Me and other women are ready for the taking part, finally.\n\n\n10. \nThe StockMonger\u2019s Nov 2019 Update\n\n\nI enjoy reading other Malaysian personal finance bloggers\u2019 monthly budget and self-reflection reviews. So it saddens me to share that The StockMonger have decided to discontinue his posts. The last one will be a review of his 2019 Resolutions in the first week of 2020.\n\n\nWill look forward to that. I\u2019m sure he took a lot of time to decide so will respect his decision. Let\u2019s wish him all the best going forward.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-41/", "title": "Link Roundup #41: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \n13 Things Rich People Never Waste Their Money On\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Family Handyman\n\n\nThe 13 things are (prepare to feel defensive):\n\n\n\n\nImpulse buys\n\n\nExtreme inheritances\n\n\nTV channels and video games (do NOT take my Netflix and Steam away from me!!!)\n\n\nLuxury brands\n\n\nAn over-priced home\n\n\nBuying instead of renting\n\n\nPricey grooming\n\n\nMultiple credit cards\n\n\nLate fees\n\n\nThings that don\u2019t last\n\n\nStuff over experiences\n\n\nRetirement (basically, the rich don\u2019t plan on quit working, so you better like what you do)\n\n\nGambling\n\n\n\n\nClick on the article link to read the justification for each.\n\n\n\n\n2. \nWe Can Help Poor People by Treating Them With Respect\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Time\n\n\nOnce, I sat on a panel to give feedback on startup ideas designed by youths.\n\n\nOne of them came up all confidently, presenting their idea \u2013 a sleeping bag for the homeless. The padding makes it comfortable and will give them a good night sleep right there on the sidewalks of KL, they said.\n\n\nDon\u2019t get me wrong. The intention is good.\n\n\nIt\u2019s so condescending though.\u00a0\n\n\nSometimes \u2013 and here I\u2019m speaking of myself, too \u2013 our privilege makes us blind to challenges that other people face. The poor want and need help, yes, but\u00a0\nwith their consultation and feedback\n. What we might *think* is useful is often\u2026 not.\n\n\nIt\u2019s also like how some people argue against giving children of well-to-do parents free food in schools. They say that only poor kids deserve that kind of help.\n\n\nAgain, I get their intention. Maximising the use of the money to those who need them the most.\n\n\nBut did you know in some countries where they earmark the food for poor kids, the kids themselves chose to starve themselves because they didn\u2019t want the humiliation of being identified as poor among their peers?\n\n\nThink of this when you do charity work. Your version of good may not be your recipient\u2019s version of good.\n\n\n3. \n4 Ways To Earn Passive Income By Working Smarter\n \n\u2013 Forbes\n\n\nI usually balk at all of these \u2018passive income\u2019 tips \u2013 mostly because they\u2019re never really passive, so it\u2019s incredibly misleading \u2013 but these tips by Nicole Walters are really good. She\u2019s the person behind the \n$1K1Day Academy\n, the course designed for entrepreneurs.\n\n\nI also like that Nicole is a woman and a POC, so her experiences and tips have better nuance than the ones usually given by white men (who typically face much less challenges).\n\n\n\n\n4. \nEntrepreneurs Use Vision Boards. The Results Are Backed by Neuroscience \n\u2013 Inc\n\n\n!!! A fun yet practical project \u2013 creating a vision board!\n\n\nThis is actually very challenging for me because I\u2019m not a particularly visual person \u2013 I like words (this explains why I make my living as a writer). Forcing myself to do the vision board with just images and without text will be a new experience \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n5. \nHow the German concept of \u2018Sitzfleisch\u2019 can help you achieve greater efficiency \n\u2013 \nThe Ladders\n\n\n\n\nSitzfleisch\n\u00a0translates literally as \u201csit-flesh,\u201d but the German word has a strong connotation to productivity.\n\n\nIn German, if someone \u2018has a lot of\u00a0\nSitzfleisch\u2019\n, it figuratively means \nthey can endure lengthy or boring tasks until they\u2019re done\n.\n\n\nSitzfleisch is\u00a0\nthe antidote to procrastination \u2014 getting through hard periods of uninterrupted work.\n\n\n\n\nSometimes, that\u2019s all there is to it, eh? There\u2019s really no way to make it more \u2018fun\u2019.\u00a0 You just have to soldier on regardless how lengthy or boring it is.\n\n\n6. \nStory archetypes and their use in digital marketing strategies \n\u2013 \nThe Drum\n\n\nWant to know why you like the branding of one particular brand over another? It\u2019s not coincidental, you know. Companies carefully craft their messaging in order to attract you (or rather, your money).\n\n\nYou fit into one (or a few) of the archetypes.\n\n\n\n\nFor example, if you identify within the archetype The Lover, you are: \u2018Appreciative, passionate and committed, the lover\u2019s purpose in life is to make people feel special. Brands tap into this feel-good attitude by creating compelling digital marketing strategies that pleasure the senses. A great fit for aesthetically beautiful brands, especially very exclusive ones, such as Hermes.\u2019\n\n\nRecommendation: take the\n \u2018which is your archetype\u2019 quiz\n, then click on the article to read how messages are crafted to be appealing to yours archetypes. Note: It\u2019s possible to get a combination of archetypes.\n\n\n7. \nWhen You Should Quit Your Job Without Having Another One Lined Up\n \n\u2013 Harvard Business Review\n\n\nBecause some things are not worth the money. Quit your job:\n\n\n\n\nWhen you believe something illegal or\u00a0\nunethical is going on at work\n\u00a0and you are concerned it will reflect badly on you\n\n\nWhen your current job is negatively affecting your health and your life outside of work\n\n\n\n\nMake sure to plan it to the best of your ability though. Do what you need to do to have enough emergency savings. Let your contacts know you\u2019re looking for other opportunities. Minimise your expenses and commitments. All that.\n\n\n8. \nList of Fintech Startups and Fintech Companies in Malaysia (2019) \n\u2013\n FintechNews Malaysia\n\n\nI *know* this image took a lot of effort to compile and create, so kudos to the FintechNews MY team! Nice snapshot of the Malaysian fintech space.\n\n\n\n\n9. \nHow To Respond When Asked: What Salary Were You Expecting? \n\u2013 Inc\n\n\nSomewhat related \u2013 apparently its fairly common practice in Malaysia that companies interviewing you for a role would ask you to list down salaries you made in your \nprevious\n employment. It\u2019s happened to me too.\n\n\nI just want to say\u2026 You can treat those as optional. I\u2019ve left those sections blank before AND gotten job offers.\n\n\nIf they insist, say the role offered is unique and you are open for negotiation after the interview. If they insist again, walk away.\n\n\nDon\u2019t worry about it too much. It\u2019s not a lost opportunity \u2013 you just skipped out a bad employer. (Good) employers know that if they base it solely on price, they will lose the best talents.\n\n\n10. Why Anti-Aging Products Are So Expensive \u2013 Business Insider\n\n\nI. Hate. Products. That. Capitalise. On. Women\u2019s. Insecurities.\n\n\nEspecially if they can cost this freaking much, due to just freaking marketing and branding.\n\n\n\n\nSo it is my great pleasure to share with you, dear friends, that \u2018\naccording to skin experts, the lavish ingredients inside aren\u2019t guaranteed or necessarily proven to be more effective than standard moisturizing ingredients\n.\u2019\n\n\n\n\nSo if you need skincare products, just buy the drugstore ones, and save your money for what you\u2019re meant to do \u2013 world domination.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-42/", "title": "Link Roundup #42: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nOne Habit That Holds You Back from the Life and Career You Want\u00a0\n\u2013 Maybusch.com\n\n\nThat habit is the habit of seeking permission, something that most, if not all of us were taught since young.\n\n\nIf you have not unlearned this habit, 2020 is the time to do it.\n\n\nTo be clear, a lot of things do require permission. This article refers to the decision-making processes that don\u2019t, or can be achieved even if someone said \u2018no\u2019.\n\n\n\n\n2. This Twitter thread about self-representing your own fraud case in civil court\n\n\n\n\nKalau member hutang korang dalam RM5,000.00 ke bawah, (contoh main kutu tak bayar, pinjam duit buat modal business, pre order iphone etc),\n\n\ntak payah pakai peguam. Boleh bawak kes sendiri. Pergi terus kaunter Mahkamah \u2013 Tuntutan Kecil. \npic.twitter.com/j1uAzBp03Q\n\n\n\u2014 Syafiq Bahtiar (@syafiqbahtiar) \nDecember 23, 2019\n\n\n\n\nClick the tweet and read the replies because there are lots of super useful information!\n\n\n3. \nBefore You Get Engaged, Ask Your Partner These Tough Questions\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Washington Post\n\n\nSpecifically related to work and money,\n\n\n\n\nHow devoted are you each to your careers, and what are your professional goals?\n\n\nWhose work life might need to be prioritized at times, and how?\n\n\nAre you open to geographical moves?\n\n\nAre you looking to make changes in your career, position or education?\n\n\nWill the burden of being the main source of income or health insurance fall to one of you, be shared or alternate over time?\n\n\nHow might this change if and when you have kids?\n\n\nHow do your spending habits match up?\n\n\nIf there\u2019s debt, who is primarily responsible for it?\n\n\nWhat are your expectations around joint accounts vs. your own money?\n\n\nIf there are inheritances or job losses someday, how would those be handled?\n\n\n\n\nTough, yes, but easier to go through than divorces I\u2019m sure.\n\n\nThere are also tough questions surrounding the topics of health, family, living together, and communication and social interaction (styles). Click the link to find them.\n\n\n4. \nResolutions Suck; Make A List of Things to Be Excited About Instead\n \u2013\n\u00a0Vice\n\n\nI love this approach! Like you, I too have a list of goals that I want to achieve. But what if we frame the year as an exciting one (instead of a stressful one), so we look forward to experiencing it?\n\n\nIt\u2019s also completely fine to add things that might look trivial to others \u2013 the list is yours and yours only, after all!\n\n\nAs I grow older and take on more responsibilities and be more \u2018adult\u2019, I\u2019ll take any and all opportunities to appease my inner child \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nLook at the author\u2019s list, written when she was just 15. It\u2019s so innocent and made me smile \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\n5. \nSay Goodbye to Banking as We Know It\n \n\u2013 \nBloomberg\n\n\nChina is launching the first national digital currency, utilising blockchain technology. The implication:\n\n\nA\u00a0cumbersome and expensive network of correspondent banks becomes redundant, especially when it comes to\u00a0the\u00a0\n$124 trillion\n\u00a0businesses move across borders annually. Imagine the productivity boost; picture the threat to lenders.\n\n\nThe banking industry in Malaysia is shifting as well. Soon you will see advertisements from digital banks, trying to get you as customers. Heck I predict the competition between the first 5 digital bank that hits the market will be intense. We may even get sign-up bonuses, similar to how e-wallet companies attract users now!\n\n\n\n\n@BNM_official\n issues draft framework for virtual banking in Malaysia. Up to 5 licenses to be granted\nhttps://t.co/yfFyBf21JC\n#fintech\n \n#virtualbank\n \npic.twitter.com/KXU0CtMsge\n\n\n\u2014 FintechNews Malaysia (@FintechNewsMy) \nDecember 27, 2019\n\n\n\n\n6. \nThe Marxist Hack to Spice Up Any Relationship\n \n\u2013 The Cut\n\n\nWhat an interesting experiment \u2013 she (the gf) felt she does more housework and taken advantage of, while he (the higher-earning bf) agreed that housework is work but is not able to contribute more to it.\n\n\nSo they decided that he should pay her for the time and effort that goes into housework in order to keep their relationship going, because fact is aside from this issue, they *are* happy together.\n\n\nI spent some time calculating how much work I was actually doing: shopping, cooking, putting away groceries, shopping again because I forgot one stupid thing, cleaning up, battling with our shitty oven racks, and doing specialty jobs, like extricating a few ants from a container of maple syrup or scrubbing dried mustard and ketchup out of the refrigerator door.\n\n\nI was astonished to discover that I was spending at least 15 hours a week on housework. Tor and I decided that for this work, he\u2019d start paying me an hourly wage.\n\n\nSuper cool read if you\u2019re into Marxism theory. Click the article to read the full story and thought process. The history behind The Wages for Housework Movement is fascinating.\n\n\n7. \nThe Top 10 Food Trends of The Entire Decade \n\u2013 \nThe Kitchn\n\n\nAka where your money went in the last 10 years, in one single image.\n\n\n\n\n8. \n19 Weird Goal-Setting Tips That Actually Work \n\u2013\n Bustle\n\n\nHow can I *not* add this article in this week\u2019s link roundup, if Tip #15 is to procastinate \nmore\n?\n\n\nLove the science-backed compilation. Give it a read \u2013 there\u2019s bound to be a goal-setting tip you haven\u2019t heard/experimented with yet!\n\n\n9. \nInfographic: How Good Are Your Problem Solving Skills?\n \n\u2013 Leaderonomics\n\n\nGreat infographics! Find out if you are a systematic problem solver, inconsistent problem solver or intuitive problem solver, then click the link to get tips to be a better problem solver based on your type.\n\n\n\n\n10. How We Plan Our ENTIRE YEAR In Advance \u2013 FunCheaporFree.com\n\n\nIt started with a random tweet\n\n\n\n\nI really want to attend a plan-my-whole-year workshop. Does something like this exist?\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nDecember 29, 2019\n\n\n\n\nThen a kind-hearted soul (she locked her account so I assume she wants the privacy) shared me this amazing video. It\u2019s really good, lots of actionable tips!\n\n\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-43/", "title": "Link Roundup #43: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1.\u00a0 \nHere\u2019s an example of the perfect answer to \u2018Tell me about yourself,\u2019 according to Yale career experts\n \u2013 CNBC Make It\n\n\nIt\u2019s not a bad idea to learn the art of humblebragging without making it look like humblebragging. No shade, its true, I do it too.\n\n\n\n\n2. \nHow to Find A Great Career in Golden Years\n \u2013 CNBC\n\n\nThis article is for everyone who is retired (by force or by choice) with not enough retirement savings and seriously considering to re-enter the job market.\n\n\n\u2026and everyone who would like to know what to do if you ever got in that situation.\n\n\n3. \nHighly Likable People Avoid These 12 Behaviors\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Inc\n\n\n*Me going through the list of behaviours trying to think if I do them because I care about being likable*\n\n\n4. \u00a0\nHere\u2019s why being likable may make you a less effective leader\n\u00a0\n\u2013\n Fast Company\n\n\nBut\u2026 apparently being \ntoo\n likable isn\u2019t a good thing either.\n\n\nWhy is life so complex.\n\n\n5.\u00a0\nHow to Have a True Hobby, Not A Side Hustle\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Vox\n\n\nAll of my favourite hobbies \u2013 reading, surfing the web, watching Youtube, journaling, gaming \u2013 are either (1) practical hobbies that helps my business, and (2) involves the screen.\n\n\nI don\u2019t agree that those are not \u2018true hobbies\u2019, since I really do enjoy doing them, but I acknowledge I need to explore other activities, especially those that involve crafts and music. It\u2019s been a while, I miss those.\n\n\n6.\n\u00a0\nThe grooming gap: What \u201clooking the part\u201d costs women\n \n\u2013 Salon\n\n\nThis excerpt though:\n\n\nWe\u2019ve all heard the common advice to \u201clook the part\u201d at work. For men, that can often just mean business casual clothing and a short haircut. For women, it can mean hours spent each week on makeup, hair styling and curating an outfit that\u2019s both attractive and professional.\n\n\nThe rules are usually unspoken; even when employers do not explicitly require workers to wear makeup, for example, women workers often feel required to wear it anyway.\n\n\nThey\u2019re not wrong: Sociologists Jaclyn Wong and Andrew Penner\u00a0\nfound that\n physically attractive workers have higher incomes than average-looking workers, but that this relationship is eliminated when controlling for grooming in women.\n\n\nIn other words, if you purchase the right clothes, makeup and haircut, higher wages are more within reach.\n\n\nIt\u2019s true that men need to abide by certain grooming rules, too, but they are less complex, less expensive and less time consuming. Men\u2019s haircuts, for example,\u00a0\noften cost much less\n\u00a0than women\u2019s haircuts \u2014 regardless of hair length.\n\n\nThe grooming gap essentially constitutes a pay cut catch-22: If women don\u2019t conform, they are paid less; if they do conform, they\u2019re\u00a0expected to use those higher wages on beauty products and grooming regimens.\n\n\n7. \nI\u2019ll Share My Salary Information if You Share Yours\n\u00a0\n\u2013 \nThe New York Times\n\n\nYour employers don\u2019t want you to share salary information. It may expose their hidden biases. It could be gender, race or other factors.\n\n\nSo do it. If you\u2019re underemployed, think of how much money you\u2019re losing each day because you didn\u2019t know your worth.\n\n\nHow to bring it up in a conversations with colleagues? Use their template:\n\n\n\u201cI was talking to another friend about how they share their salary figures, and I am trying to understand if other people do this. So I was wondering, do you do this? Would you feel O.K. telling me what your salary is? I\u2019ll tell you mine.\u201d\n\n\nHappy sharing.\n\n\n8. \nCentre.my\u2019s Kalkulator Perbandingan Kemampuan\n\n\nCentre.my devised a calculator that tells you how long it takes to save up for certain purchases, using your salary and savings rate. It\u2019s quite fun to toggle around: see the difference in time it takes based on 10% vs 25% savings rate from RM2000 salary.\n\n\n\n\nIn the same page you will also find another calculator, but this time it\u2019s a cheeky one! You can compare how much a waiter (monthly salary = RM1040) will need to save up to afford all the things, and compare that to the highest job option, Executive Director AirAsia (monthly salary = RM472,782).\n\n\n\n\nNote: No shade to Dato Tony Fernandes. His salary is high but its not the highest one. Other Malaysian CEOs make more than that.\n\n\n9. \n\u201cA lifestyle with less expenses, less work, and more time\u201d: the benefits of vanlife \n\u2013 \nLonely Planet\n\n\nIt\u2019s easy to fantasise about the #vanlife, but it\u2019s probably not the lifestyle I want for myself.\n\n\nEven so, this couple\u2019s van is COOL so I can\u2019t help sharing this link! This is what happens when two engineers decide to remodel their van:\n\n\n\n\nWhat can I say. I love a pratical layout that optimises small spaces.\n\n\n10. \n27 Chrome Extentions to Boost Your Productivity\n \u2013 Ladders\n\n\nAnd last but not least, some useful Chrome extentions because let\u2019s face it, we\u2019re already hooked to Google for life so why not make it work for us.\n\n\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-44/", "title": "Link Roundup #44: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1.\u00a0\nHow to Build a Great Relationship with a Mentor \n\u2013 Harvard Business Review\n\n\nAccording to the article:\n\n\nThe\u00a0\nresearch\n\u00a0on the power of mentorship is pretty clear: People with mentors perform better, advance in their careers faster, and even experience more work-life satisfaction. And\u00a0\nmentors benefit\n, too. After all, \u201cto teach is to learn twice.\u201d\n\n\nBut somehow, our culture kind of promotes animosity between different age groups? The whole #OKBoomer thing made it worse (I understand why it trended; its just, does it do more good or does it do more harm? That\u2019s the question).\n\n\nIn 2020, I do want to unlearn negative stereotypes I had of older folks. We Millennials and Gen Z talk big of being inclusive, so let\u2019s walk the talk. Ageism is a form of discrimination as well.\n\n\n\n\n2. \nMake This The Year You Stop Wasting Food (And Money)\n \n\u2013 HuffPost\n\n\nOf all the tips in there, I think this one is the most helpful: store foods to last. Knowing how to store produce properly makes them last longer.\n\n\nIf you\u2019re too lazy to do that (like me), then do what I do: buy mostly long-lasting produce, not the ones that go bad in a couple of days. Either hearty ones like cabbages and carrots, or frozen ones like frozen spinach and blueberries.\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\n5 Things I Did To Reduce My Damn High Groceries Bill\n\n\n3. \nWhen a Promotion Leads to a Divorce \n\u2013 The Atlantic\n\n\nOne major contributing factor to great life satisfaction AND financial stability is long-lasting marriages, which is why I will keep sharing research-backed articles discussing the intersections of marriage life and careers.\n\n\nThis particular one invites a lot of self-reflection. The article said:\n\n\n\u201cDivorce was especially likely when the recently promoted wife was at least four years younger than the husband and when she had taken the great majority of parental leave time.\u201d\n\n\n\u201cIn select interviews, the researchers heard from some men that their newly successful wives \u201cdidn\u2019t care about him or the household anymore,\u201d as they put it in an email to me. \u201cThe man did not take pride in her promotion but rather thought that she didn\u2019t care about him as much as she used to.\u201d\n\n\nThe solution, as it turns out, isn\u2019t hard. Simply a change in perspective \u2013 above all, its about being happy for the people you love.\n\n\n\n\nAfter women get promoted to CEO, they\u2019re 2x as likely as men to get divorced.\n\n\nApparently one of the reasons is male ego.\n\n\nHey men: when the women you love succeed, it\u2019s not a threat to your status. It\u2019s a cause for celebration.\n#SundayThoughts\n \n#wef20\n \nhttps://t.co/uYBhhMVnOA\n\n\n\u2014 Adam Grant (@AdamMGrant) \nJanuary 19, 2020\n\n\n\n\n4. \n\u2018The Best Thing You Can Do Is Not Buy More Stuff,\u2019 Says \u2018Secondhand\u2019 Expert\n \n\u2013\n NPR\n\n\n\u201cYour average thrift store in the United States only sells about one-third of the stuff that ends up on its shelves,\u201d he says. \u201cThe rest of the stuff ends up somewhere else.\u201d\n\n\nOkay guilty as charged. I\u2019ve certainly justified buying more stuff with the intention of donating old stuff away.\n\n\nTurns out, I\u2019ve overestimated the value of my donations. They\u2019re not being used, they just become waste. All that feel good feeling, for nothing. A great example of causing harm even with the best of intentions.\n\n\nQuick, how can I feel better about myself?\n\n\n5. \nWonder What to do with Old T-Shirts? Here are 15 Things Beyond Turning Them into Rags\n \u2013 WellandGood\n\n\nSo many amazing ideas to reuse and repurpose all those t-shirts!\n\n\nTurning them into totebags is such a great money-saving idea hack too??! (Or a business idea??)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nRepurpose it. Let the experts at @denversewingcollective show you how to turn your old tees into tote bags, that can be easily folded up for trips to the farmers market or grocery store! #redefinefabric #tshirttotebag #denversewingcollective BYOT or use one provided at ReDefine: FABRIC this Friday, 3/22 6:30-10pm, bit.ly/redefinefabric \ud83d\udcf7 @etsy\n\n\nA post shared by \n ReCreative Denver\n (@recreativedenver) on \nMar 20, 2019 at 8:54am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n6. \nThese 3D-printed homes can be built for less than $4,000 in just 24 hours\n \n\u2013 Business Insider\n\n\nIt\u2019s so COOL to see 3D printing technology progressing right before my very eyes. The fact that you can make houses with it. Houses. Wow.\n\n\nAnd they look so nice, too. I\u2019d live there!\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCan you imagine printing out a bunch of these and creating your own BnB business? Or a nature retreat of sorts? Or even your own isolated home-away-from-home?\n\n\n7. \n20 Influencers Share Their Best Money Tips for 2020\n \u2013 Mr Stingy\n\n\nFind my contribution at #12!\n\n\n(Mr Stingy called RoR \u2018the best personal finance blog in Malaysia today\u2019 *squeeee*)\n\n\n8. \n4 Topics Finance Experts Always Disagree On, & What That Means For You\n \u2013 \nThe Financial Diet\n\n\nBecause all of us HATE \u2018it depends\u2019-type answers.\n\n\nWhich should you do first: Paying off debt or grow emergency funds, insurance and retirement savings\n\n\n\n\nWhich should you do first: Cutting expenses or growing income\n\n\n\n\n9. \nAn Adult\u2019s Guide to Social Skills, for Those Who Were Never Taught\n \u2013 \nThe New York Times\n\n\nAs you learn more hard skills to get ahead in work, don\u2019t forget about them soft skills. Remember, they don\u2019t know how to automate the 4Cs in the workplace just yet.\n\n\n\n\n10. \n6 Different Wealth Levels and How They Affect Your Decisions\n \n\u2013 Budgets Are $exy\n\n\nWhich wealth level are you at now?\n\n\n\n\nLevel 1: Paycheck-to-paycheck\n \u2014 where you\u2019re conscious of every dollar you spend, especially when holding crippling debt\n\n\nLevel 2: Grocery freedom \n\u2014 when specific grocery item costs don\u2019t impact your finances as much anymore\n\n\nLevel 3: Restaurant freedom \n\u2014 when you can eat what you want at restaurants without caring about the costs!\n\n\nLevel 4: Travel freedom \n\u2014 when you can travel how, when, and where you want\n\n\nLevel 5: House freedom \n\u2014 when you can afford your dream home\n\n\nLevel 6: Philanthropic freedom \n\u2014\u00a0when you can give away money that has a profound impact on others\n\n\n\n\nIf you\u2019re at Level 1, do check out my\u00a0\nExplaining Snowball Method, The Best Way to Pay Off Debt\n article. All the best, you can do this.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-45/", "title": "Link Roundup #45: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nWhat Happens To Your Brain And Body When You\u2019re Stressed About Money\n\u00a0\n\u2013\n Huffington Post\n\n\nWhen you\u2019re stressed about money,\n\n\n\n\nyou start making bad decisions even when you know better,\n\n\nyou may get anxiety, depression and other mental health issues\n\n\nyou may get physical ailments like heart disease, diebetes, chronic sleep problems too\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThis is one of those \u2018pick your hard\u2019 moments. It\u2019s hard \u2013 damn freaking hard \u2013 to force yourself to earn more money so you don\u2019t get stressed about it anymore. But you can argue that the alternative \u2013 STAYING in the current situation without doing anything about it \u2013 is also just as hard, perhaps even harder.\n\n\nThe article suggests credit counselling, attending theraphy and seeking healthy coping mechanisms to reduce stress. Do that, you owe that to yourself, don\u2019t give up. I\u2019m rooting for you.\n\n\n\n\n2. \nDoes Money Really Ruin Friendships?\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Refinery29\n\n\nWhen you hit late 20s and above, you\u2019ll really start to see income disparity between yourself and your friends. Some will do better, some worse than you.\n\n\nAnd unfortunately, this quote is true:\n\n\n\u2018Income or wealth disparity, much as we may hate to admit it, can make it hard to make friends and cause conflict within existing relationships.\u2019\n\n\nI have to admit this is a hard topic to talk about. I\u2019m still navigating it, with my own friendships, and I\u2019m not even \u2018rich\u2019 rich.\n\n\nHowever, I love how the author ended it:\n\n\nMoney is not worth. Income is not value. People are not and will never be what they have or how much they earn. To only have friends within your own economic or earning circle would make your life narrower and, dare I say it, poorer.\n\n\nBut in order to get along with people across the mountain range of income, class, inheritance and wealth we need to talk more openly, honestly and often about money. Good friends will listen. Good friends will understand.\n\n\nAnd if they don\u2019t? Well, perhaps they aren\u2019t the sort of people you want in your life anyway.\n\n\nLove that. So true.\n\n\n3. \nHow to Stop Getting Fired\n \n\u2013 Forbes\n\n\nYeah, it could be them, it could be your exceptionally bad luck\u2026 and it could also be \nyou.\n\n\nSuggestions on getting hired after getting fired in the article. Go at it.\n\n\n4. \nA woman\u2019s greatest enemy? A lack of time to herself\n \u2013 The Guardian\n\n\nRecommended reading for women and men alike. Without time for herself, women can\u2019t be their best self. This is obvious, but still needs to be spelled out: women need time to read, to learn, to think, so they can \ncreate\n.\n\n\nI\u2019m forever grateful that I\u2019m born at a time where I can buy time-saving household appliances, outsource domestic chores and \nchoose supportive partners\n (who knows how to do housework and actually does it!) so I can focus on my true joy and life fulfilment: writing.\n\n\n\n\n5. \nThese 12 Financial Podcasts Are Right On The Money\n \n\u2013 Refinery29\n\n\nWho was it who asked me about personal finance podcast recommendations the other day? Here\u2019s a list with twelve podcast recommendations, knock yourself out buddy.\n\n\n6. \nBehavioral Job Interviews: What They Are, How They Work, and How to Ask Behavioral Interview Questions That Identify the Perfect Candidate \n\u2013 Inc\n\n\nI\u2019d like to dedicate this article to every employer who\u00a0\nwants\n to hire Malaysians despite how annoying and frustrating the process can be. Yeah, I\u2019ve seen your complaints on social media. Yeah, I know some of our graduates can work on their soft skills more.\n\n\nStill, you went the extra mile anyway, because your goal is to help your fellow countrypeople. You\u2019re a good person. We need more like you. I hope you find the perfect fit soon.\n\n\n7. HOW I MAKE THAT BREAD \ud83d\udcb8 (literally and figuratively) \u2013 Ashley of @best.dressed\n\n\nNowadays I definitely see Youtube lifestyle influencers being more open and transparent about their finances than ever before. Did you notice it as well?\n\n\nObviously, I freaking love this trend! Its not just \u2018what I bought\u2019 or \u2018haul videos\u2019 anymore. It\u2019s legit moving towards personal accountability, responsibility and self-awareness, and many are advocating \nagainst\n consumerism. On YouTube. To their millions of followers. *screams excitedly*\n\n\nI\u2019ll share one example. Ashley of \n@best.dressed\n shared this super cool video about how she makes money, her money background and her finance approach. I aleaady love her anyway, now I love her even more!\n\n\n\n\n8. \nThe 8 Best Instagram Tools for Massive Instagram Growth in 2020\n \n\u2013 \nJeff Bullas\n\n\nIf you can\u2019t beat \u2019em, join \u2019em. A great list of martech tools for social media marketers to know about.\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nGuide: How to Make Money with Social Media Skills\n\n\n9. \nWhat Is A Virtual Assistant Job Really Like? Arianne Young Explains.\n \n\u2013 The Huffington Post\n\n\nPeople who LOVE admin work, did you know make good income from being a virtual assistant?!\n\n\nYes! No more being stuck at RM2-3k salary range for a full-time position! With the power of the internet, you can work from home for people with deeper pockets!\n\n\n10. \nWork at home if you can, but don\u2019t expect it to be paradise \n\u2013 \nThe Financial Times\n\n\nLest you think its all fun and games though. Work is still work.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-46/", "title": "Link Roundup #46: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nEligible Malaysians Can Begin Registering For The Malaysians@Work Initiative In April\n\u00a0\n\u2013\n RinggitPlus\n\n\n\u201cThe initiative, which aims to provide better job opportunities for unemployed Malaysians and to reduce dependency on foreign labour, is a stimulus package conceived to help create up to 350,000 jobs over the next five years.\n\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t be mistaken that we will only create 350,000 jobs. This is only for the Malaysians@Work programme. It will be in addition to the one million jobs to be created by the private sector,\u201d Guan Eng further clarified.\u201d\n\n\nThe programme has four components to it:\n\n\n\n\nApprentice@Work\n\n\nGraduates@Work\n\n\nWomen@Work\n\n\nLocals@Work\n\n\n\n\nI hope this initiative helps you, I really do.\n\n\n\n\n2. \nResearch Says You Can Earn Way More Money by Boosting Your Emotional Intelligence. Here Are 4 Ways to Do It\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Inc\n\n\nJobseekers, combine whatever help you can get with self-initiatives. Its not a bad idea to focus on your EQ (emotional intelligence) to make you stand out against other jobseekers. \u201c\nAccording to research\n, people with high levels of emotional intelligence earn an average of\u00a0$29,000\n\u00a0\nmore annually than those with less emotional intelligence.\u201d\n\n\nEven people with comfortable jobs should explore this. The job market is so uncertain nowadays. Malaysia Employers Federation\u2019s Executive Director also said that \nif COVID-19 continues, 100,000 people could be laid off this year\n.\u00a0 I\u2019m not trying to freak you out, I\u2019m trying to help you prepare.\n\n\n3. \n50 Cognitive Biases of the Modern World\n \n\u2013 The Visual Capitalist\n\n\nYou know how sometimes I said that companies use decades worth of behaviourial and psychology research in order to subtlely guide you into purchasing their products and services?\n\n\nWell here you go, some cognitive biases to know and be aware of, in a nice infographic. All of them are good, but pay particular attention to the one with the \u2018Money\u2019 label.\n\n\n\n\n4. \nPoverty is All About Personal Stress, Not Laziness\n \u2013 Bloomberg\n\n\n\u201cEconomists are starting to accumulate evidence that instead of being indolent layabouts, poor people are harried and frantic. To deal with a world of precarity, where any misstep or piece of bad luck can lead to disastrous consequences, requires a massive amount of cognitive effort.\n\n\nAnd it\u2019s the stress of that constant effort, rather than bad morals or welfare-inspired laziness, that drives many poor people to make subpar decisions.\u201d\n\n\nKnowing this \u2013 and I know you have the\u00a0\nbest\n of intentions with helping the needy \u2013 perhaps its not a bad idea to help make the act of \nreceiving\n help easy and unconditional. Asking poor people to\u00a0\nprove\n that they are poor before they can access help is one example.\n\n\n\u2018But what if well-off people take advantage of the help\u2019, you say, \u2018that\u2019s a waste of the money!\u2019. You\u2019re right, some people probably will. But will the actions of a few bad apples justify punishing everyone else?\n\n\n\u00a05. \nI quit my job because of burnout, and here\u2019s what I learned\n \u2013 Glamour\n\n\nI could no longer ignore that my\u00a0health was in shambles, I lacked any semblance of a personal life, and I was incapable of being a good friend or daughter because I was so burned out by the demands of my job.\n\n\nIt\u2019s rare to read a personal, intimate account of someone breaking down like this. I mean, I frequently see social media postings about burnout, and while its sad (because some of them are my friends), they don\u2019t share too much about it. Just the surface level.\n\n\n6. \nBusiness Cost of Mental Health Conditions in Your Organisation \n\u2013 Relate Malaysia\n\n\nThat brings us here. To say that A LOT of employees feel burned out is an understatement. And I hate to be the person who brings the business cost into the picture, but sometimes the fear of losing money could be the only thing that prompts employers to take action.\n\n\n\n\nWe just published a report on the business costs on mental health. Adds up to staggering RM 14.46 billion! And that\u2019s just a conservative estimate. We need to invest more into mental health! \npic.twitter.com/KTu4KeIAdU\n\n\n\u2014 relate (@relatemalaysia) \nFebruary 17, 2020\n\n\n\n\nEmployers, go on and calculate the costs to\u00a0\nyour\n organisation \nat this page\n. Relate Malaysia made a calculator for you.\n\n\nComment here if you want to hire services that help you improve your employees\u2019 mental health. I\u2019ll email you privately.\n\n\n7. \nHow to Have a Five-Star Paris Experience Without Staying in a Luxury Hotel\n \u2013 Dmarge\n\n\nWe may not be able to travel and satisfy our wanderlust due to COVID-19 fears, but that doesn\u2019t mean we have to stop daydreaming. *happy sigh*\n\n\n8. \nStanford scientist: 12 tiny habits that will instantly make you more productive\n \u2013 \nCNBC\n\n\nI love this \u2018if this, then that\u2019 list! How many of them are you currently doing, and want to do? No #7 is such a good idea!\n\n\n\n\nAfter I sit down at my desk, I will put my phone on do not disturb mode.\n\n\nAfter I close my office door, I will organize one item that\u2019s lying around.\n\n\nAfter I finish reading e-mail, I will close the e-mail browser tab.\n\n\nAfter I launch a new Word doc, I will hide all other programs running on my computer.\n\n\nAfter I find myself mindlessly browsing social media, I will log out.\n\n\nAfter I sit down at a meeting, I will write the title, the date, and the attendees at the top of my notes.\n\n\nAfter I notice a call going on for longer than expected, I\u2019ll say this: \u201cIt\u2019s been great to talk, but I need to wrap up. What haven\u2019t we covered yet that\u2019s important?\u201d\n\n\nAfter I read an important e-mail, I will file it in a folder for the designated project.\n\n\nAfter I read an e-mail I can\u2019t deal with immediately, I will mark it as unread.\n\n\nAfter I read an e-mail that\u2019s time-sensitive, I will reply with this script: \u201cGot it. I will review it in detail and get back in touch soon.\u201d\n\n\nAfter I leave the office, I will think about one success from the day.\n\n\nAfter I walk in the door at home, I will hang my keys on the hook.\n\n\n\n\n9. \nHere\u2019s What Happens When Public Transit Is Free\n\u00a0\n\u2013 The Huffington Post\n\n\nRealistically, I know that most public transportation in Malaysia won\u2019t be provided for free, but it\u2019s nice to dream. I\u2019m just planting that seed, that possibility in there.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n10. \nHow I\u2019m Setting My Goals for 2020 \n\u2013 \nI\u2019m Funemployed\n\n\nLook at Nicole\u2019s systematic goal-setting table, look! So clear, so clean, so practical. Highly copy-able and makes a great template to your (and my) own goal-setting exercise. Click the link above to read her full thought process.\n\n\n\n\nP/s \u2013 yes, the zombie apocalypse. Must be prepared for that.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-47-10-things-to-know-this-week/", "title": "Link Roundup #47: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \n12 Low-Cost Business Ideas for Introverts \n\u2013\n Ladders\n\n\nI am an ambivert leaning towards the introvert side of the spectrum, and currently \nthriving\n as a work-from-home writer and blogger. I love that I don\u2019t have to expose myself to social interactions on a daily basis. My head is messy enough without external stimulations.\n\n\nSeriously, thank you technology for enabling this line of work. I am so thankful.\n\n\n\n\n2. \nThe Number 1 Rule I Have at Home to Reduce My Mental Load \n\u2013 Working Mother\n\n\nWe all know how a working mothers usually looks like: frazzled. Completely exchausted. Tired not just from the demands of her work, but also from fielding questions from the spouse and the kids.\n\n\nWhich is why I thought this rule is brilliant:\n\n\nWe have a rule in our house that reduces my mental load by half and my anxiety by even more. This No. 1 rule is if you have a request, a need, or want to discuss participating in a new activity, \u201cbring it to Family Meeting.\u201d\n\n\nClick the link to find out more about how it works in practice.\n\n\n3. \nA 32-year-old who was \u2018not the best with money\u2019 now makes six figures from an Etsy side hustle\n \n\u2013 Grow\u00a0\n\n\nDesigners (and other side hustlers), have a look at \nMiss Design Berry\u2019s website\n. It\u2019s so good, no wonder she makes six figures \u2013 she definitely knows how to sell her skills!\n\n\nPay attention to the niche, the copywriting, the layout, the strategies she used to increase sales (testimonials, discount code pop-ups, etc). Her niche is weddings but you can apply it to anything!\n\n\n\n\n4. Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value\u00a0\u2013 IWRAW Asia Pacific\n\n\nMy former workplace made this awesome video explaining the concept of equal pay for work of equal value! The caption:\n\n\nWork which is typically performed by women is often undervalued and undercompensated. But how can we compare different jobs, especially where the division of labour tends to be gendered? Our video explains the principle of equal pay for work of equal value, with examples of how it has been applied around the world.\n\n\n\n\n\u00a05. \n6 Government Initiatives for Women You Didn\u2019t Know About\n \u2013 Loanstreet\n\n\nSharing to promote, among others, the existance of \nMySMELady\n, a financing option for women entrepreneurs. It is offered by SME Bank, which is wholly owned by the Malaysian Ministry of Finance and regulated by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM). The financing amount is RM100,000 up to RM1 mil.\n\n\n\n\n6. \nA More Sustainable Supply Chain\n \u2013 Harvard Business Review\n\n\nWhenever a big company blows up on social media due to its support-by-default of unethically, unsustainable practices, we are so quick to play the blame game, not knowing that there are no easy solutions to this problem. Consumers still demand cheap and fast, businesses cater to that demand, and the cycle continues.\n\n\nYet I know and you know that \nno one\n most people is not intrinsically bad. We do want to be good. Just overwhelmed and lack clarity, due to the complexity of supply chain systems operating on a global scale.\n\n\nThis article is an eye-opener \u2013 read all about flaws that exist within supply chains, and what could be done to help \u2013 in a small part \u2013 to reduce the problem.\n\n\nThis is obvious, but\u2026 hurry. We only have one Earth.\n\n\n7. \n6 Financial Personality Types \u2013 Which One Are You? \n\u2013 The Financial Times\n\n\nTake the quiz and find out your financial personality type and your flaw(s), whether its overconfidence (The Anxious Investor) or control issues (The Fitbit Financier)\n\n\n(I got both The Anxious Investor and The Fitbit Financier as my financial personality types)\u00a0 (Yeah I guess it\u2019s possible to get more than one) (I\u2019m still processing this information)\n\n\n\n\n8. \nEPF 7% contribution rate starts in April 2020, here\u2019s how to keep it at 11%\n\u00a0 \u2013 \nSoyaCincau\n\n\nBy now, you\u2019ve probably heard that Malaysians will see their EPF contribution rates cut from 11% to 7%. This will unlock RM10 billion in extra money in circulation, a much-needed boost for our economy. The reduction is automatic and you can maintain it at 11% only by opting out.\n\n\nI won\u2019t tell you which is better, to spend the money, to invest it yourself on your own, or to opt out. You big already, you can make your own retirement decisions. If you do want to maintain it at 11%, then click in the document to find out the steps and download the form.\n\n\n\n\n9. \nHow to Recruit More Women to Your Company \n\u2013 Harvard Business Review \n\n\nBecause inclusive and diversified workplaces earn more money. If your job ads have been attracting only men, perhaps the tips in this article can help you improve on your existing recruitment process.\n\n\n10. HelloGold\u2019s #EmaszingWomen Campaign \u2013 Suraya (me!!)\n\n\n\n\nAnd last but not least, I want to share my involvement in HelloGold\u2019s #EmaszingWomen campaign, along with four other brilliant ladies. Do watch our individual videos in \nHelloGold\u2019s YouTube page\n.\n\n\nMy 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 \u2013 the price changes every day.\n\n\nGetting used to the price increases and especially sudden price drops helped me become a better investor, no joke.\u00a0That part is important. I\u2019m not saying you *will* make money from gold investment (although historically, the odds should be in your favour, but it\u2019s no guarantee), but what you will learn from it is key.\n\n\nFor 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\u2019m less likely to panic sell all my other investments at a loss.\n\n\nIn short, owning gold helped me shift my short-term, trader mindset (risky!) to long-term, investor mindset (slow and steady wins the race) \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-48/", "title": "Link Roundup #48: 10 Things to Know This Week (COVID-19 Edition)\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \n10 Practical Tips to Help Avoid Coronavirus When You Leave The House\n \u2013\n CNET.com\n\n\nDefinitely worth a read. We may be staying home most of the time, but not all the time. One tip in particular was especially practical: when outside, as much as possible use knees, feet, elbows and knuckles instead of fingertips.\n\n\n\n\n2. \nCOVID-19: Tips for Mindfulness & Coping with Anxiety\n \n\u2013\n\u00a0MayoClinic\n\n\nI don\u2019t know about you but my anxiety shot up, went through the roof. I find myself anxious and distracted all the time.\n\n\nThis article introduces me to Kristin Lothman, a mind-body counselor with Mayo Clinic\u2019s Department of Integrative Medicine and Health. I don\u2019t know what that means but she used the term \u2018healthy anxiety\u2019 and I find her voice soothing, and I hope you will too.\n\n\n\n\n3. \n25+ Fitness Studios and Gyms Offering Live-Stream Workouts During the Coronavirus Outbreak\n \n\u2013 GoodHousekeeping\u00a0\n\n\nI just\u2026 didn\u2019t know live-stream workouts is a thing. I knew of workshout videos on Youtube, sure, but not the ones streamed live on Facebook, Instagram and other places. How interesting.\n\n\n4. \nHow the World Will Look After the Coronavirus Pandemic\n \u2013 ForeignPolicy.com\n\n\nThe sub-headline: \u2018The pandemic will change the world forever. We asked 12 leading global thinkers for their predictions.\u2019\n\n\nNote: ONLY read this after you meditate, pray, journal, exercise, or as long as you\u2019re not stressed. Because all of the experts pretty much said, say goodbye to the way things were, everything will change now.\n\n\n5. \nThe Economic Devastation Is Going to Be Worse Than You Think\n \u2013 The Atlantic\n\n\nIf you can\u2019t handle the previous article, you can\u2019t handle this one. Go back to Link No 2 and No 3 in this list.\n\n\n6. \nHow the coronavirus is changing the influencer business, according to marketers and top Instagram and YouTube creators \n\u2013 Business Insider\n\n\nNaturally, I want to know how the industries I\u2019m in (digital marketing with focus on content marketing) will change in response to coronavirus outbreak.\n\n\nOut of everyone, I feel sorry for the travel content creators the most. Not only they can\u2019t post new content, they also have to quickly find a new niche if they want to continue in the industry. And all of their previous content won\u2019t be consumed by readers for at least a while more, too.\n\n\n7. \n\u2018All I do is teach MBAs.\u2019 Coronavirus brings a new twist to an old argument between working parents \u2014 whose job is more important?\n\u00a0\u2013 MarketWatch\n\n\nA must-read for parents of small children who are both working from home. You can\u2019t both work at the same time, so whose work takes more priority? The one with the higher take-home salary or the one who\u00a0 is serving the nation in a more direct way?\n\n\n(Aka online entrepreneur vs public school teacher)\n\n\nThere\u2019s no right answer.\n\n\n8. \nPeople Sick Of Seeing Glamorous Workspace Setups Share Their Reality Of Working From Home (30 Pics)\n \n\u2013 BoredPanda\n\n\nSpeaking of working from home, how\u2019s your setup like? Some of these pictures are hilarious! Someone used their ironing board as standing desk hahahaah (but actually genius??)\n\n\nThis is my own work from home setup. Simple.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nThis is my #workfromhome setup and where I get most of my #writing and #blogging done. Just a laptop (#surfacepro4), sofa and small table (both from #IKEA) . Someone asked if my cats scratch the furniture. Yes, yes they do. That\u2019s what the gold cover-up thing is for. I gave up trying to save the sofa a long time ago \ud83d\ude02\ud83d\ude05 . #writersofinstagram #writinglife #minimalistsetup #homeoffice #workspace #clutterfree #clutterfreeliving #livingwithcats\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nNov 14, 2018 at 8:40pm PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n9. \n100 Things to do While Stuck Inside Due to a Pandemic\n\u00a0\u2013 \nUSAToday\n\n\nOf course, work isn\u2019t everything. When its time to stop and relax (and please do stop and relax \u2013 it\u2019s harder to know when to stop working but you can do it), you can refer to this long list of activity suggestions, to kill time.\n\n\nYou can also go through my list:\u00a0\n13 Things to Do During Restricted Movement Order in Malaysia\n\n\n10. Please follow public health advice from Malaysian Health Coalition\n\n\nWho else feels that the Malaysian government is so freaking undependable? DID THE HEALTH MINISTER REALLY SAID YOU CAN AVOID COVID-19 TRANSMISSION BY DRINKING WARM WATER ON TV??? Omg\u2026\n\n\nThe Malaysian Health Coalition aims to provide you direct access to public health advice from DOCTORS. Please follow them across all social media platforms.\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019ve volunteered to lead the social media marketing team, to carry their messages across.\n\n\n\n\nEnlisted myself the Covid-19 Voluntary Crisis Comms Team, taking charge of Twitter marketing. My role is increase the reach of public health messages by the Malaysian Health Coalition\n\n\nDo you have >5k followers and willing to help? All languages. Please DM me\n\n\nPls RT or tag \ud83d\ude4f\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nMarch 21, 2020\n\n\n\n\n(Yes please contact me if you can help out!)\n\n\nBecause I\u2019m genuinely worried about the future, and I do want all this to end, I need you to PLEASE take all public health advice seriously, and follow them diligently. For example, please please please know the correct way of washing your hands.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nCovid-19 prevention \u2013 Remember to not just wash your hands, but to wash them correctly. Take at least 20 seconds and follow all these steps . Let\u2019s slow the infection rate and flatten the curve. Share this to your followers! Follow us for more public health information . #mhc #messagefromdoctors #kitajagakita #dudukrumah #dudukrumahdiamdiam #dudukrumahchallenge #basuhtangan . Reposted from @leylayelmerfarmasi @uzm.ozgeselcukbozkurt\n\n\nA post shared by \n Malaysian Health Coalition\n (@myhealthcoalition) on \nMar 21, 2020 at 7:50pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLet\u2019s do this.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-49/", "title": "Link Roundup #49: 10 Things to Know This Week (Covid-19 Edition)\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nCOVID-19 and MCO Resources for Malaysians\n\u00a0\u2013\n I\u2019m Funemployed\n\n\nNicole compiled a pretty good resource page for Covid-19 and MCO. Find:\n\n\n\n\nFinancial assistance and personal finance resources\n\n\nJobs and employment opportunities\n\n\nFood and groceries\n\n\nDiscounts and deals\n\n\nCharity and donations\n\n\nMental health resources\n\n\nEducation resources\n\n\nHealth and fitness resources\n\n\n\n\nAnd more in the article above. You can also contribute to the resource hub by \nfilling out this Google Fo\nrm.\n\n\n\n\n2. \nMalaysia Bank Moratorium: Why You Should Opt For The 6-Month Deferment For ALL Loans\n\u00a0\n\u2013\n RinggitPlus\n\n\nWhich option is the best?\n\n\n\n\nOption 1: Pay the accrued interest in one lump sum\n\n\nOption 2 (A) & (B): Pay the same monthly repayment, and extend loan tenure\n\n\nOption 3: Pay a higher monthly repayment, but keep the loan tenure unchanged\n\n\n\n\nThe author argues that Option 3 is the best. Click the article to find out the reasoning why, with numbers and calculations\n\n\n3. Covid-19: how bad will it be for the economy?\n \n\u2013 The Economist\n\n\nTL;DR: really bad.\n\n\n\n\n4. \nHow the greedy ruling elite failed us, by putting profit before pandemic preparedness\n \n\u2013 South China Morning Post\n\n\nI thought this is yet another opinion piece, before I read the credentials of the contributor:\n\n\n\n\nDr Andy Xie is a Shanghai-based independent economist specialising in China and Asia, and writes, speaks and consults on global economics and financial markets. He joined Morgan Stanley in 1997 and was managing director and head of the firm\u2019s Asia-Pacific economics team until 2006.\n\n\nPrior to that he spent two years with Macquarie Bank in Singapore, where he was an associate director in corporate finance. He also spent five years as an economist with the World Bank.\n\n\nHe was voted one of the 50 most influential persons in finance by Bloomberg magazine in 2013.\n\n\n\n\nSuffice to say he has the credentials to talk about the subject matter, and yes the article is as damning as the title.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhile the virus is a natural phenomenon, the ensuing tragedy should have been preventable. Infectious disease experts have been predicting a pandemic like this as a certainty. Yet, the global ruling elites \nignored it.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nInstead, they gather at \nDavos\n\u00a0every year to talk about power, money and technology \u2013 mostly about its potential for making money. They have not focused on the No 1 responsibility of any ruling class \u2013 the safety of the people. If health care systems had been prepared for a pandemic like this, there would be 100 times fewer casualties.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n5. \nHow Emergencies Like Coronavirus Expose Nonsense Business Practices\u00a0\n\u2013 GoBankingRates\n\n\nThe only consolation from this whole Covid-19 crisis is some business practices will (hopefully) change for the better. It has to, otherwise society will stop functioning, either through a revolution or through massive deathcount that wipes out significant portions of the population.\n\n\nThis is such a fascinating article. It compiles disasters caused by greed, like the fire that broke out which caused 150 seamstresses to burn or jump to their deaths in 1911, and the resulting changes in labour laws as the direct result of this incident.\n\n\nLots of other examples. Recommended read. I have no doubt that Covid-19 pandemic will impact future laws too.\n\n\n6. \nThese DIY Face Mask Materials Are Best, According To Scientists\n \u2013 Refinery29\n\n\nSo, to mask or not to mask? In the beginning, the recommendations were no masks unless sick/showing visible symptoms \u2013 probably to stop non-frontliners from hoarding precious medical supplies.\n\n\nBut\u2026 if you want to err on the side of caution, or the costs are too prohibitive, or you just want to keep the supplies for frontliners and the most vulnerable, you can make DIY face masks.\n\n\nThe article states:\n\n\n\n\nbandanas, when layered with layers of a filtration system such as a few coffee filters, were significantly more effective (than bandana alone)\n\n\none of the most common \u2014 and surprisingly effective \u2014 materials were 600-thread count pillowcases or fabric similar to flannel pajamas when doubled up\n\n\n\n\nTO BE CLEAR, these options are not as effective as surgical masks. However\u2026 better than nothing.\n\n\n7. Ergonomics Expert Explains How to Set Up Your Desk \u2013 Wall Street Journal\n\n\nAnyone else battling stiff shoulders and lower back pain while working from home?\n\n\n\n\n8. \nHow 7 self-made millionaires, who retired in their 30s, are preparing for the worst: economic mayhem caused by the coronavirus\n\u00a0\n\u2013 SCMP\n\n\nAt times like these, a small subset of the population is worried, but not too worried \u2013 the high-earning, frugal people. These are the people who will/have withdrawn from the rat race in favour of simpler lives, after spending considerable effort (helped with a dash of luck) to build up a healthy cash cushion.\n\n\nCan you imagine having years\u2019 worth of living expenses? That\u2019s the ultimate dream, the ultimate flex.\u00a0The trick is, I think, to not desire much.\n\n\nThis lifestyle also requires you to selectively tune out calls for donations. I\u2019m not sure how (if?) they\u2019re battling the inner turmoil of donating it all away vs keeping the money for themselves.\n\n\n9. Marcus\u2019s Stock Portfolio Update in March 2020 \u2013 MarcusKeong.com\n\n\nSharing for the honesty and transparency.\u00a0Marcus is a DIY stock investor, and his paper loss in one month is -26.8%, a huge reduction.\n\n\nDeciding to stay invested vs deciding to cut loss is a hard, personal conversation. There\u2019s really no right answer, because no one has a crystal ball.\n\n\n\n\n(btw, my own personal approach is to not touch my investments, just focus on earning. If I need to, I\u2019ll dip into those, but not until I have to)\n\n\n10. [Product feature] \nHow to Say No: Templates to Help You Say No to Any Situation\n\n\nSpeaking of earning money. You know what generates income?\n\n\nTime.\n\n\nYou know what sucks time?\n\n\nSaying yes to every small request, because it\u2019s hard for you to say no.\n\n\nThis information is common sense for some of you, but a revelation to others, especially if you are the agreeable, \u2018but its not nice to say no\u2019-type of person.\n\n\nClick \nhere\n to find templates to help you say no to requests to \u2018pick your brain\u2019, unnecessary meetings and other activities that stop you from focusing on you.\n\n\nI especially love this template:\n\n\n\n\nHow to say no\n to someone that won\u2019t take no for an answer. (by \nEmmy McCarthy\n) : salespeople\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHey {{ first_name }},\n\n\n\n\nI love your persistence! The answer is still no. I\u2019m simply not able to fit your request into my schedule right now. Believe me, I am not the only way that you will make this project work / achieve your goal but my role is going to be the one who is cheering you on from the sidelines.\n\n\n\n\nI hope the resources/references in our previous email exchange were helpful.\n\n\n\n\nNow go smash those goals, you\u2019ve got this!\n\n\n\n\nBest,\n\n\nEmmy\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-5/", "title": "Link Roundup #5: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational\u00a0\ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1.\u00a0\n\u2018Quit your job and travel the world!\u2019: A travel blogger confesses the grim financial reality behind the Instagram dream\n \n\u2013 Business Insider\n\n\nHands up if you follow Instagram influencers and bloggers who travel all the time. One day they\u2019re in Paris, the next they\u2019re in Greece, eating olives or whatever. So jelly, no?\n\n\nYeah, that lifestyle does look great. But what they don\u2019t share as often is the cost and stress of maintaining that lifestyle. If you have a steady remote-working job, great, but you\u2019ll spend lots of time in your room \u2013 you still need to finish your work. If you have irregular income, you\u2019re going to stress about money and won\u2019t be able to fully enjoy your travel.\n\n\nI still think the best way to travel is to save up enough money for it\u00a0\nbeforehand\n. And have multiple passive income streams so working becomes a choice rather than a necessity.\n\n\n2.\u00a0\nHow this 34-year-old dad made $1 million off a simple Fiverr side hustle\n \u2013 CNBC\n\n\nHe offers voice-over services, a side gig I didn\u2019t know you can do remotely with just a microphone and a laptop (and a quiet room, I guess). Maybe something some of you can consider for side income?\n\n\nI\u2019ve used Fiverr before. In fact, my Ringgit Oh Ringgit blog header design is from there. Unlike the name, expect to pay more than five dollars (around twenty ringgit) for tasks completed by top-rated freelancers there.\n\n\nFiverr is also a good place to browse for freelance job ideas. You can see what other people offer and whether that skill is in demand or not. You can create an account \nhere\n (note: referral link). If you have a Fiverr profile, leave it in the comments so we can check it out!\n\n\n3.\u00a0\nI\u2019m 28 and I\u2019ve saved over $240,000 \u2014 here\u2019s what I\u2019ve learned about money from tracking my net worth for the past 2 years\n \u2013 Business Insider\n\n\n\u2018Sean\u2019 aka \nThe Money Wizard\n gives absolutely brilliant personal finance insights. Trust me on this, give this one a read.\n\n\nFor one, he said he doesn\u2019t \u2018budget\u2019, he tracks his expenses instead and makes adjustments from there. Yes x 1000! I always feel kinda bad for not following a strict budget \u2013 I don\u2019t like feeling constrained \u2013 so it\u2019s good to know what I\u2019m doing now (tracking expenses) is enough to achieve my financial goals.\n\n\nThen there\u2019s the \u2018compounding spending\u2019 idea, which is like, whoa, never thought of it that way. He said that some purchases\u00a0\nencourage\n more purchases. You\u2019re like, eh, already bought x, might as well as buy y and z too. The key is to stop yourself from buying x.\n\n\nNow, all we have to do is identify our \u2018x\u2019, ey?\n\n\n4.\n\u00a0\nPrisoners Talk About How They Make and Waste Money on the Inside\n \u2013 Vice\n\n\nBiggest takeaway: just because prisoners are *in* prison, doesn\u2019t mean they\u2019re not doing crime *still*.\n\n\nWhat and how they choose to spend their money is kinda fascinating. They can\u2019t go out, so things of value are things like hearing your buddy have sex with a sex worker over the phone, according to your instructions. Alright.\n\n\n5.\u00a0\n\u201cFind your passion\u201d is bad advice, say Yale and Stanford psychologists\n \u2013 Quartz\n\n\n\u201cBased on the latest findings, people who have a fixed mindset\u2014the almost mystical belief that passions are revealed to us magically\u2014seem to be less curious and motivated than those with a growth mindset, who understand interests unfold as a process.\u201d\n\n\nAh. Nothing beats effort and hard work after all.\n\n\nHave you heard about the whole fixed mindset vs growth mindset thing? They say you\u2019re either one or the other (and growth mindset is better). Here\u2019s an infographic showing you the difference between both mindsets.\n\n\nThe fact that you\u2019re reading this article means you have at least a little bit of growth mindset in you. Add in the work and you\u2019ll be fine.\n\n\nhttps://twitter.com/believephq/status/950094853689499648\n\n\n6.\u00a0\nResearch: Women Ask for Raises as Often as Men, but Are Less Likely to Get Them\n \u2013 Harvard Business Review\n\n\n\u201cGaining access to a more recent, and more detailed, dataset allowed us to investigate this question anew.\u00a0\nWhat we found contradicts previous research\n. The bottom line of our study is that \nwomen do \u201cask\u201d just as often as men. They just don\u2019t \u201cget\n.\u201d\n\n\nEven we were surprised by the results. We had expected to find less asking by the females. Instead, we found that, holding background factors constant, women ask for a raise just as often as men, but men are more likely to be successful.\u201d\n\n\nAs a \nwoman\n\u00a0somewhat decent human being, the findings of this research makes me really sad. If you\u2019re an employer, or in a position to give promotions and raises, please keep this in mind. Give raises to women who deserve it. Please.\n\n\n7.\u00a0\nThese 22 sketches make complicated financial concepts simple enough to fit on a napkin\n \u2013 Business Insider\n\n\nReceived this as a comment and loved it (thanks Kech!). Tina of \nNapkinFinance\n makes visuals for stocks, crowdfunding, budget, bitcoin, and so many other terms.\n\n\nGood for beginners. Nice refresher for experts.\n\n\n8. \nNocturnal website\n\n\nNocturnal is a home-grown site for people to write and showcase photos easily. I\u2019m sharing this not just to support a fellow Malaysian, but to also present this as a solution to a major annoyance when I first started my blog \u2013 looking for web designs and tweaking it. Nocturnal\u2019s site design is already beautiful \u2013 all you have to do is add text and/or pictures. \nSeriously, it\u2019s gorgeous\n.\n\n\nYour website will be [name].nocturnal.site. It\u2019s free. Later on, in the paid plan, you can get your own domain name for just $30 per year. That\u2019s fairly cheap compared to other self-hosting options.\n\n\nFreelancers of the creative sort, consider using Nocturnal to show your work portfolio. You can register for free\u00a0\nhere.\n\n\n9. \nThe Ultimate Guide to 11 DIY Investment Options in Malaysia\n \u2013 Mr Stingy\n\n\nIf you\u2019re a Malaysian \u2013 and my Google Analytics say 88.65% of you are \u2013 you\u2019ll want to read this guide to DIY investment options by Mr Stingy. It\u2019s clear and concise.\n\n\n10.\u00a0\nYour Goal Is To Find A New Job, But You Need To Implement A System To Make It Happen\n \u2013 Forbes\n\n\nIf you\u2019re looking for a new job (hopefully a better-paying one), this article shows things you can do to make it happen. All the best.\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this week, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-50/", "title": "Link Roundup #50: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nCOVID-19: My Money Plan\n\u00a0\u2013\n Figuringgitout.com\n\n\n\n\nLOVED this article by personal finance blogger Figuringgitout (DOPE NAME), covering her 10 (ten!) strategies she\u2019ll take, factoring in the pandemic situation. It\u2019s so thoughtful and self-reflective and focused on taking action. Highly recommend you to read.\n\n\nAfter you read that, go \nfollow her on Facebook\n. More followers = more motivation for her to write = more stuff for \nme\n us to read muahahaha\n\n\n\n\n2. \nI bought everything I saw in Instagram ads for a month\n\u00a0\n\u2013\n Wired\n\n\n\u2026 This is my dream article to write. I love the \u2018Buy everything that was advertised to me\u2019 angle. It\u2019s so fun \u2013 almost voyeuristic \u2013 to find out about the ads targeted to an individual. The writer tried out \n18\n products that were advertised on Instagram.\n\n\n(and in the conclusion section, he admitted to liking some of the stuff but needing exactly zero of them)\n\n\n3. \n9 Well-Intentioned Efforts That Actually Aren\u2019t Environmentally Friendly\n \u2013 Discover Magazine\n\n\n\u2018The road to hell is paved with good intentions\u2019, indeed.\n\n\nSharing for these lines:\n\n\n\n\nAs it turns out, it takes exponentially more resources to make a tote bag compared with the cheap polyethylene\u2026 Paper bags and plastic-based reusable totes required between 35 and 84 re-uses. A cotton tote, though, had to be used 7,100 times. Organic cotton? 20,000 times. If you used your organic cotton bag twice a week for the rest of your life, it\u2019d be worth it after 192 years.\n\n\nBuying new, more sustainable versions of what you already have. Even cars\u2026. Instead of buying new mason jars, reuse the glass jars that your pickles and jam came in. And if you already have 10 water bottles, maybe don\u2019t get an 11th, even if it\u2019s labeled \u201ceco-friendly.\n\n\n\n\n4. \nTwitch streamer faces backlash for \u2018shaming\u2019 broke viewers while asking for money: \u2018If you don\u2019t have $10, you probably don\u2019t have time to watch Twitch, because you should be working\u2019 \n\u2013 Insider\n\n\nWith those kinds of headlines, obviously this particular media outlet did NOT like her opinion. But the thing is, I kind of\u2026 agree with her? She has free content, the sub(scription) is access to PREMIUM materials. That is completely acceptable.\n\n\nI liked what she said to people who ask for premium content but didn\u2019t want to pay for it \u2013 \u201c(If you say you can\u2019t afford $5,) What you mean to say is, \u2018I\u2019m so irresponsible with my money, I can\u2019t support the entertainment that I enjoy.'\u201d\n\n\nWatch and decide for yourself.\n\n\n\n\n5. \nPost-coronavirus, \u2018normal\u2019 travel may not resume until 2023\n \n\u2013 Executive Traveleer\n\n\nWhat is the estimated recovery timeline for the travel industry, assuming that coronavirus pandemic is under control by the end of 2020? Read on to find out. If you\u2019re an avid budget traveler (I am), this article might be a bit depressing.\n\n\nI hope I can outlive all of this so I can add on more travels in my lifetime \ud83d\ude41 It\u2019s one of the few splurges I make amid my fairly frugal lifestyle.\n\n\n6. \nPutting A Gender Lens On COVID-19: Thought Leaders Weigh In\n \u2013 Forbes\n\n\nYeah, the pandemic is hard, but it is harder for some. Women, especially, \u2018comprise about 70% of the global health care workforce and carry out at least two-and-a-half times more unpaid household and care work than men. That means they are caring for sick patients at health care facilities during the day and then caring for their parents, spouses, and children at home at night.\u2019\n\n\nThis part of the article is TRUTH\n\n\nCarework is relentless\u2014it does not let up, and all other work depends on it, as we are learning from this crisis. Essential workers are not billionaire CEOs\u2014they are janitors, nurses, home health care aides, domestic workers, teachers, teacher aides, childcare workers, nannies, maids and others.\n\n\nWithout them, nothing else can happen. \nThe\u00a0\nworld needs care,\n\u00a0and women and girls provide it, often for free, but even when it is paid, it is paid poorly and inadequately.\n\n\n7. \nFaded Desire for Fashion Leaves Global Garment Workers Destitute\n \u2013 Bloomberg\n\n\nAs if that\u2019s not enough, let\u2019s think of the fate of the thousands of garment workers \u2013 majority of which are women. I read a statistic saying that in Malaysia alone, we have cut our spending on clothes by 95%.\n\n\n(It is UNDERSTANDABLE why we cut that expense category much. But the outcome is still sad.)\n\n\n\n\nQuickly promoting my sisters\u2019 online boutiques, \nMarquise.my\n (regular size) and \nPlus Size Malaysia\n (plus size). They told me sales are slow, and I\u2019m trying to be a good older sister and promote where I can.\n\n\n8. \nJob Seeking During COVID-19: 5 Tips to Writing an Effective Cover Letter\n \n\u2013 Syafiqah Othman\n\n\nMore and more people are losing their jobs amid this pandemic, how can I not share resources that\u2019ll help in the new job application process?\n\n\nIf this is you (or soon to be you), I\u2019m truly sorry of your predicament. It sucks, and I can\u2019t imagine the stress. Keep going. Praying for your success.\n\n\n9. \nCartels are scrambling\u2019: Virus snarls global drug trade\n\u00a0\n\u2013 AP News\n\n\nWhat are the effects of the pandemic to the global drug trade? How are the drug cartels pivoting*? Fascinating reporting by AP News.\n\n\n*Too good to not share: \u201cCartels are increasingly shifting away from drugs that require planting and growing seasons, like heroin and marijuana, in favor of synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, which can be cooked 24/7 throughout the year, are up to 50 times more powerful than heroin and produce a greater profit margin.\u201d\n\n\n10. Signature Market Review & Unboxing \u2013 \nRinggit Oh Ringgit YouTube Channel\n\u00a0\n\n\nAnd last but not least, sharing with you a video that I recorded and edited all on my own*! Without exaggeration, I\u2019ve been wanting to explore YouTube monetisation for\u00a0\nyears\u00a0\nalready, but never had the guts to do it. Until now, that is!\n\n\nNow that I\u2019ve uploaded one video, I\u2019m keep to do more! Quite excited to improve on my video-editing skills, too. What kind of videos do you want to watch? Collecting ideas.\n\n\n(*minus the intro/outro \u2013 that one I hired someone from Fiverr)\n\n\n\n\nPlease do subscribe \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-51/", "title": "Link Roundup #51: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nMy First Investment Portfolio for 2020 (Dividend 2030 portfolio)\n\u00a0\n\u2013\n Sivasathish.com\n\n\nEveryone says welcome to a new personal finance blogger, Sivasathish! He\u2019s a senior lecturer, a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and a self-confessed conservative, low-risk, long-term stock investor.\n\n\nThis is is current investment portfolio, which he plans to track and share until 2030. Amazing detail and super clear writing style. Whoever interested in the stocks market can follow.\n\n\n\n\nI like how (1) he repeats again and again that he\u2019s NOT a professional (no stocks guru feel, which I like), and (2) how his students say nothing but good things about him! See the comments section \u2013 so full of notes from his students. This type of student-teacher interaction is super endearing \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\n2. \nThese 30 simple financial tasks will help you save money, quell anxiety and take your mind off the news\n\u00a0\n\u2013\n\u00a0 CNBC \nMake It\n\n\nThe thing I like most about this article is how it shows how practical money management can help with anxiety.\n\n\nObviously, there are a lot of things we can\u2019t control nowadays. Taking back *some* control through performing simple financial tasks is a great idea.\n\n\nSome tasks include:\n\n\n\n\nMake a list of financial habits you\u2019d like to form\n\n\nFinally finish the financial task you\u2019ve been avoiding\n\n\nCreate an essentials-only budget\n\n\nCheck your credit score\n\n\n\n\n(Btw, on that last point. CTOS is still giving away free credit score checks with code \u2018FREEMCO20\u2019)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\ud835\uddea\ud835\uddf2 \ud835\uddee\ud835\uddff\ud835\uddf2 \ud835\ude04\ud835\uddf6\ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf5 \ud835\ude06\ud835\uddfc\ud835\ude02 We know that you are concerned about how the current economic conditions might affect your financial situation. Therefore, we will continue to support you with FREE score until 31st May 2020 so you can better understand your financial position and learn to manage it in order to get through this tough period. \ud835\uddd9\ud835\udde5\ud835\uddd8\ud835\uddd8 \ud835\udde6\ud835\uddf0\ud835\uddfc\ud835\uddff\ud835\uddf2 \ud835\uddf6\ud835\ude00 \ud835\uddf9\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfa\ud835\uddf6\ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddf1 \ud835\ude01\ud835\uddfc \ud835\uddf3\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddff\ud835\ude00\ud835\ude01 \ud835\udfed\ud835\udfec\ud835\udfec,\ud835\udfec\ud835\udfec\ud835\udfec \ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddf1\ud835\uddf6\ud835\ude03\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddf1\ud835\ude02\ud835\uddee\ud835\uddf9\ud835\ude00 Promo code: \ud835\uddd9\ud835\udde5\ud835\uddd8\ud835\uddd8\ud835\udde0\ud835\uddd6\ud835\udde2\ud835\udfee\ud835\udfec More info at\u00a0www.ctoscredit.com.my/ctos-cares/ Watch these videos to learn more: \u2022 \ud835\uddd6\ud835\udde7\ud835\udde2\ud835\udde6 \ud835\udde6\ud835\uddf0\ud835\uddfc\ud835\uddff\ud835\uddf2 \u2013 \ud835\udde7\ud835\uddf5\ud835\uddf2 \ud835\udde0\ud835\uddfc\ud835\ude00\ud835\ude01 \ud835\udddc\ud835\uddfa\ud835\uddfd\ud835\uddfc\ud835\uddff\ud835\ude01\ud835\uddee\ud835\uddfb\ud835\ude01 \ud835\udde1\ud835\ude02\ud835\uddfa\ud835\uddef\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddff \ud835\udddc\ud835\uddfb \ud835\udddf\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddf3\ud835\uddf2! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIPO9NB9drs \u2022 \ud835\udddc\ud835\ude01\u2019\ud835\ude00 \ud835\uddd4\ud835\uddf9\ud835\uddf9 \ud835\uddd4\ud835\uddef\ud835\uddfc\ud835\ude02\ud835\ude01 \ud835\uddec\ud835\uddfc\ud835\ude02\ud835\uddff \ud835\uddd6\ud835\udde7\ud835\udde2\ud835\udde6 \ud835\udde6\ud835\uddf0\ud835\uddfc\ud835\uddff\ud835\uddf2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fS32f22uDg \u2022 \ud835\udde6\ud835\uddfc\ud835\uddf0\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddee\ud835\uddf9 \ud835\uddd8\ud835\ude05\ud835\uddfd\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddff\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfa\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddfb\ud835\ude01 \u2013 \ud835\uddea\ud835\uddf5\ud835\uddee\ud835\ude01\u2019\ud835\ude00 \ud835\uddec\ud835\uddfc\ud835\ude02\ud835\uddff \ud835\uddd6\ud835\udde7\ud835\udde2\ud835\udde6 \ud835\udde6\ud835\uddf0\ud835\uddfc\ud835\uddff\ud835\uddf2? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LK1w0LwXPU #CTOS\u00a0#CTOSCares\u00a0#CCRIS\u00a0#CreditScore\u00a0#CTOSScore\u00a0#COVID19\u00a0#FREECTOSSCORE\n\n\nA post shared by \n CTOS Data Systems Sdn Bhd\n (@ctoscredit) on \nApr 28, 2020 at 12:27am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n3. \nA Week Living In A Converted Van On A $12,000 Salary\n \n\u2013 Refinery29\n\n\nHow different people live their lives, and the expenses that come with that lifestyle \nfascinates the hell out of me.\u00a0\nThat\u2019s why I\u2019m a big fan of Refinery29\u2019s Money Diaries.\n\n\nIn this particular writeup, the writer is a van dweller. Someone who lives full-time in a van (as the name suggests). This lifestyle is one of my \u2018oh that sounds romantic but I\u2019ll never be able to do it myself\u2019 lifestyle.\n\n\nHow she tackles food storage, hygiene (she gets a gym membership so she can use their showers! how clever!), relationships \u2013 everything is so different from my reality. It\u2019s a fun read.\n\n\nAfter that, you can binge-read all the other entries in the \nMoney Diaries series\n. This is my version of escapism, I suppose \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\n4. \nHow to Buy Bitcoin | A Beginners Guide for Malaysians [2020 Update]\n\u2013 Bitcoin Malaysia community\n\n\nBitcoin Halvening event \u2013 the once-every-four-year-event \u2013 came and went. As of May 2020, only 6.25 bitcoins enter the circulation every 10 minutes.\n\n\nThis is considered a major event, and major events invite speculations, which in turn invite lots of interest from newcomers.\n\n\nIf you\u2019re just starting out, and hella curious about this crypto thing, the first place to start is the Bitcoin Malaysia community. Personally I\u2019ve been involved with them since 2016 or so, and their commitment towards education and efforts towards helping members avoid scam/ponzi won me many times over.\n\n\n\n\n5. \n[True Owner Cost]: Under-Con Property Investing Journey in Malaysia\n \n\u2013 Balkoni Hijau\n\n\nBalkoni Hijau by Helmi Hasan is one of my favourite local personal finance blog nowadays \u2013 superb quality of writing and analysis.\n\n\nIn this article, he shares the true cost of buying under-con property for the purpose of renting it out. Helmi covered from the process of purchasing said under-con property, to inspecting it, to renovating it, to furnishing it, to advertising it to find tenants.\n\n\nAnyone who\u2019ve ever wanted to earn passive income by becoming a landlady/lord should read it.\n\n\n6.\n MDEC\u2019s Let\u2019s Learn Digital Campaign\n\n\nUnemployed folks, apply for the campaign. You get access to Coursera\u2019s many courses. This is your chance to learn a new, high-demand skill then making good living from it.\n\n\nHonestly right. If you\u2019re relatively privileged (live in urban area, can understand English,\u00a0 have access to internet, have roof on your head, family takes care of your immediate needs etc) but still complain about being poor\u2026 then it\u2019s not about lack of opportunities. It\u2019s just you.\n\n\n\n\n7. \nWhat It\u2019s Like to Inherit Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars in Your 20s\n \n\u2013 Vice\n\n\nI don\u2019t know how I feel about this article. On one hand, blegh rich people complaining about the negative effects of being rich. On another, okay fair enough, there are parts where these rich people are aware enough of society\u2019s perception of them that they lay low and avoid displaying their wealth.\n\n\nI guess the reason why I\u2019m sharing this here so that the trust fund babies among you (and in general whoever rich reading this) know enough that flaunting wealth in this day and age is considered extremely, extremely tacky.\n\n\n8. \nHow I Made $40,000 Off A Book\u2026Before I Even Published It.\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Compiled; Blog\n\n\nThe world is moving towards digital creators and influencer-teachers. That is undeniable. People who have a good online reputation can make lots of money sharing their knowledge to eager fans.\n\n\nA lot of people think that the creation and making money process is easy. All you have to do is get lots of fans and you\u2019re set. It doesn\u2019t work like that.\n\n\nSome people are lucky enough to be doing it \u2018right\u2019 by instinct and amassed their following being who they are, but lack the technical skills to create a business out of it (so basically they\u2019re just famous for the sake of being famous).\n\n\nSome people know the business side of it, but struggles with conveying their message in a simple way to their audience.\n\n\nI like how this article breaks down the effort that is put behind the creating and selling of a digital product. Such a good, inspirational read.\n\n\n9. \nThe economy is in free fall. So why isn\u2019t the stock market?\n \n\u2013 Vox\n\n\n*Note: the \u2018stock market\u2019 here refers to the US stock market, not Malaysia. Thought I should clarify that.\n\n\nTakeaway no 1: The stock market = the economy\n\n\nTakeaway no 2: nothing makes sense, so the average investor should just forget about timing the entry/exit and just continue dollar-cost averaging and investing for the long term\n\n\n10. \n(Stereo)types of Malaysian Investors: Who You Are Based on What You Invest In\n\u00a0\u2013 \nRinggit Oh Ringgit YouTube Channel\n\u00a0\n\n\nAnd last but not least, the latest addition to my YouTube channel. Investors, can you tell me (1) if I described you right, and (2) if there are other stereotypes you associated with different types of investors? Let me know \ud83d\ude00\n\n\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-52/", "title": "Link Roundup #52: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nHow to Track Your Income and Expenses [With FREE Template]\n\u00a0\n\u2013\n I\u2019m Funemployed\n\n\n\u201cOnce you\u2019ve developed the habit of expense tracking, the rest will fall in place later.\u201d\n\n\nSo true. You won\u2019t know if you\u2019re doing good or bad if there\u2019s no measurement.\n\n\n\n\n2. \nAre Flat Fines and Jail Time Fair MCO Punishment?:\u00a0A Call for Means-Based Sentencing\n \n\u2013 The Centre\n\n\nThe \nBINTIAHMADZAHID promo code incident\n raised an interesting topic for discussion: means-based sentencing. It \u2018considers a person\u2019s economic capacity in setting penalties, particularly fines. The idea is to scale fines according to income so that the punishment is felt equally heavy by those with higher incomes and those who earn daily wages.\u2019\n\n\nThe illustration below shows how a couple models of means-based sentencing would look like, if implemented in Malaysia.\n\n\n\n\nWill it ever happen though. I don\u2019t think so, not in current Malaysia.\n\n\n\n\nDepressing thought of the day: we already know solutions to most problems. They just remain problems due to lack of political will\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nMay 25, 2020\n\n\n\n\n3. \nThe Mystery of the $2,000 Ikea Shopping Bag\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Harvard Business Review\n\n\nTL;DR \u2013 *truly* wealthy people don\u2019t care about wearing fashion items perceived as \u2018working class\u2019, because people already know they\u2019re rich. The difference is they get their \u2018cheap\u2019 items from premium labels (or pair the cheap item with expensive items). Therefore the $2000 IKEA shopping bags (worn with thousand-dollar watches).\n\n\nOn the other hand, middle-class folks care more about labels because they want to signal their status through the appearance of having wealth. Even if its fake and all the high-end items are purchased through debt.\n\n\nCommerce is so strange because people are so strange lol.\n\n\n4. \nFacebook Shops turn business pages into online stores\n \n\u2013 Engadget\n\n\nFacebook domination continues. Facebook Marketplace, and now Facebook Shops. Setting up shop in Facebook = foot traffic in a busy mall. Good for the seller, more temptation for the audience.\n\n\nHow it looks like for Facebook\n\n\n\n\nHow it looks like for Instagram\n\n\n\n\nRight now, purchases can\u2019t happen *in* the app \u2013 you need need to pay via manual bank transfer or direct people to your website or whatever \u2013 but I think that feature will come in due time. I remember reading that Facebook was experimenting with that Libra cryptocurrency ecosystem and all.\n\n\n5. \nHow do people become wealthy? 2 case studies\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Ladders\n\n\nI like this article because (1) it doesn\u2019t reference some billionaire and promote the idea that everyone can be ultra-wealthy only if they work just as hard (super unrealistic),\n\n\nand (2) the two case studies tell of two very different approaches, in an \u2018all roads lead to Rome\u2019 kind of way. Person One is from someone who enjoys life, while Person Two is from a super competitive person. Pick a wealth approach that works with your style, or if both of them don\u2019t particularly speak to you, find others who do.\n\n\n6. \nHow to Respond to \u201cTake It or Leave It\u201d\n \n\u2013 Harvard Business Review\n\n\nWhat a fascinating article. I\u2019ve always thought that \u201ctake it or leave it\u201d offers are the final offers, but it seems like you can still negotiate on by adopting the \u2018choice mindset\u2019.\n\n\nThis has just expanded my \u2018refuse to be refused\u2019 line of thinking.\n\n\n7.\n \nEQ Matters More Than IQ for Group Success, New Harvard Study Says \n\u2013 Inc\n\n\nTeammates who can get along with each other > individually smart teammates who can\u2019t work together.\n\n\nYou know who tends to be better at emotional intelligence? \nWomen\n. Grow your business better by having women in your organisation, across all management levels.\n\n\n\n\n8. \nYou Need A Schedule\n\u00a0\n\u2013\n\u00a0 The Cut\n\n\nI don\u2019t know about you, but MCO really messed up my sense of time. Days just flow by, in a wake up-work-sleep pattern. Sometimes I don\u2019t even know how I get things done.\n\n\nThank goodness, I suppose, for loose schedules and routines that I follow out of habit. But I know I can be better at it.\n\n\nThis article introduced an important aspect of time management that I\u2019ve never really implemented, or even thought about: create an end-of-day schedule. No wonder I feel like I\u2019m working all the time. I don\u2019t have any routines or habits that mark the end of a working day.\n\n\nThis is why my brain is still in working mode almost all the time, and why I feel guilty doing non-productive things. I don\u2019t know how to switch off yet. Related: \nHow My Work From Home Schedule *Actually* Looks Like\n\n\nThinking seriously about what I action I can use as my end-of-day ritual. Suggestions?\n\n\n9. \nThere\u2019s One Key to Not Wasting A Day Off During Quarantine\n \u2013 Apartment Therapy\n\n\nContinuing on that line of thought, how does one create a balanced schedule? This is something I\u2019m struggling with as well.\n\n\nSomething I\u2019ve been experimenting in lately is to not just add work items in my to-do list, but also other noteworthy things I\u2019ve done during the day.\n\n\nIt sort of helped. Sometimes I feel like I did \u2018nothing\u2019 but actually, I did a bunch of soul-nourishing activities. That counts, because rest and leisure is part of productivity culture, too.\n\n\n\n\n10. How I Became An Adult \u2013 Wong Fu Productions\n\n\nLast but not least, I want to show this video, which a commenter shared to me (shoutout to Alvin Choo! Thanks bro for sharing).\n\n\nIt\u2019s about the process of taking responsibility for your own life.\n\n\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-53/", "title": "Link Roundup #53: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nHow to Cope with Being Broke, Angry and Ashamed\n\u00a0\n\u2013\n The Cut\n\n\nBeen broke, angry and ashamed before? Have a read. You\u2019ll relate with many of the points. The article is an interview with Amanda Clayman, a financial therapist who partnered with the wildly popular Death, Sex and Money Podcast, to create a series of Financial Therapy series.\n\n\nBut beyond that, let\u2019s talk about anxiety caused by financial situation.\u00a0In case you didn\u2019t know, that type of anxiety is really, \nreally\u00a0\ncommon. We feel bad when we are not making enough. We feel bad when we make too much.\n\n\n(How? \u2013 you might ask. Think of people who feel bad over their work taking time away from family time).\n\n\nHave a look at other types of money anxiety at the \nDeath, Sex and Money podcast page\n. Chances are you\u2019ll find someone you can relate with.\n\n\n\n\n2. \n7 Finance Bloggers\u2019 Personal Tips To Save Money Now, So You Can Survive The Recession In M\u2019sia\n \u2013 Vulcanpost\n\n\nHey look, it\u2019s me and my fellow personal finance bloggers! We give money tips!\n\n\nNext time, I hope to see more women in personal finance-related articles \ud83d\ude42 I\u2019m not the only one you know. Discover more of us further down this article and in the\u00a0\nWhat\u2019s In My Bag: Malaysia Personal Finance Content Creators Edition!\n roundup.\n\n\n\n\n3. \nThe Great Diamond Glut: Miners Stuck With Gems Worth Billions\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Bloomberg\n\n\nThe diamond industry: how do we maintain the (high) diamond prices when people are not buying and the diamond stock keeps increasing? No we refuse to slash the price.\n\n\nGood luck solving the problem lol. Much respect if they can maintain current prices. Not easy.\n\n\n4. \nHow to Run a Website for Only $8 a Year\n\u00a0\n\u2013 BeanMusing.com\n\n\nCindy aka \nMoneyMonies on IG\n shared how she figured out how to maintain a self-hosted website for cheap, at only $8 or RM32(ish) per year!\n\n\nPersonally I pay about RM1000(ish) for 3 years, so that\u2019s quite a big difference in price.\n\n\n(But no regrets. I use and love Wordpress dot org \u2013 can see more info at \nThe Exact Steps I Use to Earn Money from Blogging\n article).\n\n\n5.\n \nWhy It\u2019s Time to Do Zero-Based Budgeting \n\u2013 Siti Sabidi\u00a0\n\n\nSiti Sabidi is a Malaysia-based debt-free blogger (yes! I know! got!) In this article, she explains what is zero-based budgeting, a method of budgeting that I personally haven\u2019t done before \u2013 assign every dollar (ringgit) a purpose.\n\n\nI\u2019ve minded my personal finance for a while, and my method now is honestly just \u2018make sure I earn more than I spend, invest the difference\u2019, that\u2019s it. Can definitely improve on this system, make my budgeting more intentional.\n\n\nP/s \u2013 I recommend following Siti Sabidi on FB and IG\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nHappy 1st of June everyone. Sekejap sangat dah half year 2020. Pagi is my best time to reflect how I did, what I did to get me closer to debt free. The feeling to be able to strike off the Debt section on my budget worksheet is such a pleasent feeling from practising frugal living, sacrifice the desire for fancy fancy things, being a little more micro manage with my money. Alhamdulillah. Dah nampak sunshine disitu \ud83c\udf3c Don\u2019t give up, girl. Be consistent with tracking your budget. When you have clarity in your goals and having a system working around your personal finance like how this workbook and cash envelopes does for me, no matter how much money you bring in, you won\u2019t stray of wondering where your money has gone or what have you done with your money. What is your goal for this month? #cashenvelopemalaysia #bebashutang #matlamatkewangan\n\n\nA post shared by \n Siti Sabidi\n (@sitisabidi) on \nMay 31, 2020 at 8:51pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n6. \nProductivity Culture Has an Empathy Problem\n \n\u2013 Kristin Wong (editor @ The Financial Diet)\n\n\n\u201c..so much popular productivity advice\u2026 is accessible only to people who have the option to use it in the first place.\u201d\n\n\nGoing to file this under: articles that genuinely made me think.\n\n\n7.\n Syaza Nazura\u2019s Newsletter #40 \u2013 \nImpostor syndrome & career coaching\u00a0\n\n\nSyaza Nazura is a career coach who publishes awesome newsletters and talks about things like how impostor syndrome affects\u00a0\nher, \na career coach.\n\n\nIn a world where everyone fakes their confidence, and have that \u2018fake-it-til-you-make-it\u2019 mindset (not wrong!), it\u2019s nice to know that deep down, we\u2019re all insecure about our performance. Everyone \u2013 except narcissists \u2013 feels inadequate at least half the time, and that\u2019s normal.\n\n\nP/s- I\u2019m reading a book written by an ex-Google employee. Apparently all the programmers push themselves to be ahead because they don\u2019t want to appear they\u2019re behind everyone else. We\u2019re all faking it.\n\n\n8. \n5 Economists Redefining\u2026 Everything. Oh Yes, And They\u2019re Women\n \u2013\n\u00a0 Forbes\n\n\nMy head spins from the redefinition of economic concepts, all brilliantly explained by these amazing women. Notably, their approach promotes new concerns like climate change, and intentionally excludes exploitation. Teasers from the article:\n\n\n\n\nMariana Mazzucato\n asks fundamental questions about how \u2018value\u2019 has been defined, who decides what that means, and who gets to measure it. Watch her \nTED talk\n\n\nStephanie Kelton\n takes on our approach to debt and spoofs the simplistic metaphors, like comparing national income and expenditure to \u2018family budgets\u2019 in an attempt to prove how dangerous debt is.\n\n\nKate Raworth\n, a Senior Research Associate at Oxford University\u2019s\u00a0\nEnvironmental Change Institute\n, is the author of\u00a0\nDoughnut Economics\n. She challenges our obsession with growth, and its outdated measures.\n\n\nCarlota Perez\n doesn\u2019t want to stop or slow growth, she wants to dematerialize it. Her push is towards a redefinition of the \u2018good life\u2019 and the need for \u201csmart green growth\u201d to be fuelled by a desire for new, attractive and aspirational lifestyles. Lives will be built on a circular economy that multiplies services and intangibles which offer limitless (and less environmentally harmful) growth.\n\n\nEsther Duflo\n, Professor of Poverty Alleviation and Development Economics at MIT, is the major proponent of bringing what is accepted practice in medicine to the field of economics: field trials with randomised control groups.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n9. \nHow I get months of free groceries (pantry items) in Malaysia\n \u2013 The Purple Cotton\n\n\nNOT a clickbait. The Purple Cotton really did found a way to get hundreds of ringgit worth of pantry items for free, by buying store credits at a cheaper price. The promo she\u2019s referring to has (unfortunately) expired, but I love the resourcefulness!\n\n\n10. How to Stop Promoting Incompetent Men \u2013 Harvard Business Review\n\n\nAnd finally. CAN WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE WORLD IS WORSE OF DUE TO THE LEADERSHIP OF INCOMPETENT MEN????\n\n\nCan we PLEASE stop glorifying them now???\n\n\n\n\nAll over the world, men tend to think that they that are much smarter than women. Yet arrogance and overconfidence are inversely related to leadership talent. \nhttps://t.co/1U07uKHwwG\n\n\n\u2014 Harvard Business Review (@HarvardBiz) \nJune 11, 2020\n\n\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-54/", "title": "Link Roundup #54: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nHow to Grow Your Money Made Really Easy for Enterprising Artists\n\u00a0\n\u2013\n Eksentrika\n\n\nI love the intersection between personal finance and the arts in this article!\n\n\nIt covered a few sections:\n\n\n\n\nThe 4 (financial) types of artists (fun read!)\n\n\n5 personal finance terms\n\n\n8 steps to become financially stable, and\n\n\nTypes of investments\n\n\n\n\nRecommended read, for both creatives and non-creatives \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\n2. \nCovid-19 lockdown: Malaysians with pay cuts struggled more than jobless to pay bills, survey found\n \u2013 MalayMail\n\n\nThe \u2018You OK Or Not During MCO\u2019 survey organised by ThinkCity drew over 2000 respondents. Interestingly, those who suffered pay cuts struggled \nmore\n than those who are unemployed. That\u2019s because they still have to pay financial obligations, whereas the unemployed didn\u2019t have (or have much less) obligations.\n\n\nIt\u2019s an interesting, if depressing, outcome. In conclusion:\n the lesser your financial obligations, the better you\u2019ll fare during economic downturns\n.\n\n\n\n\n3. \nIn an Experiment, 255 People Changed Their Own Personalities in Just 2 Weeks\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Inc\n\n\nThe fact that you can change your personality doesn\u2019t surprise me, but the speed and methodology does. They simply used \u2018a smartphone app that sent them twice-daily reminders\u2019. How it works:\n\n\nthe subjects received two automatic text messages each day via a mobile coaching app.\n\n\nThe first message, in the morning, reminded them of intentions they themselves had set for the day, which might include things like going to the gym or trying out a new recipe. Morning messages also offered encouragement and reminded participants of what they\u2019d accomplished so far.\n\n\nThe second message, in the evening, asked them to fill out a short questionnaire on whether they\u2019d fulfilled their intentions for the day.\n\n\nDoesn\u2019t that sound cool? Which part of your personality would you change?\n\n\n(Unfortunately, the article didn\u2019t mention what app was used for the study. If that twice-a-day feature sounds familiar, tell us the name in the comments section!)\n\n\n4. \nWe Need to Talk About Privilege in Personal Finance \n\u2013 HalfBanked\n\n\nWe absolutely do. We can\u2019t ignore the fact that success is harder \u2013 not impossible! \u2013 for some people, and it is the moral obligation of those with privilege to help level the playing field.\n\n\nI\u2019ll start:\n\n\n\n\nBLM movement is making me think of my own privileges\n\n\nAs a Malay-Muslim in Malaysia\n\n\nAs someone living in urban area\n\n\nAs someone who received tiertary education\n\n\nAs someone who grew up with two working parents in economically stable household\n\n\nI can and must do more\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nJune 3, 2020\n\n\n\n\n5. \n5 Side Hustles I Did To Earn Some Serious Money\n \u2013 I\u2019m Funemployed\n\n\nNicole didn\u2019t just list out the side hustles, but also how much she earned and how she got the gigs in the first place. Truly encompass the personal side of personal finance, love it \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n6. \nThere\u2019s a Thriving Market for Human Body Parts on Instagram\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Vice\n\n\nI\u2019m sorry lol but there\u2019s a WHAT on WHERE??\n\n\n7. \nMen Have No Friends and Women Bear the Burden\n \n\u2013 Harpers Bazaar\n\n\nSharing for the term \u2019emotional gold digging\u2019.\n\n\nUnlike women, who are encouraged to foster deep platonic intimacy from a young age, American men\u2014with their puffed up chests, fist bumps, and awkward side hugs\u2014grow up believing that they should not only behave like stoic robots in front of other men, but that women are the only people they are allowed to turn to for emotional support\u2014if anyone at all.\n\n\nAnd as modern relationships continue to put pressure on \u201cthe one\u201d to be\u00a0\nThe Only One\n\u00a0(where men cast their wives and girlfriends to play best friend, lover, career advisor, stylist, social secretary, emotional cheerleader, mom\u2014to him, their future kids, or both\u2014and eventually, on-call therapist minus the $200/hour fee), this form of emotional gold digging is not only detrimental to men,\u00a0\nit\u2019s exhausting\n\u00a0an entire generation of women.\n\n\nFYI there are resources like\n Remaking Manhood\n and \nThe Good Men Project\n, plus manuals for men\u2019s support group out there in the interwebs. Men can organise sessions to develop healthy, platonic relationships with fellow men.\n\n\n8. \nThe Best New Groceries That Hit Grocery Store Shelves Over the Past 3 Months\n\u00a0\u2013\n\u00a0 The Kitchn\n\n\nOh my, a new genre of product reviews \u2013 the best new groceries. Kind of like the food version of fashion\u2019s \u2018must-wear this season\u2019.\n\n\n\u2026I hate that I love it >__< Grocery shopping is my weak spot. I LOVE shopping and window shopping for things I can eat.\n\n\n\n\nIs there a Malaysian equivalent, I wonder\u2026\n\n\n9. \n\u2018I Was Forced to Close My Business, and I Don\u2019t Miss It at All\n\u00a0\u2013 The Cut\n\n\nThe raw emotions in this piece tore me apart. The author\u2019s financial state is a mess, but she mentioned a sense of calm, over getting back off days (even though not by choice) and no longer having the responsibility of managing employees.\n\n\nThis is exactly what I fear. I\u2019m at this crossroad now where I can take the Ringgit Oh Ringgit brand to the next level: hire employees and produce more content. Yet I love that the only person I\u2019m responsible for is myself, no one else.\n\n\nI guess I\u2019ll remain a solopreneur for now.\n\n\n10. \nThe Best Book on Success and Decision-Making You\u2019ll Read This Year\n \u2013 Inc\n\n\nInterestingly, the book in question \u2013 The Biggest Bluff: How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself and Win by Maria Konnikova, a Harvard graduate with a PhD from Columbia \u2013 is about poker. The card game where you win by outmanoeuvring your opponents.\n\n\nI am very well aware that my natural state of self is non-confrontational. It\u2019s partly a gender thing (women are conditioned to be more submissive), and partly an internal trait. What this means is sometimes, I don\u2019t always get the best deals when negotiating for myself.\n\n\nDefinitely intrigued by poker strategies I can use to improve my negotiation skills. So, I\u2019m looking out for this book, holla if you happen to sell a secondhand copy.\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-55/", "title": "Link Roundup #55: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \n5 Ways To Go From A Scarcity To Abundance Mindset\n \u2013\n Forbes\n\n\nIn my \n[Personal] 5 Things I Learned in my 20s: Advice I\u2019d Give to My Younger Self\n article, I wrote #2 \u2013 You\u2019re going to lose some friends and that\u2019s okay.\n\n\n(and when I say lose friends, I don\u2019t mean doing dramatic \u2018we\u2019re through!\u2019 declarations. I just mean we stopped hanging out)\n\n\nOne thing they have in common \u2013 (almost) all of them have the scarcity mindset. Being around them feels negative, drowning,\u00a0\nheavy\n. There\u2019s a big difference between people who say \u2018that\u2019s not possible\u2019 and people who say \u2018here\u2019s how that can be possible\u2019.\n\n\nNote: This also includes online friends and acquaintances btw.\n\n\n\n\n2. \nNational poverty line income revised to RM2,208\n \u2013 DoSM\u00a0\u2013 AstroAwani\n\n\nA welcomed revision. We were stuck at RM980 since 2005.\n\n\nImportant distinction: RM2,208 is the new national poverty line for \nhousehold\n, not for individual. It is also the national \naverage\n, which means some states have higher (and lower) poverty lines.\n\n\n3. \nYou Can Now Hire A Mak Cik To Accompany You To Run Your Errands\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Says.com\n\n\nLove this. Services include picking up children from school, and accompanying the elderly to hospitals. Outsourcing care work frees up a lot of time, especially for women. It also tells you that this seemingly \u2018simple\u2019 work has value, instead of assumed as free.\n\n\nBook these services at \nMakcikTravels.com\n or WhatsApp +6010-2284020\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nPerkhidmatan yang kami sediakan.. #makciktravels #makciktravelshq\n\n\nA post shared by \n Makcik Travels HQ\n (@makciktravelshq) on \nJun 3, 2020 at 6:04pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n4. \nTenaganita says 500,000 migrant workers cheated in \u2018govt-sponsored scam\u2019\n \u2013 FreeMalaysiaToday\n\n\n\u201cCases handled by Tenaganita indicates that each applying migrant had paid an average of RM6,000 to the vendors,\u201d said the group\u2019s director Joseph Paul Malaimauv\n\n\n\u201cThose who did not obtain the work permit lost all the money that they had paid and in most cases they also lost their passports which they had handed over to the vendors,\u201d he told a press conference today.\n\n\nThink of this before you go, \u2018this is not about racism!! this is about legal vs illegal! of course those who are undocumented are in the wrong!\u2019\n\n\n5. \nBest 3 Budgeting And Savings Strategies For The Single Muslimah\n\u00a0\n\u2013 GlowUpJune\n\n\nJune is a female Singaporean Malay-Muslim self-development and personal finance blogger, which you\u2019d agree is pretty rare from that nation-state \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nThe 3 strategies are:\n\n\n\n\nThe Envelope System\n\n\nThe Kakeibo Method\n\n\nThe Jars System\n\n\n\n\nRecommended read for anyone, regardless of your relationship status and religion lol.\n\n\n6. \nI tried these TikTok money-saving tips. Here\u2019s what happened\n\u00a0\n\u2013 CNET\n\n\nFirst thought: there are personal finance content on TikTok?!\n\n\nSecond thought: of course there are, why wouldn\u2019t people create content around something as universal as money.\n\n\nTbh, the link is NOT worth a click, since the tips are travel-specific and USA-centric. But I thought you should know that yeah, there are personal finance content on TikTok.\n\n\n7. \nEverything you need to know about the UAE\u2019s first Sharia-approved loto\n \n\u2013 GulfNews\n\n\n\n\nMe to me: keep an open mind keep an open mind keep an open mind\n\n\nSo they say, basically how it works is you\u2019re buying \u2018collectables with the option for purchases to enter you into a mega draw\u2019 (syariah-compliant) not \u2018lottery tickets\u2019 (not syariah-compliant)\n\n\n\n\nGah. My indoctrinated brain which received Islamic guidance from mostly Malaysian thought leaders don\u2019t know how to justify this.\n\n\n8. \n50 Business Ideas People are Actually Making Money From (Complete with Examples)\n \u2013\n\u00a0 Fizzle.co\n\n\nArticles listing out potential business ideas are a dime a dozen. What\u2019s different (and valuable) here are the examples given along with the ideas \u2013 people and entities who successfully turned the ideas into income source.\n\n\n9. \nCaribbean countries are selling citizenship for as low as $100,000 \u2014 here\u2019s how the ultra-wealthy are cashing in to avoid pandemic travel restrictions\n\u00a0\u2013 Business Insider\n\n\nI was wondering how tourism-dependent nations plan to scrape by the financial damage caused by Covid-19.\n\n\nThe funniest (?) part is there\u2019s also a family package:\n\n\nThrough December 1, the island nation Saint Kitts and Nevis is selling a four-person family package for $150,000 \u2014 down from $190,000, in exchange for a minimum real-estate purchase of $200,000 that must be held for at least seven years.\n\n\n10. \nManaging uncertain times \u2013 Money & Minimalism Monthly Roundup #1\n\u00a0\u2013 ElizabethTai.com\n\n\nAnd lastly, ending this personal finance link roundup with \nanother\n personal finance link roundup, but this time featuring bloggers from Asia, especially South East Asia! Elizabeth (Liz) rightly pointed out \u2018\nreaders in Asia are hungry for localised personal finance and minimalism content.\u2019\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-56/", "title": "Link Roundup #56: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nEvery self-help book ever, boiled down to 11 simple rules\n\u00a0\u2013\n Mashable\n\n\nOnce in a while, you\u2019ll come across an EXCEPTIONAL article, and this is one of those. I loved it so much, I wrote down the 11 rules in my journal, so I can quickly refer to them:\n\n\n\n\nTake one small step\n\n\nChange your mental maps\n\n\nStruggle is good. Scary is good.\n\n\nInstant judgement is bad\n\n\nRemember the end of your life\n\n\nBe playful\n\n\nBe useful to others\n\n\nPerfectionism = procrastination\n\n\nSleep, exercise, chill out, eat. Repeat\n\n\nWrite it all down\n\n\nYou can\u2019t get it all from reading\n\n\n\n\nHere\u2019s another hack, if you\u2019ll take one from me: find a mentor who exhibits the behaviours you\u2019d like to emulate. Can be formal, can be informal (ie a public figure). It is helpful to find people who can show you the \nway\n it can be done.\n\n\n\n\n2. \nBye, Netflix: These free subscriptions will save you lots of cash each month\n\u00a0\u2013 CNet\n\n\nIn a nutshell,\n\n\n\n\nNote: the suggestions for video streaming are great, BUT you must have VPN because they\u2019re not available in Malaysia.\n\n\nMy personal fave is Masterclass Live \u2013 the paid option is $180 (STILL DAMN CHEAP FOR THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION YOU\u2019D GET), but there is also the free option of \nMasterclass Live\n.\n\n\n3. \n50 Reasons Why Everyone Should Want More Walkable Streets\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Fast Co\n\n\n\u201c\nSomeone with a 1-hr car commute needs to earn 40% more to be as happy as someone with a short walk to work\n. On the other hand, if someone shifts from a long commute to a walk, their happiness increases as much as if they\u2019d fallen in love.\u201d\n\n\nHello any of you have/will have decision-making power in anything related to city planning? Please make our streets more walkable.\n\n\nAlso, how can I, as a common citizen, contribute towards this future? Hmmmm suggestions? The only thing I can think of is sending formal complaints when roadside stalls take up walking space meant for pedestrians (not something I want to do tbh, they\u2019re in the wrong but\u2026 kesian).\n\n\n4. \nHow to register a sole proprietorship with SSM\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Silent Confessions by Syaza Nazura\n\n\nChannelling my inner boomer: back in my day I had to go to SMM in PERSON to register for sole prop! In person! And now you can do it online!\n\n\nLol no really tho. If you have a side business, doing freelancing or whatever, and have started to reinvest your profits back into yourself and your business, register yourself at least for sole prop, the cheapest option for business entity.\n\n\nWhy? So you can claim some expenses as business expenses during tax \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n(And on that note. You should totally file your taxes even if you\u2019re not making profit *yet*. If you\u2019re not making enough, you\u2019re not eligible to pay taxes, but you HAVE to submit).\n\n\n5. \nCo-Living Side Hustle: Learning The Way (Day 1)\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Melepak.com\n\n\nThis is a blogpost from a \u2018Malay guy living in Singapore\u2019 who is exploring co-living side hustle as an income stream.\n\n\nPersonally I just think \u2018co-living\u2019 is just the rebranding of normal renting out business, but with built-in service of ensuring harmony between tenants, however that works. A cool exploration of idea nonetheless. Waiting for Parts 2 and beyond.\n\n\n6. \nWhich Phones Lose the Most Value?\n \n\u2013 PCMag\n\n\nThe\u00a0iPhone XR\u00a0has lost 53.2 percent of its value since 2018, and while that might sound like a lot, the\u00a0LGV40 ThinQ, a serious competitor in the Android space at the same time on the market, has lost 79.10% of its value in the same time.\n\n\niPhone users get mocked a lot for \u2018falling for\u2019 expensive branding, but they actually have high resale value (they tend to last longer too), so who\u2019s laughing now?!\n\n\n7. \nWhy Your Designer Bag Is Making You Feel Worse\n\u00a0\n\u2013 The Financial Diet\n\n\nSpending on luxuries (doesn\u2019t have to be a designer bag, could be premium watches for you boys) are supposed to make you feel good\u2026 right?\n\n\nThen why do some people \u2013 including me, if I\u2019m honest \u2013 feel crap if they purchase said items?\n\n\nIn one study, Dr. Ordabayeva and her colleagues asked women to imagine they were buying a dress for the opera and considering a luxury option versus a non-luxury option.\n\n\nThen they asked the women to report how authentic they felt potentially buying each option, and the majority of women said \nthe luxury option made them feel like a less authentic version of themselves. \n\n\n\u201cTo our surprise, we found that a lot of consumers do not necessarily experience the psychological boost that luxury promises, and instead feel inauthentic and like impostors when wearing luxury,\u201d Dr. Ordabayeva said.\n\n\nPlease note here that I\u2019m not exploring the whole \u2018should you buy luxury products\u2019 angle. You do you. Instead, I\u2019m exploring the psychology that goes behind not feeling that \u2018you\u2019re worth it\u2019 factor that these brands often promote.\n\n\n8. \nPeople are paying $10,000 to trip on magic mushrooms at a retreat in Jamaica. But past struggles with safety and staffing show the difficulty of taking psychedelics mainstream.\n \u00a0\u2013\n\u00a0 Business Insider\n\n\nTIL psychedelics retreats??! It\u2019s a thing??\n\n\nI\u2019m just\u2026 fascinated at the services that exist just to alleviate the boredom of rich people.\n\n\n\n\n9. \nMaking Money on OnlyFans Is a Lot Harder Than You\u00a0Think\n \u2013 Vice\n\n\n\u201cYou don\u2019t know how hard it is to hustle and get people to pay for their porn when most is free\u201d\n\n\nDamn right. Much respect to the sex workers who successfully did it. Marketing geniuses, truly.\n\n\n10. \nIs Woke Capitalism Profitable?\n\u00a0\u2013 Quilette\n\n\nThis is an interesting one. The author compared share price performance by \u2018woke\u2019 companies to their equivalent not-woke-but-not-right-wing-either counterparts, and \nacknowledging there may be gaps in the analysis\n, came to this conclusion:\n\n\n\u2018woke corporate policies do little to positively or negatively impact a company\u2019s bottom line. While financial gains are possible, they are minimal. In other words, woke capitalism is, for the most part, financially inconsequential relative to other higher order factors, be they store closures or increased production costs.\u2019\n\n\nVerrry interesting. Woke capitalism has been criticised as just being a marketing ploy for one purpose only: higher profit. Again, nothing here is conclusive, but it seems like that theory doesn\u2019t hold weight.\n\n\nWill woke companies continue being woke with no financial incentive? Who knows.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-57/", "title": "Link Roundup #57: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nInvesting\n \n\u2013\n XKCD\n\n\nApparently, the rule of the internet states that XKCD has a comic strip for ANY topic. Here\u2019s the strip for Investing. I dedicate it to everyone who\u2019s trying to invest their money without trying to increase income, either through salary or side hustle.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n2. \nResearch Says You Can Earn Way More Money by Boosting Your Emotional Intelligence. Here Are 4 Ways to Do It \n\u2013 Inc\n\n\n\n\nPeople with high EQs make an average of \n$29,000 per year more\n than people with low EQs.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHoly shit what. That much? That\u2019s amazing.\n\n\nThe article didn\u2019t go into specifics, but now you know \u2013 you have to invest in self-development and work on these 4 things:\n\n\n\n\nRaise your self-awareness\n\n\nLearn self-control\n\n\nPractice empathy, and\n\n\nBe visible to others (aka don\u2019t hide when there\u2019s a crisis, be there to reassure)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n3. I\n\u00a0Made 8 Dinners For Two People On A $25 Budget (In NYC!)\u00a0\n\u2013 Delish\n\n\nI\u2019m such a BIG FAN of June from Delish. Her grocery shopping/cooking style is similar to (and way more advanced than) mine: buy what\u2019s cheap or value for money, then figure out ways to cook them. My meals get increasingly more creative the longer I go without grocery run, and I enjoy figuring out what to do with the ingredients I have left.\n\n\n\n\n4. \nWhy is Print Ink So Expensive?\n\u00a0\n\u2013 MEL Magazine\n\n\nOh wow this article pissed me off so much lol. Among other things, I found out that:\n\n\n\n\nPrinter companies sell printers cheaply so they can hook you into buying expensive ink for years to come (this, most of us already know)\n\n\nPrinter companies purposely make off-brand inks incompatible with your printer, through firmware updates\n\n\nPrinter companies have reduced ink quantity in cartridges\n\n\nOnly about half of the ink reaches your printed copies\n\n\n\n\nNo wonder e-commerce sellers suggest switching to thermal printers. No ink replacement necessary. I leaned this from TikTok btw.\n\n\n5. \nChina and Russia ditch dollar in move toward \u2018financial alliance\u2019 \n\u2013 Nikkei Asian Review\n\n\nI\u2019ll be honest and say that I don\u2019t know what this will mean to the average person. So I asked Safdar Alam, the person who tweeted this, and he said:\n\n\n\n\nGreat Q. The potential weakening of the USD as a global currency MAY presage the weaking of global fiat money which in turn would increase the chance of a non fiat and non Riba currency coming forward.\n\n\nThis is my main hope \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2014 Safdar Alam (@SafdarAlam) \nAugust 10, 2020\n\n\n\n\n6. \nYour Desire to Quit Your Job is Perfectly Normal\n \n\u2013 Mr Stingy\n\n\nGood article from\u00a0Mr-stingy on having bad days. It\u2019s very, very normal. Even for me, and I\u2019m self-employed in my dream job.\n\n\nMy take: use the 5-to-1 rule; have 5 positives for every 1 negative. This rule is for long-term relationships, but can be applied to jobs too.\n\n\nNot enough positives on the job? Create em. Still can\u2019t? You tried, completely fine to seek other opportunities.\n\n\n7. \nHow To Ask For More (And Get It), According To A Columbia Law Professor\n \n\u2013 Forbes\n\n\nNegotiation skills. Most of us want to be better at this, and not just for financial benefits, but also \u2018(to conduct) negotiation on the home front \u2014 to coordinate childcare responsibilities while you and your partner work from home\u2019.\n\n\nWhat I love about this interview is the \u2018I/We ask\u2019 tip. It goes like:\n\n\nWhen I am training people to ask for more, it goes like this: Here\u2019s what I\u2019m requesting, and here\u2019s how we all benefit. So in other words, when you\u2019ve spent time really stepping into the shoes of your manager, your CEO, your organization, and figuring out what they most need, you then are in a position to pitch your ask in a way that meets that need \u2013 the I/we is an extremely powerful tool.\n\n\nIt\u2019s just as powerful as it is collaborative. And it\u2019s an approach that works exceptionally well for women and not just pre-pandemic, but even amid this crisis and uncertainty.\n\n\nAbundance mentality. Thinking of and proposing Win/win solutions.\u00a0 Thanks so much for the tip, Prof <3 I also found out she\u2019s an \nexecutive coach for sensitive high-achievers\n?! Love it.\n\n\n\n\n8. \nTwitch Streamers Make Thousands Literally by Just Sleeping\n\u00a0\u2013\n\u00a0 Wired\n\n\nSharing for the creativity here. How it works is: the streamers allow viewers to run videos (of their choosing) when they donate, all while they were sleeping. Sometimes they might wake up \u2013 naturally or because of the videos \u2013 but mostly they sleep while viewers watch.\n\n\nIt\u2019s not really \u2018just sleeping\u2019 as there are lots of prep work involved (setting up the bot, ensuring equipment quality, not to mention the effort behind growing the channel itself), but yeah, technically speaking, they make money while they slept.\n\n\n9. \nA British Skin Care Brand Pressured Asian Influencers To Promote Its Skin Whiteners. They Fought Back.\n\u00a0\u2013 BuzzFeed News\n\n\nAfter Unilever representatives in Sri Lanka saw Shenoy\u2019s post about Pond\u2019s White Beauty products, two of its executives in Sri Lanka told the magazine\u2019s publisher that she should either be fired or publish two pages in the magazine every six months describing how she used Pond\u2019s skin whitening creams and encouraging other women to use them as well.\n\n\nUnilever was a major advertiser, and the publisher told her the magazine could go under if she didn\u2019t give in, Shenoy said, but she stood firm.\u201cUnilever then retracted every single brand advertising for the publication,\u201d said Shenoy. \u201cIt was a lot of money. They own a whole portfolio of brands.\u201d\n\n\nOh, the repercussions you get for reducing a product\u2019s profitability. Thus happened in Sri Lanka but make no mistake, whitening creams are big business here in Malaysia too, and they probably don\u2019t like all this \u2018be happy with your skin tone\u2019 messaging.\n\n\n\n\n10. \n5 Best Business Practices For M\u2019sian Freelancers To Stay In LHDN\u2019s Good Books\n\u00a0\u2013 VulcanPost\n\n\nSolid tips and recommended read for all Malaysian freelancers out there. Bookmark this page, you\u2019ll probably visit it again later.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-58/", "title": "Link Roundup #58: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nUniversal basic income seems to improve employment and well-being\u00a0\u2013\n New Scientist\n\n\nResults of the world\u2019s most comprehensive universal basic income test came out, and to no one\u2019s surprise, it resulted in \u2018better financial well-being, mental health and cognitive functioning, as well as higher levels of confidence in the future.\u2019\n\n\nThe most important line to me is this one:\n\n\nThe findings suggest that basic income doesn\u2019t seem to provide a disincentive for people to work.\n\n\nSide note: I wrote a dystopian short story exploring how Malaysia would look like with UBI implementation. It\u2019s not particularly a happy story, but you can read it in Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 1 book. Purchase \nhere\n.\n\n\n\n\n2. \n7 Things Confident People Always Say\n \n\u2013 Inc\n\n\nGREAT article showing one type of soft skill in action. Highly recommended read. It would do us a lot of good to identify how confident people sound like, so we can avoid/reduce putting incompetent people in positions of power.\n\n\nClick on the link to find out what these phrases show about a person\u2019s psyche and capabilities.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI wouldn\u2019t worry about it\u201d\n\n\n\u201cGo for it\u201d\n\n\n\u201cDoing it this way forks for me\u201d\n\n\n\u201cWhy not me?\u201d\n\n\n\u201cI need to say something\u201d\n\n\n\u201cTell me more\u201d\n\n\n\u201cCan you help me?\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\n3. \nGoogle Has a Plan to Disrupt the College Degree\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Inc\n\n\nIf you\u2019re down on your luck, professionally speaking, and need a new direction\u2026 this seems perfect. Take one of the Google Career Certificates in just 6 months \u2013 which Google assured will be treated like a four-year degree \u2013 and then switch to a high-paying career.\n\n\nAs of now, \u2018The three new programs Google is offering, together with the median annual wage for each position (as quoted by Google), are:\n\n\n\n\n\n\nProject manager ($93,000)\n\n\nData analyst ($66,000)\n\n\nUX designer ($75,000)\n\n\n\n\nConvert those into RM and they\u2019re all six-figure jobs.\n\n\nWow, universities huh. What can\u2019t Big Tech disrupt by this point.\n\n\n\n\n4. \nAlmost all of Malaysia\u2019s Orang Asli are locked into poverty and struggling\n\u00a0\n\u2013 The Star\n\n\nPay-walled article, but too important to not share. 99,29% of all Orang Asli live in poverty. \n99.29%\n\n\nLet\u2019s just admit that Bumiputera rights are just rhetoric for the elites. They just want to hoard more wealth for themselves, instead of helping struggling B40 Bumiputera.\n\n\n5. \n5 Things That Cause Reasonable Consumers to Abandon Their Shopping Carts\n \n\u2013 Entrepreneur\n\n\nThis article is meant for e-commerce practitioners, but such a FUN article to read for consumers like you and me. What tactics and strategies do they use to improve on conversion rate, aka you buying their products? Read and find out.\n\n\n6. \nJob diary: I\u2019m a 33-year-old porn star making five figures a month from home during the pandemic. My secret weapon is my gift of gab.\n \n\u2013 Business Insider\n\n\nWhat can I say, I am endlessly fascinated by the business side of sex work. Really enjoyed the section on expenses of the trade.\n\n\nI\u2019m just happy that female performers proved they can make a living making their own content in the way they want, without intervention by (male/patriarchal) directors, so there\u2019s less abuse here. She also mentioned how direct interactions with fans helps to humanise performers, and that sounds like a healthy approach to porn industry.\n\n\n\u2026which many people forget is a type of content, and a very popular one at that. Don\u2019t hate the performers if you consume the content lol.\n\n\n\n\n7.\n\u00a0\nBook and Lifestyle Review: The ERE Philosophy\n\u00a0\u2013 BeanMusings\n\n\n\n\nReally enjoyed this article/book review by Bean Musing on the philosophy of ERE, or early retirement extreme.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u2018Extreme\u2019 is to put it mildly. The approach does sound quite hardcore. If you loathe capitalism with a passion, this is the lifestyle for you.\n\n\n\n\n8. \n13 Signs That Someone Is About to Quit, According to Research\n\u00a0\u2013\n\u00a0 Harvard Business Review\n\n\nSo apparently, according to research, the more someone exhibits these 13 behaviours, the more likely they are to quit their jobs within 12 months.\n\n\n\n\nTheir \nwork productivity has decreased\n more than usual.\n\n\nThey have acted \nless like a team player\n than usual.\n\n\nThey have been doing the \nminimum amount of work\n more frequently than usual.\n\n\nThey have been \nless interested in pleasing their manager\n than usual.\n\n\nThey have been \nless willing to commit to long-term timelines\n than usual.\n\n\nThey have exhibited a \nnegative change in attitude.\n\n\nThey have exhibited\n less effort and work motivation\n than usual.\n\n\nThey have exhibited \nless focus on job-related matters\n than usual.\n\n\nThey have expressed \ndissatisfaction with their current job\n more frequently than usual.\n\n\nThey have expressed \ndissatisfaction with their supervisor\n more frequently than usual.\n\n\nThey have\n left early from work\n more frequently than usual.\n\n\nThey have \nlost enthusiasm for the mission\n of the organization.\n\n\nThey have shown \nless interest in working with customers\n than usual.\n\n\n\n\nThe article provides tips to both managers (to look out and plan for it) and employees (to hide your intention).\n\n\n9.\u00a0\n5 practical ways to cut back on doomscrolling\n \u2013 Mashable\n\n\nAccording to my phone, I spend an average of 9 hours per day online. Much of that is doomscrolling \u2013 switching between different social media apps to check updates. I spend one full day on Twitter AND Facebook. Two days a week spent on these apps.\n\n\nIt\u2019s no longer a mere \u2018problem\u2019, it is an addiction. I get my dopamine fix from notifications, and that\u2019s not healthy. I can only work on it if I am aware of it.\n\n\nTherefore this article makes it on this list. Hopefully it can help you, too.\n\n\n10. \n11 Tips for Anyone Who Doesn\u2019t Know How to Relax\n \n\u2013 Self\n\n\nExpanding from #9. I understand that part of my doomscrolling problem comes from my inability to relax and just not be distracted by notifications.\n\n\nAnd part of that is due to wanting to learn everything the online world has to offer. Doomscrolling\u00a0\nfeels\n productive. And that\u2019s why I get sucked into it as an alternative to actually relaxing.\n\n\nThis image sums it all.\n\n\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-59/", "title": "Link Roundup #59: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nWhy Are Rich People So Mean?\n \u2013\n Wired\n\n\nGreat read, something to be aware of as you get financially better. Money buys us distance \u2013 house in gated communities, car instead of bus, a set at the VIP section \u2013 and that reduces our interaction with the community, which includes the less privileged.\n\n\nThe more you do it, the easier it is to ignore. You no longer \u2018see\u2019 the problem.\n\n\n\n\n2. \n7 Best Ecommerce Platforms for Startups in Malaysia (Reviews 2020)\n\u00a0\n\u2013 TechRakyat\n\n\n\n\nGreat article by TechRakyat on e-commerce platform choices for Malaysians.\n\n\nMy personal opinion is everyone should try doing sales. Offline, online, whatever. Worse case scenario is you\u2019ll be out a few hundred ringgit (if you go cheap), best case is you get some profit (don\u2019t expect it though, very rare for newbies to straightaway make money).\n\n\nIf it doesn\u2019t work out for you, it\u2019s okay, you learned the basics of selling. Now use the foundation to sell yourself \u2013 it\u2019ll come in handy during job interviews and things like that.\n\n\nPersonally, I wouldn\u2019t repeat my \n3-month telemarketing stint\n, but I learned so much about closing sales using just my voice.\n\n\n3. \nWhy Do Poor People Stay Poor?\n \u2013 Of Dollars And Data\n\n\nPoor people stay poor due to\u00a0\nlack of initial wealth\n, based on a \npaper\n released by the\u00a0London School of Economics.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n[We] find that, if the program pushes individuals above a threshold level of initial assets, then they escape poverty, but, if it does not, they slide back into poverty\u2026Our findings imply that large one-off transfers that enable people to take on more productive occupations can help alleviate persistent poverty.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIt is due to systematic oppression and unequal wealth distribution, NOT due to individual shortcomings.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n4. \nWhen You Are Miserable On The Job But Too Busy For A Job Search\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Forbes\n\n\nThe tl;dr is \u2018make the time\u2019, and happily the article gave lots of tips on how to do that.\n\n\n5. \nHow Financial Apps Get You to Spend More and Question Less\n \n\u2013 Wired\n\n\nYou NEED to know about the prevalence of \u2018dark patterns\u2019, which is user interface design that \u201cmakes it very easy to get into a situation but very hard to get out.\u201d\n\n\nThe article cautions why: they are used for the purpose of \u2018manipulating your behaviour by using your own psychology against you\u2019, and \u2018trick you into handing over your data, signing up for emails you don\u2019t want, or, worse, paying for services you don\u2019t intend to buy.\u2019\n\n\nRead this part:\n\n\nA 2018\u00a0\nreport\n\u00a0from the Consumer Council of Norway detailed a few other patterns, like reframing, which is when companies use positive wording to describe something that\u2019s generally negative.\n\n\n\u201cIn order to nudge users toward making certain choices, the way that the different options are framed is an effective motivating factor,\u201d the report reads. \u201cFocusing on the positive aspects of one choice, while glossing over any potentially negative aspects, will incline many users to comply with the service provider\u2019s wishes.\u201d\n\n\nThis appears to be a popular method in financial services. For example,\u00a0\nAmerican Express frames\n\u00a0\u201cthe flexibility to carry a balance\u201d as a perk\n instead of a way to accumulate debt and pay them interest.\n\n\nBe hyper-aware of marketing language and UI/UX\u00a0 and the actions you take because of it, y\u2019all.\n\n\n6. \nThe \u201cInfinity Kangkung\u201d: Cost-Effective & Labour-Efficient Vegetables production\n \u2013 Dr JB\n\n\nGreat step-by-step guide on growing over 50 rounds of kangkung by Dr JB (an Anaesthesiologist! So multi-passionate) with under RM100 in upfront cost!\n\n\nI was thinking, wow this is such a great way to be a good neighbour. Daydreaming myself growing a lot of kangkung, keeping some for my own consumption, then distributing the rest to neighbours. I\u2019d be the popular kangkung lady.\n\n\nYou can buy some of the items at \nMr DIY\u2019s Gardening\n section \u2013 they have things like organic soil and fertiliser at very affordable prices.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n7. \nWhat is DeFi?\n\u00a0\u2013\n\u00a0 Techcryption\n\n\nDeFi \u2013 short for Decentralised Finance \u2013 is *the* buzzword of the moment. A lot of what I call \u2018stupid money\u2019 goes into it. What is that, you ask? When lots of individual investors put in a lot of money in\u00a0\nextremely new startups with questionable reputation\n. I like blockchain and crypto but calling it as it is, stupid money.\n\n\nStill, one can pay attention to what people do. \nSome\n a very small handful of them will probably be proven right and the money invested will reach 4, 5, 6-figure (and above) ROI in incredibly short amount of time (but most will lose the money, such is the trade-off of participating in these things).\n\n\nAs of time of writing, the most popular DeFi projects are doing: lending, decentralised exchange, derivatives and assets.\n\n\nDeFi is worth checking out, because it\u2019ll force you to think of how those things can work without financial institutions. I won\u2019t participate (yet) but the whole thing is mentally stimulating for sure.\n\n\n8. \nWhat\u2019s a blockchain bank? A Wall Street veteran building one explains.\n \u2013 American Banker\n\n\nA blockchain bank! It exists?! How does it work?!\n\n\nI just found out about Avanti Bank, exactly that. Click the link to hear an interview with Caitlin Long, the founder and CEO about how it works and operates. Great stuff.\n\n\n\n\n9. \n5 things I learned when I sold 90% of my belongings and moved to a new city every month for 2 years\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Business Insider\n\n\nAnd finally, an article which triggered the part of me that just wants to escape it all and experience everything life has to offer. Personally I had a small taste of the semi-nomadic lifestyle \u2013 lived in Japan, UK, Australia, France and Ipoh for 3 weeks-10 months each \u2013 and LOVED it.\n\n\nAnyone else who are just addicted to living (as opposed to travelling) in another city? How do you scratch the itch, when you\u2019ve \u2018settled down\u2019?\n\n\n\n\n10. \n3 Budget Fitness Ideas That Keep Your Wallet Fat\n \u2013 \nFrugal Millionaire\u00a0\n\n\nLast but not least is an article by new personal finance blogger Casey. Loved this article \u2013 it included a brand new way of exercising slash earning referral I wasn\u2019t aware of! Check it out, ESPECIALLY if you\u2019re the type of person who loves to organise team sports.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-6/", "title": "Link Roundup #6: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nHere\u2019s How Much Money You Save by Cooking at Home\n \u2013 Forbes\n\n\nThe data is from US, but it\u2019s still a fascinating read. They compared between restaurant, meal kit delivery (not common in Malaysia I think) and cost of ingredients and found that you can save up to\u00a0\nfive\n times more by cooking all your meals at home! Another point of interest: ordering protein-based meals from restaurants are more worth it if compared to carb-based meals.\n\n\nGranted, the US does not have our mamak slash cheap food culture. You can get food relatively cheap here. Personally I\u2019m a big fan of rice + dhal, and that\u2019s fairly nutritious and maybe cost a few ringgits at the most.\n\n\nWhether we\u2019re willing to give up our food obsession is another story, though. Trying out different cuisines is practically a national hobby.\n\n\n2.\u00a0\nPeople are slamming Forbes for putting Kylie Jenner on its list of \u2018self-made\u2019 billionaires\n \u2013 Business Insider\n\n\nCan I just share my tweets about this. This is my personal thoughts on the topic. No intention to convert anyone, just a POV that, for once, don\u2019t insult the Kardashian/Jenner clan.\n\n\n\n\nI am annoyed of people who make fun of Kylie Jenner (and the whole clan)\n\n\nThey are extremely business-savvy. They saw the demand and monetised the shit out of it. Product creation and distribution takes a high level of organisational skill\n\n\nWho\u2019s superficial now? \nhttps://t.co/FSJaPpKSqq\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nJuly 12, 2018\n\n\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019ve thought about it and decided to defend Forbes\u2019 use of \u2018self-made\u2019 label for Kylie Jenner\n\n\nSimply because her business\u2019 growth rate far, far exceeds a normal company\u2019s growth rate. Far beyond any investment she could have made\n\n\nSo yeah. She created that wealth\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nJuly 12, 2018\n\n\n\n\nThis lead to a follow-up question. I like Ramesh\u2019s take on it.\n\n\n\n\nI have long thought about this too. I think the best gauge generally is how much one multiplies what one starts with. So a person who starts with RM1000 and makes RM100k (100x) is more successful in my book than one who starts with RM1m and makes RM3m (3x) over the same time.\n\n\n\u2014 Ramesh Gopal (@rameshgopalkr) \nJuly 12, 2018\n\n\n\n\n3.\u00a0\nHow A Fine Artist Built A Million-Dollar, One-Person Business That\u2019s True To Her Vision\n \u2013 Forbes\n\n\nRare insight into how a\u00a0\ncreative\n professional scaled her business without a team. I think she must be a great person \u2013 usually successful solopreneurs are successful because people\u00a0\nwant\u00a0\nto support them. They tend to show transparency and professionalism.\n\n\nEDIT: Holy cow. Her art legit gave me goosebumps. Check out \nher Instagram\n. I want one.\n\n\n4. \nScience: You Get 150 Friends and 25 Places (So Choose Well)\n \u2013 Inc\n\n\nThis article didn\u2019t really explain the 150 friends part, but still a great read. Look:\n\n\n\u201cAt first, the team followed 1,000 students and found that, actually, they each went to only 25 separate locations. The students might add a new place to their repertoire, but when they did an old place would fall out of favor. Surely, this must\u00a0just be just campus-bound kids, the researchers thought, so they expanded their study to tens of thousands from all walks of life around the globe. The results were the same, surprising the researchers.\u201d\n\n\nFascinating\n. I\u2019ve never thought of it that way. I\u2019ve never thought of making places I visit often \u2018count\u2019. I simply thought it was unlimited in the first place.\n\n\nMust be more choosy about where I choose to spend my time. I don\u2019t really want to be in places that drain me.\n\n\n5. How to cook rice in small portions without having it stuck to rice cooker\u00a0 \u2013 \nAmalina Aziz FB\u00a0\n\n\n\nFor slow Malay readers:\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0Step 1: Wash rice\n\n\nStep 2: Fill half of the mug with rice (note: maybe less than half if your mugs have wider base). Add enough water\n\n\nStep 3: Place mug(s) in rice cooker. Fill the rice cooker with water until about half full\n\n\nStep 4: Turn on rice cooker and wait for it to cook\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m sharing this because: (1) holy crap that\u2019s genius and (2) it went viral and was republished at many (Malay) websites, and most of them DID NOT PROPERLY CREDIT HER AS CONTENT CREATOR. This makes me so mad. Content creation is a low-cost way for small businesses to generate leads for sales. These websites took that away from her.\n\n\nSo rather than backlinking to those websites and giving them traffic, I\u2019m sharing her original post. She sells Cath Kidston bags and purses (probably not original). Go have a look if you\u2019re into that sort of thing.\n\n\n\u00a06. \nWant to Love Your Job? Read This Article\n \u2013 Quartz\n\n\nEveryone wants to have meaningful jobs, but the author argues that \u2018the only thing worse than working is not having a job.\u2019\n\n\nI am dedicating this link to everyone out there who finds your job \u2018boring\u2019. Yet you may not be in the position to look for other jobs, or perhaps your dream job is out of reach at this point in time.\n\n\nYou know what they say \u2013 if you can\u2019t change the circumstances, change yourself. The author invites you to take pleasure in completing tasks \u2013 no matter big or small. Focus on the pleasures of working, instead of what you hate about it. Mindsets matter.\n\n\n7.\u00a0\u00a0\nSuzy Welch: The only 3 times it\u2019s OK to work just for the money\n \u2013 CNBC\n\n\nA nice follow-up to #6. Because yes, I get it, it\u2019s easy to say \u2018just enjoy the work la\u2019 when it\u2019s not me doing them.\n\n\nThe only three times it\u2019s OK to work just for the money, according to Suzy Welch, are:\n\n\n\n\nYou\u2019re in a deep financial hole\n\n\nYou have a strategic plan\n\n\nYou\u2019re an \u2018effective altruist\u2019 (someone who works so they can be a generous philanthropist)\n\n\n\n\nWhich one are you?\n\n\n8.\u00a0\nWhy Are Books At BookXcess And Big Bad Wolf So Affordable?\n \u2013 Rojak Daily\n\n\nI love Big Bad Wolf book sales and BookXcess. I\u2019ve taken mornings off just to take the train to Amcorp Mall and spend a couple of hours choosing books.\n\n\nThis brilliant article explains their business model and why their books are priced so cheaply. The founders found a way to both make a profit while benefiting people at the same time.\n\n\nBless them. We need more people like this.\n\n\n9. How Couples Divide Expenses \u2013 Business Insider\n\n\n\n\nWe asked couples how they divide expenses \npic.twitter.com/plAGPThYI8\n\n\n\u2014 Business Insider (@businessinsider) \nJuly 1, 2018\n\n\n\nConfession: I\u2019ve always cringed when people assume couples \nneed\n to merge their finances completely. I guess that\u2019ll work for some, but not everyone.\n\n\nA couple in here shared how it\u2019s natural for them to not combine their finances. Thought that was cool. I like that joint credit card idea too for dates and shared expenses like groceries.\n\n\n10.\u00a0\nHow to Make Piles of Money Using Instagram\n \u2013 Bloomberg\n\n\nIn my\u00a0\nWhy We Can\u2019t Stop Spending Money\n article, I explained how ridiculous it is to expect us, mere individuals, to resist combined sales and psychological strategies honed by companies over the years.\n\n\nMass media channels like TV and print had their turn. Now it\u2019s all about social media strategies. Companies attend classes on digital marketing just to learn how to optimise sales, from best hashtag practices to taking advantage of certain algorithms to using influencers for widest reach and engagement.\n\n\nRead this article to find out how Instagram is implementing business-friendly practices. Try to spot them the next time you browse Instagram.\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this week, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-60/", "title": "Link Roundup #60: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \n10 Risky Investments to Avoid\u2026 Unless You Can Afford to Lose Everything\n \u2013\n The Penny Hoarder\n\n\nThis is a great list of risky investments. Part of the investing process is not just learning what to do, but also what not to do\u00a0\nbefore\n you have enough knowledge and financial safety net.\n\n\nInitially I didn\u2019t agree with Gold/Silver (no #9), although yes they do have a point. Keeping them as coin collection or jewellery CAN be dangerous \u2013 you\u2019re one robbery away from losing it all.\n\n\n\n\n2. \nPsychologists have finally figured out why your toxic colleagues climb to the top at work\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Fast Co\n\n\nTL;DR \u2013 they have better social skills than you.\n\n\nI like this part of the article:\n\n\nThe researchers suggest that\u00a0\nyou too\u00a0\ncan help stop toxic career climbs (!). If you\u2019re a manager, the trick is to pay attention to team performance (not just task performance), and to separate job performance from good impressions, particularly in jobs that involve attracting attention and interest, such as leadership and sales, where toxic personalities can thrive.\n\n\n3. \nHow To Spot Fake Rich People, According to the Truly Rich Lady\n \u2013 Esquire\n\n\n\n\nApparently, in the world of Truly Rich, the ultimate status symbol is\u2026 being obscure. It is enough that their network knows who they are, not the general public.\n\n\n4. \n6 Unexpected Sources of Retirement Income\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Fool.com\n\n\nNo #2 may not be applicable for Malaysians (or is it?), but I still find this listicle a good read. The sources of retirement income ASIDE from savings are:\n\n\n\n\nYour home\n\n\nYour life insurance\n\n\nYour closet or basement\n\n\nYour car\n\n\nYour skills\n\n\nYour hobbies\n\n\n\n\nMay we all never run into money problems in our old age, Amiiin. I can\u2019t imagine being financially stressed at that age.\n\n\n5. \nMinding Your Budget: A Weekly Allowance For Adults\n \n\u2013 Forbes\n\n\nWeekly allowance. Such a simple but powerful concept, and worth experimenting with. I haven\u2019t had an allowance in a while \u2013 the last time I had one, I was still in school!\n\n\nTo be clear, the weekly allowance in discussion here is not the same as your usual budgeting and expenses. This is\u00a0purely for discretionary expenses, like dining out or shopping.\n\n\nAnyone here give yourself an allowance? How do you like the system?\n\n\n6. \nHow Big Oil Misled The Public Into Believing Plastic Would Be Recycled\n\u00a0\u2013 NPR\n\n\n..the (big oil) industry sold the public on an idea it knew wouldn\u2019t work \u2014 that the majority of plastic could be, and would be, recycled \u2014 all while making billions of dollars selling the world new plastic.\n\n\nThe PSAs encouraging us to recycle. The tri-coloured bins. The recycle logo on packaging. All making us feel like we are responsible consumers, when we\u2019re not.\n\n\n7. \nThe case for never buying new clothes again\n\u2013\n\u00a0 Fast Co\n\n\nSo you already know how fast fashion is really bad, both in encouraging slave labour and for the environment.\n\n\nAnd you already know how the solution is (1) buying less new stuff, (2) wearing what you have for longer, and (3) buying used.\n\n\nHere\u2019s another thing you can do. Visible Mending. What is means:\n\n\nThis is more than darning a hole. It\u2019s a protest movement and an art form and a fashion statement. To stitch or sport a VM is to declare independence from the sickness of consumer culture with a beautiful scar and a badge of honor: \u201cLook, I kept this out of the landfill!\u201d\n\n\n\n\nLet\u2019s all mend more \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n8.\u00a0\nThe trick I used to cut my grocery bill by $100 a week: buying mostly frozen\n \u2013 Business Insider\n\n\nIf you\u2019re always throwing away fresh produce because they go bad before you have the chance to cook them, then maybe buying frozen is the answer.\n\n\nPersonally, I always keep frozen berries, crabstick and chapati in my freezer. Lately I\u2019ve been buying frozen chicken breasts too. It\u2019s been a good decision!\n\n\n9. \nBitcoin Q&A: How Can Bitcoin Holders Earn Passive Income?\n\n\nVideo blurb: For someone who is holding bitcoin, what are the options for putting that bitcoin to work and earning some passive income? Besides the first option of simply holding, how else can you put your bitcoin to use? From investing in businesses, to DeFi, Andreas walks through the risks and rewards of different options.\n\n\n\n\n10. \nFinCEN files: Global banks moved US$2 trillion in illicit funds despite warnings, leaked documents said to show\n \u2013 \nStrait Times\n\n\nAnother year, another set of leaked documents that show how a different set of rules exist for the rich and corrupt. This time, we see suspicious activity reports (SARs).\n\n\nAmong the types of transactions highlighted by the report: funds processed by JPMorgan for potentially corrupt individuals and companies in Venezuela, Ukraine and \nMalaysia\n; money from a Ponzi scheme moving through HSBC; and money linked to a Ukrainian billionaire processed by Deutsche Bank.\n\n\nJho Low moved RM10 billion of those funds\n.\u00a0According to this \nMalayMail article\n, 23 transactions by various Malaysian banks were flagged as suspicious too.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-61/", "title": "Link Roundup #61: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nFinancial Literacy Month by Financial Education Network\n\n\nDid you know that October is Financial Literacy Month?! FEN aka Financial Education Network is hosting all sorts of activities, click \nhere\n to check out all the workshops, seminars, competitions, all for FREE.\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n2. \nHow Financial Advice Triggers Painful Money Shame\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Brave Saver\n\n\nOkay, real talk. Getting financial advice, especially from legit platforms like Financial Education Network is good. But why is it so hard to follow them?\n\n\nBecause financial education is more than theory. It\u2019s behavioural change. And often, we are resistant to good advice because it triggers money shame in us.\n\n\nI\u2019ve had people told me so many variations of \u2018I wish\u2019:\n\n\n\n\nI wish I invested earlier\n\n\nI wish I didn\u2019t lose money\n\n\nI wish I was born to rich parents\n\n\nI wish I am disciplined enough to follow good habits\n\n\nI wish I wish I wish\n\n\n\n\nTbh, I\u2019m still working on my own demons, at least the ones I\u2019m aware of. The process is ongoing. And I\u2019m sure it\u2019ll be an ongoing process for you, too.\n\n\nAll I and we can do is be better at recognising how financial advice makes us feel, so we can confront it, and deal with it in a healthy way.\n\n\n3. \nForex Market: Who Trades Currency and Why\n \u2013 Investopedia\n\n\nMention forex, and you might have an image of a day trader in mind: a dude (and its almost always a dude) looking at charts on multiple computer screens.\n\n\nBut they don\u2019t make the majority of the volume \u2013 lots of other players participate in the foreign currencies market. Read more about it.\n\n\n(I maintain that trading =/= investing. Trading is a skill, and a very hard one to master at that, which is why the majority of individual traders lose money)\n\n\n4. \nHow Women Can Get What They Want in a Negotiation\n \n\u2013 Harvard Business Review\n\n\nWomen \u2013 do yourself a favour and\u00a0\ndon\u2019t\n follow negotiation tips given by men. It\u2019ll backfire on you; women need different strategies to get ahead. Read the article to find out those strategies.\n\n\nMen \u2013 read the article to see how you can help deserving women succeed better, professionally speaking. Stop promoting and hyping up mediocre people who solely rely on networking to get ahead. That\u2019s why too many people who are NOT good at what they do get to top positions.\n\n\nRelated read: \nWhy Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders?\n\n\n5. \nMalaysia Hospitals Room Rates Summary\n\u00a0\n\u2013 My PF\n\n\nKudos to My PF for compiling the data, it must have been super mafan.\n\n\nIf you think the price is already expensive\u2026 it\u2019ll get even more expensive. Something that you should know: Malaysia\u2019s medical inflation rate is a whopping 13.2%, ie your medical cost will DOUBLE approximately every 5 and a half years.\n\n\n6. \nYou Can Get Focused (Hint: Put Down That Phone)\n\u00a0\u2013 The New York Times\n\n\nA lot of the advice in this article is common sense, but I like the section on reducing distractions when you have young kids at home:\n\n\nHaving children at home when you\u2019re working remotely poses its own challenges to staying focused. Nir Eyal, the author of the book, \u201cIndistractable,\u201d recommends setting up clear signs so young children understand when not to interrupt.\n\n\nMr. Eyal suggests finding the craziest hat you can find \u2014 he calls it his concentration crown. \u201cWhen my daughter sees me wearing it, I don\u2019t need to interrupt my call and explain that I\u2019m busy, because she knows the hat means that daddy\u2019s working and can\u2019t be distracted,\u201d he said.\n\n\nA crazy hat. That\u2019s the solution. I used to tell people to wear earphones, but the crazy hat suggestion is better, take it.\n\n\n7. \nPeople Who Confuse These 3 Simple Words Have Very Low Emotional Intelligence \n\u2013\n\u00a0 Inc\n\n\nKnow the difference between empathy, sympathy and pity.\n\n\n8. \nHow I Build My First RM100,000 Investment Portfolio In Less Than 3 Years\n\u00a0\u2013 Blackbelt Millionaire\n\n\nPure maths: to have RM100,000 in 3 years, you must set aside RM34,000 per year, or RM2,840 per month (BBM rounded it up).\n\n\nNo matter how you do it \u2013 earn more, spend less, ideally both \u2013 it has to come back to the maths.\n\n\n9. \n7 Ways to Successfully Merge Finances as a New Couple\n\u00a0\u2013 Her Money\n\n\nThis quote in the article stunned me:\n\n\n\u201c[W]e almost always marry our financial opposite,\u201d David Bach, author of \u201cSmart Couples Finish Rich\u201d, told\u00a0\nForbes\n. \u201cYou\u2019re either born to save or you\u2019re born to spend, and financial opposites attract. That can lead to enormous power struggles and trust issues and regular fights.\u201d\n\n\nThe answer, of course, is the catch-all solution \u2018communicate with your partner\u2019. I\u2019m glad that my partner and I have open communication about finances.\n\n\n(We even made a video talking about it! See here:)\n\n\n\n\n10. \n10 Smart Ways You Can Spend RM1,000 Right Now\n\u00a0\u2013 \nCompareHero\n\n\nThis is one of those articles I wish I wrote myself. Legit good tips, sorted in order.\n\n\nBottomline \u2013 if you haven\u2019t done #1 and #2, don\u2019t even think of investing yet, do those first!\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-62/", "title": "Link Roundup #62: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \n3 Reasons Why People Don\u2019t Engage a Financial Planner in Malaysia\n \u2013 MyPF\n\n\nSharing this because MyPF took the time to respond to my Open Letter to Financial Planners in the\u00a0\nGet REAL Financial Advice: 3 Ways to Find Financial Planners in Malaysia\n article.\n\n\nI\u2019m sure being a financial planner can be frustrating sometimes. Bad/inexperienced people in the financial industry give bad advice, they get the reputational damage too. Tak pasal-pasal.\n\n\n\n\n2. \nPersonal finance advice relies on shame; what if we tried empathy?\n \u2013 CNBC\n\n\n(Totally not talking of financial planners. More to bad/inexperienced insurance agents, financial consultants, whatever motivational coach dan sewaktu dengannya)\n\n\nYou should have saved money. You should have gotten a better job. You should have learned this sooner. You should have you should have you should have.\n\n\nThe outcome of this type of \u2018advice\u2019?\n\n\nEventually, June just gave up on getting professional help. \u201cI decided I\u2019m not going to talk to anyone else about this because I don\u2019t need to be told what an idiot I am.\u201d\n\n\n3. \nAdam Grant: Stop Giving Advice and Start Doing This Instead\n\u00a0\u2013 Inc\n\n\nWhile we\u2019re on the advice-giving subject\u2026 this is how to do it well. Use Adam Grant\u2019s approach for all situation, not just financial-related.\n\n\n\u201cWhen people come to us for advice, we can resist the urge to give them a single recommendation.\n\n\nPeople rarely need to hear our conclusion. They benefit from hearing our thought process and our perspective on the relevant criteria for making the choice.\n\n\nThe most useful advice doesn\u2019t specify what to do; it helps people see blind spots in their thinking and clarify their priorities.\u201d\n\n\n4. \nBTS Fans Now Have New Way to Show Their Love: Buying Shares\n \n\u2013 Bloomberg Wealth\n\n\nI\u2019m not a Kpop fan, but this transgresses pop culture. An entertainment group, now as a \npublic-listed company\n, with \nshares\n and everything? Not the entertainment company ya. The group. BTS themselves.\n\n\nWhat a creative business model. I\u2019m just wondering if the super fans who buy their shares are \nexisting \ntraders in the stocks market or people who are entering it for the first time.\n\n\nWould you buy shares of your favourite artist, if they announce it?\n\n\n\n\n5. \nIt Took Divorce to Make My Marriage Equal\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Glamour\n\n\nI was 33, a mother of two, and bone-tired. I didn\u2019t want the laundry and chores to be the rest of my life. I didn\u2019t want to always be drowning in work and childcare and housecleaning and dinner, bearing the brunt of the labor.\n\n\nI\u2019d spent the past two years begging for help with the kids and housework, only to be told that I could just quit my job if it was all too much.\n\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s not too much,\u201d I\u2019d said over and over. \u201cIt\u2019s just not all my job.\u201d\n\n\nThis article is such a satisfying read. She said enough is enough, I\u2019m no longer going to do the majority of housework and childcare, then went ahead and does what she needs to do to get a life she\u2019s happy with. It just so happens that it involves a divorce.\n\n\n6. \nMr DIY\u2019s IPO is the Only Thing That\u2019s Not \u2018Always Low Prices\u2019 (Part 1)\n\u00a0\u2013 Pelham Blue Fund\u00a0\n\n\nLike everyone else, I, too, am watching Mr DIY\u2019s IPO news with interest. Not because I want it, but because I, too, have seen evidence of Mr DIY\u2019s hypergrowth in my area.\n\n\nHere\u2019s the first paragraph from Pelham\u2019s article: The IPO is clearly overvalued, but you already know that. Reading this will not change your mind.\n\n\nThe rest of the article is similarly delightful. Go have a read. You\u2019ll be entertained and learn a lot.\n\n\n(If you\u2019re completely new to that word, no worries. IPO is Initial Public Offering, the first time a company offers ownership ie shares of its companies to the public via the stock market. People keep an eye out for IPO listings as there are opportunities for Big Money\u2122 to be made)\n\n\n7. \nINVOKE Launches Meniaga, An E-Commerce Platform With Zero Commission And Fees\n \u2013\n\u00a0 RinggitPlus\n\n\n\n\nFYI TO SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS \u2013 Meniaga.my is a new ecommerce platform by INVOKE, with ZERO commissions and fees.\n\n\n\n\nThis is such a commendable thing to offer. Usually ecommerce platforms take 20-30% of the price as fee. That takes a lot of the profit margin away, especially for microbusinesses and individual traders.\n\n\n\n\nYou can download the app at:\n\n\n\n\nApple iOS: \nhttp://bit.ly/DownloadmeniagaiPhone\n\n\nGoogle Android: \nhttp://bit.ly/DownloadmeniagaAndroid\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n8. \n4 PIDM Benefits and How They Affect My Financial Decisions\n\u00a0\u2013 The Money Magnet\n\n\nRead up on how knowing PIDM\u2019s benefits can help you make better financial decisions!\n\n\n(P/s \u2013 If it sounds that I am pro-PIDM, you\u2019re right, I am. There are scammers out there who charge people for \u2018PIDM protection\u2019 when in fact it\u2019s FREE. Also they are among the first to engage with us personal finance bloggers, AND fairly compensate us for it. So damn right I will overshare PIDM here in RoR)\n\n\n9. \n\u2018I Keep Getting Rejected for Jobs I\u2019m Perfect For!\u2019\n\u00a0\n\u2013 The Cut\n\n\nWhy does it happen? Why were you not offered that job? But the interview went so well..?\n\n\nIt\u2019s not like they\u2019re going to tell you. Might as well you read this and find out the possible reasons.\n\n\n10. A TikTok on how corporations claim tax deductions using YOUR donated money\n\n\n\n\nholy shit ive never thought of this when a store asks me to donate after they\u2019ve ringed up my stuff \npic.twitter.com/ZUW5pNSTKx\n\n\n\u2014 ian (@noodleheadtv) \nOctober 15, 2020\n\n\n\n\nThanks to all Malaysians who confirmed that yes, this happens in Malaysia as well.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-63/", "title": "Link Roundup #63: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \n5 resume tips to keep in mind (and mistakes to avoid!)\n\u00a0\u2013 Silent Confessions by Syaza\n\n\nA LOT of people have lost their jobs lately, so I think this article from Syaza is very very timely. In the spirit of \u2018give me six\u00a0hours\u00a0to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four\u00a0sharpening the axe\u2019,\u00a0\nplease\n spend time polishing your resume before you send it out.\n\n\nAll of the tips great tips (I LOVE TIP 4!), and also appreciate how Syaza personalised her CV and tailored them to each job application.\n\n\nI mean, when someone does this, you KNOW they know what they\u2019re talking about.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n2. \n9 Types of Toxic Co-workers to Beware of and How You Can Deal with Them \n\u2013 Mashable\n\n\nThe solutions provided are too brief to be useful, but I thought the categorisations are spot-on.\n\n\n(Also \u2013 explore the possibility that *you* are one of the toxic co-workers. Self-awareness baby)\n\n\n3. \n6 steps I followed to get hundreds of new clients \u2014 without spending a dime on advertising or marketing\n\u00a0\u2013 Business Insider\n\n\nThe steps are:\n\n\n\n\nBuild your personal brand\n\n\nDo your own PR\n\n\nProvide free value\n\n\nTap into social media\n\n\nKeep industry friends close\n\n\nCreate superfan customers\n\n\n\n\nThat all looks standard enough, right? Wait wait everything is contextual. Her business is \u2013 get this \u2013 \nprofessional bridesmaid services\n. I love how she gave specific examples of how she implemented each step. For example, under 5 \u2013 keep industry friends close, she did this:\n\n\nI sent cold emails to other wedding vendors and introduced myself and my services. I met at least five industry professionals for coffee every month to network. I sent them business, and they sent me business.\n\n\nThis was a great way of building relationships with people who interact with my audience but aren\u2019t my direct competitor, and create a connection to gain new customers on a regular basis.\n\n\nIsn\u2019t it amazing to see how things work in practice! I love it!\n\n\n4.\u00a0\nWhen to Give Money to Your Parents (and When Not To)\n \n\u2013 Bloomberg\u00a0\n\n\n\u2018First, make sure you can afford to be generous\u2019\n\n\nOkay this article hits close to home, especially as the typical Asian kid raised with the expectation of filial piety. Currently, I contribute ~RM1000 per month to my parents.\n\n\nCan I afford it? I tell myself \u2013 even to the point of convincing myself \u2013 that yes, I can, just earn more instead, and also that\u2019s what savings are for.\n\n\nI don\u2019t know. How do you go about this? How do you even bring it up?\n\n\n5. \nI am tired of feeling shame for financially relying on my partner\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Fast Co\n\n\nI love the honesty and transparency behind this piece. I also love how it ended with no particular solution, just an acknowledgement of how things are and the ongoing process of acceptance, if it even comes.\n\n\nYes, there is a lot of shame and guilt behind anything women do for herself. It doesn\u2019t matter what it is: decide on having a career, not having a career, be a working mother, be a stay-at-home-mother \u2013 everything is scrutinised, everything isn\u2019t good enough.\n\n\n\u00a0..we\u2019re socialized to feel shame about everything. Inadequacy seems to be a common side effect of living in a patriarchal society, no matter how you choose to live your life.\n\n\nIn my own life, I feel a lot of guilt for not being a doting, stay-at-home daughter. I moved out early, and travelled as much as I could. But if I didn\u2019t, I\u2019d feel resentful and trapped.\n\n\nSo, my own take on it is\u2026 I give up. If I\u2019m going to feel guilt anyway, might as well do things that contribute to my self-development and happiness, however I interpret it.\n\n\n6. \nHow Our Careers Affect Our Children\n \u2013 Harvard Business Review\n\n\nAnother big source of guilt and shame? Children vs work. This burden is mostly imposed on women, but times are changing and now men feel it too.\n\n\nI read the article, and I like what I\u2019m reading. It\u2019s the number of\u00a0\nquality\n time, not\u00a0\nquantity\n (yay I can devote myself to work, then make sure to switch off completely when its kids/spouse time!). \u2018Mothers spending time on themselves \u2014 on relaxation and self-care \u2014 and not so much on housework, was associated with positive outcomes for children.\u2019 \u2013 YES.\n\n\nRead the article, if you always feel guilty of \u2018not being there enough\u2019 for your kids. Work on areas that need work, and celebrate knowing how you\u2019ve been doing good anyway.\n\n\n7. \nThe Art of Blooming Late\n \u2013 Harvard Business Review\n\n\nThis one is for all of you who are still \u2018figuring it out\u2019 and feeling bad over other people\u2019s achievements (I swear every year they get younger and younger).\n\n\nYou\u2019re doing okay. Don\u2019t beat yourself too hard. The exploration process *IS* the process you need to go through.\n\n\nRich Karlgaard, the publisher of\u00a0\nForbes\n\u00a0magazine and author of\u00a0\nLate Bloomers,\n\u00a0argues that our culture\u2019s obsession with early achievement dissuades us from pursuing our passions.\n\n\nInstead of having varied interests, studying widely, and taking our time\u2014essentials for self-discovery\u2014we\u2019re encouraged to ace tests, become specialists right away, and pursue safe, stable, and lucrative careers.\n\n\nAs a result, most of us end up choosing professional excellence over personal fulfillment, and often we lose ourselves in the process.\n\n\n8. \n30 Things I\u2019ve Learned in 30 Years \n\u2013 Victim Focus Blog\n\n\nDr Jessica Taylor\n, author of \nWhy Women Are Blamed for Everything: Exposing the Culture of Victim Blaming\n recently turned 30. To celebrate, she wrote this self-reflective post.\n\n\nAnd let me tell you. It was genuinely one of the more insightful personal entries I\u2019ve read in a long, long time. Her growth mentality excites and inspires me.\n\n\n9. \nSubscriptions, subscriptions and subscriptions \n\u2013 The Purple Cotton\n\n\nLyn of The Purple Cotton spends RM2182 a year on subscriptions, but everything adds value in her life, so she doesn\u2019t quite know which ones to cut!\n\n\nI had so much fun going through her list and checking which subscriptions she decides was worth her money haha. Some of it I\u2019ve never heard of before! Definitely a fun read \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n10. \n[Business Idea]: Starting a Shoplot Car Wash Business in Malaysia\n \u2013 Balkoni Hijau\n\n\nMajor LOVE to Helmi for researching and writing this article in a straightforward way! Woah, it\u2019s not a bad business to be in, huh? And omg what! I didn\u2019t know they sell car wash starter packs on Shopee! (p/s \u2013 not advised to get)\n\n\n\n\nClick on the article for estimation of start up cost, possible risks and ROI.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-64/", "title": "Link Roundup #64: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nA man who interviewed over 1,000 millionaires found they do 6 things to build wealth that anyone can try\n\u00a0\u2013 Business Insider\n\n\nAnyone = anyone who is not systematically disadvantaged, but anyways.\n\n\nSo the 6 most common wealth-building habits of 1000 millionaires (of which 80% are self-made) are:\n\n\n\n\nThey budget (\u2018pay yourself first\u2019 method \u2013 read more at\u00a0\nLet Me Show You Which Budgeting Style Works for You\n)\n\n\nThey spend on good financial planners and accountants\n\n\nThey own their homes and live in them for a long time\n\n\nThey invest a higher percentage of their income than the typical person (20% of income, on average)\n\n\nThey drive cheap cars\n\n\nThey\u2019re always on the hunt for a deal\n\n\n\n\n\n\n2. \nDear Thelma: I\u2019ve had no job for 2 years, despite applying for over 800 jobs\n \u2013 The Star\n\n\nDear Thelma column isn\u2019t new, but this one speaks to a lot of people \ud83d\ude41 Big companies in tourism, oil and gas already laid off thousands of workers, and according to The Star, \n50,000 SMEs in Malaysia folded since MCO started\n, with 17,800 SMEs folded in August 2020 alone \ud83d\ude41\n\n\nIf you\u2019re one of the people who\u2019s finding it hard to find jobs. It\u2019s hard, yes, but don\u2019t give up, please don\u2019t give up.\n\n\n3. \nThis M\u2019sian Beauty Coworking Space Helps Beauticians Start Their Own Biz With Low Capital\n\u00a0\u2013 VulcanPost\n\n\n\n\nI love this new business trend: co-working spaces for independent service providers. Just pay a monthly fee and you have a beautiful space for clients! And when I say beautiful, I MEAN IT, THE SPACE IS ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSo far I\u2019ve seen working spaces for beauticians and hairdressers. What other services do you think is suitable for this co-working concept? Ideas?\n\n\n\n\n4. \nWhy Women Don\u2019t Negotiate Job Offers\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Harvard Business Review\n\n\nWomen, read this article. Includes tips that make negotiations more likely to succeed for you.\n\n\n5. \nAsk the Bitches: I Was Guilted Into Caring for a Sick, Abusive Parent for Years. Now What?\n \n\u2013 Bitches Get Riches\n\n\nI love this article so much. It\u2019s just refreshing to acknowledge that \nwomen, mothers and parents aren\u2019t always saintly figures \u2013 bad ones exist\n. The sooner we accept this, the more we confront the prevalence of abusive mothers and toxic parents. What we\u2019re doing now is ignoring the issue, sweeping each case under the carpet, as if doing so will magically make the problems disappear.\n\n\n\n\nWith care work, a lot of it is pushed to women, because we\u2019re supposedly \u2018better\u2019 at it (we\u2019re not). But if you were ever stuck in the arrangement, whether by force or by choice, then later when you get back into the workforce, do use this tip:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n Put \u201cfull time caregiver\u201d on your resume \n\n\nGone are the days when being a full-time caregiver is something to hide. There is a growing realization that the skills and fortitude required for this role are transferable and valuable.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n6. \nDudebro Culture Ruined Personal Finance (and Everything Else)\n\u00a0\u2013 Money After Graduation\n\n\n\u2026must-read if you\u2019re into personal finance and enjoy any form of privilege (male, bumi, born into upper M40/T20 family etc).\n\n\n7. \nNew Harvard Research: To Be Successful, Chase Your Purpose, Not Your Passion\n \u2013 Inc\n\n\nPurpose > Passion. The whole principle behind \u2018Find Your Why\u2019.\n\n\nIn one study of several hundred employees, he notes, \u201cwe found that those who believed pursuing passion meant following what brings one joy were less likely to be successful in their pursuit of passion, and were more likely to quit their job nine months down the line.\u201d\n\n\nI thought about what drove me to write articles in RinggitOhRinggit, once then twice a week, for over 5 years. It\u2019s because I really enjoy (1) the learning process in a topic I genuinely love (personal finance), and (2) being a woman in the personal finance space.\n\n\nThe longer answer:\u00a0\n[PERSONAL] What It\u2019s Like to be a Personal Finance Blogger in Malaysia\n\n\n8. \nPrestige Malaysia 40 Under 40 2020: Meet the all-female honour roll\n \n\u2013 PrestigeOnline\n\n\nI had the toughest time deciding to include this in the link roundup. On one hand, HELL YEAH AMAZING MALAYSIAN WOMEN. On the other, it\u2019s part of a De Beers \u2013 that diamond company \u2013 campaign :/ You know how I feel about diamonds (overpriced pretty rocks basically).\n\n\nBut I want to be the type of person who has my ladies\u2019 back, so. Also a couple of them are people I know in person.\n\n\n9. \nCould Knowing Your \u2018Money Script\u2019 Help Your Finances?\n \u2013 The Cut\n\n\nMoney script! A new term for me!\n\n\n..\u201cmoney scripts,\u201d also known as \u201cmoney stories,\u201d (is) a concept that has been tossed around by financial therapists for years and more recently edged into mainstream financial planning.\n\n\nLoosely defined, money scripts are \u201cwhat you learned about money from your upbringing, how you responded or rebelled, and what your current money dynamics and patterns are,\u201d says Bari Tessler, a financial therapist and author of \nThe Art of Money\n.\n\n\nHave you thought of why your relationship with money is the way that it is? Worth exploring for your own personal growth. Read the article to learn how.\n\n\n10. To Download: AliPrice Shopping Assistant for Shopee / AliPrice Shopping Assistant for Lazada\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nSHOPEE TIP: download AliPrice Shopping Assistant for Shopee Chrome extension. You can track prices on Shopee and (more importantly) see which merchant raised price before 11.11, so they can slash and give you the illusion of sales on 11.11, like what Dyson is doing \ud83e\udd17\ud83e\udd17 #shopeemalaysia #shopee1111bigsale #onlineshoppingmalaysia #shopeemall #1111sale\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nNov 5, 2020 at 9:12pm PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-65/", "title": "Link Roundup #65: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nThe psychological difference between spenders and savers (and what your habits say about your personality)\n\u00a0\u2013 CNBC\n\n\nDoes any of these sentences apply to you?\n\n\n\n\nSpending money stresses you\n\n\nYou love shopping an spending\n\n\nYou\u2019re frugal and strict about saving\n\n\n\n\nIf yes, you might want to click the link above and find out what the psychologist and founder of the Financial Psychology Institute have to say about your personality.\n\n\n\n\n2. \nExpenses Tracking: 3 Reasons Why It Improves My Finance\n \u2013 MarcusKeong.com\n\n\nI *swear by* expense tracking (it\u2019s my \nbudgeting style\n), but Marcus took it to another level \u2013 \nhe custom-made an expense tracker\n. And generously, he\u2019s giving it away as a freebie!\n\n\nI mean, look at it, this is just some snippets \u2013 doesn\u2019t the visualisation looks awesome?! Respect ah.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n3. \nYou Don\u2019t Have to Work on Yourself Forever \n\u2013 Vice\n\n\n\n\n\n\nA fixation on being the peak versions of ourselves\u2014emotionally, physically, spiritually\u2014is now an ingrained part of daily life. What would happen if you stopped?\n\n\n\n\nI.. I felt this to my core. It\u2019s hard to be present in the moment when one is on a constant state of \u2018searching\u2019 for further improvement. By many measures, I am already doing well, so why the unnecessary pressure to be \u2018better\u2019?\n\n\n\n\n4. \n4 Ways to Stop Attracting People Who Can\u2019t Afford Your Services\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Entrepreneur\n\n\nI have a love/hate relationship with these types of articles.\n\n\nOn one hand, yes they\u2019re right, it really boils down to personal branding, offering a catered solution, identifying a specific target audience and reaching them via well-executed marketing plan.\n\n\nOn the other hand, the huge and existing wealth gap means that the ones who \nneed\n high-paying clients have the least overlapping identities with their desired target audience. In the end, people buy from those who are similar to them, and those tend to be the ones from the same socio-economic background.\n\n\nI\u2019ll file this under \u2018no one said life is fair; just make the best with what you have\u2019.\n\n\n5. \nRich As I Say, Not As I Do \n\u2013 Of Dollars and Data\n\n\npersonal finance is one of the few industries where you can look successful without knowing what you are talking about.\u00a0 You can be rich and not know a thing about money management.\n\n\nI agree with this statement so hard. We as a society really did normalise looking rich as an indicator of being rich, didn\u2019t we? And we also tend to take financial advice from people who \u2018look\u2019 rich, even if we don\u2019t know the actual source of their income (selling advice, money game, lottery, inheritance, etc etc)\n\n\nPutting worth and giving status to someone because they \u2018look rich\u2019 is so toxic, especially if they are people who we genuinely look up to, like an entrepreneur or likeable public figure. We want to copy them, in the hopes of becoming similar to them.\n\n\nThis leads to the \u2018damned if you do, damned if you don\u2019t\u2019 situation. If you do try to copy them, you\u2019ll get into debt. If you don\u2019t and (rightly) tell yourself to limit aspirational purchases, you\u2019ll live in a constant state of self-denial.\n\n\nRelated read: You have to know all or most possible ways people get money \u2013 read the \nWhere Do People Get the Money to Afford Their Amazing Lifestyles?\n article.\n\n\n6. \n#SaveMoneyWithHann: A Personal Finance Q&A\n \n\u2013 RinggitPlus\n\n\nI see Hann/RinggitPlus team have made his/their own version of \nAnswering All 45 Questions from #Hann&Suraya: Personal Finance ChitChat (BNM/FEN Collab)\n!\n\n\n\n\n7. \nWhy Invest in Bitcoin [2020 Edition]\n\u00a0\u2013 Mr Stingy\n\n\nDoesn\u2019t matter if you\u2019re pro or anti-Bitcoin (or even neutral about it). Recommended reading if just to learn about the following theories and concepts, using bitcoin as an example:\n\n\n\n\nasymmetric risk\n\n\ninflation hedge\n\n\ncurrency devaluation\n\n\nasset diversification\n\n\nSharpe ratio\n\n\nvaluation methods\n\n\n\n\n8. \n[SPONSORED] 5 Fascinating Facts about Takaful/Insurance Industry (#1 is \u2764\ufe0f)\n \n\u2013 RinggitOhRinggit\n\n\nThe facts:\n\n\n\n\nMore married people take up Takaful/insurance as compared to singles\n\n\nIf you have a medical card, your contribution WILL increase\n\n\nThe 7 most fumbled/ misused/ misunderstood term in the industry\n\n\n50% of Participants (Certificate Owners) didn\u2019t do nomination (?!)\n\n\nUsing Takaful / Insurance as Retirement and Legacy Planning\n\n\n\n\nClick \nhere\n to read the full version, as shared by the people who work in the industry themselves \u2013 the Great Eastern Takaful team.\n\n\n9. \n7 Tricky Work Situations, and How to Respond to Them\n \u2013 Harvard Business Review\n\n\nThe tricky work situations:\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\nSomeone takes credit for your idea.\n\n\nYou\u2019re\u00a0asked to stay late when you\u2019re about to leave the office for a personal obligation.\n\n\nIn a pivotal situation, a trusted colleague snaps at you.\n\n\nYou have to say\u00a0\u201cno.\u201d\n\n\nYou have to give negative or awkward feedback to\u00a0someone you\u2019re close with.\n\n\nYou need to push back on a decision you believe is wrong.\n\n\nYou need to escalate a serious issue.\n\n\n\n\nFind out what you should say and why it works in the article. It\u2019s a good one.\n\n\n10. \n7 Insane Life & Money Lessons I Learned From Emily In Paris \u2013 The Financial Diet\n\n\nChelsea Fagan\u2019s ability to articulate personal finance lessons using pop culture as an example is forever something I aspire to work towards to. Such an enjoyable video to watch!\n\n\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-66/", "title": "Link Roundup #66: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \n5 Top Stories That Shaped Fintech in Malaysia in 2020\u00a0\u2013 FintechNews Malaysia\n\n\nThe 5 top stories are:\n\n\nRecord funding rounds for digital banking aspirants\neKYC was introduced in Malaysia\nAcquisitions galore in 2020\nInstitutions ramp up digitisation efforts\nCrypto picks up traction in Malaysia amidst bitcoin bull run\n\n\nTbh the headings barely contain any \u2018meat\u2019 of the stories. Read the article to learn what happened in the fintech scene in Malaysia!\n\n\nP/s \u2013 I think we can expect those digital banks soon \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\n2. \nDoes stress have a negative impact on your financial decisions? You\u2019re not alone \u2013 CNBC\n\n\nNo, you can\u2019t ask financially struggling people to \u2018just make better decisions\u2019 \u2013 \u2018stress negatively impacts our ability to make informed and rational financial decisions, according to the behavioural science experts at\u00a0\nThe Decision Lab\n\u2018. \n\n\nIf you\u2019re nodding to that sentence and have been stressed out, please read the tips listed \nhere \nto work on your money mindset. \n\n\n\n\n3. \nHow Couples Can Find Balance While Working from Home\n \u2013 Harvard Business Review\n\n\nOn doing more than your equal share of housework:\n\n\nSelflessness may be effective in the short term, but it can also generate a slow burn of resentment and affect things like your job performance, the quality of the time spent with your children, and your mental health\n\n\nI really like the negotiation tactics the writers included in the article \u2013 reframing negotiations as problem-solving exercises. It\u2019s not You vs Me, it\u2019s Us vs The Problems! \n\n\nDefinitely a recommended read, especially for the one who\u2019s doing most of the unpaid care work in the household!\n\n\n4.\n \nI\u00a0Bought Some Bitcoin Despite My Skepticism\n\u00a0\n\u2013 RinggitGenie\n\n\nReally enjoyed RinggitGenie\u2019s thought process on buying bitcoin and justifying the purchase as a self-confessed sceptic. All three arguments he had against bitcoin are valid. \n\n\nIt\u2019s good to stay sceptical. Sometimes the bitcoin/crypto crowd *can* get a bit cultish, we need more cool heads among its investors!\n\n\n5. \nF\ninancial Planning-Getting It Right\n \n\u2013 Dear Duit\n\n\nAmazing article by Dear Duit! It\u2019s refreshing to finally read a financial planning article which addresses the fear of taking action \u2013 one of the biggest barrier to DIY financial planning, aside from lack of financial education: \n\n\nWe tend to always react irrationally out of fear. Having fear is a normal response, but fear can also be a driving force in your life. Fear is the greatest obstacle to financial peace. If you\u2019re in the stage of fear and stuck in a place where you\u2019re constantly afraid, you\u2019ll be paralyzed. When you\u2019re paralyzed, you won\u2019t even be able to breathe, resulting in being stuck in a rut where nothing changes.\n\n\nI\u2019ll be the first person to admit I was (and still am) scared shitless with some financial decisions I chose to make. After all, who wants to lose money and time! \n\n\nI still struggle with taking action in some areas, but overall I tend to take action. Some of them paid of, some of them didn\u2019t, but at the very least I can say this: I don\u2019t have that many \u2018what ifs\u2019!\n\n\n6. Bank Negara\n has a new website design\n\n\nI\u2019m happy for the updated design, but sad that my \n5 Interesting Info I Found in the Bank Negara Malaysia Website\n is now outdated \ud83d\ude41\n\n\nCheck out BNM\u2019s new website at \nbnm.gov.my\n\n\n\n\nThe BNM website now has a new look to improve the visitor experience. It is now easier to navigate through the site to find information and it is also more mobile friendly. For the full experience, please visit \nhttps://t.co/UY9z8AiNHx\n \npic.twitter.com/nH5Nr9KGjG\n\u2014 Bank Negara Malaysia (@BNM_official) \nDecember 16, 2020\n\n\n\n\n7. \nCOVID-19 dramatically changed what people want in a home\u2014and Ikea has the data to prove it\n\u00a0\u2013 Fast Company\n\n\n\n\nIkea\u2019s study is noteworthy because they polled 38,210 people (impressive number!) in 37 countries, including Malaysia (you can read the full report \nhere\n). \n\n\nThe article is cool to me for trend-spotting reasons \u2013 what products/services will be in demand, considering the home features that people now want and their distance to the workplace? Something worth thinking if you\u2019re entering/is part of the commerce space. \n\n\n8. \nThe \u2018Fake Wealth\u2019 Industry Making Influencers Look Rich\n \u2013 VICE\n\n\nI knew about the fake private jets for photoshoot sessions, and editing (read: doctoring) glamorous shots like it\u2019s taken at luxurious travel destinations, but did NOT know that buying EMPTY boxes from luxury brands is a thing! \n\n\nWhat other ways of faking wealth have you seen?\n\n\n9. \nMonth in Review: November 2020\n \u2013 I\u2019m Funemployed\n\n\nI\u2019m Funemployed\u2019s November 2020 update is as real as they come \u2013 in the Reflections section, she shared the pain of losing a job and the fear of deportation (she\u2019s a Malaysian working in Singapore) WHILE battling health issues.\n\n\nThankfully, after months of looking, she found a new job.  Congratulations, so happy for you!!\n\n\n(P/s \u2013 If you ever work in Singapore, getting medical insurance is a must. She paid S$5,597.59 in medical fees out-of-pocket AFTER insurance)\n\n\n\n\n10. \n5 Kereta Yang Geng MLM Patut Beli \u2013 Mekanika Malaysia\n\n\nThis video is both educational AND petty (for a cause), I love it!  The hosts called out network marketers and their reputation for wealth signalling! \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-67/", "title": "Link Roundup #67: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nDoes working from home make employees more productive?\n\u00a0\u2013 The Economist\n\n\nTl;dr:\n\n\nYes, according to new research, and they should be paid accordingly\n\n\n*Note: Yes I\u2019m aware the research only measured employees\u2019 productivity levels in a call centre in America, so it may not be the same in other countries and industries. Yet it\u2019s an indication until more studies are done. \n\n\n2. \n28 Simple-Yet-Successful Mini Rules That Have Drastically Improved My Life\n \u2013 The Financial Diet\n\n\nGREAT listicle, one of the better, non-generic ones. It\u2019s nice to know that I\u2019m already doing 10 or so mini-rules in the list (with variations to tweak my situation). Would love to start experimenting with #1, #4, #8, #19 and #28 this year. \n\n\n3. \nMyPay Coin Deposit to bring unused coins back into circulation\n \u2013 Focus Malaysia\n\n\nHow interesting! An initiative to deposit your coins into your bank accounts, so it can enter \u2018back into economic circulation and repurpose them for digital payments\u2019. Apparently collectively there is RM3.5 BILLION worth of coins in circulation, much of it sitting idle in our homes and cars!\n\n\nWould you use this service?\n\n\n4. \nWe Asked Delivery Bike Riders to Show Us Their Lunch\n\u00a0\n\u2013 Vice\n\n\n\n\nMalaysia was unfortunately not included, but fascinating article regardless \u2013 in some ways the struggles are similar (RM4-6 for a meal at the hawker stall in the Philippines, Thailand and Cambodia), in some ways wildly different (delivering via bicycles and cycling 60km per day as motorcycles are banned in Yangon).\n\n\n5. \n2020 Year In Review And What\u2019s Ahead in 2021\n \u2013 Ringgit Genie\n\n\nExcellent review of the year \u2013 Ringgit Genie covered every important financial events that happened in 2020, including the stock market, loan moratorium, Penjana Economic Stimulus and more. \n\n\n6. \n10 \nsmall home projects to take on if you need something to do\n \n\u2013 Glamour Magazine\n\n\nA great list for a frugal homebody like me! Many of the projects require minimal or no cost at all, and a clutter-free and orderly home is always a worth the effort. I believe in Outer Order, Inner Calm! \n\n\n7. \nHow to spend your money for maximum happiness\n \u2013 Popular Science\n\n\nThe article covered (1) buying time, (2) buying experiences rather than material items, and (3) spend on others. There are 2 more ways to buy happiness, which you can read in my \nHow to Buy Happiness: 5 Science-Backed Principles to Know TODAY\n article.\n\n\nLove the charts! Look at the lines \u2013 spending on experiences rates higher than spending on material items on ALL income levels. \n\n\n\n\n8. \nThe One Thing About Your Spouse\u2019s Personality That Really Affects Your Career\n \u2013 Harvard Business Review\n\n\nWhat is it about your spouse\u2019s personality that predicts your income, promotions and even job satisfaction? Their conscientious level:\n\n\nConscientiousness\n\u00a0is the\u00a0personality trait\u00a0of being\u00a0careful, or\u00a0diligent. Conscientiousness implies a desire to do a task well, and to take obligations to others seriously. \nConscientious people tend to be\u00a0efficient\u00a0and organized as opposed to\u00a0easy-going\u00a0and\u00a0disorderly. They exhibit a tendency to show\u00a0self-discipline, act\u00a0dutifully, and\u00a0aim for achievement; they display\u00a0planned\u00a0rather than spontaneous behavior; and they are generally\u00a0dependable. \nIt is manifested in characteristic behaviors such as being\u00a0neat, and\u00a0systematic; also including such elements as\u00a0carefulness,\u00a0thoroughness, and\u00a0deliberation\u00a0(the tendency to think carefully before acting)\nWiki page\n\n\nSo yeah. I know love is blind and all, but if you can, find someone conscientious.\n\n\n9. \n10 Ways I Declutter My Finances for the New Year\n \u2013 Figuringgitout\n\n\nSpeaking of which, someone conscientious would totally enjoy this article by Figuringgitout, then proceed to sort out their financial life by organising and decluttering. \n\n\n10. \nImprove Financial Literacy by understanding the Dunning-Kruger Effect \u2013 \nThe Personal Finance Challenge\n\n\nI know of Ruiz from a few years back, he\u2019s a fellow personal finance nerd. He recently started\n The Personal Finance Challenge\n so feel free to check that out if you\u2019re looking for a systematic approach to learning money management. \n\n\nIn this video, he talked about the Dunning-Kruger Effect. I like what he said about how we tend to think that a good deal of money advice out there is for other people, not for us; a classic case of overconfidence as we don\u2019t know what we don\u2019t know, therefore we only *think* we know enough, but we don\u2019t (does that make sense? lol)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-68/", "title": "Link Roundup #68: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nWhy you\u2019re feeling unmotivated and how to deal with it\n\u00a0\u2013 Minutes\n\n\nReal talk \u2013 I am unmotivated AF. Almost every work I do (write article, present webinar, etc) ever since the pandemic started took a significant amount of willpower. Most of the time, I\u2019m only able to push through because of routine, habit and self-talk (I routinely say things like \u2018this is the type of person I decided I am so dammit I\u2019m going to do it\u2019 to myself). \n\n\nIf you are unmotivated yourself, what do you rely on to persevere through? Maybe you are at the first stage still \u2013 realising that you are spending a significant amount of emotional energy on appearing \u2018fine\u2019. \n\n\nAs for me.. in an effort to give life meaning, and without sounding too white-woman-y, I admit I am undertaking a yearlong Happiness Project (a paid course by one of my favourite author Gretchen Rubin), so I can rediscover and re-appreciate the joys of ordinary, everyday life. \n\n\n2. \n17 Influencers Share Their Best Money Tip for 2021\n \u2013 Mr Stingy\n\n\nI am delighted to see the variety of answers. The money tips (including one from myself) are a lot more nuanced than the basic \u2018you must save then invest\u2019-type financial advice.  \n\n\nMy own contribution:\n\n\nDo personality tests.\n The more you know yourself, the quicker you\u2019ll find out what works for you and what doesn\u2019t.\n\n\nFor example:\n\n\nThe Four Tendencies test tells me I don\u2019t need support groups to stay accountable to my goals (so I don\u2019t need to waste time & money looking for them).\nThe Big Five Personality Traits test tells me I score very high on\u00a0\nOpenness to Experience\n, so I should allocate budget for experimentation purposes AND be mindful to not overspend.\nThe Love Language test tells me gift-giving is NOT my primary love language (I\u2019ve informed my partner so he doesn\u2019t need to waste money).\nThe \nFinancial Behavior Report\n tells me I prefer\u00a0\nDIY financial planning\n\u00a0than working with a professional (so I better not slack off and keep on learning).\n\n\nRead everyone elses\u2019 answers in the link above \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n3. \nJapanese man you can \u2018rent to do nothing\u2019 has thousands of clients\n \u2013 Independent\n\n\nCan\u2019t help but to laugh at his level of honesty: \n\n\nMorimoto first offered his services in June 2018 after\u00a0posting a tweet\u00a0that read: \u201cI offer myself for rent, as a person who does nothing. Is it difficult for you to enter a shop on your own? Are you missing a player on your team? Do you need someone to keep a place for you? I can\u2019t do anything except easy things.\u201d\n\n\nIts nice to do \u2018nothing\u2019, but I think he leads a busier life than you think. The companionship services aside, he\u2019s also maintaining an active social media presence (ie can be enjoyable work but still work) and have published a book (writing then promoting said book is \ndefinitely\n work).\n\n\n\n\n4. \nTop 5 e-commerce trends to expect in Asia in 2021\n\u00a0\u2013 e27\n\n\nIf you like trendspotting and ecommerce, you\u2019ll like this article. It\u2019s really interesting (and sad?) to see how other countries in Asia are so far ahead than us!\n\n\n5. \nHow to Make Money Organizing and Scanning Photos for Clients\n \u2013 The Penny Hoarder\n\n\nWhat a fascinating side income idea! And imagine the joy people will get out of revisiting old memories! Such a great option for someone who can invest on minimal equipment (a scanner etc) and time. Rough outline on how to start this side gig in the article, click the link above!\n\n\n\n\n6. 2020 Financial Review Posts\n\n\nReading how other people navigate their financial life improves my financial literacy so much more than just getting financial advice on its own. Here are some recently-published ones to recommend: \n\n\nVia Ringgit Freedom on \nthe temptations of 0% instalments\n \nI\u2019m Funemployed on \ntaking health is wealth seriously\n \nFiguringgitout on \ncompleting No Spend Challenge for a whole year\n \n\n\n\nhttps://www.facebook.com/ringgitohringgit/posts/153820983207355?__cft__[0]=AZVl8K6x5GFIqYAMamKtPxYSzFlsGiwalsCk-3vgcN1Rsw25MWsD7kCMRuZANpltrCwADoRh_bzEoaavrVyJihLwssSXyB4dky0SO9uobuLoMGyJ5FKfGQlt5i4f4rkKZc0ov9aIxskpN9ddp4kj4cDC&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R\n\n\n\nDo you know of other financial journeys to recommend? Share them in the comments section. Follow all of them, if you haven\u2019t!\n\n\n7. \nHow to Self Contribute EPF using Maybank2u\n \u2013 Balkoni Hijau\n\n\nIf you\u2019re one of the 3 million who took out EPF money via i-Sinar, its only fair you know how to put the money back in, yes? Helmi of Balkoni Hijau created a step-by-step guide for you:\n\n\n\n\n8. \nUnequal burden: how the COVID-19 pandemic is adding to women\u2019s workloads\n \u2013 World Economic Forum\n\n\nThe fact that women do more unpaid care work is unsurprising. And I would have never learned of this if I exclusively read personal finance books and content by men (and most of the popular ones *are* by men), who have benefited from this unequal labour division since forever. \n\n\nThe average woman now spends nearly the equivalent of a full-time job doing unpaid childcare \u2013 a full working day a week more than the average man.\n\u201cWhose time to care?\u201d, UN Women\n\n\nWhat can a woman do with one extra, full day? A lot. That\u2019s what she\u2019s lost and have to gain back. See #9 for one method to get back the time.\n\n\n9. \nHow to split the chores with your partner \u2014 minus the drama and fighting\n\u00a0\n \u2013 TED Ideas\n\n\nThere is a step-by-step way to have a more equal housework distribution!\n\n\nStep 1: List all your logistics tasks\nStep 2: Ask yourselves: \u201cWhat can we simply stop doing?\u201d\u00a0\nStep 3: Ask yourselves: \u201cWhich tasks do I want to own?\u201d\nStep 4: Ask yourselves: \u201cWhat can we outsource?\u201d\nStep 5: Work out how you can split the rest\n\n\nRead the article, or better yet, find the book \u2018Couples That Work: How Dual-Career Couples Can Thrive in Love and Work\u2019 by Jennifer Petriglieri. \n\n\n10. \n40 Stock Market Terms That Every Beginner Should Know\n \u2013 \nVisual Capitalist\n\n\nReally nice way of learning stock market jargon!\n\n\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-69/", "title": "Link Roundup #69: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nThe Relentless Rise of the \u2018Productivity Influencer\u2019\n \u2013 VICE\n\n\nI admit: I like to consume productivity-related content, and I follow some of these productivity influencers. They give out a lot of tips that I use today (including things like putting slow-talking Youtuber and podcasters on 1.5x speed \u2013 GAMECHANGER). And yes, I do find it satisfying then I manage to pack in a lot of things in a day. \n\n\nBut like everything else, there are consequences for taking things too far or to the extreme. This article serves as a good reminder that something as good as \u2018productivity\u2019 can also be an unhealthy obsession, a coping mechanism for people in denial of everything horrible that is happening in the world. \n\n\n2. \n200 Lemons, 30 Bananas: Online Shoppers Accidentally Buy Too Much\n \u2013 The Wall Street Journal\n\n\nBuying groceries IRL \u2013 more temptation to add things you don\u2019t need in your cart. Buying groceries online \u2013 accidentally buy too much. \n\n\nHas it happened to you? What did you do with the food? \n\n\n(My most recent happy accident:)\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n3. \n12 Terms Every Crypto Trader Should Know\n \u2013 Binance Academy\n\n\nClick the link above for the full explanation for each term, but wow haha I finally found out what SAFU means, awesome!\n\n\nFear, Uncertainty, and Doubt (FUD)\n: Spreading of fear and misinformation to gain an advantage.\nFear Of Missing Out (FOMO)\n: The emotion you feel when you panic buy.\nHODL\n: Buy and hold on to it for a long time!\nBUIDL\n: Keep your head down and build the next financial system.\nSAFU\n: Funds are safe!\nReturn on Investment (ROI)\n: How much money you are making (or losing).\nAll-Time High (ATH)\n: The highest price ever recorded!\nAll-Time Low (ATL)\n: The lowest price ever recorded.\nDo Your Own Research (DYOR)\n: Don\u2019t trust, verify.\nDue Diligence (DD)\n: Smart people make decisions based on facts.\nAnti Money Laundering (AML)\n: Regulations that prevent criminals from hiding their money.\nKnow Your Customer (KYC)\n: Regulations that make exchanges verify your identity.\n\n\n4. \nHow Poverty Makes Workers Less Productive\n \u2013 NPR\n\n\nBusiness owners and decision-makers, hear me out. What if\u2026 you pay workers at the \nbeginning\n of the work, instead of the end? According to this study, they are more productive. \n\n\nThe authors conclude that giving workers cash upfront helped alleviate the mental burden of their financial problems and freed them to be more productive..the study adds to a growing body of research that says that money really does help workers earn more money.\n\n\n5. \nCase settled? MIA?? Here\u2019s the latest update on everyone (allegedly) involved in 1MDB\n\n\nSeriously, kudos to the Cilisos team for compiling many 1MDB-related updates \u2013 not an easy task. I didn\u2019t know Trump pardoned \nElliot Broidy\n, his former fundraiser who tried to stop the US from investigating 1MDB!!\n\n\n\n\n6. \nHow to Sleep-Train a Baby When You\u2019re a Working Mom \n\u2013 Working Mother\n\n\nResources like these make me dread motherhood less. Sleep-trained babies = quality sleep = better work. \n\n\nYeah, I guess I am contemplating kids, against my better judgement. Love is so strange \u2013 it makes you do objectively stupid things like getting married and considering motherhood. You\u2019re aware of how lopsided the benefits are to your life and career, yet..\n\n\nFortunately there are risk reduction strategies and also growing support. Good, I\u2019ll need those. Not working is not an option. \n\n\n7. \nYou don\u2019t need a new phone, so here\u2019s how to keep your old one running like new\n \u2013 CNBC\n\n\nA good page to bookmark!!\n\n\n8. \nKicking off my Monthly Money Diaries: 2020 financial year in review\n \u2013 ElizabethTai.com\n\n\nMalaysians will have another monthly money diary / budget update / month-in-review-styles articles to enjoy \ud83d\ude42 In addition to \nI\u2019m Funemployed\u2019s\n, \nThe Purple Cotton\n\u2018s and \nmy monthly budget updates\n here in RoR, Liz Tai will start sharing hers as well, woo hoo!  \n\n\nCheck out the first post in the link above! \n\n\n9. \n\u201cBling Empire\u201d Is My New Fave Show, So I Did Some Internet Sleuthing To Find Out Their Net Worth\n \u2013 BuzzFeed\n\n\nThe Bling Empire show made me empathise with obscenely rich people. Am not sure how I feel about that, but I sure am entertained lol. I hope they will do Season 2!\n\n\nI am #TeamAnna btw. The way she, with her $600 mil net worth, called out those with \u2018only\u2019 $80 mil net worth for showing off was intensely satisfying. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n10. \nHere\u2019s How Wall Street Has Always Manipulated the Markets | The Daily Social Distancing Show\n\n\nChange my mind: Wall Street is made up of \nNarcissists, Psychopaths and Machiavellians\n\u00a0\u2013 people with dark personalities who wouldn\u2019t think twice before cheating, manipulating and generally taking advantage of people around them.\u00a0\n\n\nProof:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-7/", "title": "Link Roundup #7: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational\n\n\n1. \nShoppers with Strong Religious Beliefs Spend Less and Make Fewer Impulse Purchases\n \u2013 Harvard Business Review\n\n\nWhat an insightful read! The study was conducted in the US, but the sample size is big and the research was thorough. I believe the conclusions are applicable to our Malaysian context, too.\n\n\nIf I were to self-rate myself, religiously speaking, from a murtad-to-ustazah scale, I\u2019m probably something like a 6 or 7? Does this mean if I get more religious my financial life will improve further? Penny for your thoughts.\u00a0\n\n\n2.\u00a0\nOrder Fulfillment Services in Malaysia and Why You Should Use Them for Your E-commerce Business\n \u2013 Entrepreneur Campfire\n\n\nIf you sell products online, you should know about fulfilment services. It\u2019s a type of service where you can outsource storing, packing, shipping and returns to a third party. Imagine how much time you can free up, so you can focus on marketing and growing your business!\n\n\nThis article compiles three fulfilment services available in Malaysia and how much they cost (at time of writing).\n\n\n3. \nIs It Really Easy To Steal Money From A PayWave Card?\n \u2013 SoyaCincau\n\n\nI saw a viral video showing a man using a PayWave card terminal. You might have seen it too.\n\n\n Image from Soyacincau.com\n\n\nThe video showed how the man in glasses completed a transaction simply by lightly touching the other man\u2019s ass. I\u2019m being factual here, no matter how that came out.\n\n\nSoyaCincau argued that this scam tactic was blown out of proportion. They argued that (1) only registered merchants can do that, so you\u2019ll always find out about the transaction and dispute it with the bank and (2) it won\u2019t work if you have multiple NFC (Near Field Communications) cards together, such as your Touch N Go cards and IC card, which many of us keep with PayWave cards in the same wallet.\n\n\nThat\u2019s cool to know, but I\u2019ve also received a couple of additional comments about it via Twitter. Take it however you wish:\n\n\n\n\nTo do this scam, the criminal must be near you. Like, be\u00a0\nreally\n near you. Wouldn\u2019t you notice when someone touches your ass? (Note: counter-argument \u2013 criminals know ways to distract people)\n\n\nYou can use aluminium foil or RFID wallets to avoid these cases (Note: interestingly, \nthis article\n\u00a0explain why RFID wallets is a scam, because there are almost no RFID crimes??)\n\n\nThe biggest issue is not the PayWave card, but how easily RFID cards in general can be cloned. (Note: When I googled \u2018cloning RFID cards\u2019, the first article was literally a step-by-step instruction wtf)\n\n\n\n\nI personally don\u2019t have a PayWave card, and I\u2019m not particularly keen to get one. Not because of security reasons, but because I don\u2019t like how easy it is to spend money on it. Will it encourage me to make more higher-value purchases? I don\u2019t know, and I don\u2019t really feel like testing.\n\n\n4.\u00a0\nMy terrifying deep dive into one of Russia\u2019s largest hacking forums\n \u2013 The Guardian\n\n\nAlso on the topic of illegal activities. Such a fascinating read. The author went into an underground hacking community and reported \u2013 not to scare you or anything \u2013 \u2018from passports to credit cards, nothing is safe\u2019. If they want to target you, they can and they will.\n\n\nMay the odds be ever in your favour.\n\n\n5.\u00a0\nI\u2019m a Professional Sugar Baby. Here\u2019s What It\u2019s Like to Get Paid to Hang Out With Rich Guys\n \u2013 Money\n\n\nThis article takes me back to my Tumblr days, where I followed a ton of sex workers\u2019 accounts. At first it was curiosity, perhaps even a sense of escapism. Later on I simply got wildly impressed by how some of the ladies turned their services into a highly profitable business. I have so much respect for them, and since learned that professionalism will set one apart, regardless of the industry.\n\n\nI have no judgement at all for women (and men) who use their beauty and charm to get ahead financially, as long as no one gets hurt. I am extra impressed if they do it to finance their education and graduate without debt.\n\n\n6. \nWe Lost RM20k From A Single Trade So You Won\u2019t Have To: Lessons Learned\n \u2013 Pelham Blue Management\n\n\nI found out about Pelham Blue Management website recently \u2013 they\u2019re an anonymous group of trading professionals based in Malaysia (I assume) who document their stocks and warrants trading in detail. Their fundamental and technical analysis writeups impressed me.\n\n\nThe\u00a0\nscale\n of their trades is worth sharing \u2013 they frequently make five-figure wins and losses. This particular article reflects back at one of their recent losses. Great read, very insightful.\n\n\n7.\u00a0\nA Stanford researcher says we shouldn\u2019t start working full time until age 40\n \u2013 World Economic Forum\n\n\nThe \u2018Stanford researcher\u2019 is not \u2018just\u2019 a Stanford researcher. She\u2019s\u00a0Laura Carstensen, the founding director of the Stanford Center on Longevity.\n\n\nThis article challenged the way I think, how I\u2019ve always accepted life around me \u2013 start work in early-to-mid twenties, then retire by 60 (or even earlier in Malaysia). An excerpt:\n\n\n\u201cWe need a new model,\u201d Carstensen says of the current norms around career pacing. The current one \u201cdoesn\u2019t work, because it fails to recognize all the other demands on our time. People are working full-time at the same time they\u2019re raising children. You never get a break. You never get to step out. You never get to refresh. . . .We go at this unsustainable pace, and then pull the plug.\u201d\n\n\nI\u2019ll admit it. My obligations to my career, relationships, family, etc\u00a0 all at the same time IS overwhelming.\n\n\n8.\u00a0\nAmerican tech giants are making life tough for startups\n \u2013 The Economist\n\n\nA must-read if you are, or want to be, a startup founder. You may not know about the kill-zone yet. You must.\n\n\n9.\u00a0\nIt\u2019s impossible to lead a totally ethical life\u2014but it\u2019s fun to\n \u2013 Quartz\n\n\nThe money you spend to lead your life reflects your values. You know this already. Shoutout to everyone who actively reduce the amount of disposables they consume, and choose vegetarian over meat-based meals whenever they can.\n\n\nIf you are this type of person, you may think of how you can better all the time. You just don\u2019t want to damage the environment further, or contribute to slave labour. You may even stress over it.\n\n\nDon\u2019t stress. You\u2019re doing good. Keep it up.\n\n\n10. \nWhat\u2019s the Effect of Social Media on Your Finances?\n \u2013 Bitches Get Riches\n\n\nAnd finally, a fun read about how social media affects our finances, nicely divided into pro/cons arguments. I agree with pretty much everything in here, including the free entertainment part (con: varies in quality), the personal finance community part (con: always encouraged to buy something), and the constant inspiration part (con: jealousy over other people\u2019s lives).\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this week, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-70-10-things-to-know-this-week/", "title": "Link Roundup #70: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \n\u2018I thought buying things would make me feel better. It didn\u2019t\u2019: The rise of emotional spending\n \u2013 The Guardian\n\n\nThe pandemic is naturally a stressful event for many people. Thus, we turn to activities that we think will make us feel better, including online shopping. Why wouldn\u2019t we? That\u2019s what the ads claim. They imply, with their beautiful, happy models and cheerful copywriting, that they will make life better for us. \n\n\nBut often, life didn\u2019t get better. And even knowing this, I still fall to the lure of online shopping way more time than I care to admit. I tell myself that its ok, I can afford it, as long as I don\u2019t use the \nevil buy now, pay later plans\n, I\u2019m good. \n\n\nUntimately, I am freaked out by how well the advertisers know how to apply behaviorial science and psychological tricks to get me to buy their products and services. And you should too. \n\n\n2. \nNew study finds money isn\u2019t necessary to be happy but this is\n \n\u2013 The Ladders\n\n\n..researchers surveyed the residents of two societies in which money plays a minimal role in everyday life: Bangladesh and the Solomon Islands. Not only did most people in these communities report high levels of happiness and contentment, but those living in specific areas with the lowest levels of monetization showed the highest happiness levels. Conversely, locals living in the most urbanized, money-centric regions of the two societies reported lower happiness levels.\n\u2026(the researchers found that) money is not necessary for happiness. However,\u00a0\nstability\n\u00a0\nis. In the West, money essentially equals stability. An American, German, or Italian isn\u2019t going to be able to rest their head on the pillow each night and feel safe and secure in knowing they can provide for themselves and their loved ones without money. In these studied regions, however, money isn\u2019t needed to lead a secure life \u2013 so residents don\u2019t need money\u00a0to be happy.\n\n\nGreat article, great food for thought. So it turns out the only reason why we think money is necessary to happiness is because we can\u2019t experience stability and security without it, our consumerism culture demands payment for simply \nliving\n. But in other countries/cultures, money isn\u2019t as important because people can still provide for their loved ones. \n\n\n3. \nStop Telling Women They Have Imposter Syndrome\n \u2013 Harvard Business Review\n\n\nThis article blew my mind. All my life I\u2019ve been told to only work on my own confidence issues, all the imposter feelings are just in my head\u2026 But no, the data says otherwise \u2013 bias exists, the reason why we feel unwelcomed is because we are. \n\n\nWe don\u2019t even get the same helpful guidance that men get. \n\n\n\n\nGender stereotypes in feedback to leaders: men get more helpful guidance than women.\nMachine learning analysis:\nMen are encouraged to be ambitious, leverage politics, show confidence.\nWomen are advised to get along, cope with politics, feel confident.\nhttps://t.co/oVR2nv2r2E\n \npic.twitter.com/7P34nRCACL\n\u2014 Adam Grant (@AdamMGrant) \nFebruary 13, 2021\n\n\n\n\n4. \nThese are the countries where cryptocurrency use is most common\n \u2013 World Economic Forum\n\n\nCrypto is more popular in countries where remittance aka money transfer services are expensive. Good to keep this in mind, as in Malaysia we mostly dabble in crypto for its potential gainz. \n\n\n\n\n5. \nPsychologists Say There Are Only 5 Kinds of People in the World. Which One Are You?\n \u2013 Inc\n\n\nCheck out one paragraph in the article, on personality type and investing behaviour:\n\n\nSeek a financial investor who is high in agreeableness. Studies show agreeable investors are least likely to lose money from risky trading. Avoid an investor high in openness\u2013that personality is associated with overconfidence that can lead an investor to take excessive risks.\n\n\nThat part is scary accurate for me, because I know I score very high on openness (I took the \nFinancial Behaviour Test\n) and yes my risk tolerance is pretty high. \n\n\n6. \nWedding Planning: Critical Advice, Common Mistakes, And Taking On Debt \u2013 Ringgit and Sense\n\n\nYou know the classic wedding budget justification \u2013 it\u2019s ok to spend because you can recover it back via money gifts? Yeah that strategy is risky \u2013 ask the thousands of newlyweds who had their fully-paid for wedding receptions cancelled due to Covid-19. \n\n\nClick \nhere\n to listen to the full episode on Spotify!\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n7\n. \nWhy Is Customer Service So Bad? Because It\u2019s Profitable.\n \u2013 Harvard Business Review\n\n\nHuh! Bad customer service = harder for you to terminate a bad service = you\u2019re more likely to remain out of desperation!\n\n\n8. \nDirector Mom Rewrites Resume Using Only Skills Gained From Motherhood\u2014And We\u2019d Hire Her\n\n\n\n\n\n\n9. \nMais launches e-Faraid to facilitate estate management for Muslims\n \u2013 Malay Mail\n\n\nYou can check the website at \nhttps://efaraid.mais.gov.my/EFARAID/faraidCalc.do\n\n\nIt\u2019s good that they remind Muslims to settle debt, wife\u2019s allocation under harta sepencarian (ask the lawyer, but as I understand it, wife can claim half of late husband\u2019s properties if they gained said properties during the course of the marriage), wasiat etc BEFORE faraid system takes effect. \n\n\n\n\nOriginally tweeted by Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (\n@surayaror\n) on \nFebruary 19, 2021\n.\n\n\n10. \nMrMoneyTVChannel on TikTok\n\n\nMr Money Tv has always provided good financial education on various social media platform. I notice that recently they have expanded the team to cover more ground and channels, including TikTok. \n\n\nThis particular one is gold! Reading candlestick charts is pretty much trading 101. \n\n\n\n\nFahamkan chart saham sikit \npic.twitter.com/2P4lfrES7m\n\u2014 mrmoneytv (@mrmoneytvchnl) \nFebruary 18, 2021\n\n\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-71/", "title": "Link Roundup #71: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nI asked hundreds of people about their biggest life decisions. Here\u2019s what I\u00a0learned\n \u2013 The Conversation\n\n\nSomehow, its really assuring to me that in the bigger scheme of things, finance-related life decisions are mostly of low importance. Sometimes I get so caught up with optimising finances and I need to remember that there is more to life than money. \n\n\n\n\nGreat article. The \u2018What Causes Regret\u2019 section is worth reading. Ultimately all of us want a meaningful life. \n\n\n2. \nA TED series takes a look at the link between your money and your mind\n \u2013 TEDBlog\n\n\nLove this! It\u2019s an 8-part series focusing on the tricky relationship between human behaviour and money delivered by behavioural economist Wendy De La Rosa, which includes the psychological, emotional, cultural and social factors that influence money decisions. \n\n\nClick the link above to learn:\n\n\nthe purchases we often end up regretting\u00a0\nwhy traditional budgets don\u2019t work for most people\nhow to talk about money with your partner\n4 steps to pay off your credit card debt faster\n2-step plan on saving more money\nand more\n\n\nThis clip on the sneaky (and borderline predatory) practices that ecommerce websites\u00a0do is a MUST WATCH\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n3\n. \nMoney, privilege and contentment: An honest conversation with a friend\n \u2013 ElizabethTai.com\n\n\nThis conversation though\u2026\n\n\nLiz:\n I was talking with some Personal Finance (PF) folks about how we don\u2019t realise our privilege and forget that people are not in the same space we are. For example, some PF bloggers keep boasting that they made US$200k in 2020 or \u201cit\u2019s possible for everyone\u201d. And then another PF person mentioned how all this is making us anxious and FOMO. I keep comparing myself to these people \u2013 like, there\u2019s lots of anxiety in this sphere.\nSheu Quen\n: Damn. You guys are elitists.\nLiz: \nKan? (Lol)\nSheu Quen: \nThe majority of people are nowhere in your league.\nLiz: \nYes and we don\u2019t realise how out of touch we can sound.\n\n\n\n\n4. \nIt\u2019s Hard to Write About Money When You\u2019re Broke\n \u2013 My Life, I Guess\n\n\n(I must credit Liz \u2013 same as #5 \u2013 too for sharing this in her feed.)\n\n\nI\u2019ve always wondered why I don\u2019t see too many personal finance folks who talk about their journey navigating unemployment, or working part-time, or getting out of debt. Too often, the ones getting a lot of attention are the ones who write about making bank (not hating, good for them, just an observation)\n\n\nThen I read this article, and it made sense. We all know about the shame around money, and it\u2019s hard to face that head on, what more to write about it and publish publicly in a blog. \n\n\n5. \nHow to Earn by Playing Axie Infinity\n \u2013 Geek in MY\n\n\nAxie Infinity is a blockchain gaming play and it is so. CUTE. \n\n\nImage credit: www.hebergementwebs.com\n\n\nWhile I already know that one can make money from gaming activities in general, I am blown away by the additional Play2Earn opportunities enabled by blockchain technology. Imagine, there is a scholarship system for people to get started in Axie Infinity game, which players can use as \u2018capital\u2019 so they can earn by playing and pay back at a later date!\n\n\nMany thanks to Putra of Geek in MY who explained to me how the game works \ud83d\ude42 Check out the guide above for the other ways to earn by playing.\n\n\n6. \nThe Future of Bitcoin: 12 Scenarios From Bullish to Bearish\n \u2013 CoinDesk\n\n\n6 bullish scenarios, 5 bearish, and one neutral. Excellent writing, more rounded and better argument than bros/sis who just go \u2018few understand\u2019 and \u2018have fun staying poor\u2019 all day. \n\n\nI have not thought of Scenario #4 and #Scenario 11, and Scenario #8 would be total nightmare!\n\n\n7\n. \n\u2018Modesty isn\u2019t always a good thing,\u2019 says career expert to women: 5 ways to master the art of bragging\n \u2013 CNBC Make it\n\n\n\u2018We\u2019d like to hire more women, but we can\u2019t find any!!\u2019\n\n\nHave you considered that perhaps you don\u2019t see their accomplishments because they intentionally don\u2019t talk about it? Women don\u2019t tend to brag. \n\n\nAccording to a\u00a0\n2019 survey of more than 1,000 working women\n, 84% said they feel uncomfortable talking about professional or academic accomplishments, and more than 69% said they prefer to downplay achievements.\n\n\nIf this is new to you, I\u2019d just like to confirm that yeah, this is a thing. Learn to spot good excellence from the quiet ones, and at the same time women, too, have to meet halfway and get out of our comfort zones. Personally, I\u2019ve actually attended a workshop where I learned tips on overcoming my own tendency to keep quiet about my achievements. \n\n\nSo in that spirit,\n\n\n8. \nInternational Women\u2019s Day: 10 Female Finance & Investment Blogs to Follow\n \u2013 MoneySmart SG\n\n\nI was one of the people featured in MoneySmart SG, a very popular financial page in Singapore, woohoo. \n\n\n(It is, however quite odd to be referred to as someone who are both frugal and higher spender. But I\u2019ll take it)\n\n\n\n\n9. \nYour tweet goes viral. Here come the companies asking you to sell their crap\n. \u2013 Vox\n\n\nOh my God! That\u2019s where they came from! I\u2019ve always wondered! They\u2019re called \u2018clout mining\u2019, and people who sell crap products can make thousands this way (my own opinion \u2013 it\u2019s not illegal, technically speaking, but pretty scummy)\n\n\nBut beyond that, this is an excellent article about the business side of influencer marketing, and strategies involved in making money from someone-who-got-viral\u2019s (fast-fading) fame, while they can. \n\n\n10. \nEZ On The Money #1: How Much Money Is Enough? feat. Julian Ng\n \u2013 The Ezra Zaid Project\n\n\nLast but not least is a new podcast series on personal finance, produced by Ezra Zaid. Listen to the clip below to see if it\u2019s your jam.  \n\n\n\n\nWhat were some of your earliest memories of anxiety with money? \n@jooolean\n of \n@Akrunow\n joins \n@EzraZaid\n to discuss how we can change our relationship with money\ud83d\udcb0\n\ud83d\udea8 NEW episode: \nhttps://t.co/XPU0HOextC\n \npic.twitter.com/FwXwtuMReH\n\u2014 The Ezra Zaid Project (@projectezrazaid) \nFebruary 23, 2021\n\n\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-72/", "title": "Link Roundup #72: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nI Don\u2019t Want My Wife to Become a Stay-at-Home Mom\n \u2013 The Slate\n\n\nContext: a husband asks for advice in a parenting advice column. He felt disappointed with her decision to be a stay-at-home-mom as one of the things he was most attracted to her during courtship was \u2018her ambition and tenacity\u2019. \n\n\nI felt that the advice given by the columnist was a good one (don\u2019t see it as \u2018giving up her career\u2019), but this just shows something important: women have been vocal about the right to choose to work OR be a SAHM, but men have kinda been expected to keep quiet (and work harder to provide) if she chooses to stop her career and focus on the family. \n\n\nAs a feminist and equal rights advocate, men\u2019s burden to provide is something I am aware about and try to take into consideration in my own relationship. Read more in this article: \n5 Thoughts I Have About Marriage (and Money Management)\n\n\n2. \n5 Secrets That Successful People Rarely Own Up To\n \u2013 The Financial Diet\n\n\nAs much as they say it is, success is not due to work ethics alone; other factors play a big role too. The 5 (open) secrets are:\n\n\nThey got to live at home (or the door was always open).\nThey had positive reinforcement.\nThey had good mental health (or just good health overall).\nThey didn\u2019t suffer from a toxic home environment.\nThey only had to worry about themselves.\n\n\nIf you don\u2019t have one or a few of these, it doesn\u2019t mean you won\u2019t get where you want to be. My question to you is.. so what are you going to do about it? \n\n\n3\n. \nDigital Currencies: The homegrown encyclopaedia of cryptocurrencies\n \u2013 The Edge\n\n\nI\u2019m really happy that \nCoinGecko.com\n is getting the recognition they deserve <3 The fact that Malaysians are behind the world-famous crypto aggregator site is just\u2026 I get secondhand joy just thinking about it. \n\n\nThis part just made me love them even more!\n\n\nNeither came from wealthy families and there was no private equity financing in the early days.\n\u201cThere were no parents to bankroll us. We kept it low-cost and kept reinvesting; this helped us stay in the game. When you have too much money, you essentially lose the hustle aspect. For most start-ups, it\u2019s just about raising venture capital and burning through money,\u201d Lee says.\nStarting with only about RM1,000 to pay for the domain and cloud servers, Ong says, start-up costs for a purely digital business with no employee is really low. \u201cEverything else was through our own time and effort. We didn\u2019t raise external funds from friends or family, or take out a loan,\u201d Ong says.\u00a0\n\n\n4. Yield Farming on Binance Smart Chain \u2013 CoinGecko\n\n\nThis is a good opportunity for me to share CoinGecko\u2019s resources, like this guide on yield farming on Binance Smart Chain. I am happy to announce I am now earning $CAKE! \n\n\n(If you have no idea what I\u2019m talking about, refer to this article: \nI Am Self-Learning DeFi (Decentralised Finance). Here\u2019s Why.\n)\n\n\n\n\n5. \nIce\n cream price comparison list (per 100ml)\n\n\nIt\u2019s true what they say. Not all heroes wear capes. Thank you Feisal aka @SiriuslyCold for compiling the data, and maintaning an ongoing list with more brands \nin a GSheets doc\n!\n\n\n\n\nAnyone into ice cream? here is a price comparison per 100ml for the various brands available in KL\n#IceCream\n \npic.twitter.com/nWFnKnxP81\n\u2014 #1\u20e39\u20e3!!!\ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\uddfe (@SiriuslyCold) \nMarch 16, 2021\n\n\n\n\n6. A Story of a Fuck Off Fund\n \u2013 The Billfold\n\n\nA must-read for all women. Money isn\u2019t everything, but it *is* a tool for you to escape sexual harassment, a job that you hate, an abusive relationship, and more. \n\n\nYour travel plans, new clothes and bags and other items can wait. Build your Fuck Off Fund first. \n\n\n7. \nTurning Nasty Used Cooking Oil Into Handmade Eco Soap\n \u2013 The Rakyat Post\n\n\nPersonally I don\u2019t use that much cooking oil in my household but if you do, this DIY project is for you! You get to save money AND the environment!\n\n\nYou can find out the recipe, processes and more by clicking MokMeow\u2019s Twitter link below. You can also view and buy her soaps at \nthis Whatsapp catalog link\n. \n\n\n\n\nI processed 2kgs of used cooking oil into soaps today.\nBoleh buat household soaps, utk basuh pinggan dan basuh baju.\nYg dlm tupperware tu some I bg neighbours utk basuh pinggan. They love these, kata mrk tak hancurkan kulit tangan \npic.twitter.com/u5ch895hUc\n\u2014 MokMeow (@FiqhTabayyun) \nMarch 12, 2021\n\n\n\n\n8\n. \nWhy Women Are Called \u2018Influencers\u2019 and Men \u2018Creators\u2019\n \u2013 Wired\n\n\nHow interesting. Why is it that the term \u2018influencers\u2019 carry a more negative connotation than \u2018creators\u2019, when \nboth of them do the same thing\n \u2013 create and monetise from their digital content? \n\n\n9. \nWhy Women Volunteer for Tasks That Don\u2019t Lead to Promotions\n \u2013 Harvard Business Review\n\n\nAnother one to help you uncover hidden gender bias, even from fellow women. It is found that women do more thankless tasks in the workplace too. You know the ones: plan office gatherings, order supplies, etc. \n\n\nSolution: Get the men in your team to volunteer too. If you\u2019re a man, actively volunteer. If you\u2019re a woman, actively resist. If you\u2019re in a decision-making position, rotate the tasks, don\u2019t just ask and expect the women to do it.\n\n\n10\n. \nWork Chronicles | \nGetting noticed at work\n\n\nAnd last but not least, a hard-hitting lesson on being noticed at work delivered in just 6 panels. \n\n\nWhat if you\u2019re not the type of person to share your work, but still want a promotion/raise? Well, you could either learn to share more (it\u2019s not bragging if its facts!), or I guess you could also \ndo some job-hopping\n (especially if favouritism is obvious). \n\n\n\n\nGetting noticed at work \npic.twitter.com/QeHcAhqf9y\n\u2014 Work Chronicles | Comics about Work (@_workchronicles) \nMarch 14, 2021\n\n\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-73-10-things-to-know-this-week/", "title": "Link Roundup #73: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nMeet the Financial Advisors Who Don\u2019t Always Follow Their Own Advice\n \u2013 Money.com\n\n\nIt\u2019s true what they say: we\u2019re only human. Even people who study and work in a specialised field don\u2019t always take their own advice. That\u2019s how you get financial advisors who also (and knowingly) ignore the most basic of financial advice, like diversification and paying yourself first (both of which I also personally ignore for myself tbh). \n\n\nAnd you know what? That\u2019s okay. In fact, I like it when people admit and share their flaws. It makes them more human, more relatable. I kind of prefer financial advisors who do this actually. \n\n\n2. \nThink Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don\u2019t Know\n \u2013 Next Big Idea Club\n\n\nAdam Grant, is one of my favourite thought leaders. A short intro for those who don\u2019t know him:\n\n\nAdam Grant is an organizational psychologist at Wharton, where he\u2019s been the school\u2019s top-rated professor for seven years running. He is the #1\u00a0\nNew York Times\n\u00a0bestselling author of five books that have sold millions of copies and been translated into 35 languages, and he hosts the chart-topping\u00a0\nWorkLife\n\u00a0podcast. He has been recognized as one of the world\u2019s 10 most influential management thinkers and\u00a0\nFortune\n\u2019s 40 under 40.\n\n\nIn this article, he shared the three big ideas from his new book, Think Again. They sound fascinating and I can\u2019t want to read the book and have my mind blown. \n\n\n\n\n3\n. \nWhat Working Dads Can Do When a High-Pressure Job Asks Too Much\n \u2013 Harvard Business Review\n\n\nBecause fathers deserve quality time with their children, too. I find it really sad that some children never get the chance to bond with their fathers as they work all the time. \n\n\n4. SPS Prihatin Wanita \u2013 PERKESO/SOCSO\n\n\nATTENTION: Women small business owners!! Get 70% discount when you enrol in PERKESO\u2019s Self-employment Security Scheme \u2013 just pay RM69.80 instead of RM232.80! \n\n\nBottom line: you\u2019re self-employed or work in informal sector, you should check this scheme out. More info:\n \nHow to Apply for SOCSO / PERKESO Self-Employment Social Security Scheme\n\n\n\nhttps://www.facebook.com/ringgitohringgit/posts/205013711421415?cft[0]=AZVMGaPhcJzS_WsChWAqc6SwvMunsDBdvILR8s1yCPFrnG9ea3zZ27cRweFNzLUMIUsjG7pCBcK0QCn1PIuARxFKLtHabXg2uK7w7iJ8pKu_rQ_JjVRI1RVdesjCDbymcJ68Hk87dppD1TpwrFGcSI2fry6DAS0vWTmQ1PXZ54H9tQ&tn=%2CO%2CP-R\n\n\n\n5. \nHow To Be A Genuinely Helpful Spouse, From Couples\u2019 Therapists\n \u2013 MindBodyGreen\n\n\nBecause having a great relationship with one\u2019s spouse is a great predictor of financial stability AND happiness.\n\n\n6. \nYou Will Hate Your Husband After Your Kid Is Born \n\u2013 The Slate\n\n\nDid you skip the above link, #5? If you\u2019re married with children (or in a committed relationship, whatever, I don\u2019t judge), go back and read it. You should know what your partner is feeling (or lack of), so both of you can work on it. \n\n\nLook at these stats:\n\n\n67 percent\n\u00a0of couples are less satisfied with their marriages after having a baby. \nA\u00a0\n2009 study\n\u00a0of first-time parents in the\u00a0\nJournal of Personality and Social Psychology\n\u00a0found that a scant 7 percent of mothers reported feeling more satisfied with their marriage, compared with 15% of fathers\nWhen children move past babyhood, working moms are still 2\u00bd times as likely as working fathers to interrupt their sleep to take care of others\nA 2015 Ohio State \nstudy of \u200bworking couples found that men did a fairly equal share of housework\u2014until, that is, they became dads. By the time their baby had reached nine months, the women had added more than two hours of daily work, the men a mere 40 minutes.\n\n\n7. \n6 daring habits of highly driven people\n \u2013 The Ladders\n\n\nThe habits are:\n\n\nThey Use Challenges As Fuel For Growth\nThey Take Risky Actions\nThey Embrace Failure\nThey Don\u2019t Let Their Heads Rule Their Hearts\nThey Face Their Fears Head On\nThey Ask For Help\n\n\nA pretty useful list and a good reference. I\u2019m not a particularly driven person but gosh I do want to keep growing (as a person) so I have no choice but to keep doing hard things. \n\n\n8. \nHow To Safeguard Your Rights As A Consumer In Malaysia\n \u2013 CompareHero\n\n\nUnhappy about a product or service? Submit a report. Click the article above to see the agencies that you can contact for (possible) recourse. \n\n\nAlthough\u2026 sometimes complaining a lot works too ahahahahaha\n\n\n\n\nSiapa kata complain tak guna \ud83d\ude2d\ud83d\ude02 \nhttps://t.co/zExGnGp3kx\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nMarch 30, 2021\n\n\n\n\n9\n. \n50 Ideas to Help You Design Your Perfect Morning Routine\n \u2013 Inc\n\n\nSome of the ideas are pretty meh and seems like its included just for the sake of getting to 50 items (meditation was suggested 4 times, in various forms), but some of them are new to me and worth experimenting with. I have a pretty good morning routine as it is but can it be better? Sure. \n\n\n10\n. \nIn\n Conversation with Roshan Kanesan: How Companies Keep Us Buying\n\n\nAnd last but not least, please enjoy this IGTV on the psychological tricks that companies do to influence your purchasing decisions. \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Roshan Kanesan, CFP (@roshankanesan)\n\n\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-74/", "title": "Link Roundup #74: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nThese 5 Habits Literally Add Years to Your Life, According to a New Harvard Study\n \u2013 Inc\n\n\nHealth is wealth \ud83d\ude00 The 5 habits, which can add \u2018an extra 12.1 years for men, or an extra 14 years for the women\u2019 (not insignificant!) are:\n\n\nDon\u2019t smoke\nMaintain a low body mass index\nWork out for 30 minutes per day\nDrink alcohol moderately (interestingly, \u2018other studies have found that drinking moderately improves health and longevity outcomes over not drinking at all\u2019)\nMaintain a healthy diet\n\n\n2. \n8 ways cutthroat work cultures suck the life out of you\n \u2013 Ladders\n\n\nDo you work in a cut-throat work environment, where you\u2019re told you should \u2018suck up the abuse\u2019 and \u2018only the toughest survive\u2019? \n\n\nThat\u2019s not normal. And it\u2019s not good for the organisations either \u2013 cut-throat work environments are \nless\n productive. \n\n\nIf you\u2019re not sure you\u2019re in one, read the article. You\u2019ll be able to identify and hopefully do something about your situation, if you\u2019re not happy with how things are. \n\n\n3\n. \nThe Different Words We Use to Describe Male and Female Leaders\n \u2013 Harvard Business Review\n\n\nFor those of you who are unaware of how gender bias looks like. Here, let the summary point it out.  \n\n\nWe know that men and women are often described differently in performance evaluations, and now we have more information on exactly what some of those differences are. Researchers\u00a0analyzed a\u00a0large-scale military dataset\u00a0(over 4,000 participants and 81,000 evaluations) to examine objective and subjective performance measures. \nThey\u00a0found\n no gender differences in objective measures\n (e.g., grades, fitness scores, class standing), \nbut\u00a0the subjective evaluations\u00a0were very different\n.\u00a0\nNegative words (like selfish, passive, and scattered)\u00a0were much more frequently applied to women\n. The specific words used to describe men and women also differed. The most commonly used positive term to describe men was analytical, while for women it was compassionate. The most commonly used negative term to describe men was arrogant, while for women, it was inept \u2014 even though men\u2019s and women\u2019s performances were objectively the same\n\n\n4. \n20 Social Media Templates to Save You Hours of Work\n \u2013 Hootsuite\n\n\nIf you work in marketing or social media, or heck even if you want to improve your personal branding, then check out these time-saving templates. \n\n\nAt the very least, use this Social Media Bios template to improve your social media profiles. \n\n\n\n\n5. \n15 signs you\u2019re in a relationship with a\u00a0manbaby\n \u2013 Victim Focus Blog\n\n\nThis is required reading for all women. Having a relationship with a manbaby will absolutely ruin you financially, so it\u2019s worth identifying/avoiding/letting go of them. \n\n\n6. \nConfessions of an Overnight Millionaire:\u00a0\u201cI constantly ask myself,\u00a0\nDo I deserve this money?\n\u201d\n\u2013 NY Mag\n\n\nOh I love this piece, this is as confessional as it gets \u2013 it\u2019s written by someone who works at a tech startup which IPO-ed and suddenly became a millionaire and finding it difficult to come to terms with the sudden wealth. \n\n\nYou can say \u2018wow what a petty thing to complain about\u2019. It doesn\u2019t matter, I enjoyed it regardless, its almost like escapism. The fact that I can read how this experience affects someone via their internal monologue\u2026 delicious. \n\n\n\n\n7. \n30 daily routines of healthy, productive people that are easy to adopt\n \u2013 The Ladders\n\n\nI love this list! Some of the tips are common sense, but that\u2019s exactly why it\u2019s important to remind yourself about it, so you \nactually\n do it (Idk about you, but I\u2019m guilty of knowing but not doing..)\n\n\n\n\n8. \nWall Street Bets traders are more skilled and responsible than they get credit for, a new academic study finds\n \u2013 Business Insider\n\n\nThis article made me LAUGH. Check out what the researchers said:\n\n\n\u201cDespite the conventional view that the platform primarily attracts uninformed investors, we find no systematic evidence of this,\u201d the research authors wrote.\nPlace Your Bets? The market consequences of investment advice on Reddit\u2019s Wallstreetbets\n\u00a0by researchers Daniel Bradley, Jan Hanousek, Russell Jame, and Zicheng Xiao found that \nthe average buy recommendations posted to the forum delivered two-day returns of 1.1%, with a subsequent 2% return over the next month and 5% return over the next quarter\n.\nFurther, the buying activity in the stocks that are the subject of a WallStreetBets due diligence reports is usually driven by retail investors, with volumes increasing sharply in the intraday window following publication, the study found.\n\u201cWe find that due diligence reports contain investment value,\u201d the study said, adding that retail investors are able to discern the quality of the reports.\n\u201cIn sharp contrast to regulators\u2019 concerns that WSB investment advice is harming retail traders, our findings suggest that both WSB posters and users are skilled\u2026[and] are likely to benefit from the recommendations on the site\n,\u201d the paper concluded.\n\n\n\n\n9\n. \nMy Most Important Savings Account Isn\u2019t For Me \u2014 It\u2019s For My Neighbors\n \u2013 Apartment Theraphy\n\n\nThose of you who are quick to offer financial support whenever family and friends ask for help might benefit from using the tip from this article: create a mutual aid fund, earmarked solely for helping people who are important to you. This way, \nyou are not donating more than what you can afford\n. \n\n\nRead this article for some tips in declining requests, when you can\u2019t fulfil them (remember, you don\u2019t owe them your money or even a reason) \u2013 \nHow to Say No to \u2018Can I Borrow Your Money?\u2019 & Other Financial Requests\n\n\n10\n. \n4 Ways DeFi Can Generate Passive Income\n \u2013 Entrepreneur\n\n\nIn DeFi (Decentralised Finance), you can earn passive income via staking, becoming a liquidity provider, yield farming and lending. I do all of them except lending (basic Syariah principles say lending with interest is riba = tak halal). It\u2019s fun playing around with various DeFi tools with EXCESS SAVINGS. \n\n\nPersonally, learning about DeFi has been a lucrative endeavor for me. \n\n\n\n\nMaybe this can motivate you. I started with 1 ETH capital and currently earning more than my rent per month\n(in unrealised profit since haven't cashed out. but still) \nhttps://t.co/TaEQsBe3yB\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nApril 19, 2021\n\n\n\n\nRead my self-learning journey \u2013 \nI Am Self-Learning DeFi (Decentralised Finance). Here\u2019s Why.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-75/", "title": "Link Roundup #75: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nTop 10 free Coursera courses to learn something new\n \u2013 Mashable\n\n\nHere are the courses. They are all free, but fees apply if you want to get a certificate (totally optional). Go knock yourself out. \n\n\nThe Science of Well-Being from Yale University\nCOVID-19 Contact Tracing from Johns Hopkins University\nTechnical Support Fundamentals from Google\nMachine Learning from Stanford University\nLearning How to Learn: Powerful mental tools to help you master tough subjects from McMaster University UC San Diego\nProgramming for Everybody (Getting Started with Python) from the University of Michigan\nFinancial Markets from Yale University\nMeasuring and Maximizing Impact of COVID-19 Contact Tracing from Johns Hopkins University\nIntroduction to Psychology from Yale University\nFighting COVID-19 with Epidemiology: A Johns Hopkins Teach-Out from Johns Hopkins University\n\n\n\n\n2. \n3 things you must consider if you want to start a business that shows like Shark Tank get wrong\n \u2013 Fast Co\n\n\n\n\nThis is an EXCELLENT read. I love how the writer articulated the core differences between startups and small businesses models \u2013 startups focus on GROWTH and they can operate at a loss as long as they can scale. They fund this by raising money from investors like the whales in the show, who the founders now have to report to. \n\n\nSmall businesses, on the other hand, is more ideal for the majority of people who wants to \u2018be their own boss\u2019, in the strictest sense of the phrase.  No one/minimal people to report to. \n\n\nYou shouldn\u2019t substitute one for the other, because the strategies and lifestyles are very different. \n\n\n3. \nI\u2019m a Mom and a Negotiation Trainer: Here\u2019s How to Negotiate So Everyone Wins at Home\n \u2013 Parents\n\n\nWomen, you have to learn how to negotiate from other women and not from men- aggressive-style negotiations which men tend to give as advice will backfire on you. \u2018According to a study published in the\u00a0Journal of Applied Psychology,\u00a0women who negotiate aggressively may wind up getting the opposite of what they\u2019re after\u2014largely due to the antiquated ideas of \u201cappropriate\u201d\u00a0gender roles\u00a0and behaviour.\u2019 (\nSource article\n)\n\n\nSo, learn from this writer, who is a literal exper in negotiation. In addition to being a mom, \nAlexandra Carter\n\u00a0is a professor at Columbia Law School and an award-winning negotiation trainer to the United Nations. She also has a bestselling book,\u00a0\nAsk for More\n, which helps people to ask the right questions to create better negotiations, in the workplace and at home. \n\n\nThe tips in the article are gold. Read it, bookmark it for future use. \n\n\n4\n. \nHow to start 12 small businesses from scratch \u2014 whether you\u2019re into copywriting, urban farming, or food trucks\n \u2013 Business Insider\n\n\n\n\nThis is a listicle compiling guides to start a small business. I included this because they included guides for little-known businesses, like:\n\n\nUrban farm\nPet care and dog-walking business\nHand-dyed yarn business\nFood truck\nHair care business\nCraft brewery business\nFurniture maker, and\nSelf-published author\n\n\n5. \nChild Poverty Causes Long-Lasting Financial Trauma\u2014But Can Be Overcome\n \u2013 Health\n\n\nLearned a new term: financial trauma. I had no idea child poverty is so damaging:\n\n\nLiving in a financially unstable environment can threaten a child\u2019s sense of safety because it may mean they can\u2019t access basic needs\u2014like food, shelter, and healthy relationships\u2014on a consistent basis.\u00a0Whether such instability is experienced for a short period, such as after a parent\u2019s job loss, or is chronic, as in the case of generational poverty, financial trauma can result in a host of additional traumatic experiences, says\u00a0\nLeah Brookner\n, MA, MSW, PhD, a professor in the School of Social Work at Portland State University,\u00a0\n\u201cNot having health needs met\u00a0\nis a trauma\n; having\u00a0\nfood insecurity is a trauma\n; having parents who aren\u2019t home because they\u2019re working three jobs is a trauma; living in an environment surrounded by pollution and toxins is trauma,\u201d adds Brookner.\n\u201cWe\u2019re not just looking at poverty or being poor; we\u2019re looking at what other risks that then exposes young people to. And it turns out, a whole lot of other risks are correlated with not having your needs met over a lengthy period of time,\u201d says Brookner.\n\n\nI think, if you grew up in poverty, you may want to read this article. May help you unpack some bottled feelings and start the healing process. \n\n\n6. \n50 quick keys to social media success\n \u2013 PR Daily\n\n\nAs someone who just broke 25k followers on Twitter, I just want to say that yes, having friends whenever you log online is nice, especially with increased isolation nowadays due to pandemic/social distancing. It\u2019s not bad for wanting to grow your online presence. \n\n\nFYI: success =/= number of followers. To me, it is finding a community where you can freely express yourself and your passions (no matter now niche your interests are, I guarantee there\u2019s a community for you somewhere on the web). It is absolutely worth it to optimise your social media presence so you get to find like-minded people, all over the world. \n\n\n7. \n3 things too many people forget to budget for in retirement, according to a financial planner\n \u2013 Business Insider\n\n\nThe 3 things are:\n\n\nAdditional healthcare costs\nIncome taxes on retirement savings (have to check if this is applicable to Malaysians too), and\nBig and small lifestyle costs\n\n\nThe last one is important \u2013 \n\n\n\u201cWhen I talk about your lifestyle, in many cases grandkids*  become your lifestyle; you live for your grandkids, you give them everything,\u201d Stallworth said. \u201cAnd giving them everything means that the money\u2019s got to come from somewhere.\u201d\n\n\nNowadays, it\u2019s not uncommon for parents to help fund their children\u2019s lifestyle too. And for one person to support their communities, in addition to their families. All of those have to be factored in your retirement plans, because running out of money when you\u2019re old is obviously NOT an ideal situation to be in. \n\n\n8. \nCrypto Holders Say It\u2019s Hurt Their Personal Relationships\n \u2013 Bloomberg\n\n\n\u2018There\u2019s a direct correlation between the percentage of someone\u2019s net worth that\u2019s invested in cryptocurrencies and the likelihood they say their personal relationships have been impacted negatively.\u2019\n\n\nHUH\n\n\nAccording to the survey results, polling 1033 Americans,balanced by age and gender,\n\n\n25% of those who\u2019ve invested 10% or less of their net worth into crypto say that they\u2019ve seen a negative impact on their personal relationships,\nThat number rises to 73% for those who\u2019ve invested 10%-25% of their net worth, \n94% for those who\u2019ve invested 50%-75% of net worth,\nand \n100% for those who\u2019ve invested 75% or more of their net worth\n\n\n\u2026Me: laughs nervously in ~90% of net worth in crypto\n\n\n9\n. \nComprehensive Guide: How to Read Financial Statements as a Stock Investor (With Case Study)\n \u2013 MarcusKeong.com\n\n\nClocking in over 4000 words, Marcus certainly didn\u2019t cut corners with this guide to reading financial statements, aka the documents you have to read to assess whether than stock purchase from that company is a good decision or not. \n\n\nIt\u2019s a great read, very information and easy to understand. I recommend it, regardless if you invest in the stock market or not. It\u2019s just good to have this knowledge \u2013 reading The Edge will make a little bit more sense after this. \n\n\n\n\n10\n. \nRecognising Financial Abuse\n \u2013 The Star \n\n\n(writeup by Dina Murad)\n\n\nFinancial abuse in relationships \u2013 restricting and controlling a partner\u2019s ability to use, acquire, and maintain financial resources \u2013 is a form of domestic violence that is often overlooked in our society. In Malaysia, more than 70% of the Women\u2019s Aid Organisations\u2019s (WAO) domestic violence shelter residents last year experienced financial abuse.\n\n\nFinancial abuse is used as a tactic for an abuser to gain power and control over their partner. Studies have found that financial abuse is one of the main reasons survivors stay in or return to an abusive environment. This is because many survivors find it difficult to provide for themselves and their children when they try to escape that toxic situation.\n\n\nHow can we identify financial abuse, how can it be avoided, and how does Malaysian law address it?\n\n\n1. Financial abuse in relationships:\nhttps://www.thestar.com.my/news/focus/2021/04/25/my-039love-or-your-money-red-flags-of-abuse-in-financial-abuse-in-relationships\n\n\n2. Identifying financial abuse:\nhttps://www.thestar.com.my/news/focus/2021/04/25/identifying-financial-abuse\n\n\n3. Start financial empowerment education early:\nhttps://www.thestar.com.my/news/focus/2021/04/25/start-education-on-financial-empowerment-early\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-76/", "title": "Link Roundup #76: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nWorking 55+ Hours A Week Kills 745,000 People A Year \u2014 The Covid Pandemic, Gig Economy And Teleworking May Be Making It Worse, WHO Warns\n \u2013 Business Insider\n\n\nAre you working a lot? As in, 8-11 or more hours per day?\n\n\nI\u2019m not trying to scare you, but it might be the thing that kills you. \n\n\nJust look at these key stats:\n\n\n745,000 people died from\n stroke and heart disease\n in 2016 as a result of working more than 55 hours a week. In most cases, the deaths were recorded \nyears or even decades after people had worked the long hours\n; the increased risk of dying from stroke is 35% and ischemic heart disease is 17% higher, when compared to those working a 35-40 hour week\nMen\n made up the overwhelming majority of these deaths, almost three quarters, with people living in \nSouth East Asia\n and the Western Pacific also significantly affected\nIt is estimated that 9% of the global population are currently working such dangerously long hours. The WHO said this figure is\n still increasing\n\n\nSome of you might say, oh I like to work, I like to stay productive. But is it possible you are taking productivity a bit too far?\n\n\n2. \n9 Signs Toxic Productivity Is Impacting Your Life\n \u2013 The Healthy\n\n\n\n\n\u201cToxic productivity is the inability to do something just for the sake of doing it. \nAll actions must always have a goal or an objective that leads to a sense of personal improvement or achievement.\n\u201d \u2013 Erika Ferszt, an organisational psychologist who specialises in toxic productivity and the founder of Moodally, a workplace mood-management program\n\n\nThere\u2019s a difference between healthy productivity and toxic productivity. If you\u2019re not sure how the latter looks like, click on the article to find out the signs. \n\n\nPersonally, I thought I have a healthy mindset towards productivity. But I still recognise a few of those red flags in myself. \n\n\n3. \nNever Have an Unproductive Day Again With This Simple Hack\n \u2013 Next Big Idea Club\n\n\nOr perhaps you have the opposite problem \u2013 you think you\u2019re too unproductive. I kind of get it \u2013 I have trouble focusing and prioritising too. \n\n\nIf that\u2019s the case, you might benefit this simple hack: \n\n\nWrite down up to 6 items in to-do list (if the task is too big, break it down into chunks)\nRank them by importance\nDo them by order of importance\n(my input \u2013 when done, call it a day and rest)\n\n\n4\n. \nThe 2 spreadsheets I used to grow my side business from $900 a month to over $10,000 a month in one year\n \u2013 Business Insider\n\n\nAs a solopreneur, I am fascinated by the systems other solopreneurs or small (more like micro) business owners do to keep track of their business. I\u2019ve found that some people make it really complicated, while others keep it simple \u2013 no judgement, both are fine as long as it works for them. \n\n\n In this article, she shared two of the spreadsheets she used. They are:\n\n\nIncome tracker (I love that she calls it \u2018abundance tracker\u2019), and \n\n\n\n\nProfit and loss tracker\n\n\n\n\nI have my own system to track business incomes and expenses, but I really should maintain P/L statement. Every year I scramble around income tax time. \n\n\n5. \nHow COVID-19 Changed Our Saving and Spending Habits\n \u2013 Investopedia\n\n\nThe pandemic created a tale of two economies: Those who were \nable to save\n and those who \nstruggled to make ends meet\n.\n\n\nThe article is US-specific, but the above sentence is applicable for Malaysia as well. Which one are you in this pandemic \u2013 the one who is able to save money or the one who is struggling? \n\n\nThose who are able to save \u2013 congratulations, you\u2019re one of the lucky ones. If you\u2019ve hit your savings goals and have enough to sustain for a few years, then consider spending and/or donating graciously to small businesses and those who are struggling. \n\n\n6. \nThe pandemic killed business travel. For the sake of the climate, it should stay dead\n \u2013 Fast Company\n\n\nSomething to keep in mind, especially for those of you in decision-making positions in bigger companies which used to go on or send employees on business travel all the time. We only have one planet. \n\n\n\n\n7. \nCheck Your Financial Privilege\n \u2013 Bitcoin Magazine\n\n\nBitcoin price went down recently. I wasn\u2019t bothered, but many did, because they lost *some* money. \n\n\nDude. It\u2019s only money. You were not supposed to invest more than what you can afford to lose anyway. \n\n\n(Many Bitcoin) critics are.. wealthy citizens of advanced economies, where they benefit from liberal democracy, property rights, free speech, a functioning legal system and relatively stable reserve currencies like the dollar or pound.\nIn reality, only 13% of our planet\u2019s population is born into the dollar, euro, Japanese yen, British pound, Australian dollar, Canadian dollar or Swiss Franc. The other 87% are born into autocracy or considerably less trustworthy currencies. 4.3 billion people live under authoritarianism, and 1.2 billion people live under double- or triple-digit inflation.\n\n\nIf the only thing you lost is money, then consider yourself already lucky. People in Nigeria, Sudan, Ethiopia and many others don\u2019t have such luxury. \n\n\n8\n. \nTwitter mulling paid service called Twitter Blue, finds researcher\n \u2013 The Guardian\n\n\nAs a Twitter addict (follow me at \n@surayaror\n), this development excites me! \n\n\n(I only hope they have localised and cheaper pricing for Malaysia because ~RM14 per month is kinda steep for digital subscription)\n\n\n\n\nTwitter is calling their upcoming Subscription Service \u201cTwitter Blue\u201d, priced at $2.99/month for now, including paid features like:\nUndo Tweets: \nhttps://t.co/CrqnzIPcOH\nCollections: \nhttps://t.co/qfFfAXHp1o\n \npic.twitter.com/yyMStpCkpr\n\u2014 Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) \nMay 15, 2021\n\n\n\n\n9\n. \nReport hike in premium for medical insurance policies\n \u2013 News Straits Times\n\n\nPeople with medical insurance, were your premiums raised recently?\n\n\nIf yes, send (1) the name of the insurance company, (2) current annual insurance premium and (3) new annual insurance to premiuminsurance@fomca.org.my so FOMCA can launch a national campaign to urge Bank Negara Malaysia to stem the increase in medical premiums.\n\n\n\u201cIt was wrong and unacceptable for insurance companies to raise premiums to make excessive profits at a time when consumers were suffering\u201d \u2013 President of The Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association (FOMCA)\n\n\n\n\n10. WHAT\u2019S IN YOUR SPA ?! \u2013 iherng\n\n\nAnd last for not least, sharing this amazing video by Sean Tan, explaining the content of your property\u2019s SPA (Sales and Purchase Agreement). There\u2019s a lot of good info in here, so check it out if you\u2019re a property owner/want to be one!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-77/", "title": "Link Roundup #77: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nPsychologists uncover new details about how money influences the frequency\u00a0and\u00a0intensity\u00a0of happiness\n \u2013 PsyPost\n\n\nDoes money buy happiness? According to these new studies, \u2018income was positively related to happiness \nfrequency \nbut not \nintensity\n\u2018. Translation: money can make you happier more often, but they don\u2019t necessarily make your happiness more intense. \n\n\nI also like how this article differentiated the two types of leisure: passive leisure activities, such as TV watching and relaxing, and active leisure activities like socializing and practising hobbies. \nPeople with higher incomes tend to do more of the latter, which makes them happier more frequently\n. \n\n\n2. \nFour Ways to Keep Working From Home When the Boss Wants You Back\n \u2013 Bloomberg\n\n\n\n\nI bet some of you are enjoying your work-from-home arrangement. If your boss is old-school and planning to bring the workforce back together physically, maybe it\u2019s not a bad idea to find strategies that might convince her/him to keep the work-from-home arrangement. \n\n\n3. \n5 research-backed reasons working from home will stick\n \u2013 World Economic Forum\n\n\nYou may find more statistics in here. For example, did you know that only 13.9% of people reported work from home arrangement to be worse (and less productive)? The rest, or 86.1% reported the same and better experiences and productivity. \n\n\n\n\n4. \nWhy You\u2019re Not Getting Interviews (When You\u2019re Qualified)\n \u2013 Forbes\n\n\nEmployers want to hire quality talent who can help them achieve their vision. People want good jobs and the chance to do meaningful work. \n\n\nIf you are qualified but keep losing out interviews: Are you underselling yourself, using too much jargon in your resume, or not standing out from the crowd? \n\n\n(Remember: since remote working is getting more and more normalised \u2013 you don\u2019t have to limit your job search to Malaysian employers. Definitely ignore the ones offering less than living wage.)\n\n\n5\n. \nRobo Showdown: Investors Are Setting up Multiple Robo-Advisors Just to Watch Them Fight\n \u2013 Money\n\n\nWhen faced with multiple,  but similar options, some people can spend days, weeks, months just doing the research. And others, well, they turn it into a fun experiment. In the U.S, there are financial bloggers/content creators who set up multiple robo-advisors just to see them battle it out. \n\n\n\n\nIn Malaysia, Fiholic is running a similar experiment. He announced in May 2021 that he has deposited RM100 in 6 \nlicenced robo-advisors in Malaysia\n and will be posting regular updates. As of time of writing, he has posted the first month\u2019s result \u2013 click the twitter thread to read. \n\n\n\n\nI'll be running a long-term experiment that pits 6 robo-advisory in Malaysia against each other. RM100 will be deposited each into the following, all at the same time: \n1. StashAway\n2. Wahed Invest\n3. Akru\n4. MYTHEO\n5. Raiz\n6. BEST\n\u2014 Fiholic, M.D. (@fiholicMD) \nMay 5, 2021\n\n\n\n\n6. \nI Make More Money Than My Partner. Am I Subsidizing His Life?\n \u2013 Refinery29\n\n\nWhile we are used to the \u2018his money is my money\u2019 narrative for the women, the other way around is not true \u2013 women still tend to believe in \u2018my money is MY money\u2019. And that brings problems and resentment, which is obviously not great for long-term relationships.\n\n\nThe article has a lot of good tips on money management as a couple. I like this part which acknowledges fairness means differently to different people, based on their experiences;\n\n\nYou simply may have different ideas of what is fair. You and your partner are coming into a shared experience from different perspectives. For you, fair might look like an even 50/50 split. For him, it might seem fairer to split up costs based on each of your incomes.\n\n\nIf you\u2019re in a relationship where both of you work and earn money, I highly recommend reading the article. Women earning more money than their partner (or being the primary breadwinners in the household) is not a new phenomenon, so you should know how to talk about money with your partner, in an open and healthy way. \n\n\n7\n. \nHandling Finances as Partners / Couple\n \u2013 Between The Money\n\n\nOn the same topic, here\u2019s a writeup by fellow Malaysian personal finance blogger Between The Money, who admitted to fighting about money with his wife due to different money mindset, and how they\u2019re working on it. He wrote,\n\n\nWhen we first started off, we were polar opposites on finances. We just could never see eye to eye when it comes to money.\u00a0\nFor example: She would expect the guy to pay for everything, whilst my thinking is more towards\u00a0equal treatment\u00a0(add in pamper moments here and there). \n\n\nMy only input here is yes I\u2019m all for equal financial contribution, as long as the hours of unpaid care work \u2013 housework, childcare and elderly care \u2013 is divided equally, too. \n\n\n8. \n7 Ways to Get Unstuck\n \u2013 Inc\n\n\nI need to get my hands on The Energy of Money book, written by Dr Maria Nemeth. The first point on demonstrating your standards of integrity hooked me in:\n\n\nAs an NYU student, Kalika racked up parking tickets that her parents paid.\u00a0\nThe Energy of Money\n\u00a0helped her realize, \u201cThat\u2019s not living in integrity\u2013why am I making them pay for my parking tickets?\u201d Though she wasn\u2019t making much money at the time, she paid them back little by little with each paycheck. \n\u201cThough they said I didn\u2019t need to, paying them back was important to me,\u201d Kalika recalled. \u201cAnd once I did, something clicked inside of me. Like I was aligned; I felt like a rocket that could go anywhere and accomplish anything.\u201d\n\n\nWhat a wonderful example of taking ownership of one\u2019s own financial journey. I can\u2019t explain it, but repaying PTPTN has the same energy. \n\n\n9\n. \nHow I Lowered My Phone Bill by 41% \u2013 from RM 68 to RM 40 as I WFH\n \u2013 Balkoni Hijau\n\n\nI, too, noticed that many telco companies have started offering cheaper phone plans. Click the article to read how Helmi lowered his phone bill by 41%, and also for the handy table, comparing six under-RM50 plans:\n\n\nDigi Postpaid 40\nDigi Prepaid 30\nHotlink Prepaid 3Mbps\nHotlink Postpaid 40\nCelcom Postpaid Xpax Lite\nYoodo Prepaid 35\n\n\n10. \nTheCoffeeBreak.co\n\n\nDo you doomscroll because you\u2019re worried of missing important news updates? So do I! Subscribe to \nTheCoffeeBreak.co\n for condense, must-know news updates. \n\n\n\n\nSharing: \nhttps://t.co/NB8I0Mapww\nA curated newsletter for Malaysians to know everything worth knowing in just 3 minutes a day \npic.twitter.com/brPWMUl9YB\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nMay 25, 2021\n\n\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-78/", "title": "Link Roundup #78: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nThere are 3 types of employees. Here\u2019s the rarest one\u2014and why psychologists say they outperform everyone else\n \u2013 CNBC\n\n\nInteresting article. According to organizational psychologist and Wharton professor\u00a0\nAdam Grant\n, there are three key reciprocation styles found in the workplace:\n\n\nTakers\n\u00a0see the world as a hypercompetitive rat race. Since they assume that no one else will look out for them, they place their own interests first and last. They may choose to help others strategically, but only when the benefit seems to exceed the cost.\nMatchers\n\u00a0operate tit for tat. When people do them a favor, they repay in a capacity that is no more, no less. And when they help someone, they expect the same in return.\nGivers\n\u00a0focus on others more than on themselves. They pay close attention to what people need from them, whether it\u2019s time or ideas or mentorship. A rarity in the workplace,\u00a0their style is more typical of the way we treat family and friends.\n\n\nIt is the Givers who outperform everyone else, but\n \nonly if they are negotiated givers, not passive givers\n. The former knows how to establish boundaries, while the latter burn out from giving too generously to the wrong people. \n\n\nP/s \u2013 Wondering which one \u2013 giver, matcher or taker \u2013 you are? Go and find out \u2013 take the \nGive and Take Quiz\n. \n\n\n2. \nI am my father\u2019s retirement plan. It\u2019s an honor that terrifies me.\n \u2013 The Lily\n\n\nThis is such a beautifully written, intimate piece, from a daughter who accepts her (financial and emotional) responsibility for a parent who has not \u2013 and will never \u2013 save up enough money for retirement. There is a lot of love, but also sadness; I think it\u2019s ok to accept both emotions.  \n\n\nKnowing the low EPF savings rate, I know a lot of us are going through similar situations here in Malaysia. If that\u2019s you, have a read. Sometimes strangers can verbalise our emotions better than we can. \n\n\nAn excerpt:\n\n\n\n\nWhen I talk to my dad and try to drill down on the details of how his retirement is going to work financially, it goes nowhere. It\u2019s not that he evades my questions, but he certainly doesn\u2019t have answers for them. Often, he derails the conversations with jokes about writing a memoir or strange tangents about moving to Venezuela, where he doesn\u2019t know a soul. Sometimes he talks about adopting a puppy. \nIn these moments I realize he\u2019s worried about how he\u2019s going to fill his free time, and maybe just as scared about the mechanics of retirement as I am. But he can\u2019t bring himself to talk to me about it. He doesn\u2019t like to rely on me as much as he does, but here we are.\n\n\n3. \nThink Rich, Get Rich: How Critical Thinking Can Increase Wealth\n \u2013 RealSimple\n\n\nMy takeaway from this article is critical thinking = knowing which financial advice works for you, and which doesn\u2019t. It\u2019s EQ, rather than IQ prowess. \n\n\nThe 3 examples in there are worth pondering upon. Are you:\n\n\nSomeone who doesn\u2019t know the stock market or someone who does?\nSomeone who panic sells or someone who waits for such opportunities to buy?\nSomeone who enjoys maximising credit card rewards or someone who doesn\u2019t?\n\n\nWell? Which one are you? Are you sure that\u2019s you, or the person you wish you are?\n\n\n4. \nI made a costly mistake when I first started investing, but 2 tried-and-true methods helped me earn thousands\n \u2013 Business Insider\n\n\nHer mistake was: attempting stock picking when she doesn\u2019t have knowledge of the stock market.\n\n\nGoing back to #3. I know that I\u2019m also someone who doesn\u2019t enjoy stock-picking nor do I have the patience to learn, so I invest in mutual funds, unit trusts, ETFs through robo advisor platforms. I\u2019m actually fine with this, since I think individual stock picking is mostly luck anyway, for people who don\u2019t have experience or knowledge of the industry. \n\n\nShe recommends robo advisors and dollar-cost averaging method, which I approve of. Read the \nBest Robo Advisor in Malaysia: Lowest Fees, Syariah-Compliant, Global Exposure and More\n and \n10 Places to Automate Your Investments in Malaysia\n to apply this knowledge in your life today. \n\n\n5\n. \nIf you keep putting work before health and happiness, you may be suffering from internalized capitalism\n \u2013 USA Today\n\n\nDo you think busy working = good? Internalised capitalism is one of those things where once you see it, you can\u2019t unsee it. It is everywhere in culture and society, and tauted as \u2018normal\u2019 and encouraged even if it is detrimental to your physical and mental health. \n\n\nWhile we\u2019re at it, might as well learn about the other spectrums if internalised [blank]s:\n\n\nInternalized capitalism joins a host of other phrases used to describe harmful attitudes directed toward ourselves, including\u00a0\ninternalized sexism\n, internalized racism and internalized homophobia. These forms of oppression are insidious, perpetuated by cultural attitudes so deeply held that it\u2019s difficult to recognize. \nWomen who internalize sexism undervalue their talents, undermine other women and unwittingly bolster a boys\u2019 club. A person of color who has\u00a0internalized racism\u00a0may believe Black people are more violent than white people. A person with\u00a0\ninternalized homophobia\n\u00a0may reject their sexual orientation.\u00a0\n\n\n6. \nI Was Taught From a Young Age to Protect My Dynastic Wealth\n \u2013 The Atlantic\n\n\nWritten by Abigal Disney \u2013 yes, \nthat\n Disney \u2013 she shared another example of internalised [blank]. She had been told all her life that the goverment can\u2019t be trusted with money, so it is only natural for recipients of inherited properties to use legal ways to protect their wealth from the government\u2019s reach. \n\n\n7\n. \nAsk a Therapist: My Daughter Takes Advantage of My Generosity, What Can I Do?\n \u2013 Very Well Mind\n\n\n\n\nThe dynamic here is parents-adult children, but the advice is applicable to anyone who is expected to help out (financially or otherwise) and not being appreciated for giving said help. \n\n\nEstablishing boundaries is something that doesn\u2019t seem to be related to personal finance, but it is. If you don\u2019t know how to say no \nwhil\ne maintaining good relations (not everyone wants to or can terminate a relationship), it\u2019s time to learn how. After reading this article, please read my \nHow to Say No to \u2018Can I Borrow Your Money?\u2019 & Other Financial Requests\n article. \n\n\n8. \nUse these 10 highly effective communication habits to get what you want faster, says Harvard career expert\n \u2013 CNBC\n\n\nMe: Clicks headline, not expecting to be impressed, because obviously the inclusion of \u2018Harvard career expert\u2019 in the headline is meant to impress readers even if the advice is basic at best, maybe even simply motivational in nature\n\n\nMe after reading: This is a surprisingly practical communication advice?? \n\n\nIf you have an idea that\u2019s hard to imagine, share a picture, sketch or mock-up\nIf you have an edited version of a document, track your changes and add comments explaining your thought process.\nIf you have information from a specific source that others might want to reference, share a hyperlink to the website.\nIf you have a file with formatting that could show up differently on different devices, send it as a PDF.\nIf you have a file where people need to manipulate the information, send the original, editable file.\nIf you have a decision you want to document to avoid any misunderstandings, send an email explaining the decision.\nIf you have lots of details for people to sift through, send a file for them to review on their own time.\nIf you have a topic that\u2019s complicated, controversial or requires discussion, schedule a call or meeting.\nIf you have a meeting to schedule, send a calendar invite clearly stating the date, time and meeting method.\nIf you have a decision that requires multiple people\u2019s approval, consult people individually.\n\n\nClick on the article to read more on each of the above.\n\n\n9\n. \nDigital Pet Health Insuretech Oyen Nets Over RM 1.7 Million in Seed Funding\n \u2013 FintechNews Malaysia\n\n\n\n\nHey! That\u2019s Michelle! From \nHer Duit\n! I didn\u2019t know she was working on a pet insuretech company while working on a financial literacy platform and \npersonal finance podcast\n! Congratulations on getting RM1.7 million in seed funding! \n\n\n(in case you don\u2019t know, seed funding is the initial money needed to start a company in its early stages. *Usually* seed money comes from own savings or from friends/family, but getting it from Hustle Fund and angel investors shows that their pitch and/or potential to grow is very strong.)\n\n\n10. \nAffiliate Marketing Malaysia : Panduan Complete Buat Duit Dengan Affiliate (Edisi 2021)\n \u2013 Kartel Digital\n\n\nAnd last but not least, here\u2019s a Malay-language article containing in-depth information on affiliate marketing. I admire the effort, as 1) not much content on this topic is in Malay, and 2) the Malay market is so under-tapped OMG (not saying its easy, but creative content in Malay has an easier time to shine amid the many English-language ones).\n\n\nIf you want to try your hand in affiliate marketing, Hafiz the writer of this article and an established affiliate marketer himself offers the \n21 Days to Ecommerce Dropshipping course\n for RM397. You get:\n\n\n21 x step-by-step videos to learn ecommerce dropshipping\nEmail marketing guide\nFacebook ads guide\n1-year support and guidance on running your ecommerce dropshipping business (important for motivation and accountability!)\nAnd more\n\n\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-79/", "title": "Link Roundup #79: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nNew Harvard Data (Accidentally) Reveal How Lockdowns Crushed the Working Class While Leaving Elites Unscathed.\n \u2013 Foundation for Economic Education\n\n\n\u201cA\u00a0\nnew data analysis\n\u00a0from Harvard University, Brown University, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation calculates how different employment levels have been impacted during the pandemic to date. The findings reveal that \ngovernment lockdown orders devastated workers at the bottom of the financial food chain but left the upper-tier actually\u00a0better\u00a0off\n.\u201d\n\n\nWe already know this, but look at the chart, the numbers. Earning for people with low wage declined 23.6%, while earning for people with high wage increased by 2.4%. \n\n\n\n\nWhat would you do, now that you know this information?\n\n\n2\n. \nCorruption in the Supply Chain: Forms and Impact to Consumers\n \u2013 IDEAS Malaysia\n\n\nSo this study by IDEAS found that corruption adds 14.8% to the cost of your property. To put into context, 14.8% is equivalent to RM74k for a RM500k house. \n\n\n\n\nI did the calculation. With 3.75% interest rate, 10% downpayment, and 35 years term, the difference between paying for a RM500k house (with corruption) and RM426k house (without corruption) is RM1925 vs RM1640. \n\n\nI\u2019m angry. You should be too. \n\n\n3. \nSome Chinese shun grueling careers for \u2018low-desire life\u2019\n \u2013 APNews\n\n\nThis is such a fascinating piece because in China, the act of not working as hard as possible and being anti-materialistic is considered rebellious behaviour. The Communist Party hates it. They even have a term for it \u2013 \u2018lying flat\u2019.\n\n\n\u201cStruggle itself is a kind of happiness,\u201d the newspaper Southern Daily, published by the party, said in a commentary. \u201cChoosing to \u2018lie flat\u2019 in the face of pressure is not only unjust but also shameful.\u201d\n\n\nJust. Wow. \n\n\n\n\n4. \nThis Is What Self-Care Actually Is\u2014and What It Isn\u2019t\n \u2013 Real Simple\n\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t mistake self-care for overindulgence or expensive luxuries.\u201d\n\n\nTHAT QUOTE THO. I love it. I HATE how big companies are capitalising on self-care, using advertising that hurts your self-confidence then present their products as solutions. \n\n\n5\n. \n\u2018If you earn $200,000 or less,\u2019 use the 1% spending rule to save money, says finance expert\u2014here\u2019s how it works\n \u2013 CNBC\n\n\n\u2018If you want to spend on something \u2014 a non-necessity \u2014 that costs or exceeds 1% of your annual gross income, you must wait one day before buying.\u2019 \n\n\nPfft. Amateur. If non-essential, for anything over RM20, I wait for weeks, months, years. One day, pfft. \n\n\nDone humble brag.\n\n\n6\n. \nHow to be the type of listener everyone wants to be (there are 5)\n \u2013 Ladders\n\n\n\u2018You must be a good listener\u2019 \u2013 OK\u2026 how? Communication is more important than ever nowadays. Those who master it will go far. \n\n\nThis article broke down the five types of listeners:\n\n\nEthical listeners\nActive listeners\nPassive listener\nEvaluative listeners\nComprehensive listeners\n\n\nClick the link above to learn the difference between them. \n\n\n7. \nTry this simple tool to gauge your happiness and figure out how to improve it\n \u2013 Fast Company\n\n\nWork is not the key to happiness, yet we\u2019re working more.. in a study commissioned last year, 5,000 people across Australia, the United States, Japan, France, and Germany felt pretty mediocre about work\u00a0\ndespite no longer having to commute to offices\n. A huge time savings, yet nearly half said they had\u00a0\nless\n\u00a0time for personal pursuits. In other words,\u00a0\nall\n\u00a0\nthe things that really make us happy\n.\n\n\nDamn I did not expect an article to attack me this violently. \n\n\nAnyway, this article introduced me to \nPersonal Moral Inventory\n \u2013 a way to score your happiness. It\u2019s simple \u2013 rate and give yourself a score of -1, 0 or 1 on these four categories:\n\n\nProductivity and Profit\nPeople\nPlanet \nPurpose\n\n\nFor example, this is how I would rate myself..\n\n\nProductivity and Profit \u2013 1 \u2013 I\u2019m financially stable and I think I have a good work/life balance (integration?)\nPeople \u2013 0 \u2013 I\u2019ve been told that I\u2019m useful. But I am still fairly selfish and not quite selfless, so I\u2019ll score myself a neutral zero\nPlanet \u2013 0 \u2013 I can be better at using less, and recycling/reusing more. Also since the pandemic, I\u2019m making more online purchases = extra packaging going straight to the landfill \nPurpose \u2013 1 \u2013 I\u2019m proud to be one of the few personal finance bloggers in Malaysia who combine activism into personal finance. Gender equality and wealth inequality are topics I cover a lot \n\n\nMy score: 2. \n\n\nSo, how about you? How would you rate yourself? Learn more about the \nPersonal Moral Inventory\n and watch the TED Talk in the links given. \n\n\n8. \nAre Buy Now Pay Later Schemes Evil?\n \u2013 Fintech News \n\n\n\n\nI was invited to a panel to discuss BNPL. \n\n\nMy commentary \u2013 I think BNPL does more harm than good. The only way you can justify BNPL usage is if it\u2019s used for health or safety-related purposes, but BNPL is currently mostly promoted for consumer goods. There is even one BNPL that exclusively partnered with a luxury brand group!\n\n\nYou have to remember that BNPL\u2019s target audience is the consumer debt market \u2013 ie the people who are used to financing their lifestyle with debt, or want to, if given the chance. And when you combine that with Malaysians\u2019 generally low levels of financial literacy, and high household debt levels, and salaries not increasing, I don\u2019t see how it can be a sustainable practice for the long term.\u00a0\n\n\nClick the link above to watch the whole 1-hour webinar, for commentaries from Hoolah, GHL and Episode 6. \n\n\n9\n. \n6 Challenges to Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) Providers in Malaysia\u00a0 \u2013 The Personal Finance Challenge\n\n\nVery happy to know that I\u2019m not the only personal finance content creator in Malaysia who is actively speaking out against BNPL. Ruiz of The Personal Finance Challenge has outlined six challenges, which the BNPL service providers ignored when tagged.\n\n\nHere are the challenges. Watch the video for more nuance.  \n\n\nChallenge #1 \u2013 How can you claim that BNPL is beneficial for the average consumer when your business model intrinsically works against customers?\nChallenge #2 \u2013 With a business model that naturaly hikes up prices for the end-customers, how is BNPL exactly helping consumers?\nChallenge #3 \u2013 Why should consumers choose to use BNPL instead of credit cards, when it does not contribute to a good credit score?\nChallenge #4 \u2013 How are you making sure that your customers are actually financially qualified and knowledgable to use BNPL service responsibly?\nChallenge #5 \u2013 How do you justify BNPL\u2019s psychology trickery that preys on human weakness?\nChallenge #6 \u2013 How do you justify that BNPL is ethical? And for Malaysia, how do you make it shariah-compliant?\n\n\n(Suraya\u2019s note: There\u2019s actually one BNPL service provider in Malaysia that labelled itself as Shariah-compliant. I\u2019m meh about it, so not going to say who, you can Google yourself, but I like that it implies the other BNPL service providers are NOT Shariah-compliant. That\u2019s good lol). \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n10. \n5 Ways People Are Dumb With Money \u2013 \nTwo Cents\n\n\nAnd finally. For those of you who think you\u2019re SO rational with money, for people who think you\u2019re exempt from making bad financial decisions. Please. You\u2019re same like the rest of us. We\u2019re all done stupid, irrational things with our money. Marketers know this and have exploited the shit out of it. \n\n\nLearn about the Endowment Effect, Sunk-Cost Fallacy, Transactional Utility and more ways you\u2019re dumb with money in this video. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-8/", "title": "Link Roundup #8: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1.\u00a0\nThe Selangor Govt is Giving RM1,000 to M\u2019sians Who Marry Before 35 Years Old\n \u2013 WorldofBuzz\n\n\nGood news for Selangor babies or long-term residents over 10 years tying the knot! What an interesting incentive!\n\n\nFYI, they don\u2019t give cash outright. They give something called the Sijil Simpanan Premium, which you can sell back or keep if you wish. But hey! As good as free money! Can recover your wedding expenses a bit, or go towards house down payment or baby funds.\n\n\n2.\u00a0\nTouch \u2018n Go RFID public pilot begins Sept 3, launch in Jan 2019, SmartTAG sales discontinued immediately\n \u2013 PaulTan\n\n\nImportant to note: \nTouch N Go will waive the RFID fee during the trial period\n. So if you rely a lot on Touch N Go for toll, go and get yourself registered \nhere\n.\n\n\nI like that you can reload the RFID using the Touch N Go ewallet. Makes it more convenient, and you can use credit cards too. Btw it doesn\u2019t accept Amex, I checked. Visa Master only.\n\n\n3.\u00a0\nHow did a confident, successful woman become a poverty-stricken recluse?\n \u2013 The Guardian\n\n\nAn insightful read showing how a form of domestic violence \u2013 financial violence \u2013 looks like. Exerting control through money is a horrible form of emotional abuse.\n\n\n4.\u00a0\n\u2018This is what 70 looks like\u2019: the new generation of beauty influencers\n \u2013 The Guardian\n\n\nThe influencer marketing industry is such an interesting industry. I believe it\u2019s borne out of overall lack of trust we now give to authoritative figures, including big companies. It\u2019s a relatively new mindset shift that happens in a big way during our generation.\n\n\nThe beauty industry doesn\u2019t help \u2013 I mean, they get 20-somethings to promote anti-ageing products, for goodness sake. So this opens up a new niche \u2013 elderly women as beauty influencers. Love the concept, love how it\u2019s a viable way for them to earn money.\n\n\nIn the bigger picture, I\u2019m expecting this trend to spread to other industries. For example, fashion for older men. Or travel blogs for retired couples. Pretty cool to know I\u2019ll have these resources at my disposal when I reach that age!\n\n\n5.\u00a0\nI paid $350 to eat at Noma, the 4-time best restaurant in the world where guests feast on mould, potted plants, and a giant kebab made from vegetables \u2014 here\u2019s what it was like\n \u2013 Business Insider\n\n\nOne of the items on my bucket list is to have an out-of-this-world restaurant experience. I don\u2019t mean a posh experience, I mean a highly creative, can\u2019t-make-this-at-home curated meals.\n\n\nAt roughly RM1400, Noma is pricey but look at those meals! And the ambience! And the values they prioritise! Ugh someone just take me there already.\n\n\nOh hey what out-of-this-world dining experience can you get in Malaysia itself? Anyone care to share?\n\n\n6.\u00a0Millionaires have an average GPA of 2.9 \u2013 Business Insider\n\n\n\n\nMillionaires have an average GPA of 2.9 \npic.twitter.com/TSQ1hnA5nX\n\n\n\u2014 Business Insider (@businessinsider) \nJuly 31, 2018\n\n\n\n\nHuman behaviour expert Eric Barker explains the traits that make one financially successful, and interestingly it does not include academic excellence.\u00a0Heh, now I feel better about my meh SPM results.\n\n\n7.\u00a0\n[Market Survey] Cost of Building a Website: Estimation based on Top 400 UpWork Freelancers\n \u2013 WebHostingSecretRevealed\n\n\nGreat article listing the prices of website building, maintenance and growth! Find out how much you should expect to pay for:\n\n\n\n\nWebhosting and domain\n\n\nWebsite design\n\n\nContent\n\n\nWeb development, and\n\n\nMarketing\n\n\n\n\nIn this day and age, I expect businesses to have websites, even if it\u2019s a simple one. When I have to decide between two or more shops and the prices are similar, the one with the better professionalism gets my RM.\n\n\n8.\u00a0\nThe Ugly Truth I\u2019ve Realized From Dating Dudes Who Earn Less Than Me\n \u2013 The Financial Diet\n\n\nTL;DR \u2013 the dudes make a bigger deal out of it by being hyper-defensive.\n\n\nListen, it\u2019s 2018. Who cares who make more money. Men don\u2019t want women who treat them as cash cows, women don\u2019t want to be limited to performing (unpaid) domestic work. Give me a relationship based on mutual love and respect any day over one based on what monetary value each can bring.\n\n\n9.\u00a0\nYale economist: Here\u2019s how likely it is that bitcoin will become worthless\n \u2013 CNBC\n\n\n0.4 percent \ud83d\ude42 Significantly higher than government-issued money (Euro = 0.009 percent), but much higher than what I thought, regardless.\n\n\nAlso, the chances of Ripple and Ether becoming worthless is 0.6 and 0.3 percent respectively.\n\n\n10. PropertyGuru\u2019s\u00a0\nOwnYourHome\n Campaign\n\n\n\n\nAnd finally, a campaign I\u2019m involved with \u2013 PropertyGuru\u2019s\u00a0\nOwnYourHome\n Campaign.\u00a0I like the Mortgage Pre-Qualifier tool. It\u2019s an easy (and free!) way to check your DSR score and see how much housing loan you can get from the bank!\n\n\nI believe the usual process before this tech-enabled way is to apply for home loans first, \nthen\n find out if you can or cannot get the loan for it. The current statistics say about half of house loan applications get rejected, ouch!\n\n\nGo check your DSR score. If it\u2019s too high (above 70%, generally speaking), your application will get rejected for sure, so do something to im\nprove your score. I don\u2019t want you to miss the house you want when the time comes for home ownership.\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this fortnight, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-80/", "title": "Link Roundup #80: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nBuy Now, Pay Later: Good, Bad or Complicated?\n \u2013 BFM89.9\n\n\n\n\nBack on BFM89.9 Ringgit and Sense show with Idham Idris, Licensed Financial Planner with Wealth Vantage Advisory and host Roshan Kanesan to talk about Buy Now, Pay Later. You already know my stance on this \u2013 I argue \nBNPL does more good and than bad to society\n. \n\n\nBut, additionally\u2026 have you noticed that nowadays, instead of increasing salary, the trend is making it easier for people to borrow from future income? And then they call it \u2018affordable\u2019 and \u2018flexible\u2019 and \u2018innovative\u2019.  \n\n\nThis is just one of the points I made on the show. Listen to the rest of the podcast; click the link above. \n\n\n2\n. \nMean monthly salaries & wages fell 9.0% in 2020, the first time decline since the series began in 2010.\n \u2013 Department of Statistics Malaysia\n\n\nDOSM released statistics that basically confirmed what we already know \u2013 people are earning less. The mean and median monthly salaries & wages fell in 2020.  Mean salary is now RM2,933 (down from RM3224 in 2019) and Median salary is now RM2062 (down from RM2449 in 2019). \n\n\n Yet\u2026 the rich got even richer in 2020. According to Forbes, \n\u2018the nation\u2019s (Malaysia) 50 richest saw their combined wealth increase to nearly US$90 billion, up from US$79 billion a year ago.\u2019\n \n\n\nSo you tell me how \u2018financial education\u2019 can help people when wealth inequality is the root of the problem. Sucks but we can\u2019t rely on the government or the rich to save us. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMaybe we as a society should stop putting ourselves unnecessary pressure to earn so much to the expense of our health and happiness, not when the odds are stacked against us. Maybe we should just learn to live without money. \n\n\nRelated: \nThought Experiment: Can We Live Without Money In Malaysia?\n\n\n3. \n20 Habits of Frugal People\n \u2013 TreeHugger\n\n\nAre you frugal? Chances are, if you are a RoR reader, you are. \n\n\nBut I\u2019m also amazed by how the frugal lifestyle is also the more environmentally friendly lifestyle. Which is great, because, you know, climate change. \n\n\nNo, don\u2019t say it won\u2019t affect you. It will. And when it does, you\u2019ll be glad to have the savings from frugal lifestyle to save yourself and your family. This can be as extreme as leaving a country because its sinking, to needing to buy a great air purifier because the air quality is no longer great. \n\n\n4. \nWahed Invest Malaysia collaborates with Value Partners Malaysia\n \u2013 The Star\n\n\nWow. Soon Wahed Invest users will be able to invest in VP-DJ Shariah China A-Shares 100 ETF, the world\u2019s first Islamic ETF investing in China A-shares.\n\n\nThis comes right after they introduced a new portfolio that invests almost exclusively in the US Stock market. \n\n\nUpdated: \n1.5 Years In, RM11k Invested: My In-Depth Wahed Invest Review\n\n\n5\n. \nFirst they\u2019re helping M\u2019sian farmers with bookkeeping, next they plan to do P2P financing\n \u2013 Vulcan Post\n\n\nBranding themselves as an agri-fintech startup,\u00a0\nKapitani\n\u00a0is an early stage startup that focuses on empowering smallholder farmers through digital and financial inclusion. Their name is short for\u00a0\nkapital untuk petani\n, which translates to capital for farmers\u2014summing up their goals.\u00a0\n\n\nA startup focusing on helping local farmers! How wonderful! \n\n\n\n\nBesides seeing a need to empower local farmers with agritech, the Kapitani team also saw a surge in public interest to invest in agriculture.\nThis is due to demand for cash crops like chili, rock melon and cucumber which can be grown locally but are mostly imported for now.\n\n\nYou mean I can possibly support local farmers AND invest in produce that I love to buy anyway? YES\n\n\nHere\u2019s hoping Kapitani.co will succeed!\n\n\n6\n. \n10 Things I Do When I Don\u2019t Feel Mentally Strong\n \u2013 VeryWell\n\n\n. When you\u2019re not mentally strong, you\u2019re more susceptible to doing things you know is not good for you \u2013 stress-eating, lashing out to family and friends, buying shit you don\u2019t need, etc\n\n\nSo here\u2019s an article by an author who wrote four books on mental strength, on actions to do instead of self-destructive ones. \n\n\n7. \nShould You Buy An All-Time High?\n \u2013 Of Dollars and Data\n\n\nI like Nick Maggiuli\u2019s work \u2013 he focuses on personal finance using data analysis. And the answer in this article \u2013 should you buy an all-time high? \u2013 surprised me. He wrote;\n\n\n..the data suggests that for many risky assets (stocks, Bitcoin, gold, etc.), all-time highs are a\u00a0\nbullish\u00a0\nindicator, at least in the near term.\u00a0 Why?\u00a0 Because all-time highs tend to follow other all-time highs.\u00a0 Of course, this process won\u2019t last forever, but it can go on longer than you think.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n8. \nThese are the 5 personality traits that best predict job performance\n \u2013 The Ladders\n\n\nThis is a GREAT article. It uses the Big 5 Personality Traits to predict what type of people is right for a certain job. If you\u2019re new to the Big 5, it\u2019s basically a personality test that gives an indication of where we are in the below spectrum:\n\n\nExtraversion \u2013 Introversion\nAmiability \u2013 Competitiveness\nDiscipline \u2013 Carelessness\nVulnerability \u2013 Resilience\nIngenuity \u2013 Consistency\n\n\n(Most people are \u2018in-betweeners\u2019- ie not purely extravert or introvert, but somewhere in between aka \u2018ambivert\u2019. Although, we do tend to lean on one side more than the other)\n\n\n9\n. \nWant to Be Happier? Science Says Buying a Little Time Leads to Significantly Greater Life Satisfaction\n \u2013 Inc\n\n\nBuying time instead of things is a great way to be happier. This fits in well with what we know in \nHow to Buy Happiness: 5 Science-Backed Principles to Know TODAY\n article. \n\n\nHowever, there is a catch:\n\n\nWhen the participants bought time instead of things, they felt happier, less stressed, and more satisfied.\n\n\n The researchers found that \u201cspending too much money on time saving services could undermine perceptions of personal control\u00a0by leading people to infer that they are unable to handle any daily tasks, potentially reducing well-being.\u201d\n\n\nBasically, the reminder here is buying time ALONE is not the answer. It is also the intentional use of the free time towards activities you enjoy. \n\n\n10. \nHow to Get a Compulsive Talker to Shut Up at Work\n \n\u2013 \nLifeHacker\n\n\nI\u2019ve had the \u2018pleasure\u2019 of coming across one of these compulsive talkers recently and, oh wow, they\u2019re really unaware of how long they dragged on the meeting. \n\n\n Some of the hallmark traits of a compulsive talker in the workplace, according to\u00a0Psychologists Shoba Sreenivasan and Linda E. Weinberger in \na 2006 study.\n:\n\n\nIgnoring verbal and non-verbal cues of their co-workers to stop talking.\nNon-stop monologues/dominating conversations.\nRepeating the same stories to the same colleagues.\nLack of interest in work topics, or coworkers\u2019 interests.\n\n\nSounds familiar? There is one such person in your organisation? This link is for you.  \n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-81/", "title": "Link Roundup #81: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nWhy young people are giving up saving post-pandemic\n \u2013 The Face\n\n\n\u201cThe future is bleak. So why do I even need to save for it.\u201d\n\n\nThis is a new nuance to personal finance discussion \u2013 young people who feel so helpless over their situation \u2013 climate change, pandemic, financial situation etc \u2013 and have decided to just give up saving money for an uncertain future, in favour of happiness (and distractions) today. \n\n\nHow do you even convince this generation that saving money is important, if they (1) don\u2019t make enough of it to save a meaningful amount, and (2) they think that climate change will speed up human extinction, so nothing else matters than collecting good experiences with loved ones today? \n\n\nFood for thought indeed. \n\n\n2\n. \nBinance Banned In Malaysia. So How Now?\n \u2013 RinggitPlus\n\n\nThose of you in the cryptocurrency scene must have heard of the Binance ban in Malaysia. Starting from 16 August 2021, your IP will be blocked from accessing Binance dot com. \n\n\nIf you are a Binance user and have crypto in there, you have the following options:\n\n\nLeave your crypto in Binance\n. You won\u2019t be able to access it but the funds will still be in there. If you are technologically advanced internet user, you might still be able to access (don\u2019t ask me how, SC may be watching me)\nT\nake out all your funds from Binance\n and move it to (1) \nexchanges registered in Malaysia\n, and/or (2) other international exchanges not banned (yet) like Kucoin and Huobi\nAlternatively, if you \npractice good digital security habits\n, you can \ngo full \nDeFi\n and use non-custodial wallets\n to store your cryptocurrencies. Get yourself a Ledger (\nfrom authorised resellers only please!\n), and learn how to use Metamask and Trust Wallet.\n\n\nThis topic is so popular, even mainstream personal finance covered it. Here\u2019s Hann Liew of RinggitPlus explaining more:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n3. \n\u201cI Hate My Job\u201d: 7 Ways to Cope With a Job You Can\u2019t Stand\n \u2013 Fatherly\n\n\nAccording to therapists and career experts, here are some ways to cope with a job you hate:\n\n\nRemember Your \u201cWhy\u201d\nFocus on small, daily wins\nReward yourself\nProtect your time at home\nTake micro-breaks throughout the work day\nTalk to your boss\nPlan your exit\n\n\nMaybe it\u2019s just me, but #7 is my favourite. It\u2019s okay to exit if you plan for it. \n\n\nClick on the article to learn more in-depth on each method to cope. \n\n\n4. \nI\u2019ve Applied For 52 Jobs, Here\u2019s What I\u2019ve Learned\n \u2013 Refinery 29\n\n\nContinuing from the previous article, one of the things that can help you quit a job you hate is having another job lined up. However, that can be an easier-said-than-done situation. \nMany people are unemployed and even more are underemployed\n. Unless you are lucky (with connections, or with high-demand skills), you can expect the job search to take some time. \n\n\nSo, it is important for you to hold on to your sense of self during this time. Remember: You are a worthy human being even without a job title. Hang in there and all the best. \n\n\n5\n. \nWant to Be Happier? Science Says Avoid the Effect of Relative Deprivation on Fulfillment and Satisfaction\n \u2013 Inc\n\n\nA\u00a0\nBritish Journal of Social Psychology\n\u00a0overview says\n\u00a0\nrelative deprivation occurs\n\u00a0when \u201cpersons may feel deprived of some desirable thing relative to their own past, other persons or groups, or some other social category.\u201d\nOr in non researcher-speak, relative deprivation occurs when we realize other people have things we don\u2019t \u2026 and then start to think we should.\nEven if we don\u2019t need them.\nOr, in many cases, had previously never thought we wanted them.\n\n\nTL;DR \u2013 don\u2019t compare yourself to others! That\u2019s the fastest way to be dissatisfied with your own life! To be happy, know what\u2019s important for YOU and pursue that aggressively, and forget about the rest. \n\n\n6\n. \n15 most annoying things people do on Zoom calls, according to a new survey \n\u2013 Ladders\n\n\nWhich of these video call pet peeves annoy you the most?\n\n\n(Surprised by eating food. People do that??)\n\n\n\n\n \n\n\n7. \nHow to Become a Freelance Digital Marketer in Malaysia\n \u2013 FreelanceJobs.my\n\n\nThis is a long but resource-packed article on becoming a freelance digital marketer in Malaysia. It covers:\n\n\nHow to become a freelance digital marketer in Malaysia\nHow much you can earn as a freelance digital marketer in Malaysia\nWhere to find the best digital marketing jobs in Malaysia\nAnd more\n\n\nThe way I did it is different \u2013 I\u2019m an accidental digital marketer. What happened was \nI started a blog on a topic I love\n (personal finance), and learned the marketing skills on the way (because I want people to read what I write). \n\n\n8\n. \n8 Malaysian Brands That Support Social & Environmental Causes\n \u2013 Zafigo\n\n\nWhen you feel like shopping but don\u2019t want to feel *too* guilty over it.\n\n\n\n\n9. \nThe smartest people use a simple model and these 6 phrases to say \u2018no\u2019 when they need to, says CEO\u2014here\u2019s how it works\n \u2013 CNBC Make It\n\n\nWhat I LOVED about this article is the example phrases provided to say no. Here they are: \n\n\n\u201cMay I take a day to get back to you?\u201d\nBuy yourself time to work the Hourglass. When the interpersonal contact is broken, the intellect engages, better quipping you to make rational decisions.\n\u201cI can do it for you this time, but I can\u2019t do it for you every time.\nEase a demanding person back slowly from their expectations, and set up a future no.\n\u201cIt does not [or will not] work for me to \u2026 \u201d\nThis clause is a marvelous neutral beginning to any no. Be cautious of harshness in your tone.\n\u201cI can\u2019t, but here\u2019s another option for you.\u201d\nShare an alternative or suggestion in place of you being able to help.\n\u201cIt\u2019s not good for me now, but let\u2019s look ahead in our calendars.\u201d\nBe careful not to use a delay to avoid a necessary no. Of course, if timing is really the issue, then push the commitment back.\n\u201cSorry, no.\u201d\nYes, this is a complete sentence. Get it out and say nothing more.\n\n\nVery useful for me personally! I used to find it hard to decline people but now can do it better. Have to learn, if not I\u2019ll over-commit and can\u2019t do my best work. \n\n\n10. Are Investments Only For The Rich And Wealthy? \u2013 BFM80.9 RUMIT\n\n\nThanks BFM89.9 RUMIT team for having me in this video!\n\n\nThe point I really like here is the \u2018money compass\u2019 concept \u2013 how everyone\u2019s idea of money is influenced by, whether positively or negatively. \n\n\nAnd that might be why some people are afraid to invest \u2013 they never had the supportive environment where money is discussed as an enabler, only as a hindrance (lack of money, that is), therefore the resulting behaviour is saving but not necessarily investing them. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-82/", "title": "Link Roundup #82: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nThe Simple Math of How to Retire with Millions\n \u2013 Foundation for Economic Education\n\n\nIn my article \nHow to Get RM10000 per Month in Passive Income (In 3 Steps)\n, I oversimplified the calculations, to make them easier to understand. \n\n\nHowever, if you are so inclined, you can calculate how much exactly you need to save for retirement (early or otherwise), factoring in inflation. \n\n\nFor example, someone who wants to have a nest egg of $6.257 million by the time they are 70 can lock away $65,600 at age 22 and never have to add another dollar \u2013 just let compounding do its thing.   \n\n\n\n\nThis is something a financial planner can help to calculate for you. They can also calculate shortfalls in a client\u2019s savings (common) and suggest the options they have, going forward. \n\n\n2\n. \nWhy Science Says Emotionally Intelligent People Follow the Rule of No Complaints\n \u2013 Inc\n\n\nI\u2019m glad I came across this article. It cemented what I already practice \u2013 avoid non-doer complainers. Learning how to nod politely and remove myself from circles of friends and acquaintances who love to complain (and do nothing about it) is one of the \n5 important things I learned in my 20s\n. \n\n\nThe researchers found that people who complained were in a worse mood, felt less satisfaction and pride in the work they were doing,\u00a0and were significantly more likely to feel less happy and experience poorer self-esteem the next day as well.\n\n\nTo be clear, venting and sharing frustrations is fine. But it has to go beyond \u2018my boss sucks\u2019. \nIf you don\u2019t like it, do something about it. \n\n\nSo instead of wasting energy by complaining, blow off that steam by talking about how you\u2019ll make things better. What you\u2019ll do next time. What you won\u2019t do next time. Into ensuring you won\u2019t need to refrain from complaining next time because you\u2019ll find ways to ensure you won\u2019t be in the same situation again.\n\n\n3. \nI Marie Kondo\u2019d My House and It Helped Me Stop Mindless Spending\n \u2013 Apartment Theraphy\n\n\n\n\nLOVE this article! Mindless spending is fun in small doses but also dangerous when you do it often. So why not curb it by\u2026 decluttering? Especially if you\u2019re mindlessly spending on organisational tools and items. \n\n\nThis reminds me of a pretty mind-blowing \u2018organisation hack\u2019 I came across years back which I still use now. It\u2019s something along the lines of, \u2018declutter BEFORE you buy new containers\u2019. \n\n\n4. \n3 Reasons You Shouldn\u2019t Invest Like Warren Buffett\n \u2013 The Motley Fool\n\n\nYeah you probably want to be like Warren Buffet, who is famous for his value investing style of stock picking. \n\n\nBut you\u2019re not Warren Buffet. And you don\u2019t have to invest like him. Because:\n\n\nYou don\u2019t have his stock-picking knowledge\nYou can\u2019t afford the same level of risk\nYou probably have different goals\n\n\nJust get low-cost mutual fund, unit trust and ETFs with exposure in multiple markets. Enough already. \n\n\nClick the tweet below to expand the thread with more info. I also included a platform you can use IF YOU HAVE TO do stock picking. \n\n\n\n\nI dunno who needs to hear this but if you don't have time to read financial statements n no industry knowledge, tak payah buat stock picking, tak payah pilih2 saham\nGet mutual fund, unit trust, ETF (my fav cos low fee) w/ exposure in multiple markets \u2013 MY, US, China etc. Cukup\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com \ud83c\udff4 (@surayaror) \nAugust 20, 2021\n\n\n\n\n5\n. \nGet More Done: Try These 10 Simple Tips for Better To-Do Lists\n \u2013 PC Mag\n\n\nTo-Do Lists is a hardly new concept, but I like how practical and actionable this article is. There are tips in there that I can definitely use to improve my own system. \n\n\nMy own personal tip is to add on things that pop up throughout the day (happens every day so I embrace it), then check it off. I get satisfaction from seeing a lot of things crossed off on my to-do list \ud83d\ude00\n\n\nRelated article if you like this topic: \n3 Productivity Tips Women (and Men) MUST Know\n\n\n6\n. \nDuit Right: How to Fix Malaysian Political Financing \n\u2013 New Naratif\n\n\nRead the 6-page comic to learn about Malaysian Political Financing, key issues, call to action and more. \n\n\n\n\n \n\n\n7. \nRemote Work Statistics\n\n\nWhere to find remote jobs? Which one is the highest paid? What\u2019s the fastest growing industry for remote jobs? \n\n\nFind the data on this webpage. The data is current and updated monthly.\n\n\n\n\n\ud83d\udcb0 Fastest growing + highest paid remote jobs in Aug 2021:\n1 \ud83d\udc07Swift $125k +100%\n2 \u2601\ufe0fAWS $105k +204%\n3 \ud83c\udfc5Crypto $125k +54%\n4 \ud83d\udd75\ufe0fQA $125k +50%\n5 \ud83d\udc33Docker $100k +211%\n6 \ud83d\udc00Golang $110k +110%\n7 \ud83e\udd20Django $100k +220%\n8 \ud83d\udee4Rails $95k +213%\n9 \ud83c\udfa8UI $98k +100%\nhttps://t.co/9zlUun08Ba\n\u2014 \u061c (@levelsio) \nAugust 21, 2021\n\n\n\n\n8\n. \n9 Goal Tracking Apps to Help You Track and Achieve Your Goals\n \u2013 MakeUseOf\n\n\nWhat a fun list to go through! I didn\u2019t know there are many goal tracking apps out there, including this one called LifeRPG. Wow so fun to visualise your life as stats like that. \n\n\n\n\n9. 15 Tips to Secure Your Cryptocurrencies! \u2013 CoinGecko Learn\n\n\nHey look it\u2019s a CoinGecko and Girl Gone Crypto collaboration! \n\n\nCrypto investors, skip this video at your own peril. Never at any point, no matter how pro you think you are, think you are above digital security advice. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n10. A tip for buying over-the-counter medicine\n\n\nRather than Zentel (brand name), look for albendazole (active ingredient). Rather than Panadol (brand name), look for paracetamol (active ingredient). \n\n\n\n\nBudget hack: when buying medicine, save money by looking for active ingredient rather than brand name\nExample: this deworm tablet. Zentel brand is ~RM10/ single adult dose. Alternative brands can be RM4ish. Dosage sama, albendazole 200mg\nI got this one. Choc flavour, sedap \ud83d\ude02\ud83d\udc4d \nhttps://t.co/EvYgAkQlLQ\n \npic.twitter.com/VOX0TKJL0e\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com \ud83c\udff4 (@surayaror) \nAugust 18, 2021\n\n\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-83/", "title": "Link Roundup #83: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \n8 Signs That a Friend or Colleague Is Toxic to Your Mental Health\n \u2013 Fatherly \n\n\nAn important article compiling characteristics of toxic people and the way they make you feel, and most importantly, what you can do to distance yourself or even cut them from your lives. \n\n\nThis is more important to your personal finance than you think. Toxic people will sabotage your growth and manipulate you to spend more than you can afford to (and on them!)\n\n\n2\n. \nI\u2019m Self-Employed and Work From Home \u2014 Here Are 5 Rules I Set to Stay Productive and Avoid Burning Out\n \u2013 Apartment Theraphy\n\n\nWhere is this article when I first started my self-employment journey years ago! (But then again, perhaps I needed to burn out in order to appreciate how nice it is to not burn out, and take steps to prevent it)\n\n\nAll the advice here is gold. The 5 rules are:\n\n\nNot everything needs to be monetised\nHave a designated workspace\nAlways get dressed for work\nKeep firm boundaries around your office hours (if you can)\nMaintain a daily routine before and after work\n\n\nIf you\u2019re working from home, how are you doing and are you applying the rules in your life? I\u2019m pretty good at 1 and 3, and still working on applying 2, 4 and 5 well.\n\n\n3. We Make $3K/Month Selling Trash\u00a0\u2013 Vice\n\n\nThis couple fascinates me. So basically what they do is, they drive around and takes items thrown away that are still edible/in good condition then sells them online. They track dumpsters and trash days and everything. \n\n\nI kinda love it as a side business. It directly reduces the number of items going straight to the landfill, and they make good money in the process. It\u2019s probably one of the most eco-friendly side businesses you can ever do. \n\n\n(It also shows how many items are thrown away even though they are in good condition, just because the shops just don\u2019t want the hassle of donating/selling themselves)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n4. \nNine psychological tricks to quietly make more money\n \u2013 Entrepreneurs\u2019 Handbook\n\n\nKeyword: quietly. \n\n\nNicely written article. I like the communication style. \n\n\n5\n. \nGet More Done: Try These 10 Simple Tips for Better ToThe Secret Lives of Hoarders: What I Learned as a Professional Home Cleaner\n \u2013 Vice\n\n\nIt\u2019s very rare for hoarders to be covered in the media with empathy and understanding, instead of as entertainment (ie \u2018Look at how weird these people are\u2019).\n\n\nThese paragraphs were very insightful:\n\n\n..hoarding can affect anyone, certainly not only those who are grappling with scarcity, as commonly believed. Hoarders and their homes can look very different from one another. I have wealthy clients with \u201corganized hoarding,\u201d possibly because they have housekeepers who regularly help to pack and conceal the accumulating items. \n..People with less money, on the other hand, are not as equipped to stave off visual evidence of their hoarding problem. They have neither dedicated housekeepers nor an abundance of space to hide their things.\n\n\n6\n. \nTry this science-backed scheduling trick to relieve your anxiety\n \u2013 Fast Co\n\n\nThis is a practical article for those of you who worry a lot. It give the step-by-step guide on how to start practicing \u2018deliberate worrying\u2019, so that you can soothe your nerves better. \n\n\n7. \nKongsi Women: The Women Who Built Malaysia\n \u2013 The City Maker by ThinkCity\n\n\nImage credit KLAF 2018\n\n\n..\nthe\u00a0\nkongsi\n\u00a0women, also known as\u00a0\nlai sui mui\n\u00a0(meaning \u2018mud girls\u2019 in Cantonese on account of the buckets of mud-like liquid concrete that they carried), were a unique tribe of female labourers making up about 60% of total workers on a site. \nWorking ten or more hours a day, with only two days of leave per year, the women worked tirelessly, carrying buckets or balancing pans on their head of premixed concrete and other materials, laying turf, polishing floors and more.\n\n\n60%\u2026 I don\u2019t know anything about these women labourers, yet they played a big role. Do I even know my country at all.\n\n\n8. \nWomen can only succeed as leaders if they show these 3 emotions\n \u2013 Ladders\n\n\nOh look, yet another study that prove we indeed judge women and male leaders differently. \n\n\nA new\u00a0\nstudy\n\u00a0out of the Drexel University found that when females in\u00a0positions of leadership\u00a0express positive emotions, they\u2019re seen as more effective\u00a0leaders\u00a0than their male counterparts. But if they show negative emotions, they\u2019re seen as less effective.\nOver the course of five studies amalgamated into one, just about 1,300 participants were asked about their opinions concerning what leaders\u2019 emotional expressions said about their leadership skills. Female leaders earned lower ratings on the whole as leaders when they showed more anger, fear, and remorse.\nOn the other side of things,\u00a0female leaders\u00a0were highly rated when they were demonstrated cheer. Women who expressed pride or were described as calm, didn\u2019t have higher or lower perceived leadership skills.\n\n\nTl;dr \u2013 Women leaders have to learn how to express anger and negative emotions in a way that reframes them as positive, so that she is not perceived as a less effective leader. At the same time, society must apply critical thinking to \u2018we judge on merit not gender\u2019 assumption. \n\n\n9. \n50 Tips to Break Out of a Career Rut and Make Your Day Job Feel Like Your Dream Job\n\u00a0\u2013 Parade\n\n\nA compilation of 50 quotes from people who specialise in advising people on dream jobs and career transitioning. Have a browse if you\u2019re feeling \u2018stuck\u2019 in your career right now, maybe one of the tips will be the exact thing you need to break out of it. \n\n\n10. How \u2018Sex & The City\u2019 Ruined Women\u2019s Relationship To Money \u2013 The Financial Diet\n\n\nReally enjoyed this critical analysis of Sex & The City and how it affect a whole generation of women\u2019s relationship to money. \n\n\nDon\u2019t be fooled, the cultural effect is BIG. For example, many of the luxury brands were not household names nor desired before the series. \n\n\nHave a watch. Maybe you\u2019ll recognise how your own approach to money is directly/indirectly influenced by shows of this genre (doesn\u2019t have to be specifically S&tC). \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-84/", "title": "Link Roundup #84: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nWhy Buying the Dip is a Terrible Investment Strategy\n \u2013 Of Dollars and Data\n\n\n\u2018BUY THE DIP!!1!\u2019\n\n\nNo. That\u2019s a horrible strategy. The maths prove it: invest every month > invest only during market dips. \n\n\n(Even better is invest every month AND buy the dip)\n\n\n2\n. \nThe 9 skills that will help you \u2018get promoted faster and receive top performance reviews,\u2019 according to a career expert\n \u2013 CNBC Make It\n\n\nRather than expanding on the 9 skills, this article expands on the traits of an energizer. They  tend to do these nine things more \nsystematically \nthan others:\n\n\nI strike an effective balance between tapping people in my network to get work done and connecting with them on a personal level, unrelated to our work.\nI maintain a balance between what I ask for and what I contribute to the people I work with.\nI consistently do what I say I\u2019m going to do and follow through on commitments I make.\nI am committed (and show this commitment) to principles and goals that are larger than my own self-interest.\nIn meetings and conversations, I engage others in realistic possibilities that capture their imaginations and hearts.\u00a0\nI\u2019m fully attentive in my interactions, and show interest in others and their ideas.\nI create room for others to be a meaningful part of conversations and make sure they see how their efforts will contribute to a plan.\u00a0\nWhen I disagree with someone\u2019s plan or a course of action, I do so in a way that focuses attention on the issue at hand, and not the individual.\u00a0\u00a0\nI maintain a balance between pushing towards a goal and welcoming new ideas that improve the process for reaching a goal.\u00a0\n\n\nThe opposite of an energizer is a \u2018de-energizer\u2019, and they\u2019re not fun to work with. \n\n\n3. \nSocieties that treat women badly are poorer and less stable\n\u00a0\u2013 The Economist\n\n\nHigh numbers of domestic abuse cases. Sexual Harassment Bill objected by the Malaysian Employer\u2019s Federation. Malaysian mothers blocked from passing on their citizenship to their children. \n\n\nIt sucks that we have to use the \u2018don\u2019t treat us badly because you\u2019ll suffer too\u2019 argument. It sucks that some of my sisters live with fear of being abused and killed, even by their own family members and romantic partners. It sucks to beg and fight for it but I\u2019ll do it again and again just so we will eventually live in an equal society. \n\n\n4. \n6 Things to Know about Dividend Reinvestment Plan in Malaysia\n \u2013 Marcus Keong\n\n\nIf you\u2019re into stocks, find out about the Dividend Reinvestment Plan. Apparently you can open an account online now! \n\n\n5\n. \nToo much free time may be almost as bad as too little\n \u2013 American Psychological Association\n\n\nResearchers analyzed the data from 21,736 Americans who participated in the American Time Use Survey between 2012 and 2013. Participants provided a detailed account of what they did during the prior 24 hours\u2014indicating the time of day and duration of each activity\u2014and reported their sense of well-being.\n \nThe researchers found that as free time increased, so did well-being, but it leveled off at about two hours and began to decline after five. \nCorrelations in both directions were statistically significant.\n\n\nThis is excellent information. Having time is good, but TOO much isn\u2019t. The sweet spot is actually around 2 hours of free time a day. \n\n\nThe conclusion:\n\n\n\u201cOur findings suggest that ending up with \nentire days free to fill at one\u2019s discretion may leave one similarly unhappy\n. People should instead strive for having a moderate amount of free time to spend how they want. In cases when people do find themselves with excessive amounts of discretionary time, such as retirement or having left a job, our results suggest these individuals would benefit from spending their newfound time with purpose.\u201d\u00a0\n\n\n6\n. \nHow digital-currency investors differ from the general population\n \u2013 The Economist\n\n\nThe study is US-specific, but WOAH. Given how crypto investors are given this bad stereotype of being rash and having \u2018gambling\u2019 mindset. The outcome of the study disproves that. Crypto investors (in the US at least) are richer and better educated than the rest of the adult population. \n\n\nI wonder how\u2019s the case in Malaysia. \n\n\n7. \nMeet Five Women Who Founded Their Own Businesses After They Turned 50\n \u2013 Martha Stewart\n\n\nHere are some successful old women to serve as your business inspiration.  (Old is just a descriptor and not a bad word).\n\n\n8. \n6 Weird To-Do Tips to Improve Your Mood and Productivity\n \u2013 Make Use Of\n\n\nI\u2019m adding this here because I personally use tip #6 \u2013 Keep a victories list. I *LOVE* striking off a task off my list, it feels so good!\n\n\nSometimes, I even add unplanned and completed things to my to-do list just so I can strike it off lol. I mean why not who\u2019s gonna stop me!\n\n\n9. \nI am worried about Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL)\n\u00a0\u2013 Between the Money\n\n\nExcellent article by\u00a0Between the Money on BNPL (buy now, pay later services). You already know it is bad for impulsive shoppers. However even the \u2018disciplined\u2019 ones too may end up choosing the higher priced products and/or add more products where BNPL is offered. \n\n\nFor example, instead of buying the RM200 pair of shoes, you may get the RM600 one, split into 3 x RM200 payments, AND/OR buy the shoes PLUS some other accessories. \n\n\nSo, if you\u2019re tempted to use BNPL, make sure NOT to upgrade okie. \n\n\n10. Personal Finance Malaysia Creators that I follow and recommend! \u2013 The Personal Finance Challenge\n\n\nHappy belated Malaysia Day! So thankful to the Malaysian personal finance community \u2013 in this space, everyone from different backgrounds shares helpful money tips with each other \n\n\nWe have grown so much in the last 10 years \u2013 when I first started, most of the content was from US and not applicable here! Now there are so many amazing personal finance content creators. I am very thankful and very much look forward to continuing learning from everyone \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nSpecial thanks to Personal Finance Challenge channel for including me in this particular list of PF content creators \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-85/", "title": "Link Roundup #85: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1\n. \nPeter Lynch: Far More Money Has Been Lost By Investors Trying To Time Corrections Than In All Corrections Combined\n \u2013 The Acquirer\u2019s Multiple\n\n\nEvergreen investing question: \nwhen \nshould you buy that stock or mutual fund? \n\n\nAnswer: doesn\u2019t matter, as long as you buy it \nevery \nmonth. \n\n\nThat answer didn\u2019t come from me, it came from Peter Lynch, one of the most famous investors in the world. This is what he said:\n\n\nOne of the worst mistakes you can make is to switch in and out of stocks or stock mutual funds hoping to avoid the upcoming correction.\n \n\n\nLook at the graph below. It compares two investors: the Lucky Investor and the Unlucky Investor. The lucky one \nalways \ninvests during yearly lows, and the unlucky one \nalways \ninvests during the annual market high. \n\n\n\n\nThe difference in return on investment between the two? +8.4% for the Lucky Investor and +7.4% for the Unlucky Investors. So much work (and anxiety) into trying to time the market, for just a measly 1% difference. \n\n\nThat\u2019s why I always advocate for \ninvestments you can automate\n, aka set and forget system. Put away RMxxxx every month, then forget about it. Go earn more so you can invest more. No need timing timing. \n\n\n2. \nThe gender investing gap isn\u2019t about confidence, it\u2019s about compensation\n \u2013 Too Ambitious \n\n\nSpeaking of investing, let\u2019s talk about gender. It is true that the investment space tends to be male-dominated, but remember:\n\n\nMen aren\u2019t better investors, they simply have more money to invest thanks to higher incomes, less unpaid labor and access to better benefits.\n\n\nWhen women have money, we are just as confident and even better investors than men:\n\n\na \nrecently released\n analysis from MIT found that investors who are male or over the age of 45, or who consider themselves as having \u201cexcellent investment experience,\u201d are more likely to dump their portfolio in a downturn.\na new \nStash analysis\n found that male Stash customers were 17% more likely to \u201cpanic sell\u201d their investments during the early months of the pandemic compared to female Stash customers. In fact, female Stash investors were 63% more likely than men to \nincrease \ntheir retirement investments during the pandemic.\n\n\nThese are US-specific data, but the underlying lesson is the same: Learn. Investing. From. Women. Not. Just. Men. \n\n\n3. \nRinggitOhRinggit and Her Duit on their best and worst investments, plus tips to start investing\n\u00a0\u2013 Buro247\n\n\n On that note, Michelle from \nHer Duit\n and I was recently interviewed by Buro247, the lifestyle magazine. We covered:\n\n\nhow we started investing \nwhen we took it seriously \nour investing \u2018why\u2019 \nbest investing advice \nworst investment mistake \nbest investment move in 2021\nand more\n\n\nRead our tips in the link above \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\n4. \nPeople with higher socioeconomic status have lower emotional intelligence, especially at high levels of inequality\n \u2013 PsyPost\n\n\nA series of studies published in\u00a0\nSocial Psychological and Personality Science\n\u00a0found that people of higher socioeconomic status (SES) score consistently lower on tests of emotional intelligence, especially when they perceive high levels of inequality in their community. The researchers suggest that high SES and high subjective inequality promotes increased self-focus and less motivation to attend to others\u2019 emotions.\n\n\n\u2026 Are you surprised tho \n\n\n5\n. \nNew Report Reveals What Employees Will and Won\u2019t Tolerate at Work\n \u2013 Inc\n\n\nI\u2019m not sure if The Great Resignation is also happening in Malaysia, but companies operating in urban areas and MNCs tend to follow Western work trends and culture. In which case, you might also expect certain things from your employers, like flexibility and good work culture. \n\n\n6. \nHow Do Boundaries and Self-Esteem Affect Your Relationships?\n \u2013 Quick and Dirty Tips\n\n\nThis is a new and fascinating concept for me. In this article, Dr Monica Johnson explains The Relationship Grid(tm), which shows how relationships are affected by varying levels of boundaries and self-esteem. \n\n\n\n\n(Why is this article here? Because your selection of life partner *will* impact your financial life. )\n\n\n7\n. \nIf you\u2019re struggling at work, use these tips to tap your true passion\n \u2013 Fast Company\n\n\nI don\u2019t believe in \u2018follow your passion\u2019 (I prefer \u2018follow your curiosity\u2019 instead), but this is certainly one way to expand on the phrase, written from a personal point of view. This article might be useful for some of you \u2013 it turns a vague phrase into something more relatable. \n\n\n8. \nA Linguist Explains There Are 2 Conversational Styles. Knowing Which You Prefer Can Make You More Successful\n \u2013 Inc\n\n\nThe 2 conversational styles are cooperative overlapper and turn-taker. Find out what they are in the article. \n\n\nBut beyond that, I find this little part more interesting. \n\n\nThey did an experiment with female and male actors and asked people what they thought \n\n\n\u201cWomen were judged far more harshly for their interjections.. while men were more often perceived to be simply enthusiastic about the discussion.\u201d \n\n\nHuh. Every day I find out how we treat women differently than men, for doing the same thing. \n\n\n9. \nThe Top Online Learning Resources to Boost Your Career\n\u00a0\u2013 Your Coffee Break\n\n\nThe 4 online learning resources that can boost your career mentioned in the article are:\n\n\nSkillshare\nStudy Active\nLinkedIn Learning\nThe Open University\n\n\n10. I Made 16 Meals For 2 People On A Food Bank And Fresh Produce Box\u00a0 \u2013 Budget Eats Series by Delish\n\n\nAnd last but not least, enjoy this literal movie-length video by June from Delish on cooking with basic and cheap ingredients. I love her creativity, everything she cooked looks so good!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-86/", "title": "Link Roundup #86: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1\n. \nHow to Job Hunt (When You\u2019re Already Exhausted)\n \u2013 Harvard Business Review\n\n\nFigured this article might be handy for some of you. Hang in there, you can do this. \n\n\n2. \nSouth Korea\u2019s millennials say their lives aren\u2019t that different from \u2018Squid Game\u2019 as they face a crisis of mounting debt, unaffordable homes, and dead-end jobs\n \u2013 Insider\n\n\nYou watched Squid Game, I watched Squid Game, all of us were morbidly fascinated by the scenes and storyline. \n\n\nIt\u2019s bleak, but the desperate-due-to-debt thing is real, according to actual South Koreans. One of the respondents in the article said he considers himself lucky that he manages to keep his debt under $50,000.\n\n\nI can\u2019t help but to compare to Malaysia, and wonder if the same thing will happen to us..\n\n\n3. \nStop rambling. Here\u2019s how the most successful people get to the point, says public speaking expert\n\u00a0\u2013 CNBC\n\n\nThe trick is\u2026 to start your answer with \u2018I believe that\u2019. The examples given in the article show that it really works!\n\n\nSo simple, it\u2019s mind-blowing. \n\n\n4. \nWhen Did Self-Care Get So Self-Indulgent?\n \u2013 Vice\n\n\nManagement consulting firm McKinsey estimated earlier this year that the \u201cglobal wellness market\u201d is\u00a0\nworth a whopping $1.5 trillion\n, with annual growth of 5 to 10 percent. As your social media feeds tell you, wellness has turned into products to be consumed. When did wellness become all about buying more things? How did it become so wasteful?\n\n\nThat last line just about sums it up. \n\n\n5\n. \n99 Cryptocurrency Terms Explained: Every Crypto Definition You Need\n \u2013 MakeUseOf\n\n\nSince Bitcoin hit an all-time high again and all. It\u2019s not going anywhere, so you might as well learn the terms. Then go and \u2018stack sats\u2019 \u2013 there are lots of \nfree ways to accumulate bitcoin\n.\n\n\n6. \nLuxury brand Coach will stop destroying unwanted goods following TikTok outrage\n \u2013 CNN\n\n\nThey make you think that their items are expensive because of quality. That may be true (and maybe not), but its also expensive because they refuse to sell it for cheap. \n\n\nIn fact, it is common practice for these \u2018luxury\u2019 companies to destroy unsold products rather than reduce their price. They would rather their products be bought by the rich (or the pretend rich), or not at all. \n\n\nHave to maintain that \u2018not everyone can afford this\u2019 image, right. \n\n\n8. \nWhat You Should Know About The 6 Stages To Retirement\n \u2013 iMoney\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWere you aware there are 6 stages to retirement? I didn\u2019t. Learn more about each stage and the process of finding your retirement number in the article above. \n\n\n8\n. \nPsychology Says You Can Actually Sell Anything, So Long as You Use These 4 \u2018Hidden\u2019 Switches\n \u2013 Inc\n\n\nThe \u2018hidden\u2019 switches are: \n\n\nSolution Switch: Show that your product is the answer to their problems.\nTrust Switch: Become an authority figure\nLikability Switch: Befriend your customer\nEvidence\u00a0Switch: Customers\u00a0need proof, not promises\n\n\nGenerally speaking, I dislike marketing strategies that intentionally seek to manipulate their customers into buying their products. The only way to combat this is to learn about their tactics yourself, so you can make an informed decision before hitting that Buy Now button. \n\n\n9. \n5 Types of Passive Incomes You Can Consider (Ranked from Easiest to Hardest)\n\u00a0\u2013 AKPK Urus Bersama Suraya \n\n\nIf you have a lot of \u2018stuff\u2019 and not a lot of capital, the most suitable passive income strategy for you is #2. You can rent out your car, room, parking space, machinery, entertainment equipment and more Learn more and see other ways to earn passive income in the article.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n10) How Are Malaysians Doing Financially? | iMoney x Suraya (Ringgit Oh Ringgit) \u2013 AIA\n\n\nThank you AIA for having me in this chat, where Farhan from iMoney and I discussed the findings of the Malaysian Financial Health Survey 2021. Unsurprisingly, it could be better \u2013 while 86% of respondents reported saving and investing every month, only 50% can survive less than 3 months with no income, while 12% cannot survive for more than a month without an income!\u00a0\n\n\nI was happy to be able to give my 2 cents here: individuals are usually blamed for not saving enough money (\u2018no willpower\u2019), when the bigger issue is more structural in nature (the economy, job opportunities, consumerism culture, etc)\n\n\nWatch the 20+min video for ACTUAL solutions you can use to improve your financial life below.\n\n\nNote: Get your FREE Financial Health Check at \nhttps://www.aia.com.my/en/my-aia/insurance/portal/fhr/questionaire.html\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-87/", "title": "Link Roundup #87: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1\n. \nMindless Habits That Are Wasting Your Money\n \u2013 HuffPost\n\n\nExcellent article that compiles many habits that may be derailing your financial plan right now. Of all the suggestions, I thought these were the most relevant (some are not applicable to Malaysians):\n\n\nBuying things just because they\u2019re on sale\nEngaging in microtransactions\nNot keeping track of subscriptions\nConstantly updating your wardrobe\nGrocery shopping without a plan\nFailing to pay bills on time\nBuying aspirational clothes\nLetting your mood dictate your shopping\nNot making your own lunch or coffee\nGoing on sprees\nForgetting about peak hours\nTossing receipts (and not reviewing them, may even get charged extra)\n\n\n2. \nChina Wants People To Buy More Stuff. These Chinese Millennials Say \u2018No More.\u2019\n \u2013 Vice\n\n\nWe keep hearing how people in China record higher and higher sales during major shopping events like Singles Day. But some of them are just\u2026 tired. \n\n\nI can relate. I, too, am exhausted of having items promoted to me, telling me I\u2019ll be a better version of myself with said item, implying that I\u2019m currently not. \n\n\n\n\n3. \nThis 30-year-old visited every country in the world. Here\u2019s how he paid for it\n\u00a0\u2013 CNBC\n\n\nI follow Drew Binsky\u2019s channel for years now and am happy that he achieved his goal of visiting every country in the world!\n\n\nHave always wondered how he pays for everything and curiosity answered through this article. The answer is: Youtube income ($20,000-40,000 a month), brand sponsorship ($15,000-20,000 per video \u2013 he deserves it, he uploads DAILY videos!!), merchandise and travel hacking course. Based on his latest updates, he\u2019s also working on adding a couple more streams of income: book and NFTs. \n\n\nHow he manages all these between travel and 23 employees is beyond me. I wonder what system he uses. Wow. \n\n\n4. \nWriting can improve your mental health \u2013 here\u2019s how\n \u2013 World Economic Forum\n\n\nMany people struggle with mental health at different points in their life. Therapy is expensive, and not everyone can summon the willpower to exercise, so here\u2019s another method to manage mental health \u2013 through writing. \n\n\nPersonally, I practice journalling and free writing, and love it. Always feel better after a session of \u2018dumping it out\u2019 on paper. \n\n\n5\n. \nI Went From Making Extra Income With Affiliate Websites To Building A $360K/Year Business\n \u2013 Starter Story\n\n\nMalaysian team, global audience! Jerry Low and team is behind \nWebHostingSecretRevealed\n,\u00a0\nHostScore\n, and\u00a0\nHideandSeek\n, which brings in 700,000 visitors per month(!!!) and $30k per month!\n\n\n\n\n6. \nHow to disappear from the internet for good: 6 things you need to do\n \u2013 CNet\n\n\nWith every culture, there is a counter-culture. What\u2019s the counter-culture for online culture? Being offline and proud. And this article teaches you how to erase remnants of your digital footprint as well. \n\n\n8. \n7 Life-Changing Reasons You Should Step Out Of Your Comfort Zone More Often\n \u2013 YourTango\n\n\nAre you feeling stagnant? Are things just too\u2026 monotonous? \n\n\nIt\u2019s not wrong to have a routine, but as they say, calm waters don\u2019t make a good sailor. Do something that improves your life, even if it\u2019s hard. \n\n\n8\n. \n4 Habits of the Happiest People Rarely Practiced by Most Workers\n \u2013 Inc\n\n\nThe 4 habits are:\n\n\nPractice self-kindness\nLearn to be grateful\nForgive others\nSlow things down (exercise patience)\n\n\n9. \nNegotiating Salary? Here\u2019s A Simple Yet Powerful Trick, According To A New Study\n\u00a0\u2013 HuffPost\n\n\nThe trick is\u2026 to pause for 3-9 seconds during a negotiation. \n\n\nIn a series of studies in which pay negotiations were simulated in conversation, Jared Curhan, an associate professor of work and organization studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and his colleagues found that this extended but brief silence can facilitate a \u201cshift from default, zero-sum thinking to a more reflective, deliberative mindset, which, in turn, is likely to lead to the recognition of golden opportunities,\u201d their paper concludes.\nIn other words, when one person pauses to think during the conversation, it can help them to see talks as more than a tug of war and move deliberations forward to a favorable outcome.\n\n\n\n\n10) \nHow does your personality type affect your income?\n \u2013 BigThink\n\n\nThe highest-earning Myers-Briggs personality type? ENTJ at $60k annual income on average. The lowest? INFP at $34k annual income on average. The data is taken from a survey from over 72 thousand people, so I\u2019d pay attention. \n\n\nThese are the personality types, average income advantage and the traits most correlated with income advantage. \n\n\n\n\nAnd this is the percentage of each type earning $150k and above\n\n\n\n\nRegardless of your personality type, know this: you can still make big bucks if you use your natural inclination to your advantage. It\u2019s a matter of using your skillsets and tools well, and learning how to adapt to extrovert-centric world. \n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-88/", "title": "Link Roundup #88: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1\n. \nThe Real Reason You Avoid Looking At Your Credit Card Statement\n \u2013 Refinery29\n\n\nTerm of the day: Money avoidance. It\u2019s when you feel uncomfortable and frustrated by your financial life (credit card debt, spent too much last month etc) and avoid checking your bank account and doing something about it. You pretend the problem is not there.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n2. \nIf you\u2019re so smart, why aren\u2019t you rich? Turns out it\u2019s just chance.\n \u2013 MIT Technology Review\n\n\nIf you\u2019re smart but not rich (yet), don\u2019t beat yourself too hard. It\u2019s just luck. \n\n\nThe wealthiest individuals are typically not the most talented or anywhere near it. \u201cThe maximum success never coincides with the maximum talent, and vice-versa,\u201d say the researchers.\nSo if not talent, what other factor causes this skewed wealth distribution? \u201cOur simulation clearly shows that such a factor is just pure luck,\u201d say Pluchino and co.\n\n\nThis tells me 2 things: (1) we really have to stop thinking multi-billionaires are more talented (and more deserving of their wealth) when they are just luckier, and (2) wow is it really down to luck? That sucks. \n\n\nUntil I found out you can make your own luck. \n\n\n3. \nThe \u2018serendipity mindset\u2019: how to make your own luck\n \u2013 The Guardian\n\n\nYou can make your own luck by adopting the \u2018serendipity mindset\u2019; welcoming the unexpected and connecting the dots. In the words of Dr Chistian Busch, author of \nThe Serendipity Mindset, The Art and Science of\u00a0Creating Good Luck\n,\n\n\n\u201cSerendipity is smart, active luck,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s when you see something in the unexpected and connect the dots. It\u2019s different from blind luck, which you can\u2019t really influence.\u201d\n\n\nI really love the suggestion to actively seed for opportunities by giving out \u2018hooks\u2019 to people you meet. \n\n\n\u201cThere\u2019s always that dreaded question: \u2018What do you do\u2019,\u201d says Busch. \u201cYou can say: \u2018I\u2019m a journalist, but recently I started reading about philosophy, and what I\u2019m really interested in is exploring science.\u2019\nHe\u2019s given you three potential \u2018hooks\u2019. He\u2019s seeding potential dots so that you can connect them. You could respond, \u2018Oh what a coincidence, I just started reading this book on philosophy and I want to set up a book club.\u2019\u201d\n\n\nThat is such a practical and genius way to connect with more people, who may help you get to where you want to be (and vice versa)!\n\n\n4. \nTrapped in the Metaverse: Here\u2019s What 24 Hours Feels Like\n \u2013 WSJ\n\n\nLike everyone else, I\u2019m intrigued by the Metaverse concept as well. Glad to stumble upon this journalist\u2019s experiment where she spent 24 hours in VR and switched between virtual worlds (and avatars) using VR headset. \n\n\nAfter watching, the only thing I feel like trying is the game. Seems fun as heck. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n5\n. \nI lost my first job ever to depression: Here\u2019s how I\u00a0healed\n \u2013 MadnessTBH\n\n\nHighly appreciate this raw post on the reality of trying to keep a job while battling depression. Hope it helps anyone out there to keep trying to find methods and medications that may work for you\n\n\n6. \nKedah bans all 4D shops\n \u2013 FMT\n\n\nSo Kedah has effectively banned gambling in the state. As much as I agree that gambling is a social ill, I also know that the activity will only go underground. Human behaviour is not that easy to change. Addiction is not easy at all to fix.\n\n\nIf you (or someone you love) *must* gamble, use DeFi platforms like PoolTogether. Even if you don\u2019t win the lottery, the platform will still return your participation fee aka cost of your lottery tickets to you. \n\n\nLook up no-loss lottery.\n\n\n7. \nUse This 1 Easy Hack Every Day to Become a More Positive Person, Backed by Research\n \u2013 Inc\n\n\nPeople tend to gravitate to likeable people, who also tend to be positive people. \n\n\nHow do you be more positive? That\u2019s a million-dollar question, but this is a pretty good start: changing your vocabulary from consequence thinking to value and opportunity thinking. \n\n\nThe article gave some really good examples of how it looks in practice. If you tend to be on the negative side, and want to be more positive, then this article is a good read. \n\n\n8\n.\n \nThis 5-minute trick can help you get the job\n \u2013 Fast Co\n\n\nThis article is for those of you who are not as good looking as your peers. Read the article \u2013 it makes a good case for using power poses during job interviews, which may give you the edge you need to equalise human\u2019s natural bias and preference for favouring the more attractive person. \n\n\nOh yes, good-looking people do have it better. \n\n\nOn average, good-looking people earn\u00a0\nhigher pay\n, receive higher performance evaluations, and have a better chance of being\u00a0\npromoted\n. To our chagrin, even better-looking professors get\u00a0\nhigher teaching evaluations\n. Particularly dismaying is the evidence that more attractive candidates are more likely to be\u00a0\nhired in the first place\n, meaning that this trend starts even before people have a chance to prove themselves on the job.\n\n\n9. Mastercard set to launch Asia\u2019s first crypto-linked cards that you can use anywhere\n\u00a0\u2013 SoyaCincau\n\n\nI had one of these crypto cards. They were around in 2016, got banned and blocked from operating (remember TenX? Or Wirex?) and now making a comeback in 2021 woah\n\n\n\n\n10. \nThis Heat Map Of Klang Valley Shows How Much You Need To Make To Afford A Home In Any Area\n\u00a0\u2013 Says\n\n\nWhat a cool use of data analytics to visualise home loan eligibility! \n\n\n\n\nThis is how much you need to earn to buy a house based on location. You definitely need at least 10K to buy a house in KL city center, Mont Kiara, Hartamas, Ampang Hilir & Damansara Heights.\n#geospatial\n \n#HouseHunters\n \npic.twitter.com/lG78pKuH3c\n\u2014 Crib (@cribdotmy) \nNovember 11, 2021\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-89/", "title": "Link Roundup #89: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1\n. \nSalary Story: I Got Tactical With My Salary & Now I Earn 93k\n \u2013 Refinery29\n\n\nA sharing by a young woman who increased her salary through negotiations and job changes. What makes it relatable is the redundancy phase where she lost her job during the pandemic, but got back on her feet again, landing a job with an even better salary. \n\n\n\n\nSpeaking of increasing salaries, don\u2019t forget to read this one: \n3 Ways to Get High Salary in Malaysia, Regardless of Your Background\n\n\n2. \n5 easy, proven ways to break bad habits (and create better ones)\n \u2013 Fast Co\n\n\nIt\u2019s more like, easy* with an asterisk, but solid tips can be found here (oh, if only breaking bad habits is that easy). I myself have a goal of creating healthy habits but can\u2019t seem to convince myself that I am someone who no longer puts junk food in my body (Tip #2 \u2013 True behavior change is identity change) nor able to make exercise \u2018obvious, attractive, easy, and satisfying\u2019 (Tip #3)\n\n\nStill, learning the theory is part of the habit-building process. Gotta know them so you can do Tip #5 \u2013 Reflect on your progress to master your skill.\n\n\n3. \nDoes Money Buy Happiness?\n \u2013 Female in Finance\n\n\nThis post was featured in Of Dollars and Data\u2019s \nMy Favorite Investment Writing of 2021\n compilation, and I\u2019m now sharing it here because the writing is so personal. She wrote from the perspective of someone who has a lot of money, but didn\u2019t have her health. \n\n\nExcerpt:\n\n\nI didn\u2019t have friends who would come over to help me. No one invited me to anything anymore because they knew I couldn\u2019t do anything. No one checked in on me. In fact, I realized maybe some people weren\u2019t meant to be my friends if they can\u2019t help me at my worst, so I even cut some \u201cfriends\u201d out. \nI still had a lot of money though.\nTo make matters worse, about 6 months into this accident, I started to struggle with other areas of my health. I had trouble breathing, vertigo, I was chronically fatigued. Was this depression from not being able to walk? No. It was worse. \nI still had a lot of money though.\n\n\nHope that made you think as much as I did. \n\n\n4. \nThe Case for A Fair Work Act, Part 4: Ensuring Fair Contracts\n \u2013 The Centre\n\n\n\u201cMinimum wage should be increased!!\u201d\n\n\nYes\u2026 but how?\n\n\nFinancial activists, meet policy research. The awesome folks at The Centre have been laying the foundation for Fair Work Act, including the legislation that needs to be introduced, updated and passed so that employee rights are improved. \n\n\n\n\n5\n.\n \nHow To Use The Grey Rock Method To Shut Down Toxic People, From Experts\n \u2013 MindBodyGreen\n\n\nWorking with or co-existing with toxic and narcissistic people that you can\u2019t avoid? If yes, you NEED to know the Grey Rock Method, just to keep your own sanity. \n\n\nIt\u2019s tough. Hang in there. \n\n\n6. \nThe 5 Stages of Emergency Fund: Which Stage Are You In?\n \u2013 Marcus Keong\n\n\nNice explanation of emergency fund, benchmarks, and mini-milestones in the process of fully-funding your emergency fund. \n\n\nThe flexi-home loan one is something I recently found out \u2013 from Hann Liew of RinggitPlus. Read how it works, in his words, in the \nPersonal Finance Chit Chat show\n transcript.\n\n\n7. \n5 Crypto tools for investors you might need\n \u2013 Tokenize\n\n\nThere are good crypto tools in here, some which I personally use. In particular, I want to point out the Greed and Fear Index tool.\n\n\nNow, don\u2019t take this as law or anything, but as a general rule, Extreme Fear is a good time to buy crypto and Extreme Greed is a good time to sell crypto. \n\n\n\n\n8\n.\n \nMy Dad Judges My Husband for Not Making More Money\n \u2013 The Cut\n\n\nA new type of modern-day dilemma: what does one do if the female partner makes significantly more money than her spouse, but the older generation (like in this case, her father) are still stuck to \u2018men must earn more\u2019 mentality?\n\n\nThese things are happening in real life, and will continue to happen with more frequency. All of us have to get used to it, but none of us know what to do or what to say if it happens to us or friends/family, so reading this case study will somewhat prepare you for it. \n\n\n9. Imposter syndrome: you\u2019re worth it, even if you don\u2019t always think so\n\u00a0\u2013 Financial Times\n\n\nThe only chart I care about from this article is this one \u2013 the gap in confidence between male and female leaders by age. \n\n\nSee the confidence gap? Women consistently feel less confident than men. Why is that? \n\n\n\n\nAccording to the article, it\u2019s because..\n\n\n..because of a \nwidespread tendency to see bravado and charisma as\u00a0a sign of leadership potential, \naccording to Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, a business psychology professor at University College London and Columbia University. \nThose with a quieter\u00a0leadership style are often overlooked. \nWomen are less likely to overrate themselves\n, he argues. Accordingly, \nmany ill-suited men get\u00a0top jobs\n. \nArrogant people even use humble-bragging as a means of stealing some of the social equity of the underconfident.\n\n\n\n\nMy takeaway is this: when women say they \u2018can be better\u2019 at something, I\u2019m just going to assume she is at least of expert level. And when men brag too much about their ability, I\u2019m going to think he\u2019s average at best. \n\n\n10. \nI Bought a $150,000 Passport that can Travel the World\n\u00a0\u2013 Yes Theory\n\n\nAnd last but not least, a fascinating insight into the process of passport-buying. I\u2019m so happy for him \u2013 he will no longer be restricted from many countries just because of his nationality (he\u2019s from Egypt) nor forced to join the military!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-9/", "title": "Link Roundup #9: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "Accelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1.\u00a0\nWe Put Klang Valley\u2019s Ride-Share Apps In A Head-To-Head Price Test\n\u00a0\u2013 Vulcan Post\n\n\nSurprising fact no 1: There are (at least) five active ride-sharing apps operating in the Malaysian market. Five!\n\n\nThey are: Grab, MyCar, MULA, EZCab and Dacsee. LOVE this article comparing the prices plus waiting times for each of them. I\u2019m already a Grab and MyCar user \u2013 I think I\u2019ll install EZCar too because the price looks pretty good.\n\n\n\n\n2.\u00a0\nHow Busy Marketers Can Make Money on the Side\n \u2013 Entrepreneur\n\n\nI\u2019m a writer, but I also consider myself a self-learned digital marketer. This article helped me brainstorm money-making opportunities I could explore. Especially the paid speaking opportunities part \u2013 didn\u2019t know they could pay that much! Apparently you can make more than $20,000 per keynote speech overseas, woah!\n\n\nThose are overseas rates though. Do you know how much speaking gigs pay here in Malaysia? Any contribution appreciated, just add them in the comments section!\n\n\n3.\u00a0\n7 Money-Saving Meal Prep Tips, According to Instagram Influencers\n \u2013 Time\n\n\nSolid meal-prepping tips + pretty pictures = <3\n\n\nRandom confession: I love grocery shopping because it\u2019s one of the rare occasions when I get to shop my heart out without feeling guilty. I enjoy trying out new ingredients, and over time I\u2019ve developed a nice rotation of healthy, quick and fairly cheap meals that I really enjoy. Examples:\n\n\n\n\nBaked salmon (miso-ginger, lemon-mustard, etc)\n\n\nPerfect omelette [+ any protein/veggies]\n\n\nGarlic stir-fried greens\n\n\nGulai [any protein/veggies] #noghoripride\n\n\nRoast chicken (I make soup/broth with the bones, too!)\n\n\n\n\nJust pair the above with either brown rice, wholegrain bread or pasta and I\u2019m set. Each cooking session feeds me anywhere between 1-5 or more meals.\n\n\nDo you meal-prep? What do you usually make?\n\n\n4.\u00a0\n8 Instagram Accounts That\u2019ll Help You Save (Not Spend!) Money\n \u2013 Apartment Therapy\n\n\nInstagram has never really been the home for personal finance content but I think we\u2019re seeing a shift here! Love this list \u2013 it includes The Financial Diet, The Broke Millennial and Budget Bytes, which are portals I\u2019ve loved for years now. If you\u2019re on Instagram, definitely follow them! Their posts may help you reduce those spending urges you get while browsing Instagram!\n\n\n5.\u00a0\n7 Quotes That Will Make You Rethink Your Personal Finances\n \u2013 The Motley Fool\n\n\nLove these quotes, especially number #2 \u2013 \u201cToo many people spend money they haven\u2019t earned, to buy things they don\u2019t want, to impress people that they don\u2019t like.\u201d \u2013 and number #4 \u2013 \u201cWealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.\u201d\n\n\nI need to print these out. Still catch myself wanting to buy things that others buy, even though they\u2019re not \u2018me\u2019 per se. Last month I considered buying a branded luxury bag. The one that cost thousands one. The urge is not there anymore, but it comes and goes.\n\n\n6. \nWhat Amazon and Uber Teach Us About the Disruptive Power of Convenience\n \u2013 Inc\n\n\nBusiness owners reading this, here\u2019s your biggest takeaway \u2013 convenience sells. Don\u2019t compete on just price. Offer less friction for your products and services.\n\n\nThe author outlined the 6 principles of convenience. Here they are, copied in full:\n\n\n\n\nReduce friction.\n\u00a0Make it easy to do business with you. Some companies make this the\u00a0focus of their value proposition.\n\n\nTechnology.\n\u00a0Leverage technology\u00a0to create a smoother customer experience.\n\n\nSelf-service.\n\u00a0Let customers own their experience if it makes their lives easier.\n\n\nSubscription.\n\u00a0Like a magazine or newspaper that shows up on a regular basis, there may be a facet of your business that can operate under a similar model. For example, a hardware store could automatically deliver air conditioning or furnace filters every six months, rather than making the customer remember to come in and buy them.\n\n\nDelivery.\n\u00a0Literally, take your product or service to the customer.\n\n\nAccess.\n\u00a0This encompasses logistics, hours of operation and availability.\n\n\n\n\nClick on the article to read the four questions that can assess your convenience factor. Question #2 is thought-provoking.\n\n\n7.\u00a0\nWhat I Learned Tracking My \u201cWants\u201d For 30 Days!\n \u2013 Budgets Are $exy\n\n\nAwesome personal finance post, emphasising on the \u2018personal\u2019 part! Even someone as seasoned as J. Money was surprised by what he spent in his \u2018Wants\u2019 category!\n\n\nI think I\u2019ll do a similar post about my own \u2018Wants\u2019 category! Look out for that!\n\n\n8.\u00a0\nWhether a Husband Identifies as a Breadwinner Depends on Whether He Respects His Wife\u2019s Career \u2014 Not on How Much She Earns\n \u2013 Harvard Business Review\n\n\nInsightful! Let me just copy+paste paragraphs that summarise the whole thing:\n\n\n\u201cMy\u00a0\nresearch\n\u00a0suggests that while some men fall back on the classic identity of a breadwinner, others respond to this tension by adopting the modern identity of what I call a \u201cbreadsharer.\u201d Research on dual-career couples often focuses on how spouses balance their earnings or work hours, but my research showed that these groups of men \ndiffered most fundamentally in how they perceived the\u00a0\nsocial status\n\u00a0of their wives\u2019 work\n \u2014 its worth and prestige in society. This perception in turn shaped how men described the financial value of their wives\u2019 work.\u201d\n\n\n\u201cThese different interpretations of the social status and financial value of their wives\u2019 careers provided men with different ways of approaching their own careers. Breadsharers sought to remain professionally flexible to maximize their ability to respond to their wives\u2019 career opportunities, and were hence\n uncommitted to any particular pathway and open to leaving their organization\n. Breadwinners, however, seeing no need to be flexible around their wife\u2019s career, \ntended to be more committed to achieving success within their organization\u2019s hierarchy\n.\u201d\n\n\nThe article did not touch on which type of husband is \u2018better\u2019 in their careers (although you and I know which type women will prefer to marry).\n\n\n9.\u00a0\nOnline grocery landscape in Malaysia\n \u2013 ECInsider\n\n\nSo many awesome information I didn\u2019t know about! The article lists nine major grocery stores and lists whether they sell through their own platform, through e-marketplaces (Lazada, Shopee) and through delivery providers (HappyFresh, Honestbee).\n\n\nI DID NOT KNOW GIANT AND COLD STORAGE IS UNDER THE SAME GROUP OF COMPANIES WUT\n\n\nI ALSO DID NOT KNOW THERE ARE GROCERY STORES WITHOUT PHYSICAL STORES OMG (and they\u2019re called \u2018pure-play\u2019?? First time heard that term!)\n\n\n10.\u00a0\n9 surprising things I\u2019ve learned in 5.5 years of freelancing\n \u2013 Tam Henderson via Medium\n\n\nI\u2019ve been a freelance writer for almost 3 years now, and foresee myself continuing this work. Reading Tam\u2019s piece is like peeking into my possible future! Love her style of writing, love the quality of her \nbusiness landing page\n. It\u2019s amazing to see how professional freelancers go above and beyond when selling their skills, making clients come to them instead of the other way around. Not gonna lie, major brain crush.\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on\u00a0\nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-90/", "title": "Link Roundup #90: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1\n. \nYour helpfulness at work is hurting your job performance\n \u2013 Fast Co\n\n\nBeing a helpful person is good\u2026 until it\u2019s not, because people keep asking for your help and you can\u2019t get your work done, affecting your KPIs. \n\n\nIf this trait describes you, then check out the section in the article talking about strategies to prevent collaboration overload and burnout. \n\n\n2. \nDoes Budgeting Actually Help People Save Money? This Experiment With a Huge Fintech Company Suggests \u2026 Not\n \u2013 Global Fintech Series\n\n\n\u201c(Budgeting made) no significant difference (positive or negative). Plus, budgeters were overly optimistic. They made budgets 25% lower than their regular spending, then continued spending exactly as they had.\u201d\n\n\nSo they\u2019re saying, budgeting doesn\u2019t work. Instead, what works is: \n\n\n(1) applying the \u201cnumber of times per week\u201d rule (e.g., \u201cI\u2019ll only dine out once this week\u201d)\n(2) being part of supportive community (like this one!), and \n(3) automatically transferring out your savings to another account that you don\u2019t use \n\n\nWhat do you think? Does traditional budgeting usually work for you?\n\n\n(For me I still think budgeting is handy to at least get the ballpark figure for spending in different expense categories. But on its own maybe not enough, still need other strategies so one actually sticks to it). \n\n\n3. \n8 Employer Red Flags to Look for Before Accepting a Job Offer\n \u2013 MakeUseOf\n\n\nThe red flags are:\n\n\nNo formal agreement\nVerbal promises\nUnclear company goals \nInappropriate personal questions\nNo employee handbook\nVacancy due to mass layoff\nRude or sarcastic interviewer\nNo strong company values\n\n\nWhat red flags, from your own experience, would you add to the list? Top of my head, I\u2019m thinking no EPF/SOCSO, minimum wage offer (the fact that employers can, by law doesn\u2019t mean that they should), and safe working environment (of course). \n\n\n4. \nThis Infographic Breaks Down Careers In Finance, From Hedge Funds to M&A\n \u2013 Visual Capitalist\n\n\nWhat does \u2018working in finance\u2019 mean? I wondered, and this infographic does a good job of explaining the different players and how everything fits together. \n\n\n\n\n5\n.\n \nAnnual reviews can be fraught for women. Here are tips to help you prep.\n \u2013 The Lily\n\n\nThis part tho:\n\n\nWomen may also underestimate their performance at work. Laura McFadden, an executive leadership coach, says that in their self-evaluations, \nwomen tend to grade themselves lower than men do\n.\nOne study\n\u00a0found that men rate their performances 33 percent higher than women \u2014 even when their performance is equal. Researchers found\u00a0\nthis gap in self-promotion persisted\n\u00a0even when workers were told their actual performance and how they rated among their peers.\n\n\nSo women, whatever score you put in self-assessment, add a bit on top of that.\n\n\n6. \nChallenge Yourself With a No-Spend Month To Save Money\n \u2013 The Balance\n\n\nI *love* reading other people\u2019s no-spend challenges but find that I can never do it for myself, I love spending freedom too much. So my strategy of choice is mindful spending rather than drastically quitting. \n\n\nHowever, I also like the idea of doing no-spend challenge but for a specific category, like clothes or something. \n\n\nStill sitting on the idea. Have you done a no-spend challenge before? How was it? \n\n\n7. \nI Tried a Meditation That Promised to Make Me Rich and Successful\n \u2013 Vice\n\n\nI\u2019m sorry but meditation for what now? Quantum jumping? Manifesting success through meeting the ideal version of you who lives in other dimensions? What the heck are y\u2019all smoking. TikTok trends are wild. \n\n\n8\n.\n \n52 Simple (But Delicious) One-Pot Meals To Make\n \u2013 Buzzfeed\n\n\nSharing because I\u2019m salivating over the Lemon Garlic Shrimp and Rice recipe. \n\n\n(Ps I don\u2019t know if you know this but you can use rice cooker to make many one-pot recipes. Easy to make and wash up, and excellent for meal prepping)\n\n\n\n\n9. \nMore than emotional intelligence is required to work remotely\u2014you also need this 1 thing\n\u00a0\u2013 Fast Co\n\n\nThis is my first time hearing about virtual intelligence! If you work from home a lot, this article is worth a read. \n\n\n10. \nWhat Do You Put on White Rice? | 10 Countries Answer\n\u00a0\u2013 Beryl Shereshewsky\n\n\nPeople: Do you like international cuisines?\n\n\nMe *scoops rice on plate*: Yes\n\n\nThis is such a great video, and it\u2019s always fun to experiment with a staple and cheap ingredient too!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-91/", "title": "Link Roundup #91: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1\n. Landing a remote job is getting competitive \u2014 here\u2019s how to stand out as an applicant\n \u2013 CNBC Make It\n\n\nI\u2019ve said this once and I\u2019ll say it again: you don\u2019t have to migrate to earn more money. You can just find a high-paying remote job that pays in USD (or EUR or whatever), and live in Malaysia. This arrangement can give you a pretty good life. \n\n\nAdmittedly getting that remote job is not easy. Hopefully, the tips in this article can help you land one!\n\n\n\n\nPeople who want better opportunities but can't physically leave Malaysia (family, ability etc), go find remote working opportunities on \nhttps://t.co/Nha0vlqCrl\n \nhttps://t.co/bCRFvm5SuT\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nNovember 16, 2021\n\n\n\n\nOr you can also \nmake your money online\n, like I did. \n\n\n2. \nI Didn\u2019t Do the Thing Today: Letting Go of Productivity Guilt\n \u2013 Next Big Idea Club\n\n\nNew day, new term: productivity guilt. Where you feel guilty for resting because you should be doing \nmore\n, even though rationally you know you\u2019re only human. \n\n\n\n\n3. \n\u201cI\u2019m Not Good at Anything:\u201d How to Combat Low Self-Esteem\n \u2013 Very Well Mind\n\n\nPeople who have low self-esteem tend to take lower-paying jobs and stay in abusive relationships, which obviously will impact their financial life. \n\n\nIf you think you have low self-esteem, please make sure to read this article.  \n\n\n4. \nStill avoiding life admin? How to motivate yourself to do even the dullest of tasks\n \u2013 CNBC Make It\n\n\nWhat \u2018life admin\u2019 is was never clarified, but I liked the part where the writer differentiated between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and how people who tend to rely on extrinsic motivation HAVE to find strategies to increase intrinsic motivation during this age of social-distancing. \n\n\nAnyway, if you find it hard to convince yourself to do something because you\u2019ve always relied on peer pressure, then this article is a good read. \n\n\n5\n.\n \nThe customers who repeatedly buy doomed products\n \u2013 The Hustle\n\n\nDid you know there\u2019s a name for the subset of customers who tend to buy products that are doomed to fail? Apparently, the \u2018~25\n%\u00a0\nof customers consistently buy products that end up flopping within 3 years\u2019 are called harbinger customers. There is a direct correlation between the product they buy and the reduced probability of that product\u2019s success!\n\n\n\n\nReally enjoyed this read \u2013 the data behind their purchases is so fascinating! \n\n\n6. \nYou\u2019re not imagining it, people are more rude at work. Here are 4 ways to fight it\n \u2013 Fast Co\n\n\nDealing with rude people at work? According to \na study\n by Portland State University, \u2019employees who experience or witness incivilities are more likely to be uncivil to others \u2014 a worrying trend that could intensify as people return to in-person work.\u2019\n\n\nHope the tips in the article can help you deal with it better. \n\n\n7. \nHow I scaled my freelance business to $10,000/month\n \u2013 The Next Web\n\n\nDon\u2019t let the \u2018free\u2019 in \u2018freelancer\u2019 fool you. Lots of people earn serious money from freelancing. I do too (even though I prefer the term \u2018self-employed\u2019).\n\n\nSome really good advice here on scaling your freelance business, aka improving upon good, solid foundation (as opposed of just starting out). In a nutshell, the strategies are:\n\n\nRaise your rates\nDrop low-paying clients\nBook regular, long-term clients\nSpecialize\nSet value- and project-based pricing\nChange your mindset\nMarket yourself\n\n\nClick on the article to learn more. \n\n\n8\n.\n \nSimps Are Organizing to Worship Women With Their Crypto\n \u2013 Vice\n\n\nFirst thought: Really? Of all the things you can do with your money, \nthis?\n\n\nSecond thought: Who the hell am I to judge? As long as they don\u2019t go into debt into this, just have fun. Life is short. \n\n\n\n\n9. Money printing \u2018robs\u2019 working class, makes rich richer\n\u00a0\u2013 FMT\n\n\nThis is an opinion piece from K.Karthigugan arguing how money printing in Malaysia disproportionately affects the poor. The whole 6-part series is worth a read. It\u2019ll make you think very hard about the financial system we live in. \n\n\n10. Ibrahim Sani\u2019s Notepad: Suraya Zainudin on Creator Economy\n\n\nAnd last but not least, it\u2019s me on Ibrahim Sani\u2019s Notepad show on Astro Awani! We talked about Ringgit Oh Ringgit and the creator economy. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-92/", "title": "Link Roundup #92: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1\n. If You Use These 6 Phrases a Lot, You\u2019re a Better Leader Than You Think\n \u2013 Inc\n\n\nLeadership is more than these 6 phrases, but this is a great starting point. They are:\n\n\n\u201cWe could not have done it without your hard effort.\u201d\n\u201cI could use your advice on what direction to take.\u201d\n\u201cHow can I help?\u201d\n\u201cI trust you.\u201d\u00a0\n\u201cHonestly, I don\u2019t know.\u201d\n\u201cWhat do you need from me?\u201d\n\n\nRead the article to understand the justification. \n\n\n2. \n7 Phrases Emotionally Abusive Partners Use To Control Their Relationships\n \u2013 HuffPost\n\n\nDid you watch Tinder Swindler? I did too, and horrified at how the scammer financially abused his partners. Financial abuse starts with emotional abuse, so take 3 mins to read this article to identify how it looks like. Who knows you\u2019re in such relationship right now (I hope not, but if yes, LEAVE). \n\n\nHowever, what that dude did was more evil, more psychopathic. You\u2019ll be thinking but how could someone even do horrible things like that but remember psychopaths literally don\u2019t care if they hurt you as long as they gain from it.\n\n\nI\u2019ve shared this before and will share it again: please learn how to spot psychopaths, so you can avoid them. \n\n\n\n\nPsychopaths are predators who lack empathy and harm others for fun and profit. It is estimated that 2-4% of the population are psychopaths\nLearn how to spot them early. If not, they will eventually use you for their own gains \npic.twitter.com/fTI5NWZLoK\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nSeptember 29, 2021\n\n\n\n\n3. \nHe insists on splitting bills, even amid his raises and spouse\u2019s massive pay cut \n\u2013 The Washington Post\n\n\nWhat do you do when your partner earns (way) more than you, but insist on splitting bills evenly? \n\n\nThis is a very real dilemma within dual-income households. You should know what\u2019s acceptable behaviour and what isn\u2019t, and what you can do about it. \n\n\n4. \nIt\u2019s not just you. Science explains how your focus is more scattered now and how to get it back\n \u2013 Fast Co\n\n\nThe first bolded subheading got me \u2013 \u2018Your attention didn\u2019t collapse. It was stolen.\u2019\n\n\nI \u2013 and you as well, let\u2019s face it \u2013 are having trouble focusing, and it\u2019s systemic rather than a personal weakness. Each social media platform and web portal wants you to stay as long as possible on their site, so they implement tweaks to make you crave to get back there. This is how the internet works now. \n\n\nAnd now your brain is messed up. It\u2019s hard to focus. \n\n\nLike all problems, the first step is acknowledging the damage. The average RoR audience is 25-35 years old. We\u2019ll be using your brain for a long time. This is common sense, but needs to be said \u2013 we have to take care of it, because no one else will. \n\n\n5\n.\n \nA New Study Explains What It Takes to Stop Wasting So Much Time Online\n \u2013 Inc\n\n\nThe post is worth reading in full, but tl;dr \u2013 research showed that the more videos you watch, the more you\u2019ll want to watch, so \u2018\ndon\u2019t let yourself go on a streak\u2019. \nIt\u2019s fine to watch a video, but keep it at ONE video. \n\n\nThe same applies to other content. \n\n\n6. \nConsumers Aren\u2019t Willing to Give Up Convenience to Shop Their Values\n \u2013 Enterpreneur Asia Pacific\n\n\nWe claim to make buying decisions based on our values, but in reality, most people are swayed by fast shipping and the lowest price.\n\n\nWell aren\u2019t that a stab in the ol\u2019 conscience :\u2019)\n\n\n7. \nHow to Want Less\n \u2013 The Atlantic\n\n\nOn that subject, I\u2019m a big believer in living a fulfilled life without a lot of\u2026 stuff. In this beautiful essay exploration, the author wrote about the very human behaviour of constantly chasing the next thing that caught your eye, and never being satisfied for long. An excerpt:\n\n\nYour goals are probably very different from mine, and perhaps your lifestyle is too. But the trap is the same. Everyone has dreams, and they beckon with promises of sweet, lasting satisfaction if you achieve them. But dreams are liars. When they come true, it\u2019s \u2026 fine, for a while. And then a new dream appears.\n\n\nMaybe they\u2019re right \u2013 the key to happiness is appreciating what you already have, instead of chasing new things and commercial experiences. \n\n\n8\n.\n \nI\u2019m Unhappy at Work. Should I Quit My Job?\n \u2013 Vice\n\n\nTL;DR \u2013 find career coach. \n\n\nWhat? Really? Perhaps that\u2019s a good suggestion, but I\u2019ve never really seen people actually taking that advice? What do YOU do when you\u2019re unhappy at work but can\u2019t afford to quit?\n\n\n9. \nFeds Arrest Couple Who Allegedly Laundered $1 Billion in Stolen Bitcoins\n\u00a0\u2013 Vice\n\n\nAside from the amount (the 94,000 bitcoins are worth $3.6 \nBILLION \nat today\u2019s rate), what\u2019s cool is how they tracked down the couple, who tried hard to cover their tracks using these strategies:\n\n\nLichtenstein and Morgan laundered money using the following techniques, according to the document:\n\u201c(1) using accounts set up with fictitious identities; \n(2) moving the stolen funds in a series of small amounts, totaling thousands of transactions, as opposed to moving the funds all at once or in larger chunks; \n(3) utilizing computer programs to automate transactions, a laundering technique that allows for many transactions to take place in a short period of time; \n(4) layering the stolen funds by depositing them into accounts at a variety of VCEs and darknet markets and then withdrawing the funds, which obfuscates the trail of the transaction history by breaking up the fund flow; \n(5) converting the BTC to other forms of virtual currency, including anonymity-enhanced virtual currency, in a practice known as \u201cchain hopping\u201d; \nand (6) using U.S.-based business accounts to legitimize activity.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n10. I Tried Furnishing My Empty Living Room For $500 \u2013 Goodful\n\n\nEnjoyed this video showing the fun and challenges of furnishing one\u2019s house for cheap, using secondhand marketplaces and listings. I think she did well, the place looks awesome!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-94/", "title": "Link Roundup #94: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\n1. \nHow Managers Can Support Employees With Long Covid\n \u2013 MIT Sloan\n\n\nWe are moving into endemic phase. It seems that lots of people getting Covid-19 is considered unavoidable as long as the death toll remains low(-ish). \n\n\nHowever, the outcome of getting Covid is not simply death or complete recovery. There\u2019s also the in-between recovered-but-still-in-pain situation, where some people suffer from prolonged symptoms, sometimes lasting even years. This is called long Covid. \n\n\nIt\u2019s not a stretch to say more people than you think are suffering from long Covid, who still have to work. Hopefully they (you?) will have the support you need from the workplace, if you\u2019re unlucky enough to get it. \n\n\n2. \nStuck in a Mental Fog? 5 Research-Backed Ways to Clear Your Mind\n \u2013 Inc\n\n\nEven if you manage to avoid Covid-19, you could still be affected by something that affected almost everyone during the pandemic \u2013 brain fog. \n\n\nIf your head frequently feels \u2018foggy\u2019, then read this article. It may help. At the very least, you\u2019ll know what caused it \u2013 prolonged stress and anxiety. \n\n\n3. \nHere\u2019s What Doomscrolling Is Doing to Your Brain \u2013 And How to Fix It\n \u2013 Science Alert\n\n\nIf you read the article above (#2), you\u2019ll know doomscrolling is one of the reasons why we are experiencing brain fog. \n\n\nThis article goes a little bit deeper into what doomscrolling does to the brain. It\u2019s not good\u2026\n\n\nHowever, I must say that doomscrolling is the reason why I chanced upon the Gender Pay Gap bot. \n\n\n4\n.\n \nThis bot is tweeting pay disparity data at companies posting about International Women\u2019s Day\n \u2013 The Verge\n\n\nThe \nGender Pay Gap bot on Twitter\n is one of the very few things (if not the only thing) that cheered me during International Women\u2019s Day. It exposed how much women are paid in UK companies, compared to their male counterparts.  \n\n\n\n\nEven though it\u2019s sad to see many companies still pay women less (being paid 20-40% less isn\u2019t uncommon..), it\u2019s a nice change from the faux-celebratory messages and lip service we usually see from corporates. Now that the companies are shamed publicly, maybe some of them will take some steps to improve. \n\n\n\n\n5. \nWhen People Assume You\u2019re Not In Charge Because You\u2019re a Woman\n\u2013 HBR\n\n\nGender pay gap is not the only thing we have to improve on. We also have to get used to women in authority positions. Let\u2019s learn a new term: role incredulity. \n\n\nRole incredulity is a form of gender bias where women are mistakenly assumed to be in a support or stereotypically female role \u2014 secretary, administrative assistant, court reporter, nurse, wife, girlfriend \u2014 rather than a leadership or stereotypically male role, such as CEO, professor, lawyer, doctor, or engineer. \nIn these instances, women must expend extra energy and time to assert and sometimes prove their role. Their words may lack the credibility and authority inherent in their position. \nRole incredulity surfaced as a common theme in our research dataset of women\u2019s stories from interviews, open-ended survey responses, social media posts, and public articles.\n\n\nHow to avoid this form of gender bias? Until proven otherwise, just assume the women you\u2019re meeting with are the person in charge. \n\n\nAnother type of gender bias that you may have \u2013 looking down on househusbands. \n\n\n6. \nLocal Media Criticised For Censoring Face of Househusband, Sparks Debate on Shame of Being One\n\u00a0\u2013 World of Buzz\n\n\nThe other day I tweeted about how a local media implies being a househusband is shameful. It got quoted in WORLD OF BUZZ.\n\n\nListen, any household arrangement is good as long as the couple is mutually supportive and no one is taking advantage of the other. It doesn\u2019t matter who\u2019s making the money. Men who are househusbands, stay strong and don\u2019t bother what people say. Keep being good dads and husbands.\n\n\n\n\nhusband and wife in supportive partnerships: *happily live their life*\nmalay tabloid: *implies that men becoming house husbands is embarrassing sampai censor muka*\nKadang2 kita OK je tapi orang yang sibuk tak suka hidup kita. Tabah je la lelaki, keep being a good dad & husbands \npic.twitter.com/krcrCgxiIe\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nMarch 10, 2022\n\n\n\n\n7. \nFinancial Literacy Programs Ignore That Poverty Is a Policy Choice\n \u2013 Teen Vogue\n\n\nLet\u2019s move on to financial literacy. Look at wonderfully-written article arguing that poverty is the result of systemic inequality rather than individual choice:\n\n\n\u2026economic inequality isn\u2019t driven by a knowledge gap. As progressive economists and advocates have said over the years,\u00a0\npoverty is\u00a0a policy choice\u00a0\n\u2014 meaning that poverty is the result of things like rising housing costs and stagnant wages, a starved social safety net and the criminalization of\u00a0\noffenses that are often driven by need\n, all of which could be addressed through more visionary policies. \nPoverty is the result of capitalist free market principles that prioritize continued labor exploitation and resource extraction in service of increasing profits, regardless of the material impacts on people\u2019s lives, their communities, and the planet itself.\n\n\nI am in AWE that this article was published in Teen Vogue magazine. This is what our publications should be publishing. Not shaming househusbands. \n\n\n8. \nThe parasite economy\n \u2013 The Economist\n\n\nHere\u2019s another piece of info that proves poverty and wealth inequality issue in Malaysia is systemic. Look at the chart below. Are we surprised that Malaysia is #2 in the crony-capitalism index? Are we?\n\n\nThis means that unless you are a crony, you\u2019re highly unlikely to be a billionaire in Malaysia. \n\n\n\n\n9. \nOverhaul Needed for BNPL as Losses Mount up to US$ 5.2 Billion in APAC\n \u2013 FintechNews HK\n\n\nLearning that BNPL companies are not making money and in fact making billions in losses is the schadenfreude I needed today.\n\n\nQuinlan and Associates, an independent strategy consulting firm, estimates that in Asia-Pacific (APAC), the largest BNPL firms, including Australia\u2019s Afterpay and Japan\u2019s Paidy, are currently running average profit margins of -15% per annum (p.a.), while the more nascent players operating in emerging markets like the Philippines\u2019 Cashalo and Indonesia\u2019s Akulaku are suffering from profit margins of -100% p.a.\nThis means that under their current business models, APAC BNPL players are facing a combined loss of US$5.2 billion by 2025, the firm estimates.\n\n\nHowever, it seems they are not giving up. They are figuring out \u2018BNPL operations optimisation\u2019 strategies including, I kid you not, targeting users who would use BNPL to buy big-ticket durables and luxuries. \n\n\n\n\nAnother proof that all these financing companies want is for you to buy more expensive things you don\u2019t need. \n\n\n10. How I Live on a $3200 Monthly Salary in Singapore | Budgeting as a Homeowner and Sole Breadwinner \u2013 Lisa\u2019s Adulting in Singapore\n\n\nAnd last but not least, I\u2019d like to share this wonderful how-I-manage-my-salary video. Although she is a Singaporean and some details are not applicable for us Malaysians, I find her thought process very insightful. Loved the way she explained how she uses her budget template. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-95-10-things-to-know-this-week/", "title": "Link Roundup #95: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\n1. \nThe Motivating (and Demotivating) Effects of Learning Others\u2019 Salaries\n \u2013 Harvard Business Review\n\n\nHow does learning your colleagues\u2019 salaries make you feel? You could\u2019ve learnt it in person, or via pages like \nMalaysianPayGap\n on Instagram.\n\n\nLearning that your peers with similar background, skills and experiences are making more than you (sometimes significantly more) can be motivating. It\u2019s likely you will start to feel resentment to your employer and start looking for better opportunities and higher salaries. \n\n\nHowever, it can be demotivating, too. In which case, it\u2019s not a bad idea to read the article for more in depth explanation to what and how you\u2019re feeling that way. \n\n\n\n\n2. \nI had pretty much given up on budgeting until a friend gave me a piece of advice that\u2019s help me save over $5,000 \n\u2013 Business Insider\n\n\nThe advice is\u2026 budgeting weekly instead of monthly. \n\n\nThat\u2019s quite insightful! Worth trying if the traditional monthly budgeting method doesn\u2019t work that well for you, because let\u2019s face it, 30 days is a long stretch of time and it\u2019s easy for one\u2019s motivation to run out halfway through the month. \n\n\nFind tips to budgeting weekly in the article. \n\n\n3. \nA new ETF is investing in companies based on the character of their CEOs, and Tesla\u2019s Elon Musk didn\u2019t make the cut\n \u2013 Business Insider\n\n\nThis is too funny and unique to not include. The Return on Character ETF \u2018ranks its stock holdings based on a character model centered around integrity, responsibility, forgiveness, and compassion.\u2019 \n\n\n\u2018The fund, which is actively managed and rebalances its 75 to 150 portfolio holdings once per year, believes the scores distilled from its character model will deliver outperformance in the long-term\u2019.\n\n\nSome CEOs who are included: CEOs of Apple,\u00a0Microsoft, and\u00a0Amazon, led by CEO\u2019s Tim Cook, Satya Nadella, and Andy Jassy, respectively. Other holdings in the portfolio include\u00a0Costco,\u00a0Berkshire Hathaway, and\u00a0Nvidia.\n\n\nSome CEOs who are NOT included: Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg\n\n\nThe ticker symbol is ROCI, in case you\u2019re looking out for it. \n\n\n\n\n4\n.\n \nVPNs are digital \u2018snake oil,\u2019 expert claims \u2014 here\u2019s why\n\u2013 Tom\u2019s Guide\n\n\nWait, what? I\u2019ve been told that VPNs are necessary for optimum security protection all my life??\n\n\nIn 2021, Grauer and a team from the University of Michigan tested 51 consumer VPN service providers. Along with Consumer Reports colleagues, she made more extensive analysis of 16 major VPN brands, including\u00a0CyberGhost,\u00a0ExpressVPN,\u00a0Hotspot Shield,\u00a0IPVanish,\u00a0NordVPN,\u00a0Private Internet Access,\u00a0ProtonVPN\u00a0and\u00a0Surfshark. (Grauer and Troutman both warned against using lesser-known VPNs, especially\u00a0free VPN\u00a0services that pop up in mobile app stores.)\nGrauer found that of the 16 well-known VPN services she analyzed, 12 made\u00a0\nexaggerated claims\n\u00a0about how much protection they really could provide.\n\n\nHuh. So VPNs do give better privacy, but not necessarily enhanced security. Got it. \n\n\n\u201cWhen people ask me if they should use a VPN,\u201d Grauer said, \u201cI tell them no, they should use a\u00a0password manager\u00a0instead.\u201d\n\n\n(I use Bitwarden password manager. It\u2019s good)\n\n\n5. \nHow older workers can push back against the reality of ageism\n \u2013 CNBC\n\n\nFact is, if you\u2019re lucky, you WILL be growing older. \n\n\nAnd another unfortunate fact is, most people can\u2019t afford retirement in Malaysia. \n\n\nSo it\u2019s probably a good idea for most people to learn the tips and tricks to deal with and push back against ageism in the workplace, which you will probably experience \u2013 according to the article, \u2018nearly 80% of older employees say they\u2019ve seen or experienced age discrimination in the workplace\u2019. \n\n\n\n\n6. \nHas globalization passed its peak?\u00a0\n \u2013 DW\n\n\nWith the reality of climate change looming, and complicated geo-economic strains, I sometimes wonder if the choice and availability of products I am enjoying now will soon cease to exist. I mean, how do you manufacture said products if supply chain issues caused by irregular weather and politics cause raw materials to not reach its destination?\n\n\nGet used to deglobalisation as a term, as countries and productions start to be less externally-dependent. \n\n\n7. \nYou\u2019d be a lot happier if you stop saying you\u2019re so busy\n\u00a0\u2013 Fast Co\n\n\nIt\u2019s not about being in denial about your level of activity \u2013 if your schedule is packed, then it is packed. \n\n\nIt\u2019s more about the choice of words. Saying you\u2019re busy means you are overwhelmed, which isn\u2019t great for self-autonomy and your sense of control = less happiness.  \n\n\n8. \nCelebrities at this year\u2019s Oscars got $138,000 gift bags \u2014 including a $50K private stay in a castle\n \u2013 Business Insider\n\n\nAh, the business of gift bags as a marketing channel. Yes, business. It costs the companies\u2019 money (\u201canywhere from $4,000 to $50,000\u201d) to include their items as gifts in the Oscars gift bag, which contained $138,000 in value.\n\n\n(Most of that value though is in experiences \u2013 $50,000 private vacation in a castle in Scotland and a $15,000 spa retreat)\n\n\nHowever, apparently not all items get redeemed, because gifts are taxable. \n\n\n\n\n9. \n42 Quick Habits That Have a Massive Return On Life\n \u2013 Hive\n\n\nJust a list of life reminders. Good for a skim when you\u2019re stuck, to remind you of what you should prioritise on. \n\n\n10. Indonesians Are Trying to Make Crypto Halal \u2013 Vice\n\n\nAnd last but not least, a Vice video on cryptocurrency use in Indonesia. I just find it fascinating how Indonesians justify using crypto when the local fatwa there has ruled crypto transactions haram, as they observed many use it for the purpose of speculation and gambling. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-96/", "title": "Link Roundup #96: 10 Things To Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nAre you tired of your job or is it actually burnout? \n\u2013 Futurity\n\n\nA great article to learn how to identify burnout, and its 3 distinct symptoms: \n\n\nenergy depletion and exhaustion\ndepersonalization and cynicism \nreduced efficacy\n\n\n2\n.\n \nThe Surprising Impact of Meeting-free Days\n\u2013 MIT Sloan\n\n\nAs nicely summarised by organisational psychologist \nAdam Grant\n,\n\n\n\u2018Every workplace should have at least one day a week with no meetings\u2014possibly more. 76 companies tested meeting-free days. Productivity & satisfaction increased, stress dropped, communication & cooperation improved. Blocking out time to focus is good for people and performance.\u2019\n\n\nI mean, look. Productivity increases 71% with just 2 meeting-free days!\n\n\n\n\n3. \nBest ways to manage your Duit Raya (so you can eventually buy your first home)\n \u2013 iProperty\n\n\nRead this article if you\u2019re lucky enough to still receive duit raya.\n\n\n4. \nIs Productivity The Worst Kind Of Procrastination? \n\u2013 Refinery 29\n\n\nI\u2019m sharing this article because of these paragraphs right here: \n\n\nAs\u00a0\none study\u00a0\nfound, idleness aversion is a common modern-day phenomenon. \nAs humans, we will tend to do whatever it takes and to use any justification to keep busy, even if the task is meaningless. \nThe study also found that people were more likely to report feeling happy when kept busy than idle. And while this may sound like a call to keep occupied, these feelings aren\u2019t necessarily genuine, but rather can be reflective of the core problem: \nthat keeping busy distracts us from actually processing what we\u2019re going through.\n\n\n5. \nMusic That Will Help You Focus While Working, According To Spotify Data\n \u2013 Digg\n\n\nIt\u2019s lo-fi. #SavedYouAClick\n\n\n6. \nYouth investors not averse to risk, say financial planners\u00a0\n \u2013 The Edge\n\n\nYouth\u2019s perception towards risk, as per investor survey by Securities Commission. It seems that youths view: \n\n\nASB = low risk\nStocks/shares = high risk\nUnit trust/ mutual fund = high-medium risk\nBonds/Sukuk = high-medium risk (???)\nPRS = medium-low risk\nETF, IPO, P2P financing = high risk\nCFD = medium risk (??)\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m surprised by how some investments\u2019 perception, and that only 3% of youths say they have high risk appetite. What are your thoughts on this?\n\n\n7. \nGetting a 60% salary increment at my new job.\n \u2013 Silent Confessions by Syaza Nazura\n\n\nRead how Syaza job-hopped her way into 60% higher salary! \n\n\n8. \nWomen are less likely than men to be promoted. Here\u2019s one reason why\n \u2013 MIT Sloan\n\n\nThis says it all:\n\n\n\u201con average, w\nomen received higher performance ratings than male employees, but received 8.3% lower ratings for \npotential\n than men\n. The result was that female employees on average were 14% less likely to be promoted than their male colleagues.\u201d\n\n\nThat\u2019s why they say. Men are promoted on potential. Women are promoted on results. \n\n\n9. \n15 Produk Trending Untuk Dijual Online pada Tahun 2022\n \u2013 Kartel Digital\n\n\nIf you\u2019re looking to add a side income via online selling and dropshipping, check out this article. Awesome list of stuff that Google data shows is trending.\n\n\nIn case that\u2019s too tech-speak for you, that means the demand from customer is already there. It is easier to sell what the customer already wants, rather than convince them to buy something they are meh about. \n\n\n10. 6 People Who Have Ruined Our Relationship With Money \u2013 Financial Diet\n\n\nAnd last but not least, a Financial Diet video on problematic money takes by people (and a show) usually marketed to give \u2018good\u2019 money advice. If you\u2019re a fan of any of the below, you need to watch the video.  \n\n\nRonald Reagan \nShark Tank\nDave Ramsay\nSuze Orman\nWinklevoss twins (this counted as 2 people)\n\n\nNote: Chelsea said this better than I do, but basically it\u2019s ok to admit there are some bits of wrong in people we like or respect. People aren\u2019t God and not everything they say will be correct, all of the time, in all context. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/link-roundup-98/", "title": "Link Roundup #98: 10 Things To Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nHow To Ease the 7 Most Common Triggers of Work-Related Anxiety, According to a Psychologist\n \u2013 Well and Good\n\n\nDo any of these trigger your work anxiety?\n\n\nHaving a fear-based boss\nNoticing coworker cliques\nExperiencing technology issues\nGiving presentations\nHaving a long commute\nGoing on work trips\nHaving to meet quotas\n\n\nIf so, you might want to read this article and find out what you can do to alleviate some of that anxiety.  \n\n\n2\n.\n \nI Plan for Everything. But I Didn\u2019t See Inflation Coming\n \u2013 The Wall Street Journal\n\n\nThe change is particularly alarming for young individuals like myself. As people who\u2019ve never experienced such high inflation in our lifetimes, we don\u2019t really know how to cope, beyond cutting where we can and absorbing what price increases we can\u2019t avoid. \u2013 Article writer, Julia Carpenter\n\n\nThis article captures really well the frustration of someone who tries their best to be financially responsible, yet is still at the mercy of factors outside their control, ie soaring inflation. \n\n\nYes, it\u2019s tough. Sure, we\u2019ll continue being responsible and make the right financial decisions, but it\u2019s still tough. \n\n\nPersonally, I find these opinion pieces far more relatable than the overly motivational \u2018tough times don\u2019t last tough people do\u2019-type of pieces.     \n\n\n3. \nHandling Temptations \u2013 How to Stop Impulse Spending\n \u2013 Mr-Stingy\n\n\nImpulse spending is a problem if (1) you don\u2019t earn enough, and/or (2) you have too many desires. \n\n\nThe solution is (1) earn more and/or (2) reduce your desires.\n\n\nAaron Tang aka Mr Stingy expanded this a lot more eloquently in the article, have a read. \n\n\n4. \nPandemic creates new billionaire every 30 hours \u2014 now a million people could fall into extreme poverty at same rate in 2022\n \n\u2013 Oxfam International\n\n\n\u201c573 people became new billionaires during the pandemic, at the rate of one every 30 hours. We expect this year that 263 million more people will crash into extreme poverty, at a rate of a million people every 33 hours.\u201d\n\n\nSo basically, it takes 459 thousand people crashing into poverty to create one (ONE) billionaire. \n\n\nI was angry. Now I\u2019m just numb.  \n\n\n5. \nSomeone Asks What Is \u201cThe Most Frugal Hack You\u2019ve Discovered That Made The Most Difference\u201d And 30 People Deliver\n \u2013 Bored Panda\n\n\nSaving money is often presented as this \u2018ugh\u2019 thing but everyone\u2019s tips in the article show contentment and even excitement. Love it when people enjoy being frugal \ud83d\ude42 There is so much joy in maximising value (without taking advantage of/ abusing others and yourself). \n\n\nBtw, which of the frugal hacks do you want to try? The \u2018cut your sponges in half\u2019 hack is weirdly calling my name..\n\n\n\n\n6. \u2018\nLike a lighthouse for the lonely\u2019: Chinese woman sells over 30,000 goodnight text messages at 15 US cents each to people needing comfort\n \u2013 SCMP\n\n\nThe woman from Guangdong province in southern China went viral in early May after the internet discovered she had made over 30,000 yuan (US$4,415) selling goodnight texts for\u00a0one yuan (15 US cents) per message.\n\n\nQuestion: Is what she\u2019s doing ethical? She\u2019s right in saying that she does provide a service, and the recipients are willing participants, who bought her service as a way to overcome loneliness. \n\n\nThoughts? Would you provide, or subscribe to such service?\n\n\n7. \nInvesting in your health: how much does it cost to keep fit?\n \u2013 Stylish\n\n\nThis isn\u2019t an article about the different costs of keeping fit. This article is about the over-commercialism of the fitness industry, which sometimes misleads you into thinking you NEED expensive gear and supplement to \u2018do it right\u2019. \n\n\nThought-provoking read. \n\n\n8. \nWhat it\u2019s really like to work at Tokyo\u2019s anti-procrastination caf\u00e9\n \u2013 Timeout\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAs far as themed coffeeshops go, anti-procrastination caf\u00e9 shop Manuscript Writing Caf\u00e9 is definitely one of the more interesting ones. \n\n\nOf all the \u2018anti-procrastination features\u2019, the 3000*-yen-per hour surcharge imposed if you didn\u2019t complete your work seems to be the most effective \ud83d\ude42 \n\n\n*3000 yen is about RM100\n\n\n9. \nHow to make better and faster decisions when you are struggling to keep up\n \u2013 Fast Co\n\n\nOne of those rare moments where the authors\u2019 experience absolutely does the title justice. Behold, the co-authors of this article:\n\n\nKatarina Berg, chief human resources officer at Spotify and also head of the Global Workplaces and Strategy Operations teams, AND \nTomas Chamorro-Premuzic, PhD, the chief talent scientist at ManpowerGroup, a professor of Business Psychology at Columbia University and University College of London, and the author of Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders? (And How to Fix it)\n\n\nLots to study just from this one article, it\u2019s so packed with mental models. \n\n\n10. RM10k is NOT enough to live in Kuala Lumpur; family struggles in Malaysia \u2013 Mr Money TV\n\n\nThe title is a bit of a clickbait, since RM10k *is* enough for a family of 4 to live on in Kuala Lumpur, \naccording to Belanjawanku 2021\n. However, Peter rightfully pointed out that RM10k is NOT enough for a comfortable life, even a modest one. \n\n\nI think everyone new at household budgeting or planning to have children in the future should watch the household budget breakdown. You\u2019ll have a better understanding of the different costs that a family needs to allocate and pay for. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/link-roundup/ringgit-oh-ringgit-link-roundup-1/", "title": "Link Roundup #1: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this new regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! Every week (or every other week, see how), I\u2019ll share 10 curated links. I promise you\u2019ll find them informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\n\n\nReading the latest\n\u00a0\nSalaries & Wages Survey\n \nconducted by the Department of Statistics Malaysia with interest. Takeaways: (1) Median salary growth for the whole paid employee population (some 8.7 million) is 7.7%; (2) Salary growth in urban areas is almost double than rural areas (6.6% vs 3.6%); and (3) Men\u2019s median salaries grew higher than women\u2019s (8.2% vs 7%). \nEmployers reading this, please compensate your employees fairly, regardless of gender\n. It\u2019s only fair. Thank you.\n\n\nMalaysia\u2019s unemployment rate\n was 10.8% in 2017. That means about 1 in 10 of us can\u2019t find suitable jobs! Biggest issue is \u2018mismatch of skills\u2019 \u2013 not surprised, I know many of you work in completely different industries than what you studied! Worrying statistic: 86.3% of available vacancies in 2017 was for low-skill work (which of course comes with low pay). How sad.\n\n\nIt\u2019s gonna be \nRamadan buffet season\n soon! I like to find out about quirky themed buffets \u2013 like \nInside Scoop\u2019s all-you-can-eat ice cream buffet\n for RM29 per pax. Do you know any others?\n\n\nHere\u2019s why you \nshouldn\u2019t leave valuables in a hotel room\n \u2013 \nhackers have figured out ways to duplicate room keys easily\n. Use the safe, if your room has one.\n\n\nI\u2019m tickled by TNB\u2019s \n14 tips to \nsave money on electricity\n. See no 14 \u2013 advice on using \u2018cold wash\u2019 when doing laundry. Does ANY of us actually have \u2018hot wash\u2019 setting on our washing machines?\n\n\nI shared the following statement on Twitter: if I could \ninvest in the marijuana industry\n, I would. \nThere are so many positive signs and I believe it will continue to grow\n. I thought it would be impossible as a Malaysian, but someone shared that he (a Malaysian living in Malaysia) bought Canadian marijuana stocks and it performed well. So, TIL. Don\u2019t ask me how to do it, because I don\u2019t know myself, but at least now you know it\u2019s possible!\n\n\nAccording to \nthis article\n, you can get a \nbigger hotel room with no extra charge\n by requesting for the corner room.\n\n\nHeard of this \nNZ-based eco-friendly startup\n that sells \nsolid shampoos and conditioner bars\n. Thought it\u2019s a brilliant way to cut my plastic usage! Do you know of any local brands that sell solid shampoos? Please share in comments, my shampoo\u2019s about to run out!\n\n\nIt\u2019s good to let your workmates know about your contribution to the workplace (and it reduces people stealing your credit, too). But you have to do it in the right way, or people will just think you\u2019re showing off. Enjoyed reading \nthis article\n, which lists three ways to \nbrag at work without sounding arrogant\n.\n\n\nIf you\u2019re looking for new skills to add to your resume, you can\u2019t go wrong with \nLinkedIn\u2019s top 25 in-demand skills list\n. Find them AND the online courses to learn these new skills \nhere\n.\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this week, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n or \nTwitter\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/1-million-ringgit-windfall/", "title": "[HYPOTHETICAL] How I Would Spend My 1 Million Ringgit Windfall\n  ", "body": "\n\nWhat would you do if you get a 1 million ringgit windfall? Perhaps from lottery, perhaps from an insurance/takaful payout, perhaps from winning a court case, whatever. How would you manage the 1 million ringgit?\n\n\nThis is a fun thought experiment and frequently asked around in social media so I thought I\u2019d take a stab at it. Here\u2019s how I would spend 1 million ringgit:\n\n\nFirst: TELL NO ONE\n\n\nI would perhaps tell my spouse, but other than that, no one else will know about this windfall. \n\n\nThe reason is easy \u2013 I want to avoid people requesting to borrow money from me! \n\n\n(Although I\u2019m sure even if they somehow found out, I can avoid being guilt-tripped into giving them money. I already know the \nstrategies to decline financial requests\n \ud83d\ude42 \n\n\nSecond: Hire Financial Planner (and discover 1 million ringgit is not enough to retire on :\u2019)\n\n\nThe most practical thing to do is to \nhire a financial planner\n. I want to optimise the 1 million ringgit as much as possible, and figure the RM1k-3k++ rate is a worthwhile cost to pay for their professional services. \n\n\nA quick one: If I had ever thought that 1 million ringgit is enough to live on forever, then my financial planner will have the unpleasant task of giving me the reality check \u2013 \n1 million ringgit is NOT enough to retire on\n. Not with my financial commitments, and especially not in the city. \n\n\nSo, I\u2019ll have to follow a plan.\n\n\nThird: Follow a personalised financial plan \n\n\nFor most people, you will reach a point where DIY financial management will only get you so far. Comprehensive financial planning is waaayyy beyond what investment you should do with the money. \n\n\nIRL, \nI took and completed the Certificate in Financial Planning\n and act as my own financial planner.  This is the type of advice I\u2019d give myself (note: advice may vary; this is based on my personal goals not yours):\n\n\nSuraya\u2019s personalised financial plan:\n\n\nIn order, I should:\n\n\n\n\nSettle all high-interest debt\n, if any. That means pay off all credit card, personal loans first before anything else\n\n\nFund my emergency savings\n. Set aside part of the 1 million ringgit to fund 6-12 months\u2019 worth of savings that both \ngenerate dividends AND easy to access during emergencies\n. 24-36 months is better. NEVER touch this money\n\n\nLook at my cashflow\n using the \n50/30/20 budget template\n \u2013 am I spending more or less than I earn? Do I have a spending problem or an income problem or both? How can I spend/earn more effectively? If I optimise this, I can make the 1 million ringgit last longer!\n\n\nGet the most comprehensive \nprotection plan\n that I can afford,\n within ~5-10% of my income\n\n\nList all my assets and \ncalculate my net worth\n \n\u2013 after the deductions so far (debt, savings, etc), do I have enough liquid assets to comfortably fund an expensive treat-yo-self purchase? Can I afford to use part of that windfall to travel? Or to buy my dream car?\n\n\nSort out my \nestate-planning\n. All-in-all, the paperwork will cost a few thousand ringgit\n\n\nOptimise my taxes\n \u2013 what can I do to max out tax reliefs and rebates?\n\n\nFigure out and rank my financial priorities\n. Is it to quit my job/ switch career? Is it early retirement? Is it purchasing a house? Is it opening a business? Is it to financially support my family? It is common to \u2018want it all\u2019 so it is important to be realistic so I can achieve a few main goals that means the most to me\n\n\nInvest the remaining funds\n. Invest 90% of it in long-term investments (chuck in ASB or \nETFs\n), and allow myself to play around with the remaining 10%, do whatever I want (invest in knowledge, attempt trading, whatever)\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s the practical way to manage a 1 million ringgit windfall. Now all I have to do it follow the advice (which is a whole other story, but anyway).  \n\n\nIf I \ndidn\u2019t\n have financial planning knowledge, I think I would simply chuck your own 1 million ringgit windfall into investments, hoping it\u2019ll grow into a bigger amount. Then if I want to buy something, I\u2019ll get it. Like that\u2019s it, that\u2019s the whole plan. \n\n\nHow would YOU spend your (hypothetical) 1 million ringgit windfall?\n\n\nWhat would you do differently, if you were to receive some windfall cash money? What would you spend on, and what financial goals do you want to achieve first? This is just a fun thought exercise, no harm doing it \ud83d\ude42 Let me know in the comments!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/annual-expenses/", "title": "Listing All the Annual Expenses I Have to Make Every Year\n  ", "body": "\n\nYou\u2019re familiar with monthly expenses. The biggest chunks are usually Accommodation+Transportation+Food. Plus Loan Repayments for some people.\n\n\nHow about\u00a0\nannual\n expenses? Are you already familiar with yours? These are payments that you make sporadically \u2013 either once a year, or once every few years. \n\n\n\n\nWhy list out annual expenses? Isn\u2019t monthly enough?\n\n\nEven though I\u2019ve come across the advice\u00a0\u2018Budget for your annual expenses\u2019 fairly often, I didn\u2019t\u00a0\ndigest\n it until much later. Before this, I treated all my annual expenses like ad-hoc payments. \n\n\nThat\u2019s not good, because when I do it this way, my finances get messy. I forget to plan for it, and get surprised when the time comes for me to make those annual expenses. It\u2019s like, \nalready? But I already made the payments\u2026oooh that was last year.\u00a0\n\n\nEven worse, sometimes I forget about these payments and have to pay fines!\n\n\nTherefore, this list, so I can plan better. Here are all the annual expenses I personally pay for, and when during the year. I\u2019ve divided it into:\n\n\n$ for small amounts (how much? No sweat, I can pay!); \n$$ for a couple of hundred ringgits (hmm okay no choice); and \n$$$ for ADOI (crap must reduce expenses in the next few months)\n\n\nLet\u2019s go:\n\n\nJanuary\n\n\nMy annual expenses in January are:\n\n\nNetflix\n \u2013 $ \u2013 I use the \nNetflix Premium hack\n to get this for cheaper \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nFebruary\n\n\nMy annual expenses in February are:\n\n\nTax payments\n \u2013 $$$ \u2013 I usually get my CP500* notice from LHDN in January, and prefer to pay the four-figure amount all at once, in lumpsum. \n\n\n*CP500 is the 6 instalments business owners have to pay, which goes towards your tax payment for that year\u2019s assessment. Read more about taxes: \nThis Income Tax Calculator Shows What You Owe LHDN\n\n\nMarch\n\n\nMy annual expenses in March are:\n\n\nPartner\u2019s birthday\n \u2013 $$ \u2013 It\u2019s been somewhat of a tradition to do a staycation \nSecond Medical Insurance\n \u2013 $$ \u2013 I have a secondary medical card which I pay annually. In process to consolidate though \n\n\nApril\n\n\nMy annual expenses in April are:\n\n\nRaya*\n \u2013 $$$ \u2013 Raya costs me around RM5k, mostly for duit raya gifts and contribution to Raya food. *Note: I know Raya\u2019s actual dates and months varies every year. Let\u2019s make this simple.\n\n\nMay\n\n\nMy annual expenses in May are:\n\n\nDad\u2019s birthday\n \u2013 $ \u2013 We get together for a family meal \ud83d\ude42 Random fact: My Dad and I share the same birthdate\nDriving license renewal\n \u2013 $$ \u2013 Thankfully can make advance payments for up to 5 years; if not, so mafan to do every year.\u00a0My next payment is in 2025.\n\n\nJune\n\n\nMy annual expenses in June are:\n\n\nFundSupermart Malaysia annual fee\u00a0\n\u2013 $ \u2013\u00a0I use this platform to open my \nPRS account\n.\u00a0Not a huge amount.\nBrother\u2019s birthday\n \u2013 $ \u2013 Usually belanja makan with the family or something\n\n\nJuly\n\n\nMy annual expense in July is:\n\n\nSister\u2019s birthday\n \u2013 $ \u2013 The youngest one\n\n\nAugust\n\n\nMy annual expense in August is:\n\n\nBusiness renewal to SSM \n\u2013\u00a0$$ \u2013 This one also can pay for multiple years in advance. I paid for 3 years in 2021, so my next payment is in 2024.\n\n\nSeptember\n\n\nMy annual expenses in September are:\n\n\nPassport renewal\n \u2013 $$ \u2013 Technically it expires in February, but passports should have at least 6-months validity. I should get mine renewed in September.\nMalaysian Writers Society membership\n \u2013 $ \u2013 Proud to be a member of \nMalaysian Writers Society\n!\n\n\nOctober\n\n\nMy annual expenses in October are:\n\n\nOther sister\u2019s birthday\n \u2013 $ \u2013 The second-youngest one\n\n\nNovember\n\n\nMy annual expenses in November are:\n\n\nWebsite hosting & Domain renewal\n \u2013 $$ \u2013 I paid 3 years\u2019 of Ringgit Oh Ringgit hosting in advance (next due: 2023), but the domain must be renewed annually.\nClickWP membership\n \u2013 $$ \u2013 To fix Ringgit Oh Ringgit\u2019s technical issues as and when it comes up\nGrammarly\n \u2013 $$ \u2013 A software I use to improve my writing work. I try to get it during the Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend, its cheaper then\nWedding anniversary\n \u2013 $$ \u2013 Must commemorate with a fun experience \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nDecember\n\n\nMy annual expenses in December are:\n\n\nMom\u2019s birthday\n \u2013 $ \u2013 She likes family time, so usually we take the family out for dinner \ud83d\ude42\nChristmas gift-giving\n \u2013 $ \u2013 Sometimes I participate in Secret Santa, it\u2019s fun \ud83d\ude42\nZakat\n \u2013 $$$ \u2013 I calculate and pay my \nzakat\n (tithing the Islamic way) in December\n\n\nAnalysis of my annual expenses\n\n\nI guess here\u2019s the fun part \u2013 making sense of all these data. From the above, I can see that:\n\n\nI have \n21 different annual expenses\n. Most of them are categorised under Business, Donations & Gifts or Misc Needs \u2013 all categories I use for my personal\u00a0expense-tracking\nI can make \nseveral years\u2019 worth of advance payments\n for 4 of them \u2013 passport, driving license, website hosting and business renewal\nI have \nat least one annual expense every month\n. Going to double-check my \nexpense-tracking\n notes in case I missed anything, but I believe everything is covered\nIt\u2019s in my best interest to \nlimit the number of my annual expenses\n. Having said that, I do plan to add a couple more, like accounting fees (for my business) and insurance, especially if they give discounts for paying annual instead of monthly premiums. Well I\u2019ll cross that bridge (and update this article) when the time comes, I guess.\n\n\nAnnual expenses that I don\u2019t have to make\n\n\nAt first, I\u2019m like, TWENTY-ONE?? TWENTY-ONE ANNUAL EXPENSES? WHY SO MANY?\n\n\nThen I \ndid my research\n and found that other people, especially families, have EVEN MORE annual expenses to make. These are expenses like:\n\n\nRoad tax and car maintenance\n \u2013 I don\u2019t have a car\nHousing insurance, taxes and other fees\n \u2013 The property isn\u2019t under my name\nChildren\u2019s school fees and expenses\n \u2013 I don\u2019t have kids\nAcademic fees\n \u2013 I\u2019ve graduated\nCredit card annual fee\n \u2013 All my \ncredit cards\n are free-for-life types\n\n\nThose of you who have one or more of the above.\u00a0\nHow many annual expenses do YOU have to make per year?\u00a0\nIf you have a lot of payments, how do you keep track of them? Do you have a system?\n\n\nDid I miss any other types of annual expenses? If yes, let me know in the comments section!\n\n\nLast thoughts\n\n\nI hope this mini-finance exercise will help me plan my budget better. If I STILL get fines after this, or get surprised by upcoming payments, I also don\u2019t know what I should do -_-\n\n\nDo your own list too. I\u2019m so curious to know how many annual expenses YOU have to make, and what they are.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/belanjawanku/", "title": "How Much $$ You Need to Live Well in 2023, According to Belanjawanku 2022-2023\n  ", "body": "\n\nQuestion: how much money do you actually need, in order to live a good enough life in Malaysia? \n\n\nTo answer that question, KWSP and \nSocial Wellbeing Research Centre (SWRC)\n released \nBelanjawanku 2022-2023\n in July 2023, an updated and expanded version of \nBelanjawanku 2021\n and \nBelanjawanku 2019\n. \n\n\nIn this article, I\u2019ve compiled the estimated monthly expenses for each household category as included in \nBelanjawan 2022-2023 Expenditure Guide\n for your easy household budgeting reference. \n\n\nWhat is Belanjawanku\n\n\nIn case you haven\u2019t heard of Belanjawanku, it is an \nexpenditure guide for Malaysian individuals and families \naimed to \u2018help Malaysians plan their personal and family budgeting to \nachieve a reasonable standard of living\n\u2018. \n\n\nThe bolded part is important. Belanjawanku is not a bare-basics, just enough to eat and sleep kind of expenditure guide. A \u2018reasonable standard of living\u2019 is defined as:\n\n\n\n\nHaving enough money to meet basic needs, AND\n\n\nBeing involved in community activities and gatherings of families and friends, AND\n\n\nLiving a purposeful and meaningful life\n\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s important to note that obviously how much money you need depends on your situation \u2013 including your household situation and where you live. Keep the instructions below in mind while you scroll down. \n\n\n\n\nA short note before we start. It is common to, I guess, be angry at the numbers you\u2019re about to see. I\u2019ve seen various versions WHERE TO EVEN FIND CHEAP RENT IN X CITY and ONLY THAT MUCH FOR X CATEGORY?? DO THEY EVEN LIVE IN MALAYSIA on social media. \n\n\nI don\u2019t know if it will help at all, but I have a short commentary for people who do feel angry at the end of the article. Have a read. But for now, let\u2019s start with..\n\n\nWhat\u2019s in Belanjawanku 2022-2023\n\n\nBelanjawanku 2022-2023 is the latest version of expenditure guide for Malaysians, after Belanjawanku 2021 and Belanjawanku 2019. Here are the household categories and locations\n\n\nHousehold categories in Belanjawanku 2022-2023 \n\n\nBelanjawanku 2022-2023 provides budget estimates for 9 household categories:\n\n\n\n\nSingle (Public Transportation User)\n\n\nSingle (Car owner)\n\n\nMarried couple (No children)\n\n\nMarried couple with one child\n\n\nMarried couple with two children\n\n\nElderly single\n \n\n\nElderly couple\n\n\nSingle parent with one child\n\n\nSingle parent with two children\n\n\n\n\nLocations in Belanjawanku 2022-2023 \n\n\nBelanjawanku 2022-2023 breaks down budget estimates across \n12\n Malaysian cities:\n\n\n\n\nKlang Valley\n\n\nAlor Setar\n\n\nKota Kinabalu\n\n\nJohor Bahru\n\n\nKuala Terengganu\n\n\nKuching\n\n\nKuantan\n\n\nKota Bharu\n\n\nGeorgetown\n\n\nIpoh\n\n\nSeremban\n\n\nMelaka\n\n\n\n\nEstimated monthly expenses for each household category, according to Belanjawanku 2022-2023\n\n\nThe households are sorted by: single, married, elderly and single parent, in that order. Find the one that most closely resembles yours. \n\n\n#1 \u2013 Estimated Monthly Expenses for Single, Public Transportation User\n\n\nThe average monthly expense for a single, public transportation user in Malaysia is RM1710. To achieve a reasonable standard of living, they would need a minimum of RM1530 if they live in Alor Setar and RM1930 if they live in Klang Valley.\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Estimated Monthly Expenses for Single, Car Owner\n\n\nThe average monthly expense for a single, car owner in Malaysia is RM2270. To achieve a reasonable standard of living, they would need a minimum of RM2060 if they live in Alor Setar and RM2600 if they live in Klang Valley.\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Estimated Monthly Expenses for Married without children\n\n\nThe average monthly expense for a married couple without children in Malaysia is RM4030. To achieve a reasonable standard of living, they would need a minimum of RM3680 if they live in Alor Setar and RM4630 if they live in Klang Valley. \n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Estimated Monthly Expenses for Married with 1 child\n\n\nThe average monthly expense for a married couple with 1 child in Malaysia is RM5190. To achieve a reasonable standard of living, they would need a minimum of RM4760 if they live in Alor Setar and RM5980 if they live in Klang Valley.\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Estimated Monthly Expenses for Married with 2 children\n\n\nThe average monthly expense for a married couple with 2 children in Malaysia is RM5920. To achieve a reasonable standard of living, they would need a minimum of RM5430 if they live in Alor Setar and RM6890 if they live in Klang Valley.\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Estimated Monthly Expenses for Senior Single\n\n\nThe average monthly expense for a senior single in Malaysia is RM2230. To achieve a reasonable standard of living, they would need a minimum of RM2020 if they live in Alor Setar and RM2520 if they live in Klang Valley.\n\n\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Estimated Monthly Expenses for Senior Couple\n\n\nThe average monthly expense for a senior couple in Malaysia is RM2880. To achieve a reasonable standard of living, they would need a minimum of RM2630 if they live in Alor Setar and RM3210 if they live in Klang Valley.\n\n\n\n\n#8 \u2013 Estimated Monthly Expenses for Single Parent with 1 child\n\n\nThe average monthly expense for a single parent with 1 child in Malaysia is RM4060. To achieve a reasonable standard of living, they would need a minimum of RM3660 if they live in Alor Setar and RM4740 if they live in Klang Valley.\n\n\n\n\n#9 \u2013 Estimated Monthly Expenses for Single Parent with 2 children\n\n\nThe average monthly expense for single parent with 2 children in Malaysia is RM4790. To achieve a reasonable standard of living, they would need a minimum of RM4340 if they live in Alor Setar and RM5650 if they live in Klang Valley.\n\n\n\n\nHow does your household finances compare to Belanjawanku guide?\n\n\nHow do your household finances compare to the monthly estimates, as outlined in Belanjawanku guide? Are you spending more or less than the average household in your city?\n\n\n\n\nWhere can you go from here? Well, \n\n\nIf you are earning \nmore than the monthly estimates\n and your \nhousehold expenses are\n \nlower\n than the estimates in Belanjawanku, awesome! You\u2019re in a good situation, keep it up! \n\n\nIf you are \nearning the same or less than the monthly estimates\n and your \nhousehold expenses are higher\n than the estimates in Belanjawanku, then:\n\n\n\n\nLook for \nways to cut expenses\n. The top 3 biggest expenses tend to be Accommodation, Transportation and Food so I suggest to start there first. Use my free\n 50/30/20 Budgeting Template\n to guide you\n\n\nLook for ways to increase your income, because the cost of living is only going to go up from here. \nIncrease your salary through day job\n or \nthrough side hustles\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nBonus Section: BUT THE EXPENSES ESTIMATES IN BELANJAWANKU DOES NOT REFLECT *MY* REALITY-\n\n\nEarlier in the article, I mentioned how some people get angry at the numbers. How come the expenses estimates are much higher than MY expenses, they asked. \n\n\nWell sorry to break it to you, but\n \njust because the data in Belanjawanku doesn\u2019t reflect YOUR reality doesn\u2019t mean the whole thing is wrong. If your expenses are way higher, that probably means:\n\n\n\n\nyou are \nused to the more expensive version of that category\n, and/or \n\n\nyou are \nunaware of the cheaper options, \nand/or\n\n\nyou are \nunwilling to downgrade your lifestyle\n.\n\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s also possible your situation is different from the basic assumptions the researchers used to estimate monthly expenses across different categories. \n\n\nAfter all, Belanjawanku researchers applied several methodologies to come up with the numbers, they didn\u2019t just come out of thin air. You can refer pages 20-41 of the full \nBelanjawan 2022-2023 Expenditure Guide\n to learn more. \n\n\n\n\nCould the researchers do better? Sure. Would be great if they add more household variations, or for people with medical conditions. But some data is better than none, and you can always write to them to request nicely instead of YELLING BLOODY MURDER IN SOCIAL MEDIA. \n\n\nHope that settles it. If you are still angry, please Google the Main Character Syndrome and see if you have it. I\u2019ll end here. \n\n\n(Sorry not sorry. Data collection and analysing is a lot of work, and I respect and appreciate the researchers\u2019 effort in doing Belanjawanku. They don\u2019t deserve to be yelled by netizens)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/best-insurance-in-malaysia/", "title": "Best Insurance and Takaful in Malaysia for B40 and M40 On A Budget\n  ", "body": "\n\nLooking for the best insurance and takaful in Malaysia that is also budget-friendly? If your current money situation is tight, then these online insurance options are affordable and most importantly, better than nothing. \n\n\nAt a glance, the insurance are:\n\n\n\n\nPerlindungan Tenang\n (various protection products for B40, sole breadwinners and people with vulnerable dependents; those eligible can claim RM75 voucher from govt) [temporarily on pause]\n\n\nEPF i-Lindung programme\n (life and critical illness insurance/takaful; for EPF depositors with balance in Akaun 2)\n\n\nSOCSO Self-Employment Social Security Scheme \n(for self-employed and gig workers)\n\n\nSOCSO Housewives\u2019 Social Security Scheme or SKSSR\n (for women)\n\n\nINSAN \u2013 Skim Insurans Am Selangor \n(FREE RM10k life insurance only for Selangorians)\n\n\nOnline Critical Illness Protection\n (critical illness insurance; for everyone)\n\n\nOnline Medical Insurance \n(medical card; for everyone)\n\n\n\n\nWhat type of protection a person needs varies depending on their life situation, but generally speaking you should aim to have all four of the main ones: \nlife insurance, personal accident insurance, critical illness and medical insurance. \n\n\nLet\u2019s go over each of the affordable options one by one. \n\n\n#1 \u2013 Best Insurance in Malaysia for B40: Perlindungan Tenang\n\n\nPerlindungan Tenang is specifically designed for the B40 community. If you are completely uninsured and fit the demographic, \ngo claim your RM75 Perlindungan Tenang Voucher\n from the government. \n\n\nYou can check your eligibility and find more info at \nhttp://myptv.my\n.\n\n\n\n\nAs of time of writing, there are 33 insurance/takaful options listed on the \nPerlindungan Tenang product page\n, including\n life insurance/takaful, personal accident, hospital income\n, even \nfire insurance \nfor kampung house. \n\n\nYou can find more information on each product\u2019s coverage by clicking the grey button. \n\n\n\n\nPersonally, I think Perlindungan Tenang is good\u2026 but the product options can be overwhelming for someone who is unfamiliar with insurance and takaful options. One probably will need an agent\u2019s help to explain the products and recommend suitable ones for them. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Best Insurance for EPF Depositors: i-Lindung\n\n\nNow EPF depositors can use your funds from Account 2 to sign up for \nlife\n and \ncritical illness insurance\n / \ntakaful\n via i-Lindung programme. \n\n\nSimply log into your \ni-Akaun account\n, select \u2018i-Lindung\u2019 on the dashboard and you\u2019ll be directed to the i-Lindung portal. \n\n\n\n\nThe amazing thing about EPF\u2019s i-Lindung is you can straightaway get a quotation and product options, based on your Akaun 2 remaining balance and your profile (gender, age, smoker status etc). I highly recommend trying it out. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n #3 \u2013 Best Freelance Insurance in Malaysia: SOCSO\u2019s Self-Employment Social Security Scheme\n\n\n(Note: This is not technically an insurance, but the benefits are similar enough so that\u2019s why I included it here)\n\n\nThose who are employed are already paying PERKESO/SOCSO (or you should be \u2013 check with your employers). This particular plan  is for those who are \nself-employed, including those working in the gig economy\n. The benefits, which I think is *excellent*, is as follows:\n\n\n\n\nThis Scheme provides protection for self-employed insured persons against\u00a0\nemployment injuries including occupational diseases and accidents during work-related activities.\n\n\nSelf-employment injury\u00a0means personal injury to self-employed insured person caused by an\u00a0\naccident or an occupational disease\n\u00a0arising out of and in the course of his or her self-employment activity\n\u00a0including while travelling for the purpose of his or her self-employment activity\n.\n\n\nOccupational disease\u00a0is a\n\u00a0disease caused by or arising from any occupation\u00a0\nspecified in the Fifth Schedule of the Employees\u2019 Social Security Act 1969. This scheme provides\u00a0\ncash benefits to the insured persons and their dependants besides medical treatment, physical rehabilitation and vocational training.\n\n\n\n\nBasically, you get:\n\n\n\n\nMedical\n\u00a0Benefit\n\n\nTemporary Disablement\n\u00a0Benefit\n\n\nPermanent Disablement\n\u00a0Benefit\n\n\nConstant Attendance\n\u00a0Allowance\n\n\nDependant\u2019s\n\u00a0Benefit\n\n\nFuneral\n\u00a0Benefit\n\n\nEducation\n\u00a0Benefit\n\n\nFacilities for\u00a0\nphysical or vocational rehabilitation\n\n\n\n\nAll in one plan!\n\n\nContribution-wise, your plan depends on your monthly earning. The higher your insured monthly earning, the higher your contribution per month/year. There are four plans, ranging from RM13.10 to RM49.40 contribution per month:\n\n\nPlan\nInsured Monthly Earning\nContribution Payment Per Month\nContribution Payment Per Year\n1\nRM1,050\nRM13.10\nRM157.20\n2\nRM1,550\nRM19.40\nRM232.80\n3\nRM2,950\nRM36.90\nRM442.80\n4\nRM3,950\nRM49.40\nRM592.80\n\n\nFor more info on enrolling in this scheme, please refer to my article \nHow to Apply for SOCSO / PERKESO Self-Employment Social Security Scheme\n \n\n\n#4 \u2013 \nSOCSO Housewives\u2019 Social Security Scheme or SKSSR\n\n\n(Note: This is also not technically an insurance, but the benefits are similar enough so that\u2019s why I included it here)\n\n\nHousewives\u2019 Social Security Scheme\u00a0or Skim Keselamatan Sosial Suri Rumah (SKSSR) is a new scheme under PERKESO designed especially for\u00a0\nhousewives\n\u00a0women. For only RM120 a year or RM10 per month, you get the following benefits. \n\n\n\n\nMedical\n\u00a0Benefit\n\n\nPermanent Disablement\n\u00a0Benefit\n\n\nConstant Attendance\n\u00a0Allowance\n\n\nDependant\u2019s\n\u00a0Benefit\n\n\nFuneral\n\u00a0Benefit\n\n\nPhysical Rehabilitation or Dialysis Facilities\n\n\nSurvivors\u2019 Pension\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFor more info on enrolling in this scheme, please refer to my article \nHow to Apply for Housewives\u2019 Social Security Scheme or SKSSR under SOCSO/PERKESO\n\n\n#5 \u2013 INSAN \u2013 Skim Insurans Am Selangor \n\n\nINSAN or Skim Insurans Am Selangor is a FREE initiative from the Selangor state government. You can get the RM10k life coverage if:\n\n\n\n\nYour IC is registered in Selangor, or\n\n\nYour latest address is registered in Selangor, or\n\n\nYou are a voter in Selangor\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo claim, you must:\n\n\n\n\nDownload WavPay app (find in AppStore)\n\n\nClick Daftar Sekarang banner (see image below)\n\n\nGo through the quick registration steps. My tip is to have a clear pic of your IC ready\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Best Medical Insurance in Malaysia for B40 and M40 \u2013 Online Critical Illness Protection \n\n\n\n\nIf you are not eligible for critical illness protection from EPF i-Lindung, you can get from these two providers:\n\n\n\n\nFWD Takaful Big 3 Critical Illness Protection Plan\n (covers Cancer, Stroke and Heart Attack), or \n\n\nMSIG EZ Critical Care and EZ Cancer Care\n (covers Cancer, Heart Attack, Stroke and Kidney Failure)\n\n\n\n\nYou will want critical illness protection. This is the one that\u2019ll give you a lump sum of money when you get really sick, so you can use it to pay for life\u2019s expenses. Ideally, you want at least a few years\u2019 worth of living expenses. At a minimum. \n\n\nFor the two plans above, you\u2019re only covered for 3 or 4 critical illnesses \nout of the usual 36/40 critical illnesses\n, but those 3 or 4 make up 85-90% of critical illness claims.\n \n\n\nCredit to Chun Saw (@chunsaw) for sharing this table with me \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nPrices depend on gender, age and smoking status. As a benchmark, at time of writing, I\u2019m a 33 year-old non-smoker and my quote for both plans is:\n\n\n\n\nRM27.68 per month\n (RM100k sum assured) for the FWD Takaful plan, and \n\n\nRM10.96 per month\n (RM50k sum assured) for the MSIG EZ Critical Care Plan\n\n\n\n\nAs someone who is \nactually paying \nRM171 per MONTH \nfor RM200k\n \nfor critical illness insurance\n, believe me when I say the two options above are \nmuch\n more affordable. \n\n\nThe downside is, of course, you won\u2019t be covered for the other illnesses. But seeing the odds.. and considering the limitation of budget.. it\u2019s not a bad decision to make. \n\n\n#7 \u2013 Online Medical Insurance \n\n\nLast but not least, you can get affordable medical insurance nowadays directly from insurance/takaful providers. \n\n\nI actually made a separate article for this; \n6 Affordable Medical Insurance You Can Buy Online in 15 Minutes\n. In the article, I\u2019ve listed 6 online medical providers. They are:\n\n\n\n\nPRO-Health Medical by Tune Protect\n\n\nMedical plans by Fi.Life\n\n\neMedic Plus by AXA\n\n\ni-Great Medi Care by Great Eastern Takaful\n\n\nMedicNOW by Berjaya Sompo\n\n\nTakaful\u00a0\nmy\nClick MediCare\n\n\n\n\nDo visit the article because in each section, I will show you the quotations I got, the plan at a glance as well as their pros and cons.\u00a0At the end of the article, I\u2019ll also share which online medical provider you may want to go with.\n\n\nAre there any other affordable insurance company in Malaysia that I missed?\n\n\nWhat other affordable insurance company in Malaysia or online insurance options deserve to be on this list? What other tips do you know to balance cost and coverage? Would love to hear your tips and advice \u2013 share them in the comments section below!\n\n\nBonus section- Does this insurance cover\u2026\n\n\n1) Does insurance cover therapy?\n\n\nAs a general rule, no. Insurance does not cover therapy. \n\n\n2) Does insurance cover abortion?\n\n\nNo. Insurance does not cover abortion. \n\n\n3) Does insurance cover IVF?\n\n\nNo. Insurance does not cover IVF. However you may be able to \nwithdraw from EPF for fertility treatment\n. \n\n\n4) Does insurance cover contacts?\n\n\nNo. Insurance does not cover contacts. You may want to opt for glasses instead \u2013 if you know where to look, you can find \ncheap spectacles\n in Malaysia quite easily.\n\n\n5) Does insurance cover Plan B?\n\n\nNo. Insurance does not cover Plan B. \n\n\n6) Does insurance cover dental implants?\n\n\n As a general rule, no. Insurance does not cover dental implants. \n\n\nHowever, it may be possible in very specific situations. For example, if you got the \nSOCSO / PERKESO Self-Employment Social Security Scheme\n and, I don\u2019t know, a freak accident happened while you were working and you lost some teeth, then you may be able to make a claim and use the funds to cover the cost of dental implants.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/budgeting-challenges/", "title": "7 Budgeting Challenges You Might Have and How to Overcome Them\n  ", "body": "\n\nNone of us are born with personal finance knowledge, so chances are all of us are going through different types of budgeting challenges. \n\n\nIn this article, I\u2019ll list out the budgeting challenges you might have and how you might be able to overcome it. \n\n\n(P/s- I intentionally omitted \u2018not enough money\u2019 from this list \u2013 you can\u2019t budget yourself out of poverty, so if that\u2019s your core problem, then learn income strategies in \n3 Ways to Get High Salary in Malaysia\n and \n25 Ways to Earn Side Income in Malaysia\n articles)\n\n\nLet\u2019s start with, \n\n\n#1 \u2013 I don\u2019t know where to start\n\n\nThe number 1 budgeting challenge I\u2019ll address first is not knowing where to start. You\u2019re simply overwhelmed. And you\u2019re angry \u2013 maybe at yourself, maybe your situation, maybe the goverment \u2013 either way, you hate where you\u2019re at right now. \n\n\nWhat to do: Read Bergaji & Pokai (or any other beginner-friendly personal finance book)\n\n\nThe beginner-friendly part is important. I don\u2019t know about you, but I personally spent a lot of time confused when I first started learning about personal finance. The materials I picked out were way too advanced for me \u2013 the equivalent of picking up Shakespeare when I just started learning ABCs. \n\n\nOn the other hand, Bergaji & Pokai is beginner-friendly, suitable for anyone who\u2019s just starting out and even people who have been managing their finances for a while but wondering if they\u2019re doing it right.\n\n\n\n\nFor Malaysians, I am biased here, but I highly suggest you pick up my book, \nBergaji & Pokai \ninstead of some book written by Americans/Westerners. You need to learn about EPF, not Roth IRA (both retirement accounts, but for different countries!)\n\n\nYou can get it from\u00a0\nImanShoppe.com or Shopee\n, or at major bookstores nationwide. Click\u00a0\nhere\n\u00a0to read Bergaji & Pokai book reviews. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 I spend too mindlessly\n\n\nDo you feel weird if you *don\u2019t* spend money for something you want (not need) in a day? RM10 here, RM20 there, RM50 for that. Then this budgeting challenge applies to you.\n\n\nWhat to do: Do a no-spend challenge\n\n\nOne of my favourite types of personal finance content is no-spend challenge write-ups by actual people, like the\u00a0\nI Tried a #NoSpendChallenge for a Month\n\u00a0and\u00a0\nI Didn\u2019t Buy Anything Extra for 3 Months \u2013 Here\u2019s How Much Money I Saved\n articles. They\u2019re just so much fun to read. This type of content usually include:\n\n\n\n\nTheir \u2018rules\u2019 \u2013 what expenses are excluded during the no-spend challenge (like medical, for example) (Note: I love the guidelines in \nthis article\n)\n\n\nHow they adjusted their lifestyles\n\n\nHow and where they failed or caved\n\n\nHow much money they saved\n\n\nHow they learn to be more intentional with their purchases after the challenge ends \n\n\n\n\nImportant: You don\u2019t \u2018fail\u2019 if you accidentally spent during the no-spend challenge. The point is to be more mindful, and learn your spending triggers. Most people who go through this challenge became less impulsive spenders afterwards \u2013 that\u2019s a huge WIN.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 I don\u2019t know if I spend more OR less than I earn\n\n\nSo, you earn a salary or an income, but you don\u2019t know if you are spending within your means or not. Maybe you have leftover money before payday? Maybe you don\u2019t? You have no idea.  \n\n\nWhat to do: Use my 50/30/20 budgeting guideline template \n\n\nPersonal finance 101 \u2013 before investing, before insurance, before anything else, is cashflow management. In essense:\n\n\n\n\nEarn more than you spend = good\n\n\nSpend more than you earn = bad\n\n\n\n\nThe only way through this budgeting challenge is to know approximately how much you spend each month in different categories. I\u2019ve made a template exactly to help with this: \nCan You *Really* Afford It? Use the 50/30/20 Rule (Free Editable Template)\n\n\nTake the template and do it, it\u2019s free. I made a video guide and everything. \n\n\n#4 \u2013 I just like buying stuff\n\n\nShoppers have this mentality. They tell themselves that they just like buying stuff. That\u2019s their identity\n\n\nBut the thing is, stuff accumulates. Often (but not always), that results in a messy head and a messy space. Look around you \u2013 is there stuff everywhere? \n\n\nWhat to do: Declutter and Sell Unwanted Stuff Challenge\n\n\nI think its ok to like stuff. Its just not ok when stuff takes over your life, you know? So if stuff is everywhere until you can\u2019t even think properly in your rest space, take action. \n\n\nOuter organisation influences inner organisation. Watch a couple videos on decluttering (I\u2019m partial to Marie Kondo\u2019s methods), then sell/donate/throw away what you don\u2019t need. \n\n\nThe awesome thing about this budgeting challenge is you get IMMENSE benefits. Here are some:\n\n\n\n\nMuch clearer head afterwards\n\n\nYou can get $$ from selling your unwanted stuff, obviously\n\n\nIt\u2019s an activity so it distracts you from mindless shopping due to stress\n\n\nYou rediscover stuff you already have = less buying the same thing\n\n\nThis is also an opportunity to learn and improve on your sales/marketing skills as well! Always handy\n\n\n\n\nProblem: It\u2019s probably easy to sell high-value items with existing demand, but how about the random RM5-RM20 stuff? They\u2019re too mafan to list individually.  \n\n\nSolution: My top tip here is to sell/donate/throw away them away in bulk, not individually. For example, I regularly sell a box of books instead of individually. You can do the same with clothes, toys, books, etc. \n\n\n\n\nFOR SALE: A box of 23 books and booklets\nPrice: RM80 for all (average RM3.47 per book!). Take what you want and resell/donate what you don't. Notable books as pictured \nContactless pickup @ One City, USJ\nFirst pay first sell. DM me to buy \ud83d\ude42 \npic.twitter.com/PwsynUDXWe\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nJuly 16, 2022\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 I keep my spending low, but other people keep making me spend more than I should\n\n\nYou\u2019re frugal as heck, but still spending more than you should.  \n\n\nMaybe people around you keep asking to borrow money. Maybe they always invite you to expensive activities. Maybe your colleagues keep asking you to buy the stuff they\u2019re selling as side income. \n\n\nWhat to do: Learn to say no\n\n\nThis is one of the trickiest (if not the most) budgeting challenge in this list. Chances are, you prioritise harmony, hate confrontation, and a people-pleaser. This is a whole article on its own: \nHow to Say No to \u2018Can I Borrow Your Money?\u2019\n\n\n#6 \u2013 I just enjoy [expensive habit] too much\n\n\nThis is also one of the tricker budgeting challenges in this list because we\u2019re all creatures of habit. And its possible that some of those habits are part of your identity and something you do within your core friendship group. \n\n\nWhat to do: Quit-a-bad-habit challenge\n\n\nSome things to quit:\n\n\n\n\nSmoking \n\n\nDrinking (excessively)\n\n\nGoing to the mall/browing shopping apps just because you\u2019re bored (I have this)\n\n\nMindless shopping trips with friends\n\n\nWhatever activity that just got too expensive and out of your budget (even if its technically a healthy activity!)\n\n\n\n\nWhat other bad habits would you add in here?\n\n\nFor me, quitting alone doesn\u2019t work, you gotta have a replacement activity. This is the basis of my\n Free/Cheap Things I Do to Stop Online Shopping Habit\n article. Basically, I listed everything I could do *instead* of online shopping. It doesn\u2019t work ALL of the time, but enough times, and that\u2019s progress. \n\n\nSomething I should tell you upfront is you may lose friends along the way. I lost touch with most of my smoking buddies. It happens, and it\u2019s okay. \n\n\n#7 \u2013 I\u2019m scared to spend money on myself\n\n\nWhen we talk about budgeting challenges, we always assume that someone has a spending problem \u2013 they spend more than they should. \n\n\nThis is the opposite sprecturm \u2013 there are people who are extreme savers, who have earned and saved enough (sometimes even 50% or more of their salary!), but find it hard to spend on things that are good for them. You feel extreme guilt, even. \n\n\nI know about this budgeting challenge firsthand, because I used to struggle with it. I even wrote an article talking about \nMy Dilemma with Lifestyle Inflation\n. \n\n\nWhat to do: Start addressing your money trauma\n\n\nI\u2019m not diagnosing, and you need more resources beyond this article, but you may have money trauma. You might see money as a protection tool. It makes you feel safe, so you want more and more and more of it, \u2018just in case\u2019 something happens. \n\n\nThe recovery (?) from this won\u2019t happen overnight \u2013 there\u2019s a lot to dissect, probably stemming from childhood or how you grew up. You don\u2019t want to be in the same situation again. \n\n\nEither way, know that buying products and services that enhance your quality of life \u2013 assuming you sorted out your savings etc \u2013 isn\u2019t a bad thing. You can start with these \n9 Things to Buy for a GREAT Financial Life\n. \n\n\nWhy start with those? They\u2019re all products and services that are good for your financial life \u2013 you\u2019ll feel way less guilt for buying them. \n\n\nWhich budgeting challenge are you going to do?\n\n\nLike I said in the beginning, EVERYONE is working on addressing their budgeting challenges. Heck, I\u2019m still working on mine. It\u2019s a lifelong journey, but hey, that\u2019s self-development in a nutshell. \n\n\nSo.. all the best. Let me know which of the budgeting challenges above you\u2019re most keen to do for yourself in the comments. \n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/budgeting-types/", "title": "There are 4 Main Budgeting Types. Which One Are You?\n  ", "body": "\n\nI get asked all the time about which budgeting type is best. I\u2019m a big fan of \nexpense tracking\n, but of course, as with everything in life, what\u2019s best for \nme\n may not necessarily be the best for \nyou. \n\n\nIn this article, you can find out the different budgeting types, what\u2019s good about each of them and incorporate it in your financial life.\n\n\nThe tl;dr version is:\n\n\nUse the \nCash Envelope System\n if\u2026 You\u2019re paying off debt / Recovering from bad credit card swiping habit\nUse \nexpense-tracking method\n if\u2026 You like making notes and knowing where your money went \u2013 expense-tracking (manual or app)\nUse \nExcel budget spreadsheet\n if\u2026 You are a spreadsheet geek\nUse the \n50/30/20 Rule\n if\u2026 You\u2019re lazy to track expenses\n\n\nWhich of the 4 describes you best? Start with that one. Using the one(s) that works better for your personality will make budgeting habit easier, thus helping you achieve specific goals (ie paying off debt) sooner.\n\n\nHere\u2019s the expanded version of each budgeting type:\n\n\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Use the Cash Envelope System if\u2026 You\u2019re paying off debt / Recovering from bad credit card swiping habit\n\n\nWhat is it:\n A cash-only budgeting type\n\n\nHow it works:\n You stuff literal cash in literal envelopes, each earmarked for different expense categories, and \nonly\n spend from there. If the money is gone, the spending stops. For example,\n\n\nRM500 for Groceries\nRM100 for Eating Out\nRM100 for Entertainment\n\n\nAnd so on. You can allocate a spending limit for every category, or just the categories you have a spending problem with. It works as a hard stop. \n\n\nFor obvious reasons, the Cash Envelope method works really well for natural spenders.\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nYou can find a lot of resources for the Cash Envelope method. I suggest going on a Youtube binge \u2013 you can see how individuals and families use and tweak this budgeting type to suit their life.\n\n\nNot really into this budgeting type? Well, perhaps\u2026\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Use expense-tracking method if\u2026 You like making notes and knowing where your money went \u2013 expense-tracking (manual or app)\n\n\nWhat is it:\n Record and track every cent, categorising them under its relevant expense categories.\n\n\nHow it works:\n You review the data and make spending adjustments in the following months. I like it because there\u2019s an element of shock factor that tends to work for behavioural change. For example, if Eating Out category exceeded [amount you\u2019re comfortable with] last month, then you may make time for meal planning and prepping next month.\n\n\nThis is my preferred budgeting type, but I know its (1) hard to pick an app that suits you (there are SO MANY to choose from), and (2) the habit can be hard to stick to.\n\n\nRead tips that worked for me in \nHow Expense Tracking Looks Like (As Someone Who Doesn\u2019t Budget)\n article.\n\n\nOne step above: If you enjoy micromanaging and want to know EXACTLY which money went where and making sure your data and bank account tallies, you can read up the principles behind \nZero-based Budgeting\n. The tagline is \u2018give every dollar a job\u2019. It\u2019s a bit too intense for me but whatever works.\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Use Excel budget spreadsheet if\u2026 You are a spreadsheet geek\n\n\nWhat is it:\n Excel spreadsheet\n\n\nHow it works\n: Similar to expense tracking in #2, but fully customised to your liking.\n\n\nNo expense-tracking apps or platforms are good enough for you, or have enough personalisation, so you do it yourself via Excel spreadsheet. You complain about it but secretly love doing the formatting merge cells all (you may \u2018cheat\u2019 by downloading a budget spreadsheet then customising it yourself).\n\n\nTip: Bet you didn\u2019t know Google has a free Monthly budget template. Go to Google Sheets and find it in the Template Gallery.\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Use the 50/30/20 Rule if\u2026 You\u2019re lazy to track expenses\n\n\nWhat it is:\n A simple breakdown of how you should divide your salary/income \n\n\nHow it works: \nAllocate 50% of your salary for needs, 30% for wants, and 20% for savings. You \u2018pay yourself first\u2019 by transferring xx% of your salary to your savings/ retirements/ emergency/ investment accounts.\n\n\nAFTER you paid yourself first, then you calculate and pay for life\u2019s necessities (Food+ Transportation+ Accommodation+ Miscellaneous Needs etc), and then only spend the rest on whatever you want.\n\n\nThe ratio is completely adjustable; for example, you might want a higher savings rate, so you might do 50% savings, 25% needs and 25% wants. I know some\n personal finance Instagrammers\n especially like to show their high savings rate!\n\n\n\n\nWhich budgeting types do you use?\n\n\nDo you fit squarely into one of the budgeting types explained above, or do you use a little bit of each? What are your top tips in making and sticking to a budget?\n\n\nLet me know in the comments section!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/buying-insurance-in-malaysia/", "title": "9 Things You MUST Know Before You Buy Insurance in Malaysia\n  ", "body": "\n\nEveryone wants to buy insurance in Malaysia. But barely anyone wants to be \u2018sold\u2019 one. This fact has exasperated insurance agents like crazy since the beginning of time.\n\n\nI\u2019ve been researching how to buy insurance in Malaysia for a while now. It started when I was in my early 20s, over a decade ago. And it\u2019s time to compile everything I know *so far* in an article, for my own reference and yours.\n\n\nUPDATE: I\u2019ve also compiled what I know in my newly-launched course! Get the \nHow to Buy Your Own Damn Insurance/Takaful course\n.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSome notes before we start:\n\n\n\n\nInsurance =/= takaful\n, but they serve more or less the same purpose \u2013 protection. I\u2019ll just use the term insurance for the rest of this article, lazy la to type insurance/takaful\n\n\nYes non-Muslims can absolutely get takaful, and Muslims can get conventional insurance. No one will stop you (except the Gates of Heaven oop-)\n\n\nThere are many types of insurance, but in this article we\u2019re specifically talking about the ones for humans, not property, car, pets etc\n\n\nI\u2019m not an agent and my knowledge on insurance is limited, beyond what was shared to me from people in the financial industry. If anything below is wrong/inaccurate, please comment and I\u2019ll edit\n\n\n\n\nLet\u2019s go-\n\n\n\n\n#1 \u2013\u00a0\nWhere\u00a0\nto buy insurance in Malaysia\n\n\nYou can buy insurance from:\n\n\nBudget range RM100+++:\n\n\n\n\nInsurance agents\n \u2013 According to Life Insurance Association Malaysia, there\u2019s like 88,000 insurance agents in Malaysia in 2022. They represent and sell products from ONE insurance company (representing two is uncommon, but I\u2019ve come across them)\n\n\nFinancial planners\n \u2013 around 1000++ financial planners in Malaysia. They\u2019re able to suggest and sell insurance products from ANY company (must pay for this service but more efficient \u2013 they suggest best plan for you)\n\n\n\n\nBudget range RM100 and below:\n\n\n\n\nDirect distribution channels aka Online\n \u2013 They are offered on insurance companies\u2019 websites, financial comparison websites, and for some reason, on selected e-wallets and telco platforms. This option is the most convenient but coverage tends to be lower.\n\n\nGovernment (-linked) bodies\n \u2013 \nMySalam\n (free; for B40), \nSOCSO Self-Employment Social Security Scheme\n (for self-employed), \nHousewives\u2019 Social Security Scheme\n (for housewives)\n\n\nMore info in \nBest Insurance in Malaysia for B40 and M40\n article\n\n\n\n\nCommon question: \nDo you *need* to buy insurance, when you can get cheap healthcare from government hospitals?\n\n\nWell, if you have some wiggle room in your budget, I\u2019ll say it\u2019s downright \na moral obligation\n for you to take private insurance; there are solutions to fit your budget. Depending on government-subsidised healthcare means less allocation is available to those who are *actually* poor. Please don\u2019t burden the poor.\n\n\nAlso, there are other benefits to taking insurance beyond medical. Ie: Having money to support your lifestyle when you\u2019re sick, leaving money behind to your loved ones so they don\u2019t get burdened, etc. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Which insurance provider to pick (ie which one is the best insurance in Malaysia?)\n\n\nThe branding of most insurance companies is more or less the same: \n\u2018we care for you\u2019\n. I have no particular preference for any of them, but if you do, then go for it. You\u2019ll be paying the insurance company (and/or the agent) for a long time so you might as well do it without resentment.\n\n\nThe most important thing is to ensure that the company you pick is a \nPIDM insurer member\n. Imagine diligently paying the premium every month for years then one day the insurance company go bankrupt and poof no payout for you. Yeah avoid that situation altogether.\n\n\nFor most people, the best insurance is the one they can afford. Go back to #1 and pick options according to your budget range.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 How Investment-Linked Insurance is structured\n\n\nBy default, when you look for insurance, most agents will assume you want ILP, or investment-linked insurance. More on this in #8.\n\n\nIf you don\u2019t know how ILPs work, I highly suggest you read this article before continuing: \nInvestment-Linked Products, As Explained By the CEO of Life Insurance Association of Malaysia\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Picking what insurance you need\n\n\nSimplistically speaking,\n\n\n\n\nGet \nLife insurance\n if you have people who financially depend on you, especially sole breadwinners (and, according to \nMr Money TV\n, get this if you\u2019re Chinese cos your funeral expenses very high compared to other races; don\u2019t let your family get into debt just to pay this)\n\n\nGet \nCritical Illness insurance\n because anything can happen and the lump-sum payment helps (living with a disability is expensive and you think you can easily work while in pain meh)\n\n\nGet \nMedical insurance\n (ie medical card) if the thought of paying high hospital bills scare the crap out of you\n\n\nGet \nPersonal Accident\n if you travel a lot on the roads, or your lifestyle has statistically higher accident rate. \n\n\nThe rest \u2013 hospitalisation benefit, income replacement, waiver benefit etc etc \u2013 are all nice to have, but \nprioritise the above first\n\n\n\n\nMost people will want all of the above, and that can be expensive (see #6). It\u2019s okay to not get them all at one \u2013 buy what is the most important for you first then add on as you go along in life. For good measure, pray a lot for good health, exercise and eat healthy.\n\n\n(Medical insurance alternative \u2013 This isn\u2019t insurance, technically speaking, but \nGatherCare\n and \nLyndung\n is a \u2018medical cost crowd-sharing\u2019 platform. Not endorsing in any way but it\u2019s an option.)\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Checking what each insurance plan exclude \nsucks\n\n\nCheck if they cover this. Check if they give you that. If not you have to pay extra later!\n\n\nThis is seriously one of the most annoying things when you buy insurance in Malaysia. Something that is supposed to help me shouldn\u2019t have been this\u2026 aggravating.\n\n\nTherefore, you need consultation just to make sense of it all \u2013 ie talk to insurance agents or financial planners. They are supposed to help you find the best insurance plan possible \nwithin your budget.\n\n\nOf course, they don\u2019t do this for free. They earn commissions on sales, a percentage of the premium you paid (there are tiers; won\u2019t get into details).\n\n\nI used to be dengki of this, but watching the reality TV show Selling \nSunset on Netflix forever changed my impression of real estate agents and salespeople in general. Can see la the hustle, not so easy. As long as they don\u2019t guilt-trip or mislead you, it\u2019s honest money.\u00a0\n\n\n(Ps \u2013 Even agents hate fellow agents who give the industry a bad name. The ones who are too pushy with sales, the ones who say things like, TAK AMIK INSURANCE NI, TAK SAYANG KELUARGA KE?, the ones who use grisly accident pictures to sell their services, the ones who focus way too much on the investment part rather than the protection part)\n\n\n#6 \u2013 \nComprehensive\n insurance coverage costs higher than you think\n\n\nAh, the number of times I clicked on insurance ads using the text \u2018\nFrom\n RMxx only per month\u2019 and end up being disappointed.. \ud83d\ude42 It\u2019s like going to that sales rack in Cotton On that says \u2018From RM20\u2019 but everything worth getting is RM75 and above.\n\n\nIn my early 20s, I met up with an agent and asked for a quotation for the best possible insurance I can get. The most comprehensive, without excluding anything I didn\u2019t want to exclude.\n\n\nI remember the brochure said \u2018From RM99\u2019 or something like that. My quotation? \nRM500 per month.\n\n\nOverinsured? Maybe, but I really really really wanted to avoid the \u2018oh sorry miss actually your insurance don\u2019t cover xyz\u2019 situation at the friggin\u2019 hospital.\u00a0\n\n\nBut let\u2019s face it, there\u2019s no way I could afford to pay that on my salary then. I also didn\u2019t want to \u2018just get it\u2019 and then let my insurance lapse due to non-payment. I heard this happens a lot.\u00a0\n\n\nI *could* get mediocre insurance within my budget (and this is completely fine \u2013 can always upgrade later when have more money), but in the end I picked the other alternative: I looked for term insurance.\n\n\n#7 \u2013 \u2018Buy term, invest the rest\u2019 \u2013 Buy insurance without agent\n\n\nI didn\u2019t know this when I started learning about insurance, but \u2018buy term, invest the rest\u2019 is a strategy in itself. Term insurance costs a fraction of investment-linked insurance, BUT the money is \u2018burned\u2019. That means, unlike investment-linked insurance, you won\u2019t get it back.\n\n\nWhy would one want to do that, you ask? Because term insurance is \nmuch more affordable and you can get bigger coverage for less.\u00a0\n\n\nOf course, there are \ndownsides to term insurance\n. For one, this may only appeal to people who prefer to buy insurance without agent, aka through direct distribution model. People who are relationship-driven may not be comfortable to buy insurance without agent.\u00a0\n\n\nThe second major downside is if you forgot (or \u2018forgot\u2019) to pay for your term insurance renewal, you\u2019re no longer protected.\u00a0\n\n\nHowever, \nno one said you can\u2019t get both ILP and term insurance, depending on the product\n.\u00a0This strategy suggested by \nMyPF\n makes a lot of sense.\n\n\n\n\nInvestment-linked for medical (to keep up with medical inflation which is at 13% rn in Malaysia); Term for life, disability & CI (to keep costs low). Travel insurance (annual) to renew only when borders reopen.\n\n\n\u2014 My Personal Finances (@mypf_my) \nOctober 15, 2020\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#8 \u2013 The insurance industry don\u2019t expect you to be financially savvy\n\n\nWhy does it seem like investment-linked insurance the default, most of the time?\n\n\nBecause they assume it\u2019s \u2018safer\u2019 to bundle your protection with investment so you can use the cash value during financial hardship to continue your policy, rather than you letting it laspe.\n\n\nThey also assume automatic deductions for ILPs are better for you than manual yearly deductions for term insurance, where often, people just don\u2019t renew and immediately lose their coverage.\u00a0\n\n\nAnother thing is putting \u2018investment-linked\u2019 as part of \u2018investment-linked product\u2019 makes the product sounds a lot more appealing. Sometimes people get protection BECAUSE of the investment part, when it\u2019s supposed to be for protection!\n\n\nI don\u2019t blame them for assuming this. Data backs it up \u2013 \nMalaysians do have low levels of financial literacy\n. People also fall for investment scams all the time. The Chairman of Securities Commission Malaysia said;\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0In our survey earlier this year, it shows that a majority of investors in Malaysia have an unrealistic expectation of 24% to 30% returns per annum on their investments. Please remember, if the investment proposal is too good to be true, then it probably is.\n\n\n\n\nThis is why sometimes you\u2019ll face some questions or resistance from insurance agents if you specifically request for term insurance options \u2013 they\u2019ll want to know \nwhy\n you want to keep investment separate from insurance (also, less commission for them perhaps).\n\n\nDepending on your answer, you are \neither really brilliant with your finances, OR an overconfident idiot\n. \u00a0No in-between.\n\n\nThis is why self-awareness is important \ud83d\ude42 I *hope* I\u2019m the former, but it is absolutely possible that I\u2019m the latter too.\n\n\n#9 \u2013 Who to buy insurance from\n\n\nIf you have a \ngood friend or trusted family member\n who happens to be an insurance agent, it\u2019s not a bad idea to get from them \u2013 you get to support them and they (hopefully) have your best interest at heart.\n\n\nYou can also ask your friends and family for \ninsurance agent referrals\n. If they had a good experience, you\u2019re likely going to have a good experience too. Make sure to compare plans from a few agents. This process will likely take a while, it\u2019s not the most efficient.\n\n\nIt is also possible to find\n insurance agents who are also content creators\n on social media and/or blogs. Reach out to them and ask for quotations (or simply ask out loud in social media, in my experience someone will DM you), then compare the plans and service you got. This process will also take a while, it\u2019s not the most efficient.\n\n\nThe most efficient way IMO is to hire a\n financial planner\n to suggest suitable insurance plans, and review your overall finances at the same time. See \n4 Places to Find A Financial Planner in Malaysia\n\u00a0article.\n\n\n(If you have multiple insurance plans, it is also not a bad idea to hire a financial planner to review everything, see if you\u2019re over or under-insured.)\n\n\nIf you don\u2019t have much money, then look for the government-assisted options.\n Scroll all the way up to #1.\n\n\nWhat other practical tips on buying insurance in Malaysia that you know?\n\n\nDo you have insurance? How did you get yours, and how would you do it differently if you were to do it all over again?\n\n\nI especially want to hear from insurance agents and financial planners \u2013 what would you suggest we do before we reach out to you? What tips do you have for us, so that our interaction is pleasant and mutually beneficial?\n\n\nLet me know in the comments section!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/buying-travel-insurance/", "title": "Everything You Want to Know About Buying Travel Insurance, Answered [SPONSORED]\n  ", "body": "\n\nFlight tickets, check. Accommodation, check. List of things to do and places to go, check. What else? Oh yeah, need to buy travel insurance too. You know, just in case. Also it\u2019s not like the pandemic is over.\u00a0\n\n\nBut which travel insurance to buy? Which one is the best?\u00a0\n\n\nSpoiler alert, this article is sponsored by Tune Protect, but they specifically reached out to me so I can create \neducational content\n about travel insurance. Here\u2019s what I will cover:\n\n\n\n\nPart 1: What you MUST include in your travel insurance (non-negotiable)\n\n\nPart 2: What travel insurance does NOT cover (just how it\u2019s designed)\n\n\nPart 3: Where and how to buy travel insurance (how much coverage is enough?)\n\n\nPart 4: How to buy travel insurance for cheap(er)\u00a0\n\n\nPart 5: How to claim travel insurance\n\n\n\n\nLet\u2019s go:\n\n\nPart 1: What you MUST include in your travel insurance (non-negotiable)\n\n\nOf course the answer is \u2018it depends\u2019, but to me, there are 4 non-negotiable things I need before I buy travel insurance. I won\u2019t even look at the product if they don\u2019t include good coverage for:\n\n\n\n\nTrip Cancellation/Curtailment \n\u2013 in case trip is cancelled or cut short \u2013 the higher the better\n\n\nPersonal Accident \n\u2013 in case accidents happen \u2013 the higher the better\n\n\nMedical Expenses\n \u2013 in case accidents happen \u2013 the higher the better\u00a0\n\n\nCovid-19 \n\u2013 in case get infected \u2013 the more comprehensive the better\n\n\n\n\nOnly after these are satisfied, I\u2019ll look at the \u2018nice-to-haves\u2019, like:\n\n\n\n\nPrice\n \u2013 I don\u2019t look for cheap, I look for value for money, discounts and contests, if any\n\n\nHome Care Benefit \n\u2013 if house got burglary or fire while away\n\n\nTravel Delay\n \u2013 if flight is delayed without enough notice. Tip: get a written confirmation by the flight operator\n\n\nBaggage Damage/Delay\n \u2013 If luggage lost/destroyed\n\n\nAnd others\n\n\n\n\nDon\u2019t get me wrong, it\u2019s not like Travel Delay and Baggage Damage/Delay isn\u2019t important to me, it is. In fact, according to Tune Protect, these two alone make up a \ncombined 90% of claims\n.\u00a0\n\n\nBut inconveniences and loss of items are \ntemporary\n problems \u2013 I\u2019ll forget about it in a month, maybe two, while the consequences of an unfortunate accident are more long-lasting. So I highly suggest you prioritise health-related coverages first before travel inconveniences.\u00a0\n\n\nPart 2: What travel insurance does NOT cover (just how it\u2019s designed)\n\n\nYour travel insurance will NOT reimburse your claim if it does not satisfy its T&C as stated in the Policy Wording document.\u00a0\n\n\nEach travel insurance provider will word their policies a bit differently, but the \nTrip Cancellation clause \nunder \nTravel Easy by Tune Protect\n states the following (bold my own addition):\n\n\n\n\nWe will reimburse for loss of irrecoverable deposits or charges paid in advance for the Trip only in the event of unavoidable cancellation of all or one of the following:\n\n\n\n\nAir ticket\n\n\nhotel/accommodation expense\n\n\nlocal tour package\n\n\nadmission tickets\n\n\n\n\n In the following situations:\n\n\n\n\nif you are \ntested positive for COVID-19\n within 14 days prior to your departure date (Note: only under Covid Plus Plan)\n\n\nInsured event (\nDeath, Permanent Total Disablement or an admission as an in-patient in a Hospital\n where such admission is Medically Necessary; occurring to You, Your Immediate Family Members or Travel Companion within 14 days prior to Your original scheduled departure date\n\n\na fire or natural disaster resulting in serious damage\n to Your Home or destination of planned trip.\n\n\nnatural disasters such volcanic eruption, flood, earthquake, tsunami, hurricane or wildfire \noccurring at destination \nof planned trip.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTherefore, you WON\u2019T be reimbursed for Trip Cancellation if:\n\n\n\n\n a second cousin is admitted to the hospital (not You, Your Immediate Family Members or Travel Companion), or \n\n\ndue to a fire at your workplace (not Your Home or destination), and\n\n\nyou certainly can\u2019t make a claim if you just cancel your trip for funsies\n\n\n\n\nBut if you paid a hefty sum for, say Hajj or Pilgrimage package and tested positive for Covid-19 days before departure, then this counts \u2013 Tune Protect will reimburse you for Trip Cancellation (subject to other clauses).\u00a0\n\n\nOther standard exclusions\n\n\nIn addition, most (if not all) travel insurance products apply many standard exclusions, including:\n\n\n\n\nAny illegal or unlawful intention act by You\n\n\nAny Pre-Existing Condition\n\n\nSuicide\n\n\nDeath or injury directly or indirectly occasioned by war\u00a0\n\n\nAnd more\n\n\n\n\nThe full coverages and exclusions will be covered under a document called Policy Wording document, and it is generally quite long and legalese (it has to be \u2013 precision of word matters). Open the \nTravel Easy Policy Wording Document by Tune Protect\n to see how it looks.\u00a0\n\n\nDon\u2019t be too overwhelmed by the document. After all, you have already listed your priorities (see #1 again). You just need to skim 3-5 sections, not every single thing.\u00a0\n\n\nPart 3: Where and how to buy travel insurance (how much coverage is enough?)\n\n\nNow comes the next questions: Where to buy travel insurance in Malaysia? How to buy travel insurance?\u00a0\n\n\nWhere to buy travel insurance in Malaysia?\n\n\nHint: I wouldn\u2019t worry too much about \u2018bad\u2019 travel insurance providers or avoiding that one particular company because that one time your cousin/friend didn\u2019t get the claim they asked for.\u00a0\n\n\nThe thing is, if the travel insurance provider is licensed by Bank Negara Malaysia and you have a valid claim, \nyou WILL get your money\n. If not, you can:\n\n\n\n\nSubmit a complaint at \nBNM Financial Consumers Inquiries and Complaints\n\n\nLodge a dispute at the \nOmbudsman of Financial Services\n\n\n\n\nSo go ahead and buy your travel insurance from any of companies listed on the \nFinancial Sector Participants Directory\n in BNM website. These companies are regulated under strict and comprehensive \nlegal frameworks\n: \n\n\n\n\nFinancial Services Act 2013\n\n\nIslamic Financial Services Act 2013, and \n\n\nInsurance Act 1996\n\n\n\n\nTune Protect = Tune Insurance Malaysia Berhad\n\n\nHow to buy travel insurance?\u00a0\n\n\nAs for how to buy travel insurance in Malaysia, generally speaking you can get them via 2 ways:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nVia agent, or\n\n\nVia online\n\n\n\n\nPersonally, I prefer online because it is easier to learn more about the products and compare prices. There are also discounts via online purchase \u2013 you know me, I like saving money!\n\n\nBonus question from RoR audience: How much coverage is enough?\n\n\nHow much coverage should you get for your travel insurance? You might see various travel insurance products offering Medical Expenses and Personal Accident coverage from RM100,000 all the way up to RM1,000,000!\n\n\nFor me, I am personally comfortable with the RM300,000 in Medical Expenses and RM300,000 in Personal Accident coverage offered under all plans from \nTravel Easy by Tune Protect\n. You might want to get higher coverage if the country you are traveling to is known to have \nsuper expensive healthcare\n.\n\n\nHowever, I wouldn\u2019t worry excessively to the point of paranoia. Tune Protect informed me that the highest amount of claim they have paid out for Medical Expenses is RM30,000. Not a small amount, but not six or seven-figures either.\u00a0\n\n\nPart 4: How to buy travel insurance for cheap(er)\n\n\nFirst, I should share with you the 4 factors that decide the price of travel insurance in Malaysia:\n\n\n\n\nDestination\n \u2013 The further away the location from Malaysia, the higher the price. Note: If you are going to a couple of destinations, the furthest location will be used in the quotation\n\n\nType of plan \n\u2013 Basic plans are cheaper, extensive plans with better sum coverage are more expensive\n\n\nNo of pax \n\u2013 Individual plans are cheaper than family or group plans\n\n\nDuration\n \u2013 The longer your trip, the higher the price\n\n\n\n\nLike buying other types of protection products, I believe in getting a few quotations. Here\u2019s what you can do:\n\n\n\n\nStep 1: Get 3 or so travel insurance quotation online \n\n\nStep 2: Look at what each of them offers for your non-negotiables (see #1)\n\n\nStep 3: Make your purchase\n\n\n\n\nHow the process of buying travel insurance looks like\n\n\nIt is easy to get a travel insurance quotation online. Just go to travel insurance providers of your choice and fill in your trip information, and they will spit out the quotations.\u00a0My suggestion is to include \nTravel Easy by Tune Protect\n as price benchmark. \n\n\nNote that each travel insurance provider usually offers a few types of plans, and not all will apply to you so take them out of consideration.  For example, there are 3 plans under \nTravel Easy by Tune Protect\n, but I know I will only consider the Covid Plus plan because \nTravel Cancellation due to Covid-19 is non-negotiable to me\n. \n\n\n(Thanks to my preference for cheap but non-refundable flights, it\u2019s too much money to potentially lose if I go without it)\n\n\n\n\nFor a 1-week hypothetical trip to Australia, the Covid Plus plan from \nTravel Easy by Tune Protect\n will cost me RM58.65. I will repeat this process and get quotations from at least 2 other companies. \n\n\nNow that I have 3 quotations, I will look at price. I mentioned that I look for value for money rather than cheap. I look for discounts, promos and contests. \n\n\nIn this case, \nTravel Easy by Tune Protect\n is running a Buy early, save 15% + 25% promo \u2013 you\u2019ll get 15% discount for buying at least a month early PLUS 25% discount for buying online.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nHere\u2019s an idea of how much you\u2019ll save, depending on where you\u2019re going.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nWill all these information, and factoring in coverage and price, I will compare the 3 plans and make my travel insurance selection. \n\n\nBonus question from RoR audience: Does travel insurance work on Cashless admission or pay first claim later?\u00a0\n\n\nGenerally speaking,\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n(1) unless stated otherwise, many travel insurance works on pay first, claim later basis, and\u00a0\n\n\n(2) cashless admission is more expensive\n\n\n\n\nI wouldn\u2019t mind no (2) if the difference is a little bit, but it can be a lot. \n\n\nMy quotation for the hypothetical 1-week trip to Australia from \nTravel Easy by Tune Protect\n are just RM36, RM40.16 or RM58.65, depending on the plan. With another provider, my quotation for the same trip WITH cashless admission ranged from RM117 to RM294. That\u2019s like 3x to 6x the price!\n\n\nUltimately, whichever you pick is up to you \u2013 cashless admission to the hospital might be YOUR non-negotiable when choosing and buying travel insurance. But considering everything, it\u2019s not mine.\u00a0\n\n\nPart 5: How to claim travel insurance\n\n\nI hope nothing bad happens and you have the most amazing time in your life, but in case something does, there\u2019s where travel insurance comes in. Let\u2019s learn how to make a claim. \n\n\nThe process is usually like so:\n\n\n\n\nStep 1: Get the medical help needed first\n\n\nStep 2: Contact your travel insurance provider\n\n\nStep 3: Collect information/documents needed\u00a0\n\n\nStep 4: Submit claim\n\n\nStep 5: Receive claim\n\n\n\n\nYou will see information related to assistance and claims easily on the product page. For example, this is how \nTravel Easy by Tune Protect\n displays its Travel 24/7 Emergency Assistance number and claim guidelines.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nWhen you buy travel insurance, you should also receive the information plus a copy of the policy document\n in your email. \nSo if something happens on your trip, you can quickly check your email or the product page to look for the information you need. I would also suggest you \nsave the hotline number on your phone\n.\u00a0\n\n\nOne thing I hear a lot is \u2018sure there\u2019s a number, but will they actually reply?\u2019. I asked this to the sponsor of this article, Tune Protect and they said they don\u2019t know about others, but they have a 3-3-3 Brand Promise:\n\n\n\n\n3 minutes to buy\n\n\n3 hours to reply\n\n\n3 days to receive claim upon approval\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m fortunate enough to have never needed to contact my travel insurance provider while traveling, so I\u2019d love to hear from you \u2013 share your experience in the comments section!\n\n\nBonus question from RoR audience: Is it easy to get admitted in foreign country?\u00a0\n\n\nIt\u2019s hard to answer this question because the ease of getting medical help greatly varies depending on the medical infrastructure and processes of the country you\u2019re visiting.\u00a0\n\n\nHowever, what you MUST do is \nseek professional medical practitioners \n\u2013 you need official documents for the claim process.\u00a0\n\n\nTraveling with peace of mind\n\n\nThe older I get, the more I value peace of mind. Travel insurance is something I never go without anymore. And if it\u2019s something I have to get, might as well learn how to purchase it, correct or not?\n\n\nLastly, thanks again to the sponsor of this article, \nTravel Easy by Tune Protect\n. You can read about a successful claim from their customer \nhere\n, and feel free to share your experience with Tune Protect in the comments section, if you have any \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/cagamas-reverse-mortgage/", "title": "Cagamas Reverse Mortgage: A Good Retirement Solution?\n  ", "body": "\n\nEveryone knows that Malaysia is facing a retirement crisis \u2013 not many people have saved up enough to fund their old age. Announced in late 2021/early 2022, \nCagamas\n, the National Mortgage Corporation of Malaysia introduced the \nSkim Saraan Bercagar (SSB) \nor \nCagamas Reverse Mortgage\n. \n\n\nIt is hoped to be (one of) the solutions to this crisis. \n\n\n\n\nThe idea is, instead of you being forced to sell your house in old age to fund retirement, Cagamas pays YOU a monthly payout \nuntil your demise\n. When this happens, Cagamas will then get ownership of the property, which then will be sold (for profit, hopefully). \n\n\nBecause of the way it works, in effect the house \ncannot be given as inheritance to the next-of-kin\n (because Cagamas now owns the property). However, the next-of-kin will receive profit from sales proceeds of the property, if any. \n\n\nOn the other hand, shortfall will be absorbed by Cagamas (good, no debt or payment required for your next-of-kin). \n\n\nBasically, this is how Standard Mortgage differs from Cagamas Reverse Mortgage\n\n\nStandard mortgage\nCagamas Reverse Mortgage\n\u2013 Pay monthly mortgage to bank, own property in 30-35 years\n\u2013 Can be given as inheritance\n\u2013 Cagamas gives monthly payout until the end of your life\n\u2013 Cannot be given as inheritance\n\n\n\n\nBefore you get too excited, just know that the monthly payout amount is good, but not bombastic because it is spread over a long period of time. Many of us forget that \u2018retirement age\u2019 is a hella long time \u2013 20 years or more. Also, how much monthly payout you get depends on a few factors. \n\n\nHow much do you get from Cagamas Reverse Mortgage?\n\n\nHow much you will get for your house from Cagamas Reverse Mortgage depends on: \n\n\n(1) the borrower\u2019s age, and \n(2) property value, location and type. \n\n\nYou can get an estimate with Cagamas\u2019 \nReverse Mortgage Calculator\n. \n\n\nI made an example calculation. In this case, a 60 years old couple with \nRM800,000 house\n in Petaling, Klang and Hulu Langat district can expect to get \nRM1053\n in monthly payment per month, for life. \n\n\n\n\nI thought it was good that there\u2019s also an option to take R\nM38.5k upfront lumpsum\n too. If the couple takes that option, the monthly payment drops to \nRM842.03\n. \n\n\n\n\nIf you thought \u2013 that\u2019s it? Just RM800-RM1k for a RM800k house? Well, they did say Cagamas Reverse Mortgage is for supplemental income, didn\u2019t they?\n\n\nAlso, bear in mind that 60 years old is relatively young, thus the lower amount. I played around with the calculator and assuming all variables are the same except for the age, one would get:\n\n\nRM1385 monthly lifetime payout and RM47.2k in maximum lumpsum at age 65\nRM1851 monthly lifetime payout and RM57.1k in maximum lumpsum at age 70\nRM2486 monthly lifetime payout and RM67.3k in maximum lumpsum at age 75\nAnd so on\n\n\nOne question I do ask is \u2013 how will the house appraisal be conducted? Obviously it\u2019s best to have a high appraisal on your house value so you\u2019d get maximum amount. \n\n\nIf I were interested in Cagamas Reverse Mortgage, I would probably try my best to do strategic home enhancements to increase my property value as much as possible \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nEligibility for Cagamas Reverse Mortgage\n\n\nAll this looks good, but not everyone is eligible for Cagamas Reverse Mortgage. Here are the criteria for borrower and for property.\n\n\n(All taken from \nCagamas Reverse Mortgage website\n)\n\n\nCriteria for Borrower\n\n\n\n\nMalaysian\n55 years old and above\nOwner or joint owners of a residential property\nFor a joint loan, the joint borrower can be a partner, parent, sibling or child, subject to age limit\n\n\nCriteria for Property\n\n\nResidential property in Malaysia held in Borrower\u2019s or joint borrowers\u2019 name(s).\nFor a joint Skim Saraan Bercagar Loan, joint ownership of property is required.\nProperty must be owner-occupied and be the primary place of residence.\nFree from encumbrances such as mortgage and other financial liabilities.\n\n\nIn short, you must fully own the home and also live there. Cagamas Reverse Mortgage is not applicable for investment property, or weekend homes. Although having said that, I\u2019m sure you can have a chat with them when you apply and see if that\u2019s a hard rule. One never knows. \n\n\nSpeaking of how to apply, \n\n\nHow to Apply for Cagamas Reverse Mortgage\n\n\n(All taken from \nCagamas Reverse Mortgage website\n)\n\n\nStep 1\n\n\nSchedule an appointment with EPF at any of the branches below via this link:\u00a0\nhttps://www.kwsp.gov.my/ms/janjitemu\n\n\nEPF Kuala Lumpur\nGround Floor KWSP Building\nJalan Raja Laut\n50350 Kuala Lumpur\nEPF Petaling Jaya Services Counter\nPJX-HM Shah Tower\nLot A, Ground Level,\nNo. 16A, Persiaran Barat\n46050 Petaling Jaya\nSelangor\n\n\nStep 2\n\n\nTake a pre-assessment test to determine your eligibility. Here are some basic information that you would need to provide:\n\n\nPersonal Details\n\n\nAge of borrower or borrowers (for joint SSB Loan)\n\n\nProperty Details\n\n\nEstimation of property\u2019s market value\nType of property\nLocation of property\nLand title of property (i.e. Freehold or Leasehold)\n\n\nStep 3\n\n\nSchedule an advisory appointment with the Credit Counselling and Debt Management Agency (AKPK).\n\n\nSuraya\u2019s note: Great idea! Extra income in old age is obviously welcomed, but no matter how much you get, it wouldn\u2019t be enough if one doesn\u2019t manage their finances optimally. \n\n\nStep 4\n\n\nComplete the reverse mortgage financial advisory module with AKPK at the nearest AKPK Branch.\n\n\nSuraya\u2019s note: Quite impressed they designed a module just for this scheme. \n\n\nStep 5\n\n\nOnce completed, you can submit your SSB application for the Skim Saraan Bercagar Loan\u00a0to Cagamas. Make sure to attach AKPK\u2019s confirmation of attendance form and other relevant supporting documents together with your application.\n\n\nFinal thoughts on Cagamas Reverse Mortgage\n\n\nAccording to \nBelanjawanku 2021\n, a senior single spends between RM1,990 and RM2,490, while a senior couple spends between RM2,590-RM3,170 per month, depending on where they live.\n\n\nTherefore, \neven if one takes the Cagamas Reverse Mortgage, one is expected to cover the shortfall with other savings or income. \nIt\u2019s not a silver bullet. \n\n\nCagamas Reverse Mortgage is meant to be a\n supplemental \nincome stream, and not the \nonly\n income stream. Therefore, if one is eligible, one should combine this strategy with other efforts, like:\n\n\nIncrease income and decrease expenses\nAllocate more money to retirement earmarked accounts like EPF and \nPRS\nUse \nretirement calculator\n to calculate shortfall \nHire a financial planner\n\n\nThat\u2019s all from me. Do check out the website at \nhttps://ssb.cagamas.com.my/\n and watch the video below to learn more. Share this article with your parents and see if this is a good option for them. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/cashback-credit-cards/", "title": "3 Cashback Credit Cards I\u2019m Eyeing Right Now\u2026 Help Me Pick?\n  ", "body": "\n\nCurrently, I have 3 credit cards, including 2 cashback credit cards: The \nMaybank 2 Gold Cards\n (AMEX and Mastercard) and the \nCIMB Cash Rebate Platinum Mastercard\n. Aside from these cards, I also have the \nBigPay debit card\n (Mastercard) and the usual bank debit cards. \n\n\nI want another credit card, a VISA. I don\u2019t need it, but I kind of want it. Having all three VISA, Mastercard and AMEX will give me the widest range of discounts and savings opportunities. I\u2019m in no rush to get one, but I just want to share my thought process in credit card selection, because I\u2019m an oversharer like that. \n\n\nBefore that, the necessary disclaimer about responsible usage of credit cards\u2026\n\n\nBecause I wouldn\u2019t be a responsible personal finance content creator if I didn\u2019t write this out. Feel free to skip to the next section if you just want to read on about the cards.\n\n\nI know credit cards have a bad reputation. And for good reason, too: a whopping 3 out of 5 people do not pay (cannot afford to pay?) their credit card balances in full (Source: \nNST, 2017\n)\n\n\nYet\u2026 as horrible as those statistics are, you can\u2019t deny that they are immensely useful as a financial tool. I had this realisation when someone asked me which option would I pick: paying a large amount via cash or via credit card. I picked credit card without hesitation. \n\n\nWhy? They\u2019re amazing for building up my credit score. For getting additional benefits and discounts when buying stuff I wanted to get anyway. For convenience in payments. And perhaps most importantly, for emergencies. \n\n\nRelated: \nMalaysians Share the Biggest Credit Card Expenses They Ever Made\n\n\nSo here goes: I\u2019m able to maximise the utility value of my credit cards because and ONLY because: \n\n\nI already have the money to pay back the amount in my bank account\n, which I\u2019ll use to pay in full the very next day (thus incurring no fees); and \nI\u2019m a natural saver\n; my default is to NOT spend \nthat often\n. Although admittedly the banks do try to tempt me to spend more than I should, judging by \u2018the aspirational lifestyle\u2019 promotions they keep sending me. Happy to say that\u2019s less of a problem now since I muted all notifications from them. \n\n\nSo with that out of the way, on to the actual meat of the article. Here are the 3 VISA cards I\u2019m looking at, which looks good to me, based on my preferences below: \n\n\nMust be a VISA card since I already have MasterCard and AMEX\nIslamic cards would be a HUGE bonus\nI like cards with no annual fees, but can consider if they allow waive fee upon certain conditions\nI like cashback credit cards \nIf I can take advantage of \nsign up offers\n and get a free gift, even better\n\n\nOther features \u2013 reward points, airmiles, airport lounges, etc \u2013 are nice to have, but not a priority. Let\u2019s go:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 HSBC Amanah MPower Platinum Credit Card-i\n\n\n\n\nWhat I like about the \nHSBC Amanah MPower Platinum Credit Card-i\n: \n\n\nCashback credit card (see below. It\u2019s cool that you can get cashback for ewallet reloads!)\nIslamic card (get pahala points!)\nDesign looks pretty cool\n\n\n\n\nWhat I don\u2019t like about the \nHSBC Amanah MPower Platinum Credit Card-i\n: \n\n\nHave to spend a minimum RM2000 monthly to get 8%, if not just 1% (but because ewallet is counted, that\u2019s not that big of a deal? Hmm)\nThe monthly cap of RM15 per category\nRM240 Annual fee (but waived with minimum of 12 swipes per year which tbh is not bad at all) \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Public Bank Quantum Visa\n\n\n\n\nWhat I like about the \nPublic Bank Quantum Visa Card\n:\n\n\n5% cashback is great! The minimum spend is just RM30 too\nFREE FOR LIFE card! No annual fee!\n\n\n\n\nWhat I don\u2019t like about the \nPublic Bank Quantum Visa\n Card:\n\n\nNon-Islamic card\nMaximum cashback capped at RM30\n\n\n#3 \u2013 RHB Islamic Cash Back Credit Card-i\n\n\n\n\nWhat I like about the \nRHB Islamic Cash Back Credit Card-i\n:\n\n\nIslamic card!\n0.2-5% cashback for categories Petrol, Dining, Utilities and Groceries (cashback % depends on spending amount \u2013 I can easily get the 5%, based on current usage)\n\n\n\n\nWhat I don\u2019t like about the \nRHB Islamic Cash Back Credit Card-i\n:\n\n\nIt *might* encourage me to get more food delivery. \nThe monthly cap of just RM10 per tier\nRM70 Annual fee (but waived with minimum spending of RM10,000 per year)\n\n\nSo those are the 3 cards. I\u2019m thinking of picking one of them. Even though the RinggitPlus website has \nlots of cashback credit card options\n that fit my initial criteria, but after looking at all of them, I will only consider these 3 cards because the others:\n\n\nHave very low cashback rates\nHave unnecessarily complicated T&C (must complete x number of transactions in x categories, must spend only on weekends, etc. Who can even remember.)\nHave VERY HIGH monthly income requirement (all the above require RM2000-3000 monthly income, not up to RM6.8k)\nCashback limited to certain shops/categories I don\u2019t use very often\n\n\nSo, again \u2013 I already have:\n\n\nMaybank 2 Gold Cards\n (AMEX and Mastercard) \nCIMB Cash Rebate Platinum Mastercard\nBigPay debit card\n\n\nAnd my options for VISA cards are:\n\n\nHSBC Amanah MPower Platinum Credit Card-i\nPublic Bank Quantum Visa\n \nRHB Islamic Cash Back Credit Card-i\n\n\nBased on the pro/cons list above, which one do you think I should pick? Public Bank\u2019s one is really tempting as it is FREE FOR LIFE, but unfortunately it\u2019s not Islamic. The other two have different cashback structures that can work with my lifestyle. \n\n\nHelp me decide! \n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/check-ctos-credit-report/", "title": "Check CTOS Credit Report for FREE (+ How to Read, Build and Improve Credit Score) [SPONSORED]\n  ", "body": "\n\nListen up everyone. As part of the CTOS Cares Campaign, CTOS is letting you check CTOS Report with CCRIS for FREE. This initiative, aimed to empower Malaysians with the right tools and knowledge to make good financial decisions, is \nvalid until 31 August 2021 to all eligible Malaysians\n.\n\n\nGo to \nBit.ly/ctoscares\n or click the image below to check your eligibility and claim the report. Alternatively, you can also download the CTOS mobile app and complete your sign-up from there.\n\n\n\n\nWhat you can use the information for\n\n\nBasically, the MyCTOS Report with CCRIS will pull data from various sources including BNM and SSM and show your:\n\n\nMissed payment records\nNew credit applications\nLoans and credits\nPTPTN student loan\nDirectorship and business interest\nLegacy and bankruptcy cases under consumer\u2019s name\nNon-bank debts (for example, utilities)\nAnd more\n\n\nThe information allows you to review your credit report and understand your financial situation better, and is \nvery \nuseful for those of you who want to \nknow your chances of securing credit or loans\n.\u00a0\n\n\nIn plain-speak, that means, if you want to apply for a house or car loan, \nthen do the free report first\n to check if your financial health is good or not. It might save you a lot of time and effort in preparing documents for submission, as well as spare you the pain of possible rejection.\u00a0\n\n\nNote: \nIt\u2019s ok if your report is not as good as you hoped.\n Scroll further down this article to know more about building a good credit report and work on improving yours so you have a higher chance of getting financing when you apply again. \n\n\nOther reasons to check CTOS report includes:\n\n\nCheck for signs of \nidentity theft and fraud\n (I hope not, but you never know until you check);\nCheck if any \nlitigation or bankruptcy cases\n have been registered under your name;\nFix any \ninaccuracies \nthat may show up,\u00a0\nSee if you are an \noptimal renter or job candidate\n (some landlords and employers do check credit reports)\nAnd more\n\n\nThat\u2019s why CTOS Cares is doing this CSR campaign \u2013 to help financially struggling Malaysians understand and rebuild their financial health in a systematic way. So take up this offer and claim your FREE MyCTOS Report with CCRIS at \nBit.ly/ctoscares\n before 31 August 2021.\u00a0\n\n\nOptional: Get CTOS Credit Score Report\n\n\nThe above offer at \nBit.ly/ctoscares\n is for FREE MyCTOS Report with CCRIS. I need to clarify that a credit report is \nnot\n the same thing as a credit score.\n\n\nThis is totally optional, but for RM24.85 \u2013 the price reduction is valid until 31 December 2021 \u2013 you can get a \nCTOS Score Report & Score\n and find out your three-digit credit score number. The number is indicative of your overall financial health.\n\n\n\n\nThis is my CTOS credit score, as checked in April 2020. It has since expired (it\u2019s valid for 3 months), but this is what you can expect if you get it. You will also get a PDF report containing more information.\n\n\n(Humblebrag \u2013 my credit score is EXCELLENT. I am in the Top 1% of my age group and in the Top 5% of Malaysians. Nice.)\n\n\n\n\nFurther down the report are detailed information like:\n\n\nWhat affected my score (and personalised recommendations to improve it)\nMy CTOS Score history\nMy latest credit history \u2013 outstanding loan amount, limit, etc\nMy accounts \u2013 loans and card payment history\nAnd other information already contained in your \nFREE CTOS Report with CCRIS\n\n\nHow to Read CTOS Score\n\n\nThe below image is the CTOS credit score guide, as per \nCTOS official website\n. There are 6 CTOS score categories, ranging from 300 (minimum) to 850 (maximum). A \u2018good\u2019 credit score is 697 and above. \n\n\n\n\nContrary to popular belief, Poor isn\u2019t the worst category to be in. The worst is actually\u2026 No Score. There is no data that can be used to formulate one\u2019s credit score, therefore they have no idea if you are a good borrower or not. \n\n\nSimply put, someone with No Score:\n\n\nDo not have credit card\nHave not bought car (hire purchase) nor house (mortgage) under their name\nDo not have loans, including personal loans or PTPTN\n\n\nIf you don\u2019t plan to apply for any financing in the future, then No Score doesn\u2019t matter, go ahead with your life. \n\n\nBUT if you aspire to be a homeowner, or would like the option to apply for SME financing for your future business, then you should probably build your credit history from now.\n\n\nHow to Build or Improve Credit Score\n\n\nYour credit score is calculated from many factors, and some are more important than others.\n\n\nFrom the chart below, you can see the most important factor for credit score calculation to the least, in ascending order:\n\n\nPayment history (45%)\nAmounts owed (20%)\nCredit mix (14%)\nNew credit (14%)\nCredit history length (7%)\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019ll put it in plain English. Building and improving credit history is as simple as (1) making a purchase on credit, then (2) paying the instalments on time, every month.\n\n\nAs for what purchase to make on credit \u2013 You don\u2019t *have* to get a credit card to build credit history, but it is perhaps the easiest method among other options, especially if you\u2019re a natural Saver (as opposed to a natural Spender).\n\n\nGet the CTOS Credit Report\n\n\nAgain, don\u2019t confuse CTOS credit report with credit score. You can get your credit score for RM24.85, but if not, no worries. Get the FREE MyCTOS Report with CCRIS \u2013 go claim it at \nBit.ly/ctoscares\n before 31 August 2021.\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/check-unclaimed-money-in-malaysia/", "title": "How to Check Unclaimed Money in Malaysia & 14 More To Do If You Need Financial Help\n  ", "body": "\n\nLots of reasons could have depleted your savings. Maybe you were unlucky and had an emergency.  Maybe you lost your job and finding it hard to find another. Maybe \nsomeone took advantage of you\n. Maybe you YOLO\u2019d too hard. \n\n\nWhatever it is, the financial damage is done. Now how do you get back up again?\n\n\nI HATE the \u2018why didn\u2019t you\u2019-type advice, they\u2019re useless. Instead, here are 15 things you can do to get back on the right financial track. \n\n\n#1 \u2013 Check if you have unclaimed money in Malaysia\n\n\nFirst, do check if you have unclaimed money in Malaysia. You may have \u2018free\u2019 money to claim from the Unclaimed Moneys Registrar. Maybe there isn\u2019t any, but no harm checking \u2013 who knows there\u2019s a few thousand ringgit waiting for you, right?\n\n\nUse these steps to find out if you have unclaimed money in Malaysia:\n\n\n\n\nStep 1: Go to \nhttps://egumis.anm.gov.my/\n\n\nStep 2: Complete the online claim application form. Registration info will be sent to your email\n\n\nStep 3: Input identification number in the box provided (note: you can only make 2 searches per day)\n\n\nStep 4: If there\u2019s unclaimed money, it will show up in the search results (see image below)\n\n\nStep 5: To receive your unclaimed money in Malaysia, click on the Proceed to Application button. You are required to input your payee details and upload the relevant supporting documents \n\n\n\n\n\n\nIMPORTANT: \nYou must do this yourself, there\u2019s no such thing as paid service or needing someone else doing it on your behalf. \nAs mentioned on the website, \u2018Ministry of Finance or the Registrar of Unclaimed Moneys never appoint any individual / firm / company as an intermediary or agent for the refund of Unclaimed Moneys\u2019. \n\n\nNote 2: If you have parents, help them check if they have unclaimed money as well. \n\n\nSupporting documents you may need to get your unclaimed money in Malaysia\n\n\nDepending on the type of unclaimed money you get, you may be required to upload supporting documents: \n\n\n\n\nCopy of ID card\n\n\nCopy of active bank account statement\n\n\nCopy of name change documents from JPN \u2013 if individual have different name than ID document\n\n\nCopy of company name change documents \u2013 if company/firm have changed name\n\n\nCopy of bank draft/telegraphic form \u2013 if apply via TT/bank draft for foreign bank\n\n\nCopy of swift code/foreign bank account authentication \u2013 if apply via TT/bank draft for foreign bank\n\n\nCopy of company liquidation form \u2013 by liquidator only\n\n\nCopy of minutes/other registration documents \u2013 if entity is not registered by CCM/ROS\n\n\nCopy of birth certificate \u2013 by inheritors (child/parents only)\n\n\nCopy of marriage certificate \u2013 by inheritors (spouse only)\n\n\nCopy of General 80 form and Indemnity bond form UMA-8 \u2013 by inheritors for amount under RM2,000\n\n\nCopy of Letter of Administration \u2013 by inheritors/administrator \n\n\nCopy of Letter of Administration (foreign) \u2013 by inheritors/administrator\n\n\nCopy of proof of payment \u2013 done by submission company/firm only\n\n\nCopy of claim letter \u2013 done by submission company/firm only \n\n\nCopy of death certificate \u2013 by inheritors (child/parents/spouse only)\n\n\n\n\nYou don\u2019t need to upload ALL documents \u2013 the platform will tell you which ones are mandatory. For example, I only had to upload (1) and (2).\n\n\nThat should be it. Remember to check once every couple of years or so to see if you have unclaimed money in Malaysia. \n\n\nFor clarifications and questions, you can visit/call the Unclaimed Moneys Registrar office. The address and phone number for Jabatan Akauntan Negara Malaysia/ Accountant General\u2019s Department Of Malaysia\n \nis:\n\n\n\n\nPendaftar Wang Tak Dituntut\n \nJabatan Akauntan Negara Malaysia\n \n(Accountant General\u2019s Department Of Malaysia)\n \nBahagian Pengurusan Wang Tak Dituntut\n\n\nAddress: Aras 1, Blok Utara, Perbendaharaan 2, No. 7, Persiaran Perdana Presint 2, Kompleks Kementerian Kewangan, Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan 62594 Putrajaya\n\n\nPhone number: 03-8000 8600 (Talian AM/General Line)\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Check if you are eligible to receive financial help from Malaysian government\n\n\nGo to \nMyGovernment > Applying Financial Help\n page and see if you are eligible to apply and receive financial help from the Malaysian government. There may be financial aid available, especially for:\n\n\n\n\nChildren\n\n\nHousewife\n\n\nSingle mother\n\n\nSenior citizen\n\n\nthe Disabled\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Check with religious bodies\n\n\nYou may be able to get some help from religious bodies, either from your church, temple or even local surau. \n\n\nI\u2019m not familiar with processes for other religions, but for Muslims, you may be able to get financial or other types of aid from zakat collection bodies. Contact your respective states\u2019 zakat collection bodies for more info. \n\n\nZakat collection bodies in Malaysia, according to state:\n\n\n\n\nSelangor \u2013\u00a0\nLembaga Zakat Selangor\n\n\nWilayah Persekutuan \u2013\u00a0\nPusat Pungutan Zakat MAIWP\n\n\nMelaka \u2013\u00a0\nZakat Melaka\n\n\nPahang \u2013\u00a0\nPusat Kutipan Zakat Pahang\n\n\nPerlis \u2013\u00a0\nMAIPs Zakat\n\n\nJohor \u2013\u00a0\nMajlis Agama Islam Negeri Johor\n\n\nNegeri Sembilan \u2013\u00a0\nPortal Pembayaran Zakat Negeri Sembilan\n\n\nPerak \u2013\u00a0\nMajlis Agama Islam Perak\n\n\nKelantan \u2013\u00a0\nMajlis Agama Islam Kelantan\n\n\nTerengganu \u2013\u00a0\nMajlis Agama Islam Terengganu\n\n\nKedah \u2013\u00a0\nLembaga Zakat Kedah\n\n\nPulau Pinang \u2013\u00a0\nZakat Pulau Pinang\n\n\nSabah \u2013\u00a0\nBahagian Zakat dan Fitrah Majlis Agama Islam Sabah\n\n\nSarawak \u2013\u00a0\nTabung Baitulmal Sarawak\n\n\n\n\nNote: As far as I know, these aids are not fast. You have to register, then they have to vet and perform background check. Regardless, even if you can get a free meal out of them, it helps. \n\n\n#4 \u2013 Get help from WeListenPack\n\n\nIf you truly have no money for immediate needs like food and baby stuff, contact We Listen Malaysia Organisation). They may be able to help.\n\n\n\n\nHowever, they may or may not be able to help \u2013 it\u2019s subject to funds availability. Help your fellow Malaysians by donating at \nhttps://marhaen.my/campaign/557\n or 552189537243 Maybank (We Listen Malaysia Organisation)\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Sell things of value\n\n\nThis is obvious, but go ahead and sell things you own for immediate cash. For the best chance of selling, list your items on as many platforms as possible, including Carousell, Mudah, Facebook marketplace and more.\n\n\nSometimes, we are reluctant to part ways with our items, even though we don\u2019t use it. This is a good time to learn about \nthe endowment effect\n: \u2018the human tendency to attach more value to items we own simply because they belong to us. In other words, \nonce we own something, we value it more.\n\u2018\n\n\n\n\nThis is not the time to be a hoarder \u2013 stuff is just stuff. Plus you can always buy them back when your financial life gets better. (And it will, you hear me? It will). \n\n\n#6 \u2013 Significantly downsize Accommodation, Transportation and Food\n\n\nGenerally speaking, Accommodation, Transportation and Food make up the biggest expenses in most households. If you want to save money, it\u2019s worth starting from here. \n\n\nNow, there are a lot of cost-saving tips for these three. However, not all of them work for everyone. So what I\u2019m going to do is leave you with the respective articles so you can decide which one will work best for you and your family. \n\n\n\n\nAccommodation: \n5 FREE or Cheap Housing in Malaysia\n\n\nTransportation: \nThe Real Answer to \u2018How Much Should I Spend On A Car?\u2019\n\n\nFood: \n5 Things I Did To Reduce My Damn High Groceries Bill\n\n\n\n\n#7 \u2013 If you can, work from home (or move near to workplace)\n\n\nFind WFH jobs or move near to your workplace. Near as in you can walk/cycle/public transport under 20 mins to get to work. \n\n\nThis lifestyle change means:\n\n\n\n\nYou may be able to sell off your car (save at least RM1k++ per month)\n\n\nOr downgrade \u2013 sell your car on \nCarsome\n and get a cheaper one (in both monthly instalment and maintenance cost)\n\n\nThe time saved from not maintaining the car or stuck in jams = can find extra income and use for meal prepping, thus earning and saving more money\n\n\n\n\nAgain, this won\u2019t work for some situations, but if it does, this strategy will save you a shit ton of money + time. \n\n\n#8 \u2013 See if you are eligible for any help from SOCSO/PERKESO\n\n\nGo to \nSOCSO/PERKESO website\n and see if you can receive financial assistance there. As of writing time, there are 3 types of assistance:\n\n\n\n\nSIP Prihatin 2.0 \u2013 Job search allowance\n\n\nSIP GIG \u2013 financial incentive for new gig workers\n\n\nSIP EMP+ \u2013 Additional job search allowance\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYou might also be eligible to get \nSOCSO Self-Employment Social Security Scheme\n for 80% or 100% off. More info in the article. \n\n\n#9 \u2013 Collect money owed to you\n\n\nIf friends/family owe you money, this is the time to \u2018remind\u2019 them to return it back to you. \n\n\nIf other individuals/companies owe you money, send them reminders and if you have to, submit a small claims procedure to recover sums less than RM5000. This could be for:\n\n\n\n\nRefund of money paid for defective goods\n\n\nRefund of wages/salaries paid for work that has not been carried out;\n\n\nClaims for due commissions\n\n\nClaims for payment on supplied facilities, rendered services or undertaken repairs.\n\n\nAnd more\n\n\n\n\nHere\u2019s the \nprocess to file a small claims procedure in Malaysia\n, courtesy of AskLegal.my\n\n\n#10 \u2013 Do 50/30/20 budget, see how many % is Needs\n\n\nNeeds are:\n\n\n\n\nAccommodation \u2013 Mortgage or Rent\n\n\nTransportation \u2013 A travel pass or vehicle (and all its related costs)\n\n\nFood \u2013 Groceries and budget meals\n\n\nBills \u2013 Electric, Water, Phone, etc\n\n\nDebt repayment \u2013 credit card, personal loan, BNPL\n\n\nInsurance/Medication\n\n\nContribution to Family\n\n\n\n\nIdeally, these expenses shouldn\u2019t exceed 50% of your take-home salary. \nThe nearer your Needs % are to 100% (or even exceed), the more urgent you have to take action\n. You can no longer afford to lalala or be in denial about your financial situation. \n\n\nYou can use the free tool in \nCan You *Really* Afford It? Use the 50/30/20 Rule (Free Editable Template)\n article to find out your Needs\u2019 %\n\n\n\n\n#11 \u2013 Immediately reduce everything under \u2018Wants\u2019 category\n\n\nYour stress and anxiety will make it hard for you to resist Wants or any other impulse purchases. I get it, those purchases can give temporary happiness and sometimes that\u2019s all you want because everything else sucks so bad. \n\n\nSo here I\u2019m going to say, don\u2019t stop spending on Wants, just \nreduce\n instead. Like dieting, restricting usually doesn\u2019t work, but giving yourself a small amount to play around with can go a long way. \n\n\nGive yourself a guilt-free RM50 or RM100 or so (depending on your income) to spend on anything you want. Tell yourself this is your chance to try cheap but fun things you never get to try \u2013 like getting that RM1.50 ice cream, instead of RM15 frappuccino. \n\n\nThis will be harder for the \nnatural spenders\n among you. If you\u2019re finding it hard, know that this is temporary, until your financial life is back on track. \n\n\nLifehack: Find low-cost or free leisure activities you enjoy\n\n\nIt would be a problem if you feel like you need to splurge every time you are stressed. Find low-cost or free leisure activities that you can do instead.\n\u00a0\u2018Reward yourself\u2019 doesn\u2019t have to be expensive.\n \n\n\nI compiled what I like to do in my \n23 Free/Cheap Things I Do to Stop Online Shopping Habit\n list. Make your own version, too. \n\n\n#12 \u2013 Consider donating blood\n\n\nIt\u2019s really cool that people who donate blood in Malaysia can enjoy special perks. Here\u2019s the blood donor privilege list, as of 20 July 2020, as taken from the \nPusat Perubatan Universiti Malaya website\n. \n\n\nAs you can see, even donating blood once or twice can give you free* outpatient treatment and medical treatment for 4 months. \n\n\nDonation Frequency\nBlood Donor Privilege\n1 time\nFree outpatient treatment and medical treatment (excluding X-ray and surgical charges) and second class wards for a period of * 4 months.\n2 times (within 12 months)\nFree Hepatitis B preventive injection\n2 ~ 5 times\nFree outpatient treatment and medical treatment and second class wards for a period of * 4 months.\n6 ~ 10 times\nFree * 1 year outpatient treatment and second class medical treatment for a * 6 month period.\n11 ~ 15 times\nFree * 2 year outpatient treatment and medical treatment and second class wards for a * 1 year period.\n16 ~ 20 times\nFree outpatient treatment and medical treatment and second class wards for a * 2 year period.\n21 ~ 30 times\nFree outpatient treatment and medical treatment and second class wards for a period of * 3 years.\n31 ~ 40 times\nFree outpatient treatment and medical treatment and first class wards for a period of * 4 years.\n41 ~ 50 times\nFree outpatient treatment and medical treatment and first class wards for a period of * 6 years.\nOver 50 times (for \u201cWhole Blood\u201d) and Over 150 times (for aferesis donors)\nFree outpatient treatment and first-class medical treatment and wards for 10 years and second-class wards of life after 10 years in first-class ward.\n\n\nMalaysians can now check their blood donor card update and privilege level in the MySejahtera app.\n\n\n\n\nBlood donor card update for \n@my_sejahtera\n. Available for Apple now. Google normally a day after. \nNext update will contain red book donation record. \npic.twitter.com/sc1Ehg6TQt\n\u2014 Khairy Jamaluddin \ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\uddfe\ud83c\udf3a (@Khairykj) \nSeptember 30, 2022\n\n\n\n\n#15 \u2013 If you struggle with debt payments, contact AKPK\n\n\nIf you are stressed all the time because of your debt situation, go to \nhttps://services.akpk.org.my/EN/\n and get the help you need. AKPK\u2019s services are FREE. \n\n\n\n\n#14 \u2013 Find extra income\n\n\nEven if your job pays well, it can be dangerous to rely on one income. Not to make you panic, but lay-offs happens. \n\n\nSo, brainstorm and decide on a type of gig work that you can do \u2013 better if it\u2019s something you yourself find fun or at least curious about. Register on gig platforms and if possible, start doing some work if only to collect testimonies. This will help you get jobs easier when you really do need them. \n\n\nHere are some options:\n\n\n\n\nFiverr\n\n\nUpwork\n\n\nFreelancer\n\n\nGoget.my\n\n\nSwifty.my\n\n\nThekedua.com\n\n\nE-hailing/Food delivery rider \u2013 Grab, etc\n\n\nBabysitting \u2013 Sitly.my, etc\n\n\n(Please send more suggestions in the comments section)\n\n\n\n\nPersonally, I would focus on the platforms paid in USD because the exchange rate is favourable to Malaysians. But there\u2019s no harm in trying out ALL the gig work platforms. If you\u2019re financially struggling, whichever platform sends (paying) clients your way is the best platform. \n\n\n#15 \u2013 Get my book, Bergaji & Pokai\n\n\nI wrote Bergaji & Pokai: Membina Kehidupan Bebas Tekanan Melalui Pengurusan Kewangan Yang Realistik especially for people who are stuck in the vicious paycheck-by-paycheck cycle. \n\n\nYou don\u2019t have to get it if the free information on RinggitOhRinggit.com is enough, but if you are overwhelmed, get the book. I\u2019m addressing the one thing most people find challenging \u2013 feeling overwhelmed by all the financial info out there, paralysed in fear and stuck in analysis paralysis. You can follow the step-by-step I outlined in the book.\n\n\nYou can get Bergaji & Pokai at bookstores nationwide, or shop online at \nlinktr.ee/surayaror\n.\n\n\n\n\nWhat other resources can you suggest to those financially struggling in Malaysia?\n\n\nI admit, as someone who grew up with more privilege than many others, my knowledge for this article is limited. Regardless, I did my best to compile resources for those who are financially struggling in Malaysia. \n\n\nIt is my hope that readers can (1) add more resources in the comments section, and (2) share this article to people who may need it. If data is to be believed, a lot of people are pretending everything is OK, when they\u2019re actually not. \n\n\nThat\u2019s all from me today. Take care and stay safe y\u2019all. Covid is still around. \n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/credit-reports-in-malaysia/", "title": "Comparing Credit Reports in Malaysia: Experian Credit Report vs CTOS Credit Report\n  ", "body": "\n\nI\u2019ve always wondered what\u2019s the difference between different credit reports in Malaysia, so I got both Experian credit report and CTOS credit report. This post compares PAID credit reports from Experian (aka mycreditinfo.com.my) and CTOS (ctoscredit.com.my) bought on the same day. \n\n\nDisclaimer: This is NOT a sponsored article, I am not paid to write about Experian or CTOS reports. I paid for both credit reports out of my own pocket. \n\n\nThe format of this article is:\n\n\n\n\nWhat is on a Credit Report\n\n\nMy Credit Report from Experian\n\n\nMy Credit Report from CTOS\n\n\nExperian vs CTOS: Which Credit Report is Better?\n\n\nHow about credit report from Credit Bureau?\n\n\nWhere to get FREE credit report in Malaysia\n\n\nWhy my Experian / CTOS report have no score?\n\n\nShould you get free or paid credit report?\n\n\n\n\nAll information is accurate as of writing time, but may change without notice. Let\u2019s start:\n\n\nWhat is on a Credit Report\n\n\nThe Experian credit report contains:\n\n\n\n\nExperian\u00a0\ni-SCORE\n\u00a0(Credit Score)\n\n\nBanking Information (CCRIS)\n\n\nSkim Potongan Gaji Angkasa (SPGA)\n\n\nPTPTN\n\n\nTrade References (Non-Banking Info)\n\n\nLitigation History and more.\n\n\n\n\nWhile CTOS credit report contains:\n\n\n\n\nPersonal Information (NRD)\n\n\nDirectorship & Business Interest (SSM)\n\n\nLitigation & Bankruptcy\n\n\nTrade Referee Listings (eTR)\n\n\n2 Free MyCTOS Basic Reports a year\n\n\nCTOS Score\n\n\nCCRIS Records (BNM)\n\n\nAccess to Rewards\n\n\n\n\n*All information taken from Experian and CTOS websites \n\n\nFrom here, I can see that both Experian credit report and CTOS credit report contain more or less the same things, but worded differently. \n\n\nFor example, both Experian credit report and CTOS credit report contain CCRIS data*, but Experian calls it \u2018Banking Information (CCRIS)\u2019 while CTOS calls it \u2018CCRIS Records (BNM)\u2019. \n\n\nI also have a feeling, but can\u2019t confirm, that \u2018Trade References (Non-Banking Info)\u2019 and \u2018Trade Referee Listings (eTR) are both the same things too. \n\n\n(*By the way, you can get CCRIS data/ record for free from \nhttps://eccris.bnm.gov.my/\n \u2013 see FREE credit report in Malaysia section below)\n\n\nBut anyway, let\u2019s compare the two\n\n\nMy Credit Report from Experian\n\n\nThis is my result from \nExperian Personal Credit Report Plus (PCRP)\n, the paid credit report from Experian\u00a0Credit & Information Services, formerly known as RAM Credit Information (RAMCI).  \n\n\n\n\nThe 5-page report contains:\n\n\n\n\nPersonal information\n\n\nCredit score\n \u2013 My Experian credit score was 640, which is considered Good (but not Strong)\n\n\nBanking credit information\n \u2013 All my credit cards and loans listed\n\n\nShareholding/ Directorship and business interest\ns \u2013 Only 1 \u2013 my own company \n\n\nLegal action \n\u2013 No info\n\n\nBankruptcy Action\n \u2013 No info\n\n\nNon-bank lender credit information (NLCI)\n \u2013 No info\n\n\nTrade Bureau/ Credit reference (CR) \n\u2013 No info\n\n\nEnquiries made on you\n \u2013 1\n\n\n\n\nHow much does Experian credit report cost?\n\n\nExperian Personal Credit Report Plus (PCRP)\n, the Experian credit report costs RM19.50.\n \n\n\nMy Credit Report from CTOS\n\n\nThis is my result from \nMyCTOS Score Report\n, the paid credit report from MyCTOS.\n\n\nThe 4-page report contains:\n\n\n\n\nSnapshot\n \u2013 My ID verification\n\n\nCredit Info at a Glance\n \u2013 Summary of credit info information\n\n\nCTOS Score \n\u2013 My CTOS credit score was 760, which is Excellent\n\n\nTop 5 Directorship & Business Interest\n \u2013 None listed\n\n\nDirectorships and Business Interests\n \u2013 Interestingly my company was not listed\n\n\nAddress records\n\n\nBanking Payment Records \n\u2013 All my credit cards and loans listed\n\n\nCCRIS Derivatives \n\n\nLegal cases (subject as defendent)\n; \n(subject as plaintiff)\n; \n(non personal capacity)\n \u2013 No info\n\n\nTrade reference\n \u2013 No info\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHow much does CTOS cost?\n\n\nMyCTOS Score Report\n, the CTOS credit report costs RM26.50.\n\n\nExperian vs CTOS: Which Credit Report in Malaysia is Better?\n\n\nBoth are good, reputable credit score check companies, but if I have to choose which one is better..\n\n\n\n\nAccuracy\n: AFAIK, data from both reports is mostly accurate \u2013 the same financial data was reported. CTOS report missed out my company though\n\n\nCredit scoring\n: Even though my credit score from Experian and CTOS reports are different (640 vs 760), I believe both are accurate. Perhaps they use different parameters and Experian is stricter.\n\n\nPrice\n: Experian is cheaper\n\n\nSecurity\n: Both are good, but Experian was slightly more annoying (not a bad thing. If it\u2019s hard for me, it\u2019s hard for scammers)\n\n\nDesign\n: CTOS has better data visualisation and presentation\n\n\nSpeed\n: Both Experian and CTOS sent credit reports immediately to my email\n\n\nSpecial features worth mentioning\n:\n\n\n\n\nExperian Personal Credit Report Plus (PCRP)\n has an additional \nEnquiries Made On You section\n. Apparently some Finance Banking person enquired about me on 17 May 2022. Who or why, I wouldn\u2019t know. But they should know I know, ykwim?\n\n\n\n\nOn the other hand, CTOS has a Rewards section. It\u2019s just some financing options that you can also probably access outside of CTOS, but worth mentioning. \n\n\n\n\nHow about credit report from Credit Bureau?\n\n\nThere is one more credit reporting agency that is not included here: \nCredit Bureau Malaysia\n. Unfortunately, the Credit Report page is under maintenance at writing time, so I am unable to get Credit Bureau report. UPDATE: Seems like their service is now available\n\n\nAre there more credit reporting agencies in Malaysia? Nope, just those three:  CTOS, Credit Bureau Malaysia and Experian. \n\n\nAccording to BNM, \n\n\n\n\nCTOS/Credit Bureau Malaysia/Experian are credit reporting agencies registered by the\u00a0\nMinistry of Finance\n\u00a0under the Credit Reporting Agencies Act 2010. \n\n\nThese three credit reporting agencies have approval to access the CCRIS system to provide private credit reports to their users, which may include more information than CCRIS.\n\n\n\n\nWhere to get FREE credit reports in Malaysia\n\n\nBoth CTOS and Experian offer free credit reports in Malaysia. It\u2019s not as comprehensive their paid versions, but enough if you just want to see a snippet of your financial background. \n\n\nThe links to the free credit reports in Malaysia are:\n\n\n\n\nExperian: \nPersonal Credit Report Basic\n (no score, no CCRIS)\n\n\nCTOS: \nMyCTOS Basic Report\n (no score, no CCRIS)\n\n\n\n\nThe no CCRIS part is actually not a big deal.\n Again, remember you can get CCRIS record for free from \nhttps://eccris.bnm.gov.my/\n, or from CCRIS kiosks at AKPK premises. Learn more about CCRIS \nhere\n. \n\n\n\n\nShould you get free or paid credit report?\n\n\nFor most people, the free credit reports PLUS check CCRIS yourself is good enough. Only get the paid versions if:\n\n\n\n\nYou want to know your credit score number (hard to improve it if you don\u2019t know the number)\n\n\nYou plan to purchase property in the next 6 months and want to know if your loan application will go through. No point submit loan application if your credit score is too low, it\u2019ll just get rejected\n\n\nYou want to know if anyone took a loan/financing under your name from\u00a0credit institutions that do not participate in CCRIS*\n\n\n\n\n*CCRIS (Central Credit Reference Information System), which is owned and operated by BNM to facilitate credit risk management among banks, only records \nparticipating financial institutions\n.\n\n\nIf any of the above is important to you, then get the paid version, it\u2019s worth the price. \n\n\nWhy my Experian / CTOS have no score?\n\n\nSome of you might get credit reports from Experian / CTOS with no score. There is no data that can be used to formulate one\u2019s credit score, therefore they have no idea if you are a good borrower or not.\n\n\nSimply put, someone with No Score:\n\n\n\n\nDo not have \ncredit card\n\n\nHave not bought car (hire purchase) nor house (\nmortgage\n) under their name\n\n\nDo not have loans, including personal loans or PTPTN\n\n\n\n\nIf you don\u2019t plan to apply for any financing in the future, then No Score doesn\u2019t matter, go ahead with your life.\n\n\nBUT if you aspire to be a homeowner, or would like the option to apply for SME financing for your future business, then you should probably build your credit history from now.\n\n\nFinal note\n\n\nLike mentioned in the Disclaimer section in the beginning of this article, this is not a sponsored article. \n\n\nHowever, I have had working and paid opportunities with both companies in the past, including a \nsponsored post on CTOS credit scoring system\n and a webinar talk with Experian (video embedded below). That does not affect my review of both platforms. \n\n\nHow about you? Have you gotten paid CTOS credit report and/or Experian credit report? Was your credit score in CTOS higher than Experian, like mine? Or yours was more similar? Insights welcome in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nWatch: Ringgit Dijaga, Keluarga Bahagia. My presentation is titled \u2018Cara Berbincang Kewangan dengan Pasangan (Tanpa Bergaduh)\u2019. My slot at 50 minutes in\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/critical-illness-insurance/", "title": "Learn Critical Illness Insurance in 5 Minutes [SPONSORED]\n  ", "body": "\n\nLet\u2019s learn about critical illness insurance, that thing you said you want to get for yourself but have been putting off. I know this because I am you. Or rather, I was, until I decided enough is enough, just get it done.\u00a0\n\n\nIn 5 minutes, we\u2019re going to cover:\n\n\nWhat critical illness insurance covers (and what it doesn\u2019t)\nWhy insurance agents keep telling you to buy it while you\u2019re still healthy\nHow much they cost\nWhere to get it (agent option and online option), and\nHow to combat analysis paralysis because yes, there are quite a few options for critical illness insurance out there\n\n\nLet\u2019s start.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 What critical illness insurance covers (and what it doesn\u2019t)\n\n\nIf you look online, one of the biggest complaints people have about insurance is they claim they were denied payment for their insurance claims. Actually\u2026 more often than not, they just tried to claim what their insurance didn\u2019t cover.\n\n\nSo let\u2019s use this scenario as an example: you ONLY have critical illness insurance and you were unlucky enough to get a medical condition. Let\u2019s say, cancer.\n\n\nIn this case, you will get the sum insured promised by the insurance provider. If your critical illness plan is for RM30k in sum insured, you\u2019ll get RM30k. If it\u2019s for RM50k, you\u2019ll get RM50k. If it\u2019s for RM100k, you\u2019ll get RM100k. You get the picture.\n\n\n(The disbursement have T&Cs depending on the plan and the company but let\u2019s keep it simple for now).\n\n\nWhat you do with the money is up to you: you can use it to pay your medical and hospitalisation bills, and as salary replacement to cover your living costs. You can even use it to pay for complementary and alternative treatments.\n\n\nYou WON\u2019T get the sum insured for critical illness insurance if you were unlucky enough to be hospitalised for anything other than a covered medical condition, for example due to an accident. That will be covered under life insurance, personal accident insurance and/or medical card, depending on the scope and coverage.\n\n\nSo yes, critical illness insurance is just \none of the few types of insurance that people should have\n. It is also one of the top priority to get, because\u2026\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Not everyone can get critical illness insurance\n\n\nNot everyone can get critical illness insurance. You can ONLY get it if you\u2019re healthy.\n\n\nThere are products that can cover some medical conditions (the term is called pre-existing conditions), such as MSIG\u2019s Gluco SafeGuard, a plan for diabetics that rewards \u2018good behaviour\u2019. However, such plans are the exception rather than the norm.\n\n\nEven if you managed to get critical illness insurance with a pre-existing condition, you\u2019ll have to declare your condition in advance and you can\u2019t make claims related to the medical condition you already have.\n\n\nFor example, let\u2019s say you have kidney problems and you manage to get a critical illness plan. You can only claim it if you develop \nsomething else \nunrelated to your pre-existing condition, like a heart attack or something.\n\n\nTherefore, the ideal situation is to get it while you\u2019re healthy, with NO pre-existing condition. You have to be ok with \u2018paying for nothing\u2019. Remember, insurance is not something you buy and immediately put to use. You buy it and hope you \ndon\u2019t\n use it.\n\n\n(Personally, I make myself feel better about this by reframing it as the best-case scenario. Yay another month of not using the insurance I paid for, thank you God for the health) (Or Universe. Whatever you believe in).\n\n\n#3 \u2013 How much is critical illness insurance\n\n\nYour critical illness premium depends on variables including:\n\n\nYour age (younger = cheaper)\nYour gender (men = cheaper)\nYour medical history/condition (including BMI)\nAnd more\n\n\nIf you are in your 20s and 30s, you can expect comprehensive critical illness insurance to cost around RM100-RM300 per month, depending on those variables.\n\n\nCan you get critical illness insurance for cheaper, say around RM20 per month or less? \nCan\n. In fact, if you can\u2019t afford to get the plan that covers 36 critical illnesses (some providers even go up to 75..), then get the \u2018good enough\u2019 plan, which covers 4 illnesses: Cancer, Heart Attack, Stroke and Kidney Failure.\n\n\nBut Suraya, you say, what if I get other illnesses aside from the 4? Shouldn\u2019t I be covered for ALL the illnesses?\n\n\nYes that\u2019s true, but consider this: just \nthose 4 illnesses make up 90% of all critical illness insurance claims\n. Statistically speaking, rather than have NO coverage, better get \nmostly\n covered, for a \nsignificantly cheaper\n monthly premium.\n\n\nAgain, remember what I said in #2 \u2013 not using your critical illness insurance is the best case scenario \u2013 it means you\u2019re healthy, but *in case* life has other plans for you, you\u2019re covered. I can\u2019t stress the importance of getting it BEFORE you\u2019re sick, not after. Get one that you can afford, no matter how basic \u2013 that is better than not having anything at all.\n\n\nPlus, when your financial situation improves, and if you\u2019re still healthy, you can always upgrade or get additional plans.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Where to get critical illness insurance\n\n\nYou can get critical illness insurance and the quotation from insurance agents or online distribution channels.\n\n\nThe first option has more of that \u2018personal touch\u2019, so if this article isn\u2019t enough for you to take action, go find an agent and just get it done. They\u2019ll help you get the best package according to your requirements and budget.\n\n\nYou can find agents from:\n\n\nAsking friends/family for referrals\nSocial media\nDirectly from insurance providers websites\n\n\nThe second option is for introverts, eh no, people who prefer DIY research (you\u2019re usually good at it, too) and happy to get their insurance from online platforms.\n\n\nMSIG EZ Critical Care and MSIG EZ Cancer Care are for those people \u2013 you can literally get one or both plans in 15-20 minutes and it comes with 15% rebate to boot.\u00a0\n\n\nHere\u2019s how to get it:\n\n\nStep 1: Go to \nhttps://takeiteasy.msig.com.my/msigonline/\n and click on Healthcare\n\n\nLink: \nhttps://takeiteasy.msig.com.my/msigonline/\n\n\n\n\nStep 2 \u2013 Pick a Critical Illness Insurance\n\n\nMSIG offers two critical illness insurance products that you can get online: MSIG EZ Critical Care and MSIG EZ Cancer Care. Clicking \u2018learn more\u2019 will show you the details of each plan.\n\n\nTo proceed, click on Apply\n\n\n\n\nStep 3: Declare your health background\n\n\nNow you have to state your age and self-declare your medical background.\n\n\nNote: You can only proceed with the online method if you have a normal BMI. If you can\u2019t proceed, you can still get the product \u2013 simply complete the process manually by downloading and filling out the \napplication form\n and submitting it to MSIG \nhere\n.\n\n\n\n\nStep 4: Select your Plan\n\n\nI love this part. You get to pick the plan you want and straight away see how much it would cost. Note that the total amount payable is ANNUAL not monthly cost.\n\n\nIn the example below, my critical illness insurance premium for RM50k sum assured is RM131.55 per year (including RM10 stamp duty cost), which is just RM10.96 per month!\n\n\n(Side note: I am actually paying for a separate critical illness insurance which costs me RM171 per MONTH for RM200k so believe me when I say this one is CHEAP for 90% of coverage)\n\n\n\n\nStep 5: Fill in Details, Review and Pay\n\n\nMake the payment by online banking, credit/debit card or e-wallet and you\u2019re done!\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 How to decide which plan to get\n\n\nSome of you, especially DIY researchers, will reach here and be like, I need to compare all plans! All! I will find me the best plan!\n\n\nWhich is great if you eventually do get insured, but not if you put it off. I\u2019m a chronic researcher and put mine off for YEARS. I was lucky to be healthy, but what if I wasn\u2019t?\n\n\nSo here\u2019s what you can do instead: No one said you have to get ONE critical illness insurance \u2013 you can get a few. Obviously getting 10 critical illness insurance plans is a bit of an overkill, but there\u2019s nothing stopping you from taking one plan now (the one you can afford) and adding more in the future (when your income and needs grow).\n\n\nThis is not a bad idea, because:\n\n\nIf anything happens, you can claim from ALL of them, not just one\nMore sum insured means more money, which gives you more options. You\u2019re already stressed from the illness. Don\u2019t stress from finances too\nYou can get additional coverage for cancer, which is a \nreally\n expensive illness to treat\nDifferent plans may have specific perks unique to the provider so rather than headache and analysis paralysis to choose, might as well get from a few. For example, MSIG\u2019s EZ Critical Care and Cancer Care both have payouts for early stage detection, whereas most other critical illness insurance plans will only pay at terminal stage\nIn case one plan lapses and got terminated by accident (or intentionally), you have others to depend on\n\n\nThe catch is, of course, the additional/annual commitment you have to pay.\n\n\nWhat else do you want to know about critical illness insurance?\n\n\nWhat else would you like to know about critical illness insurance? Leave your questions in the comments section and I\u2019ll do my best to answer them.\n\n\nLastly, shoutout to online distribution channels for making it easy for people like me who prefer to buy insurance online, even critical illness insurance. Both MSIG EZ Critical Care and EZ Cancer Care are good options, and the premium is honestly affordable and within reach for almost everyone. Get them from \nhttps://takeiteasy.msig.com.my/msigonline/\n.\n\n\nNote: With all insurance products, terms and conditions apply. Speak to an MSIG Insurance Adviser or contact MSIG for more information.\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/debt-management/", "title": "My Debt Management: All The Good Debt & Bad Debt I\u2019ve Taken So Far\n  ", "body": "\n\nIn this day and age, it\u2019s pretty hard to avoid being in any kind of\u00a0debt. This is a post about my own debt history and how I apply debt management strategies in my life. But first, I want to clear something up:\n\n\nTaking on debt =/= bad spending habit\n\n\nTo be clear, yes SOME people have problems with excessive spending. HOWEVER, there are also many other circumstances that force someone to take on debt. For example:\n\n\nThey needed money to pay for their or loved ones\u2019 medical bills\nTheir parents ask them to take on a loan to \u2018pay them back for raising them\u2019 (narcissistic parents do this)\nAs elder sibling, they are expected to help with their younger siblings\u2019 expenses (studies, car etc)\nSomeone with learning disability or low media literacy is very much susceptible from \nunethical and manipulative advertising\nFrequent marketing banks and financial providers do to \npromote excessive spending \n\n\n\n\nOnly 2 out of 5 ppl who get into debt is due to poor financial planning. The rest is due to reasons out of their control\nAlso let's talk about the frequent marketing banks do to promote excessive spending \npic.twitter.com/aXTapEq1ly\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nJuly 20, 2021\n\n\n\n\nAll I\u2019m saying is\u2026 don\u2019t be too quick to judge people who are in debt and reduce them to just \u2018bad at financial planning\u2019. You\u2019re capable in understanding more than that shallow reasoning. And if YOU are the one in debt, give yourself some slack, especially if you find yourself in any of these \n4 tough financial situations.\n \n\n\nNow, with that, let\u2019s get into the meat of the article \u2013 sharing my debt history and debt management strategies so far in life. \n\n\n\n\n#1 \u2013 ASB Financing\n\n\nType: Good debt\n\n\nIn 2011, when I was 22, I took on RM50k in ASB financing. It remains one of my best financial decisions. \n\n\nIn 2021, I got an offer to refinance the loan at a lower rate and took it. \n\n\n(ASB loan was a good decision for me but it may not be for you. Read more at \n5 Reasons You Should NOT Take ASB Loan\n)\n\n\n#2 \u2013 PTPTN loan\n\n\nType: Good debt\n\n\nI borrowed some money from PTPTN to complete my Masters. RM8k plus, if I\u2019m not mistaken. \n\n\nUpon graduation, I dutifully paid my PTPTN loans on a monthly basis. On March 2015, I decided to pay off the remaining balance of my PTPTN loan. There was a 20% off PTPTN discount incentive and so I saved RM1014.82 \n\n\n(Note: this particular incentive already expired)\n\n\nThis is the screenshot of my final payment amount. Paying off a little over RM4k in one go was painful, but ultimately the right decision.\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Credit card instalments\n\n\nType: Neutral because all justified purchases\n\n\nI have taken credit card debt, but ONLY the 0% instalments. The ones where you can convert a big purchase into 6, 12 or more monthly payments with zero additional cost. \n\n\nThe instalments were for:\n\n\nA laptop \u2013 done with payment\nA phone \u2013 done with payment\nHome renovation 1 \u2013 currently paying\nHome renovation 2 \u2013 currently paying\n\n\nMy own debt management strategy with 0% credit card instalment is to \nnot have more than \n1\n, max 2 at a time\n. Because I\u2019m paying for 2 at the moment, I will avoid any other instalments for the time being and only pay lump sum. That\u2019s what my savings is for. \n\n\n\n\nMy cashflow this month is super negative \ud83d\ude16 but proud of myself for making lump sum payment instead of taking (another) instalment\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nFebruary 25, 2022\n\n\n\n\nAgain, the only instalment I\u2019ll take is the 0% instalment. I do not and will never (touchwood; if I can help it) get into credit card debt where I have to pay 15-18% interest rate on my balance. \n\n\n#4 \u2013 Credit card cash advance\n\n\nType: Bad debt\n\n\nThis one is embarrassing for me to admit, but I believe in transparency and this is a personal finance blog (emphasis on \npersonal\n and \nblog)\n, so\u2026 here it goes. Once, I used the cash advance service offered by my credit card to\u2026 buy bitcoin. \n\n\nI know, reserve your judgement. I\u2019m not going to pretend I\u2019ve never made any financial mistakes you know. \n\n\nUnlike #3, this service came with a fee \u2013 3.88% interest rate for 6 months (or effectively 7.76% per annum). That\u2019s high \u2013 in hindsight, I was stupid. I paid it off, but I really shouldn\u2019t have taken it in the first place. \n\n\nTo be super clear, DO NOT DO THE SAME THING. Thank goodness it turned out well (this happened in 2016 or so), but I can\u2019t give myself any credit for skill at all when all there is to it was \nI simply got lucky\n.\n\n\nThat\u2019s my debt history and debt management strategies. How about yours?\n\n\nLuckily for me, my debt situation at the moment is under control. I don\u2019t have mortgage or car loan under my name, nor do I plan to take one in the near future. All the debt I have is good and justifiable debt. \n\n\nBut even if they are good and justifiable, debt is still debt. My preference is to not have any at all, actually. \n\n\nI also have this theory that the easier it is to borrow money, the less likely it is for salaries to increase. I mean, why would they increase salaries when they can just allow you to borrow from Future You\u2019s income, am I right?\n\n\n\n\nHave you noticed that nowadays, instead of increasing salary, the trend is making it easier for people to borrow from future income? And then they call it 'affordable'\nThis is just one of the points I made. Listen to the rest at: \nhttps://t.co/FDMtIxew3x\n \nhttps://t.co/pchBtThP9d\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nJuly 15, 2021\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019ll leave you with that food for thought. Now to you, dear readers. What debt do you have? Have you taken bad debt \u2013 and if yes, what\u2019s the story?\n\n\nHow to Pay off Credit Card Debt in Malaysia\n\n\nIf you are in debt, you have 2 options: (1) Try and dig yourself out of it via DIY research (the video below is a good starting point), or (2) Contact \nAKPK\n and see if you are eligible for their Debt Management Programme (it\u2019s free!)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/digital-security-in-malaysia/", "title": "How to Digitally Protect Your Money \u2013 A Checklist on Digital Security in Malaysia\n  ", "body": "Hacking. Ransomware. Phishing. It\u2019s a scary time for all of us, especially now that most of our money is digital. \u2018Digital\u2019 here refers to money and assets that are reflected in your various banking and investment platforms when you log in.\n\n\nDigital security is not something you can ignore anymore, dear readers. Imagine logging in one day and finding that your account balance is \nzero\n, depleted, transferred out. You\u2019ll stare at the screen in disbelief. You\u2019ll check if the account is indeed yours, and try to remember if you made any transactions that you forgot about (you didn\u2019t). Then, as the panic seeps in, you\u2019ll contact the platform\u2019s support team, only to be told that there is nothing they can do.\n\n\nTo the best of my ability, I\u2019m compiling a checklist of things you should do to make sure your digital money is adequately protected. \nThis article is not complete, digital-based scams evolve all the time, so please help me to update this article if you have anything else to add\n.\n\n\n\n\n \ngeralt\n / Pixabay\n\n\nChecklist #1 \u2013 Your emails\n\n\nEmails can be weak links; once infiltrated, the hacker can look through and find your sensitive information, which are then used to hack your banking and investment platforms. You don\u2019t want that to happen.\n\n\nDo the following:\n\n\n\n\nCheck if your emails have been compromised by data breaches\n (when big platforms were hacked and users\u2019 data were leaked). Go to \nHaveIBeenPwned\n and type in your email addresses. If your emails were compromised, change the passwords immediately\n\n\nDelete and unsubscribe from all accounts you no longer want\n, even for entertainment and shopping websites. Go to \nunroll.me\n to quickly unsubscribe from email listings.\n\n\nUse a damn strong password and a different one for each account\n. If have not used a password manager, it\u2019s time to use it \u2013 it\u2019ll keep your passwords and can help you generate strong ones. There are many free and paid options. Free ones are enough imho,\u00a0\nsome good ones are recommended\u00a0here\n.\n\n\nBe on high alert for phishing attempts.\n They are official-looking emails that imitate legitimate platforms (like Paypal, for example) and ask you to access your account via their link. Scammers use it to collect your login details.\n\n\n\n\n \ndawnfu\n / Pixabay\n\n\nChecklist #2 \u2013 Your banking and investment accounts\n\n\nThey should have multiple layers of security. Ideally, if someone (touchwood) even managed to get access to these accounts, there should be measures in place to stop them from transferring out money, or at least inform you about it. For Maybank for example, they use TAC (the 6-digit code sent to your phones). Some platforms also have other measures like mandatory email confirmations before completing transfer and 2FA (two-factor authentication).\n\n\nDo the following:\n\n\n\n\nHttps, always.\n\u00a0Always check. It takes you two seconds.\n\n\nThe spelling of the website matters\n. If it\u2019s Mabank instead of Maybank (example), it could be an imitation website designed to steal your login details.\n\n\nNever keep your passwords or PIN numbers in writing.\n Not in notebooks, not in emails, not anywhere. Remember them. Some services will give you on-request PINs via emails \u2013 delete them after using.\n\n\nUse 2FA whenever possible\n. Two-factor authentication is similar to TAC numbers. You can activate it for some websites and emails as well. I recommend Authy.\n\n\nAgain, use damn strong passwords\n. Use password generators and password managers.\n\n\n\n\n \nPexels\n / Pixabay\n\n\nChecklist #3 \u2013 Your computers and gadgets\n\n\nDo the following:\n\n\n\n\nUpdate to the latest software and security patches, especially if you use Windows platform\n. Outdated ones might not protect you against newer, more sophisticated hacking attempts.\n\n\nUse Mac/Apple products if you can afford it.\n The reasoning is simple \u2013 the majority of the population uses Windows platform, so there are more attempts there. It doesn\u2019t protect you per say, but will reduce the chances.\n\n\nBack up your data often.\n Use Google Drive or other cloud storage to keep important documents you don\u2019t want to lose. Alternatively, keep data in external hard disks. If you were hacked, at least you are not forced to pay the hackers to get back your data.\n\n\nPerform anti-virus often\n. To delete malware and viruses.\n\n\nCover your gadget\u2019s cameras when not in use.\n There are instances where users\u2019 gadget got hacked and recorded them in uncompromising situations, then they are blackmailed for money. Even smart gadgets like TV can be hacked. Just put a sticky tape on them to avoid this.\n\n\n\n\n \nmaxlkt\n / Pixabay\n\n\nChecklist #4 \u2013 Yourself\n\n\nBecause human error happens and no amount of advanced digital security knowledge can protect you against it, except extreme vigilance and preventative actions. This checklist is important, because \nif it\u2019s your error, most of the time there is nothing authorities can do about it. Its hard if not impossible to recover your money.\u00a0\n\n\nDo the following:\n\n\n\n\nDon\u2019t make enemies.\n No matter how much you protect yourself, if a hacker is determined to target you, they will.\n\n\nBe extra careful of people who ask for sensitive info via phone.\n They can pose as bank staff or Bank Negara Malaysia staff or whatever. Listen for cues, say thanks, and tell them that you\u2019ll call them back\u00a0through the official line (which you\u2019ll get from the official website, don\u2019t call them back on the same line). If they panic, they\u2019re probably not legit.\n\n\nBe skeptical of \u2018do this now or else\u2019 type of instructions.\n Often, the scammers will persuade you to act fast (give them login info, sensitive info, etc) to stop you from double-checking. They will say your account is frozen, or someone is in danger, or whatever.\n\n\nPlease read up on investment scams\n. If you can identify and avoid them, you\u2019ll win half the battle. Related:\u00a0\nHow to spot investment that are actually investment scams\n\n\n\n\nConclusion\n\n\nTake half a day to just sort all these digital security thing out. I\u2019m dead serious about this. I hope with the above checklist, your money will be safer from now. Do assist\u00a0your technologically-challenged\u00a0family and friends, too. These things are easier for tech natives but not so much with them. Help them to\u00a0reduce their risks.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/duit-kwsp/", "title": "8 Ways to Use Duit KWSP, from Best to Meh\n  ", "body": "\n\nFor some reason, the government thinks letting people access their own retirement savings is a solution to be proud of and proof of their competency, so okay let\u2019s roll with that and collectively pretend that it is so we don\u2019t hurt their feelings. They are desperate for rakyat\u2019s approval. \n\n\nFirst: This is not an article whether you should or should not take out duit KWSP. This is an article about the best uses for it, *if* you take it out. If you haven\u2019t and plan to, submit your application at \nhttps://pengeluarankhas.kwsp.gov.my/\n \nbefore\n 30 April 2022.\n\n\nHere are the 8 best uses for your duit KWSP, ranked from best to meh. Go through them one by one \u2013 some will apply to you, some won\u2019t. If it doesn\u2019t apply to you, do the next best thing. \n\n\n#1 \u2013 Get out of dangerous or abusive situations \n\n\nIf your partner, parents or guardians have been giving you physical, mental or financial abuse, then use your duit KWSP to save yourself. \n\n\nThis also applies to abusive employers. This is your opportunity to find other jobs and get the hell out of there. \n\n\n\n\nI paling kesian dengan orang gaji rendah dengan bos abusive. Bila stress of course akan selalu rasa nak self-reward as coping mechanism. Jadinya tak dapat nak saving sangat\nTak simpan duit, tak boleh nak berhenti kerja, maka stuck la kat situ selamanya \ud83d\ude41\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nJanuary 13, 2022\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Pay off credit card/ personal loan\n\n\nIf you have credit card debt, \nespecially \nbalance carried over from previous months, it\u2019s a great idea to use duit KWSP to pay off the debt.\n\n\nDon\u2019t skip your credit card payments any longer. Not only you\u2019re paying a lot in credit card fees, you\u2019re also going to eff up your credit score. Later when you want to buy house or whatever, you might get worse rates, if at all. \n\n\nGetting bad rates for house loan aka mortgage is a bigger deal than you think. Because the amount you need to borrow is huge (at least six figures), a difference of even 0.1% can effectively mean you\u2019ll be paying thousands extra, for nothing!\n\n\nPaying of high-interest debt is also Step 2 in the\n journey to be financially free\n. \n\n\n#3 \u2013 Top up emergency fund\n\n\nFor people who have had their emergency funds depleted, then I\u2019m sure the duit KWSP announcement was super welcomed. \n\n\n#4 \u2013 Get your health concerns sorted out\n\n\nAwesome, you are not in any immediate danger and have no high-interest debt left. You also have less financial anxiety, now that you have some emergency fund. Next let\u2019s focus on your health:\n\n\nGet your recurring headache or weird lumps and bumps checked out\nBuy your supply of prescription pills in advance\nGet a comprehensive health checkup (keep the receipt, \ncan deduct tax relief\n)\nSpeak to someone about your mental health\n\n\nHealth is wealth is clich\u00e9, but true. Speaking of health..\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Fix those things that are already causing you pain/may cause you pain in the *short* term\n\n\nYou suffer from back pain? Get a better mattress and/or a comfortable work chair. \n\n\nYour car tyres are getting worn out and you drive around a lot for work/travel? Get new car tyres. \n\n\nWalking hurts? Get a new pair of quality shoes. \n\n\nThe general rule is, if it keeps you from off the ground, it\u2019s worth the money. \n\n\n#6 \u2013 Decide how much you want to allocate as \u2018fun\u2019 money\n\n\nOkay, so by this point, you\u2019re feeling good about yourself. You went through #1-5 and done all the \u2018responsible\u2019 things. It\u2019s time to reward yourself with the amount left over! \n\n\nBut you also know the importance of saving up for rainy day and don\u2019t want to spend all your duit KWSP money. Who knows when you\u2019ll get a \u2018windfall\u2019 again right?\n\n\nNow is a good time to have that internal discussion with yourself on the maximum amount you\u2019ll give yourself for \u2018fun\u2019 spending.\n You know, for clothes, gadgets, food, socialising, whatever. \n\n\nIf its RM100 per month, it\u2019s RM100 per month. If it\u2019s RM500, it\u2019s RM500. Up to you, you know yourself best. Why not stretch out the money and have fun for months to come rather than finish off all the money right after you get it.\n\n\n(Side note: It\u2019s better to give yourself a small allocation rather than NO allocation. You\u2019re human, it\u2019s natural to desire stuff and experiences. Plus it\u2019s better to allow yourself to be happy while appreciating small pleasures rather than blaming yourself for failing to keep to a strict budget)\n\n\n#7 \u2013 While hunting for deals, put that money in other savings-earmarked accounts first\n\n\nWhile you do your deal-hunting research to get the items/experiences you want, it\u2019s a good idea to put your duit KWSP money elsewhere and not in your *main* bank accounts. \n\n\nOne \u2013 you\u2019re less tempted to make impulse purchases \u2018just because the money is there\u2019. \n\n\nTwo \u2013 maybe the money can even grow a little bit while you decide what to spend on. \n\n\nHere are \n5 Best Places to Save Money in Malaysia, Ranked\n\n\nPersonally I am a big fan of ASB. Comparable returns and easy to withdraw when needed. When not needed, the money compounds (aka grows into more money = awesome). \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#8 \u2013 Find opportunities to make money\n\n\nSome of you may have skipped #1-7 altogether. You\u2019re like, no Suraya! The money is not for anything frivolous! All I care about is GROWING it!\n\n\nAlright okay okay I gotcha. I don\u2019t understand why you need to use duit KWSP for this but fine. \n\n\nGenerally speaking, there are 3 main ways to make money: (1) earning more through your day job, (2) earn through side hustles, and (3) investing. \n\n\nIf you\u2019re leaning towards (1), then read this: \n3 Ways to Get A High Salary in Malaysia\n\n\nIf you\u2019re leaning towards (2), then read articles under the \nEarning Money\n category. You can rent out your car, monetise your hobby, organise a workshop and more. \n\n\nIf you\u2019re leaning towards (3), then read articles under the \nInvesting\n category. \n\n\nGenerally speaking, \nusing the gains/profits from your work (1+2) to funnel into investing (for the long term) is the best strategy.\n\n\nThat should be it. I won\u2019t insult your intelligence by telling you not to get this or that, you big already. I wish you all the best in growing your income so you can replenish your retirement savings as soon as you can. \n\n\nIf you\u2019re a Muslim, find out if you need to \npay zakat on duit KWSP\n (tl;dr, (tl;dr, pay 2.5% in zakat, but this can be exempted if the money will be used for necessary and living costs).\n\n\nAre you planning to withdraw your duit KWSP? \n\n\nIf yes, what do you plan to use it for? If no, what convinced you? Let me know in the comments!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/expense-tracking/", "title": "How Expense Tracking Looks Like (As Someone Who Doesn\u2019t \u2018Budget\u2019)\n  ", "body": "If you\u2019re a regular reader here at Ringgit Oh Ringgit, you know that I share my monthly expenses \nevery. single. month\n.\n\n\nThe reason why I prefer expense tracking rather than budgeting is simple: it just works ridiculously well for me. All I have to do is record all my expenses and suddenly my financial life is just better, more organised, data-driven.\n\n\nI don\u2019t have to stress about keeping my expenses in one particular category under a certain amount, because I know that as long as it averages out okay in the bigger picture, I\u2019m good.\n\n\n(Example: Buying groceries in bulk will increase my groceries expenses in that month but lower them in subsequent months.)\n\n\nThis article is how about\u00a0\nhow\n it works.\u00a0\n\n\nHow my expense tracking looks like\n\n\nIf I put it in steps, it looks like this:\n\n\n\n\nStep 1: Make whatever purchases I need for daily life\n\n\nStep 2: Enter it in the expense-tracking app in my phone\n\n\nStep 3: Review it occasionally and make mental notes to adjust spending in the coming days/weeks/months\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s, uh, pretty much it.\n\n\nYou don\u2019t have to use an app. Some people prefer pen and paper \u2013 that\u2019s fine too. Some people like using Excel or Google Spreadsheet. If it works, it works.\n\n\nExample: Mimirello\u2019s (free downloadable) spreadsheet. Straightforward, right? Click \nhere\n to download at her website.\n\n\n image source: mimirello.com\n\n\nAnd here\u2019s how @debtfreemy\u2019s look like:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nA post shared by debtfreeMY (@debtfreemy)\n on \nJun 27, 2018 at 2:02am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPersonally I love using apps, simply because my phone is near me 24/7. The expense tracking app I use is called Money Lover (\nmy review\n). I believe it costs RM29.99 now, almost double what I paid for it back in mid-2014.\n\n\nYou don\u2019t have to get the same app.\u00a0\nThere are many other free and paid options. I asked around the Malaysian personal finance community, and here are some expense tracking apps they personally use:\n\n\n\n\nHomeBudget\n\n\niRekaSoft\n\n\nBuku 555\n\n\nMoney Coach\n\n\nYNAB (You Need A Budget) \u2013 I heard this one is really good but it\u2019s subscription-based\n\n\nToshl\n\n\nBudgie\n\n\nEvery Pocket\n\n\nMoney Manager\n\n\nTrabee Pocket\n\n\n\n\nIf you\u2019re fans of any of the above apps, let us know why you like it in the comments section. Let us know if you\u2019re using another app too.\n\n\nMaking the habit of expense tracking easier\n\n\nSome people told me that they tried expense tracking, but \u2018fell off the wagon\u2019, so to speak. I don\u2019t claim to have all the solutions, but I can share how I make the whole process easier.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 I\u2019ve locked down categories that work for me\n\n\nI have 13 categories.\n\n\nIn \nbold\n= Expenses that can\u2019t be avoided, but I try to get the most of it when I can (example: getting reward points when paying for electricity).\n\n\nIn \nitalic\n= Things that I pay for\u00a0 a better quality of life, to avoid turning bat-shit crazy and avoid being an uninteresting person in general. I don\u2019t put a limit, but I don\u2019t go overboard.\n\n\n\n\nBusiness\n \u2013 website maintenance, tools\n\n\nDates/Travel\n \u2013 self-explanatory\n\n\nDonations & Gifts\n \u2013 self-explanatory\n\n\nFood\n \u2013 for the occasional Chatime and Rotiboy (not Groceries; I track this because it tends to correlate with weight gains)\n\n\nGroceries\n \u2013 Gotta eat\n\n\nInsurance & Medical\n \u2013 self-explanatory\n\n\nLoan Repayment\n \u2013 PTPTN loan paid off! Now paying ASB loan and laptop instalments\n\n\nMisc Needs\n \u2013 Things I need to function as an adult. Doesn\u2019t occur frequently enough to warrant its own sub-categories. Ranges from new passport fee, sunblock lotion, home repair costs, etc\n\n\nMisc Wants\n \u2013 Things I want, usually when I\u2019m weak and/or can\u2019t resist a great deal. Stuff like new clothes, accessories, home decor, etc\n\n\nMobile\n \u2013 self-explanatory\n\n\nPublic Transport\n \u2013 My Grabs and LRTs\n\n\nSocial\n \u2013 Gotta meet people and socialise\n\n\nUtilities & Rent\n \u2013 self-explanatory\n\n\n\n\nThese categories are personalised for me based on my spending pattern \u2013 I don\u2019t have a car, so I don\u2019t have Petrol/ Car Payment/ Toll/ Car Maintenance categories. Add/subtract/adjust as necessary.\n\n\nIf you want to check how much you spend on fashion/makeup/gaming/some-other-hobby on a monthly basis, this is a good way to find out as well. If you just want two categories: Necessary Purchases and Unnecessary Purchases, feel free to do that too.\n\n\nI absolutely love the insights that come from these data \u2013 where my money goes show who I am, as a person. That itself motivates me to continue this expense tracking habit. Related read:\u00a0\nMy Total Income and Expenses in 2017\n.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 If I forgot the amount, an estimate will do\n\n\nAs much as possible, I try to log those expenses immediately, but I\u2019m no robot.\n\n\nWhat I do is request for a receipt and keep that in my wallet to sort out later. If I don\u2019t have that, then I\u2019ll just log an estimate, rounded up.\n\n\nExtra bonus in this method: I\u2019ll automatically deduct expenses lost outside of my control, like if I dropped money somewhere (touch wood!), or if whatever service I\u2019m using incur a fee I missed.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Not sweating the small details\n\n\nSomeone asked me how I track across different bank accounts and credit cards, and here\u2019s the thing: I don\u2019t. All expenses go into those 13 categories, regardless where they\u2019re deducted from.\u00a0I guess it\u2019s easier because I intentionally limit my banking to just two major banks and three credit cards.\n\n\nI also don\u2019t include amounts deducted for investments in here. My justification: those are not \u2018expenses\u2019, those are income for future me.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Automating recurring expenses\n\n\nMy app has a feature to automate recurring expenses, so I don\u2019t have to keep logging that in monthly. These include things like rent, \ninsurance\n, ASB loan, laptop instalments, things like that.\n\n\nThis makes life a little bit easier for me.\n\n\nRelated read:\u00a0\nWhat Subscriptions I Pay For And Why\n\n\nWhat you can do with all the data\n\n\nLots of things! You can:\n\n\n\n\nStop wondering where your money went\n! You\u2019re effectively a detective, digging on your own shit :p\n\n\nFind out from the data what you prioritise/ value in life\n. Maybe you\u2019ve been in denial about your shopping addiction, and seeing the actual amount spent is just what you need to whip your finances back into shape.\n\n\nTweak your spending for the coming months\n. If you think your food spending\u00a0is higher than expected, you might decide to pack your lunch to reduce that spending, at least for the next few months to bring the average down.\n\n\nMotivate yourself to be debt-free\n. Getting into the habit of expense tracking can be enough to\u00a0\ndeter\n unnecessary spending in the first place! Note: for extra extra motivation, join the #debtfree community on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram\n\n\nQuickly check when you made certain payments\n. Adding notes when you track expenses is incredibly useful. Like last time, my landlady wanted to know when was the last time I serviced the aircon in my rental unit. How would I remember! Thankfully I had the notes and could tell her the exact date. That particular incident saved me money \u2013 I didn\u2019t have to service the aircon again before I move out (as per Tenancy Agreement).\n\n\nSet\u2019money challenges\u2019 for yourself\n. Challenge yourself to have no-spend days. Or \u2018spend below RMxxx for Social category in X month\u2019. Or \u2018zero unnecessary spending week\u2019. Whatever rocks your boat!\n\n\n\n\nLast words\n\n\nDo you do expense tracking too? What are your tips to make it into a habit? What have you found out about yourself since you started doing it? What do you find hard about it? Let us know!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/faraid-calculator/", "title": "How I Use Faraid Calculator to Decide Who Gets My Money After I\u2019m Gone\n  ", "body": "\n\nDo you know who gets your money after you\u2019re gone? Have you used a faraid calculator and know for sure which of your family members are your faraid heirs, aka people who have claims to your assets after your death, according to Islamic inheritance laws?\n\n\nNo, push through the \u2018this is uncomfortable to think about\u2019 thoughts, this is important. As the popular Malay saying goes, mati itu pasti. \n\n\nHere\u2019s how to use faraid calculator so that you can know, then decide who gets your money after you\u2019re gone. There\u2019s literally only 5 (+1) steps:\n\n\n\n\nStep 0:\n Know how Islamic Inheritance Laws work \u2013 Deduct burial costs, debts and Harta Sepencarian first\n\n\nStep 1: \nUse faraid calculator \u2013 see \nwho\n have claims to your money under Islamic inheritance laws\n\n\nStep 2: \nIf you\u2019re happy with your faraid heirs, set up Wasiat (Cost: RMxxx)\n\n\nStep 3:\n If you want to personalise your faraid heirs, set up Hibah (Amanah/Mutlak), Wasiat and/or Trust\n\n\nStep 4:\n (Optional but encouraged) If you want to give EXTRA money to your loved ones (faraid heirs or not), subscribe to Hibah Takaful\n\n\nStep 5:\n (Optional but encouraged) If you want to leave (some of) your wealth to charity for the pahala, set up Wakaf\n\n\n\n\nPlease note that the above is an \noversimplification of what can be a complex estate-planning process\n. If you have multiple faraid and non-faraid heirs, multiple types of properties and assets, etc, please engage a professional rather than DIY-ing it. \n\n\nDisclaimer\n: I have done my share of research on this topic. I have talked to Islamic estate planning professionals and financial planners. I\u2019ve made sure the information is accurate to the best of my ability. However, my knowledge may be limited. I invite you to share what you know in the comments section.\n\n\nStep 0: Know how Islamic Inheritance Laws work \n\n\nUnder Islamic inheritance laws, if there are no documents in place, the wealth of a Muslim who passed way must be used to pay off burial costs and debts first, BEFORE half of it is distributed to the surviving spouse as Harta Sepencarian, BEFORE distributed to faraid heirs. \n\n\nDeduct burial costs, debt and Harta Sepencarian first\n\n\nHow it works is:\n\n\n\n\nPerson A dies\n\n\nPay burial cost\n\n\nPay off debts, if any\n\n\nSpouse of A gets half of assets as Harta Sepencarian*\n\n\nThe remaining of Person\u2019s A\u2019s assets is distributed according to faraid\n\n\n\n\n*A lot of people don\u2019t know/ forget about Harta Sepencarian, either intentionally or not. This is obviously unfair in situations where the widow is a homemaker taking care of children/the elderly. \n\n\nA common question here is \u2013 what if Person A\u2019s wealth is just enough to pay burial cost and debts? Will the spouse get Harta Sepencarian or their faraid heirs get their allocations?\n\n\nThe answer is no. \nIf there is no more wealth to be distributed after paying burial cost and debts, then there is no Harta Sepencarian nor inheritance to faraid heirs.\n If this upsets you, see Step 4 for solution. \n\n\nTypes of assets to give your beneficieries\n\n\nHere are some items that are classified as assets:\n\n\n\n\nProperties/Land\n\n\nBank accounts\n\n\nStocks and securities in Bursa Malaysia\n\n\nVehicles\n\n\nUnit trust accounts\n\n\nKWSP/EPF\n\n\nInsurance policies\n\n\nCompanies I own / have shares or equity in\n\n\nSafe deposit boxes\n\n\nClub memberships (that can be inherited)\n\n\nJewellery\n\n\n\n\nNote: I own cryptocurrencies. The best way to distribute this, according to my advisor, is to put the keys in a safe deposit box and leave the details in the legal documents.\n\n\nStep 1: Use Faraid Calculator\n\n\nFirst, you have to know \nwho\n is your faraid heirs, as decided by Quran and Sunnah. The rules can be complex and depends on many factors, so the easiest way is to use a faraid calculator. \n\n\nThere are a few versions of faraid calculators out there, including \nUSM\u2019s Sistem Maklumat Faraid\n.\n\n\n\n\nPersonally, I like to use \niFaraid Calculator app\n \u2013 you can find it in the App Store. All I have to do is input my family members, and it will show how much everyone will get. \n\n\nUsing myself as an example, I inputted the following family members in the Heirs List:\n\n\n\n\nHusband\n\n\nMom\n\n\nDad\n\n\n2 Sisters\n\n\n1 Brother\n\n\nNo grandparents \ud83d\ude41\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIf I click on the Family Tree tab in this faraid calculator, I can see (1) who are my faraid heirs, and (2) the allocation of my wealth that each of them are entitled to:\n\n\n\n\nHusband: 3/6\n\n\nMom: 1/6\n\n\nDad: 2/6\n\n\nSisters & Brother: None\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNow, my situation can be considered simple. It gets considerably more complex if I have children, grandfather, or if my father is no longer around. x out of 36 allocations (or more) is not uncommon. \n\n\nI\u2019ve tried a few faraid calculators and \niFaraid Calculator app\n is the easiest one yet to understand, so I recommend you try it too \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nStep 2: If you\u2019re happy with your faraid heirs, set up Wasiat \n\n\nNow, if you\u2019re happy with who your faraid heirs are, all is good. You can set up Wasiat document and just state you want your wealth to be distributed according to faraid. \n\n\nHere, you might ask \u2013 but if faraid is implemented anyway, wouldn\u2019t it be fine to skip the estate-planning paperwork?\n\n\nImportant: You should do Wasiat even if you want to follow faraid\n\n\nIt\u2019s important to set up Wasiat even if you\u2019re happy with who gets your money under Islamic inheritance laws\n. \nWithout the documents, your heirs will be going through a long, complicated court process which \nmay\n will take years*. \n\n\nSee, you can select \u2018Entire Estate Distribution Following Faraid Allocation\u2019 under Mode of Distribution. Pic from Maybank Wasiat/Will-writing service page in Maybank2u. \n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m serious \u2013 go ask Shariah lawyers. I was informed there is so much backlog, heirs may have to wait for a year or more just to get court hearing date. It takes much longer if your heirs are uncooperative/ busy/ no money to go through the process. \n\n\nPersonally, I\u2019d love it if my partner and parents can get my money ASAP. They can do a lot of good with it, instead of waiting for the assets to be \u2018unlocked\u2019. \n\n\nWhere to do Wasiat in Malaysia\n\n\nYou can do Wasiat at a few places:\n\n\n\n\nBanks: some of them offer Wasiat services \n\n\nEstate planning companies: As-Salihin, Wasiyyah Shoppe, Amanahraya etc\n\n\nDIY services like \nPewarisan\n (most affordable option)\n\n\n\n\nCost to do Wasiat: RMxxx \n\n\nStep 3: If you want to personalise your faraid heirs, set up Hibah (Amanah/Mutlak), Wasiat and/or Trust\n\n\nNow, let\u2019s say I DO NOT want to leave my wealth behind to my faraid heirs, because they are abusive or financially irresponsible or whatever. \n\n\nOr maybe I\u2019m happy with my faraid heirs, but I ALSO want to give to someone else. Perhaps other family members, or even friends. \n\n\nI should now look into:\n\n\n\n\nSetting up Hibah documents\n\n\nEditing my Wasiat \n\n\nConsider setting up a Trust\n\n\n\n\nIf you\u2019re at this step, more often than not, you\u2019re doing Hibah AND Wasiat, not either or. Let\u2019s go over each of them:\n\n\n1) Setting up Hibah documents\n\n\nHibah is basically \u2018gifting\u2019 \u2013 \nthe assets you give away will now no longer be included under assets that need to be distributed under faraid.\n \n\n\nThere are three types of Hibah: \n\n\n\n\nHibah Amanah \u2013 give the asset after your death \n\n\nHibah Mutlak \u2013 give the asset while you\u2019re alive\n\n\nHibah Takaful \u2013 kinda like life insurance, see Step 4\n\n\n\n\nThere are a few pros and cons to Hibah Amanah and Hibah Mutlak you need to be aware of: \n\n\nPros\n:\n\n\n\n\nYou can \ngive your assets to whoever you want\n. There are no limitations to religious background, family ties, etc\n\n\nYou can \nHibah Amanah your funds in ASNB\n for just RM100 (promo price, usually RM180). More info in \nThe Exact Steps to Do Hibah Amanah ASNB \n\n\n\n\nCons\n:\n\n\n\n\nNot everything can be hibah-ed ou\nt. For example, \nyou can\u2019t hibah EPF/KWSP money\n (this is why I contribute just enough to max out the tax relief, but not more, and happy to use \nEPF i-Lindung\n to get insurance)\n\n\nYou can only \nhibah assets that are clear of debt\n. Therefore property, vehicle etc that are still under mortgage and hire-purchase loan cannot be hibah-ed. You\u2019re probably paying takaful that will pay off this debt in the event of your death though \n\n\nHibah Mutlak (transfer ownership while you\u2019re still alive) is good but it does mean \nthe property is no longer your property.\n With no/less assets, you\u2019re reliant on family to take care of you, especially when you\u2019re old/sick/vulnerable. (For this reason I much prefer Hibah Amanah)\n\n\n\n\nNext is Wasiat.\n\n\n2) Editing your Wasiat documents\n\n\nNext, you may want to clarify in your Wasiat document that you\u2019d like to allocate up to 1/3 of your wealth to non-faraid heirs. It is allowed. \n\n\nNote: Non-faraid heirs includes: adopted family members, non-Muslim family members, domestic partners, friends etc. \n\n\n3) Consider setting up a Trust \n\n\nIf \nWasiat\n\u00a0is for the distribution of assets after death, and \nHibah\n is gifting assets away, then \nTrust\u00a0\nis like a contract document \u2013 you can set conditions for distributions to your beneficiaries. \n\n\nIt\u2019s cool because you can add clauses like:\n\n\n\n\n\u2018to allocate person X money for medical care if you\u2019re in a coma/have permanent disability or cannot make sound judgement\u2019, and\n\n\n\u2018to give person Y staggered payments according to agreed schedule after your passing (ie RM2000 per month until the money runs out)\u2019\n\n\n\n\nI believe you need to lock in a fairly large amount of cash for this option (I believe I heard RM50k minimum), and the fees are steep. So you need to be wealthy enough. Discuss with your estate planner is you truly need to set up Trust, it really depends on your situation. \n\n\nHow to do Hibah, Wasiat and Trust documents\n\n\nYou can do \nHibah Amanah ASNB\n and \nHibah Takaful\n yourself, but it is recommended to \nhire a financial planner\n, and/or approach companies like AmanahRaya, Wasiyyah Shoppe and As-Salihin if you have assets in multiple bank/investment accounts and/or multiple properties/land. \n\n\nWhich one is the best? They\u2019re all good and reputable Islamic estate planning service providers. My suggestion is pick the one with office convenient for you, because the entire process might take a few visits. \n\n\nCost-wise, it depends how complex your documents are \u2013 the more properties and beneficieries you have, the more expensive it might get. Personally, I helped my mom do her Hibah and Wasiat documents and it costed RM2,650 in total (2021 price). \n\n\nI\u2019m aware the price can be steep for some. If you\u2019re familiar with legalese, one budget-friendly option is through \nPewarisan.com\n. For RM330, you will get these legal documents:\n\n\n\n\nSurat Wasiat\n\n\nPerisytiharan Harta Sepencarian\n\n\nPerisytiharan Hibah\n\n\n\n\n\n\nStep 4: If you want to give EXTRA money to your loved ones (faraid heirs or not), subscribe to Hibah Takaful\n\n\nNow, you might be looking at all the steps and be like, oh, I don\u2019t have a lot of wealth to pass down anyway, estate planning is not for me. \n\n\nThat\u2019s not true! \nWith Hibah Takaful, you can leave behind six-figure inheritance to whoever you want with just RMxx-xxx monthly commitment\n. Your spouse, your children, your parents, whoever!\n\n\nIt\u2019s too long to explain in this article but do read my \nEverything You Need to Know About Hibah Takaful, from a Non-Agent\n article. \n\n\nStep 5:  If you want to leave (some of) your wealth to charity for the pahala, set up Wakaf\n\n\nAccording to our religion, \n\n\n\n\n\u201cWhen a man dies, his good deeds come to an end, except three:\u00a0\nOngoing charity, beneficial knowledge, and a righteous child who will pray for him\n.\u201d\n\n\n\n\nThe ongoing charity part is important to me, and may be to you as well. Many people do earmark properties or assets to be given to charity after their death. You might have heard the term Wakaf. \n\n\nYou can discuss with your estate planner and/or heirs about Wakaf. But I do want to share, nowadays, thanks to technology, it is easier than ever to do Wakaf. You can even \ngive part of your funds in ASNB for Wakaf through the MyASNB App\n!\n\n\n\n\nThe idea is, the dividends from your Wakaf-ed funds will be channeled to charities benefiting the ummah forever, even after your death. You get continous pahala. Isn\u2019t that neat? \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nDo your estate planning ASAP \u2013 start with faraid calculator\n\n\nThe simple fact is no one know when they\u2019re going to die. So you have to at least put *something* in place, for the sake of your loved ones. \n\n\nIt\u2019s also practical to get your estate-planning sorted out because why would you spend your life accumulating wealth, just to let your assets go frozen and unclaimed, possibly for decades? \n\n\ncredit image: Amanahraya\n\n\nDon\u2019t let your wealth get frozen after your death\n\n\nAnd when I say a lot, I mean a LOT. It is estimated that anywhere from \nRM90 billion\n to \nRM105 billion of assets\n are \u2018locked\u2019 as frozen assets, 90% of which belong to the Malay community. \n\n\nThat\u2019s a huge number so let me break it down. Assuming there are 20 million Malays in Malaysia, that\u2019s an average of RM4050 to RM4725 in unutilised wealth, EACH! Money that could have been used for your children\u2019s education or wealth building for the next generation are \u2018locked\u2019. \n\n\nEnsure your wealth goes to people you want it to go to\n\n\nAnd that\u2019s if you LIKE your faraid heirs. What if you don\u2019t? You want your money may go to people you may not even like*, because you\u2019re bound by Islamic inheritance laws?\n\n\n*you\u2019re lucky if you have responsible/non-abusive family members as faraid heirs. Not everyone does\n\n\nAs a special note, Muslim converts NEED to set up estate planning documents as well. That\u2019s because your non-Muslim family members have no claims to your wealth \u2013 all/most of it will go to Baitulmal. I\u2019m sorry it works this way, but it does. \n\n\nInvitation to share your experience\n\n\nTo Islamic Financial Planners/ Estate Planning Professionals \u2013 If any info above is wrong or lacking, please comment and share your knowledge. Leave your contacts if you want, so others interested to set up estate planning documents can contact you.\n\n\nTo everyone who has a Hibah, Wasiat and/or Trust in place. Share your experience \u2013 which company you used, how\u2019s the process like, how much was the cost, things like that.\n\n\nSo anyway, I\u2019ll end here. I\u2019ve shared the knowledge, now its up to you to take action. Start with trying out the faraid calculator \u2013 download the \niFaraid Calculator app\n. Have a blessed Ramadan y\u2019all. \n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/financial-behaviour-report/", "title": "5 Things I Learned from My Financial Behaviour Report\n  ", "body": "\n\nThroughout your life, you will make hundreds if not thousands of major and minor financial decisions. Should you buy or rent?\u00a0 Which investment should you get? Should you hire a financial planner?\u00a0\n\n\nAs many will tell you, there is no right answer. It depends on your situation; a decision that works with one person can completely backfire with another. Therefore, you just have to learn all you can and where possible, experiment with what works for you and what doesn\u2019t.\u00a0\n\n\nPersonally, I have experimented with so many financial challenges. Some were successes, others were failures (which is okay; knowing what doesn\u2019t work is progress too).\u00a0\n\n\nBut what if there was a shortcut? A way to figure out YOUR unconscious behaviour, so you\u2019re aware of your financial strengths and weaknesses?\n\n\nI took that shortcut. I took the \nFinancial Behaviour Report\n. It\u2019s a paid service to reveal \u2018how people like you make decisions about money\u2019 via a series of behavioural questions. Here are 5 things I learned.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n#1 \u2013 I should get a Balanced portfolio structure\n\n\nAll my adulting life, I have the tendency to go for Growth or Aggressive portfolios, because \u2018young people can afford to take more risks\u2019 mindset.\n\n\nBut according to my results, \nmy natural risk tolerance is not that high.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nMaybe it\u2019s because I naturally get more cautious with my risk level as I get older. Maybe I\u2019ve learned to value peace of mind more than maximising profit from my investments.\u00a0\n\n\nWhatever it is, is this why I am frequently worried over my current investment portfolio, which is crazy high risk? (You can see my investment portfolio breakdown \nhere\n, but long story short, crypto dominates my portfolio). \n\n\n#2 \u2013 I prefer DIY financial planning\n\n\nAccording to my report, I prefer to DIY my financial planning, rather than work with a financial planner. \n\n\n\n\nBut IF I choose to work with a financial planner, I should keep in mind the advisor\u2019s personality. Do I want someone who I can work easily with, or someone who can offer a different perspective? That\u2019s something to consider if/when I can convince the control freak side of me to seek help. \n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 What my strongest behavioural factors mean to my personal finance\n\n\nWho would have known that someone who is \nReserved \nand \nCreative \nwould result in behavioural biases \nMental Accounting\n and \nNewness Bias\n? Not me.\u00a0\n\n\n(Btw, I was offended by Reserved outcome, but yup that describes me alright. Nothing like finding out who you are without being sugar-coated)\n\n\n\n\nThis section also confirms what I knew all along \u2013 see the third line, Financial Attitude \u2013 I\u2019m a natural saver (instead of a natural spender.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nAnother section also confirms what I knew all along \u2013 I am not a particularly ambitious person, and even if I set ambitious goals, they change all the time because I\u2019m flexible.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nYup, no need for a grand life. I just want a simple life, where I get lots of time to think and get lost in my head. That\u2019s what I aim for, that\u2019s my definition of a good life. Yours might be different and that\u2019s cool too, as long as you know what\u2019s important for YOU.\u00a0\n\n\n#4 \u2013 I\u2019m kinda financially disorganised?\n\n\nThis one came as a shock!! I scored low on financial organisation, and don\u2019t follow budgets nor set agendas.\u00a0\n\n\nKinda bummed about this, I thought I\u2019m alright at this skill, but hey. At least I know than be in denial, correct not. Something to work on.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 My Financial Compatibility with My Partner\n\n\nThe \nFinancial Behaviour Report\n is available for Individuals (RM49) and Couples (RM99). \n\n\nI took the Couple one; both of us completed it in one afternoon, and had a really nice, really frank conversation about our financial compatibility.\u00a0\n\n\nI found out that:\n\n\n\n\nBoth of us have similar risk behaviours\u00a0\n\n\nBoth of us desire a simple life (yay!)\n\n\nHe prefers to seek advice from financial planners\u00a0\n\n\nHe\u2019s better at budgeting and saving money than I am (I\u2019m the spender in this relationship??!!)\n\n\nI have higher financial emotional intelligence (but at 50 out of 100, not *that* high; can be better)\n\n\n\n\nFreaking valuable information, this. After all, most couples fight about money, so it\u2019s good to know where each of us stands at different financial touchpoints.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nWhere I Learned about the Financial Behavior Report\n\n\nI learned about the \nFinancial Behaviour Report\n tool from \nFarah Adira\n, a Licenced Financial Planner with Islamic Financial Planner (IFP\u00ae) credential since 2016. \n\n\nShe has a Bachelor\u2019s degree holder specialising in Islamic Financial Planning, more than 7 years of exposure in Financial Planning, and regularly give talks and provide 1-on-1 financial consultations to corporate clients.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nThe \nFinancial Behaviour Report\n tremendously helped me, so I contacted Farah and asked if I can help her promote and sell it to you, so you can benefit from it too.\u00a0\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nYou\u2019ll get your report emailed to you. It\u2019s fairly easy to read.\n\n\nI honestly love the report and would recommend it to anyone who can afford the RM49/RM99 cost. If you get your \nFinancial Behaviour Report\n done, let me know in the comments \u2013 what surprised you and what have you known all along?\u00a0\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/financial-freedom-in-malaysia/", "title": "Guide: 7 Steps to Achieve Financial Freedom in Malaysia in 2023\n  ", "body": "\n\nHey, you. You want to achieve financial freedom in Malaysia, but don\u2019t know how. You may not even know what that entails. Financial freedom is like one of those meaningless phrases, like \u2018paradigm shift\u2019.\n\n\nLet me help you unpack that phrase and lay it out, in this step-by-step guide format.\n\n\nWhat are the 7 Steps to Financial Freedom\n\n\nEarlier in my personal finance journey, I came across \nDave Ramsey\u2019s 7 Baby Steps to Financial Freedom\n, and the information helped me make sense of it all. It gave me clarity and made the process of achieving financial freedom look less daunting.\n\n\n\n\nIn this article, I\u2019d like to give you my own version of 7 Baby Steps. Call it \nSuraya\u2019s 7 Baby Steps to Financial Freedom in Malaysia\n. The original version is already good, but what I\u2019m doing here is tweaking it so that (1) it\u2019s more relevant for Malaysians, and (2) it suits more life aspirations.\n\n\nUse these steps to guide your personal finance journey\n. Some of you may be at Step 1, some of you at Step 5. \nSome of you may find that you\u2019re doing Step 4 when you should really do Step 2 first.\n\n\nObviously, do whatever is best in your situation, but if you feel overwhelmed, it\u2019s not a bad idea to follow these 7 steps to help you decide on your immediate next actions.\n\n\nLet\u2019s go.\n\n\nStep 1 \u2013 Have RM1000 in emergency fund\n\n\nEstimated time:\n A few weeks to a few months\n\n\nIn this step, your priority is to have some sort of financial buffer against life\u2019s unexpected expenses. If you\u2019re starting your journey here, it\u2019s okay to suffer for a little bit, while you build up your emergency fund. \n\n\nSome examples include:\n\n\nEat instant noodles to save money\nTake the cheapest possible option to go to work\nReduce your rent by sharing living spaces with housemate(s)/roommate(s)\nTake up low-paying jobs and work without rest\nZERO paid entertainment \n\n\nYes, those situations are not ideal, but having no emergency savings whatsover makes you extremely vulnerable, and those sacrifices is still the lesser of two evils.\n\n\nWhatever you choose to do to have at least RM1000 in emergency fund (more if you can, but that\u2019s the minimum), know that it\u2019s \ntemporary\n.\n\n\nOnce you hit that amount, you don\u2019t have to be too strict on yourself. Don\u2019t sacrifice your physical and mental health for too long, that\u2019s not what I\u2019m advocating here and that\u2019s not worth it at all. \n\n\nStep 2 \u2013 Pay off debt\n\n\nEstimated time: \na few months to a few years\n\n\nNow that you have at least RM1k, you can breathe a bit. No matter what, don\u2019t touch that money. That\u2019s your super super in-case money. \n\n\nNow, it is time to focus on paying off debt, specifically bad debt. In Malaysian context, two of the most common bad debt would be \npersonal loans\n and \ncredit card debts\n. \n\n\nA lot of people focus on (1) cutting back on expenses and (2) increasing income in order to get out of bad debt faster. They also avoid, by hook or by crook, accumulating more debt, including avoiding \nBuy Now, Pay Later\n installments. \n\n\nSome of the things you can do:\n\n\nList out all your debt commitments. The first thing to do is to confront it\nContact your bank for help. They may be able to restructure your payments or suggest a financial product to consolidate your loans into a single payment\nContact AKPK\n for help \nSell your non-essential valuables, if any. Use the money to pay off your debt\nDo money challenges (Related: \n9 Money Challenges to Try\n)\nExplore and experiment with \ndifferent ways to save money in Malaysia\nImplement debt payment strategies\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRemember: you\u2019re not alone in this. Lots of Malaysians are on the debt-free journey. Lots of people post their updates and progress on instagram under the hashtag #debtfreemalaysia\n\n\n\n\n\n\nUnfortunately, it is not uncommon for some people to start Step 1 all over again. Financial emergencies happen. It depends on luck and chance. \n\n\nThe only thing I can say here is\u2026 Doing is hard, but \nnot doing is harder.\n Dust yourself off and do it again. \n\n\nStep 3 \u2013 Build up 3-6 months of emergency savings\n\n\nEstimated time: \nA few months to a few years\n\n\nNow that you\u2019ve got your high-interest debt paid off, your focus is to grow your savings. That\u2019s 3-6 months of monthly \nexpenses, \nnot 3-6 months of monthly \nincome\n. That needs to be said as some people spend more than what they bring in.\n\n\nThis step, you can do at your own pace, \nyou\u2019re no longer racing the clock\n. Fast is good, but slow is fine too. Slow progress is better than no progress.\n\n\nIn fact, I\u2019d argue that it\u2019s better to be slow and focus on (1) having \ninsurance\n and (2) improving skills and increasing income than to complete this step as fast as possible. As we can see in this pandemic, if both also don\u2019t have, then 12-24 months\u2019 worth of expenses may not even be enough\u2026\n\n\nThere are two main ways to earn more:\n\n\nThrough day job \u2013\u00a0\nhttp://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/high-salary-in-malaysia/\nThrough side income \u2013\u00a0\nhttp://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/side-income-malaysia/\n\n\nThe money, in my humble opinion, should be kept at places that are easy enough, yet hard enough to access. Here are some good options to put your emergency money \u2013 \n5 Best Places to Save Money in Malaysia, Ranked\n\n\nStep 4 \u2013 Invest your money\n\n\nEstimated time: \nlifelong\n\n\nNow, \nfinally,\n we have arrived at the investment part. If you\u2019re efficient, you\u2019re already investing at Step 3, by doubling your savings-earmarked accounts as low-risk investments. But if not, use this article as a guide \u2013 \n3 Best Investments in Malaysia (+ The Best Way to Invest Your Money)\n\n\nImportant: Whatever you do, do NOT skip Steps 1-3!\n\n\nNow, there\u2019s this\u2026 misconception\u2026 that investing can make you rich. Well yes, but don\u2019t get too obsessed with it until you forget about earning. Getting \u2018just\u2019 5% ROI on RM10000 (RM500) is better than getting 50% ROI on RM100 (RM50). \n\n\nSo, at this stage, \naim to earn more so you can funnel more into your investment accounts \n(Go back to Step 3 for earning tips). Start with 20% of your income*, then grow your income so you can contribute more.\n\n\n*This follows the \n50/30/20 budgeting guideline\n\n\nCredit: The Financial Diet https://thefinancialdiet.com/the-50-30-20-budget-what-it-is-why-you-need-to-start-using-it-asap/\n\n\nStep 5 \u2013 Save for children\u2019s college / another big life goal, &\n\n\nStep 6 \u2013 Pay off house / another big life goal\n\n\nEstimated time: \nlifelong, up until you hit your goals\n\n\nOkay! Here\u2019s where my tweak comes in. In Dave Ramsey\u2019s original Baby Steps, he clearly placed saving money for children\u2019s education and paying off your house mortgage as necessary steps. And it is, for some of us.\n\n\nBut here\u2019s the thing \u2013\n\n\nMalaysia\u2019s education system is WAY LESS PREDATORY than the US\u2019s education system. That\u2019s not a blanket statement, but generally true\nNot everyone can afford to buy a house in Malaysia, given how the property market is (over)priced and our salaries are not increasing and all\n\n\nTherefore, in Steps 5 and 6, you can choose your own life goals. Make it early retirement, saving up for your children\u2019s education, make it buy a house, or \nmake it anything you want, any life goals that are meaningful to you.\n\n\nSome of you may have \u2018have enough money to start own business\u2019 as a life goal, that\u2019s cool. Others may decide on affording a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. That\u2019s cool too.\n\n\nDon\u2019t know your life goals yet? That\u2019s okay. You don\u2019t have to have it all figured out yet, and even so it\u2019s okay to change your mind later. Just put \u2018accumulate RM1 million\u2019 as a financial goal first while you think of what you want in life.\n\n\n(And lol you can even make your life goal, \u2018save enough money to take 1 year off to travel around the world to figure out your life goal\u2019. What\u2019s stopping you from doing that? No one!)\n\n\nBonus section: How much money do you need for financial freedom in Malaysia\nOk, I\u2019m going to dedicate a section to calculate the amount of money you need for financial freedom in Malaysia because it\u2019s a question I get VERY often. But first, \nWhat is the difference between financial freedom and financial independence?\nThe definitions vary, but I like how \nthis article on financial freedom vs financial independence\n illustrated it:\nSo essentially, what financial freedom means is \nworking is optional\n. \nHow you feel about this totally depends on whether you like your job or not. For some people, the motivation to reach financial freedom comes from hating their job, so they work REALLY hard to earn more AND live as frugally as possible.\nPersonally, I don\u2019t totally hate my job (it\u2019s great 80% of the time, which is more than I hope for), and I love spending money on experiences. It will take longer for me to reach financial freedom, and that\u2019s OK. (This is also why I\u2019m not super into the financial independence, retire early (FI/RE) camp, with emphasis on early retirement.)\nFinancial freedom calculators in Malaysia\nMany websites offer financial freedom calculators \u2013 or should I say retirement calculators. \nThis one by Multiply\n is really good. \nYou can see my attempt at calculating the cost of my retirement here: \nCalculating the Amount I Need to FI/RE in Malaysia\nP/s \u2013 It will be a big number. Bigger than you\u2019d want. I *was* intimidated by it, but now I\u2019ve accepted it. I\u2019ve made my plans so all I have to do is follow them and enjoy the ride. \n\n\nStep 7 \u2013 Give back\n\n\nEstimated time: \nlifelong, up until your time to go\n\n\nStep 7 is giving back. THIS DOESN\u2019T MEAN YOU SHOULD AVOID MAKING DONATIONS UNTIL YOU REACH THIS STEP!! Maybe don\u2019t do it while you\u2019re still at Step 1, but go on ahead from Step 2 onwards. I want you to be happy throughout all this and the act of giving increases happiness \u2013 read \nHow to Buy Happiness: 5 Science-Backed Principles to Know TODAY\n for more info.\n\n\nAs I understand it, giving back in Step 7 means \nnot hoarding wealth and contributing to wealth inequality\n.\n\n\nYou may choose to expand your business and hire more people, paying them comfortable salaries. That\u2019s a way to give back.\n\n\nYou may make regular contributions to a women\u2019s shelter, or a pet adoption society. That\u2019s a way to give back.\n\n\nYou can be an angel investor and fund businesses. That\u2019s a way to give back.\n\n\nUse your money and wealth to enable others. As the saying goes, you can\u2019t take it with you when you go.\n\n\nAchieving Financial Freedom in Malaysia\n\n\nI\u2019m going to be hella realistic. \nNot everyone can achieve financial freedom in Malaysia\n. Some of you may get stuck at different steps. Some of you may have exceptionally bad luck in life and have to restart the journey over and over again.\n\n\nStill, with this information you at least have a fighting chance, and that\u2019s all we can hope for at this point, right?\n\n\nLet me know if you have questions about the 7 baby steps to financial freedom above. Does it help you to focus on your next immediate action(s)? Which step are you at now? Let me know in the comments section!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/financial-tools/", "title": "13 Types of Financial Tools I Personally Use (How About You?)\n  ", "body": "The other day I was listing out all the financial tools that I personally use for money management in my notebook, and the list got kinda long.\n\n\nI did that list because (1) it\u2019s good to know exactly what I have and what I use it for and (2) I don\u2019t want to accidentally \nforgot\n about an account, which happens more often than you\u2019d think (\nthat\u2019s why there\u2019s over RM5.77 billion in unclaimed money???\n).\n\n\nSo here you go \u2013 an article compiling all the financial tools I use for my own money management. Please don\u2019t @ me if any of them sucks for you \u2013 they\u2019re just the best option for my situation right now \n\u2013 I\u2019m not loyal to any of them and happy to switch to better solutions as and when it suits me\n. Also please don\u2019t take anything here as investment advice.\n\n\nThe financial tools are arranged in this order:\n\n\n\n\nBank account\n\n\nCredit cards\n\n\nDebit cards\n\n\nPrepay cards\n\n\nE-wallets\n\n\nInternational money transfers/payments\n\n\nInvestment\n\n\nRetirement\n\n\nInsurance\n\n\nEstate-planning\n\n\nAccounting\n\n\nBudgeting app\n\n\nShopping\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Bank Account\n\n\nPrimary bank\n: \nMaybank\n.\n\n\nI have 3 savings account in there: (1) for daily use, (2) for work/business-related transactions, and (3) the one which I\u2019m too lazy to close down. I might repurpose the last one and earmark it for travel savings or something, let\u2019s see.\n\n\nSecondary bank\n: \nCIMB\n. Only one account. I only add money to this account if I need to pay off my CIMB credit card.\n\n\nIMPORTANT: I did not open accounts at both banks by choice. I ended up with Maybank because my parents opened up a Maybank Yippee account for me when I was in primary school, and ended up with CIMB because my university required me to have a CIMB bank account to receive PTPTN money.\n\n\nI\u2019d say I\u2019m fairly happy with them, but always wondered how different the experience would be with other banks.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Credit cards\n\n\nI\u2019m a big fan of credit card as financial tool \u2013 love the cashback, points and other perks.\n\n\nCredit card #1:\n \nMaybank2 Gold Card Amex card\n. Only for personal use.\n\n\nCredit card #2:\n \nMaybank2 Gold Card Mastercard\n. Only for business-related expenses. Credit card #1 and #2 came together as a set.\n\n\nCredit card #3:\n \nCIMB Cash Rebate Platinum Mastercard\n. Backup credit card.\n\n\nI\u2019m biased, but the \nMaybank 2 Gold Cards\n mentioned above is an excellent starter credit card.\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nBest Credit Cards in Malaysia: 5 Maybank Cards You Recommended\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Debit cards\n\n\nDebit card #1:\n \nMaybank Visa debit card\n.\n\n\nDebit card #2:\n \nCIMB Mastercard debit card\n.\n\n\nI withdraw ~RM500 in cash every so often just to be safe. We\u2019re not quite a true cashless society yet.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Prepay cards\n\n\nLike many of you, I use \nTouch N Go cards\n. Used to have a few of them until I lost all but one. The one I use now is the MyNews-branded one and it\u2019s good \u2013 no RM0.50 charge for topups made at MyNews stores.\n\n\nEdit: I dug out the Twitter thread about the time I lost my TnG card. Thanks everyone who advised ways to recover the lost amount (hint: keep the receipts, register the serial number)\n\n\n\n\nHave you registered your details on TnG website? I lost mine also before. Called them to block the card & transfer remaining balance to my bank account.\n\n\n\u2014 P&C FTT (@NadeadelaVega) \nJuly 14, 2018\n\n\n\n\nI also enjoy using BigPay cards for both international travel and online shopping. It\u2019s especially handy for signing up for recurring payment that you DON\u2019T want to coninue paying \u2013 just freeze the card when not it use and the payments will simply not go through.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nShoutout to BigPay card for blocking a recurring payment I forgot to cancel \n\n\nShoutout to myself for remembering to freeze the card when not in use \npic.twitter.com/bHqVYTSnmD\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nNovember 1, 2021\n\n\n\n\nObligatory referral code: INLALP7ZLE (or click direct link in \nhttp://\nlinktr.ee/surayaror\n)\n\n\n#5 \u2013 E-wallets\n\n\nObviously, I have \nthe Big Three\n: Grab, TnG e-wallet and Boost\n\n\nI also use other e-wallets as and when it suits me. In terms of e-wallets, we\u2019re quite spoilt for choice actually.\n\n\nRelated: \nBest E-Wallets in Malaysia: Comparing 38 E-Wallets in 7 Categories\n\n\n#6 \u2013 International money transfers/payments\n\n\n(I have this because I sometimes work with international clients)\n\n\nTo receive money\n: \nPaypal\n and \nPayoneer\n. The former is practical (it\u2019s integrated everywhere) but the latter is the better deal to receive payments \u2013 they have lower withdrawal fees.\n\n\n\n\nReceiving money online: Payoneer vs Paypal\n\n\nCurrent rate is USD1 = RM4.19\n\nPayoneer\u2019s rate USD1 = RM4.1106\n\nPaypal\u2019s rate USD1 = RM4.07979\n\n\nPayoneer has better rates \npic.twitter.com/xPtAqvLfRn\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nMay 29, 2019\n\n\n\n\nI also use crypto wallets to receive payments in crypto. Working for crypto is how I accumulate most of my stash actually. Related:\u00a0\n6 Ways to Get Bitcoin for Free (for People Bullish on Bitcoin Price)\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Investments\n\n\n(I\u2019m going to keep this section short and sweet. Instead of justifying each of them, here\u2019s \nthe best investments in Malaysia.\n I also prefer \nShariah-compliant investments\n)\n\n\nMutual fund/Unit trust: \nASB (took RM50k \nASB loan\n when I was 23); Tabung Haji, \nBest Invest\n\n\nRoboadvisor/ETFs:\n \nWahed Invest\n (I like that it includes US stocks; use code \u2018surbin1\u2019 to ger RM5 upon \nopening new account\n); \nMIDF Invest\n (same; got it for the exposure to US stocks market too. I got the S&P 500 Shariah).\n\n\nGold:\n \nHelloGold\n \n(primary; digital), \nMaybank Gold Investment Account\n (secondary; digital) and gold jewellery (not considered investment, but rather sentimental pieces; physical).\n\n\nRelated:\n\n\n\n\nWhat You Should Know About Gold Prices In 2008-2018\n\n\n20+ Interesting Gold Coin and Gold Bar Designs\n\n\n\n\nCrypto:\n Bitcoin, Ether, and a few more. Divided across a bunch of accounts, including cold wallet and multiple exchanges\n\n\nRelated:\n\n\n\n\nThe ULTIMATE Cryptocurrency in Malaysia Guide\n\n\nWhich Cryptocurrencies to Invest In? 3 Ways I Use to Decide\n\n\n\n\nP2P Financing:\n \nFunding Societies\n. Tbh I like this investment and the profit is decent but I\u2019m trying to phase this out as it\u2019s my only non-Shariah compliant investment left\n\n\nRelated: \nI Asked Hard Questions to the CEO of Funding Societies Malaysia\n\n\n#8 \u2013 Retirement\n\n\nUnit trust: \nLike many of you, I have EPF/KWSP. I also contribute to Private Retire Scheme ( via Fundsupermart). I consider these two the \nbest investments in Malaysia\n and the ones you have to do before everything else.\n\n\n#9 \u2013 Insurance\n\n\nMedical card:\n \nAIA Public Takaful.\n It\u2019s a stand-alone medical card, without investment link. I heard my particular medical card was discontinued but they will still honour existing policy holders so don\u2019t ask me where to get it.\n\n\nPersonal accident\n: \nEZCover Takaful by MAA Takaful\n. Found and applied for it online.\n\n\nCritical illness: \nTakaful Term 80 by Zurich Takaful\n. Recommended by my financial planner\n\n\nPlease note that all of my insurances is taken on my specific requirements and needs, which may be different than yours. How to get the best one for you? Well, you could (1) find insurance agents and let them recommend the best plan based on your budget, (2) hire a \nfinancial planner\n (best option IMHO; but need to pay), or (3) do DIY research (start with below articles)\n\n\nRelated:\n\n\n\n\n4 Best Insurance in Malaysia (Especially Curated for B40 and M40)\n\n\n9 Things You MUST Know Before Buying Insurance in Malaysia\n\n\n[SPONSORED] Learn Critical Illness Insurance in 5 Minutes\n\n\nInvestment-Linked Products, As Explained By the CEO of Life Insurance Association of Malaysia\n\n\n\n\n#10 \u2013 Estate-Planning\n\n\nWasiat, Hibah and Trust\n: Working on it! I need to do this because I\u2019m not a big fan of faraid aka Islamic inheritance laws. It\u2019s meant to be fair, but often not during implementation.\n\n\nRelated: \nWasiat, Hibah, Trust: 3 Tools to Circumvent Faraid / Islamic Inheritance Laws in Malaysia\n\n\nI also want to set up \nHibah Takaful\n soon. Imagine only paying RM50 or so per month to leave behind 6-figures to loved ones.\n\n\n#11- Accounting\n\n\nAccounting software\n: \nFinancio\n (I mainly use this to generate invoices; probably under-using my account tbh) and \nGoogle Sheets\n to record Business Income and Expenses.\n\n\n#12 \u2013 Budgeting app\n\n\nI use Money Lover, the expense-teacking app. The graphs in my \nmonthly budget updates\n all came from this app \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nHow Expense Tracking Looks Like (As Someone Who Doesn\u2019t Budget)\n\n\n#13 \u2013 Shopping\n\n\nI pretty much never buy online without checking \nShopback\n first.\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nShopback Malaysia Review & Tips for Shopping Enthusiasts\n\n\nThat turned out to be a long list of financial tools..\n\n\nThat was a long list of financial tools, wasn\u2019t it? I\u2019m tired, but glad that I wrote all of that down.\n\n\nA few things that are immediately clear:\n\n\n\n\nWow I use a lot of different companies for different things.\n Not surprising \u2013 different companies specialise in different things. Thank goodness I use a \npassword manager\n to keep track of all my passwords, or I\u2019d be overwhelmed and paranoid over security!\n\n\nThese are not the\u00a0\nonly\n financial tools, products and services I\u2019ve tried.\n I have abandoned some which didn\u2019t impress during the experimentation process. If I include those, this list would easily be at least twice as long!\n\n\n\n\nWhat I want to know now is \u2013 which financial tools do you use? Is it similar to mine? Share in the comments, I\u2019m really curious to find out!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/healthy-financial-habits/", "title": "30 Healthy Financial Habits You Should Have by 30 [SPONSORED]\n  ", "body": "\n\nWhich healthy financial habits have you cultivated, and which do you still need to implement? Go through this checklist and find out what you need to work on next.\n\n\n1. Calculate your monthly expenses\n\n\nYou should have a rough idea how much you are spending every month, for both \nfixed expenses\n (the same amount every month, like mortgage and insurance) and \nvariable expenses\n (amount varies every month, like dining out and car repairs).\n\n\nDon\u2019t forget to add in expenses charged on \nirregular basis\n, such as quarterly, bi-annual, and annual payments too! If you don\u2019t know the actual amount, an approximation will do.\n\n\nImage credit: Mimirello\n\n\n\n\n2. Save up for 3-6 months\u2019 worth of living expenses\n\n\nYour monthly commitments form your living expenses. Now that you know the amount, you should aim to save up for \nat least 3-6 months\u2019 worth of expenses\n, as a buffer against life\u2019s unexpected costs and emergencies.\n\n\nCalculating how much you need to save up is easy:\n\n\nIf your monthly living expenses is\nThen 3 months\u2019 of living expenses is\nAnd 6 months\u2019 of living expenses is\nRM500\nRM1500\nRM3000\nRM1000\nRM3000\nRM6000\nRM1500\nRM4500\nRM9000\nRM2000\nRM6000\nRM12000\nRM3000\nRM9000\nRM18000\n\n\nHave you saved up the amount yet? If no, that is one of your financial priorities. \n\n\n3. Keep living expenses in low risk, liquid accounts\n\n\nFunds earmarked for living expenses should be kept in \nlow risk, liquid accounts\n \u2013 that is, the value does not wildly fluctuate on a daily basis and it is easy to be converted into cash.\n\n\nSome good places to keep this money include:\n\n\nhigh-interest savings account, \ncash management account with no withdrawal fees or penalties, and \nASNB fixed priced funds (ASB and ASM are both good choices)\n\n\n4. Save up for a big purchase (rather than financing it with debt)\n\n\nA big part of being financially responsible is \nplanning ahead of a big purchase\n. Not buy first, figure it out how to pay it later. \n\n\nWhatever big purchase you are planning to make \u2013 a downpayment for a house, a trip, a wedding, a renovation, a gadget, whatever \u2013 calculate how much you need to set aside monthly so you can achieve your goal.\n\n\nFor example, let\u2019s say you want to go on a trip costing RM5000. It will take you:\n\n\n100 months at RM50 saved per month\n50 months at RM100 saved per month\n25 months at RM200 saved per month\n12.5 months at RM400 saved per month\n\n\nAnd so on.\n\n\nNote: For simplicity\u2019s sake, interest/profit rates are omitted from calculation.\n\n\n5. Save up for retirement as early as possible\n\n\nIf you need RM2,500 per month in living expenses now, that means you need \nRM7,067 per month \nin living expenses in 50 years\u2019 time. \n\n\nYes, per month. \n\n\nThat\u2019s why you keep hearing how inflation is a \u2018silent killer\u2019 and how important it is to save for retirement as early as possible. \nYou will need all the time you can get to grow your savings and hedge it against inflation\n.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhether you are employed or self-employed, it is a good idea to save for retirement in both EPF and PRS, so you can claim income tax relief from both. \n\n\nAIA offers PRS \u2013 check out the \nAIA Private Retirement Scheme and its benefits\n.\n\n\n6. Save up for children\u2019s future\n (if you have children)\n\n\nAccording to \nUniversity Cost Guide 2022\n published by Public Mutual, the cost of tuition fees and living costs rises between 1.7-5.6% annually, depending on the education inflation of each country.\n\n\nIf you want to send your child to countries like Australia, Canada, United Kingdom and USA for further studies, you can \nexpect the total cost to double in approximately 12 to 15 years\n.\n\n\n\n\nPlan for your child\u2019s future as early as 14 days old with AIA\u2019s child protection and savings plans, A-Life Joy Xtra and A-Life Wealth Treasure. Check out the products \nhere\n.\n\n\n7. Use financial calculators\n\n\nMake use of various financial calculators online. They can help you calculate how much you need to set aside per month to achieve your retirement and savings goals, among other things.\n\n\nSome of my favourite financial calculators include:\n\n\nAKPK\u2019s tools\n: Budget Calculator, Credit Card Calculator, Housing Loan Calculator, Hire Purchase (Car) Calculator and Net Worth Calculator\nAIA\u2019s Financial Health Check (see #8, below)\n\n\n8. Regularly review your protection coverage levels\n (with AIA Financial Health Check)\n\n\nYou may have outgrown the insurance coverage you took in your early 20s, so it is important to \nreview your protection\n regularly, especially after big life milestones like marriage and having children.\n\n\nTake AIA\u2019s \nFinancial Health Check\n to find out which of your coverage \u2013 Life, Medical, Accident, Critical Illness or Savings \u2013 needs immediate attention.\n\n\nI took the FHC assessment myself and it says people similar to my demographic profile have the following coverage:\n\n\nRM450k in life insurance\nRM1.5million in medical insurance\nRM640k in personal accident insurance\nRM250k in critical illness, and\nRM20k in savings\n\n\nFrom the results, it is clear that my current protection coverage (which I got when I was younger) is outdated, and I should prioritise updating my Life and Medical coverage. This will ensure my wealth is protected if I am faced with unforeseen circumstances.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n9. Learn about yourself\n\n\nLearn money management tips that work for you rather than against you. \u00a0\n\n\nAre you a saver or a spender? \n\n\nA novelty seeker or set in routine? \n\n\nDo you desire luxury goods and experiences or are you happy with a simple life? \n\n\nDo you prefer DIY money management or seek professional advice? \n\n\nWhat are the most important things in life for you, and are you allocating your funds accordingly?\n\n\nThese are questions that invite you to reflect who you are as a person \u2013 no answer is better than the other, nor are there \u2018perfect\u2019 answers, just what works for you. \n\n\n10. Build your credit history\n\n\nNo matter which method(s) you pick to build credit history \u2013 via PTPTN loan, via credit card, via hire purchase or others \u2013 make sure to \npay them in full, and on time every month\n.\n\n\n11. Pay off all high-interest debt\n\n\nIf you have credit card outstanding balance or personal loan, forget everything else on this list. Your number 1 priority is to pay off your high-interest debt first.\u00a0\n\n\n12. Check your credit score\n\n\nAfter a few years of building credit history, your credit score will be available. This score determines how \u2018creditworthy\u2019 you are \u2013 \nthe higher the score, the better the rates you will get from banks when applying for loans\n. This will be very useful when (if) you plan to purchase a house and need to get a mortgage. \u00a0\n\n\nMalaysians can purchase comprehensive credit score reports from Experian, CTOS and Credit Bureau Malaysia. You can also \ncheck your CCRIS for free\n.\n\n\n13. Keep Housing, Transportation and Food costs to below 50% of your income\n\n\nFor most people, \nHousing, Transportation and Food are usually the top 3 expenses\n. There are many strategies to keep these costs low.\n\n\nOne of the best \u2018hacks\u2019 to keep these three expenses low is to find jobs that allow remote/hybrid work arrangements and live:\n\n\nat areas with affordable eateries/amenities OR\nwithin walking distance to bus/LRT stations OR\nwithin walking distance to work.\n\n\nThese options eliminate or significantly reduce the need for a car, \nsaving at least RM1000 per month\n. In addition, the time saved from commuting can be diverted to home-cooking and meal-prepping, reducing eating out expenses as well.\n\n\n14. Decide to rent or own a house\n\n\nRent or buy a house? Both can be good financial choices, it all depends on the situation. \nDon\u2019t let property agents/ your parents/ other people peer-pressure you into owning a house before you\u2019re ready\n*.\n\n\n*Practically speaking, \u2018ready\u2019 means having at least RM50,000 or so in funds without touching 3-6 months of living expenses, retirement funds and children\u2019s\u2019 funds. If you\u2019re not paying that much for down payment (plus legal fees), you\u2019ll be paying for renovations and move-in costs.\n\n\n15. Learn to cook at home\n\n\nEven if you did the calculation and eating out is cheaper in terms of ringgit cost, it is still worth learning how to cook because of one simple reason:\n home cooking tends to be much healthier.\n\n\nIt\u2019s true. Most restaurants use a lot of oil, sodium and sugar in their food \u2013 delicious, but will contribute to health problems in the long run.\n\n\n16. Exercise regularly\n\n\nIn the theme of healthy living, it is worth adding in physical activities are essential to better health and directly correlated to improved quality of life. \nDon\u2019t neglect your health as you are accumulating wealth\n.\n\n\nNote: \nAIA Vitality\n rewards you for leading a healthy lifestyle. View the discounts and benefits under \nAIA Vitality\n.\n\n\n\n\n17. Don\u2019t just save, find ways to earn more too\n\n\nIf you are earning minimum wage or if your commitment is high (due to reasons like: medical, caretaking duties etcetera), then your priority is earning more, not saving more.\n\n\nUnfortunately, you \ncan\u2019t budget your way out of poverty\n. If emergencies doesn\u2019t, cost of living and inflation will wipe out your savings. \u00a0\u00a0\n\n\n18. Explore side income opportunities\n\n\nSide income opportunities deserve an article on its own, but let me take this chance to warn you against opportunists who scam or mislead people looking to earn extra money.\n\n\nDon\u2019t be swayed by people who dangle high income potential while selling four-figure courses. \nYou can absolutely get started with zero cost\n, and there are amazing free/cheap courses out there that are just as good (if not better).\n\n\nSome websites to explore gig work include goget.my and swifty.my.\n\n\n19. Update your resume\n\n\nThe best time to look for a better paying job is when you are not looking for a job.\n Don\u2019t stop yourself from getting job offers with potentially 50-100%++ pay increase \u2013 add your new skillsets in your resume and make it public; recruiters are always looking for talent.\n\n\n20. Attend a resume-writing workshop\n\n\nMake recruiters\u2019 job easy by adding in keywords employers are looking for in your resume. \nThe easier they find you, the more offers you will see coming your way.\n\n\n21. Sort out estate planning\n\n\nThey say you should sort out estate planning for the benefit of your loved ones, and that is a good reason in itself.\n\n\nBut in addition to that, as someone who has made progress with estate planning, it feels great to make the decision myself.\n It\u2019s a privilege to get to decide who will get my money, assets and takaful, instead of leaving it up to default inheritance laws.\n \u00a0\n\n\nMy advice: unless you are familiar with legalese, do yourself a favour and consult professionals. AIA customers can enjoy \ndiscounts on will and wasiat-writing service, as well as on the insurance/takaful trust setup fee\n. \n\n\n22. Join personal finance communities\n\n\nThere are personal finance communities across basically all social media. A good indication of a healthy online community is it is \nnot centred around a cult of personality\n \u2013 that is, a leader that promotes only their particular type of methodology, investment or money management style.\n\n\nIf they (and their followers) insist theirs is the best, and the rest is wrong, then find other places encouraging more viewpoints. \u00a0\u00a0\n\n\n23. Learn to say no\n\n\nMost people are good, but some will try to take advantage of you.\n Learn how to say no because there are scammers, manipulators and guilt-trippers out there asking to \u2018borrow\u2019 your money or worse, get/guarantee a loan under your name. \u00a0\n\n\n24. Learn sales strategies\n\n\nThere are two good reasons to learn sales strategies. First, you can use the skillset to make money, which is always handy. Second, and more importantly, is \nso you can identify when it is being used on you.\n\n\nFor example, giving free samples is a great sales strategy because it is based on the principle of reciprocity \u2013 people generally like to return favours, so they might end up buying the product the next time they see it.\n\n\n25. Read personal finance books\n\n\nAs great as online resources are (much of which are free), you will get a better understanding of personal finance from in-depth resources, a.k.a. books. There really is no substituting it.\n\n\n26. Learn income tax strategies\n\n\nWhether you are employed or self-employed or a business owner, there are ways to optimise your taxes. Depending on how much you earn, the savings can be in the thousands.\n\n\nMuslims in particular should know how to claim zakat as tax rebate. This in itself will save you a lot of money.\n\n\n27. Find low-cost or free leisure activities you enjoy\n\n\nIt would be a problem if you feel like you need to splurge every time you are stressed. Find low-cost or free leisure activities that you can do instead.\n \u2018Reward yourself\u2019 doesn\u2019t have to be expensive.\n\n\n28. Pick a conscientious life partner\n\n\nYour life partner selection is one of the most important financial decisions you will ever make. \n\n\nThe heart wants who it wants, but if possible find \nsomeone conscientious\n. They tend to be more disciplined, organised and responsible in life and money.\n\n\n29. Hire a financial planner\n\n\nAs much as you like DIY-ing your finances, after a certain point, go meet a financial planner. They\u2019ll help you \nfind the blind spots you missed\n, if any.\n\n\n30. Engage with a reputable financial services company\n\n\nThere are many companies offering financial services. For something as important as wealth planning and protection, \nthere is value in choosing a reputable and well-established company like AIA\n. \n\n\nNot only do they have the experience, but they also offer varied services under one roof so you and your loved ones can live Healthier, Longer and Better Lives. Learn more about AIA\u2019s \nTotal Wealth Solution\n and what it can do for you.\n\n\n\n\nAnd there you have it, 30 financial habits you should have by 30. The more financial habits you implement, the better your financial future will be. What other habits do you think should be added to this list?\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/hi-mortgage-review/", "title": "Hi MORTGAGE Review: I Found Out How Much Home Loan I Can Get [SPONSORED]\n  ", "body": "\n\nSo you\u2019re thinking of buying a house. Maybe you want it for your own stay, maybe you want to use it as an investment property.\u00a0\n\n\nBut you don\u2019t know how much the bank is willing to lend to you.\u00a0\n\n\nAnd that\u2019s a problem, because while there are a lot of choices within the property market, you also don\u2019t want to fall in love with a property that is out of your price range. You know how important it is to stay within your budget. \n\n\nI found the best way to go about this: find out first how much home loan I can get with my salary (*if* I can even get it), AND the banks that are likely to approve my home loan application, BEFORE I even start looking for property.  \n\n\nFind out eligibility first BEFORE look for house\n\n\nEnter: Hi MORTGAGE\u2019s Home Loan Eligibility tool. It tells you how much home loan you can get from the bank, based on your salary and other factors. \n\n\nNormal process: Fall in love with a property -> submit loan application -> maybe approbed, maybe get rejected\nWith Hi MORTGAGE \u2019s Home Loan Eligibility tool: Find out if you\u2019re eligible -> [If yes] Find house -> submit loan application to banks with the highest chances of approval and best rates\n\n\n\n\nHere\u2019s how it works.\n\n\nHow to Use Hi MORTGAGE Home Loan Eligibility tool\n\n\nGo to \nhttps://www.himortgage.asia/\n. The interface is clean and simple, and the tool is displayed prominently on the main page itself.\n\n\n\n\nStep 1: Enter the amount you want to borrow, and number of years\n\n\nStep 2: Enter the sector you\u2019re in\n\n\n\n\nStep 3: Depending on your answer, enter your income or salary\n\n\nStep 4: Enter your current commitments and savings\n\n\nStep 5: Enter your IC (this is needed for the DSR \u2013 Debt Service Ratio check)\n\n\nStep 6: Find out which bank(s) is likely to approve your home loan application\n\n\nIn the process of doing this Hi MORTGAGE review article, I tested out the platform myself, this is my result. Looks like I have at least 4 banks that I can get a home loan with! You can see that different banks have different maximum loan amounts they can offer, based on their own criteria.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nThe data is insightful on its own. If I\u2019m ready to start the property-buying purchase, all I have to do is click Proceed and I\u2019ll be connected to a mortgage consultant (it\u2019s like having your own personal banker, said the Hi MORTGAGE team), who will:\n\n\nGive me my financial character report (see the example below)\nAdvise me further on the next steps, and\u00a0\nHelp me select and compare products.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nHi MORTGAGE\u2019s financial character report will be given to you for FREE upon clicking Proceed. It essentially tells you three things:\n\n\n1. Your financial character\n\n\n\n\nThis tells you how favourable you are in the eyes of bank institutions. If you have a score below 629, you are defined as \u2018Fair\u2019 which is deemed as fairly unfavorable by banks. Therefore, you will be facing difficulties to get your loan approved.\u00a0\n\n\nIf you have scores between 630 to 719, you are defined as \u2018Good\u2019 which is deemed as somewhat favourable by banks. But if you score 720 and higher, the world is your oysters. You have the highest chance to get your loans approved.\u00a0\n\n\n2. Loan amount eligibility\n\n\n\n\nOn this part, it tells you the maximum amount you can borrow from bank institutions to buy a home. The figure is computed based on the amount of income, commitments and savings you put in Hi MORTGAGE\u2019s Home Loan Eligibility tool.\n\n\n3. Banks comparison\n\n\nNow here comes the most exciting part: bank comparison. In this section of the report, it tells exactly which banks will most likely approve/reject your home loan application. It also tells you the maximum loan amount you can borrow from them.\u00a0\n\n\nNote:\n The accuracy of this report depends on the accuracy of the data (the amount of your incomes, commitments and savings) you put in Hi MORTGAGE\u2019s Home Loan Eligibility tool. So if you want an accurate report, please be honest to yourself \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nHi MORTGAGE \u2019s Home Loan Eligibility tool offers up to \n25 home loan products from 18 banks\n, including Conventional and Islamic. If you\u2019re eligible from more than one bank, getting expert advice from a mortgage consultant is definitely recommended, so you can make the best choice possible.\u00a0\n\n\nPlus, having access to your own personal mortgage consultant where you can ask anything (let alone online) is a value you cannot get anywhere \u2013 except in Hi MORTGAGE. So please take advantage of their tools. Go shop for home loan products first, then only shop for your dream house.\n\n\nWhat\u2019s the catch? None, the service is FREE until further notice, so use it while you can. Hi MORTGAGE is paid a commission on successful applications, so there\u2019s no cost to you.\u00a0\n\n\nWhat if you don\u2019t use the tool to find out how much home loan you can get on your salary?\n\n\nLet\u2019s say you are buying property through the usual route \u2013 you found your dream property, \nthen \nlook for ways to finance it. The property is within your price range, or so you thought.\u00a0\n\n\nYou told the real estate agent to proceed, and they are just as excited for you. The next step, they said, is to prepare the paperwork needed to submit to the bank and secure the home loan.\u00a0\n\n\nThis is where it usually gets tricky.\u00a0\n\n\nHome loan rejection is super common (and there\u2019s a penalty for re-applying)\n\n\nOver \n60% of home loan applications get rejected\n, and that data is from pre-pandemic times.\u00a0\n\n\nWhat causes the rejection? Maybe you have too much debt, so not many banks are keen to take on the risk. In this case, there is nothing you can do but improve your finances.\u00a0\n\n\nHowever, it could also be the case of applying to the wrong bank. You might choose one particular bank for their (attractive) home loan package, but you may not know \nbanks have customer preferences, too\n.\u00a0For example:\n\n\nSome banks are friendlier to salaried employers rather than commission earners or self-employed\nSome banks are also friendlier to fishermen/farmers/taxi drivers/micro-entrepreneurs who don\u2019t have monthly payslips.\n\n\nSome of you may say \u2013 so what if one bank rejects your loan? Just apply to a different one.\u00a0\n\n\nUnfortunately, there are consequences to a failed attempt. If one bank rejects you,\n it increases the likelihood of rejection from other banks\n, too. The common advice is to wait at least 6 months between applications. 6 months!\n\n\nBut that\u2019s not the only reason to avoid applying this way. You might also\n\n\nPay more than you should\u00a0\n\n\nImagine getting approved for a home loan \u2013 but it\u2019s actually not the best home loan product for you. You actually can get a lower effective profit rate (the Islamic banking term for interest rate) from other banks if you are bothered to check with Hi MORTGAGE\u2019s consultant first.\n\n\nWithout Hi MORTGAGE, it would be a hassle to check and compare 25 home loan products from 18 banks one by one, by yourself. Almost no one does that. \n\n\nBut it\u2019s actually important to compare home loan products. You might get pre-approved by Bank A, B and C. But bank C offers a lower effective profit rate than Bank A and B. You would only know this if you use Hi MORTGAGE and engage with their consultant via WhatsApp.\u00a0\n\n\nIf you aren\u2019t using Hi MORTGAGE, chances are you will take whatever loan offers that come your way first without ever knowing that it\u2019s actually a little bit more expensive. Comparing and choosing the right home loan can save you thousands of ringgit over the long run!\n\n\nThe smart way to be a property owner\n\n\nIf you\u2019re considering property ownership, go use the Hi Mortgage Home Eligibility tool. Find out first how much loan you can get from the bank and which bank is more likely to approve your loan BEFORE you start the property-searching process, or at least before you or your real estate agent submits the application.\u00a0\n\n\nAny questions on Hi Mortgage Home Eligibility tool, or the process? If yes, leave your comments below and they\u2019ll get back to you. For now, feel free to test the tool yourself \u2013 find out the price range of properties you can afford and your current DSR health at \nhttps://www.himortgage.asia/\n.\u00a0\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/hibah-amanah/", "title": "The Exact Steps to Do Hibah Amanah ASNB \u2013 Estate Planning for ASNB Investors\n  ", "body": "\n\nHurray, I have successfully submitted the paperwork for \nHibah Amanah ASNB!\n I have completed one of the estate-planning goals on my \n2022 to-do list\n! \n\n\nThis is wonderful, because I\u2019m not just ensuring my money in ASNB (mostly my ASB investment) goes to exactly who I want, but it will also be disbursed much quicker than Wasiat/Will claim process, which will take an estimated 18 months. \n\n\n\n\n*Note: if there is no estate plan or documents in place, your loved ones will wait for an estimated 3 years to access your funds\n\n\nYou can set up Hibah Amanah for any of the funds in ASNB. However as I did mine for ASB, I\u2019ll be referring to it as Hibah Amanah ASB through out this article.\n\n\nNow, the process to do Hibah Amanah ASB itself wasn\u2019t hard, but admittedly the paperwork and coordination was a bit tricky. It actually took us a couple of visits and lots of clarifications from ASNB staff before we got it done. \n\n\nSo, I figured might as well compile what I know in one post. Hopefully the tips in this article will help you complete your Hibah Amanah ASB documents efficiently. \n\n\nStep 1: Complete Pre-Registration on asnb.com.my \n\n\n*You can also start directly from Step 2\n\n\nYou don\u2019t have to do pre-registration, but you can. To do pre-registration, log into your ASNB account at \nhttps://www.myasnb.com.my/\n, select Products > Estate Planning\n\n\n\n\nNext, select Apply Estate Planning and fill up the Pre-Registration document. Have these details ready:\n\n\n\n\nName of Donee(s) (the person(s) who receive the money)\n\n\nTheir guardians (if they are under 18 years old)\n\n\nTheir IC numbers\n\n\nTheir addresses\n\n\nTheir emails\n\n\nTheir bank and bank account numbers\n\n\n\n\nYou might notice 2 options are available: \nHibah Amanah\n and \nTrust Declaration\n (or Pengistiharan Amanah). \n\n\nThey are more or less the same thing, except the former adheres to estate planning guidelines for \nMuslims\n, while Trust Declaration follows estate planning guidelines for \nnon-Muslims\n. Both achieve the same estate planning objective \u2013 fast disbursement to whomever you want. \n\n\nASNB also has visual guides on how to fill in the pre-registration form \u2013 to learn more, go to \nHibah Amanah\n and \nTrust Declaration\n pages. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nStep 2: Print and fill up these documents\n\n\nFor some reason, my husband managed to complete Step 1 but I couldn\u2019t. I don\u2019t know what happened but my pre-registration didn\u2019t go through, the page kept \u2018hang-ing\u2019. So I actually did it the manual way and started from Step 2. \n\n\nPrint out:\n\n\n\n\nFilled-up pre-registration form (if you completed Step 1) OR Application form (PH1A for Hibah Amanah; PH1B for Trust Declaration)\n\n\nAdditional Recipients Form*\n\n\nPower of Attorney document\n\n\n\n\n*Print this if you have more than one Recipient AND didn\u2019t complete pre-registration form. You need 1 Additional Recipients Form per 1 additional recipient\n\n\nWhere to find ASB hibah forms\n\n\nYou can find all the ASB hibah forms in the download section in both the \nHibah Amanah\n and \nTrust Declaration\n pages. You can also get these documents at the ASNB branch. \n\n\nStep 3: Get signatures AND collect certified true copies for identification documents \n\n\nSteps 1 and 2 are fairly easy. Now this is the mafan part \u2013 coordination with the people involved. You need to get signatures AND collect certified true copies of identification document from:\n\n\n\n\nYourself\n\n\nRecipient(s)\n\n\nGuardian(s) (if applicable \u2013 only needed if Recipient is under 18 years old)\n\n\n2 Witnesses (This is for Hibah Amanah/ Muslims only \u2013 they must be male Muslim over 18 years old and of sound mind) \n\n\n\n\nGetting everyone\u2019s signatures is simple enough \u2013 you can just meet up with the papers you printed in Step 2. \nHowever, Recipients, Guardians and Witnesses must get their identification documents certified themselves. You cannot do it for them\n. \n\n\nWho can certify identification documents?\n\n\nTo turn a photostate IC copy into a certified true copies of identification document, Recipients, Guardians and Witnesses must bring their IC copy to any of these people and request to get it certified: \n\n\n\n\nASNB Officer/ASNB Agent\n\n\nHeadman/village head (including the Community Leader/Tuai Rumah for Sabah and Sarawak)\n\n\nOrang Asli Affairs officers\n\n\nHuman Resource officers\n\n\nGovernment Officials from the professional and management group (\u201cof they are DG41 and above, they can certify\u201d \u2013 said the staff at ASNB branch)\n\n\n\n\n(Annoyingly, most of these people are only available during work hours.)\n\n\nThe Recipients/Guardians/ Witnesses are busy. What are my options?\n\n\nWhen I went to ASNB Branch, the staff gave these options:\n\n\n\n\nRecipients, Guardians and Witnesses to meet any of the people mentioned above, complete and pass you their certified true copies of identification documents, OR\n\n\nRecipients, Guardians and Witnesses to come WITH you during the in-person appointment for paperwork submission, OR\n\n\nRecipients, Guardians and Witnesses to lend you their IC temporarily when you go to the branch for your appointment (most convenient option)\n\n\n\n\n(In case the last one is not technically allowed, I\u2019ll take one for the team and say no one from ASNB told me about it. It came to me in a dream)\n\n\nPick whichever option that works best. In any case, you can use the box below as reference. Put a \u2018tick\u2019 when you get it done, and ignore the boxes with N/A. \n\n\nDocuments\nPrinted/ Photostated?\nFilled and Signed?\nCertified True Copy / Come to ASNB / Bring their IC?\nPre-registration form / Application form + Additional Recipient form (if >1 recipient)\nSignatures from Donor, Recipient(s), Guardian(s) (if applicable), Witnesses (if Hibah Amanah)\nN/A\nPower of Attorney\nSignature from Donor\nN/A\nDonor IC (aka Yours)\nN/A\nN/A (of course you go ASNB with your IC, duh)\nRecipient(or Recipients) IC\nN/A\nGuardian IC (if applicable)\nN/A\nWitness #1 IC (Hibah Amanah only)\nN/A\nWitness #2 IC (Hibah Amanah only)\nN/A\n\n\n(This is why I said the process is easier for non-Muslims \u2013 you don\u2019t have the Witnesses requirement, aka fewer people to coordinate with. If you just have one Recipient, you can just go with her/him to the ASNB branch, done.)\n\n\nStep 4: Book appointment at ASNB branch\n\n\nAs of writing time, the paperwork can only be submitted in-person at ASNB branch. You need to book an appointment, cannot just walk-in. EDIT: According to feedback, you can now walk-in to complete the process \n\n\nTo book an appointment with ASNB, go to \nASNB Contact page\n > Click on your state > Select the branch you want to visit > Click Appointment\n\n\n\n\nNext, select Hibah Amanah / Pengistiharan Amanah, your preferred date and timeslot and your contact details. \n\n\n\n\nYour appointment is booked! They will also send you a reminder email one day before your appointment \ud83d\ude42 \n\n\nNow simply show up with all documents needed (refer to Step 3 again) and the officer will sort it out. According to my officer, the confirmation documents will be mailed to you \u2018in 1 month\u2019. \n\n\nPromotional Campaign: Reduced fee of RM100 instead of RM180\n\n\n\n\nNow is a good time to do Hibah Amanah ASB. ASNB is currently running a Promotional Campaign \u2013 from 20 Feb 2023 until 31 December 2023, the registration fee is only RM100 instead of RM180. Save RM80!\n\n\n(You can also get the registration fee completely waived if you add RM20,000 in your ASNB fund. The staff said the RM20k must be NEW aka fresh fund, not already existing in account. I asked) \n\n\nRead the full Terms and Conditions of Pewarisan ASNB Campaign \nhere\n.\n\n\nAdditional FAQs:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Is this only for Hibah Amanah ASB? Can I hibah ASW or other ASNB funds?\n\n\nYes, you can do Hibah Amanah / Trust Declaration for any ASNB funds you have. The requirement is minimum RM1000 in the fund. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 What other Hibah Amanah fees do I need to pay?\n\n\nAside from the one-off RM100 registration fee, the following fees apply:\n\n\n\n\nAnnual administration fee \u2013 RM10\n\n\n[If needed] Subsequent registration \u2013 RM90\n\n\n[If needed] Add or change recipient/guardian/fund \u2013 RM20\n\n\n[If needed] Revocation \u2013 RM70\n\n\n\n\nThe other fee you should know is Claim fee, or the fee deducted from your investment balance before disbursed to your beneficiaries. The rate and sample calculation are as per below:\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 What if I don\u2019t have enough money in ASNB to do Hibah Amanah?\n\n\nIf you don\u2019t have ASNB investment, or not enough to do Hibah Amanah (the minimum is RM1000), then you can do \nhibah takaful\n. It\u2019s like life insurance, just RM50 or so per month to leave behind six-figure inheritance.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 I understand Hibah Amanah ASNB is only for ASNB funds. How do I do estate planning for my other money/assets?\n\n\nThe most professional option is to get advice from \nfinancial planner\n, who is also able to optimise your financial life for you (go ahead and also ask if your current insurance/takaful is comprehensive or not, whether your investment portfolio diversification is okay or not, etc). \n\n\nOtherwise, you can read my \nWasiat, Hibah, Trust: 3 Tools to Circumvent Faraid / Islamic Inheritance Laws in Malaysia\n article.  \n\n\nAny other questions? You can refer \nHibah Amanah\n and \nTrust Declaration\n pages, or contact ASNB for further info. \n\n\nLastly, this article is based on my experience; if there are conflicting information from here and as given by ASNB staff, please follow the latter. \n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/hibah-takaful/", "title": "Everything You Need to Know About Hibah Takaful, from a Non-Agent\n  ", "body": "\n\nHeard about Hibah Takaful and how useful it is for yourself and your family, but not sure what it is and where to get it? You\u2019ve come to the right place. \n\n\nNo guilt-tripping or sad stories about husbands not doing hibah for their wife and children here, I promise. I\u2019m not an agent \u2013 you do or don\u2019t do, up to you. \n\n\nLet\u2019s start \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nPart 1: Hibah Takaful Meaning\n\n\nHibah Takaful is the combination of two words: \nHibah \nmeaning gift and \nTakaful \nmeaning the co-operative system of reimbursement or repayment in case of loss, as per Islamic\u00a0or Syariah guidelines. \n\n\nIt\u2019s not quite the same, but the closest equivalent of Hibah Takaful to conventional insurance is probably \nLife Insurance\n. I\u2019ve seen some people refer to it as Takaful Life Insurance or Life Takaful as well. \n\n\nPart 2: 4 Scenarios where Hibah Takaful is Useful\n\n\nRather than telling you what is included in a Hibah Takaful plan, I\u2019m going to tell you in what situation the product is handy to have. The way I see it, Hibah Takaful is useful for four main scenarios:\n\n\nScenario 1 \u2013 Pay off debt after your passing\n\n\nOnce a Muslim dies, her/his wealth will be frozen then distributed in this exact order:\n\n\n\n\nPay burial costs\n\n\nPay outstanding debts (house, credit card, loans, to other people etc)\n\n\nSurviving spouse gets harta sepencarian (many people don\u2019t know this)\n\n\n(If estate-planning documents are in place) distribute according to wishes\n\n\n(if no estate-planning documents) remaining wealth distributed according to faraid \n\n\n\n\nNow let\u2019s say one passes away with RM500k in wealth but have outstanding debts worth RM500k. \nThat means the wealth distribution ends at #2, because the RM500k will be used to pay off the debt.\n Surviving members of the family gets nothing. \n\n\nSO. It\u2019s not a bad idea to get Hibah Takaful worth at least the outstanding debt amount so that it could be used to pay off one\u2019s debt after passing. The rest of one\u2019s wealth then can be distributed to loved ones. \n\n\nScenario 2 \u2013 Generational Wealth\n\n\nYou want to leave behind \ngenerational wealth\n but don\u2019t necessarily have a lot of money/assets. Imagine with RM50 or so a month, you can leave behind hundreds of thousands of dollars?? If you do it right, the cost of your children\u2019s education will be secured. \n\n\n(This is just my opinion, but I don\u2019t really care about the spouse. He or she is an adult, they can find work and survive somehow. But the children\u2026 they deserve all the opportunities you can give them.)\n\n\nScenario 3\n \n\u2013 Make significant donation\n\n\nYou want to make a \nsignificant donation\n or gift to your favourite charity, cause or person(s) upon your passing. Same as Scenario 2, a small monthly sum can result in six-figure disbursements.  \n\n\nScenario 4 \n\u2013 \nEstate planning\n\n\nYou want an estate planning tool that can \nbypass faraid\n.  If you ask me what is Hibah Takaful\u2019s main advantage, then it has to be this: the gift money will be given \ndirectly\n to the person you want to give to \nwithout\n going through the Islamic Inheritance law system (and lengthy estate planning processes). \n\n\nFor example, \n\n\n\n\nIf you have irresponsible male family members and want to ensure female relatives will be taken cared of \n\n\nIf you\u2019re a Muslim convert but still want to leave behind money to non-convert family members\n\n\nIf you have adopted children, who under faraid is NOT eligible to receive inheritance\n\n\n\n\nThen DEFINITELY consider this financial tool. \n\n\n(Related: \nWasiat, Hibah, Trust: 3 Tools to Circumvent Faraid / Islamic Inheritance Laws in Malaysia\n)\n\n\nExtra \u2018bonuses\u2019\n\n\nThis depends on the provider, but some Takaful companies in Malaysia offers Hibah Takaful products which include \ntotal and permanent disability\n. Let\u2019s say you got into an accident and your spine broken. Obviously, you can\u2019t work anymore. It\u2019s handy to have some money then, wouldn\u2019t you agree?\n\n\nSome may also include \u2018bonus\u2019 like \nBadal Hajj\n \u2013 funds allocated to hire someone to do hajj on your behalf, after your passing. I thought that was a nice touch. \n\n\nSo far, everything sounds great right? It sounds like a miracle product, it covers everything! Wait wait. You should also learn what it is NOT. \n\n\nPart 3: What is Hibah Takaful, and What it is Not:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Hibah Takaful is NOT the same with Hibah Harta\n\n\nThere are a few types of Hibah. For the purposes of this article, let\u2019s clarify the difference between Hibah Takaful and Hibah Harta:\n\n\n\n\nHibah Takaful\n = the gift money is disbursed only upon death (or total & permanent disability; the terms vary \u2013 check with providers) \n\n\nHibah Harta\n = gifting assets \nyou already own\n, such as property, car, money in bank accounts, etc. \n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Hibah Takaful is also NOT a Takaful Medical Card\n\n\nIf Hibah Takaful is the Syariah-compliant version of Life Insurance; then Takaful Medical Card is the Syariah-compliant version of (conventional) Medical Card. They may function the same way, but they are technically different products. \n\n\nBtw, you should totally get Takaful Medical Card too in addition to Hibah Takaful if you can afford it. It is useful to cover hospitalisation costs. The Takaful Provider might allow it as a separate or add-on to your plan. \n\n\nPart 4: How much Hibah Takaful should you get\n\n\nSo, how much Hibah Takaful should you get? There\u2019s no set rules, nor hibah calculator, but can use this as a guideline:\n\n\n\n\nAmount to cover your debts, PLUS\n\n\nAmount to leave behind to loved ones (5x to 10x annual expense is what they always say)\n\n\n\n\nSo let\u2019s say you have RM100k in debt, and your family\u2019s annual expense is RM80k per year. You should get:\n\n\n\n\nRM100k to pay off the debt, PLUS\n\n\nBetween RM400k to RM800k for your family\n\n\nSo ideally, get between RM500k-RM900k in Hibah Takaful \n\n\n\n\nYour next question may be what\u2019s the price to get that amount? \n\n\nYour Hibah Takaful quotation depends on a few factors: investment-linked or term, your age, gender, smoking status, etc. But assuming you\u2019re in your 20s-30s, a non-smoker and got term, it could be as low as under RM100 per month. \n\n\n(It could also be as high as hundreds, even four-figures per month if you\u2019re on the older side, a smoker, and got investment-linked with various add-ons)\n\n\nPart 5: How to Get the Best Hibah Takaful in Malaysia for YOU\n\n\nYou can get Hibah Takaful through a Takaful Agent, from EPF i-Lindung (\nsee #2\n), or even \ndirectly online\n (most affordable option and my personal preference).\n\n\nWhich option to take? Well if you know a trusted Takaful agent, can get from them. You can find some contacts in the comments section.\n\n\nIf you\u2019ve heard one too many horror stories and want to learn about insurance/takaful first before meeting agent/purchasing your own, take my \nHow to Buy Your Own Damn Insurance/Takaful course\n. \n\n\nFact is, there is a LOT of context to protection products, including Hibah Takaful. The 2-hour course will help you understand what you need to know about protection products from consumer POV.\n\n\n\n\nAnd there you have it. If you know of other options to get Hibah Takaful, especially Takaful online options, please share the info in the comments section so the rest of us can learn!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/how-much-i-spend-on-beauty/", "title": "How Much I Spend On Beauty\n  ", "body": "Sara of Jewelpie.com recently published how much she \nspent on beauty products\n. Loved it and was immediately inspired to show mine too!\n\n\nTo be fair, I don\u2019t have a specific category for beauty costs. Most of the time they\u2019re chucked in either Misc Needs or Misc Wants. If I needed those things urgently for an event or something, they\u2019re logged into Misc Needs. If they\u2019re just things I randomly picked up due to shopping mood, then they\u2019re under Misc Wants.\n\n\nUnlike Sara, I don\u2019t know how much I spent on beauty annually. It fluctuates a lot \u2013 most of the time I keep it simple and spend very little, but I also did a RM3,600 dermafiller injection procedure, so that throws the whole annual average out of whack.\n\n\nDoing things a bit differently, I drew out in my notebook: beauty expenses I spend on with the price range, what I splurge/skimp on, a frugal beauty habit, guilty pleasure and a beauty wishlist.\n\n\nHow Much I Spend On Beauty, A Visualisation\n\n\n\n\nAnalysing my beauty spending, I can see I prioritise services more than products. I am most satisfied by the more expensive ones, with the sole exception of eyebrow shaping \u2013 the eyebrow threading at Indian beauty shops are amazing and cheap, love them.\n\n\nAs for my makeup, it\u2019s usually quite minimal. I only splurge on two things: sunscreen and eyeliner. Everything else I use regularly \u2013 face powder, eyebrow pencil, blush, lipstick, etc \u2013 is either cheap drugstore brands or gifted.\n\n\nI used to buy and use moisturisers, but now my skincare routine is mainly face masks + serum samples. Those little packs last for a surprisingly long time! I love getting them.\n\n\nDo you know how much YOU spend on beauty expenses? What are beauty products or procedures you can\u2019t live without? What\u2019s in your wishlist, and what\u2019s your guilty pleasure? What do you splurge and skimp on? Share with us!\n\n\nAlso, let me know what you think of the drawing! Don\u2019t know if I should continue making more graphics and showing my notebook entries. See if this post got love or not \ud83d\ude1b\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/how-much-salary-to-buy-a-house-in-malaysia/", "title": "The Safest Way to Buy a House, Car or Make Other Big Purchases\n  ", "body": "\n\nEvery so often, I\u2019d get these types of questions in my DMs:\n\n\n\n\nSuraya, is now a good time to buy a house?\n\n\nSuraya, should I buy a car?\n\n\nHow much salary to buy a house in Malaysia?\n\n\nWhat kind of car can I buy with RMxk salary?\n\n\n\n\nIt always takes me some time to give a comprehensive answer, so I thought might as well write an article about it. Here is the safest way to buy a house, car or make other big purchases. If you satisfy all of the below, chances are you\u2019ll be alright, go ahead and make the purchase. \n\n\n#1 \u2013 You already have enough savings\n\n\nIt\u2019s much safer to make a big financial commitment when you have enough savings than without. How much is \u2018enough savings\u2019, though?\n\n\nIt varies from person to person, but I would say, as a guideline, \n\n\n\n\nA minimum of 6 months worth of savings if employed in stable job \n\n\nA minimum of 12 months worth of savings if self-employed with consistent income\n\n\n*factor in the cost of monthly instalment/maintenance of the new purchase in your savings calculations\n\n\n\n\nObviously, the more the better. I would personally feel safer with 24 months of savings.\n\n\nNext, make sure\u2026\n\n\n#2 \u2013 The monthly payments are well within your 50/30/20 Budget Guideline\n\n\nRather than asking yourself how much salary to buy a house in Malaysia, or what kind of car you can get with your salary, you should find out if the instalment amount fits into your Needs category. And you can do this with The\n 50/30/20 Budget Guideline\n.\n\n\nThe\n 50/30/20 Budget Guideline\n/Rule is basically dividing your income into just 3 major categories:\n\n\n\n\n50% for Needs\n\n\n30% for Wants\n\n\n20% for Savings/Investments\n\n\n\n\nIf you\u2019re buying a house and/or a car, they should both be included under Needs, because they are Accommodation and Transportation, respectively. \n\n\n(Here\u2019s everything that usually falls under Needs)\n\n\n\n\nAccommodation \u2013 Mortgage or Rent\n\n\nTransportation \u2013 A travel pass or vehicle (and all its related costs)\n\n\nFood \u2013 Groceries and budget meals\n\n\nBills \u2013 Electric, Water, Phone, etc\n\n\nDebt repayment \u2013 credit card, personal loan, BNPL\n\n\nInsurance/Medication\n\n\nContribution to Family\n\n\n\n\nNow, let\u2019s say that your income is RM5000 a month. Therefore, 50% for Needs \u2013 which combines ALL of the above expenses \u2013 should be around RM2500. \n\n\nThat means, if the house or car you\u2019re eyeing costs RM1500 per month in instalments and you\u2019re already spending RM2000 for other Needs-related expenses. This will add up to RM3500 \u2013 more than the RM2500 guideline for Needs. \n\n\nIf this is the case, maybe you should continue to \nlive cheaply\n or look for cheaper modes of transportation for the time being. \n\n\nDon\u2019t be disappointed if you can\u2019t make the purchase yet. \nThis is just a \u2018not yet\u2019, not a \u2018cannot ever\u2019.\n Focus on increasing your income and/or reducing other expenses under Needs and soon enough you\u2019ll be able to afford the accommodation or transportation you want. \n\n\nTip: You don\u2019t have to do the calculations yourself. Get the \nEditable 50/30/20 Rule Template\n for FREE. \n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 You have good credit score\n\n\nPurchase and check your \ncredit score\n \u2013 is it good? The better it is, the better the rates you\u2019ll get. If your credit score is bad, you might want to spend at least 6 months-1 year improving it before making that purchase. \n\n\nDon\u2019t knock this. For big purchases like a house, even a few 0.x% difference could mean tens of thousands saved in the long run! \n\n\nYou can read about how credit score is calculated and how to improve it in \nthis article\n. \n\n\n#4 \u2013 You\u2019re not being pushed by salespeople\n\n\nSome salespeople are super persistent. To earn commission, some try to convince you the purchase is the best idea ever and would even follow up daily. They might even use \nscarcity tactics\n to get you to take action, and say things like:\n\n\n\n\nNot many units left!\n\n\nThis product very popular, will not last very long!\n\n\nThe discount ends today!\n\n\n\n\nMy belief is, if you are unsure about a big purchase, then it\u2019s a no. So what if you miss this one. Other opportunities will come up (often better ones). \n\n\nBut salespeople are easy \u2013 all you have to do is \nsay no firmly\n and they will usually back off. The next one is harder.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 You\u2019re not being pushed by family/loved ones\n\n\nAs I mentioned in my \n4 TOUGHEST Financial Situations to be in\n article, some people are unlucky enough to be exposed to Narcissists, Psychopaths and Machiavellians. They are more prone to cheating, manipulating and generally taking advantage of people around them. \n\n\n\n\nThat means, these people treat your money (or your credit card, or your ability to take a loan..) as *their* entitlement. They *expect* you to do these things for them. \n\n\nThis is worse if the Narcissists, Psychopaths and Machiavellians are family members, or loved ones. Oh, they would guilt-trip the heck out of you, accuse you don\u2019t love them, accuse you of not \u2018paying them back for their sacrifice\u2019, whatever. \n\n\nDo Not Give In.\n There is no such thing as \u2018just get what they want to make them happy\u2019. No. A core part of their traits is never being satisfied. After you buy that house or that car or whatever, they\u2019ll want something else. So you better nip it in the bud. \n\n\nSuraya wait, you say, my family/loved ones/friends are not actually Narcissists, Psychopaths and Machiavellians. Actually they have good intentions. \nThey genuinely think a house or a car purchase is a good idea for me\n.  It\u2019s a good investment. I\u2019ll get better opportunities. It\u2019ll improve my life.\n\n\nThen okay, focus on #1-4. But I would suggest doing what YOU think is right for you, rather than what other people think is right for you. They\u2019re not always right. And if they\u2019re wrong \u2013 it\u2019s your name on the lease buddy, not theirs. \n\n\nThat\u2019s it. Now answer yourself \u2013 should you make that big purchase?\n\n\nIf you read #1-5 and find yourself saying, yeah I think my finances are good, and this purchase is my own choice. Then go ahead and make the purchase \u2013 you\u2019ve done enough due diligence and should be alright. Money is meant to be enjoyed anyway, hoard for what. \n\n\nAlright that\u2019s all I have for you today. Let me know if you have any questions and all the best \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/how-much-should-i-spend-on-a-car/", "title": "The Real Answer to \u2018How Much Should I Spend On A Car?\u2019\n  ", "body": "How much should I spend on a car? I\u2019ve thought about this question many, many times.\n\n\nThe answer is simple: whatever is the amount, I should make sure that I can\u00a0\nafford\n it. Like every other purchase.\n\n\nBut it\u2019s also not that simple, because if it is, how come \n1 out of 4 bankruptcies in Malaysia is due to car loans\n?\n\n\nIf you\u2019ve been wondering how much you should spend on a car and avoid it being repossessed by the bank, here are some answers. Thanks to all contributions from the RoR audience!\n\n\n#1 \u2013 How many % of monthly salary to go towards car payment?\n\n\n\n\nHow much should a person spend on a car, actually?\n\n\nSome said 15% of monthly salary just for the car instalment:\n\n\nTasya Omar\n \u2013 \nIdeally, the monthly loan repayment should not be more than 15% of the monthly income. Of course, not everyone gets RM5k as their first salary. If one is disciplined enough to put aside RM800 per month \u2013 RM500 for monthly loan repayment, RM300 for the upkeep/ spare parts and whatnot \u2013 I think that should be ok.\n\n\nSome said no more than 1/3 of their pay:\n\n\n\n\nJonathan Goh\n \u2013\u00a0\nNot more than 1/3 of their pay or the monthly repayment. If people follow the principle of partitioning their monthly wages, they will have enough to cover the petrol and car maintenance. \n\n\nLet\u2019s say a guy who brings home RM3k after deducting EPF. His monthly car payment should be RM1k. Now if he is savvy he will get a Myvi with a monthly payment of RM800. He now can save RM200 for the car in case of emergencies/auto insurance\n\n\n\n\nSome base it on annual income, too:\n\n\n\n\nbumped to this, perhaps from the monthly earnings, one should able to cope on the maintenance cost etc \npic.twitter.com/SYVMPyt9ih\n\n\n\u2014 \ud83c\udf70 (@trancedisorder) \nApril 23, 2019\n\n\n\n(Effectively 8.33% of monthly salary for car instalment, and no more than 15% of monthly salary for all car expenses)\n\n\nAmirah Nazarudin\n \u2013 I followed that \nthe car price can be equivalent to 36 months of your salary, at most.\n I heard this advice after attending a seminar 3-4 years ago. Couldn\u2019t remember who it was.\n\n\nBut to me, a car is a liability. I\u2019ll try not to spend so much on it. Having Proton is good enough. If I do want to splurge I\u2019ll go for Toyota or Honda.\n\n\n(Effivetively up to 25% of monthly salary for car instalment)\n\n\nSo\u2026 it looks like it\u2019s common to spend between 8-33% of your monthly salary on car payments. That looks like an okay amount right? You still have 67-92% of your salary to play around with.\n\n\nNo, not really, because\u2026\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Car ownership costs much, much more than you think\n\n\nYour car instalment may be as cheap as a few hundred ringgit per month, but you need to pay for a bunch of other stuff too. Depending on variables like your car model and frequency of usage, you have to at least \ndouble or triple the car instalment amount.\n\n\nYou need to pay for the \nroad tax\n. The \ncar insurance\n. The \ncar service and maintenance and car washes\n. The \npetrol\n and \ntolls\n.\n\n\nAdditionally, and unfortunately, car ownership is a major contributor to \nunexpected expenses\n too. Throughout the duration of car ownership, many will have to shell out money for major repairs after getting into accidents, to replace batteries and alternators, to fix the aircon, to get new tyres, to settle unexpected summons, and more.\n\n\nSo not only you need more money than you think for car-related expenses, it is essential to have emergency savings.\n\n\nThis prompted this rule of thumb by a RoR audience:\n\n\nViknesh Victor Sekaran\n \u2013 \nMy rule of thumb is to only buy the car you want if you wouldn\u2019t think twice about the cost of changing all 4 tyres. For example, Vios continental tyres would cost around RM1k+ to replace. You can get more familiar with tyre prices by Googling the tyre specifications\n\n\n#3 \u2013 The lower the cost of car ownership, the better\n\n\nSo by now you know that if you have RM1000 extra in your monthly budget, you\u00a0\nshouldn\u2019t\n get a car with RM1000 monthly instalment. You should instead get a car that costs, say, half that amount, or even less. Because you\u2019re going to need the other half for the other car-related expenses.\n\n\nThere are two ways to reduce the cost of car ownership:\n\n\n(1) Get a basic car with minimal cosmetic add-ons\n\n\nAndaq Fithry\n \u2013 \nI spend very minimal on the basic. No extra, no accessories, no mods. Extra is want, not need. A\nt my age, I don\u2019t want to spend money on strut bars, gt-wings or performance kits. Those are extras. I\u2019d rather spend on other kinds of extras like flood insurance, windshield coverage, etc.\n\n\n(2) Buy a secondhand car and pay it in full\n\n\nThis works really well if you have savings. By paying for a car upfront and in full, you\u2019re eliminating 5-7 years worth of monthly car instalment payments.\n\n\nIt\u2019s a popular strategy among personal finance bloggers, too. Here are some that I know:\n\n\n\n\nMr-Stingy \nbought a 9-year old Myvi for RM20,000\n.\n\n\nMimirello \nbought a RM12.5k 2004 Kelisa\n.\n\n\nAiry Lil M \nbought a RM5,600 Kancil and spent an additional RM2k fixing it up\n (she\u2019s since upgraded her car, to a RM24k Perodua Axia)\n\n\n\n\nYou can also combine (1) and (2) \u2013 that would significantly lower the cost of car ownership for sure!\n\n\n#4 \u2013 What if the dream car that you really, really want is out of your budget?\n\n\nMy dad is a car guy, and while I don\u2019t understand his love for cars, I know that it\u2019s something that makes him really happy. I like seeing him happy.\n\n\nI think it\u2019s okay to want your dream car. If you can\u2019t afford it now, then the solution is two words: delay gratification.\n\n\nThese guys suggested saving up and making a huge down payment for the car:\n\n\n\n\nCalvin Boey\n \u2013 (To get your dream car,) \ndelay the purchase by a year or two, place the money aside and put a huge downpayment\n.\n\n\n\n\nSamuel Jin\n \u2013 \nI think owning a car you will really like to drive is important regardless of the price because modern vehicles are depreciating asset anyway. \nSave up enough to pay more on the downpayment\n so that instalment won\u2019t be huge burden afterwards.\n\n\nWhile these guys suggested avoiding car ownership first:\n\n\n\n\nMoses Francis\n \u2013\u00a0\nPersonal take is, if single you no need a car. You can just rely on Grab and trains. I\u2019ve s\nold my car and never been happier. I believe the relationship status matters too (with car ownership). Especially if a person is married \u2013 they might have some emergencies with kids and can\u2019t rely on Grab or public transports.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCaleb Woon\n \u2013 \nFor me, I used a simple calculation. If the total amount used for public transport and ride-hailing such as Grab is less than the cost of owning a brand new Perodua Axia (petrol, instalment and other fees), then I won\u2019t get a car yet.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nLast words\n\n\n\n\nYou may think that a car purchase is a practical decision. But let\u2019s not forget it is also an \nemotional\n decision.\n\n\nYou may have these thoughts yourself:\n\n\n\n\nI am \ncool and edgy\n, so I should get that cool and edgy car so everyone knows it (me).\n\n\nI need \nfreedom and convenience\n. And the ability to go anywhere I want. (me).\n\n\nI have a \nfamily\n. I don\u2019t want people to think I can\u2019t provide for them.\n\n\nI need to \nimpress my clients\n. A cheap car won\u2019t cut it.\n\n\nI am \nsingle\n. Need to show potential partners that I have money.\n\n\n\n\nAll of the above are valid points. The car you choose \ndoes\n reflect your personal identity. You\u00a0\ndo\n want your family to be as comfortable as possible while travelling. Some clients you\u2019re hoping to conduct business with\u00a0\ndo\n care about wealth and status.\n\n\nBut all of them may also push you to buy a car that\u2019s out of your budget. And cause your bankruptcy.\n\n\nInstead of ending this article with \u2018don\u2019t buy a car that you can\u2019t afford to pay\u2019 tone, I want to ask you this instead: what car do you want and \nwhy\n do you want it? What exactly about it is appealing for you?\n\n\nLet me know in the comments section. A little bit of soul-searching and self-awareness exercise will do you good \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/how-to-calculate-your-net-worth/", "title": "How to Calculate Your Net Worth (Free Editable Template)\n  ", "body": "\n\nMoney is a made-up concept humanity created to assign (approximate and false) value so that trades are easy to conduct, but why not, today let\u2019s learn how to calculate your net worth. \n\n\nBefore we start, a quick one: your net worth is in no way is indicative of your worth as a human being (you\u2019re special, just like everyone else bb). Whether your net worth is high or low, at the end of the day, we will all be buried in the same soil buddy. So it\u2019s like, important, but also, not really. \n\n\nCheery intro, isn\u2019t it? \n\n\nHow to calculate your net worth\n\n\nNet worth calculation follows a very basic formula: Total ASSETS minus total LIABILITIES equals NET WORTH. That\u2019s it. \n\n\nTo illustrate:\n\n\nTotal Assets: RM500,000\nTotal Liabilities: RM100,000\nTherefore, Net Worth: RM400,000\n\n\nSimple. But of course, there are different types of assets, and different types of liabilities, so that\u2019s the devil in the details that we\u2019re tackling today. \n\n\nTypes of Assets and Liabilities\n\n\nThere are two types of Assets and two types of Liabilities\n\n\nLiquid Assets \n\u2013 Cash, investments and items of value that can be \neasily converted to cash\nIlliquid Assets\n \u2013 Investments and items of value that are \nharder to convert to cash\nShort-term liabilities\n \u2013 Debts to pay off in the \nimmediate future\n (~a few months up to a few years)\nLong-term Liabilities\n \u2013 Debts to pay off over a \nlong period of time\n \n\n\nNow, what kinds of assets are liquid and illiquid, and what are regarded as short-term and long-term liabilities, you ask? And how do you calculate them in one table?\n\n\nNet Worth Table (+ Editable Version)\n\n\nHere you go: an example of a Net Worth Table. See the types of assets that fall into Liquid and Illiquid Assets, and what are considered short and long-term liabilities. \n\n\nYou can find the editable version \nhere\n \u2013 simply make a copy into your own GDrive and add your own numbers.\n\n\n\n\nAs a general rule of thumb, \n\n\nMore Liquid Assets = better for weathering financial emergencies (ie No point if you have RM1,000,010 in assets if RM10 is in your bank and RM1 million is the value of the house you\u2019re staying in)\nSome Illiquid Assets are hard to appraise, and may be liquidated for significantly less if the owners are desperate for cash\n(This is also why I believe in Liquid Investments >>> Other Investments and included it as one of my \nMoney Rules\n)\n\n\nNote: The calculation of Mortgage and Hire Purchase (under Liabilities) is actually complex and not that straightforward. It is enough that you know the approximate amount you have to pay back. If you \nreally\n want to know the exact figure, you can \nhire a financial planner\n. \n\n\n(This goes without saying, but worth mentioning: you don\u2019t have to do ALL the investments and collect ALL the assets. Just the ones that makes sense and suitable to your knowledge and interest. More info: \n3 Best Investments in Malaysia (+ The Best Way to Invest Your Money)\n\n\nWhy calculate your net worth\n\n\nSo what do you even do with this information? \n\n\nThe way I see it, the process of calculating your net worth is good for 3 things:\n\n\nGood for giving yourself an ego boost (provided you have a positive net worth), \nA way to track your wealth-building progress, and\nA way to compile all your assets and liabilities in one table, so you don\u2019t miss any\n\n\nThe first one feels hella good, but the second and third one are practical \u2013 as mentioned in my \n13 Types of Financial Tools I Personally Use\n article, the average person living in the modern world uses more accounts and tools than what they sometimes can track. \n\n\nI mean, I personally use multiple bank accounts, e-wallets, credit cards, investment platforms, etc. So doing the net worth table is a good exercise so you can list and keep track of everything in one table, while also reviewing your wealth-building progress. \n\n\nI would suggest you to do and keep your own Net Worth Table, updated every year or so. As they say, what gets measured gets managed. \n\n\nNet worth calculators in Malaysia\n\n\nThere are two net worth calculators in Malaysia that you can use to estimate your net worth:\n\n\nNet worth calculator by Malaysian Financial Planning Council\n, and \nNet worth calculator by AKPK\n\n\nWhat\u2019s the difference between these and the table version I gave above? Mine are taken straight from my \nCFP Module 4\n textbook and classes, with more emphasis on Liquid and Illiquid Assets.  \n\n\nAs a final note, know that it is \nvery\n common to have negative net worth if one has a lot of liabilities. So don\u2019t be too impressed with people flexing their property or cars or whatever. If they took on debt to finance those items, \ntheir net worth might actually be lower than yours\n. \n\n\nAlright, I\u2019ll end here. Have fun calculating and tracking your Net Worth from here on. Any questions, can ask in the comments section \ud83d\ude42 \n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/how-to-calculate-zakat/", "title": "How to Calculate Zakat in Malaysia: Zakat Fitrah, Zakat Pendapatan and more\n  ", "body": "\n\nIf you want to learn how to calculate zakat, you\u2019ve come to the right place. I\u2019ve been paying zakat diligently and imperfectly for years, learning along the way. In this article, I have compiled what I know so everyone else can learn. \n\n\nDisclaimer: Not a zakat expert. If any info is wrong or can be improved upon, please share in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nP/s \u2013 in case any of you are muallaf and very new to the concept. Zakat in English is similar to the tithe concept. It\u2019s a type of charity in Islam. \n\n\nThis article covers:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 \nTypes of zakat in Malaysia\n \u2013 did you know there are over 10 types of zakat in Malaysia, if you combine them all!\n#2 \u2013 \nHow to pay zakat in Malaysia\n \u2013 which zakat to pay, how to calculate zakat fitrah and zakat emas, who to give zakat to\n#3 \u2013 \n2 tips to save money and time\n \n\n\nLet\u2019s start with,\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Types of Zakat in Malaysia\n\n\nAccording to \nLembaga Zakat Selangor page\n, there are 9 types of zakat \u2013 \nZakat Fitrah\n for the individual, plus 8 types of\n Zakat Harta\n:\n\n\nZakat Pendapatan \nZakat Wang Simpanan\nZakat KWSP\nZakat Takaful\nZakat Perniagaan\nZakat Pelaburan\nZakat Emas & Perak\nZakat Padi\n\n\n\n\nHowever, different religious bodies may use different categorisations. For example, \nPusat Pungutan Zakat MAIWP\n listed 11 types of zakat, which overlaps with some of the above and also includes:\n\n\nZakat Saham \nZakat Pertanian\nZakat Ternakan\n \nZakat Galian\n\n\n\n\nIN ADDITION to that, there is also \nZakat on Digital Assets\n. Learn more about Zakat on bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, including the fatwa and calculations, in the \nCryptocurrencies in Malaysia: Everything a New Investor Should Know\n article. \n\n\nI know, that is a LOT. There are SUBtypes too, but let\u2019s not go there (\nZakat Pelaburan\n includes ASB, REITs, Bonds, realised profit, unit trust, etc). \n\n\nI am aware there is a lot of confusion when it comes to paying zakat in Malaysia, even though people WANT to pay, so let\u2019s cover the basics and head over to the next section.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 How to calculate Zakat in Malaysia \n\n\nThe basics of paying zakat are:\n\n\nFind out which zakat(s) is applicable to you \nCalculate how much you owe (if you do) \nMake the payment(s) to zakat beneficieries\n\n\nThat\u2019s the super-simplified version. Beyond that the rules are quite relaxed \u2013 there is no LHDN version of zakat authority to double-check your calculations or catch you if you don\u2019t pay. \n\n\n(Although let me remind you paying zakat is wajib, so do you really want to stay in hell for a few thousand years just to save money.)\n\n\nLet\u2019s expand on each of them a bit more:\n\n\n 1) Which zakat is applicable to you \n\n\nFinding out which zakat is applicable to you is easy enough: \n\n\nAlmost everyone pays \nZakat Fitrah\n or Fidyah Tax\nIf you \nearn an income\n, you pay \nZakat Pendapatan\n and/or \nZakat Perniagaan\n and/or whichever applies\nIf you have \nsavings\n, you pay \nZakat Simpanan\n and/or \nZakat KWSP\n and/or whichever applies\nTo those who have \nassets and investments\n, you pay\n Zakat Emas\n and/or \nZakat Pelaburan\n and/or \nZakat Saham\n and/or whichever applies\n*Except for Zakat Fitrah, you only pay the rest if you meet the income/wealth threshold (\u2018cukup nisab\u2019) within a time period (\u2018cukup haul\u2019) and \nsatisfy all the conditions to paying zakat in Malaysia\n \n\n\n2)  How to calculate Zakat and which calculations to use \n\n\nGenerally speaking, it is good practice to \nfollow the calculations set by the state you live in\n. \n\n\nFor example, I live in Selangor, so I:\n\n\nUse Lembaga Zakat Selangor\u2019s \nZakat Pendapatan Calculator\n, \nZakat Simpanan Calculator\n, and \nZakat Pelaburan Calculator\n to find out how much I owe, \nLearn additional information, like the Nisab amount for the year (it changes annually)\nMake the payments to zakat beneficieries \n\n\nCommon problem \u2013 zakat calculation is confusing/too hard\n\n\nAdmittedly, calculations on specific zakat can get incredibly complex and some people struggle with the zakat calculators. There are also additional things to know, like \nZakat KWSP\n is only applicable when you withdraw the money, and \nthe method to calculate Zakat ASB\n. \n\n\nYou have three options:\n\n\nYou can contact the zakat collection bodies in your state and ask for clarification, or \nPay extra. Some people simplify it and pay 2.5% on their income, savings and investment and just halal-kan the overpayment\nPrioritise the investments that help you calculate and/or pay zakat. See the last section in this article\n\n\nHow to Pay Zakat Fitrah or Fidyah Tax\n \n\n\nZakat Fitrah\n or Fidyah tax is the easiest to pay among all the different types of zakat in Malaysia \u2013 there is no calculation, you are given the amount to pay. For example, this was the rate for 2021:\n\n\nImage credit:\n https://harianpost.my/zakat-fitrah-2021-online/\n\n\nYou\u2019ll see a lot of reminders to pay Zakat Fitrah in Ramadhan, the most sunat time to pay. \n\n\nLast time it was quite common to pay Zakat Fitrah in person, at the booths they set up in public places, but nowadays it\u2019s very easy. You can pay Zakat Fitrah online, through:\n\n\nyour respective state\u2019s zakat collection portals\nbank transfers, or \neven through e-wallets! \n\n\nHow to Calculate Zakat on Gold\n (\nZakat Emas\n)\n\n\nZakat on gold depends on (1) the gold you wear (ie gold jewellery), and (2) the gold you keep (ie e-gold, gold coins, gold bars etc). The rate is different in both instances and calculated separately, but can be paid together. For example, you have and want to pay zakat on gold in 2021:\n\n\n100 grams of gold jewellery, and\n50 grams of gold coins\n50 grams of e-gold in a bank\n\n\nTherefore, your zakat on gold is:\n\n\nRM0 for gold jewellery (the minimum threshold for gold jewellery is 800 grams), and\nRMxxx for gold coins plus e-gold (both totaled 100 grams, which is over the minimum threshold of 85 grams)\n\n\nIMPORTANT: You need to actually WEAR the gold jewellery. If you don\u2019t wear it at least once a year, then it\u2019s included and calculated under the \u2018gold you keep\u2019 quota. \n\n\nYou can refer to this manual to learn how to \ncalculate zakat on gold\n. \n\n\n3) Who are the zakat beneficiaries\n\n\nPeople/bodies who are eligible to receive zakat are:\n\n\n(1) the poor,\n(2) the needy,\n(3) new converts,\n(4) the debt-ridden,\n(5) those in bondage (it used to refer to slaves, but now interpreted figuratively),\n(6) Islamic causes (build mosques, etc),\n(7) the wayfarers (people traveling and without resources, like refugees fleeing a country), and\n(8) zakat administrators (people who distribute)\n\n\nFrom what I\u2019ve learned, it is okay to just give it directly to people in one of those eight categories. It is permissible. However it is better to sedekah what you can instead and channel your zakat to (8) zakat administrators. \n\n\nIn Malaysia, zakat administrators are, but are not limited to state collection bodies. They are: \n\n\nZakat collection bodies in Malaysia, according to state:\n\n\nSelangor \u2013 \nLembaga Zakat Selangor\n \nWilayah Persekutuan \u2013 \nPusat Pungutan Zakat MAIWP\nMelaka \u2013 \nZakat Melaka\nPahang \u2013 \nPusat Kutipan Zakat Pahang\nPerlis \u2013 \nMAIPs Zakat\nJohor \u2013 \nMajlis Agama Islam Negeri Johor\nNegeri Sembilan \u2013 \nPortal Pembayaran Zakat Negeri Sembilan\nPerak \u2013 \nMajlis Agama Islam Perak\nKelantan \u2013 \nMajlis Agama Islam Kelantan\nTerengganu \u2013 \nMajlis Agama Islam Terengganu\nKedah \u2013 \nLembaga Zakat Kedah\nPulau Pinang \u2013 \nZakat Pulau Pinang\nSabah \u2013 \nBahagian Zakat dan Fitrah Majlis Agama Islam Sabah\nSarawak \u2013 \nTabung Baitulmal Sarawak\n\n\n*As far as I\u2019m aware, you can pay your zakat online at all of these portals, via bank transfers. You can go and pay in person too of course. \n\n\nThat brings us to the next section-\n\n\n #3 \u2013 \n2 tips to save money and time when paying zakat in Malaysia\n \n\n\nIf you have to pay zakat anyway, why not optimise it right?\n\n\nTip #1: Claim zakat as tax rebate in Malaysia\n\n\nFor practical reasons, I pay my zakat to zakat administrators because they can do the distribution on my behalf\u2026 and also because I can claim the zakat payment as tax rebate. \n\n\nIf this is new info for you, I just want to confirm that yes, you can. So let\u2019s say your payable Zakat amount was RM800, and your income tax was RM1000. After deducting zakat payment, you only pay the remaining RM200.\n\n\nThe most efficient way to do this is:\n\n\nPay zakat in December, after you add up your income for the whole year (also works if you pay zakat on monthly basis, via automated salary deduction or manually)\nGet and keep the receipt (important)\nDeduct the amount from your payable tax amount when you file for income tax in the \nfollowing\n year\nExample: the receipt for zakat paid in 2020 can be claimed as tax rebate during income tax submission in 2021\n\n\nMake sure to get a receipt\n\n\nTake note though, \nnot all zakat beneficiaries can provide a receipt for zakat payment\n, so you need to check. As a general rule, zakat administrators at state level will issue a receipt upon zakat payment.\n\n\nOther options that give receipt upon zakat payment includes:\n\n\nUNHCR Zakat Fund\n (reader-suggested; I\u2019ve never tried myself), and\nGlobal Sadaqah\n (pick the one tagged Zakat Eligible; I\u2019ve done this option) \n\n\nTip #2: Choose investments that pay zakat on your behalf\n \n\n\nTip #2 is for those of you who want to pay Zakat Pelaburan perfectly but find the calculation confusing. If you keep your investments here, you don\u2019t even have to know how to calculate zakat, they will do it for you. \n\n\nInvestment platforms that pay zakat on your behalf:\n\n\nTabung Haji, \nAHB (Amanah Hartanah Bumiputera)\n\n\nYou don\u2019t have to worry about paying zakat for both these investments because they will automatically calculate and pay on your behalf. \n\n\nInvestment platforms that help you calculate zakat:\n\n\nWahed Invest. They will send you an email telling you the amount you owe, so all you have to do is pay. I covered this in a section in my \nWahed Invest Review\n article (use \u2018surbin1\u2019 to get RM10 when you open an account). \nASNB\n funds, including ASB. Download MyASNB app\u2019s new zakat calculator feature to automatically calculate how much Zakat ASB you owe\n\n\n\n\nDo you pay zakat? What other tips and advice can you add?\n\n\nAs a Muslim, I\u2019m generally OK with paying zakat in Malaysia. I was told early on that as much as I try to generate halal income, some of my money will not be halal due to imperfections in the system. Therefore I accept it as a responsibility, plus I believe it\u2019s a way for me to \u2018cleanse\u2019 my earnings. \n\n\nHowever, my methods and knowledge here are in no way perfect, so I\u2019d like to ask the more enlightened among you for additional tips and advice that can make zakat payment easier and more convenient. \n\n\nThanks in advance \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/how-to-say-no/", "title": "How to Say No to \u2018Can I Borrow Your Money?\u2019\n  ", "body": "\u2018No\u2019 is a complete sentence, but I also understand its nuance within the context of Asian culture: rejection. A social faux pas in our \u2018save face\u2019 culture.\n\n\nTherefore, learning how to say no without actually saying no is something that I had to learn organically, through observation and experience. My (Western-centric) reading materials certainly didn\u2019t teach it.\n\n\nAnd combine that with my natural leaning towards \u2018agreeableness\u2019 trait (as per \nBig 5 Personality Trait\n), which values harmony and peacekeeping over being confrontational \u2013 if I didn\u2019t learn how to say no, I would have just agreed to almost every financial request out there. Women take note, because many of you tend to have this same trait too.\n\n\nObviously that wouldn\u2019t have been a good financial move. So I\u2019ll just go ahead and say this:\n to be good with money, you have to learn how to say no.\n\n\nFinancial requests you should learn to say \u2018no\u2019 to\n\n\n\n\nFrom personal and online conversations, some financial requests that you should learn to say \u2018no\u2019 to include:\n\n\n\n\nCan I \nborrow money\n from you?\n\n\nBuy this\n (product or service), we friend right\n\n\nCan you do this (\nthing that requires financial/time resources\n) for me (for free)?\n\n\nThis item is \nbenefitting a person of your (position/salary\n/etc) (so you should spend to do the same too)\n\n\nCome to my event\n! (of which you are expected to pay/contribute financially)\n\n\nDonate\n to (charity)! If you\u2019re not part of the solution, you\u2019re part of the problem!\n\n\nCan you \nco-sign this loan\n for me/ be my guarantor? (DO NOT. NEVER)\n\n\n\n\nLook, I\u2019m not saying you should ALWAYS say no. Except to that last one, the loan one. Never, unless family member and in super specific situations.\n\n\nSupport a friend\u2019s business. Donate to your favourite charities. Attend your friend\u2019s celebration.\n\n\nI\u2019m just saying you have to be selective with your yesses, because you, along with 99% of people on this planet, do \nnot\n have unlimited wealth.\n\n\nThe non-exhaustive list of phrases that means no\n\n\nIf they want to borrow your money,\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019ll think about it\n\n\nI\u2019m building my (emergency/house/wedding/business/etc) fund\n\n\nI\u2019ll send you work opportunities when I see them\n\n\nI need to pay back my own loans\n\n\nYou can sell your [item]\n\n\nI can only spare (a small amount that you don\u2019t mind to give away \u2013 if they pay it back, good. If no, hey its worth it to remove that kind of people from your life)\n\n\n\n\nIf they want you to buy something,\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019ll think about it\n\n\nI don\u2019t like the style/colour/size/whatever\n\n\nI\u2019ve been decluttering\n\n\nLet me get another quotation\n\n\nI might have already bought that, need to check\n\n\nI have a similar one at home\n\n\nDo you have anything within the RMxxx range instead of RMxxxx?\n\n\nWill discuss with my partner\n\n\n\n\nIf they want you to attend an event that you can\u2019t afford to go/not within your budget,\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m not available on the date\n\n\nI\u2019m not in the area\n\n\nI\u2019m working on the day\n\n\nI\u2019ve made other plans\n\n\n\n\nIf they want you to do something for free,\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m working on the day\n\n\nOkay, transfer me (a suitable amount) and I\u2019ll do it, I can do with the extra income\n\n\nHere are some freelancing platforms, they have what you\u2019re looking for\n\n\nHere\u2019s a company that can help you with that\n\n\n\n\nIf they want you to donate,\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019ve pledged my donations to another organisation\n\n\nYes, of course I care. I\u2019ll look for volunteering opportunities\n\n\nWhat is the organisation website? I\u2019d like to do a background check first\n\n\n\n\nQuick note about persistent people\n\n\nMost people, in most situations, will get it. If you use any of the phrases above, they\u2019ll back off.\n\n\nMost people. Not all.\n\n\nSome are persistent, either they \nlack understanding of social cues\n, or were \nbrought up differently\n (leading to them feeling entitled to your money/ time/ resources), or are simply \nnot allowed to give up\n until they get a firm \u2018no\u2019 from you (this was my instruction, back when I \nworked in telemarketing\n).\n\n\nOn that last category, some people \u2013 especially salespeople \u2013 are also \ntrained in sales closing tactics\n, where they are told things like \u2018\n50% of sales happen after the 5th contact\n\u2018 (\nsource\n). In a way, they do want to wear out your maybes UNTIL you give a yes (or a no).\n\n\nSo your last resort? This phrase: \u2018My final answer is no. Thank you for your understanding\u2019.\n\n\nRepeat it if you have to. Over and over again.\n\n\nLast words\n\n\nI know of people who got into financial trouble because they didn\u2019t learn how to say no. They co-signed personal loans and house loans. They lent money they needed for essentials. They fought with their spouses (some got divorced).\n\n\nAll because they couldn\u2019t say a two-letter word.\n\n\nAs an ending note, I\u2019d like you, dear readers, to share additional tactics and strategies and phrases that you have done to navigate tricky financial requests. Share with us what have you learned from experience. How do you say no \u2013 any other useful phrases not covered here? Tell us in the comments section below.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/income-tax-calculator-in-malaysia/", "title": "This Income Tax Calculator Shows What You Owe LHDN [2023 Updated]\n  ", "body": "\n\nDo you know how much you owe LHDN for income tax?  \n\n\nIt\u2019s ok, most people don\u2019t. That\u2019s why it\u2019s a good idea to use an income tax calculator in Malaysia before submitting your actual income tax. This is good practice, whether you are a first-time taxpayer or if you have been doing your own taxes for a while. \n\n\nWhich Malaysia Income Tax Calculator to Use\n\n\nThere are a few income tax calculator in Malaysia but my favourite is \nKiraCukai.my\n. Simply input your data and it will automatically calculate your tax payable amount. \n\n\n*Do note that the final amount may be different from your actual tax payable amount \u2013 so only use this tool to guesstimate rather than get the true figure. \n\n\n\n\nThis Malaysia income tax calculator is pretty straightforward, but the accuracy of your income tax guesstimate (lol) depends on the data you provide, which admittedly contains a lot of variables. \n\n\nHowever, the basics of it are:\n\n\n\n\nHow much you earn \u2013\n Your total income is your annual salary (plus benefits-in-kind, if any) or business profit (sales MINUS expenses) or both, combined. \n\n\nNote: Some sources of income are not subjected or partially subjected to income tax. Also, you may already pay income tax via PCB (Potongan Cukai Bulanan) \u2013 in which case, check if you\u2019ve OVERpaid so you can get refund\n\n\nLearning which tax reliefs you can claim\n \u2013 see #2\n\n\nDeducting tax rebate\n, if any \n\n\n\n\nBecause there are a few areas to cover, I\u2019ve divided this article into a compilation of guides covering most-asked questions on paying income tax in Malaysia. Let\u2019s start with..\n\n\n#1 \u2013 For First-timers (Basic Knowledge)\n\n\nI\u2019m listing here multiple guides and videos suitable for first-time taxpayers in Malaysia. Start here if you\u2019ve never submitted income tax your whole life. \n\n\nOpening your account for the first time:\n\n\n\n\nHow to File Your Taxes for the First Time\n \u2013 RinggitPlus\n\n\n2022 Malaysia Income Tax e-Filing Guide For Newbies\n \u2013 CompareHero\n\n\nPersonal Income Tax e-Filing for First Timers in Malaysia\n \u2013 MyPF\n\n\n\n\nHow much is taxable income in Malaysia for Year Assessment 2022:\n\n\nAccording to \nLHDN Income Tax Rates page\n, the chargeable income tax in Malaysia for Year Assessment 2022 follows the following table:\n\n\nCategory\nChargeable Income (RM, Annual)\nCalculations (RM)\nRate %\nTax (RM)\nA\n0-5000\nOn the First 5000\n0\n0\nB\n5000-20000\nOn the First 5000\nNext 15000\n1\n0\n150\nC\n20001-35000\nOn the First 20000\nNext 15000\n3\n150\n450\nD\n35000-50000\nOn the First 35000\nNext 15000\n8\n600\n1200\nE\n50001-70000\nOn the First 50000\nNext 20000\n13\n1800\n2600\nF\n70001-100000\nOn the First 70000\nNext 30000\n21\n4400\n6300\nG\n100000-250000\nOn the First 100000\nNext 150000\n24\n10700\n36000\nH\n250001-400000\nOn the First 250000\nNext 150000\n24.5\n46700\n36750\nI\n400000-600000\nOn the First 400000\nNext 200000\n25\n83450\n50000\nJ\n600001-1000000\nOn the First 600000\nNext 400000\n26\n133450\n104000\nK\n1000001-2000000\nOn the First 1000000\nNext 1000000\n28\n237450\n280000\nL\nExceeding 2000000\nOn the First 2000000\nNext Ringgit\n30\n517450\n\u2026\u2026.\n\n\nWhat does the table mean??\n\n\nThe table shows how much in taxes you are charged based on your income bracket. It\u2019s important to remember that y\nou\u2019re not taxed a flat rate\n \u2013 ie you don\u2019t pay 13% on RM60000 annual income earned. Rather, you\u2019re charged this way:\n\n\nScenario 1\n\n\nLet\u2019s say your chargeable income for Year Assessment 2022 is \nRM80000\n. Therefore, your taxes are:\n\n\n\n\nThe first RM70000 of your chargeable income (category F) = RM4400 \n\n\nThe next RM10000 of your chargeable income = 21% of RM10000 = RM2100\n\n\nTotal tax payable = RM6500 (before minus tax rebate, if any)\n\n\n\n\nScenario 2\n\n\nLet\u2019s do another example. Say your chargeable income for Year Assessment 2022 is \nRM65000\n. Your taxes are (before minus tax rebate):\n\n\n\n\nThe first RM50000 of your chargeable income (category E) = RM1800 \n\n\nThe next RM15000 of your chargeable income = 13% of RM15000 = RM1950\n\n\nTotal tax payable = RM3750 (before minus tax rebate, if any)\n\n\n\n\nHowever, you don\u2019t have to memorise all this \ud83d\ude42 Simply use the income tax calculator in Malaysia that I recommended, \nKiraCukai.my\n and it\u2019ll automatically give your income tax guestimate. This section only applies if you want to calculate your income tax manually. \n\n\nHelpful videos:\n\n\n\n\n10 Perkara Wajib Tahu Tentang Cukai Pendapatan\n \u2013 LHDN\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Knowing all the tax reliefs that you may be eligible for in 2022\n\n\nAfter you learned the basics, now you can optimise your income tax filings so you don\u2019t need to pay more than you should. A resident individual is eligible for many types of tax relief. \n\n\nClick here for the \nList of Tax Relief for Residential Individuals Year of Assessment 2022\n by LHDN, or refer to the image below. \n\n\n\n\nThe majority of tax relief is more or less the same most years, but they might add on or adjust some categories, so you just have to keep yourself updated. For example:\n\n\n\n\nSSPN contribution used to be maxed at RM7000 \u2013 now it\u2019s RM8000\n\n\nDomestic travel \u2013 up to RM1000\n\n\n\n\nIn any case, it\u2019s good practice to know the tax reliefs applicable to you and keep the receipts for at least 7 years. Digital copy works too.  \n\n\n#3 \u2013 For very specific situations\n\n\nTax computation for sole proprietor in Malaysia (freelancers/self-employed):\n\n\nNow, I mentioned earlier that business owners must declare business profit as income, which is your sales MINUS expenses. \n\n\nIf you have a business (even small scale or side hustles alongside main job), you MUST register it as a company if you want to claim business-related expenses. Depending on your nature of business, you can register as Sole Proprietorship, Limited Liability Partnership or Company. \n\n\nFor many small-scale online businesses in Malaysia, Sole Proprietorship (single owner) or Partnership (more than one owner) is enough, and the cheapest option. \n\n\n(According to one tax professional I consulted, don\u2019t do Sdn Bhd when you first start out. Only consider Sdn Bhd if you make more than RM150,000 per year (can get better tax rate).\n\n\nMore info: \n\n\n\n\n#DigitalCareers: How To File Your Income Tax As A Freelancer\n \u2013 CompareHero\n\n\nWhat Bloggers, Influencers and Freelancers Need To Know About Taxes in Malaysia\n \u2013 David Wang (I co-edited this)\n\n\nHow to File Income Tax For Your Side Business\n \u2013 RinggitPlus\n\n\n\n\nTax computation for \nsole proprietor in Malaysia \n(\nother additional sources of income):\n\n\n\n\nIf you earn from rental income \u2013 \nRemember To Claim Your Rental Income Tax Exemption\n \u2013 iMoney\n\n\nIf you earn from trading (including crypto trading) \u2013 \nActive Cryptocurrency Traders Are Required To Declare Their Gains For Income Tax\n \u2013 RinggitPlus (Note: ALL active traders need to pay income tax, not just crypto traders. You trade stocks, trade forex, you pay)\n\n\n\n\nClarification and exemptions for employment income and benefits-in-kind:\n\n\nIf you are upper-management in MNC or similar, check if the perks you get from work are taxable. \n\n\nWomen returning to work after career breaks of at least 2 years are also exempted for up to 12 consecutive months. \n\n\n\n\nEmployment Income section\n \u2013 PwC Malaysia\n\n\n\n\nIf you got audited:\n\n\nIf you get unlucky, and LHDN feels like something isn\u2019t \u2018right\u2019 with your tax submission (or nonsubmission), they might audit you.  \n\n\n\n\nWhat Do You Do When You Get Your Income Tax Audited?\n \u2013 iMoney\n\n\n\n\nFor Muslims: \n\n\nZakat is a type of tax rebate. \n\n\n\n\nHow to Calculate Zakat in Malaysia: Zakat Fitrah, Zakat Pendapatan and more\n \u2013 RoR\n\n\n\n\nFor unemployed:\n\n\n\n\nTax Tips For Employees Who Lost Their Jobs Or Get Retrenched\n \u2013 iMoney\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Comprehensive Income Tax Guides\n\n\nAnd last but not least, here are more in-depth guides for those who want to learn the different terminologies in greater detail. You don\u2019t *need* to read these comprehensive guides to file your taxes, but they are great for supplemental information. \n\n\n\n\n2022/2023 Malaysian Tax Booklet: Personal Income Tax\n \u2013 PwC\n\n\nTax Filing 101\n \u2013 Multiply by Creador Foundation\n\n\nMalaysia Personal Income Tax Guide \n\u2013 iMoney (image below)\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAny other questions about income tax?\n\n\nAre there any other questions not answered about paying income tax in Malaysia? Let me know in the comments section! \n\n\n(If you have overly complicated questions, might as well ask LHDN yourself for the surest answer. Call the LHDN Hasil Care Line at 03-8911 1000 or email them from \nhere\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/medical-insurance/", "title": "At 22, I Bought Medical Insurance for RM113.33. A Similar Plan Now Costs RM59.80 [SPONSORED]\n  ", "body": "\n\nIn the early 2010s, 22-year old Suraya got herself medical insurance as her first protection product. She started paying RM113.33 per month for a medical insurance that comes with RM190,000 annual limit*.\n\n\n(*Annual limit is the maximum amount the insurance will pay in one calendar year. For example, if my medical bill comes up to RM190,010, then I will have to pay RM10 out of pocket \u2013 the rest are covered)\u00a0\n\n\nFast forward to 2022, a 22-year old non-smoking woman only has to pay \nRM59.80 per month for medical insurance with RM150,000 annual limit \nunder the \nTune Protect PRO-Health Medical\n plan.\u00a0\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nRM59.80! That\u2019s near half of what I paid! I could have saved more money if this plan was available back then. \nI could have had more fun.\u00a0\n\n\nWhy did I Get Medical Insurance as My First Insurance?\n\n\nTo be honest, I wanted comprehensive insurance from the get-go. I knew getting protection was one of the most responsible things to do when I became an \u2018adult\u2019 (aka graduated from school, entered the workforce, yada yada).\u00a0\n\n\nBack then, there was no such thing as buying insurance online, and no way to know the price unless you contacted an agent. So I contacted one\u00a0 and asked him to quote me the most comprehensive, all-in plan possible.\u00a0\n\n\nThe quotation came: over RM500 a month.\u00a0\n\n\nMy heart dropped. I could NOT afford it, not on my small salary then. So my agent asked me to re-prioritise \u2013 what am I most worried about?\u00a0\n\n\nI said, my biggest worry is suddenly being admitted to the hospital, presented with a huge medical bill and depleting my parents\u2019 retirement savings. I don\u2019t want to be a burden to them, they have already sacrificed so much for me.\u00a0\n\n\nAh, then perhaps you can start with stand-alone medical insurance, he said.\u00a0\n\n\nThat\u2019s why I got medical insurance as my first insurance. Of course, the other types of protection \u2013 life, critical illness, personal accident and the rest \u2013 are all important too, but I had to prioritise.\u00a0\n\n\nStrategy: If You\u2019re On A Budget, Get Some Coverage First & Upgrade as You Go Along\u00a0\n\n\nI believe the hard part about buying insurance is this: wanting the best plan and coverage, but budget constraints (who doesn\u2019t have this?) forces you to pick a good enough plan for now, and upgrade as you go along.\u00a0\n\n\nThat\u2019s what I did. I got medical insurance first and started paying RM113.33 per month for it. Over the years, as my income grew, I slowly added other types of protection as I could afford them, and upgraded my existing plans.\u00a0\n\n\n(It is recommended to review your protection plans every few years anyway)\u00a0\n\n\nDon\u2019t let other people scare you into thinking you MUST get the best medical insurance possible with the highest annual limit (RM1mil and more) OR NOTHING. \nThis isn\u2019t helpful.\n \nGood enough coverage that suits your budget is better than no coverage.\n\n\nSure, there\u2019s a chance something *might* happen to you and you get hospitalised and the bill comes up to six-figures. But these instances are \nrare\n. Outliers. 0.001% of cases.\u00a0\n\n\nAccording to the Tune Protect team, \nthe average and median claim for medical insurance is only RM12,000\n. Chances are, *if* anything happens, RM30k-150k coverage is enough to cover it.\u00a0\n\n\nAgain: if you\u2019re on a budget, get some coverage first. You can always upgrade later (though not always \u2013 but again, these are statistically rare cases).\u00a0\n\n\nWhat does medical insurance cover anyway? What am I getting? What am I NOT getting?\n\n\nI have spent countless hours learning about medical and health insurance/takaful from individual agents, my year-long CFP course, the Life Insurance Association of Malaysia website and directly from the folks at \nTune Protect\n themselves.\u00a0\n\n\nThere are a lot of things to know before getting medical insurance, but these are your MUST-KNOW information, divided into three parts:\n\n\n\n\nPart 1: What medical insurance covers\n\n\nPart 2: What medical insurance DOESN\u2019T cover\n\n\nPart 3: Why medical and health insurance/takaful prices WILL increase\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nLet\u2019s go!\n\n\n#1 \u2013 What Medical Insurance covers\u00a0\n\n\nMedical insurance pays for your hospitalisation and surgical bills. That means, if something happens and you require admission to the hospital, you may worry about your health but at least you don\u2019t have to worry about paying the bill (subject to what\u2019s covered in policy).\u00a0\n\n\nDifferent insurance/takaful providers may offer variations in their medical insurance products, however arguably the most important details are:\n\n\n\n\nAnnual limit\n \u2013 You will see a wide range, from RM30k to RM1.5mil and above. Higher is technically better, but some coverage is better than no coverage\n\n\nLifetime limit \n\u2013 unlimited is best\n\n\nInpatient vs outpatient\n \u2013 Simplistically, inpatient means you must stay in hospital (serious case) while outpatient means you can be treated at home (not as serious). The former is more expensive and should be prioritised over the latter.\u00a0\n\n\nUncovered conditions\n \u2013 some conditions that are usually not covered include pre-existing conditions, pregnancy-related conditions, accidents due to high-risk activities, plastic surgeries, mental illness and more\n\n\nStandalone or rider \n\u2013 You can get medical insurance on its own or as an add-on to your life insurance/takaful plan\n\n\n\n\nThere are more details of course, but I\u2019m just listing what I think are the most important ones. All the variables will affect the price, so do look for the best possible combination for your budget rather than the lowest possible price.\u00a0\n\n\nI\u2019ll give you an example. Here is my quotation from \nTune Protect PRO-Health Medical\n, based on personal details:\n\n\n\n\n35 years in next birthday\n\n\nFemale\n\n\nNon-smoker\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYou can see that:\n\n\n\n\nAnnual limit: RM30,000-RM150,000\n\n\nLifetime limit: unlimited (found this info in the policy document)\n\n\nInpatient vs outpatient: Inpatient (unless stated on product page, assume inpatient)\n\n\nStandalone or rider: Standalone (rider means you HAVE to take life policy also)\n\n\nDaily room and board: RM150-RM250 per day\n\n\nMy quotation for RM30,000 annual limit plan: RM46.19 monthly / RM527.85 yearly\n\n\nMy quotation for RM150,000 annual limit plan: RM65.45 monthly / RM748.00 yearly\n\n\nExtras: Cashless admission; Mosquito-borne disease allowance; Alternative & Chiropractic treatment; Daily government hospital allowance; Medical report allowance\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNote: My quotation =/= your quotation\n. As a general rule, your quotation will differ based on your gender, age and smoking status. Older and smoking males will be quoted the highest premium.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 What Medical Insurance DOESN\u2019T cover\u00a0\n\n\n\u201cI took medical insurance but they didn\u2019t cover for\u2026\u201d\n\n\nIt\u2019s annoying, isn\u2019t it, when the product doesn\u2019t work as you thought it would?\n\n\nHowever, in this case, chances are your claim was denied because \nwhat you are claiming for is instead covered under another type of medical and health insurance/takaful, and not under medical insurance\n. After all, medical insurance is just one of four types of medical and health insurance/takaful.\u00a0\n\n\nLet\u2019s do a simple \u2018is this a medical insurance\u2019 table.\u00a0\n\n\nIs this medical insurance?\n\n\nMedical and health insurance/takaful\nIs this medical insurance?\n1) Hospitalisation and surgical insurance/takaful provides reimbursement of \nactual medical expenses incurred in the event of hospital treatment / surgery for covered conditions.\n This amount is subject to the annual or lifetime limit fixed by the product plan.\u00a0\nYes, this is medical insurance\n2) Dread disease, or critical illness insurance/takaful provides a specified \nlump sum benefit upon the diagnosis of any of the 36 listed conditions specified in the policy \nsuch as cancer, heart attack, stroke, kidney failure etc, or actual undergoing of a surgical procedure such as coronary artery bypass surgery, heart valve surgery, brain surgery etc.\u00a0\nThis is critical illness insurance/takaful, NOT medical insurance.\n3) Disability income insurance/takaful \ncovers a portion of your income\n in the event that you are displaced from work when stricken with an illness or an injury.\nThis is income replacement, NOT medical insurance\n4) Hospital income insurance/takaful \npays a specified sum of money per day of hospitalisation for any covered illness, sickness or injury\n. This amount is subject to a maximum number of days per disability.\u00a0\nThis is daily income benefit, NOT medical insurance\n\n\nSource: \nPart 1 of MHIT education article series by LIAM\n\n\nAs you can see, a medical insurance ONLY pays your hospitalisation and surgical bills, and DIRECTLY to the medical service provider. You DO NOT get any other lump sum or cash money, unless specified OR if you purchased other types of medical and health insurance/takaful as well.\u00a0\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Medical and health insurance/takaful prices WILL increase\u00a0\n\n\nUnfortunately, it is highly likely that the price of your medical insurance and other medical and health insurance/takaful will increase every few years.\u00a0\n\n\nThis will happen to everyone. To me as well. Remember I said I got my medical insurance with RM190,000 annual limit for RM113.33 per month? Well, I\u2019m paying RM170 for it now. Exactly the same plan, just higher price.\u00a0\n\n\nThe reason for that is due to this annoying thing called medical inflation.\u00a0\n\n\nMedical inflation in Malaysia is high. VERY high.\u00a0\n\n\nYou must know that insurance and takaful companies don\u2019t want the increase to happen. Customers hate it.\u00a0\n\n\nHowever, takaful/insurance providers have no choice but to do it, because according to Bank Negara Malaysia\u2019s \nManaging Medical Claims Inflation document\n, the \nmedical inflation rate in Malaysia\n in 2019 alone was 13.2%.\n\n\n13.2%!!\n\n\nYes, 13.2%! That is a VERY high number. If it goes on, and it likely will, that means the average medical claim will double in around five and a half years (using the rule of 72).\u00a0\n\n\nTo put that into context, the same procedure that costs RM50,000 in early 2023 will cost:\n\n\n\n\nRM100,000 by mid 2028\n\n\nRM200,000 by early 2034\n\n\nRM400,000 by end of 2039\n\n\n\n\nSo do you see why insurance/takaful companies had to reprice 4.5 million certificates/policies between 2016-2019? They can\u2019t afford not to.\u00a0\n\n\nIn conclusion: Just get whatever you can afford right now\n\n\nFact: Many Malaysians are underpaid. Chances are you can\u2019t afford to spend hundreds on insurance right now. Many Malaysians also lack time and expertise to research insurance and compare quotations and all that.\u00a0\n\n\nRemember \u2013 \nwhatever you can get on your budget, which you can realistically afford to pay every month is good enough\n. If you can only afford RM50 or so right now, go for the RM50 per month plans.\u00a0\n\n\nI didn\u2019t have the RM50 per month plan when I was 22, but you do. You can get affordable insurance and microinsurance directly from insurance/takaful companies. Getting a quotation is so much easier \u2013 just key in some basic details at \nTune Protect PRO-Health Medical\n.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nAs someone who took weeks to find my own medical insurance last time, let me just confirm the convenience of online products. Purchasing takes just a few minutes. No hassle, no long forms to fill, no endless questions or 3rd party.\u00a0 You can even get a 15% immediate discount too!\n\n\nTuneProtect in particular takes customer journey and convenience seriously and implements the 3-3-3 Brand Promise:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n3 minutes to buy\n\n\n3 hours to reply\n\n\n3 days to receive claim upon approval\n\n\n\n\nTo make your life even more convenient, download the Tune Protect app (available in Google Play & App Store) to easily manage your policies, make claims, \naccess your e-medical card\n and locate panel hospitals quickly. PRO-Health Medical is eligible for income tax relief.\n\n\n\u2018Med\u2019 About Health Campaign [ENDS DECEMBER 2022]\n\n\nIf you purchase \nTune Protect PRO-Health Medical\n before the end of December 2022, you are \nguaranteed\n to get a RM80 Decathlon e-voucher for FREE.\n\n\nIf you are extra lucky, you may also win an Apple Watch worth RM1,899. Learn more about this campaign \nhere\n.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nHope this article helps you. If you have experience with medical insurance, and have additional tips to share, please leave a comment below \ud83d\ude42 If you\u2019re travelling soon, make sure to get \ntravel insurance\n. \n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/money-calculations/", "title": "(At Least) 17 Money Calculations You\u2019ll Make In Your Life\n  ", "body": "\n\nThroughout your personal finance journey, you\u2019ll inevitably do some money calculations.\n\n\nFor some people, this thought stresses them \u2013 their immediate reaction is \u2018I don\u2019t want to do it! I\u2019m not good with numbers!\u2019\n\n\nI blame high school maths. I think it made many people think that these money calculations are harder than they actually are.\n\n\nI\u2019ve compiled here some money calculations. Go through them, and tell me \u2013 how many are *actually* hard for you to do?\n\n\n1. \nHome Loan Calculator\n\n\nYou do this calculation when you\u2019re starting to shop around for a property, to find out the estimated mortgage / home loan repayments per month that you\u2019ll have to make.\n\n\n\n\nThere are many versions, one example is below:\n\n\n(Pics are from \nPropertyGuru\u2019s Mortgage Repayment Calculator page\n)\n\n\n\n\nToggling the variables \u2013 loan amount, interest rates and loan term \u2013 can be a fun/scary process. Longer loan terms have lower monthly repayments, but you\u2019re also \u2018bonded\u2019 for much longer.\n\n\n2. \nCar Loan Calculator\n\n\nTo calculate the monthly instalment of a car purchase.\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nThe Real Answer to \u2018How Much Should I Spend On A Car\u2019\n\n\n3. \nPersonal Loan Calculator\n\n\nWhen you want to borrow money for personal reasons, from wedding financing to home renovation to funding a business and more. Also kind of similar to car loan calculators but the terms can vary quite a bit \u2013 you could pay A LOT in interest if you\u2019re not careful.\n\n\n4.\u00a0\nInstalment Plans\n\n\nMany credit cards offer the instalment feature \u2013 the ability to break down a larger purchase into 6-12 months instalments.\n\n\nI\u2019ve personally used this feature, despite the small yet still-there fees, to pay for things like my IKEA haul and laptop purchase.\n\n\n5. \nMonths until debt-free countdown\n\n\nLearned this type of calculation from the debt-free community. They would calculate the number of months it\u2019ll take to pay off their debt, and try to reduce the lengths by making extra or larger payments.\n\n\nThe most usual types of debts I saw was credit card debt and student loans.\n\n\nPeople who make extra payments to pay off their house loan / mortgage are sometimes criticised for not channelling the extra money to (potentially higher ROI) investments. I can see the argument, but I also see how some people would just like to live the rest of their lives without owing any debt at all.\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nExplaining Snowball Method, The Best Way to Pay Off Debt\n\n\n6. \nRule of 72\n.\n\n\nThis calculation is an easy way to find out how long your investment will double in size. All you have to do is divide 72 with the investment\u2019s estimated annual ROI %, and you\u2019ll find out the years.\n\n\nFor example,\n\n\n\n\nIf you put RM1000 in a fixed deposit with 4% annual ROI, you\u2019ll get RM2000 in 18 years (72 divide by 4)\n\n\nIf you put RM1000 in a mutual fund with 8% annual ROI, you\u2019ll get RM2000 in 9 years (72 divide by 8)\n\n\n\n\n7. \nYour FI/RE number\n\n\nOr the amount you need to be financially independent, without ever needing to work again.\n\n\nI calculated my FI/RE number over at\u00a0\nCalculating the Amount I Need to FI/RE in Malaysia\n article.\n\n\n8.\u00a0\nTaxes\n. The amount you owe the Malaysian government if you make over a certain amount per year (something like RM26k per annum or something, the number changes).\n\n\nAlso, no, taxation is not theft. But I do think under-taxation among the wealthy *is* like stealing from the rest of the population.\n\n\n9.\u00a0\nZakat / Tithe\n\n\nThe amount you\u2019re religiously obligated to give back to the community.\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nHow to Calculate Zakat in Malaysia: Zakat Fitrah, Zakat Pendapatan and more\n\n\n10. \nCountdown until payday\n\n\nThe broke-r you are, the more you do the countdown until payday.\n\n\n11.\n Net worth\n\n\nHave you done your net worth calculation? Many people are surprised that their net worth is a lot less than they thought, especially if they have a lot of debt.\n\n\nRemember, the Net Worth is calculated as Total Assets minus Total Debt. So you can actually *look* financially sound but have a negative net worth.\n\n\n\n\n12.\u00a0\nDiscounts & Sales\n\n\nThe mental calculations you do at the mall when you want to find out what\u2019s 40% off RM269.\n\n\n13. \nCost per use\n\n\nFrugal people (like me) like this calculation. We get very satisfied if we could use a RM200 item 200 times (or more), thus making the cost-per-use at only RM1.\n\n\nThe cost-per-use calculation helps us become more aware of the quality and longevity of the item, instead of just looking at the price (our natural tendency).\n\n\n14. \nMoney In / Out\n\n\nAn idea of how much money you / your family is bringing in per month, and how much you / your family spends per month.\n\n\nSome people track this down to the cent (me), others are happy as long as their bank account shows a positive balance at the end of the month.\n\n\n15.\u00a0\nYour average cost-per-meal\n\n\nThere are multiple versions of this calculation, but I made it simple: I just calculate the cost of my groceries divided by 100 meals per month*. For example, If I spent RM500 on groceries that month, that means my average cost per meal was RM5.\n\n\n*If you want to be really anal about it, you could count the average cost per meal \nincluding\n the amount spent while eating out, divided by 120 meals in a month (3 meals + 1 snack per day).\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\n5 Things I Did To Reduce My Damn High Groceries Bill\n\n\n16.\u00a0\nKMs you get out of a full tank of gas\n\n\nI know of people who make a game out of it \u2013 they try to stretch out a full tank of gas by being more mindful of using the breaks, using less aircon, keeping the tires properly inflated and so on.\n\n\n17. \nTime / Value Calculator (Internal)\n\n\nThis ranges for everyone. Let\u2019s say an item you want costs RM20 in front of you but RM19 at another location. Some people would spend the extra hour to get there to save the RM1. Others would just get the RM20 because it\u2019s there.\n\n\nThis is classic \u2018penny wise, pound foolish\u2019 mentality, and sometimes I still find myself doing it. Trying to be more aware of it.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nAlright, this is as far as my brain can\u2026 brain. I\u2019m out of ideas, but I\u2019m pretty sure there are more money calculations I\u2019m missing out in this list.\n\n\nCan you let me know other money calculations you personally do, and add them in the comments section?\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/money-emergencies/", "title": "Money Emergencies and How They Eff Up My Budget\n  ", "body": "\n\nI track my spending. All of it. In an app. Each purchase gets categorised \u2013 for example, rent money goes under the \u2018Rent\u2019 category and Tesco bill goes under the \u2018Groceries\u2019 category.\n\n\nOne of the categories is \u2018Misc Needs\u2019 \u2013 things that I have to buy anyway, but they don\u2019t occur often enough to have their own category. They tend to be \u2018money emergencies\u2019. For example, things I have to fix or replace. But they\u2019re also things I *have* to do, like haircuts.\n\n\nI just want to share my observations about my spending patterns in this budget category.\n\n\nObservation #1:\u00a0 I think I\u2019ve somehow upgraded my lifestyle in 2017\n\n\n\n\nSee the pic below. It shows that between November 2015 until October 2017 (24 months), I\u2019ve spent RM18,045.07 for all Misc Needs. On average, that translates to RM751.88 per month.\n\n\n\n\nBut then I divided that further by year. From the breakdown below, it\u2019s clear that my \u2018Misc Needs\u2019 spending has doubled!\n\n\n\n\nNovember 2015 \u2013 October 2016 (12 months): RM5,477.84, or RM456.49 per month.\n\n\nNovember 2016 \u2013 October 2017 (12 months): \nRM12,567.23, or RM1,047.27 per month.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nWhy is this? Is this how lifestyle upgrade looks like? Do I feel like I *need* more things as I get older?\n\n\nObservation 2: I have a good idea of the small costs that cumulatively make up the big monthly amount.\n\n\nThe type of expenses are so varied, I can even make sub-categories under the Misc Needs category!\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Things I have to renew\n\n\nThese are things like:\n\n\n\n\nPassport renewal. RM200 every 5 years.\n\n\nDriving licence renewal. RM30 per year.\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Things I have to replace/buy anyway\n\n\nThese are things like:\n\n\n\n\nKitchen stuff, like replacing water filters, sponges and chopping boards.\n\n\nBedroom stuff, like mattresses, pillows and sheets.\n\n\nElectronic accessories like charger cables.\n\n\nStorage units for clothes.\n\n\nMakeup, clothes and shoes.\n\n\n*Phones and laptops go under \u2018Business\u2019 category\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Practical tools that cost money but saves me time:\n\n\nThese are things like:\n\n\n\n\nVacuum cleaner\n\n\nWater flosser (worth it for someone wearing braces)\n\n\nWashing machine\n\n\nContainers for home organisation, so I spend less time to look for stuff\n\n\nPowerbank\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013\u00a0 Things that improve the physical body:\n\n\nThese are things like:\n\n\n\n\nSports gear\n\n\nSunscreen\n\n\nProtein powder\n\n\nBraces\n\n\n*Medical items go under \u2018Medical\u2019 category\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Things I have to do:\n\n\nThese are things like:\n\n\n\n\nHaircut\n\n\nEyebrow threading\n\n\nNeutering cats\n\n\nClothes tailoring for special occasions\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Things I have to fix:\n\n\nThese are things like:\n\n\n\n\nElectrical and plumbing problems, whenever they arise.\n\n\nCar fixes, when I had a car last time.\n\n\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Things I have to pay to avoid prison:\n\n\nThese are things like:\n\n\n\n\nTax balances\n\n\nFees and fines\n\n\n\n\nObservation #3 \u2013 Furnishing a home is expensive, but not as expensive as the other option\n\n\nI moved into this new apartment in November 2016. That coincided with the time when my Misc Needs expenses shot up.\u00a0A lot of the items bought under \u2018Misc Needs\u2019 are home stuff \u2013 to furnish my rented apartment. Unlike previous places, the location I chose now did not come with a bed, mattress, fridge, washing machine, etcetera.\n\n\nI remember preferring to move into a fully-furnished location, but decided against it because the rental amount didn\u2019t make sense. My rent now is RM1200. The fully-furnished option at the same location is RM1800.\n\n\nThat means I would have to pay RM600 more for a fully-furnished apartment, or RM14,400 more over the course of two years (my lease duration). I remember thinking, \u201cI don\u2019t want to waste RM14,400. I guess it\u2019s okay to pay more upfront payment to furnish this place than to pay more in the end in rent.\u201d\n\n\nIt was absolutely the right decision. I spent about RM6-7k to furnish this place, less than half of RM14,400.\n\n\nObservation 4: I really like tools that save me time\n\n\nWhen I was younger, I didn\u2019t mind going the extra mile to save a ringgit.\n\n\nNow what I value most is time, and I\u2019m so much more willing to pay for convenience and for tools that save me extra minutes and hours.\n\n\nI use all that extra time to improve self-development, take on more work and make more money. It\u2019s a nice cycle.\n\n\nThey say you need money to make money, but I say that you need time for yourself so you can make that money as well. Things that I\u2019ve paid for that save me time, aside from tools mentioned above:\n\n\n\n\nA virtual assistant \u2013 she helps me do research and marketing\n\n\nA dependable laptop and phone\n\n\nMaxis postpaid for the fast internet, even though I don\u2019t like Maxis and they overcharge you\n\n\nCleaning services whenever necessary\n\n\nAnd more\n\n\n\n\nThis reminds me of a \nstudy that linked greater life satisfaction when using money to buy time\n. What a cool life hack. Ultimately, I don\u2019t want to be rich but too busy to enjoy it. I want a nice life.\n\n\nWhat other things have you paid for that saves you time? I\u2019d really like to know that.\n\n\nConclusion about money emergencies\n\n\nLike it or not, I have to pay for these expenses. The good thing is, as mentioned above, a lot of these expenses help me save money in the long run and give a good return on investment on my life satisfaction.\n\n\n~RM1000 per month is a lot of money to spend monthly, but I do expect the amount will be lowered on average \u2013 am not planning to make any other big-ticket purchases. I also put more priority on quality items, so it won\u2019t need replacing so soon. I have rules when it comes to splurging and skimping \u2013 covered in this article:\u00a0\n8 Rules to When You Should Splurge and When You Should Skimp\n\n\nWhat are your money emergencies? Does your lifestyle require you to you pay for additional stuff? Let me know in comments!\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/money-journal/", "title": "17 Things to Include in Your Money Journal\n  ", "body": "Those who know me in person know that I never go anywhere without my notebook, which also acts as my de facto money journal.\n\n\nMy notebook is my primary organisational tool, my productivity hack. It\u2019s how I keep track of my life, including my financial life. I jot down everything* in there. The way I see it, what doesn\u2019t get written, gets forgotten.\n\n\n(*Except for my passwords. I use a password manager for that. Security first kids)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAnyone else get really happy when it\u2019s time to break open a new #notebook?? . I got a bunch of these Scripta Notes #journals during #bigbadwolfbooksale for RM12 each. They hold up really well for 7 months of heavy use, such a good buy \ud83d\ude0d . In the last notebook, I stuck stickers received from events. You can see #peatix, #wordpress, #projectgutenberg and #centrair there. I think I\u2019ll continue this tradition \ud83d\ude0a\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nOct 11, 2018 at 6:00pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHere\u2019s a list of financial-related information that you can include in your money journal.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Your monthly income\n\n\n\n\nHow much do you earn per month? Combine whichever applies from below:\n\n\n\n\nMonthly salary (for those employed)\n\n\nOwn business income (if it fluctuates, as it often does, a guesstimate or average will do)\n\n\nRental income, if any\n\n\nFreelance income and side hustles with regular customers and clients\n\n\nAny other regular income\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Extra income\n\n\nBefore you ask, yes extra income is different and separate from monthly income (#1). It\u2019s more like additional income as opposed to your main income.\n\n\nExtra income might come from\n\n\n\n\nFreelance income and side hustles (irregular or just starting out)\n\n\nSelling pre-loved items\n\n\nSudden windfalls \u2013 tax refunds, winning competitions, etc\n\n\nAny other irregular form of income\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Expenses\n\n\nI *love* tracking my expenses and highly recommend this habit. You get to discover parts of your personality that\u2019s hidden to even yourself! I love it so much that I write and publish my monthly expenses breakdown, and my\n annual income and expenses report\n.\n\n\nPersonally, I use notebook + app combo. For example, this was my spending breakdown in \nMay 2019\n. Then I\u2019d write reminders in my notebook on areas where I can do better.\n\n\n\n\nRead \nthis article\n if you\u2019re interested to start or restart expense-tracking. I\u2019ve included tools and tips that you can try.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 A list of all monthly financial commitments\n\n\nThe general rule of thumb is fixed expenses shouldn\u2019t take more than 50% of your income (see #1). The actual definition of fixed expenses varies, but usually includes:\n\n\n\n\nMortgage/rent\n\n\nCar instalments\n\n\nUtilities\n\n\nOverheads (if own business)\n\n\nInsurance\n\n\nCredit card instalments\n\n\nLoans\n\n\n\n\nIn my experience, the figures tend to change every 6 months or so. For example, I was paying braces instalments until I finally paid it off. Likewise for my laptop instalment.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEvery so often, I would check my monthly \u2018must-pay\u2019 commitments. Currently the amount stands at RM2916.33 \ud83d\ude31 . Saving grace: #braces will be paid off soon, #asbloan is #gooddebt, and I\u2019m #carfree (if I kept my car, this amount would be higher!) . How much are your monthly commitments? . #monthlybudget #budgeting #personalfinanceblogger #personalfinancemalaysia\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nNov 22, 2018 at 10:32pm PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSo yea, do this self-check every so often just to be on track of your finances.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 All your subscriptions\n\n\nSpecifically, you should definitely, definitely know how much money leaves your account every month without your notice. Auto-payments are great for some investments and payments (avoids late fees etc), but not for products and services you don\u2019t use (media subscriptions etc).\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nWhat Subscriptions I Pay For And Why\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Annual payments\n\n\nThis one is a bit tricky, and sometimes require a lot of guesstimating. You also don\u2019t know what life will throw at you.\n\n\nFor example, in my own list, I\u2019ve included things like:\n\n\n\n\nBirthday gifts for loved ones\n\n\nMembership and license renewals\n\n\nServices I use and pay for annually\n\n\n\n\nYour actual figure will probably differ wildly from your estimated figure. But at least you have a figure.\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nAll The Annual Expenses I Have to Make Every Year\n\n\n#7 \u2013 A financial to-do list\n\n\nFinancial-related things that you want to do but haven\u2019t had the time or energy to sort out yet. For example, I know I should do a will but been dragging my ass in that department.\n\n\nThis is my \npersonal financial to-do list\n, if you\u2019re curious.\n\n\n#8 \u2013 All the financial products and services that you use\n\n\nA while back I came across an article about how there is \nover RM5 billion in unclaimed money\n. Billions you know! Not loose change you know!\n\n\nBut the fact is some people really do forget where they placed their money. Or just unaware of financial transactions which took place, like insurance payout in a forgotten bank account or something.\n\n\nSo it\u2019s in your best interest to keep track of your accounts, correct or not?\n\n\nI did this myself. Here are all the\n financial products and services that I personally use\n. Everything \u2013 from banking accounts to credit cards to insurance products to investments accounts and more.\n\n\n#9 \u2013 List of your investments\n\n\nIf you do #8, might as well do #9 too. It\u2019s not a bad idea to list out:\n\n\n\n\nWhere you keep your investments\n\n\nIt\u2019s risk profile (low, medium, risky)\n\n\nHow much money you have there\n\n\nHow much and regularly you contribute to that account\n\n\nWhat are your plans (do nothing, buy more when price dips, reduce risk exposure etc)\n\n\nTheir fees and charges\n\n\nWho you named as beneficiaries for each investment\n\n\n\n\n#10 \u2013 List of people/companies owing you money\n\n\nBecause *some* people only pay when you \u2018gently remind\u2019 them. If you forgot, they\u2019ll happily \u2018forgot\u2019.\n\n\n#11 \u2013 Next month\u2019s projected income and expenses\n\n\nIt\u2019s always a good idea to plan ahead. That way, if you have higher-than-usual expenses next month, you still have time to pick up an extra gig or sell some preloved items instead of taking a loan or getting into credit card debt.\n\n\n#12 \u2013 Money-making ideas\n\n\nThis could be anything you want it to be, as long as they have some sort of earning potential. It could be random business ideas, or list of clients to pitch to, or contact list of businesspeople you want to grab coffee with, anything.\n\n\n#13 \u2013 Your goals\n\n\nI follow Ramit Sethi\u2019s goal-planning checklist as a personal reminder. Copy and follow this template:\n\n\n\n\nI want to make RM____ in __ months\u2019 time\n\n\nI will spend ___ hours per week, or __ per day on __ days to work on this goal\n\n\nMy long-term goal is to _______*\n\n\n\n\n(Mine is (1) To give RM3k per month to my parents, and (2) get financially independent by accumulating RM2 million in interest-generating investments.)\n\n\nUse those hours to:\n\n\n\n\nGet clients\n\n\nPerform freelance work\n\n\nLearn negotiation skills to increase salary or rates\n\n\nUpskilling\n\n\nLearning in-demand, high-paying skills like coding\n\n\nUpdate and improve CV and use it to apply for better-paying jobs\n\n\nOperate a new business\n\n\nAnd more\n\n\n\n\n#14 \u2013 A wishlist\n\n\nI also call this my \u2018what I want but won\u2019t get\u2019 list lol. The effect may differ, but personally this list helps to reduce mental clutter. It\u2019s like I acknowledge the desire, instead of suppressing it.\n\n\nAn unexpected benefit \u2013 an easy list to refer to when someone asks you what present you want for your birthday or some other special occasion.\n\n\nCurrently, my wishlist includes things like:\n\n\n\n\nAir fryer\n\n\nPopcorn maker\n\n\nDIY dollhouse\n\n\nNew handbag\n\n\nBedsheets\n\n\nCushions\n\n\nMore plants\n\n\nDyson vacuum cleaner\n\n\nPretty shoes\n\n\n\n\nAh, I can\u2019t wait to trade my Maybank TreatPoints into AEON or Lazada vouchers so I can get some of these things guilt-free.\n\n\n#15 \u2013 Travel plans\n\n\nWhenever I travel, I would make a Google Docs sheet or dedicate a couple of pages in my notebook to list out:\n\n\n\n\nFlight times and dates\n\n\nFlight and accommodation booking numbers\n\n\nRough itinerary\n\n\nImportant phone numbers and addresses\n\n\nThe current exchange rate\n\n\nRunning tally of all travel-related expenses\n\n\nPacking list\n\n\nWhat I need to buy or borrow\n\n\n\n\nAll I\u2019m saying is, I\u2019ve never missed a flight yet, or ran out of money during a trip. (TOUCHWOOD TOUCHWOOD TOUCHWOOD)\n\n\nThe detailed notes is also the secret behind \nmy travel articles\n \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n#16 \u2013 Grocery list\n\n\nBecause it\u2019s just too practical a list to not include here. Regularly making and updating a grocery list will:\n\n\n\n\nReduce the number of trips to the store. This reduces petrol and impulse purchases too\n\n\nIn the same boat, reduces the annoying emergency trips to the store because you ran out of something\n\n\nHelps you to plan and make meal preps. Cheaper and healthier\n\n\nGives you focus at the grocery store. You know what to get, instead of wandering aimlessly there\n\n\n\n\nHmm that reminds me I\u2019m almost out of eggs.\n\n\n#17 \u2013 Journaling\n\n\nSometimes, when I\u2019m stressed or just need to vent about a career or money-related frustration, I\u2019ll just do some free-flow writing. I just write whatever comes to mind. It usually works. I\u2019ll feel much better afterwards.\n\n\nThis is also called \nwriting therapy\n. I learned about it in a writing workshop, and you can use pen+paper or notebook (I recommend the latter \u2013 more \u2018feel\u2019).\n\n\nTry out writing therapy the next time you are stressed about money. It\u2019s worth a go, plus it\u2019s a free form of therapy, too. Suitable for even the brokest of y\u2019all.\n\n\nWhat else to include in a Money Journal?\n\n\nAny of you are avid note-takers, too? What other things would you suggest to include in a money journal? Which of the above are you most keen to start including in your notebooks?\n\n\nAs always, share your thoughts in the comments section! If you\u2019re comfortable sharing pics from your money journal\u2019s pages, please leave the link in the comments too!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/monthly-spending-expenses-covid19/", "title": "Comparing My Average Monthly Expenses Before & After Covid-19\n  ", "body": "Did Covid-19 change the way you spend money?\n\n\nCommon sense said it did. Almost everyone has been affected by the pandemic, in one way or another (notably, following MCO rules to the best of our ability, correct not). Most people are spending more on groceries and online shopping, and less on everything else and offline purchases.\n\n\nThis is my guess based on what the media reported, but how true is that statement in my personal life?\n\n\nSo I thought, hey why not make a direct comparison of my spending pattern, before and after Covid-19 hit? In what way did my personal spending change, in each expense category? I can do this. I track my expenses. I have the data.\n\n\nFor the purpose of this article, I\u2019ll be using,\n\n\n\n\nBefore Covid-19: My average monthly spending per category (as recorded in \nMy Total Income and Expenses in 2019\n)\n\n\nDuring Covid-19: Data collected since MCO started on 18 March 2020 until time of writing, (almost exactly 3 months worth of data)\n\n\n\n\nExpenses Comparison: Before & After Covid-19\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCategory\nBefore Covid-19 (from 2019 Expenses Data)\nDuring Covid-19 (from 3 Months' Data)\nComments\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nUtilities & Rent\nRM1,292.96\nRM972.34\nAverage reduced as landlady (bless her) waived one month's rent\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBusiness\nRM1,271.90\nRM2103.79\nCoincided with #MYMoneyStories book printing & distribution \n\n\n\n\n\n\nDates & Travel\nRM1,240.16\nRM15.83\nWhat travel?\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDonations & Gifts\nRM634.05\nRM2,957.35\nBiggest increase. Happy to do it\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGroceries\nRM495.32\nRM513.17\nSurprisingly more or less the same\n\n\n\n\n\n\nInsurance & Medical\nRM454.39\nRM166.33\nMaintained medical card and PA insurance. Reduced as no longer seeing chiropractor\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPublic Transportation\nRM377.44\nRM43.38\nSignificantly reduced travel. Also used up SOCAR credit\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMisc Needs\nRM354.44\nRM340.37\nThis seems to be my average, MCO or no\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMisc Wants\nRM345.74\nRM36.66\nDidn't buy much non-necessaries\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSocial\nRM354.44\nRM6.57\nFriends, I miss you!\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFood\nRM116.48\nRM141.63\nIncreased non-groceries food expenses. Ok la, was puasa also\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMobile\nRM80\nRM66.70\nLucky enough to be able to generate enough referrals to offset mobile cost\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTotal average expenses per month\nRM6,864.73\nRM7,364.12\nRoughly RM500 increase, but mostly due to Donations & Gifts category\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nConclusion\n\n\nAs you can see:\n\n\n\n\nBiggest increases are in categories: Donations & Gifts and Business\n\n\nBiggest decreases are in categories: Dates & Travel, Insurance & Medical, Public Transportation, Misc Wants & Social\n\n\nNo or minimal changes in categories: Groceries, Misc Needs, Food (Non-Groceries) & Mobile\n\n\nOverall, my expenses actually increased by almost RM500, if compared before and after Covid-19. Mostly due to Donations\n\n\n\n\nOld me would be worried about appearing to be humblebragging, but new me embraces and \u2013 dare I say it \u2013 is proud of my own actions. I didn\u2019t just encourage people to donate, I also put my money where my mouth is. Almost RM3k per month in donations is really stretching my budget but if there\u2019s a worthy YOLO occasion, this is it.\n\n\nHow has Covid-19 affected your monthly expenses? Which expense categories significantly increased and decreased for you? Let me know in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/my-money-routine/", "title": "My Money Routine: How I Organise My Personal Finance Life\n  ", "body": "\n\nIn its essense, personal finance is boring: Earn more than you spend, spend less than you earn, invest the difference. The fun part is in the details \u2013 how one saves, invests, spends, and generally optimises their money routine and finances \nin a way that works for them\n. \n\n\nThat last part is important, because there are many, many paths to \nfinancial freedom\n, not just \u2018one\u2019 way. You can tweak it, and as long as you avoid huge mistakes, you\u2019ll get there in the end. As they say, all roads lead to Rome. \n\n\nWhat\u2019s part of one\u2019s money routine\n\n\nTake money routines and personal finance organisation, for example. It\u2019s just how you plan your finances, but everyone have slightly different ways of doing it. \n\n\nIf this is a new concept to you, then I\u2019m happy to show how mine looks like so you can see how one person\u2019s personal finance organisation looks like \ud83d\ude42 Below, I\u2019ll share:\n\n\n\n\nwhat tools I use, and \n\n\nwhat I do every day, week, month, quarterly, and year\n\n\nwhat I do on ad-hoc and one-off basis\n\n\n\n\nTake note that I am a self-employed writer with multiple sources but unpredictable income, so my money routine is designed around this. Definitely tweak if you are salaried employee with regular, predictable income. \n\n\nTools I use for my money routine\n\n\nI use:\n\n\n\n\nMy notebook\n\n\nMy phone \u2013 installed apps from financial companies, and expense-tracking app\n\n\nGoogle Sheets \u2013 for tracking incomes, net worth etc (templates below)\n\n\nGDrive \u2013 for keeping everything related to my financial life nice and tidy in one place. I keep my insurance policies, receipts, etc here\n\n\n\n\nWhat I do 1x a day\n\n\nHere are some things I do once a day:\n\n\n\n\nRead The Coffee Break market summary, numbers at a glance and news roundup. I get the newsletter delivered to my email, it\u2019s a great way to quickly know the important things that are happening locally and globally. \nSubscribe here for free\n\n\n\n\nWhat I do 1x a week\n\n\nHere are some things I do once a week:\n\n\n\n\nCheck bank accounts\n \u2013 review balance and transactions (in case there are unauthorised tx)\n\n\nPay off all \ncredit card outstanding balances\n. Big fan of \ncashback credit cards\n!\n\n\nCheck\n IPO opportunities and crypto prices\n \u2013 for the latter, I used to check daily (and even multiple times at that), so 1x a week is an improvement lol\n\n\nCheck prices\n for things I need to get or pay for anyway \u2013 if it\u2019s a good price or there\u2019s a sale or discount, I\u2019ll get it\n\n\n\n\nWhat I do 1x a month\n\n\nHere are some things I do once a month:\n\n\n\n\nReview \nmonthly expenses\n \u2013 this is the basis of my \nmonthly budget updates\n\n\nReview \nincoming incomes\n \u2013 send follow-up emails to clients reminding them to pay me, if needed\n\n\nPlan for upcoming purchases/expenses\n \u2013 If there\u2019s a holiday, or travel, or big purchase coming up, then I NEED to plan for it. I refer to my own \nListing All the Annual Expenses I Have to Make Every Year\n article fairly often\n\n\n\n\nWhat I do 1x every 3 months\n\n\nHere are some things I do once every 3 months:\n\n\n\n\nReview \nmonthly commitments\n \u2013 check what I\u2019m currently paying on a monthly basis, for both fixed and variable expenses. I use my notebook for this, but you can use my free \n50/30/20 budget template\n\n\nChat with my partner\n about his commitments. We\u2019re pretty \ntransparent about our finances\n and tell each other what we plan to buy, spend on etc\n\n\nUpdate net worth\n \u2013 I use my own template for this: \nHow to Calculate Your Net Worth (Free Editable Template)\n\n\nPlan for the \nnext quarter\n \u2013 I keep roughly 2-3 months\u2019 worth of savings in bank account for daily expenses. If there is excess money, I transfer to investment accounts. If there is shortfall, I\u2019ll withdraw some money from investment account. \n\n\n\n\nWhat I do 1x a year\n\n\nHere are some things I do once a year:\n\n\n\n\nReview my\n insurance coverage\n\n\nTabulate \nannual income\n by year-end \u2013 essential so I can \npay zakat\n and \nincome tax\n\n\nCheck \ncredit score\n \n\n\nPut money in EPF and PRS\n. I do \nthese investments\n to maximise tax relief. If I have a kid I\u2019d do SSPN as well\n\n\n\n\nWhat I do on ad-hoc (as it happens) basis\n\n\nHere are some things I do whenever it happens:\n\n\n\n\nRecord expenses\n as soon as I make them in my expense-tracking app\n\n\nRecord incomes and keep invoices\n in Google Sheets and Drive\n\n\nUpload and \nkeep receipts in GDrive\n if the expense is eligible for tax relief \u2013 info in the \nincome tax\n article\n\n\nPay bills\n \nand commitments\n as it comes up\n\n\nUpdate ingredients\n bought and used up in my notebook \u2013 because waste food = waste money. See the \nsystem\n I use to reduce food waste\n\n\nWrite down \npending tasks in notebook\n, which also doubles as my \nmoney journal\n \u2013 things like going to the bank, etc\n\n\n\n\nWhat I do on one-off basis\n\n\nHere are some things I do on a one-off basis:\n\n\n\n\nSet up \nhibah amanah\n for ASNB\n\n\nNominate beneficiaries\n for all insurance/takaful policies\n\n\nSet up \npassword manager.\n This is for digital security reasons \u2013 it keeps my passwords safe and strong. I use Bitwarden (see from 6:04 onwards in the video below)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHow does your money routine looks like?\n\n\nLike I said in the beginning, everyone have slightly different money routines. For example, I use apps to track my expenses \u2013 others may prefer writing it manually, use excel or even use the cash envelope method (Shopee sells really nice \ncash envelope sets\n!)\n\n\nSome of you may also do some of the above tasks more frequently or less frequently than I do. For example, I hate carrying credit card balances so I do it once a week, but others may decide to do it once a month. As long as you\u2019re not carrying a balance, you\u2019re good.\n\n\nWhat I do want to know though, is \nwhat else do you do that I\u2019m not doing yet\n? Do share in the comments, would love to learn what else may be important \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/mycybersale-2016/", "title": "My \u2018I Want This, But I Won\u2019t Buy It\u2019 List\n  ", "body": "\n\nEveryone has a wishlist of things they want. Here are some things that I\u2019ve always wanted, but probably won\u2019t buy during the #MyCyberSale this year. My delay gratification game is strong, y\u2019all.\n\n\n\n\n1. \nAll the game consoles.\n\u00a0I used to be a casual gamer. I\u2019ve played Playstation, Playstation 2, Wii, Nintendo DS and PSP consoles and loved them all. At one point, I had 3 PSPs at once. I miss those times, and I do want to start playing games again, but not now, not yet.\u00a0I think if I get one, I\u2019ll stop updating Ringgit Oh Ringgit lol.\n\n\n2. \nA Roomba\n. Robot vacuum cleaners! The idea of this thing makes me really happy. If someone give this to me as a gift, I would love them very much (I love practical gifts). But nah, I can still sweep floors manually.\n\n\n3. \nMacbook/High-powered laptop.\n I always get laptops on the RM1-2k range, and always wonder how RM4-6k laptops perform. Maybe when my current laptop foes kaput, I\u2019ll consider buying the higher-spec ones.\n\n\n4. \nAn actual Rayban.\n I like how they look on me, but I can\u2019t justify the pricetag. Why would I splurge on this when I can get the style for RM10 at night market?\n\n\n \nbenarudo\n / Pixabay\n\n\n5. \nDigital drum\n. When I was younger, I used to take drum classes. It would be fun to play this again. I don\u2019t want the big drumset \u2013 those are clunky as hell and will take too much space.\n\n\n6. Actually, I want\u00a0\ngame console+drum playset.\n So. Cool. Much. Fun.\n\n\nImage credit to ionaudio.com\n\n\n7. \nMuji furniture\n. My ideal home will be fully decked out with Muji furniture. It\u2019s minimalist and practical and space-efficient and has neutral colours- everything I want in furniture. I actually think they are worth the high prices, because the style and the quality is great.\n\n\nImage credit: muji.de\n\n\n8. \nFancy headphones\n. I don\u2019t even know which one, I just want a better one than I have now (given free with my phone). This \u2018want\u2019 is weird because I don\u2019t even listen to music much. My favourite music is\u00a0whatever\u2019s on the radio.\n\n\n9. \nWeight scale\n. Been postponing this purchase. I used to weigh myself at the gym, but now it\u2019s apparently broken. Yes, I know it\u2019s the inches not the kilos that is important. But there\u2019s a deep satisfaction is seeing the number \u2013 \u00a0I\u2019m 20kgs less than my highest weight, so it\u2019s pretty exciting.\n\n\n10. \n\u00a0A watch.\n I haven\u2019t been a watch person for the longest time, but I like the idea of being more aware of time in general. When I was in my teens, I owned the perfect watch \u2013 it was like a bangle that I can easily put on/take off. No meddling with clasps, no need to buckle \u2013 the hinge keeps the watch in place. It died after a couple of years. I still look for a similar type, but can\u2019t find it anywhere.\n\n\n11. \nA tablet/ebook.\n I have no idea why I want this. I own digital books, and I read them fine on laptop and smartphone. I like physical books too. It\u2019s a complete want, yet I still find myself window shopping for tablets sometimes.\n\n\n \njaneb13\n / Pixabay\n\n\n12. \nA green carpet that looks like grass, on dark brown\u00a0wooden floor.\n Rofl my date always laugh at me for this. I\u2019ve always wanted the outdoors look, indoors!\n\n\n13. \nAll the Micro Bricks/ Blocks collections\n. I bought one of the Ninja Turtles one, and really enjoyed it. But I can\u2019t bring myself to spend\u00a0hundreds of ringgit to get the collections one (I want the landmarks and the McDonalds \u2013 they\u2019re so cute omg)\n\n\n14. \nA drone\n. It\u2019d be fun to take pictures of the mountain range here in Ipoh.\n\n\n15. \nVape.\n I really miss smoking. I didn\u2019t quit because of\u00a0money or health reasons, I quit because it made my teeth yellow and I\u2019m too vain to let that continue. But vape equipment is expensive and I don\u2019t need it, so.\n\n\n16. \nThe Xiaomi MiBand\n. I had one, then I went to Krabi and lost it wtf. I may get a replacement one later, but not now.\n\n\n17. \nExpensive skincare products.\n\u00a0Twice already when I jumped in Uber, the driver straightaway called me Puan wtf. I know it\u2019s not an insult, but I terasa. I think I have to step up my anti-aging routine, because dammit my ego is fragile.\n\n\n(this list might be updated later because I\u2019m not immune to consumerist culture)\n\n\nWhy talk about #MyCyberSales?\n\n\n\n\nOk, so the inspiration for this post came from #MyCyberSale that is currently going on right now. I have nothing against deals, I love them. But at the same time, if you go on twitter, you\u2019ll see people almost\u2026 bragging.. of their brokeness. The tone is like, \u2018whoops look at me so naughty cannot control my spending I\u2019m so doomed haha\u2019.\n\n\nAiyo, don\u2019t la spend money if you don\u2019t have them. Yes, it\u2019s nice to have makeup and new clothes and what have you. But have you deducted necessary expenses like:\n\n\n\n\nRent\n\n\nGroceries\n\n\nBills (including previous credit card bills)\n\n\nThe obligatory 15% of every paycheck to add to your savings\n\n\nInsurance/medical card\n\n\nPetrol/Toll/Car repairs\n\n\nand others\n\n\n\n\nSo if you think you\u2019d have to depend on credit card or Mom/Dad to help you with the above after you finish your shopping spree, I\u2019m asking \u2013 \nplease don\u2019t buy anything\n. Malaysia have a lot of sales. Even #MyCyberSale is an annual event, it\u2019ll come again, you\u2019re not missing much tbh.\n\n\nIf you have enough to cover for the above and saved up 3-6 months\u2019 worth of living expenses already and have leftover money, yay, good for you, go ahead and contribute to the economy.\n\n\nSo far, I have personally bought these during #MyCyberSales:\n\n\n\n\nRM100 prepaid topup (12% cashback via \nShopback\n\u00a0(note: referral)\u00a0+ 5% cashback via my credit card. Related: how to maximise\u00a0\ncashback credit card\n)\n\n\n\u00a03 x my favourite jeans on Uniqlo (I bought 1 at RM149.90, it\u2019s now RM99.90) (I\u2019m covered, pants-wise, for\u00a0at least the next 5 years) (I should add here that I was looking for pants anyway. I have precisely 1 pair now.)(Now I will have four: 2 basic black, 1 white, and 1 dark blue yay) (I have never owned white pants. I will worry about not making them dirty ugh)\n\n\n\n\n Image credit: Uniqlo\n\n\nThat\u2019s it. I\u2019m open to buying other practical stuff that I actually need \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nWhat is YOUR \u2018Want but Won\u2019t Buy\u2019 List?\n\n\nOf course you have one. \nCan you share your list in the comments?\n It was really fun to list it out, try it!\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/online-medical-insurance/", "title": "6 Affordable Medical Insurance You Can Buy Online in 15 Minutes\n  ", "body": "\n\nConfession: Medical insurance is the first ever protection product I bought. I don\u2019t know about you, but my irrational fear is being randomly admitted to the hospital and unable to pay my hospital bills, so I prioritised that. Later, I added more coverage.\n\n\nThis was around 10+ years ago. Back then, the only option for medical insurance was getting from an agent. \n\n\nNowadays, you can get medical insurance from online, and they\u2019re pretty affordable. \nIf you are in your 20s-mid 30s, your online medical insurance shouldn\u2019t cost more than RM100 per month\n. \n\n\n(As a reminder, medical card ONLY pays for the hospital bill, no lump sum cash given. For that, you can get life, \ncritical illness\n and personal accident insurance/takaful fairly affordably or even \nfree\n subsidised. Refer to my \nBest Insurance and Takaful in Malaysia for B40 and M40 On A Budget\n article.)\n\n\nIn this article, I\u2019ve listed 6 online medical providers. They are:\n\n\nPRO-Health Medical by Tune Protect\nMedical plans by Fi.Life\neMedic Plus by AXA\ni-Great Medi Care by Great Eastern Takaful\nMedicNOW by Berjaya Sompo\nTakaful\u00a0\nmy\nClick MediCare\n\n\nIn each section, I will show you the quotation I got, the plan at a glance as well as their pros and cons. \nAt the end of the article, I\u2019ll also share which online medical provider you may want to go with. \n\n\nMy details for the quotation are:\n\n\n35 years in next birthday\nFemale \nNon-smoker \nNote: Some providers might ask for additional information, like type of occupation and weight/height.\n\n\nRemember that my quotation =/= your quotation\n. As a general rule, your quotation will differ based on your gender, age and smoking status. Older and smoking males will be quoted the highest premium.\n\n\nNote: It is quite possible I have missed a few online medical providers, and a few details. If so, please let me know in the comments. \n\n\nOk, that\u2019s enough introduction for now. Let\u2019s get on with the medical insurance you can get online in Malaysia. \n\n\n#1 \u2013 PRO-Health by Tune Protect\n\n\nHere\u2019s the quotation I got for \nPRO-Health Medical by Tune Protect\n:\n\n\n\n\nAt a glance:\n\n\nNo of plans to choose from: 4\nAnnual limit: RM30,000-RM150,000\nDaily room and board: RM150-RM250 per day\nMy quotation for RM100,000 annual limit plan: RM54.38 monthly / RM642.60 yearly\n\n\nPros:\n\n\nVery good UI/UX, very clear\nNo lifetime limit \n\n\nCons:\n\n\nCan only buy for one person at a time\n\n\nGet your quotation and purchase online here: \nPRO-Health Medical by Tune Protect\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Medical plans by Fi.Life\n\n\nHere\u2019s the quotation I got for \nMedical plans by Fi.Life\n:\n\n\n\n\nAt a glance:\n\n\nNo of plans to choose from: 6\nAnnual limit: RM100,000-RM2.1 million\nDaily room and board: RM190-RM500 per day\nMy quotation for RM100,000 annual limit plan: RM72.08 monthly / RM865 yearly\n\n\nPros: \n\n\nCan buy for Self, Spouse, Child and Employee\nMax annual limit is RM2.4 million \u2013 the highest annual limit in this list!\nMany options available\nVery good UI/UX, very clear\n\n\nCons:\n\n\n6 options may be too many options and overwhelming for some. There is a handy compare feature though \n\n\n\n\nGet your quotation and purchase online here: \nMedical plans by Fi.Life\n\n\n#3 \u2013 eMedic Plus by AXA\n\n\nHere\u2019s the quotation I got for \neMedic Plus by AXA\n:\n\n\n\n\nAt a glance:\n\n\nNo of plans to choose from: 4\nAnnual limit: RM20,000-RM150,000\nDaily room and board: up to RM250 per day\nMy quotation for RM100,000 annual limit plan: RM58.94 monthly / RM707.28 yearly\n\n\nPros:\n\n\nCan do for yourself and for family\nNo-claim reward (cheaper the next time you renew)\n\n\nCons:\n\n\nMay not be eligible if you\u2019re overweight or your work involves \u2018heavy manual work with heavy machinery\u2019\nMax annual limit is RM150k only\n\n\nGet your quotation and purchase online here: \neMedic Plus by AXA\n\n\n#4 \u2013 i-Great Medi Care by Great Eastern Takaful\n\n\nHere\u2019s the quotation I got for \ni-Great Medi Care by Great Eastern Takaful\n:\n\n\n\n\nAt a glance:\n\n\nNo of plans to choose from: 1\nAnnual limit: RM100,000\nDaily room and board: RM200 per day\nMy quotation for RM100,000 annual limit plan: RM79.33 monthly / RM952 yearly\n\n\nPros: \n\n\nSyariah-compliant\nNo lifetime limit!\n\n\nCons:\n\n\nA lot of info hidden in product disclosure sheet, so you must know how to read and understand yourself. For example, the annual and lifetime limit are both in there\n\n\nGet your quotation and purchase online here: \ni-Great Medi Care by Great Eastern Takaful\n\n\n#5 \u2013 MedicNOW by Berjaya Sompo\n\n\nHere\u2019s the quotation I got for \nMedicNOW by Berjaya Sompo\n:\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAt a glance:\n\n\nNo of plans to choose from: 3\nAnnual limit: RM30,000-RM100,000\nDaily room and board: RM150-RM250 per day\nMy quotation for RM100,000 annual limit plan: RM45.30 monthly / RM543.80 yearly (with deductible)\n\n\nPros:\n\n\nThere\u2019s a deductible* option for 15% off\nI noticed there\u2019s a RM40 cashback via \nShopback\n, nice additional discount there\nVery good UI/UX, very clear\n\n\n*deductible = the amount you pay out of pocket before the rest of the hospital bill cost is covered by insurer (up to annual/lifetime limit).\n\n\nCons:\n\n\nOnly for BMI (Body Mass Index ) range between 18 to 30\nCan only get for self\n\n\nGet your quotation and purchase online here: \nMedicNOW by Berjaya Sompo\n\n\n#6 \u2013 \nTakaful\u00a0\nmy\nClick MediCare\n by Takaful Malaysia\n\n\nHere\u2019s the quotation I got for \nTakaful\u00a0\nmy\nClick MediCare\n:\n\n\n\n\nAt a glance:\n\n\nNo of plans to choose from: 3\nAnnual limit: RM50,000-RM100,000\nDaily room and board: RM100-RM200 per day\nMy quotation for RM100,000 annual limit plan: RM57.41 monthly / RM624 yearly (with deductible)\n\n\nPros:\n\n\nSyariah-compliant\nThere\u2019s a deductible* option for up to 30% off\nNo lifetime limit!\nCan subscribe for yourself and Child\n\n\n*deductible = the amount you pay out of pocket before the rest of the hospital bill cost is covered by insurer (up to annual/lifetime limit).\n\n\nCons:\n\n\nThe only one that asks for your IC number for a quotation. Why.  \n\n\nGet your quotation and purchase online here: \nTakaful\u00a0\nmy\nClick MediCare\n\n\nWhich online medical insurance should you pick?\n\n\nSo, you have many options to get your medical insurance online in Malaysia. Too many, even. Which one do you pick?\n\n\nLike many things in life, the answer is \u2018it depends\u2019:\n\n\nDo you want \nSyariah-compliant\n? That\u2019ll reduce your options\nDo you have \ngood/bad experience with any providers\n? May want to select based on that\nHow much \nannual limit \ndo you want (my take is minimum 6 figures aka RM100k per annum, \u2018safe\u2019 is RM1 million per annum)\nDo you want \nno lifetime limit\n? (It\u2019s more expensive, but very handy to have) \nAre you actually \neligible\n to subscribe to the plan? (Your BMI, occupation etc)\n\n\nHow about the other benefits, like room and board and deductible and no-claim discount and others? Some may find it important, but for me personally they don\u2019t matter as much as the 5 things above. It\u2019s more \u2018nice to have\u2019 rather than \u2018needs\u2019. Focus on \u2018needs\u2019. \n\n\nUnless you\u2019re on an extreme budget, I also wouldn\u2019t advise you to pick your online medical insurance based on price alone. Get what you need rather than the cheapest possible option. \n\n\nTo help you with the selection, here\u2019s the Medical insurance to check out if you require:\n\n\nSyariah-compliant\n: \ni-Great Medi Care by Great Eastern Takaful\n; \nTakaful \nmy\nClick MediCare\nHighest annual limit:\n \nMedical plans by Fi.Life\nCheapest for RM100,000 annual limit \n(note: yours might be different): \nMedicNOW by Berjaya Sompo\n, \nPRO-Health Medical by Tune Protect\n, \nTakaful \nmy\nClick MediCare\nNo lifetime limit\n: \nPRO-Health Medical by Tune Protect\n, \ni-Great Medi Care by Great Eastern Takaful\n, \nTakaful \nmy\nClick MediCare\n, \nMedical plans by Fi.Life\n (plus plan only)\n\n\nImportant #1: Get a medical card while you\u2019re healthy\n\n\nI can\u2019t emphasise enough how some protection products like medical card and \ncritical illness\n insurance are ONLY available for purchase when you\u2019re still healthy. In most cases, you can\u2019t use the benefits if you\u2019re already sick. \n\n\n(Or rather, you can, but for a totally different illness. Let\u2019s say you manage to subscribe and already have \u2013 touch wood \u2013 cancer. You can\u2019t use it to pay for your cancer treatments. But if later you develop heart attack or something, then you *may* be able to use it. This is all on a case-by-case basis, subject to circumstance). \n\n\nImportant #2: Online medical insurance will get progressively more expensive\n\n\nOnline medical insurance in this article are all what you call \nterm\n insurance, which means there is no cash value, what you paid will be \u2018burned\u2019 and not returned. And for term insurance, the older you get, the higher your premiums will cost.\n\n\nI won\u2019t go into term insurance vs investment-linked insurance, both have their pros and cons. One need to meet agent, another is fast, can just do online. One is self-service, another got agent to help with claims. Learn about \ninvestment-linked insurance in this article\n, and \nother things you should know about insurance here\n. \n\n\nPurely my opinion: \nIt is not a bad idea to get yourself covered first with one of the medical insurance products in this list while you search for a possibly \u2018better\u2019 one, via agent or \nfinancial planner\n. \n\n\nOnline enrolment takes 15 minutes, maybe shorter. Your search for the right agent and product comparison etc might take weeks if not months. \n\n\nAlright, that\u2019s all I have for you today. Let me know your experience with medical insurance, additional info, inaccuracies (I\u2019ve done my best but not immune to mistakes) and more in the comments section!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/payment-relief-assistance/", "title": "What You Need to Know About Payment Relief Assistance [SPONSORED]\n  ", "body": "\n\nPayment Relief Assistance is a type of financial assistance offered to individuals and SMEs with existing loans/financing who are facing financial difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic.\n\n\nIn line with the PEMULIH aid package announced by the government, one can opt to get either a\n 6-month loan/financing moratorium\n, OR \n50% reduction of instalments for six months\n on home loan (mortgage), hire purchase (car loan), personal loan/financing and/or other business loans.\n\n\nApart from the standard payment relief packages (of 6-month moratorium or 50% reduction of instalments), Alliance Bank has taken this one step further by offering customers the opportunity to \ncustomise their payment relief packages.\n\n\nOpting for the Bank\u2019s Payment Relief Assistance package will NOT affect your CCRIS record \u2013 the report or statement of all your credit/loans with the bank.\n\n\n\n\nNote: The contact number/details in this article points to \nAlliance Bank\n, the sponsor of this message. If you are using other banks, please reach out to them on their respective portals/platforms.\n\n\nWhat You Need to Know about Payment Relief Assistance\n\n\nThe first thing you need to know about Payment Relief Assistance is it helps \nthose who really, really need breathing room and help with their daily cash flow situation.\n\n\nOf course it goes without saying that you will take \na longer time to pay off your loan\n and \nthere will be additional interest on the loan or financing extension\n, but \nyou don\u2019t have to worry about messing up your credit report in the meantime\n.\n\n\n\n\nHow to Know If You Should Take Up Payment Relief Assistance\n\n\nAs mentioned, opting in for Payment Relief Assistance is not a decision to be taken lightly. You should think about it carefully and weigh the pros and cons.\u00a0\n\n\nHere\u2019s a simple checklist to help you make your decision:\n\n\nYou\u2019ve used up most of your \nsavings\nYou\u2019ve tried to \nreduce unnecessary purchases\n to the best of your ability\nYou\u2019ve tried \ndownsizing \nyour lifestyle to bare basics\nYou\u2019re working on \nearning extra income\n and/or \nfind higher-paying job\n but your efforts have not been fruitful yet\nYou\u2019re seriously considering \nterminating your insurance\n to save money, even if you\u2019re worried about possible medical issues in the future\n\n\nIf at least one of the above describes you, then do consider taking the Payment Relief Assistance. At the very least, it\u2019ll free up your cash flow and help you cope better with the financial anxieties you\u2019re feeling right now.\n\n\nNow, \nwhen your financial situation improves, you should IMMEDIATELY contact your bank and discuss new payment terms so that you can pay your outstanding loan/financing quickly\n. This will reduce your overall loan/financing cost.\n\n\n\n\nHow to Opt In for Payment Relief Assistance (And What to Expect)\n\n\nNote: The contact number/details in this article points to Alliance Bank, the sponsor of this message. If you are using other banks, please reach out to them on their respective portals/platforms.\n\n\nALL banks in Malaysia offer Payment Relief Assistance (Note: They may be named differently). To select your payment relief package, you need to reach out to the bank you have a loan/financing with. This means visiting your bank\u2019s website and social media platforms.\n\n\nTo make things convenient for their customers, \nAlliance Bank\n has introduced innovative ways for individuals and businesses to take up the payment relief assistance. \n\n\nYou can reach out easily by:\n\n\nVisiting \nhttps://www.alliancebank.com.my/\n and filling up the webform\nCalling the bank\u2019s Contact Centre at 03-5516 9988, or\nStarting a WhatsApp chat with the bank by scanning the QR code below\n\n\n\n\nIf you\u2019re an Alliance Bank customer and you\u2019re worried about paying your monthly instalment, give them a call or drop them a line even if you\u2019re still unsure whether Payment Relief Assistance is the right decision for you. The can:\n\n\nExplain in further detail the \ntypes of instalments\n available,\nHelp you \ncalculate your new loan/financing\n \namount\n, and\nSuggest the \nbest option possible\n for you given your situation.\n\n\nYou can also read up these two helpful FAQs:\n\n\nFAQs on Payment Relief Assistance for Individuals\nFAQs on Payment Relief Assistance for Businesses\n\n\nAll the best, and I really hope you will catch your lucky break soon. Thank you to Alliance Bank for sponsoring this important message to the RoR audience. \n\n\nUltimately, take up on the offer of help if you need it, and if (when!) your financial situation improves, simply contact them and they will be happy to assist you with loan/financing repayment.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/people-share-bought-online/", "title": "24 People Share The Last Thing They Bought Online\n  ", "body": "I can\u2019t be the only one curious about other people\u2019s online purchasing habits, right? \ud83d\ude1b\n\n\nRecently, I asked the \nRoR community on Facebook\n about the last thing they bought online. There were some really great answers, and I thought I\u2019d take the opportunity to share those here, because they\u2019re fun to read! Plus, lots of money-saving tips too! You guys make me proud!\n\n\nBought Cheaper Items/Services Online\n\n\n1. \nGina Ee\n \u2013 \u201cA \nface guasa board\n from Lazada for only RM8 per piece, instead of about RM20 sold offline. It\u2019s a\u00a0resin board made for traditional Chinese method facial and body massage.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n2. \nChee Siang Wong\n \u2013 \u201cA \nshower head\n.\u00a0There\u2019s a funny story behind this. I was in Ace Hardware and was about to pay for it. They were selling it\u00a0at a discount (RM70+ reduced to RM36 I think?). When I was queuing up to pay, I checked the price in Lazada. It only costs RM19.71 with free shipping. Put the item back on the shelf and ordered online. LOL\u201d\n\n\n3. \nFizz Cruise\n \u2013 \u201c\nPetronas gift card\n at Lazada. It\u2019s even cheaper than last time. Too bad cannot charge it to Maybank Amex or would have 5x treat points. So instead, I topped up my Bigpay card and used to pay to earn Airasia bigpoints. For this transaction alone, I got:\u00a05% discount for petrol;\u00a0Treatpoints for topping up Bigpay;\u00a0Bigpoints for topping up;\u00a0Bigpoints for purchasing from Lazada; and cashback!\u201d\n\n\n4. \nHasyimi Bahrudin\n \u2013 \u201c\nAuto insurance\n. You can get 10% discount, and another 5% cash back if you use the correct credit card. I used Maybank2Card AMEX, and purchased the insurance on a weekend. Only possible if the insurance provider accepts AMEX though. Mine does (Etiqa Takaful).\u201d\n\n\n5. \nChinita Linda\n \u2013 \u201c\nEczema cream\n from US. Free shipping. (The same thing sells) at the dermatologist for RM110 for 100ml. Online is rm57 for 500ml, from 11Street. Online wins. It\u2019s for my daughter who has light breakouts of eczema on her face and neck from time to time. I use it too even though my skin is normal. I think it works better than anything else.\n\n\nI also buy \nUS. supplements, essential oils and skincare\n from IHerbs, they are way cheaper online and shipping is just RM8. And I ordered \nspare parts\n for car from overseas.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n6. \nAdelynne Ong Dinesh\n \u2013 \u201cI bought two sets of \npacking cubes\n for RM16.90 each from a vendor on Lazada because I couldn\u2019t find them in brick-and-mortar stores. Each set consists of three packing cubes and three laundry bags (but they can be used for other things if needed). The cubes aren\u2019t very high in quality but they served me well when I used them during my backpacking trip to Europe for two weeks.\n\n\nThey make packing and unpacking so easy because I used the cubes (one large, one medium and one small) for categories of clothes such as \u201cgoing out clothes\u201d and \u201csleeping clothes\u201d, etc. I don\u2019t think these cubes would last forever as they\u2019re not high in quality, but that\u2019s ok. Also, I\u2019m not complaining about the quality as I did pay a low price for it! Another thing to note is that it took 11 days for the package to be received by me. I\u2019m guessing it\u2019s because I had purchased it just before the General Election, but it\u2019s still not good service. All in all, though, I\u2019m happy with my purchase.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n7. \nShanie Lim\n \u2013 \u201c\nXiaomi phone case and nose ring\n from AliExpress. The total was less than RM10 including shipping.\u00a0I have yet to receive my items bought on AliExpress as shipping from China takes within 2-4 weeks. To me, the photo reviews and total orders stated of that particular item are both important factors I consider before purchasing on AliExpress.\u201d\n\n\n8. \nDzurihan Yusoff\n \u2013 \u201cI bought \ncastor oil\n from Lazada. As it\u2019s meant for skin condition, browsed through a few sellers and found one with reasonable pricing and more than 100 positive reviews. The seller is also proactive in answering questions from potential buyers.\n\nFor RM20+ with free shipping, definitely worth it. It was my first time trying castor oil and I don\u2019t wanna splurge in case it\u2019s not suitable for my skin. Local pharmacies are selling it ranging between RM30 to RM100. So, lots of saving there.\u201d\n\n\n9. \nShiNa LW\n \u2013 \u201c\nDiapers\n!! From Shoppee.\u00a0I use Huggies.. Sometimes can get at least rm15 cheaper per pack compared to supermarkets. Plus, free shipping.\u00a0Quality of service.. Very fast.. Sometimes Receive within 2 or 3 days. Nicely packaged in a box.\u00a0Price.. Usually have to buy 3 packs at once. For Huggies xxl Rm111..ie rm37 per pack.. Huggies without promotion if about Rm40++per pack.\u201d\n\n\n10.\u00a0\nZul\u2019Afif\n \u2013\u00a0\u201c\nHypergear Dry bag 2L\n. Because it is free. Paid RM15 for postage.\u00a0Info: googled and found 2L dry bag from Hypergear priced RM20+ not include postage. The bag quiet small. But meet my need to put my stuff (handphone, wallet) as I ride to work. Well the quality of Hypergear is good as it already an international brand for the dry bag. As per postage, fast delivery in good condition by Ninja Van.\u201d\n\n\nBought Books\n\n\n1. Charles Phua \n\u2013\u00a0\u201c\nWay of the Wolf by Jordan Belfort\n (the real-life character of The Wolf of Wall Street). I bought it because he\u2019s an inspiration to men. I bought it on BookDepository which has cheaper price compared to some physical bookstores. It also provides \nfree shipping\n internationally and it also offers cash back up to 6% when using Shopback!\u201d\n\n\n2. \nDiyana Zulasmin\n \u2013 \u201cI bought\u00a0a \ngraphic novel titled \u201cNimona\u201d\n and a \nwatercolour instruction book\n from\u00a0BookDepository because it was cheaper and had free delivery.\u201d\n\n\n3. \nWei Yeh Sor\n \u2013 \u201cI bought three\u00a0\nMandarin books\n (two of them written by Malaysian) at local Mandarin online bookstore\u00a0\ngot1shop.com\n. Recommend to those who wants to buy books that can be found in Taiwan but not in Malaysia. The price is usually lower than the chained bookstore. For English book, BookDepository is quite ok and it is free shipping! In my experience, you might need to wait for a month.\u201d\n\n\nBought Electronics\n\n\n1. \nMelia Leong\n \u2013 \u201cI bought a \nmobile phone\n online, Huawei brand. Got a RM100 discount coupon from Qoo10.\u201d\n\n\n2. \nSuhaimi Amir\n \u2013 \u201cA \nreplacement battery\n for my Galaxy Note 5. I buy it online, because I can do it in 5 minutes, rather than wasting my time to go out.\u201d\n\n\n3. \nSven Haake\n \u2013 \u201cI purchased a \nKingston 120 SSD\n from Lazada, because a \u201dSale\u201d is going on whereby I\u2019ve got a +36% discount and a targeted made it clear that this offer was available, in the first place. Buying electronics from Lazada, makes sense since you got both local and Chinese suppliers, and it\u2019s rewarding since they offer AirAsia BigPoints and BPoints.\u201d\n\n\n4. \nCarmen Chan\n \u2013 \u201cBought \nTicPods\n (wireless earphones) from Indiegogo! Bought it because I wouldn\u2019t be able to find it here and it felt quite innovative. The price was definitely higher than my original budget. But for high-end wireless earphones, the features look pretty good! I also wanted to try something different, other than the mainstream wireless earphones in the market. I like the idea of investing in a crowdfunded product!\u201d\n\n\nBought Learning Services\n\n\n1. \nJakz Aizzat\n \n\u2013 \u201cI subscribed to \nAudible\n.\u00a0Listening to audiobooks is a great way to learn while doing other stuff. It costs $14.95/month for 1 book every month, which is a great deal for me. At least I\u2019m able to read one book every month.\u00a0By the way, Audible offers 1-month free trial if you guys want to try it.\u201d\n\n\n2. \nMuhammad Amar Hasshim\n \u2013 \u201cI bought a couple of online classes on Udemy during a sale. I bought them at Udemy because although YouTube is free, they do not have a structured syllabus for an effective learning. I bought \nChinese Language class\n so I can understand them as it is the ever-growing language in the modern world. I also bought a \nweb design and an app developer class\n because they are the necessary skill needed in the current job market and a \ndropshipping course\n so I could expand my source of income.\u00a0I want to learn something new and useful in my free time.\u201d\n\n\n3. \nMadivaanan Ganesh\n \u2013 \u201cI bought two courses on Udemy. Now enrolled to 50+ courses using coupons. The latest course I bought was\u00a0\nDesigning using Photoshop\n.\u201d\n\n\n\n\nBought Clothes\n\n\n1. \nAhsille Alidawsa\n \u2013 \u201cI bought all my \nbaju raya\n online, from Zalora. Reason: malas berebut (at shops), so many promo codes and fast delivery too!\u201d\n\n\n2. \nManggai Chandra\n \u2013 \u201cHave bought from YUVA by Bombay Beauty before and the quality was superb. Although I have to further alter the suits I buy as sometimes they are bigger than what I can fit, their prices for the unique and contemporary \nIndian suits\n are really affordable (it is really difficult to meet online Indian suit stores that deliver you what they display on their page, from the colours to its fabric as well as sequins). They make me feel that, I too, can afford suits of such quality!\u201d\n\n\n3. \nAyu Fatarina\n \u2013 \u201c\nKebaya Nyonya\n from Shoppee, because they have it my size and the price is RM50 cheaper than the standard price, and the postage is free!\u00a0I actually love the kebaya, they only make one design per kebaya, so you can be sure you will not bump into somebody wearing the same thing on the first day of Raya! The cost is RM110 for XXL kebaya, cheapest I can find so far, others will usually cost RM160 \u2013 RM190 because its considered plus size.. Sigh! The design was delicately embroidered, hence bringing out the classy feel when you wear it. Service was tip top, the parcel arrived one day after the payment was made and the seller was really friendly.\u201d\n\n\n4. \nShanie Lim\n \u2013 \u201cA \ndress\n from Zalora for RM 30 + shipping RM 5. Returned the other two dresses so not entitled for free shipping. It\u2019s the only online store I purchase fashion items (clothing and shoes specifically) from as they provide free returns \u2013 it\u2019s a must for me to try on. If the item doesn\u2019t suit you, you can request for exchange or refund. Just drop it off as Poslaju kiosks or selected locations such as Focus Point or Caring Pharmacy etc for convenience.\u201d\n\n\n5. \nSiti Hawa N.\n \u2013 \u201cI wanted to get an outfit that has some ethnic influence for Hari Raya but at the same time modern enough and functional as a workwear as well. Often, I only wear my traditional baju raya just once a year; yes, during the first day of Hari Raya Aidilfitri. I chose Ezzati Amira\u2019s Batik Top with Tied Up Skirt because it looks pretty enough for Hari Raya and I can mix and match the top and skirt with other workwear that I have at home, thus giving me flexibility to don different styles to work. As for Zalora, I give them credit for having customer-friendly pages as well as fast processing and delivery services. I did the online shopping in the evening, at home while watching the telly.\u201d\n\n\nWhat Have YOU Bought Online Recently?\n\n\nLet us know why you got it online. Was it the savings? Was it the convenience? Was it only available online? Share in the comments, let us have a peek into your life.\n\n\nTo read more about financial tools mentioned here, read my \nShopback\n and \neWallet\n\u00a0(includes Bigpay) guides. To read another shopping article, read my \nLazada purchases\n since 2014 article.\n\n\nIf you haven\u2019t, come join the\u00a0\nRoR community on Facebook\n\u00a0\ud83d\ude42 More people = more sharing = better transfer of financial knowledge.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/personal-finance-videos/", "title": "5 Genres of Personal Finance Videos You HAVEN\u2019T Watched\n  ", "body": "Like many of you, I, too, enjoy a nice round of YouTube binge-watching. I mean, who doesn\u2019t go off to YouTube when procrastinating work, amirite? AMIRITE.\n\n\nThe purpose of this article is two-fold:\n\n\n(1) to expand your idea of what fits under the category of \u2018personal finance\u2019. Too often, \u2018personal finance videos\u2019 mean videos about saving money and investing (how-tos, advice and motivation), but I think it\u2019s broader than that. Many of the videos I\u2019ve listed below are not \u2018classic\u2019 personal finance videos \u2013 usually they\u2019re lumped under the catch-all \u2018lifestyle\u2019 and/or \u2018parenting\u2019 niche \u2013 but they\u2019re useful as personal finance references.\n\n\n(If you\u2019re looking for the stereotypical personal finance Youtube listing:\u00a0\n8 Malaysia-Based Personal Finance YouTube Channels to Follow\n)\n\n\nAnd, (2) make myself feel a bit better about the hours I spent watching them lol. At least I can tell myself \u2018this is personal finance research\u2019 as I click on the next suggested video.\n\n\nWithout further adooooo\n\n\n(As much as possible I prioritised Malaysians in this list, because hell yeah support Malaysian content creators)\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Grocery haul videos\n\n\n\n\nWhat is it:\u00a0\nVideos of what people bought from the grocery store. And you also get ideas of what ingredients combination can work with each other, thus reducing kitchen waste? Love it.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 How I pack my orders videos\n\n\nWhat is it:\u00a0\nVideos of small business owners fulfilling orders they get from actual customers! I love these because they\u2019re not theory, they\u2019re practical, \u2018how its like\u2019 videos.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Meal-prepping videos\n\n\nWhat is it:\u00a0\nVideos of people making meals ahead of time! Spending some time to prepare food in advance means easier and faster meals for the week. You\u2019re also less tempted to get food delivery because lazy to cook*\n\n\n*I said less tempted, but you\u2019re not immune to them food delivery apps.\n\n\n\n\nAlso combining it with big-batch cooking videos and freezer meals videos because they\u2019re kinda under the same category.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 How much I earn as a Youtuber videos\n\n\nWhat is it:\n People being transparent with how much they earn via Youtube.\n\n\nTalking about salaries and income used to be taboo, but not among YouTubers it seems. There are so many videos of this genre\n\n\n\n\nSpecific to Malaysia,\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Room Makeover and organisation\n\n\nWhat is it:\n Room decoration and organisation on a budget!!!\n\n\nCome on, who else looked forward to decorating your own place UNTIL you found out a damn throw pillow cost like RM30? Each!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDo you know of any other alternative personal finance video genres?\n\n\nWell there you have it folks. Five genres of personal finance videos that you may or may not have known before. Did any of them surprise you? I know I was surprised when I found out about the existence of grocery haul videos!\n\n\nWhat other types of Youtube videos would you add in this list, that can fall under the category of personal finance as well as lifestyle? I\u2019m sure there is more \ud83d\ude42 What do YOU like to binge-watch on Youtube? Let me know!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/personal-loan-in-malaysia/", "title": "Guide: Getting Personal with Personal Loan in Malaysia\n  ", "body": "I don\u2019t know about you guys, but lately I notice that I get way more loan advertisements than before.\n\n\n\n\nThey:\n\n\n\n\nCalled me via \nphone\n. This was CIMB mostly. I said no (related: \nTelemarketer sales tactics you should know\n), and the poor guy sounded really desperate. He even suggested a few ways for me to use the loan money (Is there a business you want to finance? Is there anything you want?), which I thought was really unprofessional.\n\n\nTexted me via \nSMS\n. I always blacklist the numbers afterwards, so this isn\u2019t so bad.\n\n\nMailed stuff/gave \nflyers\n to me.\n\n\nIncluded in \nemail newsletters\n, including from Malaysian personal finance websites.\n\n\nAre on \nFacebook\n. I\u2019ve never clicked on them, but some looked suspiciously ah-long-y\n\n\nAre on \nTwitter\n. Same.\n\n\nAre on \nFlipboard\n. Same.\n\n\nFinancial apps\n. Some of them\u00a0analyse data from your\u00a0finances then \u2018advice\u2019 you to get loans, which to me is\u00a0a bit too much\n\n\n\n\nAside from these, I also get quite a few advertisements for trading platforms, (especially Forex. Related: My \nNo-Bullshit Forex guide\n),\u00a0 credit card offers, MLMs, and some others.\n\n\nTo be fair, I do search for a lot of finance-related content, so maybe my Google history\u00a0algorithm reflected this.\n\n\nDo you get these ads, too? Share in comments where else you see them.\n\n\n(I\u2019m interested in this data as the number of exposure has a direct\u00a0effect on your likelihood using these services. \n80% of sales are made on the fifth to twelfth contact\n.)\n\n\nLoans in Malaysia\n\n\nThere are a few types of loans in Malaysia. Some of the most popular are:\n\n\n\n\nCar loans\n\n\nEducation loans\n\n\nHousing loans\n\n\nBusiness loans\n\n\nInvestment-specific loans (ie ASB)\n\n\n\n\nThese tend to be \u2018strategic\u2019 loans, so I\u2019m not mad about them if the T&Cs are within reason.\n\n\nI mean, car loans help people commute to work. Education loans make people more employable. Housing loans help people get a property for own stay or investment. Business loans can help a company scale bigger and get more profit. ASB loans are supposed to help Malays bridge the economic gap.\n\n\nBut let\u2019s talk about the sixth\u00a0type of loan. \nPersonal loans.\u00a0\n\n\nPersonal Loan in Malaysia\n\n\nPersonal loans can be turned into any of the above loans. You can use it for anything you want- good or bad purchases. It\u2019s very flexible.\n\n\nThe range of available personal loans in Malaysia is rather interesting. We have options for Syariah-compliant loans, civil servants\u2019 loans, and even blacklisted loans (often illegal).\n\n\nIn general, personal loans in Malaysia have:\n\n\n\n\nHigher interest rates\n than the \u2018strategic\u2019 loans. The rates are highly\u00a0dependent on your credit score. If you are blacklisted, you\u2019ll probably never\u00a0get good rates\n\n\nNo collateral\n (ie: No need to promise the bank your car or your house if you can\u2019t make payments)\n\n\nRelatively \nshort repayment term\n. Between 6 months to\u00a05 years only, usually\n\n\n\n\nLike other financial tools, you can use personal loans to your advantage.\u00a0In equal measure, it can also be turned into a nasty disadvantage.\n\n\nHere are some good and bad reasons to get a personal loan in Malaysia\n\n\nGood Reasons to get a Personal Loan\u00a0in Malaysia\n\n\nYou want to pay off a high-interest debt\n\n\nGetting a loan to pay off a loan is a thing. Say you have credit card debt at 18% per annum (higher interest), and qualify for a personal loan at 10% per annum (lower interest). Do it, it\u2019s smart. You\u2019ll still have to make payments, but now at least you get to save some money in interest payments.\n\n\nBorrow\u00a0just enough to pay the credit card debt (or any other high-interest debt), and no more than that. Pay off the credit card balance in full. Make solid plans to pay off the personal loan on agreed schedule. Auto-deduct it from your bank to avoid any late penalties.\n\n\nYou want to scale your\u00a0business\n\n\nNotice I didn\u2019t say \u2018You want to START a business\u2019. No no. This is only for businesses that are already ongoing, that just need a bit of capital to expand and grow. If you want to start your own business, I think the capital should come from yourself first.\n\n\nCalculate how much you need. Make plans to ensure positive cashflow so you can make the loan payments. \u00a0A timeline with a plan \u2013 ie: if I can\u2019t turn this into profit in x months/years, I have to cut off losses\u00a0\u2013 is necessary.\n\n\nYou want to pay medical expenses for loved ones\n\n\nRather than a good reason, this is an ethical reason. In my faith, we believe that we have to try to improve our health in whatever way we can. I\u2019m sure it\u2019s the same in yours as well.\n\n\nUnfortunately, this is one of those \u2018win/lose-lose\u2019 situation. If your loved ones heal, you still have to pay. If they don\u2019t, you still have to pay. \n14.3%\n of debt defaulters in Malaysia (ie people who cannot pay back) go bankrupt due to medical expenses.\n\n\nI\u2026 am ok with going bankrupt if it means the smallest chance to save my mom\u2019s life. Hope it does not come to that, but I\u2019m prepared to.\n\n\nYou want to leave an abusive household\n\n\nWell, it\u2019s better if you can save up/borrow money from friends for this, but if you have no choice, go ahead and get a personal loan to help you move out.\n\n\nThis is especially true if you are physically and emotionally abused, and have children under your care. Get out of there, and find a secure location as a new base.\n\n\nYou need about 4 months worth of rental deposit, then living expenses for about 3-6 months. Factor in your moving costs, if you\u2019re moving states/countries.\n\n\nGet a support system as soon as you can. Get a job as soon as you can. Get whatever help available \u2013 from public or private agencies \u2013 immediately.\n\n\nIf you know someone in an abusive household, one of the best ways to help is to provide access to internet, so s/he can search for information and make a decision him/herself. Help them to record incidences of abuse (a simple notebook works), which can be used as evidence in court.\n\n\nNever pressure them. Never ask \u2018why didn\u2019t you\u2019 questions. Never make household problems a taboo subject. I notice that many Malay people like to say \u2018leave their relationship problems for them (the couple) to solve and don\u2019t get involved\u2019, which is bullshit in the highest order.\n\n\nYou have unexpected repairs\u00a0to pay for\n\n\nA sudden burst pipe in your home? Yeah, that\u2019s a situational emergency. Car suddenly breaks down and its the only way to get to work? Same. Get a loan if you can\u2019t afford to finance these repairs yourself.\n\n\nThis is why I\u2019m such a big fan of emergency funds, aka \u2018if shit happens\u2019 money. Once, when I was driving, a brick came out of nowhere and smashed my windshield. RM600+ to replace, if I recall correctly. Bad luck is bad luck. Shit happens.\n\n\nBad Reasons to get a Personal Loan\u00a0in Malaysia\n\n\nYou want to keep up the illusion of wealth\n\n\nThis means adding on a personal loan \non top of\n\u00a0your current debts, for \nnon-necessities\n.\u00a0Borrowing money to appear wealthy is common. This is hard, we have the \u2018saving face\u2019 culture.\u00a0This includes borrowing money for:\n\n\n\n\nWeddings\n\n\nHolidays\n\n\nCosmetic house renovations\n\n\nExpensive clothes and accessories\n\n\nYour relatives\u2019/friends\u2019 \u2018investment opportunity\u2019 that you\u2019re peer-pressured to join (Related: \nhow to spot investment scams\n)\n\n\nExpensive, non-practical cars (I actually think that flashy cars are tacky AF. But I\u2019m also not a car person, so)\n\n\nStudying overseas instead of locally\n\n\nAnd more\n\n\n\n\nIf you want to use the personal loan for the above, and generally things that are \u2018wants\u2019 instead of needs\u2026 I\u2019m so scared about your future. I honestly don\u2019t know how to go about this. If you have suggestions (that\u2019s beyond \u2018don\u2019t do it\u2019), please add on in the comments section.\n\n\nPlease don\u2019t mock people in this category. It contributes to the problem.\n\n\nYou want to start a business\n\n\nFirst-time venturing into own business? I wouldn\u2019t recommend you to risk putting all of the capital/personal loan money into it. Sorry, but I do have to remind you that \n96% of all businesses fail in the first 10 years\n. Believe in yourself, sure, but don\u2019t put all your eggs in one basket.\n\n\nGambling\n\n\nGetting personal loans just to gamble it away is a serious issue affecting a lot of people. Seek help and find support for gambling addicts, friend. These are not Malaysia-specific but may help: \nGamblers Anonymous UK\n and \nGambling Help Online\n.\u00a0\nr/problemgambling\n has some resources for people who struggle to quit.\n\n\nConclusion\n\n\nOver the years of reading financial advice, I\u2019m convinced that having no debt (including \u2018good debt\u2019 like mortgages) is the way to go.\n\n\nWhen the time comes, I\u2019d like to buy a car in cash. Heck, I\u2019d like to buy a house in cash \u2013 it\u2019ll save me so much money in interest payments. In most cases, you end up paying almost as much\u00a0interest than the actual house\u00a0price.\n\n\nExample so you know I\u2019m not bullshitting: Let\u2019s say you want to buy a house worth RM300k. You put down 10% as down payment and decided on 30 years repayment period. You took a home loan for the remaining RM270k.\n\n\nAfter calculating\u00a0\nhere\n, you\u2019ll see that in the end, you\u2019re paying\n more than\u00a0RM200k\n just for the interest. Almost half of your monthly payments (in this case, RM1368.05) goes towards interest!\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m not saying don\u2019t get loans.\n\n\nInstead,\u00a0be hyper aware of your interest payments. This example is is 4.5% interest, which is fairly low. You\u2019ll find that a typical credit card has 1x% interest. Personal loans usually vary on your risk profile, ranging between about 7% all the way up to about 30% (more than that is not uncommon, too) per annum.\n\n\nMy experience with personal loans\n\n\nI don\u2019t know if this counts, but I\u2019ve made several personal loans via credit card\u00a0cash\u00a0advance feature. Once for RM2k, another RM2k, then a RM4k loan. The first was to help finance a laptop, \u00a0the second was for\u2026 something (can\u2019t remember), and the third was for a risky investment to diversify my portfolio (which thankfully, halleluyah, paid off).\n\n\nEach of them was paid over 6 months\u2019 period. Any longer than that, my bank will add on some more fees, and I didn\u2019t particularly want to pay more fees.\n\n\nI don\u2019t know why, but I hated\u00a0myself every time I decided to take those loans. I felt like I succumbed too easily to financial products and banks\u2019 marketing efforts. It was too easy to apply for. All I had to do was log in my online banking account, apply, and minutes later the money was\u2026 there. It\u2019s frustratingly efficient and annoyingly easy.\n\n\nThink about it. \nIt\u2019s easy to get access to more money, anytime I want\n. That\u2019s exactly why this is so scary. \nIt\u2019s too easy to be in debt.\u00a0\n\n\nThey say that this is a good thing. It\u2019s there if I want it. So don\u2019t get it if you don\u2019t want it.\n\n\nBut I\u2019m human. I get tempted too.\n\n\nMy friends and I have tentative plans for an all-girls trip to Iceland. I have savings but why touch that. Tempted.\n\n\nEvery so often, bitcoin\u2019s price rises and I get greedy and feel like getting more. Tempted.\n\n\nMy parents talking about financial setbacks and I want to be their hero to save them. Tempted.\n\n\nGosh my teeth can use straightening. It\u2019s not too late for braces right? Tempted. (Edit: \nI got braces\n)\n\n\nAnd I get reminded about all loan\u00a0offers received via\u00a0all the channels I mentioned. I get reminded daily that I get to be better versions of myself, if only I get those loans.\n\n\nIt\u2019s quite the sucker punch to the gut. I hate it.\n\n\nBut I\u2019m still proud of resisting, because some days, \nit\u2019s a lot of resisting\n.\u00a0I want to be the kind of person who is constantly grateful for what she already has, not someone who is bitter over what she doesn\u2019t have.\n\n\nSo I\u00a0made a pact with myself to not get anymore loans, unless for good reasons. So far, it works. I\u2019m about 1 year personal-loan-free!\n\n\nSo to close this, I have some questions for you.\n\n\n(1) Have you made personal loans? Why? Interest rate?\n\n\n(2) Do you get the ads for loans, too? Where?\n\n\nTalk to me \ud83d\ude42 I\u2019m here on RoR website, on Facebook, and on Twitter too.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/protected-by-pidm/", "title": "Your Money Protected or Not? A Quiz [SPONSORED]\n  ", "body": "If you\u2019re like me, you probably have your money all over the place:\n\n\n\n\nIn bank accounts (plural, because I have a few accounts with a few banks)\n\n\nIn various e-wallets and prepaid cards,\n\n\n\u2018Borrowed\u2019 from legal entities (ie credit cards and loans) or illegal entities (ah long money lenders),\n\n\nIn \u2018future money\u2019 like insurance/takaful payouts,\n\n\nIn various investment accounts,\n\n\nIn physical forms like gold or property or high-value collectables,\n\n\nWith your friend who promised to pay you back soon,\n\n\nIn actual wallets (almost forgot about this one. Cashless trend is still going strong)\n\n\nAnd more.\n\n\n\n\nSo my question to you today is\u2026 do you know what kind of protection is available for each of those listed? How sure are you that you get to access your money when you need to use it?\n\n\nWait huh, you might think, of course your money should be accessible, the financial ecosystem in Malaysia is good, right? (it is), I don\u2019t need to worry, right? (mostly you don\u2019t\u2026 but you should still know because this concerns YOUR money).\n\n\nTake this quiz to test your understanding of your money\u2019s protection \u2013 which is protected by PIDM and which isn\u2019t. Have a look at the three scenarios, including one of Future You (surprise! You\u2019ve reached financial freedom and are a multi-millionaire!)\n\n\nQuiz #1 \u2013 How Protected is Kay\u2019s Money?\n\n\n\n\nScenario 1\n: Kay, 24, Single, Executive\n\n\nKay\u2019s money situation:\n\n\n\n\nCan you guess the ones protected by PIDM?\n\n\nClick the arrow to see the answer:\n\n\nPIDM protects:\n\n\n\n\nRM500 in \nSavings Account in Bank A\n (PIDM Member bank)\n\n\nRM1,000 in \nCurrent Account in Bank A\n (PIDM Member bank)\n\n\n\n\nWhy?\n\n\nPIDM protects eligible deposits \nup to RM250,000 per depositor per member bank\n, and Kay\u2019s deposits are protected in full as the total amount kept in Bank A (a PIDM member Bank), RM1,500, is less than RM250,000.\n\n\nPIDM\u2019s protection DOES NOT extend to:\n\n\n\n\nMoney in e-wallets\n\n\nGold savings accounts\n\n\nASB\n\n\nBitcoin\n\n\nLoan to friend (good luck getting that money back)\n\n\n\n\n\n\nQuiz #2 \u2013 How Protected is Ell and Bee\u2019s Money?\n\n\nScenario 2:\n Ell and Bee, both 30, Married Couple, Own Business\n\n\nEll and Bee\u2019s money situation:\n\n\n\n\nCan you guess the ones protected by PIDM?\n\n\nClick the arrow to see the answer:\n\n\nPIDM protects:\n\n\n\n\nRM8,000 in\n Savings Account in Bank A\n (PIDM member bank) (Ell)\n\n\nRM12,000 in \nSavings Account in Bank A\n (PIDM member bank) (Bee)\n\n\nRM15,000 in \nCurrent Account in Bank B\n (PIDM member bank) (joint business account) (Ell & Bee Sdn Bhd)\n\n\nRM50,000 in\n fixed deposit in Bank A\n (PIDM member bank) (Ell)\n\n\nRM200,000 in \ninsurance/takaful benefits in Insurance Company A\n (PIDM insurer member)\n\n\n\n\nWhy?\n\n\nPIDM protects eligible deposits up to RM250,000 per depositor per member bank\n, and \nup to RM500,000 for\n \ntakaful and insurance benefits \n(for death, permanent disability, critical illness, loss or damage of property).\n\n\nTherefore, \nEll and Bee\u2019s deposits and insurance/takaful benefits are protected \nas they have RM58,000 and RM12,000 respectively in Bank A, RM15,000 in Bank B, and RM200,000 in insurance/takaful benefits.\n\n\nPIDM\u2019s protection DOES NOT extend to:\n\n\n\n\nInvestment banks\n\n\nOverseas branches of member banks\n\n\nMoney in the stock market\n\n\nMoney in prepaid cards\n\n\nScams or fraudulent transfers (ie go to police not to PIDM)\n\n\n\n\n\n\nQuiz #3 \u2013 How Protected is Future You\u2019s Money?\n\n\nScenario 3:\n Future You, 40, Hit Financial Freedom!\n\n\nFuture You\u2019s money situation:\n\n\n\n\nCan you guess the ones protected by PIDM?\n\n\nClick the arrow to see the answer:\n\n\nPIDM protects:\n\n\n\n\nRM250,000 in \nConventional Account in Bank A\n (PIDM member bank) \u2013 the additional RM250,000 is NOT protected\n\n\nRM200,000 in \nIslamic Account in Bank A\n (PIDM member bank)\n\n\nRM1,000,000 in \ninsurance benefits\n in Insurance Company A\n (PIDM insurer member)\n\n\nRM8,000 in \nannuity income per month in Insurance Company A\n (PIDM insurer member)\n\n\n\n\nPIDM protects eligible deposits up to RM250,000 per depositor per member bank. \nThe limit also applies separately to Islamic and conventional deposits.\n\n\nPIDM also protects\n up to RM500,000 for\n \ntakaful and insurance benefits\n (for death, permanent disability, critical illness, loss or damage of property), \nup to RM10,000 for disability and annuity income per month\n, and \n100% of expenses incurred for medical expenses. \n\n\nThe amount of protected benefits will be aggregated only if they relate to the same insurer member, same risk event, same life insured or insured property, and same takaful certificate or insurance policy owner.\n\n\n\u00a0\nTherefore, Future You can optimise PIDM\u2019s protection by simply:\n\n\n\n\ntransferring the unprotected monies, \nincluding the RM250,000 deposit in Conventional Account in Bank A \nto another PIDM member bank\n, and\n\n\nGetting \ntwo life insurance policies \nwith the sum assured of \nRM500,000 from two PIDM insurer members\n instead of one life insurance policy with the sum assured of RM1,000,000 from one insurer member\n\n\n\n\nPIDM\u2019s protection DOES NOT extend to:\n\n\n\n\nInternational Islamic banks,\n\n\nLabuan offshore banks,\n\n\nSSPN, and\n\n\ncash on hand\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDoes that mean\u2026 not PIDM member = no protection for my money?\n\n\nI didn\u2019t say that. Usually (but not always), legally-established financial companies that are not PIDM members do put in some measures in place to ensure safety, because hey, good reputation helps with business and they want your business correct not. They are also governed by strict laws and regulations by BNM and Securities Commission.\n\n\nHowever, if anything happens, the returning-of-funds-back-to-you may not be as automatic as PIDM, in which they already have a system in place should a member bank or insurer member be going bankrupt. PIDM-insured funds will be given back to you even before the (long) winding up process is completed.\n\n\nFor non-PIDM-insured funds? There are other protective measures \u2013 for example, savings in ASB, BSN and Tabung Haji are guaranteed by the government. Know your rights as a financial consumer when placing funds with a non-PIDM member institution, and only do so if you\u2019re comfortable with the risks.\n\n\n\n\nTherefore, as someone who is responsible for your own money management, it\u2019s not a bad idea to plan your deposits and insurance/takaful around maximising PIDM\u2019s protection. Best case scenario, nothing happens, life goes on as usual.\n\n\nWorse case situation, you\u2019ll get your deposits and benefits faster and automatically. Currently, 97% of depositors in Malaysia \u2013 the remaining 3% includes people in Scenario #3 \u2013 are fully protected by PIDM (\nwhich is a fully FREE service btw\n).\n\n\nLet me know in the comments section how you did in the quiz. Did you get the scope of PIDM\u2019s protection right? This concerns your money, and Future You should know this!\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/renew-car-insurance/", "title": "6 Things You Should Know Before You Renew Car Insurance in Malaysia [SPONSORED]\n  ", "body": "\n\nAre you looking to renew car insurance in the near future? If so, here are 5 things you should know before you do so. This article will cover:\n\n\nif you really need car insurance, \nthe types of car insurance, \nwhich one you should get, \nhow to get cheaper car insurance \nand more\n\n\n#1 \u2013 First of all \u2013 Do you need car insurance in Malaysia?\n\n\nCar owners probably know this, but it\u2019s worth mentioning \u2013 as stated in the Road Transport Act 1987, car insurance is \ncompulsory\n. You cannot use motorised vehicles without it.\n\n\nIn fact, you need to get your car insurance sorted out \nbefore\n you can even pay road tax, another compulsory requirement for car owners.\u00a0\n\n\nAside from that legal requirement, you also need car insurance in Malaysia for a more practical reason \u2013 it will \nhelp you financially\n in cases of unwanted circumstances. \n\n\nIn fact, you may even decide to renew car insurance just to add on \ncoverage for flood\n (the technical term is special perils), after witnessing your fellow Malaysians struggle without it.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Which type of insurance is best for a car?\n\n\nThe best type of car insurance is \nComprehensive cover, plus additional covers and benefits that fit your lifestyle and usage\n. This is the one you should get, if you can afford it, so you get coverage for others AND yourself.\u00a0\n\n\nComprehensive cover is one of the 3 main types of car insurance in Malaysia. The next section covers each type, sorted from least to most comprehensive. \n\n\n#3 \u2013 Types of car insurance in Malaysia\n\n\nThere are 3 main types of car insurance in Malaysia, namely \n(1)\n \nThird party cover; (2) Third party, fire and theft cover; \nand \n(3) Comprehensive cover\n. \n\n\nIf you want to renew car insurance, you should know the differences between each of them so you make the best choice possible. The wording can get a bit technical, so I included the oversimplified version for easier understanding.\u00a0\n\n\n(1) Third party cover\n\n\nPrice: $\n\n\nThird party cover\n includes Act only cover PLUS indemnity* for liability in respect of damage to the third-party property if due to insured\u2019s negligence or fault. This is the cheapest type of car insurance that you can purchase.\n\n\nWhat \nThird party cover\n means, oversimplified version:\n\n\nIf you knock into someone and caused injury or death, your insurer will compensate \nthem\nIf you knock into another vehicle and/or property and caused damage to \ntheir \nvehicle and/or property, your insurer will compensate \nthem\nImportant note: With Third party cover, your insurer will NOT compensate \nyou\n\n\n*Note: Indemnity is a technical word, but it more or less means \ngiving you security or protection against a loss.\n Remember that the purpose of car insurance is not to make you rich, but to reduce your financial burden upon unexpected events. It\u2019s meant to restore your assets to the previously agreed upon state, not give you the exact same car in brand new condition. \u00a0\n\n\n(\n2) Third party, fire and theft cover\n \n\n\nPrice: $$\n\n\nThird party, fire and theft cover\n includes Third party cover PLUS indemnifies the policy owner against theft or damage due to fire of the insured car.\n\n\nWhat \nThird party, fire and theft cover\n means, oversimplified version:\n\n\nIf you knock into someone and caused injury or death, your insurer will compensate \nthem\nIf you hit another vehicle and/or property and caused damage to \ntheir \nvehicle and/or property, your insurer will compensate \nthem\nIf your car is stolen or damaged due to fire, your insurer will compensate \nyou\n\n\n(\n3) Comprehensive cover\n\n\nPrice: $$$ to $$$$$ depending on additional coverage and benefits you add on. Obviously, the more coverage you have, the better.\n\n\nComprehensive cover\n includes Third party, fire and theft cover PLUS compensation for physical damage to the insured vehicle as a result of accidental collisions.\n\n\nWhat \nComprehensive cover\n means, oversimplified version:\n\n\nIf you knock into someone and caused injury or death, your insurer will compensate \nthem\nIf you knock into another vehicle and/or property and caused damage to \ntheir \nvehicle and/or property, your insurer will compensate \nthem\nIf your car is stolen or damaged due to fire, your insurer will compensate \nyou\nIf you are driving and get into an accident and your car is damaged, your insurer will compensate \nyou\n\n\nYou can make your Comprehensive cover even more comprehensive by purchasing add-on for additional coverage, such as:\n\n\nWindscreen coverage\nPassenger liability\nMedical expenses (as part of Personal Accident cover) due to road accident\nCoverage against damage to your car due to strikes, riot and civil commotion\nCoverage for damage to your car due to occurrence of natural calamities \u2190 you want coverage for flood? You will want this one\nAnd more, depending on the insurer\n\n\n#4 \u2013 You can get car insurance packages\n\n\nHowever, which coverage should you take, and which ones can you do without? This is one of the most confusing parts when one renew car insurance. \n\n\nSimilar to health and medical insurance, the process of deciding which coverage you need and which you can do without is a hard process. Your may want ALL of the coverage, but your wallet disagrees.\n\n\nIn this case, you might want to (1) compare quotations and/or (2) look for other car insurance products that are designed specifically for their target audience in mind.\n\n\nOne great example is \nMSIG\u2019s Lady Motor Plus Insurance\n, which is \ndesigned for women\n. Women don\u2019t have to \u2018guess\u2019 which covers or benefits you need more than others, it\u2019s already included. Here are the benefits:\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHow MSIG Lady Motor Plus works in real life\n\n\nListing the benefits alone doesn\u2019t do the benefits justice, so let me show the situation in which this product is useful: You are driving your car. Perhaps to the office, perhaps to do your normal chores. It\u2019s just like any other day.\n\n\nExcept it is NOT like any other day. \nUnexpected flash flood hits your area. You had to leave your car behind and find alternative method to go home. Your car is damaged\n.\n\n\nIn this case, you may be able to claim:\n\n\nThe Full Special Perils, which covers loss or damage to your car due to nature-caused calamities, and\nThe Inconvenience Relief Allowance*, which pays RM1,000 if your car was stolen, declared total loss or damaged due to flood\n\n\nHere\u2019s another situational example. \nYou are driving your car, and unlucky enough to get into a serious car accident. You have hurt yourself in the accident and may be left with permanent disability. Your car as well some valuable items in the car are damaged.\n\n\nIn this case, you may be able to claim:\n\n\nThe Standard Comprehensive Motor Cover, which gives coverage against others (\u2018Third Party\u2019) AND for yourself in cases of accidents, accidental fire and theft, and\nThe Policyholder\u2019s Personal Accident, which pays compensation upon death or permanent disability due to road accident, and\nThe Loss or Damage to Personal Belongings*, which pays RM1,000 if your or your authorised driver\u2019s belongings are lost or damaged due to snatch theft or accident, and\nThe Transportation Allowance*, which pays RM100 for transportation expenses if your car is involved in an accident and need to be towed for repairs\n\n\nNote: Special benefit marked as * are only included under \nMSIG\u2019s Lady Motor Plus Insurance\n, and not available for sale individually as optional add-on cover\n\n\nYou can also add on additional coverage if you wish: View the \nMotor Add-on\n page for more information.\n\n\n\n\nYou can find more information on the \nMSIG\u2019s Lady Motor Plus Insurance\n, and download the brochure \nhere\n. A sample cost comparison for this product is on page 10.\n\n\n(To the men, you can go to \nMSIG\u2019s Motor Plus page\n to take a look at another great insurance packaged product \n.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Being strategic about your claims\n\n\nHaving car insurance means you should make claims anytime possible, right?\n\n\nThis is counter-intuitive, but \nyou may choose not to submit a car insurance claim if the accident is minor and the claim involves a small sum.\n\n\nThe reason for this is something called \nNo Claim Discount\n, otherwise known as NCD. Sometimes the term No Claim Bonus or NCB is also used \u2013 they mean the same thing.\n\n\n\n\nBasically, NCD rewards you with discounts if you did NOT make a claim. The longer you go without a claim, the bigger the discount.\n\n\n\n\nPay close attention to the discount scale and how it progressively increases. That means, if you paid RM1600 initially, then you only pay RM720 by the 5th year! You will save 55% or RM880*!\n\n\n*Simplified calculation. The final amount depends on other variables \u2013 See #6 \n\n\nSo do you see how making small claims (say in the low hundreds) may not be worth it? It\u2019s not a bad idea to pay for those out of pocket so you get to enjoy bigger NCD discounts in the future.\n\n\nOf course, do not hesitate to make a claim if the damage or repairs go into thousands or tens of thousands. After all, that\u2019s what car insurance is for.\u00a0It is for your own financial protection.\n\n\n(And it goes without saying \u2013 you can avoid the claim/don\u2019t-claim dilemma altogether by driving safely and doing your best to avoid getting into accidents. That\u2019s the original intent of the discount \u2013 to reward good drivers)\n\n\nTip: You CAN claim your insurance without losing your NCD if the accident was caused by another party and you are claiming against\u00a0\ntheir\n insurance. In this case, your NCD streak is not affected.\n\n\n#6 \u2013 How to get cheaper car insurance in Malaysia\n\n\nI\u2019m sure you want to learn how to get cheaper car insurance in Malaysia. Yes, it is possible. First, you must learn the factors that affect the price of car insurance.\n\n\nThey are:\n\n\nType of cover \n\u2013 Third party cover is usually the cheapest, and Comprehensive Cover is the most expensive\nAdditional benefits and covers\n \u2013 no frills mean no additional costs\nValue of your car\n \u2013 The higher the value, the more expensive the cover\nThe type of your car\n \u2013 the higher the theft ratings of your car, or the higher its general accident statistics, the higher the premium will be\nYour risk behaviour\n \u2013 depends on the driver\u2019s age, gender, occupation, residence, claim history, and the frequency of car use\nTaking advantage of No Claim Discount\n\n\nDepending on all these factors, \nexpect your car insurance to cost from a few hundred to a few thousand ringgit per year\n. You can also get a guesstimate how much your car insurance will cost \u2013 simply look for car insurance calculators online.\n\n\nUnless you really can\u2019t afford it, you don\u2019t really want to cheap out on the first two variables. Instead, you can:\n\n\nChoose a car with smaller value (usually means a cheaper car, but not necessarily)\nChoose a car with lower theft and accident rate\nMaintain a good driving record\nBe strategic about your claims \u2013 as covered in #4\nConsider a car insurance package\n\n\nOn the last point. Similar to how it\u2019ll cost less if you get the set meal rather than buying each food item individually, \nyou\u2019ll spend less for more benefits with car insurance packages\n. Lady Motor Plus Insurance and MSIG\u2019s Motor Plus are both examples of car insurance packages.\u00a0\n\n\nWhat did you wish you knew before you renew car insurance?\n\n\nWhat did you wish you had known before you renew car insurance? What other tips did you learn through experience, and what advice would you give others who are looking for the best car insurance in Malaysia? Leave them in the comments section so all of us can learn!\n\n\nAs an ending note, I\u2019d like to thank \nMSIG\n for the chance to write about car insurance. It was great to learn about the \nLady Motor Plus Insurance\n, which takes out much of the guessing game in terms of deciding what coverage and benefits are important for women. It\u2019s also great that some of the benefits are exclusive to this plan and not available elsewhere.\n\n\nNote: With all insurance products, terms and conditions apply. Speak to an MSIG Insurance Adviser or contact MSIG for more information.\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/rm10000-per-month-passive-income/", "title": "How to Get RM10000 per Month in Passive Income (In 3 Steps)\n  ", "body": "\n\nWhat is your definition of Rich? \n\n\nAaron Tang of \nMr Stingy\n asked this question on social media the other day and many submitted their answers. \n\n\nI\u2019ll leave it to him to compile in an article (hehe) but my answer was: the ability to make RM10000 per month through active or passive income (adjusted to inflation), plus free time to invest in health, family, relationship and passion projects. \n\n\nI would like to thank @_AfzalKhan95 for asking this follow-up question, which became the prompt and inspiration behind this article: How does one get RM10000 per month in passive income, \nwithout\n being (outright or borderline) unethical and/or lucky?\n\n\n\n\nHey Suraya, if I may propose an article: \"How to get RM 10k/mth of passive income?-No money games/MLM/lucky overnight capital gains/inheritance/windfall\"\nThat article would be da bomb\ud83d\ude0d\n\u2014 AfzalKhan (@_AfzalKhan95) \nAugust 14, 2021\n\n\n\n\nIn theory, the steps and maths behind it are straightforward. So here goes:\n\n\nHow to get RM10,000 per Month in Passive Income in Just 3 Steps\n\n\nSimplistically, there are only 3 steps to it. \n\n\n\n\nStep 1:\n Work until you earn RM2.4 million\n\n\nStep 2: \nPut it somewhere that gives you 5% annually\n\n\nStep 3: \nCollect RM10,000 per month in passive income\n\n\n\n\nLet\u2019s expand those steps:\n\n\n Step 1: Work until you earn RM2.4 million\n\n\nAlas, unless you are lucky (generational wealth, windfall money, lucky capital gains etc), Step 1 is the hardest. You need to accumulate RM2.4 million in assets, after eliminating/deducting debt. \n\n\nThere is no way around it \u2013 you have to work to earn the amount. You can invest and use leveraging strategies, sure, but that only speeds up the wealth accumulation process, \nnot start it\n. \n\n\n(I had to say that because many people ask me how to be rich with just investing, without earning. Cannot, you need the initial capital. \u2018Just\u2019 5% return on investment with RM5000 capital is RM250, much higher than RM20 you\u2019ll get from 20% return on investment on RM100 capital.)\n\n\nThe good news is there are many ways to accomplish Step 1, as nicely illustrated by \niMoney.my\n below:\n\n\n\n\nSome of you might be intimidated by the RM2.4 million number. It\u2019s big, yes. So what are you going to do about it? No, really, think of \nhow\n to get there, fight the \u2018I\u2019ll never reach there\u2019 thoughts, if you have them.  \n\n\nIf you don\u2019t know what to do, I suggest starting from these two resources on earning money in Malaysia:\n\n\n\n\nIncrease your salary through day job\n (Saver+Investor; Climb the corporate ladder)\u2013\u00a0\nhttp://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/high-salary-in-malaysia/\n\n\nIncrease your income through side hustles \n(Be the expert/star in your field; Be the entrepreneur) \u2013\u00a0\nhttp://ringgitohringgit.com/earning-money/side-income-malaysia/\n\n\n\n\nBreaking it down into numbers and timeline, just to give you a rough idea of what Step 1 entails:\n\n\n\n\nIt\u2019ll take 30 years to reach ~RM2.38 mil if you set aside RM1600 per month in an investment giving 8% annual interest rate, compounded monthly (play around with this \nCompound Interest Calculator Malaysia\n)\n\n\nIt\u2019ll take selling 2,400 items/services and average profit margin of RM1000 each to earn RM2.4 million\n\n\n\n\nBefore we move to the next step, I just want to highlight something \u2013 \nI know you want to accumulate money as fast\n \nas possible\n.  It\u2019s not impossible of course, but I just want you to be very realistic \u2013 most people take years, decades even, and that\u2019s okay. What\u2019s more important is for you to enjoy the journey. \n\n\n\n\nOverrated metric: how fast you're able to reach financial independence\nUnderrated metric: how enjoyable your journey is on the way to financial independence\n\u2014 Four Pillar Freedom (@4PillarFreedom) \nAugust 14, 2021\n\n\n\n\nStep 2: Put it somewhere that gives you 5% annually\n\n\nIf you reached here, congrats! It\u2019s not easy, especially for those from less-privileged backgrounds. Proud of you, good job \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nAfter you have completed Step 1, you now have the option of shifting into wealth preservation mode. (Or if you decide you want more than RM10000 per month, you can continue to accumulate more than RM2.4 million, up to you.)\n\n\nWhat is the best investment for monthly income in Malaysia? Truthfully, finding an investment that gives you 5% profit per annum which allows monthly/yearly payout is not a hard task. You could:\n\n\n\n\nDo your own research \u2013 there are ~\n15 investment options you choose from as an individual investor in Malaysia\n (\nASNB funds\n and/or \nroboadvisors\n are great for DIY investors)\n\n\nTalk to your Relationship Officers and/or Wealth Managers at banks and investment companies. They will be ecstatic to help you \n\n\nTalk to \nfinancial planners\n \u2013 highly recommended \u2013 more on this further below. \n\n\n\n\nThere might be some among you who are like, eleh 5% je per annum? I can do better hoho hehe.\n\n\nGo learn the difference between \ngrowing\n wealth and \npreserving \nwealth. They are different strategies, but of course you clever already, what do I know kan. \n\n\nStep 3: Collect RM10,000 per month in passive income\n\n\nThis is the easiest and most fun part of all \u2013 collecting the RM10000 per month. The RM10000 collected monthly is \npure profit from interest\n, without touching the RM2.4 million capital. \n\n\nCalculation-wise, to make it clear:\n\n\n\n\nRM2,400,000 x 5% per year = \nRM120,000 in profit from interest per year\n\n\nTherefore, RM120,000 per year allows you to withdraw \nRM10000 per month in passive income\n without reducing your initial  RM2.4 million capital\n\n\nNote: This is a highly simplified calculation, not factoring in inflation etc. If you want exact exact number, \nuse these formulas and calculate yourself\n (or see optional step, below) \n\n\n\n\nIn financial planning-speak, this is one type of retirement planning method, called the \nCapital Intact Method\n. Basically, you plan it so that even with the withdrawals, the amount of your initial capital won\u2019t reduce, forever. \n\n\nCapital Intact Method is the safest retirement planning method, and save for truly unexpected situations that insurance/preventative methods can\u2019t cover, will significantly reduce the likelihood of you running out of money in old age (a huge fear for many!). \n\n\nOptional but Recommended Step: Talk to a Financial Planner\n\n\nYou can DIY your money management all the way, but I highly recommend \ntalking to a financial planner\n at some point, even as early as Step 1. \n\n\nThe thing is, personal finance *is* simple, BUT there are simply too many things to know. Even if you\u2019re doing it \u2018right\u2019, the assurance that you\u2019re doing it right itself is valuable. \n\n\nIt is rare though for someone to do EVERYthing right \u2013 something will slip through, so that\u2019s where the financial planner comes in. For example, your financial planner could help you with:\n\n\n\n\nEstate planning \u2013 what happens to that RM2.4 million when your time is up? (Muslims please sort out your \nWasiat/Hibah/Trust\n documents; the rest do Will Planning)\n\n\nRetirement planning (is the RM10000 per month actually enough for you to live your ideal life? What if there is shortfall?)\n\n\nInsurance\n and risk transfer (do you have enough insurance? Paying for too much? Are there exclusions you were not aware of?)\n\n\nInvestment recommendations \n\n\nEducation planning if you have children\n\n\nInflation calculation \n\n\nLifestyle adjustment \n\n\nYour options if you *can\u2019t* ever reach Step 2 (not everyone can, but you can still \nlive a happy and dignified life with smaller amounts of money\n)\n\n\nAnd more\n\n\n\n\nSuraya, isn\u2019t this FI/RE? \n\n\nBy this point, some of you might be like, hey this is familiar, isn\u2019t this the whole FI/RE thing, the Financial Independence, Retire Early thing? \n\n\nTo be fair, it is, kind of. But what happened here is I put a number on it (RM10000 per month), rather than the goal of \u2018I want a lot of money\u2019. Also, I am meh about the \u2018Retire Early\u2019 philosophy of FI/RE community. I don\u2019t.. hate my job..\n\n\nHowever, if you are into the early retirement part, then I recommend reading this evergreen Mr Money Moustache article: \nThe Shockingly Simple Math Behind Early Retirement\n\n\nRemember you are free to adjust the numbers \u2013 if you have a big family or desire a luxury lifestyle, then adjust it to RM20000 per month or RM100000 per month or whatever. If you need less than that, perhaps RM3000 per month or RM5000 per month, adjust it. The same principles apply. \n\n\nThat\u2019s all there is to it. Simple? Yes. Easy? No, but a worthy goal, if you want it to be. \n\n\nHope this article helps to break down the steps to the dream of \u2018goyang kaki duit masuk\u2019 fantasy that you may have. If you have tips or experience, would love to hear from you, please leave a comment below. \n\n\nAll the best and again, prioritise enjoying the journey, rather than fixated on the goal \ud83d\ude42 \n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/snowball-method/", "title": "Explaining Snowball Method, The Best Way to Pay Off Debt\n  ", "body": "Dave Ramsey is a popular author and radio host in the United States. He\u2019s problematic in many ways, but his advice on debt repayment method, dubbed the Debt Snowball Method is solid. It\u2019s a loan repayment plan for people who owe money and overwhelmed by it.\n\n\nWhat I\u2019m going to try to do is to explain the Snowball Method in a way that is relatable to us Malaysians. So you can use it to pay off your debt, adviseice someone about it.\n\n\n(Note: Find the original explanation on his website \nhere\n, written for the U.S. audience.)\n\n\n\n\nMeet Puteri*\n\n\n*Fictional character; no real-life resemblance intended.\n\n\nPuteri is a university graduate who works in KL. She owes money to a few financial institutions and her family.\n\n\n\n\nFrom left to right, Puteri has:\n\n\n\n\nCar loan \u2013 borrowed RM36k with 3% interest; balance RM20k\n\n\nCredit card \u2013 borrowed RM1000 with 9% interest;\u00a0balance RM1000\n\n\nFAMA Bank (Bank of Father and Mother) \u2013 borrowed RM1500 with 0% interest, balance RM1500\n\n\nPTPTN education loan \u2013 borrowed RM50k with 1% interest; balance RM40k\n\n\nPersonal loan \u2013 borrowed RM10,000 with 12% interest;\u00a0balance RM8000\n\n\n\n\n(interest rates taken from various comparison websites)\n\n\nThe \nlogical approach\n when paying off debt is to prioritise repayment of the highest interest loan first before paying off next one. If that\u2019s the case, Puteri\u2019s order is:\n\n\n\n\nPersonal loan \u2013 12%\u00a0interest\n\n\nCredit card \u2013 9%\u00a0interest\n\n\nCar loan \u2013 3%\u00a0interest\n\n\nPTPTN \u2013 1%\u00a0interest\n\n\nFAMA Bank \u2013 0%\u00a0interest\n\n\n\n\nIt makes sense right? This way Puteri gets to pay the least amount of overall interest. So rational the solution.\n\n\nOk, here\u2019s the thing. Math-wise it\u2019s rational. Humans are not as rational, though. Dave Ramsey and a bunch of \nHarvard researchers\n say its better to prioritise debt in the order of their \nbalances\n instead.\n\n\nIf you re-order Puteri\u2019s loans by their balances, it\u2019ll look like this:\n\n\n\n\nCredit card \u2013 balance RM1000\n\n\nFAMA Bank \u2013 balance RM1500\n\n\nPersonal loan \u2013 balance RM8000\n\n\nCar loan \u2013 balance RM20k\n\n\nPTPTN education loan \u2013 balance RM40k\n\n\n\n\nWhy should Puteri pay off credit card balance first if personal loan have a higher interest rate? Because ticking off debt one by one gives you more motivation along the way. Say Puteri paid off her lowest amount of debt, credit card. Now it\u2019ll look like this:\n\n\n\n\nCredit card \u2013 balance RM1000\n (Paid off in full!)\n\n\nFAMA Bank (minimum payment to indicate goodwill)\n\n\nPersonal loan \u2013 balance RM8000 (minimum payment to avoid further interest)\n\n\nCar loan \u2013 balance RM20k\u00a0(minimum payment to avoid further interest)\n\n\nPTPTN education loan \u2013 balance RM40k\u00a0(minimum payment to avoid further interest)\n\n\n\n\nIdk about you but even crossing out one loan in this hypothetical example gave me\u00a0a lot of satisfaction.\n\n\n\n\nThen Puteri can do the same thing for the rest:\n\n\n\n\nFAMA Bank \u2013 balance RM1500 (put in extra money to pay this off in the quickest timeframe)\n\n\nPersonal loan \u2013 balance RM8000 (minimum payment to avoid further interest)\n\n\nCar loan \u2013 balance RM20k\u00a0(minimum payment to avoid further interest)\n\n\nPTPTN education loan \u2013 balance RM40k\u00a0(minimum payment to avoid further interest)\n\n\n\n\nAnd so on and so forth. \nWhichever debt has the lowest balance, pay off that one first\n.\n\n\nGeneral tips and tricks in paying off debt\n\n\nPersonally, I\u2019m the type of person who is uncomfortable with borrowing money, I don\u2019t like to be in debt. I aim to not owe anyone anything. If I can repay all my debt in 10 years instead of 25, why not? Peace of mind.\n\n\nIf our thinking is aligned, and you do have debt to pay off, here are more tips and tricks:\n\n\n\n\nAlways find out if there are opportunities to reduce your loan balance.\n For example, PTPTN offers 15% discount on one-shot repayment. There might be a balance transfer plan that gives better rates. Then re-order according to the new balance.\n\n\nCheck if there are penalties to paying off loans early.\n Sometimes they have penalties, those sneaky bastards. If they do, add it to the balance and re-order again.\n\n\nDon\u2019t get another (bad) loan.\n Avoid racking up more debt, especially credit card and personal loan debt.\n\n\nTry to not skip minimum payments.\n Unless you\u2019re really short in cash and can\u2019t trim your budget any further. If you have to miss, try giving each institution a call to see if you can renegotiate terms, like asking smaller payments or asking for an extension. It\u2019s worth a shot. If not, ask FAMA Bank. If not, it\u2019s ok, it\u2019s not the end of the world. Ask AKPK and see if they can intervene and help in any way.\n\n\nFind ways to increase income and reduce expenses.\n Chuck all your extra money to repayments so you\u2019ll get out of debt faster.\n\n\nIf the interest rate is really small (0-1%), it\u2019s OK to split your money and use a part of it to start investing.\n Check out how to \nstart investing even with RM1000\n.\n\n\nNever take advantage of FAMA Bank.\n Pay back your parents. Don\u2019t rob from their retirement funds.\n\n\n\n\nThere may be more tips, I\u2019ll add more as I have them. If you have additional tips, do share in the comments and I\u2019ll add them in (crediting yourself).\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nMy Debt Management: All The Good Debt & Bad Debt I\u2019ve Taken So Far\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/stupid-financial-decision/", "title": "Malaysians Share Objectively Stupid Financial Decisions We\u2019ve Made\n  ", "body": "If all of us were a \nHomo Economicus\n, we\u2019d never make a single financial mistake. Not one. The \u2018Economic man\u2019 is an infinitely rational human being, who makes decisions purely on the pros and cons of options provided.\n\n\nBut alas, we\u2019re not. We\u2019re Homo sapiens, humans. Hormones released in our brains affect our emotions and decide on our behaviour, almost all the time. Being aware of it helps, but not as much as we\u2019d like to think.\n\n\nWhat I\u2019m saying is,\u00a0\neveryone makes stupid financial decisions.\n And sometimes we do it \neven when we know the decision is objectively stupid.\u00a0\n\n\nIt\u2019s like\u2026 being aware that binge-eating is not good for you as you\u2019re stuffing your face (hello dis me). Or continuing an extra-marital affair despite knowing your life will fall apart when you\u2019re caught cheating.\n\n\nOof that got dark. Anyway, going back to personal finance.\n\n\nThe point\n\n\n\n\nThe point I\u2019m trying to make is \nif\n when you make stupid financial decisions, know that \nyou\u2019re not the only one\n.\n\n\nI\u2019ve made them. So have many others. Sometimes things can be bad, but some of them, we end up not regretting, either through acceptance (reframe it as a learning opportunity) or through sheer luck (omg it ended well, thank God).\n\n\nAs proof that we\u2019ve all been done boo-boos in varying degrees and situations, I\u2019m listing below mistakes that I and RoR audience have made. Go through our answers below, republished with permission (thank you!).\u00a0 Answers were edited for clarity.\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nTravelled instead of saving\n\n\nChui Yee Mun\n \u2013 I t\nook gap months to volunteer abroad/out-of-state instead of jumping into the workforce right after graduation. \n\n\nIn terms of long-term saving, the decision hurt my financial goal (especially retirement goal) but I believe that you only live once. (Ultimately) what matters to me is how vibrant my life experience is.\n\n\nWell, I guess it\u2019s pretty millennial thing. And although it hurts me even more now, when many are affected by MCO, I have no regrets since I myself made the decision.\n\n\nDarren YkChee\n \u2013 I u\nsed my education-earmarked monthly allowance to go Genting. Wonderful 3 days 2 nights.\n\n\nPatricia Angela Pinto\n \u2013 \nIt was my first overseas trip without my parents, ever. \n\n\nI was afraid of under-budgeting, and despite some hangups with credit cards as my dad had gone bankrupt from credit card debt many years before, my worry for running out of cash led me to apply for one before the trip. I also withdrew a large sum from my ASB, for hotel bookings etc.\n\n\nObjectively it was dumb to do that, but I don\u2019t regret it because that trip made me much more aware of how I treat people, and I gained new self-found confidence in travelling on my own, to the point that I feel I can confidently navigate airports and public transport in a different country, as long as I can get data.\n\n\nWithdrawing from ASB was really dumb though, in retrospect.\n\n\nRupa Subramaniam\n \u2013\u00a0\nInstead of buying myself a degree like everyone else, I spent my education savings to backpack for 6 months around the world. I did my \u2018lawatan sambil belajar\u2019 to some of the best art museums in Europe, and observed Brazilian culture too.\n\n\nI came back with a fresh pair of eyes. I was able to see the gap in our Malaysian art industry and produce work at an international level, to cater for it.\n\n\nThe ideas I came across while travelling has already made back my financial investment. Best part? It got me street cred. I wouldn\u2019t have gotten the experience and credibility with a mere art degree.\n\n\nTravelling gave me the confidence, no matter what shit happens, I can deal with it. Still don\u2019t have a degree, still can\u2019t apply for scholarships (yet), but boy have I lived to see the world in its glory!\n\n\nOverly-risky investments\n\n\nPatrick Ling\n \u2013 \nI put all my life-savings into one stock, Westmont Ondustries, and mercilessly, it tanked. And I heard my money talked to me for the first time. It said goodbye!!\n\n\nThankfully, it happened at the start of my investing journey many many years ago. I have moved on. I benefitted from this lesson tremendously, especially the importance of diversification.\n\n\nSuyin Invests\n \u2013 I u\nsed my entire allocated savings for investments to buy shares in one single company.\u00a0\n(This was a stupid decision because) portfolio allocation really matters. Don\u2019t just have one company as our entire stock portfolio\u00a0\n\ud83d\ude05\n\n\nLuckily it went up by 50% in 4 months. If it went down by 50% instead, maybe psychologically I would not be ready to take that kind of volatility and might have sold it all and realised the losses.\n\n\nThat (losing money) could have shaped the beginning of my investing journey. I would have emerged with a completely different outlook\n\n\nSuraya (me lol)\n \u2013 \u00a0\n\u2026I have borrowed money (advance from credit card) to purchase crypto. This was roughly 5 years ago when I was young and stupid\n\n\nDON\u2019T DO THIS. IT\u2019S A BAD MOVE. THANK GOODNESS IT WORKED OUT\n\n\nAccommodation-related\n\n\nHasyimi Bahrudin\n\u00a0\u2013\u00a0\nWe bought an undercon apartment on the spot. We were checking out properties to buy for our first home, and decided to buy this particular unit without thinking it over, mostly because it\u2019s cheap (RM250k for 1000sqft). This was back in 2016 when I was financially illiterate.\n\n\nIt worked out okay, as the location turns out to be near a KTM station; otherwise I have to drive 50km to get to KL. I do have some regrets though. Maybe we should have stuck with renting, at least for another few years.\n\n\nSyaza Nazura\n \u2013 (My objectively stupid financial decision was to) m\nove out of my parents\u2019 house into our rented apartment just one month into a new job, in February 2020.\n\n\nI got tired of driving from Shah Alam to Seri Kembangan on a daily basis (have to leave the house by 6:30 to get to work by 7:30am) so decided to check out a few places near my workplace, found a nice furnished studio, took it up and rented it.\n\n\nTwo weeks after we moved in, MCO started. I\u2019ve been working from home for the past four months, when the only reason I moved out here is to be closer to work \ud83e\udd26\ud83c\udffb\u200d\u2640\ufe0f\n\n\nCould\u2019ve saved A LOT if I had waited just another month, on rent and bills and internet and all. But that\u2019s OK. (The upside is) I get to live independently with the husband, away from family. \n\ud83d\ude02\n\n\nTook out a loan to pay for wedding (!!)\n\n\nAhmad Helmi Shaharuddin\u00a0\n\u2013\u00a0\nIn 2012 I took out personal financing worth RM40k (to pay for) my wedding as I did not set aside any savings for it. \n\n\nTo be honest, before marriage I had no financial planning whatsoever, plus we had met and known each other for only a few months before seriously considering to marry each other hahaha.\n\n\nLuckily we were not big spenders for our wedding. We only used RM20k from the amount for the hantaran and wedding reception, and planned to use the rest to rent a place and buy basic stuff for our home. \n\n\nBut we (ended up using the money to) purchase a sub-sale, 1000-sqt 3-bedrooms 2-bathrooms condo which\u00a0only costs RM900 per month in mortgage plus another RM150 in maintenance fees, as compared to other\n\u00a0\u2018decent\u2019 rental property in Shah Alam and Klang, which was around RM1,500 to RM2,000 per month.\u00a0\n\n\nOur decision turned out fine as our place is near to work and it is very convenient. You don\u2019t have to fight for parking and the place is so quiet and peaceful. It was partially furnished and newly renovated with kitchen cabinets etc, the only thing we needed was a tv and a bed. And now the LRT3 station is being built near it. \n\n\n(The house is) a\nn impulsive buy that I didn\u2019t regret.\n But yeah, do save for your weddings kids.\n\n\n(Suraya\u2019s note: yep. Do as we say, not as we do folks)\n\n\nImpulsively bought expensive things\n\n\nJason Chew\n \u2013 I bought a\n RM600 pair of shoes when my income in that month was by far my lowest. My income improved in the next few months; but that pair of shoes gave me so much comfort during those challenging months.\n\n\nNor Nabila\n \u2013 \nI took money from my emergency money to buy a necklace and waxing promotions. I have a necklace and my body feels comfortable\n\n\nDr Amalina Osman\n \u2013\u00a0 I made an impulsive purchase of Kindle during a book fair for nearly RM1k.\n\n\nIt turns up to be one of my valuable purchases as it helps me to get good books at almost half of paperback price. Some fiction ebooks are priced only 0.99 \u2013 3.99 USD in Kindle. Such a good bargain I would say.\n\n\nQuit job\n\n\nMelisa Chin\n \u2013 I q\nuit my day job and started an online business. Now, I have flexibility in terms of time, but still have a really hard time explaining to my mom why I did it. No regret though.\n\n\nBought a car\n\n\nNadia Ahmad \n\u2013\u00a0 I ag\nreed to buy my first car back in 2004, for work. After a couple of years owning it, I realised that having a car makes you independent but you have to pour money to maintain it. \n\n\nAt one point, (I regretted the decision so much that) I wanted to sell the car altogether and move around by public transport.\u00a0\n\n\nHowever, (it ended up being okay as) wherever I work, I needed my own transportation (had to stay back a lot back then). The car proved to be a lasting piece of machine too, still working until today. In fact, I m not selling the car ever. So no more regrets.\n\n\nJoined an MLM\n\n\nFahmi\n \u2013 I joined an MLM due to peer pressure and immaturity and lost a lot of money that I couldn\u2019t make back. But I didn\u2019t regret joining as I learned a lot from the people there, both good and bad.\u00a0\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nWhat can you learn from all these self-admitted stupid financial decisions?\n\n\n(1) \nPeople take risks.\n You can \nreduce risk by having savings\n and learn from other people\u2019s experience and advice and whatnot, but you can\u2019t eliminate it totally. Because, again, we\u2019re Homo sapiens not Homo economicus.\n\n\nThat said, \nwe owe it to ourselves to improve this obvious human flaw via constantly learning and applying self-development\n.\n\n\n(2)\u00a0If it ended up okay, count your blessings. If it didn\u2019t, shit happens, \nface the consequences and make the best of it\n, because that\u2019s really all you can do.\n\n\nAs a last note: No matter how bad it is, remember that money is just money \u2013 it isn\u2019t worth dying over or anything like that. The world doesn\u2019t end, life goes on.\n\n\nIf you do a stupid financial decision, just do your best to dig yourself out of financial holes as and when you make \u2019em. With the right mindset, life can still be awesome.\n\n\nAnd now, I\u2019d like to invite you to share your own stupid financial decision. I don\u2019t know about the rest of the respondents, but taking that off my chest felt \ngood.\u00a0\nGo on, give us your worse.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/taklik-tambahan/", "title": "How to Do Taklik Tambahan (for People Who Don\u2019t Want Polygamy)\n  ", "body": "\n\nYou already know that Islam allows a Muslim man to take up to four wives simultaneously in a practice called polygamy.\n\n\nYou may \nnot\n know that \nIslam also allows wives the right to refuse husbands permission to marry more than one wife \nby adding it in the taklik tambahan.\n\n\nThis is a completely accurate, yet not that well-known piece of information.\n\n\nIn this age where the polygamy privilege is routinely being abused by irresponsible husbands \u2013 causing the wives severe financial and emotional distress \u2013 I hope to share widely the rights that women already have under Islamic laws, which she can exercise for her own protection.\n\n\nWhat is taklik\n\n\nTaklik \u2013 sometimes spelt as takliq or ta\u2019lik or ta\u2019liq or taqlik- is a type of agreement between husbands and wives. The husband utters it during the wedding solemnisation in accordance with Section 2 Islamic Family Law (Federal Territory) 1984.\n\n\nTaklik is already standard practice \u2013 different states use different texts. For example, Selangorians use this text:\n\n\n\u201cSaya mengaku apabila saya tinggalkan isteri saya (nama isteri) selama empat bulan hijrah berturut-turut atau lebih dengan sengaja atau paksaan,\ndan saya atau wakil saya tiada memberi nafkah kepadanya selama tempoh yang tersebut pada hal ia taatkan saya atau saya melakukan sebarang mudarat kepada tubuh badannya,\nkemudian ia mengadu kepada mahkamah syariah, dan apabila sabit aduannya di sisi mahkamah syariah, dan ia memberi kepada Mahkamah Syariah,\nyang menerima bagi pihak saya satu ringgit maka pada ketika itu tertalak ia dengan cara talak khuluk.\u201d\n\n\n(You can view other states\u2019 standard taklik text \nhere\n)\n\n\nCan you add on to the standard taklik text and do taklik tambahan?\n\n\nYes, you can. Section 22 of Islamic Family Law (Federal Territory) 1984 states that there is no condition to taklik tambahan. \nHere\u2019s what Dato\u2019 Seri Dr. Zulkifli Mohamad al-Bakri, Mufti of Federal Territories has to say about it\n.\n\n\n\n\nRead the full version of the above at \nAl-Kafi #1398: The Ruling of a Wife forbidding her Husband from marrying another woman\n\n\nI\u2019d like to highlight this particular text:\n\n\n..if she forbids him with justifications which are permitted by syarak, then it is lawful and is encouraged\n. \nFor example, if practicing polygamy may cause injustice in terms of the nafaqah (obligation of sustenance and provisions) and qismah (allocation of days between wives), wives or nafaqah of the children and parents, then forbidding and preventing the husband from \nthis is an honorable advice in religion\n.\n\n\nSome netizens have shared how it\u2019s been told to them during pre-marital courses too.\n\n\nMasa kursus kahwin, ustaz ada cakap yang dalam taklik, isteri boleh letak syarat \u201cKalau suami cakap dia bujang di hadapan wanita lain, isteri boleh mintak cerai.\u201d Not sure how many women have done this though, or even know about this. But from what I heard, it\u2019s allowed. \nhttps://t.co/USPqXURJrf\n\u2014 Shafiqah Othman (@sfqomhz) \nOctober 18, 2019\n\n\n\n\nSo with the knowledge that only \n32% of Muslim women in Malaysia allows their husbands to take on another wife\n, the rest can and should do this taklik tambahan so that expectations are clear between both parties.\n\n\nMen who want polygamous marriages are free to marry women who don\u2019t mind being in polygamous marriages. Again, clarity. No cheating, no hurt feelings, no running away to Thailand. Just fairness.\n\n\nAside from no polygamy, what other taklik tambahan can Muslim couples add on? (contoh taklik tambahan)\n\n\nAs mentioned above, anything goes as long as it\u2019s not against Islam. Muslim couples can add on to their taklik tambahan (non-exhaustive list):\n\n\nHusband is not allowed to take more than one wife during the duration of their marriage\nHusband and wife are not allowed to lie about their marital status to others\nHusband is not allowed to force wife to quit her job after marriage\nHusband and wife are not allowed to physically hurt each other\nHusband and wife both will share responsibilities of cooking, cleaning and other homemaking tasks\nIf either husband or a wife suggests marriage counselling, the other party must agree to it\nAnd more\n\n\nYou can add more clauses. Note that the taklik tambahan don\u2019t necessarily have to include the \u2018no polygamy\u2019 clause, just \nwhat is mutually agreed between the couple, as basis of their married life. \n\n\nCan married Muslim couples add on to their taklik tambahan?\n\n\nI thought that Muslim women can only add on taklik tambahan before they get married, but according to Sisters in Islam\u2019s legal panel (link 404-ed unfortunately), there is \nno barrier to adding on taklik tambahan at any time, post-marriage.\n\n\nAs long as both husband and wife consents, all they have to do is to bring the document containing the taklik tambahan agreement to the nearest Islamic department and register it at the Marriage and Divorce Department.\n\n\nThe husband will then read out the taklik tambahan in front of the officer and his wife, with two witnesses. Everyone will sign the document to certify it as done.\n\n\nWhere to get lafaz taklik tambahan text template\n\n\nI got my lafaz taklik tambahan from \nTelenisa\n, which focuses on the no-polygamy clause. You can add on other clauses as mutually agreed.\n\n\nYou can also refer to this post by Sisters in Islam\n\n\n\nhttps://www.facebook.com/officialSIS/posts/pfbid02sEUU3JpZmjBG8eUxB9Q5mQ7DKKL8yaZBqFb7G2Vpder6GHPHQQ1k8wM6X4TKgWsel?cft[0]=AZVny6dEElGaD5xh1-QGBerDONs8sCnAqZLmV9y8s5BEWyXXZCba0AkNV5wXyjgn4_bjy1ot6ZrKT81WmHdLABE53sButxrOtaH-Xwy8mC1ouxaeL0W7PUeI7ieUoWreiLMjxfGXEfguIrX69Fho3v_D&tn=%2CO%2CP-R\n\n\n\nEDIT: \nHere is the exact template that I used in my marriage\n, use as contoh taklik tambahan. If you edit the document, I encourage you to get a Syariah lawyer to look it over so it works as intended and no negative consequences.\n\n\nImportant #1\n: \nYou don\u2019t need permission from any religious officer to use taklik tambahan\n \u2013 I just printed it out and handed to the Tok Kadi before nikah ceremony (obviously discuss with your partner, it\u2019s an agreement not a demand; both of you need to mutually agree on its content). \n\n\nImportant #2\n: \nThe template is not \u2018automatic jatuh talak if do X\u2019 style\n. It is only enforceable upon formal complaint at the Syariah Courts (another headache altogether, I heard)\n\n\nImportant #3\n: Apparently \nsome religious officers have discouraged people from doing taklik tambahan\n. People have told me how officers denied giving them info about it, shamed them for asking, insinuate they don\u2019t trust/love the husband, told them to present proof it\u2019s possible, lied and said you cannot use taklik tambahan in Syariah court, or outright refuse couples last minute. \n\n\nStand your ground. It is absolutely your right\n. \n\n\nConclusion\n\n\nIslam is good. Islam is fair.\n\n\nMuslims, on the other hand\u2026 are humans. Ugly. Greedy. Horny. Opportunistic. Full of flaws.\n\n\nA part of me is comforted by the fact that taklik tambahan can give me protection, but at the same time I wish that Muslim women\u2019s rights are given by default, not on as-requested basis. I only learned about taklik tambahan and the option to disallow polygamy at age 31, and I consider myself well-read. How many others had no idea about it, before this?\n\n\nWriting this reminds me of Faraid laws, or Islamic inheritance laws, which is the default if Muslims didn\u2019t set a wasiat or hibah in place. Under Faraid, male relatives receive at least twice as much as female relatives, and non-Muslim family members aren\u2019t entitled to any inheritance at all.\n\n\n(If that\u2019s something you don\u2019t want for yourself and your family, go read my \nWasiat, Hibah, Trust: 3 Tools to Circumvent Faraid / Islamic Inheritance Laws in Malaysia\n article.)\n\n\nIn any case, I welcome your views and suggestions. What else should Muslim couples entering into a marriage should add in their taklik tambahan? Have you done yours? Let me know in the comments section.\n\n\nHelp me share this article about taklik tambahan and its protective capabilities widely to your networks. Tell your Muslim friends, especially if they\u2019re about to get married. View it like insurance \u2013 get it just for the peace of mind, best case scenario is you never have to use it.\n\n\nThanks in advance and may Allah swt bless us all.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/the-50-30-20-rule/", "title": "Can You *Really* Afford It? Use the 50/30/20 Rule (Free Editable Template)\n  ", "body": "\n\nThe 50/30/20 Rule is a great guideline for people who just started budgeting. From it, you can easily see if you have an income problem, a spending problem, or both. \n\n\nHow the 50/30/20 Rule works\n\n\nUnder the 50/30/20 Rule, you are dividing your salary or income into just 3 categories: \n\n\n50% for Needs\n30% for Wants\n20% for Savings/Investments\n\n\nLet\u2019s break down each of them:\n\n\n50% for Needs\n\n\nThe \u2018Needs\u2019 category is for necessities \u2013 things you HAVE to pay for. Some examples include: \n\n\nAccommodation \u2013 Mortgage or Rent\nTransportation \u2013 A travel pass or vehicle (and all its related costs)\nFood \u2013 Groceries and budget meals \nBills \u2013 Electric, Water, Phone, etc\nDebt repayment \u2013 credit card, personal loan, BNPL\nInsurance/Medication\nContribution to Family\n\n\nSome people are in the unfortunate situation where their Needs-related expenses alone amount to almost 100% of their salary or income, and maybe even more. So they have to finance their lifestyle with debt, or do without Wants or Savings. \n\n\nThis is obviously not an ideal situation. The only way to get out of it is to:\n\n\nEarn more (via\u00a0\nincreasing salary\n\u00a0and/or\u00a0\nside income\n)\nSpend less on \nAccommodation\n, \nTransportation\n and \nFood\nFor good measure, compare your expenses to\u00a0\nBelanjawanku\n\u00a0so you know which areas you can trim\n\n\n30% for Wants\n\n\nWants is everything else that\u2019s for leisure and fun. \n\n\nNote: it\u2019s completely okay to have fun! Sometimes personal finance people make it sound like you shouldn\u2019t pay for these at all. We are human after all, of course we like to be entertained and socialise. A budget without fun expenses or restrictive budgeting is a bad budget \u2013 you\u2019re more likely to \u2018fall off the wagon\u2019. \n\n\nHowever, it is true that many people go overboard (thanks to, among other things, \nsophisticated marketing and advertising\n). Also, you have to be very careful because we live in consumerism culture. It\u2019s easy to default to consuming and shopping when we\u2019re bored or happy or sad.\n\n\n(This is why I make my own \nFree/Cheap Things I Do to Stop Online Shopping Habit\n list. I think everyone should do their own list of free/cheap things they enjoy doing. Then when you\u2019re bored, you can just refer to the list instead of mindlessly go to Shopee or go shopping.)\n\n\nBasically what I\u2019m trying to say is, \nyou can spend however much you want on Wants\u2026 as long as it fits the 30% guideline. \n\n\n20% for Savings/Investments\n\n\nAnd last but not least, the final 20% is for Savings and Investments. \n\n\nFor some people, 20% is too much. For others, 20% is not enough. Then, adjust. The 50/30/20 Rule is just a guideline. If you want to make it 30% Needs 20 Wants 50% Savings and Investments also can. Up to you. \n\n\nI do have to say though, saving RM100 a month is better than nothing, but you want to aim to save RM500 and above per month. Life is expensive and I\u2019m sure you have big goals to achieve, whether that is marriage, a family, a house, travel or everything else. \n\n\nAs for \nwhere\n to put the savings, you can refer to this article: \n6 Best Savings Accounts in Malaysia to Put Your Emergency Funds\n\n\nThe 50/30/20 Rule FREE Editable Template \n\n\nAs mentioned in the title, I made a free 50/30/20 Rule editable template. Consider this your 50/30/20 calculator \u2013 just enter your own numbers and it\u2019ll spit out:\n\n\nHow much is your allocation under Needs, Wants and Savings/Investment, and\nWith your amount of savings, how much time you need to achieve your financial goals. \n\n\nFind the template \nhere\n (works best on desktop). \nDo not edit it directly \u2013 copy it into your GDrive and edit from there.\n \n\n\nHere\u2019s how it works:\n\n\n1. Enter your salary/income and expenses in Needs and Wants Category\n\n\n\n\n2. Find out how much you\u2019re saving each month and how long it\u2019ll take to complete your financial goals. \n\n\nNote: I added some basic financial goals that\u2019s applicable for most people. Feel free to edit. \n\n\n\n\nAgain, you can find the template \nhere\n (works best on desktop). \nDo not edit it directly \u2013 copy it into your GDrive and edit from there.\n Do not request edit access plsss \n\n\nIf you\u2019re not sure how to use it, refer to this video I made \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGo ahead and try it out\n\n\nHope my 50/30/20 Budget Template helps you in your financial journey. Would appreciate you sharing this article with your friends \u2013 go ahead, spam this in your Whatsapp group. In this economy, most people are in the same boat, even though they don\u2019t say it. \n\n\nNext, want to learn how to calculate your net worth? Go ahead to \nHow to Calculate Your Net Worth (Free Editable Template)\n, there\u2019s a free editable template there too \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/money-management/verify-touch-n-go-ewallet/", "title": "[SPONSORED] Verify Touch \u2018n Go eWallet & 3 More 5-Minute Security Hacks\n  ", "body": "Let\u2019s be frank here \u2013 ewallet and digital security is not the sexiest of topic to talk about. Therefore, let\u2019s appreciate Touch \u2018n Go eWallet not caring to be \u2018sexy\u2019 and choosing to feature it anyway in their educational video series, Cashless Confidentials.\n\n\nIn this article, we have brainstormed and came up with 4 actions you can do in 5 minutes that will significantly reduce your risk of losing money from scammers and hackers. It\u2019s fast \u2013 you can do everything during lunch break. If you\u2019re busy now, bookmark this article so you can pull it out later.\n\n\nNote: If you consider yourself a Millennial or Gen Z, what you\u2019re about to read below might sound like common-sense digital security practices.\n\n\nHowever, keep in mind that they can be completely alien to your parents and grandparents, who are more susceptible to digital-based scams. I need you to read this so YOU can help them navigate this topic okay.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Activate Touch \u2018n Go eWallet Money-back Guarantee Policy\n\n\n\n\nIf you use the Touch \u2018n Go eWallet app, this new feature is cooler than it looks. No other ewallets in Malaysia that I know of can give users full compensation for charges made without their knowledge or approval.\n\n\n\n\nTo activate the Money-back Guarantee Policy, you have to verify your Touch \u2018n Go eWallet. It\u2019s very quick \u2013 see the step-by-step below. You just need an ID and a place with good lighting.\n\n\nStep 1:\n Click on the \u2018Verify Account Now\u2019 button within your profile page\n\n\nStep 2:\n Take a photo of your ID (front and back) through the app. Accepted IDs include: MyKad, MyPolis, MyTentera and Passport\n\n\n\n\nStep 3:\n Place your ID within the frame and ensure the image is clear.\n\n\nNote: User can choose to retake or use the photo taken\n\n\nStep 4:\n Take a selfie and click on the \u2018Let\u2019s Go\u2019 button\n\n\nStep 5:\n Take a clear image of yourself\n\n\n\n\nStep 6:\n Fill in your personal details and click Submit\n\n\n\n\nStep 7:\n Now that your verification is done. You will need to wait for 48 hours till it gets successfully processed\n\n\n\n\nCheck out the videos below for more information about Touch \u2018n Go eWallet security, including what you should do if you lost your phone and measures the company use to safeguard your money.\n\n\nCashless Confidential Ep 1: Lost phone? Lost eWallet?\n\n\n\n\nCashless Confidential Ep 3: Cash vs eWallet\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Report weird numbers and emails in your phone as spam\n\n\nChances are, you receive spam texts and emails from scammers on a pretty regular basis. After all, according to \nan investigation by FreeMalaysiaToday\n, the personal data of 10 million Malaysians \u2013 including your MyKad and phone numbers \u2013 can be purchased for just RM350.\n\n\nUnfortunately, there\u2019s not much you can do to stop the texts and emails. Your data is already out there.\n\n\nBut what you can do is report them as spam so they get blocked and don\u2019t get the second chance to connect to you.\n\n\nAlso, read \nmy article on scams\n. You would think you\u2019re able to identify all emails by scammers. Some of the tactics will surprise you. They\u2019re a creative lot, these scammers.\n\n\nCashless Confidential Ep 2: Info phishing is not fishing\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Bookmark all transactional websites\n\n\nScam websites are divided into two broad categories: Obviously Scam Websites and Oh My God That Looked Real.\n\n\nObviously scam websites:\n\n\n\n\nUse poor spelling and grammar\n\n\nDoes not have the padlock symbol next to the website name\n\n\nUses http:// instead of https:// or shttps://\n\n\n\n\nWhile the \u2018oh my God that looked real\u2019 websites \nlook almost identical to who they\u2019re pretending\n. They use the same wording, the same template and images, the whole nine yards. The lengths scammers go through to deceive you is quite impressive to be honest.\n\n\nWhat these scammers really want you to do is to \nclick their link\n and give them your login IDs and passwords and private information. They\u2019ll tell you many things to get you to click their link \u2013 you had an unauthorised transaction, or won a prize, or anything. It might get very tempting sometimes.\n\n\nYou can satisfy your curiosity AND be safe by bookmarking all transactional websites and \nonly going to that website through your bookmarked link (not the one they gave you!)\n. Check la if you did win that car (chances are, you didn\u2019t, sorry).\n\n\nBookmarking is easy. I use Google Chrome and all I have to do to bookmark a page is click on the star on the search bar (see upper-right side).\n\n\n\n\nCashless Confidential Ep 4: Identifying Scam Sites\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Set up VPN and/or Password Managers when you use free wifi zones\n\n\nBetter yet, don\u2019t use free wifi zones. It\u2019s good and all, but you\u2019re also increasing your risk to malwares!\n\n\nIf you *have* to use public wifi, then take the time to activate your VPN service and/or use a password manager. Personally, I use TouchVPN and LastPass respectively.\n\n\nBut generally speaking I just don\u2019t want to take unnecessary risks. Therefore, I\u2019ve limited my public wifi usage to access Google Maps and similar, but avoided using it to login to financial services and make transactions.\n\n\nCashless Confidential Ep.5: Free WiFi Zones\n\n\n\n\nLast words\n\n\nAs you and I know, ewallet usage is only going to be more and more normalised in Malaysia. It\u2019s good that Touch \u2018n Go eWallet took the initiative to educate on the security aspect. As a regular-ish user of the app myself, I appreciate it.\n\n\nSo far, I\u2019ve used my Touch \u2018n Go eWallet to:\n\n\n\n\nMake payments (especially during the Tealive RM2.50 bubble tea promo. So clever how they appeal to my generation)\n\n\nBook movie tickets (they have WeTix integration)\n\n\nLink my Touch \u2018n Go cards (I\u2019ve lost more than RM100 from previously-lost and unrecorded cards, so this feature is appreciated)\n\n\nGet 10\u00d720% toll rebates (use code \u2018us5jix\u2019 when you download Touch \u2018n Go eWallet app. You and I get 5x more 20% toll rebates!)\n\n\n\n\nWhile I\u2019ve yet to try:\n\n\n\n\nBuying prepaid topups and making postpaid payments\n\n\nPaying bills\n\n\nMaking flight bookings (how random)\n\n\n\n\nIf there\u2019s one thing to remember from this article, make it this one \u2013 do #1 immediately. Verify your Touch \u2018n Go eWallet so you get the Money-back Guarantee Policy. It\u2019s free protection against fraud and your LAST layer of defense if your phone was compromised by scammers. I actually did mine in less than 5 minutes.\n\n\nWhat other digital security tips you would add on? Share with us in the comments section!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/bad-money-advice/", "title": "Malaysians Share Bad Money Advice They Received\n  ", "body": "\n\nSeek financial advice, they say. That\u2019s the only way to be good with money, they say. \n\n\nBut not all financial advice are created equal. A lot of bad money advice exists. Some of them are ignorant at best, but some are downright harmful for you. And all this bad financial advice can come from anyone \u2013 random internet person (including me!), your friends, your family, your parents\u2026\n\n\n\n\nAnd here, with the help of some RoR readers, I\u2019d like to share some pretty universal bad money advice. By knowing them, hopefully you\u2019ll spend more time making wealth, instead of mistakes. \n\n\n#1 \u2013 \u2018Leave the money stuff to me\u2019\n\n\nListen to me very carefully. Personal money management \ncannot\n be outsourced, not even to the most well-meaning of family members. \n\n\nIn the best-case scenario, you\u2019ll be kept in the dark and will be clueless when it\u2019s time for you to finally take charge of your own finances (death, divorce, moving out, etc). In the worst-case scenario, it\u2019s theft disguised under the name of love. \n\n\n\n\nSome people did say that in certain cases, the \u2018I\u2019ll keep your money for you until you need it\u2019 method worked out fine \u2013 their parents/loved ones helped them to save up enough money to buy properties and cars this way. That is wonderful, you are lucky to have trustworthy, loving people in your life. \n\n\nHowever, I argue that except for isolated cases where guardianship is needed, it is better for you to learn how to manage your own money yourself. If you find it hard to resist spending all your money away, you can always \u2018lock\u2019 the money using fixed deposits. Even better, \nautomate your investments\n \u2013 if you\u2019ve sorted this out, go ahead and spend the rest of your money, completely guilt-free! \n\n\nEither way, the key thing here is to know your own financial behaviour and plan around your strengths and weaknesses, not avoid it altogether. You can get the Financial Behaviour Report \nhere\n. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Starting a business with credit card/loan\n\n\nIt\u2019s okay (and maybe even smart) to \nexpand\n a business strategically with business loans. But it is extremely risky to \nstart\n a business with credit cards and personal loans. You should start with your own money; have skin in the game. \n\n\nRelated: \nAll The Ways to Raise Money for Business in Malaysia, Compiled\n\n\n This might be common sense to you, but remember that there are people out there using extremely sophisticated and effective persuasion techniques to convince you otherwise. \n\n\nThey will try to sell the dream to you(imagine providing a rich life for your family, imagine giving your children the best education, imagine being free from your boring 9-6 job, etc). They will boost your confidence, making you think you are capable of being the best salesperson in the world, and everyone will want to buy from you. \n\n\nAs long as you join their plan and pay up, using any method possible, including via credit cards and loans. \n\n\nSpecial shoutout to MLMs and Ponzi schemes, and anything else which relies on network marketing. They exploit our psychology to the max \u2013 imagine getting this message from our loved ones, best friends, colleagues and other people close to us?\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Get something expensive for the \u2018motivation\u2019\n\n\nBuying expensive status items to motivate yourself to earn money = same energy as = getting exercise equipment to motivate yourself to work out. \n\n\nListen, if the motivation is not already there, there is nothing you can buy that can fix it for you. \n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 All debt is bad\n\n\nI kinda sorta can understand why, but on the whole, the \u2018all debt is bad\u2019 argument is pretty shallow and must be looked at with context. \n\n\n\n\nThe person who popularised this, Dave Ramsey, is a very popular US-based financial guru and toxic in his own right (won\u2019t get into it). But the context is this: the loans offered in the US is very predatory. Even (especially?) student loans. You can\u2019t compare their student loan system with our PTPTN. Ours is way better \nuntil taken for granted and people abuse it and don\u2019t even pay back\n\n\nHowever, because of the popularity of Dave Ramsey\u2019s platform, the \u2018all debt is bad debt\u2019 gospel spread all over the world, including Malaysia. And yes perhaps at one point I, too, fantasised of going to extreme lengths to save money just so I can pay off my (non-existent) house loan in full, so I can make a nice celebratory post on Instagram using the #debtfree hashtag. \n\n\nThen I learned about the concept of opportunity cost:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAnd BOY do I feel stupid. Before that, I didn\u2019t realise there\u2019s a real opportunity cost to paying off mortgage early \u2013 the money could be used for other, better things, like education or other investments or even starting a business. \n\n\nSo, lesson learned. This is one example of binary thinking that just does not make sense in the real world. One has to apply a bit more critical thinking than giving it an outright \u2018good\u2019 or \u2018bad\u2019 stamp. \n\n\nRelated: #2 in \n[PERSONAL] 7 Mind-Blowing Concepts That Shaped My Personal Finance Mindset\n\n\n#5 \u2013 You must look rich to do business \n\n\nIn the Facebook post, a bunch of readers mentioned that people have advised them to get expensive cars, bags, watches, and other status items so they can fake-it-til-you-make-it in their business/career. \n\n\n\n\nHow to say ya. Obviously, looking presentable is good for business. But they do NOT have to be excessively expensive. Read that again. \n\n\nWorth repeating: the goal is to be rich, not *look* rich. \nFrugality is literally the secret to becoming wealthy\n. Do what \nactual millionaires and billionaires\n do, not hundred-aires or thousand-aires.\n\n\nWhat other bad money advice have you received?\n\n\nGo on, give me your worst. Share your comments here and tell us *why* you think the advice is bad. You can also check out other bad money advice RoR readers have shared in this Facebook post:\n\n\n\nhttps://www.facebook.com/ringgitohringgit/posts/168387081750745?cft[0]=AZUiLdPPpZNb-dJAe5Fu0nCF-3c9tAoO_BLLfEuHoR_NRbKBTzpjtzka21wFfG4v5Um7riEM3rDEu6ic3wGXgOdJFa0ZtAuldt5Ui8YOzddjZnYt2oklyzx-1OQEZzL6FSv7I0NH0oOD4RamnumyBfNW&tn=%2CO%2CP-R\n\n\n\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/bank-negara-malaysia-website/", "title": "5 Interesting Info I Found in the Bank Negara Malaysia Website\n  ", "body": "So I got bored one night and decided, hey, this is a good time as any to dick around in the Bank Negara Malaysia website.\n\n\nWhy not? I\u2019m curious about what information is available on their website. Like many of you, I know that BNM plays an important role in our financial ecosystem, even if I don\u2019t know\u00a0\nhow \nexactly.\n\n\nFirst impression of the homepage \u2013 nice layout, easy enough to navigate. The lack of https in http://www.bnm.gov.my/ bothers me a little bit, if I\u2019m honest. EDIT: It\u2019s https now!\n\n\n(All images in this article were taken from the Bank Negara Malaysia website. Please don\u2019t sue me.)\n\n\n\n\nAs I clicked around, closing down tabs with too many words on them \u2013 remember, I\u2019m doing this activity for\u00a0\nleisure\n \u2013 I found some pretty interesting stuff. Here are some of them:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Proper handling of banknotes\n\n\n\n\nThe \nProper Handling of Banknotes\n page is short, but surprisingly informative.\u00a0For example, you\u2019re not supposed to fold bank notes (whoops). And they are apparently washable. Who knew?\n\n\n\n\nI also found out that you can exchange burnt, crumpled (I have a few of those), punctured, ink-worn, shrunk and repaired (taped, I guess) bank notes at any bank and Bank Negara Malaysia office. This is pretty handy information right.\n\n\n\n\nThe Bank Negara Malaysia website also has a \nBanknotes and Coins\n page explaining the images behind the banknotes. Our banknotes are actually really cool \u2013 other countries\u2019 banknotes are not as colourful and pretty.\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 All of these Rates and Statistics\n\n\nIf you ever need to find a definitive source for banking and finance-related rates and statistics, you can\u2019t go wrong with the \nRates and Statistics\n page.\n\n\n\n\nSome of the rates and statistics are pretty standard, must-know information:\n\n\n\n\nExchange rates\n\n\nUSD/MYR rates\n\n\nBase rates/BLR\n\n\nKijang emas price (if you own gold)\n\n\n\n\nWhile others I have no idea what they\u2019re for. I tried to click on the pages but some only show data and tables and I can\u2019t make sense of it.\n\n\nWorth mentioning: the \nNational Summary Data Page for Malaysia\n is\u00a0\nreally\n cool. It will show you, among others:\n\n\n\n\nThe national GDP, sorted by industry\n\n\nEmployment and unemployment rates\n\n\nAverage salaries and wages per employee in the manufacturing sector (why manufacturing sector? Who knows)\n\n\nConsumer Price Index\n\n\nCentral Government debt\n\n\nPublic Sector and Central Government Operations cost\n\n\nLatest population of Malaysia\n\n\n\n\nAnd more.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Standards & Guidelines of all these industries\n\n\nYou can find the legally-binding standards and guidelines that companies from the following industries HAVE to follow:\n\n\n\n\nBanking & Islamic Banking\n\n\nInsurance & Takaful\n\n\nDevelopment Financial Institution\n\n\nMoney Services Business\n\n\nIntermediaries\n\n\nDigital Currencies\n\n\nPayment Systems\n\n\n\n\nThe documents are, uh, lengthy, to say the least, but they\u2019re there for those of you who wants to start a financial company \nthe right way\n. For example, if you want to start a crypto exchange based in Malaysia or something, make sure to refer to the Digital Currencies section.\n\n\n\n\nBNM can take action against companies which break the rules. For example, if you click on \nRegulatees/Licensees\n under Enforcement Actions, a page showing who got into trouble for what and the action taken against them will pop up. I imagine it must be quite embarassing to be named and shamed like that.\n\n\nBNM also takes action against illegal operators. I was surprised by the variety of offences: money laundering, illegal money services, using the word \u2018bank\u2019 without approval, illegal deposit-taking, etc.\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 The RINGGIT newsletter\n\n\nThe RINGGIT newsletter, which is available for download from the \nNotices & Announcements\n page and the \nPublications\n page, is a Malay-language monthly \u2018joint-effort publication between Bank Negara Malaysia and FOMCA\u2019 (Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association).\n\n\nIt\u2019s not very timely \u2013 I mean, the April 2019 issue was only released in \nAugust\n 2019 \u2013 but it has some interesting information and worth a skim. For example, the April 2019 issue included this nice infographic on 7 types of government assistance available for the B40.\n\n\n\n\nThis newsletter should have been in the Consumer Informations page, which is \nkind of\n outdated. I mean\u2026 it\u2019s last update was in \n2017\n.\n\n\n\n\nI was pleasantly surprised to see Bank Negara Malaysia\u2019s Consumer Education Programmes, bankinginfo.com.my and insuranceinfo.com.my, listed in the page. But they quickly disappointed me \ud83d\ude41 I mean, come on\u2026\n\n\n\n\nNow, obviously, there are other periodicals, reports, masterplans, research papers etc available in Bank Negara Malaysia website\u2019s \nPublication\n page. They can be quite technical, even the ones with pictures and graphs. But hey, I do trust BNM, so if they say things are going well, that\u2019s good enough for me.\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 BNM\u2019s Initiatives\n\n\nBNM listed their initiatives in the \nhomepage\n itself. I know some of these initiatives, but not all, so this is a cool overview.\n\n\n\n\nFor example, I know that:\n\n\n\n\nBNM maintains a museum and art gallery (I\u2019ve yet to visit but heard good things about it)\n\n\nINCEIF is where you should go for your globally-recognised Islamic finance certification\n\n\nAKPK helps people in debt\n\n\nPIDM protects your deposits and takaful\n\n\n\n\nBut I didn\u2019t know about the rest. They provide really good information, depending on what you\u2019re looking for.\n\n\n\n\nThe \nHousing Watch\n, for example, provides updated information about housing in Malaysia. The \nHome Financing Assistance Programmes\n page is definitely worth a visit if you\u2019re planning to buy your first home\n\n\nSMEInfo\n is a must-visit for small-and-medium business owners. Check out the \nFinancial Assistance\n page (there\u2019s a lot!)\n\n\n\n\nLast words\n\n\nThe Bank Negara Malaysia website turned out to contain a treasure trove of information. I wonder why I haven\u2019t visited it before. Sure, some parts can be a bit too jargon-y for a person without financial background, but that shouldn\u2019t have deterred me \u2013 no one grows by staying in their comfort zone, correct or not?\n\n\nHave you browsed the BNM website? What do you think? Can you share what you personally found interesting?\n\n\nAnd lastly, to BNM staff, if you\u2019re reading this (I\u2019m sure some of you do), keep up the good work \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/best-books-to-learn-about-investing/", "title": "10 Best Books to Learn About Investing, According to Malaysians (With Video Summaries)\n  ", "body": "Spoiler alert: the best books to learn about investing will \nnever teach you about getting rich fast\n and making quick money.\n\n\nInstead, they almost always focus on playing the long game, discussing the right mindset and building a strong foundation in understanding fundamentals, like how the economy works.\n\n\nAt least, that\u2019s what I learned when I asked for best book recommendations \nspecific\n\u00a0\nto investing\n in a personal finance group. It was kind of a humble pie moment \u2013 I thought I read a lot, but I\u2019ve only read one out of the 10 books on this list!\n\n\nFor your (and my) benefit, I\u2019ve compiled the recommendations here,\u00a0\nalong with their video summaries.\n Here are some best books to learn about investing, suitable for beginners as a starting point all the way to experts to use as refresher material.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki\n\n\n\n\nMuhammad Amar Hasshim of \nAlpacarts.com\n \n\u2013\u00a0\nTo those who never done any investing, I suggest starting with knowing the money game first with \nRich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki\n. Also by the same author: Rich Dad\u2019s Guide to Investing, which talks about what rich people invest in, that the poor and middle class do not.\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 \nWho Says You Can\u2019t be Rich Working A 9 to 5 Job \u2013 Mark Chua\n\n\nWai Ken Wong of \nStashaway\n \u2013 \nI liked Mark Chua\u2019s book \u201c\nWho Says You Can\u2019t be Rich Working A 9 to 5 Job\n\u201c, which is about doing property investments while having a successful career. It\u2019s very practical for the Malaysian context.\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill\n\n\nKho Wei Ang\n \u2013 \nI seldom get into technical stuff about finance and investing because I am already swamped with technical things at work\u2026 but I read \n\u201cThink and Grow Rich\u201d by Napolean Hill\n, who was a general. \n\n\nThe author offers a number of principles and insights for success in growing wealth. If Rich Dad, Poor Dad is about having the awareness and initiative to get started, this book is about building up soft skills like the belief and aptitude for investing.\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 What I Learned Losing A Million Dollars by Jim Paul and Brendan Moynihan\n\n\nDaniel Cerventus Lim of \nSmartFinance.my\n \u2013 \nThis (What I Learned Losing A Million Dollars) is highly recommended by Tim Ferriss but I find it boring. Lesson learnt are good though.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Principles: Life and Work by Ray Dalio\n\n\nSukhbir Cheema of \nEksentrika\n \n\u2013 \nPrinciples: Life and Work by Ray Dalio\n. If I\u2019m not mistaken, the PDF version is free. (Suraya\u2019s note: get it \nhere\n). \nRay explains how the economy works, recession and more.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n(Suraya\u2019s note: DO NOT scroll past this video without watching or bookmarking it to watch later! Someone commented \u2018that\u2019s 4 years of my degree in 30 mins\u2019 and it\u2019s true)\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Bogleheads\u2019 Guide to Investing\n\n\nAnon\n \u2013\u00a0\nBogleheads\u2019 Guide to Investing\n is a whirlwind tour on being frugal, and the different mainstream investment vehicles.\n\n\n\n\n#7 \u2013 A Random Walk Down Wall Street by Burton Malkiel\n\n\nAnon\n \u2013 \nA Random Walk Down Wall Street by Burton Malkiel\n. People always try to get rich quick bubbles and always try to beat the market average. Many of them fail.\n\n\n\n\n#8 \u2013 T\nhe Incredible Secret Money Machine by Don Lancaster\n\n\nTM Lee of \nCoingecko\n \u2013 C\nheck out this 1978 book, \u201cThe Incredible Secret Money Machine\u201d by Don Lancaster. It\u2019s available for free at \nhttp://www.tinaja.com/ebooks/ismm.pdf\n. The book is not just about investing per se, it\u2019s pretty broad. Dated, but the suggestions/idea appears evergreen.\n\n\n(Suraya\u2019s note: I can\u2019t find video summaries of this book. But TM Lee made it into \nForbes\u2019 30 under 30 2019 list\n so he must know something)\n\n\n#9 \u2013 \nThe Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham\n\n\nJohann Oh\n \u2013 \nThe Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham\n is worth every hour spent on it. My key takeaway was more of an emotional/mental attitude than a specific piece of knowledge \u2013 I\u2019d sum it up as \u201cdo your homework and don\u2019t succumb to FOMO\u201d\n\n\n\n\n#10 \u2013 Money Master the Game by Tony Robbins\n\n\nZoe of \nHoveo\n \u2013 I like that the book covers a wide range of financial instruments \u2013 stocks, market index, bonds, commodities, annuities. And his advice of \u201call weather\u201d portfolio to create an automatic lifetime income.\n\n\n\n\nThere you go. 10 books for you to find, read, understand and use to make good decisions while investing. Combined, they\u2019ll probably cost less than RM500 \u2013 a small amount to pay for education. Too much? Check your local libraries and online selling platforms.\n\n\n(Suraya\u2019s note: If die die also no money, #5 and #8 can be downloaded for free)\n\n\nWhat are your best books to learn about investing?\n\n\nI\u2019m sure you have more book recommendations to share. Which books taught you a lot about investing? Do you have any book recommendations for specific niches, like unit trust, gold, forex, property and more? Share them in the comments section!\n\n\nSome of my past book reviews:\n\n\n\n\nBook Review: The Rules of Wealth by Richard Templar\n\n\nHow the Fashion Industry Makes Money (Credit: Fashion Babylon)\n\n\n\n\nOnly available on RoR: \nMoney Stories from Malaysians: Volume 1 Book\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/best-under-rm100-purchases/", "title": "Malaysians Share Their Best Under-RM100 Purchases\n  ", "body": "We buy things to fix a problem. Whether the problem is hunger, or boredom, or lack of focus, or social acceptance, or something else.\n\n\nOften, the stuff that we buy, the solutions, they work okay (I hope this is the case for you). Sometimes they don\u2019t work as well as claimed.\n\n\nBut once in a blue moon, you get lucky and found a particular product that you absolutely LOVE. It pretty much changed your life, you don\u2019t know how you ever managed without it. You consider yourself a fan and have NO PROBLEM recommending these to others.\n\n\nRecently, I asked the RoR audience about their best under-RM100 purchases, and guess what, turns out other people love hearing personal recommendations too!\n\n\n(Well, actually I phrased it as \u2018items that made significant improvements to your life\u2019, but close enough.)\n\n\n\n\nThe answers were so varied, I can\u2019t help but to compile and share them here (with permission). I divided the answers into two sections: one-off purchases and recurring or subscription (since I never clarify which one in the RoR mini-forum also). Thank you to everyone who commented!\n\n\nBest under-RM100 purchase: One-off items\n\n\nGlysentte Mier\n \u2013 \nI wouldn\u2019t have made it through the week if it\u2019s not for this \nessential oil\n. Too many writing work to be done, so little time! I bought it at my local pharmacy for less than RM20.\n\n\n\n\nMelia Leong\n \u2013 (My best under-RM100 purchase is a pair of) \nXiaomi wireless earbuds\n for RM82. I put them on when I clean my floors and during morning runs.\n\n\nAmielah Kasmani\n \u2013 It has to be the\n wireless display TV d\nongle\n. I\u2019m a teacher and it comes in handy for my lessons, especially when I am projecting slides, videos, audios and documents straight from my phone. In school, classes are already equipped with projectors and TVs so the dongle is basically my little breathing machine for teaching. \n\n\nIt\u2019s great because it works with different kinds of TVs too. I even use it at home for family fun-times, when we play online games on my phone..\n\ud83e\udd29\n Tip: bigger screen, better chance at winning!\n\n\nShan Nathan\n \u2013\u00a0\nI would say the RM89.90 \nAkemi Hydro Gel pillow\n that my wife bought for me during a sale in Parkson Lifestyle (was the best under-RM100 purchase). I don\u2019t experience any more neck and back pain, the pillow stays cool which gives me better sleep, and the best part is no more \u201cengine\u201d sound at night!\n\nThat\u2019s a great difference!! \n\n\nA good pillow is a good investment, sleep really is a daily treasure.\u00a0\n\n\nLee Jun\n \u2013 (My best under-RM100 purchase is a pair of)\n\u00a0\nSpeedo earplugs\n for RM 19.00, so that I could concentrate and study in a noisy apartment. Initially I wanted to get a Noise Cancelling Headset but I baulked at the RM2000.00 price tag. Thanks to the earplugs, I was able to pass my professional qualifying exams, which enabled me to get a higher paying job.\u00a0\n\n\nI also used it for travelling, especially when trying to sleep on economy class long haul flights!\u00a0 It helped me concentrate on my studies. Best part is, I could continue to use it on long haul economy class flights to sleep well.\n\n\nNadzri Sazali\n \u2013 I bought an \nXMA air fryer\n for RM80 bought during a sale at Giant. Now I can cook\n! (Suraya\u2019s note: I checked \u2013 that price is a deal. Lazada sells it for closer to RM300!)\n\n\nMuhammad Amar Hasshim\n \u2013 \nA RM5 eye mask. It\u2019s a really useful item that helps me get my sleep during the day, when I have to work in the night shift.\n\n\nSyaza Nazura\n \u2013 \nI\u2019d say \nextra USB cables for the phone\n. I have one next to my bed, one next to my study desk, one at work, one in my bag with the power bank, one in the car. Helps to not have to cabut another cable or risk not having one when you need it.\n\n\nAyu Fatarina\n \u2013 I bought a \nGeorge Home 3L Slow Cooker\n for RM95 at an Xmas sale last year. It helps me to achieve my eatclean and keto goals. You just dump everything in the slow cooker, set the timer to 8 hours and a pot of hot food awaits when you come home! Not just that, it saves money on groceries too. I buy things like chicken feet and cheap meats and these things turn yummy once cooked in the slow cooker. \n\n\nThis item is definitely a gem for me. I don\u2019t add that much seasoning either, \njust salt and black pepper. The juices from the vegetables and poultry will add to the flavour \n\ud83d\ude01\n\n\nBest under-RM100 purchase: Recurring or subscriptions\n\n\nJoel Ong\n \u2013\u00a0\nQuickbooks\n! Depending on the plan, the price ranges between RM53 to RM98 per month. I love that it saves me a lot of time as I am quite slow with accounting and stuff. It makes tracking companies and clients a lot easier!\n\n\nMohd Haffiszul Mohd Said\n \u2013 I love\u00a0\nBrilliant.org\n \nmonthly subscription. It\u2019s just RM27.50 per month but like university on demand. I just started on Logic.\n\n\nJonathan Goh\n \u2013 I save a lot on the cost of entertainment by subscribing to \nNetflix\n (at MYR 51 per month, shared between 4 other family members) and \nCrunchyroll\n (an anime streaming site; MYR 30 a month). It beats having to go to the cinemas or monthly expensive TV packages!\n\n\nFarhana Norlisan\n \u2013 For me it\u2019ll have to be all the under-RM100 \nb\nooks and seminar tickets\n. Every time I get these, my point of view on life changes as I read and met new people. I get to experiment with stuffs and happenings with new knowledge. \n\n\nSome of my favourite books include Rich Dad, Poor Dad, Colour of Inequality, Reclaim Your Heart, Chicken Soup series, among many others. Most memorable seminar will be The Road to 3 Million. \nProperty investment seminars in particular tend to be cheap and often free too. I went to so many which cost me from around RM10 to the most expensive one RM97.\u00a0The ROI gain from all of these knowledge has changed my life so much.\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\n10 Best Books to Learn About Investing, According to Malaysians (With Video Summaries)\n\n\nMy personal best under-RM100 purchase\n\n\nIf recently, then the Momostick I bought. It\u2019s a \nphone grip\n. Found it randomly at Popular bookstore and bought it on sale for RM23.30 (RRP: RM29.90).\n\n\n image credit to Momostick Malaysia FB (I have no affiliation with them)\n\n\nI\u2019m one of those people who NEEDS a phone grip because my phone (\nXiaomi MiA2\n) is actually a bit too big for my hand. I like this type of phone grip way better than PopSocket-style phone grips and the ring-types.\n\n\nAlthough I have to say, this is not my favourite-ever phone grip. My favourite is the one I always buy from Mr DIY for like RM1.30, but they have since stopped stocking this one particular version I like \ud83d\ude41\n\n\nWhat are some of your best under-RM100 purchases?\n\n\nLike always, share them in the comments section! It\u2019s really fun to hear actual word-of-mouth recommendations for not-particularly-expensive items \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nOther shopping-related article: \nGoing Through All My Lazada Purchases, Since 2014\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/biggest-credit-card-expense/", "title": "Malaysians Share the Biggest Credit Card Expenses They Ever Made\n  ", "body": "Ah, credit cards. The enabler of reckless spending, yet such a useful financial tool when utilised right.\n\n\nHow useful is useful? And how enabling? I had to ask. Naturally, I turn to the RoR audience \u2013 I wanted to know the biggest swipe they have ever made on their credit cards. Not just that \u2013 I also asked if they themselves thought it was a good decision.\n\n\n\n\nHere are their answers. Thanks to everyone who contributed!\n\n\nUsed credit cards to pay for hospital bills and medical emergencies\n\n\nAt least two people opted to have their deliveries at private hospital for the convenience and comfort.\n\n\nFairuzhizam Hisham\n \u2013 My w\nife gave birth to our second child at a private hospital. The bill came up to almost RM4k. It was expensive but worth it. Luckily it was a normal birth.\u00a0\n\n\nNur Hidayah Abu Bakar\n \u2013 (I) p\naid for my second baby\u2019s delivery in private hospital. It was worth it, yes.\n\n\nWhile others shared instances where their credit cards were used in emergency situations:\n\n\nChee Siang Wong\n \u2013 (The largest expense I made with my credit card was for) my dad\u2019s medical expense. It was an emergency in a private hospital. He had difficulty breathing but didn\u2019t know it was actually a heart attack. He managed to reach the hospital in time (just a few steps before he collapsed) and the doctor managed to save him using blood thinner drug. To diagnose heart artery blockage, the doctor had to insert a tube through a blood vessel in the arm. Each time they do this, it costs RM5k.\n\n\nThe angioplasty, which was performed later, used the same procedure. The hospital could only do the angioplasty after we placed the deposit. We had to come out with RM20k as the deposit. Of course we could transfer him to government hospital but we didn\u2019t want to risk it. Was it a good decision? An absolute yes.\n\n\nAzlina Afzan\n \u2013 (I paid for) m\ny father\u2019s medical expenses before he got transferred to a government hospital. My mom\u2019s card limit per day was not enough so I stepped in to pay using my credit card. Luckily the expenses were slightly below my card limit. I immediately paid the card balance the day after as I never use credit card to accumulate debts.\n\n\nIan Abel Nathaniel\n \u2013 \nMy biggest expenditure is my cat\u2019s life actually. Back in June, he was diagnosed with some parasitic disease that he may have already got before we rescued him. The doctor gave him only hours to live and we had to find a donor cat for an emergency transfusion. That plus almost two weeks hospitalisation, his bill came up to about almost RM2k.\u00a0\n\n\nTook me months to pay off his hospital bills. But now he\u2019s back to his annoying self.\n\n\nUsed credit cards to pay for education\n\n\nI have to admit that I didn\u2019t think using credit cards to pay for education costs were a good idea, for various reasons.\u00a0I maintained this view until I came across Mr-Stingy\u2019s \nHow I Paid Off RM58k in PTPTN Loan\n article. Ah if like that, in select situations, I guess it\u2019s okay.\n\n\nAlvin Lim\n \u2013 (The largest expense I made with my credit card was) u\nsed to clear off my PTPTN loan, which was about RM 21k. It was worth it. I did it to take advantage of the 20% discount (Suraya\u2019s note: this discount is no longer available). \n\n\nActually, I\n have enough funds to clear my PTPTN loans. But I took the opportunity to use my Amex card to earn points. At 5x, I earned a total of 105k points which I then exchanged for an Apple Pencil worth RM 419 (on the spot redemption) plus some cash topup.\u00a0\n\n\nCarol Anthony\n \u2013 (I used my credit card to) make \nRM10k in cash payment to complete\n my education and earn a Bachelors Degree from a private uni. It was worth it as there were no PTPTN loans back in those days. I also had to take out some cash from EPF too (to pay for the remainder of education fees).\n\n\nNeutrals Fong\n \u2013 (I paid) \nRM6k+ for a value investing course. \nI always make prompt payments and never ever paid a single cent interest to credit cards, so it is fine. Plus, the larger the amount the more the rebate I get.\n\n\nUsed credit cards to pay for house-related expenses\n\n\nSome people used their cards to pay for downpayments or house deposits,\n\n\nBobby K.H. Ong \n@bobbyongkh \u2013 (I used my credit card to pay for my house\u2019s) Down-payment. Had the cash anyway so the points was essentially a free airticket.\n\n\nLoh Chuan Tuck\n \u2013 (The largest expense I made with my credit card was for) h\nouse downpayment. It was the worst decision but I had no choice at that time. I am still paying the debt until now, under AKPK. \n\n\nThe fact that we cannot afford to pay for the down-payment means that we are struggling financially for the long term. 15 to 18% credit card interest with the minimal monthly payment is killing us internally as we are struggling to make ends meet. Thanks to AKPK, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and we know the end is there.\n\n\nFarhana Norlisan\n \u2013\u00a0I have booked (and paid for) undercons project using my credit card. Best investing experience I have so far.\u00a0 \nIt was worth every cent as af\nter a few months, I will receive cashback from the properties with negative cashflow of less than RM200/month, and use that to pay for other houses I bought. All of this took less than a year. Zero capital for multimillion acquisition.\n\n\n(Suraya\u2019s note: \nFarhana\n is a property investment consultant. This seems like pretty advanced property investing strategies, so proceed with caution)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhile others bought the home stuff using credit cards:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHarvinthran Perabakaran\n \u2013 (I) \nPaid for purchase of electrical stuff, worth around RM10k, for my new house. Not only I received some cashback on the purchase, I also turned the payments into 0% monthly installment. (This strategy) helped me to not go broke, while affording the necessary things. Collected treat points as well and used them to make other purchases.\u00a0\n\n\nEdgar Lee\n \u2013 (I) \nhelped my dad to buy some home appliances online. It was a good decision as the cashback received paid for the cards\u2019 annual fees. Also, I got a free gadget as a new credit card applicant, after satisfying the minimum spending requirement.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nUsed credit cards to pay for wedding expense\n\n\nHariz Shukri\n \u2013 (The largest expense I made with my credit card was for my) w\nedding venue. Got to know my reception venue accepted Amex. The points alone got me a new TV when I redeemed it.\n\n\n(Suraya\u2019s note: A couple others also mentioned wedding rings and payment for the wedding dinner!)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nUsed credit cards to pay for laptop/tech\n\n\nA bunch of people said laptops hahaha. \u00a0This made me laugh because MY biggest credit card expense was a laptop, too, and I also justified the purchase by calling it an \u2018investment\u2019! Related: \n4 Best Tips I Got From You Guys When I Wanted to Buy New Laptop\n\n\nLiew CheonFong\n \u2013 (The largest expense I made with my credit card was my) l\naptop. It is \u201cinvestment\u201d.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIlise \n@illeyh \u2013 My laptop. Converted the payment plan to 0% interest so I would like to think it\u2019s a good decision\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#EndChildMarriage \u2013 Azira\n \n@ladymissazira \u2013 A laptop. I make money off it so yes hahahaha\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhile others bought tech tools with it.\n\n\nLeo Koo\n \u2013 Some Wordpress plugins. \nI think the most expensive plugin was WP Time Capsule. It\u2019s a backup software for WordPress that solved a pressing need and enabled me to offer reliable backups for clients. But at USD 699, it isn\u2019t cheap.\u00a0\nDid it turn out well? Well, in this case it did. But in some other cases, they end up as shelfware\n\n\nUsed credit cards to pay for travel & fun\n\n\nAnd last but not least, is everything else not covered above. Things that are considered \u2018wants\u2019 not \u2018needs\u2019.\n\n\nPinky Chang\n\u2013\u00a0 (The largest expense I made with my credit card was for) f\nlight ticket to Argentina. It costs me RM6k. M\ny credit card auto-prompted me to break down the amount into 18 months\u2019 installment\n\n\n(Suraya\u2019s note: I\u2019m going to go on ahead and assume Pinky saved up and can absolutely pay for those tickets upfront, but chose to make the payment in installments. At no point here I want to advocate you using your cards to fund a trip you can\u2019t afford).\n\n\nFadzlin Ahmadon\n \u2013 (The largest expense I made with my credit card was for) f\nlight tickets, and usually for everyone in the trip (who paid me back immediately). It was absolutely worth it for the trip itself, and for the points.\u00a0 I\u2019m assigned as the ticket-buyer because I (like to) stalk Google Flights and see when the price goes down.\n\n\nOther than that, it turns out you can interpret \u2018fun expenses\u2019 in MANY ways. Check these out:\n\n\nAnansa Jacob\n \u2013 \nIt was \na massage chair\n. Definitely not a worthwhile purchase, sadly.\n\n\nAyla Kosmonova \n\u2013\u00a0\nA \nRoland Fantom G6 keyboard synthesizer\n. I was more in the \u2018gear acquisition syndrome\u2019 than using it properly. Last year its motherboard died and we don\u2019t know what to do with it. Not sure where or who can fix\u00a0 such a sophisticated musical equipment. Even if we found a place, the repair costs would\n probably be almost the same as buying a new one. \n\n\nI didn\u2019t regret it. Had fun with it but the learning curve of that gear proved to be very challenging. Eventually I moved on to other interests \u2013 the machine is now gathering dust in the corner.\n\n\n\n\nPadelme Azhar \n\u2013 (I bought a) \nHarley davidson motorbike\n. It was the best decision ever. I bought it when I was working in Saudi \u2013 wanted to pay cash but didn\u2019t want to bring cash, (so I swiped the credit card). I paid off the RM80k right after I got the bank statement.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nnatalie-san \n@mavalia \u2013 I got an\n IPL hair removal plan\n so I don\u2019t have to worry about shaving or being a gorilla anymore. I\u2019ve been shaving my legs for many years, which resulted in a vicious cycle of frequent shaving because it resulted in thick hair growth. After a day, the stubble can be quite visible and this made it difficult for me because I like to wear skirts. The IPL package I got cost over RM4,000 for 48 \u201cparts\u201d (after discounts) but it has been worth it.\n\n\n\n\nNow I don\u2019t have to worry about forgetting to shave my legs or ending up with ingrown hair and now have even expanded the treatment to other parts of my body. Treatments are every two months so it\u2019s also less hassle on my part to remove and maintain hair-free skin. And if I\u2019m lucky, I may not have to continue with treatments once I\u2019ve utilized my package if I\u2019m satisfied with the reduction in hair growth.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSherinaz Basree\n \u2013 (I) p\naid for two tickets to \nHarry Potter studio tour\n. And yes, worth it if you\u2019re a huge fan. Absolutely.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLast thoughts\n\n\nI guess all of the answers above pretty much confirmed my suspicions. The best situation to own credit cards is:\n\n\n\n\nwhen you don\u2019t need one\n \u2013 ie you already have the cash but decide, eh might as well earn points/enter lucky draw competition etc\n\n\nwhen you want to \nbreak down a large purchase into instalments\n to ease cash flow\n\n\nif you want to be prepared in case a loved one has a \nmedical emergency\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn terms of\u00a0\nselecting \na credit card, the two most-quoted cards from the respondents were (1) Maybank 2 cards and (2) Public Bank Quantum credit card. Both are cashback cards. You can also read up my \n4 Lesser-Known Tips to Get The Best Credit Card in Malaysia (For You)\n article for more info.\n\n\nHow about YOU? What\u2019s the biggest expense you\u2019ve ever made with your credit card? Was it a good decision or no? Share in the comments section!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/blockchain-in-malaysia/", "title": "Crypto & Blockchain in Malaysia: Communities, Companies and Associations in Malaysia You Should Know\n  ", "body": "\n\nOne thing I noticed about people who are passionate about cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology is their ideologies and values. \n\n\nThey tend to be the same people who rank transparency, efficiency and financial inclusiveness high in their belief system. \nNot all of them (some just got in it for the moneh), but many of them. And for that reason, I support the industry. \n\n\nIn the interest of promoting the cryptocurrency and blockchain in Malaysia, I have compiled Malaysia-based companies, associations and groups you should know. \n\n\nNote that this list is not exhaustive \u2013 I might have missed some \u2013 but the popular ones with active members are here. If you know of any more, please comment and I\u2019ll add it in.\n\n\n\n\nThis list does not and will not include\n: \n\n\n\n\nmining companies \n\n\ntrading-related groups\n\n\n\u2018wealth-generating platforms\u2019\n\n\nexchangers\n\n\ncompanies doing ICO (without other blockchain implementation), and \n\n\ncompanies selling bitcoin clones\n\n\n\n\nI also don\u2019t include groups that \ntalk\n speculate about cryptocurrencies as purely investment vehicles \u2013 too many of those around.\n\n\nDisclaimer: Pictures = groups that supported my theatre production \nIn A Different Light\n. We\u2019re pretty confident we\u2019re the first theatre company in Malaysia (and possibly worldwide) that accepted cryptocurrencies as payment. We received Bitcoin Cash, bitcoin, ZCoin and Dash. Thank you for the support!\n\n\nCryptocurrency groups\n\n\nCryptocurrency groups in Malaysia that promote adoption of cryptocurrencies as payment and adoption of its blockchain platform. They are considered ambassadors \u2013 some of them are even formally appointed by the core group and received funding for marketing purposes. You can contact them to know more about what they do.\n\n\n1. Bitcoin Malaysia\n\n\nLongest-running and most active crypto community in Malaysia. Founded by the legend Colbert Lau. Organises a lot of meetups and the go-to group for anything crypto in Malaysia.\n\n\nFacebook\n | \nWebsite\n\n\n2. Bitcoin Cash Malaysia\u00a0\n\n\nBitcoin Cash Malaysia community promotes the use of Bitcoin Cash (BCH) as a low-cost, fast payment method.\u00a0\nFacebook\n | \nWordpress\n | \nTwitter\n (most active)\n\n\n\n\n3. ZCoin Community\u00a0\n\n\nSome of the most respected names in the local crypto scene in Malaysia promotes ZCoin, a privacy-focused cryptocurrency. They received funding from the core ZCoin team.\u00a0\nWebsite\n\u00a0|\u00a0\nFacebook\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n4. Dash Community\u00a0\n\n\nThere are a few groups promoting Dash cryptocurrency as a payment method. Rocketpay is one of the most active. They received funding straight from the core Dash team (\nsee their proposal\n). Ask them about their event space \nRSpace\n, which they generously offer for free to the crypto and blockchain community.\u00a0\u00a0\nWebsite\n | \nFacebook\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nAnother group promoting the same cryptocurrency is called Dash Malaysia. \nFacebook\n\n\n\u00a05. Steemit Community \n\n\nThe group claims to have more than a thousand Malaysian Steemit members, which is cool! They host events to introduce people to the Steemit platform. Something like Medium, except upvotes will reward content creators with Steem cryptocurrency. \nFacebook\n\n\n6. Stellar Lumens Community \n\n\nRespected crypto-payments infrastructure with a strong focus on the developing world.\u00a0\nMeetup page\n\n\nAnother group that actively promotes Stellar Lumens is SenangBit (along with other cryptos). Malay-language friendly. \nWebsite\n |\u00a0\nFacebook\n\n\n7. NEO Community \n\n\nDriven under NEO Smart Community Malaysia (registered as a non-profit), they host smart contract workshops and events. \nWebsite\n | \nFacebook\n\n\n8. NEM Community\n\n\nMade up of very driven community members and aggressively expanding in this region. Will open the NEM blockchain centre in Glo Damansara.\u00a0\u00a0\nFacebook\u00a0\n\n\n9. Ethereum Community\n\n\nAdmin-ed by members of the HelloGold and Etherscan team. \nMeetup page\n\n\nCompanies using blockchain technology\n\n\nProving that blockchain is beyond cryptocurrencies!\n\n\n1. XenChain\n\n\nIdentity-management services enabled by blockchain technology, for easier and faster eKYC. Planning an ICO.\u00a0\u00a0\nWebsite\n\n\n\n\n2. HelloGold \n\n\nGold investment platform targeting the underserved (ie not just super-rich people). Amazing team, amazing values. Built on Ethereum platform. Recently partnered with KLEAN \u2013 you can exchange recyclables like plastics and cans for gold!\u00a0\u00a0\nWebsite\n | \nApp\n | \nFacebook\u00a0\n\n\n3. LuxTag.io \n\n\nValuable asset tagging services using blockchain technology as proof of authenticity. Built on the NEM platform. \nWebsite\n | \nFacebook\n\n\n4. BESC (Blockchain Energy Savings Consortium)\n\n\nEnabling efficient and renewable energy using blockchain technology. Received funding from 1337 Ventures.\u00a0\nWebsite \n| \nFacebook\n\n\n5. Ataplus\n\n\n\u2018World\u2019s first blockchain-enhanced licensed equity crowdfunding platform\u2019. \nWebsite\n | \nFacebook\n\n\n6. WinApp.Inc\n\n\nPayments platform built on Hyperledger. Now looking for beta-testers!\u00a0\nWebsite\n | \nFacebook\n\n\n7. Finterra\n\n\nIs building own blockchain platform and waqaf management platform. Planning an ICO.\u00a0\nWebsite\n | \nFacebook\n\n\n8. SEDA\n\n\n\u2018Recruitment on the blockchain\u2019. \nWebsite\n\n\n9. BeeOnPay\n\n\nPayment gateway services. \nWebsite\n\u00a0| \nFacebook\n\n\nEducational / Tools / Services\n\n\nThese companies offer blockchain-as-a-service, tools to understand cryptocurrencies and blockchain platforms and blockchain and crypto-related seminars and conferences.\n\n\n1. CoinGecko\n\n\nOne of the most popular cryptocurrency ranking charts in the world. Built by a local team. \nWebsite\n | \nFacebook\n\n\n2. Etherscan\n\n\nTHE block explorer and analytics platform for Ethereum. Built by a local team. \nWebsite\n | \nFacebook\n\n\n3. Blocklime\n\n\nEducation-focused company, hosts Ethereum and smart contract development workshops. Students-friendly. Provides blockchain services too.\u00a0\nWebsite\n | \nFacebook\n\n\n4. Bloktex\n\n\nBlockchain service provider. The team behind Kuala Lumpur Blockchain Conference. They brought over Andreas M. Antonopoulos twice!\u00a0\nWebsite\n | \nFacebook\n\n\n5. Blockchain Academy Asia\n\n\nProvides courses for blockchain and smart contract development. \nWebsite\n | \nFacebook\n\n\n6. Blockchain Technology Malaysia\n\n\nBlockchain service provider. \nWebsite\n | \nFacebook\n\n\n7. Neuroware\n\n\nBlockchain service provider.Works closely with Malaysian government agencies.\u00a0\nWebsite\n | \nFacebook\n\n\n8. BlockZero\n\n\nIskandar, Johor-based blockchain marketing, business support and training services. \nFacebook\n\n\n9. Protech Future System\n\n\nAmong other things, does ICO security audit. \nWebsite\n\n\n10. Celebrus Advisory\n\n\nBlockchain strategy advisor. \nWebsite\n\n\nBlockchain associations/ groups\n\n\n1. ACCESS Blockchain Association Malaysia \n\n\nSupports the development of blockchain industry in Malaysia. Sister of ACCESS Singapore.\u00a0\nWebsite\n | \nFacebook\n\n\n2. Blockchain Embassy Asia\n\n\n\u2018Asia\u2019s only public blockchain consortium\u2019. \nWebsite\n\u00a0| \nFacebook\n\n\n3. Blockchain Developers Malaysia\n\n\nDevelopers only. You need to prove you know how to code before you can join. \nFacebook\n\n\n4. CryptoKnights\n\n\nGroup that brings cryptocurrency and blockchain enthusiasts together. \nFacebook\n\n\nAm I missing anyone?\n\n\nIf yes, comment below. Please don\u2019t take any non-mentions seriously \u2013 am only listing the ones I can remember on top of my head. This article will be continually updated with more info. If you\u2019re mentioned and you\u2019d like to add your telegram link in, comment here too.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/bursa-marketplace-mlt-platform/", "title": "[SPONSORED] I Tried Bursa Marketplace\u2019s Mirror, Learn & Trade Platform\n  ", "body": "The idea behind investing in the stock market is easy \u2013 buy shares from companies you like, wait for it to grow, and earn a profit through dividends and/or increase in value.\n\n\n(You can also make money if the share price goes down \u2013 that\u2019s called shorting, but that\u2019s not halal and more suitable for more advanced traders so let\u2019s not go there).\n\n\nBut if the idea is so easy, then why do I find it intimidating?\n\n\nBursa Malaysia \nknows \nthat many people have the same feeling. Part of their mandate is to attract more investors to the Malaysian stock market, so they come up with various initiatives, including educational ones, to help us overcome that fear.\n\n\nThe latest initiative \u2013 \nBursa Marketplace\u2019s Mirror, Learn & Trade Platform\n or MLT Platform for short \u2013 may be the coolest one yet. I tried it out. Here\u2019s what I thought of it.\n\n\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Choosing \nwho\n to mirror is the first step\n\n\n\n\nThe premise behind \nBursa Marketplace\u2019s Mirror, Learn & Trade Platform\n is simple \u2013 you mirror the trades of licensed equity analysts appointed by Bursa Malaysia. These analysts are experienced professionals currently employed with financial institutions in Malaysia.\n\n\nAnd by professionals, they \nmean\n professionals. They do this for a living.\n\n\n\n\nAt time of writing, there are 9 analysts, and all of them seem amazing (see their bio above). All men though \u2013 I was hoping for a bit more diversity.\n\n\nSo, you\u2019re supposed to mirror the trades of these analysts. Very quickly, you\u2019ll find out mirroring ALL trades from ALL analysts is NOT an option \u2013 by design, you can only do a maximum of 10 stocks in your portfolio. So which ones should you copy?\n\n\nI guess you could choose randomly \u2013 some of you told me you did that.\n\n\nOr you could pick the traders based on their performance \u2013 how much their portfolio increased in profit. The platform makes it easy for you to see Current Return % too \u2013 it\u2019s right there at the main page, under \u2018The Traders\u2019.\n\n\nAs of time of writing, Mr Chong of Public Investment Bank is leading the pack by quite a wide margin.\n\n\n\n\nFor me, I chose my traders based on my understanding that there are two major types of trading strategies: fundamental and technical analysis.\n\n\nThe former is the one you have to research about the company and industry and macroeconomics and all that, and the latter is the charts one.\n\n\nI\u2019ve somewhat dabbled in technical analysis before, so I decided to mirror the trades of the technical analysts.\n\n\nIf you look at the analysts, three out of nine described themselves as technical analysts. Nice, this process of elimination helped me narrow my options.\n\n\nNote: I\u2019m not saying picking the technical analysts is a good strategy, it\u2019s just *a* strategy.\n\n\nSo I did that. Mirrored 10 trades. One week in, so far, so good. Their notes reminded me of what I learned in a technical analysis course I took years ago.\n\n\n\n\nWhat strategy did you choose in deciding which analyst to mirror?\n\n\n#2 \u2013 It\u2019s a good place to learn stock trading jargon\n\n\nThis is where the platform\u2019s most value comes from. The analysts leave notes sharing why they entered/exited certain trades, and commentary on industries, etc.\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019ll be honest. Reading the notes made me realise how much I *don\u2019t* know about the stock market. I mean, what do these notes even mean?\n\n\n\n\nI can see the value of a platform like this. It\u2019s great to know your own knowledge gap. Pick up The Edge or something and read up on the industries they\u2019re referring to so you can understand their notes.\n\n\nOr the faster way is to reply and comment on their notes, asking them to clarify. Can y\u2019all do this, please? Tq very much.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Mirror-trading is not a new idea\n\n\nWhen I shared about \nBursa Marketplace\u2019s Mirror, Learn & Trade Platform\n on my social media, some of you asked \u2013 oh is it like copy-trading platforms?\n\n\nAnd I see where you\u2019re coming from. Mirror or copy-trading is not a new thing. There are platforms out there where you \u2018invest\u2019 by putting in (real) money and essentially copying the trades of the platform\u2019s top investors. The idea appeals to those looking for an easy way to make money.\n\n\nIt appealed to me, too. I actually *have* tried copy-trading before. Even with a conservative strategy, \nI lost all of my money there\n.\n\n\nI\u2019m not saying you *will* lose money if you do copy-trading. I\u2019m just saying the odds are not in your favour, despite how easy they make it sound.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 You get to learn your trading personality in a safe environment\n\n\nSome of you pointed out that using virtual money to trade allows you to make riskier decisions. It\u2019s not real money after all. No emotions.\n\n\nIf that is true, explain why I only decided to trade RM3k out of my RM100k virtual money?? I\u2019m risk-averse even with virtual money okay!\n\n\n\n\n(Note: I\u2019m also the type to hoard all my in-game points and never use them for upgrades, so\u2026.)\n\n\nBut still, for me, it doesn\u2019t matter if I profit or lose money from the platform. What matters is that my familiarity with the stock market improved, as well as my motivation to learn more about various public-listed companies in Malaysia.\n\n\nI find I was reading more articles about the stock market ever since I tried the MLT platform. It\u2019s a nice indirect effect.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Using the MLT platform as stock picks?\n\n\nI may not have in-depth knowledge about the stock market, but I do know the \u2018stock picks\u2019 sections in financial publications and websites are insanely popular.\n\n\nIs the \nMirror, Learn & Trade Platform\n essentially doing the same thing here?\n\n\nAccording to Bursa Malaysia, the objective of the platform is to provide Malaysians with stock ideas as well as learn from equity analysts on how to manage an equity portfolio. That makes it different from other stock educational platforms, both locally and globally.\n\n\nI was also told that the analysts on the platform are only allowed to manage and trade stocks/counters that are \nunder their respective house coverage\n (house = investment bank).\n\n\nThis means that all the stock recommendations that you receive from your dealers/remisiers can be viewed on the MLT platform, straight from the analysts themselves. Again, the analysts share with users their justification and rationale behind each trade they make in their notes.\n\n\nBursa Malaysia confirmed that all stock prices showcased on the MLT platform are live, based on the last price done in the actual stock market. This is cool as other virtual trading platforms normally gives users delayed price.\n\n\nSo\u2026 yes you can effectively \nuse the MLT platform as real-time stock picks\n. Give it a shot first and play around with the virtual money. If you want, and if you\u2019re confident in your analysts\u2019 performance, there\u2019s nothing stopping you in taking immediate action and start making trades in the actual stock market.\n\n\n(Protip: Check the notifications section often \u2013 it\u2019ll notify you exactly when analysts enter/exit their trades.)\n\n\n\n\nDisclaimer: This is not investment advice. Obviously you have to do your own due diligence, and only use the money you can afford to lose.\n\n\nGive MLT a try\n\n\nIt took me 5 minutes to register and figure out the dashboard, another 15 to peek into the trading portfolio of all the analysts and do the mirror-trading. From there, I went in for a few minutes a day to see new notes and view my performance.\n\n\nWhat do you think of the platform? Give it a go and let me know what you think. Who knows you might win something in the process too, since #MLTGiveaway is going on!\n\n\n\n\nLink: \nBursa Marketplace\u2019s Mirror, Learn & Trade Platform\n\n\nMLT explainer video:\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/buy-more-time/", "title": "5 Ways to Buy More Time, According to Malaysians\n  ", "body": "Isn\u2019t it amazing that you can use your money to buy more time?\n\n\nUsing money to buy time, as a concept, did not come naturally to me. When I was younger, I spent a lot of hours looking for the best deals.\u00a0\n\n\nThis money approach went on until I ran out of things to cut from my expenses. Looking back, I could\u2019ve used all that time to make extra money, or learn high-income skills\n\n\n(but hey it\u2019s not good to dwell on the past)\n\n\nThe realisation that money can be used to buy time also forever changed my attitude towards money. Despite being obsessed with personal finance, I no longer glorify money in itself. What\u2019s the point of having money if I have to work all the time? What\u2019s the point of having money if I can\u2019t spend time with loved ones, or make them happy?\n\n\nI\u2019m not alone in this view. Recently, I asked the RoR audience about the expenses they\u2019re happy to pay for because it saves them time. Here are some of their answers, republished with permission.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n#1 \u2013 \nPaying to avoid the queue or long drives\n\n\n\n\n72487384 of you don\u2019t mind paying \nRM1 in ATM fee\n to avoid the one with the long queue, as well as paying for \ntolls at less-congested highways.\n\n\nOther than that, you also don\u2019t mind:\n\n\nDixon Soo\n \u2013 (I don\u2019t mind) paying \nparking fees using the Touch \u2018n Go card\n despite the surcharge. It beats queueing up at autopay machine and digging for small change\n\n\nErin Lim\n \u2013 Not sure if this is more expensive or not but I also pre-pay for \npopcorns and drinks\n for major blockbuster movies because you bet there\u2019s always a line.\u00a0\n\n\nNur Hidayah Abu Bakar\n \u2013 \nI pay more to \ntake a flight\n instead of driving (from Klang Valley) to Kelantan or Penang\n\n\nVincent Muthu\n \u2013 (I pay for) \nValet parking\n, especially for business meetups lasting 1-2 hours. Some places also offer a lunch hour rate or other insanely discounted rates which ends up costing me the same as regular parking, if not cheaper.\u00a0\nBangsar South is my go-to location for this purpose. Their parking rate during lunchtime rate is cheap, and the location is \u2018atas\u2019 enough for meeting clients\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Paying for deliveries\n\n\nMany RoR readers are fans of \nonline shops, food and grocery delivery services\n. Although free deliveries are appreciated, many of you mentioned how you don\u2019t mind paying for it. In fact, asking for free shipping nowadays is considered in bad taste. They must know that the money doesn\u2019t go to the seller right?\n\n\n\n\nMy sister, who runs a boutique, is done with your questions \ud83d\ude02\ud83d\ude02 \npic.twitter.com/CMZYro3f1Q\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nSeptember 30, 2019\n\n\n\n\nSome other examples include:\n\n\nMelisa Chin\n \u2013 I buy most things from \nonline platforms\n, even groceries, fruits and vegetables. It saves me money, my precious time, and even give me cashback/loyalty and referral rewards.\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nHappyFresh Review: 10 Tips to Save Money and Time!\n\n\n(Suraya\u2019s note: I combine grocery delivery with another time-saving hack \u2013 buying in bulk. It\u2019s great not to worry about running out of essentials)\n\n\nMing\n \u2013 I pay for \nrunners for work and personal errands\n. Since having a baby, time spent outside has become a lot more \u201dexpensive\u201d for me. I\u2019ve pretty much cut out anything that requires me going to pick it up \u2013 the traffic, the wrong turns, road rage, looking for parking, waiting for their staff to find your thing, it all adds up in terms of my time and, more importantly, mental energy.\u00a0\n\n\nAt work, I signed up RM220 for GoGet app. Work errands are a bit more high value so I like the Goget website, app, and runners because it all works better and more accountable and responsible.\n\n\nIn my personal life, I mostly use Grab. I\u2019m that organiser person in my family who buys the birthday cakes, orders the special curry puff, arranges the condolence flowers. Buying directly from my regular shops and arranging my own pick up is way cheaper than going through websites where the developers will get their cut.\n\n\nHasyimi Bahrudin\n \u2013 (I pay for)\n IKEA Delivery\n. It costs RM98 to deliver to my area, but it\u2019s definitely worth it to avoid 90km round trip and hours of time wasted, and not to mention energy. You can choose the time slot of the delivery (similar to Tesco online), and they will deliver it to your doorstep. Plus you can further cut down the cost by sharing it with your neighbours if you plan it ahead of time. You can find people by advertising on Whatsapp groups, if anyone is interested to piggyback on the delivery.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Paying for ad-free entertainment\n\n\nGavinesh Siva\n \u2013 (I pay for) Spotify Premium and Netflix. Having all my favourite shows/ music and podcasts in one place makes life convenient. Also, I save a lot of time not having to watch or listen to lengthy ads.\n\n\n(Suraya\u2019s side note: I judge the hell out of gyms or cafes that play Spotify but don\u2019t pay for Spotify Premium, and people who pay hackers to buy login details. I\u2019m paying less than RM15 per month for BOTH services \u2013 already so cheap what. Don\u2019t be stingy la)\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\n3 Ways to Get Cheaper Spotify Premium in Malaysia\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Paying for services\u00a0\n\n\nMany RoR readers are fans of these time-saving services:\n\n\n\n\nE-hailing services\u00a0\n\n\nDomestic helpers and cleaners\n\n\nCar wash services\n\n\nOnline bill-paying services\n\n\nChildcare/babysitting services\n\n\n\n\nAdditionally, some of you also cough up money to:\u00a0\n\n\nErin Lim\n \u2013 I pay IKEA to \ninstall the furniture\n. It would take me almost 2 hours to assemble a desk while they only took 30 mins to install a wardrobe.\n\n\nJmumu Te\n \u2013 (I pay for) \nTechnical expertise\n like washing machine repair or laptop repair. We can\u2019t figure them out (fast), but experts can solve them in less than half an hour.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Paying for good-quality tools\n\n\nLast but not least, the efficiency of good-quality tools makes life better. I still need to work on \u2018buying nice so I don\u2019t buy twice\u2019 (since I am naturally skeptical of fancy marketing campaigns), but these answers make a lot of sense:\n\n\nNur Hidayah Abu Bakar\n \u2013 A good quality \nbreast pump\n allows you to get breastmilk in a much shorter time. Also, my \nair fryer\n saves me a lot of cooking time\n\n\nLee Jun\n \u2013 I forked out RM 2000 for a \nSamsung Powerbot\n. I really love it. I can switch it on remotely via my phone. It saves me at least two hours of sweeping and vacuuming time per week and cleans the floor better than me! I love it so much that I splurged another RM2000 to buy a second unit for downstairs (I live in a two-story house).\u00a0\n\n\n(I also like that) the noise they make gives the impression that someone is at home, which gives me peace of mind while I\u2019m travelling.\u00a0\n\n\nGeorgette Tan\n \u2013 The sun is free but the\n dryer at the nearest self-service laundry\n is a time saver for me. I hate folding laundry, and coming home after a long day at work usually means the laundry ending up being piled on a chair until I need to wear it again.\u00a0\n\n\nSo my method now is: I wash clothes at home, take it to the laundry, pay that RM6-RM7, wait 25 minutes and fold my clothes straight out of the dryer. Everything is ready to go back into the drawers or on a hanger when I get home.\n\n\nHow do YOU buy more time?\n\n\nWhat do you personally pay for \u2013 \nwhich you can afford\n \u2013 that buys more time for yourself? What do you use that extra time for \u2013 to earn more income or for R&R? Do you have more examples of time-saving purchases aside from the ones mentioned above?\n\n\nLet me know in the comments section!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/buy-own-insurance-workshop/", "title": "[SOLD OUT] How to Buy Your Own Damn Insurance Workshop on 21 Jan 2023, 10am-12pm\n  ", "body": "\n\n>>\nLink to purchase\n<<< RM15 Discount available for those who bought Bergaji & Pokai book \ud83d\ude00\n\n\nOn Saturday night, I tweeted this out.\n\n\n\n\nAnd it quickly took off. Over 100 RTs and 700 likes in less than a day!\n\n\nAlright, I guess idea is validated and you do want to learn this skill. So let\u2019s do it, let\u2019s learn how to buy your own damn insurance!\n\n\nIn this workshop, you will learn:\n\n\n\n\nHow to find out what types of protection you need and how much they cost\n\n\nWhich companies to buy protection products from, and whether you should buy directly (online) or through insurance agents\n\n\nWhat protection features are good to have and what\u2019s (mostly) gimmick\n\n\nHow to read your policy documents and organise for easier review [FREE template to organise your insurance included]\n\n\n\n\nYou should attend the workshop, if:\n\n\n\n\nYou WANT to buy insurance but want to avoid \u2018being sold to\u2019. You just want to learn about it from a neutral third party (Note: I am not an insurance agent and have no affiliation with any insurance companies)\n\n\nYou\u2019re afraid of being sold the wrong products \u2013 just want to research and make the products selection yourself and/or meet the agent already somewhat informed\n\n\nInsurance buying overwhelms you and the idea of someone hand-holding you through this process feels right. It calms you down\n\n\nYou have random questions about personal finance \u2013 I consume way too much personal finance content and 99.9% sure I can answer or point you in the right direction\n\n\n\n\nNote: Recording will be provided for those who can\u2019t attend the live session. You can also submit Qs beforehand and I\u2019ll do my best to answer during the session\n\n\nYou should NOT attend the workshop, if:\n\n\n\n\nYou\u2019re not comfortable with being recorded. This session will be uploaded post-event\n\n\nYou expect me to know every single protection product from every single company out there. This is impossible \u2013 new products get created and retired all the time\n\n\nYou expect me to give tailor-made product recommendations just for you. This workshop only costs RM3x-4x. For personalised recommendations, you need to either meet an agent (cost: free upfront but paid in RM three-to-four-figures commissions if you bought from them; whether their recommendations are truly in your best interest is another story) or hire a financial planner (cost: RM four-figures upfront; generally in your best interest, includes comprehensive financial planning)\n\n\n\n\nWhat to bring:\n\n\n\n\nYour laptop, your phone, a notebook and a pen (for you to take notes)\n\n\nYour insurance policies, compiled in a google drive, if any (this is for your own reference, I won\u2019t look)\n\n\n\n\nThe workshop will be personally conducted by myself, Suraya Zainudin, the founder of personal finance blog ringgitohringgit.com. I\u2019ve been optimising my personal finance system for many years and have completed all 4 modules of Certificate in Financial Planning course \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nNote: I am *not* a financial advisor. This is an insurance-buying process workshop, not a financial advisory workshop. I can share the financial products that I use (if asked), but those are for sharing only. I have nothing to sell to you (except for the tickets to this workshop).\n\n\nAll tickets are NON-REFUNDABLE, on first-buy-first-serve only.\n\n\nHey, you wanted to be better with money in 2023. Make it happen. Consider this an investment in yourself. See you there!\n\n\n>>\nLink to purchase\n<<< RM15 Discount available for those who bought Bergaji & Pokai book \ud83d\ude00\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/ceo-of-pidm/", "title": "[SPONSORED] I Asked Hard Questions to the CEO of PIDM\u00a0\n  ", "body": "As I sat down with Rafiz Azuan Abdullah, the CEO of PIDM or \nPerbadanan Insurans Deposit Malaysia\n and asked my questions, it occurred to me that this man is truly at peace with doing a thankless job.\u00a0\n\n\nIf you\u2019re unfamiliar with what PIDM does, they are basically a government authority that provides protection for your deposits, as well as takaful and insurance benefits in the unlikely event a PIDM member institution fails. \u00a0\n\n\nFor example, let\u2019s say Bank X somehow goes bankrupt and you have RM10k saved there. As Bank X is a PIDM member bank, PIDM will make sure you get your RM10k back immediately.\n\n\n\u00a0\nThe good news is there hasn\u2019t been a financial institution failure in Malaysia since the Asian Financial Crisis which happened more than 20 years ago\u2026 which comes to the question: what\u00a0\ndoes\n PIDM do when things are smooth sailing in the financial system?\n\n\n\u00a0\nLet me share with you my interview with Rafiz, and together we\u2019ll find out what PIDM gets up to behind the scenes.\u00a0\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n on \nJul 28, 2019 at 11:05pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#Q1 \u2013 What\u2019s your background? How did you end up in PIDM?\n\n\n\u00a0\n\u201cMy background is in accounting and finance. I previously worked with Rating Agency Malaysia (RAM) and was part of the Corporate Debt Restructuring Committee (CDRC),\u201d said Rafiz, throwing all these words around like it was nothing. \u201cI joined PIDM in 2007, shortly after its establishment in 2005.\u201d\n\n\nIn his previous roles, Rafiz was kept busy dealing with the aftermath of the 1997-98 Asian Financial Crisis. He has extensive experience and specialises in analysing financial institutions. Basically, he checked how big of a mess companies were in, then found ways to resolve and restructure them.\u00a0\n\n\nIn his work as CEO of PIDM, he does two big things:\n\n\n\n\nTells the public not to worry\n (because better mechanisms are in place now to tackle failing member institutions, if and when they do happen), and\n\n\nWorks with other financial safety net players to \nprevent failures from happening\n, and at the same time, figure out ways to reduce the impact of a bank or takaful/insurance company failure \nif\n it does happen.\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\nI was curious about the second part.\u00a0\n\n\n\u00a0\n#Q2 \u2013 Is there going to be a financial crisis?\u00a0\n\n\n\u00a0\nSince it\u2019s not often that I get to interview heads of financial regulatory bodies, I had to ask the golden question: Are we in for a financial crisis anytime soon and, how ready is PIDM for it?\n\n\n\u00a0\n\u201cIt\u2019s not a matter of \u2018if\u2019 but a matter of \u2018when\u2019,\u201d said Rafiz, \u201cand PIDM is ready for it regardless of when it happens.\u201d\n\n\n\u201cIn a situation involving a PIDM member bank failure, we have mechanisms in place to automatically process payments (reimbursements) to depositors and ensure continued access to financial services. During normal times, or business as usual, we do our best to assure people that their insured deposits are always safe.\u201d\u00a0\n\n\nWhat else happens during business as usual, I asked?\u00a0\n\n\n\u201cWe encourage good risk\n \nmanagement among our member institutions, which are both conventional and Islamic banks, and takaful and insurance companies. \nHow we achieve this is by charging higher premiums to member institutions that take higher risks and vice versa.\u201d\n\n\n\u201cTo ensure a holistic view, we work and coordinate with Bank Negara Malaysia as they are the primary supervisor for the financial system.\u201d\n\n\n#Q3 \u2013 Where does the money to pay depositors come from?\n\n\nI was too young during the 1997-98 financial crisis, but even I can picture how bad it must have been. I have seen those news stories showing angry mobs at banks in other parts of the world, demanding their money back.\u00a0\n\n\nIt\u2019s hard to imagine it, but not all countries around the world have PIDM-like agencies. Only 133 or so countries have this type of organisation. We\u2019re one of the lucky ones.\n\n\nI wondered where PIDM gets the money to reimburse to all affected depositors. We\u2019re talking about at least a few hundred million RM they need to have on hand at all times, right?\n\n\n\u201cThe money comes from the premiums paid by all of our\n \nmember banks\n. It\u2019s collected in a fund all this while, always ready to be used to reimburse depositors.\u201d\n\n\n(Rafiz explains that a similar fund is collected from levies paid by PIDM\u2019s insurer members, which will be used to pay takaful certificate/insurance policy owners when they need to make claims on their eligible benefits in the event of an insurer member failure.\u00a0\n\n\nPIDM\u2019s member institutions include conventional and Islamic banks, insurance companies and takaful operators. Here\u2019s how to spot them.)\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\nAnd is the pay-out process to depositors automatic?\n\n\n\u00a0\n\u201cYes, it is automatic. To ensure this, PIDM carried out internal simulations and continuously tests out the funds disbursement process. We check how long it takes and find ways to improve the process and speed. The mechanism is good, but it would be useless if people don\u2019t know about it.\u201d\n\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s why we have the public outreach component. The main thing is to prevent depositor panic. In case a PIDM member bank fails, for example, you need to know that you don\u2019t have to barge into your bank to demand your money. The disbursement process is made automatically.\u201d\n\n\n\u00a0\n#Q4 \u2013 PIDM has been called the firefighter equivalent in the Malaysian financial system. Is that a good analogy?\n\n\n\u00a0\n\u201cWe\u2019ve been called a lot of things, and yes, firefighter is one of them,\u201d he laughed, \u201cbut maybe a doctor is better? We advise our member institutions on how they can better manage their risks (prevention advice), but if needed we\u2019re ready to dispense the medicine and perform the surgery too.\u201d\n\n\n\u00a0\n#Q5 \u2013 Deposits protection is free and automatic under PIDM and covers depositors up to RM250,000 per depositor per member bank. Any plans to increase that amount?\n\n\n\u00a0\n\u201cNo, we have no plans to increase the amount as it is still adequate. With effect from 31 December 2010, the deposit protection was increased from RM60,000 to the current RM250,000,\u201d Rafiz explained.\u00a0\n\n\n\u201cWe carried out a survey towards the end of last year and we found that the amount is sufficient to protect 97% of depositors in full. For deposit protection to be effective, it would need to protect at least 90% of depositors and PIDM has well exceeded this benchmark.\u201d\n\n\nFair enough. But readers, you \ncan\n get protection if you have more than RM250,000 \u2013 you just have to be clever about it. See the PIDM-approved deposit protection hacks under #6 in the\n \nWhat Does PIDM Do\n article.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n#Q6 \u2013 What are some of the hardest parts of your job?\n\n\n\u201cWell we have different stakeholders and each of them comes with their unique challenges,\u201d said Rafiz good-naturedly.\n\n\n\u00a0\n\u201cWith the public, it\u2019s always the \n\u2018it would never happen\u2019\n challenge. Things have been going well all this while so that makes it harder for them to remember the details about PIDM\u2019s protection. The last big financial crisis was two decades ago. Many people didn\u2019t live through that, or were too young then.\u201d\n\n\n\u00a0\n\u201cPlus, PIDM doesn\u2019t have a call-to-action \u2013 all you have to do if something happens is \nto do nothing\n. So it\u2019s not particularly exciting.\u201d\n\n\n\u00a0\n(That\u2019s cool with me. I can do nothing. I\u2019m a pro at doing nothing.)\n\n\n\u201cWe just have to keep reminding the public however way we can, whether it\u2019s through a mass advertisement campaign or direct on-ground engagements. Our public awareness level for PIDM currently stands at 63%. We\u2019re aiming for 65% going forward.\u201d\u00a0\n\n\n\u00a0\n\u201cWith the member banks and insurer members, on the other hand\u2026,\u201d he smiled, \u201cThey sometimes ask us why they need to continue paying premiums if nothing is happening. We just have to keep reminding them that it\u2019s necessary to be prepared for any eventuality.\u201d\n\n\n\u00a0\nHa, I can somewhat relate to the banks and insurers here. It\u2019s like the insurance policy you take when you\u2019re healthy \u2013 you know it\u2019s good for you but it may be hard to see the point of it until disaster strikes.\u00a0\n\n\n\u00a0\n#Q7 \u2013 What projects are in the pipeline for PIDM?\n\n\n\u00a0\n\u201cIt\u2019s mainly improving what we have in place,\u201d said Rafiz, \u201cWe have \u2018defence\u2019 and \u2018offence\u2019 strategies.\u201d\n\n\n\u00a0\nI asked further. The PIDM team considers \u2018defence\u2019 as improving legislation and the mechanisms put in place to ensure the protection of depositors and takaful certificate/insurance policy owners in the event of a failure.\u00a0\n\n\n\u201cOur current system can do it within 3 working days, and we\u2019re working towards implementing a seamless pay-out process,\u201d said Rafiz.\u00a0\u00a0\n\n\n\u00a0\nOn the other hand, the \u2018offence\u2019 part is the public awareness initiatives carried out by PIDM, both online and on the ground. \u201cWe are part of the newly-formed Financial Education Network or FEN as well, and we want to play a bigger part in contributing to a more financially-literate community.\u201d\n\n\n\u00a0\n\u201cAside from that, we\u2019d really like to improve on our online presence to reach out to young people like yourself, who are connected 24/7. We\u2019re also developing several thought leadership articles on topics related, but not limited, to financial crises.\u201d\n\n\n\u00a0\nOh I would love to read that. I wonder all the time how a financial crisis happens, what are the red flags, etc. Many of the literature I\u2019ve read on financial crises tend to relate to the US and I would appreciate articles and case studies that have a more Malaysian perspective to them.\n\n\nLastly,\n\n\nLike I said in the beginning. What the PIDM team does is a thankless job, but someone has to do it, and I\u2019m glad Malaysia is among the countries in the world with organisations like PIDM.\u00a0\n\n\n\u00a0\nI want to thank Rafiz Azuan Abdullah and PIDM for having me to spread their public awareness initiatives. This is our fourth collaboration together, and each one has been a joy. Thank you for doing the work you do, and for protecting my money.\u00a0\n\n\nSee our previous collaboration articles below:\n\n\n\n\n[SPONSORED] What Does PIDM Do and Why Should YOU Care?\n\n\n[SPONSORED] What Rich Malaysians Do With Their Money (That You Don\u2019t)\n\n\n[SPONSORED] Malaysians Share Scams in Malaysia They Fell For (or Almost)\n\n\n\n\nGo and follow \nPIDM\u2019s Facebook page\n. Sometimes they organise contests and stuff. They will also produce more financial literature, so be sure to check that out.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/cheap-things-malaysians-do/", "title": "Malaysians Share Cheap Things They Have Done\n  ", "body": "Frugalism is a good trait to have. \nWealthy people tend to have frugal characteristics\n. In the classic The Millionaire Next Door book, the author found that while wealthy people may have lots of money, most of them don\u2019t \nlook\n rich. \n\n\nThat makes sense, since you don\u2019t get rich by spending all your money away correct or not. \n\n\nBut this is not an article about frugalism. This is an article about cheapness, it\u2019s lesser cousin. \n\n\nI observed something. Many people, while trying to be frugal and be responsible with their money, \nwould do things that are considered cheap before they learned to become more frugal. \n\n\nFor example,\n\n\n\n\nA \ncheap\n person would choose the longer route just to avoid the toll. \n\n\nA \nfrugal\n person would realise that the extra RM2 toll is not worth the extra 20 minutes in jam and 5km extra in distance.\n\n\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\n\n\nA \ncheap\n person would bargain and threaten local sellers into lowering their prices at the market\n\n\nA \nfrugal\n person would take into account the quality of their work and wares, and pay them a fair price\n\n\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\n\n\nA \ncheap\n person would ask their friends to pay for their meals or cover other expenses, while splurging on themselves\n\n\nA \nfrugal\n person would treat someone they respect for coffee at a nice but affordable place to build long-term relationships (and maybe use discounts/vouchers/rebates)\n\n\n\n\nThe point I\u2019m trying to make is: \nCheap people look at price. Frugal people look at value. \n\n\nIn a mini-forum organised at Ringgit Oh Ringgit FB page, I asked readers about the cheap things they have done. *I\u2019ve* certainly done them. \n\n\n\n\nNow, the Ringgit Oh Ringgit audience tend to be frugal, not cheap, because I\u2019ve never advocated being cheap for cheap\u2019s sake in any of my content. \nBut I thought it was fun to see the remnants of cheapness that remain in them. \n\n\nHere are some of the cheap things Malaysians do, as shared by readers. Some made me lol. Thank you to everyone!\n\n\nSara Razz\n \u2013 I would tapau foods from events if I get any chance. I also order one Bottomless drink for both me and hubs.\n\n\nShafiq Ibrahim\n \u2013 I go to bookstores to see latest book offerings. Then go back and download the ebook versions.\n\n\nAlya Shaiful\n \u2013 My primary school teacher used to get mad at me because I write conservatively on every line so I don\u2019t have to buy a new notebook. \n\n\nI distinctly remember her saying something on the lines of \u201cyour parents are rich, you can afford a new notebook\u201d. That is probably the one thing I remembered about this teacher\n\n\nThe Stockmonger\n \u2013 I eat cereal and milk with a fork. So that I can save milk. \n#lifehack\n\n\nMy sister wakes up at noon so she doesn\u2019t have to spend on breakfast.\n\n\nAnon \n\u2013 (I\u2019m cheap about) saving on face care products. After I wash my hair, I\u2019d let the foam and water rinse over my face.\n\n\n\n\nArchibald Frankie Undam\n \u2013 There used to be a stall last time when I was in Uni. If you eat there, they would charge you extra 10 cents. What I did was everyday was to tapau the food but sit to eat there and get the sup kosong and air kosong for free.\n\n\nHakim \n\u2013 Sometimes I don\u2019t order foods when I eat out with families because I know they won\u2019t be able to finish their foods and I can be the DBKL. Also meal for one can be sufficient for two people, according to a hadith (Sahih Muslim 2059).\n\n\nPelham Blue\n \u2013 If you go to a FocusPoint outlet, you can ask nicely for a spectacles case, new cleaning cloth, and contact lens case free of charge. Not to mention the FOC cleaning service.\n\n\n(Suraya\u2019s notes: And then their frugalism came out) But do purchase something and be a repeat customer as courtesy. We ought to support outstanding businesses/service. We personally support the company by buying the stock.\n\n\nKia \n\u2013 I would go around to find a baby room to fill up my water bottle in malls, because bottled water for RM4 is daylight robbery! \nIf not, there\u2019s Plan B of buying bottled water from grocery stores for RM1 for a bottle.\n\n\nBut if I\u2019m REALLY being cheap, I\u2019ll just wait it out, especially when I\u2019m out with friends/siblings who never finish their drinks!\n\n\nAra Mira\n \u2013 Not me but my father. He would order tapau drinks but drink it at the restaurant WITH his meal. Simply because tapau drinks have more volume and he can continue to drink if he can\u2019t finish it at the restaurant.\n\n\nNezyrin \n\u2013 Upon staying at a hotel, I will request more instant coffee/tea bags so I can bring it back home. I would also ask the cleaning lady if they could give me more (usually they would).\n\n\nAfiqah Mazli \n\u2013 Oh you mean like clearing (stashing it into the luggage) the toiletries of the hotel sink and request for more every day/ every chances kind of cheap?\n\n\nCheah Zinnirah\n \u2013 I love to visit my sisters\u2019 and aunts\u2019 houses when they doing house clearing. I\u2019d help them throw unused items while look for something that I can use. Usually I\u2019d get preloved/never worn clothes, accessories, perfumes, bed sheets, free gifts that they don\u2019t want anymore, things like that.\n\n\nZarinah Mohd Yusoff\n \u2013 \nI seldom order drinks for myself when I am dining out with my family. And I share my husband\u2019s drink, hoping to save the cost for six.\n\n\nThe rule of cheap\n\n\nBe as cheap as you want, as long as your cheapness is justified, for example:\n\n\n\n\nYou really REALLY cannot afford to spend the extra money\n\n\nIt \ndoesn\u2019t negatively affect individuals and businesses who depend on the income\n\n\nYou return the favour with friends and family, not just take take take only\n\n\n\n\nI don\u2019t really care if you reuse things to oblivion, or waste your time searching for the best possible prices for an item, or anything like that. As long as you use the rule of no harm to others, you\u2019re good in my book. \n\n\nIn what way are YOU cheap? Share them in the comments!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/employee-benefits-in-malaysia/", "title": "Best Employee Benefits in Malaysia, According to Malaysians Who Get Them\n  ", "body": "Good employers and great employee benefits in Malaysia exist. Before we even start this article, I just want to tell you that despite all the workplace-related horror stories you read on social media, good and caring employers exist. They just get overshadowed by all the bad ones.\n\n\nAnd here\u2019s the thing \u2013 they *want* to attract you, a talented professional, to work with them.\n\n\nThis article serves two purposes:\n\n\n\n\nFor employers and future employers to take note of \nwhat brilliant employees expect\n in exchange for their hard work and loyalty, so you can grow your business better\n\n\nFor employees to refuse \u2013 nay, \nreject\n \u2013 workplaces that don\u2019t treat them well. Let those businesses die a slow death, they deserve it\n\n\n\n\nTypes of Employee Benefits in Malaysia\n\n\nI would categorise employee benefits in Malaysia into two types: mandatory employee benefits (bare minimum) and AMAZING.\n\n\n\n\nLet\u2019s cover the first one \u2013 the mandatory employee benefits in Malaysia. These benefits are considered bare minimum, but some companies don\u2019t even do them!\n\n\nMandatory employee benefits (bare minimum)\n\n\n\n\nSafe and comfortable office to do the work in\n\n\nFunctional, legal and safe work tools and equipment\n\n\nRespectful boss/superior who don\u2019t take advantage of you (being exploitative, offer minimum wage only, overt discriminative actions/policies, force you to work more than expected, never pay for overtime, withhold your salary/EPF, etc)\n\n\nSanctioned holidays and annual leaves\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it. That\u2019s pretty much it, that\u2019s the bare minimum. If your employer right now is not fulfilling any of the above basics, run.\n\n\nList of Employee Benefits in Malaysia: Beyond bare minimum\n\n\nNow that we got the bare basics out of the way, we can move on to the actually cool employee benefits. These benefits show that the \nemployers value their employees\u2019 well-being and sense of purpose\n.\n\n\nTake note that it\u2019s not realistic to expect your employer to provide ALL of these benefits, but a selection of them is nice. My intention is to let you know about some benefits out there, not to make you feel bitter about what you don\u2019t have!\n\n\nThese employee benefits include:\n\n\n\n\nPays a competitive salary\n\n\nCool colleagues\n\n\nPantry with fridge and microwave\n\n\nFree-flow hot beverages like coffee and tea, and snacks\n\n\nFiltered drinking water\n\n\nFun hanging out spaces to rejuvenate\n\n\nComprehensive healthcare and medical benefits\n\n\nChildcare assistance\n\n\nCovers dental and optical\n\n\nFlexible working hours\n\n\nOption to work from home\n\n\nGreat work-life balance (40 hours per week)\n\n\nGenerous claims for transportation and/or utilities\n\n\nAccess to gyms, fitness-related activities and/or wellness programmes\n\n\nCompany retreats, outings and makan occasions\n\n\nOpportunities for salary increments, self-development and career growth\n\n\nAnnual leaves that can be carried forward and/or can be converted into cash value\n\n\nAnnual bonus\n\n\n\n\nAll those \nare\n nice, right? Ah man, being \nself-employed\n and \nworking from home\n is fun and all, but I do miss these employee benefits, I really do.\n\n\nBut wait! The fun part comes from the RoR audience. When I asked the question as a mini-forum, some of you told me employee benefits in Malaysia that I\u2019ve never even thought of!\n\n\nOther amazing employee benefits in Malaysia, as shared by Malaysians\n\n\nHere are some replies, published with permission (underline is my emphasis):\n\n\nSangeetha Jayaram\n \u2013 My current employer provides flexibility to work from home, \ngreat medical benefits inclusive spouse and kids\n, flexible hours, and nothing beats my department GM and my boss, truly the best.\n\n\nMy current employer also \nsponsored my learning and development\n. They paid for my training in Agile and Scrum, and I passed both certification exams. I am now exploring DevOps.\n\n\n\u2013\n\n\nEddie Yong \n\u2013 \nI\u2019m a Malaysian working in Singapore. (They provide me with) \nchild care leaves\n. Dental subsidy. Snacks (overflowed chocolates). Coffee machine. Fridges with can drinks. Nice office environment to chill and work. \nMost importantly cool boss\n\ud83d\ude06\n\n\n\u2013\n\n\nARia ADia Sha RoSe\n \u2013 (My workplace does) \nFruits day once a week\u00a0\n\ud83c\udf47\n\ud83c\udf4a\n\ud83c\udf4e\n\ud83c\udf4f\n\u00a0\n\n\n\u2013\n\n\nSyaza Nazura\n \u2013 (I get) \nFree parking\n. Also lots of tea and coffee for those who drink them (not me but they have Milo too so I\u2019m good). Also I got an \noffice laptop\n (choice between Dell XPS and Macbook Air, obv chose the Macbook) to use (that I can bring home). \n\n\n(I also get access to) Gym, swimming pool and running tracks to use before and after work. Microwave and fridge to use. Staff gets 30% off for lunch sets at the canteen.\n\n\n\u2013\n\n\nDzurihan Yusoff\n \u2013 (I get) \nCareer growth, vast knowledge expansion, \nunlimited medical benefit\n, 30 days annual leave, smart casual attire, yearly increment, and \nHarvard Business Corporate e-learning subscription\n.\n\n\n\u2013\n\n\nBrian Soon\n \u2013 \nEvery 2 weeks, the company gives us a Friday off. So in a month we get \n2 extra days of leave\n. It\u2019s really nice to have an extra day for the weekend where you can settle other things (eg going to the bank or catching up with friends) \n\ud83d\ude01\n\n\n\u2013\n\n\nTo elaborate more, my company is from France and they really value work-life balance in their work culture. For maternity leave, the ladies get 4 months off and the man get 1 month off as \nparental leave\n.\u00a0\n\n\n\u2013\n\n\nIvan\n \u2013 \nI used to work for a US organisation. With them I enjoyed: \n3 meals a day\n, \nhousing with free air-conditioning, internet and water\n, free parking at work and petrol reimbursement, basic 12 annual leave + 1 day additional for every 2 years you work,\u00a0 unused annual leave can be carried forward to the following year, yearly bonus of one month, and \nunlimited amount of special paid leave\n (Family funeral, hospitalisation, dental visit, emergency cases etc)\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nSo you see, the point I made in my first paragraph stands. Good employers exist, and they may be looking for you right now.\n\n\nWhat cool employee benefits do you have?\n\n\nBy this point, if you\u2019re feeling like your company can do better, then you have 3 choices:\n\n\n\n\nimplement the benefits you want yourself (go and propose to workplace, never ask never know. Some benefits don\u2019t require much funds to implement!), or\n\n\nfind the employer of your dreams\n, or\n\n\naccept and just be grateful for the job that you do have. It could be worse :/\n\n\n\n\nDoes your company offer employee benefits that are not included here? I\u2019d love to see more variety \u2013 and dare I say, creativity \u2013 among different companies \ud83d\ude00 Let us know in the comments section!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/financial-education-malaysia/", "title": "19 Financial Education Initiatives in Malaysia You Should Know\n  ", "body": "Something exciting happened recently. On 23 July 2019, Tun M launched the National Strategy for Financial Literacy (2019-2023).\n\n\n\n\nKorang. A national strategy. For financial literacy. Isn\u2019t this amazing? I\u2019m all for it. This is great, we needed this.\n\n\nSo I was browsing through \nthe document\n (thanks Vincent for sending to me!) and thought, hey! There are so many financial education initiatives, many of which I didn\u2019t know about! I should share this on RoR!\n\n\nSo here you go. Every single financial education initiatives under members of Financial Education Network (FEN), as of writing time.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Ministry of Education\n\n\nInitiative\n:\n Integrating financial education elements in the curriculum\n\n\nWhat it is:\n Teach financial education component in schools\n\n\nOfficial description\n: The integration of financial education element is carried out in several subjects directly or indirectly.\n\n\nAmong the subjects that apply this knowledge of financial education at Standards-Based Curriculum for Primary Schools (KSSR) and KSSR levels (Revised 2017) are Mathematics, Bahasa Melayu, English and Moral Education.\n\n\nWhile the examples of subjects at the Standards-Based Curriculum for Secondary Schools (KSSM) level are Economics, Business, Accounting Principles, Mathematics, Bahasa Melayu, English, Home Science, Agriculture and other subjects.\n\n\nThe integration of this elements implemented through the subject curriculum in accordance with the suitability of the theme and areas of learning\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM)\n\n\nThere are 3 initiatives under BNM, of which 1 is for the public, and 2 is for government agencies and civil servants:\n\n\n\n\nInitiative #1\n: \nKarnival Kewangan\n (\nwebsite\n\u00a0| \nFacebook\n | \nInstagram\n) EDIT: No longer running\n\n\nWhat it is:\n Fun weekend activity for the public, with financial education twist\n\n\nOfficial description\n: Karnival Kewangan is a one-stop edutainment centre to elevate public\u2019s awareness on financial matters, enhance financial literacy among Malaysian and serve the needs of financial consumers.\n\n\nKarnival Kewangan is a collaborative Public-Private Partnership initiative aimed at widening outreach of financial education nationwide\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nInitiative #2\n: \nTrain-the-Trainers (TTT) programme for Government agencies\n\n\nWhat it is:\n Improving financial literacy in government agencies\n\n\nOfficial description:\n Train-the-Trainers (TTT) programme is an initiative to train and enhance the capability of the counsellors at the government agencies to conduct self-directed financial education sessions within their agency.\n\n\nThe programme also provides intervention measures to achieve prudent financial management behaviour among the government officers.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nInitiative #3\n: \nPersonal Financial Education module at E-Pembelajaran Sektor Awam (EPSA\u00ae) on-line learning platform\u00a0\n\n\nWhat it is:\n Improving financial literacy among civil servants (online)\n\n\nOfficial description:\n Personal Financial Education module (or Modul Pendidikan Kewangan Peribadi) is a newly launched on-line learning module offered to all civil servants in Malaysia.\n\n\nThis initiative is in line with the Government\u2019s initiative to promote the use of online learning to civil servants for their continuous and lifelong\n\nlearning.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Securities Commission Malaysia\n\n\nInitiative\n: \nInvestSmart\u00ae\u00a0\n(\nwebsite\n)\n\n\nWhat it is:\n Public education events for Malaysian investors\n\n\nOfficial description: \nThe InvestSmart\u00ae brand is SC\u2019s investor education initiative to create more informed investors who are self-reliant and are able to make investment decisions that are right for them.\n\n\nSince its launch in 2014, InvestSmart\u00ae has actively carried our various initiatives to reach out to a wide spectrum of the public throughout the nation, educating them on a range of investment related topics.\n\n\nInvestSmart\u00ae initiatives includes the annual flagship investor education event InvestSmart\u00ae Fest, Bersama InvestSmart\u00ae @ Borneo, SC-in-the-Community, seminars, InvestSmart\u00ae website, mobile application, online educational game Jump2Invest and social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Employees Provident Fund (EPF)\n\n\nThere are 2 initiatives under EPF:\n\n\n Image credit: RinggitPlus\n\n\nInitiative #1\n: \nBelanjawanku\n\n\nWhat it is:\n A rough guide to show how much money we need to live\n\n\nOfficial description\n: An expenditure guide, providing estimated minimum monthly expenses on various types of goods and services for different households in Malaysia. It is a useful tool for Malaysians to plan for their personal and family budgeting to achieve a reasonable standard of living\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nInitiative #2\n: \nRetirement Advisory Services (RAS)\n (\nwebsite\n)\n\n\nWhat it is:\n Advices Malaysians on retirement planning. Try the retirement calculator in their website\n\n\nOfficial description:\n RAS offers personalized financial advice particularly on retirement planning to members of the public. It aims to raise financial literacy and guide Malaysians to plan for their retirement as well as understand available options that can help increase their retirement savings.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Perbadanan Insurans Deposit Malaysia (PIDM)\n\n\nThere are 2 initiatives under PIDM:\n\n\nInitiative #1\n: \nPIDM Public Engagement Programme\u00a0\n\n\nWhat it is:\n Tell people what PIDM do. I\u2019ve done a few collaborations with PIDM under this initiative \u2013 see:\n\n\n\n\n[SPONSORED] What Does PIDM Do and Why Should YOU Care?\n\n\n[SPONSORED] What Rich Malaysians Do With Their Money (That You Don\u2019t)\n\n\n[SPONSORED] Malaysians Share Scams in Malaysia They Fell For (or Almost)\n\n\n\n\nOfficial description\n: An outreach programme to bring financial education and PIDM awareness to the public in various locations.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nInitiative #2\n: \nPIDM briefings\n\n\nWhat it is:\n Like #1, but more targeted?\n\n\nOfficial description:\n A series of briefing sessions to different target segments e.g. youth, retirees and working adults to promote awareness on PIDM\u2019s financial consumer protection systems.\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Agensi Kaunseling dan Pengurusan Kredit (AKPK)\n\n\nThere are 5 initiatives under AKPK, of which 3 is for the public, 1 is for employees and 1 for students:\n\n\nInitiative #1\n: \nFinancial Education Public Programmes\n\n\nWhat it is:\n Fun weekend activity for the public, with financial education twist\n\n\nOfficial description\n: AKPK provides a range of public programmes throughout the year targeting various target segments like youth, women, entrepreneurs and other related groups.\n\n\nThe programmes are held to provide a set of skills and knowledge that allows an individual to make informed and effective decisions with regards to their financial resources.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nInitiative #2\n: \nAKPK\u2019s Online Learning portal (\npower.akpk.org.my\n)\u00a0\n\n\nWhat it is:\n Free financial courses! There is one course so far, a house-buying module. Available in English and Malay\n\n\n\n\nOfficial description:\n AKPK\u2019s learn.akpk.org.my portal is developed to provide financial education programmes online. The portal provides a peer to peer learning platform that is socially engaging (participants can participate in modular discussion forums), making the learning fun, empowering, engaging and trendy.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nInitiative #3\n: \nCustomised Financial Solution Programme \u2013 (Employees Wellness Programme)\n\n\nWhat it is:\n A programme to help employees facing financial issues (which companies, I don\u2019t know)\n\n\nOfficial description:\n A customised financial solution programme is designed based on the assessment conducted amongst employees of some organisations to identify their financial issues that need to be addressed in order to promote productivity of employees at workplace.\n\n\nThe issues are addressed by providing financial education, counselling and debt management programmes.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nInitiative #4\n: \nAKPK Financial Literacy Symposium\n\n\nWhat it is:\n A big financial education-themed conference slash event\n\n\nOfficial description:\n This symposium is one of AKPK\u2019s efforts to promote financial literacy among Malaysians. The highlight will be the reporting of findings from AKPK\u2019s recent survey among Malaysians followed by forums and other related research presentations. It is held biennially.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nInitiative #5\n: \nSocial Enterprise Literacy for Youth (SELFY)\n\n\nWhat it is:\n Improving financial literacy among college and university students\n\n\nOfficial description:\n The SELFY programme is conducted yearly amongst students of higher learning institutions, focused on providing educational experience that leaves them with positive associations with money and social change.\n\n\nStudents are given financial education and then provided a seed money to start an enterprise. The concept of SELFY is to earn, manage, save and give.\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB)\n\n\nThere are 5 initiatives under PNB, of which 3 is for the public, and 2 is for schools:\n\n\nInitiative #1\n: \nMinggu Saham Amanah Malaysia (MSAM)\n\n\nWhat it is:\n A big financial education-themed conference slash event\n\n\nOfficial description\n: MSAM held annually since 2000 with the objective of educating the public on investment in unit trust, risk and return and financial planning. In addition, it is to educate the investors on where their money is invested by PNB.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nInitiative #2\n: \nSeminar Pelaburan 360\n\n\nWhat it is:\n Investment seminars\n\n\nOfficial description:\n Daily seminars conducted by ASNB qualified financial planners at different locations to all segments of society on financial planning concepts.\n\n\nPNB also has a whole video series in their Youtube. Sharing here Segment 1 Module 1:\n\n\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nInitiative #3\n: \nKelab Pelaburan Bijak\n\n\nWhat it is:\n Investing clubs in schools!\n\n\nOfficial description:\n Aim to uplift the level of financial literacy among secondary school children. Currently, 155 schools have been selected to join the club.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nInitiative #4\n: \nKuiz Pelaburan PNB\n\n\nWhat it is:\n An investment-themed quiz competition. The cash prize is quite lucrative!\n\n\n Image credit: Harian Metro\n\n\nOfficial description:\n Quiz competition involving different categories on key concepts relating to investment, financial planning, unit trust and risk and return\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nInitiative #5\n: \nFiesta Labur PNB\n\n\nWhat it is:\n Fun weekend activity for the public, with financial education twist\n\n\nOfficial description:\n An annual event organized by ASNB. It is an edutainment based investment programme. Through Fiesta Labur, the public will be able to gain knowledge on investment and financial planning through interactive and fun way of learning.\n\n\nThis event provides various activities and entertainment for the whole family in educating and creating awareness on the importance of financial planning in their daily lives.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nThat\u2019s quite a lot of financial education initiatives, isn\u2019t it? But you know, these are just activities and resources by government and government-linked agencies. There are even MORE financial seminars and websites and media from the private sector.\n\n\nFor example, most, if not all the insurance companies do their own financial literacy initiatives. So does the banks. And the companies providing investment services, across all sectors.\n\n\nThen I also know the financial planning associations and the financial comparison platforms do financial education too. I\u2019m sure I\u2019m missing a few more here but I made my point, yes?\n\n\nIn short, learning opportunities are everywhere. Go look for them, and avoid the dodgy dodgy ones. If you lazy to go out, nah here are some \nbook recommendations\n. Lazy to go book store? Nah \nrecommended personal finance websites\n.\n\n\nAll the best and no more complaining government is not doing anything okay? It\u2019s all up to our own effort now.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/financial-literacy-month-2021/", "title": "[TRANSCRIPT] Personal Finance Chit Chat with Hann and Suraya | Financial Literacy Month 2021\n  ", "body": "\n\nThis is a transcript of the Personal Finance Chit Chat show, which aired live on 30 October 2021 during the Financial Education Network-organised \nFinancial Literacy Month 2021\n Finale. Hann of \nRinggitPlus\n and myself answered audience-submitted questions, taken both prior to the event and during the show. \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Financial Education Network (@myfenetwork)\n\n\n\n\nThe questions we answered were:\n\n\nI am currently unemployed. \nI cannot search for a job due to my mental health\n. Is there any way to earn income from home as I want to pay for therapy? Thanks.\nCould you talk about \nthe process of getting financial advisory services\n, especially for middle class. If it\u2019s necessary, as well as the rates in Malaysia?\nLet\u2019s say I\u2019m an \nLGBT person, what is the best way to make sure my partner gets the wealth they deserve\n? Wasiat can\u2019t get past Faraid? Is Hibah Takaful good?\nWhere do you keep your\n emergency and sinking funds\n? And would you consider them part of your net worth?\nSuraya, I love your content. \nWhat do you think about BNPL?\n Thanks.\nI only have personal loan and home loan, \nhow can I finish this loan super fast\n? Can you give me good tips?\nHow to\n use credit card to pay another credit card\n? How to get a 1% interest credit card.\nCrypto, stocks or property, \nwhat is best to invest\n?\n[On BNPL] So businesses are crazy for it because of the great potential profit, but \nwho\u2019s going to protect consumers\n from these dangers? It seems like credit card 2.0, what can we do?\nHow do I know if I have \nenough money to buy a property\n? Any advice for fresh grads on how and when to buy property? The thought of being in debt scares me.\nAdakah patut \nPersonal Loan dipanjangkan kepada 20 tahun\n kembali seperti dahulu, komitmen rendah, maka kuasa beli meningkat dan ekonomi grow?\nMacam mana nak mencari \nsumber dana dengan mudah\n yang kurang syarat dari institusi kewangan yang syarat ketat tanpa duit dan tak mampu bergerak untuk niaga?\nMacam mana nak \nuruskan kewangan dengan gaji bawah RM1300\n?\n\n\nYou can go directly to the section you want below. Otherwise, you can also listen to the show \u2013 the video is embedded at the end of this article. \n\n\nThis transcript has been edited for clarity. \n\n\nINTRODUCTION\n\n\nHann Liew:\u00a0\n\n\nHi, good afternoon and welcome to today\u2019s session, \u201cPersonal Finance Chit Chat\u201d with Hann and Suraya, in conjunction with Financial Literacy Month 2021, organised by the Financial Education Network, a network that aims to provide financial education and support during this challenging time.\u00a0\n\n\nHope everyone\u2019s doing well this afternoon and staying safe. I\u2019m Hann, co-founder and director of RinggitPlus, Malaysia\u2019s number one financial marketplace. We\u2019ve been operating since 2012 and served over a million customers for various financial products, including credit cards, loans, insurance, and wealth services. I\u2019m also a licensed financial planner and over the past year RinggitPlus, my financial planning team and I have helped thousands of Malaysians with Personal Financing/ Financial Planning support.\n\n\nLet\u2019s first set the scene for this afternoon. Over the past 18 months, the COVID 19 pandemic has been quite damaging not just to our health and economy, but also to our personal money. In the most recent survey that we did at RinggitPlus the \u201cRinggitPlus Malaysia Financial Literacy Survey 2021\u201d, we discovered a few scary statistics that you Malaysians told us.\n\n\nOver half or 56% of Malaysians told us that they can\u2019t save at all or save less than RM500 a month. Almost half of Malaysians spend the same, or more than what they earn each month. And the scariest of all, which is, only 15% of Malaysians told us that they believe that their EPF balance will be enough for them to retire on. This is down from 30% last year. All this means we\u2019re all hurting financially a little. We hope today, we can help a little by sharing some thoughts on various questions that you might have.\u00a0\n\n\nWith me, I have a highly acclaimed personal finance writer, speaker and activist Suraya Zainudin. Suraya, why don\u2019t you introduce yourself a little bit, and then what we\u2019re going to be doing this afternoon.\n\n\nSuraya Zainudin:\n\n\nThank you for the introduction. Hann. It\u2019s really nice to be doing this second year in a row. I am a writer, speaker and founder of a personal finance website, RinggitOhRinggit.com. And I\u2019m happy also to share that I\u2019m as of now an associate financial planner, on my way to get my CFP certification. \n\n\nToday, as Hann said, we are going to answer some questions that you, the audience, have submitted earlier this week. We asked you to submit on Slido and have received, as of this morning, about 34 questions. We\u2019re going to go through them as much as possible. \n\n\nFor those of you tuning in from the platform, you will also see a Slido down below where you can also ask your questions, so upvote the ones that you want answered. Without further ado, we\u2019ll just jump right into the questions. What do you think Hann, shall we go ahead?\u00a0\n\n\nHann Liew:\u00a0\n\n\nLet\u2019s do that. You ready, Suraya? Ladies first, you go ahead.\n\n\nQ1 \u2013 I am currently unemployed. I cannot search for a job due to my mental health. Is there any way to earn income from home as I want to pay for therapy? Thanks.\n\n\nSuraya Zainudin:\u00a0\n\n\nAlright. So the first question is by Tamara. Tamara says, \u201cHi, I am currently unemployed. I cannot search for a job due to my mental health. Is there any way to earn income from home as I want to pay for therapy? Thanks.\u201d\n\n\nWhat do you think, Hann?\n\n\nHann Liew:\u00a0\n\n\nOh, really tricky question. For me, it really depends on your capacity to work. Mental health is a big topic these days. But I think the first thing you got to look for is do you have capacity to work. Whether it\u2019s at the workplace, or at home, work tends to work. You have to do things and then get (the) compensation. \n\n\nBut if you know you\u2019re feeling up for working, the first point of call is to find a job. But make sure that you can find one which gives you flexible hours. (Do) things like full remote work, (and work at) places where you feel comfortable to do work. So once you\u2019ve determined, \u201cHey, I want to work from home. I\u2019m comfortable doing that. Does a job allow me to do so?\u201d\u00a0\n\n\nMore and more employers these days are offering flexible working hours, full remote work, so be on the lookout for those. And obviously there are many other ways to make money which I will let Suraya answer a bit more. I\u2019m sure you have to add something to that.\n\n\nSuraya Zainudin:\u00a0\n\n\nYes, Tamara, when I got your question, I spent the longest time doing research because I want to do you justice. Okay, so the way that I see it, mental health and financial health are super interrelated, and it\u2019s a chicken and egg situation: Financial health will affect your mental health and your mental health will also be affected by your financial health.\u00a0\n\n\nFirst and foremost, I think your question is about, are there ways to earn income from home because you want to pay for therapy? And the answer is yes, definitely. A lot of people are \nmaking money from home from online work\n. I personally am doing that. However beyond that, I\u2019m assuming that you have financial difficulties, so I want to point out a few resources that maybe you can use first.\u00a0\n\n\nThe first one is called Better Help app. It\u2019s a therapy app and a paid app, however, they are offering one month of free therapy for people. So you can claim one month, at least that\u2019s something (EDIT: This promo expired unfortunately). \n\n\nNumber two is that there\u2019s an organisation in Malaysia called MIASA. Malaysia \u2013 that stands for Mental Illness Awareness and Support Association. The website is \nMIASA.org.my\n. You can look through what are the activities and resources that are available. There\u2019s also an initiative called \nMindaKami\n, which is also great at providing help for people who need mental health support.\u00a0\n\n\nJust remember that mental health is something that is ongoing and something that you will have to work on. It is a good idea for you and everyone else who is listening in to look for free ways to deal with your mental health issues. Look for free ways to cope: find support groups, exercise, do gratitude journaling, all of those. \n\n\nNo matter what, try not to go into unhealthy ways of coping with your mental health, for example, shopping. It will give you those dopamine, which you are really craving, but those may perhaps quickly spiral you into a worse financial situation. \n\n\nSo that\u2019s what I have to say on the matter.\u00a0Hann, and shall we move on to the next question?\n\n\nQ2 \u2013 Could you talk about the process of getting financial advisory services, especially for middle class. If it\u2019s necessary, as well as the rates in Malaysia?\n\n\nHann Liew:\u00a0\n\n\nLet\u2019s do that. Thanks for the question, Tamara. Next question is from Izwan, quite highly voted also. And the question goes, \u201cHi, could you talk about the process of getting financial advisory services, especially for middle class. If it\u2019s necessary, as well as the rates in Malaysia?\u201d So he\u2019s asking, How do I do it? Do I need it? How much it is?\u00a0\n\n\nI guess I should clarify first, before I pass to Suraya, we first have to differentiate between financial advisory and financial planning. It can get a bit confusing, but please follow me if you can. In Malaysia, Financial Advisory is a specific regulated profession and licensed by Bank Negara. And it\u2019s largely, in fact it\u2019s solely focused on insurance coverage, and the fact that it\u2019s called Financial Advisor, because they can offer you insurance from many providers. So that\u2019s quite handy.\u00a0\n\n\nThat\u2019s slightly different from Financial Planning, which is a little broader. It\u2019s a profession that\u2019s regulated by Securities Commission, rather than Bank Negara, because it also covers not just insurance, but investment, cash flow management, tax etc. So I\u2019m guessing what you mean is Financial Planning, rather than Financial Advisory as it exists here in Malaysia. So that\u2019s kind of the first thing I wanted to say to that.\u00a0\n\n\nIn terms of whether it\u2019s necessary or not, I think the most classic answer is it depends. But don\u2019t think of it as, \u201cHey, I only need it when I\u2019m rich\u201d. Because even if you\u2019re a middle-class person, you\u2019re an M40, having a financial planner guide you through your journey might help you avoid making kind of very costly mistakes, which, in fact, pays for itself. And, you know, it\u2019s actually a myth that financial planning is only for rich people or T20 people.\u00a0\n\n\nFor example, and I\u2019m a bit biased because we offer financial planning services ourselves. For a few hundred ringgit, you can get a very comprehensive financial plan, covering all kinds of areas of your life, Debt, Savings Investments, Retirement, Tax and Estate Planning, and you can do it entirely online. \n\n\nThat\u2019s kind of long-winded, but hopefully, that helps. Suraya, what do you reckon? \n\n\nSuraya Zainudin:\u00a0\n\n\nSure, yes. So I would like to say that RinggitPlus\u2019 Financial Planning Services go for a few hundred ringgit. Usually Financial Planning Services can go up to thousands. So RinggitPlus\u2019 Financial Planning Services is one of the most affordable ones in the market, if not the most affordable.\u00a0\n\n\nBut in addition to that, you can get Financial Planning Services for free one time a year, which is right now, during the Financial Education Month. If you notice in your virtual convention, there\u2019s a section called Financial Planning and you can book a free session with licensed Financial Planners. So make sure to take advantage of that. \n\n\nLike Hann said, you don\u2019t have to be a T20 in order to start. You can even ask them specific questions, for example, \u201cCan you review my insurance?\u201d or, \u201cWhat do you think of my investment portfolio right now?\u201d, \u201cWhat is your recommendation?\u201d You can ask them specific questions like that.\u00a0\n\n\nQ3 \u2013 Let\u2019s say I\u2019m an LGBT person, what is the best way to make sure my partner gets the wealth they deserve? Wasiat can\u2019t get past Faraid? Is Hibah Takaful good?\n\n\nSuraya Zainudin:\u00a0\n\n\nSo I\u2019m gonna move on to the next question, which is sent by Anonymous. Anonymous asked, \u201cLet\u2019s say I\u2019m an LGBT person, what is the best way to make sure my partner gets the wealth they deserve? Wasiat can\u2019t get past Faraid? Is Hibah Takaful good?\u201d So Anonymous, there are a few components to your question, I\u2019m going to try and break them down.\n\n\nIf you are Muslim, there is a tool called Wasiat and it is not true that Wasiat cannot get past Faraid because, in the documentation, you can allocate a third to whomever you want. However, the big caveat is that the rest of the heirs must be agreeable to the \u201cpecahan\u201d, to the allocation.\u00a0\n\n\nSo I\u2019ve actually researched this topic quite a lot and \nI have an article on it on Ringgit Oh Ringgit. \nYour question about \nhibah takaful\n and whether it is good \u2013 it is something that I would highly recommend to all Muslims, and not just for LGBT persons. \n\n\nIf you are a Muslim, if you have irresponsible family members, if you have loved ones who cannot get inheritance from your money, if you are a convert, and you have your non-convert parents or siblings that you want to leave money to, or if you have adopted children \u2013 they do not have any allocation under Faraid system, so definitely get Hibah Takaful because with Hibah Takaful you can allocate the beneficiary to whoever you want. You can even name them as the sole receiver of the money. \n\n\nOne nice thing about Hibah Takaful is that it is one of the most affordable tools for inheritance especially for Muslim people in this country. As a benchmark, about RM100 to 200 range, depending on your age and your gender and things like that, you can leave behind a cool let\u2019s say RM500,000 to a million. \n\n\nSo I want to expand this question beyond LGBT person, to just whoever was listening in, who are worried that your loved ones may not get inheritance when you pass on. \n\n\nHann, do you have anything to add?\n\n\nHann Liew:\u00a0\n\n\nThat was very, very, comprehensive, Suraya. I probably only have one last thing to add for Mr. or Ms. Anonymous. I think what you said is right, it\u2019s not just for LGBT people. Iit\u2019s for anyone who wants to give outside of the Faraid structure. It can be a friend, it can be a loved one of any kind. \n\n\nWanting to add I guess to what Suraya said about Hibah Takaful, also you might want to consider Hibah Amanah as well. If you have existing wealth elsewhere in cases like ASB or Tabung Haji, and you go, \u201cHey, look, can I give it to somebody who\u2019s not within that Faraid kind of structure?\u201d \u2013 consider Hibah Amanah, that pretty much means you nominate somebody under that scheme, your ASB or your Tabung Haji funds to whomever you\u2019d like to be. \n\n\nSo Hibah Amanah is something to consider as well for people who have the wealth sitting there and they hope to give it to their loved ones. \n\n\nQ4 \u2013 Where do you keep your emergency and sinking funds? And would you consider them part of your net worth?\n\n\nHann Liew:\n\n\nCool, let\u2019s keep going. Next one is a classic one, which I think everyone should know. Also from Anonymous. So the next question is, \u201cWhere do you keep your emergency and sinking funds? And would you consider them part of your net worth?\u201d I think this is a great question. And Suraya, why don\u2019t you have a go?\n\n\nSuraya Zainudin:\u00a0\n\n\nOh, you taichi to me? Alright.\u00a0\n\n\nHann Liew:\n\n\nAs in, I want to hear what you think, cause this is a very specific question, and where do you keep yours? So I\u2019m curious to hear where you keep yours too.\u00a0\n\n\nSuraya Zainudin:\u00a0\n\n\nAll right. Three months\u2019 worth of expenses, I keep in my bank account, that\u2019s for my day-to-day (expenses). The rest, I put them in my various liquid investments. Only a minority, I keep in illiquid investments. \n\n\nThe one inside the bank account is there because it\u2019s for daily life. That\u2019s my emergency fund. The rest I just put in ASB (and other liquid investments), because it\u2019s just far enough for me to not use but easy enough for me to take just in case I need it. And yes, I do consider them as part of my net worth. How about you, Hann?\n\n\nHann Liew:\n\n\nNo same, yeah, same. Love that answer. It\u2019s very obvious that you know exactly what to do with that. And I think for me, I would encourage you to do the same. So I keep mine in a slightly different place. And I\u2019ll explain why in a second. There\u2019s kind of two questions there, which is, \u201cWhere do you keep your stuff?\u201d and \u201cWould you consider it part of your net worth?\u201d\u00a0\n\n\n\u201cWhere do you keep your emergency fund?\u201d \u2013 I think is a good question. You mentioned three months, as a licensed Financial Planner, we certainly say three to six months is where you should be looking at for your expenses, so that if anything happens, you\u2019re not worried for a large amount. \n\n\nThe next question people gonna ask usually, when they say once I say three to six months of your expenses is okay, where do I put this? And for me, I like to go principles-based. Principles-based meaning, I keep my emergency funds in three places. The three principles are: one, it has been liquid. Like you said, I need the money within a day or less. \n\n\nNumber two, it needs to be fairly low risk, which means I can\u2019t take too much risk, I can\u2019t be investing in kind of the stock market or cryptocurrencies or things like that.  Means if I put the money in today, it\u2019s got to be a similar amount, tomorrow, next month, next year. \n\n\nAnd third, and most important that most people forget about is that you should try and beat inflation even with your emergency funds. Because emergency funds just sitting there will be eroded by inflation, if you keep it under your pillow or something. So those three principles, liquid, low risk, beat inflation.\u00a0\n\n\nAnd there are many options. You mentioned a great one, which is ASB, especially the fixed price funds, perfect place to put (your emergency savings). Why? It\u2019s low risk. It\u2019s a bit lower recently, but you still beat inflation above 4%. And lastly, it\u2019s fairly liquid, you can walk through a branch get your money. It\u2019s a bit of a hassle, but you can still do it.\u00a0\n\n\nAnother option, which I personally do is, I have a home loan with a flexi account feature. So I live in a home, I have a home loan on it, and a flexi account feature.  It\u2019s a bit complicated, but basically what it means is if let\u2019s say my home loan is RM400,000 ringgit, and I have say RM50,000 of emergency money, which I put in the current account, linked to the home loan, then my interest will only be charged on 350,000. \n\n\nSo that\u2019s what that offset means. And that effectively means my emergency funds are earning the home loan interest rate, which is about 3.3%, which is lower than ASB but still pretty decent, still pretty liquid, I can take the money out any time. \n\n\nSo that\u2019s where I keep my personal emergency funds. And I certainly consider them part of my net worth because it is money that we own. \n\n\nQ5 \u2013 Suraya, I love your content. What do you think about BNPL? Thanks.\u201d\n\n\nHann Liew:\n\n\nCool, good stuff. Let\u2019s move on. The next question is going to be a firecracker one. You\u2019ve got an Anonymous, \u201cSuraya, I love your content. What do you think about BNPL? Thanks.\u201d Yeah. So Suraya, what do you think about BNPL?\n\n\nSuraya Zainudin:\u00a0\n\n\nLet me go on a rampage right now. Thank you Anonymous for asking this question. It is my belief that \nBNPL or Buy Now Pay Later\n for people who are not familiar with it, there\u2019s more bad than good. \n\n\nFor people who are hearing this term for the first time, BNPL or Buy Now Pay Later is basically a system where they allow people who don\u2019t have credit card to pay for any item or services that they want using an installment system, usually between three and six months and you don\u2019t need a credit card for it. So nice, right.\u00a0\n\n\nHowever, I believe that BNPL does more harm than good and the reason is that most items and services sold under BNPL are items that are considered wants and not needs. There\u2019s barely anything on or related to health and safety services. It is mostly luxury items. It\u2019s excessive consumption, things that are aspirational that are promoted.\u00a0\n\n\nAnd the second reason why I don\u2019t really promote them or like them is because it is this trend that encourages people to borrow against their future. And borrowing against the future, those kind of tools already exist right now. You\u2019re borrowing money to buy a house \u2013 that\u2019s borrowing against the future; your future self\u2019s ability to be able to pay off the loan. Or a car, you borrow now so that your future self will pay off the car. But you can sort of somewhat justify these things. Car, house, education, because those are things that can help you earn more money and to make a living.\u00a0\n\n\nHow about with BNPL? Let\u2019s see, if you buy a luxury item, how can you ever justify that? And when you allow this culture of borrowing against the future, what then is the incentive for employers to raise salary? Right? \n\n\nSo we have been talking about how in Malaysia, the cost of living is high, and salary is low. And when tools like this exist, that say, \u201cOh, you want what you want. So come let\u2019s borrow money, and let\u2019s help you to afford this so you can live the life that you want,\u201d instead of actually prioritising, \u201cHey, if you want something, save up for it first before you get it\u201d. \n\n\nSo that\u2019s my two cents about it. And maybe something else, Hann, before I pass it over to you. BNPL is not unique to Malaysia. It\u2019s been existing in other countries. I\u2019m just gonna touch on some statistics. BNPL is already very, very popular in Singapore. In a 2020 study, 27% of people who use BNPL are worse off because of a BNPL purchase. 9% have paid a penalty for missing payments. \n\n\nYou don\u2019t want to be like one of those who are not able to pay for it. Because I have now seen people who have taken excessive installments under BNP without realising it. So that\u2019s my two cents. Hann, over to you.\n\n\nHann Liew:\n\n\nI love that. For me, the ideas are good, but how it\u2019s being executed may not be in line with how we want to promote in terms of Financial Literacy. So, my view on BNPL is very simple. I think the idea of BNPL is fantastic. It\u2019s extremely inclusive. So right now, the ability to have kind of interest-free payments in a pre-BNPL world was the domain of high-income people with credit cards. There\u2019s this amazing thing called EPP and then they made use of it. And then people who couldn\u2019t qualify for those things were just left out of the entire system completely, which I feel by nature, doesn\u2019t sound very inclusive. \n\n\nAnd for me, I always love inclusion, I like things which will bring more people into the fold, to expose more people to kind of the various tools that are available to make Cash Flow Planning better. Most of them are interest-free, some of them are also fee-free. And they charge the merchants basically. \n\n\nSo the idea is great, but I sort of feel the execution of BNPL as a business is the one that we should be very aware of. The execution of BNPL is highly predatory. Meaning, exactly what you said, right? The idea is good, it\u2019s actually very interesting, it\u2019s inclusive, but it\u2019s being used to encourage the wrong kinds of behaviours. \n\n\nWhat I love to see is BNPL used for is for people who need things like, \u201cI need a new washing machine. I need it today. I can\u2019t afford it today, but I probably afford it over the next three or four months. What am I going to do? I can\u2019t wash my clothes at home, etc.\u201d These kinds of behaviours, I think, are fine. It\u2019s the luxury good stuff that is being predatorily marketed to people now. But I guess for me, this happens everywhere. And if you ask me, I prefer inclusion rather than exclusion. \n\n\nI\u2019ll use a classic example for this. Even in the credit card world, you know, domain of the M40 and T20. Two-thirds to three-quarters of people don\u2019t pay their credit cards on time. So even for supposed rich and educated people, they don\u2019t do that right. So I don\u2019t think we should be discriminatory towards people who are lower-income, who can\u2019t qualify for a credit card and say, \u201cNo, therefore, you also shouldn\u2019t, you definitely shouldn\u2019t be getting BNPL service.\u201d \n\n\nWhat I think we should do is to look at it in totality, which is that these two products are great as tools, but are currently wrongly used and marketed. And we should be looking at it in totality, both these kinds of tools, perform similar functions. Both on the good side, as well as the predatory side. \n\n\nI believe Bank Negara is, so that\u2019s kind of what I hope to happen soon because BNPL is coming in fast right and coming hard for Malaysians. We just need to make sure we protect the most vulnerable people. So that\u2019s my view. I\u2019m not saying I love BNPL, I just think, as a tool it\u2019s great. It\u2019s just you know, as a tool knives are good, but they can hurt people too. \n\n\nSuraya Zainudin:\u00a0\n\n\nJust a really quick one, I promise. You mentioned inclusion. It is okay for the whole inclusion thing not to include (debt), but that\u2019s only my own personal view.\u00a0\n\n\nQ6 \u2013 I only have personal loan and home loan, how can I finish this loan super fast? Can you give me good tips?\n\n\nSuraya Zainudin:\u00a0\n\n\nNext question, Anonymous asked, \u201cI only have personal loan and home loan, how can I finish this loan super fast? Can you give me good tips?\u201d So Hann, how do you finish a home loan and personal loan super fast?\n\n\nHann Liew:\n\n\nOh, if only I had a magic button to do that for you, dear Anonymous. If you do have a personal loan and a home loan, quite likely the personal loan interest would be a lot higher than your home loan. I can\u2019t solve all your problems. \n\n\nBut what I can do is say look, if you\u2019re willing to do a bit of kind of financial magic or financial engineering, you might want to consider using some of your home loan, increasing the balance a little bit, make sure it\u2019s extremely low interest versus your personal loan, and clearing off your personal loan just like that. Because that way you\u2019re trading in a high-interest loan, personal loans are currently somewhere between 5-10%, flat, or 9-18% on a home loan APR basis. \n\n\nI can\u2019t promise you it\u2019ll be gone super fast. But at the very least, you\u2019re going to be saving quite a lot of interest if you did that. So use the home loan, maybe do a top up and pay off the personal loan, and reduce your commitment as well as your long-term interest. So for me, that\u2019s kind of one way I will look at it.\u00a0\n\n\nNow, if you don\u2019t want to do that kind of financial magic, you could just focus paying off more than what you\u2019ve committed to and therefore pay down faster. And if you ask me which one to pay down first, definitely the personal one first, because that\u2019s likely to be high interest. That\u2019s my view. And we do that a lot for customers at RinggitPlus. Suraya, what do you reckon? Anything to add?\n\n\nQ7 \u2013 How to use credit card to pay another credit card? How to get a 1% interest credit card.\n\n\nSuraya Zainudin:\u00a0\n\n\nNo, nothing to add to that. That\u2019s a perfect answer. So moving on. I think this is another one of your domain, Hann, \u201cHow to use credit card to pay another credit card? How to get a 1% interest credit card.\u201d I think this person maybe means, does the 1% interest credit card exist, and how to use a credit card to pay another credit card. That\u2019s called a balance transfer credit card. RinggitPlus offers this kind of things as well, yes? Do you want to explain?\n\n\nHann Liew:\n\n\nSure, sure, thanks Suraya. I mean, RinggitPlus, we are quite known for credit cards. We do much more than that, obviously, but the first thing we\u2019re known for is you know, expertise in credit cards, so I can very clearly answer these two things.\u00a0\n\n\nNumber one, how do you use a credit card to pay another one? Very simply, two ways. Number one is called Balance Transfer. What happens is you apply for a new credit card. Within that credit card application, kind of 3, 4, 5, pages in, you see something called a Balance Transfer Application, where you put your old credit card with the balance on it, the old credit card\u2019s number, and the amount that you want to transfer over to this new credit card. \n\n\nSo maybe you\u2019re incurring interest at kind of 15-18% a year on your balance right now, you apply for a new card and you transfer the balance over. There are all kinds of promos happening now you can get it for 0%, maybe with a small fee. And then you have to buy yourself time to actually pay it off and pay much, much lower interest, if not none at all, for the first 6 to 12 months. So that\u2019s one way to do it. \n\n\nThe second way to do it, and a lot of credit card companies are starting to promote this is a kind of cash instalment on the credit card, which I would say, look, beware of this, have a look at the rates. It is low, say lower than 3-4%. Yeah, that\u2019s totally fine. It\u2019s a lot better than paying 15-18% on your current balance. So you can take off a small amount on your new credit card and pay off yourself without having to do this kind of financial engineering, apply for things and get it approved.\u00a0\n\n\nThe next question is a tricky one. How do I get a 0% interest rate credit card? Good question. I prefer to get a 0% interest rate credit card, not a 1% interest rate credit card. If you pay off your balance in full every month, you can get a 0% credit card. I know it\u2019s probably not the answer you wanted but credit cards can be 0%. So why not make use of it? \n\n\nAnd if you say hey, look, I need more than 45 days, make use of things like those balance transfer programmes, get your interest costs down, or, you know, things like EPPs, where you\u2019ve got a large purchase, whether it\u2019s kind of a washing machine or a fridge, or a car that you can get on a credit card. Sure, no problem. 0%, sounds good to me. \n\n\nWhat do you reckon, Suraya? Any other tricks you want to add to that?\n\n\nSuraya Zainudin:\u00a0\n\n\nNo, just a final reminder for everyone listening to always pay your credit card balance in full every month if you want to avoid that interest because (15-18% interest) is a lot.\u00a0\n\n\nQ8 \u2013 Crypto, stocks or property, what is best to invest?\n\n\nSuraya Zainudin:\u00a0\n\n\nAlright, the next question. George asked, \u201cCrypto, stocks or property, what is best to invest?\u201d Okay Hann, if you don\u2019t mind, I\u2019m going to take this one first. I want to say this is not financial advice, but obviously this is financial advice. So what I\u2019m going to say instead is take what you like, don\u2019t take what you don\u2019t like, (it\u2019s just) another person\u2019s opinion. \n\n\nSo my opinion is that you can try any investment you want, any opportunity you want, no matter how risky it is, as long as you only use 1-5% of your assets. I think that this is way better than the conventional advice. You know, learn everything that you can, before you do the investment and things like that.\u00a0\n\n\nI will tell you many, many reasons why you should do this approach. Number one is because you will minimise your total loss. Even if you lose everything from any high-risk investment, you will only lose between 1-5% of your assets. \n\n\nNumber two, there\u2019s a bias for action. More often than not, doing is better than not doing. And many people who say, \u201cOh, you have to learn first\u201d. Even experts right now, top experts, crypto experts, property experts are learning new things all the time, even years into entering that investment. So there\u2019s no possible way a beginner can learn everything before they start. So start first. \n\n\nNumber three is that you will learn better when you start a new investment. You will now read The Edge, read books, you will want to learn more about it, you\u2019ll be more motivated. Number four, experience is always better than theory, you can read all you want but it\u2019s only by learning by doing that you will learn the emotional rollercoaster that is associated with the investment.\u00a0\n\n\nNumber five, and this is an important one: your research might suck. The information that you get from friends and family, is biased. Let\u2019s say you have parents or you have whoever else saying that, \u201cOh property is good,\u201d \u201cCrypto is good,\u201d and \u201cGold is good,\u201d and \u201cStocks is good.\u201d The reason why they say that is because by you getting the same investment it will help to maintain the price, it will keep getting higher. \n\n\nLet\u2019s say you\u2019re the type of person who find information by Googling them. Do you really think that all those information on the first page of Google just by magic? There are digital marketers whose job is to put this information where your eyeballs are looking at. And this also includes things like online forums. I know of companies that plant fake reviews of investments, or whatever forums in order to mislead people or to hype it up more than they should.\u00a0\n\n\nNumber six, and this is also a very important one, it will filter out a lot of scams. Chances are, if you only use 1-5% of your assets, it\u2019s a smallish amount. Let\u2019s say you have RM10,000, 1% of that is maybe like what RM100? \n\n\nAnd scammers, they love to give you all this FOMO, like, \u201cThis is a once in a lifetime opportunity\u201d, \u201cOh you have RM50,000, great, our package to buy in is RM50,000\u201d. You won\u2019t want to gamble all of your money, all of your life savings away. That\u2019s the main worry that I have when people jump into any investment. \n\n\nSo in short, do any investment that you want, but limit your losses. Hann, how about you?\n\n\nHann Liew:\n\n\nThat was a lot. George, great question. That\u2019s kind of the million-dollar or in some cases, multimillion-dollar question for most people. You know, as a licenced financial planner, it\u2019s hard for me to say, \u201cHey, look to do this, this or this,\u201d without knowing much more than just the question. But what I would say is, I can share with you a few concepts, which should help you in your decision making. \n\n\n I think what Suraya suggested is a very extreme version of the barbell strategy. Keep most of it in safe stuff. I think that\u2019s a great way to start if you\u2019re a beginner. If you\u2019re looking for investment advice, I think the key is to remember, nobody should be giving you investment advice, without first knowing your circumstances. So in this example, I can\u2019t tell you what to do.\u00a0\n\n\nBut what I can share with you is a few things that should help you along your way, regardless of where you are. Number one, look at what your position is today. And then once you\u2019ve done that, I want you to remember one word, which is diversification. So if you\u2019re entirely in property right now, maybe consider investing outside just property. That\u2019s what diversification means. \n\n\nI\u2019ve got a client who had all his money in the Malaysian stock market and asked me, \u201cHey, is this a good investment? Should I invest in property? Should I invest in all these kinds of things?\u201d Same question. And what I told him was like, \u201cLook, you\u2019ve got quite a lot in stocks already. Try diversifying. Move across more asset classes and build a portfolio which is well diversified.\u201d \n\n\nSo regardless of what the correct answer is, and honestly, there\u2019s no correct answer, focus on diversifying. So if you have a lot in property, go to stocks, go to other things. If you\u2019re a lot in stocks, go yet again, go to other things. That\u2019s one. \n\n\nSecond, there is no such thing as the best investment. Markets move, financial markets, asset markets, like even crypto markets move in cycles. You might have heard the terms bull market and bear market, expansion, recession, these things impact prices of things. And nobody, I repeat, nobody can tell you where the prices are going tomorrow or next year. They can guess but you know, the guess is almost as good as yours. \n\n\nSo the trick there is not to time the market in terms of a specific asset class, \u201cI think crypto is good right now,\u201d or \u201cI think property is good right now.\u201d It\u2019s about making sure you\u2019ve got enough exposure to many things. And then consistently investing throughout the cycle. Whether it\u2019s through a bear market, you\u2019re putting money in regardless. \n\n\nFor me, with those two kinds of mindsets, you can\u2019t go wrong. Diversify, and be consistent with your investing and yeah, feel free to experiment like what Suraya says, experiment with and try it out. So that\u2019s the only thing I would add to that very, very scary question.\n\n\nSuraya Zainudin:\u00a0\n\n\nOne last bit I want to add to that is do all of your speculative investments \nin addition\n to your consistent ones every single month. Every single month, make sure you\u2019ve already put money in EPF, already put money in all your other safe investments and then whatever is leftover, you can play around. Consider it your fun or even entertainment money. \n\n\nQ9 \u2013 [On BNPL] So businesses are crazy for it because of the great potential profit, but who\u2019s going to protect consumers from these dangers? It seems like credit card 2.0, what can we do?\n\n\nSuraya Zainudin:\u00a0\n\n\nAlright, the next question is from Ruiz Asri, who\u2019s behind the super cool \nThe Personal Finance Challenge\n YouTube channel. Another question about the BNPL. \u201cSo businesses are crazy for it because of the great potential profit, but who\u2019s going to protect consumers from these dangers? It seems like credit card 2.0, what can we do?\u201d\n\n\nEarlier in this talk, we have already spoken at length about BNPL and how it is predatory, but also promotes financial inclusion. To answer your question Ruiz, right now, because it is not regulated, it is kind of up to individuals like me, like you Hann, like personal finance content creators out there who are talking about these dangers. \n\n\nI have seen many people actually speaking out about this and telling people about the dangers. Especially for Muslims, reminding each other that the majority of BNPLs are promoting Riba and Riba is haram. There\u2019s only one BNPL company that is Shariah-compliant, so if you must, then pick the Shariah-compliant option. \n\n\nQ10 \u2013 How do I know if I have enough money to buy a property? Any advice for fresh grads on how and when to buy property? The thought of being in debt scares me.\n\n\nHann Liew:\n\n\nOkay, I think the next question is from Nadia. And we\u2019ll probably answer this one and then look to move to the live questions just to see what\u2019s on there. There\u2019s quite a lot there.\u00a0\n\n\nNadia\u2019s question is, \u201cHow do I know if I have enough money to buy a property? Any advice for fresh grads on how and when to buy property? The thought of being in debt scares me.\u201d Nadia, it scares most of us. Suraya, I want to know what you think, I want to hear what your thoughts are on this. Because this sounds exactly like the kind of advice that you tend to get asked a lot.\n\n\nSuraya Zainudin:\u00a0\n\n\nYou know, the other day on Twitter, somebody was asking, \u201cDo you have any goals to achieve before the age of 30?\u201d, and many people actually answered, \u201cHouse and a car\u201d. And both of these things are liabilities. And it is extremely, how to say\u2026 Not cannot but you have to be very, very, very realistic. \n\n\nRemember, for a house in Klang Valley, you\u2019re talking about at least, depending on the house price on the market, at least RM1000-1500 or RM2000 per month. And then a car is at least RM500 per month. That\u2019s already RM2000+ that you have to allocate, just to pay off these two huge commitments per month. So do you want to rush? But if you do, the best thing is to think 2, 3, 4, 5, times before you commit to these things.\n\n\nBut if you are already in the situation, then try and see how you can work on this asset. For example, if you already own a house, try to rent out some room so you can reduce your commitments a little bit or try and rent out your car or use it towards a side income so you can use it to pay off your financial commitments. \n\n\nFor many, many people, I understand that these two things symbolises adulthood, and I don\u2019t blame them for wanting it. But you have to remember that, considering the Department of Statistics says that in 2020, the median salary is just roughly RM2000 per month. Do you really want to spend it all on just these two items?\n\n\nHann Liew:\n\n\nI love that. Because for me, it\u2019s a step away from just thinking about, \u201cthis is how you should live your life\u201d. And I think most people should look at how they live their life based on what they want, rather than what society demands. But I guess Nadia is asking for number-driven tip. Let me try and fill that in. I love your view, by the way, but I\u2019ll try and see if we can help Nadia, just be explicit in answering the question, \u201cHow do you know if you have money to buy property?\u201d\u00a0\n\n\nVery simply, two tests. Test number one, do you have at least 10% for down payment? I know there are plenty of offers out there that say zero down payment that kind of stuff. But for me it\u2019s a good test to not just delay that gratification but to really put yourself in a strong financial footing. \n\n\nDo you have enough for at least a 10% down payment plus maybe 1-2% more for the property transaction costs and stamp duties and stuff like that? So if you\u2019re looking for a RM300,000-400,000 property, you have at least RM35,000-45,000. Good test, right? That\u2019s when you know, okay, I can start thinking about it. \n\n\nThe second test is when you do think about property and then you look at the mortgage, home loan or 90% of that remaining balance, is the instalment going to be more than 30% of your income? If it is, you\u2019re probably going to be overstretching yourself. Yet again, I know many banks are saying, \u201cDon\u2019t worry, you can loan up to 50-60% percent of your money, of your income.\u201d \n\n\nBut for me as a financial planner, most people that I\u2019ve spoken to and analysed who are well in control of their money have it way below 30%. Most people I speak to who don\u2019t have their money in control, are way above that. So for me, that\u2019s why the 30% Rule really makes a difference. So you know, RM1000 a month, is that 30% of salary? If it\u2019s more than that, you might want to reconsider, you\u2019re probably not ready. And yes, the thought of debt should scare you. \n\n\nLast thing I want to add is, I think of cars and houses differently. Cars are utility, (it\u2019s) an asset which depreciates. Housing is likely, but not guaranteed, an appreciating asset. And basically you\u2019re locking in inflation, you\u2019re letting inflation work on your side rather than against you if you\u2019re renting. So that\u2019s kind of a benefit. The cost of doing that is lack of liquidity, you\u2019re tied down to one house, it\u2019s really difficult to dispose of it takes you a year. So you trade in a bit of flexibility. But you do lock in the fact that you protect yourself from future rent increases, because of inflation, etc. And you\u2019re in control of your own kind of living costs, essentially. \n\n\nSo Nadia, do those two tests. If you pass, then you\u2019re probably ready. Then the question you should ask, which is Suraya\u2019s point, is do you even need it? Or do you actually just want it? So that\u2019s a couple of tests there. Good question.\n\n\nQ11 \u2013 Adakah patut Personal Loan dipanjangkan kepada 20 tahun kembali seperti dahulu, komitmen rendah, maka kuasa beli meningkat dan ekonomi grow?\n\n\nSuraya Zainudin:\u00a0\n\n\nThis question is an interesting one, Mr. Muhamad Firdaus is asking, \u201cAdakah patut Personal Loan dipanjangkan kepada 20 tahun kembali seperti dahulu, komitmen rendah, maka kuasa beli meningkat dan ekonomi grow?\u201d Should personal loans be lengthened to 20 years, so purchasing power increases and the economy grows? Hann, this is a tough one, what say you?\n\n\nHann Liew:\n\n\nVery tough and for me personally I vote for no. One of the great things that the Bank Negara has done in the last 10-15 years has been to control or put regulations around these kinds of personal loans, the same kind of \u201cbad mindset\u201d that we were talking about with BNPL earlier, which is encouraging consumers to do things which are not beneficial to them (and) predatory marketing done by lenders. \n\n\nI think, by nature, a personal loan is for personal expenses. If there are things that you want to buy which are asset-based, to increase your income or increase your wealth, there are loans available already. You\u2019re taking home loans to increase your wealth by buying a home. ASB financing, you increase your wealth by getting ASB. For increasing your income we have PTPTN. \n\n\nPersonal Loans are typically used for personal consumption which I\u2019m not in favour of, honestly. And the second reason is because in terms of financing, (personal loans have) the highest interest, higher than car loans and home loans. So I would say no for those two reasons. What do you reckon?\n\n\nSuraya Zainudin:\u00a0\n\n\nSame answer. I\u2019m just going to translate it for the benefit for Encik Firdaus over there. Encik Firdaus, apa yang Encik Hann cakap tadi ialah, sebaiknya personal loan, tidak wajar untuk dipanjangkan. Banyak sebabnya, tapi salah satu sebab ialah dia memudaratkan kita sebab interest dia sangat, sangat, sangat tinggi. Bayangkan kalau dipanjangkan ke 20 tahun, nanti interest dia sebenarnya sudah melebihi jumlah asal barang tersebut.\n\n\nQ12 \u2013 Macam mana nak mencari sumber dana dengan mudah yang kurang syarat dari institusi kewangan yang syarat ketat tanpa duit dan tak mampu bergerak untuk niaga?\n\n\nSuraya Zainudin:\u00a0\n\n\nOkay, so we move on to the next question, also actually in Malay but a very popular question, \u201cMacam mana nak mencari sumber dana dengan mudah yang kurang syarat dari institusi kewangan yang syarat ketat tanpa duit dan tak mampu bergerak untuk niaga?\u201d How to find sources of financing, with less terms and conditions if we have health problems?\u00a0\n\n\nHann Liew:\n\n\nI think Encik Aziz wants to start a business, and from what I can tell, he\u2019s having trouble finding financing. There are many sources of financing for new businesses these days, especially for small businesses. You don\u2019t have to take a loan, that\u2019s not the only thing you can do. Lots of grants are available for small business, especially with the latest PENJANA, PEMULIH and PEMERKASA plans from the government. So that\u2019s one. \n\n\nSecond, if you\u2019re looking for financing, there are actually many sources outside of banks that you can get. So be sure to find those that are regulated right by Bank Negara and SC. There\u2019s things like P2P players, which can help you source from the public, that\u2019s quite useful. Or you know, ECF if you\u2019re willing to give up some of your business equity. Crowdfunding is another way to do it. Many ways other than just going to a bank. What do you reckon, Suraya? You\u2019re a small business owner. Any tips for Encik Aziz?\n\n\nSuraya Zainudin:\u00a0\n\n\nMaybe satu je. I just want to add on here, untuk sesiapa yang dekat sini yang nak mencari sumber kewangan, sumber income (tapi tak tau nak buat apa) boleh contact satu agency ni, nama dia \nInstitut Keusahawanan Negara\n yang ada organise webinar, workshop. \n\n\nBanyak jenis cara untuk dapatkan punca pendapatan, tak semestinya online ada juga offline dan juga bengkel-bengkel yang boleh masuk untuk belajar. Jadi, daripada mereka juga boleh tanya dimana boleh dapat dana kalau nak kembangkan bisnes kecil yang kita ada. Okay, so that\u2019s my contribution from there.\n\n\nQ13 \u2013 Macam mana nak uruskan kewangan dengan gaji bawah RM1300?\n\n\nSuraya Zainudin:\u00a0\n\n\nLet\u2019s move on to the next one. I think this one is the final one that we can do Hann, before we end the session. So this question is asked from Nur: \u201cMacam mana nak uruskan kewangan dengan gaji bawah RM1300?\u201d Let me expand that to, \u201chow do we manage our income, our financial life, with a small salary?\u201d What do you say, Hann?\n\n\nHann Liew:\n\n\nWhat I\u2019d say is, the obvious statement is that we can\u2019t change the fact that structurally in Malaysia, salaries, average salaries, starting salaries are low. That\u2019s kind of a macro thing. As an individual, we can\u2019t change that. Maybe through a little bit of activism, call your MP, etc, you can do that. But for your own self it\u2019s difficult (to change things). \n\n\nSo the only thing I would say is look, find whatever ways to increase your income. So that\u2019s hopefully something that you can focus on other than just save, save, save. I\u2019m not saying get a second job. I\u2019m saying, hey, look like how do I increase my skills? How to increase my marketability in the open market, increase my salary? Can I do anything extra, not just for my employer, but for myself, that helps me increase my income? \n\n\nBut for me, regardless of what income level you\u2019re in, right, there are two main ways to look at how to, I guess uruskan kewangan or, or manage your budget. In terms of saving there are very easy, pain-free ways to save. So for example, if you\u2019re finding that you\u2019re spending quite a lot on housing and transport why not figure out a way to not do that? You might have to inconvenience yourself a little, move closer to your workplace, then you don\u2019t need a car, for example. Live closer to your workplace and save. \n\n\nAnd second, can you live below your means regardless of what salary level you\u2019re in? So for example, if you\u2019re earning RM3000 a month. Can you live like you\u2019re earning RM2000. Can you challenge yourself to do that? That\u2019s the kind of thing that puts control in your hands rather than anyone else\u2019s. Like, the government should do something for me, the country should do something for me. But can I live like somebody who\u2019s earning RM2000? And I\u2019ll save the difference. And I know, it\u2019s tough to do. But that\u2019s just the mindset that you can have.\u00a0\n\n\nAnd this applies regardless of whether it\u2019s RM3000, RM1500 and \u201cI only earn RM1300\u201d like you said. Can you live like somebody who\u2019s earning RM1100? That\u2019s RM200 (a month). Can you do that for your financial future? You reap the benefits of doing that, nobody else. So hopefully, that gives you a bit of encouragement.\u00a0\n\n\n(There are) two ways: increase your income as much as you can and have a deflation mindset in your in your life. Which is, can I live on less, and still be happy? Knowing that I\u2019m sacrificing for myself and nobody else. Suraya, does that make sense to you? And would you like to add to that?\n\n\nSuraya Zainudin:\u00a0\n\n\nII like what you say about there\u2019s so much that we can do for activism, and we should definitely hold our politicians accountable. They\u2019re supposed to take care of their citizens. However, don\u2019t let them take more time than you should. Spend maybe like five minutes being angry, and then back to relying on yourself. Because at the end of the day, you (can only rely on yourself and) can\u2019t budget your way out of poverty. \n\n\nHowever, my addition to that is your strongest resources right now is your access to community support. So wherever that you can find help, find help. There are people who are doing so many different kinds of various kinds of creative ways to both decrease expenses and to increase income. For example, renting together with a bunch of friends in order to keep accommodation expenses super low, or share your car with family members to keep transportation costs super low. But beyond that, you have no choice but to first and foremost, rely on yourself. So don\u2019t complain and then not do anything after you complain. \n\n\n We are nearing the end of our session today. Do you want to give your final word before we wrap it up? \n\n\nCONCLUSION\n\n\nHann Liew:\u00a0\n\n\nYep, sure. I think this has been really as always very enjoyable. I think personal finance should not be just lots of theory, lots of coats with shirts and ties, talking down to people. It should be really answering people\u2019s genuine questions and uncertainties and helping solve problems. That\u2019s exactly what we do at RinggitPlus. So hopefully, check it out. But for me, I think it\u2019s been a really tough year and a half. And not just for the country. But for us personally. And our personal money.\u00a0\n\n\nI hope you guys have learned quite a bit about money stuff, not just financial theories, but money things from myself and Suraya over the past hour. From the organisers side, there will be a pop quiz right after this session. There\u2019ll be heaps of lucky draw prizes, so have a go at the quiz. Hopefully, some of the answers we gave should help you with those. \n\n\nAnd thanks so much for listening. Never give up on yourself. You can do it. The power is in your hands to make a change to your own financial future. Back to you, Suraya, for some last words.\n\n\nSuraya Zainudin:\u00a0\n\n\nYes, my last word for today is just to keep doing what you need to improve your finances. We\u2019re not promising any quick fixes. It\u2019s going to be super hard before it\u2019s going to be easy, but it can and will be easy and you can make your own luck. \n\n\nI\u2019m noticing that we have some questions related to insurance so any of you who are interested to learn more about insurance at 2:30, there\u2019s a session called, \u201cWhat Is General Insurance and Why Is it Important For Me?\u201d so learn about general insurance later, right after this. \n\n\nAnd then at 4pm, we have a session called \u201cKepentingan Takaful dan Insuran dan Program Voucher Perlindungan Tenang\u201d. So for those of you who consider yourself as part of the B40 community, please attend that one because the government is giving out \nfree vouchers for you to be insured\n. \n\n\nAlright, so that\u2019s all from me and also from Hann. Thank you again for joining us today. Sorry to everyone who we couldn\u2019t answer today. We have time limitations but feel free to reach out to us online. And thank you for supporting the Financial Education Network and also the Financial Literacy Month. So see you soon, next year, hopefully. Take care everyone.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/financial-planner-in-malaysia/", "title": "3 Places to Find A Financial Planner in Malaysia\n  ", "body": "\n\nHere\u2019s something I observed, after being in the personal finance space for a while: everyday Malaysians want more guidance in their money management from an unbiased professional (aka not agent). But most people don\u2019t know where to find a financial planner, or even start the process. \n\n\nI got you. Here are 3 places to find and hire a professional financial planner in Malaysia. #1 is the cheapest option (ie FREE). I also included the kinds of questions you can ask your financial planner at the end of this article. \n\n\n#1 \u2013 Through free consultation at InvestSmart\u2019s #FinPlan4U event \n\n\nCost: Free\n\n\nThe first method is to let the universe pair you up with your fated financial planner (jk jk but actually kinda true).\nThe public can book a one-to-one financial planning consultation under the #FinPlan4U initiative, which is completely FREE. \n\n\nEvery year, Securities Commission Malaysia holds the public education event InvestSmart, which includes a collaboration with the \nFinancial Planning Association of Malaysia (FPAM)\n and \nMalaysia Financial Planning Council (MFPC)\n. \n\n\nThe only catch is the event only happens once a year, and if you missed it, you missed it, you have to wait for next year, usually around Quarter 4. The poster looks something like this:\n\n\n\n\n\n\nI attended a session back in 2018 and had a good experience with my assigned financial planner, and I\u2019d recommend you take advantage of this initiative too \u2013 if you like your financial planner\u2019s vibe, you can proceed to hire them, but if not you can use the other options in this list. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 From financial planner/content creator hybrids\n\n\n Cost: Varies. RM2000++ is a good starting point. Expect higher fees for complicated financial situations, or if you are a high net worth individual  \n\n\nNowadays, there is more financial content in Malaysia than ever before, produced from konon-terer personal finance bloggers like myself to financial companies to financial planner/content creator hybrids (and more). \n\n\nWhile I believe ANYONE can and should talk about money and personal finance, the general rule of thumb you can use is to prioritise financial advice from financial planner/content creator hybrids over anyone else. They are much less likely to overclaim/oversell financial products and services.  \n\n\nWho are these Financial planner/content creator hybrids, you ask? They are people who offer financial planning as a service and choose\n inbound marketing strategies\n to get clients, instead of outbound marketing.\n\n\n(Simplistically, inbound marketing = clients chase you; outbound marketing = you chase clients.)\n\n\n\n\nIn Malaysia, some notable financial planner/content creator hybrids include:\n\n\n\n\nKC Lau (the OG)\n\n\nPakdi\n (Malay language)\n\n\nStev Yong of Wealth Vantage Advisory, who also runs top personal finance website \nMyPF.my\n\n\nFarah Adira\n \n\n\nSaidah Asilah Abdul Shukor\n\n\nIkhwan\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m sure there are more but these are the names I can think of atm. I admire them for creating free beneficial financial content and prioritising their audience. If some of those audience members turned to customers, that\u2019s a win-win situation all around.\n\n\nP/s \u2013 if you\u2019re a (licensed) financial planner/content creator hybrid yourself, please comment and I\u2019ll add you to the list.\n\n\nP/s \u2013 Reminder than while I \ncompleted all 4 modules of Certified Financial Planning course\n, I am NOT a financial planner. So prioritise their advice over mine, too. \n\n\n#3 \u2013 Through SmartFinance.my platform\n\n\nCost: Varies. RM2000++ is a good starting point.  Expect higher fees for complicated financial situations, or if you are a high net worth individual  \n\n\nIf you prefer to search for your own financial advisor, you totally can at \nSmartFinance.my\n, the platform to find and book financial planners. \nFinancial Planning Association of Malaysia (FPAM)\n is behind SmartFinance.my, so it\u2019s legit.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe cool thing is you can select financial planners based on location (if you want face-to-face consultation), language (English, Mandarin, Bahasa Malaysia, Cantonese, Hokkien, Tamil) and fees.\n\n\nEven cooler is you can select your financial planner based on their specialisations, such as:\n\n\n\n\nEmergency Savings\n\n\nEstate Planning\n\n\nComprehensive Plan\n\n\nHealth Care Planning\n\n\nFinancial Security\n\n\nCredit Protection\n\n\nChild Planning\n\n\nRetirement Planning\n\n\nSuccession Planning\n\n\nFamily Office\n\n\nChild Tertiary Education Planning\n\n\nGeneral Accumulation\n\n\nWealth & Investment Portfolio Management\n\n\nIslamic Financial Planning\n\n\nCash Flow Management\n\n\nWealth Protection\n\n\nEstate (Will, Trust and Power of Attorney) Planning and Implementation\n\n\n\n\nOk, those are the 3 places to find financial planners in Malaysia. Now, what to ask them? Lots, actually. \n\n\nWhat to ask your financial planner \n\n\nHere is a non-exhaustive list of questions to ask your financial planner:\n\n\n\n\nAm I overpaying for house loan/car loan/insurance \n\n\nI want to buy a car/house/something expensive. Can I afford it?\n\n\nHow to lower my monthly commitments\n\n\nIs there a better debt repayment strategy I can use \n\n\nIs my investments and asset allocation good enough \n\n\nHow can I lower fees for financial products/services I use (investment, etc)\n\n\nAre there better insurance out there more suitable or affordable for me\n\n\nWhat other insurance do I need\n\n\nWhat estate planning tools do I need and how do I go about it\n\n\nCan I afford to retire with my current contribution\n\n\nHow much should I earn and save to retire early in Malaysia\n\n\nShould I pay of my PTPTN loan with my savings\n\n\n\n\nAnd more. If you have exhausted online resources and still can\u2019t find answers, then it\u2019s time for you to hire a financial planner for professional advice. \n\n\nMy unsolicited advice \u2013 Even if you think you\u2019re good at this money thing, you could also hire them to confirm that yes, you\u2019re doing the right thing. There\u2019s peace of mind in knowing you\u2019re on the right track. \n\n\nWhere to find retirement planner in Malaysia\n\n\nYou can find a retirement planner in all of the options above. Just let your financial planner know about your retirement goals and they\u2019ll chart your current progress and suggest an optimised and more efficient method to get there. \n\n\nWhere to find Islamic Financial Planner in Malaysia\n\n\nYou can find Islamic Financial Planner in all the options above. If they have IFP in their name, that means they are Islamic Financial Planner. \n\n\nHowever, you should also know that financial planner and Islamic financial planner is like, 90% similar. Chances are your financial planner will be able to advise you on Islamic financial planning too, or know where to find the information you need. \n\n\nProtip for Muslims \u2013 Do ask your financial planners about \nHibah, Wasiat, Takaful\n and other Syariah-compliant financial products and services. \n\n\nThe \nHibah Takaful\n instrument, for example, can help you leave an inheritance to non-Muslim loved ones, and to female family members who may be financially abandoned by male relatives after your passing.\n\n\nI said what I said.\n\n\nWhere do you get your financial advice from?\n\n\nThere\u2019s nothing wrong with doing DIY research and getting financial advice from friends, family and companies. But you must know MOST advice out there is biased:\n\n\n\n\nSomeone who made money from \nproperty\n will tell you property investment is a good idea\n\n\nThe dude who made money from the \nstock market\n will tell you investing in stocks is awesome\n\n\nThat person who made money from \ncryptocurrencies\n/\ndigital assets\n will say it\u2019s the best\n\n\nA \nwealth planner\n, also a unit trust agent (representing one company) will tell you unit trusts are the best investments\n\n\nA \nlife advisor\n, also an insurance/takaful agent (representing one company) will only recommend products from their company\n\n\nNot to mention \nnetwork marketers\n (MLM and Ponzi), scammers, high-risk-high-reward opportunists and self-proclaimed financial gurus who have totally bastardised the phrases \u2018financial freedom\u2019 and \u2018financial independence\u2019 until they now become red-flag phrases instead \n\n\n\n\nFinancial planners, on the other hand, are the best possible \nprofessional\n option. They are bound by Code of Ethics where they first and foremost serve you, the client, and not their financial interest (ie commissions). \n\n\nBtw, \u2018Financial planner\u2019 is a protected term. It is NOT the same as wealth planner or life advisor. Not everyone can use the CFP title \u2013 one needs to complete the \nCertified Financial Planning\n course plus pay yearly membership to FPAM to call themselves a financial planner in Malaysia. \n\n\nAny of you have hired a financial planner in Malaysia before? Why did you select them? How was your experience like? Share with us in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/fintech-products-in-malaysia/", "title": "All The Fintech Products in Malaysia that I Love Now\n  ", "body": "I really like these fintech products, and not even sponsored to say this!\n\n\nFintech = finance + technology. You probably use some of them (like bank apps). What I\u2019m about to do here is to give my own take of how these fintech products in Malaysia are personally helpful for me. I\u2019ve divided them into: products that save money, products that help with money management, and investment-related products.\n\n\nFintech products that save money\n\n\n\n\nCashback apps \u2013 Shopback.my\n\n\n\n\nAs of time of writing, I\u2019ve used Shopback.my for a couple of years and received RM464.86 in cashback. All I\u2019ve done is to make purchases I was going to make anyway, but through the platform. You can use it to get money back even for mobile topups (like from Lazada and similar) and for your vacations (Expedia and similar).\n\n\nReferral link: \nhere\n\u00a0(get RM5 extra when you purchase)\n\n\nNon-referral link: \nhere\n\n\nComparison websites/apps\n\n\nThere are a lot of these, and I love each of them. They can be:\n\n\n\n\nCredit card, personal loan, travel insurance, mortgage, fixed deposit, savings accounts, broadband and telco comparison websites \u2013 \nGoBear\n, \niMoney\n, \nRinggitPlus\n, \nCompareHero\n, \nLoanStreet\n\u00a0and similar\n\n\nProduct comparison websites \u2013 \niPrice\n\u00a0and similar\n\n\nMoney exchange rates comparison \u2013 \nCurrenSeek\n\n\n\n\nFintech products that help with money management\n\n\nExpense-tracking tools \u2013 Money Lover\n\n\nI like to track my spending and dissect them (see:\u00a0\nMy Total Income and Expenses in 2016\n). Big fan of Money Lover \u2013 a paid app (get from AppStore or PlayStore) but gives absolutely beautiful breakdowns in graphic format. I like them so much, I even have a \nreview\n on them (also not paid to say this).\n\n\n\n\nInvoicing/Accounting tool \u2013 Financio.co\n\n\nOk, so I\u2019ve been using \nFinancio\u2019s\n\u00a0(free-for-startups) invoicing tool for about a year plus now. Works great, looks professional. There are plenty of accounting software in the market, so for me they are similar, it didn\u2019t really stand out.\n\n\nTHEN Financio decided to make a campaign, and I\u2019m sold. The campaign is so appealing to me. Bad puns galore (I like bad puns). I\u2019m a big believer in personal branding, and they\u2019ve been putting this guy (who they say is the person behind Financio) in ad campaigns and I can\u2019t help but to be charmed by them. I mean, like, \nlook\n:\n\n\n\n\nAccounting software used to be bleh, but they changed my mind, they \ncan\n have character, so that\u2019s why I\u2019m putting them here.\n\n\n(Q: Which food is the most sensitive? A: Pau. Because it has a lot of fillings)\n\n\nFintech products for investment\n\n\nGold savings account \u2013 HelloGold\n\n\nI was introduced to \nHelloGold\n\u00a0during the \nBloktex Blockchain 2017 conference\n. I haven\u2019t personally used it yet, but I think it\u2019s worth sharing. Strong team and potential platform for you guys who want to invest in gold. \nSyariah-compliant\n. Partnership with AEON Credit.\n\n\nBasically, HelloGold allows you to buy gold (digital or physical) and records your ownership to that gold on blockchain (tamper-free data ledger where in this case, proof of ownership is prioritised). You can invest as low as RM1, and the gold can be used as collateral.\n\n\nUnit trust platform \u2013 FundSupermart\n\n\nFundsupermart\n\u00a0has been around forever, but it\u2019s worth putting them here in case you don\u2019t know them. I got my PRS account (Private Retirement Scheme) from them, and better fees than private providers. They also have a\u00a0\nfunds selector tool\n and it\u2019s easy to find the Syariah-compliant options, so thumbs up for this feature.\n\n\nI\u2019d love to give my referral code for this but it\u2019s not as straightforward. If you feel like giving me the chance to earn one of their x.x% sales charge tokens, contact me (comment here works too) and I\u2019ll send you an invite.\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nFAQ: How to start investing in Private Retirement Scheme in Malaysia (and get RM1000 bonus)\n\n\nOther fintech products in Malaysia\n\n\nThe fintech product offerings that we have here in Malaysia is still limited. Overseas, there are:\n\n\n\n\nApps that help you invest small amounts of money automatically (like Digit, Acorn)\n\n\nRobo-advisors that allows people (beyond the crazy rich ones) get access to personalised financial, wealth and retirement planning\n\n\nAI (artificial intelligence) tools that give people alerts\u00a0and help them make financial decisions (good or bad can be debated \u2013 AI is not foolproof yet)\n\n\n\n\nHowever, we do have (as of time of writing):\n\n\n\n\nBank apps that are apparently more user-friendly (I\u2019ve yet to download Maybank\u2019s app)\n\n\nEquity crowdfunding and P2P lending platforms (see:\u00a0\nWhat can you invest with RM1000? A quick guide\n)\n\n\nThe trend that will hopefully make insurance more cheap \u2013 online insurance providers (p/s- this is also called \u2018insurtech\u2019)\n\n\nMore digital payment options, what with your SamsungPay and all\n\n\nVarious websites and apps that help you check stock and commodities prices\n\n\nMoney management platforms that can give you better-suited financial products (like MoneyLion \u2013 note: have not personally used)\n\n\nOther bitcoin service providers (most are global companies but some welcome Malaysians as users)\n\n\nCrowdfunding platforms that Malaysians use to raise funds for education, events and other things\n\n\n\n\nPersonally, I\u2019d love to see more products that use technology for positive social impact. Feel free to take the\u00a0ideas below and turn them into reality:\n\n\n\n\nBig data applications that match deserving candidates to agencies providing social security services, like food bank and stuff\n\n\nSenior/disabled-friendly security measures that can identify and stop people from becoming financial victims to scammers\n\n\nBlockchain tech enabling transparent and efficient BR1M or similar funds disbursement\n\n\nAnd more. Sky\u2019s your limit.\n\n\n\n\nAs someone who loves financial literacy, the rise of fintech products in Malaysia makes me very excited. Banks are jumping in on fintech initiatives left, right and centre. And after using some of the products, I have to say they have helped me, a lot. I keep myself updated via news and the \nFintech Malaysia FB group.\n\n\nAny other fintech services and products in Malaysia that you use? Can you share them in the comment section below? Thanks!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/first-chapter-of-money-stories-from-malaysians-volume-1/", "title": "[FREE TEASER] The First Chapter of Money Stories from Malaysians: Volume 1\n  ", "body": "Some of you know that I published a book, \nMoney Stories from Malaysians: Volume 1\n. I am super grateful for support from early buyers \u2013 you are the best!\n\n\nFor everyone else, here\u2019s the first chapter from the book. Consider this my attempt to lure you into buying the book. Like how they give free food samples at the grocery stores so you buy the product.\n\n\nWithout further ado, I\u2019m happy to present to you the first short story in the book,\n\n\nLook out for Naila, world! by\u00a0\nJouhari Ali\n\n\nEvery parent loves telling stories about their children. How smart and well-behaved their children are. How proud they are of them.\n\n\nI am no different.\n\n\nA lot of times, the parents would also share and show party tricks they taught their children. Here, I am different. I am here to tell you what my daughter taught me.\n\n\nThrough unfortunate events, Naila\u2019s mother wanted a divorce just a day after her second birthday. I complied.\n\n\nUsually, in a Muslim divorce, the mother would always get custody of the children. Second in line would be the child\u2019s maternal grandmother. Only then the Syariah courts will consider giving custody to the father. During the divorce process, we were asked by the court what was to happen to Naila. Naila\u2019s mother received full custody, but she agreed to let Naila live with me. I was overjoyed.\n\n\nMy living situation then was not what you would call \u201cnormal\u201d. I was living with three other guys, friends of mine since college. They were all young and single men. But thankfully they were more than happy to accept Naila and me. For a few short, amazing years, Naila was living with me and her three wonderful uncles.\n\n\nSoon enough, the guys got married and moved out. If you don\u2019t count our cats, Naila and I were the only two left in the four-bedroom house. The rent was ridiculously cheap, so we just kept staying there until I bought an apartment. A new place for us to call home.\n\n\nNaila was seven years old when we moved into the new apartment. She had just started Standard One. There were no lifts, but there was a small pond and a jogging track. We got the best view of the pond from our apartment\u2019s balcony on the fourth floor, where we could often see a few anglers. Once in a while, the group would start screaming out loud like Ronaldo had just scored a goal. Naila had never experienced fishing before and was naturally curious about what they were doing.\n\n\nA father and daughter moment\n, I thought. My father had taught me how to fish and this would be an amazing opportunity to pass the knowledge to her.\n\n\nOne day, I got us fishing rods and supplies, and off we went to the pond with our new gear, bait, and a small bucket. She was so excited about her first fishing trip, even though the pond was just a few metres from our building.\n\n\nBefore we started, I went over the safety precautions. I showed Naila how sharp the hooks were, what to look out for, and how far she needed to be from the edge of the pond. I told her to always follow one rule: never stand closer than your body\u2019s length to the edge. Why? Because, if you were to fall over, you would still fall on land, not in the water. There were additional rules. For safety reasons, Naila was not allowed to bait the hook or cast the line, but she could reel it in if anything bit.\n\n\nI could see fishing lose its appeal to her with those kinds of rules. After a while, she seemed more interested in digging for worms along the bank of the pond. I told her that\u2019s a great idea\u2014we wouldn\u2019t have to buy worms the next time we go fishing.\n\n\nAs Naila dug for worms, she invited other children passing by to join her. Most of them did. Soon enough, our group became a digging party as kids started to get the word out that they were allowed to dig for worms, and there was a responsible adult (me) watching over them. Naila forged many friendships that day.\n\n\nA man, all docked in fishing gear, noticed the excitement and came over. Naila struck up a conversation with him too, and offered to sell the worms she just dug up for RM1 each. Even though Naila had no idea what the going rate for worms was, she had business in mind and was brave enough to market her wares like it was second nature. I simply thought she was cute.\n\n\nMy mouth dropped when the man made a counteroffer. He said he would pay RM1 for two worms, but they had to be big ones. I didn\u2019t say a word during the whole negotiation, but I thought the guy was cool for playing along.\n\n\nThe kids came into a huddle and decided RM1 for two fat worms was indeed worth their effort. The man bought four worms and nodded my way. I smiled back. We both knew he did not need the worms. He could have gotten fifteen for RM2.50 at the shop just across the street or he could also have dug them up himself for free!\n\n\nNaila and her friends made RM2 that afternoon from their only customer. I was proud of her. She made her first business transaction like a champ and I was there to witness it, just a few feet away, frozen in amazement.\n\n\nLater that night, Naila revealed that her worm business was more exciting to her than her fishing career (she caught one fish). Not trying to give her false hopes in the profitability of this venture, I explained how the worms were not really worth that much and the man was just being nice. Naila was undeterred. She told me she and her friends were planning to dig up more worms to sell to other anglers the next day.\n\n\nPredictably, her first business venture was not successful. Not from the lack of trying\u2014it was just a simple case of supply and demand. Anyone could have dug the worms up for free, plus she was selling it above the market price.\n\n\nStill, she had fun making friends while digging up those worms. The ones that were still alive by the time we went home were put back in the ground by a tree.\n\n\nLet me tell you about her second business venture: selling ribbon bracelets. By that time, she was eight.\n\n\nNaila was supposed to bring ribbons for her school\u2019s art class, so we went out to get some. Picking her up from school the next day, I noticed a clear plastic bag full of coins. From what I could see, there must have been around RM10 worth of coins.\n\n\nI asked her where she got the money. I thought she must have won a ribbon-making contest at school or something. Instead, she said that she had learned how to make ribbon bracelets in art class, made a few, and sold them at fifty sen each.\n\n\nAgain, I was shocked and amazed. I admit I was sceptical.\n\n\n\u201cEveryone brought ribbons to school, everybody learned to make the bracelets, and you managed to sell them today?\u201d\n\n\nNaila explained how her ribbon bracelets were in demand because she innovated and used two ribbons of different colours. The teacher had taught them using ribbons of only one colour during the class, but now, her classmates could make custom requests for ribbon bracelets with two colour combinations.\n\n\nShe did not stop there. When a customer asked for a colour she did not have, she would trade some of her ribbons with someone else. Even though she had competition, she had an advantage\u2014Naila could make a bracelet out of any colour because everyone would gladly trade their ribbons with her. Some even volunteered to make the ribbon bracelets as her orders grew!\n\n\n\u201cTeachers are OK with this?\u201d I asked.\n\n\nShe laughed and said she sold a few to the teachers too.\n\n\nThis brought me back to my primary school days. I had been a timid, scared little boy. Here I am now, blessed with a daughter who somehow made a week\u2019s worth of allowance in one day.\n\n\nThe next day was just as impressive. After I picked her up from school, she asked if we could stop by a store and pick up some super glue. She explained that some of the ribbons she sold the day before came apart and she wanted to fix them for her customers. At eight, this young lady knew how to stand behind her products and provide warranty and customer service!\n\n\nI was more than happy to get her the glue, and we got a few types just in case. I\u2019m not sure if she knew how important her business decision was. Imagine if there were another art class project and she decided to go into business again? Her customers would gladly buy from her instead of her competition because of her warranty, customer service and product innovation.\n\n\nThe next day, I asked about her ribbon bracelet business. It turns out that she got even more orders and no competition! At lunchtime, she sat at one of the benches and operated her business in full swing.\n\n\nWhen a child makes their own money, something happens to their appreciation of money. When Naila gets to pick out toys or clothes at the store, she actually looks at the price tag. Even at her young age, she understands what those numbers after RM mean.\n\n\nNaila understands value, too. She demonstrated how it was cheaper to buy a box of pencils than a single one. Any parent would feel blessed to have a child that actually takes the price of an item into consideration when they want something. If you have seen the shopping behaviour of other children, you might know that their final choice is usually influenced by the packaging and how much air time the product had on TV. But not my Naila.\n\n\nWhile picking her up from school one Friday afternoon, I noticed a tear in her relatively new school bag. She had the habit of not zipping her bag properly and after a few weeks, it tore. I thought she would ask me for a new school bag soon, and it would be a good opportunity for me to give her the \u201ctake care of your things\u201d speech.\n\n\nI waited for that request all weekend, but it never came. She never asked for a new bag, and by Sunday, this horrible father forgot all about the torn bag.\n\n\nMonday came, and I took her to school as usual. While she was walking into the school compound, I noticed that she had taped up her bag with electrical tape. Those black elastic tapes, the ones that electricians use to tape up wires\u2026 the only type of tape that was plentiful in my toolbox. My heart twitched. I thought I was going to teach her a lesson about taking care of her things. That morning she taught me that she\u2019s a lot smarter and stronger than I gave her credit for.\n\n\nLater that afternoon, we bought a new school bag. I wish I had said something about the tape incident but I didn\u2019t. I felt like a horrible father. I was ashamed of myself while being so proud of what she\u2019s grown up to be. Here is a little girl who was raised by just her father and his friends, taking on what our cruel world had to offer head on. Yet she never complained that her bag was falling apart. She taped it up so her books wouldn\u2019t fall out.\n\n\nSomehow, Naila grew up to understand money and thrift better than kids her age. I can\u2019t exactly point out to how she turned out that way. I will not claim that I had anything to do with it.\n\n\nChildren can understand the value of money. Children do understand the importance of making money and saving money. But, of course, money should never be their problem\u2014that\u2019s the burden of the adult.\n\n\nIf you ask children what they want to be when they grow up, you\u2019d almost always get the kind of jobs that help people. Go ahead, give it a try. You\u2019ll hear doctor, teacher, soldier, fireman, policeman, and there\u2019s always that one kid who wants to be Spiderman.\n\n\nI asked Naila the same question when she was nine. She told me she wanted to sell cars and have her own car business.\n\n\nI was happy to hear that. She was already thinking about businesses, not jobs! I asked her why she wanted to sell cars, of all things.\n\n\nShe told me so she would be able to give me one.\n\n\n\u2013End\u2013\n\n\nIf you like the story above, there are 9 more short stories in \nMoney Stories from Malaysians: Volume 1\n book. Click the link to buy and enjoy the rest of the stories, including one of mine right at the end \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/funding-societies-malaysia/", "title": "[SPONSORED] I Asked Hard Questions to the CEO of Funding Societies Malaysia\n  ", "body": "What does Mr-Stingy, Dividend Magic, KC Lau, Blackbelt Millionaire and myself have in common? Aside from the fact that we all maintain websites with personal finance content, that is. \n\n\nAll of us do P2P financing as one of our investments. We lend money to companies. \n\n\nIn particular, and most strikingly,\n all of us chose \nFunding Societies Malaysia\n as the P2P financing platform of choice (note: referral code. You get RM30, I get RM30). \n\n\nMy experience with Funding Societies Malaysia so far\n\n\n(scroll down if you just want to read the interview with Kah Meng)\n\n\nWhen Funding Societies Malaysia contacted me for a collaboration opportunity, I was excited. I was already an existing user, with RM10,000 in my account.\n\n\n My dashboard\n\n\n\n\nI deposited money in Funding Societies Malaysia way back in March 2017, but took it out as the notes (businesses to lend money to) kept getting over-subscribed (too many people want to invest!). Procrastinated until October 2018, where I finally deposited money again. \n\n\nThis time around was much better, because I can use the autobot feature to make automatic investments according to my preferences. \n\n\n I didn\u2019t manually make these investments, the bots did\n\n\nYou can set up to two bots \u2013 one for invoice factoring and another for business term financing. The biggest difference is the former is for super short-term investment (30-120 days), and the latter is for short-term investment (1-24 months). \n\n\n\n\nSo far, my annualised portfolio performance stands at 12.52% in 20 invested loans and 0 defaults (default is if the company that borrow your money end up not able to pay back). I think I can do better with diversifying my loans \u2013 something to tweak as I go along. \n\n\nIf you want to try out P2P financing, start with small amounts or an amount you\u2019re comfortable to lose. It\u2019s still considered higher risk than other types of \u2018safe\u2019 investments like fixed deposits, gold, mutual funds and things like that. \n\n\nQuestions I Asked Kah Meng, the CEO of Funding Societies \n\n\nOn the meeting date, Kah Meng and I met up at Old Town White Coffee at Bangsar LRT. I admit that I took an immediate liking to him \u2013 he\u2019s around my age (he\u2019s 32), polite and nice to look at in real life.\n\n\nHere are some questions I asked him:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 What\u2019s your daily routine like as the CEO of a fintech startup?\n\n\nYou are what you do and all, right? I\u2019m always fascinated to know what startup founders do on a day-to-day basis. \n\n\nHere\u2019s (almost) everything he does:\n\n\n\n\nAttend a lot of meetings.\n \u201cMy day starts early and ends late. I meet whoever I need to meet to get the job done.\u201d\n\n\nGive a lot of media interviews. \n\u201cAbout 8-10 interviews a week,\u201d he says\n\n\nConduct job interviews.\n \u201cThe right fit is everything. I\u2019m involved in everyone\u2019s interview process, all the way to the interns. It\u2019s not just skills, but cultural fit as well.\u201d \n\n\nMake micro-decisions\n. \u201cI trust my team to do their job well, and I\u2019m only hands-on where needed. I meet them in the office throughout the day to give final inputs and make micro-decisions to progress things along.\u201d \n\n\n\n\nThat whole hiring and delegation part intrigued me. As a small business owner, I\u2019ve thought of expanding many times, but the idea of hiring staff intimidates me. It\u2019s part control issues (ie \u2018no one can do it better than me\u2019) and part fear (ie \u2018what if I can\u2019t pay them?\u2019). So we talked about that for a bit. \n\n\n\u201cI\u2019m good at time management, but after a certain point you can\u2019t create more time, you know? If you want to grow, you need to learn how to delegate,\u201d Kah Meng said after he shared productivity apps he uses in his daily life (Google Calendar and Remember the Milk), \u201cThe hiring process is something I emphasised right from the beginning. I conducted hundreds of interviews to get Funding Societies Malaysia\u2019s first few hires.\u201d \n\n\nHundreds? \nHundreds?\n\n\n\u201cYes. It was hard and long and tedious but completely worth the effort \u2013 \nthe right hires compounded into more right hires\n for Funding Societies. We started in Malaysia in 2017 and already expanded to 50 people by end of 2018 because we got the first few hires right\u201d \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Funding Societies Malaysia boasts low default rates. Last I checked, it\u2019s at 0.93%, which is ridiculously low for a high-risk investment. How?\n\n\n(Note: Data was taken from \nFunding Societies Malaysia Progress Page\n. Defaulted means the business that borrowed the money was not able to pay it back. Like say for example you borrowed money from the bank and promised to pay back X amount every month, but you missed a few consecutive payments. Like that lah.)\n\n\nAdditionally, how many companies exactly make up that 0.93%? And\u2026 which industries are they from?\n\n\n\u201cThree,\u201d Kah Meng said easily, \u201cTwo from trading, one construction. But let\u2019s not discriminate against any industries. It just so happens the defaulted loans were from those industries!\u201d\n\n\nWhat happened to them?\n\n\n\u201cI can\u2019t share the details, since that info is P&C, but I can share that we actively work together with the defaulted companies and other companies that missed payments (but have not yet defaulted) \u2013 we reach out to them and together, try to work things out, restructure their payments plans. Ultimately, we want to see the companies committing to their repayments.\u201d\n\n\n\u201cObviously on our end we want to keep the default rate low so investors have confidence with us. This is something we keep in mind when considering every SME that apply to be listed on our platform.\u201d\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Say I\u2019m a company and I want to borrow money via your platform. What would cause my application to be rejected?\n\n\nKah Meng explained how Funding Societies\u2019 business plan includes a risk management section. The \u2018acceptable\u2019 default rate they will tolerate is between 3-5%, which makes them overachievers at the current 0.93% default rate. As an investor, I liked hearing that. Remember, I\u2019m an actual investor with them, with RM10k in!\n\n\nBorrowers are rejected if they:\n\n\n\n\nAre not clear about their business model or how they plan to use the borrowed money\n\n\nHave poor credit history\n\n\nPlans to use the money for long-term asset \n\n\n\n\nThe last part required a bit of explaining from Kah Meng\u2019s part \u2013 I wasn\u2019t familiar with the term. \u201cSo what that means is Funding Societies is not suitable for long-term business development activities, for example if the company wants to use the money to build factories or buy land. It has to be more immediate than that.\u201d\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Which part of your job do you enjoy the most?\n\n\nThis was my favourite part of the interview. Kah Meng\u2019s face \nlit up.\n\n\n\u201cMy favourite part is definitely going through company applications and discovering the variety we have within the SME space in Malaysia,\u201d he said excitedly, \u201cThere\u2019s just so much \ncolour.\n\u201d\n\n\nI egged him on. \n\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s so fascinating to learn about the value propositions and strategies from different companies. You\u2019d think they are similar, but they always have a twist in conducting business, something that separates them from competitors. My favourite industries to go through are the services, B2B and retail industries.\u201d \n\n\nCan you give an example of a company that made you go, \u2018brilliant\u2019?\n\n\n\u201cI can\u2019t give too much away, but there is an SME in the retail industry that offers personalised products. The products combined with the business model has amazing potential.\u201d\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Last question\u2026 Why did you call yourself a boring person?\n\n\nAt one point during the interview, Kah Meng literally said, word-for-word, \u201cI am a boring person\u201d. When I brought it up, Kah Meng appeared sheepish.\u00a0\n\n\n\u201cI repeat a lot of the same things,\u201d he said slowly, \u201cI like structure. My daily and weekend routine doesn\u2019t change that much. On weekdays, I work. On weekends, I go for workout and rest. I eat the same lunch. I wear the same type of clothes (Suraya\u2019s note: that explains all the Google images of him).\u201d\n\n\n\n\nHonestly, I don\u2019t see the problem. This is the holy grail of productivity \u2013 when the habits are so ingrained that you don\u2019t have to motivate yourself daily, you just do it because that\u2019s what you do. And it sounds like he\u2019s repeating the right habits over and over again. Not a bad thing at all.\u00a0\n\n\nBut he did appear genuinely self-conscious about it so I tried, \u201cThere must be something you tried a bit differently recently?\u201d\n\n\n\u201c\u2026The other day I decided to eat chicken rice for lunch instead of my usual meal\u2026\u201d\n\n\nWild. \n\n\nWell, if you like the idea of someone like that working to grow your P2P financing-earmarked investment\u2026 Someone who has a hyper-practical worldview and whose definition of fun is way different from other people\u2026 Here\u2019s my referral code for \nFunding Societies Malaysia\n. You get RM30 from this link, and I get RM30 too.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/great-eastern-takaful-i-gr8-harapan/", "title": "[SPONSORED] I Asked 8 Hard Questions to Great Eastern Takaful\u2019s CEO\n  ", "body": "You know how content from insurance/takaful companies all kind of say the same things? \u201cProtect yourself and your family in case anything happens\u201d, \u201cLife is unexpected, be prepared\u201d, \u201cMake sure your loved ones are taken care of\u201d?\n\n\nYeah, they\u2019re repetitive. And boring. Important stuff, sure, but boring.\n\n\nSo when I got the opportunity to interview Great Eastern Takaful\u2019s CEO, Shahrul Azlan Shahriman,\n I told them I wanted more meat \nif we proceed with a paid collaboration to promote their newest takaful product, i-Gr8 Harapan. I told them I don\u2019t do pure \u2018promotion\u2019 without interesting content about their new takaful product and the takaful industry in general.\n\n\nSurprisingly, this jual mahal approach paid off. \nThey approved all of my questions\n. Here they are, for your reading pleasure.\n\n\n#Q1 \u2013 Who is i-Gr8 Harapan suitable and NOT suitable for?\n\n\nI studied the \ni-Gr8 Harapan product brochure\n. The i-Gr8 Harapan takaful, which is a term takaful* product, looks especially suitable for:\n\n\n\n\nMuslims \n(for the Badal Hajj**, Waqaf*** and Hibah**** services option)\n\n\nPeople aged \nbetween 30 days \u2013 70 years old\n\n\nPeople looking for \nat least RM100,000 in Basic Sum Covered\n (and up to RM500,000)\n\n\nPeople seeking \nhigher Accidental death benefits\n (up to 4x)\n\n\nPeople who can commit \n~RM60-RM100+ in monthly contributions \n(from RM2 a day)\n\n\nPeople who \ndon\u2019t want investment-linked takaful products\n (me)\n\n\nPeople who want \nterm takaful but lazy to go medical check\n (me)\n\n\nPeople who \ndon\u2019t have term takaful yet\n (me)\n\n\n\n\n*\n term takaful\n\u2013 when you die, your family/whoever you nominate gets a lump sum\n\n\n** \nBadal Hajj\n \u2013 if you die before you do your hajj, Great Eastern Takaful can get Tabung Haji to send someone to hajj on your behalf so you get the pahala\n\n\n*** \nWaqaf \n\u2013 donation for charity\n\n\n**** \nHibah \n\u2013 give the money to whoever you want, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, related or not related through nomination. You can also hibah to charity of your choice via assignment.\n\n\nThey said that this product is suitable for everyone (understandable answer), and added in: \npeople living in Johor and working in Singapore\n (and similar arrangement) would especially benefit from this. Since they can get 4x the Basic Sum Covered (BSC) if they KO outside of Malaysia due to accident. So if your BSC is RM250,000, your nominees get RM1 million.\n\n\nYou can find the full Accidental Death Benefit coverage in Page 6 in \nthe brochure\n.\n\n\nNote: that if death is due to natural causes, your nominees get the BSC amount only (no darab darab).\n\n\n#Q2 \u2013 The product is marketed as \u2018at RM2 contribution per day\u2019. What is the range of monthly contribution for someone who\u2019d like to take the maximum BSC (RM500,000)?\n\n\nThe \ni-Gr8 Harapan brochure\n gave the below as an example:\n\n\n\n\nName of person covered: Murshidi\n\n\nGender: Male\n\n\nAge next birthday: 35 years old\n\n\nSmoking status: non-smoker\n\n\nBasic sum covered: RM250,000\n\n\nMonthly contribution: RM57.50 (less than RM2 daily)\n\n\n\n\nRM250,000 BSC is nice, but RM500,000 is even better \u2013 RM500,000 is nicely 10x the annual income of someone who earns RM50,000 per year, or RM4,167 per month.\n\n\n(10x annual income is the usual rule of thumb if you want to calculate how much to get for term takaful.)\n\n\nCan I find out how much we should expect to pay if we want the max BSC, I asked. Sometimes we just want to know without the hassle of contacting an agent first. Maybe can give the amount for 25-35 years old, which is the majority of RoR audience?\n\n\nOh sure can can, they said. Here you go:\n\n\n\n\nMax RM500,000 BSC for Male Non-Smoker (Age 25-35) is RM105-RM115\n\n\nMax RM500,000 BSC for Female Non-Smoker (Age 25-35) is RM95-RM105\n\n\n\n\nGood to know the price range, right? Easy for you to check around and compare.\n\n\nNote: Four variables affect your monthly contribution amount:\n\n\n\n\nSum covered \u2013 the higher the BSC you want, the higher the contribution\n\n\nGender \u2013 higher for men (y\u2019all display more risk tendencies)\n\n\nAge \u2013 higher if you\u2019re older, obv\n\n\nSmoking status \u2013 higher if you smoke, also obv\n\n\n\n\n#Q3 \u2013 In the brochure, there is a section on rewards for underwriting surplus and investment profit. Can explain?\n\n\nI\u2019m referring to this section:\n\n\n\n\nThey said:\n\n\n\n\nIf there are surplus and investment profit from the Tabarru\u2019 Fund, they will give 50% of the money back to \ncertificate owners \nvia bank transfer (the other 50% is their portion)\n\n\nIf there are fund deficit, Great Eastern Takaful will pump in money to the fund as a loan, no extra contribution needed or expected from certificate owners\n\n\n\n\nThis is quite a nice arrangement for a non-investment-linked product, no?\n\n\n#Q4 \u2013 The product looks like it will be distributed purely from agents. Any plans to create direct distribution channels* for it?\n\n\n*\ndirect distribution channel\n \u2013 where you subscribe it directly, usually online, without agent as intermediary.\n\n\nThey confirmed that yes, the product will be distributed via their 5000-strong agent force, BUT will be available online at the \nGreat Eastern Takaful website\n in the future.\n\n\nWhy, I asked.\n\n\nThey explained that this particular product with this many benefits is \nlimited edition\n, and \nonly available from September-October 2018\n. Two months only.\n\n\nWhy, I asked again.\n\n\nNeed to manage risks, they said. Takut kena abuse.\n\n\nHow often do you get fraud cases, I asked.\n\n\n\u201cWe take it seriously,\u201d said Shahrul Azlan, \u201cThat\u2019s why we have to follow through specific procedure for claim payout. This is because the money in the Tabarru\u2019 Fund belongs to all contributors and we want to make sure that we pay out only genuine claims.\u201d\n\n\nFraud cases are one of the reasons why contributions can be priced so high. Don\u2019t la be so selfish and make life harder for the rest of us who just want to be covered.\n\n\nSo how is the i-Gr8 Harapan is going to be different from the online product, I asked.\n\n\nNo Accidental Death Benefit, they said.\n\n\nFair enough. I understand how businesses need to apply risk management strategies.\n\n\nSo yup if you\u2019re shopping around for term takaful, know that this particular product, i-Gr8 Harapan, have extra benefits in September-October 2018 only. Check it out here \nproduct page\n.\n\n\n#Q5 \u2013 What\u2019s something you didn\u2019t realise before you joined the Takaful industry?\n\n\nThat it\u2019s both sad and fulfilling, said the CEO.\n\n\nShahrul Azlan told us a story when he personally delivered a compensation check to a family after the certificate owner\u2019s passing. It was a crying fest, with lots of declarations on how the money will be used to fund the sibling\u2019s education.\n\n\nI asked the other Great Eastern Takaful staff members who joined the interview if they had the same experience. Some of them nodded, and shared their own stories. It seems like the experience is one of those unforgettable life experiences. I can imagine, especially if the person who died was the primary breadwinner. It\u2019s like their love carried on. Sebak jugak la.\n\n\n\u201cOh, I also notice that usually after these cases, we get requests from the family members to be covered or to top up their certificates,\u201d Shahrul Azlan added.\n\n\nI can imagine that too.\n\n\n#Q6 \u2013 What are some challenges specific to the Takaful industry?\n\n\nI won\u2019t lie \u2013 the conversation took a slight racial turn after asking this question. Everyone on the Great Eastern Takaful team confirmed while Takaful products are mainly created to be appealing for the Muslim market, it\u2019s hard to market takaful to the Bumis (most of them Muslim in Malaysia, as you know).\n\n\nSome key highlights:\n\n\n\n\nBumis tend to view takaful as a luxury\n, not a necessity. They\u2019d use their disposable income to buy things first rather than subscribing to takaful protection.\n\n\nNon-Bumis tend to understand the need for protection better. \nBumis like to give excuses\n, like not having enough money. The lack of long-term planning is obvious (I won\u2019t touch on macro-level contributing factors, like economic policies here)\n\n\nAround 30% of Bumis who do participate in takaful would \nstop paying\n \nwithin the first year\n. The persistency rate (I guess you can liken it to drop-out rates) is much lower than non-Bumis\n\n\nBumis give \nless priority to term takaful\n, which usually benefits the family. If they have takaful, they\u2019d get medical card and personal accident. Those don\u2019t usually give out a high enough payout upon death (Note: guilty as charged. I have medical card and PA takaful, but not personal protection. Dammit I hate that I fit the stereotype here)\n\n\n\n\nI have no excuses for my race. Just have to be better so we\u2019re all better collectively, as Malaysians.\n\n\nBumis reading this, share with us what you think. Why do we not take takaful seriously?\n\n\n#Q7 \u2013 There are a few takaful providers in Malaysia all trying to capture the biggest market share. What differentiates Great Eastern Takaful against the rest?\n\n\nGreat Eastern (the big brother of Great Eastern Takaful) has been operating for 110 years, they said. Their reputation, and thus ours, is solid.\n\n\nGood answer. A company operating that long must know a thing or two about staying in business. You\u2019d want them to be around when you/your family need to make the claim.\n\n\nThen I asked about their company culture. They proudly pointed out their 2018 slogan, \u2018Our Time is Now!\u201d (I noticed it everywhere while entering the office also).\n\n\n\n\nThe CEO said he even received the slogan as a birthday gift. That\u2019s him posing with it with his colleagues, in his office.\n\n\n\n\nWhy did the company pick \u2018Our Time is Now!\u201d, I asked.\n\n\nBecause we want to make our mark in the takaful industry \nnow\n, he said. Takaful products usually require specific period of time to be completed. We did this one (i-Gr8 Harapan) in shorter period, because \u2018our time is now\u2019 (laughter ensued).\n\n\nHow often do you repeat the slogan, I asked.\n\n\nToo many times, they laughed again.\n\n\nI\u2019ve never had this fun of a chat with top-level management of a takaful company, I tell you.\n\n\n#Q8 \u2013 Tell us something about the takaful industry that many people don\u2019t know\n\n\nApparently, there\u2019s a friendly competition going on among takaful companies operating in Malaysia. All 11 CEOs get together under something called \u2018Race for Cover\u2019 campaign, which aims to get more Malaysians (and especially Bumis) covered. Everyone got together for this noble cause, but obviously each one wants to win and capture the most market share.\n\n\nSomehow this part is really funny to me lol.\n\n\nLast Words\n\n\nAs we wrapped up our conversation, all I could think of was:\n\n\n\n\nDamn I have to get myself a term takaful. I don\u2019t want to be a Bumi stereotype\n\n\nI wonder how this i-Gr8 Harapan product compares to other term takaful?\n\n\n\n\nAfter we left, I had a chat with a media colleague (not from Great Eastern Takaful) who joined us. She said she has three (!!) term life insurances. And she agreed the product sounded good. \u201cIt\u2019s definitely cheaper than what I\u2019m paying now\u201d, she said, \u201cand I got mine when I was in my early twenties, when they\u2019re supposed to be cheaper.\u201d\n\n\n(She\u2019s Chinese, if that matters. Hey isn\u2019t conventional insurance is supposed to be cheaper than takaful too? I can\u2019t confirm this part, but that\u2019s my impression when I did my research last time)\n\n\nSo yeah. Have a look at i-Gr8 Harapan and see if it\u2019s suitable for you (scroll back to #Q1). Remember that this promotion with the extra benefits all is only available on September-October 2018. If you\u2019re interested, contact a Great Eastern Takaful agent \nhere\n.\n\n\nTo end this article, here\u2019s a picture of Shahrul Azlan the Great Eastern Takaful CEO posing with my website (thank you for being so sporting!)\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/great-eastern-takaful-i-great-evo-neo/", "title": "5 Fascinating Facts about Takaful/Insurance Industry (#1 is \u2764\ufe0f) [SPONSORED]\n  ", "body": "\n\nWelcome back to another article on Takaful and insurance \u2013 one of the MOST requested topic from you, the Ringgit Oh Ringgit audience!\n\n\nToday\u2019s article is brought to you by Great Eastern Takaful. As we\u2019ve done before, I asked whatever I was curious about the Takaful/ insurance industry to the Great Eastern Takaful team, and they answered. They\u2019ve always been incredibly generous with their knowledge \u2013 before this, they\u2019ve shared \nthe process of Takaful product creation\n and I asked the \nCEO about challenges specific to the Takaful industry\n.\n\n\n(The generosity seems to be a company culture \u2013 congratulations on winning the CSR Initiative of the Year \u2013 Malaysia at Insurance Awards 2020!)\n\n\n\n\nHere is a compilation of the most noteworthy points from our discussion, for your reading and learning pleasure. I find them interesting and hope you do too!\n\n\n#1 \u2013 More married people take up Takaful/insurance as compared to singles\n\n\nAccording to data from Great Eastern Takaful, the Takaful take-up rate is 71% for Married people versus only 25% for Single.\n\n\n71% vs 25%! That\u2019s a big gap! My romantic side is happy \u2013 I think taking Takaful/ insurance is an AWESOME gesture, to show you care for the people you love \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nThere is one big downside though \u2013 \nthe median marriage age is 26-28 years old\n. The older you get Takaful/ insurance, the higher the contribution will be. Also, how sure are you that you won\u2019t have medical issues by the time you\u2019re married?\n\n\nRemember, \npre-existing medical conditions may NOT be covered by ANY provider\n. Takaful/Insurance agents are tired of repeating themselves, so let me do it: if you can afford it, get covered while you\u2019re still healthy!\n\n\nKnowing this, Great Eastern Takaful created \ni-Great EVO\n, which is specifically designed to \ngrow \nwith you. How it works is:\n\n\nGet it when you\u2019re young and have no dependents (Phase 1), it is advised to take a basic plan with accidental and medical rider which you can upgrade with a Critical Illness rider to support your shift to married life and/or children and/or career growth (Phase 2 and 3)\nThe coverage in the medical rider will automatically increase for Room & Board and Overall Annual Limit every 5 years to ensure that you will get sufficient coverage in the future.\nThe plan is flexible; you can get for your dependents and upgrade your plans at any time. For children, 11 Child Critical Illness coverage is provided on top of the 45 Critical Illness list.\n\n\nThe brochure below shows you how \ni-Great EVO\n works in action:\n\n\n\n\nImportant: as you move up a Phase, your coverage AND contribution will increase. If the monthly contribution in Phase 2 and 3 freaks you out,\n remember that you can always talk to your agent to reduce the coverage to a more affordable sum\n. Later when you earn more, you can increase it back.\n\n\n\n\nFun fact of the day: \nAman RA the rapper made a song about i-Great EVO\n.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 If you have a medical card, your contribution WILL increase\n\n\nDouble-digit annual growth is a great thing for investments, but not so much for medical claims. Because of this, Takaful/ insurance providers had no choice but to re-price some 4.5 million certificates/policies between 2016-2019 (Source: Bank Negara Malaysia\u2019s \nManaging Medical Claims Inflation\n document). In 2019 alone, the \nmedical inflation rate in Malaysia\n stood at 13.2% 13.2%!!!\n\n\nAccording to Great Eastern Takaful, Medical claims make up almost three out of five claims they processed in 2019, with the average claim of RM3,919.85.\n\n\nIf you follow \nthe rule of 72\n, the average medical claims with 13.2% annual inflation will double around 5 and a half years. That means the average claims will cost RM7,839.70 circa 2025, RM15,679.40 circa 2030 and a whopping RM31,358.80 circa 2035!\n\n\n\n\nNote: The table above does not include the Covid-19 financial assistance, provided for free for Great Eastern Takaful customers and family members (spouse & children aged 18 and below) in the event of death & hospitalisation. This benefit went into effect in 2020 and paid out RM151,600 in hospitalisation claims. The benefits include:\n\n\nRM200 daily hospitalisation benefit up to 60 days, upon diagnosis of COVID-19 and kept in quarantine at any of Ministry of Health Malaysia designated hospitals.\nA lump sum of RM20,000 per Person Covered upon death due to COVID-19\n\n\nIt doesn\u2019t matter if your medical plan is ILP (investment-linked product) or standalone (term Takaful, ie the \u2018burn money every month\u2019 type). \nThe former will get repriced if medical inflation continues to grow at this rate, and the latter will increase in price when you get older anyway\n.\n\n\nSo what can one do?!\n\n\nIf money isn\u2019t a problem (and I hope it won\u2019t be for you), just close one eye and continue paying your monthly contributions despite the increase. Not using your medical card is the best-case scenario; that means you\u2019re healthy.\n\n\n(Note: shopping around for a new medical card is not a solution. For one, you\u2019re older so your new quotations will price in your age and be more expensive. Secondly, this is a nationwide problem, not a specific hospital; ALL Takaful/ insurance providers are required to reprice their medical plans.)\n\n\nIf money *is* a problem, then talk to your agent and see how you can temporarily reduce your coverage until you can increase it again. It is almost never a good idea to eliminate a medical plan; ironically, the more you can\u2019t afford medical fees, the more you need to keep it.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 The 7 most fumbled/ misused/ misunderstood term in the industry\n\n\nTakaful/ Insurance industry is a specialised field. Word accuracy matters; you don\u2019t play around when billions of ringgit is involved.\n\n\nThe jargon is a good thing for legal reasons, but unfortunately this caused a lot of confusion with everyday consumers, who just want the protection. I don\u2019t know about you, but the jargon intimidated me so much that I procrastinated on getting myself covered as soon as I could!\n\n\nI asked Great Eastern Takaful about the most fumbled/ misused/ misunderstood terms that people should know. Here they are:\n\n\nFree-Look period\n: 15 days from the date of acknowledgement receipt when you receive your Certificate for you to review the suitability of the plan. If the Certificate is cancelled through written notice during this period, the Takaful Operator shall refund an amount equal to the amount of contributions paid minus expenses (if any).\nWaiting period:\n typically between 30 to 120 days depending on type of cover from the date your Takaful plan is active before you can make a claim.\nNomination\n: refers to the authorisation made by the participant by naming a person as beneficiary or executor to receive the Takaful benefits upon death.\nHibah\n: a gift in the form of your Takaful benefit to anyone (person or organisation) directly without interference from any distribution laws\nDeductible\n: an expense payable by you before the Takaful Operator pay the balance of the eligible medical expenses.\nRider\n: Optional coverage that can be attached to the basic Takaful plan with additional contribution.\nSurvival Period\n: Claims will only be payable if Person Covered survive after he/she has been diagnosed with a covered illness.\n\n\nGet your agent to explain all these terms to you in detail, and make sure you completely understand them so you know exactly what you\u2019re buying \u2013 that\u2019s what they\u2019re trained for!\n\n\nClick \nhere\n to make a commitment-free appointment with a Great Eastern Takaful agent.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 50% of Participants (Certificate Owners) didn\u2019t do nomination (?!)\n\n\n(Note: this % from Great Eastern Takaful is considered high. I\u2019m told that the nomination rate for overall Takaful/ insurance industry is lower)\n\n\nParticipants who don\u2019t do nomination \u2013 why don\u2019t you??? Please do so ASAP, if not your next-of-kin must undergo the loooong process to obtain letter of administration from the Malaysian High Court OR distribution order from the Land Office. That could take years to sort out!\n\n\nIf you\u2019re a Great Eastern Takaful Participant, you can do your nomination online through the customer portal, \ni-Get in touch\n. Participants from other providers, please contact your agents \u2013 you might have to print some documents and submit in person. It\u2019s mafan but you need to do it!\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Using Takaful / Insurance as Retirement and Legacy Planning\n\n\nAlright, want to hear a secret? The T20 (T5? Idk) have been using Takaful/ insurance as retirement planning and legacy planning tool.\n\n\nFor them, Takaful/ insurance isn\u2019t just for medical or life expenses if something bad happens. For them, Takaful/ insurance is also a tool to ensure \ngenerational wealth\n.\n\n\nThis is how the strategies work, simplified:\n\n\nThey take a plan with a really high sum covered\n. We\u2019re talking six, seven-figures. Most people don\u2019t take that high \u2013 the average sum covered for Great Eastern Takaful plan is RM 96,000; the highest among all providers\nThey continue paying monthly contribution until plan matures, they die or TPD-ed, whichever comes first.\n I\u2019ve heard of children paying their parents\u2019 contributions, as they know they are nominated\nNext-of-kin gets the money to ensure continuity of family prosperity\n\n\nGreat Eastern Takaful offers retirement planning and legacy planning products too. It\u2019s called \ni-Great NEO\n. Here\u2019s how it works:\n\n\n\n\nOn a related note, Great Eastern Takaful told me that legally speaking, under the Islamic Financial Services Act 2013 (\u201cIFSA\u201d), you have the freedom to nominate anyone who is 16 years and above to receive your Takaful benefits without any dispute.\n\n\nAsk your financial planner to compare the advantages of nomination under IFSA as opposed to nomination made under conventional plans governed by Financial Services Act 2013 to know which is better for loved ones who are not related by blood (like adopted children, for example).\n\n\nThis is also a good time to confirm that yes, non-Muslims can totally get Takaful products. Quite a few people asked me if it is possible. Yes can can.\n\n\nFind out more about i-Great EVO and i-Great NEO\n\n\nIs i-Great EVO for you? Is i-Great NEO for you? The only way to find out is to \nmake an appointment with an Advisor\n. Give yourself a budget (10% of your take-home salary is a good starting point) and go from there \u2013 ask them what you can get for that amount. They are trained to prod out your life priorities, so the plan is tailored for you.\n\n\nAs a final note, I want to say thank you Great Eastern Takaful for the opportunity to work together again. The rest of the team were shy, but here\u2019s a screenshot of myself with the CEO himself, Shahrul Azlan Shahriman \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nFor more information, visit:\n\n\ni-Great EVO: \nhttp://bit.ly/EVORoR\ni-Great NEO: \nhttps://bit.ly/NEORoR\nMake an appointment with a Takaful Advisor: \nhttp://bit.ly/MakeAppointmentRoR\nFacebook: \nfacebook.com/GreatEasternTakaful\nInstagram: \ninstagram.com/GreatEasternTakaful\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/how-takaful-products-get-created-i-great-aman/", "title": "[SPONSORED] Revealed: How Takaful Products Get Created (from the Team that Made i-Great Aman)\u00a0\n  ", "body": "It\u2019s not every day that you get to ask about the takaful plan creation process directly from the people who actually create them for a living. \n\n\nThat\u2019s right, these two ladies from Great Eastern Takaful Berhad \nmakes\n takaful products. From scratch. They don\u2019t distribute them (that\u2019s the agents\u2019 job). They \nmake \nthem.\u00a0\n\n\nSay hi to Ms. \nNurul Sheila Khalib and Ms. Azlina Ideris \nfrom the Product Development team at Great Eastern Takaful Berhad (two ladies sitting on the left).\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nAs someone who is fascinated by behind-the-scenes of the financial industry in Malaysia, I really want to thank them for sharing with me and RoR readers how the takaful creation process looks like.\n\n\nHere are the 4 stages.\n\n\nStage 1: Ideation\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nIn this stage, the Product Development team at Great Eastern Takaful Berhad holds brainstorming sessions to hash out which takaful products should be offered to the Malaysian market.\u00a0\n\n\nSometimes, the team would cross out certain types of takaful products due to limitations. Maybe the market for a particular product is too small to make the product development worthwhile. Some products are also crossed out for being too similar to existing products.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\n\nAfter whittling down their choices, the team holds targeted focus group sessions to get feedback. \u201cThis is how we find out the feasibility of the product,\u201d said Ms. \nNurul Sheila\n, \u201cit is important to figure out what the market actually wants (or there\u2019s no point in creating it)\u201d.\u00a0\n\n\nFor example, during the creation process of Great Eastern Takaful Berhad\u2019s newest product, i-Great Aman, the team found out that the market is seeking a \ncomprehensive-type investment-linked takaful/insurance product that is easy to customise\n.\u00a0\n\n\nAs such, i-Great Aman is designed so that the basic Family Takaful, which provides protection upon Death / TPD, can be chosen on its own or with any or all of the optional coverage below:\n\n\n\n\nCritical Illness\n\n\nMedical card (multiple types and plans)\n\n\nPersonal Accident\n\n\nHospitalisation Benefit\n\n\nWaiver benefit \u2013 where you pay a little bit extra to get Great Eastern Takaful Berhad to pay on your behalf if something happens and you can\u2019t work and unable to pay your monthly contributions (yes this type also got)\n\n\n\n\nYou can choose to get the basic plan together with your choice of optional coverage for yourself or for any one of your dependents (spouse and/or children). And there is also waiver on the payor\u2019s life that you can choose to add if you decide to get a plan for your loved ones (spouse and/or children), where GETB will pay on your behalf \nif something untoward happens to you\n and make sure your loved ones stay protected.\u00a0\n\n\n(I was curious to see what kind of mix-and-match plan I could get under i-Great Aman. Scroll further down to see the quotations I got)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBonus section! What each takaful/insurance does, in 20 words or less:\n\n\n\n\nBasic Protection\n (Death / TPD) \u2013 give your family/dependents money after you\u2019re gone or suffers from total and permanent disability. Important if you\u2019re the primary breadwinner\n\n\nPersonal accident \n\u2013 give you and your family/dependents money, if an accident caused your death or to be totally and permanently disabled.\n\n\nCritical illness \n\u2013 give you money, if you are diagnosed with or have undergone a surgery due to any one of the listed illnesses\n\n\nMedical card\n \u2013 covers your medical bills with multiple plan options to choose from to get nicer room and better care at the hospital\n\n\nHospitalisation benefit\n \u2013 gives you money for each day that you\u2019re hospitalised. This is crucial if you\u2019re self-employed and can\u2019t gain any work/income during hospitalisation.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nStage 2: Testing with Agents\n\n\nAt this stage, top agents of Great Eastern Takaful Berhad will get involved. \u201cWe talk to the agents and get their feedback about the product,\u201d explains \nMs. Azlina\n, \u201cThey are on the ground and know what their clients want (and don\u2019t want).\u201d\n\n\nAnother reason to talk to the agents \u2013 to get their views on the \nproduct pricing\n. Seasoned agents know what customers are willing to pay, especially in this economy. It must appeal to value-hunters.\u00a0\n\n\nTherefore, i-Great Aman comes with these kinds of features:\n\n\n\n\nFrom RM100 per month\n \u2013 The basic plan is affordable enough for most people, so you can start your coverage sooner rather than later. You can add on more coverage as and when you make more money in the future\n\n\nAuto-extension coverage\n \u2013 basically means it\u2019s not mafan, because no need to manually renew at age 70 and 80 years old (where takaful plan usually stops covering you)\n\n\nNo Lapse Facility\n \u2013 to have the peace of mind that the coverage will continue within the first 3 certificate years, even if the fund perform badly and that the Account Value (from the investment funds) is very low and may not be sufficient to cover the Tabarru\u2019 charges.\u00a0\n\n\nFlexible options\n \u2013 where you have the option to choose from any one of the 3 funds or a combination of the funds, and you get to switch between your funds as you like to maximize your returns (for Free!), You also get to add more money (when you suddenly receive some durian runtuh) in your selected funds as a single top up (and you can repeat this as many times as you have extra cash). The best part is, when you need some cash urgently (like suddenly wanting to get married), you can make partial withdrawal from the account value (just ensure that the balance of the fund is at least RM1000) without jeopardising your protection.\u00a0\n\n\nBadal Hajj services\n \u2013 if you die before you complete your hajj obligation, i-Great Aman will get someone to do it on your behalf\n\n\nWider Critical Illness coverage \n\u2013 45 illnesses instead of the standard 36\u00a0\u00a0\n\n\nGet back 50% of the underwriting surplus and investment profit from Tabarru\u2019 fund\n (if any). The money is given automatically, with no additional or separate steps needed (I asked). This is the beauty of Takaful.\n\n\nFor the medical cards \u2013 high annual limit of up to RM2 million, and \nNO LIFETIME LIMIT\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBonus section! Why medical cards with high annual limit and preferably no lifetime limit is optimal\n\n\nIf you get hospitalised, you don\u2019t know if your bill is going to be RM1000 or RM1 million. It depends on your luck. The point of having a medical card is to not worry about this bill.\u00a0\u00a0\n\n\nIf your annual limit is low, let\u2019s say RM100k or so, and your medical bill came up to RM350k, then you\u2019ll have to pay the difference out of pocket.\u00a0\n\n\nThat\u2019s obviously not the ideal situation. So you want a card with a high annual limit. Statistically speaking, RM1 mil annual limit is sufficient for most situations.\u00a0\n\n\nMedical cards with no lifetime limit, on the other hand, is quite hard to find, based on my personal experience at least. Usually takaful/insurance providers will cap the lifetime limit. If your lifetime limit is RM1 mil, and your medical bills came to RM250k in one year, that means the balance of your lifetime limit is now reduced to RM750k. Not ideal too.\u00a0\n\n\nTl;dr \u2013 If you want medical cards, consider its annual and lifetime limit\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nStage 3: Management-level clearance\n\n\nAfter doing all the planning and getting feedback, the product is pretty much finalised. In the next stage, the Product Development team must get clearance \u2013 basically get all the paperwork and underwriting in order, and also making sure that the numbers make sense, business-wise and of course getting the Shariah Committee approval on the product (because this is Takaful and it is Shariah compliant!).\u00a0\n\n\nThe team also plans with the related departments to hold training sessions with Great Eastern Takaful Berhad\u2019s staff and agents, so that they know how to explain the product to you when it\u2019s released.\u00a0\n\n\nStage 4: Product launch and distribution\n\n\nFinally, the product is made available to the public. Great Eastern Takaful Berhad\u2019s marketing and communications arm work hard to get the news out there (this collaboration with Ringgit Oh Ringgit is one such effort).\u00a0\n\n\nI asked if i-Great Aman is available online, because I\u2019m a Millennial like that.\u00a0\n\n\nThe answer is no, you still have to get it through agents. This is because:\n\n\n\n\nPeople have the tendency to over or under-cover themselves\n. The agent\u2019s role is to figure out the fine balance between what you want vs. what you can afford. No point if you get the highest coverage possible but can only afford the monthly contributions for like, 6 months.\u00a0\n\n\nPart of your monthly contributions goes to an investment fund, which you\u2019ll get back at the end of the term (that\u2019s why this is called an investment-linked product). There are just 3 funds to choose from, but\n people might pick investment funds that are not suitable for themselves\n\n\nGenerally speaking, \npeople don\u2019t buy lifelong commitments online.\n They prefer making a decision after talking it out with a professional\n\n\nSeriously, what I shared so far about i-Great Aman is just the tip of the iceberg. You have to ask so many other things to your agent, like:\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMy i-Great Aman quotations\n\n\nAs mentioned above, I myself was curious about what kind of mix-and-match plan I get under i-Great Aman. So I got two quotations \u2013 one for RM450 per month, and another for RM500 per month.\u00a0\n\n\nPlease note that:\n\n\n(1) the monthly contributions are on the high side because I insisted the quotations include medical cards, which jacks up the amount (if you want RM1xx-2xx monthly contributions, simply remove the medical cards or reduce the room and board plan), and\u00a0\n\n\n(2) these quotations were personalised; your monthly contributions will vary according to:\n\n\n\n\nThe \namount of sum covered\n you want (the higher it is, the higher your contribution)\n\n\nYour \ngender \n(I thought men have higher contributions but apparently women of certain age groups may get higher contributions too)\n\n\nYour \nage \n(the older you are, the higher)\n\n\nYour \nsmoking status\n (smokers pay more)\n\n\n(Circumstantial) Your\n health status\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nWith RM450 monthly contributions, I can get the below i-Great Aman plan:\n\n\n\n\nFamily Takaful \nfor myself \u2013 RM300,000 sum covered\n\n\n[i-CIBR] \nCritical illness coverage\n for myself\u00a0 \u2013 RM300,000 sum covered\n\n\n[i-CABX] \nPersonal accident coverage\n for myself \u2013 RM50,000 sum covered\n\n\n[i-HB] \nHospitalisation benefit\n for myself \u2013 RM200 per day\n\n\n[i-MX200 + i-MO120k] \nMedical card \nwith RM200 for daily room and board, with RM1.2 million annual limit and no lifetime limit\n\n\n[i-PP] \nProvider coverage\n \u2013 if anything happens to me and I can\u2019t pay the monthly contributions due to total and permanent disability (TPD) or critical illness, Great Eastern Takaful will pay on my behalf so I am still covered\n\n\n[At the end of the term] However much your investment fund made during the whole term\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBut if my goal is to have an even better medical card, I can get the below i-Great Aman plan with RM500 monthly contributions:\n\n\n\n\nFamily Takaful\n for myself \u2013 RM150,000 sum covered\n\n\n[i-CIBR]\n Critical illness coverage\n for myself \u2013 RM150,000 sum covered\n\n\n[i-CABX]\n Personal accident coverage\n for myself \u2013 RM50,000 sum covered\n\n\nNo hospitalisation benefit\n\n\n[i-MX400 + i-MO200k] \nMedical card \nwith RM400 for daily room and board, with RM2 million annual limit and no lifetime limit\n\n\n[i-PP] \nProvider coverage\n \u2013 if anything happens to me and I can\u2019t pay the monthly contributions due to total and permanent disability (TPD) or critical illness, Great Eastern Takaful will pay on my behalf so I am still covered\n\n\n[At the end of the term] However much your investment fund made during the whole term\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe ladies said that there is no limit to how much I want to cover myself \u2013 I could request for RM10 million sum covered for family takaful if I want to, but of course the contributions will reflect that.\u00a0\n\n\nI also asked who i-Great Aman is NOT suitable for. The team was quite upfront about it. DON\u2019T get i-Great Aman if:\n\n\n\n\nYour \nage\n makes the cost of monthly contributions too prohibitive (age 40+)\n\n\nYou \ndon\u2019t want investment-linked plans.\n This product is for people who strictly like the idea of a hassle-free and comprehensive protection plan with an investment component. If you prefer, Great Eastern Takaful Berhad also offers term takaful products (i.e. the \u2018burn money every month\u2019 kind). You can get it \ndirectly from the website\n too.\u00a0\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLast words\n\n\nEither way, and I hate to admit this, but the best way to learn about takaful (and you have to learn about it) is to talk to the agents. Most of the things I learned about takaful/insurance is from them. Not online, not from books. Agents.\u00a0\n\n\nOnce again, thank you so much to Ms. \nNurul Sheila Khalib, Ms. Azlina Ideris \nfrom the Product Development team \nand Ms. Tengku Sheila Tengku Azib\n from the Brand and Marketing Communications at Great Eastern Takaful Berhad for sharing with me and the RoR audience how the takaful plan creation process looks like! Love the culture of transparency that was evident from our conversation.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nLimited time offer \u2013 Meet an agent, Win RM100\u00a0\n\n\nHere\u2019s how to enter a \nlucky draw to win RM100\n just by meeting a Great Eastern Takaful agent. Follow these steps:\n\n\n1) Go to Great Eastern Takaful\u2019s \nFind a Takaful Advisor page\n and select an agent of your liking, OR find a friend or family member who\u2019s already a Great Eastern Takaful agent\n\n\n2) (If via website) Insert the code #GETSuraya under Pertanyaan/Inquiries (see image below)\n\n\n3) Meet with the agent and take a wefie together. Post it on social media with the hashtag #GETSuraya. Make sure to set your Facebook, Twitter or Instagram profiles to public!\n\n\n4) I\u2019ll randomly select one winner for the RM100 cash prize by 15 September 2019. Good luck and happy learning about takaful stuff!\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/i-need-money-urgently/", "title": "\u201cI Need Money Urgently\u201d: 4 Ways To Get Some Money Now\n  ", "body": "How often have you been in a situation where you go, man, I need money urgently..\n\n\nAre you simply planning ahead, just in case you\u2019ll be in that situation? Or are you currently desperate for money right now?\n\n\nThen this article is exactly for you. I can only imagine the mental stress you\u2019re going through. Maybe you need money to pay rent this month. Maybe your car or house is about to get possessed by the bank. Maybe a sudden, unexpected medical bill wiped out your emergency savings.\n\n\nAnd all the financial articles you read online\u2026 weren\u2019t exactly helpful. Now, correct me if I\u2019m wrong, but \u2018don\u2019t get into the situation in the first place\u2019 is a horrible thing to say to someone who\u2019s \ngoing through\n the problem. \n\n\nHere are some ideas on what you can do to come up with some money urgently in Malaysia. Thanks to everyone who contributed to the RoR mini-forum.\n\n\n#1 \u2013\u00a0 Financial tools\n\n\nFinancial tools can be a bunch of things. It could be personal loans, credit cards, debit cards, ewallets, and more.\n\n\nThe annoying this about this option is: \nthe more financially vulnerable you are, the less accessible these financial tools are for you\n. Banks and financial institutions are not that keen to lend money to people with \nbad credit scores\n.\n\n\nBUT! If you are able to access and use these financial tools, they\u2019re incredibly helpful. Many credit cards offer \ncash advances\n. Some \npersonal loans\n can be applied online. It\u2019s fairly easy to put a big expense on credit cards to pay at a later date. You might even able to divide the payment into smaller, more manageable chunks through\n instalment plans\n.\n\n\nSome people even have \u2018hacks\u2019 for borrowing money using financial tools. For example:\n\n\nHo Wei Yen\n \u2013 (If you need physical cash,) reload your BigPay card with a credit card, then withdraw it from the ATM. You can save money this way instead of withdrawing cash directly from your credit card. Note that BigPay ATM withdrawal will cost RM6 for withdrawal fee regardless of the amount.\n\n\nI\u2019m using my Public Bank mastercard Quantum credit card for Rm30 cashback (5% from RM 600 spending) and Visa Signature Public Bank for RM38 cashback (6% from RM634 spending) to reload my BigPay card. The money can be transferred from BigPay to own savings account maximum RM1000 with a fee 50 sen.\n\n\nBrendan\n \u2013 O\nffer to pay for someone using my credit card, and collect cash upfront.\u00a0\n\n\n(Might as well: Get extra RM10 credit if you use my BigPay referral code INLALP7ZLE. To download the app, find BigPay in \nPlayStore\n\u00a0(Android) or\u00a0\nAppstore\n\u00a0(iOS)\n\n\nIt goes without saying that you shouldn\u2019t borrow money for non-emergency situations, and try your best to make the payments in time. Missing payments \nmay\n will ruin your credit score.\n\n\nIt also goes without saying to NEVER, EVER BORROW MONEY FROM A LOAN SHARK.\n\n\nSay you don\u2019t have financial tools at your disposal. What can you do? Well, you can..\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Step up the side hustle\n\n\nWhen I asked the RoR audience on what they would personally do to come up with an extra RM1000 by the end of the month, many showed their incredible grit \u2013 an admirable character strength tbh. They said they would simply try to \nget more clients for their business/side business or put in more hours in their work\n.\n\n\nIt didn\u2019t matter what the business was. One person mentioned will-writing. Another mentioned web-designing services. Another sold baked goodies (\ndid you know you can sell homemade food in Malaysia on Kravve?\n). Some mentioned Grab.\n\n\nFor example:\n\n\nMuhammad Amar Hasshim\n \u2013 \nAnyone needs a website? Quick and beautifully made, as long as you provide all the info and images for the website regarding your product/services. RM1k only\n\n\nJames Leng \u2013 \n(I would) d\nrive for Grab after working hours for that month (to get an extra RM1000). Based on previous experience, RM10-RM20 net profit on average per hour is achievable with a Myvi or Axia. If RM20 per hour, then (to earn RM1000 I would have to work) 50 hours or 1.7 hours every single day for 30 days straight. However, one needs to also factor in that your car needs to be serviced a little bit earlier than what was scheduled.\n\n\nUnable to work or get new clients? Then perhaps you can\u2026\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Sell something you own\n\n\nLooking through the replies, many of you mentioned \nselling things you own\n for extra cash.\n\n\nSome also mentioned \ndowngrading their gadgets\n if they really need the money urgently. They would sell their phones and buy a cheaper one.\n\n\nI was surprised by how useful \n(physical) gold\n is as an option:\n\n\nSams\n \u2013 (I would) take my gold bar \u2013 purposely bought for emergency situation like this \u2013 to Ar-Rahnu. With them, I\u2019m able to get a loan worth 60%~70% from the the current market gold price. They charge 0.07% per month in fees (note: fees may vary).\n\n\nI\u2019ve done this a lot when I need to renew car insurance, repair car breakdown, cover medical bills and more. By using Ar-Rahnu or pawnshop service, always try to redeem your gold as fast as possible, to avoid more charge (\u2018upah simpan\u2019). The good thing about this method, you are able to get your gold back once you redeem it thus maintaining your asset.\n\n\nExample calculation: 10g gold bar 10g x RM190 x 60% = RM1140 | Fees \u2013 RM1140 x 0.7% = RM7.98 per month\n\n\nRead up my various \narticles on gold investment\n if interested.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Borrow from friends & family\n\n\nAnd finally (intentionally) is borrowing money from friends and family. Some mentioned siblings, some mentioned parents, some mentioned good friends. A fair few of you \nemphasised the importance of paying back the money as soon as possible \nto maintain good relations.\n\n\nSome of you also got a bit creative. For example:\n\n\nAudrey Herrera\u00a0\n\u2013 W\ne have this \u2018kutu\u2019 thing with our family members for the fun of it, it\u2019s like forced savings. (So to get RM1000,) start\n a \u2018kutu\u2019 and be the first to take it\n\n\nMohd Haffiszul Mohd Said\n \u2013 \nI would organise a trip for my friend for a distant future and ask for RM1000 in deposit. (The trip) would take place 6 months from the date I asked for a deposit.\n\n\nI love the RoR audience, I really do \ud83d\ude42 Would have never thought of those!\n\n\nWhich option should you do to get money urgently in Malaysia?\n\n\nI arranged all the options in this article in this order:\n\n\n\n\nUse financial tools\n\n\nEarn more from side hustle\n\n\nSell stuff\n\n\nBorrow from friends/family\n\n\n\n\nHowever I really liked what Sara said about having a sequence of things to try:\n\n\nSara Razz\n \u2013 \nI will try by sequence and move to the next if the first fails:\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPromote my website/design services\n\n\nPre-sell a product\n\n\nFind something I own that can sell\n\n\nAsk from my husband\u00a0\n\n\nCredit card\n\n\nBorrow from friends\n\n\n\n\n\n\nI think it\u2019s good to think about your plan to come up with the money. At least if plan A fails, plan B or C may work. If this is a recurring issue, \ncontact AKPK for help\n. They have financial education, financial counselling and debt management programme.\n\n\nWhat other options do you know?\n\n\nWhat other things can someone try to get fast cash in Malaysia, aside from the above? Share them all in the comments section!\n\n\nLast note\n\n\nI wrote this article in good faith. I expect you to use the knowledge and act in good faith as well. Money issues cause broken families and people committing suicide \u2013 it\u2019s no joke at all.\n\n\nPlease never, ever borrow money without the intention of paying it back. Please never take advantage of someone or a company at their expense. Please don\u2019t use any of the tips to live a life outside your financial means.\n\n\nThanks. Share this article around if you find it helpful.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/interest-in-personal-finance/", "title": "Malaysians Share Where Their Interest in Personal Finance\u00a0Came From\n  ", "body": "How do members of the Malaysian personal finance community first get interested in personal finance? What sparked this fascination for money management?\u00a0\n\n\nI was curious, so I asked that question during a mini-forum in Ringgit Oh Ringgit FB page one day.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nThe answers were as varied as you\u2019d think. They were so interesting, I reached out and asked if I could compile them here. Here you go \u2013 why Malaysians got interested in personal finance, in their own words.\u00a0\n\n\n#1 \u2013 From the school of life\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nHafiz Mansur\n \u2013\n Growing up, I took many of the things I had for granted. When things took a turn for the worse, the realisation that I might not have enough money to eat really forced me to take my personal finances seriously.\u00a0\n\n\nIn retrospect, I am glad it happened. This led me to vow to do everything that I can to avoid from falling into financial ruin again. I now spend a lot of my time reading personal finance articles, and I especially love reading localised articles and blogs, such as RoR.\n\n\n(Suraya\u2019s note: Thank you \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\u2013\n\n\nNur Hidayah Abu Bakar\n \u2013 (I got interested in personal finance) from being hardcore poor while growing up\n\n\n\u2013\n\n\nEmily Piuk\n \u2013 (I got interested in personal finance) from watching how my parents struggling financially. I also saw how some of my peers who just spend money on whatever struggled like me. I wanted to figure out how to not stay struggling forever.\n\n\n\u2013\n\n\nVincent Muthu\n \u2013 (I got interested in personal finance from) my need for money as I left the safety of PaMa fundings.\n\n\n\u2013\n\n\nLee Thean Seng\n \u2013 (I got interested in personal finance) when I started working and realised that I need to generate more income because fresh grad salary sucks! Then I researched more and keep updated on other forms of investment\n\n\n\u2013\n\n\nLoh Chuan Tuck\n \u2013 (I got interested in personal finance) when I need to climb out from the hell hole of debts. My story is, I bought my car Ford Fiesta with my first salary, which I thought was perfectly fine as a single male staying with parents.\u00a0\n\n\nSoon after I get married, we needed to buy our first home. The house downpayment put us straight into about RM60K of debts. Being financially illiterate at that time, I soon realised that our income can hardly make it out. I also used up my personal loans quota to start a business, and also took the maximum credit limit of RM12K with credit card.\u00a0\n\n\nYes, I am drowned and in despair, but I know I can find a way out. I learned about all the different kinds of loans including loan sharks and licenced money lenders, credit cards, financial assistance, business grants etc. In the end, I resorted to AKPK to consolidate and minimise my monthly commitment, negotiate with banks to refinance loans, learn to live frugally and armed with a whole lot of financial and business knowledge.\n\n\nI was desperate but my wife has never been. She supported me to go climb down the bottomless hole, and even though we are basically stretched out to reduce monthly commitment, I can now see the light is becoming brighter.\u00a0\n\n\n\u2013\n\n\nNabila Hassanah\n \u2013 (I got interested in personal finance) from doing petty jobs at a young age and having to pay for my own wants, not needs. I did cheap facials, massage, babysitting, cooking, dishwashing, anything for some money\n\n\n\u2013\n\n\n(Suraya\u2019s note: There were more people who basically said they learned about personal finance because they just had to, it\u2019s part and parcel of adult life. Sorry I couldn\u2019t put everyone on this list.)\n\n\n#2 \u2013 From parents\u00a0\n\n\nAnn Sinden\n \u2013 (I got interested in personal finance) from my parents. Developed it naturally at a very young age.\u00a0\n\n\nMy mom is a saver while my dad is a spender. Because of that difference, they always fought. As a child, I observed and tried to figure out what was actually the root cause \u2013 financial mismanagement.\u00a0\nI\u2019m glad that I inherited my mom\u2019s money gene.\u00a0\n\n\n\u2013\n\n\nLoke Vincent\n \u2013 (I got interested in personal finance from) my mum. As well as the fear of having no money at all in the bank account.\n\n\n\u2013\n\n\nLinvest Linnet\n \u2013 (I got interested in personal finance from) my parents and my CFP facilitators. Eternally grateful to all of them.\n\n\n\u2013\n\n\nSara Razz\n \u2013 (I got interested in personal finance from) my mom. She used to work at Bank Negara and gave me this little buku wang saku to track my expenses!\n\n\n\u2013\n\n\nNadira Naima\n \u2013 \n(I got interested in personal finance from) \nmy parents. They are both auditors and from a very young age I was trained to jot down all my expenses, so that before bedtime I can report it to my father. He will key in everything in Microsoft Money software. His exact words to me \u201c1 sen pun kena kira!\u201d\u00a0\n\n\n\u2013\n\n\n(Suraya\u2019s note: There were more people who credited their parents. Sorry I couldn\u2019t put everyone on this list.)\n\n\n#3 \u2013 From spouse / family members\u00a0\n\n\nAmirah Nazarudin\n \u2013 (I got interested in personal finance from) my husband\n. \nHe started reading Robert Kiyosaki\u2019s book and taught me a lot. My husband likes to read his interesting books then shared the conclusions with me.\u00a0\u00a0\n\n\n\u2013\n\n\nYap Yun Kee\n \u2013 (I got interested in personal finance from) my relative. My cousin recommended me to learn about financial literacy because we were entering adulthood. They recommended Rich Dad, Poor Dad and your page for beginner understanding\n\n\n\u2013\n\n\n(Suraya\u2019s note: There were more people who credited their family members, including but not limited to cousins, in-laws, and I would add good friends here too. Sorry I couldn\u2019t put everyone on this list.)\n\n\n#3 \u2013 From studies/work\n\n\nZarinah Mohd Yusoff \n\u2013 (I got interested in personal finance) from being forced into Certified Financial Planner class when I was in Permodalan Nasional Berhad in 2002. \n\n\nCFP came to Msia in 1999 and PNB was one of the founding members. So the staff were \u201cforced\u201d to take up the Certification. After completing it, I appreciate the opportunity very much. It was good.\u00a0\n\n\n\u2013\n\n\nMohd Nuruddin Abd Manap\n \u2013 Since I joined as a staff of Knowledge Economic City (KEC) in Saudi Arabia, I have learned many things, including their excellent financial management strategy. The Saudis are very smart in managing the money: always invest, invest, invest and invest!\n\n\n\u2013\n\n\nArchibald Frankie Undam\n \u2013 (I got interested in personal finance) from my daily job. When I started my\u00a0\nbanking job, I didn\u2019t have a proper department and reported directly to the Branch Manager. Unlike my colleagues, who had specific tasks \u2013 sales, current account, remmitance and so on \u2013 I was doing a lot of things and thrown here and there.\u00a0\n\n\nI found that I like to talk to people, give ideas and decided maybe the sales line would be a good fit for me. From there, I developed that passion for personal finance and started to read more books on it. The first book I read, I Can Teach You How To Be Rich by Ramit Sethi (I think), helped me a lot in striking conversation with clients.\n\n\n\u2013\n\n\nZahidah Mokhtar\n \u2013 (I was) forced into a management training program to be a financial consultant. I never became one. But the knowledge stayed and passed on to family and friends.\u00a0\n\n\nThe story goes like this. I studied BBA marketing at UiTM . It was common for companies to approach the school for management training program. Our dean recommended 12 of us to undergo the MA training program during one of the semester breaks.\u00a0\n\n\nDuring training we learned about various type of insurance,\u00a0 using and maximising overdrafts in investment, managing personal expenses, and making retirement planning using easily available financial products such as ASNB, KWSP and unit trust.\u00a0\n\n\nAt the end of the programme, we were to sell unit trust and insurance but I did not pursue the line as my career. However the experience led me to buy an insurance policy on my first salary. I started looking into my spending, and made adjustments to cut unnecessary expenses and save 10% of salary every month. I also started investing.\u00a0\n\n\n#4 \u2013 From books and personal finance websites\n\n\nMuhammad Amar Hasshim\n \n\u2013 (I got interested in personal finance) from a book I read, Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. I\u2019m a lazy person to start with and I don\u2019t want to be working till 65. \n\n\nAlthough my dream is to retire by 35-40 ish, I didn\u2019t know that is possible until I read the book. Although not much, I started doing little things where I can earn passive money so my dream to retire before 40 is achievable.\n\n\n\u2013\n\n\n(Suraya\u2019s note: At least two other people mentioned reading this book, a few others mentioned RoR. Thank you, I appreciate it)\n\n\n#5 \u2013 From a personal desire\n\n\nJasbir Kaur\n \u2013 (I got interested in personal finance) from my love for travelling. I needed to multiply my money so that I could travel more frequently. So I read a lot of books related to investments and finance.\u00a0\n\n\n\u2013\n\n\nStev Yong\n \u2013 (I got interested in personal finance) from having nerdy pipe dreams of how much would I need to place in FDs that I would never have to work again! \n\n\nI was a teenager then and now been on this personal finance journey until today. While I still have some FD, I\u2019m continually learning to improve my personal investment plan and asset allocation.\n\n\n\u2013\n\n\nSherinaz Basree\n \u2013 You, my then dying folks, and my late mom\u2019s worry about being dependant on others. Mainly I don\u2019t want to menyusahkan others.\n\n\n\u2013\n\n\nNeutrals Fong\n \u2013 Firstly it came about idolising the rich people, and finally learnt that these people are good at personal finance which brings them there\n\n\n\u2013\n\n\nSyaza Nazura\n \u2013 Since I started working part-time (during studies) and wanted to save up money for my travels in the States.\n\n\nPersonal thoughts about these sharings\n\n\nGetting these answers really challenged my assumptions about personal finance interest.\u00a0\n\n\nFor example, I actually thought that personal finance topic is more like a \n\u2018you can bring a horse to water, but you can\u2019t make it drink\u2019 situation \u2013 I thought you can\u2019t force people to be interested in it if they\u2019re not ready. But apparently, \nyou *can* force people to like it if its part of their job or study requirements\n!\n\n\nAnother assumption busted is the role of parents. Your answers showed that \nyou can take ownership over your own financial life regardless whether your parents were good OR bad with money\n. If they were good, you\u2019ll inherit good money habits. If they were bad, you\u2019ll want to learn personal finance so you won\u2019t end up like them.\u00a0\n\n\nSome answers were also fascinating in its vagueness, kind of. I had trouble categorising a couple \u2013 should this fit under school of life, or should it fit under parents, or should it fit under books?\u00a0\n\n\nBut somehow I think I can relate to this vagueness. I personally don\u2019t know \u2013 or at least, can\u2019t \npinpoint\n \u2013 where *my* interest in personal finance came from. Maybe it\u2019s a combination of multiple sources, and that\u2019s okay too.\u00a0\n\n\nBut anyway. Thanks again to everyone who shared their answers. Now I want to hear from the rest of you \u2013 how did you become interested in personal finance? How\u2019d you end up on this website?\n\n\nI\u2019m super curious, so share YOUR reasons in the comments section, please!\u00a0\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/investment-linked-products/", "title": "[SPONSORED] Investment-Linked Products, As Explained By the CEO of Life Insurance Association of Malaysia\n  ", "body": "As part of an outreach campaign, members of the financial media \u2013 including personal finance bloggers like yours truly \u2013 were invited to the office of Life Insurance Association Malaysia and treated to a first-hand presentation of the latest update within the investment-linked products industry.\n\n\nEven the CEO of Life Insurance Association of Malaysia (or LIAM for short), Mark O\u2019Dell attended the meeting. He\u2019s like the top boss in the insurance industry. \nHis background is very, very impressive\n. Happy to report he was approachable in person.\n\n\n\n\nLet me share with you how LIAM explains investment-linked products. It\u2019s quite clever.\n\n\nInvestment-Linked Products, explained using Nasi Lemak\n\n\n\n\nThis section explains investment-linked products, or ILPs for short, using the nasi lemak analogy. Yes, \nthat\n nasi lemak.\n\n\nImagine the most \nbasic ILP\n like a basic pack of nasi lemak. You get coconut rice + sambal. Protection (life insurance) + investment. Basic.\n\n\nNow imagine the \ncomprehensive ILP\n like the nasi lemak with lots of extras. You get coconut rice + sambal + the fried chicken, the rendang, the sunny-side up eggs, the sambal tempe, the sambal sotong, whatever. They cost more, but they make your nasi lemak \nway\n \nbetter\n.\n\n\nApplying the same concept here, add-ons to your ILPs \u2013 called riders \u2013 \ngives you better protection for an additional cost\n. Depending on the provider, riders can be any of the following:\n\n\n\n\nMedical card\n\n\nCritical illness\n\n\nPersonal accident\n\n\nHospitalisation benefit\n\n\nWaiver benefit\n\n\nIncome protection\n\n\n\n\nThere are two types of ILPs: \nconventional\n and \ntakaful\n. You can pick either one. Both conventional and takaful ILPs serve the same purposes and objectives \u2013 protection + investment plan.\n\n\nThe only difference is Takaful ILPs are Syariah compliant, thus eliminating the elements of Maisir (gambling), Riba\u2019 (interest) and Gharar (uncertainty).\n\n\nILP \u2013 the investment part\n\n\nThe \nprotection\n part of ILP is easy to understand. In the most basic \u2018nasi lemak\u2019-type of plan, you get life insurance. This type of insurance is particularly important for main breadwinners who have dependents who rely financially on them.\n\n\nLet\u2019s talk about the investment part of ILPs. How it works is \nthe monthly premium/contribution goes towards an investment fund\n. The idea is you\u2019ll get your investment money back at the end of the term, while being protected for the whole duration. It\u2019s common for the term to be a few decades long.\n\n\nAbout those investment funds. Every Insurance provider/Takaful operator offers different funds. Takaful ILPs will offer Syariah-compliant investment funds. \nIt\u2019s important to know that the funds\u2019 values go up and down like other investments\n.\n\n\nThe majority of policyholders get their ILPs from an insurance / Takaful agent. Their role, aside from helping you select which Insurance/Takaful is most suitable, is to advise you during the investment fund selection process.\n\n\nMark O\u2019Dell mentioned how sometimes people get surprised that the investment fund they selected for their ILP didn\u2019t perform as well as they hoped. That\u2019s because they may be unaware that \ntheir fund\u2019s performance can go up or down over the years. \n\n\nPolicyholders should be aware of this fact as the poor performance of your investment fund could affect your fund value in your policy. Other factors that reduce your fund value are:\n\n\n\n\nnot paying premiums/contributions on time,\n\n\nmaking partial withdrawals from the fund, and\n\n\nchoosing not to increase premiums/contributions when your protection cover has been increased.\n\n\n\n\nThe reduction of your fund could lead to your policy/certificate being unsustainable\n. To maintain your policy\u2019s sustainability, you can either \nreduce your protection cover\n \nor increase your premiums/contributions.\n\n\nI was told that insurance premiums and Takaful contributions don\u2019t usually drastically increase in price. If it does, the most common reason is due to policyholder/ certificate holder \nalso taking a medical rider with their ILP\n, therefore the cost of medical rider premiums/contributions increases due to\n\n\n\n\nmedical inflation, and\n\n\nincrease in medical claims.\n\n\n\n\nNew Development for Investment-Linked Products in 2019: Sustainability report\n\n\nBNM came up with a new rule that came into effect on 1 July 2019. Basically, insurers are now mandated to give \nsustainability reports to policyholders/certificate holder\n.\n\n\nThey need to tell you, at least once a year and through their marketing channels, in plain English (not legalese), \nhow your investments in ILPs are doing, if they are still on track, and what you can do if they\u2019re not.\n\n\nIf you are an ILP policyholder/certificate holder, look out for the information from your Insurance/Takaful providers. It\u2019ll be very useful, something to regularly monitor.\n\n\nSpeaking of monitoring, I asked a burning question of mine \u2013\n\n\nWhy do insurance/Takaful products expire? Are newer products better?\n\n\nI own an insurance/ Takaful product that is no longer offered by the insurance provider/Takaful operator, so I\u2019ve been very curious about the reason why.\n\n\nAccording to Mark O\u2019Dell, new products enter the market because the insurance/Takaful landscape \nevolves based on consumer demand. \n\n\nFor example, consumers have shown a preference for shorter-term payment period and a higher sum assured policies/certificates, so those are introduced in the market.\n\n\nThis naturally brought a follow-up question: are newer insurance policies/Takaful certificates better, then?\n\n\nNot necessarily, said Mark. If you\u2019re thinking of terminating your ILP to a newer product, you need to consider:\n\n\n\n\nThe premium/The Contribution\n \u2013 Your protection begins immediately upon paying your premium, but your investment won\u2019t have time to grow if you terminate it early. Also remember that you may have \u2018aged up\u2019 and likely have to pay a higher monthly premium/contribution if you enrol in a new plan.\n\n\nIts contestability period\n \u2013 If you start a new policy/certificate, the contestability period starts all over again. Just so you know, the life insurance company/Takaful \noperator cannot dispute the validity of a life policy/Takaful certificate after it has been in force for 2 years\n. If the insurance company/Takaful operator refuses to pay, it must prove that the policy/ certificate was obtained through fraud.\n\n\nThe coverage\n \u2013 What you want in the newer products may be covered under your existing policy/ certificate anyway. If not, you can actually contact your insurance company/Takaful operator and request them to make the changes you want, at a lower cost (I didn\u2019t know this was possible, cool to know)\n\n\n\n\nLast words\n\n\nThank you \nLIAM\n (Life Insurance Association of Malaysia) and \nMTA\n (Malaysia Takaful Association) for engaging with Ringgit Oh Ringgit for ILP education.\n\n\nJust so you know, this article is a purely educational piece \u2013 LIAM and MTA don\u2019t sell investment-linked products themselves. The bodies are set up to achieve the following mission and vision:\n\n\n LIAM\u2019s Mission & Vision\n\n\n MTA\u2019s Mission & Vision\n\n\nFor more information, please visit the following websites:\n\n\nLIAM : \nhttps://www.liam.org.my\n\n\nMTA : \nhttp://www.malaysiantakaful.com.my/\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/kenanga-investment-event-market-outlook-symposium/", "title": "[SPONSORED] 4 Things I Learned from Kenanga\u2019s Investment Event\n  ", "body": "On 12 January 2019, I attended an investment event organised by multi-award winning\u00a0\nKenanga Group\n. The name intrigued me right from the start \u2013 you don\u2019t come across something like \nMarket Outlook Symposium 2019: Smart Investing or Dare Betting?\n every day. Held from 9am-2.30pm, the event packed in five speakers (and a lunch break). You can check the agenda of the day and speakers\u2019 profiles \nhere\n.\n\n\nI had fun live-tweeting the whole event. Click on the Twitter thread below to read 50+ tweets giving play-by-play account of each speaker\u2019s presentation. Among others, you\u2019ll find stock picks by Kenanga Investment Bank\u2019s Head of Research, a warrants trading tool (that may help you get double-digit ROIs), what to do with your money during bear markets and more.\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m seated and ready to live-tweet \n#KenangaGroup\n\u2018s \n#MarketSymposium2019\n event, starting soon! Follow and RT this thread for investment outlook in 2019 \npic.twitter.com/KcvRakWrce\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nJanuary 12, 2019\n\n\n\n\nHere are some things I learned from the event. Some commentaries are not specific to the event itself, but an overview of the general investment events scene in Malaysia. \nThis article is sponsored by Kenanga, but all opinions are mine\n.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 The Kenanga-organised event\u2026 exceeded expectations\n\n\n\n\nThroughout the years, I\u2019ve attended my fair share of investment events in Malaysia. Some were good, some were bad/ outright scams, most were average.\n\n\nI would rate investment events as \u2018average\u2019 if they go back to good but \ngeneric\n advice. You know what they are: don\u2019t invest more than what you can afford to lose, know your risk portfolio, start investing sooner rather than later, things like that. Essentially nothing\u2019s wrong with those advice, it\u2019s just you don\u2019t learn something new, you know?\n\n\nI can honestly say that Kenanga Group\u2019s Market Outlook Symposium 2019 is one of the better investment events I\u2019ve attended so far:\n\n\n\n\nThe topics are for people who have exhausted beginner-level investment information.\n If you already know basics of investing by heart, and looking to level up your investment knowledge, then keep an eye out for other events organised by Kenanga. I\u2019ve personally learned a lot during the event.\n\n\nFocuses on the stocks market.\n Not surprising, considering Kenanga offers a popular share trading account called \nKenTrade\n. I enjoyed the many viewpoints presented by speakers, from fundamentals, to technicals, to politics, to global economics and more.\n\n\nThere was no hard-selling.\n The only time they promoted Kenanga is to invite the audience to attend another FREE workshop by Derick Tan, who gave a wonderful presentation about tools and strategies he uses to time and enter the market. The workshop is only open to Kenanga customers, and you can check updates by following \nKenanga Group\u2019s Facebook page\n.\n\n\nThe entry fee was more than reasonable.\n It was free for Kenanga clients, and RM20-RM30 for outsiders, depending if they RSVP or not. Awesome value for an event held at Berjaya Times Hotel. The price included light breakfast and lunch too!\n\n\nThe speakers kept to their topics and presentation times\n. RARE AND APPRECIATED.\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 The importance of critical thinking when investing in the stocks market\n\n\nLet me share with you what each speaker presented during the event.\n\n\nSpeaker Chan Ken Yew, also the Head of Research at Kenanga Investment Bank, presented not just stocks picks, but also explained why his team thought those public-listed companies are poised to do well. Some belong to an industry with growing customer base (like Islamic finance), some are investing in their infrastructure, some announced upcoming projects in the pipeline.\n\n\n\n\nSTOCK PICKS by \n#KenangaGroup\n \u2018s Head of Research! \npic.twitter.com/fiiO6w2RYC\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nJanuary 12, 2019\n\n\n\n\nSpeaker Derick Tan presented about market cycles and investment opportunities present in the upcoming bear market (almost all speakers during the event agreed that we\u2019re not in bear market yet, but soon). He uses technical and historical data to create this \u2018should I buy stocks or not\u2019 chart. The green segment is the best time to buy, as many stocks are underpriced and have high growth potential (this is called value investing).\n\n\n\n\nOooh he called it. He said \u201cprobably the bear market is around the corner\u201d\n\n\nHe also said this is not the best time to do value investing \npic.twitter.com/jVISqrgkMA\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nJanuary 12, 2019\n\n\n\n\nSpeaker Dr Ch\u2019ng Huck Khoon who specialises in investment and behavioural finance presented about investment opportunities during Pakatan Harapan\u2019s term. He emphasised the importance of understanding the government\u2019s focus by reading their manifesto, which helps you to know which industries will be allocated extra budget under their term, when and where cash injections/refunds/boosts will be made, and the impact of relationships between top leaders in the country and between Malaysia and other nations (among others).\n\n\n\n\nNext speaker takes the stage! Dr Ch\u2019ng Huck Khoon on The New Government Challenges and Opportunities \npic.twitter.com/KlmWTSx7cq\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nJanuary 12, 2019\n\n\n\n\nSpeaker Ooi Kok Hwa talked about what\u2019s happening in the world, and how that may impact your investment strategies.\n\n\n\n\nCurrent market worries (global)\n\n\nOh! He mentioned how a significant volume of the funds in markets are done by bots/machines \npic.twitter.com/dmdUdnjmYV\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nJanuary 12, 2019\n\n\n\n\nInvesting in the stocks market is essentially trying your best to make good predictions from the data you have. There is a lot (A LOT) of information out there, from timing to politics to trade relations and everything in between. You have to apply some critical thinking skills from those data when making your stocks selection.\n\n\nI need to emphasise the role of luck here. Experts may give you a lot of information, but at the end of the day, no one can predict the future. Despite the best expert analysis, tools, strategies, projections, teams and other types of resources, you still have to accept that things don\u2019t always happen according to plan. Mergers may fail, projects may get cancelled, the government may re-adjust their budget, lots of things can impact stocks prices. But it\u2019s still better to learn all these than going in the stocks market blindly.\n\n\nThat bring me to..\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Different investment products suit different types of investors\n\n\nI\u2019ve been to enough investment events to know that some audience members\u2026 are not really there to learn how to invest. They just want the speakers to tell them what stocks they should get and when, full stop. I have witnessed this at many events, including at Market Symposium 2019.\n\n\nI understand that investing can be overwhelming. I also understand that some people need that authority figure or established companies that can give them assurance, make them feel like they are doing the right thing with their investment money. Again, understandable \u2013 losing money hurts. Especially if you are retired or nearing retiring age (I estimate roughly 30-50% of the Market Symposium 2019 audience is from this demographic).\n\n\nThe thing is,\u00a0\nit\u2019s completely fine to let high-reputation companies manage your stocks portfolio for you so you can focus on growing your income\n. You don\u2019t have to do everything yourself and stress over picking the \u2018right\u2019 stocks and buying it at the \u2018right\u2019 price (or worse, finding the \u2018right\u2019 stock picker expert!). That\u2019s why there are products like unit trusts and services like investment portfolio management (\nwhat Kenanga offers\n). Check the fees, and if you feel it\u2019s worth it for the value you get, go for it.\n\n\nIf you actually enjoy the process of picking stocks, then I do suggest going for Kenanga-hosted events like Market Symposium 2019. You get like a crash course in different approaches in picking stocks. This event alone introduced me to four approaches (fundamentals, timing, politics, global markets).\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Warrants trading tool\n\n\nLast but not least, something that I have learned for the first time from Market Symposium 2019 is the existence of warrants trading tools. Some of you may read this and go, duh that\u2019s really obvious Suraya, everyone knows about warrants, but I\u2019m telling you right now that I don\u2019t know much about it \u2013 this was something I learned for the first time on Saturday. There\u2019s much to learn about this type of investment, but right off the bat I can see it\u2019s a high-risk, high-returns kind of investment, where having the right tools and interface matter.\n\n\n\n\n9.6% vs 28% ROI if trading shares vs warrants \npic.twitter.com/9ldsobKwVX\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nJanuary 12, 2019\n\n\n\n\nI really enjoyed Isabelle Zhen\u2019s presentation, when she shared a demonstration of Kenanga\u2019s new Live Matrix tool, \nNagaWarrants\n. I admit I may have developed a bit of a brain crush on Isabelle after checking out \nher Instagram page\n. I mean, she describes herself as a \u2018fictional character\u2019, lmao!\n\n\nFinance and investments always have that \u2018boring\u2019 and \u2018dry\u2019 connotation, so it\u2019s nice when you see the people in it are multidimensional and interesting after all \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nIsabelle and her team take lunch appointments and hold educational talks about warrants. You can connect with them at 017-214 5177 during office hours. You can also join their Telegram group, @KenangaWarrants to get access to buy bid promos at one tick cheaper (whatever that means).\n\n\nLast words about Kenanga Group\u2019s Investment Event, Market Outlook Symposium 2019\n\n\nI personally don\u2019t own stocks yet, but I\u2019ve been meaning to dabble in it for a while now, especially knowing that the bear market is coming. I do have fantasies of buying good stocks at a low price, keep them for a few years until the market recovers, and sell them off at massive profits.\n\n\nThis is not a new idea. That\u2019s what the rich have been doing all this while \u2013 buy low, sell high. I don\u2019t like how the system encourages the rich to get richer, but I also know that I can\u2019t change the rules of the game, so the best thing to do is to learn how to play the game, too. If you can\u2019t beat em, join em.\n\n\nThose of you who have a stocks portfolio. Who or what influences your stocks selection? How do you decide when to make your entries? Do you actively attend investment events like the one organised by Kenanga group? What did you learn from those events? Let us know what kind of stocks investor you are in the comments section.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/macau-scams/", "title": "Macau Scams & More: Malaysians Share Scams They Fell For [SPONSORED]\n  ", "body": "Your parents are right.\u00a0\nNo matter how much we may want to deny it, there *are* bad people in this world. People who don\u2019t think twice about organising Macau scams and taking your money from you through illegal and unethical means. They do it easily, without guilt or remorse.\u00a0\n\n\nThis article is a compilation of anecdotes by real people, who were scammed or almost got scammed. Thank you to all who contributed.\u00a0\n\n\n#1 \u2013\u00a0 Macau scams (telecommunication or fake call scams)\n\n\nMacau scams are so prevalent, PDRM (the Royal Malaysian Police) has issued an alert to warn the public. Macau scams have four main modus operandis, and it\u2019s almost always via a phone call or text:\n\n\na) Lucky draw or winning entries\n\n\nYou probably have heard of these types of Macau scams.\n\n\nAniza R\n \u2013 Once, when I picked up the phone, a computerised voice said that I have won money from CIMB. I don\u2019t even have an account with CIMB.\n\n\nThe call actually came from the legit CIMB customer service number. I called the number to check and was told that they (the scammers) are able to hack real numbers.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nWe call this the \u201ctoo lazy dont even wanna make an effort\u201d SMS scam \npic.twitter.com/XVQhywOcQd\n\n\n\u2014 Pelham Blue Asset Management (@pelhambluefund) \nJune 13, 2019\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHi \n@Maxis\n \n@MaxisListens\n, looks like there are people out there impersonating you over WhatsApp. \npic.twitter.com/aKAqAXcF4y\n\n\n\u2014 FED (@Mr_Fed) \nJune 2, 2019\n\n\n\n\nb) Impersonating as kidnappers\n\n\nNo one came forward to report this scam this time around, but I\u2019ve heard stories of Malaysians being scammed via this Macau scams method.\u00a0\n\n\nThis type of Macau scam is designed to scare parents and grandparents into taking fast action and I understand how one would fall for it. Hearing your loved ones is in danger is enough incentive to immediately make the money transfers.\u00a0\n\n\nHere is \none account of a parent who fell for a fake kidnapping call\n.\u00a0\n\n\nc) Spoofing as a police officer or a government official\n\n\nThe next Macau scams type is one of the scariest as they impersonate authoritative figures!\n\n\nFadzr Latip\n \u2013 I received a call from a supposed police station number. The number appeared as 07-XXXXXX, the same number used by a police station in Johor. The person on the line said I had some unpaid credit card dues.\u00a0\n\n\nI knew it was a scam because I don\u2019t owe money, as I try my best to pay off all my credit card dues every month. But he was in character all the way and said he is the police.\n\n\nI insisted on calling him back on the same number he called me. When I did, a real police on the other line told me they have been receiving the same feedback from the public about their number being used to scam people.\n\n\nShamini Arivananthan\n \u2013 I received a call claiming from Kuantan court saying I have a warrant. They called multiple times and tried to get my IC number. Best of all, the call is to my office number which is a law firm. We also received several scam calls saying from banks.\n\n\nHere\u2019s one of the voicemail recording, as shared by a reader.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nKalau tak jawab call tu dia auto je \npic.twitter.com/sac8nHY3b8\n\n\n\u2014 busydoinnothin (@ef_hash) \nJune 13, 2019\n\n\n\n\nd) Spoofing as a Bank Negara official or commercial banks\n\n\nAnon \n\u2013 I received an SMS scam from 68833. It said:\n\n\nRM0.00 CIMB: MYR 680.28 was charged on your card num 5318 at TRIVAGO on 15/05. Pls call 1800817866 for any queries.\n\n\nI found out it was a scam SMS by using the TrueCaller app to search the phone number. Also, I don\u2019t have any credit card with that number. I don\u2019t even have an account with CIMB.\u00a0\n\n\nI think they just want you to panic and call the number listed in the SMS. The scammer will answer the call and try to get your money.\u00a0\n\n\ne) [NEW Macau Scam methodology] Spoofing using postage methods\n\n\nWhile I was collecting anecdotes, scammers have \u2018leveled\u2019 up from their usual modus operandi and started using this new tactic. Three people said they were almost scammed this way in June.\u00a0\n\n\nSimon Malik\n \u2013 I received a prerecorded call stated that I have an uncollected parcel from Poslaju. When connected to the number given, the person claimed she was from Poslaju hub Kuala Lumpur. She asked for my name and IC number and I gave her false ones.\n\n\nAfter \u2018checking\u2019, she said that I have a registered letter from LHDN with a certain number reference in their custody. She said that this letter is now at the Poslaju KL hub and need to be claimed within 2 hours\n, \nsince is the letter about unpaid tax due to owning shares. She tried to make me nervous, telling that I sound surprised and I did not know about this.\n\n\nI played along, asked lots of questions, argued with her about the parcel location, told her I\u2019ll check with a relative who works at LHDN. In the end, she gave up.\u00a0\n\n\nOne thing I realize is, they have a script to talk. The best way is to counter back by asking a lot of questions and argue back.\n\n\n\n\nSCAM ALERT. PLEASE READ AND PLEASE SHARE: \npic.twitter.com/1NaC3rmJIv\n\n\n\u2014 Annatasha (@monkeydisease) \nJune 13, 2019\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSharing mine that just happened yesterday. \npic.twitter.com/PKv3FWgIcC\n\n\n\u2014 gwen (@shirogwen) \nJune 13, 2019\n\n\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nSome of you might wonder, okay how *do* we know if the call is legit or not? None of us wants to ignore or laugh off an actual warrant against us, right? Here\u2019s an article by AskLegal on picking up \nred flags indicative of Macau scams\n.\u00a0\n\n\nHere\u2019s a rule of thumb \u2013 \nDO NOT transfer money or divulge bank card and pin number over the phone, no matter how much they threaten you.\u00a0\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Being told to pay for PIDM\u2019s protection services\n\n\nThis scam is horrible because the scammers target\u2026 people who are \nalready \nfinancially desperate.\u00a0\n\n\nModus operandi:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nDesperation forces some people to approach money lenders\n\n\nThey are told to make payment to \u2018activate\u2019 PIDM\u2019s protection before they can receive the money\n\n\nThey never get the money after making payment and this may potentially get them into a worse financial situation\n\n\n\n\nYou can see some evidence of this. In PIDM\u2019s Google Answers page, you can see some queries from the public about this type of scam.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nAs a reminder, \nPIDM\u2019s protection for deposits, takaful and insurance benefits (up to a certain amount) \u2013 are FREE\n. There is no payment required.\u00a0\n\n\nLet me repeat that, because it\u2019s important. There. Is. No. Payment. Required. For. PIDM\u2019s. Protection.\u00a0\n\n\nIt\u2019s also important to take note of which banking products are protected (for deposits, PIDM protects savings accounts, current accounts, joint accounts, etc.) and not protected.\u00a0\n\n\nSome banking products are not and have never been under PIDM\u2019s protection. For example, \nloan products are NOT protected by PIDM so watch out if anybody tells you to pay a fee to PIDM in order to take out a loan.\n\n\nRead\n \nhere to find out more about PIDM protection\n.\u00a0\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Online Scams\n\n\nMany of you have been exposed to online scams one way or another. Some were obvious, others were a lot more elaborate and professionally-executed. Here are some examples.\u00a0\n\n\nOnline selling scam\n\n\nThere are two main ways for scammers to part you with your money via online selling scam. If you\u2019re a buyer, you might never receive the item you paid for.\u00a0\n\n\nSyaza Nazura\n \u2013 One of my friends got scammed about a cheap iPhone. Got random messages saying something like \u201cBuy an iPhone for only RMXXX\u201d and they were really attracted by the cheap iPhones price so they didn\u2019t think much about it. After they paid the deposit, the seller cut off communications. That\u2019s when they realised they\u2019ve been scammed.\u00a0\n\n\nThis can happen for a variety of items. Even \nflight tickets\n! If you see super-cheap flight tickets sold on Instagram or Facebook, \nthat\u2019s most likely fake\n \u2013 don\u2019t buy them because you\u2019ll probably get stranded. It\u2019s impressive how brazen they are at conducting these activities.\u00a0\n\n\nThese fake flight ticket scams are still ongoing, according to \none former \u2018agent\u2019 who refunded customers\u2019 money out of her own pocket and lost RM300k herself\n.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nSellers can get scammed as well:\n\n\nAnon\n \u2013 I want to share my experience almost being scammed. At the time I just registered as a Shopee seller, selling vintage kimonos. I had just uploaded two items and someone DM-ed with interest to purchase. The person requested to Whatsapp me other pictures personally, and I did because I haven\u2019t uploaded the rest in the platform.\u00a0\n\n\nHe said he\u2019d buy four items for his partner in Kelantan, claiming he\u2019s out of the country. I gave him my bank account number and other details like usual. The next message from him was informing me of his transfer, telling me to check my email.\u00a0\u00a0\n\n\nBy that point I felt something was off, but played along. The email ended up in my spam folder. When I opened it, apparently an international bank transferred a big amount to my account and instructed me to refund back the balance.\u00a0\n\n\nI googled, found out it\u2019s a scam, then blocked the buyer. The email received is as below.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nRental scams\n\n\nZoe Liew \u2013 \n\u00a0I got scammed out of 900 euros. I was desperate for a place to stay in the Netherlands and it was really hard to find a place online unless we went through the school or real estate agencies and the fees were exorbitant\n\n\nThey even provided me with a copy of the contract and their passport. Turns out even the passport copy was stolen.\n\n\nAyesha\n \u2013 H\now about the rent scam in Bangsar South? They post fake ads for rooms on iBilik, Mudah etc that\u2019s actually just booked for the day from AirBnb (\nhere\u2019s one expose\n). Very reasonable price! Make people pay for down payment/deposit, then disappear. I saw some people get scammed this way.\n\n\nWhen I was room hunting I encountered some of these scammers/ fake ads. Waste of time! Can you imagine 8/10 room ads I contacted were scam. Some stories I read were UM students, or people outside KL who just got a job and desperate to look for affordable rooms. I feel bad for people who don\u2019t know better.\n\n\nLove/friendship scams\n\n\nThese types of scams are disgusting since scammers spend so much time and effort to get your trust. It\u2019s easy to dismiss them, thinking, oh why was he/she so easy to dupe. \n\n\nBut what if a good friend of yours ended up doing this to you? It\u2019s not just financially painful, but emotionally as well.\u00a0\n\n\nAnon \n\u2013 \nBriefly: he befriended me and a friend using a fake name, we got along pretty well. He was very engaging and active in our chat group.\n\u00a0\n\n\nWe met up often. He planned a trip but as the date approached, he went silent in the chat. A few days later, his \u2018brother\u2019 introduced himself in the chat, informed us that his bro met an accident while in KK and was in a coma, so he took it upon himself to let us know.\n\n\nThe \u2018brother\u2019 kept us updated about his progress and recovery in detail. He shared a photo of him with his head shaved (allegedly) for surgery. He always gave apologetic excuses why we can\u2019t visit. Then he asked me for help because they were in urgent need of funds for emergency surgery. I stupidly lost RM6.5k\n\n\nI\u2019ve made a police report but according to the officer, nothing much can be done because what he did (and is still doing) is kind of a gray area thing\n\n\n\u00a0Further reading (with pics of the scammer)\n.\n\n\nJob opportunity scams\n\n\nAnon \n\u2013 I want to share my experience being scammed via LinkedIn. Made a police report over it but they said it\u2019ll be hard to catch the scammers.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nV\n \u2013 \nA week ago I got scammed for a job.\u00a0\n\n\nI am desperate for work, but currently can\u2019t take any full-time jobs because I have things to deal with.\u00a0\n\n\nI saw a job post on a Facebook job group. The work is typing out content from a physical book, and we will get paid RM3-5 per page. I was interested because I could do this job anywhere.\u00a0\n\n\nThey said there would be a \u201cdeposit\u201d of RM50 to send the physical books. I thought it was a real job and deposited the amount. \nI even wrote the contract to work with this person\n. It seems legit with the contract and company (in Kedah apparently).\u00a0\n\n\nI contacted this guy two days after and asked for the tracking number. An hour later I found out that I was blocked.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 IRL scams\n\n\nCharity or donation scams\n\n\nLee Jun\n \u2013 I was approached by some nicely dressed young man asking for a donation for XX Elder Care Centre. It didn\u2019t occur to me to check that The XX Elder Care Centre is in a different state, but I did think it was weird of them to come all the way to a different state.\n\n\nLater, when my friend did a Google search and called the XX centre, they said they don\u2019t send people out collecting cash donations. They said they raise funds through charity sales or Corp donations to their bank account.\n\n\nHakim Aar\n \u2013 One African man approached me, said I\u2019m handsome and gave a speech on how Muslims must help each other. He then proceeded to ask for money right after. Gave him 70sen. The lesson here is, don\u2019t trust random people calling you handsome.\n\n\nStreet scams\n\n\nAnon \n\u2013 I did some random survey outside of Lot10. They asked me to fill up a form and give them points for some activities. I wrote 100 then a group of them came and surrounded me trying to make a scene. Apparently, each point equals RM1 so they asked for RM100. I had to give them RM30 before they let me leave.\n\n\nAnon \u2013 \nI helped 2 women who claimed they lost a wallet at KLCC. They approached me, saying they have no money to go home and asked if I can lend them some money for a cab. They promised to return the money to me once they reached home, then blocked me immediately after they left. They definitely took advantage of my kindness. I was young and foolish.\u00a0\n\n\nIvan Wong\n \u2013 Was pumping petrol at Petronas. One Chinese uncle approached me and tried to sell me a high-end smartphone for RM300.\u00a0\n\n\nI tested the phone and it was okay. After I paid him, he somehow managed to switch the phone to a dummy or fake phone. After he left, I tried to turn on the power but it failed. Took it to a phone shop and found out the phone is all filled with metal inside.\n\n\nHe was good, because while I was withdrawing money from ATM at the petrol station, I still have the real phone with me. It\u2019s only after I handed him the cash that he quickly switched it into a dummy set. I think he did it while he removed his old sim card.\u00a0\n\n\nIman Anne\n \u2013\n Gores & Menang scam. I was at an LRT station when somebody approached me. I scratched and the scam team there were all cheering saying that I won a Honda Civic. Obviously I was happy. When I ask about getting the car, they said I must pay RM6k for tax first to take the car. I left.\u00a0\n\n\nWhat scams have you encountered in Malaysia?\n\n\nShare them in the comments section so the rest of us can learn and see how prevalent scams are. I hope you realise you have to be aware of many types of scams, not just Macau scams.\n\n\nIf there\u2019s one thing you should know, it\u2019s that scams in Malaysia are exceptionally common, and it just takes one slip, a temporary lapse in judgement to fall for it. That\u2019s why Macau scams still exists \u2013 it only takes one error.\n\n\nAlso, always remember to check with the authorities or the organisations named for confirmation before you pay \u2013 whether it\u2019s for protection, charity, or even a penalty. It\u2019s an extra effort that may potentially save you, and your money, in the long run. \n\n\nRead \nhere to find out more about PIDM\u2019s services when do you actually need to contact them\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/malaysians-diversify-investments/", "title": "13 Malaysians Share How They Diversify Investments\n  ", "body": "What did you pick as your first investment? Your second? Third? And so on?\n\n\nAs always, when I got curious about anything personal finance, I turn to the crowd. I asked the RoR Facebook community about their first, second and third investments. How did they interpret the common advice to \u2018diversify your investments\u2019, \nand how does the order look like?\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHere are some of the replies. Thank you to everyone who agreed to have your answers compiled and posted here. Scroll all the way to the end for my 2 cents on the topic.\n\n\nMalaysians And Their Investments\n\n\nAnung Un Rama\n\n\nFirst investment: \nGold\n \u2013 because it\u2019s easy to buy and sell\n\n\nSecond investment: \nASB\n and \nTabung Haji\n fund \u2013 I took them because they are low-risk and safe investments\n\n\nThird investment: (In planning) \nProperty\u00a0\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nDenion Lee\n\n\nFirst investment: \nFixed Deposit\n. I use it as a buffer for emergency funds and will liquidate this when I need it for contingency purpose. I don\u2019t want my extra funds to just sit in the normal savings account, thus FD.\n\n\nSecond investment: \nASB\n \u2013 To me, ASB is an alternative to EPF, just its not for only retirement purpose. I will liquidate it for certain financial goals in life, for example, education funds for my kids.\u00a0\n\n\nThird investment: \nUnit Trust\n \u2013 It is not easy to buy ASB. Unit trust is more accessible, plus the choice of risk level is wide, from low to high-risk funds. For my unit trust investment, I go for balanced-high risk portfolio for my current financial goals that are at least 10 years away. Longer investment horizon allows me to take higher risk. I treat it as a place whereby my funds are locked here and letting it grow.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nAlan \u2018Jordy\u2019 Toh\n\n\nFirst investment: \nStock Market\n. I have been trading in stocks since 14. Over the decades, I have had my fair share of hits and misses (often times bigger misses than hits). Though the journey wasn\u2019t a very pleasant one, but investing in financially stable and fundamentally strong companies have given me the best returns in terms of passive income. It will be the main vehicle to fund my retirement.\n\n\nSecond investment: \nEPF\n. It is a no-brainer for those with no access to ASB. At an average CAGR of 6%, it is the next best capital-guaranteed fund to be invested for the long-term. The fund will provide the additional boost to my retirement funds when I reach the withdrawal age at 55.\n\n\nThird investment: \nPassive Business\n. \nSetting up a business that could complement my retirement income is the third on my list. The business should not occupy too much of my retirement time. I have been operating my e-commerce store (AJ Group Marketing) on several popular platforms as a side hustle since 2014, and so far the results have been encouraging. The business has garnered quite a substantial following as I put customer service as the top priority. I hope to sustain the income generated from this business throughout my retirement years.\u00a0\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nJason Arvin Tan\n\n\nFirst investment: \nStocks\n \u2013 I love investing in stocks, simply because it gives out good returns for short/long term if invested properly. The advantages of stocks investment is that it helps my money to grow in various ways which are through capital appreciation, dividends or right issues when a particular company does well financially. Moreover, stocks are one of the assets which are highly liquid. If I need some money for an emergency, I could sell off my stocks and withdraw money within few days. I can\u2019t do the same if I owned lands or properties.\n\n\nSecond \ninvestment: \nEPF\n \u2013 Even though I\u2019m just 24, I have started to plan and save out early for my retirement through EPF account. If we look at the past 10 years records, EPF gives us an average of 6% return per annum, which is good compared to an average savings account. The earlier I save, the more I gain when I retire!\n\n\nThird investment: \nCurrencies\n\u2013 I always look to buy foreign currencies when I have some extra money in hand, The reason I buy foreign currencies is to protect the value of our weakening ringgit. This strategy of investment is also called hedging! Other than that I feel the thrill of owning different denominations of currencies\u00a0\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nTya Shatirah\n from\n \nwww.nakweekend.com\n\u2013\n\n\nFirst investment: \nGold\n saving started from my parent who buy me gold bracelet and neckless. Now I add couple sets of them for investment purpose\n\n\nSecond investment: \nASB\n \u2013 started from my mom opening an account and putting in RM50 every month. I continue the practice until now.\n\n\nThird investment: \nProperty\n \u2013 for rental income purposes\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nAlex B Day\n\n\nFirst investment: I\u2019m starting investment with \nASNB\n through ASB-financing & ASB2-financing. Sacrified some of my income applying asbf, slowly max out asb2f. The ROI are not bad expecially when include principle return plus can serve as emergency fund too. Currently, I\u2019m just letting them compound interest.\n\n\nSecond investment: \nStock\n \u2013 For capital gains and dividend returns. Currently I\u2019m more into REITS while searching/learning other stocks to invest in\n\n\nThird investment: \nETF\n through robo-advisory platforms. Low fee, less headache to manage\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nScha Afni\n \n\n\nFirst investment: \nKPF\n (Koperasi Permodalan Felda) \u2013\u00a0 Open for Felda settlers including family and Felda staff. It has \n7-10\n% investments return\n\n\nSecond investment: \nEPF\n since 2005. I\u2019m lucky as my\u00a0 company contribution is quiet high compare to other company around 16% while my contribution is 11%\n\n\nThird \ninvestment: \nOther Amanah saham\n such as ASBN and ASW2020. I have Tabung Haji as well \u2013 registered my name for hajj with minimum deposit of RM1300.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nNur Hidayah Abu Bakar\n\n\nFirst investment: \nASB\n \u2013 because its low risk, has consistent dividend, ease of transaction, long-term\n\n\nSecond investment: \nProperty\n \u2013 medium risk, high CA/CF, medium to long-term, requires a lot of cash\n\n\nThird investment: \nGold\n \u2013 sturdy against inflation, ease of requirement, long-term\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nAyla Kosmonova\n\n\nFirst \ninvestment: \nASB\n \u2013 my parents help me to open up since i was a lil kid, maxed up ASB1 years ago and now halfway to max up ASB2 without loans. I also put spare change in ASW2020.\n\n\nSecond \ninvestment: \nEPF\n \u2013 since I\u2019m 17 years old, when I took factory work after SPM, while waiting to enter uni\n\n\nThird \ninvestment: \nUnit trust\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nIqbal Yusuf\n\u00a0\n\n\nFirst \ninvestment:\n \nStock market\n \u2013 if you do your homework right, the stocks market can give you high returns over other instruments. Furthermore, one of the advantage for us retail investors is that we aren\u2019t exposed to market risk compared to unit trust (due to their fund size), so retail investor can still outperform the market even when the index go down, except in recession\n\n\nSecond \ninvestment: \nASNB\n \u2013 no risk of capital loss, with at least 5-6% return per year. Knowing the risk of losing money in stock market teaches me a lot about \u2018risk\u2019 in investing. An investment with literally 0% chance of losing money with that 5-6% is kinda big deal.\n\n\nThird investment: \nHuman capital\n \u2013 The best form of capital is human capital. I believe that even if you don\u2019t have a lot of money, you can still \u2018invest\u2019 by reading books, taking courses wether offline or online (Edx & Coursera)\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nLim John\n\n\nFirst investment:\n Cryptocurrency\n \u2013 its \neasy to get started on crypto\n\n\nSecond investment: \nETF\n \u2013 \nwhich is also easy to set up\n\n\nThird \ninvestment: \nStocks\n \u2013 \nInvest stock last is because of open a CDS account is very troublesome\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nJustin Kumaran\n\n\nFirst investment: \nUnit trust\n\n\nSecond \ninvestment: \nASM\n. First and second investments are my foundations\n\n\nThird \ninvestment: \nStocks\n, for a bit more aggression\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nSuraya Zainudin\n (that\u2019s me!)\n\n\nFirst investment: \nEPF\n. I started working (as a telemarketeer) at 17, and part of my pay went to this retirement fund. At first I hated having my own money taken from me automatically, but after a while I was thankful of the system. Not every country forces employers to contribute an additional 13% out of their own pocket towards employees\u2019 future.\u00a0\n\n\nSecond \ninvestment: \nASB\n. Found out that it\u2019s a no-brainer so I opened an account. Soon after that I applied for a 25-year RM50k ASB financing loan.\u00a0\n\n\nThird \ninvestment: \nGold\n. It was my first taste of \u2018speculative\u2019 investment. Covered this in more detail in the \nWhat You Should Know About Gold Prices In 2008-2018\n article\n\n\nMy 2 cents\n\n\nFirst of all, remember that the sample size is fairly small. Including my own, there are only 13 examples compiled here, and less than 20 overall (\ngo to the FB mini-forum thread to see more answers\n). Nonetheless, there are some interesting observations.\n\n\nObservation #1 \u2013 Some investments are more popular than others\n\n\nA significant number of many Malaysians\u2019 first three investments are these 5 types of investments:\n\n\n\n\nFixed Deposit\n\n\nMutual Funds/Unit Trust \u2013 which appeared in the form of ASB (dan sewaktu dengannya), EPF, PRS, Tabung Haji, etc\n\n\nStocks\n\n\nGold\n\n\nProperty\n\n\n\n\nThe reason why they are chosen more often over other types of investments is simple: they have history and solid reputation. That\u2019s important in the investing world, especially if you\u2019re just starting out.\n\n\nI covered more about these investments in the \nPros & Cons List of 5 Popular Investments in Malaysia\n article\n\n\nFor other investment options available for Malaysians, check out the\u00a0\nWhat can you invest with RM1000?\n article\n\n\nObservation #2 \u2013 Gender differences\u00a0\n\n\nIt\u2019s interesting to see the gender difference. From the replies, you can see how women tend to be more conservative, while men tend to make riskier investments.\n\n\nWhich investing style is better for the long-term? \nWomen\u2019s\n. Ironically, \nmen are more emotional when making investment decisions\n.\n\n\n\n\nMen reading this, \ncalm your ego\n if it flares up. This information may save you from huge debt or bankruptcy, and by extension, saving you from broken marriages and even suicide in extreme cases (remember the statistics how many divorces are caused by financial troubles? Yeah). My intention is to help. Accept the help, because those situations are too painful for words, and prevention is better than cure.\n\n\nAs for women, know that (1) our natural preference for low-risk opportunities is great, but that also means we lose out a lot in high-risk-high-rewards opportunities, which men tend to take (and sometimes pays off, big time), and (2) \nyou are better at investing than you think\n.\n\n\nObservation #3 \u2013 \u2018Investment\u2019 has a different meaning for some people\n\n\nMy original question asked how Malaysians diversify investments. What I didn\u2019t expect was a few replies which interpreted the question a bit more creatively.\u00a0 Some readers gave these type of answers:\n\n\n\n\nInvesting in own business\n\n\nInvesting in learning and self-development\n\n\nInvesting in relationships\n\n\n\n\nThey\u2019re not technically investment vehicles, but I love it. Yes, you\u2019re so right, those are worthwhile investments to make!\n\n\nObservation #4 \u2013 Personal interest in a specific investment makes it fun!\n\n\nSome of you mentioned how your interest in a particular investment vehicle \u2013 the stocks market, for example \u2013 made you more excited to learn all you can about it. I think that\u2019s really cool! It *is* a lot more fun when you\u2019re enjoying what you\u2019re investing or trading in!\n\n\nI guess this supports the theories in the \n12 Types of Investment Available in Malaysia and The People Who Have Them\n article. Some people have traits which makes them more likely to prefer one investment vehicle over another.\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nWell, those were my three observations. What do you think? What were YOUR first three investments? How do YOU diversify investments? Take one min to share what you think \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/malaysians-unexpected-expenses/", "title": "24 Malaysians Share Their Uncommon Unexpected Expenses\n  ", "body": "Unexpected expenses suck. They suck so much. They suck more than vacuum cleaners.\n\n\nThe worst part is\u00a0\nyou can\u2019t avoid them\n. You can\u00a0\nminimise\n them, sure. You can \nbudget them in\n. You can\n set up an emergency savings fund\n. But you can never avoid them altogether.\n\n\nAs far as I can tell, there are two reasons why you can\u2019t avoid them: (1) Life\u2019s too unpredictable and (2) You \nmight\n do something stupid (like I did, when I punctured a hole in my freezer while trying to chip away the ice buildup. I\u2019M MAD BECAUSE THIS IS THE SECOND FRIDGE I RUINED THIS WAY)\n\n\nWhen I asked the RoR Facebook and Twitter community about \ntheir\n unexpected expenses, I got a bunch of replies. I was surprised (was I though?) that many unexpected expenses were\n car-related\n! You told me about how you need to do major repairs after getting into accidents, need to replace batteries and alternators, need to fix the aircon, need to get new tyres, need to settle unexpected summons, and more.\n\n\nA smaller number of you mentioned\u00a0\nhome ownership-related expenses\n too. Some had to fix leaked rooftops, some needed toilet repairs done.\n\n\nWhat are other unexpected expenses aside from car and home-related expenses? \nMuch more than you think\n. I compiled some of the other answers here so you get to see how unexpected expenses look like for the average Malaysian.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Medical expenses of loved ones and pets\n\n\n\n\n1) My 16-year-old felt uncomfortable around her throat area on Sunday night. We had Assam Laksa for lunch and I thought perhaps a tiny bone was stuck in her throat. The discomfort went on for a few days. She had a little shortness of breath, on and off, and she said she felt nauseous after a meal. However, no weird pain when she swallowed.\n\n\nI took her to a clinic in Hartamas. Doc couldn\u2019t find anything wrong, however he gave me a referral letter just in case I wanted to go to the hospital. The next day my daughter said she was feeling really uncomfortable so I took her to Pantai Hospital. The doctor did both check-up and X-Rays but couldn\u2019t find anything.\n\n\nShe wrote us a referral letter to another hospital in case we needed more details on throat and surgery option. I told my daughter let\u2019s take the medication, antibiotics for any infections and some lozenges. My daughter was still dissatisfied. The next day she said she felt worse discomfort in her throat and after school I took her to another doctor a GP in Bangsar.\n\n\nIt turns out my daughter had\u2026 the flu. She was down with a sore throat and flu the same night and out for 3 days or so. Being a single mom isn\u2019t easy especially when dealing with a teenager.\n\n\nIn total, I paid RM700+ out of pocket.\n My daughter has insurance but I\u2019m unsure if I can claim from her insurance, since we never found anything. I paid using my credit card, and planned to pay for the unexpected medical expense by selling one of my branded bags (I\u2019m a reseller of new and mainly Preloved luxury handbags).\n\n\n\n\nFortunately, like the universe was listening to me, out of the blue a lady from my Instagram account contacted and inquired about my Fendi handbag. I met her yesterday, she bought the bag, I made a profit and can now pay for that unexpected medical expense! \u2013 Audsterbee\n\n\n\n\n2) Baby Aryan\u2019s additional vaccination shot. Not compulsory but doctor recommended. \nRM 700 for the additional vaccination shot\n. \u2013 Razin Adha\n\n\n3)\n\n\n\n\nMy little Freya jatuh dari tingkat 3, total cost surgery and everything \nalmost RM6k\n. And maybe more sebab kena buat review 2-3 kali lagi \npic.twitter.com/RRjVwzjeJ8\n\n\n\u2014 . (@loltfjustjk_) \nMarch 23, 2019\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Pressured into paying more for meals\n\n\n4) I had this unexpected \nexpense\n when my \ndate\n was discussing about what\u2019s a dealbreaker for our future partner. He said he wanted a woman that can financially support him. I thought that was okay.. to each their own. When it was time to leave, he told the cashier that I\u2019m paying since apparently it was his birthday. The cashier just looked at me and\n I had to pay RM40\n because I was embarrassed. Later, I got my money back after asking for it. So just be prepared to have some money in occasions like this \u2013 Sya\n\n\n5) Went to Ikan Bakar Jalan Bellamy a couple of days ago. Took sotong + nasi putih + kuah. Total bill was \nRM26 per person\n. Was expecting around RM15..dang \u2013 Haris Halim\n\n\n6) \nRM50 lunch\n. I tagged along with my co-workers. Usually we go for RM6-20 lunch. By the time we reached our destination, the food there were at least RM30 per portion. SO OKAY LA I SHUT ONE EYE ABOUT IT AND CRY INTERNALLY. By the time to pay for our food, the TAX went up to each RM20 per person. I cried internally even more. The thing is, we were also getting free dinner that night. I thought I was able to save money that day but ended up spending a week\u2019s worth of lunch. \u2013 Sherinaz Basree\n\n\n7) \nMidnight hunger.\n The kedai burger tepi jalan tu kata ada burger dah siap dia terbuat lebih and its a oblong double special. I just help him by taking it. Hmm.. Usual one would be RM4.. \nThis one is RM11\n! \u2013 Zaim\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Broken gadgets\n\n\n8) Repairing \nwashing machine\n once last 2 weeks and it broke again.. \nRM150 first and will fork again\n the same sum again later.\n And then it turns out the panel board is spoiled \ud83d\ude41 \u2013 Shamini\n\n\n9) Dropped my friend\u2019s \ndrone into the sea\n. Had to \nganti balik RM1,100\n \u2013 Muhtaram\n\n\n10) I bought a \nLenovo laptop charger\n, and guess what? The new one has issues, too. So, I asked for a refund and went to the post office to send the charger back to the seller and then, I ordered a new charger from a different seller. Overall, I didn\u2019t really lose money this way, but I did \nlose time\n. \u2013 Anwar\n\n\n11) \nCat bit my Macbook charger\n. A replacement costs $80, \nabout RM300\n. My housemate\u2019s Macbook charger got bit too. Twice, hence double the suffering \u2013 Rushdi\n\n\n12) \nUnifi route broke down\n, have to pick between \npaying RM400\n something or get it for free (but extend contract for another 2 years). Either way still shit \u2013 Zul Hafiz\n\n\n\n\n13) A new phone haha my old phone suddenly broke and never functioning again. \u2013 nonosan\n\n\n14) Dropped the smart phone and forced to get a smarter one.. \u2013 Sky\n\n\n15) My phone suddenly died and I have to get a new one. Painful. \u2013 Lady Pineapple\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Sudden travel expenses\n\n\n16) \nFlight ticket back to Subang\n. Suddenly need to go to Kelantan to accompany my sister for her uni registration. Had to go back to Subang the next day for work \u2013 Ahmad Taufeq\n\n\n17) At Ho Chi Minh airport, I was told I had to \ncheck in my backpack\n before I could board the plane. \nUSD40\n. They have a bunting next to the counter that says hand carry bag + laptop bag/handbag cannot exceed 7kg. The lady said combined looks like exceeded. In Malaysia, the bunting says hand carry bag can\u2019t exceed 7kg. No mention of weight of laptop or handbag. \u2013 Khor Hui Min\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Theft & Lost items\n\n\n18) \nShoes got stolen\n, so needed to get a new ones. Some delinquents climbed over gate and took all the shoes that we\u2019re on the rack outside. We now keep all the good shoes inside the house \u2013 Aki\n\n\n19)\n Lost my wallet\n when I was out and about. With the amount of cash in it, the cost of replacing all the different cards (RM110 for IC, RM10-50 each for credit cards, member cards etc.), and the value of the wallet itself, I guess I purchased a very expensive lesson. \u2013 Lim Chooi Yen\n\n\n#6 \u2013 A sudden celebration\n\n\n20)\n\n\n\n\nBday present for a 24YO niece\u2026 Totally forgot about it until the very last minute\u2026 \npic.twitter.com/c3cjALh7VH\n\n\n\u2014 razakzainal (@razakzainal2) \nMarch 22, 2019\n\n\n\n\n21) Somebody\u2019s getting married and I \nneed a suit\n \u2013 Amir\n\n\n22) \nSuperheroes costume\n for kids birthday party \u2013 Najib\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Paying back debt\n\n\n23) Kawan tiba2 dtg dan tuntut \nhutang lama\n yg sy pun lupa. \u2013 Kruz\n\n\n24) To\n settle the debt of the dead\n. My late dad. A loan of RM50k. I\u2019m the eldest and didn\u2019t want to worry other siblings. Lucky that I manage to schedule the payment instead of paying lump sum. Settled half. Another half to go. Wish me luck! \u2013 Adzra\n\n\nWhat was YOUR latest unexpected expenses?\n\n\nDid it fit into any of the above categories? Or is it something completely unexpected? Share with us in the comments section!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/malaysians-unpopular-opinions-money/", "title": "Malaysians Share Actual Unpopular Opinions About Money\n  ", "body": "It all started when I posted this on Ringgit Oh Ringgit\u2019s Facebook and Twitter page:\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIt got some pretty freaking amazing answers. Rather than losing them forever in social media, I thought I\u2019d compile them and turn it into unpopular opinions: money edition-article. Thank you so much for everyone who gave me permission to post their answers here.\n\n\nHere are some unpopular opinions about money, in no particular order:\n\n\n\n\n#1 \u2013 ASB and EPF will no longer deliver high returns\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Pelham Blue Fund\n \u2013\u00a0There is no way ASB and EPF will be able to deliver +5.5% p.a. dividends each year in the next 5 years, simply due to ever larger deposits and lower market returns. \nThere will be a point where ASB yields can no longer offset interest charges on ASB loans.\n\n\nTake the EPF: It currently has RM800bil in assets. To ensure dividends of 5%, it needs to generate RM40 billion in income (profits) every year. When it hits RM1 trillion, the income needed goes up to RM50 billion. The fund\u2019s investments are still predominantly in stocks. When the stock market falls, there\u2019s an income shortfall that has to be met as the portfolio value declines. It\u2019s bloody difficult to generate an extra RM10 billion in pure profits in any given year, of course.\n\n\nAt the same time, more and more deposits are coming in. Simply put: achieving 5% returns is easier when you have RM500 billion in assets, compared to RM1 trillion. That\u2019s what yields tend to do: they narrow when asset size grows AND when markets go bad. We have both of these in abundance right now.\n\n\nLastly, if you see these funds delivering above 5% returns at a time when the stock market is in decline (the KLCI has fallen 11% over the past five years), then your dividends are not reflecting actual returns. Some creative accounting may be going on.\n\n\nJust look at what happened with Tabung Haji.\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Channel money into EPF investment early in life\n\n\n\n\nEdmund Ngo\n \u2013 Making extra contributions individually into EPF during your early single working days. This would leverage on the dividends and compounding effect.\n\n\nIt\u2019s unpopular because people say:\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe money should be used for investment,\n\n\nYou can\u2019t touch it if you need it for an emergency,\n\n\nThe govt is the one managing our EPF money\n\n\nRetirement is sooo far ahead\n\n\n\n\nNumber 2 could be a big point, to which my suggestion is to:\n\n\n\n\nSet up an emergency fund first\n\n\nContribute around RM100 to RM200 to the EPF contribution monthly for 1 -2 years\n\n\nAfter that, redirect the money to investments\n\n\n\n\nThat 1 or 2 years of extra funds can snowball to something significant.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Renting property is better than buying property\n\n\nKenny Lim\n \u2013 Rent > Buy. The benefits of renting over buying:\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYou don\u2019t have to wait to move in (compared to 2 to 3 years for new projects)\n\n\nYour overall financial commitment is less(additional costs to buying a house include loans from the bank/deposit money/MOT/Legal and Loan fees)\n\n\nLess commitments to buying a house mean more spare cash/savings for a rainy day\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHasyimi Bahrudin\n \u2013 \nHome ownership is not necessarily better than renting. Which one is actually financially better for you depends on a lot of factors.\nThe biggest factor for me is how much flexibility do you require? If you have a career that requires you to be flexible in where you reside (e.g. you work in an industry where it\u2019s normal to change jobs every 2-3 years), it doesn\u2019t make sense to purchase a home and lose that flexibility.\n\n\nIf after 2 years, you get a job offer with much better pay, but it requires a longer commute from where you live, you either have to suck it up (and increase your expenses due to longer commute), or turn down that offer. If you rent instead, you can just move nearer to your new office a few months later (if they really want you, you can even bargain with the company to cover your relocation expenses).\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOf course, understand that I am arguing that in the context of finance. In reality, there are values to purchasing a home outside the realm of finance which you don\u2019t get from renting, such as:\n\n\n\n\nHaving a fixed place you can call home, especially if you have kids, since moving that often might not be a good experience for some kids\n\n\nHaving the freedom to do whatever you want with your house\n\n\nThe social status of owning a home (i.e. you get to brag about it lol)\n\n\nPassing down a house over generations\n\n\n\n\nIf these things are valuable to you, then it makes sense to buy a house instead of renting. Just that financially it may not be the better option.\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Don\u2019t invest in fixed deposit\n\n\nSpidey Jimmy\n \u2013 \nDon\u2019t need to keep money in FD. Invest in something else. Buy medical and insurance for rainy days.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Women want guys with cars\n\n\n\n\n@MyManagersLife\n \u2013 Having more money does not bring more ladies unless you have a Honda Civic. This (the discussion) was happening among my friends circa 2004 \u2013 2008.\n\n\nThis is the part of our lives where we discover that women don\u2019t care much about money back then as long as you have a car (favourably a Honda) so that they can show off during 1) dates, 2) family gathering, and 3) shopping for groceries for the week. Not sure how unpopular this opinion is but somehow most of us strive to work hard in college days to own a car.\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Our lives are controlled by others\n\n\n\n\nAdam Mashrique\n \u2013 The people who control our money supply have more control over our lives than we are led to believe. Most people have no clue how our monetary system works, despite being obsessed with making money.\n\n\nMonetary economics and the process in which new Ringgit or US Dollar is created, are taboo subjects in modern society. Knowing monetary history: how it used to work and how it works now can help a lot in preserving and expanding your wealth. Youtube has many documentaries you can start with. Here is one:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Money is meant to be spent\n\n\nAnna Tan\n \u2013\u00a0 Money is meant to be spent, not hoarded. I\u2019ve been part of societies/churches where it\u2019s always \u2018fundraise fundraise fundraise\u2019 and \u2018we can\u2019t do that project because there are no funds\u2019. But then they have cash in the bank/accounts they don\u2019t use and the excuse is \u201cmust keep for in case\u201d. WHAT CONSTITUTES AS IN CASE?!\n\n\n#8 \u2013 Don\u2019t buy insurance, buy stocks instead\n\n\nEnthel Tan\n \u2013 Not my opinion, but I know of people who don\u2019t buy insurance because they believe that the money they contribute to insurance can be better invested for a higher return on stocks. If anything major happens to them, the long-term return from the stocks will be more than what they\u2019ve paid for the insurance to cover them.\n\n\nNeedless to say, this can only apply to those who know how to sound invest wisely.\n\n\nBonus #9 \u2013 Pro-Malay affirmative actions does not work\n\n\nSuraya (ie Ringgit Oh Ringgit)\n \u2013 Affirmative actions designed to uplift poor Malays out of poverty does not work\u2026 because in many cases, the rich, elite Malays take those opportunities for themselves.\n\n\n(And before you can say \u2018oh but Malay companies hire Malay people\u2019, please. \nEven Malay-controlled companies favour non-Malay applicants\n\u2018)\n\n\nWe need to go away with race-based privileges and make needs-based policies instead. Who needs financial help and support? Give it to them, racial background be damned.\n\n\nWhat is YOUR unpopular opinion about money?\n\n\nI want to know 1) what you think of the above unpopular opinions, 2) your counter-arguments, if you disagree with them, and 3) other unpopular opinions about money that you may have. The more unpopular, the better.\n\n\nGo on, ruffle some feathers. I dare you.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/perkeso-housewives-sosial-security-scheme-skssr/", "title": "Only RM10 a month! How to Apply for Housewives\u2019 Social Security Scheme or SKSSR under SOCSO/PERKESO\n  ", "body": "\n\nHousewives\u2019 Social Security Scheme\n or Skim Keselamatan Sosial Suri Rumah \u2013 from hereon will be referred to as SKSSR \u2013 is a new scheme under PERKESO designed especially for \nhousewives\n women. \n\n\nI modified it to women because upon checking the page, the definition used is quite wide \u2013 A housewife is defined as \u2018a\n woman whether married or unmarried,\u00a0who manages the household on a full-time or part-time basis, including a wife, mother, divorcee,\u00a0widow\u00a0or a single mother.\n\u2018\n\n\nThat, to me, means almost every woman out there, does it not? \n\n\nAfter studying the benefits, I think SKSSR is an \nexcellent\n scheme for women who do a lot of domestic work, including but not limited to:\n\n\n\n\nGoing grocery shopping\n\n\nSending children to school\n\n\nEtc\n\n\n\n\nIf the women get hurt while doing these work, they are entitled to many types of health and medical benefits. Amazingly, \npre-existing illnesses are covered\n (T&C applies) and the men get some benefits as well. \n\n\nLet\u2019s cover the benefits in\u2026\n\n\nBenefits under Housewives\u2019 Social Security Scheme/ Skim Keselamatan Sosial Suri Rumah/ SKSSR\n\n\nThe women subscribed to SKSSR get two main types of benefits: \nDomestic Accident Protection Benefits\n and \nInvalidity Protection Benefits\n. \n\n\n\n\nI have combined the information contained in both SKSSR \nwebsite\n and \nbooklet\n and compiled the benefits given under this social security scheme below (all information are accurate as of writing time):\n\n\nDomestic Accident Protection Benefits\n\n\n1. \nMedical Benefit \n\u2013 Housewives affected by domestic accidents may seek \nmedical treatment and outpatient treatment\n at hospitals, clinics or other institutions. She is entitled to \nsecond-class ward in government hospitals\n\n\n2. \nPermanent Disablement Benefit \n\u2013 Housewives who\u00a0suffer one or more permanent disabilities arising from domestic accidents, may apply and shall be entitled to a \nlump sum payment (up to RM30,000)\n upon recommendation of a medical assessor or Appellate Medical Board\n\n\n3. \nConstant Attendance Allowance\n \u2013 A sum of \nRM250 to be paid monthly\n to housewives who receive Permanent Disablement Benefit or Morbid Allowance as a result of severe incapacity to the extent that personal care of other people is constantly required.\n\n\nHousewives will be eligible recipients of this allowance upon recommendation of a medical assessor or Appellate Medical Board. Payment of allowance will cease when the housewife reaches the age of 55 or dies.\n\n\n4. \nFuneral Benefit \n\u2013 A \none-off funeral benefit of RM2,000\n shall be paid to eligible dependants in the event that the insured housewife dies before reaching the age of 55.\n\n\n5. \nPhysical Rehabilitation or Dialysis Facilities\n* \u2013 \nFinancing up to RM50,000\n shall be provided to eligible housewives after being certified as having permanent disability or invalidity by a medical assessor or Appellate Medical Board for physical rehabilitation such as prosthetics, wheelchair, cane and others. \n\n\nA \nsum of RM200 shall be paid monthly\n for dialysis facilities. \n\n\n*Subject to Akta Fi 1951, whichever is lowest.\n\n\n*Note: As of writing time, it appears the information for \nPhysical Rehabilitation or Dialysis Facilities\n is different in website and in booklet. I followed the booklet. \n\n\n6. \nSurvivors\u2019 Pension\n \u2013 In the event that a housewife dies as a result of a domestic accident or while receiving Morbid Allowance, provided death occurs before the age of 55, a \nsum of RM300 shall be paid monthly\n as Survivors\u2019 Pension to her eligible dependants \u2013 including her widower until he reaches the age of 55 or dies, and to each child up to the age of 21 or until they are married. \n\n\nIf the deceased housewife leaves behind no widower or\u00a0\u00a0child, the pension shall be paid to the mother or father until the age of 55 or dies.\n\n\nSurvivors\u2019 Pension will continue to be paid to children who are studying until they complete their first degree or until they are married. This pension shall be paid continuously to mentally or physically disabled children who are unable to support themselves, until the age of 55.\n\n\nInvalidity Protection Benefits\n\n\n1) \nMorbid Allowance\n \u2013 A sum of \nRM300 to be paid monthly\n to housewives who suffer from disability upon recommendation of a medical assessor or\u00a0Appellate Medical Board. Housewives shall be considered disabled as a result of an accident\u00a0which leaves her unable to carry out most of her household activities.\n\n\nPayment of this allowance shall cease when the housewife recovers from the disability or when she reaches the age of 55 or dies.\n\n\n2) \nConstant Attendance Allowance\n \u2013 Same benefits as under Domestic Accident Protection Benefits\n\n\n3) \nPhysical Rehabilitation or Dialysis Facilities\n \u2013 Same benefits as under Domestic Accident Protection Benefits\n\n\n4) \nFuneral Benefit\n \u2013 Same benefits as under Domestic Accident Protection Benefits\n\n\n5) \nSurvivors\u2019 Pension\n \u2013 Same benefits as under Domestic Accident Protection Benefits\n\n\nIn case you\u2019re not familiar with protection products, let me just tell you that \nthe variety of coverage is EXCELLENT\n. The sum may be on the lower side, but that\u2019s what you get for the price. \n\n\nSpeaking of the price, it\u2019s very affordable. \n\n\nCost of SKSSR, how to pay and who pays\n\n\nThis social security scheme costs \nRM120 per year, paid in advance. \nEffectively, that\u2019s ONLY RM10 per month! For that variety of benefits! \n\n\nMy personal opinion is, \nif one can\u2019t afford to pay insurance/takaful for the women in his life, then The Housewives\u2019 Social Security Scheme / Skim Keselamatan Sosial Suri Rumah / SKSSR is the next best option\n. \n\n\nPayments can be made at:\n\n\n\n\nOnline payment at \nsuri.perkeso.gov.my\n portal (here\u2019s the \nstep-by-step\n; in Malay)\n\n\nPayment at PERKESO counter together with completed SR 1 Registration Form\n\n\n\n\nThe following people can pay on behalf of the housewife:\n\n\n\n\nThe husband (he needs to agree, because \u2018once in always in\u2019 concept applies. No backsies for next years\u2019 payments unless in cases of divorce or lost his income)\n\n\nThe housewife herself (married or otherwise)\n\n\nAnyone else including brothers, fathers and NGOs (Suraya\u2019s note: Nowhere does it says the payer must be a man, so women can take for fellow women as well)\n\n\n\n\nWhat\u2019s the catch?\n\n\nTo me, SKSSR is good, take it, but there are 3 catch that I can see:\n\n\n1) If husband pays for his wife, and later refuses to continue payment, he could be \nfined not more than RM10,000, jailed not more 2 years or both\n. \n\n\n(I think this is meant to be a deterrent for non-payment, but still a bit weird. Either way, if no longer afford to pay due to lost income, he can submit request and the fine will no longer apply). \n\n\n(It\u2019s a shame if husbands decide against taking SKSSR for their wives just because of this clause. However, he could simply give her an additional RM120 per year so she could subscribe to SKSSR herself.)\n\n\n2) This social security scheme is \nonly eligible for Malaysian women/ PR under the age of 55 years old\n.\n\n\n3) The women are only covered for \ndomestic incidences happening in Malaysia\n, not overseas. \n\n\nThere may be more catch that personally apply to you. Please refer to the \nFAQ document\n. \n\n\nSocial Security Schemes under SOCSO/PERKESO\n\n\nFor further information, including how to make claims under Housewives\u2019 Social Security Scheme or Skim Keselamatan Sosial Suri Rumah, please refer to the \nSKSSR website\n. \n\n\nPlease also find out other social security schemes under SOCSO/PERKESO. If you are self-employed, do learn \nHow to Apply for SOCSO / PERKESO Self-Employment Social Security Scheme\n (also has great benefits). \n\n\n\n\nShare this article to people in your life who may be able to benefit from the scheme. Take care and until next time!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/perkeso-self-employment-social-security-scheme/", "title": "How to Register SOCSO Self-Employment Social Security Scheme [80%-100% Subsidy Available!]\n  ", "body": "\n\nI enrolled myself in the PERKESO/ SOCSO Self-Employment Social Security Scheme!!!\n\n\n(By the way: PERKESO = Pertubuhan Keselamatan Social = Social Security Organisation = SOCSO)\n\n\nThis is so exciting. SOCSO Self-Employment Social Security Scheme was previously only available for the Passenger Transportation Sector (ie e-Hailing drivers), but as of January 2020 have since been extended to cover 19 more informal sectors. \n\n\nScroll further down to see the sectors and types of professions eligible for enrollment.\n\n\nBenefits Under SOCSO Self-Employment Social Security Scheme\n\n\n\n\nThe benefits under SOCSO Self-employment Social Security Scheme are \nreally\n good. According to the website:\n\n\n\n\nThis Scheme provides protection for self-employed insured persons against \nemployment injuries including occupational diseases and accidents during work-related activities.\n\n\nSelf-employment injury\n means personal injury to self-employed insured person caused by an \naccident or an occupational disease\n arising out of and in the course of his or her self-employment activity\n including while travelling for the purpose of his or her self-employment activity\n.\n\n\nOccupational disease\n is a\n disease caused by or arising from any occupation \nspecified in the Fifth Schedule of the Employees\u2019 Social Security Act 1969. This scheme provides \ncash benefits to the insured persons and their dependants besides medical treatment, physical rehabilitation and vocational training.\n\n\n\n\n(Note: I\u2019m not quite sure of how this works exactly, since I \nwork \nat home, \nand \nall the time\n. Does that mean I\u2019m covered at home and at all times? Ah well what\u2019s important is I get myself covered first. Can always argue for my claim later.)\n\n\nTo break it down further, the benefits you get from SOCSO Self-employment Social Security Scheme include:\n\n\n\n\nMedical\n Benefit \u2013 FREE MEDICAL TREATMENT\n\n\nTemporary Disablement\n Benefit \u2013 Get $$$ daily if you\u2019re on medical leave\n\n\nPermanent Disablement\n Benefit \u2013 Get $$$ lump sum if you get permanently disabled\n\n\nConstant Attendance\n Allowance \u2013 Get RM500/month if you get permanently disabled\n\n\nDependant\u2019s\n Benefit \u2013 Dependents get $$$ monthly if you kiok while working\n\n\nFuneral\n Benefit \u2013 Get up to RM2k for funeral costs\n\n\nEducation\n Benefit \u2013 Your child get education loan if you kiok or permanently disabled\n\n\nFacilities for \nphysical or vocational rehabilitation\n \u2013 Get free rehab (physical and vocational)\n\n\n\n\nNote: the above have been simplified for easy reading. Refer to the pamphlet below for extended explanation under each benefit\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo be fair, you can get many of these benefits via a comprehensive insurance plan. But that takes a lot of research and you have to plan to meet a few agents (you need to compare and shop around and find an agent you can trust!!), which is a deterrent for many people, including yours truly.\n\n\nBy comparison, SOCSO Self-employment Social Security Scheme is \nso easy to enrol online\n \u2013 I did mine in ~20 minutes. \nYou\u2019re immediately covered right after you paid\n.\n\n\nThus, for that reason, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND \nself-employed individuals, especially sole breadwinners\n to enrol in SOCSO Self-employment Social Security Scheme. It\u2019s such an easy way to care for your family.\u00a0 \n\n\nAs quoted\n by SOCSO chief executive Datuk Seri Dr Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed,\n\n\n\n\n\u201cFor instance, if the self-employed (married) chose Option 4 and paid RM592.80 for a year, and later was involved in an accident during the course of employment and passes away, \nhis wife would get a maximum monthly pension of RM3,555 for life\n.\n\n\n\u201cIf the contributor who passed away had a \ndisabled child, he or she would be covered for the rest of their lives\n\u201d\n\n\n\n\nHow Much is SOCSO Self-Employment Social Security Scheme\n\n\nThe higher your insured monthly earning, the higher your contribution per month/year. There are four plans, ranging from RM13.10 to RM49.40 contribution per month:\n\n\nPlan\nInsured Monthly Earning\nContribution Payment Per Month\nContribution Payment Per Year\n1\nRM1,050\nRM13.10\nRM157.20\n2\nRM1,550\nRM19.40\nRM232.80\n3\nRM2,950\nRM36.90\nRM442.80\n4\nRM3,950\nRM49.40\nRM592.80\n\n\nPersonally, when this SOCSO for self-employed scheme came out, I took Plan 3 and paid for 1 year* (the maximum allowable). Later, I took Plan 2 to take advantage of the Matching Grant subsidy by government (see further down below for subsidy info \u2013 80%-100% subsidy) \n\n\n*You can also pay monthly, in between (3 months, 11 months etc). They say they will send you a reminder before your contribution expires.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHow to Register for SOCSO Self-Employment Social Security Scheme\n\n\nTo register for SOCSO Self-Employment Social Security Scheme, you have to:\n\n\n\n\nRegister at \nmatrix.perkeso.gov.my\n, \n\n\nFill and submit a form, and \n\n\nPay \n\n\n(Repeat payment next month/year for continuous protection)\n\n\n\n\nAgain, everything is very simple \u2013 it took me ~20 minutes (I had all my documents on-hand). The user experience is really good and intuitive. They also have a \nQuick Start Guide\n and Youtube video to show the processes.\n\n\n\n\nAfter you registered, you will see the Dashboard. Click Register to view the\n\u00a0form-filling section.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMinor issue (for me): Selecting Sector and Class\n\n\nIn this process, you have to select your Sector and Class. \nSelecting Sector and Class is straightforward if your type of work is directly listed (see below section) or slightly confusing if it\u2019s not\n.\n\n\nFor example, I wasn\u2019t sure if I should select: \n\n\n\n\n\u2018Art Sector: Writer\u2019, OR \n\n\n\u2018Information Technology Sector: Website\u2019, OR \n\n\n\u2018Online Business Sector: Service\u2019, OR \n\n\n\u2018Support Services Sector: Owner of business sole proprietor or partnership\u2019\n\n\n\n\nIn the end I selected the last one as it seemed to be most appropriate for my line of work \u2013 online and offline communications, including writing, speaking and marketing services.\n\n\nWhat if you work in 2 different sectors?\n\n\nIf you work in two different sectors \u2013 insurance agent by day and Grab driver by night, for example \u2013 and want to be covered under both instances, then \nyou have to submit two forms\n, one for \u2018Agent Sector: Insurance\u2019 and another for \u2018Passenger Transport Sector: Grab driver\u2019. \n\n\nAnd you have to make two contributions I guess (someone confirm this).\n\n\nHere is a list of all the sectors covered under SOCSO Self-Employment Social Security Scheme, the professions (Class) and required documents. At the time of writing, self-employed individuals working in these 20 sectors are eligible for enrolment.\n\n\nSectors Covered Under SOCSO Self-Employment Social Security Scheme\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Sector: Accommodation\n\n\nClass: \n\n\n\n\nHomestay\n\n\nChalet\n\n\nMotel\n\n\n\n\nRequired Documents: \nIdentification Card; License / Permit From Related Agency\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Sector: Agent\n\n\nClass: \n\n\n\n\nInsurance\n\n\nReal estate\n\n\nCurrency Changer\n\n\nDirect Selling\n\n\nSelf-Employment Scheme\n\n\nZakat Officer\n\n\nRemisier\n\n\nProduct\n\n\n\n\nRequired Documents: \nIdentification Letter; Agreement / Offer / Agent Card\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Sector: Agriculture\n\n\nClass:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nVegetable and fruit\n\n\nPalm oil\n\n\nRubber\n\n\nPaddy\n\n\n\n\nRequired Documents: \nIdentification Card; Approval From Related Agency\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Sector: Art\n\n\nClass:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nCelebrities\n\n\nSinger\n\n\nActress\n\n\nMusician\n\n\nDancer\n\n\nProduction Crew\n\n\nHandicraft\n\n\nPainter\n\n\nPhotographer\n\n\nBusker\n\n\nExtra Actor\n\n\nWriter\n\n\n\n\nRequired Documents: \nIdentification Card; Certificate / Registration Letter From Association\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Sector: Beauty & Healthcare\n\n\nClass:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nMassager\n\n\nTradition Medicine Practitioner\n\n\nMidwife\n\n\nMakeup / Makeover Artist\n\n\n\n\nRequired Documents: \nIdentification Card; Certificate / Registration Letter From Association\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Sector: Construction\n\n\nClass:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nConstruction\n\n\nMaintenance\n\n\nWiring\n\n\nPlumbing\n\n\nRenovation\n\n\n\n\nRequired Documents: \nIdentification Card; License / Permit / Certificate From Related Agency\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Sector: Data Processing\n\n\nClass:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nCensus / Survey\n\n\n\n\nRequired Documents: \nIdentification Card; Offer Letter\n\n\n#8 \u2013 Sector: Fishery\n\n\nClass:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nFishermen\n\n\nAquaculture\n\n\n\n\nRequired Documents: \nIdentification Card; License / Permit\n\n\n#9 \u2013 Sector: Food\n\n\nClass:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nPreparation\n\n\nWaiter\n\n\nSeller\n\n\n\n\nRequired Documents: \nIdentification Card; Permit / Offer Letter\n\n\n#10 \u2013 Sector: Forestry\n\n\nClass:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nHarvesting Forest Product\n\n\n\n\nRequired Documents: \nIdentification Card; Validation From Association / Community Leader\n\n\n#11 \u2013 Sector: Goods and Foods Transport\n\n\nClass:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nCar\n\n\nMotorcycle\n\n\nLorry\n\n\nVan\n\n\nBicycle\n\n\n\n\nRequired Documents: \nDriving License; Permit / GDL License / E-Hailing Profile\n\n\n#12 \u2013 Sector: Hawker\n\n\nClass:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nMarket\n\n\nStall / Kiosk\n\n\nFood Truck\n\n\n\n\nRequired Documents: \nIdentification Card; License / Permit From Related Agency\n\n\n#13 \u2013 Sector: Household Services\n\n\nClass:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nPart Time Caregiver / Nanny\n\n\nHousekeeping\n\n\n\n\nRequired Documents: \nIdentification Card; Certificate / Registration Letter From Association\n\n\n#14 \u2013 Sector: Information Technology\n\n\nClass:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nWebsite\n\n\nMobile Application\n\n\nSystem Maintenance\n\n\nNetwork\n\n\nSystem Security\n\n\nData Centre\n\n\n\n\nRequired Documents: \nIdentification Card; Professional Certificate\n\n\n#15 \u2013 Sector: Livestock\n\n\nClass:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nBreeder\n\n\nLivestock Product\n\n\n\n\nRequired Documents: \nIdentification Card; License/ permit\n\n\n#16 \u2013 Sector: Manufacturing\n\n\nClass:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nWood Product\n\n\nFabric Product\n\n\nPlastic Product\n\n\nChemical Product\n\n\nMetal Product\n\n\nSoil Product\n\n\n\n\nRequired Documents: \nIdentification Card; License / Permit From Related Agency\n\n\n#17 \u2013 Sector: Online Business\n\n\nClass: \n\n\n\n\nClothes\n\n\nFood\n\n\nCosmetic\n\n\nMedicine\n\n\nService\n\n\nSpare Part\n\n\nFurniture\n\n\nElectric\n\n\nElectronic\n\n\n\n\nRequired Documents: \nIdentification Card; SSM License\n\n\n#18 \u2013 Sector: Passenger Transport\n\n\nClass: \n\n\n\n\nTaxi Driver\n\n\nGrab Driver\n\n\nHired Car Driver\n\n\nOther E-Hailing Driver\n\n\nSchool Bus Driver\n\n\nFactory Bus Driver\n\n\nOther Bus Driver\n\n\n\n\nRequired Documents: \nDriving License; Driver\u2019s Card, Permission Letter, or E-Hailing Driver\u2019s Profile Screenshot\n\n\n#19 \u2013 Sector: Professional Services\n\n\nClass:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nLawyer\n\n\nAccountant\n\n\nAuditor\n\n\nTax Consultant\n\n\nArchitect\n\n\nEngineer\n\n\nResearch and Development\n\n\nDesigner\n\n\nVeterinary\n\n\nPharmacist\n\n\nPsychiatrist\n\n\nDentist\n\n\n\n\nRequired Documents: \nIdentification Card; Professional Certificate\n\n\n#20 \u2013 Sector: Support Services\n\n\nClass: \n\n\n\n\nTour Guide\n\n\nMountain Guide\n\n\nTutor\n\n\nMaintenance\n\n\nCoach\n\n\nOwner of business sole proprietor or partnership\n\n\nDigital Economy Services\n\n\n\n\nRequired Documents: \nIdentification Card; Certificate / License From Related Agency / SSM / Application Profile\n\n\nHow to register for SOCSO Self-Employment Social Security Scheme for 80% of 100% off\n\n\nAs of May 2023, those eligible can register for SOCSO Self-Employment Social Security Scheme for 80% of 100% off under 2 schemes: \n\n\n\n\nSPS Padanan Caruman or Matching Grant \u2013 You pay 20% (RM 46.60), Government pay 80% (RM232.80)\n\n\nSPS Madani \u2013 Government pay 100%\n\n\n\n\nThere are limited number of allocation under each assistance, so see if you\u2019re eligible and if yes, quickly sign up for it!\n\n\nEligibility for SPS Padanan Caruman or Matching Grant (80% off)\n\n\nYou get 80% subsidised from SOCSO Self-Employment Social Security Scheme and only pay RM 46.60 FOR ONE WHOLE YEAR OF PROTECTION if you are:\n\n\n\n\nSelf-employed person who do the work under \nagriculture sector\n including plantation to earn a living\n\n\nOrang Asli ethnic groups\n in Peninsular, Orang Asal ethnic Sabah & Sarawak who are self-employed to earn a living\n\n\nSelf-employed people who works as an \neducator, industrial training students, instructor, tutor, religious instructor, counselor, motivational specialist\n\n\nSelf-employed person who uses \ndigital applications under Service Platform Provider\n (SPP) to provide services to customers. Examples of digital applications are passenger transport applications, delivery of goods or food, holiday rentals, etc (Suraya\u2019s note: this should include \nehailing drivers/ riders, AirBnB hosts\n etc)\n\n\nSelf-employed person who do the work in the \nhawker sector\n to earn a living\n\n\nSelf-employed person who do the work under the \nfishery sector\n including aquaculture to earn a living\n\n\nPeople with Disabilities (OKU) \nwho are self-employed to earn a living and owned an OKU Card\n\n\nSelf-employed person who do the work in the \nart sector\n to earn a living.\n\n\nHousehold Services Sector, Professional Services Sector, Accommodation Premises, Data Processing, Mountain Guides, Tourist Guides, All Volunteers, contract for service (non-executive), Security Officers, Information Technology, Support Services Sector \u2013 \nRegistered Sole Proprietorship with SSM\n.\n\n\nAll Malaysian sports\n including traditional sports, e-sports, coaches, professional level sportsmen, students under the sponsorship of MSN, SILAT athletics.\n\n\nSelf-employed person with \ngender \u201cPerempuan\u201d\n as stated in the National Malaysia Identity Card (MyKad or MyPR).\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEligibility for SPS Madani (100% off)\n\n\nYou get 100% subsidised from SOCSO Self-Employment Social Security Scheme if you are:\n\n\n\n\nEmployees with \ncontract status under Contract for Services\n. Only applicable for Public servants. The SPS application coverage under the program can only be made through the respective agencies.\n\n\nSelf-employed person who works as \nsupervisors & rehabilitation workers in the community\n. The SPS application coverage under the program can only be made through the respective agencies.\n\n\nReligious Affiliation which is administered by JAKIM \nfor the category of imam, bilal, guru takmir, noja, siak and merbut. The SPS application coverage under the program can only be made through JAKIM.\n\n\nSelf-employed person who are uniform volunteers\n under Malaysian Armed Forces, Malaysia Civil Defense Force, Royal Malaysia Police, Malaysian Maritime Agency, Malaysian Volunteer Corps Department, Fire and Rescue and KKM Volunteer.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFor more info on these schemes, go to \nmatrix.perkeso.gov.my\n and click on the SKSPS Budget Initiative 2023 button.  \n\n\n\n\nWould you enrol in the SOCSO Self-Employment Social Security Scheme?\n\n\nLike I said earlier, I\u2019m not particularly sure how my line of work \u2013 communications \u2013 will look like as self-employment injury or occupational disease. But it is now included in one of the sectors, so they must have thought it through, so that self-employed people like me (and maybe you) can benefit from it. \n\n\nAre you \nself-employed\n? What are your thoughts on it? Would you enrol yourself in this scheme or there are better options out there? I think its a shame if you don\u2019t take advantage of it, especially if you can get it for 80% or 100% subsidised!\n\n\nHow about claiming? Have any of you tried it? How was it? Easy or hard? Share your thoughts and experience in the comments section below. If this article was useful, please share it, thanks!\n\n\nRegistration link so you don\u2019t have to scroll all the way up: \nmatrix.perkeso.gov.my\n\n\nIf you are a woman, you may also enroll for the \nHousewives\u2019 Social Security Scheme\n, also under SOCSO/PERKESO. You do NOT have to be a full-time housewife to benefit from this.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/personal-finance-chitchat/", "title": "Answering All 45 Questions from #Hann&Suraya: Personal Finance ChitChat (BNM/FEN Collab)\n  ", "body": "On 28 October 2020, Hann Liew from \nRinggitPlus\n and I appeared on the \n#Hann&Suraya: Personal Finances ChitChat,\n the financial literacy webinar organised by Bank Negara Malaysia and Financial Education Network.\n\n\n\n\nWe managed to answer 19 \naudience-submitted questions, \nlive. I\u2019ve uploaded the full video in \nRinggitOhRinggit Youtube channel\n. Here are the questions, plus shortcuts:\n\n\n\n\n9:50\n \u2013 What \nfinancial myths\n do you want to address? \n\n\n13:15\n\u00a0 Is \nInvestment-Linked Products (ILPs) \nworse for me? How do I know which insurance is for me? (Related: \nInvestment-Linked Products, As Explained By the CEO of Life Insurance Association of Malaysia\n)\n\n\n16:20\n \u2013 Where should I invest \nscholarship money\n? \n\n\n18:15\n \u2013 What\u2019s the most reliable way to \npay off debt\n? (Related:\u00a0\nExplaining Snowball Method, The Best Way to Pay Off Debt\n)\n\n\n22:00\n \u2013 Any\n interesting stories from followers\n during Covid-19 and MCO, to motivate us? \n\n\n25:40\n \u2013 I\u2019m in my 30s. Thinking of \nbuying a house\n. Should I? \n\n\n30:00\n \u2013 Share \npractical money management tips\n going into the new norm \n\n\n36:10\n \u2013 Since \nmoratorium ended\n, is it advisable to pay deferred payment or follow schedule? \n\n\n38:30\n \u2013 What should I do about \nMRRT application\n?\u00a0\n\n\n41:30\n \u2013 How can I help my friend, who has a\n gambling addiction\n, and cannot pay more than minimum for credit card debt despite earning well? \n\n\n45:20\n \u2013 I\u2019m B40. \nIncome is more important than financial literacy\n. Thoughts? \n\n\n48:10\n \u2013 How to \ncreate awareness among friends\n who don\u2019t take financial management seriously \n\n\n49:40\n \u2013 Can share about \ndebt consolidation loans\n? \n\n\n52:25\n \u2013 What\u2019s your \nbiggest financial mistake\n? \n\n\n56:40\n \u2013 How should we \nsave for emergency fund\n? \n\n\n58:30\n \u2013 How to psycho ourselves into\n not spending unnecessarily\n? \n\n\n1:02:30\n \u2013 How to \ntalk to your parents\n on money management? \n\n\n1:05:35\n \u2013 How do you \ndiscuss with spouse/future spouse\n about financial arrangement after marriage? (Related:\u00a0\n[VIDEO] BOYFRIEND TAG (Actually Fianc\u00e9): Should We Combine Our Finances? & Other Money Questions)\n\n\n1:08:05\n \u2013 How do you strike a \nbalance between savings & investing\n?\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDue to overwhelming response and time limitations, we couldn\u2019t answer all questions received. But no worries \u2013 let me take this opportunity to address the other 26 questions received here \ud83d\ude42 Find my answers to your questions below!\n\n\nQ20 \u2013 How do you define Financial Freedom?\n\n\nTo me, financial freedom is when I\u00a0 reach Step 7: the ability to give back generously without experiencing any financial setback.\n\n\nYou can read Steps 1-7 in this\u00a0 \nGuide: 7 Steps to Achieve Financial Freedom in Malaysia\n article.\n\n\nQ21 \u2013 Do the public (Malaysians) needs a Certified Financial Planner like a developed nation need for each of the family?\n\n\nI hope we never reach the state of \u2018needing\u2019 the services of Certified Financial Planners \u2013 that means the financial system and policies are too predatory or complex for the average person to navigate on our own. Our environment should encourage good financial behaviour and results in the first place.\u00a0\n\n\nThis is my opinion, after reading the book \nNudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness\n \nby University of Chicago economist Richard H. Thaler and Harvard Law School Professor Cass R. Sunstein.\n\n\nQ22 \u2013 What do you both think about earning more than one income and side hustles?\u00a0\n\n\nI\u2019m a big fan of multiple sources of income! \n\n\n\n\nQ23 \u2013 Celik kewangan untuk semua, bukan untuk kumpulan tertentu sahaja. Saya berpendapat buat sembang dalam bahasa Malaysia\n\n\nBetul. Ahli FEN banyak buat inisiatif kewangan, termasuk dalam Bahasa Malaysia. Boleh lihat \ndi sini.\n\u00a0\n\n\nQ24 \u2013 \n\u00a0\nHow to manage spending given tight budget?\n\n\nYou can browse all my \narticles on saving money\n. The fastest way is to significantly reduce the top 3 expenses: Accommodation, Food and Transportation. It\u2019s ok to \u2018suffer\u2019 temporarily so you can save up for the initial emergency funds.\n\n\nIf that doesn\u2019t work and you have nowhere else to save, you have no choice but to earn more. Here are all my \narticles on earning money\n.\n\n\nQ25 \u2013 What would be your advice for me (fresh graduate) when I receive my first salary later? Apart from all the priority expenses, what should I do with the balance?\n\n\nRegardless of where you are, the foundation stands \u2013 follow this step-by-step \nGuide: 7 Steps to Achieve Financial Freedom in Malaysia\n article.\n\n\nQ26 \u2013 How to properly educate average level people to gain more income from Financial Market rather than add up commitment to Financially Survive in current situation\n\n\nI don\u2019t know about you, but I wish knew all these things earlier: \n4 Money Making Tips I Wish I Knew Earlier\n\n\nQ27 \u2013 I am in my 20s. Do I start saving for retirement now (besides EPF)? If yes, how do I ascertain how much I must save?\n\n\nPersonally, I\u2019m saving for my retirement via EPF and PRS accounts. You can read more about them here:\u00a0\n3 Most Practical Investments in Malaysia (Prioritise These Over Others)\n\n\nAs for how much to save up for, I realise that \u2018as much as possible\u2019 isn\u2019t a good answer (even though it\u2019s true). But you can make use of \nfinancial calculators from EPF website\n. They have a bunch you can use to have a rough figure.\n\n\n(Note: it\u2019s very normal for your \u2018amount needed\u2019 to change over the nears, as your commitment/lifestyle change)\n\n\n\n\nQ28 \u2013 Tips to manage and prioritise budget during difficult time / Can u share tips in managing & prioritising spending esp if u r experiencing financial constraint?\n\n\nMost people already know the answer. \nTo make a budget\n.\n\n\nEqually important, I think, is to make the experience as fun and positive as possible. The reason is because stress encourages bad (financial) decisions, including impulse purchases (we have all bought something we shouldn\u2019t have when we\u2019re sad, haven\u2019t we?)\n\n\nIn that regard, it\u2019s worth reading the real ways that money buys happiness:\u00a0\nHow to Buy Happiness: 5 Science-Backed Principles to Know TODAY\n\n\nQ29 \u2013 Can you suggest what skills we should acquire during the pandemic in order to sustain ourselves as side hustle?\n\n\nStart by \nmonetising your hobbies\n, rather than entering a completely new industry. A lot of skills are transferable and at least you have expertise and/or knowledge and/or passion you can leverage on. \n\n\nQ30 \u2013 Prices in Malaysia are going up and jobs are going down. How do I best protect myself from this?\n\n\nI think you already know the answer \u2013 find high-paying jobs. This article may help: \n3 Ways to Get A High Salary in Malaysia\n\n\nQ31 \u2013\u00a0 What do you think about the role of financial stress on relationship between financial problem and wellness among Malaysian.\n\n\nI\u2019m not sure what you mean exactly by that question, but I\u2019ll answer it in this way: I think financial stress is the reason why there is so much \nnegativity to financial education initiatives\n.\n\n\nI also think its wrong to solely put the blame on personal responsibility. Avoid people/communities who give shame-based financial advice.\n\n\nQ32 \u2013 Online shopping 101: how to manage needs vs wants?\n\n\nWant to know why everything feels like a need, when they\u2019re just wants? \nMarketers are really good at figuring out your spending triggers\n.\n\n\nQ14 \u2013 Hi, would it be wise to take out a personal loan to help me with my financing, or maybe even to cover other urgent debts that I\u2019m still settling? Thank you.\n\n\nLook up \n49:40\n \u2013 we covered \ndebt consolidation loans.\u00a0\n\n\nAdditionally, you might find this article of use:\u00a0\n4 Things You Can Do If You Need Money URGENTLY in Malaysia\n\n\nQ33 \u2013 Any tips to be a smart spender? Especially for online shoppers. Ex. Using shopback, pay with eWallet and collect points etc?\n\n\nYes, yes and yes. In addition to that, you should also learn how to differentiate between real and fake reviews. See: \nOnline Shopping in Malaysia: My Quest to Find REAL Recommendations & Good Products\n\n\nQ34 \u2013 In this challenging time, should we consider refinance our mortgage to get some extra cash in the event of emergency use during tough time?\n\n\nYou might find this article of use: \n4 Things You Can Do If You Need Money URGENTLY in Malaysia\n\n\nQ35 \u2013 Do you think ILP scheme is a good way to get insured and investing at the same time compared to having separate life insurance and invest separately?\n\n\nHere you go: \n9 Things You MUST Know Before You Buy Insurance in Malaysia\n\n\nQ36 \u2013 The best investments for retirement purposes, assuming age above 40 and settled all loans already\n\n\nAll of these options are fairly low risk:\u00a0\n5 Best Places to Save Money in Malaysia, Ranked\n\n\nQ37 \u2013 How can people in lower level of B40 (especially during this pandemic) can get financial security via Takaful? Most of \u2019em couldn\u2019t afford to commit monthly\u00a0\n\n\nThere are options for you \u2013 see goverment(-linked) and micro-insurance options in \n9 Things You MUST Know Before You Buy Insurance in Malaysia\n article , under #1 \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nQ38 \u2013 I took a personal loan to pay off my CC debt. 12.31% p.a for 5 years is it okay? Can I call the bank to get much lower interest?\n\n\nThat\u2019s quite high. Please watch below \n\u2013 we covered the most reliable way to pay off debt.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nQ39 \u2013 I plan to refinance my house for a loan of RM500k so that I can repay my mortgage loan. It is advisable to do it.\n\n\nIt would be incredibly irresponsible of me to give a direct yes or no; I don\u2019t know the details. Find someone who can crunch the numbers and figure other options for you \u2013 \nGet REAL Financial Advice: 3 Ways to Find Financial Planners in Malaysia\n\n\nYou probably need a neutral third party, because \u2018Don\u2019t ask a barber whether you need a haircut\u2019. Don\u2019t ask the loan provider (banks or ahlong) if you need a loan. Of course they\u2019ll say yes.\n\n\nQ40 \u2013 I don\u2019t do investment regularly but rather lump sum. What you think is a good way? Unit trust I mean\n\n\nLump sum works too. But I do love me some automation \u2013 it takes a lot of the \u2018pain\u2019 away. See: \nInvestment Tip | 10 Places to Automate Your Investments in Malaysia\n\n\nGoing to put one of my favourite quotes here, take it however you wish (or don\u2019t): \u2018It is better to be consistently good than occasionally perfect\u2019.\n\n\nQ41 \u2013 Your point of view people taking out EPF saving to spend now instead of use it during your retirement days.\n\n\nI think its a terrible idea and one should try other options than taking the money out but hey what do I know, I\u2019m just a blogger.\u00a0\n\n\nQ42 \u2013 Is this a good time to make big purchases, such as a car or a house?\n\n\nHouses and cars are way more expensive than you think. If you see \nThe Real Answer to \u2018How Much Should I Spend On A Car?\u2019\n article, you\u2019ll see these types of purchases \u2018invite\u2019 other expenses, costing up to 2-3x your monthly payment.\n\n\nBut if you can comfortably afford it \u2013 and by that I mean all your debt commitments are below 30% of your income, AND your income is stable \u2013 then go for it. It\u2019s buyers market, lots of good deals around.\n\n\nQ43 \u2013 Should I invest in safe-heaven asset (gold) or in IAP?\n\n\nFor what purpose??? And I assume IAP means Investment Account Platform (?) \u2013 which one??\n\n\nThis question is too general, so here\u2019s a great place to learn about general investing \u2013 \n10 Best Books to Learn About Investing, According to Malaysians (With Video Summaries)\n\n\nQ44 \u2013 Your view on investment using EPF acc 1\n\n\nIf you mean using EPF money to invest in high-risk investments, I think that\u2019s a terrible idea, but again, what do I know :/\u00a0\n\n\nRelated: \n4 Things You Can Do If You Need Money URGENTLY in Malaysia\n\n\nQ45 \u2013 With current low FD rate, what are the saving or investment options that we can consider, prefer low risk\n\n\nAll of these options are fairly low risk:\u00a0\n5 Best Places to Save Money in Malaysia, Ranked\n\n\nThanks everyone who tuned in live or later \ud83d\ude42 Feel free to leave additional questions here, I\u2019ll see what I can do for you!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/personal-finance-instagram-malaysia/", "title": "21 Malaysia-Based Personal Finance Instagrammers You Should Follow\n  ", "body": "Nowadays, I notice there are \nmore personal finance websites and blogs around\n.\u00a0My grand scheme to get more Malaysian talk openly about money is working muahahahah!\n\n\n(okay I cannot take all the credit but some la okay some)\n\n\n(I\u2019m not perasan they told me one)\n\n\nYou know where else money discussions are spilling over, aside from websites and blogs? \nInstagram\n. Yes, Instagram, the platform you log on to get jealous over other people\u2019s perfect-looking lives (I\u2019m not wrong).\n\n\nSo you can imagine how pleasantly surprised I was by the emergence this new trend, of Malaysians sharing about personal finance in their Instagram accounts (instead of the usual food, fashion, beauty, travel, etc). I love following them, and find them therapeutic \u2013 as I scroll down my feed, my bouts of envy is naturalised by money quotes and reminders to not spend money!\n\n\nHere are \n14\n 21 personal finance Instagram accounts that Malaysians should follow. This list is in no particular order.\n\n\nEDIT: If you are a personal finance Instagrammer, and you\u2019re not listed in this article, please drop a comment with a link to your profile \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n#1 \u2013 \ndebtfreemy\n\n\n\n\nWhat to expect in the feed:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nSep/Oct monthly budget\uff1b \ud83d\udc97 Pink colour is my sinking funds \ud83d\udc9a Green colour is my expenses \u26a0\ufe0f I have RM1,600 in BigPay card balance from the China trip. I will use it to support my monthly expenses. \u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014 #debtfreeMY #debtfreeMalaysia #debtfreecommunity #debtfreegoals #monthlybudget\n\n\nA post shared by \n debtfreeMY\n (@debtfreemy) on \nSep 25, 2018 at 12:00am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nGood month thanks to the China trip money balance. Breakdown source of my money \u2022 RM665 (China trip balance in cash form) + RM2370 (September pay) \u2022 \u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014 #debtfreeMY #debtfreeMalaysia #debtfreecommunity #debtfreegoals #babystep2\n\n\nA post shared by \n debtfreeMY\n (@debtfreemy) on \nSep 25, 2018 at 12:13am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 \ndebtfreemalaysia\n\n\n\n\nWhat to expect in the feed:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nMy October\u2019s Target. Where I want myself to achieve at the end of this month. #DebtFree #DebtFreeCommunity #DebtFreeMalaysia #BebasHutang\n\n\nA post shared by \n DebtFree\n (@debtfreemalaysia) on \nOct 5, 2018 at 8:52am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nSHOULD STOP EATING OUT. =======================. I have make some mistake today. Not excuse for that and should stop doing this frequently. . As we on tight budget this month, we have decided to minimize eat out as this could save us a lot. . But today, I just have lunch and it cost me around 6. Later, I having a late night coffee with my friend. And it cost me 10.\n\n\nA post shared by \n DebtFree\n (@debtfreemalaysia) on \nSep 30, 2018 at 9:18am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 \nbudgetbabe.my\n\n\n\n\nWhat to expect in the feed:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nPAID RM292.05 TO MY PERSONAL LOAN. . . I am quitting my job this month. So it\u2019s quite tricky and tough and blurry for me on my financial. Especially for settling my debt and paying my takaful. It\u2019s compulsory for me (to have #takaful or #insurance) . . I just hope that luck will be on my side. . . #debtfreecommunity #debtfreejourney #debtfreemalaysia #debtfreelifestyle\n\n\nA post shared by @\n budgetbabe.my\n on \nSep 25, 2018 at 10:31pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nNow wtv money i have in my bank, i\u2019ll directly trf to my personal loan debt. . Kais pagi makan pagi je skrg. But it\u2019s ok. . . #debtfreejourney #debtfreecommunity\n\n\nA post shared by @\n budgetbabe.my\n on \nAug 31, 2018 at 6:52pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 \nmakeover.life.debt\n\n\n\n\nWhat to expect in the feed:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nOctober\u2019s Groceries (wet food only)\n\n\nA post shared by \n Debt Free NNR\n (@makeover.life.debt) on \nOct 7, 2018 at 2:30am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nFinally.. Finally I prepared a budget for September. By all means this will be the only money I will spend and the rest of my income will all go to my debt. I bought groceries for the whole month which I hope will last till October. Dear God,have some mercy on me. I spent the last 3 days of long weekend having migraine which also means I don\u2019t go out and I spent none. Boo for migrain but yeay for not spending any penny. #debtfreejourney #debtfreecommunity #debtfreemalaysia\n\n\nA post shared by \n Debt Free NNR\n (@makeover.life.debt) on \nSep 3, 2018 at 1:13am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 \nsavvysaz\n\n\n\n\nWhat to expect in the feed:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n3 months later. Paid RM5,030.85 (4.3%). Stick to the goal, no more new loan. EF currently RM4k, SF RM1200. A gentle reminder to self, I am on my way to financial freedom. Sooner or later, I will be there. \ud83d\ude4f\ud83d\udcaa #debtfreecommunity #debtfreemalaysia #debtfreesabah #debtfreejourney #financialfreedom #budgeting\n\n\nA post shared by \n budget.pay.debt.save.\n (@savvysaz) on \nMar 4, 2019 at 4:48pm PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nMy last home cooked lunch for September before taking leave for the family trip tomorrow. I was very sleepy this morning and almost gave up to cook but the reminder of #zerowaste did me a favor. Not only that I need to cook everything I have bought so my budget is intact, the thought of my MIL could not stand the wastage food inside the fridge also help a lot. Lol #debtfreecommunity #debtfreemalaysia #budget #homecooked #financialfreedom\n\n\nA post shared by \n budget.pay.debt.save.\n (@savvysaz) on \nSep 25, 2018 at 9:34pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 \ndearduit\n\n\n\n\nWhat to expect in the feed:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nThe one thing that I\u2019m very grateful for in Malaysia is the cheap rates of medical health care the government hospitals offer. Cause if in private at least RM50 tops just for a consult. #healthcare #checkup #malaysianonabudget #kementeriankesihatanmalaysia #brokemalaysian #budgetmalaysian #budgetmom\n\n\nA post shared by \n Dear Duit\n (@dearduit) on \nOct 11, 2018 at 5:13pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nNo spend October but with a few adjustment. \ud83c\udf3cOnly during work days Monday to Friday So far doing well\ud83e\udd14 Brought my own food and drinks. Snacks! I always waste money on snacks! 7eleven is just below my office and so tempting to purchase! So not stepping in 7e unless desperate. last week I only spend 3 out of 5 days. This week let us see\ud83d\ude01 #nospendoctober #budgetlife #brokelife #brokemalaysian #budgetmalaysian #financialplanning #debtfreejourney #brokemom\n\n\nA post shared by \n Dear Duit\n (@dearduit) on \nOct 10, 2018 at 6:38pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#7 \u2013 \nmimirello\n\n\n\n\n(yep, the same blogger behind \nMimirello.com\n website!)\n\n\nWhat to expect in the feed:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n#cheapdish of the day. Homemade Nasi Goreng. Ingredients: Leftover Rice, Ikan Bilis, Onion, Garlic, 1 Small Tomato, Chives & Egg. Basically whatever random thing in the fridge. Less than 30mins to cook and less than RM2 per meal (with the right ingredients).\n\n\nA post shared by \n Mimirello\n (@mimirello) on \nOct 9, 2018 at 7:56am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nNew Post up! It\u2019s time for a new goal \u2013 saving up for a property. Das scary. Read more at mimirello.com . #property #owningahome #personalfinance #saving\n\n\nA post shared by \n Mimirello\n (@mimirello) on \nOct 8, 2018 at 2:44am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#8 \u2013 \ndividendmagic\n\n\n\n\n(yep, the same blogger behind \nDividendMagic website\n!)\n\n\nWhat to expect in the feed:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nFreedom Fund as at September 2018 Dividend Income (September): RM1,799.63 Dividend Income (2018): RM14,554.34 Dividend Yield: 3.96% Check out my FB page: Dividend Magic\n\n\nA post shared by \n Dividend Magic\n (@dividendmagic) on \nOct 8, 2018 at 7:38pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n3Q UPDATE: Freedom Fund as at September 2018 Gross Investment: RM367,168.13 Market Value: RM453,205.61 Dividends (2018): RM14,554.34 Dividend Yield: 3.96% We\u2019re almost touching the 4% dividend yield mark just as we hit the 3rd quarter. http://dividendmagic.com.my/portfolio-freedom-fund/\n\n\nA post shared by \n Dividend Magic\n (@dividendmagic) on \nSep 29, 2018 at 8:54pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#9 \u2013 \nblackbeltmillionaire\n\n\n\n\n(yep, the same blogger behind \nBlackbelt Millionaire website\n!)\n\n\nWhat to expect in the feed:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nRemember Grasshoppa. Work Hard & Work Smart. . . . #workhardplayhard #workhard #qotd #motivationalquotes #motivation #success #blackbelt #blackbeltmillionaire #millionaire\n\n\nA post shared by \n Black Belt Millionaire\n (@blackbeltmillionaire) on \nJun 16, 2018 at 11:10pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nIt\u2019s not about what\u2019s on the outside but it\u2019s about what\u2019s on the inside. Dont spend on what you can afford but spend on what you can afford & save for your retirement. . . #blackbeltmillionaire #millionaire #blackbelt #money #savings #rich #wealth #investment\n\n\nA post shared by \n Black Belt Millionaire\n (@blackbeltmillionaire) on \nMar 28, 2018 at 12:04am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#10 \u2013 \nfinancial_friday\n\n\n\n\n*not technically Malaysian, but used to study/work in Malaysia, so close enough (she\u2019s from the Mauritius)\n\n\nWhat to expect in the feed:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nI was an international student in Malaysia and I was constantly on the move: from campus accommodation to cheaper and cheaper rented rooms. . . I wanted to get the most out of my small allowance and soon, I was not only moving to smaller rooms, but I was letting go of a lot of stuff. And yet, the more I stayed in this new country, the happier I was. . . Now that I\u2019m back home, in Mauritius, I realised I didn\u2019t need a lot of things. And I realised that a fancy high-maintenance lifestyle will not make me happy. . . That\u2019s why I wanna share this list, which follows my journey in #intentionalspending and #intentionalliving . . And you? What are the material things you realised you could live without, even despite what others would say? Comment below! . . If you want to read more about the \u2018why\u2019 and \u2018how\u2019 and back stories of all the items I chose, read it on my blog via the link in my personal account \u2014-> @dkwaye . . . #FinancialFriday #personalfinance #minimalism #minimalist #lessismore #bemorewithless #minimalistlife #spendinghabits #spendless #debtfreeliving #howtosavemoney #savemoney #savingmoney #financialfreedom #moneytips #simpleliving #financialplanning #financialindependence #financialadvice #moneysavingtips #moneyadvice #simplelife\n\n\nA post shared by \n It\u2019s #FinancialFriday!\n (@financial_friday) on \nOct 9, 2018 at 6:48am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nHappy Monday guys! Yesterday, I was going through my old #budget notebooks. I used to get those cute #pocketnotebooks which come with blank no-line pages and would list down: . \u2022 all my expenses of day every evening before going to bed, \u2022 the exact amount I had in my bank accounts at the end of each month and how much I had in cash at the time of writing, \u2022 my #savingsgoals \u2013 basically how much I planned to put aside for #savings for the month, \u2022 my income of course! . It was a tedious handwritten process, but it was so satisfying, seeing my small savings grow and I got to have 100% control my spending \ud83d\ude0a . . Notebooks from @mosseryco . . . #financialfriday #budgeting #budgetingtips #personalfinance #financetips #savemoney #savingmoney #savingsplan #financialplanning #adulting101 #cutestationery #financialgoals #finances #debtfreeliving #financialliteracy #financialadvice #moneysavingtips #disciplineequalsfreedom #budgetplanner #budgetlife #budgetfriendly\n\n\nA post shared by \n It\u2019s #FinancialFriday!\n (@financial_friday) on \nOct 8, 2018 at 6:49am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#12 \u2013 \ndebtfreesabah\n\n\n\n\nWhat to expect in the feed:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nHappy Sunday guys! Im trying to be more transparent now after considering an advice from a good friend that i get to know thru this journey. As u guys can see, my total debt almost 70k in ringgit. This amount already include the money that i lend from my family. Hopefully i can make this amount down to 50k at the end of this year. Finger crossed! #debtfreesabah #debtfreemalaysia Ps: stop using hastagdebtfree, MLM\u2019s people to trick other.\n\n\nA post shared by \n debtfreesabah\n (@debtfreesabah) on \nAug 26, 2018 at 12:11am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nThanks god! I just got my bonus which is doesnt stay long with me because 85% of it goes to car installement. I also got to open a new account, purposely to pay the car\u2019s loan so I doesnt have to visit thw bank everytime I want to pay the loan. Having account with the bank give me the access to see my loan and.. now I can see the actual $$$ that I have to pay. #debtfreejourney\n\n\nA post shared by \n debtfreesabah\n (@debtfreesabah) on \nFeb 14, 2018 at 2:42am PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#13 \u2013 \nfemmefinance.my\n\n\n\n\nWhat to expect in the feed:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nPart 3 of 2019 goals \u2013 Investment . 2018 was a terrible year for stocks. My portfolio plunged into a deep sea of red. . For 2019, I\u2019ll take a more conservative approach. . I\u2019ll focus on growing my SG REITS portfolio for its better than average yield and lower volatility. Having said that, I\u2019ll still need to monitor my REITS closely after a booboo with APTT. This REIT took a nosedive and it\u2019ll be a long time before it recovers. \ud83d\ude2a . I\u2019ve been wanting to invest in Public Bank since 2006, but there was never a right price. 13 years later, the price keeps increasing! No more buckling down this time! . If there are other cheaper blue chip stock alternatives, I\u2019m open to hear your suggestions. . I\u2019ve started investing in gold this year as part of my diversification plan. I put in a small amount not more than RM100 a month. . I\u2019m using Hello Gold app. It\u2019s very easy to use, but there are minimal monthly administrative fees. . If you\u2019re interested to sign up, you can use my referral code: \u201cANGL0EO6\u201d Or, use this link: https://referral.hellogold.com/?ref=ANGL0EO6 . You and I will get RM5 rebate in gold. Win-win! . I\u2019ve invested in 3 P2P Lending platforms. I plan to slowly consolidate it to 2. Will share my experience on this later. . After leaving a steady job, I now have to manage my cashflow with more scrutiny to stay afloat. Too many commitments to juggle. . I used to put my artwork for sale on Printcious. Gains (not much) from purchases made on merchandise with my artwork help fund my personal CSR agenda to give back to society. . This platform is full of talented artists, and competition is huge! I found this to be challenging and not the best way to raise funds for charity. Also, I stopped making art 2 years ago due to lack of time. . Hence, the need to look for other low risk investment alternatives (FD included) to help me contribute back to society. . I endeavour to be less emotional in cutting losses and nurse my portfolio back to health. . #personalfinancemalaysia #personalfinance #personalfinanceforwomen #financialliteracy #financialfreedom #financialgoals #2019goals #moneygoals #investmentgoals #p2plending #hellogold #bluechips #passiveincome\n\n\nA post shared by \n Femme Finance Malaysia\n (@femmefinance.my) on \nMar 28, 2019 at 3:34am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nHello everyone. \ud83d\ude4b\ud83c\udffb\u200d\u2640\ufe0f . I\u2019ve taken a hiatus in writing since 2010. Today, I\u2019ll start afresh. . I\u2019ve been procrastinating too long and decided to take action documenting my personal finance journey. . It has been tough navigating the ropes of marriage, a switch in career, and getting my health on track. . I\u2019ve taken a huge leap of faith by switching career, from a stable but highly stressed corporate job to an unstable and highly stressful entrepreneurial adventure. . When I start from Ground Zero, the only way is upwards and onwards. . I\u2019m grateful for the support I have from my better half in my journey towards a better life together. . Join me on my journey and hopefully we can learn from each other. . Update: \u2026 things that *spark joy*\u2026 the grammar police in me caught my own typo! The horror!!! \ud83d\ude31 . #personalfinance #personalfinancemalaysia #personalfinanceforwomen #financialliteracy #financialfreedom #financialgoals #womeninfinance #workfromhome\n\n\nA post shared by \n Femme Finance Malaysia\n (@femmefinance.my) on \nMar 24, 2019 at 6:00pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#14 \u2013 \nroostergold\n\n\n\n\nWhat to expect in the feed:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n[Silver] The #AmericanSilverEagles have landed. x6 (Year 2013) 1 Oz coins in total at RM82.50 @ USD20.40 each. They are quite beautiful & quite possibly the most easily recognised silver coins in the world. Note: Only buy from trusted sellers or make sure you can verify the authenticity of silver/gold products yourself as there are many fakes & scams out there. #GoldStacking #GoldStacker #SilverStacking #SilverStacker #SilverCoins #PAMPgold #PAMPsilver #PAMPlunar #PAMPSuisse #PAMPbar #GoldBar #AwesomeAurum #HuatAh #RoosterGold #Perak999 #Emas9999\n\n\nA post shared by \n Rooster Gold\n (@roostergold) on \nMar 31, 2019 at 9:01am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n[ETF StashAway] 2019 WEEK 13 Period ending 29-Mar-2019 ETF Capital = RM10,000.00 NAV = RM10,575.75 Total Returns = +5.8% NOTE: Seeing dividend distributions from two Vanguard funds. To achieve the financial projections in the next 5 years, total returns have to be +112.9% @ simple average of +22.5% p.a. It looks like projections are adjusted daily based on current Total Returns. DISCLAIMER: ETFs & Index Funds are generally long term plays i.e. over years & decades. NOT advisable to invest if one is not planning to hold for the medium to long term. #ETF #ETFmalaysia #IndexFunds #IndexFundsMalaysia #StashAway #FreedomFund #FreedomFundUS #RoosterGold #RoboAdvisory #RoboInvesting #FinanciallyFree #FinancialFreedom #DebtFreeMalaysia #\ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\uddfe\n\n\nA post shared by \n Rooster Gold\n (@roostergold) on \nMar 29, 2019 at 8:04pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#15 \u2013 suztainably\n\n\n\n\nWhat to expect in the feed:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nDinner for 2. Chinese Fried Rice (RM6) and Baby Kailan (RM 4.50). Eating at home is so cheap. I have to say the fried rice taste so goooddd. Thanks to @spicenpans for the recipe! My favourite cooking channel. #cookathome\n\n\nA post shared by \n S U Z\n (@suztainably) on \nMar 23, 2019 at 9:07am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nIt\u2019s a public holiday today and I spent the morning in the small town of Dengkil near my place with a therapeutic breakfast and grocery shopping. I brought my bags and reused whatever plastic bags i have in my pantry to pack smaller loose groceries. The only additional plastic i have incurred is for the prepackaged corriander seeds. They are hard to reuse and will go into my ecobrick. I feel this is a better choice than travelling kilometers out of my way to get unpackaged corriander seeds. Walking around in the small town, I have also discovered a Chinese Herbal shop selling loose herbs and got myself some goji berries. So happy with this find! A nice surprise is also a small restaurant selling steamed buns which I am unprepared for and I got myself some steamed buns and red bean dessert. The downside of not being prepared is having to use their single used plastic bags. At this point of time, i no longer cringe or stress if I amassed any plastic. I made the intention to dispose them properly/reuse whichever more possible. Our decisions should bring us peace and I am fine with this minor imperfections. This i find is more sustainable for this change of habit. Also, I will be more prepared the next time I come around!!\n\n\nA post shared by \n S U Z\n (@suztainably) on \nMay 28, 2018 at 9:06pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#16 \u2013 \nmy.moolah\n\n\n\n\nWhat to expect in this feed:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nUPDATE: Renewal (for students) can only be done online and it takes 15-30 working days for approval. Yikes. Here\u2019s to a month without 50% off on fares for my public transportation. \ud83d\ude2d I completely forgotten that my student concession card has an expiry date. Noticed my MRT one way fare was RM 1.80, instead of RM 0.80.. then realized it\u2019s been 1 year since I had this card. Will be charged normal rate for another week or so till I get my confirmation letter and submit it. \ud83d\udcb8 On a brighter note, online renewal is available, so I don\u2019t have to go all the way to Pasar Seni. #debtfreemy #debtfreemalaysia #debtfreejourney #debtfreecommunity #debtfreegoals #debtfreelife #debtfree #financialfreedom #personalfinance #personalfinancemalaysia #frugal #frugalliving #budgettravel\n\n\nA post shared by \n my.moolah\n (@my.moolah) on \nFeb 28, 2019 at 12:54am PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nSpecific goals for the month of January \ud83e\udd38 I\u2019m currently on semester break till mid February and I plan to work almost everyday. I was thinking there\u2019s no better time to to start on the no spend challenge that I recently discovered and the first four days are going well so far. My attempt at budgeting used to always last for a week and I\u2019d give up, but I\u2019m determined to track all my expenses this time around. As I\u2019m not getting any younger, this year I really wanna focus on my health and start doing home workouts again. I need to read more too. #debtfreemy #debtfreemalaysia #debtfreejourney #debtfreecommunity #debtfreegoals #debtfreelife #debtfree #financialfreedom #personalfinance #personalfinancemalaysia #frugal #frugalliving #100abchallenge #goals #newyearsresolution\n\n\nA post shared by \n my.moolah\n (@my.moolah) on \nJan 4, 2019 at 1:04am PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#18 \u2013 \n\n\nWhat to expect in this feed:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nNew Post! Link in bio. Data is beautiful. 1. Last month I did a calculation for the ownership cost for my car out of boredom. (Not happy with the results). 2. This month is my second year owning it, I wrote a post about it with some beautiful data. (Still not happy with the results). . Cost of ownership for 2 years is RM24k (what?!) It\u2019s supposedly an affordable car. . #PersonalFinance #PersonalFinanceMalaysia #DebtFree #DebtFreeMalaysia #FinancialFreedom #FinancialFreedomMalaysia #ToBecomeDebtFree #GettingRichSlowly #DebtFreeCommunityMalaysia #MoneyManagement #SmartFinance #AiryLilM #DividentIncome #RinggitSense #Belanjawanku #SlowAndSteady #LuckyBrat #SavingMoney #Step2 #Enlightened https://airylilm.wordpress.com/2019/04/03/k-is-two/\n\n\nA post shared by \n Airy Lil\u2019 M\n (@airylilm) on \nApr 3, 2019 at 8:21am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nHello Payday! Been following a zero-based budget since Aug 2017. Every ringgit and sen earned has a place. It\u2019s divided into 6 categories. \u2013 Mortgage \u2013 Loan & Insurance (Car loan, Medical Card, MLTA) \u2013 Living (Daily expenses) \u2013 Investment (UT, Stocks) \u2013 Savings (Traveling, Emergency Fund) \u2013 Car (Gas, Monthly Parking) Most of the time I wasn\u2019t able to stick with Living & Savings budget. The others are pretty much fixed. I hope that by updating my progress here it will help to motivates me to stick to my budget. \u00b7 1. March Overview [Yay] Was able to stick to my \u201cLiving\u201d budget. Even after adding an unexpected expenses (dentist visit), it was within my budget. All goes to funding for my trip. Am seriously planning to shorten my Car Loan term (5 more years) but at the same time would like to grow my investment. I might have to divide and conquer on this. \u00b7 [Nay] Since January I wasn\u2019t able to put as much money for investment as I have budgeted for because I need to save for my Taipei trip. Next year I\u2019ll plan better (financially) for my trips. Might have to spend a large chunk of my bonus for Strata title because I don\u2019t want to touch my Emergency Fund. I only have 1k for my strata fund. I\u2019m so glad it happens around bonus time and I do have a Emergency Fund for stuff like this but I was planning for it to happen in 2 \u2013 3 years time, that\u2019s why I only have 1k saved for it. \u00b7 2. April Budget For April, a large percentage of it goes to \u201cLiving\u201d category for Taipei trip because I\u2019m leaving on payday next month. Oh, no! Good news is salary will still be intact once I\u2019m back! \u00b7 #PersonalFinance #PersonalFinanceMalaysia #DebtFree #DebtFreeMalaysia #FinancialFreedom #FinancialFreedomMalaysia #ToBecomeDebtFree #GettingRichSlowly #DebtFreeCommunityMalaysia #MoneyManagement #SmartFinance #AiryLilM #DividentIncome #RinggitSense #Belanjawanku #SlowAndSteady\n\n\nA post shared by \n Airy Lil\u2019 M\n (@airylilm) on \nMar 25, 2019 at 7:15am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n#19 \u2013 \nsurayaror\n\n\nMine \ud83d\ude00\n\n\n\n\nWhat to expect in the feed:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nAnyone else get really happy when it\u2019s time to break open a new #notebook?? . I got a bunch of these Scripta Notes #journals during #bigbadwolfbooksale for RM12 each. They hold up really well for 7 months of heavy use, such a good buy \ud83d\ude0d . In the last notebook, I stuck stickers received from events. You can see #peatix, #wordpress, #projectgutenberg and #centrair there. I think I\u2019ll continue this tradition \ud83d\ude0a\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya\n (@surayaror) on \nOct 11, 2018 at 6:00pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n#selfreminder, because my natural instinct is to #savemoney first before #hustlehard. The #savings from the former have a limit, but the #income potential from the latter is unlimited. . #personalfinanceMalaysia #entrepreneurmindset\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya\n (@surayaror) on \nOct 11, 2018 at 10:07pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSpecial mentions!\n\n\nAside from the above, I also want to feature some people in the zero waste movement who are leading by example. They prioritise DIY culture, consuming less and buying local & natural. We can learn a lot from them, and save a bunch of money in the process, too!\n\n\n#20 \u2013 \nzerowastemy\n\n\n\n\nWhat to expect in the feed:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nFor my 200th post, I\u2019m bringing you back to what I feel was my first \u201cofficial\u201d step to zero waste. My reusable coffee cup! What was your first step?\n\n\nA post shared by \n Elena\n (@zerowastemy) on \nOct 16, 2018 at 3:35am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nCurrent read: Doughnut Economics: Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st-Century Economist, Kate Raworth. This should be essential reading for every economist, student, human. . . An excerpt: \u201cEconomic theory has long portrayed a \u201cclean\u201d environment as a luxury good affordable only for the well-off. \u2026 growth will (eventually) clean [the pollution] up. But there is no such law: ecological degradation is simply the result of degenerative industrial design. This century needs economic thinking that unleashes regenerative design in order to create a circular \u2013 not linear \u2013 economy, and to restore humans as full participants in Earth\u2019s cyclical process of life.\u201d . . We can no longer ignore the fact that economic \u201cgrowth\u201d led by our consumption and need (greed) for endless stuff (fashion trends, latest gadgets, dollar store knick knacks) has had a very negative impact on our planet. Scientists now warn of potential irreversible environmental damage affecting us, all of us, by 2030. Impacts include more severe droughts, heavier rains, coastal flooding, wildfires and heat waves. Will you take action to reject this insane model of a linear economy in favour of a more circular one? We can all do something small to ensure we still have a liveable planet in 2030, 2040, 2050. Take public transport instead of driving; shop local produce; refuse that straw, plastic bag, coffee cup and free gift; forget that sale \u2013 shop your best friend\u2019s closet; eat less meat; start a compost. What will you do to reduce CO2?\n\n\nA post shared by \n Elena\n (@zerowastemy) on \nOct 15, 2018 at 1:49am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#21 \u2013 \niquitwaste\n\n\n\n\nWhat to expect in the feed:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nI made a new simple face scrub: locally grown brown sugar, local raw honey from stingless bees, juice of keffir lime and ground ginger (both I got from the market). Use it once a day before going to bed. I don\u2019t know if it removes make up cuz I don\u2019t use make up \ud83d\ude0a My small way of reducing my impact: we all have limited emissions credits, by making my own product from a few natural locally sourced ingredients I have a sustainable alternative to a plastic-packaged, centrally manufactured with many dubious chemicals shipped in from different places, heavily packaged and shipped out finished product; which gives off waste in the form of toxic suds wastewater and plastic microbeads down the drain, and a plastic tube or bottle that probably will never get recycled and end up in the ocean. And let\u2019s look at emissions: a commercial manufacturing facility consumes huge amounts of energy (industry is in the top 5 of largest emissions sources), and then logistics of shipping out finished products (transport is also in the top 5). Take back our individual emissions credits. By making and consuming things as close as possible to their natural state and locally sourced, we are giving the finger to big industries and putting ourselves and our planet over their profits \ud83d\udc9a\n\n\nA post shared by \n Smita Jairam\n (@iquitwaste) on \nOct 17, 2018 at 6:26am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nIt still bothers me when I see many urban Malaysians insisting on buying and consuming imported food, fruit and vegetables; especially in affluent cities. We are so uber-blessed to live in a land of abundance, fresh fruit and vegetables growing all year round: greens, gourds, tubers, roots, herbs, flowers, fruits, everything that is needed to nourish us. Imported fresh fruits and vegetables have to be air freighted and wrapped in layers of plastics to maintain their freshness when they reach their destination. All that plastic waste and emissions are contributing to Mama earth\u2019s deterioration. The transport sector is one of the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases and what are they transporting: people, goods and food! It\u2019s especially ridiculous because here in Malaysia we maintain our culture of regular farmer\u2019s markets that happen in every city and every town. Kuala Lumpur has accessible morning and night markets in different suburbs. In East Malaysia, they are called tamu and are held regularly. On our road trip this past weekend, we stopped in many small towns and headed straight to the tamu to buy local goods, including food. We don\u2019t need fancy \u201cexotic\u201d trendy superfood fruit and veg grown 15000km away. It\u2019s not healthy for our bodies if it\u2019s killing our planet. Photo by @dean1sm\n\n\nA post shared by \n Smita Jairam\n (@iquitwaste) on \nOct 15, 2018 at 7:08pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDo you know of any other personal finance accounts in Malaysia we should follow?\n\n\nStrictly curated by people, not brands or companies \ud83d\ude09 And must talk about personal finance in the majority of their posts.\n\n\nIf you know of any other Malaysians maintaining personal finance instagram accounts, share with us in the comments section!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/personal-finance-subreddits/", "title": "25 Personal Finance Subreddits For You To Find \u2018Your People\u2019\n  ", "body": "Personal finance is so\u2026 so\u2026 BROAD, isn\u2019t it? We come from all kinds of backgrounds and have all types of interests and go through all sorts of life circumstances. Looking for specific answers can be tough.\n\n\nTo make it more complicated, sometimes you don\u2019t know what you don\u2019t know \u2013 not even the search term for it. I have suggested Reddit as a resource page before, but the sheer amount of available information can be enough for some people to go, \u2018nope\u2019 and close off the tab.\n\n\nThat\u2019s a shame, because one of the best ways to learn about personal finance is to \nlearn from the Reddit community\n. The most useful information get the most upvotes \u2013 so you get to save time by reading only the best of the best as determined by those personal finance subreddit community members themselves.\n\n\nEven though\u00a0\nr/PersonalFinance\n\u00a0has a lot of members and contributors, I wouldn\u2019t really recommend it and some other subs to Malaysians as many topics are specific for the US crowd. The \nr/MalaysianPF\n community, on the other hand, would be great if it wasn\u2019t, um, dead.\n\n\nBUT. There are other personal finance subreddits that you can explore. They will help you save, spend, invest and manage your money better \u2013 for a variety of occasions. Here are 25 of them.\n\n\n\n\n \n27707\n / Pixabay\n\n\nPersonal finance subreddits and what they\u2019re for\n\n\n\n\nr/BikeCommuting.\u00a0\nTips for people who use bicycles as their primary mode of transportation. Great for those of you \u00a0contemplating buying a bicycle to get to work/school/shops and reduce transportation cost. Plenty of bicycle recommendations.\u00a0\nLink\n\n\nr/BudgetFood, r/EatCheapAndHealthy, r/CheapMeals, r/MealPrepSunday, r/SlowCooking.\n\u00a0Subs compiling recipes for meals that don\u2019t cost a lot of money. Not much Asian meals, but helpful for food combination ideas. Combine with meal-prepping and bring food to work \u2013 cook in bulk to save money as well as time. The slow cooking sub uses slow cookers, but you can easily adjust for rice cookers, something most of us already have. Links:\n\u00a0r/BudgetFood,\u00a0\nr/EatCheapAndHealthy\n, \nr/CheapMeals\n, \nr/MealPrepSunday\n, \nr/SlowCooking\n\n\nr/BuyItForLife\n. Recommendations for high-quality products. In the context of this sub, high-quality doesn\u2019t mean they have to be expensive. The idea is to buy things that last a long time, so you save money and time looking for replacements. Ranges from clothes, tools, furniture and more. Many of the products are hard to find in Malaysia, but you get to learn what makes it good quality.\u00a0\nLink\n\n\nr/DIY and r/SomethingIMade.\n A place where people post DIY projects and ideas, with slight humblebragging. It\u2019s great to browse through if you like arts and crafts and/or handy with tools. Some people practice leatherwork, woodwork, metalwork and more, get really good at it, and turned it into a side business. Links:\n r/DIY\n, \nr/SomethingIMade\n\n\nr/Entrepreneur\n. LOVE this sub! A great mix of tips, inspirational posts, guides, business ideas, business growth ideas, and more. When I feel like I\u2019m not growing my business, I visit here. It has never failed me yet.\u00a0\nLink\n\n\nr/FinancialIndependence.\u00a0\nFor people who want to get out of the rat race and get back the most precious thing \u2013 the control of their time. Great if you ever dream of early retirement (who hasn\u2019t), and ready to make specific steps and yes, sacrifices towards it. They share strategies to achieve the lifestyle that you want.\u00a0\nLink\n\n\nr/Flipping.\n Flipping is when people search for low-priced items (via clearances, thrift-shopping) with the intention to re-sell them for profit. An interesting way to generate side income for some people.\u00a0\nLink\n\n\nr/Frugal\n. Master sub for getting the most value for your money. Great resources and sharing by community members. Highly recommended. \nLink\n\n\nr/FrugalBeauty\n. When you wanna look good but hate that some companies charge waaay too much for essentially a few cents\u2019 worth of chemicals. \nLink\n\n\nr/Gardening, r/Hydroponics, r/Aquaponics\n. The gardening sub is full of pictures of members\u2019 gardens, ranging from full on farms to tiny balcony plants. Best for those with green thumbs. If you\u2019re not as great, check out hydroponics (growing plants with water). Aquaponics is a system to grow plants and keep fish at the same time.\u00a0Links:\n r/Gardening\n, \nr/Hydroponics\n, \nr/Aquaponics\n\n\nr/Minimalism.\n Tips and ideas to reject consumerist culture and achieve the clutter-free life, which helps us to focus on more important things like our passions and loved ones. \nLink\n\n\nr/Shoestring, r/OneBag \nand\n r/Backpacking\n. Tips to travel on a very low budget, including where to go, flight hacks and much more. The Onebag community is interesting \u2013 they\u2019re all about maximising things you bring on your travels so you never have to bring excess items ever again.\u00a0Links: \nr/Shoestring\n, \nr/OneBag\n,\u00a0\nr/Backpacking\n\n\nr/TinyHouses\n. Part of the small house movement, where they view big houses as wasteful because it encourages unnecessary spending. It\u2019s true \u2013 the more space you have, the more maintenance you have to do, the more furniture you have to buy and generally the more space you feel you need to fill.\u00a0\nLink\n\n\nr/VanDwellers. \nBecause I romanticise this lifestyle, sigh. A sub for people who lives and travels in vans, cars and other types of automobiles. I like the idea of travelling to beautiful destinations and always having accommodation with me.\u00a0\nLink\n\n\nr/Vegetarian.\n One of the best way to quickly cut back on spending is to cut back on meat. This sub makes it fun to try out new recipes. It\u2019s also funny to see how white people get overly excited about tofu and tempeh.\u00a0\nLink\n\n\nr/ZeroWaste.\n An environmentally-conscious sub that promotes buying in bulk and bringing own water bottle, among others. And they save money at the same time. It\u2019s amazing how little trash some of them generate. I must learn more from this subreddit.\u00a0\nLink\n\n\n\n\nTips to make the best of these personal finance subreddits\n\n\nStep 1:\n Don\u2019t worry about reading ALL of them. Let your own interests guide you. Pick a sub that sounds the most interesting, then click on the link.\n\n\nStep 2:\n You\u2019re automatically in the \u2018Hot\u2019 section in the subreddits. That means there are some conversations going on at the time. Browse through.\n\n\nStep 3:\n If you want to read the top posts of the sub, which I highly recommend, click on \u2018Top\u2019. A good place to start if you just want to read the best parts.\n\n\nStep 4:\n Rinse and repeat for the other subs you find interesting. I can almost guarantee you\u2019ll learn something new in each of them.\n\n\n(optional)\n\n\nStep 5:\n Make a Reddit account. Now you can also upvote, make new post and reply comments\n\n\nStep 6:\n Help contribute your own personal experiences to\u00a0\nr/MalaysianPF\n\u00a0and make it less dead.\n\n\nConclusion\n\n\nReddit\u2019s awesome. I hope you find \u2018your people\u2019 there, like I did.\n\n\nAny other personal finance subreddits that you like? Please comment below \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/personal-finance-twitter-malaysia/", "title": "11 Malaysia-Based Personal Finance Twitter Accounts to Follow\n  ", "body": "If you love personal finance as a topic but have not explored Malaysian Twitter yet,\u00a0\ndo I have a treat for you today.\n\n\nFollowing my popular \npersonal finance Instagrammers in Malaysia\n article, I thought I\u2019d compile the Twitter version pulak. Here are some Malaysia-based personal finance Twitter accounts you definitely should follow.\n\n\nNote that I have \nintentionally excluded\n \nother personal finance thought leaders in Malaysia\n who don\u2019t use Twitter as their \nmain\n engagement channel (bloggers, Instagrammers etc). I also exclude Twitter accounts maintained by finance-related companies and media.\n\n\nThis names in this list links directly to their Twitter accounts and appear in no particular order. If I missed out anyone, do let me know (or leave a comment with a link to the profile!)\n\n\n#1 \u2013 \nFarid Bahrudin\n\n\n\n\nWhat to expect in the feed:\n\n\n\n\nDah ada eCCRIS\nhttps://t.co/VlqZUDj2BY\n\n\nKena daftar dulu dekat BNM Link Kuala Lumpur untuk dapatkan pin 6 digit. \npic.twitter.com/HNprtD758A\n\n\n\u2014 Farid Bahrudin (@faridbahrudin) \nDecember 21, 2017\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHasil simpanan RM100 setiap bulan selama 18 tahun. Ni tidak termasuk duit lain yang diterima anak (duit raya).\n\n\nTabungan Pendidikan sendiri sebagai alternatif kepada PTPTN. \npic.twitter.com/118u6B2MsZ\n\n\n\u2014 Farid Bahrudin (@faridbahrudin) \nDecember 7, 2018\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 \nKewangan Graduan\n\n\n\n\nWhat to expect in the feed:\n\n\n\n\nJika anda mencarum dalam KWSP (caruman berdasarkan gaji bulanan seseorang pekerja). Ada caruman pekerja dan caruman majikan.\n\n\nSemak dan ketahui setiap caruman ada dalam akaun KWSP.\n\n\nIkuti cara-cara ni untuk semak caruman anda:\n\n\n\u2014 Kewangan Graduan (@kewangangraduan) \nJanuary 6, 2018\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKesepakatan syariah dalam pelaburan ASB\n\n\u2013 kesepakatan fatwa keharusan pelaburan ASN dan ASB telah dicapai semua majlis fatwa negeri\nhttps://t.co/uRuaACkjrh\n \npic.twitter.com/f4dYdYvkiQ\n\n\n\u2014 Kewangan Graduan (@kewangangraduan) \nJanuary 6, 2019\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 \nFarah Adira IFP\n\n\n\n\nWhat to expect in the feed:\n\n\n\n\nImbas balik 2018. Ini prestasi pasaran ekuiti global bagi beberapa negara termasuk Malaysia, sehingga hujung tahun 2018.\n\n\nSumber: Bloomberg, iFast Compilation\n\nReturns in MYR term \npic.twitter.com/VJldRvmpt3\n\n\n\u2014 Farah Adira IFP (@farahadiraIFP) \nJanuary 6, 2019\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKalau ikutkan,\n\nbayar penuh dgn diskaun 20% lagi untung.\n\n\nJumlah ujrah= 15k x 1% x 6tahun = RM900\n\nVS\n\nDiskaun = 15k x 20% = RM3k\n\n\nhilang potensi? tak. sebab kenapa?\n\nada lebihan RM200 sebulan, ada option untuk invest. \nhttps://t.co/bz6hLMpDm8\n\n\n\u2014 Farah Adira IFP (@farahadiraIFP) \nDecember 4, 2018\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 \nFaiz Wahab\n\u00a0/ \nFaizWahab.com\n\n\n\n\nWhat to expect in the feed:\n\n\n\n\nMain kutu cara hipster!\n\n\nIni adalah thread\n\n\n\u2014 Faiz Wahab (@faizwahab) \nJanuary 9, 2019\n\n\n\n\n\n\n12 tanda anda menguruskan kewangan dengan baik \npic.twitter.com/sQlW9B72Hu\n\n\n\u2014 Faiz Wahab (@faizwahab) \nOctober 21, 2018\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 \nAmaluddin Mahmood\n\n\n\n\nWhat to expect in the feed:\n\n\n\n\nThread: Kompilasi tweet berkaitan pengurusan kewangan dan pelaburan.\n\n\nKhususnya untuk yang baru nak bermula.\n\n\n\u2014 Amaluddin Mahmood (@_amaluddin) \nJune 28, 2017\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 \nUrban Hartanah\n\n\n\n\nWhat to expect in the feed:\n\n\n\n\n\u201cNak buat rumah atas tanah sendiri?\u201d\n\n\nhaa baca ni dulu. hadamkan. reply bila thread dah tamat utk tidak mengganggu. RT dan sebarkan \npic.twitter.com/HKfT6cKZYx\n\n\n\u2014 Urban Hartanah (@twthartanah) \nFebruary 27, 2017\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMah Sing bakal memecah tradisi industri hartanah apabila bakal menjadi pemaju pertama jual rumah melalui platfrom e-commerce ; Lazada.\n\n\nMekanisma mereka juga pada pandangan tim UH, agak user friendly. \npic.twitter.com/MwZTSt8RgQ\n\n\n\u2014 Urban Hartanah (@twthartanah) \nNovember 29, 2018\n\n\n\n\n#7 \u2013 \nChe Muhammad Faiz\n\n\n\n\nWhat to expect in the feed:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nClient minta ajar cara screening stocks. Jauh? Call je. Give service to my client.\n\n\nAntara peserta seminar tempoh hari yang menjadi client saya\n\n\n\ud83d\ude42\n#BursaMalaysia\n \n#TradewithCheFaiz\n \npic.twitter.com/aKacT3Vl4H\n\n\n\u2014 Che Muhammad Faiz (@chemfaiz) \nJanuary 5, 2019\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKeputusan saham yang aku beri pada client bermula 25/12/18-4/1/19.\n\n\nUnit belian: 30,000\n\nTempoh: 1hari-7hari pegang\n\n\nMasih ada hold beberapa saham.\n\n\nTrade dengan ilmu\n#TradewithCheFaiz\n \n#BursaMalaysia\n \npic.twitter.com/L7bqn8V5Ir\n\n\n\u2014 Che Muhammad Faiz (@chemfaiz) \nJanuary 4, 2019\n\n\n\n\n#8 \u2013 \nNorizan Sharif\n\n\nNote: Rather than \u2018personal finance\u2019 per se, Mr Norizan\u2019s tweets are more mindset and personal growth-focused.\n\n\n\n\nWhat to expect in the feed:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nKAWAN YANG KITA KATA PANDAI \u201cBODEK\u201d BOS TU\n\n\n\u2013 buat baik dengan semua orang\n\n\u2013 tanya perkara yang dia tak tahu\n\n\u2013 ramai kawan, besar network\n\n\u2013 bercakap dalam mesyuarat\n\n\u2013 tak burukkan syarikat\n\n\u2013 update progres kerja\n\n\u2013 tak gossip staf lain\n\n\u2013 fokus kerja dia\n\n\u2013 datang awal\n\n\u2013 capai KPI\n\n\n\u2014 norizan sharif (@nobisha) \nJanuary 10, 2019\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBoss is always right \npic.twitter.com/mcWHH1PlkQ\n\n\n\u2014 norizan sharif (@nobisha) \nJanuary 5, 2019\n\n\n\n\n#9 \u2013 \n#FinancialGory\n\n\n\n\nWhat to expect in the feed:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nBenarkah mahal untuk memiliki medical card insurans/takaful? \npic.twitter.com/HWL1WUFLXn\n\n\n\u2014 #FinancialGory (@FinancialGory) \nOctober 20, 2018\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDua jam sebelum tunggu kick off, dapat soalan ASB vs ABF mana satu lagi bagus.\n\n\nSelain daripada dua dua ada pros and cons, ASBF juga ada risiko menjadikan kita penghutang berbanding pelabur. Take a baby step. Jangan kejar sangat. Invest in your time as well to learn. \npic.twitter.com/u4wXCuGYnr\n\n\n\u2014 #FinancialGory (@azraeimuhamad) \nJanuary 13, 2019\n\n\n\n\n#10 \u2013\n\n\n\n\nWhat to expect in the feed:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nCommon sense dah jadi benda rare zaman sekarang terutama bab duit. Check common sense berikut, Korang dah ada ke semua ni? perasan tak ramai member takde benda-benda camni. RT supaya dia baca ni. JOM DISCOVER! \npic.twitter.com/8cCsreghbQ\n\n\n\u2014 Twt Bajet (@twt_bajet) \nJanuary 27, 2019\n\n\n\n\n\n\n[THREAD] Ini pendapat Admin mengenai bankrap di usia muda. Tidak adil untuk kita terus bash dan menyalahkan golongan bankrap tanpa kita mengetahui lebih lanjut. Soalan pertama, Adakah kita dah baca artikel ini ataupun kita bagi pendapat berdasarkan tajuk sahaja? \nhttps://t.co/wuEWK3wU2Y\n\n\n\u2014 Twt Bajet (@twt_bajet) \nJanuary 29, 2019\n\n\n\n\n#11 \u2013 \nAnnaDot\n\n\n\n\nWhat to expect in the feed:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nBaru je semalam calculate cost retirement dengan inflation assumption 3.5% setahun. Tiba-tiba hari ni ternampak average 3.64% \u2639\ufe0f\n\n\nBaca: \nhttps://t.co/ySfAqvPrgg\n \npic.twitter.com/fEXKxoiSF5\n\n\n\u2014 AnnaDot (@rafidahfarhana) \nOctober 17, 2018\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s OK to be a housewife or househusband. But always find a way to build up your retirement saving. When your child is grown up, he/she can be independent and take care of him/herself. But there is no guarantee he/she is able to take care of our old self; financially. Get it?\n\n\n\u2014 AnnaDot (@rafidahfarhana) \nJanuary 23, 2019\n\n\n\n\nAlright, that\u2019s all folks! These are the people I personally follow on Twitter \u2013 I\u2019ve learned a lot from them, so make sure you follow them too! Also, I\u2019m VERY certain there are more awesome personalities with Twitter accounts out there that talks about not just personal finance, but also self-development and business tips. If they (or you) are not included in, please leave a comment so we can check it out \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nFurther reading:\n\n\n\n\n14 Malaysia-Based Personal Finance Instagrammers You Should Follow\n\n\nSome Malaysian personal finance personalities under the\u00a0\nRecommended personal finance websites\n may also maintain active Twitter accounts\n\n\nMy Twitter feed at @surayaror\n often include personal finance thought leaders (Malaysians and international) too\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/personal-finance-youtube-malaysia/", "title": "8 Malaysia-Based Personal Finance YouTube Channels to Follow\n  ", "body": "I\u2019ve compiled \nMalaysia-based personal finance Twitter accounts\n to follow, and \nMalaysia-based personal finance Instagrammers\n, so now its personal finance Youtubers and Youtube channels\u2019 turn!\n\n\nNote that I have \nintentionally excluded\n \nother personal finance media and figures in Malaysia\n who (1) don\u2019t use English as a medium, (2) don\u2019t publish videos on a regular basis, and (3) is too product-focused.\n\n\nThis names in this list links directly to their Youtube channels and appear in no particular order. If I missed out anyone, do let me know (or leave a comment with a link to the profile!)\n\n\n#1 \u2013 \nSuyin Ong\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWatch these videos:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 \nMy Personal Finances\n\n\n \nWatch these videos:\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 \nMr Money TV\n\n\n\n\nWatch these videos:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013\u00a0 \nKCLau.com\n\n\n\n\nWatch these videos:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 \nCF Lieu\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nWatch these videos:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 \nRinggitPlus\n\n\n\n\nWatch these videos:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#7 \u2013 \niMoney\n\n\n\n\nWatch these videos:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#8 \u2013 \nHu$tlr\n\n\n\n\nWatch these videos:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nDid I miss anyone? Probably, yes. I\u2019m sure there are more awesome channels on Youtube out there that talks about not just personal finance, but also self-development and business tips. If they (or you) are not included in, please leave a comment so we can check it out \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nRelated:\n\n\n\n\n12 Malaysia-Based Personal Finance Twitter Accounts to Follow\n\n\n21 Malaysia-Based Personal Finance Instagrammers You Should Follow\n\n\nRinggit Oh Ringgit YT channel\n (there\u2019s only one video as of time of writing \u2013 I\u2019m working on it!)\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/pidm-function-just-in-case/", "title": "The \u2018Just-In-Case\u2019 Things PIDM Plans For [SPONSORED]\n  ", "body": "Have you ever thought of how \u2018offence\u2019 and \u2018defence\u2019 look like, within the personal finance context? Society at large likes to over glorify Offence moves because, well, it\u2019s exciting.\n\n\nLet me show you some examples:\n\n\n\n\nStarting a new side-business is \nOffence\n. Having enough savings that are enough to keep your family afloat even if the venture fails is \nDefence\n.\n\n\nTaking the initiative to ask for a raise is \nOffence\n. Having valuable skill sets and sizable savings, just in case it didn\u2019t work out is \nDefence\n.\n\n\nDipping your toes in high-risk investments or trading activities is \nOffence\n. Having the majority of your net worth still locked up in low-to-medium risk long-term investments is \nDefence\n.\n\n\n\n\nMakes sense, right? If you\u2019re lucky, your Offence will pay off. But if you\u2019re not, well that\u2019s what Defence is for.\n\n\nHere\u2019s one more Offence/Defence you should know: Thriving financial ecosystem which constantly shifts to adapt to new situations is solidly \nOffence\n. Protecting consumers in case any of the risk-taking activities didn\u2019t pay off is \nDefence\n.\n\n\nPIDM is the Defence for that particular situation\n.\n\n\nIf PIDM Didn\u2019t Exist, a Short Story\n\n\n\n\nLet me paint you a picture of what *might* happen if PIDM didn\u2019t exist.\n\n\nYou are the typical, contributing member of society. You go to work, you pay your bills, you care for your family.\n\n\nLike everyone else, you keep the majority of your money in banks because it\u2019s safer and banks can be trusted. Millions of other Malaysians also use their services and plus they have been around for decades, their reputation is solid. You might even keep some of their stocks (directly through the stock market, or indirectly through mutual funds or unit trusts).\n\n\nYou are confident that you\u2019ll be able to access your own money whenever you want. In fact, the idea of NOT being able to access and use your own money didn\u2019t even cross your mind. Why would it? Something like that never happened before. Not here, not in Malaysia.\n\n\nAn unforeseen incident happens. The bank you\u2019re using informs you that they\u2019re very sorry for the inconvenience, but they\u2019re closing down.\n\n\nOh no!, you think. But no matter. I\u2019ll simply withdraw my money and put it elsewhere. Life doesn\u2019t change, only my bank does.\n\n\nSorry, we don\u2019t have your money, says the bank. We\u2019ve gone bankrupt. We don\u2019t have enough cash to give back. We\u2019re truly sorry.\n\n\nThat can\u2019t be, you say. You have my money! Give it back!\n\n\nAny inconvenience is regretted, says the bank.\n\n\n(This might be the point that you learned that yes, while the bank does keep all your deposits, they don\u2019t simply keep the cash lying around. They lend it out to borrowers. They make investments. Your deposits exist in their records, but may not be available for all depositors to make immediate withdrawals at the same time. This is just how banking works.)\n\n\nThis alternate reality isn\u2019t that far off from true reality. Banks can and have gone bankrupt. \nThis long list\n compiles banks that were acquired or bankrupted in 2007-2009 alone, during the Great Recession.\n\n\nWhen these banks failed, people felt very let down. They lined up in the streets to try to get back their money from bank branches. Bank employees lost their livelihood. In some cases, senior executives and ministers were prosecuted.\n\n\nBut we have PIDM in Malaysia. PIDM is exactly the defence mechanism that is in place *IF* a bank fails.\n\n\nWhat PIDM Planned For\n\n\nThe financial consumer protection system is one of PIDM\u2019s purposes, as mandated under Akta Perbadanan Insurans Deposit Malaysia (PIDM Act). They are the Government agency that is pure Defence in nature. As one of Malaysia\u2019s financial safety net players alongside Bank Negara Malaysia and the Ministry of Finance, PIDM is part of the reason why Malaysia\u2019s financial ecosystem is strong and stable.\n\n\nWhat PIDM show you:\n\n\n\n\nWhat PIDM didn\u2019t show you: The work that goes behind the scenes to ensure that PIDM is well-prepared to undertake a bank failure, no matter how remote it would seem right now.\n\n\n(In this way, it\u2019s similar to medical insurance. You take it, but not having to use it is the \nbest case\n scenario)\n\n\n\n\nSo What Exactly Will Happen IF a Bank Fails?\n\n\n97% of depositors will get their money back in full, promptly.\n\n\nThe speed is important, and that is part of PIDM\u2019s work. Their job is to ensure that you, the depositor, can go on with your banking activities with minimal disruptions.\n\n\nWith PIDM\u2019s protection in place, your money will be refunded without the need to submit any claims; the process is automatic. According to the PIDM Act, PIDM is obligated to do this no longer than three months from the date of the winding-up order (But PIDM said they have the means to reimburse you much earlier than that. Just wait for official announcements from PIDM \nwhen\n if the time comes.)\n\n\nHow about the remaining 3%, you ask? These are people who have more than RM250,000 in \neach\n applicable deposit account. They\u2019ll be fine, don\u2019t worry about them.\n\n\n(Jk jk. They can file a claim to recover unprotected sums. But yes if this is a problem for you, please read this article outlining \nthe scope of PIDM\u2019s protection\n so you can optimise your finances for maximum PIDM protection.)\n\n\nThe grand total you need to pay for this amazing service? The huge sum of\u2026 \nfree\n. No charge to you. PIDM member banks and insurance/takaful companies contribute to PIDM\u2019s protection fund so if anyone tells you of any PIDM charge is a scammer (tell your parents/grandparents this, they might not know!). See some examples of posts/words/images used by scammers in PIDM\u2019s \nFinancial Consumer Alert\n page.\n\n\nNever forget Defence\n\n\nGoing back to the Offence/Defence analogy. As I said, we as a society over glorify Offence a lot.\n\n\nSometimes it can be downright \nharmful\n \u2013 stories like \u2018I used my credit card to start a new business and it worked out!\u2019 or \u2018I quit my job with no savings and it worked out\u2019 is really bad IMO. For every one person who successfully \u2018worked it out\u2019, \nmany others went bankrupt and had to sell their homes and cars\n.\n\n\nSo, if you haven\u2019t, start thinking of \nDefence\n whenever you attempt an \nOffence\n. If whatever you\u2019re attempting works out, good. If not, hey you\u2019ll avoid the worst-case scenario.\n\n\nAs for PIDM \u2013 thank you for the Defence work. In the nicest way possible, I hope we never get to use whatever you planned, in case of a member bank failure. Amin.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/pidm-perbadanan-insurans-deposit-malaysia/", "title": "[SPONSORED] What Does PIDM Do and Why Should YOU Care?\n  ", "body": "When Perbadanan Insurans Deposit Malaysia \u2013 PIDM for short \u2013 contacted me about doing a paid collaboration, I was confused. Unlike other sponsored post inquiries I get, PIDM has no products or services to sell. If anything, their services are (1) free and (2) automatic.\n\n\nThen they told me their reasons. They\u2019re to:\n\n\n\n\nPromote awareness\n on PIDM\u2019s protection services so that people are assured that their deposits, takaful and insurance benefits are safe;\n\n\nInform which \nfinancial products are protected\n to prevent scams by unscrupulous parties, and;\n\n\nLet people know what they should do IN CASE their \nbanks, takaful and insurance companies go bankrupt\n (stay calm, see #3).\n\n\n\n\nSo apparently \u2013 and I didn\u2019t know about this before \u2013 there are people out there who scam your family and friends because they don\u2019t know about PIDM?? That is horrible! And this is why PIDM wants to tell the public who they are and what they do!\n\n\nSo I said yes, and together we created this plain-English article about what PIDM does.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 First of all, the Top 5 things about PIDM\u2019s protection that you should know\n\n\n\n\nThere are \ntwo protection systems\n: \nDeposit Insurance System\n (abbreviated to DIS) and \nTakaful and Insurance Protection System\n (TIPS). The former protects your deposits in the bank, while the latter protects your takaful or insurance benefits.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\ufeff\n\n\n\n\nAgain, both DIS and TIPS are \n(1) free and (2) automatic\n. You don\u2019t have to pay anyone. You don\u2019t have to do anything.\n\n\nThis is meant to \nprotect you\n in case the banks, takaful and insurance companies you use go bankrupt. Not that the scenario is likely to happen, but IF it does, your money and takaful and insurance benefits are still safe no worries.\n\n\nYour \ndeposits are insured up to RM250,000\n with banks in Malaysia. IMPORTANT: Different account structures can be \nprotected separately\n. Go ahead and open different account types to get the max protection amount of RM250,000 for each account. See the example below:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYour \ntakaful and insurance benefits are protected up to RM500,000\n (for death, permanent disability, critical illness, loss or damage of property), up to \nRM10,000 for disability and annuity income per month\n, and \n100% of expenses incurred for medical expenses\n. See some example calculations \nhere\n.\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 You DON\u2019T have to pay for PIDM\u2019s protection\n\n\nNow that you know, walk away from any company or organisation that shill \u2018PIDM protection services\u2019. Better yet, notify to the relevant authorities (Bank Negara Malaysia, the police, consumer associations, etc) so they can investigate and if necessary, take action.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 When do you actually need to contact PIDM?\n\n\nYou can contact these fine folks if you need information about what they do, ask what kinds of products are covered or not covered (or see #5), and more.\n\n\nYou DON\u2019T need to contact PIDM if IF the bank/takaful/insurance company you use go bankrupt. Here\u2019s what to do instead:\n\n\n\n\nStep 1: Stay calm \u2013 you don\u2019t need to go to your bank/takaful/insurance company.\n\n\nStep 2: Wait for PIDM\u2019s announcements on how, where and when payment will made (in the case of a bank going bankrupt).\n\n\nStep 3: Follow the instructions as per the announcements.\n\n\nStep 4: Get your money back, live your life as usual.\n\n\n\n\nPIDM will reimburse your deposits as soon as possible to ensure that you will have uninterrupted access to your funds.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Is your bank and insurer a PIDM member?\n\n\nA big part of understanding PIDM\u2019s protection is knowing WHO members of PIDM are. If they\u2019re not a member, the products that you have with those financial organisations are not protected.\n\n\nHere\u2019s the \nlist of member banks\n.\n\n\nAnd here\u2019s the \nlist of insurer members\n.\n\n\nProtip: A quick way to check if the company is under PIDM is to look out for the membership sign below at any of their branches.\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Everything that is NOT covered under PIDM (even if your bank/takaful/insurance is a PIDM member)\n\n\nYour funds are not protected if:\n\n\nA) They\u2019re deposited into non-member banks, like:\n\n\n\n\nInvestment banks\n\n\nOverseas branches of member banks\n\n\nDevelopment financial institutions and cooperative banks (like Agro Bank, BSN, etc)\n\n\nAll non-bank financial intermediaries such as provident and pension funds, co-operative societies, housing credit institutions and building societies which are not supervised or regulated by Bank Negara Malaysia (EPF, etc)\n\n\n\n\nB) You use these types of financial products and services:\n\n\n\n\nDeposits not payable in Malaysia\n\n\nInterbank money market placements\n\n\nNegotiable instruments of deposit (NIDs) and other bearer deposits\n\n\nGold-related investment products and accounts\n\n\nUnit trusts, shares, stocks\n\n\nRepurchase agreements\n\n\n\n\nC) By the way, these takaful and insurance benefits are not protected too:\n\n\n\n\nTakaful certificates and insurance policies denominated in foreign currencies\n\n\nLoss of profit, pecuniary loss incurred due to acts of dishonesty by employees and damage payable for professional negligence\n\n\nInvestment portion of investment-linked takaful certificates or insurance policies\n\n\n\n\nNote: Just because they\u2019re not covered under PIDM, doesn\u2019t mean they don\u2019t have their own protective measures, too.\n\n\n#6 \u2013 PIDM-approved money hacks\n\n\nSo by now you know that some types of deposits and takaful/insurance benefits are protected by PIDM, and some are not. Here are some tips from PIDM on maximising your protection.\n\n\n\n\nAlways ask\n your bank or takaful and insurance agents if the financial product you are getting is protected by PIDM. Banks are obligated to tell you if a product is protected. When in doubt, contact PIDM.\n\n\nOpen multiple types of accounts\n to get protection up to RM250,000 each. Spread your savings across different banks, split them into conventional and Islamic accounts, open joint accounts \u2013 all these will work.\n\n\nEven if you have more than RM250,000 in one bank, you can still \nfile a claim\n to the liquidator to recover your money IF your bank/takaful/insurance provider goes bankrupt.\n\n\nReminder that the \u2018if\u2019 really is a big \u2018IF\u2019 because banks/takaful/insurance companies going bankrupt is pretty unlikely. But, you know, \u2018trust in God, but tie your camel\u2019 and all.\n\n\n\n\nLast Words\n\n\nNow that I know more about PIDM, here\u2019s what I\u2019m going to do with the information:\n\n\n\n\nKeep using more than one bank, just in case;\n\n\nMake sure my main savings accounts are always, always with PIDM-protected member banks;\n\n\nNot going to panic in case one of them goes bankrupt;\n\n\nIf I have more than RM250,000 in deposits (I don\u2019t, but InsyaAllah), I\u2019ll open different types of accounts to get every inch of that money protected;\n\n\nFactor the max amount protected for insurances I pick into consideration;\n\n\nReport anyone who sells \u2018PIDM protection services\u2019, because those are probably scams, and I hate scams.\n\n\n\n\nAside from that, can I just say what an awesome security measure this is for Malaysians? Nice job, Malaysian government. This part, I like.\n\n\nWhat do YOU know about PIDM before reading this article?\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/productivity-tips/", "title": "3 Productivity Tips Women (and Men) MUST Know\n  ", "body": "On 1st November 2020, I had the extreme pleasure to collaborate with one of my favourite Malaysians, \nAinie Haziqah\n in her Sunday Nights with AH live session. Aside from being the Managing Partner at law firm Nurainie Haziqah & Co, she also co-founded \nHappy Bank NGO\n AND \nGirl2Leader Malaysian chapter\n AND \nHuman Aid Selangor NGO\n AND \nKitaLearn\n AND \nWanita Muda Negara\n.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n on \nOct 29, 2020 at 3:09am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOur chosen topic was Productivity Tips for Women, and even though I feel inadequate to talk about this topic next to her, I know I can at least contribute a little bit. At the very least, I know I scored 65 out of 105 in the Pozen Productivity Test,\u00a0a 21-question survey based on seven habits of productivity:\n\n\n\n\ndeveloping daily routines\n\n\nplanning your schedule\n\n\ncoping with messages\n\n\ngetting a lot done\n\n\nrunning effective meetings\n\n\nhoning communication skills\n\n\nand delegating tasks to others\n\n\n\n\n(To be fair, some of the questions are not applicable to me so that reduced my score a little bit \u2013 I don\u2019t work in a team, don\u2019t attend regular meetings and have no subordinates to delegate work to. You can find our your productivity score and take the test yourself \nhere\n.)\n\n\nThe topic of productivity is not a new one, but here I want to emphasise these are tips that \nwomen\n should know. Generally speaking, you have less time to work with for personal development, because society imposes the burden of \nunpaid care work to you \n\u2013 you do 70% of it. Your work in childcare, elderly care and housework is regarded as free, invisible, and not compensated in monetary value.\n\n\nAs much as I want to say \u2018don\u2019t do it\u2019, I know that caring for others gives you (and me) is sometimes unavoidable and may even give a lot of joy and fulfilment, so like it or not we have to be smart with our time (and our choice in spouse).\n\n\n\n\n#0 \u2013 Unseen productivity boosters\n\n\nBefore we get into the meat of the topic, I want to bring up one fact which many people forget: privilege boosts productivity levels.\n\n\nIt is NOT REALISTIC to compare your productivity output to someone who:\n\n\n\n\nHas a person/a whole team working behind the scenes (domestic helper; driver; personal assistant; employees etc)\n\n\nHas a supportive spouse and/or domestic helper who takes over household responsibilities and caring duties when needed\n\n\nHas no or minimal caring duties (healthy parents; healthy, responsible and self-sufficient children)\n\n\nLives near to work or works from home (no commute = more time!)\n\n\nHas invested a lot of money in time-saving and long-lasting gadgets and equipment\n\n\n\n\nPersonally, I think my productivity has a lot to do with the fact that I am childless, blessed with healthy parents and \nwork from home\n. Ainie has a team.\n\n\nWhat I\u2019m trying to say is\u2026 don\u2019t compare, your best is good enough. After all, comparison is the thief of joy.\n\n\nOkay, with that disclaimer, let\u2019s go the first productivity tip,\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Note-taking\n\n\nNote-taking habit is my #1 productivity tip. I swear by it \u2013 I can\u2019t live without it! The feeling of dumping information on paper so it no longer takes up space in your head\u2026 unbeatable. I save so much time and frustration when I can quickly retrieve information!\n\n\nI write all sorts of things in my notebook. Aside from the money stuff (related: \n17 Things to Include in Your Money Journal\n), I also maintain a groceries system to \navoid food waste\n, write out article outlines, pour my heart out in mental health checks (both using \nfree-writing\n method; highly recommend) and more.\n\n\nI\u2019m aware that note-taking isn\u2019t a particularly revolutionary tip, but I have additional protips:\n\n\n\n\nBuy undated planners\n. Yearly or dated planners are hard to re-use, and if you \u2018fall off the wagon\u2019 (as we often do \u2013 no worries life happens), you won\u2019t waste pages. Also, you won\u2019t know how many pages you actually need. Personally, I go through 1 full notebook every 9 or 10 months.\n\n\nStationaries junkies and note-taking junkies aren\u2019t necessarily the same crowd.\n If you have no patience or obsession for stationaries (like me), then don\u2019t force yourself to make \u2018pretty\u2019 notes. Take notes that work. I use ONE multi-colour pen and stuck a bunch of post-its at the back of the notebook, to differentiate notes and to cover mistakes, respectively.\n\n\nUse hardcover notebook\n. This is non-negotiable for me. So much easier to write on than softcover. It is also a must for everyone who is ganas with their belonging!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nSnapping some pages of my well-utilised @summorieco notebook (received as gift! I\u2019m too cheap to buy premium notebooks!) for my and your reference. Some notes I make include: . \ud83d\udd39My goals and its trackers \ud83d\udd39My top character strengths \ud83d\udd39Groceries and food I made from them + ideas of what to make and what ran out \ud83d\udd39Tracking food and calories \ud83d\udd39Article ideas and editorial calendar \ud83d\udd39Fave quotes \ud83d\udd39Lessons from workshops, events, online content . My handwriting, note-taking and journaling method is not pretty, but it works, at least for me \ud83d\ude42 . #plannermalaysia #notebookMalaysia #howiplan #malaysiablogger #contentcreatormalaysia #planneraddictmalaysia\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nJan 2, 2020 at 11:23pm PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Protect your flow state\n\n\nShort, focused work in flow state > long hours filled with distractions.\n\n\nScience backs it up: Flow is described as a state of \ncomplete immersion in an activity\n; you can get a LOT done if you reach this state. I know it sounds like a woo-hoo thing, but it\u2019s true. And flow is not just for work either \u2013 it\u2019s any activity, including learning, networking and even resting.\n\n\nPeople use all sorts of strategies to eliminate distractions in order to achieve flow state, from the practical \u2018put phone on silent\u2019 all the way to enforcing intentional time limit (like \nPomodoro Technique\n) to \u2018\nwake up at 5am\n (do work while everyone else is asleep)\u2019. The tips that work ranges, because everyone\u2019s distractions are different.\n\n\nFor some people, especially caregivers, distractions are not possible to completely eliminate. However, here are some tips compiled by some parents:\n\n\n\n\nHire a babysitter or enlist help from family members, if available and possible\n\n\nInstruct children to ONLY come to you during specified times, unless of course if blood is involved. I\u2019ll backlink this when I find it again, but I recall this one mother using the family meeting method \u2013 bring up everything during once-a-week family meetings, which quickly gets sorted/delegated\n\n\nWear crazy hats and/or earphones to signal you\u2019re working and cannot be disturbed (again, unless blood is involved)\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Automate, Optimise, Outsource, Eliminate\n\n\nIf you can automate, optimise, outsource and eliminate housework, do it. Some ways include:\n\n\n\n\nGet gadgets: Robot vacuum cleaner, washer/dryer, etc\n\n\nHire regular house cleaning and/or laundry service\n\n\nDo meal-planning and meal-prepping: plenty of videos on Youtube showing you how to do bulk-cooking once a week\n\n\nGetting groceries delivered\n\n\nPracticing minimalism so you have less to clean/maintain/fix in general\n\n\nVoluntarily choose the childfree lifestyle (not for everyone obv; I\u2019m pro-whichever situation where the children are wanted and loved)\n\n\n\n\nMen, you might want to take this part seriously. \nThese chores tend to be invisible to you\n, and you don\u2019t do your fair share. A lot of women \u2013 especially working women \u2013 feels resentment over the unequal contribution of housework. Resentment breeds contempt, which is the \nbiggest predictor of divorce\n.\n\n\nHaving said that, women should know that men face problems that you don\u2019t know about, because they won\u2019t tell you about it. It\u2019s hard for men to break away from the \u2018I\u2019m a man so I must suffer in silence, never show weakness\u2019 mentality. \n85% of stonewallers in a heterosexual relationship are men\n.\n\n\nI don\u2019t know about you, but this gives me the motivation to work hard so I can comfortably afford to automate, optimise, outsource and eliminate where possible. If my relationship still doesn\u2019t work out, then I know I gave it a fighting chance.\n\n\nHow do YOU protect your time, focus and energy?\n\n\nWhat productivity tip works for you? Which ones doesn\u2019t? What is your biggest barrier to focused, uninterrupted work? Let me know in the comments!\n\n\nWatch our full talk here (includes Ainie\u2019s personal productivity tips!):\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nGuest : Suraya Zainuddin, Founder of RinggitOhRinggit.com\n\n\nA post shared by \n Ainie Haziqah\n (@ainiehaziqah) on \nNov 1, 2020 at 5:34am PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/restricted-movement-order-malaysia/", "title": "13 Things to Do During Restricted Movement Order in Malaysia\n  ", "body": "Restricted Movement Order just started, but I admit I\u2019m already restless.\n\n\nBut\u2026 I refuse to complain about it. Whatever I\u2019m facing is minor \u2013 so minor \u2013 compared to what the frontliners are facing. Staying home is the least I can do.\n\n\nIn this article, I compiled some things we can all do during the Restricted Movement Order.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Work from home\n\n\nAs you know, the Restricted Movement Order demands people who are not part of essential sectors to just stay home and do their work from home. We just have to assume we ourselves are infected and limit our exposure to other people so we don\u2019t infect them.\n\n\nEasier said than done though. I was already working from home before this, and the transition is minimal, if any, and I still find myself unable to focus on the work.\n\n\n\n\nI don\u2019t know how people get any work done. Am constantly anxious and distracted and glued to my phone\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nMarch 20, 2020\n\n\n\n\nBut hey, like aka work goes on. That\u2019s why I published this article anyway.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Enable your spouse to work as well\n\n\n\n\nYou have work to do. Your spouse have work to do as well. Enable them.\n\n\nFact: divorce rates increased after the lockdown in China. Want to avoid? Do your part in cooking, cleaning and childminding.\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Find out new COVID-19 updates\n\n\nI\u2019m getting my updates mainly from social media (primarily Twitter and Facebook). How about you?\n\n\nAm learning so much about:\n\n\n\n\nLocal updates (number of new cases, new instructions, financial assistance and support etc)\n\n\nGlobal updates (number of new cases, vaccine development, how different countries are handling the situation etc)\n\n\nWhat billionaires are doing and AREN\u2019T doing (Read: \nWhat are the top 100 billionaires doing to help with the Coronavirus crisis? by Brek Throo\n)\n\n\n(Awaiting a similar post with Malaysian twist)\n\n\nAnd also, how useless and nonessential many \u2018important\u2019 people are\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhen this is over, let\u2019s remember that it wasn\u2019t the CEOs and billionaires who saved us. It was the janitors, nurses, grocery, and food workers.\n\n\n\u2014 Mohamad Safa (@mhdksafa) \nMarch 19, 2020\n\n\n\n\nOf course, while I\u2019m getting all these updates, I\u2019m also having fun seeing netizens bash wealthy individuals. You know, the tone-deaf, didn\u2019t-check-their-privilege ones who wonder why people are *not* social distancing when its sO eAsY, while they\u2019re self-isolating in their big houses.\n\n\nIf you like posts like these, follow my Twitter \n@surayaror\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Be part of the #KitaJagaKita movement\n\n\nPlease donate generously to the many organisations helping those who are most affected by COVID-19!\n\n\nIf you can\u2019t help via financial or time donation, you can also help via promoting and sharing the website: \nhttps://www.kitajaga.us/\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Be part of Caremongering Malaysia \u2013 Community Response to COVID-19\n\n\nHelp to buy and drop off groceries, medicine and other supplies to the elderly and people with limited mobility near you.\n\n\nJoin at: \nhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/653716671867349/\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Check up on your friends and family\n\n\nSocial distancing is weird since we humans are inherently social creatures. But we gotta do what we gotta do.\n\n\nSpare a thought for the extroverts. I think they\u2019re finding it harder than the introverts and they need you now more than ever\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nWe\u2019re all in this together.\n\n\nA post shared by \n Introvert, Dear\n (@introvertdear) on \nMar 14, 2020 at 1:09pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Take care of your own mental health\n\n\nSee, I\u2019m young, healthy, financially stable (ish), and I\u2019m still anxious af. Can\u2019t imagine how other people are going through all this. Trying to be positive is harder than usual, and I\u2019m a natural optimist.\n\n\nI don\u2019t know about you, but I\u2019ve downloaded a couple of meditation apps, and going through mindfulness playlists on Spotify.\n\n\nI\u2019m also free-writing. That\u2019s journaling without thinking about what to write. It\u2019s nice to just get it all out, I highly recommend it.\n\n\n#8 \u2013 Take advantage of paid entertainment now provided for free\n\n\nOr you can go the other route and entertain yourself as the world is falling apart. For example, Scribd is giving free access at \nhttps://www.scribd.com/readfree\n\n\n\n\nAnd iflix\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nTak perlu isi borang \ud83d\ude09 Kami bagi akses iflixVIP tanpa sebarang caj kepada semua! Gunakan kod tertera dan tebus sekarang di iflix.com/redeem #iflixVIP #iflix #perintahkawalanpergerakan #Covid19 #Coronovirus #Lockdown\n\n\nA post shared by \n iflix Malaysia\n (@iflixmy) on \nMar 18, 2020 at 9:00pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPlease share more in the comments section \ud83d\ude00\n\n\n#9 \u2013 Learn stuff\n\n\nIf you have the mental capacity to learn high-demand skills like programming and content marketing, go ahead.\n\n\nIf not, you can also learn more practical stuff like how to cook frugal meals.\n\n\nPersonally, I\u2019m taking some time to do stuff I\u2019ve always wanted to do, like downloading TikTok. (For purely marketing reasons I assure you).\n\n\n#10 \u2013 Read the books you already bought but haven\u2019t read\n\n\nYou heard me.\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nWhat\u2019s On My Bookshelf: What I Read and HIGHLY RECOMMEND\n\n\n#11 \u2013 Finally start your website\n\n\nWho wants to (finally) start a website? Now\u2019s a good time as ever to do it. You can do:\n\n\n\n\nA blog \u2013 lots of people looking for things to read/consume. Related:\u00a0\n6 Personal Finance Blog Ideas, Absolutely Free for You to Take\n\n\n(For businesses) A website for your business\n\n\n(For freelancers and self-employed) A website that acts as a work portfolio \u2013 time to step it up. A professional website may help you get clients\n\n\n\n\nYou just need hosting/domain + website design theme. It should cost you roughly RM800ish (for 3 years) + a few hours in setup time.\n\n\nStep-by-step guide in \nThe Exact Steps I Use to Earn Money from Blogging\n (it says blogging but will work for other types of websites too).\n\n\nDm me if you get stuck, I can do (virtual) handholding \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n#12 \u2013 Do online shopping\n\n\nYou\u2019re already doing this anyway aren\u2019t you. I heard that online sales went up, especially for categories like fitness equipment, stuff for home office setup and childrens\u2019 toys (and adult toys too \u2013 interpret that however you wish).\n\n\nAll I can say is, bless \nMr DIY\n for still opening their online store.\n\n\n#13 \u2013 Support small businesses\n\n\nIf you can online-shop (and offline-shop with precaution) with small businesses, please do so. It\u2019s already hard for them to compete with big businesses in normal times. I can imagine its much harder for them now, without cashflow, minimal cash reserve and limited manpower to spend on marketing efforts.\n\n\nPersonally I\u2019m also affected. RinggitOhRinggit is also a small business. I was planning the launch of 2 books but have to delay until a better time.\n\n\n\n\nI want to launch Money Stories from Malaysians Volume 2 and Cerita Duit Orang Malaysia Jilid 1 but I don\u2019t know if this is a good time \ud83d\ude25\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nMarch 18, 2020\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m aware its not just me. Other authors are affected as well\n\n\n\n\nSorry to say, coming from a reliable source, people are not really willing to spend on books on a time like these. But please support bookstores and authors!!\n\n\n\u2014 theRealGem (@dewgem) \nMarch 18, 2020\n\n\n\n\nBut its okay. Business can wait. I was also reading somewhere that it\u2019s okay to not be productive during these times, its okay to just merely survive. Some people won\u2019t. Literally.\n\n\nWhat are you during Restrictive Movement Order period?\n\n\nTell me what you\u2019re up to. What other activities are you doing? Let me know in the comments section.\n\n\nAs always please help me share my articles \ud83d\ude42 It\u2019s an easy way to support an independent content creator.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/retirees-in-malaysia/", "title": "[SPONSORED] What Actual Retirees in Malaysia Say About Retirement\n  ", "body": "In my previous \nsponsored post about retirement\n, I talked about the importance of saving up for retirement, because the fact is that the majority of Malaysians don\u2019t have enough money to support their golden years.\n\n\nWho best can show you the reality of retirement, than actual retirees in Malaysia? Here are 3 retirees, and what they\u2019re doing now to financial support themselves.\n\n\nThe original article appears here\n. Read it. It contains more details of these retirees.\n\n\nMr Moothy. Age: 65. Spent EPF money for family. Returned to workforce.\n\n\n\n\nMr Moorthy bought property, but had to liquidate it to help his children\u2019s finances. Because of a parent\u2019s love, he had to return back to the workforce.\n\n\nThe consequences of not saving for ourselves can affect our parents.\n\n\nMr Haris. Age: 57. No EPF savings (self-employed). Still working.\n\n\n\n\nMr Haris is self-employed, and still works to support himself and his dependents. This scares me, as I am self-employed as well, which means I don\u2019t have the \u2018paksarela\u2019 11% deduction every month.\n\n\nIf you\u2019re self-employed, channel a percentage to EPF savings anyway. And have some \npassive incomes\n to help you.\n\n\nMrs Cheng. Age: 74. Survives on late husband\u2019s minimal pension. Depends on daughters.\n\n\n\n\nMrs Cheng stays with her daughter. Her financial position can be summed up in two words: filial piety. It\u2019s not uncommon for us as Asians to expect this.\n\n\nThis is a poor strategy though. What if you don\u2019t have children to depend on, by choice or by force?\n\n\nConclusion\n\n\nAre you on track to retire without money worries? Go to \nthe original article\n\u00a0and find out\u00a0more about the reality of being retirees in Malaysia, and more about Mr Moorthy, Mr Haris, and Mrs Cheng\u2019s life.\n\n\nThis article was written in collaboration with \nCompareHero\n. To stay up to date with the latest news on personal finance in Malaysia, please follow\u00a0\nCompareHero Facebook Page\n.\u00a0\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/retirement-in-malaysia/", "title": "[SPONSORED] Retirement in Malaysia \u2013 Will You Fight or Flight?\n  ", "body": "Earlier this month, I was contacted by \nCompareHero\n, who wanted my opinion on retirement in Malaysia. This is what I said:\n\n\n\u201cNot being able to afford retirement is scary to me. I can\u2019t imagine how unbelievably stuck that must feel. I don\u2019t want to be 60 and in pain but have to push myself to go to work every single day just to be able to pay for medical bills.\n\n\nThis is why I am a big fan of EPF, PRS and achieving financial freedom. And if the maths say I must start now, in my 20s, then I guess I must start now. Maths doesn\u2019t lie!\u201d\n\n\nLink to original article\n.\n\n\nHere are some things that I learned from the article.\n\n\nEPF Basic Savings for retirement has increased from RM196,800 to RM228,000 \n\n\nAccording to the latest revision in 2014, to take info account higher cost of living and longer life expectancy, the amount that an individual now need in their EPF Basic Savings is now RM228,000.\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nYou can benchmark your EPF savings progress\n\n\nRM228,000 at 55 years old feels like a long time away, but you can check your progress towards this amount based on the image below.\n\n\nCheck your EPF statement (I know some places have that easy EPF printers where it\u2019ll print out your statement with just IC). Are you on track?\n\n\n\n\nThe easiest way to keep on track is to maintain 11% deduction instead of 8%. The difference is pretty big \u2013 see example below with RM3500 monthly salary.\n\n\n\n\nMost people don\u2019t have enough EPF savings\n\n\nThe current statistics about Malaysians\u2019 average savings are quite sad. According to the image below, only 1 in 5 of you will have enough savings to retire (but only enough to last 5 years! Assuming you retire at 55 and live until 75 years old \u2013 the \naverage Malaysians\u2019 life expectancy\n \u2013 \nyou only have enough money for 5 out of 20 years\n).\n\n\n\n\nSignificantly, almost 7 out of 10 Malaysians over the age of 54 years old have less than RM50000 in savings. Assuming RM1000 a month, that will last just slightly over 4 years!\n\n\nAre you on track to retire comfortably in Malaysia? Go to \nthe original article \nand find out if you can actually survive on RM1000 a month and how EPF works.\n\n\nThis article was written in collaboration with \nCompareHero\n. To stay up to date with the latest news on personal finance in Malaysia, please follow\u00a0\nCompareHero Facebook Page\n.\u00a0\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/scxsc20/", "title": "[SPONSORED] 5 Sessions You\u2019ll Want to Attend at SCxSC20\n  ", "body": "My fellow fintech nerds, where you at? Securities Commission Malaysia\u2019s annual fintech event is back, and this year they\u2019re taking it virtual!\u00a0\n\n\nSCxSC Fintech Conference 2020 or \nSCxSC20 \nfor short, held in partnership with Rakuten Trade and MDEC will be happening completely online from 5 to 7 October 2020, for the steep price of FREE.\u00a0\n\n\nLike the previous years, the schedule is filled with thematic sessions under the fintech umbrella. This year, the four verticals are: Innovative Technology, SC Digital Initiative, Fintech Entrepreneurship and Fintech Literacy.\u00a0\n\n\nSome of the sessions are *really* cool, I thought I\u2019d list them here, schedule them into your calendar. Here are five sessions that you\u2019ll want to attend at SCxSC20.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 \nInvestment Behavior In Turbulent Times\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHow we behave as an investor during market uncertainty? Heck yes I want to learn that.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nDate\n: 6 October 2020 (Day 2)\n\n\nTime\n: 9.30-10.30 am\n\n\nCategory\n: Fintech Literacy\n\n\nSpeaker\n: \nJeff Kreisler, Editor-in-Chief, PeopleScience\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Crypto Conundrum in Islamic Finance\n\n\n\n\nThis one goes for y\u2019all who\u2019re like, \u2018but is crypto halal\u2019? Cryptocurrencies in the context of Islamic Finance-type content is rare! Also, what is the conundrum? I want to find out!\n\n\n\n\nDate\n: 6 October 2020 (Day 2)\n\n\nTime\n: 2-3 pm\n\n\nCategory\n: SC Digital Initiatives\n\n\n\n\nSpeakers\n:\n\n\n\n\nDatuk Dr Mohd Daud Bakar, Chairman, \nShariah Advisory Council of Securities Commission Malaysia and Bank Negara Malaysia\n\n\nMohamed Elgari, \nShariah Advisor & Former Professor of Islamic Economics King Abdul Aziz University\n\n\nDr Ziyaad Mahomed, \nAsst Prof\u00a0 / Associate Dean and Director of E-Learning and Executive Education, Head of\u00a0 Islamic Social Finance\n\n\nBasheer Ahmad, Senior Manager, Markets, Dubai Financial Services Authority\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 \nBeyond Reality: VR, AR and Gamification in Finance\n\n\n\n\nThe way I see it, these are attempts by the financial services\u2019 industry to make finance fun. How *do* they include VR, AR, AI and all these technologies in finance? That\u2019s what they\u2019ll present in this session.\u00a0\n\n\nAlso: Stay back for the panel right after this session. I\u2019ll be moderating it \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nDate\n: 7 October 2020 (Day 3)\n\n\nTime\n: 9.30-10.10 am (10.10-10.40 am panel session)\n\n\nCategory\n: Innovative Technology\n\n\n\n\nSpeakers\n:\n\n\n\n\nChris Tew, VP Sales Asia Pacific, Artificial Solutions\n\n\nPedro Moura, CEO & Co-Founder, Flourish Savings\n\n\nMark Warrick, Chief Design Officer, Thought Machine\n\n\nDave Ferguson, Co-Founder, Groove Jones\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 \nThe Role of Fintech in Responsible Investing\n\n\nMost people are fundamentally good, and we select investments and financial services that reflect our values. Attend this to know the global standard of responsible investing. The more aware you are as an investor, the more you can \u2018vote with your money\u2019, so to speak.\u00a0\n\n\nDate\n: 7 October 2020 (Day 3)\n\n\n\n\nTime\n: 2-2.30 pm\u00a0\n\n\nCategory\n: SC Digital Initiatives\n\n\nSpeaker\n: \nChris Brycki, Founder & CEO, Stockspot\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 \neBerkat: Enabling Micro Finance Digital Products to the Underserved\n\n\n\n\nBecause you can learn more about \neBerkat\n, MDEC\u2019s digital services platform for B40 and Micro SMEs. Micro SMEs include people who do side businesses\u2026 so that\u2019s you (or Future You), yes?\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nDate\n: 5 October 2020 (Day 1)\n\n\nTime\n: 2-3 pm\n\n\nCategory\n: Fintech Literacy\n\n\n\n\nSpeakers\n:\n\n\n\n\nRonnie Tan, CEO & Managing Director, GAX MD\n\n\nAnkur Jakhwal, Regional Director, Aspirasi (Axiata Digital Capital)\n\n\nWilson Beh, Co-Founder, PolicyStreet\n\n\n\n\nOther sessions at SCxSC20\n\n\nThese are my personal must-attend sessions list for SCxSC20 event this year, but there are more sessions that you may want to attend as well, especially if you\u2019re working in the fintech industry.\u00a0\n\n\nFor example, you might want to go to these sessions as well:\n\n\n\n\nNavigating the \u201cNew Normal\u201d: How has fintech fared through Covid-19 crisis?\u00a0\n\n\nBrave New World: Conceptualising the Future of Modern Financial Architecture\u00a0\n\n\nData Portability: Impact & Opportunities\u00a0\n\n\nAre We A Fit-for-Future Workforce?\n\n\nEvolving Financial Services: Accelerating Industry Digitisation\n\n\n(and a must-attend session for those working in fintech startups) Meet with the Regulators\u00a0\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nClick \nhere\n to register and to view timings of other sessions. Again, all sessions are absolutely FREE to attend.\u00a0\n\n\nMy recommendation\n\n\nIf you\u2019re interested in fintech aka financial technology at all \u2013 as someone contemplating joining this high-growth industry in the future or even as a casual user \u2013 you should absolutely attend \nSCxSC20\n. Last year the ticket was RM100 if not mistaken, and who knows if they\u2019ll start charging again next year, \nif\n when the pandemic is under control.\u00a0\n\n\nI keep telling you to save money and learn as much as possible. With this opportunity you can do both. Jom.\u00a0\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/securities-commission-malaysia/", "title": "5 Interesting Info I Found in the Securities Commission Malaysia Website\n  ", "body": "Some time ago I wrote about how I got bored one day and decided to check out (and write about) the \nBank Negara Malaysia website\n.\n\n\nI got bored again, so here\u2019s an article about me clicking around Securities Commission Malaysia website pulak.\n\n\n(Huh, this can be an ongoing series. I can write about other financial institutions\u2019 websites, why not)\n\n\nSimilar disclaimer here. None of the screenshot-ed images below are mine, they\u2019re taken from the website. Securities Commissions Malaysia team reading this, please don\u2019t sue me *laughs nervously*\n\n\nFirst impression of the \nSecurities Commission Malaysia website\n \u2013 nice and clean layout. Good job website team! (bodek jangan tak bodek)\n\n\nI\u2019m going to cover the home page section by section because it\u2019s damn long.\n\n\nSecurities Commission Malaysia home page\n\n\n\n\n\n\nClear top bar navigation. The website is available in English and Malay\n\n\nRotating slides to share new updates (fuller section: \nMedia Releases and Announcements page\n)\n\n\nA search bar. Ask Aliss? Who\u2019s Aliss?\n\n\nLatest from SC section \u2013 we can see that they post new updates fairly regularly, 3 updates within 2 weeks\n\n\nAn \u2018investor alert\u2019 section, a rotating section showing you some scam entities\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRoles of Securities Commission Malaysia \u2013 Regulate; Develop; Protect\n\n\nA banner to \nInvestSmart\n initiative \u2013 one of the \n19 Financial Education Initiatives in Malaysia You Should Know\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLeft side \u2013 Regulatory highlights\n\n\nRight side \u2013 Most-viewed documents (list goes on longer \u2013 had to halve the image)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nQuick link to \nAnalytics section\n (find whatever data you want here)\n\n\nTweets from Securities Commission Malaysia\n\n\nContact Us section\n\n\nCareers section\n\n\nAnd (finally) Related sites\n\n\n\n\nAlright, with that done, I\u2019m going to share with you some interesting information I found while\u00a0\nleisurely\n clicking around the website. I just want to know what information is in there. Here\u2019s what I found:\n\n\n#1 \u2013\u00a0\nHow\u00a0\nSecurities Commission Malaysia regulate\n\n\nUnder the Regulations tab, you can find out\u00a0\nhow\n Securities Commission Malaysia regulate, ie show private financial companies who\u2019s bawse.\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s all well and good. Nice to know there are all these guidelines. Like I said, I\u2019m doing this for fun so I\u2019m not going too deep into the documents.\n\n\nI found an interesting section here though. If you click Enforcement, there is a \u2018\nHave you seen these people\n\u2018 page, showing pictures, IC no and last-known addresses of Persons Wanted by the SC and List of People Sought to Assist in Investigation.\n\n\n\n\nWoaaaahhh. People with bounty hunter fantasies, you know what to do.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Malaysia Co-Investment Fund (MyCIF)\n\n\nSecurities Commission Malaysia\u2019s Malaysia Co-Investment Fund (MyCIF) is a fund where MyCIF will invest in P2P and ECF campaigns \u2018based on a 1:4 ratio, in which MyCIF will invest RM1 for every RM4 successfully raised from private investors on the MyCIF participants\u2019 platforms\u2019, with maximum contribution of RM500,000.\n\n\n(So basically its to promote companies to raise funds from investors via P2P and ECF platforms. Go to #3 if you don\u2019t know what these are)\n\n\n(Note: ONLY invest from \nrecognised market operators\n)\n\n\nInterested to explore MyCIF? You can access it from Development> Digital> click on Malaysia Co-Investment Fund (MyCIF), or through \nthis link\n.\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Videos page\n\n\nI love this page! The video quality is amazing! Highly recommend you to check it out. Access it via Development>Digital>Videos, or simply click \nhere\n.\n\n\nAt writing time, there are videos on:\n\n\n\n\nDigital Asset Guidelines\n\n\nSCxSC 2019 Highlights (our main annual fintech event)\n\n\nPeer-to-Peer explainer videos\n\n\nEquity Crowdfunding explainer videos\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRelated: My article on \nFunding Societies Malaysia\n, one of the recognised P2P operators in Malaysia\n\n\n#4 \u2013 The List of Unauthorised Websites / Investment Products / Companies / Individuals page\n\n\nAs you continue your investment journey, you will come across lots of \u2018investment opportunities\u2019. It\u2019s not a bad idea to bookmark \nthis page\n (Investor Empowerment> List of Unauthorised Websites / Investment Products / Companies / Individuals)\u00a0 so you can quickly do your due diligence.\n\n\nYou can also inform them of dodgy activities. Contact them at\u00a0 603-6204-8999 or email at \naduan@seccom.com.my\n.\n\n\n\n\nOn that note, you can also check if the person/company you\u2019re dealing with is actually who they say they were in the \nLisenced and Registered Persons page\n. There is a Public Register of Lisence Holder some more.\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Related sites section\n\n\n\n\n\u2026These are organisations worth knowing about. You know some of them, but there are even financial organisations and services which I had NO idea about. In the slides section, there are links to:\n\n\n\n\nBursa Malaysia\n \u2013 check out \nBursa Marketplace\u2019s Mirror, Learn & Trade Platform\n\n\nInvestSmart\n \u2013 Lots of learning materials for investors here\n\n\nPPA/PRS\n \u2013 Private Pensions Administration / Private Retirement Scheme\n\n\nFIMM\n \u2013 Federation of Investment Managers Malaysia\n\n\nSIDREC\n \u2013 Securities Industry Dispute Resolution Centre (\u2018We help resolve disputes between investors and SIDREC Members\u2019)\n\n\nOICV-IOSCO\n \u2013 International Organisation of Securities Commissions (TIL there is such a thing!)\n\n\nCMC\n \u2013 Capital Market Compensation Fund Malaysia (still figuring out what they do)\n\n\nCapital Markets Malaysia\n\n\nBIX Malaysia\n \u2013 Bond and Sukuk Information Exchange (surprisingly colourful page)\n\n\nMinistry of Finance Malaysia\n\n\nBank Negara Malaysia\n \u2013 check out my \n5 Interesting Info I Found in the Bank Negara Malaysia Website\n article \ud83d\ude00\n\n\n\n\nLast words\n\n\nI actually love Securities Commissions Malaysia a lot. Everyone I\u2019ve met there has always been not just professional, but also kind and helpful. Internally I don\u2019t know how la, but as an outsider, I only have good things to say about them.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nThank you to Securities Commission for having me as moderator and speaker during #SCxSC19! It was my absolute honour to moderate the digital investment session and speak in the digital marketing session . The topics this year are the most progressive one yet. I\u2019m so grateful to the people behind Securities Commission Malaysia who curate sessions related to Islamic finance, digital assets (crypto!), serving the undeserved and ethical finance, cybersecurity, new fintech platforms (roboadvisory, p2p lending, equity crowdfunding) in a way that is transparent, inclusive and diverse (they took steps to have more women speakers!) Never been more hopeful of the future of finance in Malaysia tbh . As Tarah Wheeley, AI and cybersecurity expert said during her session \u2013 at the end of the day, humans are the ones who build these fintech tools. Let\u2019s support those who serve, rather than harm, humanity . #fintechmalaysia #securitiescommissionmalaysia #securitiescommission\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nOct 23, 2019 at 1:47am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m going to end this article here. My last question, directed to anyone in the know, is this: Who\u2019s Aliss? Pls I need to know.\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/self-learning-defi/", "title": "I Am Self-Learning DeFi (Decentralised Finance). Here\u2019s Why.\n  ", "body": "\n\nI\u2019ve been a crypto fan since December 2015, but very new to the world of DeFi (Decentralised Finance). Before we begin, let me start with this admission: I don\u2019t quite understand DeFi yet \u2013 it\u2019s very technical and still hard for me to wrap my head around. \n\n\nHowever, in the spirit of \u2018\nwriting it out makes you learn better\n\u2018 and \u2018you don\u2019t have to be an expert to write about user experience and journey\u2019, I accept this challenge. I truly believe DeFi is an important topic for everyone to at least be aware of, even if now is not the right time for you to explore it. I\u2019m also going to share how my journey into DeFi looks like, so you\u2019ll know what to more or less expect when you are ready. \n\n\nHow DeFi works\n\n\nDecentralised Finance or DeFi is \nfinancial services built on top of distributed networks with no central intermediaries\n. Here are some examples:\n\n\n(source: Slide 16, \nDeFi in 2020\n\n\nAt the core of it, DeFi is\u2026 code. Financial transactions go through when the conditions are met, full stop. \nThe same set of rules apply to everyone who uses it\n \u2013 this can be good or bad, but absolutely transparent \u2013 the codes are published and improved upon by community members \nby a consensus mechanism\n (the method differs; some use proof of work, some use proof of stake. Click \nhere\n to learn more)\n\n\nI won\u2019t go too much into how the technology behind decentralised and distributed networks works (click the image below to see the technical differences, if you\u2019re into that kinda thing). Suffice to say, DeFi is very different from the traditional financial system, which has always fallen under the Centralised Network model. \n\n\nImage credit: https://blockchainengineer.com/centralized-vs-decentralized-vs-distributed-network/\n\n\nDon\u2019t get me wrong. The centralised financial system has advantages \u2013 for example, if I lose my funds or get scammed, I can submit a report. \nMy deposits are also protected and insured by PIDM\n.\n It is completely fine to stay within the traditional financial system if you like this assurance\n. \n\n\nAdditionally \u2013 and this is important \u2013 \nthe learning curve to use DeFi platforms is pretty high f\nor people who don\u2019t have (1) financial and/or (2) coding/tech background, neither of which were skills taught in school. You have no choice but to self-learn how everything works. \n\n\nThat brings us to the next part,\n\n\nMy journey in self-learning DeFi \n\n\nThis is how my self-learning journey in DeFi looks like so far (highly simplified):\n\n\nLearn about \nbitcoin\n, the cryptocurrency that started it all\nLearn about ether, the cryptocurrency used in \nEthereum Network\n. Ether is not just a store of value; developers use it to build DApps, or Decentralised Applications. To fully explore DeFi, you need ether because most DeFi platforms are built on Ethereum Network \u2013 buy \nhere\n. \nLearn how \nEthereum Network and smart contracts\n work. I\u2019m not a coder so I\u2019m super lost here but if you are, definitely check out the \nETHKL community group\n \u2013 they organise meetups and stuff. Super friendly people and generous with their knowledge, love them. NEVER ASK THEM ABOUT ETH PRICE, ONLY THE TECH, OR I SLAP YOU\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPlay around various no-code platforms built on blockchain, including Steemit (think Medium but on blockchain) and that time \nI created SurayaCoin\n (no value btw, just for fun)\nLearn about \nstablecoins\n, ie cryptocurrencies that are pegged to a more stable currency (as we know, cryptocurrencies are volatile). USDT or USDTether is easy to understand \u2013 1 USDT = 1 USD. \nI\u2019m still confused about how Dai works\nLost a bunch of money in the process\n. Uncharted territories carry more risk. REMEMBER: Always use play money, not survival money\nLucky enough to see some gains just by hodling, not trading (Read: \nRanked: Lowest to Highest Return on Investment\n).  \nRead \nCoinGecko\u2019s How to DeFi book\n (buy it \nhere\n)\n\n\n\n\nExplore available DeFi platforms and ngl a bit disheartened that many platforms look like they\u2019re not syariah-compliant (for example, you can make money by lending your ETH, but profiting from interest is Riba\u2019, aka haram money)\nDipped my toes in liquidity mining (they call this farming) with A LOT of guidance \u2013 shoutout to Jason Chew, moderator/ambassador of \nAavegotchi Malaysia\n! Note: Aavegotchi itself is a game but exploring it teaches you so much about DeFi ecosystem \n\n\n\n\nPlayed Harvest Moon all my life. Never knew I'd eventually become a DeFi farmer \ud83d\udc69\ud83c\udffb\u200d\ud83c\udf3e \nhttps://t.co/dl2DoYgta9\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nJanuary 30, 2021\n\n\n\n\nThis is where I\u2019m at now, as of the time of writing. I\u2019m still learning. The journey isn\u2019t over. \n\n\nBut why learn it at all? \n\n\nMy motivation to learn about DeFi\n\n\nTo be blunt, my motivation to learn about DeFi is the belief that capitalism (in the way it is playing out now) is screwing all of us common folks, aided by the traditional financial system. \n\n\nRelated: \n4 Things You Should Know About The Financial Ecosystem We Live In\n\n\nThis isn\u2019t new information, it\u2019s been going on for ages. Traditional finance rewards the rich with better access to capital and rates \u2013 that\u2019s why you see the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. Over time, wealth, and by extension, power, is concentrated in the hands of a few. \n\n\nThe wealth part doesn\u2019t actually bother me that much. Many business owners did create and distribute wonderful products and services which make our lives better. One should absolutely profit from innovation and providing value to society.\n\n\nThe part that does bother me though is the way \nthe top 1% ignores how their decisions negatively affect the bottom half, who have no choice but to live with the outcome\n. Some examples:\n\n\nUncontrolled and unsustainable growth contributing to worsening air, water and sound pollution \u2013 so we have to \u2018invest\u2019 in things that cancel them out: expensive air purifiers, water filtration systems, etc\nLiving at places further away from the workplace as we are priced out from sky-high properties in the city, thus spending more time, energy and money on commute\nEmployees being retrenched, have their salaries cut and every inch of productivity squeezed out of them, by business owners who are \nalready \nobscenely rich\nThe rich and well-connected using overly-complicated financial products which can literally cause economic crisis when things go wrong, but get almost no repercussion (hello 2008 Financial Crisis)\n\n\nImportant: This is not a \u2018rich people should do this or that\u2019 article \u2013 who cares what I think, I\u2019m a nobody. This is simply an observation of the way things are. Feeling helpless is an understatement. \n\n\nBut then DeFi comes along, with democratisation of finances as its core value. \n\n\nDeFi, for me, is a way to reduce my reliance on traditional finance, which is heavily influenced by the top 1%. \n\n\nDeFi, for me, is using technology to take back ownership of my financial life, even for a little bit. \n\n\nDeFi, for me, is a way to feel less scared of the future, as the concentration of wealth and power continues.\n\n\nSo that\u2019s why I\u2019m learning DeFi. And why I\u2019m telling you about it. Consider this your awareness stage, so you\u2019re not thrown into the deep end if you do need to use it in the future.\n\n\nAnd you know, *if* I make a few bucks along the way, all the better. Here\u2019s hoping the airdrop game in 2021 will be good as well \u2013 I watched enviously as \nDeFi early adopters get airdrops worth thousands of dollars throughout 2020\n.\n\n\nAre you are learning DeFi as well? Which platforms? What is YOUR motivation? I\u2019d love to hear from you \u2013 leave a comment below!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/silver-linings-coronavirus/", "title": "Malaysians Share 7 Silver Linings from the Coronavirus Pandemic\n  ", "body": "One of my favourite quotes is: change what you can, accept what you can\u2019t.\n\n\nThat quote is more important than ever nowadays. It\u2019s hard AF, but I want to \nchoose\n to change my attitude to this whole coronavirus pandemic. I refuse to play the \u2018woe is me, everything sucks\u2019 game.\n\n\nDon\u2019t get me wrong. I am miserable. MCO sucks. Living alone and being away from loved ones right now sucks. Cancelled plans suck. Feeling helpless sucks. Not knowing when this will end sucks.\n\n\nBut I still want to try and\u00a0\nlive\n. Find the positives wherever and however I can. It\u2019s the only way I \u2013 we \u2013 can cope with this without going mental. I\u2019m already seeing predictions from pandemic specialists on how \nmonths\n of MCO may be necessary. How am I supposed to be productive and creative (and earn money \nduring the recession\n) if I\u2019ve lost it at this early stage?\n\n\nThe thing about feeling negative is it makes it hard for you to think positively. So I turned to the RoR audience for help.\n\n\n\n\nAnd omg, did you DELIVER. What amazing perspectives you had. Thank you so much. I love it so much, I\u2019ve decided to compile them here, so everyone else can also see the silver linings that you saw.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 The Environment takes a breather\n\n\n\n\nMany of you mentioned how the air is fresher without all the pollution. And you can now hear birds chirping more frequently \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nHonestly, I think it\u2019s the time for us to stay at home n let the earth breathe, rejuvenate, rebirth n rebuild the nature. Human beings have taken too much from mother nature without letting it breathe from logging, air pollution, and sea pollution. \n\n\nIts a time for us to all reflect and think for all of us to come together as 1 to build a better world. There must be a reason to why this crisis happen, right? To stop everybody from doing what they do, stay home and really look at what\u2019s happening around us. \u2013 Prescila Cleopatra\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Being part of a historic moment\n\n\nNothing like this has ever happened before. This is THE defining moment of our lifetime. Innovations are happening as we speak, to solve problems that we can\u2019t postpone to another day.\n\n\nThe fall of established businesses, but an opportunity to kicktart/restart a new venture, they are forced to be creative with limited resources to survive (afloat),and explore possibilities they never would\u2019ve thought before. \n\n\nIf they can get through this,they can sustain their businesses in the future, or making their business recession proff.. It\u2019s an acid test that can be an evolution (or innovation) in IR4.0 \u2013 Psyche Says\n\n\nWhat we\u2019re experiencing now will be something we share for DECADES to come\n\n\nStories to tell grandkids about how we survive this \u201cworld war 3\u201d. Think about it, every generation will have their own \u201cwar\u201d to fight, pretty sure our grandparents p\u00f9n didnt see their world war coming. Conclusion is, expect the worst and always be prepared \u2013 Niq Nazmin\n\n\nAnd since we\u2019re spending so much time online, we\u2019re also discovering and appreciating the many variations of art in different formats.\n\n\nPeople are realizing the importance of the arts \u2013 Diyaa Mani\n\n\n\n\n(Found this image frequently shared online. Not sure who is the creator \u2013 let me know if you know, would love to credit them for this image)\n\n\nMy prediction is, after we browse long enough and know what we like (including creators we like), more of us will start paying for premium content. There\u2019s so much browsing one can do before one gets sick of looking for free stuff, when the paid version is exactly what they want.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 The opportunity to test work from home\n\n\nSome of you hate it, but some of you are loving the opportunity to test out work-from-home or telecommuting lifestyle!\n\n\nAs for workers who are \u2018force\u2019 to work from home, it also gives them an experience on what they can accomplish outside the cubicle, and give them time to think and explore other possibilities beyond their normal workdesk. \u2013 Psyche Says\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Generally more time and more opportunities to save money\n\n\nEliminated: work commute (for employees in \u2018non-essential\u2019 services)\n\n\nIntroduced: The opportunity to learn new life skills. Cooking. Baking. Grocery-shopping. Cleaning. Some of you have never done this before, or very rarely, due to your hectic work lifestyle. Now you can, and you are reaping the savings.\n\n\nNo appointments, no events, no need to conduct interviews (for writing articles). As a self-employed writer, I still have my writing & submission deadlines though. \n\n\nBut now, I got more time for myself. I get to prepare my meals & cook more, because I don\u2019t order delivery. I make it a point to exercise once a day. I save money coz not going out \u2013 no need to pay for toll, petrol, parking, etc \u2013 Khor Hui Min\n\n\nWe\u2019re also learning to plan ahead, an essential time management skill. With everything but essential services closed, we have no choice but to learn that life skill, don\u2019t we? It\u2019ll be useful even beyond this.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Re-prioritising what\u2019s important in life\n\n\nI\u2019m happy to see many people took the opportunity to form better relationships with loved ones and good friends.\n\n\nMaking up for the lost time. Busy parents got to spend time with their kids, rekindle their relationship and stronger the bond. No need for luxury vacation, it is free. Also it is much cheaper and healthier to cook at home, eating healthy snacks while watching movies together, and to stay fit they can exercise together at home. \u2013 Psyche Says\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nRealising my \u201cstrong\u201d friends are just human beings. We started forming community instead of breaking the bonds. Our friendships are now stronger the result of isolation and needing more human touches.\n\n\nI think I talked to my friends more now and know\u00a0more about them than the years I have known them. Knowing some faces more difficulties than you humbles you in more ways than you can imagine.\n\n\nWe made a pact that after this is over, we are gonna be stronger and support each other more. Witnessing your strong friends break down during video call and knowing full well you can\u2019t be there to hug and comfort them has been an eye opening to me.\n\n\nNever assume someone\u2019s life by the public portrayal they gave to you all these while\u00a0\n\ud83d\ude1e \u2013 Nuralia Mazlan\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nPeople are getting back in touch through messaging and phone calls, my whatApps group are buzzing all day \u2013 Fong Wan Kit\n\n\n\u2014\n\n\nCommunity spirit seems pretty strong too! Our shared fears and hopes and appreciation for frontliners unites us!\n\n\nWe sang Negaraku last night. Our neighbourhood came out together on their balcony \u2013 Nur Hidayah Abu bakar\n\n\n\n\nNegaraku always tugs at my heartstrings. \npic.twitter.com/g9glU5K6r4\n\n\n\u2014 Restricted Movementarily (@khalids) \nMarch 25, 2020\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Bringing out the best in humanity\n\n\nOh my God. I have ugly-cried so many times. Generally speaking, people have been on their best behaviour. We know we\u2019re in this fight together.\n\n\nThe virus and MCO brought out the worst of human qualities-greed, selfishness and apathy.\n\n\nBut it did bring out the best qualities in us\u2026generosity, altruism, and being colour blind.\n\n\nGenerous volunteers donated their money and time to help the needy and vulnerable affected by MCO.\u00a0\n#\nkitajagakita\n\n\nNGOs stepped in to help Healthcare workers make faceshields to protect them (Refer to the Malay Mail NGO volunteers make 1000 DIY faceshields for frontliners\u201d)\n\n\nVolunteers donated their time and money to prepare food for hungry healthcare workers.\n\n\nHotels and apartment owners near hospitals opened up their rooms to allow healthcare workers to stay rent free and rest instead of worrying how to commute home.\n\n\nA local business paid their own staff to help the elderly and people with mobility issues to run errands or do grocery shopping (myBurger Lab lends helping hands to senior citizens)\n\n\nIt is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness. The darkness may be overwhelming. But if many lit candles come together, we can find our way through this darkness \u2013 Lee Jun\n\n\nPersonally, I\u2019ve been keeping myself busy with volunteering as Social Media lead coordinator for Malaysian Health Coalition, \u2018an apolitical coalition of Malaysian health professional societies, health professionals and citizens dedicated to improving the health of Malaysians, strengthening the Malaysian health system, and supporting Health in All Policies.\u2019\n\n\nBasically, I help to distribute #messagefromdoctors across all social media platforms.\n\n\nIt\u2019s nice to know my copywriting and content creation/management skills are not useless in this situation.\n\n\n\n\nWith your help, it won\u2019t last 338,237 years \ud83d\ude4f \nhttps://t.co/djrIvsZySS\n\n\n\u2014 Malaysian Health Coalition (@malaysianhc) \nMarch 24, 2020\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m proud to say that I managed to grow the Twitter account from 0 to 10k followers in 3 days \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nAll I want to do is help disseminate what doctors want you to know. Need your help to grow further. Please follow us at \nFacebook\n \n|\n \nTwitter\n \n|\n \nInstagram\n |\n \nLinkedIn\n\n\n#7 \u2013 \u00a0And of course, the memes\n\n\nAnd if all fails, when things are at its worst, there are always memes to distract myself with. Is it okay to admit that memes is part of my coping mechanism?\n\n\nMemes are more high quality \u2013 people are using this time to be more creative \u2013 Fong Wan Kit\n\n\nMeme page admins, thank you for working tirelessly to keep us entertained.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nThey\u2019ve done their part 60+ years ago, let\u2019s do our part now meme by @wan23danny\n\n\nA post shared by \n MGAG\n (@mgagmy) on \nMar 24, 2020 at 10:33pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s the end of the list.\u00a0 Thanks for reading this far. I hope any or all of the above will help you cope with this bleak situation. Let\u2019s all hang in there and help each other. Remind your friends and family that there *are* silver linings from this situation \u2013 I listed 7 but there may be more. Share in the comments section, we could do with more silver linings.\n\n\nUntil next time, stay safe and healthy and indoors,\n\n\nSuraya\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/types-of-banks-in-malaysia/", "title": "4 Types of Banks in Malaysia and What They Do [SPONSORED]\n  ", "body": "What are the different types of banks in Malaysia? Actually, let\u2019s go back \u2013 what was your first memory of banks?\n\n\nMy first memory of the whole banking institution is a bit fuzzy, but I still remember bits and pieces. I vaguely recall snippets of these events:\n\n\n\n\nmy mom taking primary-school-age me to a bank to open a savings account (Maybank\u2019s Yippie);\n\n\nreceiving piggy banks in the shape of bank mascots and buildings; and\n\n\nsomeone giving a talk to my whole classroom and us receiving a small notebook with visuals explaining the importance of saving money (this is also where I learned the phrase \u2018sikit-sikit lama-lama jadi bukit\u2019)\n\n\n\n\nYou might have similar memories, or at least received similar messaging. Most of us have been exposed to mostly the consumer-facing side of a bank.\n\n\nWhat if I tell you this is just one aspect of banking services; there\u2019s a whole lot more going on.\n\n\nIn this article, I\u2019d like to share with you the other types of banks, other players in the financial ecosystem, and how they work with each other and be part of this smooth machine that runs our financial life in the background.\n\n\nThe 4 types of banks in Malaysia\n\n\n\n\nFirst, you should know there are four types of banks: commercial, Islamic, investment banks and development financial institutions (DFIs for short).\n\n\nAll of them are under constant supervision and oversight by regulators in various capacities, including Bank Negara Malaysia, Securities Commission Malaysia and Perbadanan Insurans Deposit Malaysia (PIDM).\n\n\nLet\u2019s go over each type of bank.\n\n\n#1 and #2 \u2013 Commercial and Islamic banks\n\n\nCommercial and Islamic banks are probably the most familiar to all of us \u2013 they mainly target you and me as customers. Some basic services include:\n\n\n\n\nOpening bank accounts\n\n\nTransferring funds (domestically and internationally)\n\n\nMaking payments\n\n\nOffering financing and credit facilities\n\n\nAnd more, depending on the bank\n\n\n\n\nIn both commercial and Islamic banks, you can \u2018unlock\u2019 better services and special perks if you are an HNWI (high net worth individual) and deposited a certain amount of funds with them (it\u2019s a big amount).\n\n\nThese banks are regulated and supervised by Bank Negara Malaysia while deposits placed in them are protected by PIDM.\n\n\nPIDM is the government authority that\n protects you from troubled member banks and insurer members\n \u2013 your deposits in PIDM member banks are protected up to RM250,000 per depositor per member bank, and applies separately to Islamic and conventional deposits.\n\n\nHere is a list of current PIDM member banks, both commercial and Islamic (accurate as of September 2020):\n\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s not a bad idea to use a (or multiple) PIDM member bank as your main deposit account. The banking industry in Malaysia is strong, but 2020 has proven to be unpredictable. If your funds are guaranteed to be safe in those deposit accounts, why not make use of this free service? Why worry if you don\u2019t have to?\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\n[SPONSORED] Your Money Protected or Not? A Quiz\n\n\nPIDM implements an automatic return-your-money-back-to-you system if their member banks go bankrupt. (If. BIG if. But an if nonetheless.) This safety feature is what allows people like you and me to keep our money in bank accounts without worry, WHICH gives the banks sufficient money so that they can offer lower interest rates to borrowers, WHICH lowers default rates, WHICH is good for the economy. See how the wheels turn? Cool stuff, this whole thing.\n\n\nLet\u2019s talk more about investment banks and development financial institutions (DFIs).\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Investment banks\n\n\nWhile commercial and Islamic banks manage \nindividual \naccounts, investment banks manage \ncorporate or institutional \naccounts.\n\n\nThese corporate or institutional accounts are assigned to \ninvestment bankers\n \u2013 people who \u2018help their clients raise money in the capital markets, provide various financial advisory services and assist with mergers and acquisition activity\u2019.\n\n\nAs of September 2020, 11 investment banks are operating in Malaysia and they are co-regulated by Bank Negara Malaysia and the Securities Commission.\n\n\n\n\nSome of you may look at that list and go, eh, I thought their parent banks are PIDM member banks, why not protected?\n\n\nWell that\u2019s because some investment banks are \nsubsidiaries\n of PIDM member banks. Therefore, while you see their products distributed through the customer-facing side, the investment funds are separate from deposits and therefore NOT protected by PIDM.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Development financial institutions (DFIs)\n\n\nAccording to \nBank Negara Malaysia\n, DFIs are institutions established by the government to give financial assistance to certain priority sectors of the economy and largely funded by the government. That\u2019s where the money strategically earmarked to improve the country is kept and managed.\n\n\nAs of September 2020, there are \n17 DFIs\n, including some familiar names like Bank Kerjasama Rakyat Malaysia Berhad (Bank Rakyat), Bank Simpanan Nasional and Small Medium Enterprise Development Bank Malaysia Berhad (SME Bank). If you\u2019re dealing with these entities, you\u2019re either conducting business, investing or obtaining financing with or from them.\n\n\nThe Development Financial Institutions Act 2002 was enacted to give Bank Negara Malaysia regulatory purview over \nselected DFIs\n (including the three mentioned above). This is to ensure that these DFIs perform their mandated socio-economic functions. DFIs are also part of ADFIM or Association of Development Financial Institutions of Malaysia.\n\n\nFunds at development financial institutions are NOT protected by PIDM.\n\n\nLastly,\n\n\nHow the financial ecosystem works is absolutely fascinating to me. When I was younger, I only knew that the bank is where I keep my money for safety reasons, now I know that it is this complex entity that connects us to the global economy.\n\n\nAnd when I say global, I truly mean it. For example, every time I buy a game on Steam, priced in USD, someone around the world gets a cut included in their paycheck and spends the money in their economy. Wild.\n\n\nThe financial ecosystem also evolves to meet the needs of the society of the day, lunges forward with innovation (especially technological).\n\n\nAs you can see, the financial ecosystem and infrastructure is made of many participants, including yourself.\u00a0 What you should do as an informed participant is to know your rights (or lack thereof!) with each bank you deal with.\n\n\nThis includes knowing \nthe role of PIDM\n in placing different types of fail-safe mechanisms and preparation to weather future financial storms so that IF it ever happens, you AND our financial system is able to bounce back in no time and with minimal damages.\n\n\nAnother way to be an informed participant? To actively embrace the Financial Literacy Month in October and take part in activities organised by members of the Financial Education Network. Check out the calendar \nhere\n or click on the logo below!\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal-finance-community/whats-in-my-bag/", "title": "What\u2019s In My Bag: Malaysia Personal Finance Content Creators Edition!\n  ", "body": "\n\nWelcome to the What\u2019s In My Bag: Malaysia Personal Finance Content Creators Edition!\n\n\nFor \nInternational Women\u2019s Day\n on 8 March 2020, I thought it would be fun to play around with the theme, #EachforEqual, and ask my fellow personal finance content creators about something that enables their personal and work lives: the contents of their bags.\n\n\nTo put simply, what do we carry around with us to get. shit. done?\n\n\n\n\nEnjoy this peek into our bags, and by extension, our lives. This list is in no particular order.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Suyin Ong / Suyin Invests >>> \nYoutube\n | \nInstagram\n | \nFacebook\n <<<\n\n\nSuyin started a YouTube channel to share with others who are curious about matters of money and investing. Let\u2019s learn how to grow and accumulate wealth together.\n\n\n\n\nWhat\u2019s in my bag:\n\n\nWallet : ID, Debit Cards, Cash, receipts\nCoin purse\nHouse keys\nCar keys\nWork phone\nPersonal phone\nOrganza bag: includes earphones, highlighters, black ball point pen, mints, mouth freshener, fragrance, lipbalm, eyedrops\nTo do list book\nBook for ideas\nWater Bottle\nKindle\n\n\n\n\nWhy is it in my bag?\n\n\nI am highly dependent and addicted to most of what\u2019s in this bag.\n\n\nFirst off, water. I NEED to have a bottle of water near me at all times because I\u2019m always thirsty and it\u2019s also a great way to save money by not needing to make a purchase to quench my thirst. Got this trusty \nthermos\n from the Luno launch in their goodie bag.\n\n\nThe next needs are my \nhouse keys and car keys\n for obvious reasons. My \nwallet and coin purse\n are pretty helpful in housing my financial needs, they were gifts from my boyfriend 6 years and 4 years ago respectively.\n\n\nI have\n two phones\n as I work in sales and I made a conscious choice of separating my phone lines. I wanted to be able to be intentional with my time spent on texts, emails and calls for work versus for leisure and so far, I\u2019m happy to say it\u2019s been a dream! I bought my iPhone 8 and the other is my dad\u2019s old phone.\n\n\nI have \nearphones\n (came with iPhone 8 purchase) handy to listen to an audiobook on my phone or videos on YouTube.\n\n\nI carry a \nnotebook, a pen and highlighters\n to jot down ideas and brainstorm new videos for my YouTube channel and my \nTo-Do-List planner\n helps me stay on track of all things urgent, important and nice to complete.\n\n\nThe other miscellaneous items like \nlip balm, mouth freshener, eyedrops, mints and 10ml fragrance\n come in handy throughout my day. I keep them in this organza bag that I bought from Kaison, this makes them so easy to find!\n\n\nLastly, my \nKindle\n helps me carry around books without fretting about creasing their spines and pages. I love pulling it out to get some reading in whenever I have some precious time to utilise.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Aisha Preece / OutandBeyond.com >>> \nWebsite\n| \nInstagram\n | \nFacebook\n <<<\n\n\nAisha Preece ditched her corporate job in search of a career that allowed her to work remotely. She now LOVES Mondays and is passionate about helping others make and save more money, so they can live life on their terms.\n\n\n\n\nWhat\u2019s in my bag:\n\n\nMemorial card\nCoin pouch\nZafigo X Pen\nBusiness cards\nWallet\nEarphones\nNotepad\nTampon\nLip plumper\nGum\n\n\n\n\nWhy is it in my bag?\n\n\nI carry this \nmemorial card\n of my best friend everywhere with me. She \ndied within 12 hours\n last October and I never got the chance to say goodbye. She was my biggest cheerleader and having her with me all the time gives me strength, especially as I navigate through the online business world.\n\n\nI acquired a \ncoin pouch\n from Morocco after intense bartering- it\u2019s pure leather. I like resilient quality items that last me long as I don\u2019t like spending lots of money on shopping (I am saving for a house!)\n\n\nMy \nbusiness cards\n represent the different countries I have visited. That\u2019s the great thing about working for yourself, you can design whatever business card you want, and no one can tell you it isn\u2019t \u2018corporate\u2019 enough.\n\n\nThe \nZafigo X pen\n was from a conference I presented at last year, a proud moment and I\u2019m holding on to it as long as I can!\n\n\nThe \ngum\n is useful because no one has time for funky breath.\n\n\nThe \nSexy Mother Pucker Lip Plumper\n from Soap and Glory allows me to pretend I have pouty lips. It contains this tingly ingredient that activates your lip cells to make them appear plumper. This is great when I am rushing for meetings and have no time to put lots of make-up on, but not so great when I get it up my nostrils and feel a tingly sensation in my nose mid-meeting.\n\n\nThe \nwallet\n reminds me of home (I am half-British) and my granny loved the Royal family.\n\n\nFinally, the \nnotepad \nis for when I need to scribble down stuff. I often write positive notes to myself as I believe it\u2019s so important to seek validation and love from within. You need to cheer yourself on and celebrate the small successes. Like having a cute butt \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Nicole / I\u2019m Funemployed >>> \nWebsite\n| \nInstagram\n | \nFacebook\n | \nTwitter\n <<<\n\n\nNicole used to work in the financial services industry where she gained knowledge on finance, investing and money management. In her blog, she documents her journey navigating career advancement, personal finance, self-development and adulthood.\n\n\n\n\nWhat\u2019s in my bag:\n\n\nA book to read on my commute \u2013 currently Superfreakonomics\nMy Bullet Journal\nFoldable grocery bag in its own pouch\nMatte lipstick\nA pen\nA pencil\nKeys\nTissues\nHeadphone jack adapter for iPhone\nWatch\nPouch that acts as a wallet for cash and cards\nConcealer\n\n\n\n\nWhy is it in my bag?\n\n\nI think my two most important items are my \njournal\n and the \nbook\n I\u2019m reading currently.\n\n\nMy journal has my entire life in it. From my ideas down to my grocery list. I whip it out when I have something to jot down or if I\u2019ve forgotten something I can refer to it immediately. I tried using phone apps or reminders but they weren\u2019t as effective as the journal.\n\n\nWith the book, I have a goal this year to read 20 books and it helps to carry one around in case I find myself in a situation where I\u2019m waiting around idly like on the train heading somewhere.\n\n\nConcealer\n and \nlipstick\n is the BARE minimum emergency make up kit in case I need to look presentable on the go.\n\n\nI\u2019m not someone who buys luxury goods. I was lucky enough that this bag was given to me by my dear ex-colleagues as a going away gift 3 years ago and I\u2019ve been using it ever since.\n\n\nOne good thing I\u2019ll say about luxury brands, if you buy good, high quality items, then they last much longer so you might want to consider buying one as an investment since the cost per use will become much lower over time.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Femme Finance Malaysia >>> \nInstagram\n | \nFacebook\n <<<\n\n\nFemme Finance MY is a financial literacy advocate for modern women. She navigates budgeting, saving, investments and overcoming financial hurdles after marriage and a 180\u00b0 career change. She is also pursuing minimalism & sustainability. \u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhat\u2019s in my bag:\n\n\nThis work bag has accompanied me across 2 countries over 6 years. The handles are worn out but the bag is pristine. The cute scarves were added as reinforcement.\n\n\nIt\u2019s a large tote because size matters. My minimum requirement for a bag: Can it fit an umbrella?\n\n\nWallet\n: I love e-wallets but cash is king.\nPhone\n: For work, payments, e-hailing, entertainment and disturbing my better half.\nCharger and cable\n: Life-savers in many precarious moments. Imagine the horror of getting into a fix and not being able to SOS for help.\nPen\n: A gift from my aunt in 2001. Perfect for filling in forms, signing documents and taking notes.\nSharpie\n: Writing reminders and doodling.\nPost-it:\n For VERY important reminders. Once, I\u2019ve pasted it on 4 sides of a stranger\u2019s car window because his/her car was parked in the wrong spot for weeks! I got my point across without damaging the car.\nFoldable bag\n: For environmental reasons.\nEssential oil\n: My go-to scent is Lavender. It smells pleasant, calms the jitters and is a very effective first aid for bites, burns and zits.\nLotion\n: Somehow it never finishes because I keep forgetting to use it.\nSweets / snacks\n: I\u2019m a human hamster.\nReusable water bottle\n: Water-on-the-go, less plastic waste, save money.\nUmbrella\n: I bought it during my Japan trip in 2013. It has travelled across many countries with me. Sure, it adds weight to my bag, but one can never be too prepared.\n\n\nThere were times when the umbrella has sheltered another stranger without one. Similarly, I\u2019ve encountered strangers who shared theirs with me.\n\n\nWhen it comes to our finances, building our emergency fund and having insurance is like umbrellas for a rainy day.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Nurul / Dear Duit >>> \nInstagram\n | \nFacebook\n | \nTwitter\n <<<\n\n\nNurul has always been passionate about personal finance and would love to teach more people to feel financially empowered.\n\n\n\n\nWhat\u2019s in my bag:\n\n\nWallet\nHand phone\nWet Tissue\nTissue\nDiapers\nExtra sets of kids clothes\nSnacks at least 2 kinds\nWater bottles\n\n\n\n\nWhy is it in my bag?\n\n\nMy basics stuff that I need all the time are of course my \nwallet\n and \nphone\n can\u2019t go anywhere without them. Always need my money and sometimes I started using my phone to pay for stuffs too! My phone is very important for emergencies, work and whenever I\u2019m out with my husband and kids we\u2019ll always lose each other in the grocery.\n\n\nThe \nwet tissue\n is very important to me because I will use it all the time, to clean my hands, toilet, before having a meal in a restaurant and having toddlers it\u2019s very important to make sure they\u2019re hands and whatever they touch are clean.\n\n\nExtra set of clothes for my 2 kids\n because kids are unpredictable. One would spill a drink or a toilet accident. \nSnacks and drinks\n because my kids would be cranky when they\u2019re hungry or dehydrated.\n\n\nMy bag changed totally after having kids and I love that I am always prepared with things whenever my kids need something. I feel like a pocket Doremon with my bag. Being a mom makes me think ahead and I am always prepared, before I could just walk out the door with no plans.\n\n\nNow I must be prepared ahead on where we are planning to go, make sure there are clean toilets and when we travel make sure it\u2019s before nap time so they can take their naps in the car. So much things to consider before making our trip out. My mom bag.\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Sara Khong / Jewelpie >>>\n Jewelpie Website\n | \nInstagram\n | \nFacebook\n <<<\n\n\nSara Khong is the owner of JewelPie, a personal finance & lifestyle blog AND the owner of a small cooking school: \nNew Malaysian Kitchen\n. JewelPie is about enjoying the simple luxuries of life while being financially intelligent.\n\n\n\n\nWhat\u2019s in my bag:\n\n\nIphone\nHomemade Hand Sanitiser\nWallet\nHeadphone(s)\nReusable bag\n\n\n\n\nWhy is it in my bag?\n \n\n\nI\u2019m a minimalist so I have very little things in my bag, and I like my things to be useful and have dual-purpose if possible. Things that I have should also support my values and goals. \u00a0 \n\n\nMY iPHONE\n \u2013 The most important thing in my bag! This phone is used to for many things. But specifically for my financial-freedom journey, it:\n\n\naccept bookings and payment from my \nCooking Class at New Malaysian Kitchen\n away from the computer) via email, booking platforms, banking apps, and Paypal\ntrack my spending/income via MoneyLover App\nvideo call/phone call for online business meetings\ntake great food photos which I use for my work for my social media\n\n\nThat gold cover is reflective which double up as a mirror! \u00a0 \u00a0 \n\n\nHOMEMADE HAND SANITISER\n \u2013 In the midst of coronavirus outbreak, I keep a small bottle of homemade sanitiser. \u00a0 \n\n\nWALLET\n \u2013 I have this well-made leather wallet maybe for 8 years now. I enjoy quality and beautifully made things which last. While it may cost a lot, the \ncost per wear\n is low. \u00a0 This is not just where I keep my money, but important documents like my medical card, blood type card, and AIA Vitality card for 10% off when shopping for fruits and vegetables. This wallet contains things that make me healthier and may save my life in an emergency! \u00a0 \n\n\nHEADPHONE(S)\n \u2013 I listen to a language podcast to learn Japanese while I commute or exercise in the gym. These headphones make it possible to make good use of my time to enhance my knowledge while I enhance my physical health. \u00a0\n\n\nREUSABLE BAG\n \u2013 I need to go to the market/supermarket very often to get ingredients for my cooking class. This foldable bag is so useful; I don\u2019t pay money for plastic bags.\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Suraya / Ringgit Oh Ringgit >>> \nWebsite\n | \nInstagram\n | \nFacebook\n | \nTwitter\n <<<\n\n\nSuraya Zainudin is a writer, speaker and digital marketer. She is also the founder of the personal finance website RinggitOhRinggit.com (you\u2019re here now) and curator of the Money Stories from Malaysians book series. \u00a0\n\n\n\n\nWhat\u2019s in my bag:\n \u00a0 (from left to right, top to bottom)\n\n\nCanvas tote bag\nTissue\nWet tissue\nEarphones\nGlasses case with glasses and aviators (and a cleaner wipe)\nPouch as medicine kit\nLipstick kit\nWatch\nSuperglue\nLip balm\nPowerbank\nWallet\nNotebook\n4-colour pen\nWater bottle\nGum\nScented card\nHouse keys\n(not pictured \u2013 phone)\n(depending on the day, I might fit in my laptop + charger, a book and an umbrella in there too)\n\n\n\n\nWhy is it in my bag?\n\n\nIt\u2019s kind of a lot. I love feeling prepared and everything in my bag makes me feel prepared. Sure it can get heavy, but meh, I guess they count as free weights = free exercise too.\n\n\nMany of the items are self-explanatory: the\n wallet, canvas tote, watch, glasses/sunglasses, tissue, wetwipes, earphones, lipbalm, powerbank, water bottle, gum and housekeys\n are there for practical reasons.\n\n\nMy \nnotebook\n, also my \nmoney journal\n, has everything in it. My life motto is, if it doesn\u2019t get written, it doesn\u2019t get remembered. I believe in the science of writing things down. The \n4-colour pen\n (from Mr DIY je) is one of my life hacks, too \u2013 so easy to colour-code my notes without carrying too many stationaries. I keep a stack of post-its in the back page of the notebook which most of the time becomes bookmarks (keep losing them).\n\n\nThe \npretty pouch\n is a gift from a friend, and I use it to keep medicine. I have a variety at all times: paracetamols, band-aids, charcoal pills, Clarinese, Gaviscon and for good measure, a couple of tampons. Last year I can think of at least 4 occasions where I needed one of those things urgently, so I like having them with me.\n\n\nThe \nsuperglue\n is there because one of my shoes is on its last legs, and might fall apart at any moment. Just a preventative measure lol.\n\n\nThe \nlipstick kit\n contains 6 \u2013 SIX \u2013 colours. The whole lip-colour-matching-the-mood thing, it\u2019s true. (But I only use one colour most of the time, hmm)\n\n\nAnd lastly, the \nscented card\n is a souvenier I picked up for myself in Estonia, from a brand called Max Benjamin. The Ocean Islands: Mauritius one smells so good, I love it. Perks me up every single time.\n\n\nWorth mentioning: I\u2019ve since realised that the bulkier my housekeys, the less likely I am to lose them. The \nlanyard\n is from a WordPress event and the \npass card cover\n is from the Japanese brand snidel, which I found for RM1 while thrifting!\n\n\nWhat\u2019s in YOUR bag?\n\n\nLadies and gents, we shared what\u2019s in our bags, its now your turn to share yours. I want to see how you mindfully include tools that help you live a purposeful, intentional lifestyle that is aligned with your values, too. Leave your comments below!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/22-for-2022-list/", "title": "My 22 for 2022 List: Money, Work, Learning, Health, Relationship and Misc Projects Goals\n  ", "body": "\n\nEven though I only achieved 9 of the 21 things in my \n21 for 2021 List\n, doing it was so beneficial that I\u2019ve decided to do it again \u2013 a 22 for 2022 List. \n\n\nLike the previous year, 22 is big enough a number for me to list out what I deem important to explore in 2022, yet small enough to serve as a hard limit. The credit for original idea goes to one of my favourite authors, Grethen Rubin. \n\n\nHere is my 22 for 2022 List:\n\n\nEDIT: end of December 2022. I managed to complete 11 out of 22. The ones completed is bolded\n\n\nMoney\n\n\n1. Earn RM100k in income\n\n\nI need that much because I don\u2019t want to stop my donation habit. 2021 income and expenses post coming soon but basically in 2021 I donated and gifted over RM35k to family, \nzakat\n and various charities. \n\n\n2. Max out ASB\n\n\nNote: Goal carried over from 2021\n\n\n3. Explore a new passive income idea\n\n\n2021 was \nvending machine\n, what will 2022 be? Hmmm ideas welcomed\n\n\nWork\n\n\n4. Complete \nMoney Stories from Malaysians\n: Volume 3\n\n\n5. Write another book\n\n\n6. Do at least 1x collaboration per month\n\n\nI\u2019m a solopreneur with no colleagues so to not go crazy with loneliness, I love working together with financial institutions, NGOs, universities, social enterprises and private companies (with aligning values). \n\n\n7. Hit 100k monthly traffic for ringgitohringgit.com\n\n\nLearning\n\n\n8. Do IFP Course\n\n\nAt the time of writing, I\u2019ve completed my CFP final exams and ahahahah hopefully I\u2019ll pass but either way I\u2019d love to continue my learning process and do IFP next \u2013 Islamic Financial Planning certification\n\n\n(Related: \nMy CFP Journey, Part 1: Why, Where and How Much to Be A Certified Financial Planner in Malaysia\n)\n\n\n9. Do the courses I bought but didn\u2019t complete yet \ud83d\ude00\n\n\nI have a Pinterest course, an SEO course, a newsletter course\u2026 among others..\n\n\n10. Learn Stocks (by doing)\n\n\nI attended an IPO course in 2021 and want to learn by doing. At the same time I also want to hold some individual stocks just for learning purposes. I think this is the best way for me to learn stocks terminologies, fast. \n\n\n11. Read at least 2 books per month\n\n\nWant to continue this habit \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n12. Re-read 2 books I already own\n\n\nNote: My goal for 2021 was to re-read 10 books I already own but I didn\u2019t even complete one. So I\u2019m going to re-attempt but lower it to just 2. \n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nWhat\u2019s On My Bookshelf: What I Read and HIGHLY RECOMMEND\n\n\nHealth\n\n\n13. Use the condo gym/ pool min 2 x week\n\n\n\n\nWhile I was a renter, I don't care about using my apartment's amenities\nBut now that I'm gonna move to own place and see how much the maintenance fee costs, I wanna use ALL the amenities provided. Idc I will swim in the pool everyday to make the payments worth it \ud83d\ude02\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nDecember 9, 2021\n\n\n\n\n14. Walk more steps than 2021 \n\n\nThis would be easy to achieve if I get a fitness tracker. A lot of my steps aren\u2019t tracked currently\n\n\n15. Limit food delivery to 2x max per month\n\n\nThe pattern is: we buy healthy groceries, but order unhealthy food. So by limiting food delivery (but not eliminating since we still enjoy them and everything in moderation, right?), hopefully we\u2019ll eat better. \n\n\nSide note \u2013 I am working on better habits and not being fixated by pure weight loss alone. It\u2019s a work in progress, wish me luck. \n\n\nRelationship, Family & Friends\n\n\n16. Settle into our new home\n\n\nThere\u2019s going to be a lot of moving and renovation and home planning to do \ud83d\ude42 Fun\n\n\n17.  Help my parents with their finances and cashflow\n\n\n18. Meet families regularly (once a week)\n\n\nMisc projects\n\n\n19. Use up beauty products \n\n\nI have masks, serums and countless samples to use up. Delay new beauty purchases until I finish what I have. \n\n\n20. Do at least 2 x DIY home projects\n\n\n21. Use every single facility in new condo\n\n\nAgain, we pay for the maintenance fee, so might as well! Can consider as free date activities, too!\n\n\n22.  Do estate planning \u2013 complete \nWasiat, Hibah and Trust\n documents  \n\n\nWhat would you put in your 22 for 2022 List?\n\n\nImportant: My 22 for 2022 List is just a tool to help me re-focus my priorities, because I find it hard to simultaneously (1) work on one thing at a time, and (2) not be distracted by something new due to my love for variety and dislike for routine.\n\n\nIf 22 things are too many for you, then consider the \nThree Hobbies method\n instead: One hobby to make money, One hobby to keep you in shape, and One hobby to be creative.\n\n\nIf an activity you want to explore for 2022 is \u2018more writing\u2019 (related: \nThe Beginner\u2019s Guide to Writing Good Articles (for Power, Profit and Pleasure)\n, doing a 22 for 2022 List is a GREAT way to do some self-reflection. \n\n\nWhat would you like to add to your own 22 for 2022 List? List in the comments section below, would love to be inspired by yours <3\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/advice-to-my-younger-self/", "title": "[Personal] 5 Things I Learned in my 20s: Advice I\u2019d Give to My Younger Self\n  ", "body": "Wow. 2020s is coming. It\u2019s weird to be welcoming the year that is also used to signify \u2018the future\u2019, isn\u2019t it? It feels crazy to be entering a new decade, even though I know that\u2019s just how the normal, brutal, unstoppable passage of time works.\n\n\n(YES I KNOW TECHNICALLY THE NEW DECADE STARTS IN 2021 BUT LET ME HAVE THIS OKAY)\n\n\nI\u2019ve spent the 2010s being in 20s and early 30s, and learned so much, though I know there is much more to learn still. Please indulge this writer\u2019s self-reflective post \u2013 I\u2019ve always wanted to write something in the \u2018for my younger self\u2019 style.\n\n\nDear younger Suraya, if you could do it over, please take this advice which older Suraya learned from experience:\n\n\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Learn to optimise your environment\n\n\nI spent a lot of time blaming myself for failing to achieve personal goals, then feel bad for not having the motivation to improve myself.\n\n\nIt\u2019s a sucky feeling because like everyone else in my generation, I too am idealistic (sometimes to a fault). I thought I could do anything and everything as long as I put my mind to it, including saving the world.\n\n\nWhenever I failed, which happens often enough, the negative and self-doubt thoughts would come. And I\u2019d think: If I can\u2019t even help myself, how can I even help others?\n\n\nThankfully I came across the school of thought that puts the focus on my \nenvironment\n instead. Make the hard things easier by making it a habit \u2013 do the action because its just something you do, its \nwho\n \nyou\n \nare\n, not because it\u2019s something you force yourself to do.\n\n\nEverything sort of clicked after that\n.\n\n\nI\u2019m not saying I mastered building good habits. There are lots of things I need to unlearn and re-learn \u2013 I\u2019m still a work in progress. I think this will be a lifelong journey, and that\u2019s a good thing. Never remain stagnant.\n\n\n\n\nSome habits I\u2019m trying my best to build now include:\n\n\n\n\nWork out 2-3x a week\n\n\nRead at least 2 books per month\n\n\nWrite and journal every day\n\n\nReduce red meat intake to 1 x a week max\n\n\nEat until 60% full\n\n\n\n\nThe last one is particularly hard for me to unlearn. I\u2019m really bad at mindless eating, distracted eating, and that leads to overeating. But I\u2019ll be kind to myself and note the small wins. Small progress is better than no progress.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 You\u2019re going to lose some friends and that\u2019s okay\n\n\nNo one really likes to admit it but there are some trade-offs you have to make in the journey towards self-improvement.\n\n\nAs much as you may hate to hear this, it may be your immediate environment \u2013 even your dearest family members and long-time best friends \u2013 who are holding you back.\n\n\nEasy example \u2013 removing yourself from people who enjoy complaining (and not doing anything else) is \nessential\n towards making progress.\n\n\nThere\u2019s no way around it. If you join them, you\u2019ll be afflicted with the defeatist and victim mentality. If you give alternative viewpoints and solutions, they\u2019ll find other faults, nothing is ever right. Even if you hang out with them without saying anything, you\u2019ll lose precious time.\n\n\nMaybe one day I\u2019ll learn how to tolerate and engage with them. But for now I\u2019ll stick to the \u2018nod politely, remove myself ASAP\u2019 approach.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Collect quotes\n\n\nThere\u2019s a reason why some inspirational and aspirational quotes are repeated again and again for decades. There\u2019s something amazingly magical about a string of words that contain and condense \nhuge\n ideas. In essense, great quoes are results of genius copywriting.\n\n\nOver the years, I\u2019ve collected quotes and some became all-time favourites, at least for this point in my life. Here are some of the quotes, in no particular order. I\u2019ll give credit where I can:\n\n\n\n\nDone is better than perfect\n\n\nEverything is figureoutable (Marie Forleo)\n\n\nIf you believe you can or you can\u2019t, you\u2019re right\n\n\nWhen they go low, we go high (Michelle Obama)\n\n\nChange what you can, accept what you can\u2019t\n\n\nNo one can make you feel inferior without your consent\n\n\nCreate more than you consume\n\n\nRefuse to be refused (Marie Forleo)\n\n\nExplore your curiosities\n\n\nBelieve in God, but tie your camel\n\n\nAction is hard. Inaction is hard. Pick your hard\n\n\nWould you regret it?\n\n\nKill em with kindness\n\n\nYou are what you do, not what you say you do\n\n\nUse it up, wear it out, make it do and do without\n\n\nPraise publicly\n\n\nMoney isn\u2019t everything, but everything needs money\n\n\nOvernight success takes years\n\n\nIdeas are cheap, execution is everything\n\n\nIntuition is just recognition\n\n\nIt\u2019s hard until it\u2019s easy\n\n\nBest effort counts\n\n\nYou don\u2019t have to be great when you start, but you do have to start to be great\n\n\nFall down 7 times, get back up 8 times\n\n\n\n\nIf you find more, write them in your journal lest you forget them. If you don\u2019t find it too cheesy, find them as home decor pieces.\n\n\nUse the quotes as guiding principles in your life. Sometimes, I\u2019d find myself editing the same article for hours, not happy with it (I am my own worse critic, after all). Then I\u2019ll take a big breath, tell myself, \u201cSuraya, done is better than perfect\u201d, and click Publish.\n\n\nThat\u2019s how I manage to publish over 300 articles on this blog over 4 years, every Monday and Wednesday, (almost) never missing a schedule. If I wait until I\u2019m absolutely happy with my work, nothing will ever get published, Ringgit Oh Ringgit as you know it would have never existed.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Learn the 7 Baby Steps towards Financial Freedom early\n\n\nDave Ramsey\u2019s 7 Baby Steps towards Financial Freedom is so simple, so elegant, so useful for anyone first starting out with personal finance and money management.\n\n\nSometimes\n Often, there are people out there who overly-complicate personal finance. IT DEPENDS, they say, rambling on and thoroughly scaring you away from money topics, overwhelming you.\n\n\nIt\u2019s actually really simple. Find out where you are in the steps \u2013 some of you are at Step One, others may already be at Step Four \u2013 then continue your journey towards financial freedom from there.\n\n\n\n\nThe only real criticism I have of the 7 Baby Steps is that it assumes everyone has children and a house, but other than that it\u2019s a great reference point. As you gain more knowledge and experience, you can tweak and make changes to get the results and life you want.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Do less harm > Do good\n\n\nYoung Suraya, you may think you\u2019re a good person with good intentions, but your version of good may not be other people\u2019s version of good. \nIt can even be downright bad or harmful for them\n.\n\n\nIn whatever you do, think of how that \u2018good\u2019 thing you\u2019re doing could potentially affect others in a negative way. Remember that as you do your financial activism, and other types of activism.\n\n\nDon\u2019t assume you know what\u2019s best for others. Don\u2019t gain this weird superiority complex and feel like you know how to give \u2018advice\u2019.\n\n\nIf you want to help, for goodness sake ask them first, don\u2019t just show up unasked, unwanted then feel bitchy about them being \u2018ungrateful\u2019 for your help. No one freaking owes you that.\n\n\nWhen in doubt, just do your best and lead by example and hopefully your actions will be the catalyst for something bigger than yourself. Don\u2019t inspire to inspire others \u2013 that\u2019s just the ego talking; if the work is good, it\u2019s as good as done.\n\n\nLast thoughts\n\n\nTo be honest, there are more things to add here \u2013 it\u2019s hard to summarise 10 years\u2019 worth of learning and lived experience in one single article. I feel like there are so many abstract thoughts floating around in my head still.\n\n\nBut, they deserve the time and space for their own formation and mental organisation, so perhaps I\u2019ll leave those for another occasion.\n\n\nHow about you? What\u2019s the one thing, one piece of advice that you wish you could have told your younger self? I\u2019d love to hear your perspective, do share with the rest of us in the comments section.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/all-the-unnecessary-purchases-ive-made-in-4-years/", "title": "All The Unnecessary Purchases I\u2019ve Made in 4 Years\n  ", "body": "I\u2019ve tracked my expenses for many years. This means I log the amount plus some notes in \none of 13 categories\n after every purchase. One of those categories is simply called \u2018Misc Wants\u2019 \u2013 ie things I didn\u2019t strictly need, but simply wanted.\n\n\n\u2018Misc Wants\u2019 is kind of like that random drawer in your house, the one you just chuck random stuff in. Unlike \u2018Misc Needs\u2019 \u2013 another expense category meant to track things I really did need at the time \u2013 purchases under \u2018Misc Wants\u2019 tend to be more varied in motivation. I could be bored, stressed, sad, excited, depends. As long as they\u2019re \u2018technically unnecessary purchases\u2019, I lump it in there.\n\n\nIn this article, I\u2019m going to share with you some of my \u2018Misc Wants\u2019 purchases. I\u2019m looking at data all the way from June 2014 (I have earlier data, but not as comprehensive). As I\u2019m writing this in August 2018, that\u2019s more than four years\u2019 worth of data.\n\n\n I spent more than RM15k for Misc Wants in 4 years\u2026\n\n\n\n\nTypes of purchases under \u2018Misc Wants\u2019\n\n\nFirst, let\u2019s look into \nwhat\n I bought that got categorised into the \u2018Misc Wants\u2019 category.\u00a0Looking at all the notes, they are mostly:\n\n\n\n\nBeauty products and services\n\n\nClothes, shoes and accessories\n\n\nTobacco\n\n\nGames, apps and in-app purchases\n\n\nBooks\n\n\nImpulse purchases at events, fun toys\n\n\nHome decor items, plants and kitchen tools\n\n\nExercise equipment and clothes\n\n\nCat toys\n\n\n\n\nSome general but personal insights\u2026\n\n\nThey do add value to my life\n\n\nI LOVE some of the things I bought under this category. In fact, I don\u2019t think my life is the same without them. These are things like:\n\n\n\n\nBooks\n. Many, if not all of them, have helped me shape my worldview\n\n\nKitchen tools and home stuff.\n What would I do without my 3-in-1 blender? Or that soft and super absorbent mat I step on after the showers?\n\n\nExercise equipment and clothes.\n They encourage me to exercise more often\n\n\nSpotify\n. Deciding to go ad-free was so worth it\n\n\nOrganisational tools\n. Storage containers help make my house look organised, thus improving my productivity level while working from home\n\n\nPlants\n. They brighten up my home\n\n\n\n\nSometimes I feel it\u2019s unfair to place all these purchases under the \u2018Misc Wants\u2019 category. And my excuses are so weak, like \u2018I could just read for free online\u2019 or \u2018I could just chop onions/blend protein shakes manually\u2019 or \u2018I could just jog around the park as exercise\u2019.\n\n\nI don\u2019t know. For me, \u2018technically unnecessary\u2019 is \u2018technically unnecessary\u2019, full stop, but should it? Those of you who track your expenses, how do you log purchases like these? Where do you put them instead?\n\n\nI don\u2019t regret most of the unnecessary purchases\n\n\nLooking through the items and services I\u2019ve bought that were not strictly necessary, it\u2019s quite nice to find out that I only regret about 15-20% of those purchases. Most of it was actually quite nice experiences and enhanced my life in some way.\n\n\nThe thing is, I\u2019m not even angry at those regretted purchases. \nI understand that I cannot avoid \u2018wasting\u2019 money for the purpose of experimentation, and that is a necessary element for self-growth and figuring out my identity and personal tastes\n. For example, I tried:\n\n\n\n\nDifferent \neyeliners\n before finding the ones that won\u2019t smudge (Kat Von D\u2019s Beauty Tattoo Liner or Elianto\u2019s Xtra Lasting Eyeliner Pen btw). I\u2019ll even go far and say that trying different \nmakeup, beauty products and beauty services\n in general and finding those that I really, really love and will stick with are super satisfying\n\n\nDifferent \nclothes and accessories\n. I\u2019m not a fashion enthusiast, but I do try to adjust my style based on feedback and \nweight loss\n. I think knowing what \ndoesn\u2019t\n work is also a step in the right direction, fashion-wise. Plus now I know which shops, styles and types of fabric to avoid\n\n\nDifferent \nmobile and computer games\n. I like gaming, and this option is cheaper than buying myself game consoles.\n\n\n\n\nNote: I understand how big of a privilege it is to have enough disposable income to spend just for experimenting around.\n\n\nI do regret these two things though\n\n\nThe biggest money-waster was under-eyes \ndermafiller injections\n for a whopping RM3600. I did it to improve my looks, and boy was it a mistake. First, what the heck was I thinking, splurging that much for a beauty treatment? Second, it hurt a lot. Third, it was a\u00a0\ntemporary\n fix \u2013 it\u2019s supposed to last up to a year only, not even permanent! Fourth, I still have eyebags so it\u2019s not even like I was satisfied with the procedure.\n\n\nThe second thing I regret is buying so much \ntobacco\n. I have no excuse, I really don\u2019t. Don\u2019t start, kids.\n\n\nThere were some failed attempts at lifestyle changes\n\n\nFor example, I wasted some money in an attempt to build myself an \naquaponics system\n and start urban farming. I mean, I really like the idea of aquaponics \u2013 keep fish, which excrete nutrients, which fertilises plants, which filters water, which goes back to fish. But like, I lost steam, you know? Ended up donating/throwing them away.\n\n\nI also bought a\n glass jar\n from Daiso to keep and make my own kombucha.\u00a0I only kept it going for a few months before losing interest\u2026\n\n\nAnd that time I attempted to be more \u2018sophisticated\u2019 by buying myself an\n incense burner\n. I hate sweeping up the ashes, so it\u2019s pretty much junk now.\n\n\nThere are more, but these are examples. But, like, everyone has these moments, no? You buy things in the hopes of becoming an ideal version of yourself, then lost interest in it? What\u2019s yours?\n\n\nThe data exposed how I changed over the years\n\n\nI used to buy:\n\n\n\n\nLots of cheap \nclothes, shoes and bags\n. I\u2019m talking about Aliexpress purchases, and those sold cheaply at booths. They definitely didn\u2019t last very long. I thought I was money-savvy then, but in hindsight it was very penny-wise, pound-foolish of me. I\u2019m still working on it, but I try to get better-quality items now.\n\n\nLots of \naccessories\n, especially earrings. Now I tend to stick to silver hoops. Perhaps reflecting my minimalist(-inspired) lifestyle.\n\n\nHair dye. This sounds ridiculous, but I used to be super self-conscious about my light-ish brown hair and dyed it black all the time. Have since adopted the IDGAF mindset, white hair showing and all. According to the data, the last time I dyed my hair was in Sept 2015.\n\n\n\n\nNow I tend to buy more:\n\n\n\n\nStuff sold by friends and family.\n To support them, even if they\u2019re a bit pricier than I\u2019d like\n\n\nTrial beauty sachets and packs\n from Carousell. To satisfy my beauty experimentation urges but at a lower price. Have tried more than 10 different brands now, and considering to purchase full-size bottles of the ones I liked\n\n\nDiscounted services from Fave.\n Especially after they have their own ewallet (\nreview of FavePay\n), and keep giving me cashback and additional discounts to use. I tried Korean hair perm because of it, and my goodness do I love my hair now.\n\n\n\n\nMost surprising insights from my spending habits\n\n\nI\u2019m genuinely surprised by the amount of beauty products and services I buy. Didn\u2019t think I was that kind of girl, but data does not lie, does it? Oh well, at least it\u2019s not the worse vice in the world. Plus, I do what I can to keep the amount low. Like using eyeshadow as blusher.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#frugalbeauty #makeupmalaysia \u2013 using eyeshadow as blusher replacement! #Elianto had this \u2018buy one free one\u2019 deal but I just needed to replenish my usual brown eyeshadow so I figured I\u2019ll get the pink eyeshadow to double as blusher and it works lol\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya\n (@surayaror) on \nJul 24, 2018 at 10:29pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBut! According to my expense-tracking app, \u2018Misc Wants\u2019 category is just 5% of my total spending, so it\u2019s not bad, considering the value, fun and novelty they add to my life.\n\n\nFinal verdict: I\u2019ll be careful with bigger purchases, and definitely won\u2019t do any more expensive beauty procedures, but it\u2019s fine to continue spending the way I am now \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nWhat do you consider as unnecessary purchases but buy anyway?\n\n\nAside from food, coffee and drinks, that is (this is Malaysia, everyone loves food, they don\u2019t count). How do you justify them?\n\n\nIf you have not considered doing something like this, I encourage you to try it out! You\u2019ll learn something about yourself, I promise. Even a month is enough. I did get the inspiration from this post from Budgets Are $exy\u2019s \nWhat I Learned Tracking My \u2018Wants\u2019 for 30 Days\n article \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/being-too-frugal/", "title": "5 Downsides of Being Too Frugal\n  ", "body": "\n\nLiving with frugality mindset (\nwithout being cheap\n) is something I\u2019ve consciously tried to do for many years now, but is there such a thing as being TOO frugal?\n\n\nFor the most part I love frugal life, much prefer it to extravagant life. It\u2019s great, I\u2019ve saved so much money. But let\u2019s talk about the downsides, shall we? Roses still have thorns and all that.\n\n\nThis is not an article to deter you from frugalism \u2013 no, not at all. I have zero regrets adopting this lifestyle. I just want to share the bad that comes with the good. I want to let you know when being too frugal *might* be a problem. \n\n\n#1 \u2013 Embarrassed by old stuff\n\n\n\n\nAs I\u2019m writing this, I\u2019m sitting on an IKEA couch purchased almost five years ago. There are stains that won\u2019t wash away. The sides bore scratch marks artistically done by the cats. They\u2019re particularly proud of the bits of thread coming out.\n\n\nMy coffee \u2013 black, like my heart \u2013 have since cooled. The mug was RM2, bought from a thrift shop. There\u2019s a couple of chips around the edges. I\u2019m a daily coffee drinker, and the coffee stains don\u2019t quite wash away, no matter how hard I scrub.\n\n\nThe drying rack is right in front of me, loaded with laundry I did yesterday. I\u2019ve owned that nightdress for about five years now! Hey, I never noticed that hole in that shirt before\u2026\n\n\nSometimes, particularly after I had a round of mindless Instagram or Pinterest, a part of me cries out for an overhaul. Clothes overhaul. Home decor overhaul. Kitchenware overhaul. While we\u2019re at it, accessories and bedding too.\n\n\nI, too, like the idea of being surrounded by new, beautiful things. Then the internal dialogue starts, and I start to reason with myself why complete overhauls will NOT make me happy, there MUST be an underlying reason for all these feelings, am I simply feeling bored instead?, and I forget about it until the next time I open Instagram and Pinterest again.\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\n23 Things That I Can Do At Home, Instead Of Spending Money\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Unable to share much on Instagram\n\n\n\n\nUSA-Reiseblogger\n / Pixabay\n\n\nSee, I take digital marketing for Ringgit Oh Ringgit seriously. I want as many people as possible to talk about money candidly. That\u2019s how I view my role, anyway.\n\n\nI\u2019m active on Facebook and Twitter. But not as much on Instagram (\nmy handle\n). A lot of Malaysians are there, and I\u2019d love to reach them, but most of the time I simply don\u2019t know what picture to snap and share.\n\n\nI can\u2019t do #OOTDs \u2013 my style is really nothing to shout about. Plus, see Point #1\n\n\nShowing off new stuff I bought is a no in most cases, too, unless it\u2019s an absurdly good deal or there\u2019s a story behind it. Also, I don\u2019t want to advocate for consumerism too much, you know?\n\n\nI\u2019d love to be more active on Instagram. Maybe I\u2019ll start to post more grocery hauls? Any other ideas?\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Procrastinate on things you\u2019re too stingy to delegate\n\n\nOh man, what a big one.\n\n\nDIY culture goes hand in hand with frugalism. If something breaks, you fix it yourself. Clean your house yourself. Prep your food yourself. Paying premium for conveniences should only be done sparingly, a treat.\n\n\nI agree, yes. But it\u2019s not like I have eternal motivation to do everything, you know? Especially cleaning \u2013 what a never-ending chore! Broken things in my house takes forever to repair, too. I\u2019d wait until I can\u2019t ignore it any more. Like that time I waited forever to get someone to fix the ceiling leak, until it turned moldy!\n\n\nAnd these are services you CAN delegate. Things that I can\u2019t delegate, I procrastinate even more. How I wish someone could just come and declutter my house, and help me donate/sell the stuff I no longer need! \n\n\n#4 \u2013 Not being an early adopter of technology\n\n\n\n\nnamair\n / Pixabay\n\n\nI subscribe to this frugal advice: \nnever get the latest gadgets.\n\n\nLast time, I used to be SO snobby about this and pooh-poohed the people who regularly update their gadgets to the latest versions.\u00a0I felt superior to them, thought of myself above them. I mean, it takes a lot of financial commitment to be an early adopter of technology. I used to think they had low self-control.\n\n\nHow judgemental, right?\n\n\nNow, I have a different take \u2013 \nI value the contributions of early adopters\n. They are the ones who are brave enough to test new technologies and vote for a gadget\u2019s future with their own money.\n\n\nWithout early adopter\u2019s initial demands, \nI don\u2019t think the gadgets I use and love now will ever get into higher production, thus reducing the cost of ownership for me\n. They\u2019re also among the first to support smaller startups and businesses that work with new technologies: drones, VR, 3D printing, etc.\n\n\nIf it weren\u2019t for them, those industries wouldn\u2019t grow. They\u2019d just die off, taking technological advancements with them.\n\n\nI read a thoughtful opinion piece from an early adopter a while back (lost the link unfortunately). They are very much aware of the financial damage they do to themselves. They are also online-shamed a lot. But they do it anyway, because they are passionate about technology and enjoy testing out new features never tried before.\n\n\nSo yeah, thank you early adopters. As long as you don\u2019t get into unnecessary debt or anything, go for it.\n\n\n(Side note: I guess you can also apply \u2018early adopter\u2019 broadly to other fast-changing industries too, like \nfashion\n).\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Loneliness\n\n\n\n\nRoyBuri\n / Pixabay\n\n\nRelationships are important and key to a happy, fulfilled life. That\u2019s a fact. \n\n\nRationally, I know I shouldn\u2019t be stingy when I want to develop new friendships and maintain old ones\u2026 but it\u2019s still hard for me to justify the expenses.\n\n\nRight now, I\u2019m trying to balance and hit the sweet spot between these two options:\n\n\nOption A\n: Don\u2019t go out too often. If I stay in I\u2019d save on transportation, food and other going-out costs. Plus, reduce impulse spending and peer pressure-related spending. That\u2019s good for my wallet.\nOption B\n: Feel bouts of loneliness when I decide to stay at home.\n\n\nFriends in my personal life reading this, I miss you ;_; I\u2019m sorry I don\u2019t get to see you more often. Will try my best to make more effort.\n\n\nThose of you who have a good social life AND reasonable social-related expenses, how do you do it? I need help with this.\n\n\nLast thoughts on downsides of being too frugal\n\n\nEven though there are downsides of being too frugal, I think I\u2019ll continue at it. It works for my lifestyle and personality, and I think the pros far outweigh the cons. Plus, I like the lifestyles that complement frugalism \u2013 minimalism, DIY culture, \nzero waste\n, capsule wardrobe, small home movement among others.\n\n\nWould you consider yourself frugal? If yes, do you relate to any of the above? What downsides do you personally experience?\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/best-worst-purchases-of-2015/", "title": "My best and worst spending in 2015\n  ", "body": "Because it\u2019s fun to look back and see what gave me the most enjoyment/ value for my money. Likewise what I shouldn\u2019t have bought.\n\n\n\n\nBest purchases in 2015\n\n\n1. \n[RM4,032.35]\n Paid off my PTPTN loan \u2013 received 20% discount for full payment; 2 years ahead of schedule.\n\n\n\n\n2. \n[Ongoing]\n Decided to adopt Yoshi the kitty <3 \u2013 I talked about costs to start having a cat \nhere \nand \nhere\n.\n\n\n\n\n3. \n[RM2,111.77]\n New laptop \u2013 Lenovo Flex 2\n\n\n3.\n [RM88]\n Rice cooker/steamer. Worth every sen after the first steamed fish yum.\n\n\n4.\u00a0 \n[RM144]\n A pair of good quality sports shoes \u2013 triggered chain event which encouraged me to get more fit\n\n\n5.\n [RM30]\n 2 x teeth guard for my bruxism\n\n\n\n\n6. \n[RM0]\n Trip to Frankfurt to see my friend \u2013 ended up no cost on my end because I saved per diem from work trip\n\n\n\n\n7. \n[RM1.50]\n A really good wide-toothed comb from Mr DIY that I really love\n\n\n8.\n [RM100]\n Quality bras\n\n\n9. \n[RM48.80]\n Double sided pan \u2013 LOVE this thing, its the best!\n\n\n10. \n[RM110]\n A ridiculously overpriced skirt from China but with amazing design. Now I wear it all the time, so it\u2019s cool\n\n\n11. \n[RM5.30]\n A glass jar from Daiso which allowed me to keep my own kombucha \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\n12. \n[RM10]\n A pasar malam Rayban which looks oh so good on me.\n\n\n13. \n[RM409.94]\n The hosting for this website (2 years)\n\n\nWorst purchases in 2015\n\n\n1. \n[RM110]\n Fee to replace lost IC card\n\n\n2. \n[RM50]\n Parking fine\n\n\n3. \n[RM40~]\n A cheap kettle I bought from Lazada that turned out to be shit. Lesson \u2013 always buy quality home appliance equipment.\n\n\n\n\n4. \n[RM39.90]\n A fancy Zara belt that I never got the guts to wear in public -_-\n\n\n5. \n[RM70]\n A set of Tupperware mugs\n\n\n6. \n[RM100~]\n Accessories from Lovisa and other\u00a0 shops (including a camel bone bracelet wtf). Now all I wear is hoops earrings.\n\n\n7. \n[RM60]\n 2 separate binge eating sessions \u2013 KFC and Pizza Hut \u2013 which triggered my bulimia again.\n\n\n8. \n[RM600~]\n Tobacco. Have since quit. One of the best things I ever did.\n\n\n\n\n9. \n[RM350 upwards]\n Enlisted the services of an overpriced technician who charged me at least twice the market price >:(\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/boyfriend-tag-money-questions/", "title": "[VIDEO] BOYFRIEND TAG (Actually Fianc\u00e9): Should We Combine Our Finances? & Other Money Questions\n  ", "body": "Everyone, say hi to my partner and future spouse, Aizat \ud83d\ude42 We were just hanging out one day and I can\u2019t remember which one of us suggested to do a video together, but somehow we ended up recording this session where we asked each other money-related questions (he knew who he was dating lol).\n\n\nIn this video, we asked each other:\n\n\n\n\nWill we combine our money or keep it separate?\n\n\nHow much could we spend without consulting each other?\n\n\nDo you know anything about investing?\n\n\nDo you think there is \u201cgood debt\u201d and \u201cbad debt\u201d? Why or why not?\n\n\nWhere do you want to go on a honeymoon? How much do you think we should spend on our honeymoon?\n\n\n\n\nView the full answer in the video, watch it below \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nDo you and your partner talk about money? What was the last conversation you had about it? Tell me in the comments section!\n\n\nLinks to the articles that I mentioned in the video:\n\n\n\n\n84 Questions to Ask Your Partner About Money from YNAB\n\n\nLove Language quiz\n\n\nHow money affects my dating life\n\n\nPlaces to automate your investment in Malaysia\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/braces-journey-malaysia/", "title": "How I Spent Over RM10k During My Braces Journey\n  ", "body": "In my late 20s, I finally decided to act on something I\u2019ve been self-conscious about all my life \u2013\u00a0 fixing my crooked teeth by wearing braces. The treatment took one and a half years, and I took it off for good last January 2019.\n\n\nNote: It was fast because I got Damon braces. See\u00a0\n3 Things to Know About Braces Cost in Malaysia\n for types of braces and cost comparison.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRM8500 and 1.5 years later, the treatment is done. I\u2019m no longer a #braceface! \ud83d\ude01 . Google \u2018RinggitOhRinggit braces cost in Malaysia\u2019 if you want to find out the price range, including government services (they\u2019re so much cheaper!). Lots of helpful info in the comments section too! . #damonbraces #bracesMalaysia #malaysiabraces #teethstraightening\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nJan 6, 2019 at 11:30pm PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNow that the braces are off, it feels like a distant dream. In a, \u2018wow, I can\u2019t believe I went through with it\u2019 way. I thought I\u2019d jot down everything I spent before, during and after my braces journey before I forgot all about it.\n\n\nI hope this article will help everyone planning to do braces (or going through it now) to plan your budget, and perhaps help in choosing tools to buy/avoid. I\u2019ll divide it into three sections \u2013 things I paid before, during and after wearing braces.\n\n\nThings I Paid for During My Braces Journey \u2013 Before\n\n\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Deposit to my dentist\n\n\nMy dentist, in Subang area, charged RM8,500 for my metal Damon braces. She asked for RM3,000 in deposit before we proceeded. The full amount is inclusive of:\n\n\n\n\nInstallation\n\n\nMonthly adjustments\n\n\n1 x Retainers\n\n\nElastic bands and dental wax\n\n\n\n\nCost: RM3000\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Teeth scaling and polishing, X-ray and study model\n\n\nThe teeth scaling and polishing was optional, but recommended. The x-ray and study model was compulsory (to make a mould of my teeth, pic below)\n\n\nCost: RM510\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Teeth extraction\n\n\nMy dentist charged RM100 per tooth extraction, and four of mine needed to be taken out to make room.\n\n\nApparently, some dentists would include the cost of x-ray, study model and teeth extraction in their overall braces package. Mine didn\u2019t, but something worth asking.\n\n\nCost: RM400\n\n\nThings I Paid for During My Braces Journey \u2013 During\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Painkillers\n\n\nThe first few months of wearing braces are no joke. It\u2019s so painful, I\u2019m not even going to lie about that. Especially the first few weeks, with all the teeth extraction and when you first get the braces installed, oh my God.\n\n\n(Don\u2019t let this deter you! Think of the end result!)\n\n\nI paid for:\n\n\n\n\nRM30 for painkillers to eat right after the teeth extraction. YES YOU NEED THIS.\n\n\nRM8 for antibacterial mouthwash after I complain my teeth extraction was still painful after a week\n\n\nA lot of paracetamol. I go the unbranded 40-pills for RM4.45, sold at Guardian. Cheaper than Panadol, works just as well.\n\n\nRM0 for additional dental wax from my dentist (to prevent additional cuts while my mouth gets used to the metal rubbing against it)\n\n\n\n\nCost: Estimated RM35-ish\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Monthly payments to dentist\n\n\nSo my overall cost for Damon braces was RM8500 right. I paid RM3000 in deposit, and every time I come in for monthly adjustments I had to pay RM300, until it\u2019s paid in full. I think my dentist calculated the payment amount based on how long I had to wear the braces because it took roughly 18 months to pay off the whole amount also.\n\n\nCost: RM5500\n\n\n#3 \u2013 A water flosser\n\n\nThe most annoying part about my braces journey wasn\u2019t the pain actually. It wasn\u2019t even the payments. It was the\u00a0\nfood bits stuck on my braces after meals\n.\n\n\nI tried, I really tried, to keep the metal brackets clean with floss and interdental brush and all that (RM12.55 for two 5-in-a-pack Interdental brush (Guardian brand, on sale).\n\n\nBut I finally caved in and bought a water flosser, which is the. best. thing. ever. There are many types \u2013 plugged in and battery-powered \u2013 and I got this portable version which costs ~RM230 online.\n\n\nCost: RM250 ish (you need to buy batteries)\n\n\n\n\nThings I Paid for During My Braces Journey \u2013 After\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Teeth whitening strips\n\n\nI was SO excited to get my braces off. Once I did, I wanted to splurge for a teeth-whitening session, but that would cost me RM999.\n\n\nSo I bought the next-best thing \u2013 Crest Whitestrips teeth whitening strips for RM175, containing 20 strips I think. The price between merchant varies so much so do compare. Don\u2019t skimp and buy the \u2018unbranded\u2019 ones \u2013 you never know what chemicals they put in there! At least the Crest brand is reputable.\n\n\nNote: You\u2019re supposed to do the home treatment daily until you complete your strips. This varies from person to person obviously, but my teeth get super sensitive and I can\u2019t do the treatment 3 days in a row.\n\n\n\n\nCost: RM175\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Teeth retainer\n\n\nIf you think your braces journey ends when the dentist takes it off, hahahhaha sorry to disappoint. You have to wear teeth retainers forever.\n\n\nMy dentist actually included 1 x teeth retainer set in her package, but me being a klutz and never use the dedicated casing, I broke that thing less than a year. I had to get another one, which costs me an extra RM400. Haih.\n\n\n\n\nNote: There are many types of retainers so do ask your dentist. Mine is a combination of permanent metal ones + the clear plastic one (pictured). Yours may be different.\n\n\nCost: RM400\n\n\nLast words\n\n\nIf you add up all the costs above, it\u2019ll come up to\u2026 RM10,270.\n\n\nOf course, the bulk of that is the braces package itself. RM8,500 is a big chunk, but I just want to say, I did *not* expect everything else to add up to RM1,770, as of time of writing (please take care of the new retainer Suraya don\u2019t break it again okay).\n\n\nBut overall, I\u2019m very happy with the results, and I\u2019m glad I went on this braces journey. I love smiling now! Before this, I would do the awkward close-mouthed smile, or pose with something covering my mouth, like this lol:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#frugalbeauty #makeupmalaysia \u2013 using eyeshadow as blusher replacement! #Elianto had this \u2018buy one free one\u2019 deal but I just needed to replenish my usual brown eyeshadow so I figured I\u2019ll get the pink eyeshadow to double as blusher and it works lol\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nJul 24, 2018 at 10:29pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nI went to a place called Saluga Beauty House but there are at least a few others nearby #bangsarvillage area . More satisfied with this #eyebrowthreading session than the fancy ones charging RM35 a pop. Those tend to hard-sell packages to you too \ud83d\ude44 . Hmm what else is #worthit in #bangsar ya?\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nOct 16, 2018 at 4:09am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAgain, you can make your braces cost WAY CHEAPER. In my\u00a0\n3 Things to Know About Braces Cost in Malaysia\n, readers commented that adult braces in government hospital cost around RM1100 only, which is super cheap! But of course waiting time jangan cakap la.\n\n\nAnyone here currently doing braces now, or took it off? You want to chime in what else you bought while you had it? Share with us in the comments section!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/certificate-in-financial-planning/", "title": "My CFP Journey, Part 3: Certificate in Financial Planning CFP Modules 3 & 4\n  ", "body": "\n\nI did it, I passed my CFP exams and ended my CFP journey! I have successfully completed all four CFP Modules and done with this certificate in financial planning!\n\n\n\u2026But I\u2019m not a Certified Financial Planner, do not offer \nfinancial planning services\n, nor can I take clients. I\u2019ll explain that part in a bit \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nThis article will be divided into 2 sections: \n\n\nSection 1: What I learned in CFP Modules 3 and 4, and \nSection 2: Why passing CFP exams doesn\u2019t mean one is a Certified Financial Planner\n\n\nSection 1: What I learned in CFP Modules 3 and 4\n\n\nCFP Module 3 and Module 4 covers Investment Planning and Retirement Planning, and Financial Plan Construction and Professional Responsibilities, respectively. This is how my textbooks look like. \n\n\n\n\nSimilar to CFP Modules 1 and 2, I completed all Modules 3 and 4 classes online (instead of in-person), on weekends. Here are the topics covered in each module.\n\n\nCFP Module 3 \u2013 Investment Planning and Retirement Planning\n\n\nCFP Module 3 \u2013 Investment Planning and Retirement Planning contains 13 topics:\n\n\nInvestment concepts\nConcepts of portfolio theory and performance measures\nEquity investments\nDebt securities investments\nDerivatives and structured products\nCollective investment schemes and unit trusts\nReal estate investments\nThe underlying principles of retirement planning\nInvestment for retirement\nRetirement schemes\nEmployee Provident Fund and Private Retirement Scheme\nRetirement income streams\nRoles of financial planning professionals in pre-retirement counseling\n\n\nCFP Module 3 was probably the toughest of all CFP modules. There were so many calculations! \n\n\nNot only you have to learn in-depth about all the different types of investments out there, you also have to learn concepts of portfolio theories, how to measure performance and risk of one\u2019s investment and all that. It was fun, but technical. \n\n\nThe second part of Module 3 on retirement planning contained EVEN MORE calculations. Here\u2019s a typical question: \n\n\nNewly retired Mr X currently have RMxxxxxx in his retirement account. Assuming Mr X lives to 85 years old and wants to use up all his money, the inflation rate stays at 3% and EPF generates 5% annually, what is the maximum amount that Mr X can withdraw per year?\nWhat if Mr X wants to leave RMxxxxxxx inheritance to his children? How much should he have in his retirement account?\nMr X didn\u2019t have enough money (there\u2019s always a shortfall). What should he do? How much should he add into his retirement account to ensure he has enough to retire?\n\n\nYeah. By the end of Module 3, you will have learned know how to calculate all that. \n\n\nCFP Module 4 \u2013 Financial Plan Construction and Professional Responsibilities\n\n\nCFP Module 4 \u2013 Financial Plan Construction and Professional Responsibilities contains (only) 8 topics:\n\n\nFinancial planning and the rehulatory framework\nEstablishing and defining relationship with the client\nGathering client data\nAnalysing and evaluating the client\u2019s financial status\nDeveloping financial planning recommendations\nPresenting financial planning recommendations\nImplementing financial planning recommendations\nMonitoring financial planning recommendations\n\n\nCFP Module 4 basically ties in what you have learned in CFP Modules 1-3. Assuming you did your homework, tying everything together wasn\u2019t particularly hard. It\u2019s like putting all the theory into practical. We did cashflow planning, retirement planning, insurance planning and more for hypothetical clients.\n\n\nHowever, I noticed some students seemed a bit lost, at least in the beginning. And later I understood why \u2013 they were all Challenger* students. They skipped CFP Modules 1-3 and straightaway started at Module 4. \n\n\nMy theory is they didn\u2019t use the formulas on a regular basis in their work, because I see some struggling even with basic calculations that were covered in \nModules 1 and 2\n!\n\n\n*Only people with relevant experience/backgrounds can apply for Challenger status. Learn more about this in \nPart 1 of my CFP journey\n article. \n\n\n\n\nTherefore, if you want to take Challenger Status, it\u2019s not a bad idea to take the add-on classes to brush up on your financial and tax calculations. Some may even do exam bootcamps. Talk to your CFP education provider. \n\n\nNow that you know what is covered in CFP Modules 3 and 4, I\u2019d like to share this surprising info:\n\n\nSection 2: Passed CFP exams =/= Certified Financial Planner\n\n\nYou\u2019d think that passing CFP exams would give you the CFP title that you can use in your name, right? Noooooo\n\n\nHere\u2019s how it works:\n\n\nPassed CFP Module 4 + 3 years of relevant work experience + pay annual FPAM membership (RM410 for full year) + collect 20 CE points every year = then only can use Certified Financial Planner title\nPassed at least 1 CFP exam + pay annual FPAM membership (RM150 for full year) + complete 15 CE points every year = then only can use Associate Financial Planner title\n\n\nHow to Collect FPAM CE Points\n\n\nCE Points, short for Continued Education Points, can be earned by completing these activities:\n\n\n*This info is accurate as of writing time and taken from \nthis FPAM document\n.\n\n\nActivity\nCE Points\nAttending CE courses conducted by FPAM Secretariat & Chapters \nFull Day \u2013 10\nHalf Day \u2013 5\nTea Time \u2013 2\nWriting articles relating to financial planning for FPAM\u2019s 4E Journal\n*Max 10 CE Points per year\nPer article \u2013 5\nContribution of articles representing FPAM to other publications\n*Max 6 CE Points per year\nPer article \u2013 3\nAuthor of published books related to FPAM approved financial planning topics\n*Max 10 CE Points per year\nPer book \u2013 10\nVolunteer to assist FPAM Secretariat in organising events (excluding Chapters\noffice bearers)\nPer event \u2013 3\nDesign & development of CFP Certification Program course materials for FPAM\u2019s registered education providers\n*Max 10 CE Points per year\nPer module \u2013 10\nLecturing of CFP Certification Program Modules\n*Max 10 CE Points per year\nPer hour of lecture \u2013 1\nSpeaker/ Instructor/ Facilitator at:\na) CE Workshops\nb) Financial Literacy Outreach Programs\n*Max 10 CE Points per year\nPer hour of lecture \u2013 1\nDesign & development of continuing education workshop materials for FPAM\u2019s registered education providers\n*Max 10 CE Points per year\nPer module \u2013 10\nFPAM Website Testimonials\n*1 per member (one-time submission)\n5\nGet Magazine Subscriptions:\n\u2022 4E Journal (token for renewal)\n\u2022 Smart Investor\n\u2022 Money Compass\n\u2022 Islamic Finance News\n\u2022 Business Today\n5 each\nGet Professional Tools:\n\u2022 PlanPlus\n\u2022 Finametrica\n\u2022 Xpert ePlan\n6 each\nMembership Renewal\na. Auto Debit via Credit/Charge Card only (Visa, Master & Amex)\nb. Exemplary Bonus\n3\n2\n\n\nTherefore, assuming you want to upgrade to Certified Financial Planner status, you\u2019re looking at ~RM1000 in yearly cost just to maintain the title. \n\n\nBut wait. All that is just for the right to use CFP after your name. You can\u2019t actually offer financial planning services. Not yet.\n\n\nOnly CFP title is not enough to offer financial planning services\n\n\nIn order to be a financial planner and advice clients, you must also do 2 additional things:\n\n\nGet \nCapital Markets Services Representative\u2019s Licence (CMSRL) From Securities Commission\n, and\nBe attached to a financial planning company\n\n\n*Note: CFP is not the only route to be a financial planner. You can also do the Registered Financial Planner (RFP) route (and maybe some others \u2013 comment if you know more info)\n\n\nFor me, I have no plans to offer financial planning services to clients. Also having the CFP title after my name is not that important. It is enough that I took (and passed!) all 4 CFP modules and know the info that I share on Ringgit Oh Ringgit is good, or at least not harmful. \n\n\n(You\u2019ll see me using any opportunity I can get to brag that I passed CFP though. Let me OK. It cost me almost RM10k, so let me milk it \ud83d\ude02)\n\n\nMaybe later if I choose to switch career and go into offering financial planning as a service, I\u2019ll do it. But for now, you should know that all \ncertified financial planners in Malaysia\n go through this super tough process to be in this line of work, so do prioritise their advice rather than weird weird random people on social media*. \n\n\n*On that note. I believe that EVERYONE can talk about money online. Share away what YOU do with YOUR money. But advising and telling others what to do with their money, where to invest etc? Follow advice from professionals\n\n\nShould you take this certificate in financial planning to manage your finances better?\n\n\nSomeone asked me, Suraya I want to learn to improve my finances. Should I take CFP? \n\n\nMy personal opinion is\u2026 nothing is stopping you, and learning is always good, but it is a bit overkill. Instead of paying CFP course fees to learn money management, following the \nsteps to financial freedom guide\n to start then \nhiring a financial planner\n is enough for most people. \n\n\nThus concludes my CFP journey, this article is the last one in the series \ud83d\ude42 Let me know if you have any questions about getting this certificate in financial planning. You can also learn more by clicking the links below:\n\n\nMy CFP Journey, Part 1: Why, Where and How Much to Be A Certified Financial Planner in Malaysia\n, and\nMy CFP Journey, Part 2: What I Learned in CFP Malaysia Module 1 & 2\n\n\nLastly, thank you to everyone who helped and gave advice long the way, you rock!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/cfp-malaysia/", "title": "My CFP Journey, Part 2: What I Learned in CFP Malaysia Module 1 & 2\n  ", "body": "\n\nThis is a continuation of the \nMy CFP Journey, Part 1: Why, Where and How Much to Be A Certified Financial Planner in Malaysia\n article. As of time of writing, I have successfully completed CFP Module 1 and Module 2, or two out of the four modules required to be a Certified Financial Planner in Malaysia. \n\n\nCFP Module 1 and Module 2 covers Foundation in Financial Planning and Tax Planning, and Insurance Planning and Estate Planning, respectively. This is how my textbooks look like. Don\u2019t be too intimidated by the thickness \u2013 the font is on the bigger side.\n\n\n\n\nTaking CFP during pandemic vs pre-pandemic\n\n\nA quick disclaimer: I\u2019ll be writing this in the POV of myself and my experience taking the CFP Modules through my education provider, so other people\u2019s experiences may vary. I\u2019m also taking CFP during the pandemic, which means all my classes were held online. \n\n\nThe difference between online CFP classes and physical classes, as far as I could tell:\n\n\nOnline CFP Classes\nPhysical CFP Classes\nWeekends\nNot sure \n*6 classes \n*6 classes (?) \n4 hours per class (9am-1pm OR 1-5pm slot)\n8 hours per class (9am-5pm )\n\n\n*Note: CFP Module 4, the last module and also I heard the hardest, contains more classes\n\n\nAs you can see, online CFP classes take up HALF the time of physical CFP classes, so the efficient side of me is happy. I think online CFP classes would suit people who are good at self-studying, but I admit I miss the face-to-face interactions, as well as possible friendships with classmates. It\u2019s just different with Zoom \ud83d\ude41\n\n\nCFP Module 1 \u2013 Foundation in Financial Planning and Tax Planning\n\n\nCFP Module 1 \u2013 Foundation in Financial Planning and Tax Planning contains 11 topics:\n\n\nIntroduction to financial planning\nRegulatory controls and practices affecting financial planning\nNature and scope of financial planning\nThe economic environment and its effects on financial planning\nAnalytical tools for financial planning professionals\nRisk management and insurance planning \nInvestment planning\nTaxation planning\nRetirement planning and estate planning \nThe basis of a financial plan\nCode of ethics\n\n\nWhat I learned from CFP Module 1 \n\n\nIt\u2019s an overview \n\n\nModule 1 mostly covers the basics \u2013 many topics are further expanded in:\n\n\nCFP Module 2 \u2013 Insurance and Estate Planning\nCFP Module 3 \u2013 Investment Planning and Retirement Planning\nCFP Module 4 \u2013 Financial Plan Construction\n\n\nIt also covers the basics of economics, Malaysia\u2019s financial regulatory landscape, and the financial planning profession itself. Anyone with a passing interest in these things would have known of the information. I did, but it\u2019s good to know in a structured format. \n\n\nI like the part on Code of Ethics. They really remind you that certified financial planners serve the client, and are NOT product pushers. Everything you do, you have to do it in the client\u2019s best interest, not your pocket. I really appreciate that part.  \n\n\nGet a financial calculator\n\n\nIn the first class of CFP Module 1, we were quickly told to get a financial calculator. I didn\u2019t even know such tools existed!\n\n\nThere are various models, but you should get the financial calculator your lecturer recommended, just to make your life easier. Our lecturer suggested two models, Casio FC-200V and HP10bII+, and highly recommended the former, so that\u2019s what I got. \n\n\nProtip: \nA new financial calculator costs around RM130-160 in Shopee\n. Go find a secondhand one on Carousell or other platforms. I got mine for RM70 yay. \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nIn case you ask \u2013 no, \nyou don\u2019t need to be good at maths to be a financial planner\n. As long as you do the practice questions, you should get the hang of the calculations quickly enough. My education provider also holds optional classes just to practice financial calculations every semester\n\n\nCFP Module 2 \u2013 Insurance Planning and Estate Planning \n\n\nCFP Module 2 \u2013 Insurance and Estate Planning contains 18 topics:\n\n\nFundamental concepts in risk management \nInsurance fundamentals\nLegal principles in insurance\nThe role of insurance in financial planning\nFactors affecting life insurance needs\nUnderstanding life insurance policy contracts and takaful\nGeneral insurance policy contracts\nHealth insurance\nAnnuity policy contracts\nLegislation and rules in the insurance industry\nConsumer protection and codes of practice\nEstate planning fundamentals\nWills and will planning\nTrust\nPower of Attorney\nDuties and Powers of the Personal Representative\nRights of beneficiaries\nSpecial estate planning issues for business owners\n\n\nUnlike CFP Module 1, CFP Module 2 really doubled down on legalese, so I forced my inner lawyer to wake up and pay attention. I learned so many new terms and jargon!\n\n\nAs for the financial calculations, it\u2019s minimal in comparison, but apparently they will come back with a vengeance in Modules 3 and 4 \ud83d\ude00 \n\n\nWhat I learned from CFP Module 2\n\n\nThe different types of insurance\n\n\nMost people have heard of life insurance, health, critical illness, fire, car, etc. And yes the module covers those in detail. This is the majority of insurance content targeted to consumers like you and me. (I also \nwrite about insurance\n here in RoR)\n\n\nBut additionally, in CFP Module 2 I found out there are more types of insurance products, not just for personal use but also for businesses as well. They can get incredibly specific and random, like, uh, Golf insurance\n\n\n\n\nCFP lesson today, learning about General Insurance. TIL \u2013 Golf insurance\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nApril 3, 2021\n\n\n\n\nand Marine insurance\n\n\n\n\nMarine insurance is used to cover losses for vehicles carrying cargo not just via sea, but ALSO by air and road, which makes NO SENSE, naming-wise \nhttps://t.co/cRaTyXGN80\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nApril 3, 2021\n\n\n\n\nI think, if you\u2019re a naturally paranoid person, you will go NUTS over all the possible types of things that *may* go wrong, that you have not even considered before. Fun. \n\n\nHow to use estate planning tools\n\n\nThis part was incredibly fascinating, I was engrossed by the different financial tools you can use in different scenarios to decide where your wealth goes after you\u2019re gone (or comatose or physically/mentally incapable of taking care of yourself). \n\n\nListen, if you\u2019re petty \u2013 and I\u2019m not saying that to judge, I\u2019m hella petty myself \u2013 you should hire an estate planner. Go ahead and make a list of people you want to leave money/assets behind and DON\u2019T want to leave assets behind, then use wills, trusts, hibah, whatever, to serve your wishes. It\u2019ll make the thought of dying less morbid, in an \u2018I\u2019ll have the last laugh\u2019 kinda way. \n\n\nMore info on getting estate planner (a specialisation of financial planner) \u2013 \n4 Places to Find & Hire A Financial Planner in Malaysia\n\n\nAdditionally, if you\u2019re Muslim AND have irresponsible male family members who will get an inheritance under faraid but you KNOW is not deserving of the money, then check out \nHow to Avoid Islamic Inheritance Laws in Malaysia\n article. Important: read the comments section for input (and contacts) of actual Islamic estate planners. \n\n\nEnd CFP Modules 1 and 2. Onwards to CFP Modules 3 and 4\n\n\nAccording to my education provider, CFP Module 1 and Module 2 are fairly easy classes, with high passing rates (provided you put in the effort of course). It\u2019s CFP Module 3 and Module 4 that you have to worry about. \n\n\nAs of time of writing, I have enrolled myself into Module 3 and bucking myself up for topics related to investment planning and retirement planning. I\u2019m not going to worry about the exams now \u2013 as they say, \nworrying early means you suffer twice \n\ud83d\ude00 \n\n\nI hope you enjoyed Part 2 of my CFP journey. If you missed the first part, please read it here: \nMy CFP Journey, Part 1: Why, Where and How Much to Be A Certified Financial Planner in Malaysia\n\n\nAny of you taking CFP currently? Any of you have taken it before? What did you learn from your last module, and do you have any study tips to share? \n\n\nAlso \u2013 if you took CFP pre-pandemic \u2013 aside from connections with classmates, what else did I miss out on? Please share with us your experience in the comments section below!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/cfp/", "title": "My CFP Journey, Part 1: Why, Where and How Much to Be A Certified Financial Planner in Malaysia\n  ", "body": "\n\nMy confession of the day is I get inferiority complex about not having financial background or CFP certification, despite being one of Malaysia\u2019s top personal finance bloggers.\n\n\nDon\u2019t get me wrong. I am confident in my personal finance knowledge and ability to explain it well. But Impostor Syndrome is Impostor Syndrome, so after literal *years* of thinking about it, I\u2019ve finally decided to take the CFP, or Certified Financial Planning course.\u00a0\n\n\nWhen I shared this life update on social media, many people got really interested in the process, so here I am, recording the journey. This article covers the basics:\n\n\n\n\nwhy take CFP\n\n\nother financial planning certification options,\n\n\nCFP vs IFP\n\n\nwhich CFP education provider to choose\n\n\nhow much it will cost\n\n\nand more\n\n\n\n\nI found all the information via online research, so if any sections are wrong/ inaccurate do let me know and I\u2019ll edit \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nEDIT: I\u2019ve since completed the course. Read Parts 2 and 3\n\n\n\n\nMy CFP Journey, Part 2: What I Learned in CFP Malaysia Module 1 & 2\n\n\nMy CFP Journey, Part 3: Certificate in Financial Planning CFP Modules 3 & 4\n\n\n\n\nWhy take CFP (Certified Financial Planner)\n\n\n\n\nThere\u2019s actually a bunch of certifications I can take under the financial industry umbrella. I could get a Masters in Islamic Finance. I could take an MBA.\n\n\nHowever, I picked financial planning and decided to take CFP because it seemed the most practical \u2013 after all, I can apply it in my own life AND now I have an additional career option as a licensed financial planner. (Note: I don\u2019t plan to take clients, this is just for me, but the *option* is nice to have!)\n\n\nIt is also practical because technically and legally speaking, only people who are certified can give investment advice. \nSomeone dishing out investment advice without a licence can be jailed for up to 10 years\n.\n\n\nBecause I know I wouldn\u2019t last a \nmonth\n \nweek\n day in jail, I\u2019ve circumvented this by repeating HELLO NOT FINANCIAL ADVISOR to RoR audience as often as I could, to the point of annoying.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCFP vs RFP (Certified Financial Planner vs Registered Financial Planner)\n\n\nIn the financial planning field, two of the most well-known and accredited certifications are:\n\n\n\n\nCFP (\nCertified\n Financial Planner) by \nFinancial Planning Association of Malaysia (FPAM)\n, and\n\n\nRFP (\nRegistered\n Financial Planner) by \nMalaysian Financial Planning Council (MFPC)\n.\n\n\n\n\nBoth \u2018licensed financial planner\u2019 and \u2018financial adviser representative\u2019 titles are regulated professions by Securities Commissions and Bank Negara Malaysia, ie you cannot simply call yourself one without certification.\n\n\nFrom what I know, CFP and RFP are same-same but different \u2013 check out Shane Ho\u2019s \nLicensed Financial Planner vs Financial Adviser Representative article\n for more in-depth technical differences.\n\n\nHow to get CFP Certification\n\n\nAs listed in the \nFinancial Planning Association of Malaysia (FPAM)\n website, you must complete 4 modules to get CFP Certification:\n\n\n\n\nModule 1 \u2013 Foundation in Financial Planning and Tax Planning\n\n\nModule 2 \u2013 Insurance Planning & Estate Planning\n\n\nModule 3 \u2013 Investment Planning and Retirement Planning\n\n\nModule 4 \u2013 Financial Plan Construction and Professional Responsibilities\n\n\n\n\nYou can skip up to 3 modules if you satisfy some conditions, but if you don\u2019t have any financial background or work experience at all, your only option is Option A. Read more about the pathways \nhere\n.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCFP vs IFP (Certified Financial Planner vs Islamic Financial Planner)\n\n\nFinancial Planning Association of Malaysia (FPAM)\n also offers \nIFP Certification\n, which stands for Islamic Financial Planner, ie someone who is qualified to do financial planning using \nhalal\n shariah-compliant financial products within Islamic framework. \n\n\nI heard that there are more financial planners with CFP compared to financial planners with IFP, so it\u2019s definitely an edge.\n\n\n\u2026 But why choose? You can get both CFP and IFP. They make it easy, too:\n\n\n\n\nCFP: take and complete 4 modules\n\n\nIFP: take and complete 4 modules\n\n\nCFP + IFP (or vice-versa): take and complete 4 modules + \ntake 1 additional module (via Challenger status)\n = 5 modules total\n\n\n\n\nOriginally, I wanted to get IFP first before CFP. However, it seemed like CFP first then IFP is the more efficient (and maybe even cheaper) route. Feel free to prove me wrong.\n\n\nTimeframe to complete\n\n\nAccording to \nFPAM FAQ page\n, the shortest time frame to complete CFP is 12 months or 1 module per quarter. There is no maximum \u2013 you\u2019ll get the certification as long as you complete all 4 modules and pass all the exams.\n\n\nEDIT: Some people take 2 modules at the same time!\n\n\nCFP Malaysia Education Provider\n\n\nUnlike IFP, where the only education provider is \nIslamic Banking and Finance Institute Malaysia (IBFIM)\n, there are a few CFP education providers in Malaysia. You can view the options \nhere\n, divided by regions.\n\n\nI picked a provider in Klang Valley, simply because they are the nearest CFP education provider to my house (not that it matters because now all classes are conducted via Zoom LMAO), I like the schedule (all weekends) and they got back to me the fastest.\n\n\nWhich CFP education provider should you pick? Up to you. Check the schedules and make sure to pick the one which classes you can attend. Check the costs and make sure you can afford it.\n\n\nSpeaking of cost..\n\n\nCFP Malaysia Cost Fee: How Much Does it Cost to Take CFP?\n\n\nShort answer: All-in-all, CFP Malaysia cost fee is around RM10,000.\n\n\nLong answer:\u00a0Different providers have different fees. It seems like most providers charge around RM2,000 per module, so expect to pay around RM8,000 if you\u2019re taking Option A, \nnot including\n examination, registration and other fees. \n\n\nIf you include all the fees, it\u2019s safe to say that getting yourself the CFP title will cost around RM10,000 all-in, from a private* CFP education provider.\n\n\n*If you went through a non-private education provider, I\u2019d love to hear your experience \u2013 from where and how much was it?\n\n\nProtip: Once in a while these CFP education providers have promotions \u2013 I\u2019ve seen one giving 50% off fees for a limited time, so check their websites and social media to catch those opportunities.\n\n\nProtip: Yes, you can withdraw money from EPF to pay for CFP course. Although taking out retirement money to pay for a financial planning course does sound ironic, ngl. Idk, choose your own storyline.\n\n\nCan you claim tax deduction/tax relief for CFP fees in Malaysia?\n\n\nI contacted FPAM and asked if one can claim tax deduction or tax relief for CFP fees in Malaysia. \n\n\nThis was their answer: \u201cThe education fees are not eligible for tax deduction, only the (FPAM) membership fee.\u201d\n\n\nAny Certified Financial Planners reading?\n\n\nI have to admit, I am very excited to go on this CFP journey \u2013 finally I\u2019ll be able to see the syllabus and structure which CFP professionals have been taught to use in planning their clients\u2019 financial life.\n\n\nIf you\u2019re a Certified Financial Planner, can you share with us more information that might be useful to others interested to take it? Are there any CFP education providers you would recommend, or additional protips? Leave them in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nP/s \u2013 Some people asked me if they should take CFP for DIY financial planning. You can, but I wouldn\u2019t suggest it \u2013 I think it\u2019s a bit of an overkill. Much cheaper and easier to hire a financial planner instead \u2013 see\u00a0\nGet REAL Financial Advice: 3 Ways to Find Financial Planners in Malaysia\n article.\n\n\nEDIT: I\u2019ve since completed the course. Read Parts 2 and 3\n\n\n\n\nMy CFP Journey, Part 2: What I Learned in CFP Malaysia Module 1 & 2\n\n\nMy CFP Journey, Part 3: Certificate in Financial Planning CFP Modules 3 & 4\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/checklist-kahwin/", "title": "I Spent RM5,247.09 for My Malay Wedding (Checklist Kahwin Included)\n  ", "body": "\n\nMy checklist kahwin was perfect \u2013 I thought of everything. \n\n\nThen the pandemic and MCO happened so my Malay wedding plans all went whack lol. \n\n\nThis post is a follow-up to the \nWedding Planning During Covid-19: How Plans & Budgets Changed \narticle, where I shared how our wedding plans changed over and over (and over) again during the course of the pandemic in 2020. \n\n\nNow that everything is over, I can finally write this Malay wedding budget breakdown article. Yes yes I see your requests \ud83d\ude1b\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nChecklist Kahwin: What I Planned to Spend On\n\n\nFrom my research, a \u2018standard\u2019 checklist kahwin for a Malay wedding comprises:\n\n\nPaperwork\n: Kursus Kahwin, HIV test, Photocopies for documents\nNikah Outfit\n: Baju pengantin, Veil, Shoes, Accessories, Hand bouquet\nReception Outfit\n: Baju pengantin, Veil, Shoes, Accessories, Hand bouquet\nBridal Services\n: Makeup artist, Hair styling, Veil styling, Henna artist\nGroom\n: Mas kahwin, Duit hantaran\nEvent services (Nikah): \nVenue, Food Catering, Dessert Catering, Photographer, Videographer\nEvent services (Reception): \nVenue, Food Catering, Dessert Catering, Photographer, Videographer\nBride & groom: \nWedding rings, Wedding cake, Makan beradab set, Honeymoon\nFamily members: \nMatching outfits, transportation costs\nDecoration\n: Pelamin Nikah, Pelamin Sanding (Reception), Flowers\nTradition\n: Bunga pahar/ bunga telur, Set renjis, Dulang hantaran\nEntertainment\n: Music show, Silat show, Emcee, Photo Booth, Kompang, PA system\nGuests\n: Kad kahwin, Door gifts\n\n\nSource: I got one of those cute \nkahwin planner notebooks\n on Shopee. Get it! It\u2019s pretty useful for DIY Malay wedding planning process!\n\n\nTo pay for all/most of these costs, I originally budgeted RM70,000-RM90,000 in our budget kahwin, broken down like so:\n\n\nRM35,000-RM45,000 from my side, and\nRM35,000-RM45,000 from his side, plus\nAn extra RM7,000-RM9,000 or 10% set aside as contingency \n\n\n(what can I say. Both our parents have a lot of friends)\n\n\nWhat I Ended Up Spending on My Malay Wedding \n\n\n Actually, I spent a total of RM12,062.09 on my Malay wedding. This was an incredibly low amount, as far as Malay weddings go. \n\n\nHowever, if you take out all the services that were cancelled due to MCO, then effectively I only spent \nRM5,247.09\n for my Malay wedding. It became a total budget kahwin and nikah ceremony. \n\n\nThere were four reasons it costs so low, and \nnone of them\n have anything to do with my money management skills, and everything to do with the pandemic:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 We had to cancel engagement AND reception events\n\n\nReason #1 why my wedding cost was so low is simply because we had to cancel both the engagement AND the reception events due to the pandemic. The former was \nsupposed \nto be in July 2020 before cancelled due to MCO 1.0, and the latter was planned on November 2020 \nbefore \npostponed to January 2021 \nbefore \ncancelled due to MCO 2.0. \n\n\nNaturally, because the events didn\u2019t happen, the things we need to tick off from our checklist kahwin significantly reduced. \n\n\nBut just because the events didn\u2019t happen, doesn\u2019t mean no costs were incurred. We managed to get our deposit back for the engagement event, but I still spent:\n\n\nRM4,150 for the \ndeposit at reception venue\n,\nRM2,000 for the \nfamily\u2019s reception outfits\n, \nRM415 for \nwedding cards\n package (anyone know how I can repurpose or upcycle these cards?), and\nRM250 for non-refundable deposit for \nmakeup artist\n \n\n\nSo that\u2019s a total of \nRM6,815 \nfor unused items and services.\n \n\n\n#2 \u2013 We had the nikah ceremony at my parent\u2019s home\n\n\nEvent rental is one of the items in checklist kahwin. Therefore by having the nikah ceremony at home, the event venue cost became RM0 (even if I did spend RM6,230 for bridal room renovation, but that\u2019s under Donations category not Wedding).\n\n\nThe decision to hold the nikah ceremony at home wasn\u2019t intentional \u2013 it was just the most flexible option, considering the ever-changing nikah SOP at the time. We made the decision after giving up our original 14 November 2020 (Saturday) date by mid-October. \n\n\nThankfully, by late October JAIS gave us a nikah slot and we got married on Wednesday, 3pm on 25 November 2020 at JAIS office, before celebrating with close family at home.\n\n\n\n\n\u2026 True story: the only reason why we got a nikah date in Nov (instead of Dec/Jan since only 5 couples is allowed per day) is because another couple dropped out and a slot opened up\nWonder what happened to them \ud83d\ude14 \nhttps://t.co/USxAFcsrJt\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nNovember 13, 2020\n\n\n\n\nIf you take out all the reception-that-didn\u2019t-happen expenses in #1, effectively I only spent \nRM5,247.09\n for my nikah ceremony (RM12,062.09 minus RM6,815). \n\n\nOf this, I spent:\n\n\nRM2000 (approx) on \ndulang hantaran gifts\n, \nRM1000 on \ncatering\n, \nRM1000 for the \npelamin\n,\nRM450 for his \nring\n, \nRM469 for my \noutfit\n,\nApprox RM100 for \nrequired paperwork\n (RM50 for marriage course, RM1 for HIV test, etc)\nAnd other odds and ends\n\n\nP/s \u2013 In case you\u2019re not familiar with Malay wedding \u2013 nikah ceremony is like ROM; we usually do it on the same day/weekend as the wedding reception \n\n\n#3 \u2013 Received gifts and help from family and friends\n\n\nI\u2019ve always found it hard to \nreceive\n help, but throughout this whole process I reminded myself that many people get a lot of joy from helping (me too, tbh), so I let them cover part of the checklist kahwin. \n\n\nTop of my head, I was gifted:\n\n\nA \nflower bouquet\n from my childhood friend (thank you Shukie!)\nPhotography and videography\n session from my wonderful family-in-law\nBridal accessories\n (shoes, white face mask, white shawl, jewellery, veil etc) from my mom and sisters\nA \nfacial session\n one day before nikah day from my sister \nA couple of\n hantaran gifts \nfrom my and his family members\nAs well as countless hours of unpaid labour from family members throughout the planning process, including researching and hiring vendors on my behalf\n\n\nFrom the bottom of my heart, thank you. Their special touches made the day more special and eventful than I could ever imagine.  \n\n\n#4 \u2013 Bought ready-made and DIY-ed\n\n\nAnother thing that contributed to my low Malay wedding cost was the lack of custom-made items and personalised services. \n\n\nTbh, this was less of a cost-saving measure and primarily to limit close contact \u2013 I know I have cheap tendencies but I didn\u2019t want to save money for the sake of saving money, especially not to the ailing and hard-hit wedding industry. \n\n\nFor my nikah event, I:\n\n\nBought \nready-made white dress \n(cost: RM469 including scarf and heels) instead of custom-made wedding dress (RM1000++)\nDIY-ed my \nhenna\n with inai celup (cost: RM28 including delivery) instead of hiring a henna artist (RM200++)\nDIY-ed my \nhairdo \n\u2013 went to hair saloon to get a professional hair blow-drying session on the morning of the event instead of getting a hairdresser to come over (mostly because we couldn\u2019t get one in time, but it turned out well, so hey)\n\n\nNgl I would have done my own makeup too (considering the close proximity), except that I know my makeup skills is practically non-existent, so a professional it is. Thankfully nothing happened. \n\n\nHow much was your Malay wedding?\n\n\nSo that\u2019s it. Those are the 4 reasons why my Malay wedding costs so little. If I had the reception, it would have added a mere ~RM4k or so to the total, but alas it was not meant to happen. I\u2019m okay with the cancellation, but I know my parents are disappointed so that makes me a little bit sad. \n\n\nCan you share how much was your Malay wedding, all-in-all? Were you happy with how things went?\n\n\nIf, when you read this, we are still in a pandemic and you are planning to get married, my tips in \nWedding Planning During Covid-19: How Plans & Budgets Changed\n stands \u2013 (1) expect plans to change, and change often and (2) try not to make any large non-refundable deposits. \n\n\nWhat would you add to that? If YOU are planning a Malay wedding, what\u2019s your biggest challenge at the moment? Let me know in the comments section!\n\n\nRelated: \n[PERSONAL] 5 Thoughts I Have About Marriage (and Money Management)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/dating-and-money/", "title": "[PERSONAL] How Money Affects My Dating Life\n  ", "body": "Received a request to write about the topic of dating and money (thanks for the suggestion, Carrine Yap!)\n\n\nThis is an interesting topic for sure, something I haven\u2019t done before. Rather than talking about how I manage finances in a relationship, I thought I\u2019d go one step further and talk about how money affects my dating life.\n\n\nFirst of all, a disclaimer. This is how money affects *my* dating life. I\u2019m not telling anyone how *they* should date. I\u2019m just saying, due to my background, privilege and money mindset, this is how I choose to go on dates and get into relationships.\n\n\nSo with that in mind, if you view yourself as a bit of a traditionalist or conservative, I ask you to skip this article altogether, or read with an open mind. Comments like \u2018men should be the one to do X\u2019 or \u2018you should be more Y\u2019 will be deleted.\n\n\n*You* can do that, go ahead, nothing\u2019s stopping you. You live your life, I\u2019ll live mine. I don\u2019t attack you, you don\u2019t attack me. Fair right? \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nDating and Money Approach #1 \u2013 Like money, personal relationships are private matter\n\n\n\n\nI rarely \u2013 almost never, actually \u2013 mention my romantic partners in my articles and social media. It\u2019s intentional. My approach to relationships is like how most people approach the subject of money: private. No one else needs to know the details.\n\n\n(I admit this is a bad analogy for my particular situation because I\u2019m actually super open about personal finance. But you get the drift)\n\n\nI omitted the info out for a variety of reasons, some of which I won\u2019t get into. But here\u2019s one reason I can share: I thought my relationship status doesn\u2019t matter, especially not in a \npersonal finance\n blog.\n\n\nJoke\u2019s on me, because the one and only time I posted about my dating life on Instagram, I found out y\u2019all actually like this topic. I received a bunch of likes and comments. The request to write about the topic came from there.\n\n\nWhile I\u2019m happy keeping my personal life private, the popularity of that post made me think. Should I be more open about talking about relationships to get more interest for Ringgit Oh Ringgit?\n\n\nThe digital marketer in me feels like I should capitalise on the demand :/\n\n\nDating and Money Approach #2 \u2013 Money allows me to be a feminist in my dating life\n\n\nThe best part of being financially stable is the privilege to choose my partners. It\u2019s thank u, next for those who don\u2019t fulfil my requirements, no compromise. I don\u2019t care if this makes me too \u2018choosy\u2019 \u2013 women suffer horrible consequences if they don\u2019t choose their partners well.\n\n\nMy philosophy is \nI\u2019d rather be happy alone than be miserable in a relationship\n.\n\n\nTaking the feminist approach to my dating life is awesome, it \nbenefits\n me and the people I date. Some things I do in my dating life \nbecause\n I\u2019m a feminist:\n\n\n\n\nMake the first move\n and ask them out\n\n\nOffer to \nsplit the cost\n of first date. Sometimes they take it, sometimes they insist on paying. But I always offer.\n\n\n(In a relationship) \nPay for dates\n. I used to insist on paying 50% of all dates, but now have implemented \u2018you take this round I\u2019ll take the next one\u2019 approach for convenience\n\n\nMake my partners happy and secure by proving I\u2019m not with them for their ability to provide, rather I\u2019m with them because\n I genuinely like them as a person\n\n\nValuing\n companionship more than marriage\n. It takes the pressure off for \nboth\n of us. Also, I\u2019m in no rush to give someone power over me, religiously speaking.\n\n\nEarn my own money\n and not expect them to subsidise my lifestyle\n\n\nNot impose gender-related societal pressures on them. \nSupport them\n if they want to try out traditionally-feminine activities without judgement\n\n\nSay what I mean and mean what I say\n (none of that \u2018I said no but you should\u2019ve known I meant yes\u2019 crap)\n\n\nMaintain my own hobbies and interests, attend events on my own, have my own set of friends. Talk about these with them when we\u2019re together so they get to \nlearn new perspectives and ideas\n\n\nEncourage \nmutual support\n in the relationship. We bring each other up, never down\n\n\nIf one of us \nfell out of love\n with the other, I will let them go and break up with them instead of dragging the relationship along, which isn\u2019t fair for the both of us\n\n\n\n\nI am NOT saying I\u2019m perfect with this relationship thing. BUT I found that my partners appreciate my values and actions, even if sometimes they don\u2019t necessarily like the \u2018feminism\u2019 label itself. Whatever la. You can call a rose by a different name. It\u2019s still rose.\n\n\nAdditionally, and perhaps against popular belief, being a feminist doesn\u2019t hurt my love life at all. Since 22 or 23 (I\u2019m 31 now), I was single for like 4 months in \ntotal. \nI\u2019m not saying this to brag, but to prove a point.\n\n\nHere\u2019s how you can \nadd some feminism in your dating life\n.\n\n\nDating and Money Approach #3 \u2013 I tend to fall for people with similar money values\n\n\nGiven how important financial responsibility is to me, this makes sense right? I don\u2019t think I\u2019ll be happy with someone who has vastly different money values than mine.\n\n\nI like frugalism, thriftiness and social responsibility. Therefore, my personal turn-offs include prominent displays of luxury brands and general flashiness, like if they bling up their car or wear excessive jewellery or something.\n\n\nInstead of impressing me, that just shows they are maybe not that great with money management. So I might like them initially (because hormones), but will lose my crush as I get to know them.\n\n\nOther qualities that I noticed I liked:\n\n\n\n\nEvidence of them spending their hard-earned money for \npersonal growth or passion projects/hobbies\n\n\nIf they are into \nminimalism\n\n\nThem knowing\n how to take care of themselves\n (knowing how to do own laundry, cook basic meals, perform household chores etc)\n\n\nIf they\u2019re \nnot\n a gift-giver\n. I mean, I appreciate the thought but hate hate hate clutter. No shade to people who like doing it (\u2018Gift-giving\u2019 is one of the 5 main \nLove Languages\n, the way some people show and feel love the most)\n\n\n\n\nFinding potential partners is of course hard. My approach is to just keep busy and active \u2013 I usually meet my partners from events I attend. It\u2019s a numbers game too \u2013 the more effort you put in to meet new people, the higher your chances of finding a person you like.\n\n\nTinder was kinda fun and I know people who met their partners there, but I personally didn\u2019t.\n\n\nWhat is your approach to dating?\n\n\nHow does money affect YOUR dating life? Do you date people with different money values or spending habits? Did it work out? If yes, \nhow \ndo you guys work it out? Let me know in the comments section.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/decluttering-challenge/", "title": "Everything I Got Rid Off In My 30-Day Decluttering Challenge\n  ", "body": "I describe myself as frugal, but \nonce in a while\n often, I cross the \u2018cheap\u2019 line.\n\n\nAnd I don\u2019t want to be cheap. Being cheap puts me in a scarcity mindset, as opposed to the abundance mindset. You can\u2019t be someone who is both \u2018I believe I can earn as much as I want\u2019 and \u2018why buy the better option when the cheap option exists\u2019. They\u2019re contradictory of each other.\n\n\nIn May 2019, I started a 30-day decluttering challenge with the following objectives:\n\n\n\n\nGet rid of old things that no longer \u2018sparks joy\u2019 and makes me feel cheap when I use them\n\n\nReturn items borrowed from friends and family\n\n\nSell, gift or donate items that still have value\n\n\nAnd ultimately, declutter my house and thus, my head\n\n\n\n\nHere\u2019s everything I got rid off during the decluttering challenge. Note: They don\u2019t necessarily add up to 30 things in 30 days. Some items are multiples.\n\n\nThrown out:\n\n\n1.\u00a0\nAn old eye mask\n. Had to tie the elastic bands to make it fit my head.\n\n\n2.\u00a0\nA well-loved H&M dress.\n Not the best quality and only lasted 10 months until it got too \u2018hole-y\u2019. But it was a decently comfortable night dress.\n\n\n3.\u00a0\nPillowcases.\u00a0\nThey\u2019re clean but turned this disgusting yellow colour. Long overdue.\n\n\n4. \nA loose hair tie\n. I kept this one particular hair tie for no reason for years.\n\n\n5. \nAn old kurta\n. It was a thrift shop find that was lovingly used until past its prime.\n\n\n6. \nAn old skirt\n. I have a bit of an attachment to this skirt, but it\u2019s time for it to go.\n\n\n7. \nOld tanktops\n. Thrown away a few ill-fitting tank tops.\n\n\n8. \nTwo old mugs\n. The chipped and stained ones, the same ones described in my\n article about the downsides of frugalism\n.\n\n\n9. \nA chipped Japanese teacup\n. It was a pair \u2013 the other one broke a long time ago. A bit sad to say goodbye \u2013 it was a gift from a good friend.\n\n\n10. \nA broken roller lint\n. It was broken, don\u2019t know why I kept it.\n\n\n11. \nA car mobile charger holder\n. A flimsy thing given for free from an online vendor. I don\u2019t have a car and no one I know wants it.\n\n\n12. \nOld namecards\n. Trimmed down my namecard collection from hundreds of cards to below 50 cards.\n\n\n13. \nAn expired foot cream\n. Self-explanatory.\n\n\n14. \nMultiple pens that dried out\n. Self-explanatory.\n\n\n15. \nMUJI Bedsheets\n. You\u2019d think everything MUJI is high-quality and will last a while right? Not really. The bedsheets didn\u2019t even last a year before holes started appearing in them. Very disappointed tbh.\n\n\n16. \nExpired bottle of fish oil capsules.\n For obvious reasons.\n\n\n17. \nAn old handbag.\n Present from mom but never used, and the elements made it old and unrepairable. Don\u2019t tell her.\n\n\n18. \nTefal nonstick pan.\n The nonstick coating came off.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nIs it normal for Tefal non-stick pans to become like this after just 2.5 years of usage? . Anyway, I\u2019m throwing this out. Anyone have suggestions for good nonstick pans suitable for induction cookers? Lazada midyear sales is coming up . #tefal #fryingpan #nonstickcookware #nonstickpan #lazadamalaysia #lazadasales\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nJul 8, 2019 at 11:32pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n19. \nJBL earphones.\n Because you don\u2019t sell or gift used earphones away, eww.\n\n\n20.\u00a0\nOld underwear.\n Tis\u2019 time.\n\n\nReturned:\n\n\n1. \nMy mom\u2019s luggage bag.\n Borrowed for a trip and returned right after.\n\n\n2. \nMy partner\u2019s folder.\n One of those \u2018no rush to return\u2019 items. But finally did.\n\n\nSold, Gifted or Donated:\n\n\n1. \nA pair of Nelissa Hilman shoes\n. [SOLD] It looked good in the stores, but painful to walk in. The search for the perfect nude/brown heels continues.\n\n\n2. \nA pair of sneakers\n. [GIFTED to a friend]. Black sneakers in Converse style but not Converse brand.\n\n\nPlan to sell, gift or donate:\n\n\nQuick note on this section. These are items that are still too good to throw away, yet don\u2019t have the time/energy/motivation to sell, gift or donate yet. It\u2019s not strictly considered decluttered items, but I\u2019ll include them here anyway for self-reminder. #perkofhavingyourownblog\n\n\n1. \nTwo bottles of non-alcoholic wines.\n One red wine, one white wine. Got them from Estonia specifically to cook with or resell to Muslim people who always wanted to taste wine but wanna keep it halal, whichever comes first.\n\n\n2. \nThree bottles of shampoos\n. Not suitable for my hair.\n\n\n3. \nA bag full of rarely-worn clothes\n. Don\u2019t we all have this?\n\n\n4. \nA Soap & Glory Body Polish + Body Butter set\n. Maybe I\u2019ll just use this myself, let\u2019s see.\n\n\n5. \nA few books that I don\u2019t want to read again\n. Oh btw check out my bookshelves, sorted by colour ^_^\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nI sorted my book collection by colour the other day. Showing it off here \ud83d\ude2c . #organization #bookorganization #bookcollection #colourcodedbooks #bookloversmalaysia\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nApr 23, 2019 at 9:53pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLessons learned from decluttering challenge\n\n\n#1 \u2013 I cleared out a bunch of stuff from the decluttering challenge, but also replaced (sone of) them with newer items\n\n\nI know that I do tend to keep some things for far too long, because they still technically \u2018work\u2019. Prime example: wearing a super worn-down piece of clothing.\n\n\nThat\u2019s cheap of me, because it\u2019s not like I can\u2019t afford to replace them. Again, I don\u2019t want to be cheap.\n\n\nThe decluttering challenge gave me the opportunity to replace:\n\n\n\n\nThe chipped and stained mugs with new ones\n\n\nThe \nnon\nstick pan with a new one\n\n\nThe old, holey bedsheets and pillowcases with new ones\n\n\nSome old, worn-looking clothes with new ones (went on a shopping spree at my sister\u2019s shop)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nWhen your sister is forced to be nice to you because you\u2019re a paying customer at her boutique \ud83d\ude02 . Check out @marquise.my! Uniqlo vibes, lots of mix-and-match items. I got 7 tops that I can pair with my existing wardrobe. Gotta stretch the clothing budget \ud83d\ude01 . For the plus size version, go to my other sister\u2019s shop @malaysiaplussize \u270c\ufe0f . #capsulewardrobe #minimalismmalaysia #shahalam #plussizemalaysia\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nJul 8, 2019 at 2:23am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m not going to replace everything though. Because\u2026\n\n\n#2 \u2013 I want to be mindful of things I consume from now on\n\n\nWhile I\u2019m at a good financial place in my life now, I sure can\u2019t afford buying exclusively free-trade, ethically-sourced-and-produced items. And if I can\u2019t do that, that means I am directly contributing to the harmful effects of fast fashion / other consumption products.\n\n\nSo I\u2019m going to do the next best thing: buy less. Consume less. Buy things I love, sure, but only a few as opposed to a lot of it.\n\n\nThis is hard, because marketers and advertisers sure know how to get to your head and create that desire.\n\n\nDoesn\u2019t mean I can\u2019t fight back. We all know that stuff doesn\u2019t make you happy, experiences does.\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nWhy We Can\u2019t Stop Spending Money\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Clothes is really a trial and error thing\n\n\nAbout 20 pieces of clothes (including shoes) get thrown out, donated, gifted or sold during this 30-day decluttering challenge. That\u2019s quite a lot, in quantity and in $$.\n\n\nAnd you know, even though I loved all of the things I bought during the purchasing process, it is hard to predict what I\u2019d really end up liking, and what I\u2019ll never wear ever again.\n\n\nMy plan for that bag of unwanted but good-condition clothes now is to reuse, sell or gift what I can. Quite thankful of communities like the Beli Nothing Project and \nKloth Cares\n that can help extend the lifecycle of these clothes and keep them out of landfills.\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nSave Money on Fashion: 5 Steps I Use to Optimise My Clothing Budget\n\n\n#4 I really like the mindset that Marie Kondo taught\n\n\nOne thing that I really love about Marie Kondo is her attitude to things we no longer need. She taught us how important it is to thank the items individually for serving us. At one point, each of them made us happy, and we have to be grateful for that feeling.\n\n\nDoing this to some nostalgic but old items helped in this decluttering process. I\u2019m glad I got to say goodbye to them.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Decluttering cleared out my head\n\n\nMessy environment, messy head. I\u2019m happy to report my head is less messy now \ud83d\ude42 I wanted my environment to reflect my current values, and I did it.\n\n\nFor now, at least. I still have the tendency to go back to my default \u2018save money\u2019 mode as opposed to \u2018earn money\u2019 mode. It\u2019ll be a lifelong process.\n\n\nDo you do decluttering challenges?\n\n\nI think most people do, right? Especially while cleaning the house during festive seasons, a \u2018might as well\u2019 thing.\n\n\nWhat I *am* curious about is what you do with the items. Do you tend to throw them out? Sell them off? Donate them (to who?) Keep them out of sight?\n\n\nLet me know in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/exercise-career-and-income/", "title": "[Personal] I Never Imagined Exercise Would Help My Career and Income, Until It Did\n  ", "body": "\n\n1.5 years ago, I switched from paid employment to \nself-employment\n. It\u2019s been great. I\u00a0have earned up to 4.8x my previous monthly salary.\n\n\nMy exercise journey also started more or less the same time. From the peak of my weight, I\u2019ve lost about 28kg so far. I know BMI (Body Mass Index) isn\u2019t the best indicator, but I\u2019m finally in the \u2018healthy\u2019 range. As someone who has always been \u2018the fat one\u2019 since primary school, this is a pretty big achievement. I\u2019m crazy proud of myself.\n\n\nIt can\u2019t be a coincidence. I think exercising and healthier living choices did impact my career and income, for the better. This post is a jumble of self-reflection on this correlation.\n\n\n\n\n A few years ago vs now\n\n\nExercise as a catalyst\n\n\nIn a Quora thread (I\u2019ve lost the link unfortunately), someone asked if there are habits one can implement to be better versions of themselves. Of course exercise came up. But a person added their own thoughts to it, which went something like, \u2018some habits are catalysts \u2013 it doesn\u2019t just improve one area, but many\u00a0other areas\u00a0in your life. It\u2019s like a buy-1-get-10-free kinda deal.\u2019\n\n\nI think this is what exercise did for me. It didn\u2019t just improve my health, it also:\n\n\n\n\nHelps to reduce stress, which leaves more mental capacity for daily tasks (like money management)\n\n\nReleases\u00a0endorphin, which gives me the \u2018feel-good\u2019 factor and attracts more positive vibes into my life\n\n\nMakes my temperament more pleasant, which helps to\u00a0build relationships with people\n\n\nMakes me want to eat better, which encourages home-cooking with quality (but not necessarily expensive) ingredients\n\n\nGives me a healthy glow and reduces dark circles, which helps with my self-confidence\n\n\nMakes me sleep better and start most days on a good note\n\n\nGives me a sense of accomplishment, which \nmakes me feel like I can conquer anything\n\n\n\n\nAll of the above and more are by-products of exercising that has nothing to do with career and income\u00a0on its own. But you can\u2019t deny that the better you feel, the more you are primed to tackle messy things like finances and life in general.\n\n\nThe good first impression\n\n\nLooking healthy makes a great first impression. It implies\u00a0that you\u2019re disciplined enough to take care of yourself, which means you\u00a0must also be disciplined in other areas in your life (like work). Unfortunately, there are people who equate fat = lazy. This is a very common preconception, even \nprofessors have bias against overweight people\n, and they\u2019re supposed to be smart.\n\n\nI like appearing like I have my shit together. So does my clients, judging by the work-related inquiries they send me. I think that exercising is such a small price to pay to have this positive association.\n\n\nThe shared experiences\n\n\nI am more open to trying experiences that I previously dismissed before, due to my weight. In my early-20s, I would think twice before joining group activities, especially if they were physical activities. I\u2019d worry about making\u00a0a fool of myself and sweat too much \u2013 the thought of it would embarrass me and I\u2019d stop myself from participating.\n\n\nNow, I\u2019m much more open to it. I know I can pull my weight and at least keep up. It\u2019s so liberating. If you have never been fat/unhealthy, you wouldn\u2019t understand the mental stress related to this.\n\n\nThese experiences also help me connect more to the people around me. What, you did rock climbing in Krabi? \nSo did I\n! That instant bond with others over shared experiences made me easier to relate to. It puts me in the \u2018friend\u2019 status instantly from the \u2018acquaintance\u2019 status. And you know what? A lot of successful people enjoy physical activities.\n\n\nOf course, this is not the only way to have shared experiences; non-physical activities work well too. But my\u00a0chances of having shared experiences with someone else are now bigger, no doubt about it.\n\n\nFriends help friends. I credit some of my professional progress to connections and help received from friends.\n\n\nI am\u2026 attractive?\n\n\nOk, bear with me, this is a very new, a very odd feeling.\n\n\nI\u2019ve been told that I\u2019m attractive (after losing weight), which is not a compliment I\u2019m used to getting. It feels strange and most of the time I dismiss it. It\u2019s more like, \u2018oh, how sweet they are to resort to lying, because that can\u2019t be true\u2019. For the longest time I simply replied back, \u201cI don\u2019t believe you, but thank you.\u201d\n\n\nA part of me hates this because obviously my brains come first. I\u2019m proud of my education and my accomplishments; at no point I want myself to be reduced to \u2018a pretty thing\u2019.\u00a0\nThis makes me more motivated to improve my\n \nknowledge\n\u00a0\nand to prove myself\n. I force myself to read books, read articles, and generally learn whatever I can,\u00a0whenever I can. Everything I know about personal finance and investments was\u00a0self-studied and self-initiated.\u00a0\n\u00a0\u00a0\n\n\nAt the same time, I\u2019m human. I admit that I can\u2019t help but be flattered when\u00a0my presence is appreciated, even if it is due to a superficial reason. I have to keep my ego in check here.\n\n\nIt\u2019s true. People are nicer when you\u2019re pleasant-looking\n\n\nIf you ask me about the biggest change in people\u2019s behaviour, this is it. People are nicer to me now. I\u2019m basing this 100% from my personal experience.\n\n\nI don\u2019t know if it\u2019s the new vibe, or maybe even new confidence, but people are just generally nicer. They smile more (men and women), they entertain my queries, they get my orders faster. It\u2019s\u00a0not a negligible\u00a0contributing factor to\u00a0my career and income growth.\n\n\nThis is such an interesting privilege to experience.\u00a0Unfortunately, it also\u00a0convinced me of a major flaw in society \u2013 at the end of the day, looks do matter.\n\n\nI\u2019m trying my best to exploit this advantage for the better good.\n\n\nConclusion\n\n\nIf you were ever in my position \u2013 overweight with\u00a0stagnant career and income \u2013 I suggest you put more effort in exercising. It may give you the boost you needed to be more successful. For dieting, what works for me is the \nketo diet\n, but do whatever works for you. Think of the positive things you can contribute to\u00a0your family and the society by implementing exercise routines and a healthy diet in your life. Just don\u2019t, you know, discriminate against overweight people once you reap the benefits.\n\n\nYou can do this. Now give me 50 squats.\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/failed-financial-goals/", "title": "4 Financial Goals I\u2019ve Failed to Achieve\n  ", "body": "What are the limits of your abilities?\n\n\nThat\u2019s an unpleasant question to ask yourself, isn\u2019t it? No one likes to think of their own flaws.\n\n\nYet as the world prepares for the new \nyear\n decade, all excited to start their financial goals, I can\u2019t help to go the other route and think of where and what I\u2019ve failed to do in the past.\n\n\nWhy talk about failed financial goals\n\n\nDon\u2019t get me wrong. I\u2019m not a negative person. In fact I\u2019m annoyingly optimistic.\n\n\n(\u201cCrashed your expensive car? Thank God you still have your life\u201d; \u201cLost a limb in the accident? Insurance payout time kachinggg!!\u201d).\n\n\nIt\u2019s just, I\u2019m battling a dilemma. I want to make financial goals, because failing to plan is planning to fail and all that.\n\n\nBut do I make \nambitious\n financial goals and fail (again) but at least \u2018miss the moon and land among the stars\u2019, OR do I make \nsuper-realistic\n financial goals and not feel challenged or excited by them at all?\n\n\nAfter thinking about it, I decided that the former is a better alternative than the latter.\n\n\nBut what if we\u2026 combine them? Set ambitious goals which are also realistic. To get there, it\u2019s not a bad idea to do some risk-reduction activity \u2013 think of where I have failed in the past so I can (try) avoid the same problems.\n\n\nSo here are all the financial goals I\u2019ve failed before, to ground me back to Earth.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Getting a scholarship\n\n\nThis is old, deep feelings I\u2019m digging out. Late teens, early 20s stuff. See, I\u2019ve never really gotten over the fact that I\u2019ve never gotten a scholarship.\n\n\nYou might say yeah Suraya many others didn\u2019t get scholarships as well, but let me just counter back \u2013 almost all of my best friends during high school got scholarships. I was the \nstupid\n less-clever one, the one who didn\u2019t study enough.\n\n\nThe only reason I got an overseas education is because of my parents\u2019 money, not of my own merit.\n\n\n(Well, maybe a little bit of my own merit. Just a tiny bit)\n\n\nI might also add \u2013 oh gosh I\u2019m so embarrassed to admit this \u2013 I actually failed my admissions interview into UiTM Shah Alam, too. Yes, the university known to help Malay people.\n\n\nUnderlying core problem which contributed to the failure:\n underpreparation\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Have a career in social work and work with United Nations\n\n\nBefore Suraya-the-personal-finance-writer, there was Suraya-the-social-worker. Up until my mid-20s, I was working in a few NGOs, including for intercultural exchange, SOGIE rights, HIV/AIDS, refugees and women human rights, just building experience.\n\n\nI\u2019ve since left the field and industry, but sometimes I still think about the \u2018what ifs\u2019. My ultimate goal then was to work in the United Nations, where salaries are high.\n\n\nLike really, \nreally\n freakin\u2019 high. I thought, well that\u2019s a nice two-birds-one-stone situation. I would satisfy my lifegoal of \u2018doing good\u2019 while making money at the same time.\n\n\nWhy didn\u2019t I still pursue this goal? Well I think I realised that I\u2019m simply not angry enough to make a good activist, the type that demands rights and drafts policies and organises protests and all that. I\u2019m too comfortable with my privileges to act.\n\n\nUnderlying core problem which contributed to the failure:\n cowardice\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\n[PERSONAL] Malay and Money: A Reflection\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Continue BestDealsMalaysia.com\n\n\nSometime back, circa 2018 or early 2019, I bragged about coming up with a new business slash website idea \u2013 BestDealsMalaysia.com. It\u2019s like HotUKDeals.com, the deal-hunting website but for Malaysians (obv). I even made an article about its creation process: \nThe Exact Steps I Use to Build & Launch BestDealsMalaysia.com in 7 Days\n\n\nI was so excited about the project in the beginning. But as time went on\u2026 I got lazy, and just stopped working on it.\n\n\nNo excuses really. Once I did the beta website, the passion for the project died off :/\n\n\nUnderlying core problem which contributed to the failure:\n Laziness; loss in motivation\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Doing outbound sales\n\n\nGenerally speaking, there are two ways to get sales/clients: inbound and outbound marketing.\n\n\nSo far in with RoR, I\u2019ve relied mostly on inbound marketing, ie clients liking my work and/or personal brand and coming to hire me directly. It\u2019s a good strategy.\n\n\nIn the past few years, and especially after the publication of the \nMoney Stories from Malaysian: Volume 1\n book in early 2019, I\u2019ve challenged myself to be more comfortable with doing outbound sales, ie approaching target clients/customers directly.\n\n\nAnd let me say\u2026 it\u2019s still hard. Some days I have the confidence to do it, but other days, no.\n\n\nI want to say small progress is better than no progress, and that is absolutely true, but I also want to push myself harder. Sometimes I even wish I had a boss who\u2019d force me to do sales so I\u2019d \nhave\n to do it! But no, being a solopreneur means all the initiation and motivation must come from my own self.\n\n\nUnderlying core problem which contributed to the failure:\u00a0\nmy fear of rejection\n\n\nConclusion\n\n\nTo be really, really honest with you, this post was originally supposed to be a list of my financial goals in 2020.\n\n\nBut I thought instead of just sharing with you what I want to do, instead let\u2019s use this space to\n\n\n(1) remind you that I\u2019ve failed more times than I care to admit, and so does everyone else;\n\n\n(2) failing is completely normal, don\u2019t be too hard on yourself, shit happens, and\n\n\n(3) you only truly fail if you don\u2019t learn and grow from your mistakes.\n\n\nThus with that logic, financial goals are bars you set for yourself, yes, but also above all \nits a tool for self-growth\n. If you achieve it, good. If you didn\u2019t, also good \u2013 knowing what you didn\u2019t know you didn\u2019t know is also valuable information!\n\n\nSo. Having said all these. I want to know \u2013 is the process of goal-setting is an easy or hard process for you? What have you learned from your own failed goals? As always, do share in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/financial-independence-malaysia/", "title": "Calculating the Amount I Need to Reach Financial Independence in Malaysia\n  ", "body": "\n\nYou might have seen the acronym FIRE \u2013 it stands for Financial Independence, Retire Early. To me, the FI part is more important \u2013 I want to reach financial independence in Malaysia.  \n\n\nImagine waking up in the morning, thinking, \neh, I don\u2019t feel like working today\n, so you just\u2026 don\u2019t. And still be okay financially, with no consequences.\n\n\nThat\u2019s the dream, isn\u2019t it? I want that. I want that so bad.\n\n\nThe topic of financial independence and early retirement has been on my mind for the longest time, but I admit I\u2019m afraid. I\u2019m afraid to find out the amount I need to get there. I\u2019m afraid the number will be too big that it\u2019ll discourage me, instead of motivating me. I\u2019m afraid to think of the sacrifices I have to make.\n\n\nWhich is why I\u2019m forcing myself to write this article. Let\u2019s force out all those jumbled thoughts and put them in a linear, clear format.\n\n\nHow to reach financial independence in Malaysia\n\n\n\n\nBased on the articles and resources I\u2019ve read about the topic, here\u2019s how one can reach financial independence in Malaysia:\n\n\nDo all you can to earn money, until you reach the amount you need\nChuck it all in investments, allowing it to earn interest\nMake withdrawals that\u2019s enough to fund your lifestyle, forever\n\n\nThe key is to have a big enough amount so the money doesn\u2019t run out before you die, because that would\u00a0\nsuck\n.\n\n\nThere are two ways to calculate how much money you need to reach financial independence in Malaysia:\n\n\nFirst way: 25x your annual expense\n\n\nOne of Mr Money Moustache\u2019s most popular post is called \nThe 4% Rule: The Easy Answer to \u201cHow Much Do I Need for Retirement?\u201d\n. A popular FIRE advocate and OG personal finance blogger, he argued that one needs roughly \n25x their annual expenses for early retirement\n. \n\n\nNow, the maths is based on (1) \nUS-centric figures and assumptions, which is not the same for Malaysia\n, and (2) oversimplification of 7% annual return rate and 3% inflation rate (the numbers are not that predictable). \n\n\nRegardless, 25x your annual expense is a simple enough calculation to use to \nguesstimate\n your FIRE number. For example:\n\n\nIf your annual expense is RM40k per year, your FIRE number is RM1m\nIf your annual expense is RM60k per year, your FIRE number is RM1.5m\nIf your annual expense is RM120k per year, your FIRE number is RM3m\n\n\nAnd so on. You could, in theory, aim to hit the number then \nhire a financial planner\n who can do a personalised calculation for you \u2013 maybe its enough, maybe its not, it all depends on your envisioned retirement lifestyle. \n\n\nBut I know some of you are hardcore DIY-ers, and want to calculate your own FIRE numbers and/or want better accuracy, so here\u2019s the second way:\n\n\nSecond way: Calculate your FIRE number from your variables:\n\n\nThe \u2018variables\u2019 are: \n\n\nWhat is your \u2018post-retirement\u2019 lifestyle and how much it is expected to cost\nYour life expectancy (the average life expectancy for Malaysian women is 77.6 years old. Let\u2019s just round that up to\u2026 85\u2026 just in case)\nThe inflation rate\nYour average return on investment (5-8% is a good benchmark)\n\n\nThe calculation is easy in theory, but figuring out the variables are\u00a0\nhard\n. How would I know how much I need after retirement? Even my year-to-year expenses varied a lot \u2013\u00a0\nI spent an average of RM8600 per month in 2017 and an average of RM4900 per month in 2016\n. \n\n\nAnd what kind of post-retirement lifestyle do I even want? I haven\u2019t decided. How much would\u00a0\nthat\n cost? Will I be healthy or need medical assistance then? \n\n\nOh well. Let\u2019s just do the calculations first. I found a couple of calculators online. \n\n\nCalculation #1 \u2013 Annuity calculator\n\n\nTo calculate the amount I need, I tried\u00a0\nCalculator.net\u2019s annuity calculator\n first. After playing around with the numbers, I found out that I can withdraw RM5,000 per month for 53.6 years if I have \nRM810,000\n in investments now.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nI thought I solved the \u2018how much I need\u2019 part, but on closer inspection, no I don\u2019t. \nThe scary part is the inflation. \n\n\nYou don\u2019t really notice it on a year-to-year basis, but it\u2019s clear as day in the example above. I don\u2019t want 83-year-old me to live on an equivalent of RM677 only per month! I want comfort in my old age!\n\n\nCalculation #2 \u2013 Post-retirement calculator\n\n\nSo obviously I need to find a calculator that takes inflation into account. No wonder they call it \u2018the silent killer\u2019. \n\n\nI found this \nRich, Broke or Dead calculator\n which answers the question:\u00a0\nIf I start out with $X dollars at the beginning of my retirement, will I run out of money before I die?\n\n\nThe calculator is not the most suitable for my case (for example, they use US inflation rates), but it\u2019s still nice to be able to play around with the numbers. \n\n\nAccording to the results, \nRM1,950,000\n invested at age 30 will give me 99% probability to withdraw RM60,000 annually (inflation-adjusted!) until I\u2019m 85 years old!\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRM1.95 million\u2026\n\n\nHoly shit that\u2019s a big number. I am nowhere near there. I am nowhere near reaching financial independence in Malaysia.\n\n\n\ud83d\ude41\n\n\nThere it is. The emotion I was trying to avoid, too scared to confront. I\u2019m overwhelmed by this amount. I doubt my ability to earn this much in my lifetime.\n\n\nThen, immediately after that thought: the crushing realisation that I lack self-confidence in my own earning potential.\n\n\nQuick, an inspirational quote to stop all this worrying and anxiety:\n\n\n\n\n\u2026 that subsided it somewhat, but still.\n\n\nI know I can only do the best I can, and dammit I am\u00a0\ntrying\u00a0\nto be good with this saving and earning money thing.\n\n\nI know I could be in a \nworse\n financial position.\n\n\nI know I am lucky to actually \nenjoy\n the work I am doing now.\n\n\nI know that worrying now is worrying twice. \n\n\nSo\u2026 no rush, Suraya. Reach financial independance at your own pace, don\u2019t worry too much about retiring early \u2013 as they say, it\u2019s the journey, not the destination. \n\n\nWhatever it is, remember you\u2019re planning for 85-year-old you, but don\u2019t forget there\u2019s no guarantee you\u2019ll even reach that age. So save money, yes, but remember to live like each day is your last, too. \n\n\nAdjusting expectations\n\n\nEven though I don\u2019t want to worry too much, I sure as heck will try my best to increase my likelihood to reach financial independence in Malaysia.\n\n\nTwo things make financial independence in Malaysia easier:\n\n\nLow post-retirement expenses, and\nHigh income AND savings rate to reach the number needed\n\n\nLet\u2019s look into both:\n\n\nLow post-retirement expenses\n\n\nI\u2019ve been using RM5,000 per month to guesstimate the amount I need for my post-FI life. In my head, the amount is just enough to cover the essentials (rent, insurance, food, transportation, etc), cover the expenses of my passion projects.\n\n\nI can live on less, definitely, if I try. For example, I could move to a cheap country, which saves money on the essentials and satisfies the wanderlust element.\n\n\nThankfully, I\u2019m in no rush to decide on a post-retirement lifestyle. I\u2019m still young, and can take the time to try out different ways of living. \n\n\nSo that brings us to the second part of FIRE:\n\n\nGetting the amount needed\n\n\nAfter doing the calculations, it\u2019s clear that I need around RM2, maybe RM3 million to safely call myself financially independent. The number might change as I grow older or if situations change, but it\u2019ll do as a benchmark for now. \n\n\nA lot of people in the FIRE community make sacrifices to get the amount they need, faster. I\u2019ve seen people:\n\n\nAdjust their accommodation arrangement to lower their cost of living \u2013 move to rural areas, move with the parents, live with housemates\nChoose to not have children\nLive extremely frugal lifestyles\nBust their asses off to earn extra income\nStick with high-paying, but high-stress jobs\n\n\nThe more sacrifices they make, the faster they FIRE. Therefore FIRE communities also act as a support group of sorts, full of encouragements. \n\n\nIt\u2019s a nice community, however I can\u2019t say that I like\u00a0\nall \nof its\u00a0aspects. It can be a bit\u00a0\ntoo\n money-obsessed, even for me. I\u2019m okay with slowly getting there, as long as I enjoy my life. \n\n\nDo you plan to FIRE?\n\n\nIn Malaysia, I know a few people who are consciously working towards FIRE. I\u2019ve gotten emails from readers who shared their journeys. Some shared the lack of support from family and friends, who didn\u2019t understand the rush.\n\n\nHow about you? Have you ever calculated the amount you need? Which calculator did you use? Also, what do you plan to do after you retire early?\n\n\nLet me know. Share your thoughts in the comments section.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/gratitude-list/", "title": "Gratitude List: 15 Things That Make Me Feel Rich\n  ", "body": "My previous post was all about\u00a0\nenvy and jealousy over everyone else\u2019s amazing-looking life\n. It made me feel horrible. Instead of feeling sorry for myself and lamenting on what I lack, I will now choose to focus on the good things in my life. Here is my gratitude list of things that make me feel rich (instead of poor).\n\n\n#1 \u2013 The amazing view at my rented apartment\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\ud83c\udf1eday and \ud83c\udf19night. So pretty \u2764\ufe0f\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya\n (@surayaror) on \nJan 30, 2017 at 5:29am PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nI have a 180-degree view right from my balcony, and absolutely love it.\n\n\nEvery night, I would just soak in the amazing view before I go to bed. Full-moon nights are particularly beautiful.\n\n\nDaytime views are gorgeous too. Bright, sunny days are so \nvivid\n. Rainy days are calming. Cloudy days are mesmerising.\n\n\nI also get a kick-ass view on New Year\u2019s Eve \u2013 I can see all the fireworks in the area, one after another.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 No housemates\n\n\nI love my living arrangement. No offence to my previous housemates, I love you all, but it\u2019s amazing to have all this space to myself!\n\n\n#3 \u2013 My flexible, work-from-home schedule\n\n\nYou know me as the blogger behind Ringgit Oh Ringgit, but I like to introduce myself as a freelance writer, corporate writer or communications consultant, depending on who I\u2019m talking to. That means I take up writing and communications jobs \u2013 I\u2019ve done everything from annual report writing, rapporteuring work, article-writing, resume-writing, web copywriting, and other related work (\nhire me!\n)\n\n\nI still have not locked down the perfect work-from-home system, but\u2026 close enough. I get to choose what projects I want to do,\u00a0who I want to meet and start my work whenever I feel my brain is ready.\n\n\n(of course there are downsides, and I won\u2019t touch that in this post \u2013 want to keep up this feel-good momentum!)\n\n\nI also get to be a homebody, which is my favourite thing to do. After work is done (or when I procrastinate\u2026), I\u2019d go to the gym and work out, cook lots of food, read books, listen to music, wear facial masks and just generally chill out.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Living near a commercial area\n\n\nI can just\u00a0\nwalk\u00a0\nown to go to my dentist, the grocery shop (a small one, but still), 3 convenience stores, lots of restaurants and cafes (including a Starbucks), a movie theatre, a courier delivery service and a bunch of other shops.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Having a functional kitchen\n\n\nCooking is awesome \u2013 it\u2019s fun, it saves money, it impresses the dates, it makes me healthier, I can go on. I absolutely love my small but functional kitchen.\n\n\nI don\u2019t have that many kitchen tools and utensils, but I can still make a heck of a lot of things with what I already own. For example, here are some equipments I have and the food I make with it:\n\n\n\n\nRice cooker \u2013 rice dishes, soups and steamed veges\n\n\nOven \u2013 baked goods, both savoury and sweet\n\n\n3-in-1 Food processor, blender and whisk \u2013 makes sambal, caulirice, protein shakes, whipped cream\n\n\nCoffee machine \u2013 my source of caffeine\n\n\nInduction cooker \u2013 omelettes, stir-fries and other goreng-goreng stuff\n\n\n\n\nWhat makes me feel \u2018rich\u2019 in particular are the small tools that elevate my dishes and simplify my cooking prep. These are things like:\n\n\n\n\nSalad spinner \u2013 dry salad leaves are SO much better than wet ones\n\n\nMultiple baking pans \u2013 in glass and silicone\n\n\nMixing bowls \u2013 to make the cakes and all\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m thinking of upgrading my kitchen knives \u2013 I think that\u2019ll make a big difference too.\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Fresh, hot coffee every morning\n\n\nMy morning routine: wake up, drink a mug of warm water (plus a splash of apple cider vinegar), then run the coffee machine. I love the smell, mmm\u2026\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Or chai tea at night\n\n\nI was gifted this premium chai tea mix, and they make really nice wind-down drinks at the end of the day.\n\n\n#8 \u2013\u00a0 A nice supply of face masks\n\n\nDuring my recent Japan trip (\nwhat I bought\n), I stocked up on Japanese face masks. I put them on a couple of times a week, and even though they\u2019re not pricey masks, they make me feel pampered all the same.\n\n\n#9 \u2013 A good supply of books\n\n\nNot running out of things to read anytime soon!\n\n\n#10 \u2013 A fully-paid GOOD laptop\n\n\nMy laptop, the Surface Pro 4, is the fanciest laptop I\u2019ve ever bought for myself. I love using it.\n\n\nThe sticker price was steep, so I opted for monthly installments. I paid RM568.12 per month for 12 months, and now it\u2019s fully paid off! Including the extra warranty, it\u2019ll last me at least 5 years, a respectable timeframe for laptops before replacement time.\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\n4 Best Tips I Got From You Guys When I Wanted to Buy New Laptop\n\n\n#11 \u2013 A washing machine in my unit\n\n\nI used to rent a place without a washing machine, and made the frequent trips to the laundromat. Each trip takes at least 3 hours of my life.\n\n\nFor all of you who are used to washing machines and never lived without it \u2013 count your blessings.\n\n\n#12 \u2013 A bed frame\n\n\nI\u2019ve done the whole \u2018sleeping on the mattress on the floor\u2019 thing for years (to save money) before decided to buy a bed frame. At writing time, I\u2019ve only had the bed frame for less than half a year. It still feels luxurious.\n\n\nI didn\u2019t think it would, but the bed frame really does elevate my sleep (geddit? geddit??)\n\n\n#13 \u2013\u00a0 That I can get groceries delivered\n\n\nIsn\u2019t it amazing to have a personal shopper to get your groceries for you? I used to lug heavy cat litter around \u2013 and now I don\u2019t have to! Absolutely blessed to be able to use grocery delivery services!\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nHappyFresh Review: 10 Tips to Save Money and Time!\n\n\n#14 \u2013 My travel experiences\n\n\nI\u2019ve done my fair share of travelling around. Collected some wild experiences and loads of good memories. All I can say is, I\u2019m satisfied (but if I can afford to do more traveling, why the heck not).\n\n\n#15 \u2013 Nice-smelling shower gels\n\n\nIf I do start a collection, it would be a collection of shower gels. Not makeup, not skincare, not perfumes or clothes or accessories. Shower gels. They just make me ridiculously happy every single time I use them. I love shower gels from The Body Shop in particular. Their Satsuma Exfoliating Body Polish smells so good!\n\n\nLast thoughts\n\n\nDoing this article erased \nall\n most of the negativity I felt previously. I was so caught up in comparing my life with others that I forgot that I have a pretty good life as it is. In this gratitude list, no less than 15 things make me feel rich \u2013 that\u2019s a lot of things to be thankful about!\n\n\nI highly recommend you to make your own \u2018things that make me feel rich\u2019 list. It\u2019ll make you feel good, too. Share in the comments which parts of your life that make you feel particularly rich. I\u2019d love to hear them.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/great-clients/", "title": "[PERSONAL] How I Get Great Clients Who Pay & Treat Me Well\n  ", "body": "I love my clients. They are freaking awesome. The best. They pay AND treat me well.\n\n\nI feel like it\u2019s time for me to be forward with my experience working with great clients, because if social media is to be believed, well-paying and respectful clients are supposedly hard to come by.\n\n\nBut let me just say \u2013 they\u2019re not. I\u2019ve had the odd bad apples, but in my four years (so far) working in \nself-employed\n capacity, the majority of my clients were nothing but \nabsolute\n \njoys\n to work with.\n\n\n(Note: I have two types of clients. Those who \nhire me\n in my capacity as Suraya the communications consultant and corporate writer to write reports and stuff, and those who hire me in my capacity as Suraya the blogger from Ringgit Oh Ringgit to promote their products and services. Both are amazing).\n\n\nThis post is a jumble of self-reflection \u2013 how and why do I get these amazing clients? I still don\u2019t know for sure, but here are my theories.\n\n\nFactor #1 \u2013 Luck\n\n\n\n\nFirst things first, let\u2019s put this out there. Maybe I\u2019m just lucky, simple as that. Maybe the universe looks out for me.\n\n\nI\u2019m also lucky to have an annoyingly optimistic personality. I forget bad events (and bad clients) fairly fast, choosing to focus on the things that went right instead of the things that went wrong.\n\n\nFactor #2 \u2013 Due to Ringgit Oh Ringgit\n\n\nIt could also due to RoR. I mean, it does have a following. A small one, but a following nonetheless. It could be that my clients are just nice to me because they don\u2019t want me to write bad things about them on Ringgit Oh Ringgit website and its social media platforms. Public Relations 101.\n\n\nStill, this doesn\u2019t explain the great clients I got before the website got (somewhat) popular. I had great working experiences with companies even when Ringgit Oh Ringgit had very little views.\n\n\nFactor #3 \u2013 Work ethics and performance\n\n\nMaybe my clients like working with me because I\u2019m okay at my work?\n\n\nRight, I *like* to think I\u2019m somewhat good at what I do, but tbh I still have no idea if what I\u2019m doing is considered good enough.\n\n\nAll I know is I like to read a lot of books and articles, take online courses, and follow advice and behaviours from people I respect. Everything I do is a combination of what I liked from these sources.\n\n\nFor example,\n\n\n\n\nI liked to read this style of writing (that you\u2019re currently reading), so I end up doing it for Ringgit Oh Ringgit. My most frequent feedback is \u2018easy to understand\u2019 and \u2018relatable\u2019 \u2013 exactly what I\u2019m after\n\n\nI liked Ramit Sethi\u2019s \u2018Do it for them\u2019 advice \u2013 doing all you can to make the client\u2019s job easier \u2013 so I do that. Every client gets a step-by-step process and timeline. My job is to make sure they do the least possible work on their end\n\n\nI liked how some articles highlight research-backed ways that improve my communications and workflow, so I incorporate them in my work (find these articles in my \nlink roundup series\n)\n\n\n\n\nThose are just some examples but the simplest way to put it is basically, I just imitate what I like. What works, I keep. What doesn\u2019t, I tweak. Repeat indefinitely; the learning process never ends.\n\n\nFactor #4 \u2013 80/20 rule\n\n\nThe 80/20 rule, also known as \nthe Pareto Principle\n, might be one of the most important concepts I\u2019ve ever came across. You can apply it for many things, but in this context, this rule permits me to \nreject 80% of potential clients so I can focus on giving my best to the remaining 20%\n.\n\n\nAt the end of the day, it\u2019s better to have a few good clients than many mediocre and bad clients. Each client will still require (non-billable) admin hours and it\u2019s in my best interest to have less, not more admin hours.\n\n\n(And the irony is bad clients usually require MORE admin hours than necessary, making them a literal waste of time. Time that you can use to earn more money.)\n\n\nThe 80/20 rule might not be something that you can do in the beginning of your freelance career, when you need to build up your portfolio and reputation, and not to mention savings.\n\n\nBut when you are in the position to, when potential clients start coming to you instead of you looking for them, I would highly suggest you start being choosy with who you work with.\n\n\nThe definition of a \u2018bad client\u2019 is different for everyone, obviously. Perhaps you can tolerate what I can\u2019t, and I can tolerate what you can\u2019t.\n\n\nBut for me, potential clients who do these actions get (politely) declined:\n\n\n\n\nThey are related to gambling, forex, and similar industries\n\n\nThey are rude in their communications\n\n\nThey try to haggle further or give me a low-ball offer after I give my best possible price\n\n\nThey take way too long to get things moving. The way I see it, if we were emailing for several weeks/months without any financial offer on the table, then it\u2019s better for me to cut my losses\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s pretty much it. Not that high of a bar, right? Yet its amazing how many clients get \u2018eliminated\u2019 this way.\n\n\nThe 80/20 rule works so well, that I stopped doing contracts to \u2018legally bind\u2019 my clients, something they advise freelancers to do for your own protection in case they don\u2019t pay up. I didn\u2019t have to, because the clients I *do* end up with are also not phased with my invoice for 50% deposit before the work even starts.\n\n\n(I would actually recommend you implement the \u201850% deposit before work starts\u2019 rule, no matter what stage you are right now. It will \nsignificantly \nreduce the chances of having non-paying clients after you complete the work!)\n\n\nRelated:\n\n\n\n\nHow to Charge Clients: 5 Methods Freelancers Can Use\n\n\nHow to Get Clients: A Guide for Malaysian Freelancers\n\n\n\n\nLast words\n\n\nAs you can see, the reason I love my clients is not that I have a masochistic tendency or anything. It\u2019s just, somehow, after years of hard work, I\u2019ve developed this system of sorts that eliminates potentially bad clients, which results in me ending up with \nonly\n mostly the good ones.\n\n\nAnother reason why I love this system of mine: employees are good reflections of their companies. When I interact with potential clients, our communications speak VOLUMES about their company culture.\n\n\nI get to know which companies incorporate the Richard Branson philosophy, which ones take care of their employees and are good from the inside out. I love helping companies like these achieve greater success, and I will go above and beyond in my work for them.\n\n\n image credit: businesscentricnetwork.com\n\n\nAs a last note here, I can\u2019t share my private clients for writing work, but I can share \nthe clients I\u2019ve worked with \nfor sponsored post in Ringgit Oh Ringgit. They are the top 20% \u2013 there were many other sponsored post opportunities that I didn\u2019t take.\n\n\nHope you enjoyed this personal post. It feels weird to hype up my awesome clients, when the more popular thing to do is to \u2018spill tea\u2019 about the bad ones. But I know I\u2019m not the only one who have great working relationships with clients \u2013 why don\u2019t we hear about those often?\n\n\nHow about we change the perception that only bad clients exist? Do you have good experiences with your clients too? Share in the comments section!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/having-a-kid/", "title": "From Dual Income No Kids to Dual Income One Kid: A Thought Process\n  ", "body": "\n\nAmid all the congratulary posts on baby Mika\u2019s arrival on 19 May 2023, I received a thought-provoking question via DM, pic below. I thought it deserves a full post, so shoutout to this person for inspiring this article \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nThe questions are (1) how I changed my mind and be open to having a baby, and (2) How I planned the finances for it. \n\n\nThese are not easy questions to answer, but I will start with this: Some people have always known they want to become parents. Me, I questioned it. \n\n\nIt\u2019s not like I \nreject\n the idea of children. I just didn\u2019t want to become a parent \u2018because that\u2019s what people do by age X/ after getting married\u2019. \n\n\nI want the decision to have children to be a lot more intentional than that. I have long believed it is better to regret not having children than regret having children.\n\n\nLet me explain my thought process, starting with..\n\n\nWho says one *have* to have kids? \n\n\nFirst of all, I see motherhood or parenthood as optional. You don\u2019t have to have children if you don\u2019t want to. \n\n\n\u2018But what about\u2019 \u2013 who cares? People are going to judge your choices either way \u2013 working mother, SAHM, no children, have them early, have them late, number of children, parenting style etc. So do what you want, as long as you don\u2019t hurt other people, all good. \n\n\nAdditionally, being childless is a non-issue for me. I would be happy to continue being one half of a DINK family \u2013 dual income, no kids sounds fun as heck. \n\n\nTo be honest, I already have a complete and joyful life with no baby. I\u2019m not looking to fill a missing piece in my life or anything. \n\n\nBut all that \u2013 that\u2019s the \u2018rational\u2019 part of my brain talking. \n\n\nLike it or not, hormones drive our behaviour\n\n\nThere\u2019s a reason why the human race have survived, nay, \nthrived\n until there\u2019s like 8 billion of us worldwide: \nwe\u2019re all driven by hormones, which means \nsometimes\n all the effing time we do things that are not particularly rational. \n\n\nIn my case, the fact that I love my partner meant that I was open to have a child with him, despite knowing there are SO MANY downsides to doing so, especially for the mother. This is so well-documented that there\u2019s even a term for it: \nthe motherhood penalty\n. \n\n\nThe below is a snippet of how motherhood penalty looks like. Sucks, right? (Note: Data is not from Malaysia, but this is a universal experience)\n\n\n\n\nSo if things are so bad, why have a kid anyway? I actually wondered to myself \u2013 why the heck am I still open to motherhood even after knowing the consequences? Why put myself in a more vulnerable position? Why give myself less pay?\n\n\n\n\nHow do career women who want children come to terms with the data that says women's income tend to drop significantly after having a child and never recover? \nForget husband pay etc. How do YOU cope when high income is part of your identity and you may lose that forever?\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nOctober 11, 2022\n\n\n\n\nAt 1 month pregnant, I asked the above question publicly, and in the end concluded \u2013 \nthe best I can hope for is to be the outlier to the statistics.\n\n\n(Stop working is not even an option. Of course I will continue to work after having a child \u2013 I like my work, I\u2019m good at it, as it\u2019s practical as heck in this economy. Already explored this thought in the \nHow Money Affects My Dating Life\n and \nThoughts I Have About Marriage (and Money Management)\n articles)\n\n\nOverconfident, overoptimistic, call it what you want to call it. What can I say. \nLove makes us stupid\n. As my good sis Selena Gomez once said, \nthe heart wants what it wants. \n\n\nHOWEVER! I may be in love and stupid, but I still have some rational sense in me. That\u2019s why\u2026\n\n\nI knew I would only have a child if I was financially stable\n\n\nA huge reason why I decided to have a baby is because I am financially stable and have a comfortable amount in savings. Note: MY savings. Not my partner, not my family\u2019s. MINE. \n\n\nI NEED to be financially stable before even considering a child because:\n\n\n\n\nIt costs money to raise a child. Duh. Six, even seven figures in total, easy. \n\n\nYou need to pay for pregnancy, childbirth and baby stuff. As per my own calculations, it is possible to \nhave a baby under RM10k,\n or even under RM5k if you want (or have) to, but it\u2019ll be stressful\n\n\nIf anything happens to my partner/relationship, I want to be able to take care of my child financially. You can shout nafkah and responsibilities but it\u2019s risky to 100% depend on it. I also don\u2019t trust the Syariah system to execute the order\n\n\n\n\nI am self-employed, but employed women have more to think about:\n\n\n\n\nEmployers aren\u2019t technically allowed to fire employees due to pregnancy or children, but it happens anyway. Sure one can sue but that\u2019s a whole process that not everyone can or want to go through\n\n\nSome employers also might be hesitant to hire pregnant women (or even married women). The problem isn\u2019t long maternity leave, but short paternity leave.\n\n\n\n\nDon\u2019t ever gloss over this issue. Many caregivers including working mothers get so pressured by inflexible work demands and end up quitting, preferring to be self-employed instead. That\u2019s why only 55.5% of Malaysian women are in the labour force. \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nRelated:  \n7 Things to Do Before You Quit Your Job to Become A Freelancer/Self-Employed\n\n\nSo anyway, I was open to being pregnant, I have the savings for it, then I got pregnant. What followed was a very confusing 9 months.\n\n\nPregnancy Ambivalence\n\n\nMost of the time I was pregnant, as in the whole 9 months, I had mixed feelings; happy, surreal, sad, worry, grief, grateful, I felt it all. \n\n\nIt was weird because my pregnancy was both wanted and planned, so why the negative feelings? It was disorienting, confusing. \n\n\nBut then I found out the term to describe this feeling: Pregnancy Ambivalence. It\u2019s defined as \u201c\nunresolved or contradictory feelings about whether one wants to have a child at a particular moment\n\u201d. \n\n\nAh, that explains it. \n\n\nWhen I dug into it, I found out \npregnancy ambivalence is very common\n. The sample size is small (n = 84), but a 2017 study found that \n55% of women \u201cdescribed feelings of ambivalence\u201d about their pregnancy\n. \n\n\nPregnancy Ambivalence was also the reason I kept a low profile about being pregnant. Our families were informed, some friends as well, but that was it. Unless necessary or for work purposes, no one else knew. \n\n\nEven when I did have to disclose my pregnancy, it felt weird. I heard the obligatory \u2018Congratulations!\u2019 and more often than not had to fake being happy because that was expected of pregnant women everywhere.\n\n\nDon\u2019t get me wrong. I did feel happy, sometimes. It\u2019s just mixed with other, equally strong feelings. There\u2019s \ngrief\n for sure \u2013 I knew motherhood is a commitment, and I found it hard to say goodbye to my responsibility-free, life. But I also felt \nintense curiosity \ntowards the motherhood experience. \n\n\nLike I said, confusing. I would\u2019ve gone crazy if not for a couple of therapy sessions (cost: RM500++), as well as having\u2026\n\n\nTasks that kept me distracted and busy\n\n\nThere are a LOT of things to do to prepare for a baby\u2019s arrival. As soon as I found out I was pregnant, my organised side started planning. In fact, one of my early journal entries was a to-do list. \n\n\nThese checklists included things like:\n\n\n\n\nResearch things I should eat / stop eating / do / stop doing\n\n\nList of things to buy for myself and for baby\n\n\nPlaces to get check ups and schedules suitable for both of us\n\n\nPros/cons list of having a baby\n\n\nUseful apps to download\n\n\nCalculating estimated costs and expenses \n\n\n\n\nExpanding on that last part..\n\n\nPlanning the financial side of having a baby\n\n\nNgl, doing research and making plans didn\u2019t just keep me sane. I also found it the most fun aspect of the whole experience. I got to do cost/value-for-money comparisons between different maternity/baby products, make a new expense category just to track baby-related stuff, things like that. \n\n\nMuch of the info was compiled in the \nBaby Cost Breakdown\n article, so go check that out if you are expecting, or simply curious \ud83d\ude42 I\u2019ve listed products and services we paid for, and ways to save costs. \n\n\nAdditionally, my husband and I also had a lot of chats about the financial side of things. Some of our conversations and activities:\n\n\n\n\nGoing to various baby expos to check out deals and offers\n\n\nListing out maternity and baby expenses and deciding who covers which expense/purchase\n\n\nInitial discussions on estate-planning and insurance\n\n\nOpening SSPN (yes, both Mom and Dad can individually open SSPN account and make individual deposits to max out the RM8k tax relief)\n\n\nClaiming the Itizam Anak Selangor initiative\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSiapa duduk Selangor & ada lahirkan anak tahun 2022 ke atas? Boleh claim RM100 setahun untuk 5 tahun (total RM500!) untuk masuk SSPN!\nSyarat permohonan in pic. Apply di \nhttps://t.co/cw9fZx35yT\n \nhttps://t.co/jwdY2vbXtC\n \npic.twitter.com/RmStPTJVPt\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nMay 10, 2023\n\n\n\n\nOne amazing thing that I re-realised in this whole process is how both me and my husband are conscientious people. Ngl, this increased my love. I\u2019m happy I married my person <3\n\n\n\n\nMarrying a conscientious & organised person who can track and pull out data whenever asked >>> \npic.twitter.com/sCa03n1LBD\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nJune 8, 2023\n\n\n\n\nHaving realistic expectations\n\n\nLook, I had Mika at 35 years old. At this age, I\u2019ve learned it\u2019s practical to be realistic rather than idealistic. I knew parenthood is hard and exhausting, not easy. \n\n\nIt\u2019s ok not to gloss over the hard part. Many of you confirmed it as well (click to see replies) (I was 2 months\u2019 pregnant here)\n\n\n\n\nParents, how exhausted are you every day? Macam mana korang cope? \nTak payah nak sugarcoat nampak anak penat hilang semua. I just want to know the truth\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nNovember 9, 2022\n\n\n\n\nAside from asking the audience, I also scoured the internet and read all the horror stories, like \n\n\n\n\npregnancy\u2019s toll on the body (morning sickness, hair might fall out, hormonal acne, etc), \n\n\nhow having a kid negatively impact a couple\u2019s relationship, \n\n\nspending way more than expected, \n\n\npossibly dying during childbirth\u2026 \n\n\n\n\nI may have freaked myself out a little, but I don\u2019t regret it. The good thing about expecting parts of pregnancy/motherhood to suck is when it does, I\u2019m like, OK this matches my expectations. So when I do experience blissful and happy moments, I get super grateful for it. \n\n\nNo wonder they said parenthood is basically like going on an emotional roller coaster \ud83d\ude42 I get it now. \n\n\nLast thoughts\n\n\nAll in all, I can say I satisfied my curiosity on the pregnancy experience. I made a human in my body. Like, \nI literally made a human in my body\n. Isn\u2019t that cool!!! \n\n\nAs for the motherhood experience\u2026 well that\u2019s a lifelong journey now, isn\u2019t it? As of time of writing, I\u2019m still in \u2018babymoon\u2019 phase, so I\u2019m in a pretty happy place. It\u2019s too optimistic to think this will last forever, and I know I will face lots of challenges, but I hope I have the strength in me to overcome them as it happens. \n\n\n(Or hope my savings can prevent or solve those problems. That works too)\n\n\nI think, this is where I end this article. It\u2019s messy and long \u2013 I didn\u2019t know how to answer in a shorter way. Hope you enjoyed this personal post and until next time <3\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/i-gave-birth/", "title": "I gave birth in a car park (true story)\n  ", "body": "\n\nFirst of all, I want to say 100% of this story is true. Nothing is fabricated or exaggerated. I\u2019m still blown away this experience happened to me. \n\n\nThe short version is: I gave birth in a car park at 5am in the morning, unassisted. \n\n\nHere\u2019s the long version:\n\n\n19 May 2023, 2.30am\n\n\nOn 19 May 2023, 2.30am, I woke up in the middle of the night with what I thought was a regular toilet run, with added cramps.\u00a0\n\n\nI didn\u2019t think much of this, because \n\n\n(1) middle-of-the-night toilet runs are a regular thing for me; I\u2019ve been pregnant for 38-weeks by then, and \n\n\n(2) I had a minor procedure* the previous day, which included cramping as side effects \n\n\n(*the procedure is called membrane sweeping and it\u2019s one of the popular induction procedures to encourage natural labour, but only came with 25% success rate).\n\n\nI went back to bed, but soon woke up again. In addition to the cramping, I felt\u2026 constipated. So I went to the toilet and tried to fall asleep again.\n\n\nThe third time I woke up, the cramping and constipation feeling got more intense. I felt lower back pain as well. But it was manageable, and I tried to go back to sleep.\u00a0\n\n\nAm I in labour?\n\n\nBy this point, I did wonder if I was going into labour, but I had no reason to believe I was in \nactive\n labour \u2013 everyone said the labour process for first-time moms is much longer, as long as a few days and as \u2018short\u2019 as half a day. \n\n\nI checked my phone. It was only 3.30am \u2013 only 1 hour after I woke up the first time. There was no way I am in labour, I thought, this is just the side effect, and maybe I ate something bad. \n\n\nI tried to sleep it off. \n\n\nThe next time I woke up, the cramping, constipation and lower back pain got even worse. What horrible luck to get both cramping and constipation at the same time, I thought.\n\n\nI was tossing and turning by now, trying to get a comfortable sleeping position. My husband kept waking up because of me and I felt bad, so I went out of the bedroom and into the living room to drink some water and walk off the pain.\n\n\nAt around 430am, while on the toilet and still convinced I had horrible constipation, I felt the unmistakable pain in another region \u2013 the location where I *know* babies come out.\u00a0\n\n\nOh shit\n\n\nOh shit\u00a0\n\n\nOh shit\n\n\nI DID go into labour (but didn\u2019t realise it!)\n\n\nWhen I realised I was, in fact, in the active phase of labour, I knew what I had to do: go to the hospital. My contractions were like minutes apart by now.\n\n\nI don\u2019t know how I mustered the strength, but I pushed through the pain and woke up my husband and asked him to take me to the hospital. He woke up immediately, while I \u2013 I still don\u2019t know how I managed this \u2013 took a (quick) shower and tried to pack.\u00a0\n\n\nWhile all this was happening, the contractions kept coming at more regular intervals and I had to stop a few times to let the pain wash over me. Somehow, we managed to get out of the door, get on the lift to to the car park level. \n\n\nAll we had to do left was walk to the car and drive to the hospital immediately.\u00a0\n\n\nI gave birth.\n\n\nHowever, I had one more intense contraction in the car park. It was so bad I asked my husband to pick me up (the car is just 1 min walk away). \n\n\nHe ran towards the car and I held my hands against one of the parking columns for stability, and\n\n\nAnd reader, it happened. I felt another contraction and didn\u2019t have any other option but to push and, and,\u00a0\n\n\nMy baby came out of me\n. Umbilical cord and all, right there near the OKU parking area. Blood gushed everywhere. Amazingly, I had given birth standing up \u2013 my legs shook, but I didn\u2019t fall (thank goodness!). \n\n\nMy son was born. I had no more rational thought by this point, it was pure instinct. Somehow, I picked him up with my dress (thank goodness I was wearing a soft, full-length one!!), held him on my chest, and shouted for my husband.\u00a0\n\n\nMy husband, who was trying to get into the car to pick me up, saw I was holding our baby, SPRINTED back to me, panicked but in full-on protector mode.\n\n\nSomehow, I realised the baby had the umbilical cord around his neck and quickly untwisted it.\u00a0\n\n\nSomehow, we managed to get in the car.\n\n\nSomehow, we got to the hospital.\n\n\nThis happened at around 5am. Only 2 and a half hours passed between me waking up at 2.30am and the birth.\n\n\nI became a mom\n\n\nAt the hospital, the emergency department quickly took over and everything after that was a blur. For the next 3 hours, they cleaned me and the baby and put me on painkillers and patched me up. I remember I was shaking the entire time.\u00a0\n\n\nThroughout it all, some of the staff asked me to recount what happened so I told them. Many of them told me how my labour was super fast and I\u2019m lucky to not experience long labour pain. I guess they\u2019re right.\n\n\nI did feel lucky, but for another reason \u2013 lucky that given what happened, both the baby and I were safe. \n\n\nI mean, come on!! Delivered my baby in the car park, unassisted?\n\n\nAh well, that\u2019s all in the past now. What\u2019s important is\u2026\n\n\nWelcome to the world, baby Mika \u2764\ufe0f\u00a0\n\n\nI became a mother, and going on the parenting journey with my favourite person ever \u2764\ufe0f\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nHe remains the same amazing partner and husband so I made good on my promise \ud83e\udd70 turned a good man into a father today \u2764\ufe0f \nhttps://t.co/jxl1yVKK08\n \npic.twitter.com/aLxA9Ykgam\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nMay 19, 2023\n\n\n\n\nWhat\u2019s funny was, whenever my husband and I had a moment to ourselves we had to laugh at the absurdity of what we just experienced. I mean , it was just.. All our birth planning went out the window. We even scheduled a labour roleplay class to prepare! All that is laughable now.\u00a0\n\n\nIn fact, it became a funny story we tell to family and friends. And now, I\u2019m sharing with you RoR readers. I figured, hey why not share this incredible, unconventional birth experience that happened to me.\n\n\nAnyway, that\u2019s the whole story. This goes without saying but I\u2019m going to take some time off to spend with my little one. He\u2019s quite literally the cutest, most adorable thing I\u2019ve ever laid my eyes on. I\u2019m in love.\n\n\nThank you everyone who for your well-wishes. I saw each of them, and feel very blessed. \n\n\n\n\nBanyak sangat terima mesej tahniah for my baby boy, touched sangat \ud83e\udd79 maaf tak boleh balas setiap sorang.  I'll be sporadic je in socmed. nak luangkan masa with newborn, I know he's not going to be this smol for long \ud83e\udd79\ud83e\udd79 \npic.twitter.com/vtHjmBwtGB\n\u2014 Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) \nMay 21, 2023\n\n\n\n\nBy the way, I totally get the addiction to newborn smell now. The oxytocin flooding my brain right now, phew. Intoxicating.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/life-goal/", "title": "[Personal] Figuring Out My Next Life Goal\n  ", "body": "\u201cIf you fail to plan, you plan to fail,\u201d they say. I agree, and that\u2019s why I feel a bit lost right now. I can\u2019t decide on my next life goal.\n\n\nThis post compiles a series of potential life goals that I\u2019m considering, and what I\u2019m doing about them.\u00a0Please indulge this blogger\u2019s ranty, word-vomit post. It\u2019s cathartic.\n\n\nLife Goal That I Achieved\n\n\n\n\nI didn\u2019t always have no goals in place. Completing my education was one, but that was nothing to shout about. Compared to other people, family and PTPTN backing made that easy for me.\n\n\nPost-studies, the life goal I picked was simple \u2013 \nto live independently without depending on my family or a man to take care of me\n. Happy to say I achieved that. I guess if you put it in a list, the mini-goals would look something like below:\n\n\n\n\nRent my own place, pay my own bills \u2013 tick\n\n\nSort out my own financial problems as they come \u2013 tick\n\n\nHave an idea of what kind of retirement I want, and regularly contribute towards it \u2013 tick\n\n\nHave a healthy emergency fund \u2013 tick\n\n\nHave multiple sources of income \u2013 tick\n\n\nPick investments that work for me \u2013 tick\n\n\nDecide on a career that I love and earn my living from it \u2013 tick\n\n\nHave insurance coverage \u2013 tick\n\n\nKeep only good debts, better if none \u2013 tick\n\n\nAlways spend less than I earn \u2013 tick\n\n\n\n\nAchieving this was hard but ultimately extremely fulfilling, and one can\u2019t be stagnant, can one? I have a lot of options \u2013 all enabled by my fairly stable financial position. I need to\u00a0figure out what to concentrate on next.\n\n\n \ncongerdesign\n / Pixabay\n\n\nLife Goals That I Eliminated\n\n\nThe natural way for me to decide what I ultimately want is to eliminate what I don\u2019t want, at least at this point in life. For me, these are:\n\n\n\n\nSave money for a wedding/a family\n \u2013 Not in a hurry.\u00a0I\u2019m attracted to the DINK lifestyle \u2013 Dual Income, No Kids \u2013 so I don\u2019t have a \u2018must marry/pop babies before age xx\u2019 rule.\n\n\nSave money for a house (own stay)\n \u2013 I\u2019m pro-renting. This deserves another article, but basically I like the idea of living in different places and countries throughout my life, until I can\u2019t.\n\n\n\n\nMany people choose the above as their life goals. Good for them. Just don\u2019t insult my choices and belittle me over not wanting the same things in life, and we\u2019re cool.\n\n\nLife Goals That I\u2019m Considering\n\n\n\u201cYou can have anything you want, but not \neverything\n you want,\u201d goes another saying.\n\n\nI think this is true as well, which is why I want to limit myself to just one, max two life goals at once. If you chase everything, you can\u2019t focus on anything. I\u2019d rather focus on one or two things and do that well.\n\n\nThese are seven options that I\u2019m considering, all listed below along with what I\u2019m currently doing about them.\u00a0It\u2019s like trying out potential side businesses \u2013 try a bunch of things when you start. When one or two of them show more potential than the rest, concentrate on those and ditch the rest.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Pursue an education related to the financial sector\n\n\nI already have a Masters in Corporate Communications, and I don\u2019t regret going in the communications line at all.\n\n\nHowever, I do feel envious of people who graduate in the Economics/Financial sector line. I do like finance an awful lot, it makes sense to go back to school and pursue a degree in something I\u2019m passionate in.\n\n\nWhat I\u2019m doing about this option:\n\n\n\n\nRegularly check \nASEAN Scholarship Opportunities\n. I\u2019ve never had a scholarship (lucky enough to have FAMA and PTPTN financing), it would be cool to get one.\n\n\nActively look for places I want to study at. Ivy League would be nice. I don\u2019t know if I\u2019m clever enough for them though.\n\n\nKeep myself updated with the Islamic Finance field. Very high in demand, but very limited places offer this. There\u2019s INCEIF in Malaysia, so that\u2019s a good and convenient option.\n\n\n\n\n \nPIRO4D\n / Pixabay\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Buy a house for investment purposes\n\n\nHaving a property and AirBnB-ing it out is a very attractive option. From browsing around the forums, if done well this option can give incredible return on investment. Plus, bonus: always having a place in case I need one or if I can\u2019t travel.\n\n\nThis would also present an interesting new challenge. I know almost nothing about properties. It would be fun to learn as I go along. Nothing like hands-on learning right.\n\n\nWhat I\u2019m doing about this option:\n\n\n\n\nRead property blogs. I like \nkopiandproperty.com\n for this.\n\n\nWindow-shop properties on Mudah when I can.\n\n\nTry to make time to schedule appointments with property agents and view some potential places.\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Build my own tiny home\n\n\nI\u2019ve always liked the concept of tiny homes \u2013 the less space you have, the more mindful you are about choosing the things to bring into it. Recently I was re-inspired by 20-something Atiqah, who is \nbuilding her own tiny home on her own freaking land\n. \u00a0She offers a free \u2018\nBuying your first land\u2019 guide\n as well, documenting what she learned in the process. Woah woman you rock. Mad respect.\n\n\nWhat I\u2019m doing about this option:\n\n\n\n\nBrowse, select and choose suitable tiny house plans (to save on architect design costs) from \nHouseplans.com\n. \u00a0They have to be suitable for Malaysian weather.\n\n\nFollow Atiqah\u2019s adventures and find more blogs of people doing the same thing so I can learn.\n\n\n\n\n \nStartupStockPhotos\n / Pixabay\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Start a startup\n\n\nProbably the least likely life goal that I want to pursue in this list. I have ideas, but I don\u2019t have the skillsets to develop it to its fullest, and I don\u2019t network enough with people who can.\n\n\nDoing it by myself is not an option. Have learned this the hard way. I have a failed business \u2013 or rather, a business that I gave up on. While I don\u2019t regret it, I don\u2019t intend to repeat the same mistakes. Mentorship and skilled team members are a must. I had a lot of ego back then and thought I could do it all by myself. It was a painful experience, but it was also a humbling experience.\n\n\nWhat I\u2019m doing about this option:\n\n\n\n\nNothing much. Just network as usual, and if the right people making up the right team falls into place, maybe we\u2019ll do it.\n\n\nMaybe bounce off my ideas with some people, at least. Like everyone else, I hate my ideas criticised. I need to woman up for this.\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Be a Digital Nomad\n\n\nDigital nomad \u2013 someone who earns 100% of their money through online means, and location-independent. They can travel anywhere in the world and work anywhere in the world as long as they have internet access.\n\n\nWhat a dream, right? I\u2019ve explored this, and the reality is that it\u2019s not all roses. People who pursue this lifestyle have their own troubles and worries. Short-term rental accommodation and all those flights can be expensive, and work can be irregular. Can you imagine being at amazing places but lacking the money to properly experience it? Sad wei.\n\n\nWhat I\u2019m doing about this option:\n\n\n\n\nEarn as much passive income as I can, so I don\u2019t have to worry about lack of work while travelling. Not at this stage yet.\n\n\nIntroduce my cats to as many people as possible and hope that one of them will fall in love with the cute buggers. I want to ensure that Yoshi and Lemon are in loving homes if I leave.\n\n\n\n\n \nComfreak\n / Pixabay\n\n\n#6 \u2013\u00a0Write a book or a comic script\n\n\nEDIT: We did this after 1 year this original post was published! We actually willed \nMoney Stories from Malaysians: Volume 1\n into existence, from our thoughts into a physical product!\n\n\nLol, for the longest time I have this erotic plotline in my head. It\u2019s steamy AND feminist af. Finally writing it down would be awesome, if just to get it out of my system.\n\n\nWhat I\u2019m doing about this option:\n\n\n\n\nPlot out character development. The sexy stuff is good but the storytelling must be better!\n\n\nKeep a list of potential illustrators for the book/comic.\n\n\n\n\n#7 \u2013\u00a0Grow my writing business\n\n\nAnd start a team of writers under me.\n\n\nThis is a hard one \u2013 my biggest hurdle is myself. I\u2019m lucky enough to get nice comments over my writing work, but every time I read my own articles, all I see are mistakes and sentences that could have been written better, points made clearer.\n\n\nI also notice that I can be too nice with my constructive criticism to others. Not a good way for people to benefit from my leadership, and definitely not a good way to run the business.\n\n\nWhat I\u2019m doing about this option:\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0Help aspiring writers who seek advice when I can, and learn from the process.\n\n\nContinue writing and keep improving it. Sometimes I still get grammar and spelling wrong. Thank God for proofreading software and sharp eyes of other editors I work with.\n\n\nContinue networking with other writers. They\u2019re a great bunch, super helpful.\n\n\n\n\nLast words\n\n\nWriting all my options down made me realise three big things:\n\n\n\n\nI can combine some of them, get a two-in-one kinda deal. For example, I can both write the book, turn it into passive income and be a digital nomad. Or both build that home and AirBnB it out.\n\n\nI want to sleep on all my options a bit more before making a (rash) decision. At the same time, I will keep doing what I can for each of them.\n\n\nI\u2019m so lucky even to be able to choose among these options. That\u2019s the best thing financial security can give you \u2013 the freedom to choose what you want to do, instead of just limiting yourself to what you have to do.\n\n\n\n\nThanks for reading this far. My head is much clearer than when I started. And now, back to you, dear readers. What is your life goal, and what are you doing about it?\n\n\nIf you liked this personal post, you might like below articles too:\n\n\n\n\n[Personal] I Never Imagined Exercise Would Help My Career and Income, Until It Did\n\n\n[Personal] How it feels like to constantly obsess over money\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/lifestyle-inflation/", "title": "[PERSONAL] Upgrading vs Making Do: My Dilemma with Lifestyle Inflation\n  ", "body": "I have a very complicated relationship with \nlifestyle inflation\n.\n\n\nIn personal finance literature, lifestyle inflation is \nbad\n, full stop. It is the ruin-er of life, the reason for debt and bankruptcies and subsequent financial hardships, broken families and in the worst-case scenarios, suicides.\n\n\nYet even knowing this, and even as I write this as a personal finance blogger (who is supposed to know what she\u2019s doing), I, too have let lifestyle inflation happen in my own life.\n\n\nFor example:\n\n\n\n\nI used to drink instant coffee. Now I drink \ndrip coffee\n with actual ground beans.\n\n\nI used to have housemates. Now I live by myself, thus paying the \nfull rent\n.\n\n\nI used to sweep the floor manually, with a broom costing like RM15. Now I use a \ncordless vacuum cleaner\n costing RM700+ (and love it).\n\n\nAnd also, I just bought myself an \niPhone\n, my first premium phone. My last three phones were all Xiaomi brands, costing only up to RM1200 or so max each.\n\n\n\n\nTo make things worse, I do all this in full awareness and knowledge that my income is not consistent: I am self-employed. I\u2019ve been lucky enough to be earning okay for the last few years, but who\u2019s to say it will continue?\n\n\nIt\u2019s especially scary when I think of \ncancel culture\n. Much of \nmy income\n now is tied to my identity as \u2018Suraya the personal finance blogger\u2019. If one day I do a boo-boo and gets \u2018cancelled\u2019, there goes the income too.\n\n\nYou don\u2019t think I think about this? Of course I do. I have an exit plan in case that happens, too.\n\n\nAnyway, back to the topic.\n\n\nThe reasonings I\u2019ve used to justify my lifestyle inflation\n\n\nMany of my lifestyle inflations are not whims. They are intentional. I\u2019ve used various reasonings to justify the upgrades. For example:\n\n\n\u201cI can get this [more expensive item] for cheaper\u201d\n\n\n\u2018Brew your own coffee to save money\u2019 comes up in almost every article about saving money, does it not? Therefore, I justified it.\n\n\nSure, I saved a lot of money if I compared my (wonderfully delicious and fragrant) home-brewed coffee with the Starbucks version. (I calculated. Less than RM1 per mug vs RM10 from Starbucks)\n\n\nBut the instant coffee was still delicious and that was just a few cents per mug.\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nMalaysians Share How They Save Money on Coffee\n\n\n\u201cBuying this will enable me to earn more money\u201d\n\n\nI have definitely used this line of reasoning to justify the lifestyle inflation that are directly related to (1) reducing mental clutter, and (2) saving time. Two good examples are the decision to live without housemates and buying that cordless vacuum cleaner.\n\n\nI\u2019d like to think that those two decisions enabled me to be more productive and work more efficiently. Although of course I have no way of confirming this.\n\n\nRelated: \nHow I rent a master bedroom in Kuala Lumpur for RM150 a month (not including bills)\n\n\n\u201cYou\u2019ve waited long enough\u201d\n\n\nI used this reasoning with the iPhone. It\u2019s always been something I wanted, since iPhone 4 or something (I, too, love the branding. But most of all I\u2019m just impressed by the word-of-mouth marketing they get \u2013 almost everyone I know who uses one, recommended it to me).\n\n\nMy delayed gratification game only ended after I legit dreamed about owning it, \non a Friday night \n(Muslims will understand this significance). I bought the iPhone 11 the same day I tweeted this.\n\n\n\n\nMimpi beli iPhone\u2026\n\n\nTahan nafsu lebih 10 tahun. Kalau sampai keluar mimpi\u2026\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nMay 22, 2020\n\n\n\n\n\u201cBe frugal, not cheap\u201d\n\n\nI *used* to be cheap. By necessity, not by choice. Every cent counted when I was in my early 20s, working and living in Kuala Lumpur. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out more ways to cut living costs. I mostly bought cheap, flimsy, low-quality items, which broke down and wear out all the time.\n\n\nAnd then slowly, as I started earning more, I replaced those items with more reliable, higher-quality ones.\n\n\n\n\nPatiently waiting for that ugly & worn-out but still usable item to kick the bucket so I can buy a prettier replacement\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nMay 15, 2020\n\n\n\n\nRelated: \nMalaysians Share Cheap Things They Have Done\n\n\n\u201cYou can afford it\u201d\n\n\nSimply put, I have savings. None of the lifestyle upgrades I chose will get me in financial trouble.\n\n\nAnd isn\u2019t money a tool we can use to avoid, outsource and fix what we don\u2019t like? What\u2019s wrong with using my money to fix my life, even if that \u2018problem\u2019 is just boredom? Neurologically speaking, \nwe humans are wired to like and seek novelty\n.\n\n\n\n\nTherefore, if lifestyle inflation happens in moderation, it\u2019s okay right? It\u2019s not as evil as how its frequently portrayed, right?\n\n\nRight?\n\n\nA Vain Conclusion\n\n\nAll this brings me to this personal conclusion: the majority of \u2018lifestyle inflation is bad\u2019-type advice out there, which warns people about the dangers of spending beyond one\u2019s means,\u00a0\ndoes not apply to me.\n\u00a0\nUnlike other people, I *reasoned* my upgrades.\n\n\nWhich I\u2019m aware is a pretty egoistical, boastful, and downright conceited thing to say.\n\n\nThis, in turn, brings me to another conclusion: \nI\u2019m experiencing overconfidence\n.\n\n\nThis is dangerous. What if\u2026 I\u2019m actually at the peak of Mount Stupid?\n\n\n\n\n(This graph is a wonderful illustration of the \nDunning-Kruger Effect\n)\n\n\nI can\u2019t afford to be overconfident in this matter\n. I mean, if I\u2019m vain about my money management, how can I even identify problems if it happens? I don\u2019t want to be blind to warning signs until its too late.\n\n\nAt the end of the day, I have to remember that \nmany people lived beyond their means without realising it\n. It\u2019s not like they \nintentionally\n want to get into financial difficulty, they just thought they could keep up with the payments, \nuntil they can\u2019t\n. What makes me different?\n\n\nSo. Swallow a humble pie, Suraya. You ain\u2019t shit. Keep learning.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/list-of-everything-i-own/", "title": "A List of Everything I Own (And What I Want to Get Rid Of)\n  ", "body": "\n\nOne of my short-term goals is to throw, sell off or donate everything I no longer need. My home is looking a bit cluttered.\n\n\nI\u2019m not the only one in this boat. When I asked in social media about what products/services people would spend RM100 on to improve their lives, many of you said things like, \u2018hire a helper to get rid of stuff\u2019.\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m going to leave out commentaries about what this problem says about the state of our society. You know what they are already \u2013 culture of excess and the boom of products acting as mini-luxuries and all that.\n\n\nInstead, I\u2019m going to list out everything I own and things I want to get rid of. I have two objectives: (1) to stop \u2018stuff\u2019 from taking over my space and making my head messy, and (2) make some money by selling things that still have value.\n\n\nA List of Everything I Own\n\n\nNote: Everything with * means it\u2019s counted as one. Ending each section with what I plan to throw, sell off or donate.\n\n\n \nJamesDeMers\n / Pixabay\n\n\nClothes/Accessories\n\n\n\n\n20 x \u2018going-out\u2019 tops\n\n\n20 x t-shirts/\u2019wear-at-home\u2019 tops/shorts\n\n\n7 x tank tops\n\n\n4 x pairs of jeans\n\n\n2 x pants\n\n\n2 x sports leggings\n\n\n2 x sports bras\n\n\n6 x skirts\n\n\n2 x baju kurung\n\n\n1 x jacket\n\n\n5 x cardigans\n\n\n3 x scarves\n\n\n4 x nightdresses\n\n\nUnderwear*\n\n\nSocks*\n\n\nAccessories box*\n\n\n7 x handbags\n\n\n1 x backpack\n\n\n1 x laptop bag\n\n\n3 x sneakers\n\n\n4 x pairs of flats\n\n\n3 x pairs of flip flops/sandals\n\n\n1 x watch\n\n\n\n\nNotes on Clothes/Accessories\n:\n\n\nIt looks like a lot, but I get many of the above as gifts from family and friends (like all the scarves and the watch).\u00a0Also, I got at least 10 T-shirts for free from events.\n\n\nAt this stage, I don\u2019t plan to grow my wardrobe \u2013 20 nice tops is enough to rotate around with different pants and skirts. There are plans to retire some skirts \u2013 I\u2019m passively hunting for replacements.\n\n\nSell\n: None\n\n\nDonate\n: laptop bag, some handbags, 1 x bag of \u2018to donate\u2019 clothes, unworn accessories\n\n\nThrow\n:\u00a01 x bag of \u2018to throw out\u2019 clothes, broken accessories\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nSave Money on Fashion: 5 Steps I Use to Optimise My Clothing Budget\n\n\nElectronics\n\n\n\n\nPhone\n\n\nLaptop\n\n\nEarphones\n\n\nJBL speakers\n\n\nPower bank\n\n\nExtension cords/USB chargers\n\n\n2 x fans\n\n\n\n\nNotes on Electronics\n:\n\n\nThis tweet summarised my take on electronics basically loool\n\n\n\n\ndeep inside my heart, hoping for the phone or laptop to break, so I can buy a new one \ud83e\udd23 it\u2019s more than 5 years already.\n\n\n\u2014 Kamal Mustafa (@k4ml) \nMay 7, 2018\n\n\n\n\nSell\n:\u00a0Old phone, old laptop, Surface Pro 4 dock\n\n\nDonate\n: None\n\n\nThrow\n: Loose cables, empty boxes\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\n4 Best Tips I Got From You Guys When I Wanted to Buy New Laptop\n\n\n \nigorovsyannykov\n / Pixabay\n\n\nSentimental/ Important stuff\n\n\n\n\nPicture frames*\n\n\nAlbums*\n\n\nUsed notebooks*\n\n\nReceived cards*\n\n\nMemories box filled with pictures, tickets etc*\n\n\nKitchenware*\n\n\nA giant pink stuffed bunny\n\n\nPassport\n\n\nFolders with documents (certificates etc)*\n\n\n\n\nNotes on Sentimental stuff\n:\n\n\nThe hardest section to go through. Still waiting for motivation to digitise my albums\u2026\n\n\nSell\n:\u00a0None\n\n\nDonate\n: Kitchenware\n\n\nThrow\n: Maybe the old notebooks.. and the bunny\n\n\nPersonal care items\n\n\n\n\nMakeup and makeup tools*\n\n\nSkincare*\n\n\nShampoo and body soap\n\n\nHair oil\n\n\nToothbrush\n\n\nWater flosser\n\n\nShaver\n\n\nTongue scraper\n\n\nHair dryer\n\n\nDeodorant\n\n\nClothes steamer\n\n\nTowels*\n\n\n2 x combs\n\n\nMenstrual cup\n\n\nFacemasks\u00a0(I hoard this if the price is good)\n\n\nSunscreen (I hoard this if the price is good)\n\n\n\n\nNotes on Personal care items\n:\n\n\nRegularly used makeup items: eye brow pencil, concealer, powder, eyeliner, blush\n\n\nSemi-regularly: contour pencil, mascara, lipstick, eyelash curler\n\n\nThings I can\u2019t wait to finish up: perfumes, body butters/lotions. All received as gifts.\n\n\nSell\n:\u00a0None\n\n\nDonate\n: None\n\n\nThrow\n: Towels when they get too old, makeup/skincare past expiry date\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nHow Much I Spent on Beauty\n\n\n \nLUM3N\n / Pixabay\n\n\nIn my daily going out bag\n\n\n\n\nNotebook\u00a0(I hoard this if the price is good)\n\n\nPens*\n\n\nWallet\n\n\nUmbrella\n\n\nWater bottle\n\n\nWet wipes\u00a0(I hoard this if the price is good)\n\n\n1 x Glasses\n\n\n1 x sunglasses\n\n\nBusiness cards\n\n\nMints\n\n\n1 x pouch with misc stuff (bandaids, hand sanitizer, lipbalm, etc)\n\n\n\n\nSell\n:\u00a0None\n\n\nDonate\n: Two extra water bottles\n\n\nThrow\n: None\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nHack: How to Get Below-RM100 Glasses\n\n\nKitchen stuff\n\n\n\n\nFridge\n\n\nInduction cooker\n\n\nOven\n\n\n1 x rice cooker\n\n\n3-in-1 blender\n\n\n2 x kettles\n\n\nPlates, bowls, mugs etc*\n\n\nCutlery*\n\n\nPans, Baking pans and trays*\n\n\n2 x knives\n\n\nMoka pot\n\n\nSalad spinner\n\n\nOven mitts*\n\n\nKitchen table\n\n\n2 x chairs\n\n\n3 x dishcloths\n\n\n1 x dishrack\n\n\n1 x water filter\n\n\n2 x jugs\n\n\n1 x set of 4 coasters\n\n\n\n\nSell\n:\u00a0None\n\n\nDonate\n: pans not suitable for\u00a0non-induction cooker\n\n\nThrow\n: None\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nGoing Through All My Lazada Purchases, Since 2014\n\n\nHome stuff\n\n\n\n\n1 x couch\n\n\n1 x table\n\n\n1 x bench\n\n\n1 x workstation\n\n\nMattress\n\n\nBedding*\n\n\nBlanket*\n\n\nWashing machine\n\n\nVacuum cleaner\n\n\nLint roller\n\n\nCleaning products*\n\n\nDrying rack\n\n\nHangers*\n\n\nStools\n\n\n2 x trash bins\n\n\nShoe rack\n\n\nClothes rack\n\n\nFloor mats\n\n\nCandles*\n\n\nPlants*\n\n\n\n\nSell\n:\u00a0None\n\n\nDonate\n: None\n\n\nThrow\n: Candles once I get the most out of it\n\n\nBattling this random dilemma: I want to get new, slim, sleek hangers to replace my mismatched set. But can\u2019t bring myself to throw it out before they actually break.\n\n\n \nMonikaDesigns\n / Pixabay\n\n\nPets\n\n\n\n\nCat scratcher\n\n\nCat food*\n\n\nFood and water bowls*\n\n\nLitterbox\n\n\nCat litter\n\n\nCat toys*\n\n\n\n\nSell\n:\u00a0None\n\n\nDonate\n: An extra litterbox\n\n\nThrow\n: None\n\n\nOthers\n\n\n\n\nBooks*\n\n\nStationaries*\n\n\nLuggage bags*\n\n\n1 x yoga mat\n\n\n3 x hand towels\n\n\nFirst aid box*\n\n\n1 x hammock\n\n\nCard and board games*\n\n\n1 x plastic feet massager thing\n\n\nPaper and plastic bags\n\n\n\n\nSell\n: a snorkelling set, some books\n\n\nDonate\n: Some stationaries\n\n\nThrow\n: None\n\n\nPhew, listing everything I own was a task!\n\n\nListing out everything I own was\u2026 eye-opening. It took the better part of a day! I might have missed out a few items, but the above is pretty much everything I own!\n\n\nAs much as possible, I did it the Marie Kondo way \u2013 I asked myself if each item brings me value and happiness. If they do, they stay. If they don\u2019t, they will leave my home.\n\n\nThis article was partially inspired by GoDownsize\u2019s\u00a0\n100 Things Challenge.\n\u00a0I didn\u2019t count \u2013 I KNOW I have more than 100 items, but that\u2019s okay. I don\u2019t particularly want to adhere to a strict number.\n\n\nNow all I have to do is:\n\n\n\n\nTake pictures and list the things I want to sell\n\n\nPut the donate pile near my condo waste room (maybe I\u2019ll blast out to the condo FB group too) (I found this hack online; an easy way to get rid of many things at once)\n\n\nThrow out what I need to throw out\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m 99% sure I will procrastinate, but for now this mental exercise is a start. At least I have an action plan and the sorting out was\u2026 sorted.\n\n\nWhat do you do when you want to declutter? Any tips that might help? Which online selling platform worked the best for you? Share in the comments section!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/malay-and-money/", "title": "[PERSONAL] Malay and Money: A Reflection\n  ", "body": "Oh boy. This is a hard article to write.\n\n\nRight. Let\u2019s start with this. My name is Suraya. It\u2019s an obviously Malay name. Even though technically I am of mixed parentage, I am 100% \nculturally\n Malay.\n\n\nThis is embarassing to admit, but when I was younger, I went through a period of being ashamed of my own race. I wanted to erase that identity. So much that when I was living in Japan, I went by Aya. When I was studying in the UK, I took the name Sue.\n\n\nI\u2019m no longer that person. I\u2019ve learned to accept my Malay-ness. I love my name. In fact, I insist on it \u2013 always call me Suraya, not Su, not anything else.\n\n\nBut why was I embarassed of my Malay identity in the first place? How did I eventually accept it? I wanted to pen this essay to just kind of, dive deep into this complicated, complex psyche, through the lens and intersection with personal finance and money management.\n\n\nHere we go. These are all reasons why I detached from my Malay identity. Read until the end \u2013 this article only makes sense if read as a whole.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Blind loyalty makes us follow bad leaders\n\n\n\n\nIn Malay culture, \nblind loyalty is a virtue\n.\n\n\nIn the book \nConcept of a Hero in Malay Society by Shaharuddin Maaruf\n, the author gave examples how the Malay elite thoughout history \u2013 royalty, politicians, statespersons, religious authorities \u2013 expect and demand unwavering loyalty from their subjects.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nConcept of A Hero in Malay Society by Shaharuddin Maaruf. Explains how and why blind loyalty to the Malay elite is a valued trait among #Malay people, even if they treat you badly and mainly act for their own material and political self-interest #Malaysia #Melayu\n\n\nA post shared by \nSuraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nSep 5, 2018 at 8:58pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBlind loyalty, in practice, is the \nvoluntary\n act of deeming oneself as inferior and \u2018less\u2019 than a small subset of people, and it is a trait that is entrenched in the Malay psyche (even though it\u2019s directly contradictory to Islamic values, but anyway).\n\n\nA traitor is someone who so much questions the Malay elite, let alone disobeys them. Think about it \u2013 Hang Tuah is considered the apex of Malay hero \ndue\n to his unquestioning loyalty to the Sultan.\n\n\nThe Malay elites are so protected in this country. Questioning them and demanding accountability is so frowned upon that the Malay elite don\u2019t even need to defend themselves \u2013 we have seen examples upon examples how citizens take it upon themselves to attack and punish \u2018offenders\u2019 on the elites\u2019 behalf. You\u2019ve probably seen it in action.\n\n\nThis has far-reaching repercussions in Malaysian society. The abuse of power, when it happens (and it does happen), is horrific.\n\n\nJust look at 1MDB. The money that\u2019s supposed to go for our growth, goes to pay off debt instead. We\u2019ve been robbed because we too many people were blindly loyal.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 State-sanctioned racism make me feel guilty (and angry)\n\n\nThe second reason why I was embarrassed by my Malay identity is due to my uncomfortableness of endorsing, by default, of \nstate-sanctioned racism\n.\n\n\nYes, I\u2019m talking about Malay special rights.\n\n\nI am fully admitting that I endorse it by default simply because, well, you don\u2019t see me actively working to dismantle it, do you? I can talk and talk about it but I\u2019m not doing anything about it. Inaction *is* an action.\n\n\nIt\u2019s not a good excuse, but I fear repercussions. I \nwant\n to be braver, but I\u2019m not, I\u2019m a coward, I am comfortable in my current environment. I mean, I\u2019m not going to refuse ASB and Bumi discounts for property purchase, that\u2019s stupid. Plus why rock the boat and invoke the wrath of people who believe in Malay special rights?\n\n\nI guess that\u2019s the reason why I pick arguments that support wealth equality instead. Go faaaar away from the race discussions. First, because it\u2019s safer. Second, because I personally benefit from the system, which makes me a hypocrite.\n\n\nHowever, we can\u2019t pretend that race and economics is not intersected. It is, from the very core. We need to ask the hard questions, like why is it that despite the Malay special rights, the majority of B40 folks are\u2026 Malay?\n\n\nI am pissed off that hardworking Malay people DON\u2019T get economically ahead, despite the Malay special rights which is supposed to help them. If they live in poverty even with these rights, then you KNOW something is wrong.\n\n\nThere is no other explanation for this, except that the poor in this country get opportunities taken from them because of practices that encourage wealth inequality.\n\n\nFor now, I am still going to take advantage of ASB and Bumi discounts. I justify it by telling myself that money is a tool and it\u2019s easier for me to help others if I\u2019m rich rather than if I\u2019m poor. Plus I can also donate the profits to causes I love \u2013 that\u2019s one way to take advantage of the system.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 The lazy Malay stereotype makes me want to work even harder to \u2018prove myself\u2019\n\n\nThat brings us here. It\u2019s another reason I was embarassed by my racial background. I grew up hearing about the lazy Malay stereotype, and not wanting to be associated with that trait is the biggest reason why I detached myself from my Malay identity altogether.\n\n\nWhere does this stereotype comes from? I wondered for years, finally piecing together clues, here and there.\n\n\nIn the same book mentioned above, the author argues that blind loyalty among the Malays persist because it comes with reward expectations. Everyone scurries to get noticed and awarded favours by the Malay elite, because often, \nthose rewards and benefits are financial in nature\n.\n\n\nAh, went the lightbulb in my head. \nThat\u2019s\n how the handout culture came to being. \nThat\u2019s\n where the lazy Malay trope came from.\n\n\nI have to admit, when the \u2018lazy Malay\u2019 trope gets viral in social media, as if often does, I get very defensive. It\u2019s hard not to be when an attack is directed at your core identity.\n\n\nThat\u2019s why I tear up when I see my fellow Malaysians defend Malays. They would share how its the fault of a personality trait (greed), not the race itself. They would share how their Malay friends and colleagues are some of the most hardworking people they know. They would share how some Malay people they know work two, three, four jobs to support their families.\n\n\nThank you for that, truly.\n\n\nIt\u2019s actually kind of motivating. \nI work hard because I want to be THAT hardworking Malay person that you know\n\n\n\n\nConfession: sometimes I get so defensive over the \u2018lazy Malay\u2019 stereotype that I overcompensate by working hard\n\nSometimes it\u2019s tiring but that\u2019s all I can do on a personal level, you know?\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nSeptember 13, 2019\n\n\n\n\nI tweeted about this feeling sometime ago. Other people replied saying they felt the same all this while. That made me feel less alone.\n\n\nFinal thoughts\n\n\nHow do I even end this article? I don\u2019t know. It\u2019s just a jumble of thoughts that I\u2019ve had for a long time, bottled up. I don\u2019t have solutions, I don\u2019t have a call-to-action, nothing.\n\n\nBut what use is having a personal blog if I can\u2019t share my own thoughts here?\n\n\nThis is my personal battle and I guess eventual acceptance of my own Malay identity, and how it affected my worldview, including my money and work approach. It started of by my admission of being ashamed of it, then the realisation that hey, I\u2019m never going to be able to erase that part of me, and I don\u2019t want to hate myself, so learn to live with it and do the best in my own capacity.\n\n\nWith that thought, I\u2019m signing off. If you\u2019re going to comment, please be kind.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/managing-finances-as-a-couple/", "title": "[PERSONAL] Managing Finances as a Couple: 3 Things That Worked Well for Us!\n  ", "body": "\n\nStudies say \nyou don\u2019t necessarily need to be married to be happy\n, but in my case, sharing my life with my partner is one of the best experiences, I\u2019m enjoying it \ud83d\ude42 He\u2019s a good man \u2013 I guess \nmy approach to dating\n worked \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nAbsolutely melt every time the husband said \"good job sayang, that was amazing, you sounded so smart\" right after I finish my work webinars \ud83e\udd7a\ud83e\udd7a\u2764\ufe0f\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nMarch 20, 2021\n\n\n\n\nSo, obviously, as a married couple, we now run a household together, and jointly responsible for our finances. This article breaks down how we are managing finances as a couple, in a way that works for us. Under no circumstances I want to imply this is the best way for everyone, just the best way for \nus. \n\n\nHere are 3 things that worked really well:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 We took the Financial Behaviour Test\n\n\nMoney as a topic came up often during the dating stage (it\u2019s not like he didn\u2019t know he was dating a personal finance blogger\u2026), and we had a lot of conversations about it, including on camera, when we did a \nBoyfriend Tag: Should We Combine Our Finances? & Other Money Questions\n video. \n\n\nHowever, everything really came together when we both took The Financial Behaviour Test. It was an amazing AHA moment for both of us \u2013 only then we understood why we behaved the way we did with money. \n\n\nThe best part was the Financial Behaviour Comparison Report, showing his and my tendencies side-by-side. I am very happy to discover that we are mostly aligned \u2013 we are both low risk takers, savers (as opposed to spenders), and happy to pursue a content life (as opposed to an extravagant life) \ud83d\ude42 \n\n\n\n\nIn fact, it was because of his high score in financial relationship management (second line) and preference for financial advisors that I got him a \nprofessional financial planning session\n as a birthday present. He loved it <3\n\n\nI would happily recommend the Financial Behaviour Report to everyone. You can even turn it into a date \u2013 Buy the Financial Behaviour Report for you and your partner and go through your results together \ud83d\ude42 Individuals can do it too and learn more about yourself.  \n\n\nBuy it here >> \nFinancial Behaviour Report (Individual RM49 /Couple RM99)\n\n\n#2 \u2013 We decided on \u2018I pay for this expense you cover that one\u2019 approach (for now)\n\n\nThere are so many ways of managing finances as a couple. Some swear by joint bank account, some do the ratio approach based on income, some give total financial responsibility to the husband, etc. \n\n\nAs mentioned in my \nThoughts I Have About Marriage (and Money Management)\n article, both of us were raised in families where all the women and men earned money, so we are now living the DINK lifestyle (dual income, no kids), with shared as well as individual expenses. \n\n\nIndividually, our financial situations are healthy, but different: \n\n\nMy situation:\n\n\nSelf-employed so income fluctuates a lot \u2013 some months five figures, most months four figures\nMultiple sources of income\nHealthy amount in savings, no consumer debt\nWell-funded but extremely \nhigh-risk investment portfolio\n; additional funding via lump sum method \u2013 every six or so months\n\n\nHis situation:\n\n\nEmployed with stable income\nSingle source of income; currently learning additional skills\nHealthy amount in savings, no consumer debt\nPaying for mortgage (yet to receive key) and car loan \nBuilding up investment portfolio; additional funding via dollar cost averaging method \u2013 monthly deductions\n\n\nWe thought of having a joint account at some point, but at this stage, while we\u2019re waiting to move into our permanent home, we have decided to split our expenses this way: \n\n\nMe: Cover Groceries and Rent (plus the bills \u2013 electric, aircon, water and Indah Water)\nHim: Cover Mortgage and Car loan (plus petrol, parking and car maintenance)\nBoth: Cover other individual expenses that we have\n\n\nThis separation works well \u2013 we don\u2019t have to transfer money to another account and responsibilities are clear. Later, after we move and no longer have to pay Rent, we\u2019ll probably have another chat about shared expenses and maybe set up that joint account, if necessary. \n\n\n#3 \u2013 We organised our financial documents\n\n\nConscientiousness describes doing one\u2019s work well and thoroughly; the ability to be orderly and organised when required because it gets the job done.  \n\n\nWhich is kind of important for personal finance, and as it turns out, is \none of the best traits in a partner and in a marriage\n too. \n\n\nHonestly, I would have married him anyway even if he\u2019s not particularly conscientious, because boi I fell hard for that face and \nlove makes you stupid in, like, a biological way\n. \n\n\nHowever happily he turns out to be quite organised as well, so guess who had a genuinely fun date night just compiling our insurance policies in one place??\n\n\n\n\nHusband and I just created a Google Drive folder to compile all our insurance policies in one place, for easy access and reference. It's nice to be married to someone who's also financially organised \ud83d\ude42\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nApril 23, 2021\n\n\n\n\nHow are y\u2019all managing finances as a couple?\n\n\nObviously, we are not going to pretend we have this whole thing perfected. I am very well aware that as newlyweds, we have much to learn about each other, and go through together. Maybe the way we handle expenses will change in the future, but I think we have a pretty good start at it \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nAnd now I would love to hear some advice from readers with longer experience. Married/cohabitating partners, what method(s) do you use for managing finances as a couple? What worked, what didn\u2019t, and what changed over the years? \n\n\nPlease leave your wisdom in the comments section below!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/meaning-of-life/", "title": "[Personal] Finding the Meaning of Life\n  ", "body": "\n\nI am not financially free yet. But I do consider myself financially secure.\n\n\nSomething happens as you inch there: you think about the subject of life a whole lot more. Specifically, the meaning of life. This short, fleeting life.\n\n\n\n\nThe thought process didn\u2019t come overnight; rather, it was an increment. It gradually builds itself up and took up more space in my head.\n\n\nRationally, I know why it happens. As you accumulate money, you get to choose what conveniences to buy. That gets you time. And when you have free time, you start thinking about how to fill it.\n\n\nThis realisation shocked me; even though I should\u2019ve seen it coming \u2013 I did write the\u00a0\n23 Things That I Can Do At Home, Instead Of Spending Money\n article a while back. That was me exploring what I can do for cheap with the extra time that I had.\n\n\nAnd this is me using that time to put my thought processes about the meaning of life into order.\n\n\nThe society-accepted \u2018Meaning of Life\u2019\n\n\n \npixel2013\n / Pixabay\n\n\nThe societal norm for achieving a fulfilled life should be familiar to you, too: Go to school, go to university, find a job, find a spouse, buy a house, have some children, work your ass off, save for retirement and enjoy retirement (with some grandchildren).\n\n\nThe guideline is helpful enough to start, especially when you\u2019re young and have no idea yet what you want to do in life. It\u2019s standard, and it helps you assimilate into society.\n\n\nAt this point in life, I did the first three, but I\u2019m not sure I want to proceed with the rest. Not that I \nreject \nit,\u00a0but I want greater flexibility in available options.\n\n\nI\u2019ve seen people regretting their marriages and house purchases, simply because \u2018it was time to get married/buy a house\u2019. Kids are nice, but not a compulsory element for a fulfilled life \u2013 people can be just as happy without them, if not happier.\n\n\nMaybe those funds can be better spent towards what truly makes one happy, however one defines it.\n\n\nThen there\u2019s the final three phases, the work-hard-until-retirement phases, where\u00a0\nonly then\u00a0\nyou\u2019ll be allowed to rest from working all your adult life.\n\n\nI don\u2019t want this at all.\n\n\nInstead, I like the idea of permanent semi-retirement even from a relatively young age. I like the idea of always working on projects I\u2019m passionate in, regardless whether I\u2019m 30 or 60 or 90.\n\n\nNot having things to do beyond housekeeping and providing childcare seems like a terribly boring way to live (no offence to those who enjoy this, good for you).\n\n\nFor me, knowing what I\u00a0\ndon\u2019t want\n is the first step towards finding what I do want out of life. Process of elimination and all that.\n\n\nThe fear: regret\n\n\n \npavlelederer2\n / Pixabay\n\n\nAs a feeling, regret ranks way up there in the \u2018nope\u2019 category, doesn\u2019t it? I don\u2019t have major regrets in life (yet; touch wood), but even the small ones make me cringe, no matter how many years have passed since then.\n\n\nA while back, I read the \u2018top 5 regrets people have before they die\u2019 articles with interest. Copying from \nthis article\n, here they are:\n\n\n\n\nI wish I pursued my dreams and aspirations, and not the life others expected of me\n\n\nI wish I didn\u2019t work so hard\n\n\nI wish I had the courage to express my feelings and speak my mind\n\n\nI wish I had stayed in touch with my friends\n\n\nI wish I had let myself be happier\n\n\n\n\nOooh, a punch to the guts.\u00a0\nI really don\u2019t want to be thinking of these on my deathbed!\n\n\nI did make some progress in \u2018defying others\u2019 expectations\u2019 (regret no 1). After high school, I penned a letter to my Dad begging for his forgiveness for not wanting to go down the medic route, like he wanted me to. I cried writing it, knowing it\u2019ll break his heart.\n\n\nI just want to say he\u2019s a great Dad \u2013 he said \u2018I love you\u2019 a lot \u2013 and choosing not to do what he wanted saddened me, but it also relieved me. Thank you for your unconditional love since then, Dad.\n\n\nI\u2019m also known as a fairly blunt and direct person (regret no 3). This has hurt my Mom\u2019s feelings many times, usually after I dismiss her many motherly suggestions (stay home, wear hijab, etc).\n\n\nHowever she did admit finding value in this trait. She said she values my opinions because I don\u2019t say something just for the sake of \u2018jaga hati\u2019. Thank you for understanding, Mom.\n\n\nI\u2019m nowhere near perfect, but I try to keep in mind the above regrets when I make life choices. Work-wise, I prioritise projects that allow me ample rest time (regret no 2). I try to meet up with friends as often as I can (regret no 4).\n\n\nKnowing that experience \u2013 not things \u2013 provide higher levels of happiness, I prioritise travel and self-development (regret no 5).\n\n\nLife-long passion vs short-term passions\n\n\n \nJordan-Al\n / Pixabay\n\n\nI\u2019m lucky enough to have a specific area of interest that I\u2019m wholeheartedly passionate in: personal finance.\n\n\nThis blog is 2.5 years old, but I\u2019ve recorded my expenses since I was 17. I had my first job (telemarketing) and earned my own money at 18. I moved out of the family home and managed my own expenses after college. I\u2019m not \u2018better\u2019, just privileged, mind you.\n\n\nI hope this passion continues. It dreads me to think of the day when I might not like it anymore. There have been times when it came dangerously close \u2013 when I developed passions for other things (or so I thought).\n\n\nDuring those times, I stopped reading/researching about personal finance and dedicated all my energy to something else.\n\n\nFor example, when I was in college I was hooked on anime and cosplay culture for a while. I watched anime every single day, during any available free time. I went to cosplay conventions. Cosplayed only once though \u2013 as Cooking Mama (lol).\n\n\nOkay, so maybe short-term passions are fine as well. Maybe I can just call them \u2018flings\u2019. They make life interesting. I shouldn\u2019t be guilty of this, now, should I?\n\n\nThere are a few \u2018flings\u2019 I\u2019m considering right now. Being a full-time traveler is one. Being a coder is another. Being a data scientist, too. My third ambition \u2013 back in primary school where teachers ask you to fill in the \u2018cita-cita saya\u2019 box \u2013 was to become a scientist. I even drew myself in a lab coat.\n\n\n(The first ambition was flight attendant, the second one was ninja assassin).\n\n\nThere was a time when I felt guilty (there\u2019s the G-word again) about wanting to reinvent myself throughout life. The norm is dedication to a single craft, no?\n\n\nBut over time, I\u2019ve witnessed people \u2013 successful people \u2013 who have reinvented themselves again and again. Julian Hosp of Tenx (a crypto-related startup) was a professional basketball player, a professional kitesurfer, a medical doctor, and now a startup founder.\n\n\nWhy the heck not?\u00a0\nAllowing myself that freedom to try out things completely outside my area of expertise and outside of my comfort zone was liberating.\n\n\nIn 2018 I became a theatre producer for a (small, one-night only) show. It was fun as heck. I even made a small profit out of it \u2013 paid more or less the same as the performers in the show \u2013 but a profit nonetheless.\n\n\nResearch-backed ways to be happy\n\n\nResearch-backed paths to happiness appeal to me more than religion-backed paths to happiness. To be clear, it\u2019s not binary, not one-or-the-other. It\u2019s more like one-over-the-other. Even when I refer back to religion, I choose the \u2018God-as-a-loving-entity\u2019 narrative rather than the \u2018God-as-the-punisher\u2019 narrative.\n\n\nThis article\n\u00a0is one of the best compilations I\u2019ve found on the topic. Sharing their infographic:\n\n\n\n\nMoney-related habits appear pretty regularly, either as a means or a tool to achieve happiness. See it in:\n\n\n\n\n7) Pursue personally meaningful goals\n\n\n11) Let go of materialistic tendencies\n\n\n12) Give freely\n\n\n18) Jobs as a calling\n\n\n19) Have things to look forward to\n\n\n20) Spend money on experiences, and\n\n\n21) Spend money to benefit others\n\n\n\n\nOf course, there\u2019s also that other study that proved money is\u00a0\nneeded\n to achieve optimal emotional happiness. Apparently you are happiest if you make at least\u00a0\nbetween $60,000-75,000 per year\n.\n\n\nMake over the \u2018satiation point\u2019 ($95,000) and the income/happiness correlation no longer applies. Note: the amount differs from country to country \u2013 from as low as $35,000 (Latin America) to $125,000 (Australia/New Zealand). Note 2: No idea what\u2019s the specific amount for Malaysians.\n\n\nIn any case, can I admit that THE NUMBERS ARE FREAKING INTIMIDATING???? Even the lowest number $35,000 is RM135,000 per year!\n\n\nHmm, oh well. Change what you can, accept what you can\u2019t. I guess I\u2019ll be okay with whatever level of happiness I can get with my income level. I\u2019ll try my darnest to earn that amount, but even if I don\u2019t, I \nwill\u00a0\nmake the best out of what I have, dammit.\n\n\nConclusion\n\n\nThe conclusion here is anticlimactic: I have no conclusion. I still don\u2019t know what is my personal meaning of life. I just know:\n\n\n\n\nMoney bought me the time to think about life fulfilment\n\n\nMaybe the society-accepted Meaning of Life model is not for me, and that\u2019s okay\n\n\nTry my hardest not to make decisions I\u2019d regret\n\n\nWork on passions, and keep finding new passions (even temporary ones)\n\n\nUse research to guide me towards making habits that generally make people happy\n\n\n\n\nAnd just be open to possibilities and make the best out of it. While I figure out my meaning of life, I\u2019ll keep trying for that sweet income level recommendation. Maybe the progress in that area is the catalyst. It\u2019s a start anyhow.\n\n\nWhat is your thought process like in deciding your life path? Was it consciously yours, or did something (or someone) else guide you?\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/my-10-money-rules/", "title": "[PERSONAL] This is My 10 Money Rules. Tell Me Yours\n  ", "body": "\n\nToday\u2019s post is inspired by one of my favourite personal finance thought leader, Ramit Sethi, who introduced me the \n10 Money Rules concept\n. \n\n\nWhat it is: Once you get to the stage where you \nlearned the basics of money management\n, you should then make your own Money Rules, a set of guidelines that you can embrace without hesitation even if they directly violate the usual financial advice because they reflect your own values and priorities in life. \nThis way, you are living a life that you want to live, rather than a life that you \nthought \nyou should live. \n\n\nFor example, this is Ramit\u2019s own 10 Money Rules:\n\n\n\n\nIsn\u2019t that fascinating? I don\u2019t agree with some of them, but that\u2019s the point \u2013 what I think doesn\u2019t matter. It\u2019s something that Ramit has decided as important for his life. \n\n\nI thought it was a fun thought exercise, so I decided to do my own 10 Money Rules, which reflects \nmy \npriorities and values. Here they are:\n\n\nIgnore displays of wealth to the best of my ability\nI aim to educate myself. Educating others is good, but not my responsibility\nBe sceptical with financial companies. They want your money more than they want to help\nLearn marketing to find out what a company is *truly* saying\nTrust the data (Expense tracking is data)\nRedistribute thy wealth\nUse it Up, Wear it Out, Make it Do, or Do Without\nI make the best financial decisions when I am happy and content\nStop asking $3 questions and focus on $30,000 questions\nLiquid investment >>>>> other investments\n\n\nThe longer version:\n\n\n1. Ignore displays of wealth to the best of my ability \n\n\nI don\u2019t agree with lifestyle choices that focus on excessive consumerism, but it *is* your money and you have the right to spend it however you wish, so go ahead, I won\u2019t tell you what you shouldn\u2019t buy. \n\n\nInstead, I will simply.. ignore. And specifically, ignore it in this way:\n\n\n\n\nOrang yang suka tunjuk kekayaan sebenarnya sakit hati kalau kita tak kasi attention yang dia nak\nCuba try. Next time ada orang tayang jam ke, kereta ke, beg ke, apa ke dengan bangganya, cuba buat tak tau. Tak yah komen, lek je cerita pasal cuaca ke apa\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nFebruary 1, 2021\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s right. My #1 Money Rule is to embrace my petty side. \n\n\n2. I aim to educate myself. Educating others is good, but not my responsibility\n\n\nYes, I maintain a personal finance blog. But at the end of the day, other people\u2019s financial education is not my responsibility. \n\n\nFor one, that\u2019s the government\u2019s job. I pay my taxes so \nthey\n would do it. \n\n\nSecondly, I don\u2019t want to develop a hero(ine) complex and feel like I need to go around \u2018saving\u2019 people by \u2018educating\u2019 them. I\u2019m not a coloniser. \n\n\nUltimately, I make personal finance content because I enjoy it; I love \norganising my thoughts\n and figuring out different ways to monetise my skillsets. If you found the content in ROR helpful, great. I will not take the credit. You saved yourself when you put in the effort to read and learn. I\u2019m just the messenger. \n\n\n3. Be sceptical with financial companies. They want your money more than they want to help\n\n\nNEVER believe companies that say they want to help you at face value. Sometimes I wish they would say \u2018we want your money\u2019, that\u2019s more accurate. \n\n\nCase in point: those damn \nBuy Now, Pay Later companies\n. \n\n\n4. Learn marketing to find out what a company is *truly* saying\n\n\nALWAYS wonder why you\u2019re seeing an ad. Try and figure out what psychological tactics they\u2019re incorporating so you\u2019re more likely to spend on a particular product or a service. \n\n\nFor example, companies frequently use the \u2018fake scarcity\u2019 tactics like countdown timers and \u2018limited time sales\u2019 (which happens every month!) to encourage sales!\n\n\nRelated: \nWhy We Can\u2019t Stop Spending Money\n\n\n5. Trust the data (Expense tracking is data)\n\n\nThe reason why I love \nexpense tracking\n so much is because I believe in the phrase \u2018You are what you spend\u2019. I don\u2019t *guess* what my priorities are. I *know* what they are, because I have the data. If it tells me I\u2019ve been spending too much on \u2018self-care\u2019, that means work is too stressful until I feel like I need those distractions, so I better do something about it. \n\n\n6. Redistribute thy wealth\n\n\nIt\u2019s weird that society\u2019s role models are people who amassed an obscene amount of wealth, especially those who get there by exploiting their workers. This \u2018keep most of the money to yourself\u2019 mentality is so prevalent in society that I had to consciously fight against and unlearn this tendency to hoard money.  \n\n\nHow I\u2019ve done this in practice:\n\n\nSpend generously at small businesses and to family members\nPay freelancers whatever they ask, never bargain with them\nSet instructions to donate to charities of my choosing \n\n\nI don\u2019t think I\u2019m the best at this, but I\u2019m trying. \n\n\n(I\u2019m also aware how virtue-signalling this may sound. I don\u2019t care. It\u2019s just\u2026 you really can\u2019t take it with you when you go.)\n\n\n7. Use it Up, Wear it Out, Make it Do, or Do Without\n\n\nMaximising an item\u2019s utility value gives me a lot of satisfaction. I also enjoy the creativity that comes with repurposing an item, and find it satisfying to decide to go without something a company tells me I \u2018need\u2019.\n\n\nFor example: I\u2019ll never have to buy a hair colouring kit, ever since I decided my white/grey hairs are natural and not something to be \u2018fixed\u2019.\n\n\n\n\nUse it up, wear it out,  make it do, or do without. \n#livewithless\n \n#declutter\n \npic.twitter.com/3YUMMwAfb8\n\u2014 The Story of Stuff Project (@storyofstuff) \nAugust 5, 2017\n\n\n\n\n8. I make the best financial decisions when I am happy and content\n\n\nThis is probably my favourite in this 10 Money Rules list. \n\n\nRather than thinking that money brings happiness, I like to think \nbeing happy\n \nand content\n attracts money in my life. \n\n\nReason: When I am in a good headspace, I earn better, I invest better, I don\u2019t shop on impulse, all in all I make better financial decisions. Therefore, my happiness and contentment are non-negotiable and I will do everything in my power to preserve them, including \nsaying No\n to things that are not good for my well-being and learning the science behind \nbuying happiness\n. \n\n\nNote: I\u2019m not saying that money isn\u2019t necessary for happiness. Here I am acknowledging stress and unhappiness as barriers to good financial health, holistically speaking. \n\n\n9. Stop asking $3 questions and focus on $30,000 questions\n\n\nThis one is taken straight from Ramit Sethi\u2019s material. The idea is to stop spending my energy on small things that don\u2019t matter, when I can use them for making Big Wins, or high-impact decisions. \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Ramit Sethi (@ramit)\n\n\n\n\n10. Liquid investment >>>>> other investments\n\n\nThe ability to quickly liquidate an investment (ie turn it back to cash that I can use to buy food and other necessities) is THE most important factor in choosing investments, for me. And that is why \neverything in my investment portfolio\n is liquid. \n\n\nI \nunderstand\n why some people do property investment (they like physical assets, got tax benefits, etc), but it\u2019s not for me, exactly for this reason. \n\n\nI also don\u2019t collect art, but mostly because I am uncultured lol. \n\n\nWhat is YOUR 10 Money Rules\n\n\nWhat is the #1 Money Rule that defines your financial life? I especially want to know the Money Rules that you have that are a little bit unconventional, and truly reflects your own values and priorities. If you don\u2019t have one, this is a good time as any to reflect! \n\n\nAs always, let me know in the comments. Have a good rest of the week and take care \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/my-21-for-2021-list/", "title": "My 21 for 2021 List: Money, Work, Learning, Health, Relationship and Misc Projects Goals\n  ", "body": "Hi, my name is Suraya and I am addicted to self-improvement.\n\n\nThat\u2019s good and all, but it\u2019s also making me feel like \nmy current state is never good enough\n.\u00a0 I live in constant anxiety and fear of missing out that \u2018one\u2019 thing that will finally \u2018complete\u2019 my learning process and \u2018add value\u2019 to my life!\n\n\nCombined with my high score in Openness to Experiences (as per the \nBig 5 Personality Trait Assessment\n), that means I\u2019m highly susceptible to what they call \nThe Shiny Object Syndrome\n. I want to try and do everything!\n\n\nThat\u2019s probably why I decided to make a \n21 for 2021 list\n \u2013 inspired by Grethen Rubin\u2019s (one of my favourite authors) article, \u2018\nTired of Making New Year\u2019s Resolutions? Try Making a \u201c20 for 2020\u201d List Instead\n\u2018.\n\n\n21 is big enough a number for me to list out what I deem important to explore in 2021, yet small enough to serve as a hard limit. If anything new comes up, I\u2019ll bring it forward to the following year (or find a way to justify it under one of the 21 lol).\n\n\nHere is my 21 for 2021 List:\n\n\nEDIT: end of December 2021. I managed to complete 9 out of 21. The ones completed is bolded\n\n\nMoney\n\n\n1. Earn RM100k in income\u00a0\n\n\nIts just a nice, round figure. I\u2019ll be happy if I hit it, but won\u2019t beat myself hard if I don\u2019t.\n\n\n2. Max out ASB\n\n\n3. Get the vending machine side-income business up and running\u00a0\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nHow to Do Vending Machine Business in Malaysia (My Experience)\n\n\nWork\n\n\n4. Do \nMoney Stories from Malaysians\n: Volume 3\n\n\n5. Work on Pinterest marketing (since I bought the course \u2013 #10)\n\n\n6. Complete and launch workbook for sale\n\n\n7. Redesign Ringgit Oh Ringgit website\n\n\nLearning\n\n\n8. Complete CFP course\n\n\n(Related: \nMy CFP Journey, Part 1: Why, Where and How Much to Be A Certified Financial Planner in Malaysia\n)\n\n\n9. Complete The Happiness Project Experience\n\n\n10. Complete Pinterest Course\n\n\n11. Read at least 2 books per month\n\n\n12. Re-read 10 books I already own\n\n\nI find it very hard to re-read books once I\u2019ve read them, so I\u2019m adding this in my 21 for 2021 List as a personal challenge. Related:\u00a0\nWhat\u2019s On My Bookshelf: What I Read and HIGHLY RECOMMEND\n\n\nHealth\n\n\n13. Lose 10kg\n\n\nMethods: low-carb, suku-suku separuh\n\n\n14. Track food intake\n\n\n15. Take a daily walk after a meal\n\n\nRelationship, Family & Friends\n\n\n16. Move to our new place\n\n\nNgl I\u2019m really excited about budgeting for this!\n\n\n17. Have 2 dates per month\n\n\n18. Meet families regularly (once a week)\n\n\nMisc projects\n\n\n19. Attempt a balcony garden (again)\n\n\nI made my own fertiliser using the bokashi fermentation method, it would be a shame to not use the fertile soil for actual gardening!\n\n\n20. Do at least 1 x no-spend month\n\n\nI need to tame my desire for earthly pleasures, it\u2019s getting out of control. What better way to do this than by challenging myself to a no-spend month? Thanks \nFiguringgitout\n for the inspiration!\n\n\n21. Work on my limiting beliefs\n\n\nI know that I have a huge mental barrier with doing sales, and that makes me procastinate on completing projects \u2013 in my head, if I complete it, then I have to sell it, and that fear of selling stops me from working on my personal bucket list projects.\n\n\nWhat would you put in your 21 for 2021 List?\n\n\nImportant: My 21 for 2021 List is just a tool to help me re-focus my priorities, because I find it hard to simultaneously (1) work on one thing at a time, and (2) not be distracted by something new due to my love for variety and dislike for routine.\n\n\nIf 21 for 2021 is too many for you (it took me ~2 weeks to complete my list!), then consider the \nThree Hobbies method\n instead: One hobby to make money, One hobby to keep you in shape, and One hobby to be creative.\n\n\nIf an activity you want to explore for 2021 is \u2018more writing\u2019 (related: \nThe Beginner\u2019s Guide to Writing Good Articles (for Power, Profit and Pleasure)\n, doing a 21 for 2021 List is a GREAT way to do some self-reflection. If you do one, can you do me a favour and a link to your own 21 for 2021 List in the comments section? I would love to read yours!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/my-23-for-2023-list/", "title": "My 23 for 2023 List: Money, Work, Learning, Health, Relationship and Misc Projects Goals\n  ", "body": "\n\nDoing this again for the 3rd year running! In 2022, I achieved 11 of the 22 things in my \n22 for 2022 List\n. This exercise was so beneficial that I\u2019ve decided to do it again \u2013 here\u2019s my 23 for 2023 List. \n\n\nLike the previous year, 23 is big enough a number for me to list out what I deem important to explore in 2023, yet small enough to serve as a hard limit. The credit for original idea goes to one of my favourite authors, Grethen Rubin. \n\n\nHere is my 23 for 2023 List, divided into categories Money, Work, Learning, Health, Relationship and Misc Project Goals\n\n\nMoney\n\n\n1. Earn more than I spend\n\n\nI\u2019ve been spending more than I earn for a couple of years now and while savings are healthy and I don\u2019t regret it after living ultra-frugally for most of my 20s, I know this can\u2019t go on. I\u2019d be irresponsible if I let this go on.\n\n\n(Not that anyone asked, but the reason I overspent in 2021 was because I paid a lot of upfront capital for \nvending machine biz\n, and in 2022 I contributed a big chunk to \nRM57k home renovation cost\n) \n\n\n2. Earn RM150k in income\n\n\nI hit my money goals in 2021 and 2022, so why not attempt this. \n\n\n3. Dates/Travel not exceeding RM10k\n\n\nI\u2019m blown away that my Dates/Travel expenses in 2022 amounted to RM18k!! Will reduce this to RM10k in 2023, lower is better.  \n\n\nWork\n\n\n4. Explore a new income stream\n\n\nIdeally something I\u2019m excited about AND contributes to personal growth AND WFH-friendly AND pays well. \n\n\n5. Explore a new passive income stream\n\n\n6. Do at least 1x collaboration per month\n\n\nI\u2019m a solopreneur with no colleagues so to not go crazy with loneliness, I love working together with financial institutions, NGOs, universities, social enterprises and private companies (with aligning values). \n\n\n7. Hit 100k monthly traffic for ringgitohringgit.com\n\n\nGoal carried over for years already now. It\u2019s ok, consistency is all that matters \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nLearning\n\n\n8. Go to therapy when I need it\n\n\nGenerally my mental health is good but I went through a hard patch back late 2022. After the second panic attack, I booked a therapy session and it was great. Giving myself permission to go back if/when I need it, despite the extra cost. \n\n\n9. Write good newsletters and send at least 1x month\n\n\nI need to dig out my newsletter course again, so I can add extra value to RoR newsletter subscribers. \n\n\n10. Do IPO again\n\n\nI participated in IPO (initial public offering) once in 2022 and had a good experience. Want to try it again in 2023 \ud83d\ude42 \n\n\n11. Read at least 2 books per month\n\n\nWant to continue this habit \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n12. Re-read 2 books I already own\n\n\nNote: My goal for 2022 was to re-read 2 books I already own but only completed one. So I\u2019m going to re-attempt this again.\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nWhat\u2019s On My Bookshelf: What I Read and HIGHLY RECOMMEND\n\n\nHealth\n\n\n13. Exercise 2 x week\n\n\nYoga counts. I enjoy yoga. \n\n\n14. Walk more steps than 2022\n\n\nI had \u2018walk more steps than 2021\u2019 in my 22 for 2022 list and achieved it, continuing the same spirit this year \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n15. Limit food delivery to 2x max per month\n\n\nThe pattern is: we buy healthy groceries, but order unhealthy food. So by limiting food delivery (but not eliminating since we still enjoy them and everything in moderation, right?), hopefully we\u2019ll eat better. \n\n\nSide note \u2013 I am working on better habits and not being fixated by pure weight loss alone. It\u2019s a work in progress, wish me luck. \n\n\nRelationship, Family & Friends\n\n\n16. [Personal]\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019ll share when I\u2019m ready \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n17. Meet families regularly (once a week)\n\n\nHad this goal from 2022 and loved it so much I\u2019m going to continue \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n18.  Nurture existing relationship and friendships\n\n\nWater your garden and all \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n19. Develop new circle of friends \n\n\nI\u2019m in a new phase in my life and would love to be part of a friendship group that reflects that.  \n\n\nMisc projects\n\n\n20. Fix my scalp\n\n\nMy scalp isn\u2019t the healthiest, and it bothers me so much. Time to do something about it.  \n\n\n21. Be a better AFS board member\n\n\nI\u2019m one of the board members in AFS Antarabudaya Malaysia, and need to step up my contribution. Aiming for 2x activities planned. \n\n\n22. Help my parents with their finances and cashflow\n\n\n23.  Do estate planning \u2013 complete \nWasiat, Hibah and Trust\n documents  \n\n\nGoal carried over from 2022. I have done my \nHibah ASB\n though.\n\n\nWhat would you put in your 23 for 2023 List?\n\n\nImportant: My 23 for 2023 List is just a tool to help me re-focus my priorities, because I find it hard to simultaneously (1) work on one thing at a time, and (2) not be distracted by something new due to my love for variety and dislike for routine.\n\n\nIf 23 things are too many for you, then consider the \nThree Hobbies method\n instead: One hobby to make money, One hobby to keep you in shape, and One hobby to be creative.\n\n\nYou could also use the New Year\u2019s Resolution using AI thing to help you figure out what you may want to concentrate on in 2023. Mine was eeriely insightful, I was shook (do we still say this in 2023? lol)\n\n\n\n\nNgl kinda blown away by this.. \npic.twitter.com/q1QGiCv81f\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nJanuary 3, 2023\n\n\n\n\nIf an activity you want to explore for 2023 is \u2018more writing\u2019 (related: \nThe Beginner\u2019s Guide to Writing Good Articles (for Power, Profit and Pleasure)\n, doing a 23 for 2023 List is a GREAT way to do some self-reflection. \n\n\nWhat would you like to add to your own 23 for 2023 List? List in the comments section below, would love to be inspired by yours <3\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/my-best-and-worst-spending-in-2016/", "title": "My Best and Worst Spending in 2016\n  ", "body": "In the spirit of sharing, and just to show you that I make as many stupid purchases as I made good ones, here\u2019s my list of best and worst spending in 2016.\n\n\nRelated: \nMy best and worst spending in 2015\n\n\n\n\n \nJaStra\n / Pixabay\n\n\nBest Spending in 2016\n\n\n\n\nTrip to Krabi. \nRM900. I wrote about my Krabi trip \nhere\n.\n\n\nTrip to Japan.\n\u00a0RM2500. I wrote about my Japan trip \nhere\n.\n\n\nKerastase shampoo\n. RM90 from a kind lady in Carousell. Original price is RM100+ I think, not sure. This shampoo makes my hair look fabulous y\u2019all.\n\n\nFleece blanket\n. RM49 from Tesco. Oh my fleece blankets \u2013 good quality ones \u2013 is so soft and so perfect to sleep in. I\u2019m one of those people who can\u2019t sleep without a blanket and made do with spare bedsheets instead of actual blankets for the past 5 or so years. Super worth it.\n\n\n8 x container baskets\n. RM5 each from MR DIY. Beige colour, rattan design. Organised the shit out of my shit. Now I have containers for beauty products, medicine, DIY stuff, accessories, electronics, and other miscellaneous items.\n\n\nHand truck.\n RM60 from Giant, on sale. Super handy during the moving process. I don\u2019t think I\u2019ll need it anytime soon, so I may sell it \u2013 which is good because apparently the going rate for new ones range between RM80-RM150. I may get all my money back!\n\n\nMalaysian Writers\u2019 Society membership\n. RM70. Now I can say I am \u2018a registered member of the Malaysian Writers\u2019 Society\u2019. Cewaaahhh.\n\n\nUniqlo jeans.\n RM149 for the first pair, then bought 3 more for RM99 each during MyCybersale. I\u2019ve yet to wear 2 pairs \u2013 they will be worn in stages for the next few years.\n\n\nWebsite banner.\n RM87.80 (or USD20) from \nFiverr.com\n. I love it. In case you didn\u2019t know, the flower is\u00a0Alstroemeria flower, also known as the Peruvian lily. It was picked because I love \nthe meaning\n behind the flower.\n\n\nXiaomi powerbank\n. RM107.10 from Lazada. Lifesaver in many, many occasions, both for myself and my friends.\n\n\nUmbrella\n. RM19.50 from MR DIY. Does the job. Did not get drenched in the rain even once in 2016.\n\n\n2 x glasses.\n From \nSelectspecs\n; both for RM118.88. Select a cheap frame ($10ish), enter your eye power (? not sure of correct terminology here), choose extras (optional) and get it delivered (free!) within a few weeks. I\u2019m comfortable with recommending them; have bought about 6 glasses in roughly 6 years. Not be best quality, but suitable for a rough user like myself.\n\n\nLenovo K4 Vibe.\n RM830 from Lazada. Picked based on the recommendation of \nSoya Cincau\u2019s Best Smartphone Under RM1000 \narticle. It\u2019s only my second smartphone ever.\n\n\nA book on sambal recipes\n. RM5 from MPH. Made three types of sambals in the first week. I like my sambal, this was money well spent.\n\n\nHyaluronic acid.\n RM44.50 from Guardian. Face tonic from the Hada Labo brand. Significantly improved my skin.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWorst Spending in 2016\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0Cheap pan and pot\n. I got them for RM12 and RM10 each, which are ridiculously cheap. Unfortunately, they were also ridiculously horrible to use. When I tried to make a simple omelette with the pan, the freaking non-stick coating wore off. I know this because the omelette tasted funky, chemical-ly. I wasted 3 eggs here. The pot, on the other hand, fails to cook anything without burning it. I wasted another 3 eggs here.\n\n\nScammed out of RM1400.\n Not proud to admit it, but this happened and I\u2019ll take partial blame for it. I was searching for furniture and tempted by low prices by this one Carousell seller. I was supposed to receive a dining table, bed frame, sofa and custom wardrobe in the first week of December. As of a mid-December, he cut off all communication with me. \u00a0I\u2019m thinking of making a police report.\n\n\nPaid to get off blacklisted telco list.\n Sometime ago, I used my name to help out a family member to get internet dongle or something. Little did I know that this person did not care to pay the monthly fee. It was deactivated shortly after, but not until RM280.80 damage was done. So I got blacklisted, and had to pay this fee before getting postpaid line.\n\n\nGym mat.\n Crap one that costs RM34.15 from Guardian. Damaged easily from normal use. Would not recommend.\n\n\nOverdue ASB loan\n. Aka what the what?? I took RM50k ASB loan from Maybank, and have been paying RM289 monthly for it. Then somehow it was increased to RM308 about a year ago and I did not know about it?? I underpaid for months, and owed them about RM310. It\u2019s annoying because I consented to have the loan auto-deducted directly from my bank account. It shouldn\u2019t have happened, but it did.\n\n\nFined.\n RM302.12. I can\u2019t even remember what for. Wasted money, in my opinion.\n\n\nUnnecessary ATM fees\n. RM6.30 because in multiple occasions I failed to plan ahead and had to withdraw money outside of my bank\u2019s ATM.\n\n\nShitload of tobacco and Coke Zero.\n I don\u2019t even want to calculate this. Dammit Suraya.\n\n\nBecca Under Eye Corrector\n. RM90 from Carousell. Bought because some beauty Youtubers recommended it. Did not work with my skintone. Made my eyebags look worse.\n\n\nBlack skirt.\n RM59 from Jusco. When I bought this, I already own 5 black skirt (leftover from office days). When I moved, I donated 3 of them, including this one.\n\n\nPrinted skirt.\n RM20 from Cotton On Sale. Pretty but badly stitched. Ripped the side within a month. I\u2019m probably not going to buy anything from Cotton On again.\n\n\nFoam Roller\n. RM44.72 from Lazada. Read that it can help massage my back. But personally it\u2019s unpleasant to use and now stay boxed. I might donate it soon.\n\n\nStevia leaves.\n RM20 from pasar malam. I badly want to love stevia, but I don\u2019t. I bought a packet containing about 20 small pouches and maybe used two.\n\n\nHair dye\n. RM19.35 from a pharmacy. Bought and applied sometime in March 2016. I don\u2019t know what I was thinking \u2013 I love my original hair colour and this product worsen my hair fall problem. It\u2019s back to natural now, and so much healthier too.\n\n\nJunk food.\n According to my spending tracker, I wasted RM645.70 in junk food and drinks in 2016, or roughly RM1.77 per day. I don\u2019t regret many of them, but I wish I didn\u2019t cave in more than I should. I\u2019m supposed to be dieting :/\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/my-financial-to-do-list/", "title": "9 Things in My Financial To-Do List (That I Keep Putting Off..)\n  ", "body": "For the most part, I think I\u2019m doing this financial thing right. I think.\n\n\nAnd then I look at my financial to-do list, and go like, uuuggghhh Suraya why you so lazy one to get these done??\n\n\nYou probably have a running financial to-do list too. It may be written down somewhere, or it may be casually stored in your head. I thought it might be fun to share how mine looks like. So every time I open my own website I\u2019ll keep being reminded of it. Hopefully that\u2019ll pressure me to finally take action :p\n\n\nHere are 9 things in my financial to-do list that I keep putting off..\n\n\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Find out if I have unclaimed money somewhere\n\n\nIt started with a viral Facebook post sometime in July 2017.\n\n\n\n\nBasically, Ms Idah here shared how she managed to claim back money that she forgot she put in various accounts in the past. \nShe collected a cool RM14,000.\u00a0\n\n\nThat sounds like a lot, until I found out the total amount of unclaimed money. According to this \nThe Star article\n in October 2017, there are around RM5.779 BILLION just laying around???\n\n\nIs it possible I may have money sitting around somewhere under my name that I\u2019ve forgotten about? I don\u2019t know, but I should find out! Cilisos did \na nice article explaining how to do it\n also. Important: if a company claim it can do it for you, that\u2019s probably a scam!\n\n\nWhat\u2019s stopping me? Lazy to make the physical visit to the branch.. I wish I can just check it online but last I checked, no such database exist.\n\n\nEDIT: Coincidentally, I went to check on the same day this article was published. There is no unclaimed money under my name. Well, at least I can tick off this from my financial to-do list.\n\n\nEDIT EDIT: You can now check online if you have unclaimed money! Go to https://egumis.anm.gov.my/\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Do wasiat and pre-hibah\n\n\nI love my family, and don\u2019t want them to go through a long process to claim my assets if anything happens to me.\n\n\nSo why do I keep putting this off? \ud83d\ude41 I don\u2019t know\u2026 maybe emotionally I just don\u2019t like thinking of my own death so I keep postponing?\n\n\nAnyhow, I\u2019ve decided on the wasiat and pre-hibah combo because:\n\n\n\n\nHibah (gifting) means giving my assets WHILE I\u2019m still alive. Uh, I kinda still need them now. Pre-hibah, on the other hand, \nwill only gift those assets upon my passing or TPD\n (total and permanent disability) (someone correct me if I\u2019m wrong)\n\n\nI want to make sure my female relatives get at least the same amount as my male relatives\n. This is currently not possible under Malaysia\u2019s faraid/inheritance laws \u2013 men usually get much more than women. Note: I\u2019m not debating faraid law, I am pointing out how it is used to significantly reduce women\u2019s inheritance, therefore making it more likely for women to be economically vulnerable and dependent.\n\n\nI want to\n give away some money to NGOs\n I support too\n\n\n\n\nTogether, both wasiat and pre-hibah documents will probably set me back around RM2.5k. A cool chunk, but unavoidable.\n\n\nEDIT: I have done \nHibah Amanah ASNB\n! I also have an article on \nIslamic estate planning\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Turn my investment portfolio from high-risk to moderate-risk\n\n\nHere are all the investments I have:\n\n\n\n\nASB\n\n\nUnit trust (PRS)\n\n\nGold\n\n\nP2P Lending (very new; as I\u2019m writing this article, I\u2019m maybe like 1-week in)\n\n\nCrypto (around 10 or so different ones)\n\n\n\n\nLast time, my safe investments \u2013 the first three in the list \u2013 was bigger than my crypto investments. I got into crypto around the end of 2015, and steadily collected them all throughout 2016 and 2017.\n\n\nCrypto prices increased by A LOT since then, and now my portfolio is definitely considered high-risk because value-wise, crypto took over!\n\n\nRationally I know I have to reduce my risk level, so I can sleep better at night. I *have* been selling off some of my crypto holdings and channelled that towards other safe investments.\n\n\nSo why am I not doing what I\u2019m *supposed* to do? I think I\u2019m putting it off because I keep waiting for crypto to moon again. Yes, I know I conveniently forget that there\u2019s no guarantee of that happening!\n\n\nI admit I\u2019m greedy and just to sell my crypto at the highest price possible. This is called timing the market, and it is a stupid, classic investor/trader noOb behaviour.\n\n\nOut of everything in the list, this takes the highest priority. I MUST rebalance my investment portfolio ASAP!\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Cancel one of my credit cards (and get a new one)\n\n\nI have three credit cards \u2013 two MasterCards and one Amex.\n\n\nI want to cancel one of those MasterCards and get a Visa card instead.\n\n\nLast time, that MasterCard was my favourite card. It gave me 5% cashback on all online spending! But one fine day in 2017, the bank (which I will not name) decided to revise the T&C, and now only give\u00a0\na mere 0.1% cashback\n.\n\n\nWtf, right? Not worth it!\n\n\nOn wanting a Visa, it\u2019s only because I thought it might be a good idea to have all three trio \u2013 Visa, MasterCard and American Express. For all the different deals each of them can offer.\n\n\nAnyone know a good Visa credit card to suggest? I like cashback and no annual fees.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Update information on banks, insurance providers and investments\n\n\nSome of the banks I use still list my old addresses -_- I thought I got that done but apparently some not updated in the system. So annoying!\n\n\nThis is important to sort out because I know they sometimes send pre-approved credit cards to you, I\u2019ve personally received these cards before. Kind of scary knowing somewhere out there, there may be cards in my name that may be in the wrong hands.\n\n\nAside from updating addresses, I also need to find out if the beneficiaries in my existing insurances and investments are named to the right people. Just need to dig out all the information, contact them and check.\n\n\nI know why I\u2019m putting this chore off. Not looking forward to the long holds they put you on during calls\u2026\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Get my business accounting in order\n\n\nFor my business, I have a Google Sheets document listing all incomes and expenses. The thing is, I\u2019m not very good at updating them! Especially on the expenses!\n\n\nI remember when I was filing my taxes in early 2018 for 2017 income, I was scrambling around to find all business-related receipts which I could deduct as business expenses. KNOWING that it was a pain, I STILL don\u2019t do this consistently enough!\n\n\nMany times, I thought of just hiring an accountant to keep track of all business expenses, someone who can also help me file my taxes efficiently. They might even save me money by helping me figure out what I could deduct as business expenses, which makes my taxes lower. Still, I don\u2019t know where to find those accountants.\n\n\nCan you help me? How much does this service even cost? How is the process like? Do you have anyone to recommend, preferably someone who is familiar with (extremely) small online-based business accounting? Someone who is familiar with communications-related incomes and expenses?\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Get more gold and buy into stocks\n\n\nHelloGold now have a programme called SmartSaver \u2013 it allows you to make monthly auto-investments at the best rates that time. The fancy term for this is \u2018dollar-cost averaging\u2019, and it\u2019s generally considered a safe strategy for investment types that has fluctuating values.\n\n\nI personally like HelloGold. I even invested in their ICO (just to give you full disclaimer). Get RM5 discount if you buy RM50 worth of gold via my link\n\u00a0here\n\u00a0(note: referral link) or insert the promo code \u2018SURA024F\n\n\nOn stocks, I\u2019m still researching and picking 5-6 syariah-compliant stocks to buy into. Last time I had no confidence with stocks, but DividendMagic explained it really well so I think I\u2019ll get it!\n\n\nRead the\u00a0\nDividendMagic Taught Me How to Read Financial Statements and Buy Stocks\n article \u2013 we got good comments on how beginner-friendly it is!\n\n\n#8 \u2013 Get life insurance\n\n\nI have a medical card and a personal accident insurance \u2013 time to add a life insurance in the mix?\n\n\nRight now, leaning for \nGreat Eastern Takaful\u2019s i-Gr8 Harapan\n (yep, the same one I did sponsored post for). It looks attractive, and should cost me around RM100 per month. Thoughts?\n\n\n#9 \u2013 Sell off or donate unwanted items\n\n\nAs a konon-minimalist, I\u2019m ashamed how cluttered my house looks at the moment. The other day,\u00a0\nI bought something I already own\u00a0\n*horror face*. This rarely happens, and a sign that I can no longer keep track of what I own!\n\n\nThings in my financial to-do list that I *did* start (after procrastinating after goodness how long)\n\n\nSo far I\u2019ve shared things in my financial to-do list that I\u2019ve put off doing. To be fair, I did make some progress in others.\n\n\nFor example, these two things are very recent:\n\n\n\n\nTaking the maximum RM200k for ASB loan\n. I\u2019ve started the process, at least. Met a financial advisor and he\u2019s helping me apply for the loan. It\u2019ll take a few weeks to sort out.\n\n\nDabbling in P2P lending\n, the medium-high investment type where you loan money to businesses and they return it to you plus interest after an agreed amount of time. After hearing so many good feedback on this type of investment, I\u2019ve opened an account with Funding Societies* and set up the bot to auto-invest for me (see under Settings). By doing it automatically, I don\u2019t have to keep an eye on my inbox to get into the funding opportunity. If you want to try it, use my \nreferral link\n and get RM50 (I get RM50 too). Disclaimer: I am not responsible for your investment\u2019s performance, DYOR.\n\n\n\n\n*Note: Funding Societies is not strictly Syariah. I\u2019m closing one eye here\n\n\nSo yeah. My financial to-do list. Feels good to write them out like this, instead of them taking up valuable space in my head.\n\n\nHow about you? What\u2019s in YOUR financial to-do list? Tell me tell me!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/my-investment-portfolio-is-down/", "title": "[Personal] My Investment Portfolio is Down 60% :)\n  ", "body": "\n\nThe value of my investment portfolio was at its highest in October 2021, during the peak of the bull market. \n\n\n9 months later, as I\u2019m writing this in June 2022, my investment portfolio has since gone down by 60%. \nSixty. Percent. \n\n\nThis article compiles the thought processes I have at this time. What use is having a personal finance blog if I don\u2019t use it as a cathartic outlet \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nObligatory disclaimer: Nothing in here should be taken as financial advice. I am talking about MY decisions for my own investment portfolio, which are reflective of MY goals, MY risk tolerance and MY preferences. For personalised advice, \nplease consult a financial planner\n. \n\n\nFirst up, I\u2019m alright\n\n\nLosing money sucks, but before I lost 60% within 9 months, my investment portfolio has gained xxxx% in 10+ years. So while I may complain about losing money, I\u2019m still way ahead than when I first started out. \n\n\nHere I\u2019d like to thank my friend \nAdam\n for sharing the image below with me, because this is the most accurate representation of my situation right now. \n\n\n\n\nMy pain level is tolerable\n\n\nOn scale of 1-10, with 1 being lalala not affected at all, what bear market? and 10 being maximum pain, hugging crying myself to sleep, my pain level is around\u2026 4. \n\n\nThis is due to two main reasons, namely:\n\n\nThe fact that I have a healthy amount of savings, and\nThe fact that I can still earn money\n\n\nIf I didn\u2019t have savings nor work, my pain level would be higher. All my risky investments \u2013 crypto, stocks (via unit trust/mutual funds/ diversified portfolios in roboadvisors) are play money, not survival money. \n\n\nThe truth is I should have rebalanced my portfolio, but\u2026\n\n\nRebalancing portfolio is easy in theory but hard in practice\n\n\nHere\u2019s an oversimplification of \u2018rebalancing portfolio\u2019:\n\n\nSay you have RM50,000, and your monthly commitments add up to RM3,000 per month\nYou set aside \n6 months\u2019 worth of savings\n or RM18,000 in savings instruments*. You NEVER touch this money if you can help it. You don\u2019t have/paid off credit card and personal loan debt\nFor the remaining RM32,000, you allocate \n90-99% in \nlong-term investments\n that suit your risk appetite \nand \n1-10% in a fun investment of your choice\n (stocks-trading, crypto, forex, whatever that gives you the doki doki)\nYou got lucky! \nYour fun investment 10x-ed\n! You turned RM3,200 into RM32,000! \n(P/s \u2013 It could also go the other way, and your fun investment goes down to zero)\n\n\n* ASB, Tabung Haji, cash management accounts (Versa Asia, \nStashaway Simple\n, \nKDI Save\n, Touch N Go Go+)\n\n\nNow you have \nRM64,000\n (initial RM32k + RM32k you 10x-ed). A disciplined person would rebalance their portfolio to \nmaintain the same 90/10 ratio\n. Your new \u2018play money\u2019 amount is up to RM6400, not the whole RM32,000.\n\n\nBut here\u2019s where it gets tricky. \nEmotions will take over. \nI know I should rebalance, you thought, but what if I can pull it off again? \nWhy 10x just RM6400, when I can 10x the RM32,000? \n\n\nThis is what\u2019s happening to me. I\n have the \u2018what if\u2019 syndrome,\n big time. No doubt about it. \n\n\nThe \u2018what if\u2019 syndrome\n\n\nDo you have the \u2018what if\u2019 syndrome as well? You might, if you have said any of these things: \n\n\nI should have bought earlier\nI should have sold at the time\nI should have kept it\nI should have bought more\n\n\nYou see, my previous experience in selling some of my bitcoin years ago, when it was in the 4-digit range is STILL haunting me to this day. I wish I didn\u2019t sell, I wish I kept it. \n\n\nAnd this is what\u2019s stopping me from taking profit during the bull market and rebalancing. \nI didn\u2019t want to feel regret again\n. \n\n\nAnd the thing is, you could be educated in financial planning and still be afflicted with the \u2018what if\u2019 syndrome. \nRoshan Kanesan\n (previously Ringgit & Sense at BFM Radio, now Senior Financial Planner at RinggitPlus) also talked about it. \n\n\n\n\nI had \n$Zoom\n at $110, sold it at $152, now it\u2019s $420.\nI\u2019m not complaining, 38% is a great return. What I am is disappointed in myself.\nWhen I bought Zoom, I meant it as a long term investment, something that could potential 10x. (1/n) \nhttps://t.co/E7UkrMgqz7\n\u2014 Roshan Kanesan, CFP (@RoshanKanesan) \nSeptember 3, 2020\n\n\n\n\n(P/s \u2013 Btw at the time of writing, $Zoom is back at $110 per share)\n\n\nAs for me, I freaking took and completed all four \nCertified Financial Planner modules\n myself, so it\u2019s not like I don\u2019t know what I should \nrationally\n do. \n\n\nHowever, \n\n\nI don\u2019t regret it\n\n\nIt hurts, but I don\u2019t regret not rebalancing my portfolio even if it fell by 60%.\n\n\nThe thing is, I am 34 years old. My investments are mostly comprised of high-risk investments: crypto, unit trust and roboadvisors (Aggressive portfolios). The way I see it, I \nonly have a few more short years to be a high risk investor before I have to shift into a more moderate style of investing\n. If not now, when kind of thing. \n\n\nI\u2019m not pulling this out of thin air. This is the basis of the \nasset allocation rule\n (actually more of a guideline than a rule), which states that the younger you are, the more risk you can take with your investment portfolio. \n\n\n(Although admittedly, I am taking more risk than I should. Do as I say, not as I do kids)\n\n\n\n\nAnd secondly, and this is my opinion, I\n like that my portfolio is bitcoin-heavy.\n Volatility is the price I pay for a global asset that is permissionless by design and promotes self-autonomy.\n\n\nYou see, Bitcoin isn\u2019t just an investment for me, it is an ideology. For better or for worse, my conviction is strong. It\u2019ll take a few decades to know if I\u2019m on the right or wrong side of history \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nI know I'm in too deep and beyond saving because I truly believe in the fundamentals. Don't sink with me \ud83e\udd20 \nhttps://t.co/xqVz3N0A8c\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nJune 13, 2022\n\n\n\n\nFor now, I\u2019ll ride it out\n\n\nFor now, until I learn how to manage/overcome my \u2018what if\u2019 syndrome, and until/if I lose trust in Bitcoin, my main strategy is earn more. I can\u2019t control the market, but I CAN control my income. The more effort I put in, the more I\u2019ll earn.\n\n\nEither way, live and learn. The good thing is I\u2019m still young and have a lot of working years left. I have time to rebuild wealth, and I\u2019m not starting from zero. \n\n\nAs for the pain? Meh, I\u2019ll get over it; this is one of the many bear cycles I\u2019ll experience in my lifetime. Might as well get used to it. \n\n\nI know that many of my readers also experience investment losses at this time. I can\u2019t offer any advice (not qualified), but just know that psychologically speaking, the human brain is wired to amplify losses more than gains. \n\n\nAll we can do is acknowledge these feelings, learn how we react to it (do you panic sell? do you stay the course and continue monthly investment?) and hopefully be better investors from here onwards. \n\n\n\n\nThanks for reading this post of mine. Let me know how your portfolio is doing, and what you plan to do. \n\n\nFor those of you who are made of stronger stuff than I am and ready to seek professional advice to get the best possible course of action instead of hoping everything will work out, go ahead and hire a \nfinancial planner\n. All the best \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/obsess-over-money/", "title": "[Personal] How it feels like to constantly obsess over money\n  ", "body": "To say that I think about money a lot is an understatement.\n\n\n\n\nI write about money \u2013 it\u2019s my income. I work in the finance sector \u2013 it\u2019s my career.\n\n\nI log, track, and record all my expenses \u2013 all of it \u2013 and present it every month to you guys in my monthly spending updates. I get anxious when I can\u2019t log all my receipts or update my business bookkeeping. I check into each of my online banking accounts at least a few times a week, making sure I have enough, making sure I carry no outstanding balance on my credit card.\n\n\nI think about how to decrease my expenses, how to save more money, how to generate more income, how to be wealthy and strategies and pros and cons\u2026 daily. I try to remember everything I learn about money, consciously or unconsciously. Anything I can find that relates to money, I put them in a drawer in my brain. I can only imagine how the pile looks like now.\n\n\nI\u2019m exhausted.\n\n\nNo wonder I\u2019m drawn to this book, called \n\u2018Emotional Currency: A Woman\u2019s Guide to Building Healthy Relationship with Money\n\u2018 by Kate Levinson, PhD. I\u2019m reading this now, and some points hit hard. Way hard. Why do I obsess over money, constantly? What\u2019s the underlying reason for this? The book helps me to unpackage this question, bit by bit. I want to share a bit of what I learned.\n\n\nIt\u2019s partly a control issue\n\n\nWe hear about women and men with eating problems. Some of them say, \u201cThis, I can control. The rest, I can\u2019t.\u201d We only control what we think we can control.\n\n\nIs\u00a0my obsession over my personal finance is at least, partly, a control issue?\n\n\nPerhaps. This is still something I\u2019m trying to find out. I thought I\u2019m in control of my life. The only thing I can think of right now is my ongoing struggle with weight (which is a lot under control now, so that doesn\u2019t make sense).\n\n\nI don\u2019t know how much is \u2018enough\u2019\n\n\nI don\u2019t have a number that I want to reach. I just know I want \u2018more\u2019 in my bank account.\n\n\nThere are just so many uncertainties in life. As of now, I\u2019m worrying about the care of my ageing parents. I want to give them the best of everything during their old age \u2013 anything below that, I will perceive it as a personal failure. I want to sponsor their hajj. I want to take them travelling. I want enough money to donate to charities of their choice.\n\n\nHow much is enough for myself? I have no freaking clue. My plans are flexible.\n\n\nSo my feelings of \u2018not having enough\u2019 is less about me and more about my parents, for now. I know I should find out and calculate and estimate the cost of their retirement and old-age care, but it\u2019s a depressing subject that I\u2019m pushing back. I\u2019m in denial of their mortality.\n\n\nI feel guilty about treating myself\n\n\nThis is something I already know. I was brought up in an environment where guilt was emphasised. Muslims will know what I mean. \u2018You should feel guilty if you are not thankful to Allah\u2019. \u2018You should feel ashamed to want more than you need.\u2019 You should be embarrassed that you have received this much in life but don\u2019t contribute back in return.\u2019\n\n\nIt took me a long time (and moving away from my family house, if I\u2019m honest) to recognise this. It\u2019s not a bad thing to want more for yourself, to want to achieve bigger things in life. But I still compensate by denying myself things I want.\n\n\nThis extends to a few things that logically, don\u2019t make sense. Weirdly, I see bags, clothes and furniture as \u2018non-essential\u2019 so I rarely buy them unless they were thrifted. Most of my bags now are gifts and hand-me-downs. My sisters sometimes gift me clothes because they feel sorry for me (and they can\u2019t take the lack of fashion sense, I guess). I \u2018make do\u2019 with furniture a lot \u2013 I can still sit on the floor, so why not? It\u2019s ridiculous.\n\n\n(Don\u2019t worry, I do have basic furniture and don\u2019t actually eat on the floor. Knowing this I always rent places that are already fully-furnished).\n\n\nI can count the times I bought something for myself \u2018for fun\u2019. I can only justify practical purchases, not \u2018unnecessary\u2019 ones.\n\n\nMoney decides the quality of my experiences\n\n\nWhen I eat out, and scan the menu, I always look at the price first then look at the food item.\n\n\nWhen I go shopping for clothes (when I need to), I tell myself not to look at the full-priced items in case I\u2019ll fall in love with it and get it.\n\n\nEven when I buy groceries, I have the tendency to pick cheap items hoping that I\u2019ll like them. I\u2019m not as bad with this now \u2013 I get better quality stuff now that I\u2019m on keto and eliminated carb stuff \u2013 but I used to buy like, a pack of 10 supermarket doughnuts just because the cost of each doughnut was cheap. The same money could have bought me a smaller amount of higher-quality dessert with much less calorie count.\n\n\nIsn\u2019t this\u2026 stupid? I try to be mindful of this, but it\u2019s a process.\n\n\nMoney affects my social interactions\n\n\nThis makes me sad the most. I\u2019d bail out on social activities simply because I was unwilling to spend the money to meet my friends. In my head, not going out = save money.\n\n\nI have much less social invitations than before. Much less involved in major events of my friends\u2019 lives. Less deep connections with people I care about. I have more \u2018situational friends\u2019 (from work, for example) than relationships cultivated on purpose.\n\n\nA part of me selfishly credits this \u2018self-sacrifice\u2019 as one of the reasons why I\u2019m doing financially well now. But at what cost, if I\u2019m lonely half the time?\n\n\nI feel sorry for men\n\n\nMost men grow up with the expectation to carry their family\u2019s financial burden. They\u2019re supposed to provide, to be the one who takes care of finances, to be self-sufficient.\n\n\nThat must be a lot of pressure.\n\n\nWhen I was in my teens, I met a Finnish girl who mentioned she wanted a househusband. I remember laughing because I thought it was ridiculous \u2013 \nof course\n\u00a0the\u00a0man has to work, that\u2019s his job! It\u2019s not as funny now.\n\n\nIf say right now, I have a partner who doesn\u2019t work. I provide and pay for every expense, every bill. I\u2019d feel\u2026 angry. Bitter. Annoyed. Taken advantage of.\n\n\n(I\u2019m taking unpaid labour like housework, childcare and elderly care out of the picture here, and assume both parties contribute equally. Although statistically women still do a larger chunk of the share.)\n\n\nSo yeah. Sorry you had to grow up with that pressure, men.\n\n\nI\u2019m proud of women\n\n\nI\u2019m proud that women\u2019s economic independence from men is a norm in this country. Women earn their own keep. Divorce rates are rising, which signals women\u2019s readiness to leave abusive partners (note: I am not pro-divorce, I am anti-abuse).\n\n\nOn the other hand, I have to admit that I\u2019m frustrated by the role of religion when it comes to women\u2019s economic empowerment. It\u2019s like its there to keep us controlled. I\u2019ve been told (mostly by women):\n\n\n\n\nI have to get permission from my husband to work\n\n\nI am to be given away in marriage by my father, brother or male relatives. Like a goat.\n\n\nThis whole romanticism of Arab culture in general, which includes romanticising male guardianship and \u2018love after marriage\u2019\n\n\nServing my husband takes priority over everything else.\n\n\n\u2018Let him lead you\u2019. That makes me feel weak and useless, because of my gender. Even if I was the most accomplished woman in the world.\n\n\n\n\nMoney is freedom to me, and these traditional beliefs seem to chip away that freedom. What if I fall in love and lose that freedom? It\u2019s a big sacrifice I don\u2019t know I want to take. I told this to a female relative, and she said:\n\n\n\u201cIslam says wives should obey the husbands. Who are we to question that. There\u2019s a silver lining only Allah knows. The Prophet encourages us to marry. If you are against marriage you are against the Prophet. People against the Prophet will go straight to Hell.\u201d\n\n\n????!!!!\n\n\nThat went from 0-100 really quick, didn\u2019t it? Islam is truly binary sometimes. She made it sound like I\u2019m an infidel\u00a0for just\u00a0asking.\n\n\nI want my money to be used for good\n\n\nOf course, who doesn\u2019t.\n\n\nAnd I resent that I have to pay zakat, because I don\u2019t agree with everything they do.\n\n\nIs there a way to pay zakat and still get tax benefits and not have it go to JAIS or JAKIM?\n\n\nEDIT: Yes, you can. See:\u00a0\n33 Thoughts on Paying Zakat in Malaysia\n\n\nMoney is my security blanket, my last layer of defence\n\n\nIf I\u2019m ever rejected by a partner, or my family, I know I\u2019ll be destroyed emotionally, but I\u2019ll still be able to find my own shelter and food.\n\n\nIf I\u2019m ever chased by the authorities for something stupid, or can\u2019t live in this country anymore, that\u2019s how I\u2019ll run away. Migrate.\n\n\nIf I ever get too overwhelmed and just need to disappear, that\u2019s how I will just \u2018take off\u2019 and just start over somewhere new.\n\n\nHaving in-case money for each of these scenarios are very important for me. It\u2019s the fear of being trapped or caught without Plan B. Money is my Plan B. I feel safe with a Plan B.\n\n\nConclusion\n\n\nHow we interact with money is driven by our emotions. To not think of how we feel when it comes to our finances is counter-productive.\n\n\nIn the book, the author wrote this:\n\n\n\u201cThe rational approach to money certainly has its place, but if dealing with money was simply a rational act and if a dollar was just a dollar, we wouldn\u2019t worry so much about it, and we certainly wouldn\u2019t spend more money than we have. Obviously, it\u2019s more complicated than that, and the rational approach is insufficient for truly understanding our relationship to money.\u201d\n\n\nMy relationship with money is complicated, sad, exciting, safe, liberating. There\u2019s nothing wrong with the negatives, I just have to acknowledge it and progress towards making it less negative.\n\n\nHow\u2019s your relationship with money? What does it mean to you? Is it as complicated as mine, and in what way? What can you relate to, and what emotions do you additionally attach to money?\n\n\nI highly suggest this book if you want to explore more about your money behaviour. You\u2019d benefit from it, like I did. We\u2019re really not as rational as we thought. Our subconscious drives our conscious state all the time.\n\n\nIf you can\u2019t find the book, or not in the position to buy it, you can check out \nthis emotions page \nand see if you can relate to any of them.\n\n\n source: mandyoneill.net\n\n\nIt could be emotions towards yourself, towards friends, families, even to things. You don\u2019t have to collect all emotions, just the major ones. Then you can also think of the smaller emotions. For example, for me, I also feel pride in my money accomplishments, as well as shame and envy that I\u2019m not doing better as compared to other people. It can be contradicting; humans are complicated.\n\n\nHope you enjoyed this highly personal post. I feel stripped. Bye for now, I need to recover.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/personal-finance-confessions/", "title": "21 Totally Random Personal Finance Confessions\n  ", "body": "Recently I saw a Twitter thread on bad personal finance confessions and I must say I love it! It\u2019s so nice when personal finance gurus admit that they\u2019re not perfect themselves. We all do things that are not necessarily good or \u2018optimal\u2019 for our money!\n\n\n\n\nBad personal finance person confessions:\n\n\nI don\u2019t travel hack\n\n\nI don\u2019t chase credit card bonuses\n\n\nWhat\u2019s your confession? I won\u2019t tell anyone (except you\u2019ll tell Twitter\u2026) \npic.twitter.com/IJDtwkJNP5\n\n\n\u2014 Chief Mom Officer (@LizOfficer) \nFebruary 28, 2019\n\n\n\nSo I wrote a list of *my* bad personal finance confessions and it came up to, uh, quite a few. Some were not \u2018bad\u2019 per say, just random, so that\u2019s what I\u2019m calling it. Here there are \u2013 don\u2019t judge me too much!\n\n\n1. I pay RM20 per month for air-con despite almost never using aircon. That\u2019s the condition set by the management at this SOHO I\u2019m staying at. I\u2019ve stayed here for about 3 years now. 36 months x RM20 = RM720 in air-con bills paid for nothing.\n\n\n2. When I was younger, I thought \u2018TO LET\u2019 signs they hung at houses were actually \u2018TOILET\u2019 signs but with missing \u2018I\u2019s. For a while I wondered why many homeowners didn\u2019t know how to spell.\n\n\n3. I don\u2019t really budget. I track my expenses instead. Related: \nHow Expense Tracking Looks Like (As Someone Who Doesn\u2019t Budget)\n\n\n4. I will spend extra money to make the more ethical purchase\u2026 but not much more. For example, during my recent trip to Luang Prabang, I bought a mass-produced bag for RM25 instead of a hand-woven, support-local-women-and-traditional-crafts option for RM400. I wish my pocket is as deep as my conscience \ud83d\ude41\n\n\n5. It\u2019s only recently that I allowed myself the \u2018luxury\u2019 of owning paperback/physical books, after deliberating to go digital for a while (for financial and environmental reasons). It feels good!\n\n\n6. This might ruffle some feathers and I know that everyone have their own way to express themselves but\u2026 I wish we didn\u2019t have to depend on fashion to show the world what type of person we are. It\u2019s just a really wasteful industry. Related: \nHow the Fashion Industry Makes Money (Credit: Fashion Babylon)\n\n\n7. I have ruined two perfectly good fridges by accidentally poking holes in the freezer when I was chipping away the ice with sharp tools. Yes that was a stupid thing to do yes shame on me for not learning from experience yes I should have let the ice thaw first. Believe me, I felt like the biggest moron in the world the second time it happened.\n\n\n8. I still don\u2019t know if I want kids or not and a big part of that is due to how much they\u2019ll cost (financially, emotionally and physically). I mean, if I\u2019m going to have them, I want to be sure, you know? I don\u2019t want to have kids \u2018just in case\u2019.\n\n\n9. I\u2019ve never set foot in a luxury store. I want to say I don\u2019t desire anything from there (and that\u2019s mostly true) but actually I\u2019m just intimidated by the shop assistant, who dresses a lot better than I do.\n\n\n10. Meal-prepping doesn\u2019t really work for me because instead of having enough food to last for 1 week, I\u2019d just eat them all in two days because I have no self-control.\n\n\n11. *cries in fat*\n\n\n12. Once, while getting my hair cut, the hairdresser said that people have paid a lot of money to get their hair the exact shade of mine. That was years back but the compliment still made me happy until now. This makes me feel hella vain but oh well.\n\n\n13. I have lost money in investing too. Related:\u00a0\n3 Investments Where I Lost All of My Money\n\n\n14. I \nthink\n know that insurance in Malaysia is 100% overpriced.\n\n\n15.\u00a0 I don\u2019t play half the games I bought in Steam\n\n\n16. Re: \n9 Things in My Financial To-Do List (That I Keep Putting Off..)\n As of writing time, I\u2019m STILL putting most of them off.\n\n\n17. I\u2019m a liiiiitle bit paranoid that Spotify will find out the people I added in my Spotify Family Plan aren\u2019t my actual family members. Please don\u2019t cut me off if you find out Spotify Ily. Related:\u00a0\n3 Ways to Get Cheaper Spotify Premium in Malaysia\n\n\n18. I don\u2019t know what derivatives mean and by this point I\u2019m too scared to ask.\n\n\n19. Something that can ruin my mood for \nweeks\n: if I bought something then find out it was sold for cheaper somewhere else.\n\n\n20. Some months I\u2019d spend more than I earn but I feel zero guilt over it. All I can say it, emergency savings is a wonderful thing.\n\n\n21. I was told that I can be *too* frugal? I don\u2019t know how I feel about it \u2013 it\u2019s a mix of pride and also shame. Either way, for the most part I really am genuinely happy with the way I live my life, so\u2026 Related:\u00a0\n5 Downsides of Being Frugal\n\n\nWhat\u2019s your personal finance confessions?\n\n\nTell me the worse, randomest personal finance confession you have. Submit it anonymously if you want. It feels pretty good to let them off your chest \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/personal-finance-mindset/", "title": "[PERSONAL] 7 Mind-Blowing Concepts That Shaped My Personal Finance Mindset\n  ", "body": "Correction: 7 concepts that I can think of *now*.\n\n\nSometimes, abstract concepts float around in my head, and once in a while I\u2019d catch it with a metaphorical net and write it down in a jumble of intelligible notes, until I come across the exact literature that describes what the concept is.\n\n\nThe mind-blowing part comes from \u2018oh wow, someone articulated this before, this is exactly it\u2019 (slightly compounded if the writer already passed away, and I feel like I\u2019m communicating with the dead), and my only hope here is to share it with you, in the hopes that these concepts appeared to you abstractly as well, and finally you know the name or term for it.\n\n\nLet\u2019s start.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Permission habit\n\n\n\n\nWe learned the permission habit in school, all of us. We were rewarded for waiting for permissions and instructions.\n\n\nLife doesn\u2019t work like that.\n\n\nIt took me a while to realise that I could just *do something I want to do* instead of asking *if* I was allowed to do it. Obviously I\u2019ll need to do my basic due diligence and apply a good dash of common sense, but wow this was a game changer.\n\n\nAfter unlearning this habit, I felt much freer. When making a decision, I\u2019ll push through every single \u2018is it okay to\u2026\u2019 thoughts in my head, and tell myself back \u2018why cannot\u2019.\n\n\nIn short, I want to get used to thinking of the possibilities instead of the restrictions. I don\u2019t want to let others dictate the limits of my abilities. What\u2019s the point of having money, which is supposed to be freedom, if I have invisible shackles limiting my decisions?\n\n\n#2 \u2013 The world isn\u2019t binary\n\n\nRight is right, and wrong is wrong, right? Not really. There\u2019s a bit of wrong in every right, and a bit of right in every wrong.\n\n\n(Stay with me here)\n\n\nThis means\u2026 instead of thinking of the world as black and white, think of it as more to shades of grey. Everything has drawbacks, and you should know in what ways it is harmful.\n\n\nTherefore, don\u2019t be blindly loyal. To an investment. To a leader. To a political party. To a brand. To an ideology.\n\n\nTo a religion.\n\n\nDrop ya pitchforks, let me expand on that.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Doublethink\n\n\nI learned the concept of doublethink in George Orwell\u2019s book, 1984. Here\u2019s a definition:\n\n\n\n\nAnd it is a necessary concept to understand, to just, Idk, make sense of the world and not go bat-shit crazy over its idiosyncrasies.\n\n\nFor example, I *have* to accept that there are violent and misogynistic aspects in my religion (by modern standards; this is a fact), AND choose to remain in it for its spiritual and communal benefits. Doublethink.\n\n\nAnd I *have* to accept that capitalism in its purest form promotes the destruction of Earth and killing of humans, AND admit it is the most efficient form of economic system. Doublethink.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Western superiority\n\n\nI\u2019m ashamed to admit this, but young Suraya fantasised of marrying some Orang Puteh. I\u2019ve consumed mostly Western content since a young age, so you\u2019d understand how all these would have cemented the \u2018West is Best\u2019 narrative, right?\n\n\nIt is only after I learned about the history of other civilisations, that I found out that (1) hey, the East has all this amazing knowledge and culture too, and (2) why the hell are MY amazing culture are reduced to caricatures and negative stereotypes?\n\n\nTherefore, while I\u2019m still not perfect at this as I\u2019m still unlearning the narrative of Western superiority, I have been more intentional to \nthe person\n who said a particular fact or opinion. Are people praising her/him\u00a0\nbecause\n they are (fair-skinned) Westerners, or\n is what they\u2019re saying actually makes sense\n?\n\n\nIt\u2019s sad when we overly glorify some white dude when he\u2019s mediocre at best, and avoid our local talents and expertise. You and I know of some MNCs that hire Westerners in top management. In China, they even have a \n\u2018rent a foreigner\u2019 industry\n, where companies can give the \u2018impression\u2019 that they are a global company.\n\n\n\n\nCloser to home, it is also sad when we benchmark \u2018city-living\u2019 as progress and shove it down the Orang Asal, who may benchmark their idea of progress to something completely different.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Care work is so freaking valuable\n\n\nAs long as tasks utilising \u2018traditionally feminine\u2019 skillsets are valued and compensated less in the workplace, and \ncare work\n (housework, childcare and elderly care) is almost always the \u2018woman\u2019s job\u2019 to sort out, gender wage gap will always exist.\u00a0\n\n\nOne solution is to normalise paying fair rates for care work.\n\n\n\n\nDon\u2019t say mahal \ud83d\ude42 this is the value of care work that people expect women do for free \ud83d\ude42 \nhttps://t.co/vJEsLFOjZL\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nAugust 10, 2020\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Self-determination vs the environment\n\n\nYes to self-\ndetermination\n, but the environment you\u2019re in is pretty damn important too. The person living in poverty is more concerned with their next meal, rather than learning coding skills for 6 months so they could get a job. Let\u2019s just be real and admit that rags-to-riches, against-all-odds Jack Ma-type situation is the exception, not the norm.\u00a0\n\n\nPro-capitalists forget this. They\u2019d say, if ONLY you work hard enough, you can do it too, it\u2019s just a matter of how BADLY you want it. Failed? IT MUST MEAN YOU DON\u2019T WANT IT BADLY ENOUGH.\n\n\nSlap you one time. No critical thinking skills. Cannot think or empathise for other people, only think of themselves.\n\n\n#7 \u2013 \u2018If I\u2019m rich\u2019 fantasy\n\n\nWhat I mean here is the tendency to delay good deeds to future, more abundant you, if or when that comes. It\u2019s being stuck in the \u2018only rich people can solve problems\u2019 mindset. That\u2019s toxic AF.\n\n\nAlso how confident am I that I\u2019ll be the type of rich person that helps people? I know I can be stingy \u2013 I\u2019ve scrolled past more donation calls in my social media timeline than I can count.\n\n\nI AM GUILTY OF THIS. I am still unlearning this. Still working it out, but I love @sirennextdoor advice here.\n\n\n\n\nShe\u2019s right. If I\u2019m not the type of person to donate RM1 regularly when I have a little, then I\u2019m not the type of person to donate RM1000 regularly when I have a lot.\n\n\nFinal Words\n\n\nDid any of the concepts above relate to you in any way? Which ones? What mind-blowing concepts did YOU learn recently? As always, share your thought in the comments section. I love reading your comments, they give me so much joy and new perspectives.\n\n\nLastly, some real talk. I hope that you like this aspect of personal finance too. I\u2019m not just hoping for growth in \nmy investment portfolio\n (although ngl that\u2019ll be sweet), but also growth in mindset and as a person. Some of you have been following RoR for over 5 years \u2013 I can only *hope* I changed for the better, because it would suck if my development remained stagnant since then.\n\n\nUntil next time, xoxo\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\n[Personal] 5 Things I Learned in my 20s: Advice I\u2019d Give to My Younger Self\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/raya-experience/", "title": "The Raya Experience \u2013 What It\u2019s Like\n  ", "body": "It occurred to me that some of my friends probably don\u2019t know what Malay people do at kampung during Raya. So I collated my Raya experience, hope you guys find this interesting! I know I get curious about what people do during Chinese New Year, Deepavali, and other festivities too \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nLet\u2019s start from Day 0 \u2013 the day before Raya.\n\n\n\n\nNote: \nThis was originally written and posted on my personal FB page in 2015\n.\n\n\nThe Raya Experience \u2013 Day 0\n\n\nRaya for us is kampung, my grandmother\u2019s house (on my Mum\u2019s side).\n\n\nBalik kampung\n is the start of our Raya experience. Every year, without fail we will have a conversation about traffic jams. Avoiding traffic jam, thinking of people stuck in traffic jam, theorising when jams will subside, thinking of possible jam solutions, or (if we\u2019re lucky) commenting about the lack of traffic jam. However, we have it good \u2013 our kampung is not that far at all. It takes just 2.5-3.5 hours to reach, depending on the traffic.\n\n\nMy family likes to use the \u2018village roads\u2019 instead of the highway. Firstly, less traffic jam. Secondly, we get to check out and buy last-minute foodstuff. Two years ago we stopped at 5 different lemang stalls. Last year we got meat and smoked meat (daging salai). This year we were under strict instructions not to buy anything else so we didn\u2019t stop.\n\n\nAfter arrived at kampung\n: say hey and salam everyone. Depending on whether manpower is needed, we might have to start work straight away. My family is orang nogori (Minangkabau*), so our Raya menu will always include gulai rendang. Omg I know I\u2019m biased but our gulai is soooo good \u2013 the santan/coconut milk came from our own coconut trees. These are also staples: ribs soup, asam laksa, kuah kacang, tapai, etc. Traditions also change \u2013 when I was younger, we used to make ketupat, dodol and lemang from scratch.\n\n\n*Minangkabau \u2013 a subset of Malay ancestry. I don\u2019t know much about it, but I do know we are uniquely matrilineal, which is rare. This means that inheritances are passed to daughters, and men will marry \u2018into\u2019 our families instead of the other way around. We don\u2019t follow it strictly, but the elders do observe it.\n\n\nMy kampung is nice because we have a lot of fruit trees behind the house. Last year was durian season, so we literally had more durian than we can eat. My grandmother sometimes turned the leftover durian into tempoyak (something I\u2019ve yet to try actually). We also have yellow rambutans, coconut trees and ciku.\n\n\nThe last meal to break fast is usually a lively affair. We reunite with relatives and catch up. My family is relatively small (only ~20 of us), so you can imagine the bigger families.\n\n\nAfter dinner, we turn on the TV to hear the \nRaya announcement and takbir Raya\n. If there are small children, we\u2019d take out the bunga api or small fireworks to entertain them. Some of us will watch TV. Last year, there was a show about a poor but pious man who faced a lot of life challenges and ended up dying in the mosque. I enjoyed it, but ya the nice Chinese boss had to convert to Islam at the end of it \u2013 can\u2019t Malay shows give a positive portrayal of people from other faiths without them joining Islam as the ultimate ending? *shakes head*\n\n\nWe also had a group of orang masjid who came over at about 11pm to recite some prayers. We fed them tapai pulut \u2013 something my relatives always bring over. Speaking of which, I\u2019m told that tapai is technically alcoholic, since it\u2019s fermented (very very very small %)? This is the one that\u2019s will turn into tuak, right? I have no idea, but it tastes good.\n\n\nAt night,\n after the work and cooking are done, we just hang out \u2013 the best of us will start ironing their Raya clothes (not me). Some will have their second/third dinner (me). Some will munch on Raya cookies (me). Some will be glued to TV. Some will have slept- long day.\n\n\nThroughout the night, you can hear fireworks and mercun sounds \u2013 it\u2019s like a friendly competition, whoever\u2019s is brighter and louder, wins. When I was younger, I heard more meriam buluh (bamboo cannon?) sounds. We also heard a lot more \u2018anak so-and-so lost their fingers\u2019 stories 0_0\n\n\nThe Raya Experience \u2013 Day 1\n\n\nThis is what Hari Raya is like for Malay people at kampung.\n\n\nThe day usually starts early \u2013 \nRaya prayers\n start at 9am, so you have to arrive at the mosque by 8:30 to get good seats. Before that, you have to eat (it\u2019s forbidden to fast on Hari Raya), bathe (sunat ie extra pahala if you do it) and dress in your Raya best.\n\n\nFor me, it\u2019s usually easy to wake up because it\u2019s so noisy -_- Everyone wakes everyone up and we fight to use the toilet and ironing board. Someone will be yelling for someone to hurry up, but it\u2019s all in good banter.\n\n\nSo we all go to the local kampung mosque, pray (some kid will cry in the middle of prayers), and listen to the Raya sermon. Last year the topic was about how Malaysians are arbitrarily practising different types of Islam besides Sunni Islam and it shouldn\u2019t be encouraged because it would break up the ummah (Muslim community). I don\u2019t agree, but hey you just listen. This year it\u2019s about the terror that is ISIS. I remember previous Raya sermon topics \u2013 remembering Muslims celebrating Eid while their countries are in conflict, how we should mourn Ramadan month as it was spiritually rewarding, etc.\n\n\nThey also asked the congregation if anyone wants to donate aircon to the mosque :/\n\n\nAfter that, we wish each other (the kampung folk) Selamat Hari Raya as we leave. I didn\u2019t grow up in kampung, so I barely know anyone \u2013 I\u2019m always the \u2018cucu Induk yang pergi Jepun dulu tu\u2019 (translated: \u2018Induk\u2019s granddaughter who went to Japan\u2019) (Induk is my grandmother). I smile as I get more \u2018when are you going to get married\u2019 questions\u2026 Well, you\u2019re supposed to forgive anyone and anything\u2026\n\n\nBack from mosque at about 10am, that\u2019s when we take our Raya pictures, salam our elders, give/receive Raya packets and eat some more.\n\n\n\n\nIn fact, the rest of the day is a \nnonstop makan fest\n. When not eating, you\u2019re digesting before you eat some more. Some of us would go visit our relatives and friends, some of us will be on house duty. House duty means to help top up the Raya cookies jars, make drinks, wash dishes.\n\n\nWhen we \nvisit friends and relatives\n, we get to sample different dishes. Different Malay families would have their own Raya specialities. I\u2019ve been served anything from laksa to mee kari to Nasi dagang \u2013 anything goes. Some serve speciality kuih or desserts (ours is tapai). It really depends.\n\n\nNaturally, the TV will stay on all day. At some point, Siti Nurhaliza will serenade us. Malay dramas will have a lot of people dying and a lot of people repenting (like usual, but with \u2013 plot twist \u2013 a Raya theme). The news will report accidents and stories of Muslims celebrating outside of Malaysia.\n\n\nThis is my Raya experience on Day 1, more or less\n\n\nThe Raya Experience \u2013 Day 2\n\n\nDay 2 Raya depends on your marital status, usually. If married, you might go off to visit the family of your other half. You may even leave as soon as the night of Raya Day 1. If you\u2019re not married, you stay on at your kampung.\n\n\nThe morning also starts early \u2013 you get ready in your practical Raya dress to \nvisit the graveyard\n. My kampung, Simpang Pelangai is the final resting place for my parents\u2019 firstborn (my eldest brother), my mum\u2019s sister, and my grandmother\u2019s parents.\n\n\nAt the graveyard, we recite prayers in a big group, then visit our family members\u2019 graves. In all honesty, and I say this because I\u2019ve visited other types of graveyards, Muslim graveyards tend to be less\u2026tended. It\u2019s sad to see overgrown bushes until it\u2019s hard to find the markers. When I die, I will probably be buried here. Selfishly, until that happens, I hope things will change.\n\n\nAfter that, you go home.\u00a0 You\u2019re encouraged to shower right away \u2013 they say \u2018just in case anything follows you\u2019 which is creepy as hell.\n\n\nAfter that, it\u2019s free time. The majority of our family members leave to visit relatives who live further away. The strategy is to divide and conquer \u2013 one car/family go a few places and families on behalf of everyone else. What I don\u2019t understand is, why they almost never call beforehand because sometimes, they would return home disappointed because the other party is not at home!\n\n\nThis year I visited some family members from my Dad\u2019s side, who I don\u2019t know that well. Some Rayas, we\u2019d have a small tahlil gathering \u2013 recite prayers dedicated to our family members who have left us.\n\n\nHere\u2019s to future Raya experiences\n\n\nI used to take kampungs for granted until I realised how much of a privilege it is to be part of it. My kampung is getting more and more developed. There\u2019s a 7-11 here now! When I was younger, I had more kampung experiences like: chasing away stray goats that entered our compound, falling asleep to sound of rain hitting the zinc roof (it\u2019s been replaced with roof tiles), going to the primitive toilet outside the house, bathing in the cold well water\u2026 Things like that.\n\n\nEnding this post with Selamat Hari Raya, Maaf Zahir Batin \u2013 forgive me for anything bad that I\u2019ve done. Thanks for following my financial journey as well as the support you gave me. Love you guys.\n\n\nEdit: The pandemic has obviously changed everyone\u2019s Raya experience. But aside from that. On 9 July 2018, my grandmother passed on, which meant our Raya experience has never been the same since. Please recite AlFatihah and prayers to Hajah Kamariah binti Sidek. We miss her very much.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/raya-spending-2017/", "title": "How Much Was My Raya Spending in 2017? Exactly RM2,095\n  ", "body": "Selamat Hari Raya! Please forgive my many, many mistakes so far ye tengkiu lapchu. \n\n\nI\u2019ve written a couple of blogposts about Raya so far, namely:\n\n\n\n\nThe Raya Experience; What It\u2019s Like\n\n\nMy Raya 2016 Budget Checklist (What\u2019s Yours?)\n\n\n\n\nBut I\u2019ve never written a post-Raya spending post-mortem, so that\u2019s what I\u2019m going to do. 2017 was my first Raya where money wasn\u2019t an issue, so I was curious how it compared to previous Raya spending experiences. This is what I spent on this year.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Baju Raya\n\n\n\n\nSpent:\n RM150 on an outfit \n\n\nThis was a splurge purchase that ticked many feel-good boxes. It\u2019s partly \u2018eh why not I haven\u2019t bought a new Raya outfit in years\u2019, partly to finally own a normal-size baju raya (as opposed to plus size) and partly to support my sister\u2019s business, especially after she just made a tiny human. (To everyone confused, a baby. She made a baby.)\n\n\nIt\u2019s a practical outfit, too \u2013 can be mixed and matched with my existing wardrobe. Got the below in grey/blue.\u00a0For second day of Hari Raya, I borrowed a regular top and skirt from my mum. RM0. It\u2019s just to wear to the graveyard, the dead don\u2019t want no fashion show.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nI still maintain that all this \u2018it\u2019s sunat to buy new Raya outfit every year\u2019 is kinda bullshit and repeated to justify our consumerist culture. It\u2019s OK if it\u2019s the only new outfit you get all year, but for most of us, it\u2019s not. \nThe justification for this opinion is in this post: \u00a0\nMy Raya 2016 Budget Checklist (What\u2019s Yours?)\n\n\nSiderant:\u00a0\nDuring Raya, saw a TV show that glorified a local celebrity\u2019s over-the-top baju raya spending. She got over 100 pairs! I mean, your money, do what you want and all, but I can\u2019t help but to judge. I hated that it was promoted as her measure of success, it brings the wrong message. Idk, what do you guys think? \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Kuih Raya\n\n\nSpent\n: RM132 for 4 boxes of pineapple tart\n\n\nSet myself a budget of RM150 for Raya cookies. Ex-colleague sells pineapple tarts. Asked how much I can get for RM150. 4 boxes. Includes delivery. Done. \n\n\n#3 \u2013 Duit raya\n\n\nSpent\n: RM1480\n\n\nI gave duit raya to close family members, but the bulk of it went, to put simply, to people who took care of me and wiped my shit when I was a baby. I appreciate that, after my recent encounter with fresh baby shit. Wtf it\u2019s so yellow why is it so yellow. \n\n\nDuit raya has a subtle message, too, when given to people who took care of me. It says, Mum, look, I earn enough to take care of myself and you as well. I think that\u2019s why it\u2019s expected for Malay people to give out duit raya when they start working, regardless of marital status. \n\n\nFound this gem of a comic strip from the HXSM page. Made me lol. For those celebrating Deepavali, don\u2019t complain too much. This means you\u2019re not obligated to give out money when you\u2019re older as well!\n\n\nhttps://www.facebook.com/hxsmlah/photos/a.746843495458052.1073741829.746827632126305/969432766532456/?type=3\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Ramadan bazaar food\n\n\nSpent\n: RM43 \n\n\nAdded because I bought them in Raya spirit. Can lah. Went 3 times \u2013 twice at the USJ4 one, once at the Shah Alam one. Both were great. \n\n\nI got:\n\n\n\n\nApam balik chocolate chip (10/10 would recommend) \n\n\nApam balik pandan pulut hitam (meh) \n\n\nGulai ikan keli salai (9/10) with white rice\n\n\nPutu piring \n\n\nHoney wings\n\n\nProbably the best kuey teow goreng basah in my life. Kicking myself for not remembering the name of the booth. I\u2019m going to seek them out next Ramadan\n\n\nAnd other bits and pieces not memorable enough to include here, sadly. No food poisoning so I\u2019m thankful though\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Travel to kampung\n\n\nSpent\n: RM100\n\n\nContributed and topped up the Touch N Go card for the family carpool. The cost is low if compared to everyone else\u2019s flight/train/bus/car rental costs.\u00a0\n\n\nSidenote: Loved Uber and Grab\u2019s many promotions during Ramadan. It was amazing.\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Misc donations\n\n\nSpent\n: RM190 \n\n\nFor mom\u2019s gardening fees and tip to that KFC Malay cashier guy worked on the second day of Hari Raya. He was friendly and helpful despite the long lines and big orders. People like that, with great work attitude, will go far. \u00a0I mean when was the last time your fast food cashier impressed you?\n\n\nTotal raya spending in 2017: RM2,095\n\n\nConclusion\n\n\nAs compared to previous Raya spending, I notice that I\u2019m beginning to value convenience a lot. For example, if baju raya or kuih raya didn\u2019t include delivery, I\u2019m not buying it. I didn\u2019t have the motivation to go out of my way to get it.\n\n\nWith food, I mostly still cooked at home to save money. For bazaar food, I didn\u2019t let much go to waste. The only thing I threw away after a few bites was the apam balik pandan pulut hitam, and only because I didn\u2019t realise it was pandan flavouring. I mean I like pandan but hate pandan flavouring. The same way I like fresh peach but hate peach flavouring. You probably have this quirk too for other flavours. Don\u2019t lie.\n\n\nWell, that\u2019s it for my raya spending post-mortem. How much did you spend for yours? Anything you wished you spent more/less on?\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/solopreneur/", "title": "[PERSONAL] 6 Things I Learned in 6 Years of Being A Solopreneur\n  ", "body": "\n\nI\u2019m a solopreneur. That\u2019s just a fancy way of saying I\u2019m self-employed, but I like the -preneur suffix: yes, I am \u2018a person who sets up a business or businesses, taking on financial risks in the hope of profit\u2019, absolutely. How else would you describe someone obsessed with having multiple streams of income?\n\n\nHere are 6 things I learned in 6 years of being a solopreneur. \n\n\n#1 \u2013 Not everyone can or should be an employer and that\u2019s okay\n\n\nUsually, the career development arch for someone who chose to work for her/himself is: Freelancer > Self-employed > Agency. \n\n\nThat means, first they start out as a \nfreelancer\n to see if they could sell their own skills, test the waters. They rely on freelancing platforms and job boards to get jobs. \n\n\nWhen they get past the initial hurdles and decide to stick with the business, they become \nself-employed\n. \n\n\nThen, as their reputation grew and they get more work than they can handle, they\u2019ll hire employees and start an \nagency\n (a company). \n\n\nBut I never got to the last stage. The thing is\u2026\n\n\nI\u2019m happy as a Pikachu\n\n\nOk so this is a hyper-specific reference but do you remember that Pokemon episode where Pikachu had the opportunity to evolve as a Raichu but he didn\u2019t want to? And the reason for that is he wanted to get stronger as a Pikachu, and not as a Raichu.\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s how I feel about being a solopreneur\n. I don\u2019t want to \u2018evolve\u2019 into an agency. I just want to be an even better solopreneur. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 It\u2019s absolutely possible to have a business without employees\n\n\nThere\u2019s this, I guess expectation (?) that if you want to have a business, you must have employees. \n\n\nIf you believe in this, I just want to clear it out: that\u2019s not true at all, at least not for \ninternet-based work\n. For the most part, I have been doing almost everything myself as a one-person team. \n\n\nOnce, I experimented with having a virtual assistant, just to have a taste of having employees to delegate to, but it didn\u2019t work out \u2013 I felt weird being a \u2018boss\u2019. \n\n\nHowever, it\u2019s also impossible to do it all myself, therefore\u2026\n\n\n#3 \u2013 I am reliant on tools \n\n\nI rely on so many productivity and outsourcing tools \u2013 in both my personal and professional life \u2013 to do my work. In fact, I\u2019m lost without it. \n\n\nYou can see the various tools and services I purchased over the years to improve and maintain RinggitOhRinggit.com in the \nMy Personal Blog Costs RM1,646.36 per Month\n article, and the tools and hacks I use to improve my productivity in my \n3 Productivity Tips Women (and Men) MUST Know\n article.\n\n\nAside from all those, I spend a lot of (admittedly fun) time searching for and testing new tools. I hunt for tools and resources from various places, especially:\n\n\nProductHunt\n \u2013 I found \nExplodingTopics\n and \nSideHustleStack\n, among others from here\nAppSumo\n \u2013 [note: Get $10 if you sign up through the link] I found Sendfox (email marketing), Linguix (proofreading software), Socialbee (social media automation), among others from here\nAndroid Authority Tech Deals\n \u2013 [Note: Get $10 if you sign up through the link] I found Microsoft Office deal, among others from here\n\n\nWhen it comes to outsourcing, generally speaking I like to do all the work myself \nsince I\u2019m a control freak\n, but once in a while I get one-off help on project basis. Here are the places I depend on:\n\n\nTwitter\n \u2013 Tweeting out a work opportunity usually gets me some replies. Building a following was tough but ultimately worth it! \nFiverr\n \u2013 [Note: Get up to $100 if you sign up through the link] Hired people to design RoR logo and video intro for RoR Youtube channel\nWhatsapp groups \u2013 Joined a couple of groups\nFacebook groups \u2013 Ditto\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Imposter Syndrome is something I constantly work on\n\n\nListen, I am self-aware enough to know that my decision to remain as a solopreneur also came from my own feelings of inadequacy as well. I have the Imposter Syndrome, big time. \n\n\nNo matter how much I want to be in the \u2018your only competition is yourself\u2019 camp, I am constantly exposed to better content creators on the internet and can\u2019t help but feel like my skills are \nnowhere\n near as good as theirs. I mean, there are people out there who scaled so well, their audience reach millions!\n\n\nI feel like, sure I\u2019m good but I don\u2019t think I\u2019m \ngreat\n, so how can I expect to mentor my employees, if I have them? My employees deserve someone who can lead them and that\u2019s not me, or not yet anyway. \n\n\n\n\nSebab nak maintain solopreneur. Dari dia reject kita baik kita reject dia awal2 padahal sendiri tak confident kita yang terbaik utk dia \ud83e\udd72 \nhttps://t.co/ocvtzJpfE8\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nNovember 25, 2021\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019ll work on this at my own pace, but the thing is remaining as a solopreneur isn\u2019t a particularly bad thing for me. In fact..\n\n\n#5 \u2013 I\u2019m enjoying my leisure time\n\n\nWhen you\u2019re good at being a solopreneur (and I use \u2018good\u2019 loosely to mean: you have both high-paying clients and already optimised work processes so even the toughest jobs don\u2019t take too much time), you gain arguably the most important resource of all: \ntime\n. \n\n\nYou see, I work hard, but I don\u2019t work all the time. I used to, when I first started out and had to figure everything out from scratch, but not anymore. If I \u2018evolved\u2019 into an agency, I wouldn\u2019t have time \u2013 if be busy working on projects or mentoring employees.\n\n\nNowadays, as long as I make enough for necessities plus a bit for savings, I don\u2019t really care about earning as much as possible. I have rejected tens of thousands worth of income because I value time \u2013 and specifically leisure, idle time \u2013 more. \n\n\n(To be fair, most of those rejections fall under my do-not-promote rule) \n\n\n\n\nIf only you know how many 'gurus' promoting property and trading courses reach out to me\u2026\nNot to mention the forex platforms and credit and loan service providers..\nOn average, I reject 1 potential client a day \ud83e\udd74\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nJuly 6, 2021\n\n\n\n\nAnd what do I do with all this time? I learn new tools. I attend courses I want. Read books I want to read. Waste it on social media. Whatever \u2013 the point is I get to decide. \n\n\n#6 \u2013 The importance of finding a job that fits your personality\n\n\nI no longer believe in being passionate in your work. It\u2019s not sustainable. Nowadays I believe more in sustainability. What work can you complete even when you don\u2019t have the mood for it? Find that. \n\n\nFor me, I love being a solopreneur. It fits my introvert-leaning and homebody nature.\n\n\nThe solopreneur life is also perfect for me because according to the \nFinancial Behaviour Report\n, I am both reserved and creative. Therefore, going solo allows me to quickly act on bursts of creativity, without waiting for approval from superiors. I have complete control of and am responsible for everything (for better or for worse).\n\n\n\n\n(I highly recommend \nFinancial Behaviour Report\n so you can design your life based on YOUR inclination, rather than live as others expected of you)\n\n\nHowever, I\u2019m cautious of recommending solopreneur-ship for you, because it might not be the life for everyone. There are downsides as well \u2013 the obvious one being \u2013 what if you work better in a team? \n\n\nI\u2019m going to end this article with that food for thought. Thanks for reading, and hopefully some parts of it made you think. \n\n\nIf you are a fellow solopreneur, I\u2019d love if you can share the tools you personally use and can\u2019t live without in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/subscriptions-i-pay-for/", "title": "What Subscriptions I Pay For And Why\n  ", "body": "The other day I was reviewing my budget and asked the question on twitter.\u00a0The founder of SubteraTech, Amit Bajaj (twitter handle: \n@amitsinghbajaj\n) replied with the below gem:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u2018Cancelling your unused subscriptions\u2019 is a common money-saving advice, but little did I know Amit knows his shit when it comes to tracking his monthly and yearly subscriptions. He has a \nspreadsheet\n on it, tracking:\n\n\n\n\nMonthly/yearly cost\n\n\nPayment and renewal date\n\n\nSubscription status (active, consider to cancel, cancelled)\n\n\nWhether the subscription is a necessity or optional\n\n\n\n\n\u2026My explanation doesn\u2019t do it justice, must screenshot and show.\n\n\n\n\nAmazing right! If you want the template, \nask him on twitter\n.\n\n\nSo I used the template as a guide and compiled my own subscription list in my notebook, now reproduced here. For the sake of being comprehensive, I\u2019m adding ALL my monthly commitments. I also consider \u2018recurring payments\u2019 as a type of subscription.\n\n\nMonthly subscriptions I pay for\n\n\nNecessity \u2013 ongoing\n\n\n\n\nMedical card and Personal Accident Insurance.\n RM120.13 and RM31.80 per month respectively. Related:\u00a0\n44 Thoughts While Buying Myself Insurance in Malaysia\n\n\nVirtual Assistant\n. RM800. To help me with my work \u2013 I\u2019m self-employed but that doesn\u2019t mean I have to do eeeeverything. Related:\u00a0\nIncomes and Expenses of a Freelance Writer in Malaysia\n\n\nRent\n. RM1200 (Subang). Related:\u00a0\nEarning RMx500? Here\u2019s the places you can afford in Kuala Lumpur\n\n\nMobile plan\n. RM128+GST from Maxis. They increased the monthly quota and eliminated the stupid weekday/weekend rule, so I\u2019m happier with them now.\n\n\nAvast Anti-Virus.\n Somehow free? Bought a 3-year plan from lelong.my, the fella gave me a code eligible for 1.5 years only. When I asked, they refunded and allowed me to use the 1.5 years. So nice la people, faith in humanity restored betul \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nNecessity \u2013 until final payment date\n\n\n\n\nBraces\n. RM300. Paid the RM3000 deposit and must commit to pay off the rest of the balance in monthly instalments during checkup. Related:\u00a0\n3 Things to Know About Braces Cost in Malaysia\n\n\nLaptop\n. RM568.08 until August 2018. Bought Surface Pro 4 in September and took advantage of 0% fee instalment spread over 12 months as opposed to paying oneshot in advance. Related:\u00a0\n4 Best Tips I Got From You Guys When I Wanted to Buy New Laptop\n\n\n\n\nYearly/Annual subscriptions I pay for\n\n\nNecessity \u2013 ongoing\n\n\n\n\nGrammarly Premium.\n Editing and proofreading tool, handy to have as a writer. Paid RM300.42 renewal in November 2017 during Cyber Monday, got 50% off.\n\n\nIndividual memberships\n for \nMalaysia Writers Society\n and \nACCESS Blockchain Association (Malaysia)\n. The linkage to these groups helps me professionally.\n\n\nDomain/hosting for Ringgit Oh Ringgit\n. I just paid RM923.45 in November 2017 for another 3 years of hosting \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nOptional \u2013 consider to cancel\n\n\n\n\nSpotify Premium\n. Took the Family plan, costs me RM44.80 per year. I don\u2019t think I\u2019ll continue next year, turns out I don\u2019t listen to music that much. That said I really like being a Premium user, so maybe I\u2019ll just use Grab points for it or something in the future. Related:\u00a0\n3 Ways to Get Cheaper Spotify Premium in Malaysia\n\n\n\n\nSubscriptions I\u2019ve cancelled\n\n\n\n\nGym membership\n. Nightmare dowh. Not only I was pressured to buy more personal training packages, the gym also \u2018accidentally\u2019 charged me for one more month. After two months and constant back and forth with their staff to get the money back, I gave up. Only left them bad reviews online because when I tried to fill in the consumer complaint form at \nTribunal For Consumer Claims Malaysia\n, the website didn\u2019t work. (For the record, the gym is e-fitness at One City. Don\u2019t go there, they suck).\n\n\n\n\nSubscriptions I\u2019m considering\n\n\n\n\nVPN service\n. Now I use a free option (Touch VPN), but wonder if I need to get a paid one. \nThose of you familiar with VPN, do I need a paid one or will Touch VPN do?\n\n\nNetflix\n. As of time of writing, I\u2019m trying out the free trial valid for one month. I have to say\u2026 it\u2019s nice to use, the user interface is amazing. Probably going to share a premium account with some friends to save some money. RM51 divided by 4 people is just RM12.75 per month :p\n\n\nBeauty boxes.\n Because it seems fun, but totally unnecessary, so I won\u2019t unless it\u2019s a crazy deal.\n\n\n\n\nWhat subscriptions do YOU have?\n\n\nWhat subscriptions are worth and not worth the money, for you? Share in the comments section!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/things-i-stopped-buying/", "title": "15 Things I Stopped Buying and Didn\u2019t Miss\n  ", "body": "\n\nThis post was inspired by one of my favourite personal finance websites, The Financial Diet. Check out their version of the article\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n\n\u2018Don\u2019t buy shit you don\u2019t need\u2019 \u2013 how many times have we all heard this six-word money advice? It sounds so simple, right?\n\n\nThe thing is, the definition of \u2018shit you don\u2019t need\u2019 will differ greatly from person to person. What I think I don\u2019t need and can cut from my budget may be someone else\u2019s \n\u2018worth it\u2019 purchase\n \u2013 something they decided is worth the expense and thus budgeted in (instead of budgeted out).\n\n\nHere are 15 things I have personally stopped buying and realised I didn\u2019t miss.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 A Car\n\n\nSometimes, the fact that I don\u2019t own a car really surprises people around me. It\u2019s considered a rights-to-passage-to-adulthood expense, something people buy as they start working.\n\n\n\n\nI used to have a car. Not mine, my family\u2019s. Am privileged enough to be loaned a car by my Dad, who is something of a car enthusiast. He enjoys buying still-in-good-quality secondhand cars. And I benefited from it. All throughout college and uni, I had no problems going around.\n\n\nBut after I lived in KL for a few years, I realised I didn\u2019t need it, I can take the public transport to work. In 2014, I returned the car and never looked back.\n\n\nNot having a car had its downsides, definitely. But I think it also led me to this career path \u2013 I became a work-from-home writer thanks to being car-free. I\u2019m thankful that the limitation guided me to where I am now, because I genuinely love my work (on most days). \n\n\nShoutout to Grab, Uber (RIP Uber Malaysia) and various ride-sharing and car-hiring platforms for helping me get around, when I need to!\n\n\nMoney saved: at least RM1000 a month.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Extras\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u2018Extras\u2019 is just a catch-all phrase I use to categorise \u2018things I don\u2019t need more than one\u2019. For example, a water bottle. I have exactly one bottle, that\u2019s it. \n\n\nAnother example is phone case \u2013 I only have one. Just don\u2019t see the point in having more. \n\n\n#3 \u2013 Sanitary Pads/Tampons\n\n\nOne of the best purchases I made is a menstrual cup. It saved me so much money, no joke!\n\n\nRough calculation on how much I save in 5 years\u2019 timeframe:\n\n\nYears used \u2013 5 years = 60 months\nUsual sanitary pads expenses per month = ~RM10\nRough estimation of money saved: RM10 x 60 months = RM600\n\n\nMy menstrual cup costs around RM80, so you can see how much it paid for itself several times over. If you don\u2019t like the idea of menstrual cups, there\u2019s also the washable sanitary pads option. \n\n\nIf you\u2019re interested to try, I got the one from \nThe Hive Shop\n and recommend it, the quality is good. \n\n\n#4 \u2013 Starbucks\n\n\nI go to Starbucks (or other coffeeshops) maybe like once a year, and mostly out of necessity, like when my home wifi failed on me. \n\n\n\n\nWork today sucks. my internet got cut off mid-webinar. After that kelam kabut cari starbucks to so I could attend another meeting. Melayang RM15 for a drink I don't even want just so I could get WiFi code\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nNovember 25, 2021\n\n\n\n\nIf not mistaken, the last time I went to Starbucks for their drink was to try their Pumpkin Spice Latte. It\u2019s ok, too sweet for my taste. Managed to satisfy the basic white girl in me. \n\n\n#5 \u2013 Game consoles\n\n\nGod, I used to LOVE playing my PlayStation and Wii consoles. But I don\u2019t think I can or want to go down that rabbithole again. I don\u2019t want to start collecting game consoles again. \n\n\nIn any case, it\u2019s not even a big deal. Steam is there whenever the mood for gaming strikes. This is enough, I don\u2019t need to buy a RM3k device plus hundreds per game (and they don\u2019t even sell pirated DVD games anymore, unlike last time\u2026 not that I condone pirating..)\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Hair Colouring Products & Services\n\n\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019ve done red, jet-black, blue-black and light brown. And my favourite hair colour is still my natural hair colour.\n\n\nMy sisters say my white hair makes my hair appear lighter in colour. I\u2019m okay with that! Plus I think women with silver hair are sexy af.\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Piercings\n\n\nI used to have 7 piercings in my left ear. Took all but one out. \n\n\nIn all sincerity, it was a failed attempt at self-expression. I\u2019ve accepted I\u2019m just not edgy enough to live with the inconvenience. \n\n\n#8 \u2013 Red meat\n\n\nOkay, technically I still\u00a0\nsometimes\n buy them, but very, very rarely. Beef is expensive. And I know they take a lot of energy to produce and generate a lot of waste to the environment.\n\n\nWhen the cravings do kick in, I simply plan social dates around it. Others can cook it much better than I can anyway.\n\n\n#9 \u2013 Jewellery\n\n\n\n\n\n\nI get enough jewellery hand-me-downs and gifts that I never need to purchase more of them. \n\n\nI still check out Lovisa at the malls though because God they\u2019re pretty.\n\n\n#10 \u2013 Home decor\n\n\nAs much as I like the \nidea\n of home decor, in my household they have the tendency to become clutter instead. \n\n\nI have no idea how people maintain living spaces full of knick-knacks. Is there magic involved? How do you find the time and energy to dust everything?\n\n\n#11 \u2013 Contact Lens\n\n\nCan\u2019t justify the expense when glasses make much more sense. Plus I like my eye colour too.\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\n3 Ways to Save Money on Your Prescription Glasses in Malaysia\n\n\n\u00a0#12 \u2013 Tote bags\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCompanies at events can\u2019t seem to stop giving them away for free, so why should I buy them? I have like 10 now.\n\n\nIn the same context, I\u2019m still using the reusable bags HappyFresh used to give out last time. I can\u2019t recall the last time I bought a reusable bag.\n\n\n#13 \u2013 Panadol\n\n\nWhen I do need to get medicine for simple colds, I get the generic paracetamol, not Panadol, the branded version. Does the same thing but big price difference.\n\n\n#14 \u2013 Clothes and Makeup I Don\u2019t Think I\u2019ll Wear Often Enough\n\n\nClothes-shopping and makeup-shopping take me forever. Whenever I see something I like, I will always ask myself if I will wear it enough to justify the expense.\n\n\nIt\u2019s still fun to browse in shops, add stuff to my online shopping carts and turn it into a fun little activity, before closing the tab. \n\n\nIn fact, every time I\u00a0\ndidn\u2019t\n\u00a0\nmake the purchase, I do a little joy-dance inside. I feel happy overcoming all their marketing efforts, you know? In a you-don\u2019t-have-that-much-power-over-me sort of way.\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\n\n\nHow to Spend Less Money on Clothes in 5 Mindful Steps\nMy 5 Rules to Make Beauty Products Affordable\n\n\n#15 \u2013 Things I Can\u2019t Afford to Pay in Full\n\n\nAnd lastly, OF COURSE I won\u2019t buy anything I can\u2019t pay in full.  \n\n\nA house may be the ONLY exception, but for everything else, I will only consider purchasing IF I have the money to pay for it. If I don\u2019t have the funds, then no putting the expense on credit card, no turning into instalments, no BNPL, nada. \n\n\nThings I Want to Stop Buying\n\n\nThere are still some things I can\u2019t wait to stop buying. Things like fast food, for obvious reasons.\n\n\nThen there\u2019s all the plastic in my life that I want to significantly reduce. The \nzero-waste community\n gave me some great ideas. Maybe I\u2019ll stop buying plastic toothbrushes (and use bamboo ones) and stuff with unnecessary packaging. I like the idea of switching to soap bars and shampoo bars too.\n\n\nWhat Have You Stopped Buying?\n\n\nWhat have you realised you didn\u2019t need and stopped buying? What do you plan to stop buying? Share in the comments!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/things-to-buy-if-im-rich/", "title": "6 Things I Want to Buy If I\u2019m Rich (And How Much They Cost)\n  ", "body": "\u201cIf I\u2019m rich, I would ____\u201d\n\n\nTake a second to answer that before you continue reading. What\u2019s your answer?\n\n\nThere is usually an answer. I mean, most of us have daydreamed about being rich. I have. You have. Even rich people dream of being even richer.\n\n\nBecause I have no life and spend pretty much all of my time on social media, I\u2019m quite familiar with the types of answers to this question. It\u2019s almost always a variation of:\n\n\n\n\nI would travel\n\n\nI would buy [big-ticket item, usually property]\n\n\nI would donate time and/or money to [X] charity or cause\n\n\nI would make my loved ones happy\n\n\nI would buy all the [hobby items]\n\n\n\n\nRecently, I thought of what *I* want if I were rich. What is my desires, and how much they would actually cost me? Here\u2019s my list.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Experience Burning Man\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s so surreal that something like this exists at all, and I am curious enough to make the pilgrimage to check it out.\n\n\nAccording to my research, the cost of Burning Man greatly depends. I\u2019ll need to pay for:\n\n\n\n\nThe tickets \u2013 $400+\n\n\nTravel from Malaysia \u2013 RM5000 return perhaps?\n\n\nTruck or RV rental \u2013 $1000-4000 (able to share with others)\n\n\nEnough food and water for 1 week \u2013 $500?\n\n\nCostumes \u2013 RM1000+\n\n\nMisc \u2013 $1000\n\n\n\n\nEstimated cost:\n RM15,000-20,000. If any of you Malaysians reading this have made the trip, please comment how much you spent for Burning Man!\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Plastic surgery in South Korea\n\n\nThis is my fantasy list, so no judgement. As happy as I am with my God-given features, something can always be better. I like feeling good about myself.\n\n\nPlus, I\u2019m also curious about the beauty, plastic surgery and medical tourism industry in South Korea. We all know that South Korea is leagues ahead of everyone else in these industries. I want to see how good is good.\n\n\nI found an article which \ncompiled the cost of plastic surgery as indicated by the Korea Ministry of Health and Welfare\n. The price of most, if not all types of procedures are listed there.\n\n\nAccording to my research, the cost of plastic surgery in South Korea would cost me:\n\n\n\n\nThe procedures \u2013 ranges from 800,000won to 24,000,000won (RM2,700 to RM83.6k), depending on which ones I want\n\n\nFlights \u2013 RM2000ish\n\n\nFood and Accommodation during recovery \u2013 RM3000 for the whole period?\n\n\nMisc \u2013 RM10k just to be safe\n\n\n\n\nEstimated cost:\n RM10-15k ish for a minor procedure, up to RM100k all in for a major or multiple procedures\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Own a Fruit orchard\n\n\nFor some reason, I really, really, really like the idea of owning a fruit orchard. Imagine a few hectares of fertile land full with fruit-bearing rambutans, mangosteens, mangoes, cikus, durians, cempedak and other Malaysian fruits.\n\n\nThere\u2019s business potential here too. I could open a BnB service offering guests an all-the-fruits-you-can-eat deal (walk-ins are possible too). I could sell the excess fruits to suppliers.\n\n\nAccording to my research, the cost of owning my own fruit orchard includes:\n\n\n\n\nThe land itself \u2013 from mudah.my, I can see a few options under \u2018dusun buah\u2019, ranging from RM100k all the way up to RM1.5million depending on location, size and other factors\n\n\nHired help \u2013 Around RM50k per annum to hire people to tend the orchard?\n\n\nRenovation \u2013 Doing ground works and making new infrastructure for personal or commercial use \u2013 RM1 million?\n\n\nBusiness operations cost \u2013 RM100k per year? For the trucks and stuff. Not sure\n\n\n\n\nEstimated cost: \nEither way I have to have around RM1-1.5 million of capital to start before I can even consider pursuing this. Still don\u2019t know what else I\u2019d need to pay for\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Fulfil all my travel fantasies\n\n\nI\u2019m lumping all my travel fantasies in one heading, because there\u2019s a lot of them.\n\n\n\n\n2 weeks Road trip in the United States\n\n\n2 weeks Rail trip in Asia or Europe\n\n\n2 weeks RV trip in New Zealand or Australia\n\n\n2 weeks exploring all of China\n\n\n2 weeks exploring all of India\n\n\n1 month country-hopping all over Europe\n\n\n1 month country-hopping all over South America\n\n\n1 month country-hopping all over Africa\n\n\n1 to 3 months\u2019 stay in various cities around the world, including but not limited to: Berlin, Okinawa, Hawaii, Chiang Mai, a city in Sabah and Sarawak,\n\n\n\n\nEstimated cost: \nTo make things simple, I\u2019m just going to allocate RM20k for each of them, regardless of location. I don\u2019t know if its enough, but it should average out.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Buy a house and renovate it to my liking\n\n\nIsn\u2019t this pretty much\u00a0\neveryone\u2019s\n dream?\n\n\nIn fact, because this is a fantasy list, I\u2019m going to say I want multiple houses in different locations, all of them renovated and fully customised to my liking!\n\n\nI want:\n\n\n\n\nA beach house\n\n\nA house in the mountains\n\n\nA house near a lake\n\n\nA condominium overlooking the city skyline\n\n\n\n\nEstimated cost:\u00a0\nIs RM2-3million for each house enough? It\u2019s not just the cost of the house, but also the cost of renovations and furniture and everything related to home ownership\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Start my own intentional community\n\n\nAn intentional community is \u2018\nA group of people who live together or share common facilities and who regularly associate with each other on the basis of explicit common values.\u2019\u00a0\nIt may include\u00a0cohousing, ecovillages, cooperative houses, communes and other shared living arrangements.\n\n\nThe lifestyle aspect of it is highly appealing to me. It\u00a0\nwould\n be nice to be surrounded by people who share the same values as you. Imagine the quality of\u00a0human connections. My go-to place for information and resources is the \nFoundation for Intentional Community\n website.\n\n\nIn Malaysia, if I want to be part of an intentional community, I\u2019ll have to start one, because none exists yet, as far as I know. Well, there are commercial coliving solutions, but that\u2019s not quite what I\u2019m looking for, in the long term. There are also kampungs, which is the OG of community living, but maybe not that suitable for me too.\n\n\nI guess the easiest way to start is to buy a big-ass bungalow with land and offer rooms to like-minded individuals. Each of us have responsibilities and contribute to the well-being of the small community.\n\n\nThinking out loud, I want to find people who can contribute in these ways:\n\n\n\n\nFarmers who can grow vegetables, rear chickens and bee-keeping\n\n\nBuilder-engineers who can DIY and fix stuff\n\n\nCreative persons who can inject beauty in our lives\n\n\nAccounts person to make sure resources are well-utilised (I volunteer this role!)\n\n\nAnd more\n\n\n\n\nEstimated cost:\u00a0\nRM2 to 3mil or so for a decently big bungalow at a central-ish area in Klang Valley? Something big enough to accommodate a dozen people or so.\n\n\nPersonal reflections\n\n\nI\u2019m both happy and sad that I made this list. It shows how I value human connections and experiences, but also shows how I still place value to outside appearances and grand, over the top living. Notably, it didn\u2019t include things for others, like family or charity. It\u2019s a selfish list.\n\n\nAnd it\u2019s telling that even now, even knowing that\u00a0\nlooking\u00a0\nrich doesn\u2019t necessarily mean a person is actually rich, I still hold the stereotypical \u2018rich person\u2019 image in my head.\n\n\nYou know what I mean. Full-on designer clothing. Big mansions. Garages full of expensive cars. Private planes and yachts. Travels to exotic places. Basically #richkidsof, TV3 dramas\u2019 anak Datuks-type of rich.\n\n\nIt\u2019s a really hard stereotype to shake off, because the media and society in general like to reinforce this worldview. I\u2019m not saying it\u2019s right or wrong, I\u2019m just saying it\u2019s common.\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nWhere Do People Get the Money to Afford Their Amazing Lifestyles?\n\n\nI don\u2019t know how long it\u2019s going to take for me to tick off each of the items in this list. I don\u2019t know if I even want to tick them off, even if I can afford them when the time comes.\n\n\nFor now, it\u2019s enough that I\u2019m fortunate enough to enjoy other things that make me feel like a million bucks:\n\n\n\n\nBeing able to shop at the groceries store without worrying about the bill\n\n\nHaving enough money to pay my rent, utilities, food and basic needs for the rest of the year\n\n\nBeing able to afford replacing items that break down with higher-quality versions\n\n\nBeing able to splurge on family bonding experiences maybe once a year\n\n\nBeing able to donate a small but sizable amount to whoever I want, whenever I want to\n\n\nBeing able to make small but regular trips throughout the year\n\n\n\n\nI think, the biggest takeaway from writing this is a personal reminder that happiness and fulfilment don\u2019t have to wait until I\u2019m rich. I can still experience them now, with the modest income I\u2019m making.\n\n\nThat said, this was still a fun list to make. I\u2019ve never put a number to those experiences until now, and knowing the cost estimation is a fun (if useless) activity.\n\n\nWhat do YOU want to buy when you\u2019re rich? And have you made the cost estimation? Share with me in the comments section!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/thoughts-on-marriage/", "title": "[PERSONAL] 5 Thoughts I Have About Marriage (and Money Management)\n  ", "body": "I hated the idea of marriage.\n\n\nNot the love and commitment part. That part is amazing. The part I hate is the traditional view of ownership; the complete submission of a woman to a man.\n\n\nBut I am also a believer of Islam and by extension, Sunnah Nabi, which encourages marriage and family life, so like it or not I have to find a way to be at least okay with it.\n\n\nI also had to be okay with the idea of marriage, because I was hopelessly in love with my now-husband and desperately wanted to marry the shit out of him.\n\n\nAnd maybe it\u2019s a mind trick, but I\u2019ve finally come to terms with marriage: \nby framing it as an act of rebellion by two people who demand the right to lifelong private counsel and decision-making within the \nungovernable private space\n.\n\n\n(If it sounds like I\u2019m basing my argument on the loosest of straws, then let me; I needed a way to justify this using the \ndoublethink\n method)\n\n\nBy framing marriage this way, I started seeing norms of married life as dictated by religion, culture and society as mere \nsuggestions\n rather than rules; my husband and I are free to decide our own relationship based on what works for \nus\n.\n\n\nThis article explores my thoughts on marriage now, under the lens of money management.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Men as provider; women as homemaker roles won\u2019t suit us\n\n\n\n\nBoth of us work. Our parents work/worked (three have retired; one to go). All of our adult siblings \u2013 male and female \u2013 work. Everyone in my friends\u2019 circle work. If it\u2019s not for social media and news sources, I wouldn\u2019t know that some women never had careers or never entered the job market. This is just our reality.\n\n\n(Of course, homemakers aka stay-at-home-moms work too. The only difference is their work is unpaid and their labour and productivity \u2013 the backbone of any society \u2013 is not economically measured and factored in the GDP. It is important work, but you cannot call it a \u2018career\u2019)\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCounter-argument: calling it a career implies job progression, salary increase and pension/ability to contribute to retirement fund\n\n\nMotherhood is great but it is also one of those work where labour is expected to be given for free, without complain\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nDecember 20, 2019\n\n\n\n\nTherefore, it never crossed my mind that I won\u2019t contribute financially to this marriage. Of course I will. I\u2019m expected to, I \nwant\n to.\n\n\nPlus, aside from giving me joy and fulfilment, my work also provides me with financial stability. All women need access to funds for practical, recreational and yes, safety reasons.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Therefore, we\u2019ll need a domestic helper in the future\n\n\nBack when I was employed, our office held a farewell party to a lady who just had a newborn. Amid the goodbyes, she told me how she didn\u2019t want to quit but they had no choice; childcare is too expensive and it makes more economical sense for her to be a stay-at-home-mom.\n\n\nI only nodded and wished her well then, but have since realised how common it is for working mothers everywhere to leave the workforce once they had children. In fact, my\n mother is part of the just 46% of women who participate in the Malaysian labour force\n (among the lowest in the region). A big reason why she could remain working is because of Kakak and Bibik, who lived with my family while I was growing up.\n\n\nYes, we were privileged; we had domestic helpers. Husband grew up in a similar household, too. That\u2019s the reason why our mothers weren\u2019t homemakers \u2013 our parents could afford help, so they could focus on their careers. They suffered less of the dreaded \ndouble burden\n: having a career AND doing the majority of unpaid care work.\n\n\n(Statistics available in #1 in the \nHere are 4 Ways to Support Women in Your Life\n article)\n\n\nAs much as I want to say husband and I are more equal when it comes to housework, I know that the balancing act will be a tough one to implement perfectly if and when children enter the picture.\n\n\nSo the only solution for us is to get domestic helpers, when the time comes.\n\n\n(Happily, there are more options nowadays. We don\u2019t have to get live-in domestic helper \u2013 there are companies that provide domestic services like cleaners and part-time nannies and more. We\u2019ll figure it out when we get there \u2013 but first, save the money we\u2019ll inevitably need)\n\n\nBonus: This is how we divide house chores now\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMarried people who both have careers, did you have the 'you take this chore I take that one' chat before/after you got married?\n\n\nWe did and it helped a lot. I don't want to and will not do everything ON TOP of my work \nhttps://t.co/bOznHn3acj\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nJanuary 30, 2022\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nProtips:\n\u2013 you are free to outsource the tasks you don't like (paid with own money)\n\u2013 of course there will be give & take when work is busier for one person. adjust\n\u2013 do not dictate how the other person do the chore. if they do it X way & you prefer Y, keep opinion to yourself\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nJanuary 30, 2022\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Claiming my right to add on additional clauses in taklik\n\n\nFor financial and (most importantly) love reasons, I am NOT okay with polygamy. Sharing my husband with another would shatter me completely \u2013 body, mind and soul. I\u2019d rather get a divorce than be in a polygamous marriage.\n\n\nI\u2019m not the only person with this view. According to \none study\n, only 32% of Muslim women in Malaysia allow their husbands to take on another wife.\n\n\nThankfully and happily, husband heard me out and agreed as well \u2013 no polygamy while he is married to me.\n\n\nSo we put it in black and white and added it in the taklik \u2013 the husband/wife agreement in Islam.\n\n\nIn addition to the no-polygamy clause, \nI also included clauses that do not take away my personal autonomy: no restrictions on travel and career decisions\n. We\u2019ll discuss everything important of course, but \nI don\u2019t need \u2018permission\u2019\n.\n\n\nIt\u2019s amazing how much his agreement to these additional clauses in the taklik made me submit more easily and freely. After all, love and loyalty are strongest when it\u2019s freely given and made by choice, not by force.\n\n\nMore information about taklik in my \nHow to Avoid Polygamy in Malaysia: Add it in The Taklik\n article.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Applying feminist principles\n\n\nHusband doesn\u2019t identify as a feminist (in fact he thinks that word has a negative connotation), but I am, and I\u2019ve been sharing and showing how applying feminist principles in our marriage \nbenefits\n him.\n\n\nActually, it\u2019s been benefiting him \nsince we first dated\n. For example,\n\n\n\n\nContribute financially as well \u2013 dual-income household = better standard of living\n\n\nIf work/home responsibilities ever get too much, each of us is allowed to take time off and/or use our savings to solve it\n\n\nIt\u2019s not \u2018his money is my money, my money is my money\u2019. It\u2019s \nour\n money\n\n\nTbh I don\u2019t care about nafkah. I can buy my own shit\n\n\nMy duit hantaran (which I never wanted in the first place, but defended as \u2018adat\u2019) is currently invested and earmarked for our new house\n\n\nAssuring him that he matters as a person, not just his role as a provider\n\n\n\n\nI want to expand that last point.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 He\u2019s my life partner, not a mere provider\n\n\nSimilar to how the burden of care work is placed on women, the burden to provide is also placed on men. \nWomen talking openly about unfair housework is common, but I don\u2019t think we talk enough about the way society ostracizes men who are unable to provide.\n\n\nI\u2019ve seen so many comments telling financially struggling men how they failed as husband/father, as if being a provider is the only thing they\u2019re valued for. \u00a0I mean, they say things like \u2018men without money shouldn\u2019t even think of marrying as they couldn\u2019t afford it\u2019. The harsh wording is so normalised, but it \nshouldn\u2019t be\n.\n\n\nYou might say the burden to provide is part of being a man.\n\n\nBut some will crack under pressure. Some get depressed. Some take unnecessary risks. Some become abusive to family and society\u2026.and some kill themselves. It is a fact that suicide rates are higher among men.\n\n\nGendered expectations are double-edged swords; its harmful to everyone.\n I hope this will make you realise how patriarchy hurts both men and women in different ways.\n\n\nSadly, there are so many men (and women) who attack feminists and their efforts towards gender equality, instead of working together to \ndemand equal pay for work of equal value, affordable childcare services, longer paternal leave, sexual harassment policies, and more.\u00a0\n\n\nAll those things help women earn (instead of dropping out of the workforce), which leads to men getting a better quality of life (instead of working all the time to provide)!\n\n\nThoughts on *staying* married\n\n\nBeing married is one thing. Staying married\u2026 that\u2019s the tough one, right? Or so I heard.\n\n\nAs open as I am to the idea of divorce (if staying together is bad for both of us, then heck yes it\u2019s a good idea to part ways), I do desire longevity.\n\n\nAs an optimist \u2013 and blinded with love at that \u2013 I am hopeful. I want to make my marriage work.\n\n\nBut as someone who is a realist, there\u2019s a reason why I personally don\u2019t want to follow conventional marriage advice too closely: according to the \nDepartment of Statistics Malaysia\u2019s Marriage and Divorce Statistics\n, the number of divorce cases in Malaysia is rising. \nWhatever is the norm now isn\u2019t working in favour of married couples.\u00a0\n\n\nConsidering \nthe biggest predictor of divorce is contempt\n (as per research by\u00a0\nThe Gottman Institute\n), hopefully I\u2019ve done enough through thoughts and actions #1-5 to reduce, as much as possible, the possible scenarios inviting contempt into our lives.\n\n\nFor example, I will absolutely hate it if I have to do all of the unpaid care work ON TOP of my career. And I know husband will feel taken advantage of if I ask him to be my personal ATM and pay for all of my expenses.\n\n\nIs what I\u2019m doing enough for a happy, long-lasting marriage? Who knows? But at least I know I\u2019m giving it a fighting chance.\n\n\nAs an ending note, and last but not least \u2013 to my darling husband Aizat. I just want to tell you how much you are loved. You keep telling me how lucky you are but honestly honey, I\u2019m the lucky one. I promise to enable your happiness and growth as much as you have vowed to enable mine.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/uncertain-future/", "title": "[Personal] Why Should I Save Money When The Future is So Uncertain?\n  ", "body": "\n\nWhy should I work hard to earn and save money for my future self, when I\u2019m facing an uncertain future?\n\n\nSeriously, why should I? When we don\u2019t know if the future is guaranteed. As I\u2019m writing this, we are simultaneously going through wars, pandemics, and heading towards self-inflicted climate disaster. \n\n\nCredit to \nhttps://twitter.com/habitual_truant\n\n\nIf things will go to heck anyway, why don\u2019t I just focus on enjoying myself now? Spend all my money now?\n\n\nPlease excuse me, I\u2019m not usually this negative. I\u2019m actually a natural optimist. \n\n\nBut still, it gets to you, you know. All these things that affect you but are outside your control \u2013 it affects you, and I\u2019m tired of pretending it doesn\u2019t. Why is it that all that I can or should do is \u2018ignore the noise\u2019 and continue work as usual?\n\n\n(This feeling is so weird. I first noticed \u2013 and made a Reel about it \u2013 in July 2021. It never really went away)\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nSo, back to the original question. \nWhy should I work hard to earn and save money for my future self, when I\u2019m facing an uncertain future?\n\n\nThis has been the subject of countless thought articles, and I guess it\u2019s my time to dwell on it. Let\u2019s start with the chirpy fact that\u2026\n\n\nMoney doesn\u2019t matter when you\u2019re dead\n\n\nNo matter how much money one has, it doesn\u2019t matter when you\u2019re dead. You can\u2019t take it with you. \n\n\nI don\u2019t know about you, but I frequently hear stories of people who waited too long, until they ran out of time to enjoy the fruits of their labour. \n\n\nI\u2019m sure you have heard stories of people who worked non-stop to build their nest egg, but got sick and passed away, sometimes just days after their awaited retirement. The future they hoped for never arrived.\n\n\nAs someone who believes and practices delayed gratification, \nthis scares the shit out of me. \n\n\nThe pandemic reminds you of death every day\n\n\nI know I\u2019m not alone in saying the pandemic reminds me of death every day. Perhaps this is the reason why some people YOLO-d and bought themselves things to enjoy NOW rather than later. \n\n\nThis isn\u2019t a hypothesis. It can be considered a fact. \n\n\n..psychologist Sheldon Solomon, who has spent three decades researching how fear of mortality motivates an extraordinary amount of our everyday behavior, even if we don\u2019t consciously think about death that often:\nLiterally hundreds of experiments have shown that when people are reminded of their mortality-such as by being interviewed in front of a funeral parlor or having the word \u201cdeath\u201d flash on a computer screen so fast that they cannot see it-they respond by behaving in ways that bolster faith in their cultural worldviews and fortify their self-esteem.\nFor example, \nafter being reminded of death, materialistic people become more interested in owning high-status luxury items like fancy cars and watches\n..\u2019\n\u2013 from the book Carpe Diem: Seizing the Day in a Distracted World \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nThis explains why \nluxury car brands experienced amazing sales during the pandemic\n. Cars like \nBentley, Bugatti, Porshe, Lamborgini, Rolls-Royce all delivered more units than before\n. \n\n\nAnd it\u2019s not just luxury cars. Sales of other luxury items went up too during the pandemic. In an article about \nthe pandemic and the booming luxury industry\n, one person is quoted as saying, \n\n\n\u201cYou know what, for me and my family\u2026 This period showed us that it is not clear whether we will live tomorrow or not. So if you have a chance, I think you have the right to spend some according to your wishes.\u201d\u2019\n\n\nAnd\u2026 I get this person. I really do. No matter how much I am an advocate for financial literacy (it is STILL important!), I also want to acknowledge this very real and very human feeling of wanting to savour the now while you still have it.\n\n\nFor now, the rational side is still winning\n\n\nListen. I\u2019m still rational. I\u2019m not going to spend ALL my money now, that\u2019s too risky. And happily, I\u2019ve never been (that) materialistic to begin with, so luxury items never really appealed to me.\n\n\nNote: This is less to do with my ability to be \u2018above\u2019 their marketing gimmicks, and more to do with my confidence level. \n\n\n\n\nI'm different, sure, just like everyone else. But special? No. The same like everyone else.\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nMarch 25, 2021\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBut just because I don\u2019t buy (much) material items doesn\u2019t mean I don\u2019t splurge. Of course I do. \n\n\nI splurge on food. I splurge on loved ones. I splurge on travel \n(traveling as a hobby is a luxury because not everyone can afford the cost nor the time off, yet it is considered acceptable spending because it is \u2018experiential\u2019\n). And whenever possible, I \nsplurge responsibly\n.\n\n\nAnd allow me to pat myself on the back here because I also NEVER take loans for splurges. Not credit card. Not \nBNPL\n (evil in my eyes). Loans are ONLY for necessities, full stop. \n\n\nViewing death positively\n\n\nUnfortunately I\u2019ve forgotten where I read it from, but I read something that changed my world-view: not every culture around the world view death negatively. Some cultures view it as a celebration. \n\n\nI can\u2019t overstate how much this really changed my life. I\u2019m so used to seeing death as huge loss (and it is), but it is also just like \u2018traveling\u2019 to the next phase of life, the afterlife, where everyone will meet again. So the loss is just\u2026 temporary. \n\n\n(Even if you don\u2019t believe in the afterlife, you can go with the \u2018we are all made of stardust\u2019 approach. Given enough time, we\u2019ll simply be transformed into another form of carbon-based entity)\n\n\nPlus, there is also the whole \u2018make it count\u2019 approach. In the same way we don\u2019t appreciate food if we don\u2019t feel hunger \u2013 if there is no death, how would we appreciate life? \n\n\nA reminder to myself to plan ahead\u2026 but enjoy the journey\n\n\nSomehow, in the personal finance world, there is this narrative that we have to get rich first BEFORE we can enjoy life, when in fact \nwe can attempt to do both at the same time. \nI can save for the future AND treat myself. \n\n\n(And as I mentioned in my \nHow to Buy Happiness: 5 Science-Backed Principles to Know TODAY\n article, a treat is only a treat when it is far between, not daily)\n\n\nDon\u2019t get me wrong. I still feel the doom and gloom. But it\u2019s up to me to channel it into a healthy way, because YOLO spending my last cent isn\u2019t the answer. At the same time, I\u2019ll continue to be optimistic for the future, and cling on to that hope that humanity is able to save itself. \n\n\nThanks for reading. I wrote this primarily for myself. For the longest time I didn\u2019t know how to put these feelings into words and finally I did, and it\u2019s been cathartic for me. \n\n\nIt is my hope that this rambling of mine can help you make sense of your emotions as well, as a fellow human being. At the very least, we can all agree how absurd to live at this moment in history, where everything is chaos yet we\u2019re expected to continue \u2018business as usual\u2019. \n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/wedding-planning-during-covid-19/", "title": "Wedding Planning During Covid-19: How Plans & Budgets Changed\n  ", "body": "\u201cWow, so lucky you do wedding planning during Covid-19. Can save cost!\u201d\n\n\nGenerally speaking, that\u2019s true. Not denying the cost-saving aspect of it. My wedding, scheduled in Nov 2020, will be significantly downsized.\n\n\nAdditionally, I have extra money to re-allocate towards the wedding as my tunang event, which was scheduled during MCO, got cancelled.\n\n\nI don\u2019t know how much everything will cost yet, but I doubt it will reach RM50-70k originally planned.\n\n\nIf I\u2019m honest, I am\u2026 80% happy and 20% sad about all this. Happy because, yeah the cost will be lower than projected. But I can\u2019t ignore the 20%, which comes from OH I DON\u2019T KNOW PEOPLE DYING AND BREADWINNERS LOSING JOBS AND INCOME AND STUFF. And also, seeing deals I can\u2019t take advantage of.\n\n\n\n\nNowadays banyak wedding-related deals. Venue, photography, baju etc. Understandable, they do it for cashflow reasons\n\n\nBut no matter how good the deal is\u2026 I can\u2019t take now because all plans up in the air \ud83d\ude41\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nApril 23, 2020\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSo I thought I\u2019d write a post about it, to both organise my thoughts and also find people in the same boat (in my experience, writing about it attracts people in the same predicament). I\u2019d like to share how it was like to plan a wedding when you have Covid-19 rudely interrupting the process.\n\n\nNote: This is written from the woman\u2019s perspective. I\u2019m not responsible for a few expenses, like rings and mas kahwin and stuff. You can check out \nBalkoniHijau\u2019s wedding survey\n for the guys\u2019 perspective.\n\n\nPlanning Stage\n\n\n\n\nAfter my partner sweet-talked me into marrying him, we did the necessary: informing our parents, arranging for family introductions, negotiate on important things like dates and stuff. I am very, very grateful to have full blessings from my parents. In fact, they are \nvery\n enthusiastic about this whole me getting married thing.\n\n\nAnd let me tell you, boy do they have \nideas\u00a0\nof how they envision the wedding to look like, shaped by tradition and adat and social expectations. I very quickly learned that \u2018something simple\u2019 will not do at all.\n\n\nI tried, but the tug-o-control didn\u2019t last long. And so it was eventually, wordlessly decided: my parents will have their way, and I will fund it. My input is, of course, required throughout the process.\n\n\nI\u2019m okay with this. It\u2019s quite nice to be able to make them happy (for once haha wait wut).\n\n\nBefore Covid-19:\n\n\nBefore the world changed to what it is today, I was mostly concerned about missing important tasks. So when I came across this \nwedding planning book\n \u2013 specific for planning a Malay wedding \u2013 I bought it immediately. It contains checklists, calendars, budgets (for different events and for both sides) and more.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n on \nJun 7, 2020 at 3:35am PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAfter Covid-19: \nAll plans, of course, went to whack. Let\u2019s break it down by categories-\n\n\nVenue + Food\n\n\nVenue + Food (plus overall event management) is usually the most expensive part of the typical wedding. Wedding organisers will usually calculate it by number of pax, and it is very common for Malay weddings to host between 500-2000 guests.\n\n\nPrice-wise, for a 1000 pax-package, I\u2019ve seen anywhere from RM12 per pax at the low end all the way to RM100++ per pax at the high end (this is VIP, Bayswater KLCC level).\n\n\nFrom my research, Venue + Food packages typically include one or more of these additional services as well:\n\n\n\n\noutfits for bride+groom\n\n\nhall and pelamin decorations\n\n\nmakeup and hair/hijab styling\n\n\nphotography and videography\n\n\ninvitation cards\n\n\nand more\n\n\n\n\nLike many other comprehensive packages, it\u2019s extremely value for money \nif\n\u00a0\nyou wanted it anyway.\n\n\nBefore Covid-19:\n\n\nWe decided on 1500 pax, combined in one reception (instead of doing two receptions, or one per bride and groom side).\n\n\nAfter surveying around, I was looking at venue + food packages that range between RM25-35++ per pax. There were plenty of wedding halls and event spaces that fit the bill, although hotels were out of the picture.\n\n\nVenue-hunting with my mom and sisters was fun, one of the highlights of this whole experience \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nLife is better ever since I accepted my wedding = my parents\u2019 event, and gave them a budget to work with. They can do anything they want as long as within budget\n\n\nI\u2019m really enjoying teman mom to search for wedding venue too. She looks so happy \u2764\ufe0f \npic.twitter.com/lp0EuCSrLS\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nFebruary 20, 2020\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAfter Covid-19:\n\n\nWe waited until the MCO was over to start venue-hunting again, now prioritising wedding organisers that can adhere to the New Normal SOPs. The good news is we found one, and they are also willing to postpone the event *in case* we have another lockdown.\n\n\nThe organisers are also kind enough to let us book the venue without finalising the number of pax \u2013 we have to put that on hold, depending on the situation nearer to date. As of writing time, we are only inviting 100 pax, just family members. If the situation gets better, we may increase that to 200, 300, maybe even up to 500 pax.\n\n\nI don\u2019t know yet how much everything will cost, but I am allocating around RM10-15k all-in.\n\n\nBonus service: the wedding organiser included a photography session and a makeup artist as part of the package.\n\n\nBridal Attire\n\n\nThe expectation for a normal wedding is two outfits: one for the nikah, and one for the sanding (reception). The former is typically white in colour and the latter can be super modern, super traditional, anything in between\u2026 or even \nPower Rangers theme\n.\n\n\nBefore Covid-19:\n\n\nPrice-wise, I didn\u2019t really set a budget. I knew I like value for money more than I like cheap. Although I may have set myself a hard cap at, say, RM1000 per dress.\n\n\nAfter Covid-19:\n\n\nI bought a kurung set from an IG shop. One, I thought hey good, I don\u2019t have to go for fittings, less risky. But I bought it mostly for reason number two \u2013 fell in love with the design, and that\u2019s that. Cost: RM349 + RM80 (heels)\n\n\nHantaran\n\n\nThis is the \u2018gifts\u2019 that the bride and groom give each other, to exchange during the ceremony. The tradition is (1) it has to be odd, not even numbers, and (2) the bride side give additional 2 extra trays aka dulangs. I didn\u2019t make the rules, follow only.\n\n\n Image credit: https://pengantinbaru.com.my/\n\n\nBefore Covid-19:\n\n\nHe was supposed to give me 5 dulangs, and I was supposed to give back 7. We plan to simply buy our own gifts, then exchange it before the ceremony, so we can make them look presentable like in the picture.\n\n\nBudget: RM5000 in total per side.\n\n\nAfter Covid-19:\n\n\nWe decided on 5 and 3 dulangs respectively instead. This way, in case the lockdown happens again, we don\u2019t need so many people to carry said trays.\n\n\nBudget: same, RM5000. I still don\u2019t know what to get for myself. Worse come to worse I\u2019ll spend a big chunk of that on a 10g gold bar or something, then at later date turn it to cash so we can use it for something practical like fund our home renovation or whatever.\n\n\nThings that are still pending\n\n\nAs of now, I think we\u2019ve got the bare minimum covered. Everything else is optional, to be booked at a later date, or not at all. This includes:\n\n\n\n\nEntertainment \u2013 band/musician/singer\n\n\nEmcee\n\n\nInvitation cards\n\n\nDoorgifts (if more than 100 pax)\n\n\nCake\n\n\nInai/Henna\n\n\nAny other \u2018nice to haves\u2019\n\n\n\n\nI think, my plan for the above is to look for vendors who accept a minimal booking fee (non-refundable is fine), but full payment on or after the event, in case it had to be cancelled or postponed. It would really suck to part with a lot of money due to factors outside my control. I\u2019m aware that many people did, when their weddings got cancelled due to sudden MCO.\n\n\nOther than that, I am going to use the same advice people give to travellers: Calculate how much you need, then double it because things you need to pay for will. suddenly. crop. up. out. of nowhere. Happily, this advice is doable because of reduced expenses.\n\n\nOkay, I\u2019m done. I think I pretty much covered all the new plans and budgets for wedding planning during Covid-19.\n\n\nThoughts about this piece? Are you planning your own wedding? What was the sudden expense for YOUR wedding? Do you have tips for future brides and grooms out there? Let me know in the comments section!\n\n\nQuick Word to the \u2018Big Weddings Are So Unnecessary!!!\u2019 Crowd\n\n\nFor some reason, there are people out there who \nreally\n want to make it known how much they \nhate\n big weddings. They\u2019re all your parents\u2019 friends, not yours, they say. What an unnecessary expense, they say.\n\n\nOkay, you do you, but don\u2019t rain on my parade.\n\n\nOne, I can afford it. No loans, all savings.\n\n\nTwo, I quite fancy \u2018stimulating the economy\u2019 by spending in the super-affected, women-centric wedding planning industry.\n\n\nAnd three, after I realised how much my parents want this, his parents too, heck he wants the wedding ceremony as well \u2013 I embraced it, despite not really a fan of big weddings myself.\n\n\nI shifted my perspective and looked at the whole wedding planning process as a group project: this is the time and opportunity for me (and them) to see how well we work together, how we negotiate, and even how we cope under stress.\n\n\nSoft skills, baby. This is the time to use them.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/weight-loss-journey-malaysia/", "title": "Everything I Paid For During My 10-Year Weight Loss Journey\n  ", "body": "I grew up fat. Or as my family calls it, \u2018sihat\u2019. I was the biggest in size in primary and secondary school. At my highest, my weight was almost 100kg. I was 20 years old then.\n\n\nNow, 10 years later, my weight hovers around 75-78kg. My lowest weight ever was 72kg, right before I stopped\u00a0\nketo diet\n. I think it takes this long because half the time I\u2019m still unlearning bad habits accumulated over the years.\n\n\nI\u2019ve been taking fitness and weight loss seriously for about 3 years now and lost the bulk of the weight during this time. I have to stress that even before that I was non-stop dieting and trying to lose weight, but admittedly my attitude towards it was just warm-warm-chicken-shit. Now, I\u2019m happy with my progress, but I know\u00a0\nmy fitness and weight loss journey is far from over.\n\u00a0Someday I\u2019ll hit the 60s range, just you wait.\n\n\nTo be honest, the slow progress frustrates me. I just want a nice body and be \u2018the hot girl\u2019 already. It takes all my willpower to consciously stop all the negative self-talk and remind myself of the progress over the years. That was also the main inspiration behind the\u00a0\n[Personal] I Never Imagined Exercise Would Help My Career and Income, Until It Did\n\u00a0article \u2013 I reread this piece every time I need a reminder of how far I\u2019ve come.\n\n\nHow to save money on weight loss in Malaysia\n\n\n\n\nObviously, as a personal finance enthusiast, I\u2019ve read the shit out of these \u2018save money on weight loss\u2019 types of articles. You\u2019ve read these too, right? Most people do want to lose weight and/or get fit.\n\n\nBut, like, can I admit something?\n\n\nI find that doing \nonly\n\u00a0the free/cheap options didn\u2019t work??\n\n\nMy weight loss journey pretty much looks like this:\n\n\n\n\nTry the free/cheap options\n\n\nGet frustrated. Try the paid/more expensive options\n\n\nStick with what I enjoy and stop paying for the rest, after much trial and error\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m so jealous of the people who managed to skip (2). That means they genuinely enjoyed the free/cheap options they tried, like \u2018run at the local park\u2019 or \u2018follow free classes on Youtube\u2019 or \u2018run up and down the stairs at your condo\u2019. The free options simply didn\u2019t bring me enjoyment \u2013 something I\u2019ve realised an important element in this whole weight loss journey.\n\n\nWhat I\u2019ve learned is: \nthe only way to successfully lose weight is to try a bunch of things and stick with the ones that you enjoy.\u00a0\nThat applies to both fitness and diet.\n\n\nThis post is all about the process of trying out different things and estimating how much they cost, what I\u2019m sticking to now, and what I\u2019m keen to try out. There are three major categories of things I spent on: fitness classes/memberships, fitness attire and accessories, and food and supplements. Let\u2019s get into them.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Fitness classes/memberships\n\n\nWhat I\u2019ve tried:\n\n\n\n\nKarate class.\n\u00a0Can\u2019t remember the cost for this one, was ages ago.\u00a0Martial arts\u00a0was fun, but I also twisted my knee unfortunately. Years later the pain never quite went away.\n\n\nFollowing Youtube exercise videos.\u00a0\nI\u2019d try them once but got bored very quickly.\n\n\nCrossfit classes\n. RM120/month. Enjoyed it and even though I moved away from this particular gym, I still incorporate Tabata in my workouts now.\n\n\nFitness bootcamp.\n\u00a0RM50 or so for 10 classes. Bought from a Groupon (now Fave) deal ages ago. I stopped going after 3 classes or so.\n\n\nPersonal training sessions.\n It was RM1000 for 10 sessions and was\u2026 OK. I think my form improved but they definitely tried to get me buy more sessions \nduring\n my session. I didn\u2019t like that part.\n\n\nGym memberships\n. I\u2019ve paid for a RM120/month gym and enjoyed the yoga/dance classes in addition to the other facilities.\n\n\nCondo gym and swimming pool.\n Free at my condo. Facilities are super limited, but at least it\u2019s there. Cannot complain.\n\n\n\n\nWhat I\u2019m doing now:\n\n\n\n\nI spend RM80/month for membership at a \nweight-training gym\n in Subang. There\u2019s a reason why it\u2019s low \u2013 it\u2019s a special promo price for ladies (apparently it used to be called \u2018the testosterone gym\u2019 because only gymbros go there lmao)\n\n\n\n\nWhat I\u2019m keen to try out:\n\n\n\n\nThose gym class passes thing\n. KFit and Classpass would be so fun to try out. I\u2019ve always wanted to try those fancy classes like spin and aeriel and barre and all that.\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Fitness attire and accessories\n\n\nWhat I\u2019ve bought:\n\n\n\n\nBasic fitness attire.\n For me, basic fitness attire means sports bra, leggings, socks and shoes, that\u2019s it. I\u2019ve tried a few brands over the years, and some definitely stand out more than others. Estimated spending for this category alone would be around RM1000+.\n\n\nAttempts to make workouts more \u2018fun and varied\u2019\n. Yoga mat. Foam roller. Skipping rope. Weight training gloves. Hmm that was less than I thought.\n\n\n\n\nWhat I use now:\n\n\n\n\nLots of Nike products\n. I hate to say it, but I\u2019m a Nike convert. All the ones I\u2019ve tried works well, looks good and lasts long. I refuse to buy leggings, sports bras, sports shoes and socks from other brands now.\n\n\n\n\nWhat I\u2019m keen to try out:\n\n\n\n\nCute gym tank tops.\n I want them but I don\u2019t want to pay RM100+ for them, you know? So I just wear my RM5-10 tank tops to the gym. Whatever la I look damn ugly at the gym anyway.\n\n\nGym bags.\n Thanks companies that give free tote bags\n\n\nHome gym kits.\n Was super tempted to buy weights from Decathlon and build my own home gym.\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Food and Supplements\n\n\nWhat I\u2019ve tried:\n\n\n\n\nMany, many types of diet.\u00a0\nI\u2019ve restricted my calorie count in more ways than I care to admit. The cost is reflected in my groceries bill.\n\n\nWeight loss pills.\n Yup, I\u2019ve tried them. Some make your heart rate go super high. Some make you shit oil. Maybe wasted RM500, all in all. Waste of money \u2013 gained back all the weight I\u2019ve lost.\n\n\nMeal replacements.\n I\u2019ve tried a few brands, including Herbalife. Also a waste of money.\n\n\nDetox tea.\n Same \u2013 waste of money.\n\n\n\n\nWhat I take now:\n\n\n\n\nProtein shake.\n I\u2019m quite loyal to MyProtein\u2019s Chocolate Smooth protein powder, I think it\u2019s delicious af. The price is good too. RM150ish for 100 servings is just RM1.50 on average per serving. That\u2019s the price (and protein macros) of 3 jumbo eggs, more or less.\n\n\nChia seeds.\n Only when I don\u2019t think I\u2019m eating enough fiber. RM45 per kilo or so from Lazada. They last me a long time \u2013 maybe 6 months or more.\n\n\nFish oil capsules.\n RM100 for 330 caps during a Guardian sale. I heard it\u2019s good for you but not sure if it works tbh. I think I\u2019ll just finish my stock now and make the decision to repurchase or not later.\n\n\n\n\nWhat I\u2019m keen to try out:\n\n\n\n\nHypnosis or therapy to help me with overeating\n. Unfortunately, I equate feeling full = comfort. I may eat healthy, but I eat a LOT of healthy, if you know what I mean. Would love to hire a professional to help me develop a healthier relationship with food.\n\n\n\n\nWhat did you try out during your weight loss journey?\n\n\nShare with us what you tried out during your weight loss and fitness journey. What was cheap but good? What was expensive but didn\u2019t work? Likewise, share too what was cheap but didn\u2019t work and what was expensive but worked. Help me share this article to that one friend of yours who lost a bunch of weight \u2013 would LOVE to hear what worked for them, what they spend on, and what they want to try next.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/welcome-v2/", "title": "Welcome v2\n  ", "body": "Welcome to my new website, take 2! Yep, it\u2019s still about personal finance, my favorite subject.\n\n\nFor those of you who don\u2019t know, I used to write about personal finance under chickenflossbun.com. I had a mascot and everything. But that website was short-lived.\n\n\nBecause was I a nOob. After a year, I renewed my domain name but deleted the hosting plan. One day I went to the website and find that it was\u2026 gone. My face was like 0_0;;; I was going to correct the mistake and pay for the hosting plan, but when GoDaddy was contacted, they wanted USD150 just to restore it. Oh, capitalism\u2026 you bleeping bleep.\n\n\nSeriously, you bleep bleep bleep bleep. Bleep.\n\n\nAnyway, enjoy this second attempt. Some pages are still under construction but it\u2019s going to be better than ever. So don\u2019t be a bleep and share my content if you find it helpful, okay?\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/whats-on-my-bookshelf/", "title": "What\u2019s On My Bookshelf: What I Read and HIGHLY RECOMMEND\n  ", "body": "Let\u2019s just skip the whole \u2018why reading is important\u2019 part because you already know that and I don\u2019t want to insult your intelligence.\n\n\nAfter showing you \nthe contents of my bag\n, today I want to show you another aspect of my personal life: the books I read. These are the worldviews and ideologies that shape me: I am who I am because of these materials. Everything I write is directly or indirectly influenced by these authors.\n\n\nMy bookcase contains more than personal finance books\n. \u00a0I read a wide variety of topics, mostly non-fiction. If you want personal finance-specific book recommendations, do check out these articles instead:\n\n\n\n\n10 Best Books to Learn About Investing, According to Malaysians (With Video Summaries)\n\n\n10 Personal Finance Books Millennials Should Read\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nWithout further ado, let\u2019s start. I\u2019m not going to list ALL of my books, just the ones that truly made me think and self-reflect, even years after I read them. Some of them also inspired RoR articles (I\u2019ll link them too).\n\n\nHave fun checking out what\u2019s on my bookshelf. As if you need a reason to buy more books, lol.\n\n\nWhat\u2019s On My Bookshelf \u2013 Oranges and Yellows\n\n\n\n\nI HIGHLY RECOMMEND all of these books:\n\n\n1. \nHow Women Decide: What\u2019s True, What\u2019s Not, and What Strategies Spark the Best Choices\n by Therese Huston\n\n\n2. \nTaliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan and Pakistan\n by Kim Barker\n\n\n3. \nThe Rules of Wealth\n by Richard Templar\u00a0 *Inspired the \nBook Review: The Rules of Wealth by Richard Templar\n article\n\n\n4. \nThe Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun\n by Gretchen Rubin\n\n\n5.\n Digital Gold: Bitcoin and the Inside Story of the Misfits and Millionaires Trying to Reinvent Money\n by Nathaniel Popper\n\n\n6. \nThinking, Fast & Slow\n by Daniel Kahneman\n\n\n7. \nNew Aging: Live Smarter Now to Live Better Forever \nby Matthias Hollwich with Bruce Mau Design (Big Bad Wolf Booksale) *Inspired the \nHow My Dream Home in Malaysia Would Look Like\n article\n\n\n8. \nCommitted: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage\n by Elizabeth Gilbert\n\n\n9. \nEmotional Currency: A Woman\u2019s Guide to Building a Healthy Relationship with Money\n by Kate Levinson *Inspired the\u00a0\n[Personal] How it feels like to constantly obsess over money\n article\n\n\n10. \nNudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness\n by Cass Sunstein and Richard Thaler\n\n\n11. \nMoney Stories from Malaysians: Volume 1\n curated by Suraya Zainudin (hehehe of course I\u2019m going to include my own book. Pls buy \u2013 \nhere\n or at major bookstores nationwide!)\n\n\nWhat\u2019s On My Bookshelf \u2013 Blues and Greens\n\n\n\n\nI HIGHLY RECOMMEND all of these books:\n\n\n1. \nEverything is Figureoutable: How One Simple Belief Can Help Us Overcome Any Obstacle and Create Unstoppable Success\n by Marie Forleo\n\n\n2. \nConfessions of a Sociopath: A Life Spent Hiding in Plain Sight\n by M.E. Thomas\n\n\n3. \nAni\u2019s Railway Odyssey: An Exile\u2019s 18,200 KM Journey Home From London to Kuala Lumpur\n by Nooraini Mydin (Buy at \nGerakBudaya\n; major bookstores)\n\n\n4. \nPhysics of the Future: How Science Will Shape Human Destiny and Our Daily Lives by the Year 2100\n by Michio Kaku\n\n\n5. \nRejection Proof: How I Beat Fear and Became Invincible Through 100 Days of Rejection\n by Jia Jiang\n\n\n6. \nYou\u2019re a Badass at Making Money: Master the Mindset of Wealth\n by Jen Sincero\n\n\n7. \nDrunk Tank Pink: And Other Unexpected Forces That Shape How We Think, Feel, and Behave\n by Adam Alter\n\n\n8. \nThe Man Who Quit Money\n by Mark Sundeen\n\n\n9. \nBecoming Hannah: A Personal Journey\n by Hannah Yeo (Buy at \nGerakBudaya\n; major bookstores)\n\n\nWhat\u2019s On My Bookshelf \u2013 Reds and Browns\n\n\n\n\nI HIGHLY RECOMMEND all of these books:\n\n\n1. \nSapiens: A Brief History of Humankind\n by Yuval Noah Harari\n\n\n2. \nStraight to Hell: True Tales of Deviance, Debauchery, and Billion-Dollar Deals\n by John LeFerve\n\n\n3. \nGive and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success\n by Adam Grant\n\n\n4. \nPolitically Correct Bedtime Stories: Modern Tales for Our Life and Times\n by James Finn Garner\n\n\n5. \nHow to Win Friends & Influence People\n by Dale Carnegie\n\n\n6. \nNickeled and Dimed: On Getting By in America\n by Barbara Ehrenreich\n\n\nWhat\u2019s On My Bookshelf -Whites, Greys and Blacks\n\n\nI HIGHLY RECOMMEND all of these books:\n\n\n1. \nTengku Noor Zakiah: Malaysia\u2019s Pioneering Stockbroker\n (Major bookstores)\n\n\n2. \n7\u00a0 Habits of Highly Effective People\n by Stephen Covey\n\n\n3. \nFashion Babylon\n by Imogen Edwards-Jones \u00a0*Inspired the \nHow the Fashion Industry Makes Money (Credit: Fashion Babylon)\n article\n\n\n4. \nOriginals: How Non-Conformists Move the World\n by Adam Grant\n\n\n5. \nMistakes I Made at Work: 25 Influential Women Reflect on What They Got Out of Getting It Wrong\n\n\n6. \nThe Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl\n by Belle Du Jour\n\n\n7. \nEat, Pray, Love\n by Elizabeth Gilbert\n\n\n8. \nBargain Fever: How to Shop in a Discounted World\n by Mark Ellwood *Inspired the \nWhy We Can\u2019t Stop Spending Money\n article\n\n\n9. \nAtomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones\n by James Clear\n\n\n10. \nAround the World in 50 Years: My Adventure to Every Country on Earth\n b\ny \nAlbert Podell\n\n\n11. \n21 Lessons for the 21st Century\n by Yuval Noah Harari\n\n\n12. \n1984\n by George Orwell\n\n\n13. \nHomo Deus\n by Yuval Noah Harari\n\n\n14. \nMoody Bitches: The Truth About the Drugs You\u2019re Taking, the Sleep You\u2019re Missing, the Sex You\u2019re Not Having, and What\u2019s Really Making You Crazy\n by Julie Holland, MD\n\n\n15. \nThe Art of War \nby Sun Tzu\n\n\n16. \nHoly Men, Holy Women\n by Dina Zaman (Buy at \nGerakBudaya\n; major bookstores)\n\n\nWhat books do YOU have on your bookshelves?\n\n\n(Or your Kindle. Or your audiobook playlist \u2013 listening to books is reading, too!)\n\n\nNote: If you want to get your hands on any of the books I recommended above, consider getting them from:\n\n\n\n\nBookDepository.com\n, the online book marketplace. Deliveries are free (but admittedly lengthy), the prices tend to be alright, sometimes way cheaper than bookstores and\n\n\nKinokuniya\n \u2013 you know them. Buy from here if you want faster deliveries\n\n\n\n\nIf you buy through the link, I\u2019ll earn a small commission without any additional cost to you.\n\n\nI love getting book recommendations. Share with me a book (or a few) that made a deep, lasting impact to you in the comments section below, can? It doesn\u2019t have to be money-related.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/personal/work-from-home/", "title": "What\u2019s Its Like to Work From Home (4 Years Update!)\n  ", "body": "Wow, it\u2019s been almost four years since I work from home full-time. \nThe last time I wrote about it, I was only one year in\n!\n\n\nIt\u2019s still a little bit surreal. Like many of you, I grew up thinking that 9-6 working days is the default. It\u2019s even more surreal when I remember that this work from home thing was an accident. \nThe plan was actually to do a bit of freelance writing to make some extra income while I find myself a new, stable job. \n\n\nThen somehow work turned to more work and I just never stopped and here I am? Sometimes I still catch myself thinking \u2018ah how nice would it be to work from home wait Suraya you \ndo \nwork from home you dolt\u2019.\u00a0\n\n\nIn any case, in this article I want to share with you the good parts about working from home, the bad parts and tasks I personally do as a work-from-home writer. I think it\u2019s fair to say this article is written based on experience. Enjoy.\n\n\nWork from Home: The Good\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Generally saving money\u00a0\n\n\nI really like this part. There are many areas where I get to save money, or do money-saving experiments. It\u2019s brilliant.\u00a0\n\n\nFor example:\n\n\n\n\nI find that I no longer need to maintain my car, so I gave it back to my dad (yes I\u2019m privileged). My monthly transportation costs are now around the RM300-400 range via Grab and public transportation, as opposed to at least RM500-800 per month on car maintenance, not including the repairs\n\n\nI get to make homemade meals, which tend to be cheaper and healthier than outside food\n\n\nI don\u2019t need to stock up on too many work clothes\n\n\nLove love love adding small but satisfying life upgrades but on a budget. Like \nmaking fresh coffee at home\n instead of instant. Mmmm\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 The general flexibility is nice\n\n\nI rarely use alarm clocks. Yes, it is amazing, not even going to lie about that.\n\n\nAnd because I set tasks for the day without locking it to any timeslot, I don\u2019t really care what I do for the day as long as I get shit done.\u00a0\n\n\nMy productivity level depends on my mood, which to be fair can be a good or a bad thing. Sometimes I\u2019d finish my work early and reward myself with Youtube videos. Sometimes I procrastinate like crazy then use the deadline stress to force myself to work.\u00a0\n\n\n#3 \u2013 The extra time is a blessing\n\n\nI didn\u2019t realise this until someone pointed it out, but people who work from home gained so much time from one single thing: no commute to work.\u00a0\n\n\n(And sometimes we get extra time when we feel too lazy to change out of our pajamas too!)\n\n\nAnd what do I do with this blessing? I waste it on social media smh\n\n\n#4 \u2013 The possibility of working from anywhere!\n\n\nThe term commonly used for this dreamy-sounding lifestyle is digital nomad, which I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve heard.\u00a0\n\n\nPersonally, I \nused \nto like the idea of travelling while working \u2013 it still seemed like the perfect, responsibility-free life, mind you \u2013 but have since accepted that it\u2019s just a matter of the grass looking greener on the other side. \n\n\nThinking about it, yeah I don\u2019t really want to work while on vacation. I just want to chill and eat food and get fat.\u00a0\n\n\nPlus I have two cats I love too much to leave behind. How can I not fall for them ugh.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nI gave birth to two cats this morning\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nJan 6, 2017 at 12:22am PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Going to malls and offices at non-peak hours\u00a0\n\n\nGoing to crowded places during weekends now legit stresses me out. And when I get stressed out I get cranky and a bit bitchy. In my head, everyone who so much breathes near me gets cursed for seven generations.\u00a0\n\n\n#6 \u2013 You can order stuff online and wait for it to arrive at home\n\n\nI can confirm that this is really really nice (but a bit dangerous!)\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Picking and choosing who you want to work and hang out with (and who you don\u2019t)\n\n\nThis privilege is only available after you established yourself as a professional, after you start getting work inquiries and word-of-mouth referrals, basically after you can afford to say no. \n\n\nUnlike traditional work settings, where you are forced to get along with annoying characters to get your workload done, being your own boss means you can always say no (politely) if you don\u2019t want to.\u00a0\n\n\nPro-tip: make your own contacts list, comprising of people you can pass off jobs to. For example, sometimes when I have too much on my plate and receive yet another job inquiry, I would share the work opportunity among my contacts for free.\u00a0\n\n\nIt\u2019s the best win-win arrangement- the client still thinks you\u2019re reliable and your colleagues will like you for sharing work opportunities around.\u00a0\n\n\nI would say the best perk here is definitely the ability to pursue genuine friendships with like-minded individuals and avoid the toxic crowd. I can\u2019t tell you how much I value being away from people who love complaining and think everything in the world sucks. \n\n\nThose who have these people as colleagues \u2013 I\u2019m so sorry for you. Hang in there. Pakai earphones.\u00a0\n\n\nAlright so far everything\u2019s been good. Got bad parts meh, working from home? Goooot.\n\n\nWork from Home: The Bad\n\n\nTime to burst some bubbles.\u00a0\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Work from home is only fun if you\u2019re not stressed about money\n\n\nThis is the real truth right here. If you\u2019re not financially secure, your house will feel like a prison. There\u2019s no fun to speak of, just stress. Not knowing where your next paycheck is going to come combined with dwindling savings is like 10/10 in the modern-day stress scale.\u00a0\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Work from home is only possible if you can avoid distractions\n\n\nSome people resort to placing their phones in another room while they work so they don\u2019t get distracted. Others make themselves a study or a den. However you do it, you need to optimise your surrounding to encourage something called \u2018flow\u2019.\u00a0\n\n\nSometimes I get angry when people say things like, oh stay-at-home mothers/fathers can still work from home and get supplemental income for the family. Kids are distracting af. Can\u2019t focus.\u00a0\n\n\n#3 \u2013 People think you\u2019re free all the time\n\n\nAnd may take advantage of you because of it.\n\n\nProtip: Don\u2019t call yourself a freelancer. The \u2018free\u2019 in freelancer somehow makes people think that your services are worth less than what it is and you\u2019re somehow free all the time.\u00a0\n\n\nCall yourself something else: founder, consultant, specialist, whatever. I notice that people took my work a lot more seriously after I stopped calling myself a freelance writer and started calling myself a communications consultant.\u00a0\n\n\n#4 \u2013 It\u2019s very hard to switch off from work\n\n\nI\u2019m writing this article at 2am on a Monday night. My brain is still on work mode and I don\u2019t know how to get it to stop.\u00a0\n\n\n#5 \u2013\u00a0\nNo medical leaves, EPF contribution from employer or other employee benefits\n\n\nObviously. By now I\u2019m used to it, and I make my own arrangements, but I remember panicking about losing my income while I fell sick once, early in the work from home phase of life.\u00a0\n\n\nProtip: You can make voluntary EPF and PRS contributions and earmark those as retirement savings. Both also can get tax relief.\u00a0\n\n\nOk those should be all the good and not-so-good parts about working from home. Some of the points overlapped with the \n1-year self-employed progress article\n, and I\u2019m glad I\u2019m finding it easier, not harder. Maybe it\u2019s a simple case of me simply getting used to the hard parts, but I\u2019ll take it.\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\n\nWork from home: A typical week\u00a0\n\n\nWhat I \ndidn\u2019t\n expect after I started working from home is the surprising variety of my tasks in my to-do list. I thought I\u2019d face the computer screen full-time. Not really.\u00a0\n\n\nIn a typical week, my tasks would include:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nContent creation and optimisation\n. Writing articles for RinggitOhRinggit.com. Generate and pitch content proposals to clients. Not all ideas made it into articles \u2013 I balance between what I want to write and what\u2019s a good SEO strategy. I also update older articles to be more relevant\n\n\nBusiness writing\n. I get everything from scripting to website copywriting to report-writing jobs\u00a0\n\n\nDigital marketing\n. Ideating and scheduling posts for social media channels for Ringgit Oh Ringgit\n\n\nClient management\n. Nurturing potential leads and giving updates on pending projects to existing clients\n\n\nProject management\n. Hiring and outsourcing other freelancers to complete bigger projects, either my own or clients\u2019. For example, Money Stories from Malaysians book series is one of my projects\u00a0\n\n\nSocial media engagement\n. Replying comments across all RoR channels\n\n\nAttending industry-related events\n. Always good to learn new things. I\u2019d call this networking but truth is I get too shy to talk to people I don\u2019t know, so I stay quiet at the back\n\n\nAdministrative works.\n Preparing invoices and organising folders, signing contracts and scheduling meetings, replying emails and removing spam in website\u2019s comment section, updating contacts list and doing deliveries. Things like that\n\n\nAnalytics and technical\n. Checking if the website and social media\u2019s growth is on track. Make amendments to growth strategy if needed. Optimise website\u2019s speed, layout, navigation etc\n\n\nNetworking.\n Mostly online, through various communities I\u2019m part of\n\n\n\n\nI have a nice routine going on now, rotating all of the above in a way that still balances my work/personal life. Getting that balance was tough. It was hard before it was \neasy\n somewhat tolerable.\u00a0\n\n\nDo note here that my typical week as a work from home professional might differ from someone else\u2019s, even if we could be working in the same industry*. Even so, I thought you could find this insight interesting.\u00a0\n\n\n*My industry: Business writing, article-writing, digital marketing, website maintenance\n\n\nThe \u2018path\u2019 or someone who works from home\n\n\nYou know how you were blind to something and then once pointed out, that\u2019s all you could see?\n\n\nYeah that\u2019s what\u2019s happening with me and this strange little community of work-from-home people.\n\n\nI know people who set up \nhome offices\n. Like really nice ones. One person did tech support. Another did party planning. Another did English tutoring to Chinese kids, with e-commerce on the side.\u00a0\u00a0\n\n\nI know people who decided to get an office to work from or \nreturn to the workforce\n because they actually got sick of working from home. For some reason or another the novelty wore off. I guess irregular paychecks is not for everyone.\u00a0\n\n\nI know people who do the \ndigital nomad\n-ing thing. In this region, Langkawi, Bali and Chiang Mai appear to be favourites.\u00a0\n\n\nI know people who started working from home \nfrom necessity\n, not by choice. It\u2019s just a way to save money on business expenses in the early stages. As soon as they could afford to hire a team, they moved to co-working spaces and offices.\n\n\nI know work-from-home people who appear to travel a damn lot in order to recruit more people into their \nMLM\n. The irony is they used the work-from-home lifestyle as a bait.\u00a0\u00a0\n\n\nI know people who intentionally\n learn skillsets\n that would allow them to be able to make a living from home. Because they are sick of working for other people, and they just crave more independence.\u00a0\n\n\nAnd I know other people, who, like me, rent their own place and \ndouble it up as their office\n. Sometimes we go work from cafes or co-working places just for a change of scenery, but mostly we\u2019re quite happy being solitary.\n\n\nEach of the above groups, while being part of the same community (so to speak), face their own set of challenges.\n\n\nLast words\n\n\nTell me about yourself. Do you have work from home fantasies? Or do you currently work from home yourself?\n\n\nIf you\u2019re the latter, let me know what you do and what you think of this article. How similar or different is my experience from yours?\n\n\nThe comments section is below. You know what to do \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nFurther reading:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n11 things I learned about self-employment in Malaysia\n\u00a0\n\n\nHow to Get Clients: A Guide for Malaysian Freelancers\n\n\nHow to Charge Clients: 5 Methods Freelancers Can Use\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/saving-money/affordable-homes-in-malaysia/", "title": "10 Affordable Homes in Malaysia to Check Out if You Earn Average Income\n  ", "body": "\n\nFor the average person earning average salary and income, getting an affordable home in Malaysia can be a challenge, no doubt about it. Many of the options available on the market will be \u2018severely unaffordable\u2019* to you. \n\n\n*According to \nKhazanah Research Institute\n, property prices in Malaysia is \u2018severely unaffordable\u2019 at 4.4 times the median annual household income (2014 data). A more acceptable range is 3x\n\n\nYet, some affordable home options do exist. 10 options, in fact. \n\n\nBefore I get your hopes up\u2026\n\n\nAffordable homes in Malaysia won\u2019t be the same as housing offered by private developers\n\n\nFirst of all, you have to accept that any type of affordable house in Malaysia will NOT be at the same par with the more expensive options offered by private developers. No matter how you put it, a house costing less than RM300k or so COULD NOT offer the same things as a house costing RM500k and above. \n\n\nSo yes, do not expect the bells and whistles in these low cost housing in Malaysia. Instead, do expect that there will be downsides. Some that I could think of:\n\n\n\n\nLocated far from public transportation/work\n\n\nLack amenities\n\n\nBad management and maintenance\n\n\nOn the small side\n\n\nSuper dense and lack privacy\n\n\nLower-quality materials\n\n\nHard to get (lottery system)\n\n\nNot applicable to you (don\u2019t fit the requirements)\n\n\nLots of T&Cs (cannot rent out, etc)\n\n\nEtc\n\n\n\n\n(Feel free to confirm these downsides, or add more that I missed.)\n\n\nOn the plus side, you do have the ability to choose which downside(s) you can live with (or even enjoy). With that established, let\u2019s go ahead with the choices of affordable homes in Malaysia you can get. \n\n\n#1-6 \u2013 Affordable Housing Schemes by Malaysian Government\n\n\n As of writing time, the \nMyGov portal\n lists these 6 affordable housing schemes for Malaysians. Each of them has their own T&C \u2013 click on each one to learn more.\n\n\n\n\nPerumahan Penjawat Awam Malaysia (PPAM)\n\n\nPR1MA\n\u00a0\n\n\nMy First Home Scheme\n\n\nFederal Territory Malaysia Home/ RUMAWIP\n\n\nMyHome\n\n\nMy Selangor Home\n\n\n\n\nBefore you click on any of those links, again I want to say- these affordable housing schemes have T&Cs. There \nmight\n will be requirements for applicants, and even rules for buying/living/selling the house. For some, I\u2019m aware you can\u2019t even rent it out (not that it stops *some* people..)\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Buy flats instead of other types of housing\n\n\nThis one is no secret \u2013 a type of low-cost housing in Malaysia, flats do tend to be priced cheaper than other types of housing. \n\n\nYou can find flats at all major property listing pages, like PropertyGuru, iProperty, Mudah.my and more. \n\n\n#8 \u2013 Buy a cheap plot of land then DIY your small house\n\n\nNext is building your own small house. \n\n\nHowever, I feel like this option is a bit deceptive since you\u2019ll probably spend more than you think for basic infrastructure, like electricity, water, sewerage system and roads.\n\n\nIf hooking up your house to the grid is not possible, then you have to install solar panels, rain water harvesting and filtration system, and more. All these costs good money.  \n\n\nRegardless, it may be a valid choice for some people, so that\u2019s why I\u2019m including it here. It is possible to build the house on your parents/relatives land (with their permission of course). That\u2019s what these Youtubers did:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#9 \u2013 Buy a house outside of cities\n\n\nYou already know this option, but worth saying anyway: generally speaking, properties sold outside of cities, like in smaller towns and kampungs tend to be a lot cheaper. \n\n\nIf so far, #1-9 is not suitable for you, here\u2019s one last option especially for people looking for affordable house in Selangor area.\n\n\n#10 \u2013 Consider Yayasan My First Home \n\n\nAnd last but not least is an option I found out from ex-Berjaya CEO Jalil Rasheed sometime back. \nYayasan My First Home\n is an affordable house in Selangor that is championed by the foundation linked to (under?) Berjaya Group. \n\n\nAs of writing time, they have one project located in Subang, Selangor. According to the website,\n\n\n\n\nStrategically located in Subang, this low-density development consists of 402 dual-key apartment units that sprawl across 3.3 acres of freehold land. \n\n\nThere are three unit types, each with a built up of 900 Sq. Ft. Featuring, Type A: 4 Bedroom & 3 Bathroom, Type B: 5 Bedroom & 4 Bathroom and Type C (Universal Unit): 3 Bedroom & 2 Bathroom. \n\n\n\n\nI also found the financing options on the website, here it is. It looks like they scrapped the (supposedly) 60-year loan idea and retained 35-year loan term (common for mortgages taken by Malaysians).\n\n\n\n\nThere you have it, 10 options to get low cost housing in Malaysia. Click on the respective links to find out more information. \n\n\nTo end this, a reminder. Like I said in the beginning, each of them CANNOT be compared to the more expensive options offered by private developers. \n\n\nRegardless, I hope this list helps aspiring homebuyers who also want to be financially responsible and live within their means can pick the best housing option for them. \n\n\nBefore we part, I\u2019d love to hear from people who have picked one of these affordable home options \u2013 what would you do differently, if you were to do it again? Share with us in the comments \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/saving-money/beauty-products-malaysia/", "title": "My 5 Rules to Make Beauty Products Affordable\n  ", "body": "I talk about money and currency all the time \u2013 things that are valuable; that has value. Beauty has value as well, and this post is all about that.\n\n\nMakeup and skincare are something I took up seriously early on, but never really mastered. I\u2019m still navigating this world. Some women are really good at it, and I salute them. If you don\u2019t, it\u2019s worth trying \u2013 wearing makeup (or at least good at grooming) \nmay help you to earn more money, according to this research\n. There is financial benefit in being more attractive, so why not? Worth noting: the effect is similar to men, albeit a smaller boost.\n\n\nI have 5 general rules when it comes to beauty. It may help you, it may not, but this is what helps to make beauty affordable to me.\n\n\n\n\nRule #1 \u2013 If it doesn\u2019t fit in this pouch, I\u2019m not buying it\n\n\n\n\nThis is my makeup pouch. It doubles as my travelling makeup pouch. It\u2019s a good size \u2013 not too big, not too small.\n\n\nMy first rule is about space. Space for beauty products. Ending up with\u00a0too many products is\u00a0something I want to avoid even from the start.\n\n\nSo this helps me to visualise available space. I\u2019d love to have a full set of makeup brushes, but nope, it doesn\u2019t fit, oh well. Having lipsticks in multiple shades would be dope as well, but nope, no space.\n\n\nI saved a lot of money with this rule.\n\n\nRule #2 \u2013 Moisturising + Sun Protection is Non-Negotiable\n\n\n\n\nThis is what my mama teach me \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nMy mom has really nice skin at her age. No sun spots, so much less wrinkles. She\u2019s gorgeous, and I can only hope to look half as good as her.\n\n\nShe uses Murad skincare, which is a brand I really like, but can\u2019t really afford. But I take the basic idea \u2013 sunscreen (30SPF and above) and some kind of moisturising product. I really like this Hada Labo Hydrating Lotion thing\u00a0\u2013 it\u2019s like RM40+, and\u00a0people have been saying nice things about my skin so I\u2019m going to keep using it.\n\n\nI\u2019m still trying to expand m skincare routine, slowly. It\u2019s a bit hard because I\u2019m picky- I hate fragrances in skincare. If you have a good product to recommend, please comment.\n\n\nRule #3 \u2013 Groom your eyebrows, it frames your face\n\n\n\n\nThe first time I got my eyebrows groomed professionally, I cried. It hurts so\u00a0bad, omg. But the effect was\u2026 noticeable\u2026 highly noticeable.\n\n\nHere\u2019s my eyebrows game: professional salon/threading (ranges from RM10-35 per session), then I stretch out between appointments by plucking stray hairs as they grow. When it gets too out of hand again, I go for another session. The products above are cheap, and I\u2019d like my eyebrows cost to stay cheap.\n\n\nMy sister is really good at eyebrows. She has this brow tint thing, and this brow powder thing, and jeez her eyebrows are on point. I\u2019m nowhere near as good, but at least now I can balance my eyebrows \u00a0most of the time.\n\n\nRule #4 \u2013 2 Kabuki brushes\u00a0= enough brushes\n\n\n\n\nI get tempted to get more makeup brushes all the time. ALL THE TIME!\n\n\nBut I\u2019ve had these brushes for years and they kinda fill almost all of my needs so I always talk myself out of buying new ones. One for blush, one for face powder.\n\n\nI \ndon\u2019t do\n\u00a0am unable to do contouring, or fancy shading techniques. I should learn, because those things are goals. Use light manipulation on the face, whatttttt you clever witch you. Teach meeee\n\n\nI have a sponge (not pictured), too, which helps me apply my concealer \u2013 but most of the time I end up using my fingers.\n\n\nRule #5 \u2013 Whatever you get as a present, use it up!\n\n\n\n\nThe above are some stuff I received as presents from amazing people, for birthdays, Christmas, contest rewards, or \u2018just because\u2019. Thank you, you kind person you <3\n\n\nI love my \u2018use it up\u2019 rule. My brain: Oh! That shop has sales! Eh, I don\u2019t need another body lotion at 50% off, I still have them at home \u2013 that\u2019s 100% off.\n\n\nSometimes I get really good stuff, too. I\u2019m now a fan of Paul Panders lipstick, Bodyshop Satsuma Body Scrub, and Kerastene shampoo.\n\n\nIf you generally have a lot of products (presents or otherwise), aim to use it up. Using up stuff is a great way to make beauty a lot more affordable, and it forces you to think of what you buy because its a commitment to use it up.\n\n\nBonus: Rule #6 \u2013 Stocking up on clearance sales is ok, occasionally\n\n\nNo picture because I used up most of the products.\n\n\nLike anyone else, I enjoy a good haul. I can\u2019t/won\u2019t do this from Sephora, but clearance sales are ok, if I can get a good amount\u00a0under RM50 or so!\n\n\nI\u2019ve bought a lot of Himalaya products on clearance, and now I\u2019m a big fan of Himalaya Walnut Face Scrub. (Something something don\u2019t use scrubs with plastic beads they kill the ocean something something)\n\n\nI\u2019ve also bought a shit load of face masks on sale from pop-up booths. RM1 per face mask? Yass\n\n\nSometimes Jusco, Guardian and stuff have clearance on beauty products, which I\u2019ll snap up. I\u2019m talking about items that are 70% off, not mere 10% off.\n\n\nI try not to do this too much because I know quality products costs money, but hauls are fun and an occasional treat.\n\n\n\n\nDo you have your own rules to make beauty more affordable for you? I\u2019d love to know tips and tricks! Please comment below or tell me by tweeting to me at @surayaror!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/saving-money/best-savings-accounts-in-malaysia/", "title": "6 Best Savings Accounts in Malaysia to Put Your Emergency Funds\n  ", "body": "\n\nLet\u2019s assume you earn a good salary and/or have low expenses, and you need a place to put 3-6 months\u2019 worth of living expenses (\nStep 3 in the road to financial freedom\n). The question now is, which are the best savings accounts in Malaysia, that you can use to keep your emergency funds safe? \n\n\nHere are 6 savings accounts in Malaysia that you can consider.\n\n\nNote: This article is about the best savings accounts in Malaysia to keep your emergency funds. \nEmphasis on emergency\n. Therefore, all the options on this list MUST either be cash or can be \nquickly\n converted/sold into cash \nwithout losing much value\n. In investing-speak, we call this \u2018liquid\u2019.\n\n\nWith that clarified, let\u2019s go ahead and rank the best places to save money in Malaysia. The ranking order is decided by myself, but let me know if you have opinions \u2013 open to compelling arguments.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 ASB / Tabung Haji\n\n\nPersonally, I use my \nASB (Amanah Saham Bumiputera\n) as my primary out-of-reach savings account. Whenever I get extra money, I keep it there instead of leave it in my bank account so I \u2018forget\u2019 about it. \n\n\nUnfortunately, ASB is not available for non-Bumi. The next best alternative for non-Bumi is ASM (but it\u2019s \nreally hard to get\n). \n\n\nAnother option is \nTabung Haji, \nwhich is usually used by Muslims to save money for hajj, but is open to Muslims from any background.\n\n\nASB and Tabung Haji are examples of mutual fund/unit trust (technically considered different things, but used interchangeably in Malaysia). \n\n\nIs unit trust a good place to save money in Malaysia?\n\n\nI\u2019d say other mutual funds/unit trusts are not as great for short-term savings purposes, because they:\n\n\n\n\nLock up your money until retirement \u2013 case in point, EPF and PRS (Private Retirement Scheme, kinda like secondary, optional EPF)\n\n\nCharge you a lot of fees. \nMany unit trusts and mutual funds will impose a combination of these 9 types of fees\n.\n\n\n\n\nYou\u2019re better off saving your money in #2-6 in this list. \n\n\nHow to withdraw ASB online\u00a0\n\n\nWithdrawing money from ASB is easy. You can go to the bank or to post office and make a request at the counter.\n\n\nThe more convenient method is to submit the request to withdraw ASB online from myASNB portal or app. It\u2019s a simple enough process yet mafan enough to do that (hopefully) you\u2019ll only take your savings out only when you really want/need to. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 High-interest savings account (HISA)\n\n\n Another option to keep your emergency funds is HISA \u2013 that\u2019s short for high-interest savings account. \n\n\nWhich high-interest savings account in Malaysia is the best depends on bank promos at the time. Check out the \nHISA comparison article by RinggitPlus\n. \n\n\nThe thing about HISA is that the money in there is not really locked away \u2013 a blessing and a curse tbh. If you find yourself \u2018dipping\u2019 into your own savings account too often, then may I suggest you to:\n\n\n\n\nOpen an account with another bank and hide the debit card, or\n\n\nUse other methods in this list\n\n\n\n\nBut otherwise, many people find high-interest savings accounts a good financial tool for saving money. Some people open separate savings accounts for:\n\n\n\n\nMarriage fund\n\n\nCar fund\n\n\nTravel fund\n\n\nFun fund\n\n\nAnd more\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Fixed deposit\n\n\nThe third place to save money in Malaysia is fixed deposits or FDs. \n\n\nIt\u2019s funny because here, \u2018locking up\u2019 your money and not being able to access it for a time period is \nnot a bug, it\u2019s a feature.\u00a0\nIf you need a financial tool that will PENALISE you for taking out your own money before the contract ends, then FDs is for you. \n\n\nSelecting one is super easy. You can find options at your bank, or use financial comparison platforms. Ideally you want the one that offers the highest interest rates, but keep in mind how long you\u2019re locking your money for, and the minimum deposit you need.\n\n\nRinggitPlus makes it easy to find Islamic FDs too \u2013 select the \u2018Islamic\u2019 tab and your options will show up.\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Cash Management Platforms\n\n\nCash management platforms are like fixed deposits, except WITHOUT the lock-in clause. \nTherefore, this makes them arguably better than fixed deposits. \n\n\nAs of the time of writing, there are 4 options for cash management platform: \n\n\n\n\nStashaway Simple\n\n\nVersa Asia\n (Shariah-compliant option) (Get RM10 when you deposit RM100)\n\n\nTouch N Go E-wallet\u2019s Go+ (Shariah-compliant option)\n\n\nKDI Save\n\n\n\n\nAll four are good options. Pick the one that gives the highest rates and/or have sign-up bonus for new users.  \n\n\n#5 \u2013 Gold Savings Accounts\n\n\nTo be honest, Gold as savings is\u2026 optional. Despite what the agents say, it\u2019s ok to not have gold at all, and just do #1-4. \n\n\nBut if you do want gold, and are aware that (1) gold price fluctuates (so you only put 5-15% of your assets in gold, not ALL of it) and (2) there are costs to buy/sell/keep the gold, then you can consider it. \n\n\nSome gold savings accounts in Malaysia include:\n\n\n\n\nMaybank Gold Investment Account\n (shariah-compliant)\n\n\nWahed Invest\n Gold Account (shariah-compliant)\n\n\n\n\nThe options above are \ndigital\n gold.\n Physical\n gold can also act as emergency savings. More options, including Gold ETFs are available in the \nThe Beginner\u2019s Guide to Buying Gold in Malaysia\n article. \n\n\nThere are unique benefits to keeping physical gold. I\u2019ll explained by Sam, in the \n4 Things You Can Do If You Need Money URGENTLY in Malaysia\n article.\n\n\n\n\nSams\n\u00a0\u2013 (I would) take my gold bar \u2013 purposely bought for emergency situation like this \u2013 to Ar-Rahnu. With them, I\u2019m able to get a loan worth 60%~70% from the the current market gold price. They charge 0.07% per month in fees (note: fees may vary).\n\n\nI\u2019ve done this a lot when I need to renew car insurance, repair car breakdown, cover medical bills and more. By using Ar-Rahnu or pawnshop service, always try to redeem your gold as fast as possible, to avoid more charge (\u2018upah simpan\u2019). \n\n\nThe good thing about this method, you are able to get your gold back once you redeem it thus maintaining your asset.\n\n\nExample calculation: 10g gold bar 10g x RM190 x 60% = RM1140 | Fees \u2013 RM1140 x 0.7% = RM7.98 per month\n\n\n\n\nPersonally, I love the experience of owning gold. Like many people, I bought some gold with the \u2018trader\u2019 mentality \u2013 heard that gold prices went up from the news and just wanted to make a quick buck. Over time, it prepared me for price fluctuations and taught me how demand/supply works in the world market.\n\n\nIf it weren\u2019t for gold, I wouldn\u2019t be brave enough to dip my toes in higher-risk, higher-rewards investments like stocks and even crypto. But that\u2019s just me.\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Keeping foreign currencies\n\n\nAnd last but not least, you can also keep your extra money in other country\u2019s notes. Especially \u2018valuable\u2019 ones like the US Dollar, Euro, Japanese Yen and British Pounds. These are not \u2018savings account\u2019 in the literal sense, but rather if you feel keeping all your money in RM is risky. \n\n\nHow it works is simple: convert your excess RM into foreign currencies. If you need the cash, you can simply convert them back to RM. If \nyou\u2019re good at macroeconomics\n luck is in your favour, the foreign currencies you kept may have strengthened against the RM.\n\n\n(The reverse is true. It\u2019s absolutely possible that the currencies may weakened against the RM. In this case, you would get less RM than what you started with)\n\n\nThe best place to keep foreign currencies, in my opinion, is via the \nWise multi-currency account\n. You can hold 53 different currencies, and it even comes with a debit card so you can spend it easily. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Keep your money in cash\n\n\nPeople steal.\n\n\nOnce, I witnessed a young woman breaking down at an LRT station after she was informed her room was broken into and all her savings were gone. You probably have experienced this yourself, or know someone who had their money stolen this way.\n\n\nI did, too, when I was younger. Hid some money in my room. It was stolen by my own family member.\n\n\n(I\u2019m embarrassed to admit I used to steal my mom\u2019s money as well. Mak, Aya minta maaf!)\n\n\nPlease be careful when you save money with methods #5 (Gold), #6 (Foreign currencies) and in cash (RM). Please keep them safe, or avoid them totally, especially if you live in a high-crime area. Use the other methods in this list.\n\n\nNow that you know \nwhere\n are the best savings accounts in Malaysia, we also have to cover the obvious fact that\u2026\n\n\nYou can only save for rainy days if you earn enough\n\n\nHow to save money if you are making less than a living wage and/or your commitments are high, and everything you earn goes to necessities? You can\u2019t. \n\n\nThis article is for those of you who are earning more than your core expenses, your financial commitments. If you are not, I\u2019m sorry to say but you have no choice but to earn more, either from \nearning side income\n or from \njobs with higher salaries\n. \n\n\nYou may also try to increase your savings rate by radically \nsave money on accommodation\n and \nfood\n. \n\n\nForget all the \u2018how to save more money\u2019 advice \u2013 first of all, you probably are already good at budgeting, because you NEED to. Secondly, you can\u2019t frugal your way out of low-income lifestyle. If unexpected emergency situations don\u2019t kill you, rising cost of living will.\n\n\nI realise this is easier said than done for some folks. Unfortunately, the system is not fair and unlikely to change. I can only wish you luck and hope you have the perseverance to make it. \n\n\nWhere would YOU save your money?\n\n\nAre there any other best savings accounts in Malaysia that\u2019s not in this list? Which methods do YOU personally use to save your money? Do you have bad experience with any of these methods? Do you agree or disagree with the ranking?\n\n\nLet me know in the comments section, I\u2019d love to hear from you!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/saving-money/birth-control-in-malaysia/", "title": "COMPLETE Guide to Birth Control in Malaysia, Emergency Contraception and Abortion\n  ", "body": "\n\nHello women and men who live alongside women. Today, let\u2019s learn about the options and costs of birth control in Malaysia.\n\n\nThis guide is divided into the following sections:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nSection 1:\n Preventative and family planning \u2013 how to avoid getting pregnant\n\n\nSection 2:\n Access to emergency contraception \u2013 where to get contraceptive pill/ morning-after pill \nin Malaysia\n\n\nSection 3:\n How and where to get an abortion in Malaysia (I don\u2019t want you to get to this stage but I\u2019d rather you not die with DIY methods, so)\n\n\nSection 4: \nAdoption in Malaysia \u2013 how to give your baby up for adoption in Malaysia and who to contact\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSome notes:\n\n\n\n\nCost figures from government-run clinics\n are taken from \nLPPKN website\n. Their prices are the cheapest, but \nlimited to only married couples\n. To access their services, you have to register yourself and your spouse at the \nPortal Reproductive Health System page\n\n\nCost figures from private sector are estimates\n, based on multiple sources, including Reddit threads (like\n this one\n and \nthis one\n). It varies depending on the type of institution you go to \u2013 pharmacies, public/private hospitals or local/specialist clinics.\u00a0\n\n\nAccess to birth control from the private sector is legal in Malaysia.\n There are no official laws stipulating certain marital status is required. Any doctor that denies you simply because you\u2019re unmarried has no right to do so. If they refuse to provide services, simply go to another doctor who is unbiased\n\n\nBirth control IS NOT the same thing as STD (sexually-transmitted disease) or STI (sexually-transmitted infection) prevention.\n Only abstinence and condoms help prevent STDs and STIs.\n\n\n\n\nWithout further ado, scroll down to the sections you need.\u00a0\n\n\nSection 1: Preventative birth control and family planning in Malaysia\n\n\nThe methods are sorted from least to most costly. Data on effectiveness were taken from the \nPlanned Parenthood website\n.\u00a0\n\n\n#0 \u2013 Abstinence, the rhythm method or the withdrawal method\n\n\nWhat is it:\n\n\n\n\nAbstinence method\n: \nMuch like its name, this is when an individual completely abstains from having sexual intercourse. \n\n\nRhythm method\n: This is when an individual tracks their reproductive cycle to see when their fertile window is. The \u201cfertile window\u201d is when a female is most vulnerable to pregnancy due because those days are near when ovulation would occur. \u201cOvulation\u201d is when the egg is released from the ovary. Those who use the rhythm method would engage in sexual intercourse during the days which are not part of their fertile window.\n\n\nThe withdrawal method\n: Also known as the \u201cpull-out method\u201d, this is when the male would ejaculate outside of the vagina to avoid a pregnancy from occuring.\n\n\n\n\nCost:\n None, but taking a test to find out ovulation period for the rhythm method can cost you RM12 to RM20 per test\n\n\nEffectiveness:\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nAbstinence: 100% if there\u2019s no sexual activity. But the reality is \u2018\nintentions to abstain from sexual activity often fail\n\u2019\n\n\nThe rhythm method: 76-88% effective\n\n\nThe withdrawal or pull-out method: 78% effective\n\n\n\n\nThe theory behind these methods make sense, but don\u2019t rely on them. If you\u2019re sexually active, add on another birth control method. See #1-7 below.\u00a0\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Condoms\n\n\nWhat is it:\n The male condom is used over the man\u2019s erect penis. It may be made of latex, polyurethane or polyisoprene. For those allergic to latex, there are specialised condoms made of lambskin available. It is the most common contraceptive used by couples worldwide.\n\n\nThe condom is the only form of birth control method that not only prevents pregnancy but also the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STI) like HIV, chlamydia and gonorrhoea.\u00a0\n\n\nNote: Female condoms exist, but not available/sold in Malaysia as far as I could tell.\n\n\nEffectiveness:\n 85% and even LOWER if you don\u2019t know how to put it on correctly\n\n\nWhere to get it:\n Pharmacies, convenience stores or online stores like Lazada or Shoppee. Always buy well-known and trusted brands. \nYou can also get from government-run clinics.\n\n\nCost of condoms in Malaysia:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nFrom pharmacies: Ranges from RM6 for a 3-pack, RM20 per 12-pack and onwards. \n\n\nFrom government-run clinics: RM1 for a 3-pack or RM4 per a 12-pack\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Birth control pills in Malaysia (Oral Contraception)\n\n\n\n\nWhat is it:\n \nBirth control pills are a kind of medicine with hormones to stop ovulation. No ovulation means there\u2019s no egg hanging around for sperm to fertilise, so pregnancy can\u2019t happen.\n\n\nBirth control pills come in one pack (either for 21 days or 28 days) and need to be taken daily and exactly at the same time for it to be fully effective. It is usually taken for the next 21 days after your period has ended.\u00a0\n\n\nThere are many types of birth control pills in Malaysia. Here are some of the popular options: Mercilon, Marvelon, Noriday, Nordette, Loette and Yasmin. Many people adviced to start from the lowest-cost options, and pick another one in case that brand is not suitable for your body (the side effects varies).\n\n\nEach birth control pill comes in a pack. \nWhen a pack is finished, you take a break for 7 days (to allow the period to happen) before starting a new pack/box. Some brands have 28 pills in them, with 7 pills being placebo pills \u2013 pills with no hormones, taken only by those who have problems keeping track of when they need to take the new box.\n\n\nEffectiveness:\n 91%\n\n\nWhere to get it:\n Pharmacies and government-run clinics.\u00a0 EDIT: See the comments section for feedback from readers\n\n\nCost of birth control pills in Malaysia:\n\n\n\n\nFrom pharmacies: RM10-55 per month (depends on brand)\n\n\nAt government clinics: \nRM5-52 per month \n(depends on brand)\n. Aside from the 6 below, please refer to \nLPPKN website\n for the full list of birth control pills and their pricing.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Contraceptive injection\n in Malaysia\n\n\n\n\nWhat is it: \nThe birth control shot, Depo-Provera, is a hormonal injection that prevents unplanned pregnancy for three months at a time. The hormone in this shot is progestin.\n There is also the Depocon shot. \n\n\nThe birth control shot works similarly to the birth control pill. It prevents ovulation and increases the mucus buildup around the opening of the cervix.\n\n\nEffectiveness:\n 94%\n\n\nWhere to get it: \nPrivate clinics, OBGYN or government clinics.\n\n\nCost of contraceptive injection in Malaysia:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nFrom private clinics and OBGYNs: \nRM18-RM36 per shot (effective for up to 3 months per shot)\n\n\nFrom government clinics: \nRM18-RM36\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 IUD\n in Malaysia\n\n\n\n\nWhat is it:\n \u201cIUD\u201d stands for \u201cintrauterine device\u201d. It\u2019s shaped like a \u201cT\u201d, a bit bigger than a 5 cents coin and fits inside your uterus. Pregnancy is prevented by stopping the sperm from reaching and fertilising the eggs. Once inserted, it can last from 3 to 10 years depending on what kind of IUD you have gotten.\u00a0\n\n\nEffectiveness:\n 99%\n\n\nCost of IUD in Malaysia:\u00a0\n\n\nWhere to get it:\n Private clinics, OBGYN or government-run clinics.\n\n\n\n\nHormonal IUD from private clinics and OBGYNs: RM80-RM110 (effective for up to 3-6 years, depending on the brand). Removing it will cost approx RM20\n\n\nCopper IUD \nfrom private clinics and OBGYNs\n: RM600 at a specialist centre (effective for up to 10-12 years)\n\n\nFrom government-run clinics: \nRM80-RM110. Removal is RM20\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Hormonal implants\n in Malaysia\n\n\nWhat is it:\n Hormonal implant or contraceptive implant is a\n tiny tube which is placed (\u2018implanted) under the skin of the upper arm. It releases hormones that significantly reduce the chance of pregnancy\n\n\nEffectiveness:\n 99%\n\n\nWhere to get it: \nPrivate clinics, OBGYNs or government-run clinics.\n\n\nCost of hormonal implants in Malaysia:\n \n\n\n\n\nFrom \nprivate clinics and OBGYN\ns: \nRM500 (effective for up to 3 years). Removing it will cost approx RM100.\n\n\nFrom \ngovernment-run clinics\n: \nRM500 (effective for up to 3 years). Removing it will cost RM100.\n\n\n\n\nOne of the most popular hormonal implant options is Implanon. Here\u2019s the Implanon price in Malaysia, if taken from government-run clinics. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Vasectomy\n\n\n\n\nWhat is it:\n Sterilisation method for men; minor surgery which blocks sperm from leaving the testis\n\n\nEffectiveness:\n 99%\n\n\nWhere to get it: \nPrivate or government medical centres\n\n\nCost of vasectomy is Malaysia:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nFrom private medical centres: \nRM2k-6k  (according to RoR readers)\n\n\nFrom government-run centres: \nRM300-RM550 \n(according to \nLPPKN website\n)\n\n\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Tubal Ligation\n\n\n\n\nWhat is it:\n Sterilisation method for women; surgery which blocks or removes part of the Fallopian tubes\n\n\nEffectiveness:\n 99%\n\n\nWhere to get it: \nPrivate medical centres\n\n\nCost of tubal ligation is Malaysia:\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nUnknown \u2013 please comment if you have the figures\n\n\n\n\nSection two: Access to emergency contraception \n\u2013 how to get contraceptive pill/ morning-after pill in Malaysia\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Morning-after pill (sometimes called Plan B or Emergency Contraception)\n\n\nWhat is it:\n This contraceptive pill is taken by the woman after exposure of semen in vagina, such as condom breakage. You have to take it up to 5 days after the incident. It is not recommended to take it too often as there may be side effects.\u00a0\n\n\nEffectiveness:\n It is estimated that Postinor-2 will prevent 85% of expected pregnancies. 95% of expected pregnancies will be prevented if taken within the first 24 hours, declining to 58% if taken between 48 hours and 72 hours after unprotected intercourse.\n\n\nWhere to get it:\n Pharmacies. Ask for Postinor-2, Escapella or Ella.\n\n\nCost of contraceptive/ morning-after pill in Malaysia:\n RM5-RM53\n\n\nSection 3: how and where to get an abortion in Malaysia\n\n\nPlease visit the \nReproductive Rights Advocacy Alliance Malaysia page\n and \nthis informative Reddit thread\n for medical and surgical abortion options.\u00a0\n\n\nCost of abortion in Malaysia:\n\n\n\n\nAbortion pills for termination of pregnancies under 9 weeks: RM350\n-RM580\n\n\nSurgical abortion in Malaysia: RM800-RM4000. EDIT: Also see the comments section\n\n\n\n\nSection 4: Adoption in Malaysia\n\n\nIf its too late for abortion but you/your partner don\u2019t want to keep the baby, \nplease call \nTalian Kasih at 15999 \nso you can give them up for adoption. If anonymity is important, ask for locations of baby hatches to leave the baby behind in safe conditions.\n\n\nIf you and your partner do want to keep the baby, you might want to get your \nfinancial management as a couple\n in order. You don\u2019t need me to tell you that babies are expensive. \n\n\nAre you on any birth control?\n\n\nAre you on birth control? Which one(s)? Why did you pick that option? Was it easy to get? How much was it? How did you discuss it with your partner (if you discuss at all).\n\n\nDid you go with private sector or did you utilise government-run clinics? (If you want this option, go register at \nPortal Reproductive Health System page\n). If you have tried government options, how was the experience like? Would you recommend it?\n\n\nTbh I have so many questions still.\n Information on birth control in Malaysia is not the easiest to get \u2013 I need your help to make this article more comprehensive.\n \nShare your experience in the comments section.\n\n\nStay safe kids. \n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/saving-money/cheap-glasses-malaysia/", "title": "3 Ways to Save Money on Your Prescription Glasses in Malaysia\n  ", "body": "\n\nThe cost of prescription glasses in Malaysia can be expensive, but they\u2019re still more economical than contact lenses in the long run, so it\u2019s worth investing in a pair (or two) so you get to save money in the long run.\n\n\nHowever, that doesn\u2019t mean there\u2019s no way to reduce the cost. In this article, I\u2019ve compiled three methods to save money on your prescription glasses in Malaysia, both offline (aka at shops) and where to buy glasses online, if you\u2019re really on a budget. \n\n\nDisclaimers:\n\n\nThis guide works best for low-to-medium-strength prescription glasses. For complicated cases*, it might be harder \u2013 but not impossible! \u2013 to get glasses at this price.\nIt\u2019s understandable to prioritise price if you\u2019re on a tight budget, but if you have more to spare, it\u2019s ok to not look for the best possible deal. Prioritise your eye health and invest in a high-quality pair and reputable service \u2013 there\u2019s a \ndifference between being frugal and cheap\nDon\u2019t expect branded frames. Who cares for branded frames anyway, look for quality not necessarily brand.\n\n\n*Complicated cases: suffer from both short and far-sightedness, have astigmatism, very high power, etc\n\n\nWith those in mind, here we go.\n\n\nMethod #1: Buy them from optical shops during promo\n\n\nYou\u2019ve seen this, so this tip is hardly a surprise. Many optical shops around Malaysia offer basic prescription glasses for RMxx (usually ending with RM8 for some reason). This is also a great way to get a professional eye exam \u2013 it\u2019s typically included in the package.\n\n\nIf you don\u2019t know where to go to get these glasses packages deals, shoplots nearby student areas are a good bet. Otherwise, you can also go to \nFacebook Ads Library\n, type in \u2018cermin mata\u2019 or other related keywords and find optical shops currently running offers. \n\n\n\n\nNote: If you\u2019re taking these glasses package, more often than not the shop attendant will try and upsell add-ons, AirAsia-style. In my case,\u00a0one time I was attracted to the RM58 price tag but ended up paying RM178 in total for:\n\n\nSturdier frames (additional RM70)\nNon-scratch lens coating (additional RM50)\nThey also have options for UV coating lens (additional RM180) and tinted glasses (not sure of price) but I didn\u2019t take\n\n\nEDIT: I overpaid. See the comments section for places to get better glasses package deals.\n\n\nMethod #2: Buy cheap frames, then ask optical shops to fit them with your prescription lens\n\n\nMy dad does this method. He likes to buy vintage glasses from second-hand shops, then he brings them to optical shops for custom lens fitting.\n\n\nIn this case, \nyou\u2019ll save money on the frames\n. Once, my dad bought these kickass vintage frames costing just RM5 \u2013 an absolutely good buy for the quality. RM10 \u2018fashion glasses\u2019 can also work for this method.\n\n\nNext, it\u2019s a matter of finding optical shops that are willing to do it for you. Some common difficulties:\n\n\n\u201cWe don\u2019t replace lenses\u201d \u2013 just go and find another optical shop\n\u201cWe don\u2019t have lenses for this kind of frames\u201d \u2013 try another shop, or try another pair of frames\n*gives you above-average price for lenses* \u2013 shop around and compare quotes\n\n\nMy dad says this method is cheap, but he can\u2019t remember the prices exactly. I\u2019d be grateful for anecdotes on this \u2013 if you\u2019ve tried this method, do share your costs in the comments section. EDIT: See Madhav\u2019s comment on this!\n\n\nMethod #3: Buy glasses online\n\n\nTHIS IS THE MOST COST-EFFECTIVE METHOD\n\n\nIn 2016, I bought 3 prescription glasses and 1 sunglasses from SelectSpecs \u2013 an online optical shop. It costs me USD77.31 including the USD11.25 shipping fee.\n\n\n\n\nMinus the shipping fee, the average price for ONE eyewear is a mere USD16.52. Or just \nRM64.34\n per glasses, with the exchange rate at the time (30 Jan 2018).\n\n\nSeriously, so good value for money, even if you factor in fluctuating exchange rates.\u00a0\nThe prescription glasses also comes with free UV coating, anti-reflection and scratch-resistant lens.\n\n\nThe caveat is:\n\n\nYou have to know your eye prescription.\n Get your latest eye prescription via eye tests at optical shops (it\u2019s kinda rude to do the test with them without buying, so make sure to get at least one pair with them), from private hospitals offering eye health packages, or by making an appointment with \nKlinik Optometri UKM\n (RM5 only)\nYou have to wait for a bit.\n It might take weeks to arrive. \nYou can\u2019t try the frames on in person before you buy.\n Obviously.\n\n\nBut other than that, the prices can\u2019t be beaten. I\u2019m the kind of person who prefers to have a few glasses at any one time in case I lose/break them, and the most cost-effective method for me is to buy glasses online, no contest.\n\n\nSome websites for cheap glasses include:\n\n\nWondersSpecs\n (based in Malaysia! Buy glasses online from them for fastest delivery)\nSelectSpecs\n (based overseas but cheap)\nBudgetSpex\nGoogles4u\nCheck others listed in \nMoney Saving Expert\u2019s Cheap Glasses page\n\n\nTIP! If you buy glasses online from overseas, then use Bigpay card to get the best exchange rate and more savings. Obligatory referral code: Get extra RM10 credit if you use my BigPay referral code \u2013 download the app\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n\nDo you know any other ways to save money on prescription glasses in Malaysia?\n\n\nPlease share in the comments section! If this guide is helpful, please share it with your friends \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/saving-money/cheap-housing/", "title": "5 FREE or Cheap Housing in Malaysia (Read #3 & #4 Before You Rent a Room)\n  ", "body": "\n\nYou don\u2019t need me to tell you that cost of living in Malaysia, including housing cost, is high. It is extremely hard for someone making RM2xxx a month to save money if they are paying a third or more than that on rent or mortgage. \n\n\n\u2018But what choice do I have?\u2019, some of you said. \u2018I can\u2019t just move and rent a room somewhere, I can\u2019t/don\u2019t want to live somewhere small, inconvenient and lacks security and amenities.\u2019\n\n\nOkay, I hear you. Here are 5 strategies you can try \u2013 each of them can significantly help you cut down housing expenses, so you can channel the money towards paying off debt, building savings and investing instead. \n\n\n#1 \u2013 Live with your family\n\n\nLet\u2019s just get the most obvious one out of the way \u2013 yes, living with family members, especially with parents who have paid off their house, is a great way to save money on rent and housing cost. \n\n\nDifferent families have different expectations, but worth mentioning \u2013 sure, you can live for free, but please don\u2019t be a freeloader. Take the initiative to contribute to household bills and groceries. Many parents spend money meant for their retirement on their children, so don\u2019t take advantage of their love. \n\n\n(Also, even if they die die decline the offer, the act of you making the offer would make them very happy!)\n\n\nPro\n: Common in Asian culture\n\n\nCon\n: Experience living at home depends on the relationship with family members\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Get housing cost subsidised by your employer\n\n\nIf you are skilled and/or lucky enough to get job offers, particularly the ones that need you to relocate, they might throw in subsidised or free accommodation. \n\n\nI know this type of \nemployee benefit\n exists because my parents had it. When my dad was thrown into projects in rural areas (back in his youth), his employer prepared a house for them. My mom is a retired high school principal \u2013 one of the perks she received was a house within the school compound, which the whole family could live in. \n\n\nPro\n: If you\u2019re offered this, you\u2019re probably a valued employee. Your company really wants you to stay \n\n\nCon\n: Not all jobs offer this perk. Seniority also may play a role. \n\n\n#3 \u2013 Rent/Buy a whole place, then find housemates\n\n\nI personally did this method and enjoyed the experience \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nBack in the early 2010s, I rented a whole unit in Bistari Condo in KL (the one next to PWTC are \u2013 prime area!), stayed in the master bedroom and rented out the medium and small bedrooms. After deducting rental income, effectively my rent was just RM150* per month.\n\n\n*In case anyone is planning to criticise me \u2013 I priced the rooms below market rate. I also forked out the 2+1 deposit and paid for the tenancy agreement cost, and paid for bills and WiFi, ranging around RM300-500 per month. In addition, I was the primary caretaker and responsible for miscellaneous household repairs. All my housemates had to do was rent a room\n\n\nIf I were SUPER frugal, I could\u2019ve stayed in the small room and rented out the master and medium bedrooms and made my housing rental cost free via this method. \n\n\nNote: If you choose to do this method on rental property, please check first and get approval from your landlady/lord.  \n\n\nPro\n: Life is so fun if you get awesome and responsible housemates\n\n\nCon\n: You need a lot of capital (if buying) and buffer (if renting- someone has to pay for the 2+1 deposits). Less privacy\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Rent/Buy a whole place, then AirBnB out some rooms\n\n\nKind of similar to #3. You can buy or rent a studio apartment, but the difference is you\u2019ll have (1) temporary housemates instead of long-term housemates, and (2) you\u2019ll be managing the room booking and cleaning (unless you outsource this out, but that\u2019ll incur fees).\n\n\nI\u2019d imagine this method will work extremely well for housing type with \ndual-key condo units\n \u2013 your spaces are completely separated and everyone maintains own privacy. \n\n\nNote: If you choose to do this method on rental property, please check first and get approval from your landlady/lord. \n\n\nPro\n: This is considered a business \u2013 you can deduct some costs as business expenses\n\n\nCon\n: Have to allocate hours to list the room on AirBnB and overall management\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Live an alternative lifestyle \n\n\nNot into #1-4 and still looking for other options for free or cheap housing? Well, if you are flexible with your living arrangement, you could consider any of these living arrangements:\n\n\nHouse sitting gigs \u2013 get paid to take care of a house while the owners are away\nPet sitting gigs \u2013 similar to house sitting but you also take care of pets\nBe an au pair \u2013 basically, get hired to be a nanny and live with the family\nVan living \u2013 you\u2019ll want to check out \nr/vandwellers\n if you\u2019re interested in this lifestyle\nMove out from cities \u2013 you can\u2019t deny housing rental is way cheaper outside of city areas (you can still make money by \nworking online\n!)\n\n\nThere may be more types of lifestyles \ud83d\ude42 Like I mentioned in my \nThought Experiment: Can We Live Without Money In Malaysia?\n, life isn\u2019t expensive; modern life is. \n\n\nPro\n: Gain a lot of interesting life experiences!\n\n\nCon\n: Less \u2018rooted\u2019 and less \u2018like other people\u2019. This can be a good or bad thing depending on your personality \n\n\nWhat\u2019s your housing situation like? How do you save money on rent or mortgage?\n\n\nSo those are the 5 options to significantly save money on accommodation \u2013 which one are you inclined to do, if you have to? \n\n\nImportant: if you don\u2019t like any of these options, consider (1) just doing it anyway and accept the short-term pain for long-term gain, or (2) save money on \nfood\n and \ntransportation\n instead.\n\n\nLet me know what you think in the comments section!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/saving-money/cheap-meal-prep-in-malaysia/", "title": "Cheap Meal Prep in Malaysia \u2013 How I Cook for RM4.47 per Meal\n  ", "body": "\n\nThe average cost of a meal in my household is RM4.47 per meal. I don\u2019t know about you, but I consider that a successful and CHEAP meal prep in Malaysia, considering I (mostly) use healthy ingredients. \n\n\nHere\u2019s how I got the RM4.47 figure:\n\n\nIn 2021, my Groceries cost totaled RM10,724.53 for 2 people in my household\nAssuming 200 meals a month (2 people x 100 meals per person (4 meals a day including 1 snack x 30 days in a month, minus 20 meals dined out or skipped)\nThat means RM10,724.53 divided by 12 months divided by 200 meals = RM4.47 per meal\n*all data taken from my expense tracking app\n\n\nAgain, that is the average cost. Some meals are more expensive (when we buy meat), others are damn cheap (when I score vegetables on sale). Regardless, I think RM4.47 is a pretty good amount, considering we eat well. \n\n\nHere are the 3 steps I use to prepare my cheap meal prep in Malaysia:\n\n\nStep 1: Find value for money groceries\n\n\nValue for money groceries could be items on sale, and it could also be locally-produced items (instead of groceries flown in from other countries), which tend to be cheaper. \n\n\nHere\u2019s a short, but handy list of cheap and local ingredients you can look out for: \n\n\nCategory: Vegetables\n\n\nPrice estimate: RM0.50-RM1 per serving\n\n\n*Fried, Boiled, Soup, Steamed, Raw, etc\n\n\nTauge\nKangkung\nBayam\nCabbage\nSawi\nCarrot\nLong Beans\nBitter gourd \nCucumber\nEggplant\n\n\nCategory: Protein\n\n\nPrice estimate: RM1-RM2 per serving\n\n\nEgg (Boiled! Mata kerbau! Dadar! Bistik-style!)\nSerunding\nHard tofu\nSoft tofu\nEgg tofu\nBraised peanut\nTempe\nCatfish aka ikan keli (small)\nIkan kembung (small)\nIkan cencaru (small)\nIkan tongkol (small)\nA single portion of chicken \n\n\nCategory: Pure flavour\n\n\nPrice estimate: RM0.10-RM0.50 per serving; add to vegetables and/or protein\n\n\nSambal (Belacan, Ikan bilis, Petai, Tempoyak, Mangga, etc)\nKicap\nKuah (Kari, Gulai, Asam Pedas, Dhal, etc)\n\n\nA short note on appreciating local ingredients as healthy ingredients\n\n\nWe should contribute to the growing movement of re-appreciating local food. Is it possible that the only reason why we think salmon, blueberries and the like is healthIER is because of Western influence, when in fact our local ingredients are not only cheaper but BETTER, nutritionally speaking?\n\n\nAs an example, see the below Ikan Kembung vs Ikan Salmon comparison\n\n\n\n\nGoing to leave you with that FOOD for thought (geddit? geddit? hehe)\n\n\nStep 2: I avoid wasting food.\n\n\nWasting food = wasting money, so I made a \nsystem to eliminate food waste\n. This system helps me to keep track of what ingredients I have left. \n\n\nWhenever I have a particular produce\u00a0just sitting there in my fridge, in danger of rotting, I also use \nSupercook\n to suggest what I should make. \n\n\nThe idea is that you can search for recipes based on ingredients you \nalready have\n. I absolutely LOVE that I can find new things to cook based on what I already have, or need to finish using up. \n\n\nThe recipes are taken from legit, established websites for foodies. Think allrecipes.com, and food.com.\n\n\nFor example, you can see here that I can make 7,756 recipes with the 58 ingredients I have on hand!\n\n\n\n\nI really do love Supercook to do cheap meal prep in Malaysia. From it, I get to try random cuisines, based on what I already have. They can be a hit or miss, but no one can blame the adventurous cook.\n\n\nI also love that I get to try new recipes this way. This was how I learned how to make lentil soup, and banana cake baked with yogurt, and eggplant lasagna.\n\n\nStep #3: I find recipes that saves time\n\n\nIf time = money, then priotising recipes that saves me time have saved me a shit load of money. These recipes usually involve:\n\n\nbatch-cooking, and/or \none-pot dishes, and/or\ncook-and-forget system\n\n\nFor example, when I buy a whole chicken, I will do the marinade + soup combo because its so easy. Just prep and leave them to cook in the over and rice cooker, and it\u2019ll come out delicious. Just cook rice and prepare veges and that\u2019s meals for the next 1 week, sorted. \n\n\n\n\nI wanna share how I stretch my groceries budget: \nBuy whole chicken because it's cheaper per kg \u23e9 marinade thighs, wings & breasts for Meal 1 (6-8 servings) \u23e9 turn chicken bones into soup for Meal 2 (4-6 servings) \nPictured is Coriander Lime Chicken and Sup Bunjut \ud83d\ude0b \npic.twitter.com/ARLmarLJoS\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nSeptember 22, 2022\n\n\n\n\nHow do you do your cheap meal prep in Malaysia?\n\n\nMy meals cost RM4.47 on average, but as mentioned, yours will be different. Your schedule are different from mine. We live in different areas. We frequent different shops. We get different produces and sales.\n\n\nAlso, food preference is a very personalised thing, so your grocery costs could be much cheaper or much more expensive than mine. Also, you might follow a special doctor-prescribed diet. So I won\u2019t impose a \u2018do this, not that\u2019 on you.\n\n\nRegardless, the three things I shared above could help you start somewhere. Let me know in the comments what other tips you use in your own life to make your own cheap meal prep in Malaysia\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/saving-money/cost-malay-wedding/", "title": "My Sister\u2019s Malay Wedding \u2013 The Complete Cost\n  ", "body": "My youngest sister beat all four of her elder siblings and got married first, that over-achiever \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nFrom my request, she agreed to let me share the complete cost of her wedding. If you are planning a wedding, this can be a guide of sorts.\n\n\n(if you are unfamiliar with Malay weddings, this is a TL;DR version: akad nikah is the marriage solemnisation ceremony, usually only family members and extra close family friends are invited. The wedding ceremony if for inviting everyone else)\n\n\nSome background information about my sister\u2019s akad nikah and wedding ceremony:\n\n\n\n\nThe akad nikah ceremony was held at parents\u2019 house in Shah Alam, Selangor. We invited approximately 100 guests.\n\n\nThe wedding was held at an events hall in Shah Alam. It was a joint wedding ceremony for both bride and groom (as opposed to one wedding ceremony each for each side\u2026 I didn\u2019t make the rules). Each side invited approximated 1000 guests.\n\n\nThis is based on 2015/2016 pricing.\n\n\nThe wedding, all things considered, looked very expensive but was done on a budget. My sister is REALLY good at fashion and branding. She\u2019s an entrepreneur and owns her own Instagram shop\u00a0 called \nMarquise.my\n.\n\n\n\n\nI mean, srsly. If you see her instagram, you\u2019ll know what I mean.\n\n\n\u00a0Malay Wedding Cost \u2013 The Akad Nikah\n\n\n The dais\n\n\n My parents sitting in between the newlyweds\n\n\n\n\nCanopy\n: \nRM880\n \u2013 rented 1 x canopy, 10 x tables, and 3 x buffet tables\n\n\nCatering\n:\n FREE\n RECEIVED HELP\n\u2013 provided by family members\n\n\nPelamin\n (aka Dais): \nRM2000\n \u2013 1 x pelamin, 7 x dulang hantaran, floral bouquet\n\n\nPhotographer\n: \nRM900\n \u2013 1 x event + free outdoor photoshoot\n\n\nDoor gifts\n: \nRM400\n \u2013 100 x cupcakes, VIPs get extra water and a book, 100+ paper bags\n\n\nSound system\n: \nFREE\n \u2013 borrowed\n\n\nBridesmaids outfits\n: \nRM350\n \u2013 for 7 people\n\n\nMakeup services\n: \nRM500\n \u2013 Mak Andam came to house\n\n\nBride\u2019s outfit\n: \nRM900\n \u2013 custom made\n\n\nMalam berinai\n: RM200 \u2013 Inai lady came to house\n\n\nSpa for bride\n: RM300 \u2013 package set\n\n\n\n\nTOTAL: RM6430\n\n\nThe amount above DID NOT include: wedding rings, gifts for the groom, house cleaning and renovation (culprit: Mom), new bedroom set, random stuff that we needed (like sound system cable we had to get super last minute), money given to the Tok Kadi,\u00a0 fabric+tailoring costs for family members\u2019 matching outfits, and other bits and pieces\n\n\nMalay Wedding Cost \u2013 The Wedding Itself\n\n\n The arch\n\n\n The dais\n\n\n Theme was purple and gold\n\n\n\n\nVenue\n: \nRM5000\n \u2013 originally RM10,000, but since it was a joint wedding, each side paid 50%\n\n\nCatering\n: \nRM30,000\n \u2013 THE BIGGEST EXPENSE RIGHT HERE. It was the venue\u2019s in-house catering service. RM30 per pax for 1000 guests.\n\n\nPelamin + Decoration\n: \nRM4000\n \u2013 originally RM8000, but since it was a joint wedding, each side paid 50%\n\n\nWedding Cards\n: \nRM900\n \u2013 Package set. This includes: 450 x wedding cards, 4 x buntings, 1 canvas, 50 x VIP box, 4 x arrow signs, 53 x button badges, 1 x guestbook, 1000 x name stickers, 1000 x thank you tags, and 2 x welcome boards.\n\n\nPhotobooth\n: \nRM750\n \u2013 Originally RM1500, but since it was a joint wedding, each side paid 50%\n\n\nPhotographer\n: \nRM900 \n\n\nDoor gifts\n: \nRM3000\n ESTIMATION \u2013 This includes 300 x fans, 600 x prayer mats, ? x big boxes of assorted sweets, and boxes/casing for each of them.\n\n\nSound system + DJ + MC + Entertainment\n: \nRM2500\n \u2013 originally RM5,000, but since it was a joint wedding, each side paid 50%\n\n\nBridesmaid + Flowergirl attire\n: Minimal \u2013 covered under akad budget\n\n\nMakeup\n: \nRM700\n \u2013 Mak Andam\n\n\nBride\u2019s outfit\n: \nRM1800\n \u2013 custom made\n\n\nBunga Pahar\n (or bunga telur): \nRM80\n \u2013 cost price; family member helped made\n\n\n\n\nTOTAL: RM49,630\n\n\nThe amount above DID NOT include: hotel room for my sister, fabric+tailoring costs for family members\u2019 matching outfits, and other bits and pieces\n\n\nGrand total for both events: RM56,060\n\n\nExpensive? Ugh, yes. But this is in line with the average cost of Malay weddings, which according to \nthis news articles\n, is between RM50,000 to RM80,000.\n\n\nAs much as I don\u2019t like the price tag, I have to admit that the wedding was very tasteful and classy. If they told me it costs 5 times the amount, I would have believed them.\n\n\nWhat she did right:\n\n\n\n\nNo kompang (much to my mom\u2019s horror)\n\n\nNo tiara (also much to my mom\u2019s horror)\n\n\nWedding music selection done in-house (my other sister\u2019s job)\n\n\nFamily members helped with akad nikah catering and other stuff\n\n\nBorrowed sound system\n\n\nHelpful friends\n\n\nGetting a lot of quotations\n\n\nSplitting cost with the groom\u2019s family\n\n\n\n\nWhat could have been better:\n\n\n\n\nThe biggest expense, hands down, was the catering for the wedding. RM30k! This could have been lowered if we reduced menu items (too much leftovers!) and/or reduced the number of guests.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAll in all, I think that the wedding was extremely value for money. My sister is mad talented when it comes to this \u2013 subscribe to her \nInstagram account\n for source of fashion, ideas, and inspiration.\n\n\nGetting married soon? How much is your budget and what do you plan to do with it? I hope this guide helped you somewhat. Share if it helped!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/saving-money/google-chrome-extensions/", "title": "[VIDEO] 3 Google Chrome Extensions Malaysian Should Know to Save Money! (You MUST Install #1! WAJIB!)\n  ", "body": "\n\nIn this video, I\u2019d like to share with you the 3 Google Chrome extensions that will save you money. I won\u2019t just introduce you to them, but also give you demos and show you exactly how they work. They are such great tools in my browsing and financial life and I hope they will help you, too. \n\n\nWatch it below: \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhat other extensions do you use to improve your finances? Any other online tools you think Malaysians should know? Tell me in the comments section!\n\n\nP/s \u2013 I just got myself a new mic and learned how to do the video in video thingy! Long way to go but so, so proud of myself!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/saving-money/high-groceries-bill/", "title": "5 Things I Did To Reduce My Damn High Groceries Bill\n  ", "body": "Cook at home, they say. Then you\u2019ll save money, they say.\n\n\nThen why is the groceries bill still too damn high?\n\n\nI personally got myself into this predicament \u2013 in \nApril 2019\n I found myself spending RM767.95 for groceries?!? For one person?!\n\n\nBecause it *was* abnormally high, I told myself to get my shit together. It kind of worked \u2013 in May 2019, the amount went down to RM480.20. Guestimating 100 homemade meals a month, that\u2019s RM4.80 per meal.\n\n\nAnd \u2013 not to brag or anything \u2013 I eat well. My meals tend to be healthy, I try my best not to sacrifice nutrition. I think I\u2019m doing well, because I haven\u2019t been sick in years actually.\n\n\nHere are some changes I made to lower my high groceries bill. As the numbers show you, they worked!\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Eat everything I bought challenge\n\n\n\n\nSometimes, I don\u2019t get around to cooking or eating the ingredients or food I bought, and that\u2019s like throwing money away, so my first priority was tackling that problem.\n\n\nAnd I don\u2019t know about you, but I grew up in a household that\u2019s completely okay (and guilt-free) with throwing out excess food. It\u2019s a habit I had to unlearn.\n\n\nTo be fair, I *know* it\u2019s not just us. Many other Malaysians waste food. A lot of food too \u2013 in fact, the DPM said that we waste \n1kg of food per person per day\n.\n\n\nThat\u2019s a LOT of money being thrown away.\n\n\nFor the most part, the challenge is easy, but I also had to learn to\u2026\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Be okay with eating the same things in a row\n\n\nI remember eating my homemade gulai for 7 straight meals last month. Look, I like my gulai, and I thought it turned out decent taste-wise, but I did get sick of it.\n\n\nThis tip goes really well with another well-known grocery-bill-slashing-tip, cooking in bulk.\n\n\nWhile it *is* a great tip, you can\u2019t escape the fact that (1) you\u2019d get bored of the same taste pretty soon, and (2) you might also eat more portions and over-eat (which is something I do alarmingly regularly).\n\n\nBut you know, I did enjoy (1) the time saving (a lot less cooking time overall!) and (2) training myself to get used to food-as-fuel.\n\n\nIt\u2019s also interesting to note that eating out became a treat that I really, really enjoy. Instead of being used to it, getting to taste different flavours became a special occasion. So that\u2019s a nice side effect I didn\u2019t expect.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Prioritising grocery items that last longer\n\n\nKind of tied to #1. Part of reducing food wastage is reducing grocery items that spoil easily and fast.\n\n\nThat means now I buy a lot more of:\n\n\n\n\nCabbages instead of bok choy\n\n\nCarrots instead of broccoli\n\n\nApples instead of grapes\n\n\nFrozen spinach instead of fresh ones\n\n\nCanned tomatoes instead of fresh ones\n\n\n\n\nBuying frozen especially helped me to reduce a lot of wastage!\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThis must be my 5th or 6th order already. Happy so far! Everything I ordered has been good \ud83d\udc4d\ud83d\ude0b\n\n\nGet at: \nhttps://t.co/A22glpxG9A\n \npic.twitter.com/oIWUAehELX\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nJuly 21, 2022\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Have a system to track groceries list\n\n\nAt any given point, I know exactly what ingredients I have. So I almost never buy \u2018just in case don\u2019t have\u2019 ingredients.\n\n\nThis deserves a whole article on its own: see\u00a0\nI Figured Out The Perfect System to Stop Food Waste\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Substituting my protein sources\n\n\nUsually, the most expensive parts of my groceries bill is the proteins \u2013 the meats, seafood and dairy products.\n\n\nIt doesn\u2019t help that I like being on a low-carb diet, so I had to maintain my high protein intake.\n\n\nBut being on a budget is being on a budget, no excuses. I\u2019ve switched it up and been experimenting more with alternative, cheaper proteins. That basically means I\u2019m eating more eggs, tofu, beans and lentils.\n\n\nThe experimenting process has been quite fun actually. I made this awesome bean stew the other day.\n\n\nWhat do you do to reduce your high groceries bill?\n\n\nWhat does your household do to reduce high groceries bill? Have you tried any of the methods above, and how was it like for you? What habits did you pick up?\n\n\nShare your thoughts in the comments section!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/saving-money/how-to-save-money-as-a-student/", "title": "How to Save Money As A Student in Malaysia, from Former Students\n  ", "body": "\n\nSo you want to learn how to save money as a student in Malaysia. \n\n\nMaybe you\u2019re doing it because you heard it\u2019s part of \u2018adulting\u2019. Maybe your parents can only afford to give you a modest allowance. Or maybe you don\u2019t have a choice \u2013 you have to save money to survive (no allowance from parents and have to depend on PTPTN money for the whole semester, for example). \n\n\nEither way, you want to know student-friendly strategies to save money. What I\u2019ve done is I\u2019ve reached out to Malaysians and asked them what THEY did to save money as a student, and compiled their answers in one post. \n\n\nHowever, don\u2019t see this as just a compilation of advice \u2013 \nthese are actual lived experiences.\n These Malaysians have survived their student days using these money-saving strategies, and hopefully so can you. \n\n\nMuch gratitude to everyone who shared their tips here. All comments have been edited for clarity. \n\n\nHow students can save money on food\n\n\nThese grocery tips are always helpful, whether you\u2019re a student or otherwise:\n\n\nLing Mien Yeo \n\u2013 For groceries, I tracked prices, bought when they are on sale, and also buy near to market closing time.\n\n\nSome repeated cheap yet substantial meals to get by:\n\n\nRick (@r1ckkkkkkk) \n\u2013   Almost every morning I will eat oats. Oats save a lot of money and is healthy too. The big pack is about RM10-13, and it can last around a month. \n\n\nMany mentioned how they welcomed opportunities for free food. Aside from joining free programmes and activities that provide food, some also appreciated Ramadan month for the easy availability of free food:\n\n\n \nRick (@r1ckkkkkkk) \n\u2013 The best time is during Ramadan \u2013 I can get free sahur and dinner for a month. \n\n\nThis is surprising, but quite a few people credited the kakak nasi campur for allowing them to take extra rice at no extra charge:\n\n\nSamefame (Anon by request)\n \u2013 Since rice costs the same whether you take a little or take a lot, I would take a whole mountain (i.e a food container full) of rice and 2 or 3 different lauk to split between lunch and dinner. \nAdhura (@adhfwn) \n\u2013  As a student (foundation and degree), I eat once/twice a day, with plain water in between to beat the hunger. Budget meals were the best \u2013 we had this akak catering with diff dishes per day at RM4 for nasi + ulam + lauk sent at lunch and/or dinner. If I can\u2019t get those, I eat at 4PM once a day. \nRM5 covers both lunch and dinner. It was only after I started working in between classes and got a scholarship that it got better, (and I can afford to) eat twice a day. \n\n\nAll I can say is, bless all the kakak nasi campur for feeding students this way :\u2019) If you don\u2019t know one, go find one near you. \n\n\nHow students can save money on accommodation\n\n\nI didn\u2019t get many respondents specifically sharing how they saved money on accommodation. Perhaps it\u2019s a given that students usually live at student accommodation, which is usually affordable. \n\n\nHowever, people who live off-campus can use the effective roommates strategy to save money:\n\n\n \nMark Perkins\n \u2013 Another thing that helped me save money was by having roommates \u2013 three of us lived in a one-bedroom flat.\n\n\nRelated: \n5 FREE or Cheap Housing in Malaysia (Read #3 & #4 Before You Rent a Room)\n\n\nHow students can save money on transportation\n\n\nIn Malaysia, car ownership among students is somewhat high, perhaps due to factors like location (no choice but to have a car to go to class) combined with car loans products targeting students.\n\n\nHaving said that, there are Malaysians who survived without cars, even though they admitted it was hard: \n\n\nLing Mien Yeo \n\u2013  I used public transportation or walked, even though it took more time. \nHwa Shi-Hsia \n\u2013 I biked. (To avoid it being stolen,) don\u2019t be stingy on the bike lock. The cable kind is not reliable, it needs to be something solid like a U-lock or solid chain. Otherwise, bye-bye bike. I learned the hard way.\n\n\nHow students earned the money to save\n\n\nObviously, to be able to save money as a student, you have to have \nsome\n money to save in the first place. \n\n\nThe source of income among respondents varied. Some saved some money from their allowance and/or PTPTN: \n\n\nCheah Zinnirah \u2013 \nDuring university, I saved RM300 from PTPTN to put towards emergency savings. \n\n\nQuite a few respondents reported working to earn side income, to either survive on or supplement their allowance. \n\n\nIn case any of you think that students are supposed to focus on studying not working, I\u2019d like to share this HSBC-led research, which said that \u2018\nthe academic performance of students who work 10-19 hours per week is superior to their peers\n\u2018. \n\n\n\n\nNeutrals Fong \n\u2013 I worked part-time jobs like promoters, agents, as well as joined contests/competitions that pays money. \nTararumpum (@flabibiii) \n\u2013 I had a side business doing printing service in my room. I was living on campus and all the printer shops were located in the faculties all in the middle of campus and closed on evenings. It was quite troublesome if one needed to print documents/assignments at night for the next day submission. \nThat\u2019s how I started this side hustle from my room. I initially bought the printer for my own use and thought of the demand of this service. I used to print little posters and pin them on every noticeboard. Demand also increased if this was towards the semester end. \n\n\nA way for students to get food AND money \n\n\nAnd last but not least, this genius \u2018two birds, one stone\u2019 solution which both help students to save AND earn money at the same time \u2013 take jobs that provide food:\n\n\nMuhammad Amar Hasshim \u2013\n I worked at the student center while studying. You have no idea how much food they threw away that is still good. So as someone whose main job was to throw away that food, I did throw them away\u2026. inside my fridge.  \nMark Perkins\n \u2013 I worked as much as I could and ate whatever leftovers or food they gave me. I worked in the catering department in the school. In the summer, I did janitorial work at the school. This gave me access to free food most of the time.  \n\n\nHope this article will give students out there ideas to save money on food, accommodation and transportation, as well as ideas to generate income at the same time. If you have any other student-friendly tips to save money, please share them in the comments!\n\n\nNext read: Find out what jobs are great options for students, and where to find them at \n4 Best Jobs for Students in Malaysia Looking for Fast, Quick Money\n article.   \n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/saving-money/keto-in-malaysia/", "title": "Keto Diet in Malaysia: 5 Budget Tips that WORKS\n  ", "body": "The first time I did keto diet in Malaysia, I lost about 12kg. It works! It\u2019s the only diet that worked for me so far. Who knew that a high fat low carb diet can be this efficient?\n\n\nI have since regained some of that weight so I\u2019m doing keto again. This time around, I notice there are more people doing keto in Malaysia. And many of them complain about the same thing: all those good fat you have to eat to get into ketosis are so expensive!\n\n\nSo here are some budget tips that personally worked for me.\n\n\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Know the cheap good fats, and know them \nwell\n\n\nCheap and good sources of fat are 1) eggs and 2) santan. I will always have them in my pantry, and they\u2019re super versatile.\n\n\nMy favourite egg-based meal is just plain omelette (plus whatever I have available) while my favourite santan-based meal is gulai #nogoripride\n\n\nCombine with one or two oil/butter-heavy veggie side dishes of your choice and done.\n\n\nBe okay with eating a lot of these, especially if your budget is really, really tight. Keto meals costing RM2 or less per meal is completely doable with these two ingredients.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Get a hand blender set\n\n\n\n\nImage credit: Lazada.com.my\n\n\nI have this exact type of hand blender and I love it so much! One of my \u2018worth-it\u2019 purchases for sure!\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nGoing Through All My Lazada Purchases, Since 2014\n\n\nIt has three detachable components \u2013 one for hand blender, one for whisk and another for food processor.\n\n\nMeals I made with the hand blender\n\n\n\n\nCream-based soups \u2013 just add everything in the rice cooker then blend it right there\n\n\nProtein shakes \u2013 I mix coconut oil or cream in my protein shakes for a super quick keto meal\n\n\n\n\nMeals I made with the whisk\n\n\n\n\nMayonnaise \u2013 tried it, it works. I like kewpie better though so I stopped doing this\n\n\nWhipped cream \u2013 Add a bit of matcha powder or cocoa powder + sweetener and mmm it\u2019s the best thing to counter that sugar withdrawal\n\n\nCloud bread \u2013 whisk egg whites until it peaks, then bake it. You get \u2018bread\u2019\n\n\n\n\nMeals I made with the food processor\n\n\n\n\nCauliflower rice \u2013 Lightly steam cauliflowers then whizz it up here. Way faster than chopping it up. I make mock nasi goreng with this\n\n\nAlmond flour \u2013 Not technically a meal, I know. But almond flour is very versatile for many keto recipes and doing it this way is cheaper. The result is not as fine as usual almond flour but my almond bread always turn out well, so\n\n\nChicken/Tuna mayo \u2013 Pick a protein (ie boiled chicken breast), add mayo, add half an onion, add salt and pepper and anything else you want. Whizz it. Scoop and eat with salad. Yum\n\n\n\n\nThis particular gadget has saved me so much money and more importantly, frustration. It made keto in Malaysia easier for me. I bought mine from Lazada.\n\n\nDo you have any other recipes to share, that use the above gadget? Please comment!\n\n\n#3 \u2013 You DON\u2019T have to buy every single keto-friendly ingredient!\n\n\nI made this mistake. I went to the supermarket and went crazy \u2013 bought hundreds of ringgit worth of ingredients at one shot. Everything from oils to cheeses to butters to low-carb fruits to avocados. I swear I heard my wallet went \u2018ouch\u2019.\n\n\nNow, I kinda know which ingredients are expensive BUT have a \nlower cost per serving\n. These are:\n\n\n\n\nButter: RM8ish for a stick of pure butter; I use like 50 cents\u2019 worth per meal\n\n\nCoconut oil: one RM38 bottle lasts me months\n\n\nAlmonds: 1kg is enough to make me around 7 loaves of almond bread. Each loaf cost about RM8 or so in almond cost price, and I go through about 1 loaf per week.\n\n\nCream: 1-liter pack is enough for many, many coffees and many, many protein shakes, with spare for cocoa whipped cream too\n\n\nMayo: They tend to last a while\n\n\nPeanut butter: For quick snacking\n\n\nAntibiotic-free chicken: I make roast chicken, chicken mayo, then use the bones to make chicken broth\n\n\nCanned tuna: Tuna mayo is always delicious with salad and almond bread\n\n\n\n\nIf you stick to the above, RM10 or less in food cost per day is completely doable. Bulk up your meals with veggies like cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, salad, eggplant, zucchini and other low-carb veggies.\n\n\nNext section is ingredients that I know are expensive and only buy when there\u2019s a special occasion, a good sale or BOGOF deal (that\u2019s \u2018buy one get one free\u2019). These have \nHIGH cost per serving\n (at least in my experience):\n\n\n\n\nGood cheese\n\n\nCream cheese\n\n\nSour cream\n\n\nFancy dips\n\n\nAvocados\n\n\nRed meats\n\n\nFatty fish like salmon\n\n\n\n\nThere are more not included in this list, but the point is \u2013 \nprioritise expensive ingredients that have lower cost per meal.\u00a0\n What else would you add to the lists above?\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Please invest in fibre\n\n\nGet chia seeds \u2013 one tablespoon every morning. That\u2019ll do. Just chug it down with water. You can also combine with santan (Tip #1) and make chia seed pudding. See next section on where I buy my chia seed. Do this, your bowels will thank me.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Make notes of places that sell expensive ingredients at lower costs\n\n\nFor example, I buy \nraw almonds\n from Lazada for RM50-57 per kilo; they can easily cost 20-50% more in the supermarkets.\u00a0\nBagus Baking\n also sells almond (ground, sliced, whole) for RM41.90 per kilo. I used to have a bad experience with Bagus products so I don\u2019t buy there, but go ahead, that was years back.\n\n\nI also buy \nchia seed\n from Lazada, it\u2019s way cheaper there!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n1kg of chia seeds from #Lazada = RM32. At supermarket = RM60+ for 400-500g. I know a bargain when I see one! Bought this to make #keto #chiaseeds pudding ? Just add diluted santan + flavour (optional) and keep overnight. Yummy with whipped cream on top Cat for scale ? #ketomalaysia\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya\n (@surayaror) on \nMar 5, 2018 at 8:33pm PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nA mutual friend of mine said she and her friends buy their \nbutter from SupplyBunny in bulk\n (I haven\u2019t tried this).\n\n\nThe \nshirataki noodles\n pack below is RM3-4, the cheapest I know in this category. But tbh I prefer zoodles if I crave pasta or mee goreng \u2013 just get a RM3.50 \nJulienne peeler from Mr DIY\n and a zucchini and you\u2019re good to go.\n\n\n\n\nIf you live in Klang Valley, it\u2019s worth \nbrowsing in \nHappyFresh\n \u2013 the grocery delivery service (note: referral link; you get free perks). I\u2019ve used them enough times to truthfully report back that on the whole, it\u2019s a good service. Most of the time I order from Tesco \u2013 I like their canned tuna and buy them in bulk to make tuna mayo.\n\n\nHmm I have no other additions. Need help with this section \u2013 please share deals you know!\n\n\nDo you know any other budget keto tips that work in Malaysia?\n\n\nThe thing is, keto diet may look expensive but it WILL save you money. The reason? You\u2019ll cut out so. many. thing.\n\n\nI used to spend ~RM30-50 per month on fruits. Saved that money.\n\n\nI used to treat myself to waffles, rotiboy, egg tarts, sweet buns, Chatime while going out. Saved that money.\n\n\nI used to put random snacks in my grocery basket (cookies\u2026). Saved that money.\n\n\nI used to eat out just because I\u2019m lazy to cook. Found out it\u2019s kinda hard to eat keto in Malaysian restaurants, so now I prefer eating in. Saved that money.\n\n\nI used to eat 3 meals a day + snacks. Because high-fat diet is super satiating, I usually eat 2 meals + snacks instead. Saved one meal cost/day.\n\n\nSo I\u2019ve come to the conclusion that you can save money on keto diet. \nIndirectly\n.\n\n\nDo you have any other budget keto tips that works for Malaysians? If yes, please share in the comments section!\n\n\nSpecial thanks to Jules of \nKetoJules\n (Malaysian keto website) for inspiration, as well as \nMalaysianOnKeto\n Instagram for meal ideas.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/saving-money/money-saving-hacks/", "title": "Malaysians Share Their Ultimate Money Saving Hacks (What\u2019s Yours?)\n  ", "body": "\n\nAre you looking for money saving hacks to get you through a temporary setback? You\u2019ve come to the right place. Sometime back, I asked Malaysians for their money saving hacks and they did not disappoint. \n\n\nIn this article, I have compiled various money-saving hacks, including some truly original and creative ones. Thank you to those who gave consent to have your answers published here!\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Save first, spend the rest\n\n\nFirst are the ones that fall under the category of \n\u2018save first, spend the rest\u2019\n. \n\n\nThis sounds obvious, but many people save money the other way around \u2013 they \u2018spend first, save the rest\u2019. \n\n\nYou could either immediately transfer a percentage of your salary to another account, like what \n@alimfrm\n does:\n\n\n(I) put aside 40% from salary to bank account for savings. Then automatically I\u2019m broke, I spend what I have only. \nFor me this method really works. It let me spend less on unnecessary things. I still can enjoy and (give myself) self reward, but in a moderate way, like once a month I buy things that I admire, or go for sushi (my fav!). \nIf I don\u2019t follow this method, I might be spending vigorously without hesitation, and in the end I\u2019m the one will regret for having no or less savings.\n\n\nOr you can set up automatic deduction via financial apps, like so:\n\n\n\n\nMaybank2u's Goal Saving. Auto credited every month, and you can't see that saving bucket on MAE/M2U app. Setiap kali log in M2U browser je, mesti terkejut tengok savings. It's like a mini surprise from myself \ud83d\ude02 Then I just pushed it out for investment on quarter basis etc.\n\u2014 Cee \ud83c\udff4 (@Cee_eu) \nJune 23, 2022\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Save coins or bank notes\n\n\nAnother money-saving hack is to save physical cash. I know, I know, how original, but I love seeing how creative people can get! \n\n\nFor example, some of you might already be familiar with the #KumpulHijau method \u2013 save all of your green RM5 notes. (Obv you can switch this to any colour you want \u2013 blue, red, yellow, purple, whatever)\n\n\nOne of the more creative ideas must be this one \u2013 use your idol obsession as motivation to save money! \n@sabrynaryyna\n shared:\n\n\nI\u2019m a huge fan of rm from BTS so everytime he posted a picture, I will keep rm2 in tabung or in TH account at the end of the month. \nBtw the amount doesn\u2019t have to be RM2. You can put any amount that you want because the concept is \u201csavings\u201d. The higher the better, but please consider your budget too! \n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Maximise points and cashback collections (and stack with vouchers)\n\n\nThe next money-saving hack is subsidise part of your lifestyle via points collections and cashback. You could collect points and cashback from many places, including:\n\n\nEwallets\nCredit cards\nCashback platforms\nF&B (Nando\u2019s, Boost, etc)\nAnd more\n\n\nIt is quite common nowadays for people to utilise multiple platforms to maximise savings and points. \n@adlisyahril\n shared:\n\n\n(I) always use ShopBack or MilkADeal to earn some money back from my spending. For ePayment, I use Boost a lot and redeem stars to pay bills. Most of the time, I transfer credit card rewards to Miles so I can fly for free! \n\n\nAside from points and cashback, you can make the cost of your purchase even lower by using vouchers. Find voucher codes on the merchant\u2019s social media, or you could step up your voucher-hunting game by using the advanced-level tips below:\n\n\n\n\n1. Register on website, add to cart, initiate checkout, and then wait for a day. Usually shops send voucher code.\n2. Search the brand ads on FB ad library. Sometimes they provide promo code for remarketing ads.\n\u2014 Alimuddin Zafrullah (@TheAleem) \nJune 24, 2022\n\n\n\n\nDid you know you can also turn your points into gold? Yes, you can! \n\n\n*Note: Grab have since revised their points system and gold price changes all the time, so numbers may vary\n\n\n\n\nHow I made RM790 from using GrabPay extensively:\n1. Get Maybank Grab Mastercard\n2. Topup only what you need at the point of payment\n3. If can, pay for everything with GrabPay\n4. Collect points\n5. Buy gold with points, sell\n6. Repeat \npic.twitter.com/JRuIsVovI6\n\u2014 Dr. Ian Bong (@fiholicMD) \nJanuary 6, 2022\n\n\n\n\nReminder: Be careful of points collection and cashback\n\n\nI think it\u2019s fine to take advantage of all these points and cashback but be careful not to be carried away. You should know that users of cashback platforms spend more AND make more orders. \n\n\n\n\nWhen you *think* you're saving money by using Shopback but actually spending more \ud83d\ude43 \npic.twitter.com/CqVnBSciow\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nApril 17, 2021\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Shop the Clearance section\n\n\nThis is one of my favourite money-saving hacks because I LOVE grocery shopping, especially as boujie grocery places like Jaya Grocer, Village Grocer and Ben\u2019s Grocer which can get a little expensive.  \n\n\nSo, I make use of their clearance section. Success is not guaranteed, but sometimes you can score some pretty good stuff on steep discounts. \n\n\n\n\nHow I make boujie meals on a budget \npic.twitter.com/xT3jTxh9a3\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nJuly 20, 2022\n\n\n\n\n@withlovehanis\n pointed out the most important thing about shopping at the clearance section \u2013 \nyou must check the best before/expiry date\n.\n\n\nBila beli groceries, tengok dekat clearance section especially barang segar if we\u2019re going to cook them very soon. Cheaper and tak rosak lagi teruk sebab kita tak simpan lama. Also if wanna buy juices for example, note when the expiry date would be and when the supermarket will tag for clearance. We could get RM30 fresh orange juice for just RM9.\nSame goes to Family Mart. They have a discount on items that nearly expired. Just check the tags and the promo banner. If you want to eat immediately, then it should be fine.\n\n\nDon\u2019t forget to compare weight and price\n\n\nOn the subject of grocery shopping, it\u2019s also a good idea to be mindful of product pricing. You\u2019d think the bigger package is always cheaper but sometimes, it is more expensive. \n\n\n\n\nI like to compare price per weight because I notice that buying 2 x 250gm products/food is cheaper than 1 x 500gm of the same brand (if I want to buy that specific amount)\n\u2014 \ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\uddfe Huda Mahmud (@HudaMahmud79) \nJune 23, 2022\n\n\n\n\nRelated article: Learn more ways to \nsave money on healthy food in Malaysia\n.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Reduce eating out cost\n\n\nHowever, not everyone can buy groceries \u2013 either lack time, space and/or cooking equipment \u2013 and must depend on outside food. \n\n\nIn this case, one of the best ways to reduce eating out costs is to simply \norder plain water \nwith your meal. \n\n\n\n\nJadikan habit minum air kosong. Bila pergi kedai makan akan auto order nak air kosong je jugak. Jimat RM2-RM10 each time pergi kedai makan.\n\u2014 Nije (@amadnije) \nJune 23, 2022\n\n\n\n\nDon\u2019t knock this tip. Assuming you eat out twice a day, and RM2 saved per meal, that is at least RM120 saved per month. And not to mention health-related savings from not drinking sugary beverages. \n\n\nI would add here my own money-saving hack: \nbe familiar with shops that give big portions\n. Then, you can either have a big meal and skip the next meal, or tapao half of the meal for later.  \n\n\n#6 \u2013 Lead a group purchase\n\n\nThe next time your friends and family want to make a big purchase, \noffer to pay first and collect payment later\n. This way, you can collect even more points and cashback.  \n\n\n\n\nWhen there's hotel booking, buying food, movie tickets in my line of work, I volunteered to manage them. Usually they already have the budget. I got so much points from whatever platform I'm using that which lead to discount and such. Many people called them petty work, not me.\n\u2014 Saroarrr (@sara_nikka) \nJune 23, 2022\n\n\n\n\nEven more awesome is if you can negotiate for cheaper price for your friends and family, and manage to get discounted or even free item for yourself. Win-win!\n\n\n\n\nUsed to work those days. Offer to buy things in bulk for friends & neighbours. So we can get like free unit, buy bulk at discounted price (good for them), then i take free unit (deal for me)\n\u2014 Abdul Kareem AKE (@KareemEndut) \nJune 23, 2022\n\n\n\n\nThanks again to everyone who shared your money-saving hacks in Malaysia. How about you? What money-saving hacks do you use? Share your best hacks in the comments section below, so everyone can learn \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nYou can find more money-saving hacks I\u2019ve tried in the \n49 Ways I\u2019ve Tried to Save Money in Malaysia, From Easy to Impossible\n article. \n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/saving-money/netflix-price-malaysia/", "title": "Netflix Price Malaysia 2023 & Cheapest Way to Get Netflix Premium\n  ", "body": "\n\nThis is a short and sweet article on Netflix price in Malaysia, the 4 types of Netflix plans in Malaysia, and how to subscribe to Netflix Premium for cheaper. \n\n\nPre-article disclaimer: I am not accountable for whatever happens to your Netflix accounts should you use any of these tips, including but not limited to suspended accounts and extra charges. That said, the chances of that happening is very small.\n\n\nNetflix Plan Malaysia: Mobile, Basic, Standard & Premium\n\n\nThere are 4 types of Netflix plans in Malaysia: Mobile, Basic, Standard & Premium. The latest pricing is as below:\n\n\nNetflix individual plans:\n\n\n\n\nNetflix Mobile plan\n: \nRM17 per month\n; watch on 1 device at the same time; no HD\n\n\nNetflix Basic plan\n: \nRM28 per month\n; watch on 1 device at the same time; HD (note: price dropped from RM35 to RM28 in Feb 2023)\n\n\n\n\nNetflix family plans:\n\n\n\n\nNetflix Standard plan\n: \nRM45 per month\n; watch on up to 2 devices at the same time (must be from same household); Full HD; add 1 extra member for additional RM13 per month (or RM58 per month for max 3 members)\n\n\nNetflix Premium plan\n: \nRM55 per month\n; watch on up to 4 devices at the same time (must be from same household); Ultra HD; add 2 extra members for additional RM13 per month per member (or RM81 for max 6 members)\n\n\n\n\nNote: If your TV doesn\u2019t come with Netflix app, \nbuy a Mi Stick or Mi Box\n. You can now watch Netflix there without buying a new TV \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nHow much do Netflix cost per month in Malaysia?\n\n\nAs mentioned above, Netflix Premium costs between RM17 to RM55 per month in Malaysia, which is \none of the lowest Netflix Premium pricing worldwide\n, \nbut there are ways to subscribe to it for cheaper.\n \n\n\nGetting the best deal on Netflix plan in Malaysia in 2023 require a little cooperation, but absolutely worth it. This way, \nyou can enjoy Netflix Premium from just RM13.5 per month per person\n. \n\n\nWhy Netflix Premium? Because it is the best plan as it comes with the best video quality (Ultra HD) and can be watched on any device.\n\n\nThe cheapest way to get Netflix in Malaysia\n\n\nThe trick is simple: \nShare the maximum 6 accounts given under Netflix Premium between 6 people\n. The calculation is:\n\n\n\n\n[RM55 + RM13 + RM13]/6 \n\n\nRM81/6\n\n\nRM13.50\n\n\n\n\nHow to share Netflix Premium in Malaysia (and how much per person)\n\n\nTo do this \u2018hack\u2019, one person must act as the main account holder and \u2018recruit\u2019 the other five people, of which:\n\n\n\n\n1 of you are the main account holder, and\n\n\n3 other people, who MUST from the same household as the main account holder, and \n\n\n2 other people, who can be from different households \n\n\n\n\nHow it works: \nThe main account holder will subscribe to Netflix Premium, assign accounts to the other five and make the monthly payment to Netflix\n. \n\n\nTip for the main account holder: \ndon\u2019t waste time chasing everyone for monthly payments\n. Instead, collect the money upfront. Therefore, I would pay the main account holder RM81 every 6 months, or RM13.50 per month. \n\n\nThe obvious downside is it may be hard to get this household configuration (4 people from the same household + 2 from different households). So here\u2019s the Netflix Malaysia price if shared with different household configurations, from cheapest to most expensive:\n\n\n\n\nRM13.50\n per person per month if shared between 6 people, of which 4 is in one household and 2 is from different households (calculation: [RM55 + RM13 + RM13]/ 6)\n\n\nRM13.60\n per person per month if shared between 5 people, of which 4 is in one household and 1 is from different household (calculation: [RM55 + RM13]/ 5)\n\n\nRM13.75\n per person per month if shared between 4 people in the same household \u2013 (calculation: RM55/4)\n\n\nRM16.20\n per person per month if shared between 5 people, of which 3 is in one household and 2 is from different households \u2013 (calculation: RM55 + RM13 + RM13 /5)\n\n\nRM20.25\n per person per month if shared between 4 people, of which 2 are from same household and 2 are from different households (calculation: [RM55 + RM13 + RM13]/4)\n\n\nRM27 \nper person per month if shared between 3 people, of which all 3 are from different households (calculation: [RM55 + RM13 + RM13]/3)\n\n\n\n\nYou can also apply the same method to Netflix Standard plan and share accounts between 2-3 people. It will cost RM19.33-RM29 per month per person.\n\n\nIs Netflix Mobile Plan worth it?\n\n\nAt \nRM17 per month\n, my opinion is Netflix Mobile plan is NOT worth it. Might as well share Netflix Premium plan. \n\n\nHowever, if you prefer or don\u2019t mind watching all your Netflix shows on mobile without HD, and you don\u2019t want to share accounts, then Netflix Mobile plan is alright. \n\n\nOne consideration is mobile data. Unless you get your data for free (or use home wifi \u2013 \nTime Internet\n is very affordable), it is worth looking around for the best deals for mobile data for video streaming. \n\n\nDeals change all the time \u2013 so check your telco providers. For Yoodo users, you can purchase 20GB of data for RM7 under Boost Add-ons \u2013 super cheap! If you want to switch, \nuse my Yoodo referral code\n to get bonus data. \n\n\n\n\nIs Netflix Basic Good?\n\n\nIn my honest opinion, Netflix Basic is worth it ONLY IF you are lazy to coordinate with other people and don\u2019t mind paying RM28 per month (RM11 more than Netflix Mobile plan, which is RM17 per month). \n\n\nIt is also worth it as previously the Netflix Basic plan did not come with HD but as of November 2022, subscribers of Netflix Basic plan can enjoy watching in HD.\n\n\nNote: \n\n\n\n\nNetflix Mobile plan = no HD\n\n\nNetflix Basic plan = watch in HD\n\n\nNetflix Standard plan = watch in Full HD\n\n\nNetflix Premium plan = watch in Ultra HD\n\n\n\n\nHow to subscribe to Netflix in Malaysia\n\n\nHere\u2019s how to subscribe to Netflix Premium, or change your plan:\n\n\nIf you are subscribing to Netflix Premium for the first time \n\u2013 open a Netflix account at \nhttps://www.netflix.com\n and follow the registration processes\n\n\nIf you are an existing user and want to change plans \n\u2013 go to Account > Plan Details > Change Plan. Go to \nhttps://www.netflix.com/\nChangePlan\n.\n\n\nRelated keywords\n\n\n\n\nIs it a good idea to buy Netflix account in Malaysia?\n\n\nShort answer: No\n\n\nLong answer: The practice of \u2018buying\u2019 Netflix accounts in Malaysia are offered by people who sell other people\u2019s Netflix accounts, usually by obtaining the user details and passwords illegally. It is unethical at best and theft at worse.\n\n\nFurthermore, you are not guaranteed to be able to use the illegally obtained accounts forever. When that happens, you will be blocked from accessing the account, the original seller is unlikely to refund your money, and you have to pay again to another seller. \n\n\nPlus I heard the service isn\u2019t that good anyway \u2013 in some cases, people couldn\u2019t log in to watch the shows, because too many other people are in the same account at the same time and exceeded the max no of users (sellers don\u2019t care). Why get it if you can\u2019t watch it?\n\n\nConclusion: \nSkip the dodgy sellers who say you can buy Netflix account in Malaysia from them\n. Too much trouble for its worth. Might as well subscribe to Netflix the proper way from just RM13.xx a month (see the Cheapest Way to Subscribe to Netflix Premium section above).\n\n\nEnjoy your Netflix package!\n\n\nWell, that\u2019s pretty much it on Netflix prices and plans in Malaysia. I\u2019ve been a subscriber for years and have enjoyed it \u2013 such an amazing way to be entertained on a budget! \n\n\nPlease comment any other ways you know to enjoy Netflix subscription for cheaper (legal ways only, please!). Lastly, please share with me your favourite shows Netflix \u2013 I\u2019m looking for recommendations \ud83d\ude42 \n\n\nP/s \u2013 Might as well subscribe to Spotify Premium too \ud83d\ude00 Here are some ways to get \nSpotify Premium for cheaper in Malaysia\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/saving-money/rent-room-kuala-lumpur/", "title": "Earning RMx500? Here\u2019s the places you can afford in Kuala Lumpur\n  ", "body": "For many people, rental costs will take a significant chunk out of your disposable income.\n\n\nHow much should you spend on rental, though? A good rule of thumb is no more than \n30% of your income\n. This percentage should preferably also \ninclude your bill costs\n (electric, water, Indah Water, etc).\n\n\nI was reading articles like \u2018This is what $1500 in rent will get you in cities around the world\u2019, and I thought, \nwhy not do one for Kuala Lumpur\n? \ud83d\ude00\n\n\n Like these\n\n\nWithout further ado, here are the places you can afford to rent in Kuala Lumpur on your salary bracket.\n\n\n\n\nAssumptions\n\n\n\n\nYou want to rent a room, not a whole place\n\n\nYou are looking for one person (not couple)\n\n\nYou search through websites like \nibilik.my\n\n\nYou look for the following utilities: Near KTM/LRT, Washing machine, cooking, internet, (and maybe) air conditioning\n\n\n\n\nSo what kind of places you can get? Let\u2019s see!\n\n\nIf you make around RM500 a month,\n\n\nYour rental shouldn\u2019t cost more than \nRM150\n.\n\n\nHere are the types of places you can get for that price:\n\n\n\n\nYou probably will have to either share the room with other people, or live in the fringes of Kuala Lumpur. Realistically speaking, you need to either increase your income or stay with your family.\n\n\nYou may be able to get a small-sized rooms at: Setiawangsa, Kepong IF YOU\u2019RE LUCKY\n\n\nIf you bump up a bit more until RM250 a month, you can get small-sized rooms at: Taman Melati, Setapak, Bukit Jalil, Cheras, Wangsa Maju, Taman Connaught, Danau Kota, Sentul, Jalan Genting Klang, Kepong\n\n\nOther notes: You \nmight\n will not get all the utilities you want at this price range\n\n\n\n\nIf you make around RM1500 a month,\n\n\nYour rental shouldn\u2019t cost more than \nRM450\n.\n\n\nHere are the types of places you can get for that price:\n\n\n\n\nYou can only get a shared room at places near city center (ie KLCC)\n\n\nYou can get a small-to-medium-sized rooms at: Taman Melati, Setapak, Bukit Jalil, Cheras, Wangsa Maju, Taman Connaught, Danau Kota, Sentul, Jalan Genting Klang, Kepong\n\n\nOther notes: You probably can\u2019t get attached bathroom or parking space with this budget.\n\n\n\n\nIf you make around RM2500 a month,\n\n\nYour rental shouldn\u2019t cost more than \nRM750\n.\n\n\nHere are the types of places you can get for that price:\n\n\n\n\nYou can get a master bedroom at: Bukit Jalil, Sungai Besi, Setapak, Wangsa Maju, Jalan Genting Klang, Taman Melati\n\n\nYou can get a small-to-medium-sized rooms at: Bangsar, KL city center, Mont Kiara Bandar Sri Permaisuri\n\n\nOther notes: This is the middle ground \u2013 choose between a nice but far place (from city centre), or average but near place (from city centre)\n\n\n\n\nIf you make around RM3500 a month,\n\n\nYour rental shouldn\u2019t cost more than \nRM1050\n.\n\n\nHere are the types of places you can get for that price:\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nYou can get a (swanky) master bedroom, and even whole places at: Taman Melati, Setapak, Bukit Jalil, Cheras, Wangsa Maju, Taman Connaught, Danau Kota, Sentul, Jalan Genting Klang, Kepong\n\n\nYou can get at least medium-sized rooms at: KL centre, Brickfields, Bangsar, Titiwangsa, Mont Kiara\n\n\nOther notes: You can expect a lot of utilities at this price range \u2013 security, shops, gym, pool, etc.\u00a0 Interestingly, rentals from this price range (and onwards) always exclude utility costs in their rental prices\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nIf you make around RM4500 a month,\n\n\nYour rental shouldn\u2019t cost more than \nRM1350\n.\n\n\nHere are the types of places you can get for that price:\n\n\n\n\nYou can get whole places at: Taman Melati, Setapak, Bukit Jalil, Cheras, Wangsa Maju, Taman Connaught, Danau Kota, Sentul, Jalan Genting Klang, Kepong\n\n\nYou can get a NICE medium-to-master-sized rooms at: KL centre, Brickfields, Bangsar, Titiwangsa, Mont Kiara\n\n\nOther notes: Damn nice place\n\n\n\n\nWhat if you can afford more in rental?\n\n\nIf you can afford more in rental (more than RM1500 a month), your choices extend to expat-type accommodations and/or studio suites with a lot of amenities. You can probably live in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. They have funky-ass (and sometimes silly) names like Tamarind, Saffron, Palladium, Regalia, Pearl, stuff like that.\n\n\nWhat do you think of this guide? Accurate? Not accurate? Share your views in comments!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/saving-money/rules-splurge-skimp/", "title": "Skimp or Splurge? 10 Rules I Use to Decide\n  ", "body": "\n\nMost of you probably tried a variety of methods to save money, with varying results \u2013 some of them worked, some didn\u2019t. But what you may not realise is, while every little bit counts, \na big splurge can easily offset those savings\n.\n\n\nThis happens to me way more times than I care to admit. My brain justifies it like, \u201cI\u2019m already saving money via X, Y and Z. I can afford to make this more-expensive-than-average purchase\u201d.\n\n\nSo I made a few rules of thumb when it comes to where to splurge and where to skimp. \u00a0It\u2019s a very individual decision, everyone values different things but here are some of my \u2018rules\u2019.\n\n\nRule #1 \u2013 Splurge on what keeps you OFF the ground\n\n\nThese are things like:\n\n\nA mattress.\n You spend a quarter of your life sleeping. Might as well get a good one.\nComfortable shoes.\n Get pairs that won\u2019t hurt your feet. I wish I invested in comfortable shoes sooner \u2013 been wearing cheap flats for years and the constant impact to my heels makes walking painful. The specialised Scholl sandals I bought for everyday walking was expensive but worth it, immediate improvement.\nA car that runs well, with well-fuctioning safety features.\n Ensure tires are still good, make regular check-ups especially before long drives.\n\n\nThis is the first rule for a reason. It\u2019s solid advice, you should follow it before splurging on anything else.\n\n\nRule #2 \u2013 Splurge on things you use every day\n\n\nThese are things like:\n\n\nPhone\n. Yes, it\u2019s OK to get expensive phones \u2013 just use them for as long as possible before replacing. It\u2019s better to use a RM5k iPhone for 5 years than replacing a RM2k smartphone every year. \nComputer\n. Once, I stupidly bought a RM1000 laptop. It was useless for work purposes, so I sold it at a loss and bought a RM2000 one \u2013 not the best, but it works. Later, when I could afford it, I \nbought a RM8k laptop\n.\nClothes\n. Note: I didn\u2019t say fashion. Clothes. Like basic jeans and good-quality top that will last you years instead of two washes in the washing machine. Related: \nSave Money on Fashion: 5 Steps I Use to Optimise My Clothing Budget\n\n\nActually, I don\u2019t like this rule so much because there are so many things that you technically use every day, it\u2019s hard to draw the line. I \ndrink coffee\n almost every day, and I still buy cheap coffee. I don\u2019t have fancy water dispensers. I have \ncheapo glasses\n.\n\n\nRule #3 \u2013 Introverts \u2013 splurge on home comfort. Extroverts \u2013 splurge on social activities\n\n\nmussellistefano\n / Pixabay\n\n\nI\u2019m an introvert; I like to be alone in my head, it recharges me. Extroverts get their energy from socialising, so \u2018stay at home/go out less\u2019 advice don\u2019t work so well. (It\u2019s not black and white though. Most of us are actually ambiverts \u2013 intro/extroversion is a spectrum, not a binary state.)\n\n\nTherefore, assuming one\u2019s budget is limited and they have to pick one, introverts should prioritise making their home a sanctuary and extroverts should add socialising costs in their budget. \n\n\nWhich is better? I think in the end both advantages cancel out. Introverts may find it easier to save money (since going out can be expensive and all), but extroverts tend to do more networking, which helps them in the workplace. \n\n\nRule #4 \u2013 Splurge on experiences, not things\n\n\nThe two biggest purchases people tend to make in their life is (1) a house, and (2) car. However, as covered in \nHow to Buy Happiness: 5 Science-Backed Principles to Know TODAY\n article, they don\u2019t actually bring that much happiness. You\u2019ll experience a spike right after the purchase, then it goes back to normal. \n\n\nThis is a very common phenomenon, called hedonic theadmill. It also happens when you buy those clothes or shoes or whatever, then desire new ones. \n\n\n\n\nExperiences, however. Those stick around. We even remember the sucky ones \u2013 the trip where it rained all day, the trip where you missed your flight, the trip where you had food poisoning \u2013 with fondness. \n\n\nSo get more of those instead of stuff. \n\n\nRule #5 \u2013 Splurge on quality advice and services\n\n\nYes, you can probably save hundreds of ringgit by doing your own home repairs, but if you don\u2019t know the know-how, that can easily turn into thousands of ringgit on future repairs. \n\n\n\n\nDIY projects are worth doing because only then you realise how shit you are at the skill and realise why professionals charge the amount they do \ud83d\udc4d\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com \ud83c\udff4 (@surayaror) \nAugust 12, 2020\n\n\n\n\nThis advice applies to:\n\n\nHome and furniture repairs\nCar repairs\nAccounting services \u2013 especially for businesses, you don\u2019t want to get into trouble when it comes to taxes\nAnd more\n\n\nSurprisingly, I found the lessons during Kemahiran Hidup very helpful. I\u2019ve successfully fixed leaking taps with the white tape thing. YouTube is awesome as well \u2013 I managed to replace a flat tire instead of spending on tow truck services. \n\n\nSo I guess, \ncheck first if you can DIY\n, but if you can\u2019t, shell out the expense.\n\n\nRule #6 \u2013 SKIMP on trinkets\n\n\nI like the idea of trinkets \u2013 things that remind you of positive memories.\n\n\nWhat I don\u2019t like though are things that try to capitalise on those\u00a0memories.\n\n\nThese are things like Pandora bracelets. Why the hell does one need 100000000 charms for? And those forceful pictures that theme parks like to take that costs RM20+ with paper frames *insert angry emoji*\n\n\nTrinkets should be free or cost minimally. Pictures. A funny-looking stone from the spot you met your significant other. Your mum\u2019s ring that she gave you before you leave to study overseas. A framed picture of you as a baby making your dad laugh. Stickers from a child as her sign of approval. These are the best trinkets.\n\n\nRule #7 \u2013\u00a0Don\u2019t turn splurges into a collection\n\n\nCFDirect\n / Pixabay\n\n\nIt started innocently, with one purchase. Before you know it, you have a collection that you constantly feel the need to add to\u2026\n\n\nI consider these as splurges: accessories (including tudung/hijabs), perfumes, expensive watches, designer handbags, designer shoes, designer shades and the likes. \n\n\nThey have their functions and can be useful, \u00a0and I understand the appeal of having a collection, but you have to know \u2013 there are too many items in the world that collecting is a never-ending quest. \nSo you must know when to stop, or at least pause\n. \n\n\nIf you must have a collection, use Rule #8\n\n\nRule #8 \u2013 Splurge at small businesses, skimp at big businesses\n\n\nMany big businesses\u00a0have large profit margins. They invest it in marketing and advertising and in turn get more popular and get more profit. For example, it is common for clothing shops to \nmark up their items 3x or more\n. \n\n\nSmall businesses, on the other hand, have much smaller profit margins even if the items are similarly priced. They don\u2019t get big bulk discounts on raw materials they purchase. They also spend more, percentage-wise on overheads. Therefore, if you must splurge, pick smaller businesses.\n\n\nRule #9 \u2013 SKIMP if the marketing is manipulative\n\n\nIf you have not read my article on \nmanipulative marketing\n, please do so. This is considered self-defence, against the many, many advertising attacks you see as a consumer. \n\n\nLet me just share with you one type of manipulative marketing. The scarcity tactic. The one I hate the most. It comes in many forms:\u00a0\nLimited edition. Countdown timers. \u2018Today only\u2019. Only 1 left. \u2018Get it fast before it\u2019s gone\u2019. Only 300 in the world.\n\n\nAll these are designed to \nencourage you to spend without thinking about it\n\n\n#10 \u2013 SKIMP if it exceeds my budget\n\n\nThis might be the most important rule of all. Unless it\u2019s a matter of life and death, if the purchase will exceed my budget, then I will be skimping or doing without it, no excuses. \n\n\nAnd why not. Sales will happen again, it\u2019s not like it\u2019s a once-a-year event. Nothing is worth getting into credit card debt. I like Future Me too much to burden her with \nbuy now pay later\n option. \n\n\nThis is common sense, but worth repeating: It\u2019s ok to not get what you want, when you want. It\u2019s ok to wait. \n\n\nIn fact, I encourage you to wait before doing any purchase. You can also turn this into a game:\n\n\n\n\nThings I tell myself when I play the delayed gratification game:\n'oh good, you made it to a week! How about waiting for a month?'\n'you'd regret getting this now. A sale is just around the corner'\n'the company will release their latest model soon & slash this model's price'\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com \ud83c\udff4 (@surayaror) \nOctober 8, 2019\n\n\n\n\nWhat do YOU Skimp and Splurge on?\n\n\nWell, those are my \u2018rules\u2019. I don\u2019t mind splurging on things that matter to me, but for everything else, I skimp. \n\n\nDo you agree with the rules above? Any additional rules you go by? What do you personally splurge on? Please share with me in comments \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/saving-money/save-money-on-coffee/", "title": "Malaysians Share How They Save Money on Coffee\n  ", "body": "\n\nEvery week, I do a little mini-forum in the \nRinggit Oh Ringgit FB page\n. Recently, I asked what people do to save money on coffee.\n\n\nThe answers\n blew me away \u2013 you people really love your coffee huh? Some of the answers were so creative and informative, I had to compile them here! Here\u2019s what Malaysians do to save money on that cup of joe, divided into two sections, free and reduced-cost.\u00a0\n\n\nFree Coffee\n\n\n\n\nEnjoy free-flow coffee from work\n\n\nQuite a few respondents are lucky enough to have free flow coffee at their workplace. It ranges from instant coffee, to those Nescafe machines, to nice espressos.\n\n\nGenius tip: One person brings a thermos to work to bring home free coffee!\n\n\nGet coffee as gifts\n\n\nThis answer from Suyin cracks me up lol\n\n\nSuyin:\n Tell as many contacts as possible that you love coffee, and get them as gifts when people come in for visits, meetings, and programmes. Recently my colleague from Washington DC came (to Malaysia) and guess who got a nice bag of Ethiopian coffee from California!\n\n\n\n\nSwipe from hotels\n\n\nYou already paid for those coffee packets in the hotel rooms you booked, so why not?\n\n\nGet friend to belanja\n\n\n(I do not endorse this method lol)\n\n\nReuse ground coffee from cafes\n\n\nEDIT: Please consume at own risk!\u00a0\n\n\n Mohd Yusri Sanusi:\u00a0\nGo to Starbucks and ask for used ground coffee. They will hand it out to you for free.\u00a0Brew it again over and over \u2013 it will save you some money.\u00a0\n\n\nReduced-cost coffee\n\n\nContent with cheaper options\n\n\nMany of you save money on coffee by:\n\n\n\n\nDrinking instant coffee and 2-in-1 / 3-in-1 coffee mixes\n\n\nDiluting/stretching it out with water/milk/Milo/tea/etc\n\n\nBuying from fast food and convenience store options like McDonald\u2019s and Family Mart\n\n\nBuying from the mamak (see one of the creative replies below!)\n\n\n\n\nVincent Muthu:\n\u00a0Buy one kopi o kao kosong (about RM2 for one takeaway bungkus) from the mamak, split it to 3 cups, keep it in the fridge and ration it through the day. I would dilute it with water then add sugar and / or creamer. If I want it hot, I\u2019d microwave it. If I don\u2019t finish these 3 cups in one day, I drink them the next day as kopi ais.\n\n\nMake use of deals\n\n\nSome deals you are using:\n\n\n\n\nBank card-related deals\u00a0\n\n\nSeasonal or promotional buy-one-free-one offers\n\n\nE-wallet discounts (I know Boost and GrabRewards got \u2013\u00a0\nSee reviews of ewallets here\n)\n\n\n\n\nRegularly look out for coffee deals? What did I miss? Let us know in the comments!\n\n\nInvesting in a home coffee setup\n\n\nAlright, time to take it up a notch. This is for those of you who take your coffee a bit more\u2026 seriously.\n\n\nLove the responses here \u2013 coffee enthusiasts really can be quite technical with the beans and the filter and the grinding style, and have invested in equipment and tools to make nicer coffees at home.\n\n\nHere are some of the replies:\n\n\nHwa Shi-Hsia:\n The freshly roasted beans from local coffee shops are quite reasonably priced. I just use the cup thingy from a normal blender to grind my beans.\n\n\nCoffee aficionados say you must use a burr grinder but they\u2019re so expensive and I think for 99.9% of us, we can\u2019t tell the difference between different grinders. But there is a noticeable difference between recently-roasted and freshly-ground coffee versus old ground coffee, so for me that\u2019s as canggih as I want to get.\n\n\nTo extract the coffee, I use my old Aeropress which looks ugly but have lasted for so many years already.\u00a0I bought it in Singapore some years ago for a quite ridiculous price. Tip: Ask people to bring back from the US \u2013 only $25.\n\n\nKhor Hui Min:\n\u00a0I have a simple coffee machine at home (got it as a present) and a French press. I buy coffee beans and grind them \u2013 the dark roast from Ikea is nice (about RM16/pack). I also buy ground coffee from Kluang Station (around RM8 for 200g).\n\n\nPeachcaffeine:\n\u00a0I have an Aeropress, bought for AUD45 while travelling in Melbourne. I get roasted beans and hand grind it whenever I want to drink coffee. This way, the coffee bean can be kept longer (than ground coffee), and it\u2019s a good arm workout lol.\n\n\nI buy a bag of roasted beans for RM50/250g and it costs me around RM2.50 per cup (using the Aeropress\u2019 scoop), which would normally cost >RM10 at a cafe. I also use a metal filter instead of paper filters. It\u2019s more sustainable and cost-effective too.\u00a0\n\n\nNavin Anand:\u00a0\nFor proper coffee, brew it yourself. Starbucks and other brands are grossly overpriced. My initial coffee setup cost is about RM500 for the grinder, dripper and filters, plus an hour a day on coffee education. My equipment:\n\n\n\n\nGrinder: Delonghi KG89\n\n\nDripper: Hario V60\n\n\nFilter: Unbleached Hario filters\n\n\n\n\nI got the Delonghi grinder during a sale at Harvey Norman. Cost me about RM290 instead of RM400. I get the rest of the supplies including the beans from Bean Shipper. The KG89 or any burr type grinder is preferable. Delonghi has two types of grinders: one is a blade and the other is a burr type.\n\n\nBurr is preferred as it gives a more consistent ground size which affects the brew quality. Burrs grind the beans while blades simply chop them up. There is one inherent flaw in the KG89. The plastic materials used are not static resistant. Finer coffee particles tend to get charged and stick to the container but it\u2019s not a big issue.\n\n\nFor consistency of brew, you\u2019ll need a scale and a gooseneck kettle as well but it\u2019s not absolutely necessary.\n\n\nFor kopitiam-style coffee, I particularly love Kopi 434 from Muar.\u00a0It is quite steep but worth every cent if you love coffee. It\u2019s a whole new world to explore.\n\n\nChinita Linda:\n\u00a0I got a basic Phillips compact coffee maker from the used goods group on Facebook for only RM50 (it was new and unused as it was a lucky draw prize). The unbleached coffee filters come from Daiso \u2013 RM5.57 for a pack of around 80.\n\n\nFor ground coffee, I get them from Tesco premium, IKEA,\u00a0Muar 434 or even local shops in kampung that roast and grind their own blend for kopitiams. There are a few in Malacca\u2019s Old Quarters.\u00a0\n\n\nDavid Wang:\n\u00a0Buy a drip coffee machine. These cost about RM100 at the electrical department in Aeon or Parkson, are super simple to operate and brew a great pot every time, no barista skills required. Put in a coffee filter, the ground coffee, fill up the water and turn the machine. You\u2019ll have a delicious pot of coffee in 5 minutes.\n\n\nFor ground coffee, you could buy Lavazza, Illy or even Starbucks coffee beans, but I\u2019ve found that the RM15 ground coffee from Tesco and IKEA are really tasty too.\n\n\nTip: coffee is usually sold in half pound bags (227 g). Don\u2019t buy more than you can consume \u2013 larger batches might go stale before you can finish it.\u00a0\n\n\nDhurkesh:\u00a0\nI usually buy my coffee beans from BeanShipper. You can request them to grind the beans to your preferred choice (french press, espresso, etc). If you\u2019re buying whole beans, there\u2019s a free coffee grinder service in IKEA.\n\n\nI like BeanShipper\u2019s coffee subscription service \u2013 they send you small amounts of different blends every month. Pricing is also cheaper than buying it from a cafe.\n\n\nSamuel Jin:\n I buy roasted beans, hand grind and use pour over a filter to get best-value fresh coffee.\u00a0I usually ask my friends who go abroad to buy for me. I have tried beans from Bangkok, Hanoi, Bali and even East Malaysia. I prefer medium roast beans for the flavour, and it goes well with hand-pour brewing method. For the equipment, I got Hario ones.\n\n\nKatherine D\u2019Cruz:\n\u00a0I am a coffee addict. This is my coffee machine, the model is called Breville BES870 Barista Express Espresso Coffee Machine Coffee Maker. We bought it for RM2999 in 2016.\n\n\nIt has saved me so much money! I would spend RM40 per day on average for 3-4 cups of coffee outside, or RM150-200 per week, but since making coffee and working from home, my average spending is about RM142 per month, including the cost of milk. Much cheaper than RM600-800 per month previously!\n\n\nI buy my coffee beans online from Lazada for RM90/kg.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nWhat else do you do to save money on coffee?\n\n\nMy personal coffee approach is simple \u2013 instant coffee at home, fancy coffee only as a treat (with or without discount).\u00a0\n\n\nWhat else do you do to save money on coffee? If you\u2019re a coffee enthusiast, what\u2019s your setup like, and how much did you pay for it? Where can we get affordably-priced coffee beans/grounds, tools and equipment? Share with us in the comments!\n\n\nP/s \u2013 don\u2019t be that joker who says things like, \u2018save money, don\u2019t drink coffee\u2019 please\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/saving-money/save-money-on-groceries-in-malaysia/", "title": "The Comprehensive Guide to Save Money on Groceries in Malaysia\n  ", "body": "Some people love grocery shopping. Some people don\u2019t.\n\n\nI happen to belong to the first camp. I LOVE grocery shopping. It\u2019s fun to go to the hypermarket and pick between yellow and red onions haha.\n\n\nWhen I first started to budget, my initial research was all about how to save money on groceries before I \u2018graduated\u2019 to other topics.\n\n\nThere are lots of ways to save money on groceries in Malaysia. In this guide, I will share what I know. I hope you\u2019ll find it useful for your next shopping trip. I divided this article into helpful shopping tools to have and things to do before, during and after the trip.\n\n\n\n\nShopping tools\n\n\nThings that can help you save even more money.\n\n\n\n\nA car/ride-sharing\n \u2013 The more you stock up on one trip, the fewer trips you have to make. This saves petrol, parking and time, as well as reduces impulse spending (less trips = less temptations each time). Some personal finance bloggers have resources you can use to make just\u00a0\nONE major grocery trip a month\n.\n\n\nGrocery delivery services\n \u2013 If you can\u2019t go to the stores in person. There are a few options, such as Happyfresh and Honestbee. Related: \nMy Happyfresh review\n\n\nFridge/Freezer\n \u2013 To stock up on perishable items\n\n\nPantry/storage space\n \u2013 To stock up on non-perishable items\n\n\nTesco/Mydin/Econsave/Giant brochures\n \u2013 to compare prices.\n\n\nCashback credit card\n \u2013 Getting one that gives you 2-5% cashback is a good idea\n\n\nCalculator/phone\n \u2013 Sometimes you\u2019re faced with two or more options and need to calculate which one is more worth it\n\n\n\n\nEach one is a \u2018hack\u2019 on its own, but don\u2019t worry too much if you don\u2019t have some of them!\n\n\nBefore you go\n\n\n \nOpenClipart-Vectors\n / Pixabay\n\n\nChecklist before you make that trip.\n\n\n\n\nEat first.\n Grocery stores tend to make you hungry because they make sure you can smell their freshly-baked bread. So sly right. When you\u2019re hungry, you buy more food and snacks\n\n\nKnow your staples.\n What do you/your family normally use and consume? For example, my family is proudly Nogori, so we make Masak Lemak all the time, therefore coconut milk is a staple in our household. I have a list of common Malaysian grocery staples further down this article.\n\n\nCheck the store brochures to find especially good deals.\n If your usual dishwashing liquid is half the price, it\u2019s worth stocking them up because you\u2019ll use them in the future anyway.\n\n\nMake sure your fridge is empty.\n Throwing away perfectly edible food you still have at home wastes money \ud83d\ude41 Eat them first.\n\n\nLeave the kids.\n Unless you can\u2019t, of course. Kids request things all the time. Then they press the bananas.\n\n\nPrepare the route.\n You might have to go to two or more stores to take advantage of max savings. Preferably go to places that are nearby each other and not at opposite directions.\n\n\nBring loyalty cards\n. For points bonus and extra member deals and free parking benefits if any.\n\n\nBring coupons/vouchers.\n If you have them.\n\n\n\n\nAt the store\n\n\nThings to do at the store:\n\n\n\n\nIf you can, \nbuy ingredients, not convenience and prepackaged items\n. I like to buy whole chickens and cut them myself \u00a0(RM6-8 per kilo) rather than the individual parts (double that price!).\n\n\nBuy non-perishables in bulk\n, especially if it\u2019s a good deal.\n\n\nFor \nperishables like fruits and vegetables\n, buy smaller amounts of items that go bad faster (strawberries, leafy greens etc) and larger amounts of items that can keep for a while (cabbages, apples, carrots, potatoes, oranges, etc).\n\n\nWhen paying, \ncheck the register and the receipt\n\u00a0because sometimes prices get rung up wrongly. Once my green peppers were wrongly tagged as another expensive vegetable. Thank goodness I found out at the register, because if not I would have paid RM35 for nothing.\n\n\nCheck the bargain bins\n. I\u2019ve scored a lot of still-good produce items from here. Soft bananas make really good banana cakes! Don\u2019t get reduced-price fresh meat though. Any meat I found at the bargain bin always turn out to be bad.\n\n\nIt\u2019s easy to be distracted at the store. \nAllow yourself one \u2018naughty\u2019 purchase\n, but just one.\n\n\n\n\nAfter shopping\n\n\nWhat to do after you get home.\n\n\n\n\nKeep the perishables in the fridge. \nPlace the items that\u2019ll go bad faster in front\n, so you\u2019ll see and consume it before it goes bad.\n\n\nBe OK with less food variety\n as you run out of some food items. I think that expecting something different for every meal is a luxury that you can phase out (except for special occasions), especially if you\u2019re really on a budget. You can also use tools like \nSupercook \n\u2013 enter your remaining ingredients and it\u2019ll suggest some recipes you can make with what you have. My favourite frugal meal is cabbage soup with ikan bilis stock + rice.\n\n\nIt\u2019s also OK not to have meat at every meal.\n Going vegetarian sometimes is good for you and easy on the budget.\n\n\nCook big batches of food.\n Turn dinner leftovers into lunch and bring it to work. It\u2019s easy\u00a0for some meals to be re-purposed into new meals, too. For example, rice becomes fried rice. Leftover chicken becomes sandwich filling. Soup becomes, err, thicker soup.\n\n\nKeep a list of what you have\n. I personally don\u2019t do this because I generally know what I have, but bigger families can benefit from having a list.\n\n\nWe throw away an absurd amount of food. \nDon\u2019t let it go bad\n, so sayang.\n\n\nGo to smaller shops to stock up on perishables you need before your next big shopping trip.\n Pasar tani, pasar malam and local sundry shops are good places for these. You get to support local businesses, too.\n\n\n\n\nCommon staples for Malaysians\n\n\nThings Malaysians buy (source: I look at people\u2019s grocery baskets while shopping because its fascinating to peek into their lives). Tweak this list to cater to your family\u2019s needs.\n\n\nDry stuff\n\n\n\n\nRice\n\n\nCooking oil\n\n\nSugar\n\n\nFlour\n\n\nSoy sauce\n\n\nInstant noodles/mihun\n\n\nDried ikan bilis/shrimp\n\n\nStock cubes\n\n\nPasteurised milk\n\n\nInstant coffee/ tea\n\n\n\n\nFrozen stuff\n\n\n\n\nFrozen vegetables\n\n\nFish\n\n\nChicken\n\n\nBeef\n\n\nMutton\n\n\nButter\n\n\n\n\nOthers\n\n\n\n\nVegetables & Fruits\n\n\nOnion/Garlic\n\n\nEggs\n\n\nCanned sardines\n\n\nPasteurised milk\n\n\nTofu/Tempeh\n\n\nCurry powder mix\n\n\nTumeric powder / whatever herbs and spices you usually use\n\n\nCoconut milk\n\n\nMayo\n\n\n\n\nNon-perishables\n\n\n\n\nToilet paper\n\n\nCleaning products\n\n\nGarbage bags\n\n\nAluminium foil\n\n\nShampoo/soap/toothpaste/toothbrush\n\n\nPad/tampon (or switch to menstrual cup!)\n\n\nDiapers (kids or adults)\n\n\n\n\nHow do you save money on groceries in Malaysia?\n\n\nSo what do you think of the above? Simple but doable, no?\n\n\nUsing the methods above saved me a lot of money over the years. Buying groceries and cooking your own food is one of the best ways to stay frugal, easily one of the best skills I picked up. Makes a great hobby and impresses the dates, too \ud83d\ude1b\n\n\nAside from the above, do you have any other tips? Any other shopping tools to recommend? Please share them in comments!\n\n\nAs always, if you find this helpful, please share them to your friends and family \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/saving-money/saving-money-tips-couldnt-stick/", "title": "17 Saving Money Tips I Tried (but Ultimately Couldn\u2019t Stick To)\n  ", "body": "*Generally* speaking, I\u2019m pretty good with applying saving money tips in my life. I enjoy experimenting with \ndifferent ways to save money\n, while being mindful in being \nfrugal instead of cheap\n.\n\n\nAs a result of that constant experimentation, I\u2019ve kind of figured out over the years:\n\n\n\n\nthings I\u2019m \nnot\n willing to skimp on,\n\n\nthings that are not worth my\u00a0\ntime\n, and\n\n\nthings I \ndon\u2019t enjoy\n doing just for the sake of saving a few cents or ringgit\n\n\n\n\nThat last part is somewhat important. Unless you\u2019re still, you know, saving up your first RM1000 or something, or urgently trying to pay off your high-interest credit card or personal loan debt, then I don\u2019t think it\u2019s worth being\u2026 I dunno\u2026 miserable in being too obsessed in saving money. You were not born just to pay bills and die.\n\n\nHaving said that, the only way to figure out whether you\u2019ll like something or not is to try it first, give it a fair chance. Therefore, here is my\u2026 \u2018Things I Tried to Do to Save Money, but Gave Up\u2019 List\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Grow vegetables\n\n\nAll my attempts so far have died on me. Also, I understand that small-scale farming isn\u2019t actually cheap or money-saving, if you factor in all the initial capital (seeds, pots, soil, etc) plus labour cost.\n\n\nHowever, I\u2019m only human. Once in a while, after seeing other people\u2019s plant babies on Instagram, I feel the motivation to try again.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 \u2018No poo\u2019\n\n\nThat refers to no shampoo, in case you thought of something else.\n\n\nI should have known. This was something started or at least popularised by the white people I think. Some of them go literal years without shampooing.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Going vegetarian\n\n\nMy animal slash hunter instinct is too strong. Oh God I want a steak now.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Cut my own hair\n\n\nTried a few times. Was it shorter? Yes. Did I save money? Yes. But was it flattering? \u2026No.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Make grocery list before shopping\n\n\nLook. Grocery shopping is one of my few pure, unadulterated joys in life. I have already cut back on other spending. Let me have this one. I need this. I love picking ingredients up on a whim.\n\n\n(But of course I am mindful of the price. I\u2019m not going to \u2018accidentally\u2019 add the \nRM180 tray of Japanese strawberries\n in my cart, that\u2019s crazy)\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Make my own cleaning supplies\n\n\nThey look easy enough to make. But I\u2019m just not that much of a clean freak to justify learning this skill. Still using up supplies bought last year.\n\n\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Be a minimalist\n\n\nI have a natural hoarding tendency which I\u2019ve kind of accepted. It\u2019s not that bad. The key is to live in a small-ish space so you don\u2019t hoard too much, and declutter every so often.\n\n\n#8 \u2013 Bulk cooking\n\n\nAs someone who has a problem with portion control, I really shouldn\u2019t continue on with bulk cooking. The food that\u2019s meant to last a week, only lasts for a couple of days.\n\n\n\n\n\u201cif I reduce my food portions, not only I can achieve my fitness goals faster, but also reduce my groceries bill,\u201d\n\n\nI say to myself as I go for seconds\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nMay 27, 2020\n\n\n\n\n#9 \u2013 Utilising the library\n\n\nIn theory, borrowing books from the library is an amazing concept.\n\n\nI just\u2026 never got around to going there. It\u2019s just too out of the way.\n\n\nA few years from now, I may live in a residential-commercial area with a public library in walking distance. High hopes of becoming one of those people who actually utilises public libraries.\n\n\n#10 \u2013 Couponing\n\n\nI really loved that TLC show, Couponing Extreme. The way they \u2018game\u2019 the system is sooooooo satisfying!\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nHowever unlike the United States, we don\u2019t have much of a coupon culture here, do we \ud83d\ude41\n\n\n#11 \u2013 Buy used phones and laptops\n\n\nPersonally, I don\u2019t like the idea of buying used phones and laptops.\n\n\nThis is not to say secondhand market is bad. It\u2019s just I\u2019d rather not take my chance with strangers, for both these devices.\n\n\nOther devices like gaming consoles etc, ok je.\n\n\n#12 \u2013 Buying certain generic brand\n\n\nI don\u2019t care what you say. The best kicap brand is Cap Kipas Udang. The best mayonnaise is Kewpie (also acceptable: Heinz). The best sardine is Ayam brand.\n\n\nThat said, I do enjoy experimenting with generic brands. Some of them are really good! Check out some user suggestions in the FB post below:\n\n\n\n\n#13 \u2013 Reduce my rent by having housemates\n\n\nLook, been there, done that. This solitude and privacy is worth the splurge.\n\n\nRelated: \nHow I rent a master bedroom in Kuala Lumpur for RM150 a month (not including bills)\n\n\n#14 \u2013 Do clothes swap\n\n\nI am not a clothes person, so I have no motivation to organise something like a clothes swap.\n\n\nPlus much of my clothing needs are filled by occasional shopping, thrifting and getting stuff from my sisters\u2019 shops.\n\n\n\n\nCheck out their shops! Uniqlo vibes, lots of mix-and-match items. Very Muslimah and capsule wardrobe friendly. You can stretch your clothing budget \ud83d\ude01\n\n\nRegular size: \nhttps://t.co/jFDgogj4cy\n\n\nPlus size version: \nhttps://t.co/KKcTDJyjKR\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nSeptember 30, 2019\n\n\n\n\n#15 \u2013\u00a0 Getting ONLY free entertainment\n\n\nYeah, Youtube is free, but Spotify and Netflix run me just ~RM20 per month. I can afford that.\n\n\n#16 \u2013 Donate blood\n\n\nDid you know you can get a bunch of perks for regularly donating blood?\n\n\nJust look at this table. Credit: this \nSAYS article\n.\n\n\n\n\nYet I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever donated blood. I\u2019m not scared of it or anything. Just never really actively seek out blood donation drives, and the ones I chances upon (very rare occasions), timing tak kena.\n\n\n#17 \u2013 Cook or bake time-consuming recipes\n\n\nIf it:\n\n\n\n\ntakes more than 30 minutes to prep and cook, and\n\n\nI can\u2019t leave it in the oven/slow cooker, and\n\n\nI\u2019m not in the mood to do all the work involved\n\n\n\n\nThen I\u2019m buying it, or going without.\n\n\nESPECIALLY if the food is something that is already affordable to buy, like buns and bread.\n\n\nI tried baking bread before. Some people described the kneading process as therapeutic, but unfortunately that\u2019s the opposite of what I felt.\n\n\nConclusion: Some Money Saving Tips Won\u2019t Work for Me and That\u2019s OK\n\n\nIt\u2019s okay to try and fail, rather than not trying at all, yeah? At the end of the day, I\u2019m glad I gave most of the above a shot.\n\n\nIf the above didn\u2019t work for me, then what money saving tips *do* work for me? Plenty! I:\n\n\n\n\nFound lots of grocery-shopping hacks. Related: \n5 Things I Did To Reduce My Damn High Groceries Bill\n\n\nSave money on coffee. Related:\u00a0\nMalaysians Share How They Save Money on Coffee\n\n\nBought lots of money (and time) saving products:\u00a0\n13 Money-Saving Products You Rich People Can Buy (Proceeds to Covid-19 Charities)\n\n\nExplored zero waste movement. Related:\u00a0\nHow Zero Waste Malaysia Helps Me Save Money (the Environment, A Little Bit)\n\n\nAnd more!\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s the deal, isn\u2019t it. It\u2019s too much to expect from anyone to apply ALL of the money saving tips above. But a few, and especially the ones you enjoy? Definitely \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nHow about you? What money saving tip have you tried and decided its NOT suitable for your life? Why is it not suitable? Let me know, I\u2019m curious, leave your say in the comments section!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/saving-money/secret-to-budgeting/", "title": "The Secret to Sticking to A Budget\n  ", "body": "\n\nThe secret to sticking to a budget is\u2026 to enjoy the experimentation process as you figure out which cost-saving measures work and which doesn\u2019t.\n\n\nThat\u2019s it. That\u2019s the secret. \n\n\nBut of course, let me elaborate. \n\n\nWhy Enjoying the Process is the Secret and Restrictive Budgeting Won\u2019t Work\n\n\nFor many people, budgeting is synonymous with \nrestrictive budgeting\n. The plan is to CUT OUT as many expenses as possible, so one can save as much money as possible. \n\n\nThis strategy will absolutely work, but if you hate your new lifestyle, then you\u2019re not going to save as much money as you\u2019d hope. \n\n\nThink of the last time you forced yourself to follow a restrictive budget. Have you tried to live on a super-minimal groceries budget, or rented a room with housemates, and/or saved on transportation cost by ditching your car?\n\n\nDid you end up making unplanned, \u2018blowout\u2019 purchases? \n\n\nIf yes, you\u2019re not alone. We buy shit we don\u2019t plan when we accumulate stress and just want to feel better, even temporarily. No matter how strong-willed you think you are, one of those marketing effort will catch you at your weakest moment and BAM you made the order without thinking.  \n\n\nIf you\u2019re lucky, you made small purchases, bought small luxuries. If not, your splurges might have cancelled out your savings, or even put in you in additional debt! \n\n\nImportant: It\u2019s important to be kind to yourself and not take all the blame \u2013 stress can mess with your head like that. In this sense, excessive budgeting is very similar to excessive dieting. You\u2019ll try to restrict, but may end up binging!\n\n\nRelated: \nWhy We Can\u2019t Stop Spending Money\n\n\nIt\u2019s still worth trying out a restrictive budget\n\n\nHold on a sec, Suraya. It\u2019s still worth trying out a restrictive budget? Didn\u2019t you just say a restrictive budget may backfire?\n\n\nYes, it might. \n\n\nBUT I\u2019d argue that some money-saving initiatives \u2013 especially those that make the top 3 expenses: Accommodation, Food and Transportation \u2013 are still worth trying out at least once. \n\n\nWhy? Because you wouldn\u2019t know how you could adapt to the new lifestyle changes \nuntil you try it out\n. This is the chance for you to figure out the edge of your comfort zone. \n\n\nFor example, I did the whole housemates thing. For about 3 years, I saved money on rent by living with up to 4 other people in the same apartment. \n\n\n(Related: \nHow I rent a master bedroom in Kuala Lumpur for RM150 a month (not including bills)\n\n\nI had some great times, but I also know that it wasn\u2019t my preferred living arrangement. So once my savings account got to a comfortable level, I got my own place. From there on, I knew Accommodation is one category that I am willing to splurge on (within limits of course). \n\n\n(But it\u2019s good to know that I *can* live with housemates, if I ever have to)\n\n\n(Actually the experience did come in handy lol. When my husband moved into my place, I felt okay with sharing my space, even though I\u2019ve lived alone for years)\n\n\nBy trying out and experimenting with different lifestyle changes, you will uncover so many aspects of your personality that you wouldn\u2019t know before. It may even turn into better opportunities and outcomes. \n\n\nOne example where my life changed for the better \u2013 in my early 20s, I tested my limits with Transportation and ditched my (family) car. While it was absolutely frustrating to use public transportation at times (I used to take the bus from Ipoh-Shah Alam every few months and it took me 8-10 hours per way!!), the new lifestyle also led me to focus on work-from-home opportunities, which turned out amazing for me! \n\n\nRelated: \nThe Exact Steps I Use to Earn Online in Malaysia\n\n\nThe Jackpot: Finding that you absolutely LOVE the new lifestyle change\n\n\nNever try, never know. The more things you try, the more likely it is for you to find a money-saving lifestyle that you can live with. And sometimes, if you get lucky, you\u2019ll hit jackpot and find one that you LOVE. \n\n\nPersonally, my absolute favourite lifestyle change is grocery shopping, which I picked up after trying to cook all my meals from home. Every time someone post how much they hate it (for whatever reason), I get confused, because for me grocery shopping is genuinely fun. I take so much pleasure out of this \u2018mundane\u2019 activity. \n\n\nI love everything about it. It lets me enjoy delicious, healthy food at a cheaper price. It satisfies my shopping mood and serves as a great outlet to seek novelty (I love checking out new food products that recently enter the market!). \n\n\nAdditionally, grocery shopping gives me an excuse to get out of the house (I \nwork from home\n so this is important!) and makes an awesome date activity (we pick out ingredients together and make an evening out of it). It even helps me exercise my creativity \u2013 I love figuring out what to make with random ingredients:\n\n\n\n\nGroceries running low. Digging out back-of-the-pantry items. I found tapioca flour, and a quick online search brings me to a bomb-ass-looking gluten free pizza recipe. Score!\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nMarch 24, 2020\n\n\n\n\nWhich sometimes come from the reduce-to-clear section (makes them even cheaper!)\n\n\n\n\nWhy I love the reduce-to-clear section. Dah la 50% off. They cut for you pulak tu. Tinggal masak je. I also feel good for not wasting still-edible produce\n. \n#reducetoclear\n \n#groceries\n \n#villagegrocer\n \n#bittergourd\n \nhttps://t.co/nGAbqQZCvJ\n \n#RoRInstagram\n \npic.twitter.com/SM4wzBLLqK\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nJune 11, 2019\n\n\n\n\n I even look forward to grocery-shopping when I go travelling, and daydream plans like this:\n\n\n\n\nBrainstorming ideas for blog articles\nDoing a 12 countries in 12 months sounds fun\nNot in a rushed travel way. In a rent a place for 1 month way\nLive life as usual. Do grocery shopping. Do my usual work. Take day trips and bus rides to surrounding areas\nSounds nice\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nOctober 4, 2019\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019ve written so much about grocery-shopping here in Ringgit Oh Ringgit as well:\n\n\n5 Things I Did To Reduce My Damn High Groceries Bill\nI Figured Out The Perfect System to Stop Food Waste\nHappyFresh Review: 10 Tips to Save Money and Time!\nThe Comprehensive Guide to Save Money on Groceries in Malaysia\n\n\nFinding joy while budgeting\n\n\nI completely understand and acknowledge that not everyone can be in the same headspace while attempting cost-saving lifestyle changes. After all, you can\u2019t budget your way out of poverty, so it would be tone-deaf of me to suggest to \u2018just have fun with it!\u2019 while you cut out something that provides you safety and health (rather than convenience and/or comfort). \n\n\n(But I do maintain it is absolutely the government\u2019s job to provide welfare and create jobs with living wages and ensure everyone\u2019s health and safety is NEVER compromised, so let\u2019s continue to make those demands until it happens)\n\n\n But if figuring out your \nbudgeting style\n and \nattempting money challenges\n is something every adult have to do anyway to have a better financial life, then might as well enjoy the process, no? That\u2019s my take on it anyway. \n\n\nTell me how you view budgeting \u2013 do you have a positive or negative view on it? Have you found activities that you absolutely enjoy through experimenting with different cost-saving measures? \n\n\nLet me know in the comments!\n\n\n \n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/saving-money/socar-review-cheap-car-rental-kl/", "title": "SOCAR Review: 7 Tips to Get Cheap Car Rental in KL, Penang and Johor\n  ", "body": "So that happened. You sent your car to the workshop and will be carless for a few days. You have to go somewhere far and the Grab fare will be too high. You need to pick up a person (or an item) in person.\n\n\nEither way, You. Need. A. Temporary. Car.\n\n\nI get into one of these situations sometimes, and it\u2019s really mafan. Usually I just bite the bullet and resign to paying high Grab fares but this time around I decided to give the car-sharing platform \nSOCAR\n a try.\n\n\nAnd let me tell you. It solved my problem so well, and saved me so much money, that I decided to do not just a SOCAR review but also \ninclude tips to make the cost even CHEAPER for you\n. What can I say \u2013 I am a personal finance blogger \ud83d\ude00\n\n\n\n\nHere are my 7 tips you can use to get the most value for money out of your SOCAR car rental:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Pick the cheaper car model\n\n\n\n\nAccording to the SOCAR website, they have 21 car models to choose from, from compact cars to luxury cars. To save money, choose the cheaper models. Some options which cost between RM8-RM15 per hour include:\n\n\n\n\nPerodua Axia\n\n\nProton Iriz\n\n\nKia Picanto\n\n\nPerodua Myvi\n\n\nPerodua Bezza\n\n\nHonda City\n\n\nToyota Vios\n\n\nPerodua Alza (Weekday)\n\n\nHonda BR-V (Weekday)\n\n\n\n\nDon\u2019t worry about the price now, you haven\u2019t seen Tip #2-7 yet. Also,\n weekday rates are cheaper than weekends\n, so pick that if you have the choice.\u00a0For more info about car models and SOCAR car pricing, please click \nhere\n.\n\n\nYou can get the cars from various SOCAR zones in Selangor, Penang and Johor. There are more zones than you think! This is a snapshot of SOCAR zones in Petaling Jaya area alone. It\u2019s easy to look for SOCAR zones from the \nSOCAR app\n too.\n\n\n\n\nIf the car you want is not available at a SOCAR zone nearby you, you can also request to get it delivered to you (!! new feature called #SOCAR2YOU) (I think T&C applies)\n\n\n#2 \u2013\u00a0 Use SOCAR coupons!\n\n\nNow THIS makes the cost way cheaper than it is. Let me share with you the actual cost of my trips.\n\n\n\n\nTrip 1 (Weekday \u2013 6.5 hours): Total fee RM60.68. \nI paid RM41.12.\u00a0\nThe same trip would have cost me ~RM70 in Grab fare\n\n\nTrip 2 (Weekday \u2013 12 hours): Total fee RM84.80. \nI paid RM69.90. \nThe same trip would have cost me ~RM180 in Grab fare\n\n\nTrip 3 (Weekend \u2013 10.5 hours): Total fee RM97.01. \nI paid RM73.10. \nThe same trip would have cost me ~RM150 in Grab fare\n\n\n\n\nDid I mention the price INCLUDES petrol cost?\u00a0\n\n\nSOCAR coupons are so easy to get \u2013 just download\n right from the \nSOCAR app\n (see pic below), or check their social media (\nSOCAR Instagram\n)\n. Last I check, at least 5 different SOCAR coupons were available, including discounts for school holiday, for nighttime usage and more.\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Use my referral code to get 4 hours free on first booking!\n\n\nI\u2019m quite upset I missed this, but no reason why you can\u2019t make use of it. First-time SOCAR users can get 4 hours free by registering with the referral code \u2018QWGLNG\u2019 or click this link: \nhttps://go.socar.my/Ju9fEaTVQ1\n\n\nNote: It didn\u2019t specify WHAT car. So I assume you can redeem it for ANY car \ud83d\ude00\n\n\n(The BMW 330e car model costs RM48 per hour on the weekend. Just sayin\u2019)\n\n\n(They also have various Mini Coopers car models)\n\n\nEdit: Reader Arif confirmed that BMW and Mini Cooper models are excluded from this \ud83d\ude41 Still, 4 hours free is 4 hours free.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Link it to your Grab ewallet\n\n\nTo pay for your SOCAR car reservations, you can either link your \nSOCAR app\n to credit/debit card, or to Grab ewallet.\n\n\nPick Grab ewallet. Two reasons:\n\n\n\n\nYou can earn Grab points\n \u2013 redeem that for Grab rides, or whatever\n\n\nYou can top up your Grab ewallet with credit cards and get your \ncashback/collect points\n there too \n(I use my Maybank Amex for 5% weekend cashback)\n no longer available\n\n\n\n\nUsing SOCAR a few times gained me enough Grab reward points to redeem a RM15 Grab ride cash voucher \ud83d\ude00\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Earn SOCAR points\n\n\nSOCAR has their own points system too! Use this hack if you\u2019re going to use SOCAR a few times (not one-off).\n\n\nYou can earn SOCAR points by filling up the car you\u2019re renting. This option is only available \nif the car doesn\u2019t come with a petrol card\n. I don\u2019t know how common the petrol card is \u2013 all the cars I used so far doesn\u2019t come with one.\n\n\nIf you can fill up the car to full tank, do it \u2013 you get 10% bonus. Filling up RM30 in petrol will give you 33 SOCAR points, which is pretty much equal to RM33 and immediately redeemable for next usage.\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Use SETEL app to get cashback on petrol\n\n\nIf not mistaken, you can only fill up SOCAR cars from Petronas petrol station ONLY. That\u2019s totally cool, because you can also use the SETEL app \u2013 Petronas\u2019s ewallet \u2013 to earn cashback and points!\n\n\nUse my SETEL referral code \u20188ebtv\u2019 or click this link to download the app: \nhttps://111.setel.my/ref/8ebtv\n. At time of writing, that referral gets you RM5 if you purchase RM30 worth of fuel. You also get 3 x 10% cashback for minimum RM90 worth of petrol (so\u2026 RM30 per fill-up, 3 times, get back RM9).\n\n\nYou can also link the \nSETEL app\n with your Mesra card, if you have one. Can earn 3 points for every litre of fuel.\n\n\n(Use your cashback or petrol credit card to make the petrol purchase too \u2013 earn cashback/reward points there).\n\n\n\u00a0#7 \u2013 Reload your Touch n Go card with credit card\n\n\nWhile petrol is included in the fare price, tolls are not, so you need to have a Touch n Go card ready. And yes, you \ncan\n reload your Touch n Go card with credit card \ud83d\ude00 I\u2019ve been doing it for years.\n\n\n\n\nAnother tngo card lifehack \u2013 top up at places yang accept credit card. Can earn points/cashback also. I use my Maybank Amex and get 5% weekend cashback \nhttps://t.co/bubqM7d6Tn\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nNovember 4, 2019\n\n\n\n\nPlaces to reload Touch n Go card with credit card include:\n\n\n\n\nTouch n Go Self-Service Kiosk \u2013 Nu Sentral\n\n\nTouch n Go Self-Service Kiosk \u2013 Customer Experience Centre (Tower 2A), Avenue 5, Bangsar South\n\n\nHighway \u2013 Subang Toll Plaza\n\n\nHighway \u2013 Ebor North Toll Plaza (Lebuhraya Utara-Selatan)\n\n\n\n\nBut sometimes you can find places to do Touch n Go reload with credit card at pretty random locations too. For example, the Jaya Grocer at Main Place, USJ21 Subang provides this service. Go figure.\n\n\nKnow other locations? Share in the comments section!\n\n\n(If you\u2019re concerned about reload fee \u2013 just get the MYNews-branded Touch n Go cards. Reloads there are free and you go there to buy oden anyway).\n\n\nFinal SOCAR Review + Verdict \u2013 A Good and Cheap Car Rental Option?\n\n\nYES.\n\n\nI would give \nSOCAR\u00a0\n a 4.5 out of 5 stars. Saved me a lot of money and time, and the app\u2019s UI/UX is pretty cool and more intuitive than I thought. Love how I can layer discounts and cashbacks and points-collection too. Much-appreciated service especially for someone carless like me!\n\n\nThe only reason I\u2019m taking out 0.5 stars is because they don\u2019t seem to be good at answering angry customers on social media, the ones who get their accounts blocked for whatever reason.\n\n\n(can\u2019t help to wonder what they did that got them blocked from using the platform again tho)\n\n\nHave you used SOCAR before? Share with us your reviews in the comments section \ud83d\ude00\n\n\nRelated: Another service which helped me a lot, as someone who doesn\u2019t have a car \u2013 \ngrocery delivery service\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nThe Real Answer to \u2018How Much Should I Spend On A Car\n\u2018\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/saving-money/spend-less-money-on-clothes/", "title": "How to Spend Less Money on Clothes in 5 Mindful Steps\n  ", "body": "Many of the spend less money on clothes-type tips out there are fairly predictable:\n\n\n\n\nBuy them on sale/off the sales rack\n\n\nGet cashback on purchases \u2013 use \ncashback credit card\n and/or \nShopback.my\n\n\nBuy from thrift shops\n\n\nPick quality over quantity so they last longer \u2013 RM100 top worn 100 times is better than a RM10 top worn once\n\n\n\n\nAll the above tips are good, but one advice in particular is surprisingly helpful in a very unexpected way:\n\n\nSpend less money on clothes by knowing what you have in your wardrobe\n\n\nKnow what you have in your wardrobe\n.\n\n\nAdvocates say that this hack will help you re-understand your fashion style and make you more conscious of your future purchases. Apparently, \nwe only wear 20% of our wardrobe\n. \u00a0\nWhy would I want to pay for the remaining 80% if I don\u2019t wear them?\n\n\nTherefore, in theory, you can already save up to 80% of your clothing spending if this tip is applied well.\n\n\nImplementing this tip in practice so you spend less money on clothes requires 5 steps. Here they are:\n\n\nStep 1: KonMari your wardrobe\n\n\nKonMari, the Japanese decluttering expert and author of \u2018The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up\u2019 and \u2018Spark Joy\u2019 is a big inspiration here. The \u2018Spark Joy\u2019 methodology is simple \u2013 if an item no longer gives you happiness, get it out of your life.\n\n\nSo I went through my entire wardrobe. If an item no longer makes me happy, they are donated, re-purposed or thrown away. I got rid of:\n\n\n\n\nClothes that don\u2019t fit well\n\n\nClothes with tears (the ones I can\u2019t be bothered to mend)\n\n\n\u2018In-case\u2019 clothes that never get worn (ie my old jackets and coats)\n\n\nClothes in styles that I no longer like\n\n\nClothes that are obviously \u2018unfashionable\u2019\n\n\nWell-loved but worn out clothes that are past their due dates\n\n\n\n\nStep 2: List down all the clothes I own\n\n\nAfter I got rid of what I don\u2019t want, I re-assessed what I choose to keep. I now own:\n\n\nTops\n\n\n\n\n2 x turtlenecks\n\n\n2 x long-sleeve tops\n\n\n1 x sleeveless collared shirt\n\n\n6 x three-quarter tops (casual)\n\n\n6 x normal sleeve tops (casual)\n\n\n5 x work-appropriate tops\n\n\n5 x t-shirts\n\n\n2 x black spaghetti tops\n\n\n3 x tank tops\n\n\n3 x black tops\n\n\n1 x black cardigan\n\n\n1 x sleeveless fun top\n\n\n\n\nTotal\n: 37 tops. Might have missed some (counted this on laundry day), so rounding this up to 40.\n\n\nBottoms\n\n\n\n\n4 x skirts\n\n\n3 x jeans\n\n\n1 x trackpants\n\n\n2 x fitness leggings\n\n\n\n\nTotal\n: 10 bottoms.\n\n\nFootwear\n\n\n\n\n1 x nice sandals\n\n\n1 x sports shoes\n\n\n2 x flip flops\n\n\n1 x closed-toe heels\n\n\n1 x open-toe heels\n\n\n2 x black flats\n\n\n3 x socks\n\n\n\n\nTotal\n: 8 pairs of shoes (not counting socks). Except for flip-flops, everything is black.\n\n\nAccessories/Others\n\n\n\n\n2 x baju kurung\n\n\n1 x dress\n\n\n4 x scarves\n\n\n5 x pyjamas/night dresses\n\n\n2 x sports bra\n\n\nUnderwear\n\n\nBox of earrings, necklaces, bangles, etc\n\n\n\n\nAll in all, I have less than 100 clothing items I think (not counting underwear la). I have no idea if the above is considered too small a wardrobe or just nice, but it\u2019s enough for me.\n\n\nStep 3: Decide on a style\n\n\nThe next step is to build my wardrobe back from what I already own, and this requires thinking about my preferred way to dress, aka my style.\n\n\nWhat\u2019s your clothing style? Decide on it, and don\u2019t stray.\n\n\nFor me, I really like minimalist fashion: clean, classic, Parisian chic. Earth and natural tones. I also like the smart casual style, they are easy to dress up and down. Practical-ish fashion, I guess.\n\n\nStep 4: Know what I shouldn\u2019t buy any more\n\n\nLooking at my list, I see that I have quite a lot of casual, long sleeve tops. So I shouldn\u2019t get any more of those. Ditto on black tops and spaghetti straps. Ditto on sleepwear.\n\n\nAbout half of what I own is\u00a0black/navy/grey. \u00a0I don\u2019t need to add on to that.\n\n\nThis step is important because when I go window-shop, I am naturally drawn to some these colours/styles and tend to buy them, even though it\u2019s similar to what I already own. So now I know I have more than enough. \nNot buying saves money.\n\n\nStep 5: Only look for pieces that\u2019ll work with what I already have\n\n\nI\u2019m at this step now and actively paying more attention to new styles, prints and colours when I go window-shopping. I\u2019d love to get:\n\n\n\n\nTops in these colours: moss green, beige, dark red, brown\n\n\nPrinted skirts and pants\n\n\nCardigans and things that can be layered with what I have\n\n\nWhite sneakers or print loafers for more casual days\n\n\nAm considering a printed bag too \u2013 it\u2019ll go well with the majority of my plain outfits\n\n\n\n\nUltimately, I\u2019d love for each of the items can be paired with different things for different looks. Easy to mix-and-match\n\n\nSo I guess my strategy now is to keep an eye out for the items I want. If I chance on a good sale \u2013 \nand it better be a good deal or I won\u2019t buy it\n \u2013 then only I\u2019ll consider it.\n\n\nWhen I do need to buy, I have a huge preference for Uniqlo, secondhand shops, and from my sisters\u2019 shops, \nMarquise Collection\n and \nMalaysia Plus Size\n. Everything is easy to mix and match.\n\n\nHow do you spend less money on clothes in Malaysia?\n\n\nFashion-forward people, what are other tricks and tips you picked up? What advice can you give me \u2013 someone who merely wants to stop being called \u2018Auntie\u2019? What type of fabric is long-lasting, easy to care for, and looks good?\n\n\nAlso, what\u2019s your rule of thumb when it comes to prices? I have a preference for under-RM30 tops and under-RM100 bottoms, but thinking of paying more attention to quality this time around.\n\n\nYou folks who are more fashion-savvy than me (so, like, all of you), please share your tips in the comments \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/saving-money/spotify-premium-price/", "title": "2 Ways to Save Money on Spotify Premium in Malaysia\n  ", "body": "\n\nThis short and sweet article will inform you of the Spotify Premium price AND give you 2 ways to save money on Spotify Premium fee.\u00a0 It comes with the following disclaimer.\n\n\nArticle disclaimer: I am not accountable for whatever happens to your Spotify accounts should you use any of these tips, including but not limited to suspended accounts and extra charges. \n\n\nThat said, the chances of that happening is very small.\n\n\nHow Much is Spotify Premium in Malaysia? \n\n\nHow much for Spotify Premium in Malaysia? The short answer is\u2026 \nfrom RM15.90 per month, but you can reduce that to as low as RM4.15 per month \nusing the tips further below this article. \n\n\nOfficial Spotify Premium Price \u2013 Here\u2019s the Spotify monthly fee\n\n\nAs of the time of writing (July 2023), the official Spotify Premium price or Spotify monthly fee is:\n\n\n\n\nSpotify Premium price for \nSpotify Individual Plan (1 user)\n: RM15.90 per month / RM190.80 per year\n\n\nSpotify Premium price for \nSpotify Duo Plan (2 users)\n: RM21.50 per month / RM258 per year\u00a0\n\n\nSpotify Premium price for \nSpotify Family Plan (up to 6 users)\n: RM24.90 per month / RM298.80 per year\n\n\n\n\nSource:  \nSpotify Premium Malaysia\n \n\n\n\n\nIf you think that\u2019s kinda expensive, then let\u2019s get to the part where you learn how to save money on your Spotify Premium fee \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nMethod #1 \u2013 Get on a Duo or Family instead of an Individual Plan\n\n\nSharing is not only caring, but it\u2019ll save you money on your Spotify Premium plan. If everyone contributes equally,\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nSharing with 1 other person in the Spotify Duo Plan will cost each of you \nRM10.75 per month\n, or RM129 per year.\n\n\nSharing with 5 other people in the Spotify Family Plan will cost each of you \nRM4.15 per month\n, or RM49.80 per year\n\n\n\n\nThe catch is that someone must be responsible to hold the main account. They will make the payment to Spotify via their account as well as assign account keys to the other five people. The main account holder will also have to chase the rest for payments, so the effective way is to collect the money upfront.\n\n\nImportant point: \nAll six of you need to key in the exact same address.\n\n\nMethod #2 \u2013 Keep an eye out for deals\n\n\nThere are 3 deals now: Get 2 months for the price of 1, Spotify Premium Mini and Spotify Student\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Get 2 months for the price of 1\n\n\nAs of the time of writing (July 2023), \nSpotify Premium Malaysia\n\u00a0offers \n2-for-1 month deal for new subscribers\n. \n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Spotify Premium Mini price\n\n\nAs of the time of writing (July 2023), \nSpotify Premium Malaysia\n\u00a0offers \nSpotify Premium Mini,\n which is priced at RM0.75 per day.\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Spotify Student price\n\n\nAs of the time of writing (July 2023), \nSpotify Malaysia\n\u00a0offers \nSpotify Students,\n which is priced at RM8.90 per month. Take note this deal is only available to students at an accredited education institution.\n\n\nThere is also a 2-for-1 month deal for new subscribers! \n\n\n\n\nIf you like these deals, go for it because they don\u2019t tend to last before replaced with new (and often less good) deals. \n\n\nOther expired Spotify Premium deals in the past include:\n\n\n\n\n[EXPIRED] GrabRewards Gold and Platinum users can enjoy 3 months of Spotify Premium Plan for free\n\n\n[EXPIRED] Spotify used to offer 3-month Spotify Premium Plan for just RM2.\n\n\n[EXPIRED] Maxis\u2019 ONEPlan has an option to get 1-year Spotify Premium Plan for RM1, if you lock your phone plan in a 2-year contract.\n\n\n[EXPIRED] Via Hotlink, you can get 3-month Spotify Premium Plan for RM14.90\n\n\n\n\nNote: The list is not exhaustive, just the ones I know. Do have a look with your telco provider and \ne-wallets\n, in case they do other short-term deals. If you know more, please comment and share.\n\n\nBottom line: How much is Spotify Premium depends on convenience\n\n\nSo which Spotify Premium subscription should you pick \u2013 directly from Spotify, or via one of the 3 methods above?\n\n\nMy recommendation is\u2026 try the cheapest possible options first, ie Method #1 and #2. If it works out, great. If it doesn\u2019t, then pay for convenience (ie subscribe directly from Spotify at normal price). \n\n\nWell, there you have it! You have learned all official Spotify Premium prices, and how much to get Spotify Premium in Malaysia for cheaper via legal channels. Enjoy your ad-free music, podcast and the super fun annual Spotify Wrapped experience \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nWhile you\u2019re at it, here\u2019s \nhow to save money on Netflix subscription\n, too. \n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/saving-money/stop-food-waste/", "title": "I Figured Out The Perfect System to Stop Food Waste [APP NOW AVAILABLE]\n  ", "body": "\n\nWhat use is buying ingredients to cook at home if you, the average Malaysian household, \nthrow away 0.5-0.8kg of uneaten food \nper day\n? I thought you wanted to save money, and eat healthier at the same time?\n\n\nI\u2019m going to spare you the lecture, because honestly I\u2019m not your mom, even if the food waste problem in Malaysia does piss me off a bit. \nDo you even know how many people are starving as we speak-\n\n\nAnd we dare to say we are a food nation\n\n\nFood waste is such a stupid problem. I thought we have advanced enough as a society to solve this but the fact that we HAVEN\u2019T, UGH\n\n\nThe System I Use to Stop Food Waste in My House\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m not saying my system is perfect, but it damn near is \u2013 I have significantly cut down the groceries/food I throw out since I implemented it back in January 2020. And by doing so, I have stretched my groceries budget further, too.\n\n\nThe solution: use this note-keeping system in your notebook\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWrite down on the left-hand side\n: \n\n\nALL your groceries, sorted by categories. You can make your own, but mine is:\n\n\n\n\nFruits/Veges\n\n\nCarbs/Grains\n\n\nProtein\n\n\nDairy\n\n\nFlavour\n\n\nPantry\n\n\n\n\nWrite down on the right-hand side\n:\n\n\n\n\nFoods you cooked with the ingredients\n\n\nRecipes you want to make\n\n\nIngredients you need to use up\n\n\nIngredients you need to buy to complete a recipe\n\n\n\n\nThe system is easy enough to use:\n\n\n\n\nList out all your ingredients on the left-hand side\n\n\nCross em out as you use them up\n\n\nWrite out the meals you made and want to make\n\n\n\n\nThe beauty of this system\n\n\nListen, yo,\n\n\n#1 \u2013 You never forget what ingredient you already have\n\n\nOne of the best reason to use this system is you\u2019ll always know what ingredients you already have, instead of buying more of it at the supermarket, \u2018in case we\u2019ve ran out\u2019.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 You can quickly scan your remaining ingredients and figure out what recipes you can make with them\n\n\nYou can \u2018cook intuitively\u2019 by looking at your remaining ingredients and figure out creative ways to cook them, or use websites like \nSupercook.com\n to help you find recipes using the exact ingredients you have left.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAnd if anything, leftover ingredients can always find their homes in fried rice and omelettes.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 You can remind yourself to use up an ingredient/meal\n\n\nThe \u2018to use up\u2019 column is created precisely for this reason. Some ingredients naturally expire faster than others, and writing it down really helps to remind you to use it up sooner rather than later.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 It works for people who plan meals by ingredients, rather than plan meals by recipes\n\n\nOne of the more common food-budgeting advice is to plan meals in advance, and only buy the ingredients to make those meals. For example, here\u2019s how \nFinancial Mak\n\u2018s meal plan looks like:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\nGood morning! Meal plan for this week. I know its Tuesday already but better late than never \ud83d\ude02\ud83d\ude02 #debtfreecommunity #debtfreecommunitymalaysia #debtfreejourney #debtfreemalaysia #financialfreedommalaysia\n\n\nA post shared by \n financialmak\n (@financialmak) on \nJun 22, 2020 at 5:44pm PDT\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTbh I\u2019ve never really liked this method. My life is so boring that I \nlike\n the excitement of , \u2018oooh! I wonder what I am going to have today!\u2019 during meal hours. I also love the grocery-shopping experience: finding fresh and interesting ingredients, and\u00a0\nthen\n plan my meals around those ingredients.\n\n\n(Another pro: I buy ingredients that are on sale!)\n\n\n#6 \u2013 It\u2019s so easy to start\n\n\nI don\u2019t need another app, or another tracker. Just a fresh, new page in my notebook.\u00a0And WHO doesn\u2019t have a spare notebook lying around?\n\n\nI\u2019m really enjoying the process of crossing out ingredients. Visually, it tells me when I should plan my next grocery shopping trip as well: if most of the fruits/veges are crossed out, then its time for a trip!\n\n\n[UPDATE] This system is now available as an app!\n\n\nSoftware engineer Afif Sohaili aka Programmer Dad turned my grocery-tracking system above into an app, which is FREE for you to use! Try it out at: \ngroceror.netlify.app\n\n\n\n\nDecided to say \"screw it, let's just ship\"\nAnnouncing my newest app: Groceror.\nIt's basically an app that (is FREE, and) helps you better track your groceries \ud83e\uddf5 \npic.twitter.com/kaDjYfmdEM\n\u2014 Afif | Programmer dad \ud83e\udd13\ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\uddfe\ud83d\udc68\u200d\ud83d\udc69\u200d\ud83d\udc66\u200d\ud83d\udc66 (@afifsohaili) \nJune 4, 2023\n\n\n\n\nHow do you stop food waste in your household?\n\n\nSo I\u2019ve shared my system. This system is perfect\u2026 for *me*. Obviously, that sample size is way too small to claim overall superiority. I wonder what system do YOU use to tackle the food waste problem in your home? Let me know your tips, tricks and hacks in the comments section!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/saving-money/the-tightwad-gazette/", "title": "5 Extreme Money Saving Tips from The Tightwad Gazette\n  ", "body": "\n\nThis article is for people who are looking for money-saving tips, but bored with the usual advice. You want something else beyond \nmodifying your living arrangement\n, \ndownsizing your car\n, \ncooking at home\n and generally stop buying shit. You want something\u2026 different. \n\n\nI got you, here are some money-saving tips from The Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn (pronounced \u2018decision\u2019) that are sure to satisfy that itch. I picked up this book years and years ago, time to dust it and bring it to light. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nNow, not all the tips in The Tightwad Gazette works in Malaysia \u2013 I definitely won\u2019t include anything related to cold weather (saving money on firewood, winter clothing etc) or their insurance system. But there\u2019s plenty left to use, so here we go:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Increase your financial edge\n\n\nThe author\u2019s concept of \u2018financial edge\u2019 is a great money-saving tip to start with. She describes this as the amount in your bank account that you MUST maintain at all times. For example:\n\n\n\n\nWhen my balance exceeded $1500 I would spend. When the balance dropped below $1000 I would cease extravagant activity.\n\n\n\n\nNow that I think of it, I use this \u2018financial edge\u2019 concept in my own life too. My own \u2018edge\u2019 is no less than 1 month of expenses. If/When that happens, I stop all unnecessary spending and dissect all necessary ones. \n\n\nWhat is the amount you want to set as your own \u2018financial edge\u2019? It can\u2019t be RM0, that\u2019s too dangerous. \n\n\nBy the way, credit card limit or borrow from people doesn\u2019t count. The money has to come from your own cash/savings. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 You don\u2019t always have to choose convenience \n\n\nCompanies are smart\n. They know you\u2019re busy, so they will sell you convenience. Save time, they say. You might even internalise it and believe that any time saved = good. \n\n\nAnd while some conveniences can be worth it, you still need to decide yourself because the cost can really add up. A bunch of the advice in The Tightwad Gazette is related to this, like:\n\n\n\n\nMake your own dumbbells\n\n\nMake your own [whatever expensive that is your poison] granola/ coffee/ sweet treats etc\n\n\nPack your kids\u2019 lunchboxes\n\n\nMake your own holiday decorations\n\n\nSew/Mend your own clothes (especially simple ones, like hairband etc)\n\n\nMake kids/pets toys from whatever you have laying around\n\n\n\n\nCut/Trim your own hair (she notes that it\u2019s simpler if you opt for low-maintenance hairstyle in the first place)\n\n\nAnd more\n\n\n\n\nBasically, whatever you can do yourself, do it. \n\n\nSometimes the \u2018convenience is best\u2019 crowd gets really upset with this, in which case I\u2019ll just say, whatever, do what you want, it\u2019s your life. \n\n\nBut for me, I do want to pick and choose what conveniences are worth it and which are not, especially because I know I am NOT using the time I saved that well :/ Good for you if you do but for me, I still end up wasting a lot of time lol. \n\n\nOne essential skill the author stressed is \nplanning ahead\n. I mean, if your party is tomorrow, there\u2019s no way you are able to spend the night cooking and DIY-ing the decorations, right? \n\n\n#3 \u2013 3 basic methods to save money\n\n\nThe 3 basic methods to save money are:\n\n\n\n\nBuy it cheaper\n\n\nMake it last longer\n\n\nUse it less\n\n\n\n\nYou can apply these to pretty much everything. For example, when it comes to laundry:\n\n\n\n\nBuy detergent on sale/ in bulk/ buy store-brand\n\n\nTake extra care not to dirty your clothes more than necessary\n\n\nUse less than the \u2018recommended amount\u2019\n\n\n\n\nHere\u2019s another example, disposable shaver:\n\n\n\n\nBuy them on sale/ in bulk/ buy store-brand\n\n\nDry them properly after use so they don\u2019t rust as fast\n\n\nMaybe decide to embrace the beard/ body hair\n\n\n\n\nOr, kitchen towel (paper):\n\n\n\n\nBuy them on sale/ in bulk/ buy store-brand\n\n\nCut in half so you only use half the amount \neach\n most time\n\n\nUse (washable) cloth towels for general cleaning and paper towels only for certain things (absorb oil from food, etc)\n\n\n\n\nYou get the gist \ud83d\ude42 \n\n\n#4 \u2013 Use it up/ Reuse before throw\n\n\nThe use it up part is easy to understand \u2013 as much as possible, use up all your:\n\n\n\n\nLeftovers\n\n\nSkincare/ personal care items\n\n\nClothes\n\n\nEtc\n\n\n\n\nBefore you buy new ones/ do a restock.\n\n\nThe second part, reuse is about stretching your budget to the MAX. Basically, before you throw something out, try see if you can find a use for it. You can google things you can reuse before disposing things like:\n\n\n\n\nBread bags\n\n\nToilet paper tubes\n\n\nDried-out bread\n\n\nVegetable peels\n\n\nLeftover rice\n\n\nMilk jugs\n\n\nZiplock bags\n\n\nEgg cartons\n\n\nGround coffee\n\n\nOld newspaper\n\n\nFood jars\n\n\n\n\nOld clothes\n\n\nAnd more\n\n\n\n\nEasier said than done, but try to pause before you throw anything away and see if they can serve another purpose. \n\n\n#5 \u2013 Saying no (nicely)\n\n\nWhether your goal for extreme penny-pinching is to get out of debt faster or to reach early retirement, you\u2019re probably not doing this on your own \u2013 you\u2019re probably living with family, and don\u2019t want to stop hanging out with friends. Like it or not, most of us depend on our communities and want to maintain harmony. \n\n\nSo, it is likely you will be pressured at one point or another to spend more than you want to. The author gave a couple of examples:\n\n\n\n\nKids ask for fast food money \n\n\nThe annual door-to-door visits from Girl Scouts selling cookies\n\n\nGifting expectations during Christmas\n\n\n\n\nIn your case, this may mean getting invited to a party that costs RM50+ per person, or being asked by the nice salesperson to make a purchase. \n\n\nTo be clear, you can\u2019t win ALL battles (if it means. alot to your loved ones, you may want to set a budget for it), but you can win some by learning \nhow to nicely decline them\n. \n\n\nGeneral reminder: Saving too much money is a better problem than not saving enough\n\n\nOnce in a while I\u2019d get DMs from fellow savers asking me how to overcome their guilt feeling over spending money. I kind of get it, I spent a long time coming to terms with my own \nlifestyle upgrades\n too. And to be fair, \nfrugalism does have its downsides\n. \n\n\nHowever, I\u2019d take this problem any day. Better this than stressing over next month\u2019s groceries money!\n\n\nPlus, this \u2018problem\u2019 is easily fixable. If you save too much money and unhappy with it, you can always adjust your budget and allocate a new/bigger self-reward category. \n\n\nLastly, for those in the \u2018why save, just earn more\u2019 crowd, this is what the author has to say:\n\n\n\n\nThe \u2018don\u2019t save money, earn more\u2019 philosophy is a very one-sided approach. And it has one big flaw. \nNearly everyone that earns more automatically spends more.\n For this reason, regardless of their incomes, many families seem to have exactly enough to get by. \n\n\n\n\nShe\u2019s not wrong \ud83d\ude42 \n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/saving-money/tune-protect-car-insurance/", "title": "How We Paid RM1.9k Instead of RM2.5k for Our Car Insurance [SPONSORED]\n  ", "body": "\n\nWhen the time came to renew our car insurance, we got a quotation from our existing provider: RM2.5k.\u00a0\n\n\nFor funsies, we (as in, my husband and I) did our research and cost comparison from most of the car insurance comparison portals out there, and managed to \npurchase the exact same coverage for just RM1.9k.\u00a0\n\n\nWe basically got the protection we wanted for RM600 or 24% less!\u00a0\n\n\nTo be exact, we paid RM1890.09\n\n\nSo when Tune Protect asked if I could cover their car insurance product, I thought, What a happy coincidence \u2013 that\u2019s exactly the product we purchased! Let me break down exactly what made us choose \nTune Protect\u2019s Motor Easy Car Insurance\n \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nFirst: Car Insurance Basics\n\n\nBefore we start, I just need to share the MANY factors that affect the price of your car insurance:\n\n\nThey are:\n\n\n\n\nType of cover \n\u2013 Third party cover is usually the cheapest, and Comprehensive Cover is the most expensive. You can only get additional coverage, like flood coverage with Comprehensive Cover\n\n\nValue of your car \n\u2013 The higher the value, the more expensive the cover. A good rule of thumb is to follow market value\n\n\nThe type of your car\n \u2013 the higher the theft ratings of your car, or the higher its general accident statistics, the higher the premium will be\n\n\nYour risk behaviour \n\u2013 depends on the driver\u2019s age, gender, occupation, residence, claim history, and the frequency of car use\n\n\nNo Claim Discount\n \u2013 you get discounts for NOT claiming car insurance, ranging from 25-55%. The longer you go without claiming, the higher the discount\n\n\n\n\nLike other protection products, you don\u2019t want the cheapest (not enough coverage) nor the most expensive (paying for coverages you don\u2019t need). You want to get coverage for what you think is important.\u00a0\n\n\nFor us, we really just want these four things in our car insurance:\n\n\n\n\nComprehensive Cover \n(includes third party cover, fire and theft AND compensation for the vehicle for accidental collisions), and\u00a0\n\n\nSpecial Perils\n (covers damage to the car due to occurrence of natural calamities, like flood, landslide, typhoon, etc), and\n\n\nWindscreen coverage\n (read further below to learn how to avoid being overcharged!), and\n\n\nPassenger liability\n\n\n\n\nThere are many other add-on coverages you can take, with added cost. Here are some optional add-on coverages that we DIDN\u2019T take*, and why:\n\n\n\n\nPersonal Accident cover\n \u2013 because we have our own insurance\n\n\nCoverage against damage to the car due to strikes, riot and civil commotion\n \u2013 we thought this is statistically unlikely\n\n\nInconvenience allowance\n \u2013 if we can\u2019t use the car, there\u2019s always Grab or Socar\n\n\nAnd more, depending on the insurer (\nTune Protect\u2019s Motor Easy Car Insurance\n even offers \nSpray Paint cover\n but we thought we could live with an ugly car, as long as it works \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\n*Note: These are our preferences. You can get them if they\u2019re important to you. Simply select/deselect the ones you want/don\u2019t want\n\n\n\n\nBy knowing what coverages we want, it makes car insurance shopping much easier \u2013 we could compare quotations on an apples-to-apples basis.\u00a0\n\n\nThis is how we ended up with \nTune Protect\u2019s Motor Easy Car Insurance\n \u2013 the quotation was just RM1.9k instead of RM2.5k from our existing car insurance provider, for the exact same coverage.\u00a0\n\n\nFour reasons contributed to the lower price:\n\n\nReason #1: Affordable Special Perils as a Core Benefit\n\n\nIt\u2019s really common to get quoted really cheap car insurance and then finding out it is only Third party cover, not Comprehensive Cover. \nAgain, you need Comprehensive Cover in order to purchase Special Perils \u2013 the coverage against flood damage.\n\n\n(You \ncan\n get Third party cover if you\u2019re on a tight budget and just want to get your car insurance renewal done, but getting Special Perils specifically for the flood coverage is non-negotiable for us)\n\n\nWhen we checked, many car insurance quotations got significantly more expensive when you add on Special Perils. But it was a good price over at Tune Protect \u2013 the \nTune Protect\u2019s Motor Easy Car Insurance\n specifically has affordable Special Perils as one of their core benefits.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nReason #2: 10% Discount for buying car insurance directly\u00a0\n\n\nAnother reason we paid RM600 less on our car insurance is because we got it directly from the Tune Protect website. Because of this, we got a 10% off discount \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nThis isn\u2019t a huge revelation or anything \u2013 no intermediaries means less markups. Intermediaries can be agents or even car insurance comparison websites. Our previous car insurance provider was the car dealer, who understandably would include their commissions in their quotation.\u00a0\n\n\nReason #3 \u2013 Promotions!\n\n\nAlways check if Tune Protect has ongoing promotions before you purchase car insurance \u2013 who knows you get to save some more!\n\n\nLucky for you readers, currently the So Early Arh?! campaign is running until 30 June 2023! We missed this one, but if we had taken advantage of it, we would have gotten RM150 in e-wallet credit!\n\n\n\n\nYou don\u2019t even have to do anything extra \u2013 just purchase \nTune Protect\u2019s Motor Easy Car Insurance\n with at least RM800 in premium. For more info, check the T&C \nhere\n.\n\n\n\n\nReason #4: We didn\u2019t overpay for windshield protection\n\n\nHere\u2019s a tip for everyone wanting to get windshield protection in your car insurance \u2013 you should check how much it would cost to replace your car windscreen, and only cover that amount, not more. This will save you money.\u00a0\n\n\nFor example, one of the car insurance quotations we got said that our car windshield coverage is RM2000. But upon checking, it would only cost RM1500 to do the replacement, including labour/installation fee and quality solar tint film.\u00a0\n\n\nIf it only costs RM1500, why should we pay RM2000 for windshield coverage? Why would we want to pay coverage for the extra RM500, correct or not?\n\n\nHere\u2019s how to check your car windscreen cost:\n\n\n\n\nStep 1: Go to the \nWindscreen Insurance Price List\n\n\nStep 2: Select your Car Model and see how much it would cost to replace your car windscreen\n\n\nStep 3: Only cover that amount, not more\n\n\n\n\n\n\nUnlike other platforms, \nTune Protect\u2019s Motor Easy Car Insurance\n makes it really easy to edit your car windscreen coverage during the purchase process \u2013 simply input the amount you want. \n\n\n(For the other car insurance quotations we got, we had to request to decrease (or increase) windshield coverage manually.)\n\n\nBonus Reason #5: Up to 20% Refund for driving less\n\n\nThis particular reason won\u2019t appeal to heavy drivers, but it does for light drivers like us. My husband and I don\u2019t really use the car much: we work from home often. Our families are nearby, too.\u00a0\n\n\nWe won\u2019t go out of the way to drive less than 6000km/8000km per annum, but if we somehow did that, \nTune Protect\u2019s Motor Easy Car Insurance\n would refund us 15-20% of our car insurance cost.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nGet Instant Quotation from Tune Protect Motor Easy Car Insurance\n\n\nIf you\u2019re planning to renew your car insurance, it\u2019s worth getting a quotation from them. Super easy process, too \u2013 simply go to \nTune Protect\u2019s Motor Easy Car Insurance\n and input your vehicle registration number, place of use and NRIC.\u00a0\n\n\nWe absolutely loved that we saved money with this product, and hope you will too with the tips I outlined above (don\u2019t forget the windshield cover tip!).\u00a0\n\n\nIn any case, \nmake it a habit to do cost comparisons for financial products and don\u2019t just renew car insurance with your existing provider without checking what you\u2019re paying for\n. A few hundred is a LOT to overpay in this economy.\n\n\nAll the best and happy driving!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/saving-money/ways-to-save-money-in-malaysia/", "title": "49 Ways I\u2019ve Tried to Save Money in Malaysia, From Easy to Impossible\n  ", "body": "\n\nHow do you save money in Malaysia? What works? What doesn\u2019t? \n\n\nI thought it would be fun to show you what I personally did to save money. Some were successful, some were not \u2013 I\u2019ve listed what I\u2019ve I tried, and gave them a rank: easy, medium, hard, and impossible. \n\n\nNote: This is not a comprehensive list of all the ways to save money in Malaysia \u2013 I can\u2019t claim I\u2019ve \u2018tried it all\u2019. Regardless I think it\u2019s a good start \ud83d\ude42\u00a0\n\n\nI\u2019ve sorted these money-saving tips in the following categories:\n\n\nAccommodation\nTransportation\nFood\nClothes\nHealth & Beauty\nEntertainment\nMobile\nSmall leaks\nOptimising spending\nReduce temptation\nBeing organised\n\n\nHow to Save Money on \nAccommodation \nin Malaysia\n\n\n1. Make rent as cheap as possible\n\n\nLevel:\n Medium\n\n\nWhy:\n When I lived in KL, I managed to reduce my monthly rent to RM150 a month. In Ipoh, I lived in a low-cost flat. For most of my life, I have housemates/ people to share bills with. \n\n\nRent shouldn\u2019t take more than 30% of your income. For me I try to make it less than 10%, either by \ndrammatically reduce my accommodation cost\n or by earning more.\u00a0\u00a0\n\n\n2. Live with family\n\n\nLevel:\n Hard\n\n\nWhy:\n I know its common to live with family, but I love my independence too much. I also believe in learning to be self-sufficient.\u00a0\n\n\nFor y\u2019all out there who always dream of moving out, I will be blunt here. Living by yourself is significantly more expensive.\n\n\n\n\nHow to Save Money on Transportation in \nMalaysia\n\n\n1. Not having a car\n\n\nLevel:\n Hard\n\n\nWhy:\n It\u2019s hard to have a car, it\u2019s hard to NOT have a car. \n\n\nWhen I had a car, there were so many things to pay for: maintenance, petrol, tolls, parking. It also broke down a couple of times (once, on the way to Genting, I had to pay RM500 for towing!), screen shattered due to stray brick on the highway, flat tires\u2026 I don\u2019t miss those times.\n\n\nYet when I didn\u2019t have a car, I had to plan my schedules very carefully. Was fully dependent on ehailing and public transportation.\n\n\nUpdate: Now, between e-hailing and husband\u2019s car, it\u2019s not so hard anymore, so maybe 1 car + WFH is the sweet spot? I can also book a rental car for the day if I need it. Read: \nSOCAR Review: 7 Tips to Get Cheap Car Rental in KL, Penang and Johor\n\n\n2. Cycle\n\n\nLevel:\n Impossible\n\n\nWhy:\n Look, I like cycling and everything, but it\u2019s not realistic to depend on them. I used cycle when I lived in Ipoh and I used it to go to the gym, but stray dogs and road bullies scare the crap out of me.\n\n\nHow to Save Money on Food in Malaysia\u00a0\n\n\n1. Pack lunch to work\n\n\nLevel:\n Easy\n\n\nWhy:\n Back when I still had my office job, I\u2019d bring packed lunch to work almost every day. This saved me tons of money \u2013 assuming lunch is a modest RM6 every day, I saved RM132 per month (22 days x RM6) or RM1584 per year. \u00a0\n\n\nPacking lunch is simple. When cooking (usually dinner), make more than what you need, then turn leftovers as lunch for the next day.\n\n\nFor those of you peer-pressured into going out for lunch, can you do me a favour and share how you say no to invitations? I always feel a bit awkward.\u00a0\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\n5 Things I Did To Reduce My Damn High Groceries Bill\n\n\n2. Plan meals around sales\n\n\nLevel:\n Medium\n\n\nWhy:\n I love using HappyFresh, the grocery delivery service for this. After you pick a hypermarket you want to buy from (Tesco, Mydin, Cold Storage etc), you can go to \u2018Best Deals\u2019 section and look at all the items currently on discount easily!\u00a0\n\n\nRelated:\n\n\nHappyFresh Review: 10 Tips to Save Money and Time!\nOnline Shopping for Groceries: 5 Places to Get What You Need\n\n\n3. Have a herb/vegetable garden\n\n\nLevel:\n Impossible\n\n\nWhy:\n Not lucky enough to have green thumb, and not motivated enough to learn at the moment. \n\n\nI like the idea of aquaponics, though. It\u2019s a garden on top of an aquarium \u2013 the waste produced by the fishes becomes the nutrients that the plants need.\u00a0\n\n\n4. Know how much common staples cost \n\n\nLevel:\n Hard\n\n\nWhy:\n\u00a0\nHaving a rough idea of how much things cost is handy. If you go grocery shopping often enough, you would know more or less how much things usually cost.\n\n\nHowever, I admit to only keeping track of a few items, not a lot. It takes a lot of mental space.\n\n\n5. Bring water bottle everywhere\n\n\nLevel:\n Easy\n\n\nWhy:\n Already become habit. This is one of the best things you can do for your wallet, skin, health and the environment.\n\n\n6. Don\u2019t order drinks/ Order cheap drinks\n\n\nLevel:\n Medium\n\n\nWhy:\n Water bottle tip (above) saved me hundreds of ringgit when dining out.\u00a0\n\n\nNot immune to peer-pressure, though. I relax this rule when going out with friends or on dates. I also try not to be cheap when dining at small businesses. \n\n\n7. Have a manual water filter at home\n\n\nLevel:\n Medium\n\n\nWhy:\n I love the idea of hot/cold dispensers, but why do they cost a hundred every month? 0_0 \n\n\nMy drinking water system, ladies and gentlemen. They need replacing and occasional maintenance, but at least I don\u2019t have to get water delivered or buy water filters every month.\n\n\n\n\n8. Buy from bargain bins\n\n\nLevel:\n Easy\n\n\nWhy:\n I\u2019d argue this is my favourite way to save money, even if I sometimes buy stuff I shouldn\u2019t! \nMy favourite bargain bins are from Ben\u2019s Grocers, Cold Storage and Jaya Grocer \ud83d\ude00\n\n\n9. \u2018Shop the perimeters\u2019\n\n\nLevel:\n Medium\n\n\nWhy:\n In grocery stores, I try to shop around the edges and not in the middle. The middle is where they put most of the processed foods. Delicious, expensive marked-up processed food. \n\n\nI\u2019m not a saint. I like bad-food-for-me too. Thankfully bargain bins (above) has helped me to eat some of the weirdest shit.\n\n\n10. Eat out pantry\n\n\nLevel:\n Easy\n\n\nWhy:\n More often than not, \u2018there\u2019s no food in the house\u2019 is a myth. If you\u2019re open to experimenting, you can be creative with odds and ends and try new combinations of flavours. \u00a0\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nI Figured Out The Perfect System to Stop Food Waste\n\n\nHow to Save Money on Clothes in Malaysia\u00a0\n\n\n1. Small wardrobe\n\n\nLevel:\n Easy\n\n\nWhy:\n When you grew up fat, you tend to not like looking for clothes so much. I also don\u2019t care much for fashion tbh :/ \n\n\nIf you\u2019re a fashionista, you can still have this hobby \u2013 just make sure that you make extra effort in other money-saving areas.\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nSave Money on Fashion: 5 Steps I Use to Optimise My Clothing Budget\n\n\n2. Thrifted clothing\n\n\nLevel:\n Easy\n\n\nWhy:\n Thrift-shopping is enjoyable for me.\u00a0\u00a0\n\n\n3. Repairing clothes\n\n\nLevel:\n Medium\n\n\nWhy:\n Don\u2019t particularly enjoy sewing.. but if I have to, I have to.\n\n\n4. Get free stuff from Buy Nothing Group\n\n\nLevel:\n Hard\n\n\nWhy:\n I have both given and received free items from Buy Nothing Group on Facebook. To join one, type in the name + your area, see what comes up. If none exists, you can create your own.\u00a0\n\n\nThe reason why I put the level as hard is a lot of luck is needed into getting what you want. Not only the gifter must choose to gift to you (they can have their own requirements), you also have to sort out delivery/collection.\n\n\nNote: You can give/receive more items beyond clothes in Buy Nothing Groups\n\n\nHow to Save Money on Health & Beauty in Malaysia\u00a0\n\n\n1. Exercise on the cheap\n\n\nLevel:\n Hard\n\n\nWhy:\n Can\u2019t lie \u2013 I want to be the kind of girl who has gym memberships and personal trainers. I think their guidance can be worth the money, but it\u2019s hard for me to shell out more than RM100/month for them :/ My Crossfit classes were RM120 per month, but I quit because I\u2019m a cheapo.\n\n\nHow much do you spend on fitness per month? I wonder if I\u2019m the only one who picks fitness activities based on how cheap they are.\n\n\n2. Use menstrual cup\n\n\nLevel:\n Medium\n\n\nWhy:\n People with uteruses, hear me out. You can save so much money if you switch to a menstrual cup. I buy maybe one pack of every\n couple of year\n, just for \u2018in case\u2019 situations.\u00a0\n\n\nMine was about RM80 (please get the quality one not the China one), made of medical-grade silicone and pretty comfortable once used to it.\u00a0\n\n\nAssuming you spend RM15 a month for pads/tampons, and the menstrual cups lasting 10 years, you\u2019ll save at least RM5000. My menstrual cup paid for itself a long time ago.\n\n\nImage credit: fleurcup.com\n\n\n3. \nCut own hair\n\n\nLevel:\n Impossible\n\n\nWhy:\n After 5 or so tries, I have to finally admit that I am not talented at this.\n\n\n4. Buy generic medicine\n\n\nLevel:\n Easy\n\n\nWhy:\n I am lucky enough to be healthy, but when I need the odd paracetamol, I take the no-brand ones instead of overpriced Panadol.\n\n\n5. Quit using shampoo\n\n\nLevel:\n Impossible\n\n\nWhy:\n A couple of years back I read about the no-poo movement. People were swearing by it \u2013 healthier hair and scalp, they say. Just wash your hair with water, and use baking soda as \u2018shampoo\u2019 and apple cider vinegar as \u2018conditioner\u2019.\n\n\nI tried it and didn\u2019t even last a week. It was so greasy and smells like vinegar (not nice, FYI). My hair even fell out wtf. \n\n\n6. \nQuit smoking\n\n\nLevel:\n Damn hard\n\n\nWhy:\n Nicotine dependence. But I have to quit smoking, it\u2019s making my teeth ugly!\u00a0\n\n\nUPDATE: Quit for 1 year. Unsure where savings went\n\n\n\n\nBeen almost a year since I quit smoking. Estimate saved around RM1k. But where is that money where??\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nNovember 14, 2019\n\n\n\n\nUPDATE: Smoke-free for a few years already!\u00a0\n\n\nHow to Save Money on Entertainment in Malaysia\u00a0\n\n\n1. Low-cost entertainment\n\n\nLevel:\n Medium\n\n\nWhy:\n I like free/almost free entertainment. Being online is fun and cheap. Free content is amazing. \n\n\nUPDATE: I subscribe to both Spotify and Netflix. Combined, they cost around RM20 per month, which is low for entertainment. Hard to even get movie tix at that price nowadays\u00a0\n\n\nRelated:\n\n\n3 LEGIT Ways to Save Money on Spotify Premium in Malaysia\nCheapest Way to Get Netflix Premium\n\n\n2. Buy Steam games only on sale\n\n\nLevel:\n Easy\n\n\nWhy: \nJust add the games you want in cart and eventually they will go on sale \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nBy the way, did you know you can use Playstation controller to play (select) Steam games? Yes, you can!\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n3. No magazine subscriptions\n\n\nLevel:\n Easy\n\n\nWhy:\n Most content I want to read is free anyway.\n\n\nHack: If you do need to subscribe (cheap subscription promo for the first month/year, etc), then use BigPay card. Reason: you can \u2018freeze\u2019 your card, so you\u2019re not charged for the next payment.\n\n\nObligatory Bigpay referral link\n.\n\n\n4. Not really into festivities or holidays\n\n\nLevel:\n Easy\n\n\nWhy:\n I\u2019ve never really been a Valentine\u2019s Day person, or Hari Raya person, or any other special day really. Not being in celebratory mood saves me money on decoration costs, clothes, single-use props, and other stuff that makes the day special. \n\n\nNote: This has tons of downside (i.e. being a killjoy), but this is my natural state.\n\n\nHow to Save Money on Mobile in Malaysia\u00a0\n\n\n1. Only use prepaid phone plans \n\n\nLevel:\n Easy\n\n\nWhy:\n I love\n Yoodo. You can adjust how much data, call minutes and SMS you want to get. My 150GB data with 50 call minutes plan is just RM93 per month, much more value for money than 40GB plan with unlimited calls and SMS for RM128 that I got under Maxis last time.\n\n\nIt\u2019s easy to switch \u2013 just download Yoodo app and you can order SIM card and do porting (to keep old number) from there. Use my code \u2018zwbai7716\u2019 to get RM20 in your wallet.\n\n\nIt\u2019s hard to decide which telco is \u2018the best\u2019 because coverage depends on location. Here\u2019s how to pick telco with the best upload/download speed in your area:\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n2. Use free methods of communication whenever possible\n\n\nLevel:\n Easy\n\n\nWhy:\n Thank you, Whatsapp and Skype.\n\n\nHow to Save Money in Malaysia \u2013 \nSmall leaks\n\n\n(Small leaks = reducing/stopping addiitonal costs for things I pay for anyway)\n\n\n1. Avoid bank fees\n\n\nLevel:\n Easy\n\n\nWhy:\n I check my online banking accounts at least weekly for transactions made during the week (to make sure I wasn\u2019t charged anything that I\u2019m not supposed to pay for) and pay off my credit card balance.\u00a0\n\n\n2. Switch off unused devices when I don\u2019t use them\n\n\nLevel:\n Hard\n\n\nWhy:\n Bad habit. Thank goodness I married someone who is diligent about switching things off.\u00a0\n\n\n3. Choose low-cost investments\n\n\nLevel:\n Easy\n\n\nWhy:\n Investments with high fees, in my opinion, are an unnecessary waste of money. Feel free to provide data to disprove this if you don\u2019t agree.\u00a0\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\n3 Best Investments in Malaysia (+ The Best Way to Invest Your Money)\n\n\nHow to Save Money in Malaysia \u2013 \nOptimising spending\n\n\n1. Use cashback products\n\n\nLevel:\n Medium\n\n\nWhy:\n Sometimes a bit hard to keep track of them, but here\u2019s all cashback products that I have: \n\n\nShopback\n (note: referral), \nCashback credit card\n (5% off online purchases),\nLoyalty cards (AEON, etc)\u00a0\n\n\nIt\u2019s hard to calculate exactly how much money I saved with cashback products, but I\u2019ve earned at least \nRM6000 via Shopback\n and ~RM20-50 per month via cashback credit cards.\n\n\n2. Use e-wallets for discounts\n\n\nLevel:\n Easy\u00a0\n\n\nWhy:\n I love e-wallets! Saved a fair bit of money from them. EDIT: Since original post, e-wallets discounts are not as great anymore.\u00a0\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nBest E-Wallets in Malaysia: Comparing 38 E-Wallets in 7 Categories\n\n\n3. Sell stuff I no longer use BEFORE I buy \u2018unnecessary\u2019 stuff\n\n\nLevel:\n Medium\n\n\nWhy:\n I had a lot of success selling unused stuff. Once, I bought a secondhand Wii, played it to my heart\u2019s content, then managed to sell it for more than what I bought it for.\n\n\nHack: how I sell a lot of stuff without spending too much time:\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n4.\n\u00a0Limit\n\u00a0monthly recurring payments\n\n\nLevel:\n Medium\n\n\nWhy:\n As much as possible, I look for free options and products offering one-off payments so I can limit the amount of subscriptions I have.\u00a0\n\n\n5. Check every receipt and change received, and scan the register\n\n\nLevel:\n Easy\n\n\nWhy:\n Highly recommended you to make this a habit. Sometimes people will try to stiff you or they entered the data wrongly. Just check your change and the receipt before you leave the store.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nHow to Save Money in Malaysia \u2013 Reduce Temptation\n\n\n1. Don\u2019t be brand loyal\n\n\nLevel:\n Impossible\n\n\nWhy:\n I say impossible because I do prefer some brands over the other. Kicap Kipas Udang > other kicap. Ayam brand sardines > other canned sardines. Kewpie mayonnaise > every other mayo. Do not argue with me on this. My mind is set.\n\n\nThankfully the majority of items in the produce section \u2013 where I spend most of my time \u2013 is not branded haha. Aside from a select few, the rest I just pick whatever\u2019s cheaper and on sale. I like to think it balances out.\n\n\n2. Delay purchases\n\n\nLevel:\n Medium\n\n\nWhy:\n My impulse purchases are quite rare, unless its food and groceries. For non-food items, if I \nreally\n like something, I allow myself to buy them \nif\n I still remember it months later (usually I forget though).\n\n\nI can credit the 30-day rule, which I heard about some time ago. According to this rule, if you want something bad enough, you\u2019ll remember it 30 days later. If it\u2019s a big purchase, you can extend this to a few months or even years.\u00a0\n\n\n3. Unsubscribe/Uninstall shopping platforms\n\n\nLevel:\n Hard\n\n\nWhy:\n I have a junk email address so all the shop promos go there. Barely open those emails. I also turn off all notifications for shopping apps.\u00a0\u00a0\nIf you tend to make purchases after these \u2018reminders\u2019, unsubscribe and uninstall them today.\n\n\n\u2026.is what I want to say, but I still keep them in my phone for convenience.\n\n\n4. Learn unethical advertising\n\n\nLevel:\n Medium\n\n\nWhy:\n I have natural interest in psychology, specifically consumer psychology. What have they implemented so that they can get more money out of us? It\u2019s fascinating. The more aware I am of their tactics, the less interested I am to buy their products.\u00a0\n\n\nRelated: \n10 Manipulative Advertising Techniques You Should Know\n\n\n5. Avoid the mall\n\n\nLevel:\n Impossible\n\n\nWhy:\n Part of not spending is to avoid temptation in the first place. However, I admit I enjoy window-shopping too much to quit. I rarely make impulse purchases though, so all good.\n\n\n6. Use cash\n\n\nLevel:\n Medium\n\n\nWhy:\n If you have problem with controlling your spending, then using cash is recommended. A crisp RM50 is more painful to hand over than a credit card. When money is abstract and you can\u2019t see it, you will spend more\u2026 \n56% more\n. It\u2019s psychology.\n\n\nI use cash when I can, unless there are obvious financial benefits to using digital payments (ie credit cards and ewallets)\n\n\n7. Don\u2019t shop when hungry\n\n\nLevel:\n Medium\n\n\nWhy: \nBeing hungry makes you shop more\n, and not just on food.\n\n\n8. Calculate prices at the store\n\n\nLevel:\n Medium\n\n\nWhy:\n Ok, this is slightly embarrassing. I like to make mental calculations at the store. Sometimes I even take out my phone calculator and go, \u2018Hmm, Item A is RMx.xx per 300grams, but Item B is RMx.xx per kilo. Which is more worth it?\u2019 *calculates*\n\n\nHow to Save Money in Malaysia \u2013 Being organised\n\n\n1. Periodically list out all annual expenses subscriptions\n\n\nLevel:\n Medium\n\n\nWhy:\n It\u2019s just 30 mins of journaling, but so worth it because it helps me plan out my budget for the year, and not be \u2018surprised\u2019 when it\u2019s time to renew whatever needs to be renewed, like passport or diving license.\u00a0\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nAll The Annual Expenses I Have to Make Every Year\n\n\n2. Bring notebook everywhere\n\n\nLevel:\n Easy\n\n\nWhy:\n I\u2019m forgetful. For my similarly-forgetful friends, keep a notebook in your bag. It\u2019s a pretty big difference. \u2018Shit I forgot to get X\u2019 happens so much less nowadays. \n\n\nI also write down reminders to:\n\n\nPay off credit cards\nCheck if I\u2019m paid by clients or not\nReply back to potential buyers when I sell stuff online\nReply back clients\nUpdate budget\nStop spending on some categories, if I go overboard that month\nTransfer money to investment accounts\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\n17 Things to Include in Your Money Journal\n\n\n3. Use company benefits\n\n\nLevel:\n Medium\n\n\nWhy:\n Check your company manual for hidden goodies. For my previous employment, I got reimbursed for dental work, transportation and internet subsidies, and more.\n\n\nRead:\u00a0\nMalaysians Share Their Best Employee Benefits!\n\n\nConclusion\n\n\nThere you go! 49 ways to save money in Malaysia. Again, not comprehensive, so I invite you to list your own ways to save money in the comments section below. \n\n\nIf you tried any of the above, I want to hear from you \u2013 do you agree with my ranking? Do you find them easier or more difficult? \n\n\nAs you can see, you don\u2019t have to be good at all of them. But you can try some of them, for sure \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/saving-money/wedding-in-malaysia/", "title": "How Much You Need to Save Every Month to Afford Your Wedding in Malaysia [SPONSORED]\n  ", "body": "\n\nSo you want to be married.\u00a0\n\n\nMaybe your partner sweet-talked you into it, maybe you\u2019re still working on yourself while looking for \u2018The One\u2019, but one thing is clear: \nyou know you need to set aside some money every month for the eventual wedding-related costs, because you are aware it can get pretty high\n.\u00a0\u00a0\n\n\nHow high is high?\n\n\nHow much does it cost to get married in Malaysia?\n\n\nAccording to The Asean Post, \nthe average wedding in Malaysia cost is around RM50,000\n. That includes the essentials (paperwork, HIV test, etcetera), the culturally symbolic (rings, hantaran, etcetera), the celebratory (food and drinks, venue, etcetera) and everything in between.\u00a0\n\n\nHowever, that is the average. Weddings can cost much lower and yes, much higher than RM50,000.\u00a0\n\n\nBased on (my own) research, \nmost\n people spend between RM10,000-RM100,000 on their wedding day. Some people spend less than RM10,000\n or more than RM100,000, but they are a relatively small group.\u00a0\n\n\nIf you put it visually as a distribution curve, it looks something like this:\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHow much you need to save every month\n\n\nHere is how much you need to save up every month for weddings that cost between RM10,000-RM100,000, in 1 to 3 years timeframe. All numbers are taken from the MyASNB app, via the Target Labur feature.\u00a0\n\n\nWedding cost\nHow much you need to save per month if 12 months\nHow much you need to save per month if 24 months\nHow much you need to save per month if 36 months\nRM10,000\nRM833\nRM408\nRM267\nRM20,000\nRM1,667\nRM816\nRM533\nRM30,000\nRM2,500\nRM1,225\nRM800\nRM40,000\nRM3,333\nRM1,633\nRM1,066\nRM50,000\nRM4,167\nRM2,041\nRM1,333\nRM60,000\nRM5,000\nRM2,449\nRM1,599\nRM70,000\nRM5,833\nRM2,857\nRM1,866\nRM80,000\nRM6,667\nRM3,266\nRM2,132\nRM90,000\nRM7,500\nRM3,674\nRM2,399\nRM100,000\nRM8,333\nRM4,082\nRM2,666\n\n\nNote: RM50,000 is highlighted because:\n\n\nit\u2019s the average cost of a wedding in Malaysia, and\u00a0\neven if you don\u2019t reach this amount, you can still have a decent wedding at a lower price point.\u00a0\n\n\nIf you personally think this is too much to spend on a wedding in Malaysia and you want a lower , then use the money for post-wedding expenses, like honeymoon or towards your first home together. Better to have saved more money than you need than less.\u00a0\n\n\nSome of you with sharp eyes might notice that \nthe longer the duration, the less you need to save per month to reach the amount\n. For example,\u00a0\n\n\nIt takes RM1,333 per month for 36 months to save up to RM50,000\nHowever, RM1,333 times 36 is only RM47,988, not RM50,000\u00a0\n\n\nGain extra money while you save money\n\n\nWhere did the extra RM2,012 come from, you ask? That\u2019s \u2018free money\u2019, thanks to compounding and profit rate of 4.15%*. In other words, if you only used a bank account (with zero or almost-zero profit rate) to save the same amount of money, you\u2019ll need another 1.5 months more to reach RM50,000\u00a0\n\n\n*Expected return of 4.15% per annum used as a guide; actual returns will vary\n\n\nTip: You can reach your target amount faster by adding initial investment in the beginning. For example, if RM50,000 is your goal and you started off the wedding fund with RM15,000 initial capital, then you only need to set aside RM881 monthly for the next 3 years.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHow to use the Target Labur feature\n\n\nStep 1: Download ASNB app\n\n\nIf you\u2019re a new myASNB user, follow these steps to sign up:\n\n\nStep 1: Download the myASNB app. It is available on \nAndroid\n, \niOS\n, and \nHuawei\n.\nStep 2: Click on Sign Up\nStep 3: Enter in your personal details\nStep 4: Upload your IC\nStep 5: Finalise account information\nDone! The whole process only takes minutes\n\n\nYou can read more about the online account opening process \nhere\n.\n\n\nTip: MyASNB app insists on strong passwords, so use a password manager to generate yours. I use Bitwarden, which is a password manager with built-in password generator\u00a0\n\n\nStep 2: Click on Target Labur\n\n\nYou can find the icon in the main dashboard of the app.\n\n\n\n\nStep 3: Select your goal\n\n\nYou can use Target Labur to plan many financial goals. In this case, we are planning your wedding budget, but you can also save up for retirement or your emergency fund with MyASNB.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\nStep 4: Enter variables\n\n\nThe variables needed are:\n\n\nGoal amount\nGoal dateline\nInitial investment (if any)\nReturn expectations (go ahead and pick 4.15%; the number is suggested based on historical funds\u2019 performance)\n\n\nWhen you\u2019re done, select Next\n\n\n\n\nStep 5: Find out monthly amount to set aside to reach your goal\n\n\nDon\u2019t be too intimidated by the amount, it\u2019s nothing that other people haven\u2019t achieved before. \n\n\nThe good thing is, if with this challenge you become someone who is able to earn and save more, then all the better for your married life. You need the same set of skills to cover future expenses, like the cost of your child\u2019s birth, house downpayment, family trips and more.\u00a0\n\n\nWhere to find the money to fund your wedding in Malaysia\n\n\nNow that you know how much to set aside every month for your wedding, the question now is \nwhere\n to find the money to fund your wedding.\u00a0\n\n\nWell, I asked the exact question to netizens on Twitter. You can look through how real people fund their weddings \u2013 go through the replies and QTs of the tweet below:\n\n\n\n\nQuestion: how did you pay for your wedding?\nWas it your own savings? Worked extra hard to earn? Parents helped pay? Took loan?\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nApril 15, 2022\n\n\n\n\nYou can see from the replies that most people fund their weddings via a combination of:\n\n\nOwn savings\nEarned extra income\nLived extra frugally\nParents helped to pay (it\u2019s cool if they do, but never feel entitled to it if not offered)\nTook a loan (worth noting \u2013 all of them said it was a burden and they don\u2019t recommend it)\n\n\nThere are also other strategies shared to lower the cost of weddings, such as:\n\n\nNegotiation tips with the parents\nHolding joint wedding with a sibling\nAnd more\n\n\nFinal tip: Set aside 10-20% buffer that\u2019s not included in the wedding budget\n\n\nTruth is, a wedding in Malaysia is an event, and any event needs contingencies to cover unexpected expenses\u00a0 (say the tailor botched the dress the week before and you need a new one ASAP, for example).\u00a0\n\n\nTherefore, it is a good idea to allocate 10-20% more that is NOT part of the wedding budget, in case of emergencies.\n\n\nFor this, I\u2019d recommend setting up a secondary Target Labur fund, for Emergency Fund. You can set up multiple goals in the same app, super convenient.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThat is all. All the best if you are planning your wedding in Malaysia, and hope you have the strength in you to organise a wedding within your means, and resist the temptation of taking up loans, even if your own parents present them to you as a solution (a story for another day).\u00a0\n\n\nNow, go find out how much you have to save up monthly \u2013 download the myASNB app on \nAndroid\n, \niOS\n, and \nHuawei\n devices.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/saving-money/zero-waste-malaysia/", "title": "How Zero Waste Malaysia Helps Me Save Money (& the Environment, A Little Bit)\n  ", "body": "Confession: I entered the zero waste world a few years ago for its \nmoney-saving potential\n.\n\n\nIt\u2019s been great. The communities are helpful, warm, encouraging. I had fun testing and trying out new lifestyle changes inspired from members of the zero waste community, sustainable living community, low impact community and so on. Among others, they encouraged me to:\n\n\n\n\ninclude more plants and grains in my diet,\n\n\nuse a menstrual cup,\n\n\ncarry my reusable water bottle when going out,\n\n\nstay car-free,\n\n\nkeep used coffee grounds to use as fertiliser,\n\n\nsignificantly reduce my fast-fashion shopping,\n\n\nand even helped me stay smoke-free (no more cigarette butts waste!)\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAll of which saved me a TON of money as a result.\n\n\nThe hard part: the plastic-free part of zero-waste lifestyle\n\n\nSo by this point, I thought I\u2019m doing okay with this zero-waste lifestyle thing. But there is this one part that is hard for me to do. The \nplastic-free part of the zero-waste lifestyle\n.\n\n\nI admit that I am, at best, \nmeh\n about the whole \u2018create less plastic waste\u2019 and \u2018save the environment\u2019 aspect of the zero-waste lifestyle.\n\n\nPlastic is, after all, cheap. My priority is saving money. I don\u2019t really want to commit to a plastic-free lifestyle if it\u2019s going to add more cost and trouble into my life.\n\n\nBut at the same time, I also want to be good to the environment. Especially now that the no-plastic awareness campaigns are in full blast. You also may have seen the dead sea creatures with plastic-filled stomachs. Read about microplastics in the marine life we consume. Watched fishes get stuck in single-use plastic bags..\n\n\n\n\n#NoComment\n \ud83d\ude30\ud83d\ude2d\n\n\n\u00a9Nat Senmuang \npic.twitter.com/IsSf5M1CTs\n\n\n\u2014 30 Millions d\u2019Amis (@30millionsdamis) \nFebruary 26, 2019\n\n\n\n\nI know that I have been so spoiled by plastic\u2019s convenience and cost that I find it \nhard\n to live a plastic-free life. Even after I know how damaging plastic is, I still buy fruits and vegetables packed in plastic. I still buy bubble tea sold in single-use cups. Sometimes I\u2019d forget to bring my reusable bag to the groceries and just pay the 20 cents.\n\n\nI make some effort and some lifestyle changes here and there, yes, but I don\u2019t know if I even deserve the \u2018you tried\u2019 gold star.\n\n\n\n\nZero Waste Malaysia as a resource\n\n\nYeah, it\u2019s hard, but I didn\u2019t say I\u2019m giving up. It\u2019s slow progress but it\u2019s progress.\n\n\nThe \nZero Waste Malaysia Facebook group\n has been a great resource in this journey. I\u2019m mostly a lurker there, but I\u2019m always blown away by the quality content. I highly encourage you to join if you\u2019re interested in the zero-waste, plastic-free lifestyle. Some of the things I\u2019ve seen include:\n\n\n\n\nHow they shop without using plastic bags (bring own bags) and\u00a0order food without single-use plastics (bring own containers)\n\n\nAttempts and recommendations to reduce, reuse, recycle and upcycle\n\n\nZero waste-related workshops, seminars, public talks, events and fairs\n\n\nHow other countries create and implement unique solutions\n\n\nThings that aren\u2019t often shared in the media, like how plastic pollution looks like IRL, and more\n\n\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m also super impressed by \nZero Waste Malaysia\n\u2018s Zero Waste Resources map. Look at all the zero waste options available! \nIn the map\n, you can find:\n\n\n\n\nBulk food\n\n\nCommunity Compost/Garden\n\n\nFurry Friends\u2019 Corner\n\n\nHousehold Products\n\n\nPersonal Care Products\n\n\nRepair Services\n\n\nSustainable Businesses and Services\n\n\nThrift Shops\n\n\nTraditional Wet Markets, and\n\n\nRecycling, Upcycling and Waste Disposal Centers\n\n\n\n\nClick on the map to find zero waste options near you! You can add your recommendations (or your sustainable businesses) in the map too!\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMaking plastic-free lifestyle more affordable\n\n\nAs I mentioned, I am primarily motivated by savings. I would love to save the environment, but I don\u2019t want to pay, like, triple the usual price for plastic-free equivalents of things I need, you know? I think many of you are in the same boat too \u2013 it\u2019s important for us to balance cost while we do the right thing, because times *are* tough.\n\n\nI made a plan on how to incorporate plastic-free lifestyle into my frugal life so it doesn\u2019t cost too much:\n\n\n\n\nUsing a product\u2019s plastic packaging as an excuse to \nnot\n buy something.\n Food is my weak spot, but I\u2019ll try my best\n\n\nResisting zero-waste products that I don\u2019t really need.\n For example, I don\u2019t need metal straws. Or special product bags, since I have lots of tote bags (and old t-shirts that I can turn into bags). Or another tumbler. Sometimes the marketing gets to me but I\u2019m resisting.\n\n\nSlowly moving away from conventional household and personal care products?\n This is a hard one, perhaps the hardest. I\u2019ve never tried non-plastic toothbrushes, do they even work? And it\u2019s so easy to restock at the supermarket rather than making separate trips to HIVE or the \nBYOB (Bring Your Own Bottle) shops\n.\n\n\nStart going to the wet markets (with my own containers)\n. Also a hard one, because it requires separate trips.\n\n\nHyping up zero waste in my own capacity so that there will be more zero-waste businesses.\n If you\u2019re thinking of a business to start, you should know that (1) there is demand, and (2) the demand is growing!\n\n\n\n\nSpeaking of that, I want to share some links and resources that may help, if you do happen to be entrepreneurial:\n\n\nLinks and resources for your future zero waste / sustainable living business\n\n\n\n\nList of \nimpact-driven enterprises at MaGIC website\n (go ahead and filter by category)\n\n\n#zerowastemalaysia hashtag on Instagram\n to see the types of products and services in the market\n\n\nTalks and workshops on upcycling, circular economy etc: \nMalaysia Nature Society\n, \nMe.reka Makerspace\n\n\nBluebee Technology,\u00a0\nFatHopes Energy\n\u00a0and\u00a0\nGrub Cycle\n which emerged as \nRegional Finalists in Alipay-NUS Enterprise Social Innovation Challenge\n. They do e-waste recycling, used cooking oil collection and reducing food wastage\n\n\nLook out for Startup Weekend Sustainability Kuala Lumpur (they had one in 2018). Bonus: LeaveNoTrash shared how they organised a \nzero waste startup weekend\n in Ubud, Bali\n\n\n\n\nShare with me more links and resources if you have them \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nHow about you? Where do you fit in, in this whole zero waste thing? Are you all-in? Are you just starting? Are you cost-conscious like me? Share with us more resources, tips and hacks that work for you in the comments section so all of us can learn!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/shopping/20-best-purchases-in-2020/", "title": "My 20 Best Purchases in 2020\n  ", "body": "\n\nSome people find it hard to save money; they\u2019re natural spenders. \n\n\nI\u2019m the opposite. I\u2019m a natural saver. It actually took me a while to be okay with spending money \u2013 especially for things I don\u2019t technically need \u2013 without feeling guilty. I wrote about this complicated feeling in my \n[PERSONAL] Upgrading vs Making Do: My Dilemma with Lifestyle Inflation\n article. \n\n\nBut if 2020 have taught me anything, it\u2019s this: it\u2019s completely to use some of my savings (not money I don\u2019t have!!) for joy. And in that spirit, I\u2019d like to share 20 of my best purchases in 2020, in categories:\n\n\nThings that save money & time\nPersonal growth\nThrifted\nFood\nBooks \nBeauty, and\nPure Joy\n\n\nHere they are:\n\n\n\n\nThings that save money & time\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Automatic pet feeder \u2013 RM85\n\n\nThe automatic pet feeder is one of those purchases I don\u2019t know how I ever managed without. It might be the single best purchase I made in 2020! \n\n\nAside from saving me time from feeding my cats 2-3x per day, this item has (1) stopped Lemon (pictured below) from scarfing down his food and subsequently vomit all over my carpet, and (2) stopped my cats from yelling bloody murder at me at 6am in the morning so I would wake up and feed them. \n\n\n10/10 would recommend!\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Menstrual cup \u2013 RM68\n\n\nLost my old cup (still don\u2019t know how that happened, but it\u2019s due for replacement anyway so no biggie) so I replaced it with \nThe Hivette menstrual cup from The Hive\n. This purchase is a no-brainer \u2013 it will pay for itself within one year, and will last me for up to 10 years!\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Fabric Masks \u2013 ~RM70\n\n\nMy flex is I\u2019ve used only around 5 disposable face masks in total in 2020 \u2013 used reusable masks all the way on other occasions. \n\n\nAt the moment, I have 7 or so reusable face masks in rotation. I love the Airism masks from Uniqlo, and the upcycled fabric face masks from @cheapskate.fashionista from IG. \n\n\n\n\nDah la reusable, upcycled pulak tu. I'm happy \ud83d\ude4c \npic.twitter.com/W8azDqywjp\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nJune 19, 2020\n\n\n\n\nPersonal Growth\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Pursue CFP (Certified Financial Planning) \u2013 will cost ~RM10k in total\n\n\nAs some of you know, I\u2019ve made decision to \npursue CFP\n. If all goes well, I hope to be certified by the end of 2021 (fingers crossed!)\n\n\nQuite happy to score this financial calculator for cheaper, too!\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Everything related to Ringgit Oh Ringgit website and maintenance \n\n\nDoing RinggitOhRinggit.com has been so fulfilling, and opened so many opportunities for me. In 2020, I collaborated with various financial institutions, launched 2 books, interviewed on ~10 occasions, and most importantly grew the personal finance community (thank you for the sweet messages you sent me!!). All the website costs \u2013 including hosting/domain/ support service membership \u2013 were more than worth it!\n\n\nI\u2019m not done with y\u2019all. I have big plans in 2021, including a new look for the website. Stay tuned!\n\n\n(Pictured: how RoR looked in 2015 vs 2020)\n\n\n\n\nHow it started:                How it's going: \npic.twitter.com/7MmwK22cQn\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nOctober 18, 2020\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 The Happiness Project Experience 2021 \u2013 RM815\n\n\nI bought a \nyear-long course\n designed by one of my favourite authors Gretchen Rubin <3 My \nMy 21 for 2021 List: Money, Work, Learning, Health, Relationship and Misc Projects Goals\n article was inspired by her as well. \n\n\nBonus: Financial Behaviour Assessment \n\n\n\n\nAn assessment to discover your financial behaviour and biases, so you\u2019re aware of your blindspots and be better at money management and investing!!!!\n\n\nThis was a GREAT assessment and I\u2019ll dedicate an article to do it justice, but worth mentioning in passing here. I got the Couple test and completed it with my partner \u2013 we found out areas where we are similar in money, and where we are different. Really eye-opening for us. \n\n\nThe Financial Behaviour Assessment is available for individuals and couples. You can buy for yourself \nhere\n (disclosure: I\u2019ll get a commission on sales, but I was the one who loved it so much and reached out to offer to sell it).\n\n\nThrifted\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Shaggy carpet \u2013 RM15\n\n\nMy living room was carpet-less for at least 4 years until I found this secondhand carpet from Jalan Jalan Japan. \n\n\n(I\u2019m not really big on home decorating and mostly only add on non-essential furniture and home decor when I find extremely good deals)\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Clothes\n\n\nI thrifted a few cute tops and dresses, ranging from RM5-RM40, from thrift stores and Carousell. Received a lot of compliments on the dress, I\u2019m happy!\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nFood\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Snacks from Signature Market\n\n\nI can\u2019t stop raving about Signature Market, especially their gourmet popcorn, it is THAT good. My favourite is Chocolate, please go buy it and try, its amazing. \n\n\nRead my review on Signature Market \nhere\n.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 All my groceries \u2013 ~RM600 per month\n\n\nI love grocery shopping. It satisfies my shopping mood, allows me to be creative (I like trying new ingredients and figuring out how to use up odd ingredients!), and I get to enjoy delicious food at a cheaper price (see pictures!)\n\n\nIf you love grocery-shopping as much as I do, you\u2019ll love the following articles:\n\n\n5 Things I Did To Reduce My Damn High Groceries Bill\nHappyFresh Review: 10 Tips to Save Money and Time!\nI Figured Out The Perfect System to Stop Food Waste\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Daging Dendeng + Rendang Pucuk Ubi from Dapur Omak\n\n\nHowever, on days when I don\u2019t feel like cooking, I\u2019m glad I have my daging dendeng and rendang pucuk ubi stock from @dapur_omak from IG. Meals cannot be easier even on the busiest of days. \n\n\n\n\nDaging dendeng & Rendang pucuk ubi yang order dari Dapur Omak minggu lepas dah sampai yayyy\nTak sabar nak makan dengan nasi panas \ud83d\ude0b \npic.twitter.com/ecIOA5XdV7\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nMarch 17, 2020\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Ground coffee from Sols Coffee Roastery\n\n\nIts hard to have a bad day if you start it with freshly-brewed coffee \ud83d\ude42 It\u2019s part of my morning ritual and I love how it starts my day right. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nGround coffee recommendation: Sols Coffee Roastery on Shopee. Second time ordering, super satisfied with product and price \ud83d\udc4d \npic.twitter.com/W581rzvsx4\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nJuly 14, 2020\n\n\n\n\nBooks\n\n\nI bought and read a lot of books in 2020, can\u2019t possibly share all here, so I picked some lesser-known ones for this space. \n\n\n#1 \u2013 2020: An Anthology from Fixi Novo\n\n\n\n\nBest gila buku 2020: An Anthology dari \n@BukuFixi\n \n#FixiNovo\n ni. Kreatif sangat: ada cerita kereta terbang kebangsaan, cerita time travel malaysia tahun 4040, cerita gomen pakai teknologi mimpi untuk sebarkan propaganda\u2026\nAvailable @ \n@GerakBudaya\n shopee, RM17.17 (free shipping!) \npic.twitter.com/qMNtV8KQWB\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nDecember 15, 2020\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Not Buying It: My Year Without Shopping by Judith Levine\n\n\nBy the end of the book, I understood that doing no-spend challenges is not about not spending money, but about being mindful about it. \n\n\nIt\u2019s also quite eye-opening how her self-imposed spending ban impacted her relationships \u2013 she wrote about how she felt guilty that her friends were gifting/treating food and items, as she couldn\u2019t buy them herself. \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nBeauty\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Wax Strips \u2013 RM15\n\n\nI guess I can take out eyebrow threading cost from my budget, because 2020 was the year I finally learned how to shape my own eyebrows! \n\n\n\n\nI have decided to learn how to shape my own eyebrows, for both cost-saving and Covid-19 reasons\nIf the learning process is steeper than expected, and my eyebrows look weird, please lie to my face, thank you \ud83d\ude0c \npic.twitter.com/6zShlY9je6\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nAugust 5, 2020\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Hair cut + Hair Perm at A Cut Above Academy \u2013 RM150\n\n\nI\u2019m \nlazy\n efficient, so I perm my hair ~once a year so it takes me less time to get ready throughout the year. The deal from A Cut Above Academy was unbeatable!\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 YOKO Deep Intensive Treatment Hair Mask (Avocado) \u2013 RM30\n\n\nThanks Twitter folks for this product recommendation! My hair loves this product!\n\n\nPure Joy\n\n\nLast but not least, here are some purchases which brought me a lot of joy in 2020. They are all budgeted-for \u2018wants\u2019. \n\n\n#1 \u2013 I-Blason Laptop Case \u2013 RM78\n\n\nI waited to find a sturdy but more importantly PRETTY laptop case I liked for under RM100! \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Rirana Perfume sample set -RM100\n\n\nIf you like your fragrances, I can\u2019t recommend this set enough. Amazing quality and super value for money!!\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Gold jewellery \n\n\nMy hypo-allergenic hoops from Lovisa finally rusted, and since I had some money to play around with (I used my dulang hantaran money), I decided to upgrade my jewellery game and got some gold pieces. \n\n\nThey look so good on me that I don\u2019t even care that gold price fell since I bought them! \n\n\n\n\nFinally found gold jewelry in a design I like \ud83d\ude0d it was so hard to find earrings, let alone hoops, let alone in minimalist design that I prefer! \npic.twitter.com/fSj80q4VK6\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nAugust 8, 2020\n\n\n\n\nWhat are some of your best purchases in 2020?\n\n\nI\u2019ve shared my 20 best purchases in 2020. Your turn \u2013 what are some of your best purchases in 2020, and why? Share with us in the comments section!\n\n\nLast but not least \u2013 because this is a personal finance blog, I trust that all of you have budgeted for those purchases, and only buying things that you can afford and not on credit card/personal loans! \n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/shopping/baby-cost-breakdown/", "title": "We Spent RM33.5k to Have Our First Child [Baby Cost Breakdown]\n  ", "body": "\n\nYes, that\u2019s right. We \u2013 as in my husband and I \u2013 spent approximatedly RM33.5k, combined, to have our first child. In this article, I\u2019ll show the full baby cost breakdown. \n\n\nNow, before you say anything about the amount, I need to first say 2 things: \n\n\nBaby Cost Breakdown Obligatory Disclaimer\n\n\nOne \u2013 Obviously, \nthe amount you spend on your first child will vary depending on your budget and choices\n. You can absolutely keep the costs much lower \u2013 having a child for under RM10k is possible. You can even do it under RM5k if you really want (or have) to.\u00a0\n\n\nSecond \u2013 I\u2019m not mad at the amount, considering we only \nspent RM5,247.09 for our wedding\n. The way I see it, we already saved so much there, and it\u2019s not like we spent on IVF or anything, so \nwhy not spend a lil\u2019 more for our child\n. \n\n\nSo yeah. This article basically lists everything we paid for to have baby Mika, divided in 8 categories: Prenatal Checkups, Delivery & Labour Cost, Supplements, Baby Stuff, Learning Materials, Confinement Care, Religious Obligations and Misc. \n\n\nLet\u2019s get into it!\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Prenatal Checkups\n\n\nCost: RM8,226.50 (private; for approx ~15 prenatal checkups throughout my pregnancy)\n\n\nThree big reasons why our cost for prenatal checkups was on the higher side:\n\n\n\n\nNo way around it \u2013 \nprivate healthcare\n is WAY more expensive than public healthcare. I actually offered to go the public route, but husband insisted on private for the convenience and service\n\n\nWe opted to do the \nNICC or non-invasive chromosomes check\n to check for Down syndrome and other chromosomal abnormalities. This optional test was around RM1500\n\n\nI don\u2019t really know how the system works, but we were somehow \nassigned a visiting doctor instead of a resident doctor.\n Granted our doctor was excellent but the latter\u2019s fee would have been cheaper\n\n\n\n\nWe are lucky that we can afford this expense, but if budget is an issue for you, then deciding on public healthcare would be the first decision to make. You can avoid /significantly reduce this cost and do your prenatal checkups at Klinik Kesihatan \u2013 it\u2019s FREE*\n\n\n*or RM5 if need to refer your case to a specialist, I heard. Still, VERY cheap compared to private\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Delivery & Labour Cost\n\n\nCost: RM9,449.20 in total \u2013 RM5,657.50 for Delivery and RM3,791.70 for Baby\n\n\n(Some of you joked that baby Mika saved me money thanks to my \nunusual birth circumstances\n, but that was not the case. They may not charge me for the typical delivery costs but they sure did charge me for everything else. Like the casino, the private hospital always wins \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nSimilar to #1, this expense is cheap if you go through the public health route. It\u2019ll cost as low as under RM50 to as high as a few hundred only, depending on type of care received. \n\n\nHowever, if you opt for private like we did, expect the bill to come up to a few thousand ringgit. The \u2018cheapest\u2019 delivery and labour cost I\u2019ve heard for private hospital is around RM4-5k, and that\u2019s for normal vaginal birth, no epidural, no complications. \n\n\nIf you decide to go private, it\u2019s not a bad idea to prepare RM15k or so just to be safe, in case of emergency C-section or other complications. \n\n\n#3 \u2013 Supplements\n\n\nCost: RM1161.55 for 9 months\n\n\nThroughout my pregnancy, I had to take supplements for omega-3, calcium, iron, folic acid and more. I also had to drink the milk supplement thing. \n\n\nI heard (but can\u2019t confirm) that public healthcare would give you free supplements. If someone can verify this info, I\u2019d be very grateful. [Update: verified info! Thanks y\u2019all \u2764\ufe0f]\n\n\n\n\nObligatory disclaimer: Follow your doctor\u2019s recommendation, don\u2019t simply follow me here. \n\n\n#4 \u2013  Baby Stuff\n\n\nNote: \u2018Baby Stuff\u2019 is a HUGE list so I categorised the items further into: Nursery, Feeding, Gear, Bathing, Clothing, Diapeering. Playtime, For Mom and Travel. \n\n\nCost: RM4,621.68 \nso far\n \u2013 we haven\u2019t bought everything in this list. All-in-all, I estimate the cost for baby-related stuff will hit RM5k+, possibly more. \n\n\nMost of the items in this list were from baby expos, Shopee finds or thrifted from Carousell, aka reasonable, even cheap in cost. However, I will highlight a couple of items that were pricier because they are higher in quality and more importantly, multi-functional*.\n\n\n*We live in a 6xx square feet apartment \u2013 we don\u2019t have a lot of space \n\n\nCategory: Nursery\n\n\nItems in this list:\n\n\n\n\nCrib/cot\n\n\nChanging pad \n\n\nDiaper bin\n\n\nOrganiser\n\n\nBaby nest\n\n\nChanging table\n\n\n\n\nI bought the \nPreMaman/Hugobaby 2-in-1 standing bath tub with changing table\n for RM379 (include delivery). It\u2019s pretty good, I like it. \n\n\n\n\nCategory: Feeding\n\n\nItems in this list:\n\n\n\n\nBottle drying rack\n\n\nBibs\n\n\nBurp cloth\n\n\nFormula container\n\n\nSteam steriliser\n\n\nBottles\n\n\nHigh chair\n\n\nNursing pillow\n\n\n\n\nFor nursing pillow, I opted for the multifunctional \nDoomoo Buddy\n, which is a 3-in-1 pregnancy, baby and nursing pillow. I also got the \nRelax cover\n, which gives the pillow one more function \u2013 a toddler pouf as well.\n\n\nAt around RM450 for both pillow and cover, it\u2019s a \nbit\n lot pricey BUT it is a good-quality product and I can get years of use out of it. Worth it for me. \n\n\n\n\nCategory: Gear\n\n\nItems in this list:\n\n\n\n\nCar seat\n\n\nStroller\n\n\nBaby carrier \n\n\nWhite noise machine \n\n\nBaby monitor\n\n\n\n\nNote: We bought the \nEvenflo Pivot Modular Travel System\n, a 3-in-1 car seat/stroller/baby carrier combo for RM999.\n\n\n\n\nCategory: Bathing\n\n\nItems in this list:\n\n\n\n\nBaby bathtub\n\n\nHooded towel\n\n\nBody wash/shampoo\n\n\nBaby lotion\n\n\nWashcloths\n\n\nAlcohol wipes\n\n\n\n\nCategory: Baby clothing\n\n\nItems in this list:\n\n\n\n\n0-3 months clothes\n\n\n3-6 months clothes\n\n\nSwaddles\n\n\nBarut/Binder\n\n\nBaby detergent\n\n\nMittens\n\n\nBooties\n\n\nHats\n\n\nBibs\n\n\n\n\nCategory: Diapering\n\n\nItems in this list:\n\n\n\n\nNewborn diapers\n\n\nSmall-size diapers\n\n\nBaby wipes\n\n\nRash cream/ Nappy cream\n\n\nTelon oil\n\n\nDiaper mat\n\n\n\n\nCategory: Playtime\n\n\nItems in this list:\n\n\n\n\nPlaygym\n\n\nFlash cards\n\n\nRattle toys\n\n\nPlaypen \n\n\n\n\nCategory: For Mom\n\n\nItems in this list:\n\n\n\n\nNursing bras\n\n\nNon-slip indoor slippers\n\n\nPantang socks\n\n\nManual breast pump\n\n\nElectric breast pump\n\n\nMilk collector\n\n\nMilk storage bottles\n\n\nMenstrual pads\n\n\nBreast pads\n\n\nMaternity underwear\n\n\nNipple balm\n\n\n\n\nCategory: Travel\n\n\nItems in this list:\n\n\n\n\nBaby carrier\n\n\nCooler bag\n\n\nIce packs\n\n\nDiaper bag\n\n\nTravel changing mat\n\n\n\n\nWhen I first did my research on what a newborn needs, I was so surprised that such a little thing needs this many stuff \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Learning Materials\n\n\nCost: ~RM1500\n\n\nAs first-time parents, we were understandably nervous about caring for a newborn. To prepare for parenthood, we bought:\n\n\n\n\nAn online parenting course\n\n\nAn offline parenting seminar\n\n\nHypnobirthing sessions \n\n\nLots of books\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Confinement care\n\n\nCost: RM6000 for 28 days confinement service (stay-in package)\n\n\nThis is an optional but highly recommended service, especially for first time parents or for people who need extra help with baby and mom care. Personally, this is the best money spent in this whole list!\n\n\nMy cost here is a bit on the high side \u2013 28 days is actually quite long and you can reduce the number of days. According to my confinement lady, 2 weeks or 14 days is the most popular duration and should be enough (cost around RM3000). \n\n\nPs \u2013 I went with \nSuraya Mothercare\n and think the service is great. My CL vouched for \nPudina Confinement\n so that\u2019s another option.\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Religious obligation\n\n\nCost: Around RM1500~2500\n\n\nI\u2019m not sure if people from other religions have a similar obligation (if at all), but Muslims are encouraged to:\n\n\n\n\nDonate the newborn\u2019s hair weight in gold (shaved on 7/14/21st day; typically between 1-3 grams), and \n\n\nGive aqiqah (2 x goats if boy, 1 x if girl)\n\n\n\n\nOf course, you can also organise a majlis aqiqah at additional cost. \n\n\n#8 \u2013 Misc\n\n\nCost: RM500 or so\n\n\nAnd finally were things that don\u2019t quite fit anywhere else but still included under the overall baby costs. Here are some things we bought:\n\n\n\n\nPregnancy test kits \n\n\nMaternity-friendly clothes (aka lots of dresses)\n\n\nPregnancy photoshoot\n\n\n\n\nI also bought therapy sessions to talk through the ambivalent feelings I experienced, and went on two international trips to say goodbye to child slash responsibility-free life, but that\u2019s tracked seperately \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nTakeaways from this baby cost breakdown\n\n\nLike I said in the beginning of this article, this baby cost breakdown reflects *our* budget and choices. We spent RM33.5k but it is possible to significantly reduce the cost. One can do that by:\n\n\n\n\nChoosing public healthcare rather than private\n\n\nSourcing for second-hand and hand-me-down baby stuffs\n\n\nHaving your spouse/parents help you with confinement care\n\n\nUtilising the internet to learn about pregnancy and baby care\n\n\n\n\nThat said, after having gone through all this, I personally wouldn\u2019t be comfortable having (another?) child if I don\u2019t have at least RM10k in savings. Not only some random expenses will still crop up, but there is also a \u2018safe\u2019 feeling that the amount would provide, and reduces stress/anxiety for the parents. \n\n\nAnyway, writing this baby cost breakdown article has been fun. Anyone else keep track of their baby costs, from pregnancy until birth? Any finance-related baby tips and tricks you want to share? If yes, share in the comments!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/shopping/baju-raya-2021-collection/", "title": "[Nepotism] Shop My Sisters\u2019 Baju Raya 2021 Collection (Regular & Plus Size)\n  ", "body": "\n\nLet\u2019s get straight to the point \u2013 both my sisters are boutique owners at \nMarquise.my\n (regular size) and \nMalaysia Plus Size\n, and OUT OF THE GOODNESS OF MY HEART I\u2019m dedicating this post to promo their baju raya 2021 collection.\n\n\nIf you\u2019re trying to save money, please skip this post. If you were looking for Raya clothes anyway, or sengaja nak cuci mata, scroll on \ud83d\ude42 \n\n\n\n\nAll of these baju raya sets can be styled multiple ways, including using the tops/bottoms separately for office and casual wear (practical and value for money!). If you like what you see, please contact them directly to make purchases, the stocks are not with me.\n\n\nShop #1 \u2013 Marquise.my (Regular size Baju Raya 2021)\n\n\nBuy at >>\nMarquise.my\n website | \nMarquise.my Instagram\n<< \n\n\n*PROTIP: Check the SALE section. Also: Use code \u2018SURAYA10\u2019 for extra 10% off! Just apply during checkout \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nAyana Kurung set \u2013 RM149 (S/M and L/XL size)\n\n\nDescription: Neat back-pleated, ribbon cuff sleeves detailing paired with a flowy flared skirt. \n\n\nAvailable colours: Midnight blue, Olive green, Purple grape, Maroon red, Nude blush\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPetunia Kaftan set \u2013 RM129 (S-XL)\n\n\nDescription: A free size Kaftan design, suitable from Small up to XL. Hidden tieback feature, can be styled 2-ways.\n\n\nAvailable colours: Black, Dusty blue, Champagne\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFleur Kaftan set \u2013 RM129 (S-XL)\n\n\nDescription: A free size Kaftan design, suitable from Small up to XL. Hidden tieback feature, can be styled 2-ways.\n\n\nAvailable colours: Black, Dark blue, Teal green, Copper brown\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSalma set \u2013 RM99 (S-XL)\n\n\nDescription: Relax Raya Collection. A comfy iron-less set of long top and pants with pockets\n\n\nAvailable colours: Black, Sky blue, Olive green, Golden brown, Maroon red, Dusty rose\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBuy at >>\nMarquise.my\n website | \nMarquise.my Instagram\n<< \n\n\n*PROTIP: Check the SALE section. Also: Use code \u2018SURAYA10\u2019 for extra 10% off! Just apply during checkout \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nShop #2 \u2013 Malaysia Plus Size (Plus Size Baju Raya 2021)\n\n\nBuy at >>\nMalaysia Plus Size Instagram page\n<< *PROTIP: Check the CLEARANCE page\n\n\nMuliya Batwing Modern Kurung set \u2013 RM149 inc postage\n\n\nAvailable colours: Brown, Olive, Black\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFleur Pleated Modern Kurung set \u2013 RM179 inc postage\n\n\nAvailable colours: Sky Blue, Coral, Lilac\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSe-ri Flared Kurung set \u2013 RM129 inc postage\n\n\nAvailable colours: Off White, Mustard, Rose, Dusty Blue, Dusty Green\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBuy at >>\nMalaysia Plus Size Instagram page\n<< *PROTIP: Check the CLEARANCE page\n\n\nThat\u2019s it. That\u2019s today\u2019s blogpost. Just promoting my sisters\u2019 shops. Damn I feel like a good big sister.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/shopping/baju-raya-2022-collection/", "title": "[Nepotism] Shop My Sisters\u2019 Baju Raya 2022 Collection (Regular & Plus Size)\n  ", "body": "\n\nIf you\u2019re trying to save money, please skip this post. If you were looking for Raya clothes anyway, or sengaja nak cuci mata, scroll on \ud83d\ude42 \n\n\n\n\nAll of these baju raya sets can be styled multiple ways, including using the tops/bottoms separately for office and casual wear (practical and value for money!). If you like what you see, please contact them directly to make purchases, the stocks are not with me.\n\n\nFrom Marquise.my (Regular size Baju Raya 2022)\n\n\n#1 \u2013 MIRAE Two-Piece Kaftan Set \u2013 RM229 (S-XL)\n\n\nAvailable colours: Black, Tiffany Blue, Nude Beige, White\nCan be styled 3 ways: Loose style, Side tuck, Tuck-in\nMore pics, videos and details\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Fleur Two-Piece Kaftan Set\u00a0\u2013 RM169 (S-XL)\n\n\nAvailable colours: Dark Grey, Sage Green, Soft Yellow, Pink Blush, Powder Pink\nCan be styled 3 ways: Loose style, Side tuck, Tuck-in\nMore pics, videos and details\nAlso available in 2XL, 3XL and 4XL\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Petunia Kaftan set \u2013 RM109 (S-XL)\n\n\nAvailable colours: Black, Dusty Blue, Champagne\nCan be styled 2-ways.\nMore pics, video and details\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Fleur Kaftan set \u2013 RM129 (S-XL)\n\n\nAvailable colours: Teal green and Copper Brown\nCan be styled 2-ways.\nMore pics, video and details\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 NOURA Relax Raya Set\n\n\nDescription: Relax Raya Collection. A comfy iron-less set of long top and pants with pockets\n\n\nAvailable colours: Black, Dark blue, Olive green, Burgundy Purple, Gold brown, Cream\nMore pic, video and details\n\n\n\n\nFrom Malaysia Plus Size (Plus Size Baju Raya 2022)\n\n\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Naara Two-Piece Kaftan Set \u2013 RM239 (2XL, 3XL)\n\n\nAvailable colours: Midnight Blue, Deep Maroon, Brick Red, Lavender, Dusty Plum, Dusty Rose, Sage Green, Oatmeal (pictured)\nMore pics, videos and details\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by \u2728Plus Size Raya 2023 Collection \u2728 Plus Size Ent SA0436508-D (@malaysiaplussize)\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Fleur pleated modern kurung \u2013 RM189 (2XL, 3XL, 4XL)\n\n\nAvailable in 5 prints: Dark Grey (pictured), Sage Green, Soft Yellow, Pink Blush, Powder Pink\nCan be styled 3 ways: Loose style, Side tuck, Tuck-in\nMore pics, videos and details\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by \u2728Plus Size Raya 2023 Collection \u2728 Plus Size Ent SA0436508-D (@malaysiaplussize)\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Muliya Batwing Modern Kurung set \u2013 RM159 \n\n\nAvailable colours: Brown, Olive, Black\nMore pics, video and details\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Se-ri Flared Kurung set \u2013 RM85-95\n\n\nAvailable colours: Off White, Mustard, Rose, Dusty Blue, Dusty Green\nMore pics, videos and details\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it. That\u2019s today\u2019s blogpost. Just promoting my sisters\u2019 shops. Damn I feel like a good big sister.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/shopping/bergaji-dan-pokai/", "title": "Y\u2019All, \u2018Bergaji & Pokai\u2019 Book is Out! (Share & Win RM250!)[ENDED]\n  ", "body": "\n\nI have a new book! I have a new book! It\u2019s called \nBergaji & Pokai: Membina Kehidupan Bebas Tekanan Melalui Pengurusan Kewangan Yang Realistik\n and published by Iman Publication! \n\n\nYou can \npurchase the book here\n for RM30 or read a FREE chapter here: \nhttps://bit.ly/BabPercumaPokai\n\n\n\n\nBergaji & Pokai is for everyone who has always requested to read my content in Malay. I heard you \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nThe book is written for people who have tried to learn personal finance yourself and read all sorts of books, but still find yourself confused and unsure what to do. It\u2019s a beginner-friendly, step-by-step guide to managing your finances. \n\n\nIf the below is you, get yourself \na copy \n\ud83d\ude42 You won\u2019t regret it.\n\n\n\n\nShare Bergaji & Pokai in social media, win RM250!\n\n\nIn conjunction with the new book release, I thought it would be fun to do a lucky draw! \nAll you have to do is share Bergaji & Pokai on your social media, and you could win RM250 in cash (or bitcoin!)\n. No book purchase necessary to enter \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nI figured, rather than spend the money on FB ads to promote the book, might as well give it to one of you \ud83d\ude1b\n\n\n(I mean, it would mean the world to me if you support and \nbuy a copy of Bergaji & Pokai\n. But I understand if money is tight and you don\u2019t :\u2019) Prioritise building your emergency savings boo)\n\n\nHow to enter and win the lucky draw\n\n\n\n\nStep 1:\n Enter the raffles you want and collect as many entries as possible until the end date, \n11 November 2022 (until 11.59pm)\n.\n\n\nStep 2:\n Winners will be randomly selected from the pool of entries via lucky draw method and contacted by email. The more entries you have, the more chances you have to win. If the winner does not reply back by a set time (three days after the lucky draw ends) or do not satisfy T&Cs, a new winner will be selected.\n\n\nStep 3:\n Winners will be connected to sponsors to claim the prize. I\u2019ll also announce on the \nRinggit Oh Ringgit FB page\n for everyone\u2019s closure.\n\n\nWhat are the Terms and Conditions\n\n\nHere are the T&C of this lucky draw\n\n\n\n\nYou must be living in Malaysia so I can transfer the money to you easily\n\n\nI have the right to amend their prizes and terms, and disqualify winners who do not satisfy any of the conditions in the lucky draw. If this happens, a new winner will be picked.\n\n\nSpambots/fake emails/ fake accounts = automatically disqualified from the lucky draw WITHOUT NOTICE\n\n\n\n\nPROTIP\n: Some entries can be collected DAILY.\n\n\nAlright got it! How do I enter the lucky draw?\n\n\n\ud83d\ude42 Do any or all of the actions below! All the best! \n\n\nNote: \n\n\n\n\nLogin with email. If you win, this is how I\u2019ll contact you. Database will be deleted post-lucky draw\n\n\nAgree with T&C is mandatory. Click on that and sharing/other options will show up\n\n\nYou can EDIT the captions in tweets and FB posts, no problem. In fact I encourage it \ud83d\ude42 \n\n\nIn case the thing got problem, try log out email then log back in and see if that works\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBONUS: Make money by promoting Bergaji & Pokai\n\n\nIf you picked up Bergaji & Pokai for yourself and would happily recommend it to others, why not make money at the same time? Join \nImanShoppe\u2019s Affiliate or Dropship programme\n and earn between 5-25% from every book sold \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nNote: dropship biz got small fee but higher profit margin. joining affiliate programme is free\n\n\n(You can also promote & sell any of the books in Iman Shoppe, too. Not just mine \ud83d\ude42 View all books \nhere\n)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/shopping/best-credit-cards-in-malaysia/", "title": "Best Credit Cards in Malaysia: 6 Maybank Cards to Earn Cashback & Points\n  ", "body": "\n\nI\u2019ll just right away say it:\n the best credit cards in Malaysia are cashback credit cards\n, aka cards that give you back money, or points that can be used as money. \n\n\nUnless for specific situations, \nlifestyle cards, travel cards, Airmiles cards and the rest are all useless to me\n. I will not entertain any questions about this \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nIn this article, we will focus on Maybank credit cards specifically because of these simple reasons: \n\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s the biggest bank in Malaysia, and many people have bank accounts there\n\n\nThey have pretty good options for people earning median income (RM24,000-RM60,000 per year)\n\n\nThey have great card choices with no min spend and no lifetime fee (you still have to pay the annual RM25 service tax per credit card though \u2013 this one standard for all cards)\n\n\n\n\nBest Maybank Credit Cards: My verdict (with your input)\n\n\nNot all Maybank credit cards are created equal \u2013 some are better than others. Ranked by cashback %, the Maybank credit cards I can recommend are:\n\n\n\n\nMaybank Islamic Ikhwan American Express Platinum Card-i \u2013\n best Islamic credit card for online shopping (8% cashback)\n\n\nMaybank 2 Cards Gold\n/\nPlatinum\n \u2013 best credit card for weekend spending (5% cashback)\n\n\nMaybank Islamic MasterCard Ikhwan Gold/\nPlatinum\n Card-i\n \u2013 best Islamic credit card for petrol and groceries (5% cashback)\n\n\nMaybank Shopee Visa Platinum Card\n \u2013 best for shopping on Shopee platform (up to 5% cashback)\n\n\nMaybank GRAB MasterCard Platinum\n \u2013 best for frequent Grab users (effectively 3.125% cashback)\n\n\nMaybank FC Barcelona Visa Signature\n \u2013 Only get it if you\u2019re a Barcelona fan. I totally get it (1% cashback)\n\n\n\n\nAll of them are cashback credit cards or rewards credit cards. The requirements for each credit card, and the advantages and disadvantages of owning them are covered in each section below. \n\n\nEven if you don\u2019t want to use them, you must know about these cards \u2013 \nit gives you a great benchmark to compare with credit cards from other banks.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Maybank Islamic Ikhwan American Express Platinum Card-i\n\n\n\n\nThe first card on this list is the \nMaybank Islamic Ikhwan American Express Platinum Card-i\n:\n\n\n\n\nMin income: RM3,333 per month / RM40,000 per year\n\n\nBest feature: Islamic credit card; 8% cashback for online shopping\n\n\nCapped at RM50 per month, increased to RM100 in Ramadan and Syawal months\n\n\n\n\nApply for \nMaybank Islamic Ikhwan American Express Platinum Card-i\n at -> \nDirect from Maybank\n (as of writing time, only from Maybank) (see how to apply credit cards section below)\n\n\nMaybank Islamic American Express Platinum Card-i Review: Advantages \n\n\n#1 \u2013 No annual fee \n\n\nCredit cards with no annual fee are always good. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 GREAT cashback and benefits\n\n\nAs someone who always compare credit cards, I can recognise great cashback and benefits when I see one! With the \nMaybank Islamic Ikhwan American Express Platinum Card-i\n, you get:\n\n\n\n\n8% cashback for online spending, up to RM100 a month in Ramadhan and Syawal months*\n\n\n8% cashback for online spending, up to RM50 a month in other months\n\n\nWelcome gift and Treatpoints\n\n\n\n\nBasically, you only have to make RM625 per month in online spending to maximise the RM50 cashback per month. In Ramadhan and Syawal months, you can maximise RM100 cashback by making RM1250 in online spending (great for Raya shopping!)\n\n\n*As of writing time, Ramadhan and Syawal is fast approaching so better apply for this card ASAP if you want to maximise the cashback!\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Can collect Maybank Treatpoints\n\n\nYou get 1-3 Treatpoints for every RM1 spent on the Amex card.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Branded as an eco-friendly card\n\n\nIt\u2019s probably greenwashing, but like they say, every effort counts. \n\n\nMaybank Islamic American Express Platinum Card-i Review: Disadvantages \n\n\n#1 \u2013 AMEX is not accepted everywhere\n\n\nAMEX may not be accepted as a payment method at some online stores, so check first before you spend. \n\n\nApply for \nMaybank Islamic Ikhwan American Express Platinum Card-i\n at -> \nDirect from Maybank\n (as of writing time, only from Maybank) (see how to apply credit cards section below)\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Maybank 2 Cards Platinum/Gold\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m biased because I personally use this card, but I think the \nMaybank 2 Cards\n as a set is one of the best Maybank credit card for beginners. \n\n\nThe Maybank 2 Cards come in 2 variants:\n\n\n\n\nMaybank 2 Gold Cards \n(min income: RM2,500 per month / RM30,000 per year)\n\n\nMaybank 2 Platinum Cards\n (min income: RM5,000 per month / RM60,000 per year)\n\n\nBest feature: 5% cashback for weekend spending\n\n\nMax cashback per month: RM50\n\n\n\n\nApply for \nMaybank 2 Cards\n at -> \nRinggitPlus website\n | \nDirect from Maybank\n (see how to apply credit cards section below)\n\n\nNote: Do not mistake this card with the Maybank 2 Premier Cards (min income: RM8,333.33 per month / RM100,000 per year). That\u2019s more of a lifestyle/travel credit card rather than a cashback credit card, don\u2019t accidentally take it (unless you want to)\n\n\nMaybank 2 Gold Cards Review: Advantages \n\n\n#1 \u2013 No annual fee \n\n\nCredit cards with no annual fee are always good. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Get 2 cards\n\n\nIMHO having all three VISA, Mastercard and AMEX will give you the widest range of discounts and savings opportunities. With Maybank 2 Cards, you get two out of those three. \n\n\n(Don\u2019t knock this perk. Imagine you buy books in MPH and suddenly got 15% discount if pay by Mastercard or something? You don\u2019t want?)\n\n\n#3\n \n\u2013 Easy to get cashback\n\n\nSome cashback credit cards make it really hard for you to satisfy T&C \u2013 they want you to spend a minimum of XXX amount in XXX category for a minimum of X times a month/year. The T&Cs for the Maybank 2 cards is simple \u2013 \n5% cashback on weekend spending, capped at RM50 per month.\n \n\n\nAny category except government services and utilities is eligible for cashback\n. This is great because you can time your grocery shopping and petrol filling on the weekends. \n\n\nThese spending categories alone can easily reach RM1000 per month, thus maxing out RM50 cashback per month, translating to RM600 savings per year!\n\n\nProtip: If your favourite grocery store allows Touch n Go card top up, you can effectively get 5% cashback on your parking/toll as well (or whatever you use your TnG card for).\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Can collect Maybank Treatpoints\n\n\nYou get 5 Treatpoints for every RM1 spent on the Amex card during weekdays.\n\n\nMaybank 2 Gold Cards Review: Disadvantages \n\n\n#1 \u2013 2 cards = double the credit card service tax\n\n\n2 cards are great and all, but you\u2019ll be subjected to the mandatory credit card service tax, which is RM25 per year PER card. Therefore, two cards = RM50 credit card service tax per year.  \n\n\n#2 \u2013 AMEX is not accepted everywhere\n\n\nAMEX is not accepted as a payment method at many locations. Hypermarkets stores, petrol stations and bigger stores usually fine but personally I do mentally bookmark smaller shops that accept AMEX because it\u2019s not as common. \n\n\n#3 \u2013 The Mastercard can be kinda useless\n\n\nThe Maybank 2 Card Mastercard doesn\u2019t offer many perks, only points. Many people* say that they took the Maybank 2 Cards and almost never use the Mastercard, just keep in drawer. To each their own I guess. \n\n\n*Many people who already have other Mastercard/Visa card with better benefits to use\n\n\nApply for \nMaybank 2 Cards\n at -> \nRinggitPlus website\n | \nDirect from Maybank\n (see how to apply credit cards section below)\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Maybank Islamic MasterCard Ikhwan Gold/Platinum Card-i\n\n\n\n\nThe third Maybank credit card on the list, \nMaybank Islamic MasterCard Ikhwan Card-i\n also comes in two variants:\n\n\n\n\nMaybank Islamic MasterCard Ikhwan Platinum Card-i \n(min income: RM5,000 per month / RM60,000 per year)\n\n\nMaybank Islamic MasterCard Ikhwan Gold Card-i \n(min income: RM2,500 per month / RM30,000 per year)\n\n\nBest feature: 5% cashback on petrol and groceries spending on Friday and Saturday; Islamic credit cards\n\n\nAll cashbacks are capped at RM50 per month\n\n\n\n\nApply for \nMaybank Islamic MasterCard Ikhwan Card-i\n at -> \nRinggitPlus website\n | \nDirect from Maybank\n (see how to apply credit cards section below)\n\n\nNote: \nMaybank Islamic Petronas Ikhwan Visa Card-i\n \nis also worth considering. With 8% cashback for weekend petrol spend at Petronas, it\u2019s probably the best Maybank Petronas credit card. \n\n\nMaybank Ikhwan Credit Cards Review: Advantages \n\n\n#1 \u2013 No annual fee \n\n\nCredit cards with no annual fee are always good. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Syariah-compliant credit cards\n\n\nGreat if you\u2019re looking for an Islamic credit card.\n\n\nMaybank Ikhwan Credit Cards Review: Disadvantages \n\n\n#1 \u2013 Limited to Petrol and Groceries categories\n\n\nThe best options, Maybank Islamic MasterCard Ikhwan Platinum Card-i\n and \nMaybank Islamic MasterCard Ikhwan Gold Card-i  only give cashback on Petrol and Groceries categories. \n\n\nThat said it\u2019s not hard to max out RM1000 per month on both expenses, especially if you have a family. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Limited to Friday/Saturday spending\n\n\nIf your lifestyle doesn\u2019t allow you to pump petrol/ go grocery shopping on Friday or Saturday, then you can\u2019t really use these cards. \n\n\nApply for \nMaybank Islamic MasterCard Ikhwan Card-i\n at -> \nRinggitPlus website\n | \nDirect from Maybank\n (see how to apply credit cards section below)\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Maybank Shopee Visa Platinum Card\n\n\n\n\nThe next Maybank credit card in this list is the \nMaybank Shopee Visa Platinum Card\n:\n\n\n\n\nMin income: RM2,000 per month / RM24,000 per year\n\n\nBest feature: Up to 5% cashback for spending on Shopee \n\n\n\n\nApply for \nMaybank Shopee Visa Platinum Card\n at -> \nRinggitPlus website\n | \nDirect from Maybank\n (see how to apply credit cards section below)\n\n\nThis Maybank Shopee credit card is a rewards credit card where points collected can be redeemed on Shopee platform. You get:\n\n\n\n\n5 points on every RM1 \u2013 on Shopee spends on Special Days*\n\n\n4 points on every RM1 \u2013 on Dining, payWave and Entertainment spend on Special Days*\n\n\n2 points on every RM1 \u2013 on Shopee spends on Normal Days\n\n\n2 points on every RM1 \u2013 on Dining, payWave and Entertainment spend on Normal days\n\n\n1 points on every RM1 \u2013 on utilities, education, EzyPay and insurance\n\n\n1 points on every RM1 \u2013 on other spend\n\n\nNote: Max 5000 points or RM50 worth per month. Excess points are converted to Maybank Treatpoints\n\n\n\n\n*Special Days =  \nevery 28th of each month, 9.9, 11.11, 12.12, CNY and Raya Campaigns\n\n\nMaybank Shopee Visa Platinum Card Review: Advantages \n\n\n#1 \u2013 No annual fee \n\n\nCredit cards with no annual fee are always good. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Effectively 5% Cashback\n \nif used on Special Days\n\n\n1 point = 1 sen, therefore 5 points on every RM1 spend on Shopee on Special Days* is effectively 5% cashback. \n\n\n*Special Days = every 28th of each month, 9.9, 11.11, 12.12, CNY and Raya Campaigns\n\n\n#3 \u2013 A Platinum card with low minimum income\n \nrequirement\n\n\nYou get to brag about having/using a Platinum credit card with just RM2,000 minimum income per month haha.  Yes I know it\u2019s just a vanity thing but hey it\u2019s nice to own a Maybank Platinum credit card okayy. \n\n\nMaybank Shopee Visa Platinum Card Review: Disadvantages \n\n\n#1 \u2013 Only 1-3 days Special Days a month\n \n\n\nUnlike the Maybank 2 Cards, where you get 5% cashback on weekend spending (8 days a month), you only get a few days at most per month to get 5 points per RM1 spend on Special Days. Again, Special Days are only on \nevery 28th of each month, 9.9, 11.11, 12.12, CNY and Raya Campaigns\n. \n\n\nHowever on the flip side.. Having the Special Day requirement is also a good way to practice delayed gratification and reduce impulse purchases. If you want something, tell yourself to wait until the 28th (or other Special Days). Sometimes the desire goes away by then. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Possible increased price during Special Days\n\n\nNot all vendors do it, but some certainly do. You can \ndownload a Chrome extension\n to check the price movement before purchasing. After all, what\u2019s the point of getting 5% cashback if you\u2019re buying at 10% more. \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nApply for \nMaybank Shopee Visa Platinum Card\n at -> \nRinggitPlus website\n | \nDirect from Maybank\n (see how to apply credit cards section below)\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Maybank GRAB Mastercard Platinum\n\n\n\n\nNext is the \nMaybank GRAB Mastercard Platinum\n:\n\n\n\n\nMin income: RM2,000 per month / RM24,000 per year)\n\n\nBest feature: Great for Grab power user\n\n\nNo cap on points/cashback you can earn\n\n\n\n\nApply for \nMaybank GRAB Mastercard Platinum\n at -> \nRinggitPlus website\n | \nDirect from Maybank\n (see how to apply credit cards section below)\n\n\nThis Maybank Grab credit card is a rewards credit card where points collected can be converted to vouchers and redeemed on Grab platform. You get:\n\n\n\n\n5 points on every RM1 \u2013 for all purchases made in Grab app, including Grab e-wallet reloads\n\n\n2 points on every RM1 \u2013 for transaction made overseas, cross-border and e-commerce\n\n\n1 points on every RM3 \u2013 for other local purchases made\n\n\nExtra GrabRides and GrabFood vouchers\n\n\n\n\nThe points-to-voucher conversion varies according to the type of voucher you get, but generally 160 points get you RM1 worth of voucher. Therefore, if you optimise your Maybank Grab credit card properly and get the max points, you can get RM1 back for every RM32, or effectively 3.125% cashback.\n\n\n(Someone check my maths here pls)\n\n\nMaybank GRAB Mastercard Platinum Review: Advantages\n\n\n#1 \u2013 No annual fee \n\n\nCredit cards with no annual fee are always good. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 No cap on points\n, \nwhich can be converted to vouchers\n\n\nUnlike other credit cards on this list, there is no limit to how many points you can earn. And if my maths check out, 3.125% cashback is not bad if unlimited cashback. \n\n\n(Seriously pls check my maths)\n\n\n#3 \u2013 A Platinum credit card with low minimum income\n \nrequirement\n\n\nLike the Maybank Shopee credit card, the minimum income required for the Maybank GRAB Mastercard Platinum is only RM2,000 per month.\n Feel\n like a T20!\n\n\nMaybank GRAB Mastercard Platinum Review: Disadvantages\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Grab may revise their points-to-vouchers conversion from time to time. \n\n\nThe last time \nGrab revised the points-to-voucher conversion in June 2020, the vouchers cost 33% more points\n. \n\n\nThey may do it again \u2013 may I remind you that despite everything, Grab is still not making money. Eventually they will need to give their investors the promised returns and cut back on customer perks even more.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Not useful if you\u2019re not a heavy Grab user\n\n\nSkip this credit card if you don\u2019t use Grab often. Go, before you get used to the convenience and interface. It\u2019s too late for me but not too late for you. \n\n\nApply for \nMaybank GRAB Mastercard Platinum\n at -> \nRinggitPlus website\n | \nDirect from Maybank\n (see how to apply credit cards section below)\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Maybank FC Barcelona Visa Signature \n\n\n\n\nLastly is the \nMaybank FC Barcelona Visa Signature\n card:\n\n\n\n\nMin income: RM4,000 per month / RM48,000 per year\n\n\nBest feature:\n 1% cashback on all purchases except for government bodies, utilities and e-wallet reloads \n\n\nCapped at RM50 cashback per month\n\n\n\n\nApply for \nMaybank FC Barcelona Visa Signature\n at -> \nRinggitPlus website\n | \nDirect from Maybank\n (see how to apply credit cards section below)\n\n\nOk, this card USED to be an excellent cashback credit card by Maybank \u2013 they gave \n10% cashback\n on spending made in May and August, capped at RM100 per month. However, Maybank has since revised the T&C and now \nit\u2019s no longer a good option\n, compared to others on the list. \n\n\n\n\nTo conclude again, \n\n\nBest Maybank Credit Cards: My Verdict\n\n\n\n\nMaybank Islamic Ikhwan American Express Platinum Card-i \u2013\n best Islamic credit card for online shopping (8% cashback)\n\n\nMaybank 2 Cards Gold\n/\nPlatinum\n \u2013 best credit card for weekend spending (5% cashback)\n\n\nMaybank Islamic MasterCard Ikhwan Gold/\nPlatinum\n Card-i\n \u2013 best Islamic credit card for petrol and groceries (5% cashback)\n\n\nMaybank Shopee Visa Platinum Card\n \u2013 best for shopping on Shopee platform (up to 5% cashback)\n\n\nMaybank GRAB MasterCard Platinum\n \u2013 best for frequent Grab users (effectively 3.125% cashback)\n\n\nMaybank FC Barcelona Visa Signature\n \u2013 Only get it if you\u2019re a Barcelona fan. I totally get it (1% cashback) \n\n\n\n\nHow to apply for Maybank credit cards\n\n\nP/s \u2013 Shoutout to everyone who use my affiliate link if you plan to get Maybank credit card (any card, not just the ones above). It\u2019s a small way to support me, at no cost to you \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nGo back to the Maybank credit cards that are most suitable for you, factoring in your income, lifestyle and possible credit card use. You can apply via RinggitPlus and/or direct from Maybank. \n\n\nApplying from RinggitPlus\n is fairly straightforward: Simply click on the links above and submit your application. \n\n\nApplying from Maybank\n website requires these steps:\n\n\n1) First, click on this link, which brings you \ndirect to Maybank online-only offer page\n. Click on \u2018Apply Now\u2019 (green button) \n\n\n\n\n2) Click on the Change Features button (top left)\n\n\n\n\n3) Then, set your income, select cashback + your interest and pick the credit card you want from the selection\n\n\n\n\n4) Submit your application\n\n\nThe necessary disclaimer about responsible usage of credit cards\u2026\n\n\nBecause I wouldn\u2019t be a responsible personal finance content creator if I didn\u2019t write this out. \n\n\nI know credit cards have a bad reputation. And for good reason, too: a whopping 3 out of 5 people do not pay (cannot afford to pay?) their credit card balances in full (Source: \nNST, 2017\n)\n\n\nYet\u2026 as horrible as those statistics are, you can\u2019t deny that they are immensely useful as a financial tool. I had this realisation when someone asked me which option would I pick: paying a large amount via cash or via credit card. I picked credit card without hesitation. \n\n\nWhy? They\u2019re amazing for building up my credit score. For getting additional benefits and discounts when buying stuff I wanted to get anyway. For convenience in payments. And perhaps most importantly, for emergencies.    \n\n\nRelated: \nMalaysians Share the Biggest Credit Card Expenses They Ever Made\n\n\nSo here goes: I\u2019m able to maximise the utility value of my credit cards because and ONLY because: \n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m a natural saver\n; my default is to NOT spend \nthat often\n. Although admittedly the banks do try to tempt me to spend more than I should, judging by \u2018the aspirational lifestyle\u2019 promotions they keep sending me. Happy to say that\u2019s less of a problem now since I muted all notifications from them. \n\n\nI already have the money to pay back the amount in my bank account\n, which I\u2019ll use to pay in full as soon as possible (I\u2019m not the only one who do this apparently)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019ll conclude this article on the best credit card in Malaysia: Maybank credit card edition here. Do you own any of the credit cards on this list? How\u2019s your experience with it so far \u2013 good, meh or bleh? Which do YOU think is the best Maybank credit card? \n\n\nShare with us in the comments \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/shopping/bought-from-lazada-and-shopee/", "title": "Everything I Bought from Lazada and Shopee (2017 \u2013 2020)\n  ", "body": "Three years ago\n, I listed\u00a0\neverything\u00a0\nI bought from Lazada and rated each purchase as worth it, not worth it and SUPER WORTH IT. The summary of the results then: \u201cStatistically, I\u2019m happy with 23 out of 36 items, or \n64% of them\n. That\u2019s one in three chance of not being happy with a product bought online, for whatever reason.\u201d\n\n\nI\u2019m going to repeat this process all over again, with the items I have since bought from the two major online shopping platforms beloved by Malaysians, Lazada and Shopee. Similar to the last methodology, I\u2019ll list each item bought, rate them and conclude at the end.\n\n\nHow happy am I with my purchases this time around, within Oct 2017-May 2020 timeframe? Let\u2019s find out.\n\n\nNote: Some of the links below are affiliate links. Please consider using them if you want to purchase any of the products recommended, thank you! #helpacontentcreatormakemoneywithoutdependingonsponsors\n\n\nEverything I Bought from Lazada and Shopee (2017 \u2013 2020)\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGTE Iscale SE Weighing Machine Body Weight Measuring Electronic Digital Scale. \nNot worth it.\n Literally forgot that I bought this until dug it back out. Broke soon after bought, not dependable at all.\n\n\nOriginal Import XiaoMi 2A Fast Charge Data Cable. \nW\north it.\n Works until it didn\u2019t, which is fair \u2013 heavy usage every single day. But was it even original? We\u2019ll never know. I bought a few of these cables across different shops and platforms. Not even sure which is which anymore. \nGet from the Xiaomi Global Store\n.\n\n\n\n\nLULULUN Facial Skin Care Mask (Blue for Intense hydration and skin repair) 32pcs. \nSUPER WORTH IT\n. \nProbably my favourite brand of face masks. Great value-for-money product, which suits my skin AND\u00a0 the better option than 32 single-pack masks. \nGo to the LULULUN Flagship store\n.\n\n\nEtude House Tint My Brows Gel 5g. \nWorth it.\n A fun little beauty product, back when tinted eyebrows were trendy. I got around 10 applications or so out of this single tube.\n\n\n\n\nPhilips Hair Dryer.\u00a0\nSUPER WORTH IT.\n\u00a0Still using it till today. A cheap yet dependable product.\n\n\nCarbon Fibre Brushed TPU Case for Xiaomi Redmi Note 4. \nWorth it.\n Protected my then-phone and looked hella sleek.\n\n\n\n\nGP Batteries Ultra Alkaline 15AU 4PCS\n. \nWorth it.\n Needed batteries for my water flosser (included in my\u00a0\n13 Money-Saving Products You Rich People Can Buy\n article), does the job. Gave free AAA batteries too.\n\n\n150 PCS Garbage Bag Kitchen Trash Bag Toilet Size 50 X 60 cm.\u00a0\nNot worth it.\n WAY TOO FLIMSY TO BE USEFUL. I don\u2019t understand why it got 5-star ratings. Suspect seller used unethical means to generate good reviews.\n\n\n\n\nWD Western Digital My Passport 1TB Black\n. \nNot worth it.\n I wanted this product to be good so bad. Unfortunately, it died on me only after about a year of (not even heavy) use, taking with it all the data I kept in it.\n\n\n\n\nPineng PN-333 Extension Socket. \nWorth it.\n They still work.\n\n\n\n\nMidea 16\u2033 Stand Fan MF-16FS10N.\u00a0\nWorth it.\n It lasted two years before dying on me, which is I guess alright for a below-RM100 stand fan.\n\n\n[Not pictured] JBL C100SI In-Ear Headphones with Mic. \nNot worth it.\n The Xiaomi headphones were better-sounding. But then again what do I know, I\u2019m not an audiophile or anything.\n\n\n\n\nXiaomi Mi In-Ear Headphones Basic Piston.\n \nSUPER WORTH IT\n. The sound quality is so good, given the price point. Will pick this over (one of the cheaper) JBL earphones any day. Again, not an audiophile or nothin\u2019. \nGet from the Xiaomi Global Store\n.\n\n\n\n\n3V Powder Coat Metal Bed Frame BY9021 \u2013 Queen Size (Grey).\u00a0\nNot worth it.\n Broke within one year. Like, one of the hinges just\u2026 snapped. While I was sleeping on it. Now it\u2019s funny, but at the time? I was livid.\n\n\n3-In-1 Premium Solid Plain Bed Sheet Queen Size.\n\u00a0\nWorth it.\n\u00a0I think the \u2018premium\u2019 claim is a bit of a stretch but yeah it works well.\n\n\nEasy Spray Mop with 2 Microfiber refill Pads Green.\n \nWorth it\n. A more convenient way to mop than the old-school version.\n\n\n\n\n30pcs Premium Velvet Clothes Hanger.\n \nWorth it\n. I actually really love the look of these hangers, and it did make my wardrobe look less cluttered. But it is also kinda brittle. I think I\u2019ve broken almost 10 of them so far.\n\n\n100PCS Magic Sponge Eraser Cleaning Melamine Multi-use Foam Cleaner.\u00a0\nWorth it.\n NOT the best quality. Good for a couple mins of scrubs each. BUT it works and cleans well and there\u2019s like a hundred of them, so I just kinda treat them like disposables.\n\n\nFeifan Non-slip Yoga Mat.\u00a0\nWorth it.\n Works well. To be fair I don\u2019t use it very often so I can\u2019t comment about durability, but that\u2019s not its fault.\n\n\nTefal Induction Non Stick Pure Chef Frypan 24cm.\u00a0\nNot worth it.\n This frying pan barely lasted a bit more than a year before the nonstick coating peeled off. I expected better from a Tefal brand!\n\n\n\n\nLevi\u2019s Revel Shaping Skinny Jeans.\u00a0\nWorth it.\n Tried the pants in-store, loved them, and got them for cheaper in Lazada. But having said that, I like my Uniqlo jeans better, and that\u2019s saying a lot considering this is a Levi\u2019s-brand jeans.\n\n\nORITA Baking Soda Laundry Detergent 1500G. \nWorth it.\n Not particularly memorable, but I didn\u2019t remember my clothes being smelly after using this.\n\n\n\n\nBOYA BY-M1 3.5 mm Lavalier Microphone.\n\u00a0\nWorth it.\n\u00a0A nice, cheap microphone that works, except from my smartphone dammit.\n\n\nKerastase Bain Prevention Shampoo 1000ml.\u00a0\nWorth it.\n Works well for my hair, but the price is too steep for me to continue using.\n\n\n\n\nBIORE UV Perfect Milk 40ml.\u00a0\nSUPER WORTH IT.\n THIS IS MY FAVOURITE BRAND OF SUNSCREEN. I bought like 5 in this order, taking advantage of sales and coupons and any other deal-stacking I could. \nGet it from Official Watson Store\n.\n\n\nLUCIDO-L Argan Oil Hair Treatment Oil 60ml.\u00a0\nSUPER WORTH IT.\n THIS IS MY FAVOURITE BRAND OF HAIR OIL. Granted, I haven\u2019t tried a lot. But this one smells amazing. \nGet it from Official Watson Store\n.\n\n\n\n\n100% Natural Erythritol 250g\n. \nWorth it.\n I use it as a substitute for sugar when cooking \u2018healthier\u2019 baked goods.\n\n\nSuper Fine Natural Almond Flour. \nNot worth it.\n Made some pretty amazing keto bread and cookies with this ingredient. The product does what it\u2019s supposed to do, but I overpaid for it because I didn\u2019t check other stores. That\u2019s on me but I\u2019m still bitter about it. Lesson learned: always compare prices!\n\n\nCarote Essential Woody Frying Pan.\u00a0\nSUPER WORTH IT.\n Works as intended, but also its such a pretty pan?! It\u2019s a joy to use it for cooking honestly. \nGet from the Carote Official Store\n.\n\n\n\n\nCrest 3D White Strips 20 Pouch.\u00a0\nWorth it.\n It\u2019ll whiten your teeth alright, but not without making it more sensitive, so use with caution. \nGet it here.\n\n\nMyprotein Impact Whey 2.5kg in Smooth Chocolate.\u00a0\nSUPER WORTH IT.\n The 2.5kg bag makes 100 servings of protein shakes. That\u2019s just RM1.42 per shake! And the Smooth Chocolate flavour is DELICIOUS. \nGet it from Eji Nutrition store, they sell it at most affordable price.\nKayman\u2019s Beauty Coal Cleanser.\u00a0\nWorth it.\n Found out about this brand on Twitter, bought it on a whim. It\u2019s okay. Not really sure if its good for my skin, but it doesn\u2019t make it bad.\n\n\nXiaomi MiA2 Screen Protector\n.\u00a0\nSUPER WORTH IT.\n Any screen protector that does its job is worth it.\n\n\n\n\nBlackwood Dry Cat Food \u2013 Original Formula Chicken Meal and Brown Rice 6kg.\u00a0\nSUPER WORTH IT.\n I must have bought like 10 x 6kg bags by now, this is what I fed my cats on a daily basis. They are healthy and fur is shiny too. \nGet it here\n.\n\n\nCarote 28cm Deep Fry Pan and 18cm Saucepan Combo Set.\u00a0\nSUPER WORTH IT.\n I loved the frying pan so much, I got a\u00a0 deep fry pan and a saucepan from the same brand, too. \nGet from the Carote Official Store\n.\n\n\n\n\nXiaomi ZhuiMi Dreame Dream V9 Handheld Vacuum. \nSUPER WORTH IT.\n This is one of the best purchases I\u2019ve EVER made in my adult life. \nGet from the Xiaomi Global Store\n.\n\n\nXiaomi Mi TV BOX S. \nSUPER WORTH IT.\n It took a while to arrive, but costs way cheaper than what\u2019s listed in the local tech stores. I went to at least 5 stores to compare prices and none of them even came close to this price. \nGet from the Xiaomi Global Store\n.\n\n\n\n\nFlushable Tofu Cat Litter.\u00a0\nSUPER WORTH IT.\n Must have bought 20 or so bags of this stuff. My cats adjusted to them in no time and they do flush easily. Very eco-friendly way of disposing cat litter!\n\n\nSwanPillow Latex Charcoal Pillow.\n \nWorth it.\n Good pillow. Not my preferred density, but I imagine it\u2019d be perfect for someone who likes their pillows firm. Keeps its shape well.\n\n\n\n\nPhilips Air Purifier AC1215. \nWorth it.\n It works and the design looks better than other options. Most importantly it\u2019s a good size for my apartment (I learned that when purchasing air purifiers, apparently you have to pick one that\u2019s powerful enough for your room size. If not, no point.)\n\n\nKiss Me Heroine Make Long & Curl Mascara. \nSUPER WORTH IT.\n My favourite mascara brand. It\u2019s the only one that I\u2019ve ever used which doesn\u2019t smudge. Do you know how hard that is to find?? This is now my go-to mascara, no more experimenting.\nGet from this Lazmall store\n.\n\n\n\n\nMister Coffee brand Ground Coffee in multiple varieties.\u00a0\nWorth it.\n After testing a few varieties of Mister Coffee-brand ground coffee, from Arabica to Brazil, I can conclusively say that I like the Costa Rica blend the most \ud83d\ude42 \nBuy Mister Coffee here\n.\n\n\n[Not pictured] Desktop Table Metal Mini Tripod Microphone Stand. \nNot sure if wor\nth it.\n I don\u2019t know, never used this item. I bought a microphone but the seller cancelled *that* order because it went out of stock so I\u2019m stuck with a microphone stand I can\u2019t use.\n\n\n[Not pictured] Sony Black DualShock\u00ae4 Wireless Controller for PlayStation 4.\u00a0\nSUPER WORTH IT.\n DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN HOOK THIS UP TO YOUR LAPTOP AND USE IT TO PLAY STEAM GAMES? Loved playing Harvest Moon with these controllers \u2013 I can\u2019t get used to keyboard system. \nGet from the Sony Flagship Store\n.\n\n\n[Not pictured] The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%.\u00a0\nWorth it.\n I think there\u2019s a difference in my skin? I\u2019m not the most consistent with using it, but this product was recommended by countless people so chances are, it worked for me too.\n\n\nKhind Electric Jug Kettle EK5817 (1.7L).\u00a0\nNot worth it.\n When will I stop buying the plastic electric kettles haih. They never last long. This one only lasted for a couple of months before dying on me.\n\n\n\n\ni-Blason Cosmo Case for Surface Pro.\u00a0\nSUPER WORTH\n\u00a0IT.\n\u00a0I threw away my previous laptop casing which \u2013 believe it or not \u2013 started shedding everywhere. So happy with this design.\u00a0It\u2019s so pretty omg. So pretty.\n\n\nLULULUN Daily Facial Mask Whitening 32s.\u00a0\nSUPER WORTH IT.\n A repeat purchase, this time trying the whitening version. The whitening variant just happened to be cheaper than the other versions. \nGo to the LULULUN Flagship store\n.\n\n\n\n\nISOPROPYL ALCOHOL 500 ML.\u00a0\nWorth it.\n\u00a0\nWhen MCO just started, I couldn\u2019t find antibacterial wipes anywhere, but have a ton of normal wet wipes in stock in my cabinet. So I decided to DIY it. Poured rubbing alcohol into wet wipe packs = ta-da, antibacterial wipes. \nGet the product here\n.\n\n\n\n\nAdjustable Gaming Chair in Grey.\n\u00a0\nNot worth it.\n I don\u2019t think I have the right table to pair with this chair, so I don\u2019t use it. It\u2019s now the cats\u2019 favourite sleeping spot.\n\n\n\n\nToshiba Jug Kettle 1.7L.\u00a0\nSUPER WORTH IT.\n That\u2019s a great price for such a well-built kettle. Granted it\u2019s very new, and I might edit this section if the product fails me, but so far, I love it.\n\n\nToshiba Stand Fan 16 Inch.\u00a0\nSUPER WORTH IT.\n The price is good, it works well, but most-importantly the \nall-white colour fits my apartment\u2019s aesthetics better!\n\n\n\n\nCountry Farm Organics Soybean Powder.\u00a0\nWorth it.\n\u00a0\nIt\u2019s not as tasty as the other brand I\u2019ve tried, but it\u2019s alright. Drinkable.\n\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0Diamond Painting Kit.\u00a0\nWorth it.\n Had fun doing this diamond painting kit. Once in a while, I enjoy a good mindless, relaxing activity that is NOT screen-related, you know? This was also a birthday present from myself, to myself.\n\n\nReflecting back from past Lazada and Shopee purchases\n\n\nHere\u2019s the final verdict, based on the 3 years\u2019 worth of data.\n\n\n\n\n\u2018Worth it\u2019 count: 25 out of 53 items\n\n\n\u2018SUPER WORTH IT\u2019 count: 19 out of 53 items\n\n\n\u2018Not worth it\u2019 count: 9 out of 53 items\n\n\nOthers (cancelled order, couldn\u2019t use): 2 items\n\n\n\n\nTherefore, percentage-wise, I am happy with 44 out of 53 items I bought from Lazada and Shopee, or \n83.02% of the time\n.\u00a0\nAwesome, that\u2019s a higher percentage than 3 years ago, when my satisfaction level with items received were just 64% of the time!\n\n\nWhat happened? Did I get better with product selection over the years? Did the online shopping platforms themselves took steps to ensure better stuff are sold there? Did user reviews get better over time, which helped me make my product selection better? A combination? Other factors perhaps?\n\n\nOverall, I can conclude that my online shopping experience was more positive than negative. I will continue making online orders from \nLazada\n and Shopee\u2026.not that I have much choice, given pandemic and everything. It kind of sucks that \nShopback\n (note: referral link) stopped offering cashback for Lazada and Shopee purchases though.\n\n\nWhat\u2019s your latest SUPER WORTH IT purchase from Lazada and Shopee? Let me know in the comments section!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/shopping/budget-friendly-online-bookstores-malaysia/", "title": "7 Budget-Friendly Online Bookstores in Malaysia\n  ", "body": "\n\nBooks from online bookstores in Malaysia! One of the few socially acceptable items to buy in abundance. A source of personal growth, entertainment and\u2026 decoration. It\u2019s okay to admit that last part \u2013 I like a nice book wall too.\n\n\nI\u2019ve been collecting a list of budget-friendly online bookstores in Malaysia, which I\u2019d love to share with you in this listicle. \n\n\nWhere can I buy cheap books online in Malaysia?\n\n\nYou can buy cheap books online in Malaysia from these 7 budget-friendly online bookstores. My criteria are:\n\n\nThey must have\n a healthy selection of books under RM30\nFree shipping and/or additional sales/price reduction\n is a bonus\nExclude \nMPH Bookstore\n, \nPopular Bookstore\n, \nKinokuniya Bookstore\n, \nBorders Bookstore\n, Times etc from this list because you probably know these bookstores already, and they are not known as budget-friendly bookstores, unless during sales or clearance events.\nExclude BookDepository.com, even though it is a reliable website. The shipping simply takes too long (a few months is common)\n\n\nHere we go. This list is not in any particular order. \n\n\n#1 \u2013 Bookurve.com\n\n\n\n\nBookurve have a good selection of popular books at a cheaper price, and the cashback system is worth it, but that\u2019s not why I included them here. For bargains, check out their \nUsed Book section\n, and also their mystery boxes in fiction and non-fiction categories. \n\n\n>>Buy books from \nBookurve.com\n. You can also trade-in your old books for discounts. More info \nhere\n.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Big Bad Wolf Books\n\n\n\n\nYou already know this baddie. As much as I love the experience of picking books from their annual warehouse sales, I also love the fact that I can buy books easily from their Shopee page. \n\n\n>>Buy books from \nBig Bad Wolf Books Shoppe\n \n\n\n#3 \u2013 BookXcess Online\n\n\n\n\nBookxcess Online is the sibling of #2, also well-known for stocking random books. \n\n\n>>Buy books from \nBookXcess Online\n\n\n#4 \u2013 BooksnBobs\n\n\n\n\nIf you enjoy sifting through random piles of books and discover one-off treasures that you can\u2019t get anywhere else, you\u2019ll like BooksnBobs. It reminds me of the times when I used to go to book warehouse sales organised at YMCA KL. \n\n\n>>Buy books from \nBooksnBobs\n. You can also sell your books, more info \nhere\n. \n\n\n#5 \u2013 Buku-Buku Effi\n\n\n\n\nIf you like BookXcess, you\u2019ll like Buku-Buku Effi! Lots of really good titles offered over at their Shopee page. \n\n\n>>Buy books from \nBuku-Buku Effi\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Gerak Budaya\n\n\n\n\nGerak Budaya has a lot of affordable Malaysian books, especially in the Sale section! Sometimes I feel bad because I have more Western (and predominantly white and male authors) on \nmy bookshelves\n, when I am a proud South-East Asian. Need to put more effort into reading locally produced books.\n\n\n>>Buy books from \nGerak Budaya website\n or \nGerak Budaya Shopee store\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Buku Fixi\n\n\n\n\nAnd last but not least, I must include Buku Fixi for their contemporary Malay-language books (and a smaller selection of English books). I love that they don\u2019t shy away from \u2018sensitive\u2019 topics, like religion and sexuality. \n\n\n>>Buy books from \nBuku Fixi Shopee store\n\n\nAny other budget-friendly online bookstore in Malaysia to suggest?\n\n\nDon\u2019t suggest Book Depository \u2013 unless the specific book you want is only available there, avoid. Deliveries take too long and time is money. Plus, your local bookstores need the money more than them. \n\n\nIf you know of other Malaysia-based options, share in the comments. Would love to add other places you get your (physical) books from in this list. Happy book-buying \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n(speaking of which, have you bought \n#MYMoneyStories\n books? You should)\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/shopping/buy-now-pay-later/", "title": "Why Buy Now, Pay Later is Evil Reincarnated\n  ", "body": "\n\nIn case you don\u2019t know, Buy Now, Pay Later is a \ntrend\n that is \nreally\n picking up in Malaysia and all over South East Asia. The idea is simple: to allow consumers to break up their (large) purchases into smaller payments in the future \u2013 much like credit card instalments. \n\n\nHate is a strong word, \nbut I intensely dislike them\n nope hate is accurate; I \nhate \nBuy Now, Pay Later with a passion, and you should stay far, far away from them. Here\u2019s why.\n\n\nBuy Now, Pay Later Won\u2019t Make You Happy\n\n\nBuy Now, Pay Later service providers keep talking about how integrating the payment option will make the consumers happy, by allowing them to get what they want, when they want it. In fact, they\u2019re calling it \u2018stress-free\u2019 and \u2018the smart way\u2019. \n\n\n\n\nThis is false.\n And I have the science to prove it. \n\n\nAccording to the book\u00a0\nHappy Money: The Science of Happier Spending\n\u00a0by Elizabeth Dunn and Michael Norton, the 2nd Core Principle of Happier Spending is \nMake it a Treat\n \u2013 Turn our favourite everyday things into occasional treats to enjoy them better. Getting whatever you want, whenever you want is counter-productive. \n\n\nAdditionally \u2013 and this is important \u2013 the 4th Core Principle of Happier Spending is \nBuy Now, Consume Later\n \u2013 \nthe very opposite of Buy Now, Pay Later\n. \nWaiting and delaying consumption\n\u00a0increases happiness, not the other way around. \n\n\n(You can read the full article here: \nHow to Buy Happiness: 5 Science-Backed Principles to Know TODAY\n)\n\n\nWant more? Most Buy Now, Pay Later merchants sell material goods. They don\u2019t make you as happy as you think. \n\n\n\n\nLove the charts! Look at the lines \u2013 spending on experiences rates higher than spending on material items on ALL income levels. \npic.twitter.com/i89k8gvlkj\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nJanuary 5, 2021\n\n\n\n\nSo let\u2019s not kid ourselves. Whatever happiness you get is temporary (followed by intense regret; I\u2019m speaking of myself). The only people who truly get happy by Buy Now, Pay Later plans aren\u2019t consumers, but merchants \u2013 indeed, they can make more money\n at the expense of people who struggle with delayed gratification oop\n. \n\n\nSome of my digital marketer friends confirmed that sales did improve after integrating Buy Now, Pay Later payment plans for their clients. Split bragged about how they have processed\n RM10 million in transactions\n for their >250 merchants. \n\n\n\n\nThey target the consumer debt market\n\n\nThis is a screenshot from Hoolah, one of the Buy Now, Pay Later service providers in Malaysia. Look at that testimonial from an actual merchant: \u201cHoolah allowed us to penetrate into the market of debt holders without doing the heavy lifting\u201d. \n\n\n\n\nThe message is very clear. They\u2019re not targeting the affluent. They\u2019re not targeting the financially well-off, the cash-rich, the (actually, not \u2018just-look\u2019) wealthy. \n\n\nThey\u2019re targeting those who are used to financing their lifestyle with debt, or want to, if given the opportunity\n. I believe the word they use is \u2018the aspirational consumer\u2019, as if that\u2019s a good thing. \n\n\nAn actual opening paragraph from a lifestyle magazine, promoting the use of Buy Now, Pay Later to live that \u2018aspirational lifestyle\u2019\n\n\nDon\u2019t get me wrong. Banks have been promoting aspirational lifestyle too, with tools like 0% instalment credit card payments and loans and whatnot. \n\n\nBut the difference is, \none has to apply and get approved for credit cards and loans\n. Both applications require proof of recurring income and ability to pay back. \n\n\nBuy Now, Pay Later plans require no such thing.\n You just need a debit card, and in some cases, just your MyKad. The individual platform may have requirements, but generally speaking it\u2019s not a hard to be approved. There are 4 million credit card holders in Malaysia. There are ~32 million Malaysians. You can connect the dots. \n\n\nBuy Now, Pay Later have zero fees?\n\n\nThere\u2019s this impression that all Buy Now, Pay Later payment plans impose zero fees to consumers. That\u2019s not the case. I looked into some of the merchants which integrate Buy Now, Pay Later plan. Many of them only offer zero fees \nupon timely payments\n. \n\n\nThat means, if you bought something on Buy Now, Pay Later plans, and you\u2019re facing cash flow issues next month, tough luck. Here\u2019s the additional fee you have to pay for not having money. \n\n\nGrabLater\n takes it up a notch and charges RM10 admin fee to re-activate your suspended account, ON TOP of the charge for missing scheduled payments. EDIT: GrabLater have since deleted reference to RM10 fee and instead states this: \u2018The only fee that may be incurred is admin fee to reactivate your suspended account\u2019.\n\n\nI know what some of you are thinking (especially if you\u2019re working with these Buy Now, Pay Later companies or a merchant registered with them): \u201cBut Suraya, they don\u2019t get charged if they pay the instalments on time!\u201d\n\n\nSay hello to the admin fees:\n\n\nShopee\n charges 1.25% processing fee on order amount (and 1.5% late payment fee (effectively 15% and 18% interest per annum!)\nSwitch\n imposes one-time 4% admin fee to use Buy Now, Pay Later payment\n EDIT: They have since changed this. No fee for 4 instalments, but you are charged a RM120 fixed fee for longer tenure, up to 12 months\n(There may be more. I lazy to check all merchants)\n\n\nSo yeah. If you ever consider to take up Buy Now, Pay Later plans, check the semi-hidden fees before payment. You might pay more than you think. \n\n\n(Although let\u2019s not kid ourselves here too. \nWe all know zero fee really means the cost is already calculated in the price and transferred over to customers\n.)\n\n\nEDIT: Grab\u2019s PayLater review \u2013 be careful of the prices there. There are reports of items being more expensive. Some tech items cost 10-25% \nmore \nthan other places.\n\n\n\u2018Responsible spending\u2019\n\n\nTell me \u2013 how does one \u2018responsibly spend\u2019 for luxury items they couldn\u2019t afford without instalments?\n\n\nAs quoted in \nThe Vulcan Post\n, the CEO of Hoolah said \n\n\n\u201cWith a market of 32 million people and only 4 million with credit cards, there was a great opportunity to bring a responsible solution to more deserving consumers to drive affordability, and personal cash flow\u201d\n\n\nKudos to their PR department for that attempt, but I don\u2019t buy whatever this \u2018we promote responsible spending\u2019 talk. \n\n\nWe\u2019ve seen this pattern with credit card users \u2013 according to this \n2017 NST article\n, only 43.6% of credit card users pay their balance in full. \nLess than half of credit card users are using it responsibly, and they\u2019re supposed to be \u2018credit-worthy\n\u2018. \n\n\nWe can predict what\u2019s going to happen. Look at Australia, where Buy Now, Pay Later is already a popular option: \n\n\nThe Australian Securities and Investments Commission found one in five buy now, pay later users is missing payments, half of users aged between 18 to 29 cut back on essential items to make repayments, and more than 1.1 million transactions in 2019 incurred multiple missed payment fees.\nIt also warned 15 per cent of users, and half under 29, had taken out an additional loan to pay for the services, while 55 per cent of consumers paying late had used at least two different buy now, pay later providers in the past six months.\nOne in five buy now, pay later users is missing payments \n\u2013 Australian Financial Review\n\n\nMy prediction is, unless Malaysians get higher wage \u2013 and that doesn\u2019t seem likely, the way things are going now \u2013 Buy Now, Pay Later will create higher individual debt levels on a societal level, like it did with Australia. \n\n\nAnd its the worse kind of debt, too \u2013 consumer debt. Most of the merchants using Buy Now, Pay Later services fall under Fashion, Beauty, Gadgets, Accessories, Electronics, Home & Living and even Travel (!) categories. \n\n\nSo, okay, you\u2019re a RoR reader. You\u2019ll be like, OK OK Suraya I won\u2019t get what I can\u2019t afford, yes agree consumer debt is not good. Guess what..\n\n\nBuy Now, Pay Later plans will still affect you if you don\u2019t use it\n\n\nBuy Now, Pay Later plans will affect you in two ways. \n\n\n#1 \u2013 You will spend more\n\n\nFirst \u2013 \nit will increase your spending for non-essentials. \n\n\nThe fact is, you\u2019re on social media, I\u2019m on social media (unhealthily so), and we all see posts from friends, families, and various public figures. All of us post the best versions of ourselves online, our version of aspirational lifestyles. Heck, I do this. I have my personal brand to maintain. \n\n\nI\u2019ll give you an example. I\u2019ve recently started spending money on fresh flowers. The RM8 ones at grocery stores.\n\n\nRM8 is not much, and yes they do make me happy, but the only reason why I desire fresh flowers in the first place is because\n I see people I like and admire having them in their homes. \n\n\nAspirational lifestyle. \n\n\nCompound this with every single aspect of your life. Home decoration and organisational tools (I too, like the minimalism aesthetics). Clothes. Gadgets. Hobbies. Even if you get a cheaper version of the item (as I did with the flowers \u2013 the bouquets I wanted were like RM99??), these expenses were still \ntechnically unnecessary in the first place. \n\n\nExcessive consumption is not good in the first place \u2013 not for the planet, not for your wallet. I still buy a lot of shit even knowing this fact; I\u2019m not immune to wanting what society wants. So far, I can afford it, so it\u2019s all good. \n\n\nBut what\u2019s sad is when excessive consumption is promoted as a lifestyle to those who can\u2019t afford it \u2013 the B40 and yes M40 too. \n\n\n\n\nMalay celebrities and influencers who promote excessive consumption as a lifestyle to their B40 audience is the real Melayu jatuhkan Melayu\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nNovember 22, 2020\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 You might have to pay for them\n\n\nThe second way Buy Now, Pay Later plans will affect you is more worrying. Let\u2019s assume that okay, let people buy what they want to buy, it\u2019s their life, right? \n\n\nWrong. Even if you\u2019re financially secure and stable, it\u2019ll be \nYOUR tax money and donations that will fund social welfare for the debt-ridden in the future. \n\n\nThat\u2019s not an unreasonable statement to make. Collectively, millions of \nMalaysians took out RM19.52 billion\n from their retirement savings via i-Sinar (number likely higher; article dated Jan 6 2021). Again, wages aren\u2019t increasing. The cost of living keep on increasing; the pressure to spend is real; \nmarketing efforts gets better by the day\n. \n\n\nNow one of the barriers to spend is further eliminated by Buy Now, Pay Later payment plans. How do \nyou \nthink this will end up, 10, 20, 30 years from now?\n\n\nMalaysians are generous people (the \n10th most generous globally\n, based on one index). I fear it\u2019ll be up to us at the time. What else are we going to do, ignore the homeless? \n\n\nYour thoughts on Buy Now, Pay Later\n\n\nDon\u2019t give me that crap on \u2018but it\u2019s just an option, take or don\u2019t take up to you la\u2019. Biggest bull I\u2019ve ever heard. \n\n\nIt doesn\u2019t make you happy. \n\n\nIt may not be zero fee.\n\n\nIt\u2019s not encouraging responsible spending. I mean.. they literally tell merchants their order sizes will be bigger. \n\n\nAnd it will affect you even if you don\u2019t use it. \n\n\nTherefore my final judgement: Buy Now, Pay Later is evil. It is so harmful to society. I wish this trend will die, but I know capitalism will win, sigh, so here I am bitching on my own personal platform. \n\n\nLet me know your thoughts. If you\u2019re a Buy Now, Pay Later provider, I would love to hear (without PR-speak if possible) \u2013 anything in the pipeline for merchants offering Essential services, for example Groceries with no fees? THAT would be a saving grace. \n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/shopping/e-wallets-in-malaysia/", "title": "50+ E-Wallets in Malaysia: Which Are The Best?\n  ", "body": "\n\nLooking for the best e-wallets in Malaysia for your own use, but not sure which to pick? What are the options out there? What features are available?\n\n\nLet me help you with that. In this article, I\u2019d like to share the best e-wallets in Malaysia, as compared in their respective categories.\n\n\nList of E-wallets in Malaysia: 50++\n\n\nAs of July 2023, there are 50 \n\u2018non-bank e-money issuer\u2019 listed in Bank Negara Malaysia\n. \n\n\n\n\nHowever, \nI wouldn\u2019t consider this as the complete list of e-wallets in Malaysia\n. It\u2019s not. Just because an e-wallet is listed above, it doesn\u2019t mean they are operational. The e-wallets may be in early stages, or dormant. \n\n\nThere are also MORE e-wallets than listed. For example, I noticed \nAirAsia\u2019s ewallet\n isn\u2019t listed, and maybe that\u2019s because their ewallet component is combined with BigPay? Idk.\n\n\nRegardless, it\u2019s a start. In this article, I have selected some popular e-wallets in Malaysia and listed them under 9 categories according to what they are best used for. I will then pick a favourite (or two) from each category.  \n\n\nLet\u2019s start with..\n\n\n#1 \u2013 The Big Three e-wallets in Malaysia\n\n\nYou know which Big Three e-wallets I\u2019m talking about. List of ewallets in Malaysia in this category:\n\n\n\n\nTnG ewallet \n\n\nGrab ewallet\n\n\nBoost ewallet\n\n\n\n\nUse it for\n: discounts/cashback/vouchers, \ncash handouts from the govt\n, the widest range of features* \n\n\n(*features as of July 2023: ride-hailing, food delivery, send and receive money, remittance buy movie tickets, pay parking, pay bills, buy mobile top-up, send deliveries, buy insurance, invest in unit trust, hire service providers, book hotels and travel packages, make donations and more)\n\n\nBest e-wallet in Malaysia in this category:\n It\u2019s not a bad idea to have all 3 e-wallets \u2013 TnG ewallet, Grab ewallet and Boost ewallet \u2013 as they truly have impressive range of features, and keep on adding more. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 E-wallets that comes with debit/prepaid cards\n\n\nNext are the ones that feature Visa or Mastercard debit/prepaid cards. List of ewallets in Malaysia in this category: \n\n\n\n\nBigPay\n (use code \u2018INLALP7ZLE\u2019 to get free RM10) \n\n\nWise\n (use this link to get fee-free transfer up to RM2500)\n\n\nKiplePay\n \u2013 \u2018designed for students\u2019\n\n\nMerchantrade Money\n \u2013 for cross-border money transfer (ie remittance)\n\n\nGoPayz\n (also provides takaful, investment, zakat payment etc) \n\n\n\n\nUse it for: \ntravelling, transfering money, better currency exchange rates (good for buying stuff priced in USD etc), budgeting interface and expense tracker\n\n\nBest e-wallet in Malaysia in this category:\n From user feedback, Wise and Bigpay both have better \ncurrency exchange rate \nthan the rest (let me know if otherwise)\n\n\n#3 \u2013 E-wallets for \u2018lifestyle\u2019\n\n\nIn addition to The Big Three, other e-wallets which belong in this category are:\n\n\n\n\nairasia pocket\n \u2013 AirAsia\u2019s super app\n\n\nB-Infinite\n ewallet \u2013 loyalty programme\n\n\nZapp ewallet\n \u2013 collab with MYAirlines\n\n\nJuruPay\n ewallet\n\n\nMCash\n ewallet\n\n\nWanna\n ewallet \u2013 \u2018chat commerce app powered by AI\u2019\n\n\nGoPay\n \u2013 e-wallet for passive income? Has an MLM-ish structure, a bit sus\n\n\nAnd more\n\n\n\n\nUse it for:\n discounts, making payments\n\n\nBest e-wallet in Malaysia in this category:\n Unless there are discounts worth getting, I would stick to The Big Three (#1)\n\n\n#5 \u2013 E-wallets by e-commerce platforms\n\n\nNext are e-wallets by e-commerce platform. Tbh if I\u2019m an e-commerce platform, I\u2019d make an e-wallet too. Getting users to spend all the money in the e-wallet ONLY in my platform is a great strategy!\n\n\nE-wallets which belong in this category are:\n\n\n\n\nShopeePay ewallet\n\n\nLazada Wallet \n\n\nPresto\n ewallet (by PrestoMall)\n\n\n\n\nUse it for: \ndiscounts and/or free shipping, additional payment protection, instalment options\n\n\nBest e-wallet in Malaysia in this category:\n Depends on which e-commerce store you use the most. Mine is ShopeePay ewallet\n\n\n#6 \u2013 E-wallets for certain locations/services\n\n\nAnd now the e-wallets get kookier \ud83d\ude42 These e-wallets act as wallets and loyalty programme of sorts. Leaders in this category:\n\n\n\n\nSarawakPay\n ewallet\n\n\n1Pay\n ewallet (1Utama mall\u2019s e-wallet)\n\n\nAEON ewallet\n \n\n\nSetel\n ewallet \u2013 Petronas\u2019s e-wallet for petrol payments\n\n\nCaltexGO ewallet\n \u2013 Caltex\u2019s e-wallet for petrol payments\n\n\n\n\nUse it for: \ncashback, discounts, loyalty points, state pride\n\n\nBest e-wallet in Malaysia in this category:\n Depends on which state you live in/ which mall or petrol station you use. Setel\u2019s UI/UX deserves a shoutout though \u2013 so good. \n\n\n#7 \u2013 E-wallets for very specific target audiences/use case\n\n\nThis is my favourite category of e-wallets in Malaysia. Rather than saying \u2018we serve everyone\u2019, they have identified a very specific target audience\n\n\nLeaders in this category:\n\n\n\n\nInstapay\n \u2013 for employers to pay salary for (foreigner) employees\n\n\nVircle \n\u2013 for parents to \u2018safely introduce children to the world of contactless payments, teaching them responsible spending and consumption habits\u2019\n\n\nFasspay\n \u2013 e-wallet white label solution, aka for businesses that want to create an e-wallet\n\n\n\n\nOf all the rest, I see this list growing more in the future! #blueoceanstrategy\n\n\nBest e-wallet in Malaysia in this category:\n Highly dependent on what feature you\u2019re looking for\n\n\n#8 \u2013 International e-wallets\n\n\nYou know these names \u2013 they are established international companies. Some of them have registed in Malaysia, some haven\u2019t. \n\n\nLeaders in this category:\n\n\n\n\nPaypal \u2013 for people who send/receive money internationally\n\n\nGPay \u2013 for Android users\n\n\nSamsung Pay \u2013 for Samsung users\n\n\nApplePay \u2013 for Apple users\n\n\n\n\nBest e-wallet in Malaysia in this category:\n Depends which of these services you already use\n\n\n#9 \u2013 E-wallets by Malaysian banks\n\n\nAnd last but not least, there are the good ol\u2019 e-wallets by Malaysian banks and digital banks. \n\n\nNote that these are not e-wallets in the strictest sense (since they are not \u2018non-bank money issuer\u2019) yet many of us do use our banks\u2019 mobile apps and treat them as e-wallets. \n\n\nList of ewallets in Malaysia in this category:\n\n\n\n\nMAE by Maybank\n\n\nUOB TMRW\n\n\nCIMB Clicks\n\n\nRHB\n\n\nHLB Connect\n\n\nHSBC\n\n\nBank Islam\n\n\nAmOnline\n\n\nAllianceonline Mobile\n\n\niRakyat Mobile banking\n\n\nOCBC\n\n\nAffinSecure\n\n\nRize, the digital bank by Alrajhi Bank\n\n\nand more\n\n\n\n\nBest e-wallet in Malaysia in this category:\n I\u2019ve only used a few, but can say MAE by Maybank app is pretty good. Great UI/UX.\n\n\nOn the flip side, I\u2019ve heard not-so-good things about CIMB Clicks and Bank Islam bank apps\n\n\nWhich ones do you think are the best e-wallets in Malaysia?\n\n\nSo, how many e-wallets do you currently have installed? How many are you using regularly? Which one is your favourite? Which ones do you want to check out? Let me know in the comments!\n\n\nAs someone who is in full support of the digital economy, I do encourage you to check out the above e-wallet players \u2013 especially #7 \u2013 and see if they can solve any of your existing problems. \n\n\nBonus section: Benefits and disadvantages of e-wallets in Malaysia\n\n\nJust a quick section highlighting the main advantages and disadvantages of e-wallets that you must know. \n\n\nBenefits of e-wallets \u2013 safe and convenient \n\n\nThe obvious benefits of using e-wallets are the safety and convenience factor. *If* fraud or theft happens, it\u2019s mostly because the users need to have better digital security practices. Contactless and cashless transactions also mean you\u2019ll avoid dealing with banknotes, which \nmay carry germs\n. \n\n\nRelated: \nVerify Touch \u2018n Go eWallet & 3 More 5-Minute Security Hacks\n\n\nYou also can\u2019t argue with the convenience factor*. It is easy to make e-wallet payments. Topping up is also easy (too easy perhaps).\n\n\n*except for iPhones users \u2013 we all know making e-wallet payments is a bit mafan because Touch ID > Face ID\n\n\nDisadvantages of e-wallets \u2013 too many options; dark patterns\n\n\nToo many options isn\u2019t a bad thing, except it kinda is, when you consider most e-wallet platforms don\u2019t allow withdrawals. Once you add funds to it, you can only spend/transfer out to friends/family. \n\n\nI\u2019d also like to point out \nDark patterns\n \u2013 the UI/UX tricks that companies do to get you to spend more. Some of them are fairly innocent, like using count-down timers to encourage faster checkouts. \n\n\nOthers are borderline unethical, like GrabPay implementing  \nBuy Now, Pay Later\n to give a false sense of affordability and encourage unnecessary spending.\n\n\nAlright that\u2019s all. Stay safe while using e-wallets kids!\n\n\nCredit: https://uxknowledgebase.com/dark-patterns-3b41ed7a690e\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/shopping/everything-i-bought-from-lazada/", "title": "Everything I Bought from Lazada (2014 \u2013 2017)\n  ", "body": "I like \nLazada\n \u2013 been using them since 2014.\n\n\nI also like analysing what I bought. In this post, I\u2019d like to share 3 years\u2019 worth of personal data, along with commentaries on the products. Specifically, were they worth buying or not?\n\n\nLet\u2019s dive right into it!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n4 Piece Ceramic Knife Set with Holder.\n \nNot worth it\n. Chipped upon first use. Complained and managed to return the product and get a refund. Since then, decided to stick to metal knives.\n\n\nPineng PN968 Powerbank 10000mAh Grey\n. \nNot worth it\n. Works fine for a few months, then it became unreliable. It would show 99% full charge one minute then 28% the next. I think I threw it away.\n\n\n\n\nTrio 2.0 liter Jug Kettle.\n \nNot worth it\n. Electric kettles made of plastic does not feel safe to use at all. Used it for a few weeks before buying an aluminium version.\n\n\nPensonic Water Filter.\n \nWorth it\n. To save money on clean drinking water for everyday use, I boil water, let it cool, then run it through one of these filters. I replace them maybe once a year \u2013 sometimes due to cracks, sometimes due to moss that I can\u2019t seem to kill. Beats paying RM100+ monthly for those Coway water filter things.\n\n\nKoch Double-Sided Pan.\n \nWorth it\n. Aside from the rubber thingy in the middle coming loose, these pans are a joy to use. My parents have one and they make simple but incredible fish dishes with it. It\u2019s literally blend paste + fish + put in pan on low-medium heat for 20 mins. They\u2019re annoying to wash though.\n\n\n(another) Pineng Powerbank (import version) 15000mAh\n. \nNot worth it\n. Should have learnt my lesson the first time around. I thought the import version would be better, and the reviews were okay. No such luck. I\u2019ve since sworn off Pineng products.\n\n\n\n\nKing Size Multi-functional wardrobe\n. \nNot worth it\n. Tears easily. Annoying to assemble. I guess it\u2019s ok for a temporary place, but definitely not suitable for long-term use. Mine barely lasted a year.\n\n\nLenovo Flex 2-14.\n \nSUPER WORTH IT\n. It was around RM2.1k if I remember correctly. Look at those specs! i5, 8GB ram, 500GB HDD. At 2kg plus, it\u2019s a bit heavy and chunky, but great device for the price. Touchscreen, too.\n\n\n\n\nFoam roller\n. \nWorth it\n, considering Sports Direct was selling it at twice the price. In the end I didn\u2019t really use it and sold it off on Carousell.\n\n\nXiaomi Mi-Band\n. \nWorth it\n. I liked using this fitness band, mostly because it tracked my steps and did this gentle buzz when my alarm goes off in the morning. I lost the device while vacationing in Krabi though. I guess I liked it, but not enough to buy it again.\n\n\nU-mobile RM50 reload\n. \nSUPER WORTH IT\n. If you still use prepaid, take this advice: buy from ecommerce website and combine cashbacks from available vouchers, Shopback and credit card. I\u2019ve gotten up to 10% cashback in total via this method, which is awesome for something I have to buy anyway. Related:\u00a0\nHack: Get cheaper prepaid in Malaysia\n\n\n\n\nLenovo K4 Note\n. \nWorth it\n. It\u2019s a great device, recommended from SoyaCincau\u2019s \nbest smartphone under RM1000\n list in 2016. No longer using it despite only 1+plus old because I stupidly dropped and cracked the screen. The cost of screen replacement was high, so I bought a new phone, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4, which was recommended in SoyaCincau\u2019s \nbest smartphones under RM1200 lis\nt in 2017.\n\n\nUmobile RM100 reload. Skipping this because already explained above.\n\n\nRemax Safe Charge Speed Data USB Cable\n. \nNot worth it\n. Stick to original cables, scared after those cases of exploding phones.\n\n\n\n\n15 Colours Concealer Palette.\n \nNot worth it.\n Was an impulse purchase simply because it was on sale. Doesn\u2019t blend well.\n\n\n\n\nXiaomi Mi Powerbank 10000mAh\n. \nSUPER WORTH IT\n. Dependable, sleek, non-bulky. Been using it for a year, the juice still strong.\n\n\nMouth guards.\n \nWorth it\n. I have bruxism aka I grind my teeth at night, while sleeping. Didn\u2019t want to shell out RM300 or so for custom mouth guards, so I used a hack found on YouTube. Soak it in warm-hot water and while it\u2019s flexible, mold it around your teeth. Works well enough, and stopped the damage.\u00a0 Bought a couple of versions as backup and options, both works.\n\n\n\n\nBean Bag.\n \nNot worth it\n for me, but only because I have cats. Cat hair sticks to it like crazy, and super hard to brush it off. Ended up throwing it away. It was fun having a bean bag\u2026 until you find out that it gives you back pains.\n\n\nFusta Chair.\n \nWorth it\n. It\u2019s a basic, sturdy chair made of wood. Fits my home decor and matches the basic white dining table bought from IKEA.\n\n\n42L Electric oven\n. \nWorth it\n. Much cheaper online than offline. The free frying pan is horrible quality though, I don\u2019t use that at all. I bake roast chickens and cookies with it, very dependable.\n\n\n\n\nQuilt Cover Set with Pillow Cases.\n \nWorth it\n. Comfy and available in multiple basic colours. Looking for basic colours for bedding products was surprisingly hard. I don\u2019t want to see vivid patterns before I sleep, you know what I mean?\n\n\nInduction cooker.\n \nWorth it,\n even if it means I can\u2019t use my non-induction cooker-compatible cookware anymore. I still prefer gas, but my apartment building doesn\u2019t allow that, so. I\u2019m enjoying this product though. Can boil water damn fast.\n\n\n\n\nJBL Portable Bluetooth Speaker.\n Not sure if worth it\n, it never came. Asked about it and was refunded. I think the sellers regretted putting it at too low a price during that time (some sale was going on).\n\n\nPhillips Handheld Garment Steamer\n. \nWorth it\n. My apartment is small and I didn\u2019t want to waste room for an ironing board. Works well, and steams water quite fast.\n\n\nSolar Power Water Pump\n. \nNot worth it\n. OK, so I got this to do a DIY aquaponic project. The idea is to make a self-sustaining mini-ecosystem where I can raise fish and plant vegetables for consumption. Have since abandoned the idea, but anyway, this product was really flimsy. The solar panel stopped working after a few months. If I had fish then, they would all die.\n\n\nPremium Clay Pebbles (LECA)\n. \nNot worth it\n. Offered it for donation, and the guy who picked it up told me they are sold for way cheaper at gardening shops rather than at Lazada.\n\n\n\n\nKhind Hand Blender.\n \nSUPER WORTH IT\n. I use it to blend my protein shakes, whisk egg whites for fluffy cakes, finely chop onions, make homemade chili paste, blend broccoli cheese soup and more. Love this kitchen gadget.\n\n\nFoldable Oval Shape Dining Table.\n I cancelled this order, so this doesn\u2019t count. Decided to get a table from IKEA instead.\n\n\n\n\nMilkLab Almond Milk.\u00a0\nSUPER WORTH IT\n. Creamiest almond milk I\u2019ve ever had in my life. They\u2019ve since raised the price (and last I checked, no longer available), so that makes me sad. I bought at least 12 boxes from Lazada I think.\n\n\nXiaomi Earphones.\u00a0\nWorth it\n. Good quality for affordable price. At this point I was already a Xiaomi fangirl, so it was an easy decision.\n\n\n\n\nFitted Bed Sheet.\n \nWorth it\n. Soft, comfortable and in a basic colour. To replace my last bedsheet which suffered, em, an accident. Women will know.\n\n\nFlew Pillow\n. \nSUPER WORTH IT\n. It was like RM17.90 for two pillows, ridiculously cheap. To replace my previous pillows \u2013 old ones that I stole from my parents\u2019 house lol. I guess anything is an improvement after using 10-year-old pillows.\n\n\nCotton Fabric Comforter\n. \nWorth it\n. An extra layer of comfort. I sleep better with this.\n\n\nMineral Pot Water Dispenser 17L\n. \nNot worth it\n, only because the seller did not include a component (the dome ceramic filter was missing). I think I\u2019ll stick to buying these offline. It\u2019s not like it\u2019s cheaper online, too.\n\n\n\n\nSurface Pro 4 Tempered Glass Screen Protector.\n \nWorth it\n. Necessary purchase for the newly-bought laptop.\n\n\nSurface Pro 4 Flip Case.\n \nSuper worth it.\n SP4 cases are kinda hard to find, and the SP3 versions in Harvey Norman was like RM200-plus bucks. This one was RM99, and looks good.\n\n\nMidea Vacuum Cleaner\n. \nSUPER WORTH IT\n. Can\u2019t believe this product is under RM100. Daily sweeps are a bit more bearable now. I like that the dust container is transparent so I can make fun of the dirt, in a \u2018oh you thought you can escape me issittt NO YOU DON\u2019T MISTER\u2019 way.\n\n\nReflecting back from past Lazada purchases\n\n\n\n\n\u2018Worth it\u2019 count: 15\n\n\n\u2018SUPER WORTH IT\u2019 count: 8\n\n\n\u2018Not worth it\u2019 count: 11\n\n\nN/A (didn\u2019t arrive, cancelled order): 2\n\n\n\n\nStatistically, I\u2019m happy with 23 out of 36 orders, or 64% of my orders. That\u2019s one in three chance of not being happy with a product bought online, for whatever reason.\n\n\nElectronics, electronic accessories and home products make the bulk of super worth it purchases. Not only they tend to be cheaper online, but their reviews in \nLazada\n make it easy to find good-quality, value-for-money products.\n\n\nAlthough having said that, it\u2019s not a foolproof method. I still regretted some purchases, but eh at least I tell myself that those mistakes could\u2019ve been costlier if I bought them offline.\n\n\nMost of the things I bought online, I bought out of necessity after hard to find them offline, or if it was more expensive offline. I also bought some of them because it was too bulky to buy them in person, like that oven (I don\u2019t have a car).\n\n\nOverall, I won\u2019t stop buying from \nLazada\n. Good experience overall. Plus with \nShopback\n (note: referral link) cashback credit cards, I get a small amount of money back. Added savings are always awesome.\n\n\nWhat\u2019s your best purchases from \nLazada\n? Can you share them here?\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/shopping/expensive-but-worth-it/", "title": "My Own List of 10 Expensive But Worth It Purchases\n  ", "body": "\n\nI consider myself a fairly frugal person. Sometimes, people think frugal means \u2018don\u2019t spend at all\u2019. That\u2019s not true \u2013 it simply means \nI spend on what I love and cut out the rest.\n I still love getting the most value for my money, but I also love making a purchase that may be expensive but worth it. \n\n\nThe thing about expensive but worth it purchases is it would look very different for everybody. For some, it is higher-quality items like clothes, cars, bags, watches. For others, it\u2019s experiences like travel. Whichever is okay, as long as one is also saving for retirement (or other financial goals), and and not financing the items / experiences with debt. \n\n\nHere is my own list of 10 expensive purchases that I consider as \u2018worth it\u2019, for myself. \n\n\n#1 \u2013 Insurance/ Takaful\n\n\nCost: Approximately RM500 per month\n\n\nEven though I have never been sick or been in an accident to the point of hospitalisation, ever (and I plan to keep it that way), I know I can be absent-minded sometimes, and have narrowly avoided accidents due to dumb luck. \n\n\nTherefore, I\u2019m happy to pay for this. Even if all of my insurance/takaful \u2013 1 personal accident, 1 critical illness and 2 medical cards \u2013 are non-refundable (aka term insurance, not investment-linked). \n\n\nFurther reading:\n\n\nLearn Critical Illness Insurance in 5 Minutes\nBest Insurance in Malaysia for B40 and M40\n9 Things You MUST Know Before Buying Insurance in Malaysia\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Boujie groceries\n\n\nCost: Varies, but roughly RM600-1000 per month\n\n\nI\u2019ve mentioned my love for \ngrocery shopping\n multiple times on this blog. Love the whole process \u2013 going on grocery shopping dates, looking for new ingredients to try, figuring out what to cook with leftover/random ingredients, everything. \n\n\nAnd I especially love (my attempts) to make food that usually costs a lot to buy. \n\n\n\n\nAnother weekend, another new recipe tested \ud83d\ude0b Made Honey Almond Granola. This 'boujie' food is super easy to make and so crunchy and delicious! \nCost price approx RM10 for a tubful \npic.twitter.com/4DYHCEyZuS\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nSeptember 27, 2020\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Donations and Gifts\n\n\nCost: At least RM1k per month\n\n\nAccording to my expense-tracking data, I spent the most money in this category. I have the tendency to say, \u2018it\u2019s OK, it\u2019s on me\u2019 a lot when I\u2019m out with friends and family. \n\n\nI don\u2019t know how I feel about this, actually. Paying for other people makes me happy (\nbacked by science\n), but at the same time I know I need to not go overboard with it. \n\n\n#4 \u2013 More mobile data than I need\n\n\nCost: RM93 per month (an extra RM20 per month)\n\n\nThe reason I why I get more mobile (read: hotspot) data than necessary and think the extra RM20 is worth it is because\u2026 I no longer have to check if I still have enough data left over for a Netflix movie or TV series, by the end of the month. I always do. \n\n\nAlso, Yoodo\u2019s 150GB of data per month instead of 80GB (the amount I usually use) isn\u2019t that pricey, comparatively speaking. I hate that Yoodo\u2019s tier system works to make me pay more lmao\n\n\n80GB data \u2013 RM68\n100GB data \u2013 RM78\n150GB data \u2013 RM88\n\n\nObligatory Yoodo referral link\n\u00a0\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Paper towels\n\n\nCost: ~RM10 or so per month\n\n\nI was big on fabric towels for cost-saving reason, until the convenience factor won out. Yes, it\u2019s \u2018just\u2019 RM10 per month, but it was RM10 I didn\u2019t have to spend before, you know?\n\n\nI do feel bad for environmental reasons though. \n\n\n#6 \u2013 Things I still think about after a few years\n\n\nCost: Ranges from RM0 to a few hundred per month at most\n\n\nI used to feel guilty when I bought anything considered technically unnecessary. Come to think of it, it was quite unhealthy, since generally I\u2019m pretty good at delayed gratification. \n\n\n\n\nThings I tell myself when I play the delayed gratification game:\n'oh good, you made it to a week! How about waiting for a month?'\n'you'd regret getting this now. A sale is just around the corner'\n'the company will release their latest model soon & slash this model's price'\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nOctober 8, 2019\n\n\n\n\nNow, I allow myself to buy things that I tried to forget, but keep thinking about. For example, I got my iPhone after wanting it for over 10 years. \n\n\n#7 \u2013 Physical books\n\n\nCost: A few hundred per year; valuable space in my home\n\n\nNot an ebook type of person. \n\n\n#8 \u2013 Netflix AND Hotstar \n\n\nCost: Approximately RM20 per month\n\n\nBetween these two AND Youtube AND Spotify, I (almost always) have something to watch/ listen to. \n\n\nRelated: \nCheapest Way to Get Netflix Premium\n\n\n#9 \u2013 Staycation dates\n\n\nCost: A few hundred each time\n\n\nMy partner and I\u2019s favourite gift for each other for special occasions is staycation dates. We\u2019d book a hotel near a mall and just enjoy eating out and window-shopping for 2-3 days. I hate how much I find it so freaking fun despite hating capitalism. \n\n\n#10 \u2013 Travel\n\n\nCost: Up to RM5k per person (maybe even more)\n\n\nI don\u2019t want to be that person who\u2019s like, yeah I love travelling! like its my whole personality\u2026 but ngl I do love it. Since my early 20s, I have progressed from being a budget traveller (I\u2019ve done the whole hostels thing) to a value-for-money traveller. \n\n\nRelated: \nAll my travel-related articles\n\n\nThere you have it. 10 expensive things that I think are worth it. I *could* cut them out and save more money, but they add joy in my life, so I choose to make space for them in my budget. In return, I don\u2019t buy anything else that tempts me but does not fall under these categories. \n\n\nHow about you? What expensive things do you get for yourself and decide is worth it? Let me know in comments \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/shopping/great-financial-life/", "title": "9 Things to Buy for a GREAT Financial Life in 2023\n  ", "body": "\n\nI bet many of you want to improve your finances and have a great financial life in 2023. It\u2019s a pretty common goal, for obvious reasons. \n\n\nIn the spirit of new year, new me, let\u2019s do that, but with a slight consumerism twist \u2013 here are some things you can buy that can assist you with this goal. \n\n\nWhy do it this way? Because, hopefully you can prioritise these purchases BEFORE you get other stuff. I want you to go, hmm I feel like shopping, what can I buy, hey why not get something from Suraya\u2019s list. \n\n\n#1 \u2013 Insurance/Takaful\n\n\nCost: RMxx-RMxxx per month\n\n\nI\u2019m going to put this one out of the way first. Buy yourself protection products. \n\n\nThere are many types of insurance/takaful you can get. Here are some that are relevant to most people:\n\n\n\n\nLife insurance/takaful\n\n\nPersonal accident (PA)\n\n\nCritical illness (CI)\n\n\nMedical insurance\n (medical card)\n\n\nHome insurance (if you own one)\n\n\nCar insurance\n (if you own one)\n\n\nTravel insurance\n (if you travel)\n\n\n\n\nIf finances are tight, you can check out the options under \nBest Insurance and Takaful in Malaysia for B40 and M40 On A Budget\n. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Financial Planning session(s)\n\n\nCost: RMxxx \u2013 RMxxxx\n\n\nIf you skimmed past insurance and takaful section a bit too fast and don\u2019t have concrete plans to buy or re-review your current plans (you should review them every few years or so), I highly recommend you \nhire a financial planner to get it done, instead of getting through agents or direct platforms. \n\n\nThere\u2019s nothing wrong with agents or direct platforms, but if the idea of researching and comparing protection plans yourself stress you out, then financial planners are your solution. Financial planners are product-agnostic \u2013 they can mix and match different plans from different companies based on what you can realistically afford. \n\n\nNot just that, they will also take a look at your overall financial life: your investments (are you overpaying in sales charges?), your portfolio diversification, your cashflow, your retirement planning and more. \n\n\nI personally spent over RM10k to complete the Certified Financial Planning course, but that\u2019s a bit of an overkill. You can simply find and hire financial planners for a few hundred to a few thousand. \n\n\nNo, seriously. I was super into DIY financial planning but even I am convinced and I bought sessions for my partner. For more info, read my \n4 Places to Find A Financial Planner in Malaysia\n. \n\n\n#3 \u2013 Get job coaching services\n\n\nCost: Varies\n\n\nTo be honest, it is likely that your financial planner will bring up your debt and/or lack of retirement savings. \n\n\nAnd while they may be able to find strategies to reduce/restructure your loan amount and/or give retirement planning tips, the only way to tackle these problems head-on is by earning more income and reducing commitments. And to do that, you need a high-paying job. \n\n\nIf you don\u2019t already have a high-paying job and are convinced they don\u2019t exist, browse through \nMalaysianPayGap Instagram\n. You will see that high-paying jobs are available in Malaysia (and beyond) in many industries. \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Goodbye Wage Taboo [Mon-Fri] (@malaysianpaygap)\n\n\n\n\nOf course, it is not easy to get these jobs. You\u2019ll face competition. But you can improve your odds by getting:\n\n\n\n\nResume Writing /Editing Service\n\n\nJob Interview Coaching Service\n\n\nCareer coaches \n\n\nand more\n\n\n\n\nLearn more in the \nThings to Do to Get the Best Jobs in Malaysia, Regardless of Your Industry\n article\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Estate-Planning consultation\n\n\nCost: RMxxx-RMxxxx\n\n\nYou\u2019ve heard of how important it is to prepare a will, yes? Get on with it. Depending on your situation and religion, you may need to do a combination of these documents: will, wasiat, hibah and trust.\n\n\nHere are some articles I\u2019ve written on the subject:\n\n\n\n\nThe Exact Steps to Do Hibah Amanah ASNB \u2013 Estate Planning for ASNB Investors\n\n\nEverything You Need to Know About Hibah Takaful, from a Non-Agent\n\n\nWasiat, Hibah, Trust: 3 Tools to Circumvent Faraid / Islamic Inheritance Laws in Malaysia\n\n\n\n\nOtherwise, you can also ask your financial planner to help you with this. \n\n\n#5 \u2013 Buy credit report(s)\n\n\nCost: RM1x.xx \u2013 RM2x.xx. They\u2019re not expensive\n\n\nIf you plan to buy a house in the near future, then I highly recommend you to find out your credit score. \n\n\nI\u2019ve tried 2 out of the 3 credit report services in Malaysia. Check out \nComparing Credit Reports in Malaysia: Experian Credit Report vs CTOS Credit Report\n article to see their similarities and differences. \n\n\n#6 \u2013 Buy Dark Web tracking tools\n\n\nCost: RM31.80-RM63.60 (check the page \u2013 may have promo codes)\n\n\nYou know the financial scams that happen to people? That\u2019s because scammers found and bought their info on the dark web. And chances are\u2026 your info is already leaked. \n\n\nYou can sign up to get alerts if/when your info is used for fradulent activities via dark web tracking tools, like the one offered from MyCreditInfo. There are 2 plans, \nTrackMyID and JagaMyID\n (includes credit report). Starting from RM31.80 per year, they\u2019re extremely affordable.  \n\n\nHere\u2019s how you can check if your personal email or number has been compromised in the dark web (and from where)\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Buy books\n\n\nCost: Free (borrow) \u2013 RMxx (buy)\n\n\n*Note: I consider courses etc falls under this category too, not just books exclusively\n\n\nOf course you know you should continue learning, but not just personal finance. You should read different types of books:\n\n\n\n\nPersonal finance books\n (obviously \u2013 budgeting, investing, mindset, property, etc)\n\n\nMarketing and advertising books\n (learn what companies do to sell stuff to you)\n\n\nPsychology books\n (learn how your own mind works)\n\n\nCooking books \n(how to cook cheaper and healthier in less time)\n\n\nHome maintenance books\n (learn how to fix and maintain things for longer)\n\n\nHome organisation books\n (the less you search for stuff missing in your own home, the less you buy)\n\n\nSpiritual books\n (religion or even things like mindfulness and minimalism \u2013 so you know the concept of \u2018enough\u2019) \n\n\nBusiness and industry books\n (in your line of work or otherwise)\n\n\nFiction books \n(develop your emotional intelligence \u2013 \u2018smarts\u2019 alone won\u2019t get you far in life)\n\n\nAnd more. Just read whatever you\u2019re curious about\n\n\n\n\nObviously, I would include my own book, \nBergaji & Pokai.\n You can get it from \nImanShoppe.com or Shopee\n, or at major bookstores nationwide. Click \nhere\n to read Bergaji & Pokai book reviews. \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n#8 \u2013 Medical and dental checks\n\n\nCost: RM1 (KKM) \u2013 RMxxxx \n\n\nGet your yearly medical and dental checkup done -> avoid potentially big medical bills in the future. \n\n\nFor medical checks, you are eligible for tax relief too! This means your tax owed will be (slightly) reduced. \n\n\nRelated: Learn about taxes in the \nThis Income Tax Calculator Shows What You Owe LHDN\n article\n\n\n##9 \u2013 Financial Behaviour Report\n\n\nCost: RM49 (Single); RM99 (Couple)\n\n\nInstead of self-analysing your own financial behaviour, why not take a professional tool to help with the assessment? This is what I did via the \nFinancial Behaviour Report\n tool. \n\n\n\n\nYou can read my experience and what I gleamed from my own report in the \n5 Things I Learned from My Financial Behaviour Report\n article. \n\n\nTip: If you\u2019re in a relationship, I HIGHLY SUGGEST you and your partner buy the \nFinancial Behaviour Report for Couple\n. It will reveal so much about you and your partner\u2019s financial mindset! \n\n\nPersonally, the financial behavior comparison report was one of the most helpful things for me to understand my partner and strengthened my marriage! We could really see areas that we\u2019re similar and different. \n\n\n\n\nWhat else can one buy to have a great financial life?\n\n\nI\u2019ve compiled these 7 items that someone can buy to help them achieve a great financial life, but I can\u2019t help to wonder if I missed anything else. \n\n\nAny ideas? What would you add to the list?\n\n\nI also want to know, how many of the above do you consistently purchase? Leave a comment, would love to hear from you \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nP/s \u2013 If you want to get someone a practical gift, getting something from this list is not a bad idea. Personally I\u2019d love it. \n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/shopping/house-renovation-in-malaysia/", "title": "Breakdown of My RM57k House Renovation + Makeover Guys Review\n  ", "body": "\n\nJust got the keys to your bare unit and now planning your own house renovation? No plans to move anytime soon but just want to know how the heck we spent RM57k on our house renovation in Malaysia?\n\n\nYou\u2019ve come at the right place \u2013 we just completed our house renovation and I\u2019m happy to finally share the breakdown! \n\n\nBut first, pics. This is how my living room attached to kitchen space looks like. I am biased, but I absolutely love it!\n\n\n\n\nWhat I want to stress is this is our \nactual living space\n. It\u2019s a practical space, rather than just decorative. I\u2019m intentionally showing these pics because tbh I\u2019m bored of aesthetic but hyper-minimalist home pictures (so empty?? Don\u2019t they own anything??) \n\n\nAs mentioned, we spent approx RM57k on our unit in 2022, which was approx 600-700 square feet newly-built apartment in Klang Valley. Your own house renovation cost will depend on many factors, but you can use this as a rough guide for your own house renovation in Malaysia.\n\n\nAlso, when I say we spent RM57k on our house renovation in Malaysia, that amount includes \neverything\n we did and bought to make the space liveable, and not *just* the renovation cost. \n\n\nBreakdown of My RM57k House Renovation\n\n\nOf the RM57k, we spent:\n\n\nApprox RM35k on Renovation works, including interior design, installing fixtures, etc\nApprox RM20k on Furniture and Appliances, moving services\nApprox RM2k in miscellaneous products/services we wanted/needed\n\n\nIf your first thought was, OMG! I didn\u2019t realise home renovation can cost that much! Don\u2019t shoot the messager, but that amount can be considered \non the lower side\n. \n\n\nAnd we were lucky the unit already came with nice flooring, toilet fixtures and basic kitchen unit. If not, that\u2019s an additional RM10-15k more. It\u2019s not uncommon for home renovation projects to cost six-figures. \n\n\nThis is true especially for subsale houses \u2013 forget interior design, forget aesthetics. First you have to make sure the house you bought is \nsafe to live in and things are not falling apart\n. Depending on the condition of the house, you might need to change flooring, plumbing, wiring, rooftop etc. Foundational work is NOT cheap. \n\n\nAnyway. Let\u2019s do a further breakdown. \n\n\n1) RM35k on Renovation works (The Makeover Guys Review)\n\n\nWhen we received the keys to our unit, we briefly considered DIY house renovation before scrapping that idea completely.  Me? Who never touched a drill in my life? Me? With my full-time writing job? Me? \n\n\nYeah hahaha nope. We decided to engage with professional house renovation service providers. \n\n\n\n\nDIY projects are worth doing because only then you realise how shit you are at the skill and realise why professionals charge the amount they do \ud83d\udc4d\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nAugust 12, 2020\n\n\n\n\nHaving said that, cost is definitely a consideration, so I did what I usually do when faced with this kind of situation: \nI requested quotations from at least 5 places that do house renovation in Malaysia.\n \n\n\nThis turned out to be quite hard, since most of the interior designers asked for lots of information. As someone who doesn\u2019t know what I want or what the unit requires, this overwhelmed me. Maybe this would work if I had some experience in property, but I was a complete newbie.  \n\n\nSelecting a house renovation company\n\n\nLong story short, in the end I went with The Makeover Guys, or technically speaking their sister company Easyhome. The former specialises in renovating investment properties, the latter specialise in own stay. But let\u2019s just call them The Makeover Guys since more people are familiar with that name. \n\n\nI went with The Makeover Guys for a few reasons:\n\n\nI had a couple of friends who also went with The Makeover Guys and had good experience\nOnline reviews\n look good (4.8 out of 5 stars!)\nSean Tan aka \niherng\n the property enthusiast/ Youtuber works with them (not sure in what capacity but he promotes The Makeover Guys quite often)\nGot 0% instalment plan \nCan install lights, curtains, water heater, aircon (arranging with contractors to do this myself would be so mafan!)\nOne of their \ntemplate designs\n caught my eye (can you guess which one? :))\n\n\nMost importantly, they gave me the cost estimate without overwhelming me. In fact, all I had to do was fill in the \ncost estimate form on the Makeover Guys website\n, and they sent me an 8-page estimate via email. \n\n\n\n\nHere\u2019s a simplified list of the works done by The Makeover Guys for our place:\n\n\nFeature wall design\nLighting fixtures\u00a0\n2 x ceiling fans\n3 x aircon\n2 x water heater\nSecurity grill\nBuilt-in wardrobe\nBuilt-in fridge cabinet/kitchen island\nBedside table\nWiring works\nCurtains for 3 rooms\nDecorations, soft furnishings and styling\nDesign and project management\nReplastering, touchups, cleaning, disposal\n\n\nAfter everything is done, my final bill ended up totalling RM34,316.37, divided into 3 payments:\n\n\nRM17,157 (upfront payment to confirm house renovation work \u2013 0% instalment thanks to \ncredit card\n)\nRM10,588 (0% instalment)\nRM6,829.91 (I paid lumpsum)\n\n\nThe Makeover Guys Review\n\n\nTbh I had an amazing experience with The Makeover Guys/ Easyhome. I\u2019m glad I went with them. I am so happy with the results and service given. \n\n\nThe team assigned to us were so sweet and attentive. They answered every question and concern we had (and I had a lot). They were so helpful in assisting us to add in extra fixtures, too \u2013 we added things like fridge cabinet/kitchen island, extra plug points and door grill.   \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nIn fact, the only fault of theirs that I can think of is we couldn\u2019t start the house renovation immediately and had to wait a couple of months because they were \nfully booked\n!\n\n\n(Another con may be if you \ndon\u2019t like any of The Makeover Guy\u2019s design templates.\n If that\u2019s the case, better hire another interior design firm, and/or your own contractor. Then you can make it as simple or custom as you like)\n\n\nIf you happen to go with \nThe Makeover Guys\n too, whether for property investment or for own stay, you can\n get RM500 off your house renovation cost\n. \nJust tell Easyhome that Suraya Zainudin referred you\n, that\u2019s it, you get the discount edi \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n2) RM20k on Furniture and Appliances, moving services\n\n\nThe house renovation package from The Makeover Guys is designed to make your unit \nas move-in ready as possible\n. All you have to do is choose one of their templates and they will give furniture and fixture suggestions. \n\n\nHowever, you are not \u2018locked\u2019 with their choices. You can take out whatever you think you don\u2019t need or like. \n\n\nFor example, I didn\u2019t like the bed option from Makeover Guys/ Easyhome (it\u2019s a nice enough bed, it\u2019s just we know our cats will scratch the hell out of the headboard). So we told them to take out the bed, and later picked out this storage bed from IKEA. \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nI also didn\u2019t like all 3 dining table and chair options they gave us (again, perfectly nice furniture, just not to our taste). So we told them to take it out and looked for those items ourselves. \n\n\nObviously, what furniture and appliances you need depends on your family\u2019s requirements. So I\u2019m just going to leave here a list of what *we* bought, as a household of 2. And of course, I also included the cost of professional moving services. \n\n\n\n\n(At least 10 of the above, like the bed, dining table, tv console etc could have come from The Makeover Guys, but we looked for it ourselves. It would be cheaper AND less mafan to go through them, but hey.)\n\n\nI have to say, selecting furniture and appliances was probably the most fun part in this whole house renovation process. I really enjoyed visiting furniture showrooms and home stores. It was fun researching and making selections that would work for us. \n\n\nFor example, the sofa. I had experience buying a normal fabric sofa before, and I knew I should pick another material because the cats totally destroyed it! In the end, we got this scratch and stain resistant sofa. \n\n\n(Is it truly scratch resistant? I\u2019m sorry to report while the damage is not as bad as fabric, my cats still managed to leave visible scratch marks. Just giving an honest review. The anti-stain part is good though). \n\n\n\n\nFor those asking, I got sofa with custom Aquaclean fabric upgrade. A few shops offer it so ask around (I found a shop near to me via Google) \npic.twitter.com/8xA7uwfyxb\n\u2014 Suraya | suraya.eth (@surayaror) \nMay 9, 2022\n\n\n\n\nI didn\u2019t like the moving part, but the selecting furniture and appliances part? I would happily do these again, if given the chance \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n3) RM2k on Miscellaneous products/services\n\n\nAside from approx RM55k spent above there were other odds and ends spent during the house renovation process. These include:\n\n\nProfessional defect check \nRobo vacuum cleaner\n (One of my best purchases ever! I use it daily!)\nCleaning and drilling services\nBoxes for moving\nThings like floor rugs, shower curtain, tablecloth etc\n\n\nI didn\u2019t put these under my house renovation costs, but they are part of it. \n\n\nHouse renovation in Malaysia: How did we fund it and can you do it for cheaper?\n\n\nTogether, we spent approx RM57k on our house renovation, all of which came from our savings (we saved a lot of money from NOT doing a wedding reception). I also benefited from the 0% instalment \u2013 I didn\u2019t \nneed\n the 0% instalment, which means there\u2019s no harm for me to take it, so I did. \n\n\nCan we do house renovation for cheaper? Yes. Could have selected cheaper furniture and appliances. And perhaps we could have hired a contractor instead of going with an all-inclusive interior design package with The Makeover Guys. Just install the necessary \u2013 just the lights, curtains and security grill, that\u2019s it.\n\n\nTo be clear, doing house renovation in Malaysia is not cheap. Unless you can do DIY house renovation and DIY interior design, and plan to thrift all your furniture, prepare RM15-20k, minimum. And while I won\u2019t speculate, I am aware material prices have increased quite a lot too. \n\n\nAnyway, I\u2019ll end here. If you have questions about doing house renovation in Malaysia, or have tips to share, please let me know in the comments section, I\u2019d love to hear your experience \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/shopping/how-materialistic-are-you/", "title": "How Materialistic Are You? Take This Quiz to Find Out\n  ", "body": "\n\nHave you ever wondered how materialistic are you? Not in a Yes/No kinda way, but on a scale. \n\n\nWell, I was reading the book \n59 Seconds: Think A Little, Change a Lot by Richard Wiseman\n and randomly stumbled on a quiz to measure materialism. \n\n\n(I loved the book and would recommend it. Click the link above to purchase \u2013 its on Big Bad Wolf so until stocks last!)\n\n\n\n\nAm I Materialistic? A Self-Assessment\n\n\nSo, how materialistic are you? Take a few moments to read the following ten statements, and assign each of them a rating to indicate the degree to which they describe you. \n\n\nDon\u2019t spend too long thinking about each statement, answer honestly, and no peeking at the answers.\n\n\nRating: 1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree. Give yourself a score of 1 for each statement you strongly disagree with, 2 for disagree, 3 for neutral, 4 for agree and 5 for strongly agree. \n\n\n\n\nI am impressed by people who own expensive cars and houses. \n\n\nI tend to judge how well I am doing in life by the possessions I buy.\n\n\nI like to buy things I don\u2019t really need.\n\n\nI like to be surrounded by expensive items.\n\n\nI think that my life would be better if I owned more luxury items.\n\n\nI am sometimes bothered by the fact that I can\u2019t afford to buy certain luxury goods.\n\n\nBuying expensive items makes me feel good about myself.\n\n\nI seem to put more emphasis on material things than most of my friends and family.\n\n\nI am prepared to pay significantly more money for branded items.\n\n\nI enjoy owning items that others find impressive.\n\n\n\n\nNow add up your ratings. Do you have low, medium or high materialism score?\n\n\n\n\nLow scores = between 10 and 20\n\n\nMedium scores = between 21 and 39\n\n\nHigh scores = between 40 and 50\n\n\n\n\nI Scored High in Materialism. What Does That Mean?\n\n\nPeople who scored high in materialism \u2013 sorry in advance for this part of the article, you\u2019re not going to like it.. Basically, \nhigh scorers tend to be associated with feeling unhappy and unsatisfied with life.\n \n\n\nAccording to the book, which references work by psychologists, (1) materialism takes root in early childhood, and (2) is mainly driven by low self-esteem. \n\n\nI also found a \nstudy\n which theorises that \nmaterialistic people find it more difficult to be grateful for what they have\n, which causes them to become miserable. \n\n\nWhat causes someone to become materialistic?\n\n\nAccording to PIDM\u2019s \nWhy Don\u2019t We Save More: Encouraging Malaysians\u2019 Financial Resilience\n behaviourial study, there is a higher chance someone picked up their savings behaviours from their own family members. \n\n\nI mean, the comparison is even comical. Look at the long grey bar (representing family) as opposed to other groups. \n\n\n\n\nPs \u2013 I find it fascinating that some people do get influenced by friends & peers and formal education, but not that many are influenced by professionals (financial planners or banks), authority figures (government and community leaders), and religion and religious figures. \n\n\nSo, don\u2019t underestimate family\u2019s influence on your personal finance. It\u2019s by far the biggest factor on your savings behaviour. \nIf they subscribe to materialism, chances are you will be too, unless you intentionally opt out\n.\n\n\nLet people be materialistic, they can afford it!\n\n\nMaybe some of you are like, so what? Materialistic people drive the economy. Plus who are you to dictate what people spend on, they know what they\u2019re doing, if they buy luxury goods that means they can afford it!\n\n\nUm, no. \nIt\u2019s a misconception that only high earners buy luxury goods.\n\n\nIf this \nStatista survey on Americans consumers\n is any indication, high income earners make up a bigger percentage, yes, but many \nLow and middle income people buy premium and luxury goods as well. \n\n\nNote:\n\n\n\n\nGrey = low income \n\n\nBlack = middle income \n\n\nBlue = high income\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhere to go from here?\n\n\nSo, where do we go from here? It depends. If you scored low on the how materialistic are you quiz, you might feel a bit of a superiority complex, in a woohoo stuff doesn\u2019t define me kinda way (I did). \n\n\nIf you scored high, there\u2019s only 2 paths forward \u2013 \nearn higher salary\n to accomodate your desires, or use this as an opportunity to self-reflect on yourself and who influences your buying/purchasing behaviour. I\u2019m not going to tell you which one to choose \u2013 honestly I\u2019m indifferent to what you do since its your life not mine. \n\n\n(However I must admit I hate it when capitalistic companies sell their products by using your self-esteem against you :/ \n\n\n(I\u2019m not even joking about this. According to one study entitled \nSnobby Staff Can Boost Luxury Retail Sales\n, \u2018participants who expressed an aspiration to be associated with high-end brands also reported an \nincreased desire to own the luxury products after being treated poorly.\n\u2018) \n\n\nAnyway, that\u2019s what I have for you today. Comment with your score results, if you dare \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/shopping/how-to-buy-happiness/", "title": "How to Buy Happiness: 5 Science-Backed Principles to Know TODAY\n  ", "body": "This is my own condensed notes of the book \nHappy Money: The Science of Happier Spending\n by Elizabeth Dunn and Michael Norton.\n\n\nShe is the Professor of Social Psychology at the University of British Columbia, he is the Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, and together they merged psychology and money, with the aim of answering the question: how to buy happiness.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhen I read it, it\u2019s like a lightbulb went off in my head. I\u2019ve invested a lot of time and effort to learn how to increase wealth \u2013 via saving money, investing, earning \u2013 but not as much in learning how to\u00a0\nspend\n it.\n\n\nAll I know is \nto be cheap\n when I didn\u2019t have a lot, and to spend mindfully when I have a little bit more, prioritising small businesses.\n\n\nIt turns out money CAN buy happiness, and the best part is you can extract max happiness out of every ringgit following these 5 core principles.\n\n\nHow to Spend Money: 5 Core Principles of Happier Spending\n\n\nThe book divides each Core Principles into individual chapters. What I\u2019m going to do is to share the most important points and research-backed conclusions from each chapter.\n\n\nCore Principle #1 \u2013\u00a0Buy experiences\n\n\nTakeaways:\n\n\n\n\nMaterial things provide less happiness than experiential purchases\n\n\nBuying bigger houses and nicer cars doesn\u2019t bring that much happiness, yet they\u2019re two of the top expense categories for many people. Spending moderately (not excessively) on these two WILL make you happier, as you have more disposable income for other spending\n\n\nGo on trips. Don\u2019t worry too much about the price \u2013 the experience matters more. Even experiences that are a little bit painful can produce lasting pleasure (ie you\u2019ll still think fondly of that sucky camping trip)\n\n\n\n\nCore Principle #2 \u2013 Make it a treat\n\n\nTakeaways:\n\n\n\n\nAbundance is the enemy of appreciation. When something wonderful is always available, people are less inclined to appreciate it (that\u2019s why you never visit that famous tourist attraction in your city)\n\n\nTherefore, you should \nturn your favourite everyday things into occasional treats to enjoy them better\n\n\nAka if you like Starbucks, then have it but once a month, not daily. It\u2019ll feel more special\n\n\n\n\nCore Principle #3 \u2013 Buy time\n\n\nTakeaways:\n\n\n\n\nA lot of wealthy people are cash-rich but not time-rich.\u00a0\nYou\u2019d be happier with more time instead of more cash\n\n\nTime affluence predicts job and life satisfaction\n\n\nA lot of people waste time via commuting to and from work. You\u2019d be happier living nearer to work\n\n\nBuy time-saving devices and outsource chores you don\u2019t like. These expenses will free up your time and allows you to enjoy things you love\n\n\n\n\nCore Principle #4 \u2013 Pay now, consume later\n\n\nTakeaways:\n\n\n\n\n\u2018Buy now, pay later\u2019 model used by credit cards and instalments\u00a0\nreduces happiness\n\n\nWaiting and delaying consumption\u00a0\nincreases happiness\n\n\nMaking upfront payment for pre-order purchases = enjoying them to the fullest\n\n\n\n\nCore Principle #5 \u2013 Invest in others\n\n\nTakeaways:\n\n\n\n\nSpending money on others provides a bigger happiness boost than spending on oneself\n \u2013 the more people give away, the happier they felt\n\n\nIt generates abundance mindset, as opposed to scarcity mindset. Even giving away 1\u00a0ringgit will make you \nfeel\n wealthier\n\n\nBut the act of giving money must be a\u00a0\nchoice\n,\u00a0\nnot by force (ie why charity feels good but paying taxes is not)\n\n\n\n\nThe trick: hitting as many core principles when you spend money\n\n\nThis part of the book blew me away. Each of the core principles work well on their own, but I didn\u2019t think that \nthey can be stacked onto each other\n.\n\n\nFor example:\n\n\n\n\nInvite someone who asked you for advice/support to a neighbourhood cafe\u00a0 (#5 \u2013 invest in others)\n\n\nHave a lovely chat and improve relationship (#1 \u2013 buy experience)\n\n\nYou managed to fit in the meetup after you freed up the time by outsourcing chores, especially the ones you hate (#3 \u2013 buy time)\n\n\nPay for the coffee from prepaid card (#4 \u2013 pay now, consume later)\n\n\nEnjoy an extra-special frappuccino instead of your usual daily black coffee (#2 \u2013 make it a treat)\n\n\n\n\nMy mind = kaboom.\n\n\nSo simple, yet something that I don\u2019t do often \u2013 the intention was there but the framework was not. This book provided structure to my \u2018let\u2019s test out everything and see if it works\u2019 method.\n\n\nI don\u2019t know about you, but I am *extremely* motivated to get the most happiness value out of my spending. Firstly, I hate buyers remorse (who doesn\u2019t tho?).\n\n\nSecondly, planning my spending around this spending doesn\u2019t require unlimited wealth, which is an unattainable goal in the first place.\n\n\nIt is better for me to learn how to master my money, than let money be my master. \nJust Principle #1 alone eliminated the vast majority of luxury products that I know won\u2019t make me happy\n.\n\n\nWhat if you don\u2019t have money to spend?\n\n\nBut of course, none of this matters if you don\u2019t have\u00a0\ndisposable\n income. Those who \nmake a good salary\n can simply reallocate spending priorities, but those who don\u2019t are stuck and have way less option. You don\u2019t need me to tell you how the minimum wage of RM1200 per month is not anywhere near the living wage. All the money goes to life\u2019s necessities and not much else.\n\n\nThe battle for higher minimum wage goes on, but it\u2019s important to know what else society can do to contribute, because this is not a single-solution problem. On a personal level, many of us can do #5 \u2013 Invest in others, but I\u2019m also aware some of you work in government agencies or have decision-making positions in your respective companies.\n\n\nHere\u2019s how you can help chip in towards support networks. Bonus: happier people make more productive employees\n\n\nSome good government policies include:\n\n\n\n\nProviding safe community spaces for fun, low-cost experiences (#1 \u2013 buy experiences)\n\n\nProviding affordable housing at places with abundant job opportunities, so commutes are shorter (#3 \u2013 buy time)\n\n\nActively discourage the growth of \u2018buy now, pay later\u2019 financing plans (#4 \u2013 pay now, consume later)\n\n\nAllocating resources and doing Public-private partnerships to help the less privileged, \nwhich don\u2019t require beneficiaries to spend more time just to get the help\n (#5 \u2013 invest in others)\n\n\n\n\nAnd some examples of how companies can actively participate:\n\n\n\n\nFactor in experiential benefits, such as massage/spa vouchers and home cleaning services as job perks (#1 \u2013 buy experiences)\n\n\nRegularly schedule fun and engaging office activities (#2 \u2013 make it a treat)\n\n\nAllow employees opportunities to volunteer and donate to their favourite charities (#5 \u2013 invest in others)\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m sure there are more ways, but this is a start. If you know of any other good measures, or currently implementing them to positive results, do share in the comments section \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nI\u2019ll end here. Hope the points in the book helped you as much as it helped me develop an updated spending philosophy. The full book is definitely worth a read, so find it if you can (I got mine from Big Bad Wolf). Share this article with friends and family \u2013 it would be my joy to help Malaysians spend in happier ways.\n\n\nIf you enjoyed this article, you\u2019ll probably enjoyed a similar \u2018how to buy happiness\u2019 article of mine, also a book summary: \nHow My Dream Home in Malaysia Would Look Like\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/shopping/how-to-buy-insurance-course-by-suraya/", "title": "[ENDED] How to Buy Your Own Damn Insurance & Takaful Course by Suraya ringgitohringgit.com\n  ", "body": "\n\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n[\nPLEASE READ THIS LEGAL DISCLAIMER BEFORE PURCHASING THIS PRODUCT\n]\n\n\n\n\nOn 21 January 2023, I Suraya from RinggitOhRinggit.com conducted the How to Buy Your Own Damn Insurance/Takaful workshop. Since then, many people contacted me asking 1) when I would conduct the next one, and 2) if they could buy the recording. \n\n\nThanks to popular demand, my How to Buy Your Own Damn Insurance/Takaful course is FINALLY LAUNCHING! \nThe course is open for sale at 12pm on Saturday, 11 March 2023 at \nhttps://howtobuyinsurancecourse.peatix.com/\n\n\nWhat you get in the course:\n\n\nBy purchasing this product, you get:\n\n\n\n\n2-hour webinar on what you need to know about buying insurance/takaful, as a consumer (+ Malay subtitle)\n\n\nMy Protection Action Plan worksheet\u00a0\n\n\nUser guide, which includes a (short) agents database you may want to contact\n\n\nEmail blast from me when FREE or discounted financial planning services come up so you can personalise your protection to fit you/family\u2019s needs \n\n\n\n\nHow much is the course?\n\n\nThe original price for the course is RM59, but during the launch you can get it for:\n\n\n\n\nSuper Early Early Bird: RM19 x 50 earliest buyers\n\n\nSuper Early Bird: RM29 x 100 next earliest buyers\n\n\nEarly Bird: RM39 x 200 next earliest buyers\n\n\nLaunch Price RM49 x 500 next earliest buyers (Note: Discount code is available for people who bought the Bergaji & Pokai book \ud83d\ude42 \n\n\n\n\nAgain, \nthe launch will start at 12pm on Saturday, 11 March 2023 at \nhttps://howtobuyinsurancecourse.peatix.com/.\n \nThe earlier you buy, the cheaper it is \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nAfter the launch ends on 31 March 2023, or after all are sold (whichever comes earlier), the How to Buy Your Own Damn Insurance/Takaful course will be available for sale at RM59. \n\n\nYou should buy this course, if:\n\n\n\n\nYou WANT to buy insurance but want to avoid \u2018being sold to\u2019. You just want to learn about it from a neutral third party (Note: I am not an insurance agent and have no affiliation with any insurance companies)\n\n\nYou\u2019re afraid of being sold the wrong products \u2013 just want to do the research first and make the products selection yourself and/or meet the agent already somewhat informed\n\n\nInsurance buying overwhelms you and the idea of someone hand-holding you through this process feels right and calms you down\n\n\n\n\nYou should NOT buy this course, if:\n\n\n\n\nYou expect me to know every single protection product from every single company out there. This is impossible \u2013 new products get created and retired all the time\n\n\nYou expect me to give tailor-made product recommendations just for you. This workshop only costs RM1x-4x. For personalised recommendations, you need to either meet an agent (cost: free upfront but paid in RM three-to-four-figures commissions if you bought from them; whether their recommendations are truly in your best interest is another story) or hire a financial planner (cost: RM four-figures upfront; generally in your best interest, includes comprehensive financial planning)\n\n\nYou want to learn about every single type of protection product out there. This course only covers Life, Critical Illness, Medical and Personal Accident\n\n\n\n\nTestimonials \n\n\nPlease see some actual testimonials from attendees of the original workshop, shared with permission \ud83d\ude42 Thank you @balqis.farhana_ and @ainadyra for the kind reviews! \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n[\nPLEASE READ THIS LEGAL DISCLAIMER BEFORE PURCHASING THIS PRODUCT\n]\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/shopping/manipulative-advertising/", "title": "10 Manipulative Advertising Techniques You Should Know\n  ", "body": "\n\nThey tell you to save money, but they didn\u2019t tell you to be aware of manipulative advertising designed to take your money, did they? \n\n\nAsked about the power of advertising in research surveys, most agrees that it works, but not on them \u2013 Eric Clark, journalist and author\n\n\nEvery day, you are bombarded with thousands of ads. Some are just for awareness. Some of them are funny and creative. \nBut some of them are manipulative advertising, intentionally using your own psychology against you. \nYou may not realise it working \u2013 and, like the quote above, may even be in denial about it \u2013 but believe me, it works. \n\n\nThe book \nHidden Persuasion: 33 Psychological Influence Techniques in Advertising by psychologist, art director and designer Marc Andrews and social psychologists Dr. Matthijs van Leeuwen and Prof. Dr. Rick van Baaren\n did a wonderful job in uncovering most, if not all, of the techniques used by companies, organisations, governments and their advertising agencies to persuade you into buying into their product, service or message. \n\n\n\n\nIn this article, I have picked out 10 such practices which I thought was especially manipulative so you can identify them yourself in your day-to-day life. You can find \n12 more in this WIRED article\n, great for further reading. It is my hope that \nonce you see the practices IRL, you cannot unsee it. \n\n\nSpecial thanks to Mimie from Malaysian Youth Mental Health Initiative (\nMINDAKAMI\n) for gifting me the book \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Foot-in-the-door\n\n\nBeginning with \na small request paves the way for compliance to a bigger request\n. Asking for a big favour at once often leads to resistance; starting with a small, related request greatly increases the success rate. \n\n\nThis is the tactic those donation booths like to use.\n\n\nFirst, they\u2019ll ask you to \nsign a petition\n to show your support for children education or whatever (which monster wouldn\u2019t sign, right?) \n\n\nThen, they\u2019ll ask if you\u2019d like to \nmake monthly donations\n, because obviously you are someone who cares about the issue. \nThey are armed with sales scripts to counter any excuse you can give.\n The only method that works is to maintain a firm \u2018No\u2019. \n\n\nImportant: I\u2019m okay with donation drives, especially for good causes. But I hate this \u2018trap\u2019 that they intentionally set up. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 Promised land\n\n\nBuy this product and get to the Promised Land. It inspires people, even when they know that the promise is exaggerated or unrealistic. \nEven unachievable desires are strong motivators for human behaviour\n. \n\n\nThese are products that simply \nover-exaggerate their claims\n, to the point of humourous. For example, they might imply you\u2019ll be irresistible to the opposite sex by using their products (perfume, deodorant, alcohol, etc). They might also be products that promise quick results with minimal efforts (weight loss treatments). \n\n\nThe part I don\u2019t like here is how blatantly they \nexploit basic human desires\n \u2013 to be loved and wanted. They also tend to feature sexist ads where sexually attractive women are the \u2018reward\u2019. \n\n\n#3 \u2013 Astroturfing\n\n\nFake social proof is used to create an impression of popular support\n. People have an innate drive to copy others\u2019 decisions and behaviour. While people are sensitive to any majority opinion, groups that are similar or physically close have a greater impact. Young people are particularly sensitive to the effects of social proof. \n\n\nMany of us ask for product and service recommendations from friends, family and online community \u2013 a form of social proof. Astroturfing is the practice where one\n intentionally misleads their audience by showing fake social proof\n. \n\n\nOur politicians may or may not use this service. Who can say \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s not just buying likes. You can buy reviews as well. More about this in \nOnline Shopping in Malaysia: My Quest to Find REAL Recommendations & Good Products\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Attractiveness\n\n\n\u201cIt is amazing how complete the delusion that beauty is goodness.\u201d (Leo Tolstoy, The Kreutzer Sonata). When one understands what is universally considered attractive, \nit can be almost faultlessly implemented in any campaign\n. \n\n\nWhy don\u2019t companies use Malaysian/Asian models instead of Caucasian models? Why don\u2019t they feature more plus-size or short or dark-skinned ones?\n\n\n\u2026Because, unfortunately, many people still benchmark attractiveness to Western standards of beauty (whether they know it or not), and using conventionally (read: Western-looking) models are \nmore profitable\n. \n\n\nI\u2019m not saying it\u2019s right. I\u2019m not saying the practice should continue. I\u2019m saying, in cutthroat businesses like fashion, I completely understand why a business might want to stick with what works rather than experiment with what may not work. \n\n\n#5 \u2013 Scarcity (the worst manipulative advertising IMO)\n\n\nIf it is hard to get, people want it more. Scarce products are more attractive than non-scarce products. People strive for a sense of freedom, and scarcity is a threat to people\u2019s freedom of choice. \nWhen you are made to imagine how you would feel if you could not by a product, it makes you like the product more\n. \n\n\nAh, the scarcity tactic, the one I hate the most. \n\n\nIt comes in many forms. \nLimited edition. Countdown timers. \u2018Today only\u2019. Only 1 left. \u2018Get it fast before its gone\u2019. Only 300 in the world. \n\n\nYou\u2019ve seen this at all shops, both online and offline. All of them are designed to encourage you to make a \nfast purchasing decision\n. Sometimes they even lie about it, they have more in stock, but you don\u2019t know that. As long as they get the sale, who cares.\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Decoy \n\n\nWhen consumers are choosing between two similar products, \nintroducing a decoy can push people towards the outcome of direction\n. The decoy must be presented subtly as the least-favoured option.  \n\n\nYou\u2019ve probably seen a lot of decoy pricing in real life. Yes, sometimes the super expensive/not value-for-money option is just there for you to quickly dismiss it, therefore choosing the other option (that they wanted you to take). \n\n\nThis is a really good example of decoy pricing. \n\n\n\n\n#7 \u2013 That\u2019s not all\n\n\nSpontaneously offering a discount or offering free extras before the sales pitch is even over. The recipient should not have an opportunity to respond to each extra offer. Offering is continued until the presentation is finished. For maximum effect, the final \u2018bonus\u2019 should be particularly desirable. \n\n\nIf you\u2019ve watched \ninfomercials\n, you\u2019ll know how this tactic works. \n\n\nFirst, they\u2019ll promote an item for RMxxx. Then, THAT\u2019S NOT ALL, you\u2019ll also get a discount. But THAT\u2019S NOT ALL, its free delivery! Also THAT\u2019S NOT ALL, you also get this free item worth RMxx! Wait not yet, THAT\u2019S NOT ALL, you\u2019ll get TWO sets instead of one!\n\n\nI\u2019m not saying you (or your parents) shouldn\u2019t buy from GoShop. I\u2019m just saying you should be aware of this tactic, because it\u2019s a formula proven to work. \n\n\n#8 \u2013 Reciprocity\n\n\nReceiving a gift creates the social obligation to return it\n. A gift can be anything: coupons, bonus points, special discounts or something exclusive. The more people feel that the gift is a personal favour from the giver, the bigger the return. \n\n\nLook, I like the coupons and discounts too. But I do NOT like when the gifts become exclusive, almost like a bribe. \n\n\nAnyone working in the PR industry can attest to this \u2013 it is very common to send gift packages to members of the media and influencers, as part of \u2018\nrelationship building\n\u2018. In the future, they are more likely to speak favourably of the company, thus influencing their audience. Many of the products and services that get press coverage without paying for the ad space, got it thanks to this particular tactic. \n\n\nPersonally, I don\u2019t like this practice and have been actively refusing gifts where I can. I simply don\u2019t like feeling like I owe someone. \n\n\n#9 \u2013 Authority\n\n\nPeople or symbols that signify legitimate authority trigger compliance and obedience\n. A fit between the message and the authority figure used is essential. Subtle visual stimuli suggesting status, expertise and authority can trigger the visual heuristic effectively. \n\n\nYou might think that these are easy to spot, but they\u2019re not as obvious as lifestyle influencers encouraging the use of skin whitening products or harmful \u2018health\u2019 supplements to their audiences. Those are bad, but what is far more dangerous is when the \nexpert who gives recommendations and advice are someone who is respected in their fields\n. Remember, it was not that long ago that doctors \u2018recommended\u2019 cigarettes! \n\n\nWhat\u2019s the key lesson here? Never blindly trust anyone, no matter how much authority they seem to command. \n\n\n#10 \u2013 Doublespeak\n\n\n\u201cWar is peace! Freedom is slavery! Ignorance is strength!\u201d (George Orwell, 1984). It is used to \nframe failure or bad outcome as good news or positive outcome\n. Doublespeak is often ingrained in our daily language that we do not even detect it. \n\n\nThat book made such an impact to me, I included doublespeak as one of the key concepts in the \n[PERSONAL] 7 Mind-Blowing Concepts That Shaped My Personal Finance Mindset\n article \n\n\nDoublespeak is truly around us. The government justifying the usage (and wastage) of public funds. Making a crappy service like \nBuy Now, Pay Later\n sound good (see below). They\u2019re all examples of doublespeak. \n\n\n\n\nDo you recognise these manipulative advertising practices in real life?\n\n\nImportant: not all advertising is manipulative advertising. The other 20+advertising tactics listed in the book \nHidden Persuasion: 33 Psychological Influence Techniques in Advertising\n contains wonderfully creative ways of highlighting the brand, product, services and message from companies, organisations and governments. \n\n\nHowever, 10 is NOT a small number, and I did emit out a couple of other manipulative advertising tactics which I felt is too similar to the ones listed above. For example, Sex Sells is very similar to Attractiveness in #4, and Door-in-the-Face (where you intentionally ask people for a big favour before following up with a small one, thus increasing conversion) is somewhat similar to  Foot-in-the-Door in #1. \n\n\nIn any case, I hope these 10 examples of manipulative advertising can be a starting point in your media literacy journey. I don\u2019t know about you, but \nI am sick of Malaysians being told to use willpower alone to save money, as if environmental cues which influence our behaviours do not exist\n. \n\n\nI\u2019ll stop here. Tell me your experiences with manipulative advertising, if any. Would love to have more examples in Malaysian context. \n\n\nRead more: \nWhy We Can\u2019t Stop Spending Money\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/shopping/online-shopping-for-groceries/", "title": "Online Shopping for Groceries: 5 Places to Get What You Need\n  ", "body": "\n\nKnowing how to do online shopping for groceries is one of those pandemic-related skillsets we just have to learn to do. Even if you\u2019re already fully vaccinated, chances are you have people not eligible to be vaccinated around you \u2013 children, for example \u2013 and you just want them to be safe. \n\n\nThen there\u2019s the issue of the virus still mutating, so we have no idea what it may still be capable of, as well as vaccine efficacy reducing over time\u2026 aaaaa when are things getting back to normal aaa will it ever??\n\n\nSo here is a compilation of online stores that allow you to do online shopping for groceries. I will share the links, what to buy from each platform, and protips to save money. \n\n\nI\u2019ve also listed out online shopping advantages and disadvantages for groceries, so you know what to expect if you\u2019re new at this. Let\u2019s start with:\n\n\n#1 \u2013 HappyFresh\n\n\nWebsite link: \nhttps://www.happyfresh.my/\n\n\nA groceries\u2019 delivery platform, listing various supermarkets near you. Mine includes Lotus\u2019s (used to be Tesco), AEON, Giant Hypermarket, Pasaraya Matahari, Marks & Spencer, as well as a couple of other local marts. \n\n\nWhat to buy: \npick your preferred supermarket and go through the Best Deals tab. \n\n\nProtip\n: Make use of their vouchers and deals! Read my \nHappyFresh review\n for more details. \n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Shopee\n\n\nWebsite link:\n https://shopee.com.my/\n\n\nLet\u2019s not pretend you don\u2019t know what this platform is. I love stocking up my favourite food products from here, way cheaper than other options. My repeat orders include:\n\n\npasta sauce from Sangla Foods\n (get the Pesto Genovese! So delicious)\nground coffee from Sol Coffee Roastery\n (my fav is the Sol El-Salvador Blend)\nfrozen berries and vegetables from Braspro\n (get frozen blueberries for the antioxidants and stuff)\n\n\nWhat to buy: \nEverything but fresh produce\n. A reader commented fresh produce also can!\n\n\nProtip #1\n:  You can also do online shopping \nMydin Malaysia\n in Shopee. \n\n\nProtip #2\n: Get the \nMaybank Shopee Visa Platinum card\n. It lets you earn Shopee Coins which you can use towards your online shopping for groceries at Shopee\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Lazada\n\n\nWebsite link:\n \nhttps://www.lazada.com.my/\n\n\nYou know what platform this is as well. \n\n\nWhat to buy:\n More or less same as Shopee\n\n\nProtip #1: \nYou can also do online shopping \nTesco Groceries\n in Lazada.\n\n\nProtip #2\n: Get the \nLazada Citi Platinum card\n. It lets you earn Lazada Reward Points which you can use towards your online shopping for groceries at Lazada\n\n\n#4 \u2013 AirAsia Grocer\n\n\nWebsite link:\n \nhttps://www.airasia.com/grocer/my/en\n\n\nAirAsia has branched into online grocery shopping, and honestly it\u2019s not bad. I\u2019ve used them twice and am happy both times. \n\n\nWhat to buy:\n Whichever good deal is happening that week\n\n\nProtip\n \n#1\n: Use \nShopback\n to earn cashback on your purchase\n\n\nProtip #2: \nRedeem your BIG Points for groceries!\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Pasar Segar\n\n\nWebsite link:\n \nhttps://pasarsegar.my/\n\n\nWhat to buy: \nFresh poultry, meat and seafood that are \u2018cleaned, cut and packed\u2019 for you as well as vegetables\n\n\nProtip: \nCheck their Bulk Buys section\n\n\n\n\nOther Platforms for Online Shopping for Groceries\n\n\nIn addition to the options listed above, you can definitely do online shopping at \nTesco\n \nLotus\u2019s, Mydin and Giant Supermarket \nmain websites.\n\n\nThere are other platforms for online grocery shopping of course, but I don\u2019t know if I can recommend them. Both \nGrab and Foodpanda have Marts\n but the prices there are more expensive. And not by a little bit, either. A lot. I would only use them to get urgently-needed items or to support a small local mart, but other than that, not really. \n\n\nOnline shopping advantages and disadvantages\n\n\nAdvantages to online shopping for groceries \n\n\nThere are many advantages to doing your grocery shopping online. You get to: \n\n\navoid the crowd\n, therefore giving you less chance for Covid-19 transmission\nsave money\n (don\u2019t forget to use the protips!)\ndo \nprice comparison\n between similar products\n\n\nDisadvantages to online shopping for groceries \n\n\nAll those are great, but nothing is binary; there are disadvantages to online shopping for groceries as well. For example:\n\n\nYour groceries will come in \nexcessive packaging\n. Obviously this is not good for the environment. \nYou may face \ndelivery and timeslot issues\n. Sometimes the timeslots run out quite fast and you have to wait for a few days until a suitable timeslot opens up. \nItem unavailability.\n Sometimes the online shopping platform will call you up if a particular item is not available, and suggest replacements. Usually it\u2019s fine, unless you NEED a particular item for a certain recipe. Then it becomes quite annoying. \nUnit confusion\n. You also have to be diligent over the units (kg, pieces, etc), or you may accidentally buy too much or too little. \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\n Which online shopping for groceries platform do you recommend?\n\n\nSo which of the above online groceries platforms do you use the most? Do you use other platforms for online shopping for groceries? Have additional protips to save money and time? \n\n\nPlease leave a comment and share your tips with us \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/shopping/online-shopping-in-malaysia/", "title": "I Hate Fake Reviews! How to Find REAL Recommendations & Good Products\n  ", "body": "Fact: Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the heck out of e-commerce, by \u2018forcing\u2019 businesses to add or improve its distribution. Nowadays, you can get more things delivered to you than ever before.\n\n\nThe variety nowadays is crazy. I have bought things that I\u2019ve never bought online before, like Harumanis mangoes from Perlis, \norganic salad\n and\u00a0\nfrozen Rotiboy buns\n (I still don\u2019t know if this was a good decision but God was I happy). One time during the MCO, I even bought red onions and flour on Lazada (I was desperate).\n\n\nHowever, now that things somewhat settled down, and our online purchases are no longer needs-based but rather wants-based, I am back to my cynical self.\n\n\n\n\nOnline shopping used to be fun, but now I\u2019m skeptical of everything \ud83d\ude2d I know how often fake reviews are commissioned, how \u2018growth marketers\u2019 create fake profiles to give\u2019user testimonies\u2019 in social media and forums, how online sellers use psychology hacks to encourage sales \ud83d\ude2d\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nAugust 3, 2020\n\n\n\n\nSo let\u2019s talk a bit about this, about doing online shopping in Malaysia. It\u2019s part of life now. Its convenience is both a feature and a bug, in relation to my personal finance, and I just want to take this opportunity to hash out my own boundaries with it.\n\n\nAfter all, spending is fine. It\u2019s necessary, the economy runs on consumer spending. But mindful spending \u2013 ah, that\u2019s the challenge.\n\n\n#1 \u2013 I don\u2019t trust reviews on websites and shopping platforms\n\n\n\n\nEstimates vary, but apparently \na big percentage of online reviews are fake\n.\n\n\nI\u2019m passionate about this because I am STILL salty about this.\n\n\n\n\nSo it turns out the bag I bought for almost RM300 is sold for RM72 on Aliexpress\n\n\nI don\u2019t know whether to be sad or impressed. Oh well, lesson learned \u2013 kids, always search Google for the image before you buy something online \n#dropshipping\n \npic.twitter.com/oz7MJNQuyl\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nJune 26, 2019\n\n\n\n\nLong story short,\n\n\n\n\nI was looking for bags\n\n\nNaturally, I started getting targeted ads (which I\u2019m fine with)\n\n\nOne company\u2019s particular branding REALLY appealed to me. They said the right words to hook me in: vegan leather, environmentally friendly, free worldwide shopping, practical and stylish\n\n\nAnd the reviews! Seems like people raved about it! Even in the comments section!\n\n\nI thought I did my due diligence well! Felt so clever!\n\n\nActually it was a dropshipped product\n\n\nAnd the quality is bad\n\n\n\n\nResult: I\u2019m forever sceptical of user reviews now. Once bitten, now I can see it \neverywhere\n. For example, here\u2019s a Japanese restaurant with \nfive\n 5-star reviews on Klook, all submitted by one Ms Jamie Hui Leng.\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 I\u2019m relying more on word-of-mouth recommendation\n\n\nSo if online reviews are unreliable, what works? Well, ladies and gentlemen, one of the best perks of having a (small) following on social media is the ease of getting word-of-mouth recommendations.\n\n\nI\u2019ve asked everything from stock trading apps,\n\n\n\n\nRecommendation wanted: what\u2019s a good app to practice stocks trading in Malaysia?\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nJune 20, 2019\n\n\n\n\nto good WFH chairs,\n\n\n\n\nCan anyone recommend a good WFH chair? My back is killing me \ud83d\ude23\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nApril 4, 2020\n\n\n\n\nto finding property agents (btw still looking! To sell not to buy)\n\n\n\n\nAny property agents to recommend, specialising in Klang market?\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nJuly 2, 2020\n\n\n\n\nto gift recommendations and more\n\n\n\n\nSuggestions wanted: What\u2019s a good present for a guy? Preferably something experiential and/or practical. Budget RM50 or so\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nJanuary 10, 2020\n\n\n\n\nAnd once in a while I give my own recommendations too.\n\n\n\n\nGround coffee recommendation: Sols Coffee Roastery on Shopee. Second time ordering, super satisfied with product and price \ud83d\udc4d \npic.twitter.com/W581rzvsx4\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nJuly 14, 2020\n\n\n\n\nCan\u2019t say this enough times: working on growing your audience on social media is one of the most fulfilling, rewarding, practical things you can ever do for yourself. There are plenty of ways to do this and honestly I\u2019m still figuring it out, but don\u2019t ever knock it til you try it.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 I\u2019m becoming more brand-conscious\n\n\nI have a love-hate relationship with this. On one hand, choosing a brand offers reliability, especially the ones that built its name on quality products. At this age, I\u2019m somewhat done with my \u2018trying out\u2019 phase, unless the product or service is recommended to me (see #2).\n\n\nFor example, when it comes to\u00a0sportswear, I\u2019ll probably buy Nike brand. I have and love all 3 leggings purchased there, and the shoes, and the socks.\n\n\nThe drawback is of course I\u2019m less likely to support smaller brands with way less marketing budget, AND I\u2019m by default supporting unethical practices of those big brands. \nNike plus a bunch of big companies have been linked to using Uighur forced labour\n, something which crosses my mind every time I do yoga.\n\n\nThe guilt is unreal. I\u2019m still figuring out how to go about this. Suggestions welcomed.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Buying as a form of support\n\n\nOne way to alleviate that guilt, I suppose, is by intentionally looking and purchasing from individual business owners.\u00a0I spend a lot of time on Twitter than any other social media platform, so here are some of my go-to accounts solely for online shopping.\n\n\n\n\nMy fav twitter accounts to find stuff to buy, when the mood strikes:\n\n\nKak \n@adibahnoor\n \n@najihahshahrel\n \n@_natashaanuar\n\n\nSeronok scrolling through because you can see you\u2019re buying from actual people \u263a\ufe0f\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nAugust 8, 2020\n\n\n\n\nWhen buying from these individual business owners, I try to be mindful of my cheapskate, \u2018extract best value possible\u2019 mindset. It\u2019s okay if the products are a bit pricier, because it contributes directly to someone\u2019s livelihood.\n\n\n\n\nWhen you buy from small business :\u2019) \npic.twitter.com/iRP9ZJHoIe\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nAugust 9, 2020\n\n\n\n\n(I think I also prefer Twitter because I can look through their feed before buying. If they happen to be racists or sexists, then I don\u2019t buy from them.)\n\n\nInstagram is a whole other ballgame though. I know the small business economy there is THRIVING, but I still don\u2019t know the best way to browse products and services, or how to find legit reviews on that platform.\n\n\nTherefore, here I mostly depend on the recommendations of my \ntwo\n \nsisters\n, who both make a living on the platform and know it way better than I do.\n\n\n\n\nAnd now I shall wait for their texts professing utmost gratitude and eternal love for promoting them\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nSeptember 30, 2019\n\n\n\n\n(Unfortunately the texts never came. Wait almost one year already).\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Knowing my weak point\n\n\nI briefly touched it in #1, but yes, the more I do online shopping, the more I can see the types of online shops I buy from, and see patterns in my own purchasing behaviour.\n\n\nOne of the realisations was\u2026\n\n\n\n\nMy confession for today is I\u2019m exceptionally weak to brands that use \u2018quality and premium products without the unnecessary costs\u2019 as a selling point \npic.twitter.com/uskwiKKab0\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nAugust 17, 2020\n\n\n\n\nMy other weak points include:\n\n\n\n\nsocial enterprise (helping marginalised groups like \nAsli.co\n\n\nsustainability in fashion like \nBiji-biji\n)\n\n\nusing local models (instead of white models)\n\n\npart of #SapotLokal campaigns\n\n\nand more.\n\n\n\n\nI don\u2019t buy them often though. Unfortunately my wallet is not as deep as my conscience yet (therefore why I\u2019m attracted to value for money angle above). But something to aspire towards, hey?\n\n\nI guess everyone will have weak points, when it comes to branding, and if you don\u2019t think you have a weak point, ooo let me just assure you that you do. The whole, \u2018people don\u2019t buy products, they buy ideas of their ideal self\u2019 mumbo-jumbo is true.\n\n\nLast thoughts on online shopping\n\n\nOnline shopping is fun. It\u2019s really fun.\n\n\nThere\u2019s that gamification element that I really enjoy, like you\u2019re trying to assess whether that business is really worth your patronage. Sometimes you win, sometimes you don\u2019t, but you\u2019ll always learn.\n\n\nI also love it because I can see digital marketing strategies in action. As of time of writing, social media marketers are actually kind of freaking out a bit, because Facebook is going to phase out cookie tracking. You know the ads you see when you visit a website ONCE then kept following you around for ages? Yeah those will stop soon.\n\n\nGood, because those tend to have really big markups lol.\n\n\n\n\nIve seen the phone case I bought for rm8 from shopee, on Facebook ads a few times now under different branding. One of them sold for rm32, another for rm89. Same case, rebranded as premium\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya ringgitohringgit.com (@surayaror) \nJune 4, 2020\n\n\n\n\nBut of course other marketing strategies and technologies will get better, because sales-oriented people will always want to chase that sweet internet money. They\u2019ll just shift to other methods, no problem. How will marketers get your attention, and subsequently your money next? We shall see.\n\n\nAnyway, I\u2019ll stop this post here, with that particular ending note. Something to think about.\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0\nWhy We Can\u2019t Stop Spending Money\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/shopping/online-shopping-websites-in-malaysia/", "title": "27 Popular Online Shopping Websites in Malaysia with the Best SALES & DEALS\n  ", "body": "\n\nAll of us like deals (or \nthe illusion of deals\n, but that\u2019s another story), I have consolidated what I think are the best 27 online shopping websites in Malaysia for you. \n\n\nI consider these the best online shopping websites in Malaysia because they have \nfrequent sales\n, are \ngenerous with vouchers\n or offer \nadditional discounts\n and \nfree shipping\n after your purchases reach a certain threshold.\n\n\nFor even bigger savings, combine the sales with financial tools like \nShopback\n (earn cashback; get RM5 if register through affiliate link), \nBigpay\n (earn points; get RM10 if register through affiliate link) and/or \ncashback credit cards\n (earn cashback and/or points).  \n\n\nBest online shopping in Malaysia \u2013 A list of online shopping websites\n\n\nThis listing consists of online stores present in Malaysia, in categories:\n\n\n\n\nGeneral\n\n\nFashion\n\n\nSports\n\n\nGroceries\n\n\nElectronics\n\n\nBeauty\n\n\nHealth\n\n\nTravel & Experience\n\n\nHobbies\n\n\n\n\nLet\u2019s start-\n\n\n#1 \u2013 General \n\n\n#1 \u2013 Shopee\n\n\nLink: \nShopee\n\n\nThere is never a day that goes by without a Shopee sale. Offering almost everything under the sun, users can spin or tap to win special Shopee prizes daily. \n\n\nThere are also dozens of free shipping and store-exclusive vouchers to claim on the site. At the very least, you have the chance of collecting RM0.01 per day by clicking on the Coins Rewards Page.\n\n\n\n\nSave even more: Get the \nMaybank Shopee Visa Platinum Card\n\u00a0(min income: RM2,000 per month / RM24,000 per year).\n\n\nThis credit card is a rewards credit card where points collected can be redeemed on Shopee platform. You get:\n\n\n\n\n5 points on every RM1 \u2013 on Shopee spends on Special Days*\n\n\n4 points on every RM1 \u2013 on Dining, payWave and Entertainment spend on Special Days*\n\n\n2 points on every RM1 \u2013 on Shopee spends on Normal Days\n\n\n2 points on every RM1 \u2013 on Dining, payWave and Entertainment spend on Normal days\n\n\n1 points on every RM1 \u2013 on utilities, education, EzyPay and insurance\n\n\n1 points on every RM1 \u2013 on other spend\n\n\nNote: Max 5000 points or RM50 worth per month. Excess points are converted to Maybank Treatpoints\n\n\n\n\n*Special Days =\u00a0every 28th of each month, 9.9, 11.11, 12.12, CNY and Raya Campaigns\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Lazada\n\n\nLink: \nLazada\n\n\nAnother Malaysian online shopping site that offers almost anything you can think of, except happiness (but online shopping is happiness, so there\u2019s that), is Lazada. \n\n\nHowever, if there is one niche that Lazada wins at, it is the electrical and electronic gadgets. The brands they carry are always placed at the forefront, tagged with attractive discounts. \n\n\nVisit their reward directory, where you can check in for cash rebates, collect coins and earn shopping vouchers.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Mr DIY\n\n\nLink: \nMr D.I.Y.\n\n\nA newcomer into the world of online stores in Malaysia is Mr DIY that started as a well-loved home improvement store. \n\n\nMr DIY\u2019s online store is considered modest, but it runs attractive monthly deals, online-exclusive sales that see price cuts of more than 50% and occasional promotions where you stand a chance to win products and vouchers.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Youbeli\n\n\nLink: \nYoubeli\n\n\nYoubeli is the Malaysian online shop for you that consists of products from SMEs. Choices are narrowed, but you are assured quality. Similar to the giants, it has dozens of vouchers from their partners and stores for you to use. \n\n\nCheck out their time-sensitive, rock-bottom discounts on products on their main page.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Motherhood\n\n\nLink: \nMotherhood\n\n\nFor all things mother and baby, Motherhood.com is ahead of the game. It is one of the best websites for mothers to do online shopping while providing education and content. \n\n\nThey are linked to many big brands, and hence, they can provide free samples, contests, exclusive discounts and steep sales.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Fashion\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Zalora\n\n\nLink: \nZalora\n\n\nFor trend chasers and fashion observers, Zalora is Malaysia\u2019s online store to click on for all things current. They have branched out from apparel to include beauty and lifestyle products as well. \n\n\nHowever, I love their ongoing sales and discount codes that can range from 5% to 45% and the clearance outlet with sales up to 80%.\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Love, Bonito\n\n\nLink: \nLove, Bonito\n\n\nLove, Bonito caters for women who love modern silhouettes at every stage of her life. Find 50% off promos during their end-of-season sale. They also offer cash backs, bank and credit card discounts, free gifts when and rewards worth RM900 if you join their community.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Shein\n\n\nLink: \nShein\n\n\nShein is a mega fashion online store in Malaysia from China. There are hundreds of new looks uploaded every day, along with dozens of vouchers for orders over a certain amount. There is always a sale going on, and you can play mini-games onsite to accumulate more coupons.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Sports\n\n\n#1 \u2013 JD Sports\n\n\nLink: \nJD Sports\n\n\nProbably the coolest online sports store in Malaysia, JD sports showcases the latest kicks coupled with good discounts all the time. \n\n\nThe all sale section has discounts up to 50%, and you can enjoy an RM30 rebate when you pay with GrabPay and RM25 off with Boost.\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Sports Direct\n\n\nLink: \nSports Direct\n\n\nOne of the best Malaysian online shops for sports items for less is at Sports Direct. They have regular sales, weekly deals and markdowns all the time. Unlike many sports stores, Sports Direct offers attire and equipment for many niche sports ranging from darts to fishing.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Decathlon\n\n\nLink: \nDecathlon\n\n\nDecathlon is an online shop in Malaysia that specialises in sports and fitness equipment. Tip: Visit their clearance page!\n\n\n#4- Snacks\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Signature Market\n\n\nLink: \nSignature Market\n\n\nSignature Market is the online store in Malaysia for snack lovers who want healthier options. There are new items in the sale section every week that go up to 80% off. \n\n\nIf you want a bigger bargain, check out their bundle deals where you can get already discounted items for cheaper. During special occasions, they have spin-the-wheel campaigns where you can win free snacks.\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Electronics\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Harvey Norman\n\n\nLink: \nHarvey Norman\n\n\nWhen looking to purchase electronics, Harvey Norman is one of the best websites for online shopping for laptops and gadgets and the like. They have a clearance corner where you can get items at 70% off their regular price. And if they don\u2019t have discounts on the item you buy, they might give you cash vouchers for your next purchase amounting to RM200.\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Senheng\n\n\nLink: \nSenheng\n\n\nThe gadget-obsessed should not miss Senheng\u2019s online store too. Head to their promotions page and you\u2019ll see products such as mobile phones, tablets and laptops on sale. \n\n\nWith every product purchase, you also get gifts and cashback in the form of S-coin.\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Sony \n\n\nLink: \nSony\n\n\nIf you love Sony products, you\u2019ll be glad to know that the online shop in Malaysia always has special rebates and gifts with purchase. They also have clearance sales that sometimes see 60% discounts.\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Beauty\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Hermo\n\n\nLink: \nHermo\n\n\nHermo is a Malaysian online shopping hub that is made in Malaysia, featuring brands from around the world. There is always a sale on the site, but when festive seasons arrive, prices go crazy with discounts of up to 80%. \n\n\nYou are entitled to points for every purchase and once you have enough, use it as a rebate from your total spend.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Sephora\n\n\nLink: \nSephora\n\n\nAnother favourite online beauty store among Malaysians is Sephora. The prices are on the higher end, but the sales are still good \u2013 nonetheless. They frequently run brand-centric promos. \n\n\nIf you are a Beauty Pass Member (it\u2019s free), you\u2019ll get invited to all the special online sales. Points will also entitle you to additional discounts.\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Look Fantastic\n\n\nLink: \nLookFantastic\n\n\nDon\u2019t let the SGD prices on the banners scare you. These rarely-found-in-Malaysia beauty products are priced in RM. The site also pairs items with their promo codes so you don\u2019t have to hunt for them.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Althea\n\n\nLink: \nAlthea\n\n\nHead to Althea for all things Korean beauty. They often have brand days where they run special discounts on a particular brand on a stated day. They have shopping codes that you can punch in for rebates and free delivery too.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Sasa\n\n\nLink: \nSasa\n\n\nSales on the Sasa site changes every month where they switch up the items on sale. It may be fragrances this month and cleansers the next. They do provide discount codes regularly, so be sure to check and apply before payment.\u00a0\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Health\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Watsons\n\n\nLink: \nWatsons\n\n\nOne of the drugstores in Malaysia that aced the online shopping realm is Watsons. They carry many brands and types of supplements, and you can get them at a discount when you use the codes published on the site. Sign up the be a member and download the application for even more deals.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 iHerb\n\n\nLink: \niHerb\n\n\nOn the global platform, iHerb is one of the leading online shopping sites for all things health. Their sales usually cover supplements to improve health and wellbeing. \n\n\nYou can also purchase trials for cheap if you cannot commit to any of their products to get the original size.\n\n\n\n\n#8 \u2013 Travel and Experiences\n\n\n#1 \u2013 KKday\n\n\nLink: \nKKday\n\n\nMaybe you don\u2019t like to buy stuff, but prefer shopping for experiences. KKday is a Malaysian online store for you to \u201cbuy\u201d experiences by booking their tours. \n\n\nThey are always running bank promotions where you can get up to RM25 or 25% off your total purchase.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Easybook\n\n\nLink: \nEasybook.com\n\n\nWhere do you want to go? If your mode of transport within Southeast Asia does not involve a plane, then consider purchasing your tickets at Easybook.com. Use the vouchers to save money on your trip.\n\n\n\n\n#9 \u2013 Hobbies\n\n\n#1 \u2013 BookXcess\n\n\nLink: \nBookXcess\n\n\nThe Malaysian online shop that specialises in book deals is none other than BookXcess. All the books (fiction and nonfiction) are already heavily discounted, but more rebates are in store. Use the coupon codes displayed or make it a bundle before checking out to save more!\n\n\nFind more places to buy books online in my \n7 Budget-Friendly Online Bookstore in Malaysia\n article.\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Photobook\n\n\nLink: \nPhotobook\n\n\nPhotobook is an online store where you can craft personalised gifts. There are dozens of codes available for almost every type of printed gift here.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Fanatical\n\n\nLink: \nFanatical\n\n\nGamers who want to purchase games at a discounted rate to play on Steam must visit Fanatical. They have game deals going up to 96% off!\n\n\nWhat other shop offers the best online shopping websites in Malaysia?\n\n\nThese are the online shopping websites in Malaysia you can visit to get the best deals at any time of the year. You don\u2019t need to wait for 8.8, 9.9, 10.10, 11.11 or 12.12 to find yourself a bargain.\n\n\nAny more websites to suggest? If you have other suggestions on Malaysian online stores that are always dropping a good bargain, drop them in the comments below.\n\n\nFinally, for even bigger savings, combine the sales with financial tools like \nShopback\n (earn cashback; get RM5 if register through affiliate link), \nBigpay\n (earn points; get RM10 if register through affiliate link) and/or \ncashback credit cards\n (earn cashback and/or points). \n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/shopping/shopback-review/", "title": "Shopback Malaysia Review (I Earned Over RM6000)\n  ", "body": "\n\nTbh, there was a bit of hesitation before doing this Shopback review. I didn\u2019t want to give you the impression that I promote mindless spending for the sake of getting cashback. \n\n\nSo here\u2019s what you need to remember before you read on: \nonly use Shopback for things you were going to buy anyway\n. If you buy a RM100 product you didn\u2019t need for RM50, you didn\u2019t save RM50 \u2013 you spent RM50.\n\n\nNow that\u2019s sorted out, let\u2019s start the article. The first section will introduce what is Shopback and how to use Shopback Malaysia extension, and the next part contain tips to maximise cashback from Shopback Malaysia.\n\n\nShopback Review: What it is and how does Shopback work \n\n\nShopback is a cashback platform which rewards users for making online purchases. All you have to do is click the merchant shop through their platform (so you are tracked), make the purchase as usual and wait for the cashback is processed and available to you.\n\n\nIf you don\u2019t have a Shopback account yet, consider using \nmy referral link\n.\n\n\n\n\nAlternatively, you can also download the Shopback Malaysia Chrome extension. It will inform you if the merchant site you\u2019re visiting has available cashback opportunities. \n\n\n\n\nIs Shopback safe and legit\n\n\nYes, Shopback is safe and legit. I\u2019ve been a user since 2015 and cumulatively earned over RM6000 from the platform, from a combination of cashback from my online purchases and from referrals. Withdrawals are easy and takes a few days at most. \n\n\n\n\nWhen can users withdraw money from ShopBack\n\n\nYou can withdraw your cashback money (and referral income) from Shopback Malaysia after you accumulated at least RM10 in your account (as of writing time, May 2021). \n\n\nHow \ndoes Shopback make money (also \u2013 What\u2019s the catch with Shopback?)\n\n\nShopback makes money by helping merchants get more customers, aka you. According to the \nShopback Malaysia FAQ\n,\n\n\nWith every successful purchase you make through ShopBack from our affiliate store of your choice, the store pays us some amount as commission. We share part of the commission with you, which is the Cashback you will see in your account. Once the store validates and approves the Cashback earned, it is yours to redeem!\n\n\nShopback\u2019s real value for the merchant isn\u2019t just more customers. It\u2019s also customers who \nmake bigger and more frequent orders through their platform\n. According to a \nCNBC report\n, cashback shoppers spend 1.7x more and make 62% more orders than non-cashback shoppers. \n\n\n\n\nSo that\u2019s the catch with Shopback. It\u2019s great for the merchants, but for users like you and me, we better be careful of the additional temptation and really *think* about our next Shopback purchase. We have to really think about our wants vs needs. \n\n\nHeck, if you think you have a spending problem, then I recommend you to uninstall the Shopback extension altogether. \n\n\nOther than that, the other catch is some cashback takes a long time. Depending on the merchant, it can sometimes take months after the purchase. So the money isn\u2019t immediate. \n\n\n5 Shopback Malaysia Tips You Must Know\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Know what you regularly spend money on, and see if any shops in Shopback offer cashback\n\n\nEveryone spends their money differently. Some of you live by yourself, some of you rent, some of you live with your parents. You are at different stages in your life, earn varying incomes, and have multiple identities. All these contribute to your purchasing patterns and habits. \n\n\nSo rather than saying \u2018just use Shopback\u2019, I\u2019m gonna say \u2018\nlook into what you normally spend on first, then see if Shopback fits into your life\n\u2018.\n\n\nHere are some examples; all of these have cashback categories in Shopback:\n\n\nIf you want to \nbuy stuff from China\n, browse in Taobao\nIf you \ntravel\n, book your\n flights, hotels and accommodation\n there. Compare from various companies, including Expedia, Agoda, Booking.com, etc\nFind\n tickets, activities, SIM cards\n and more at Klook\nIf you want to buy \nbooks\n, find Book Depositary and Kinokuniya\nIf you buy \nmakeup\n, there\u2019s Hermo and Sephora. Related:\u00a0\nMy 5 Rules to Make Beauty Products Affordable\nIf you want to get \nsupplements\n, iHerb\nIf you want \nclothes\n, there\u2019s FashionValet, Asos, Zalora and so many other brands. Related:\u00a0\nSave Money on Fashion: 5 Steps I Use to Optimise My Clothing Budget\nIf you want to buy an \niPhone\n, the Apple store is there\n\n\nShopback has a lot more shops than the above, covering more niche areas*. But for the most part, these are the ones you would look for on regular/semi-regular basis right.\n\n\nAgain, if you\u2019re going to buy them anyway, might as well get cashback while you\u2019re at it. Note: you may be able to find better deals outside of Shopback. Shop around if you have time.\n\n\n#2 \u2013 As much as possible, layer it with other cashback, time-limited promotions and points collection\n\n\nNote: this do not add to your Shopback cashback. They\u2019re extra bonus.\n\n\nListing some examples I know of:\n\n\nCollect \ncredit card points\n when you pay by credit cards\nCollect \ncashback\n when you pay by cashback credit cards\nCollect \nairmiles\n when you pay with travel credit cards\nAdditional sales, including but not limited to festivals-related sales, MyCyberSales, Payday sales, Mother\u2019s Day, etc\n\n\nKnow of more? Comment and I\u2019ll add it in \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Offer to make purchases on behalf of your company and friends\n\n\nEmployees have known of this trick for years, but worth mentioning here. If you need to buy anything for the office and you can claim it back, do it. I\u2019ve booked flights and accommodations and gave the company the bill for the full amount and kept the Shopback cashback for myself (plus credit card points).\n\n\nFor friends, too. Offer to be the one who buys for the group. Important: your friends must be the type to pay you back.\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Earn referrals\n\n\nShopback is pretty generous with their referral bonuses. You get RM5 for each person who registered through your link, plus they get RM5 too. They also host frequent referral bonuses, like invite 9 people get RM210. I can confirm they pay out these bonuses.\n\n\n\n\nI know some people on Twitter who actively promote their referral links as a side income. Taking a leaf out of their book, here\u2019s \nmy referral link\n again.\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Use Shopback + Taobao to generate extra income \n\n\nThe basic rule for sales: Buy low, sell high(er). If you know items that have high demand and not easily available in Malaysia, why not buy them from Taobao via Shopback and sell them to people who don\u2019t want to wait for delivery from China? You\u2019ll get the cashback AND the profit. \n\n\nTo learn more, read the multi-part \nShopback + Taobao shopping guide\n. \n\n\n\n\nLike these Shopback review? Have more to add from your personal experience?\n\n\nHow\u2019s your experience using Shopback Malaysia? I\u2019m sure there are more tips out there that I missed, so give your Shopback review in the comments section!\n\n\nIf you don\u2019t have a Shopback account yet, consider using \nmy referral link\n to open and start saving money on things you were going to buy anyway. \n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/shopping/signature-market-review-unboxing/", "title": "[VIDEO] Signature Market Review & Unboxing\n  ", "body": "Signature Market satisfies my (1) support Malaysian business, (2) snack craving and (3) deal stacking obsession, so I decided to make a video about it \n\n\nIn this order, I bought the following items:\n\n\n\n\nWatch the unboxing video in my YouTube channel (Yes I have one!) (Been procrastinating for the longest time, paralysed by fear) (So yay to overcoming this fear!)\n\n\n\n\nLike I said, I LOVE the deal-stacking element here. In this order, I got:\n\n\n\n\nproduct deals up to 30% off or so,\n\n\nfree shipping (worth ~RM10),\n\n\nfree gift (worth ~RM5),\n\n\nand additional RM10 off because I paid with GrabPay.\n\n\n\n\nIn total, I paid just RM93 for all these wholesome goodies \ud83d\ude00\n\n\nGet 20% off your first purchase only from my link (stack this ON TOP of the above!). No minimum spend. \nClick here\n or the image below to make your order \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nHave you ordered from Signature Market before? What do you recommend me to buy next? Let me know in the comments section!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/shopping/stop-online-shopping/", "title": "23 Free/Cheap Things I Do to Stop Online Shopping Habit\n  ", "body": "\n\n\u2018Stay at home if you don\u2019t want to spend money,\u2019 they say. \u2018Hey I wonder what sale is going on out there,\u2019 goes my head, conveniently forgetting how I wanted to stop online shopping habit.  \n\n\nDo you ever have moments when you\u2019re bored at home, and the next thing you know you\u2019re on Shopee or whichever online store just mindlessly looking at stuff?\n\n\nHello, we same same, we friend. \n\n\nBut no, this can\u2019t go on, because\u2026\n\n\nI want to stop online shopping from becoming a habit\n\n\n\n\nI don\u2019t even have an excuse why I open up shopping apps out of boredom. While typing this, I was literally \nsurrounded by a bunch of stuff I already bought but sparingly use\n. \n\n\nGuess we all look for new things because new = exciting, but I want to get out of this mindset! I don\u2019t need new things, I should be happy with what I already have!\n\n\nLusting for new items made me so annoyed with myself that I wrote a list in my notebook about other things I can do at home instead of spending money. Requirements: \n\n\nMust not require any extra money to do, at all, \nMust be doable at home or within walking distance, and \nIf it uses up ingredients, then it must be ingredients I \nalready\n have\n\n\nIt turned out to be a long list. Here they are:\n\n\n1. \nListen to music and podcasts on Spotify.\n I have a Premium Spotify account. There are \nyears\n worth of content in there that I could listen to. Related:\u00a0\n3 Ways to Get Cheaper Spotify Premium in Malaysia\n\n\n2. \nFinish my Udemy courses.\n Out of three Udemy courses bought in January, I have only finished two. I should tackle that last course soon. I also have tens of courses received for free.\n\n\n3. \nDeclutter and KonMari all my stuff\n. Not everything I own \u2018spark joy\u2019. I want to get rid of them and offer unwanted items still in good condition to the\n Beli Nothing Project\n. Why am I so lazy to take pics and post them up, why.\n\n\n4. \nList things to sell.\n Similar to above, but for things that I\u2019m too stingy to give up for free.\n\n\n\u00a05. \nRead books and ebooks\n. I have so many unread books\u2026\n\n\n6. \nTrain my pets.\n I see videos of cats responding to basic instructions like \u2018paw\u2019 and I\u2019m so jealous but still never train my own cats. If anything, they\u2019re training me.\n\n\n7. \nClean my apartment.\n One time, I came across an article about sleepwalking and there was this one case of someone actually sleep-cleaning. As in, they clean their house while they\u2019re asleep. Completely unconscious. Can you imagine waking up every day to a permanently clean house? How awesome, in a \u2018be careful what you wish for\u2019 kinda way.\n\n\n8. \nUse up random ingredients in the fridge that\u2019s about to go bad\n. Because EVERYTHING can be turned into stews and soups.\n\n\n9. \nCurate who I follow online. \nI need to unfollow and unsubcribe people and companies that encourage me to do to things I don\u2019t want to do, like making me feel like I don\u2019t have enough and causing me to buy things I don\u2019t need\n\n\n10. \nWear facial masks\n \nand facial serums\n. I try to wear them a couple of times a week, but sometimes I forgot. Need to be more diligent about this, I do want nice skin.\n\n\n11. \nPractice my makeup skills\n. There are so many Youtube and TikTok tutorials to try. It doesn\u2019t have to be glam style either, just practice to improve my basic everyday looks.\n\n\n12. \nCondition my hair\n. My hair is very dry, I should use this time to put on a hair mask or something. \n\n\n13. \nPractice speech to improve pronunciation. \n \n\n\n14. \nMove about.\n I know that exercise is proven to help combat ageing, but I still don\u2019t walk around, use the free gym or use the condo pool as often as I should.\n\n\n15\n. Send tweets/emails/notes of encouragement to friends, family and other people I support.\n Make people\u2019s day a bit brighter and all, you know?\n\n\n16\n. \u2018Shop the closet\u2019.\n Ie think of new ways and combinations to wear clothes I already have.\n\n\n17.\u00a0\nSort out pictures on my phone\n. And delete images I don\u2019t need. Oh look, that\u2019s where I parked the car at Sunway Pyramid\u2026 3 months ago.\n\n\n18. \nLearn to play the guitar?\n My partner\u2019s guitar is just right there.\n\n\n19. \nDigitise academic certificates and old photo albums\n. I do want to get this done because they\u2019re heavy and bulky and getting yellow-y, but have been procrastinating on it for \nyears\n. Something about throwing them out just seems really sad. \n\n\n20. \nTrack other aspects of my life to optimise it\n. The only thing that I regularly track is my expenses. I\u2019d love to track my water intake, my sleeping patterns, things like that. \n\n\n21. \nMake reviews of products, shops, restaurants and places I like\n. You know those online reviews that help people decide whether they should buy something or not? They are super helpful \u2013 all of us have benefited from them. I like the idea of contributing to that information-sharing culture.\n\n\n22. \nMake tea or coffee and really savour the taste and experience\n. I have a mini beverage collection \u2013 there are at least 10 varieties of tea/coffee in the kitchen cabinet. I could make myself that tea that I haven\u2019t tried in a while.\n\n\n23. \nMake another list\n. I do like making them. A list of new income ideas? A list of new ways to monetise RoR? Lots of things to think about and jot down, so I can remember them (like this one).\n\n\nWell, that\u2019s a lot of things to do at home instead of spending money. I have no excuse to do online-shopping, do I?\n\n\nWhat do YOU do when you try to keep yourself occupied while not spending money and stop online shopping habit? Is Shopee also your devil or is it another shop?\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/shopping/teeth-whitening-malaysia/", "title": "Teeth Whitening Price Malaysia at Dental Clinics, Whitening Strips & More\n  ", "body": "\n\nSo you have a major life event coming up, and want to do teeth whitening in Malaysia. You\u2019ve come to the right place \u2013 I\u2019ve compiled 5 teeth whitening options you can do, the price and costs involved, and the pros and cons for each options. \n\n\nOption #1 \u2013 Professional Teeth Whitening in Malaysia Dental Clinics\n\n\nThe first option is of course, professional teeth whitening services that\u2019s offered by dental clinics. \n\n\nProfessional Teeth Whitening in Malaysia price\n:  From RM500++, may go up to RM1000+\n\n\nI did professional teeth whitening in 2020, just before \nmy wedding\n. Mine costs RM849 all-in, including consultation, scaling and polishing. \n\n\nI\u2019m really happy with the results. This was my before/after shot:\n\n\n\n\nDuring my session, my teeth went 4 shades lighter \u2013 apparently the max it will go, or close. \n\n\nLet me show you the actual teeth colour scale the dentist used. \n\n\n\n\nIn case you\u2019re wondering, yes that\u2019s the maximum whitest shade your teeth will go \u2013 it is not possible to go whiter. In reality, super white teeth is abnormal!  \n\n\nYour final result will also depend on your teeth\u2019s original colour. It will go a few shades lighter based on the scale. \nIf you start from B4 (far rights), it is not possible to get to B1 (far left).\n \n\n\nPros of doing professional teeth whitening in Malaysia:\n\n\n\n\nIt works! Your teeth colour will be visibly lighter by a few shades\n\n\nGreat opportunity to check overall dental hygiene because you\u2019re at the dentist already\n\n\n\n\nCons of doing professional teeth whitening in Malaysia:\n\n\n\n\nWill take a few hours to complete (mine took around 2 hours)\n\n\nThere may be unexpected costs \u2013 ie, need to do scaling, do dental filling, etc. This is good for your dental health though\n\n\nDepending on your coffee/wine/smoking/ other stain-food intake, the lighter teeth colour will only last 6 months to 1 year or so\n\n\n\n\nNote: this type of teeth whitening procedure is not the same with laser teeth whitening procedure. I believe that is more expensive and in the thousands range. If you have info about laser teeth whitening, please leave a comment below. \n\n\nOption #2 \u2013 Buy Teeth Whitening Kit Malaysia\n\n\nThe next option is to simply buy a (reputable) teeth whitening kit. \n\n\nTeeth whitening kits may come as teeth whitening gels and teeth whitening trays. Both have their fans, but I would recommend trying teeth whitening strips because they are the ones that work the best. \n\n\nThe strips usually come in packs of 7, 14 or 20 treatments, with each treatment containing 2 strips \u2013 one for the top and one for the bottom teeth. \n\n\n\n\nPrice of doing teeth whitening kit in Malaysia:\n A good kit will cost at least RM100-RM200++ depending on number of treatments (strips)\n\n\nPros of doing teeth whitening kit in Malaysia:\n\n\n\n\nIt does work! (but need to be disciplined to complete)\n\n\nMore affordable than #1\n\n\nFairly easy to mould on uneven teeth\n\n\n\n\nCons of doing teeth whitening kit in Malaysia:\n\n\n\n\nMay not be suitable for people with sensitive teeth/gum\n\n\nCan be hard to apply and/or uncomfortable (the first time I tried applying the strips, it took a few tries to get it right)\n\n\nCareful of imitation products \u2013 avoid unknown brands and fake products. You don\u2019t know what\u2019s in there and it might permanently damage your teeth!\n\n\nDepending on your coffee/wine/smoking/ other stain-food intake, the lighter teeth colour will only last 6 months to 1 year or so\n\n\n\n\nWhere to buy teeth whitening kit in Malaysia:\n\n\n\n\nYour dentist might sell teeth whitening kits, or simply \n\n\nBuy \nCrestWhite 3D strips on Shopee\n (not a bad idea to get from Shopee Mall)\n\n\n\n\nI tried these teeth whitening strips twice. I had good experience doing these teeth whitening strips the first time around, but for the second time, my teeth got too sensitive mid-way (I was around 5 treatments in?). It was too uncomfortable and I couldn\u2019t complete the rest of the treatments. \n\n\nSo, if you think you have sensitive teeth, get the sensitive-friendly version, or only the 14 strips (7 treatment) version. \n\n\nOption #3 \u2013 Get veneers in Malaysia \n\n\nIf Options 1 and 2 is underwhelming for you, and what you want is the \u2018perfect smile\u2019 instead, then you might not be looking for teeth whitening in Malaysia at all. You might be looking for\u2026 veneers. \n\n\nVeneers is the reason why many of  your favourite celebrities look as good as they do. When one does veneers, not only they can get the \u2018perfect\u2019 teeth, but also in the lightest shade that suites them. \n\n\nYou can find more examples online, but here\u2019s one great example of veneers usage by a huge celebrity, Christiano Ronaldo. Ngl, he looks really good. \n\n\n\n\nHowever, this kinda smile doesn\u2019t come cheap. \n\n\nCost of veneers in Malaysia:\n According to \nthis dental clinic\n, \u2018composite veneers treatment starts from RM500 (per tooth) and above, while Porcelain veneers will cost you RM1500 (per tooth) and above.\u2019 So you\u2019re looking at a few thousand.\n\n\nPros of doing veneers in Malaysia:\n\n\n\n\nLooks amazing\n\n\nLong-lasting\n\n\n\n\nCons of doing veneers in Malaysia:\n\n\n\n\nMost expensive option\n\n\nUnethical providers might offer fake veneers. Please avoid them. \n\n\n\n\nNote: If you want straighter teeth, you might want to do braces instead of veneers. Check out the options and costs in my \nBraces Price in Malaysia: Cheapest to Most Expensive Options\n article\n\n\nOption #4 \u2013 Teeth whitening toothpastes\n\n\nAccording to my dentist and online medical sources, teeth whitening products fall under two types: contain chemicals to lighten teeth colour (hydrogen peroxide) or contain abrasives to remove stains (hydrated silica, charcoal, baking soda, microbeads etc). \n\n\nTherefore, you can look for toothpastes that contain hydrogen peroxide, silica or abrasives to lighten your teeth. \n\n\nHydrogen peroxide is the same ingredient the dentist will use for professional teeth whitening (Option #1). The higher the hydrogen peroxide content, the more effective the toothpaste will be at whitening. However, higher hydrogen peroxide % may also irritate your teeth and gums more.\n\n\nPrice of teeth whitening toothpastes in Malaysia\n: RM10++ to RM30++, depending on brand\n\n\nPros of teeth whitening toothpastes:\n\n\n\n\nMost affordable option\n\n\n\n\nCons of teeth whitening toothpastes:\n\n\n\n\nDon\u2019t expect drastic change to teeth colour\n\n\n\n\nHere are some teeth whitening toothpastes you can buy:\n\n\n\n\nCrest 3D White Teeth Whitening Toothpaste\n on Shopee (4% hydrogen peroxide*)\n\n\nColgate Optic White Sparkling White Whitening Toothpaste\n on Shopee (removes surface stains)\n\n\nSensodyne Repair and Protect Deep Repair Whitening Toothpaste\n on Shopee (remove surface stains but good for people with sensitive teeth)\n\n\n\n\n*Based on my Googling\n\n\n(As a comparison, Crest 3D whitening strips (Option #2) contain \n6%-14% of hydrogen peroxide\n, depending on the product)\n\n\nLet\u2019s check out the last option for teeth whitening in Malaysia. \n\n\nOption #5 \u2013 DIY Teeth whitener tools and products \n\n\nAs far as I know, most of the \nDIY ways to whiten your teeth doesn\u2019t work\n, at least not in a significant or fast way. \n\n\nI also tried one of these teeth whitener tools and disappointed to say it doesn\u2019t work (that or I expected too much from 10 mins of use). \n\n\n\n\nI would skip and just go with Options #1, #2, #3 or #4. \n\n\nWhat is your favourite teeth whitening option?\n\n\nPersonally, I am someone who will not quit drinking coffee (or start drinking it out of a straw) so I\u2019m always interested in teeth whitening products and services. I find it boosts my confidence, so it\u2019s a worthwhile purchase for me. \n\n\nThat\u2019s all the info I have about teeth whitening price and options in Malaysia today! If you have done teeth whitening, please share your experience and costs in the comments section. What other pros and cons did I miss?\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/shopping/wedding-gift-malaysia/", "title": "57 Wedding Gift Ideas for Newlyweds + 79 Door Gift Ideas for Weddings in Malaysia\n  ", "body": "\n\nI\u2019m happy with how things turned out in the end, but the thing about having your \nwedding reception cancelled due to the pandemic\n is I never got closure for some wedding-related research I did. \n\n\nSo I\u2019m just going to use my own blog to brain-dump 2 sets of lists:\n\n\nPart 1: Wedding gift ideas (for newlyweds), and\nPart 2: Wedding door gift ideas (for the guests)\n\n\nI had fun compiling them and while I didn\u2019t get the chance to use the info, hopefully it\u2019ll help in your wedding prep instead of forgotten forever \ud83d\ude42 \n\n\nPart 1: Wedding Gift Malaysia \u2013 Wedding Gift Ideas for the Newlyweds\n\n\nThese wedding gifts for the newlyweds are divided under the following subcategories:\n\n\nCan\u2019t-go-wrong wedding gift \nKitchen items\nKitchen appliances\nElectronics\nBedroom/ living room/ toilet\n\n\nLet\u2019s start with..\n\n\n#1 \u2013 \nCan\u2019t-go-wrong wedding gift:\n\n\nMoney (for honeymoon, house downpayment etc)\nGold (bar/ coin/ jewelry) (admittedly very expensive but I did say can\u2019t go wrong with this gift)\nGift cards and vouchers \u2013 you can find AEON cash voucher, IKEA gift cards, even hotel vouchers and grocery store cash vouchers at \nGiftr.my\n\n\nIf you honestly don\u2019t know what\u2019s to give, money or a gift card in a pretty angpow plus a note is a great wedding gift for Malaysians, especially in this economy. You can put a nice message like \u2018towards your honeymoon\u2019 or \u2018for your new life together\u2019 or \u2018have a wonderful dinner date on me\u2019 or something thoughtful like that. \n\n\n#2 \u2013 \nKitchen items:\n\n\n\n\nOtherwise, if you \nhave lots of TreatPoints\n prefer to gift something practical, can\u2019t go wrong with kitchen items (and kitchen appliances, see #3). \n\n\n\n\nTableware set\nKitchen organiser set\nPots and pans\nTeapot set\nBaking dish\nChopping board\nTupperware\nTiffin \nKnife set\nFood slicer\nUtensil set\nDrinking glass\nMug set\nSpice rack\nBougie groceries (truffle salt set? Ground coffee from coffee beans harvested under the moonlight? Idk up to you)\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Kitchen appliances:\n\n\nAir fryer\nMicrowave\nElectric kettle\nRice cooker\nBlender \nHand blender set\nHot water dispenser\nMixer\nJuicer\nWaffle maker\nToaster\nOven\nFood processor\nBread maker\nSteamboat kit\nFondue kit\nCoffeemaker \u2013 Drip\nCoffeemaker \u2013 French press\nCoffeemaker \u2013 Moka pot\nCoffeemaker \u2013 Aeropress\n\n\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 \nElectronics:\n\n\nThe prices for some items in this category can be a bit steep but I\u2019ve seen friends pool their money together to give a group gift instead of individual \n\n\nIron\nSteam iron\nHair dryer\nElectric fan\nVacuum cleaner (handheld or robo)\nHumidifier\nAir purifier\nElectric toothbrush\nCar dash cam\n\n\n#5 \u2013 \nBedroom/Living room/Toilet:\n\n\nBedsheet set\nHouse plant (plastic)\nHouse plant (real)\nPicture frame\nFramed poster\nClock\nTowels\nFancy bathsoaps\nFancy candles\nDecorative items (vase, mirror etc)\n\n\n\n\nAnd that\u2019s all I have for the wedding gifts section \ud83d\ude42 What do you think, was it comprehensive or there are more to add to this wedding list Malaysia listicle? \n\n\n\n\nPart 2: Wedding Door Gift Malaysia \u2013 Wedding Gift Ideas for Guests\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThese wedding door gifts for the guests are divided under the following subcategories:\n\n\nFood\nReligious\nPractical wedding doorgift ideas\nFun/quirky wedding doorgift ideas\nOut-of-the-box door gift ideas \n\n\n#1 \u2013 Food:\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCandy (lollipop, etc)\nNuts \u2013 Amazing Grace sells \nvariety nuts packs\n for ~RM5 each\nChocolate\nMuruku\nKerepek/ Rempeyek\nBahulu\nJellies\nMuffin\nCookies\nPopcorn\nNuts \nNut butter \u2013 Amazing Grace sells \nnut butter variety mini jars\n for ~RM5.20 each\nBrownies\nDates\nCotton candy\nMacaron\nHoney\nGranola \u2013 Amazing Grace sells \n40g variety granola packs\n for ~RM5 each\nJam\nChocolate spread\nBoiled egg\nMarshmallow\nTea (bags, leaves)\nCoffee (drip or instant)\nHot chocolate\n\n\nFood is always a crowdpleaser, but there\u2019s a downside \u2013 in case your event got cancelled or postponed for whatever reason, some of them might go bad. So if there\u2019s a chance of that happening, suggest you to take the options with longer shelf-life like jams and packed food.\n\n\nOtherwise, you can consider the other door gift options, such as:\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Religious:\n\n\nTasbih (manual)\nTasbih (digital)\nYasin booklet\nMini sejadah\n\n\nOnly applicable for Muslim weddings, obviously. \n\n\n#3 \u2013 Practical wedding doorgift ideas:\n\n\nHand sanitiser\nMasks\nAlcohol wipes \nScented soap\nNotebook\nMint\nCutlery set\nChopstick set\nPouch\nKeychain\nHandkerchief\nMini towel\nCoaster\nSmall bowl \nTote bag\nPen/ Stationeries \nSewing kit\nTravel-size toiletaries\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Fun/quirky wedding doorgift ideas:\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSucculent\nBookmarks\nSalt and pepper shaker\nFolding fan\nMug\nMini perfume \nRoom freshener\nPotpouri sachets\nCar freshener/perfume\nCandle\nBottle opener\nBody scrub\nMagnets\nTealight holder\nDecorative crystal\nLip balm\nStuffed animal toy\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Out-of-the-box door gift ideas for Malaysia weddings:\n\n\nBread/ Buns\nSoy sauce\nCili sauce\nPacked drink\nCordial\nInstant noodles\nLadles\n(Actually most groceries items and small kitchen tools)\nVoucher/ Code to redeem free products/services \nSeeds/ Gardening kit\nFresh flowers\n\n\n\n\nAnd that\u2019s it, lots of options. Please help to add on in the comments: (1) what you would have liked as your wedding gift, and (2) awesome doorgifts you\u2019ve received while attending a wedding in Malaysia. \n\n\nAlso, if you are a vendor, feel free to drop your website/ social media in the comments section as well so people can check out your wares \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/travel/budget-bali-trip/", "title": "Under-RM2000 Travel: 6D5N Budget Bali Trip\n  ", "body": "Bali, for me, is one of those places that was easy to postpone a trip to, because it\u2019s so \u2018near\u2019 to Malaysia and I could technically go there \u2018anytime\u2019. It\u2019s only recently that I finally got my ass there.\n\n\nConfessions of a first-time visitor to Bali: I *did not* know it was this big of an island:\n\n\n*Not pictured: Nusa Penida, a smaller island located east of Zone 1 below\n\n\n\n\nSo\u2026 all this while, when y\u2019all say you went to Bali, you really meant you went to one (or a few) of those places right? Because there\u2019s no way you could cover them all.\n\n\nI wish I could explore more areas but I only had 6D5N to play around with \u2013 well 5D5N would be more accurate, excluding airport travel times \u2013 so I decided on 3 nights in Kuta + 2 nights in Ubud. Kuta allowed me to explore Uluwatu, Seminyak ad Legian, while Ubud allowed me to explore Tegalalang.\n\n\nMany of you recommended me to stay at Seminyak, Tanah Lot, Sanur and Nusa Penida. Next time around I\u2019ll try to stay at those locations \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nBudget Bali Trip Overview\n\n\n\n\nI went to Bali in December 2019. The exchange rate was around 100,000 rupiah = RM29~. In this article, let\u2019s just round it up to RM30 to make the calculations easier.\n\n\nHere are the major costs:\n\n\n\n\nFlights.\u00a0\nI bought the flight tickets way in advance, around September 2019. Flights to \nanywhere \nin December are expensive and I knew I have to get this one sorted out first. In other months, I could\u2019ve gotten return Kuala Lumpur-Denpasar tickets for ~RM300 or even less, but since it was December, my AirAsia tickets cost RM593.60 without check-in luggage or meals.\n\n\nAccommodation\n. Since I booked my flights super early, I had a lot of choices when it comes to accommodation. Basically, I considered every hotel/hostel which (1) cost under RM150 per night, (2) had amazing reviews, and (3) are located at central Kuta and Ubud.\n\n\nTransportation\n. Staying in town meant I could walk around, and spend less on taxis. More on this and airport transportation below.\n\n\nActivities.\n I also allocated some money for trips to local attractions and activities, most of which pre-booked in advance. More on this below.\n\n\nFood\n. I budgeted a generous (or so I thought ) RM20 per meal. It was enough, but barely \u2013 you can\u2019t escape tourist pricing 100% of the time.\u00a0 I\u2019d allocate RM30 per meal per person the next time around just to be safe.\n\n\n\n\nSavings tip 1:\n If you want cheaper flights, avoid December in general.\n\n\nSavings tip 2:\n I booked my accommodation via Booking.com via \nShopback\u00a0\n(note: referral link). Coincidentally Shopback was doing some travel promo to so I got upsized cashback too. After I decided which hotels I wanted, I compared the same place on a few booking sites \u2013 Booking.com, Agoda, Expedia etc \u2013 and picked the one with the lowest price and/or higher cashback.\n\n\nDay 1 \u2013 Arrival to Bali\n\n\nI arrived at Denpasar airport around 9.30pm, so it was quite late. After I picked up the travel SIM cards (Savings tip 3) and withdrew some rupiah from the ATM (Savings tip 4), we took a Grab to the hostel in Kuta (Savings tip 5). Checked in, went out for late dinner, hit the convenience store for some treats and went to bed by midnight.\n\n\n Some snacks bought from convenience stores in Bali. The Magnum was delicious!\n\n\nSavings tip 3:\u00a0\nI got my travel SIM card from \nKlook\n (note: referral link; get RM13.30 after you complete an activity). The price was good and most importantly, the staff helped to set it up on the spot. Get your internet sorted out early \u2013 especially if you need it to use Grab (see Savings tip 5)\n\n\nSavings tip 4: \nFor once, I cannot promote the use of BigPay card for ATM withdrawals in Bali. Two reasons:\n\n\n\n\nMaybe it was just my luck, but 4 out of 5 ATM withdrawal transactions I did at the airport were unsuccessful. That would have been fine, but \nthey considered the transaction valid and deducted the money from my account and now I have to go through the trouble to file a dispute form to claim it back\n. Imagine, RM950, stuck for up to 60 days, just like that.\n\n\nThe two ATMs which I did manage to withdraw money from only allows up to 1.5 million rupiah withdrawal per transaction. That\u2019s only RM450. I *could* make multiple transactions, sure, but remember each transaction comes with RM10 ATM withdrawal fee. One of the ATMs tacked on another 20,000 rupiah fee (~RM6) ON TOP of that charge.\n\n\n\n\nTherefore, if you plan on withdrawing more than RM450, I would suggest exchanging your RM into rupiah at a money exchanger instead, \nbefore\n you go on the trip. That would be the cheaper option.\n\n\nHowever, it\u2019s still a good idea to have some money in our BigPay card because many places like restaurants and hotels do accept card payments, and BigPay\u2019s exchange rate is still better than credit cards. Get extra RM10 credit if you use my BigPay referral code INLALP7ZLE. To download the app, find BigPay in \nPlayStore\n\u00a0(Android) or\u00a0\nAppstore\n\u00a0(iOS)\n\n\nSavings tip 5\n:\u00a0 Use Grab in Bali. The local taxi companies hate it, but they also wanted to charge me 300,000 rupiah (RM90!!) for a 10-minute car ride from the airport to my hostel in Kuta. The lowest quote I got from the official taxi stand was still 150,000 rupiah (RM45). Compare that to just 80,000 rupiah (~RM24) for the same car ride via Grab. You don\u2019t even have to re-install the app, its the exact same one!\n\n\nSavings tip 6:\n You can even book motorcycle rides via Grab app in Bali. Do that if you\u2019re a solo travellers, or even if you\u2019re an adventurous group. So much cheaper than Grab car rides.\n\n\nDay 2 \u2013 Exploring Kuta 1\n\n\nI had a blast spending the morning half of Day 2 just walking around, leisurely exploring Kuta town on foot. We hung out at beautiful Pantai Jerman, then the weather got SCORCHING HOT so we sought refuge at the coffee shop with the coldest aircon setting.\n\n\nAt 2pm, our supir/driver/guide picked us up for our first tour activity from \nKlook\n \u2013 Uluwatu Temple Sunset and Kecak Fire Dance, which oddly came with a 1.5-hour stop at Padang-Padang Beach, but was pretty and worth visiting so everything\u2019s cool. The views at Uluwatu Temple was beautiful and the dance show was amazing, I really enjoyed my time there.\n\n\n\n\nSavings tip 7:\n Unlike Luang Prabang, where you should totally skip the overpriced packages on \nKlook\n, in Bali I actually would recommend buying your activities from there. The simple reason is because the guides care about getting good reviews (or at least, avoiding negative reviews) and will truly do their best to give you a good experience.\n\n\nMy guides were great. They have umbrellas in case it rained, they helped me take pictures, they shared lots of information. The price is justifiable for that level of service and beats haggling with independent taxi drivers from the streets.\n\n\nDay 3 \u2013 Exploring Kuta 2\n\n\nI dedicated Day 3 as free-and-easy Kuta exploration day \ud83d\ude42 The main streets are easy enough to navigate and it\u2019s a very tourist-friendly town.\n\n\nThere are lots of things to see, touch, buy and eat. Lots of people will be jostling you to hire their taxi service, or buy their ice cream, or get a massage, or buy souvenirs. It got a bit overwhelming sometimes. I understand why people stay at resorts with private beaches, just to get some peace and quiet.\n\n\nOn the day, I walked from Line 3 Stop 1 until Line 3 Stop 5, then walked over to Line 4 Stop 9, then took the Kura Kura bus (Savings tip 8) to explore other areas, including Seminyak and Legian Beach.\n\n\n\n\nSavings tip 8\n: I have mixed feelings about the Kura-Kura bus. On one hand, it gives you a good overview of must-visit tourist attractions in Bali, and the flexibility to get there if you decide to. On another, planning your activities around its schedule was a bummer. I missed a bus and didn\u2019t want to wait an hour for the next one so I took a Grab back to the hotel.\n\n\nI\u2019d suggest buying a Day pass if you enjoy being on a van that just tours around busy streets, so you can sight-see in comfort, without people trying to sell you stuff. But if that\u2019s not important\u2026 then skip it and just Grab to any location you want. If you want to buy Kura Kura Bus day passes, they are sold for cheaper on the \nKlook\n platform.\n\n\nDay 4 \u2013 Going to Ubud\n\n\nI had planned to take the Kura Kura bus directly to Ubud, but my travelling partner loved the Kecak Fire Dance so much (it was REALLY good!) that we decided to watch the Sahadewa Barong Dance too. We bought the tickets on \nKlook\n.\n\n\n\n\nUpon arrival to Ubud, we explored Ubud town and also entered the Ubud Monkey Reserve Forest (80k rupiah entry fee, ~RM24). Didn\u2019t plan to but glad I did \u2013 it was a visually beautiful location. Plus you can see baby monkeys!\n\n\n\n\nSavings tip 9\n: The Kura Kura bus pass is one of the cheapest (for tourists at least) options for Kuta-Ubud travel, especially for solo travellers. At time of writing, 1-Day pass is RM26.69 and a 3-day pass is RM40 person. A direct Kuta-Ubud Grab car ride would cost roughly 200,000 rupiah (~RM60), depending on location and time of day. You do have to book your seat in advance just in case it fills up.\n\n\nAgain, you can buy the Day Pass from \nKlook\n platform. Remember to activate \nShopback\n so you get additional cashback!\n\n\nDay 5 \u2013 Waterfall tour\n\n\nAnother tour booked on \nKlook\n \u2013 a whole-day Bali Hidden Waterfalls Trip: Best of Ubud Waterfalls! Our guide picked us up at 8.30am and we made it to 2 absolutely beautiful waterfalls and a trip to the famous Tegalalang Rice Terraces.\n\n\n\n\nWorth noting: skip this activity if you\u2019re not physically active. We actually decided to skip the last waterfall and head back to the hotel earlier because all the locations had so many steep stairs and it was really tiring. Our driver said that some tourists do cut their trips short \u2013 as early as one hour in \u2013 upon discovering the level of physical exertion needed. I don\u2019t want you to waste money and time.\n\n\nAfter that we spent the remaining evening walking around Ubud town, trying out Luwak coffee (80,000 rupiah per cup or ~RM24) at a place which featured tame civet cats. It was quite the experience sipping coffee knowing it came from their poop. They were super cute though.\n\n\n(They didn\u2019t seem drugged, which was nice)\n\n\n\n\nSavings tip 10:\n If you\u2019re on a budget, make sure to tell your driver your lunch budget because they might take you to a very pricey \u2013 but admittedly nice \u2013 restaurant for lunch. I requested for a nasi campur place, hoping for below-50,000 rupiah per meal (~RM15), and he took us to this place where the meal cost 120,000 rupiah (~RM36) before taxes.\n\n\nIn the end we ended up at a roadside Nasi Padang place which overcharged us simply because we were tourists. Paid 70,000 (~RM21) rupiah for rice+chicken+vege+tempe combo. Had to grit my teeth to that one. At least it was delicious.\n\n\nAlso, while technically you\u2019re not obligated to pay for his lunch, you might feel pressured to. I did because he kinda hovered around the whole time.\n\n\nDay 6 \u2013 Departure\n\n\nNothing much for Day 6. Had a leisurely breakfast at the hotel, then a driver (also booked from \nKlook\n \u2013 cheaper than quoted by the hotel) drove us to the airport.\n\n\nSavings tip 11: \nFood at Denpasar airport is VERY EXPENSIVE so if you\u2019re on a budget, bring some snacks or eat your meals beforehand.\n\n\nTotal cost for my budget Bali trip\n\n\nIn total, I spent RM1815.10 on my 6D5N budget Bali trip, all-in. Could it be cheaper? Sure, if you got cheaper flight tickets, but other than that my budget was quite lean as it is. I also stayed at cheap but private places (not the fancy resorts/villas), didn\u2019t buy any souvenirs and didn\u2019t visit the far-away places.\n\n\n(I also forgot to buy travel insurance whoops don\u2019t be like me kids)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nItem\n\n\nBudgeted\u00a0\n\n\nActual\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFlights\n\n\nRM600\n\n\nRM593.60\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPre-booked on \nKlook\n\n\n\n\nSIM card\n\n\nAirport transfer (DPS)\n\n\nUluwatu temple\n\n\nWaterfall tour\n\n\nKura Kura 3-Day bus pass\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRM400\n\n\nRM352\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHotels in Kuta + Ubud\n\n\nRM375\n\n(RM75 x 5 nights, per person)\n\n\nRM374.57\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFood, Drinks & Transportation\n\n\n1,750,000 rupiah / RM500\n\n(RM20 per meal x 20 meals + RM100)\n\n\nRM369.28\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAirport transfers (MY)\n\n\nRM65\n\n\nRM65\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEntertainment/Entrance fees/Other fees etc\n\n\n875,000 rupiah / RM250\n\n(RM50 per day x 5 days)\n\n\nRM60.65\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTOTAL\n\n\nRM2190\n\n\nRM1815.10\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSpecial thanks to everyone who shared your savings tips, including your itineraries, activity and location recommendations and others. Much appreciated, love you <3\n\n\n\n\nHave anyone been to Bali? Any money-saving advice to share?\n\n\nI\u2019m flying in December, where flight prices are ridiculous (but it\u2019s the only time I can go!) So I\u2019m keen to save money in other expenses!\n\n\n\u2014 Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror) \nSeptember 30, 2019\n\n\n\n\nAnyone else been to Bali before? Where did you stay and how much did it cost? Let me know your savings tips in the comments section below.\n\n\nRelated: Previous travel \u2013 \nLuang Prabang, Laos\n, \nHong Kong\n,\u00a0\nMaldives\n,\u00a0\nLangkawi\n,\u00a0\nKrabi,\n\u00a0\nOsaka+Kyoto\n, and \nSaigon\n\n\nMore pics/vids from the trip:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBali\u2019s nature, architecture and commercial spaces completely rejuvenated me *happy sigh* \u2764\ufe0f . Coming soon: breakdown of the 6D5N trip, costing RM1881 all-in . #bali #denpasar #ubud #ubudbali #kuta #kutabeach #civetcat #kopiluwak #baliwaterfall #pantaijerman #uluwatutemple #padangpadangbeach\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nDec 22, 2019 at 6:55pm PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nView this post on Instagram\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nVideos to relax to: #padangpadangbeach (15k IDR entry fee), #uluwatutemple (30k IDR entry fee), #ubudmonkeyforest (80k IDR entry fee)\n\n\nA post shared by \n Suraya Zainudin\n (@surayaror) on \nDec 23, 2019 at 5:26pm PST\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/travel/budget-hong-kong-trip/", "title": "5D 4N Below-RM2000 Budget Hong Kong Trip\n  ", "body": "\n\nI want to start this article by saying that I don\u2019t like Hong Kong as a travel destination. You don\u2019t feel relaxed as a tourist \u2013 it\u2019s a city where only money and status will get you that premium.\n\n\nI got ignored when asking a supermarket staff for help, got yelled at by a random uncle on the streets, got shoved by people everywhere, got my queue cut and just generally received horrible servicee. Rude people make me rude in return, so I hated myself there.\n\n\nBut\u2026 I\u2019m glad I still travelled there. It contextualises the news I get from that part of the world. Now I understand better about the housing crisis, and what people do to cope with the high cost of living.\n\n\nFrom conversations, locals confirmed that it\u2019s common for retirees to move to other countries, like China, Australia and Canada. Their retirement money stretches further there, plus they get a better quality of life.\n\n\nThis is not surprising \u2013 Hong Kong was described as a concrete jungle, and that is so true. I imagine the lush outdoors and privacy are things that retired Hongkees crave for, after a lifetime in the city.\n\n\nHong Kong Trip Overview\n\n\n\n\nMy trip can be considered a solo travel trip (my sister, who decided to join me, stayed at another hostel). All in all, I spent just under RM2000 for a 5 days, 4 nights trip to Hong Kong. When I went in April 2018, RM1 is around HKD2 \u2013 easy to calculate.\n\n\nIt\u2019s an expensive city to live in, no joke. Here\u2019s what I did to save money:\n\n\n\n\nAccommodation\n. I saved money by staying in a hostel near Kowloon area (instead of mainland Hong Kong, which is a lot more expensive). It costs HKD960 (RM480) for 4 nights. If you go as a pair, you might get a decent 2 or 3-star hotel for RM500-800 PER night in Kowloon area, which has a very Chow Kit slash Petaling Street vibe.\n\n\nTransportation\n. This was reasonable. We got the Octopus card, aka their version of Touch N Go and used it for the MTR (train), ferry and tram rides. We also walked a lot.\n\n\nFood\n. Wtf. Sit-down meals are so expensive. Budget RM25-50 per meal here, and that\u2019s for food court and cafeteria-style meals. Street food are priced okay, but I didn\u2019t have a lot of those (cos many are not halal). The only street food I had was herbal eggs \u2013 4 small eggs for HKD10 (RM5). Groceries are pretty expensive too, but we shelled out for this anyway because of food restrictions. I brought snacks from home \u2013 that helped a lot with the food expenses.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIf you go to Hong Kong and want a good hotel and explore the culinary side of Hong Kong, expect to pay more than RM2000 per person for the same trip.\n\n\nOn the surface, there are a lot of activities you can do in Hong Kong. I jotted down the following activities in my notebook (the ones in * means we did them), plus the cost:\n\n\n\n\nDisneyland* \u2013 RM258 on Klook\n\n\nOcean World \u2013 RM202 on Klook\n\n\nHong Kong Walking Tour (\nlink\n) \u2013 technically free, but they expect tips\n\n\nDay trip to Macau \u2013 cost of ferry ride\n\n\nDay trip to Schenzen \u2013 cost of train and visa\n\n\nMuseums (History; Art; Space) \u2013 small fee, around HKD10 per entry. Apparently you can get in free on Wednesdays\n\n\nDragon\u2019s Back hike \u2013 free\n\n\nExplore Kowloon* \u2013 free\n\n\nExplore Hong Kong Island* \u2013 free\n\n\nThe Peak tram* \u2013 HKD52-99\n\n\nNgong Ping cable car \u2013 RM67-92 on Klook\n\n\nSymphony of Lights show* \u2013 free\n\n\nRacecourse \u2013 cost of a small bet on a racehorse, just to experience the full vibe\n\n\n\n\nSavings tip 1:\n\u00a0Get promo flight tickets from AirAsia if you can. Mine was RM439 return without luggage. My sister bought later, and it costs her RM700+. I bought my flights and accommodation via Expedia from\u00a0\nShopback\u00a0\n(note: referral link). So I got some cashback here, yay.\n\n\nSavings tip 2\n:\u00a0 If you\u2019re not a foodie, have food restrictions, or on a strict budget but don\u2019t want to eat only street food, then prepare/bring your own food and snacks. Shit\u2019s fairly expensive.\n\n\nDay 1 \u2013 Arrival to Hong Kong Airport\n\n\nAfter arrival, the first thing we did was pick up our SIM cards at the airport.\u00a0Let\u2019s just say I\u2019m glad we got phone internet. Google Maps saved our asses while we were there, because asking people for directions was not something we felt comfortable doing.\n\n\nI don\u2019t know, most locals who I talked to made it seem like I\u2019m wasting their time when I\u2019m conversing with them. Don\u2019t expect good service from people you\u2019re buying stuff from, too (unless you go to premium places).\n\n\nAfter internet was sorted out, we took the fast airport train to Kowloon (bought from Klook). We checked in at our hostels, got some food from the grocery shop, then explored Mong Kok area in Kowloon: the Ladies Market, the Flowers Market and the shopping streets around it.\n\n\n Flowers Market\n\n\nIt was Saturday, so the streets were predictably full. Some observations:\n\n\n\n\nSasa, the beauty shop, was everywhere\n\n\nTheir Guardian (the pharmacy we have here) is called Mannings, and they\u2019re everywhere too\n\n\nOlder Hong Kongers seems to have an active social life. They were out and about everywhere. We saw some street karaoke and open dancing to (what I think is) old-school Chinese romantic music\n\n\nExplore the nooks. Sometimes the unassuming escalators and stairs bring you to interesting, off-the-streets shops\n\n\n\n\nSavings tip 3\n: Klook sells both SIM cards and portable WiFi device. The former is a bargain for RM26, as opposed to the latter\u2019s RM21-per-day charge. Find Klook at\u00a0\nShopback\u00a0\n(note: referral link).\u00a0 We also bought out return airport transfer train tickets from Klook.\n\n\nSavings tip 3:\n \nDon\u2019t buy\n the Octopus card from Klook, though. They only sell the tourist version for RM47, which comes with HKD50 in pre-loaded credit (RM25). That means you\u2019ll lose RM22 even if you use up all your credit.\n\n\nInstead, buy your Octopus card at any MTR station in Hong Kong. It\u2019ll cost HKD150, inclusive of HKD100 in pre-loaded credit plus HKD50 deposit. You can return your card and get back your unused balance and deposit \u2013 the only charge is HKD9 (RM4.50) as service fee if you return the card before 90 days\u2019 usage (or something like that).\n\n\nSavings tip 5:\u00a0\nWater at convenience shops are expensive! HKD12 (RM6) for a 1.5 liter-bottle was the cheapest we\u2019ve found. Try to stay at a place where filtered water is provided FOC. If that\u2019s not possible, then buy your water at the grocery shops, not at 7-Eleven.\n\n\nDay 2 \u2013 Going to Hong Kong Island\n\n\nYou have two options going from Kowloon to Hong Kong Island: ferry and train/MTR. We prefer the ferry \u2013 the ride was cheap (HKD3~) and you can get a great view of Hong Kong Island.\n\n\nThis is a theory \u2013 I have no idea if this is true, but this is a theory anyhow \u2013 Sunday might be the designated day off for Hong Kong\u2019s many foreign workers. Upon arrival, we saw many Indonesian and Filipino nationals camping in the public areas, including on sidewalks.\n\n\nThey even set up small \u2018rooms\u2019 made of cardboard, housing between 4-10 people, all eating and chatting and generally socialising. Good for them and all, but yeah, didn\u2019t expect the smell of homemade fried noodles just outside of Louis Vuitton, you know?\n\n\n\n\nIn Hong Kong Island, we pretty much just walked around. If we were more into architecture, we would probably ogle and appreciate the skyscrapers a bit more. But for us, it was pretty much \u2018oh, they\u2019re tall and shiny\u2019, that\u2019s it.\n\n\nWalking around Hong Kong Island was alright. Not that much to look at if you\u2019re not actively shopping, if I\u2019m honest. We went on the famous Central-Mid Levels escalators and walkways \u2013 the long one, the one that stretches more than 800 meters.\n\n\n\n\nThe best-value experience was the tram rides \u2013 it was just HKD2ish for any distance. Find them, the stops look like this:\n\n\n\n\nFor lunch, my sister took me to the Islamic Centre\u2019s Canteen for a dim sum meal (\nlocation\n). The cafeteria meal costs us more than RM50 per person, but hey, I had dim sum in Hong Kong.\n\n\n\n\nMini-drama \u2013 I lost my Octopus card soon after that. Lost about HKD120 in value \ud83d\ude41 We backtracked to try and find it, but in the end I had to purchase another one, sigh. Considering how the card is pretty much essential to daily life, it\u2019s pretty surprising that you can\u2019t get a refund on the balance if you lose it. I asked.\n\n\nAt night, we watched the Symphony of Lights show at 8pm.\n\n\n\n\nSavings tip 6:\n\u00a0Take the tram, get to the top deck and do your people watching from there. It\u2019s much calmer than walking around. Outdoor cafes \u2013 my preferred and usual go-to spot to do people watching while on holidays \u2013 was a rarity.\n\n\nDay 3 \u2013 Disneyland\n\n\nOf course we went to Disneyland! It was a good day \u2013 we had company (Matan, an Israeli dude my sister brought along from her hostel), the weather was good, we caught all the good shows and the crowd was not horrible. We even went on some rides twice!\n\n\n\n\nYou know, I keep forgetting that Disney is more than Disney characters. I forgot they also own Marvel and Star Wars \u2013 as evidenced by the Iron Man Experience and Hyperspace Mountain rides. That was a pleasant surprise. Jarvis speaks in Cantonese there, fyi.\n\n\nMeals in Disneyland Hong Kong was crazy expensive. HKD140 (RM70) and above is common for a set meal. To save money, I brought snacks and refilled my water bottle at water coolers \u2013 find them near toilets. I don\u2019t think you can bring pre-packed meals, but snacks are fine. Thank God, because I was legit worried when we need to get our bags inspected (mandatory).\n\n\nI bought a pair of sunglasses. Coincidentally mine broke. Totally needed it, it was glaring hot. Or so I tell myself \ud83d\ude1b It was HKD178.\n\n\n\n\nSavings tip 7:\n\u00a0\nKlook sells Disneyland tickets at cheaper rates. I also saw (but didn\u2019t buy) discounted tickets for Ocean World, Ngong Ping cable car, ferry tickets to Macau and more from Klook. I can recommend it \u2013 no printouts required. Browse Klook from\u00a0\nShopback\u00a0\n(note: referral link) for additional cashback in addition to their discounts.\n\n\nSavings tip 8:\u00a0\nBring a water bottle (and some snacks) into Disneyland.\n\n\nDay 4 \u2013 \nHiking at Dragon\u2019s Back\n \nMuseums\n Just wandered around\u2026\n\n\nDay 4. I\u2019ve never been so bored on vacation on just Day 4 before.\n\n\nOk, so the original plan was to go hiking at \nDragon\u2019s Back trail\n.\n\n\nIt rained, so that was cancelled.\n\n\nThen we thought, okay, let\u2019s check out the museums.\n\n\nIt was Tuesday, THE ONLY DAY THE MUSEUMS ARE CLOSED.\n\n\nSo we kinda walked around aimlessly. Found a halal Indian/Middle Eastern restaurant with a lunch deal (HKD45/RM22.50 for roast chicken salad and a drink). Walked through a park, that was nice. They had these giant cartoon characters. Here\u2019s one of them. I have no idea who he is, but I thought he looked the coolest.\n\n\n\n\nThen we got bored again. Googled \u2018things to do in Hong Kong indoors\u2019. Everything that came up was boring: bowling, shopping, escape games, indoor trampoline.\n\n\nSo we decided to go to The Peak for a view of the city. We didn\u2019t originally plan for this, or I would have bought the tickets on Klook, too.\n\n\nThe tram up to The Peak was alright. Charmingly colonial, if you ignore the darker side of history.\n\n\n\n\nTemperature is noticeably cooler. There was a 3D gallery for picture-taking. We got the HKD99 tickets which include entry to an over-glorified rooftop (they call it Sky Terrace 428, or the \u2018viewing platform\u2019).\n\n\nThere were just two sorry benches there. If you sit down anywhere else, you\u2019ll get yelled at (I got yelled at).\n\n\n\n\nAfter a couple of hours at The Peak, after we browsed all the shops there (it\u2019s like a micro Genting Highlands \u2013 Madam Toussands is there too), we got bored again.\n\n\nThe rest of the night was not memorable \u2013 we went to what was supposed to be a \u2018happening\u2019 mall called Times Square, hoping to be entertained, but soon got bored of that, too. Our malls are nicer to hang out in.\n\n\nIn the end, we just decided to pack some food \u2013 my sister Googled and found a halal shop at a dingy food court. She got duck rice (HKD45/RM22.50), I got mutton curry (HKD66/RM33) \u2013 can I remind you these are food court prices?\n\n\n\n\nA side visit to Ladies Market in Mong Kok got my sister some key chains as souvenirs. I\u2019m pretty sure a local man cursed my sister in Cantonese, for bumping into him while walking the narrow path between shops at Ladies Market. Tired and in low spirits, we called it a night and headed back to our respective hostels.\n\n\nSavings tip 9\n: Skip the pricier HKD99 The Peak ticket that includes entry to Sky Terrace 428 at The Peak. Instead, buy the HKD52 tickets for just the tram ride. To get more or less the same view, sit at one of the restaurants \none floor below.\u00a0\nIt\u2019ll cost you the price of\u00a0a meal or a drink, but you get to sit down and actually appreciate the view.\n\n\nSavings tip 10:\u00a0\nIf you still want the entry to Sky Terrace 428, get your tickets from Klook. Cheaper than buying at the location.\n\n\nSavings tip 11:\u00a0\nIf you want to buy anything at Ladies Market, be prepared to bargain\u00a0\nhard.\u00a0\nTo give you an example, the key chains my sister wanted was HKD150 for 5 pieces. She bargained that down to HKD40, and it\u2019s possible to go even lower than that.\n\n\nThe shop owners are thick-skinned when it comes to business, and can get physical. This one woman grabbed my sister as she walked away, refusing to let go until I said\u00a0 \u201cNo!\u201d loudly.\n\n\nSavings tip 12:\u00a0\nI usually buy small snack packs as souvenirs, but the ones I saw were not worth the price. However, I can say that beauty products in general are okay-priced there. Face masks at Sasa make interesting souvenirs, especially the ones with animal faces on them. They\u2019re cheaper in Hong Kong than in Malaysia \u2013 I checked.\n\n\nDay 5 \u2013 Leaving Hong Kong\n\n\nYou can guess that by this point, I was keen to leave Hong Kong. Our flight was at 6ish pm though \u2013 plenty of time to waste.\n\n\nBut, if I may say so myself, we wasted it well. We got to the airport early, bought ourselves tickets to The Avengers: Infinity War, which was just released on the very day, and watched that on IMAX 3D. It was HKD120 (RM60), inclusive of the glasses, but one of the highlights of the trip.\n\n\nI\u2019m sorry to keep going back to how rude Hong Kong people are, but they were. On the flight back, a child kept kicking the back of my seat, so I told the mother to keep an eye on the child. She looked angry, replied back something in Cantonese (no idea what, but angry tone), then let her child continue kicking my seat for the remaining 2 hours.\n\n\nI was so happy to be back in Malaysia. People are so much more kinder here. I won\u2019t take that for granted anymore.\n\n\nSavings tip 13:\u00a0\nIf you\u2019re hungry at the airport and on a budget, you can buy instant noodles at 7 Eleven and eat that. There are water coolers around, too, to refill water bottles. (I probably saved at least RM50 in water costs thanks to my water bottle).\n\n\nTotal cost for my budget Hong Kong trip\n\n\nIn total, I spent RM1968.50 for this trip. Not a huge amount, I\u2019m glad \u2013 will save my money for better places.\n\n\nI welcome all Hong Kong-specific budget hacks you have, too \u2013 share in the comments section. I would also welcome cultural hacks. Is it possible to get better treatment? When I came back and shared Hong Kong stories, some people who\u2019ve been there was like, yep, that sounds like Hong Kong.\n\n\nBreakdown of expenses in the table below. But unless it\u2019s a business trip, and unless you\u2019re specifically looking for a Disneyland experience, I\u2019d suggest going to other countries for a holiday, instead.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nItem\n\n\nBudgeted\u00a0\n\n\nActual\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFlight tickets KL-Hong Kong (AirAsia)\n\n\nRM439\n\n\nRM439\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAccommodation (Booking.com)\n\n\nHKD960 (RM480)\n\n\nRM480\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKlook pre-payments\u00a0 (SIM card + Disneyland + Return airport transfer)\n\n\nRM500\n\n\nRM26 + RM246.50 + RM65 = RM337.50\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFood & Drinks\n\n\nHKD1400 (HKD100 per meal x 14 meals) (RM700)\n\n\nHKD520 (RM260; includes groceries)\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPublic transportation (bus, ferry, tram)\n\n\nHKD500 (HKD100 per day x 5 days) (RM250)\n\n\nHKD250 (RM125; including Octopus card replacement)\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEntertainment/shopping/souvenirs\n\n\nHKD600 (HKD150 per day x 4 days) (RM300)\n\n\nHKD654 (RM327)\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTOTAL\n\n\nRM2669\n\n\nRM1968.50\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRelated: Previous travel \u2013 \nMaldives\n,\u00a0\nLangkawi\n,\u00a0\nKrabi, Thailand,\n\u00a0\nOsaka+Kyoto\n, and \nSaigon, Vietnam\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/travel/hack-best-website-ever-to-look-for-cheap-flights/", "title": "Hack: Best website EVER to look for cheap flights\n  ", "body": "(Hint: It\u2019s not AirAsia.com)\n\n\n\u2014\u2014\u2014\n\n\nI am a budget-conscious traveler. If you are under 35 and grew up under AirAsia\u2019s promise of \u2018Now Everyone Can Fly\u2019, chances are you are a budget-conscious traveler, too.\n\n\nI admit that \nsometimes\n I feel entitled and expect to get cheap flights. In my defense, AirAsia spoiled me. Constant offers through various media channels made me believe that I \ndeserve\n that RM9 cheap flight ticket.\n\n\nBut as much as I love AirAsia (big fan!), today I am going to give you my ultimate hack in getting cheap flight tickets. It may include AirAsia, it may not, but you will get the \nbest possible price for cheap flights.\n\n\n\n\nWhen you want to travel, you will need to decide these three things:\n\n\n\n\nLocation\n\n\nDate\n\n\nDuration (of trip)\n\n\n\n\nBudget travelers usually take flight prices into consideration. At some level, it might even affect your travel decision. For example, you might decide to leave one day earlier in order to shave RM150 off the price of your flight tickets.\n\n\nThere\u2019s a lot of websites that can help you compare prices of flight tickets. AirAsia, for example, can easily show you how much flights cost on another day. But of course you are excluded from other airlines. With other websites like Skycanner, you can only check a country at a time.\n\n\nWhat if you can check all options in one website, for the ultimate cheap flights comparison?\n\n\nThe hack to get cheap flights\n\n\nIt\u2019s called \nGoogle Flights\n.\n\n\nIf you click on the page, you\u2019ll come to a very standard page. Where do you fly from? Where to? Departure date? Return date?\n\n\nBut do me a favor \u2013 click on \u2018Explore Map\u2019. It\u2019s in the red circle.\n\n\n\n\nThis is a mere snippet of what you may see:\n\n\n\n\nMy map is zoomed way out, but look \u2013 you can see the\n flight prices to go to different cities in the map itself\n! I used random dates for this example. You can see that it costs USD198 to go to Tokyo, USD140 to Hong Kong, USD 65 to Jakarta, etc.\n\n\nAll the red dots represent airports, so if you zoom in more, you can see prices of local flights, too.\n\n\nLet\u2019s say I am interested to visit Tokyo, Japan. I want to see if USD198 is a good price for my dates (20-24 January 2016). I click on \u2018Tokyo\u2019. This is what I get:\n\n\n\n\nLook! USD198 is indeed the best price for the dates chosen! More information about the flight is in the red circle. In this case, Vietnam Air is the service provider. The flight has an 11-hours layover at the Hanoi airport. If I am a hardcore budget traveler, this wouldn\u2019t be much of a problem. If I wanted something faster on these specific dates, I can select other options.\n\n\nCool? Here\u2019s where it gets cooler. What if you want to compare the prices for different departure dates? You click on your departure/return dates. It will show you three options. The first is Calendar.\n\n\n\n\nAs you can see, USD198 is still the cheapest option for KUL-NAR.\n\n\nEven cooler: the middle button \u2013 Flexible dates. Here you can easily click on a super user-friendly matrix. You can easily see how much it costs if you take different departure/return dates.\n\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s interesting \u2013 you can see that in this case, Mondays are bad days to depart and Wednesdays/ Thursdays are bad days to return.\n\n\nA same-day depart/return flight costs a whopping USD673 0.0\n\n\nYou can scroll the dates backwards/forward, too. I personally like longer stays \u2013 I might select 17-26 Jan 2016 because it costs the same as 20-24 Jan 2016.\n\n\nThe last button shows the price graph. Here you will see a bigger picture of the flight prices. Useful to just confirm what you already know \u2013 this particular flight is a\n freaking deal.\n\n\n\n\nAnd that\u2019s how you know you got the best price for your destination \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nDon\u2019t know where to go? It\u2019s also fun to let Google suggest you a location by clicking \u2018I\u2019m Feeling Lucky\u2019 (circled). Let\u2019s try it out.\n\n\nI got New York. It costs USD954 via Korean Air. Not bad.\n\n\n\n\nJust for fun, let\u2019s see if we can get a better price to New York.\n\n\nJackpot! See the red circle \u2013 Google gave a tip for an even cheaper flight! It now costs USD663, if I make the trip earlier by a day!\n\n\n\n\nI just saved about a third off this flight. Super easy.\n\n\nTry it out. It\u2019s one of my favorite travel hacks ever. Do you find it useful? Know an even better hack to get cheap flights? Share in the comments!\n\n\nIf this article helped you, share it okay \ud83d\ude42\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/travel/helpx-experience/", "title": "My HelpX Experience \u2013 An Alternative Method to Travel on a Budget\n  ", "body": "If you want to travel overseas but not spend TOO much on it, this article is for you.\u00a0 To be clear, this article does not give you typical ways to save money while traveling/choosing a travel package. \nYou folks already know how to do that, and you can also refer to \nmy travel articles\n.\n\n\nRather, this article is to review an alternative method to travel on the budget \u2013 via \nHelpX\n.\n\n\n\n\nHelpX stands for Help Exchange\n\n\nWhat is HelpX? Exactly what it says on the website. It\u2019s an \u201conline listing of host organic farms, non-organic farms, farmstays, homestays, ranches, lodges, B&Bs, backpackers hostels and even sailing boats who invite \nvolunteer helpers to stay with them short-term in exchange for food and accommodation\n.\u201d\n\n\nHelpX\n is considered a volunteering platform, and more widespread in Western nations \u2013 I\u2019m talking Europe, (North) America, Australia, places like that where these travel methods are more accepted. Without food and accommodation to worry about, your travel costs gets way, way cheaper.\n\n\n\n\nIs it legit? As someone who\u2019ve used it, yes. I\u2019ll share my HelpX experience below.\n\n\nNote: I am not paid for this review. Just sharing my amazing experiences.\n\n\nMy HelpX experience\n\n\nThe gist of HelpX travel is \u2013 contact hosts you like and ask if they have space for you on your preferred dates. If they say yes, book your ticket and turn up.\u00a0 Some hosts prefer shorter stays, some prefer longer. Hosters and Helpers can give each other reviews, so you can see experiences of volunteers before contacting them.\n\n\nYou can make a HelpX account for free, but you have to pay the HelpX membership to contact hosts. Becoming a member of HelpX costs 19 Euros for 2-year membership. \nIf you plan well, you can travel for up to 2 years, which\n\u00a0is extremely worth it.\n\n\nAll hosts expect you to work in exchange for food and accommodation, but in reality this was only like, 4 hours a day, more or less. The type of work also greatly varied.\n\n\nPersonally, I did 3 stints with HelpX:\n\n\n\n\nRural France for 7 weeks in 2009,\n\n\nBalingup, Australia for 3 weeks 2010, and\n\n\nIn a hills-part of Japan for 1 week (can\u2019t remember the year nor actual location)\n\n\n\n\nHopefully this will give an idea of what happens in a HelpX experience.\n\n\n1st HelpX Experience \u2013 France\n\n\nI was hosted in rural France, in lower Normandy. My hosts, a retired British couple, picked me up from the airport. This was my first stint, and for some reason they agreed to take me in (a newbie during the time) for 7 weeks.\n\n\nIt was honestly one of the most beautiful and memorable experiences in my life.\n\n\nMy main \u2018work\u2019 was taking care of farm animals. These included 3 goats (one of them extremely horny), 2 geese (one named, without irony, \u2018Lucifer\u2019), 2 dogs, 5 cats (including 1 old, blind, deaf, arthritic cat with liver problems, but otherwise very sweet), a bunch of rabbits and guinea pigs, and a bunch of chickens.\n\n\nThe work was easy enough \u2013 wake up, feed the goats, geese and chickens, collect the eggs, feed the guinea pigs, clean the pen every other day, walk the dogs, cuddle the cat, stuff like that.\n\n\nAfter \u2018work\u2019, I did whatever I wanted. Most of the time I read books (they had a big collection), or go online, or take walks. They had a cherry tree that I climbed (I kinda ate the whole tree, whoops). It was very rural \u2013 the nearest town was some drive away, but it was peaceful and slow. The host took me to a few touristy places, but that was only out of the kindness of his heart.\n\n\nThere\u2019s a very personal story here: about a week in, I was told that the lady\u2019s cancer came back. They asked if I wanted to leave, but by this time I was extremely attached to them, so I said I\u2019ll help around. In a few weeks, her health worsen. She passed away about 4 weeks in, in her home, surrounded by her family and loved pets. I will always remember that I fed her last meal: chocolate pudding.\n\n\n\n\nIt wasn\u2019t sad, per se. She was a very joyful person. She was just like, \u2018I hope I get to reincarnate into a seagull so I can steal your fries\u2019. I am very happy I got to meet her. RIP Debbie.\n\n\n2nd HelpX Experience \u2013 Balingup, Australia\n\n\nMy second HelpX experience was in Balingup, a town about 3 hours north of Perth. I stayed 3 weeks with a couple who owned an organic farm and slept in an old van in front of their farm. It was fitted with a good mattress and blinds \u2013 a lot more comfortable that you\u2019d think.\n\n\nThe couple had an ambitious goal of collecting every type of seeds from Australian plants. They were very environmentally conscious, and promoted sustainable farming.\n\n\nThat means no chemicals. I brushed my teeth with baking powder and washed my hair with apple cider vinegar. Even human waste gets decomposed into (supposedly good quality fertilizer). Most items were handmade, thrifted or traded. However, they do have a generator which provided electricity for a couple of hours a day \u2013 needed that for internet.\n\n\nMy work there was also quite minimal. I don\u2019t know if I appeared to be useless for hard labour, but I was given just simple stuff. I seeded artichokes, planted onions, and weeded. They taught me a lot of stuff that I still practice/incorporate into my life today \u2013 how permaculture works, making jam, how to knit, and handling an op-shop (second-hand shop).\n\n\nI will always remember this place as the place I beat my fear of the dark. The generator was turned off at night, and I navigated my way to the van outside the house with a manual light. This is one of those things that you have to wind up to generate enough electricity to light up, and I would wind it for \nhours \nbecause I was scared of the dark.\n\n\nBut as my arms got tired, and the light dimmed, and I got scared, looked up to the sky in frustration\u2026 and I saw the galaxy. The beautiful, magnificent galaxy.\n\n\nNow I don\u2019t mind living in places with no electricity, if you can give me that view. It was \ngorgeous\n.\n\n\n3rd HelpX Experience \u2013 Japan (I forgot the prefecture)\n\n\nI wanted to visit my Japanese host family, so to make the trip extra memorable I squeezed in a week-long HelpX experience, my third.\n\n\nMy host was an elderly Japanese man, who took me to his second house, a place that he rents out for short-term vacationers. I was supposed to help him with the cleaning up and general homekeeping before the next tourists came in, but in reality I was more like a granddaughter accompanying a grandfather.\n\n\nHe treated me to fancy sushi, made me homemade yogurt, introduced me to his neighbours (including someone who appeared to be an ex-yakuza, judging from his tattoos), and even discouraged me from working so he could take me on photography trips.\n\n\nYou see, he was a photography buff. We went to take pictures of proud Mount Fuji, witnessed the changing colours of leaves in forests, and he was happy to show me his nature photography collection.\n\n\nI mean, I still worked \u2013 I helped him to clean the toilet and sweep and stuff (had to earn my keep right), but he would thank me profusely. He was a sweet man. I wish I stayed on longer.\n\n\nThose are my HelpX experiences. If you choose to go, your experiences will not be the same as mine.\n\n\nI had extremely good experiences, but to be fair some HelpXers had terrible experiences too. You\u2019re basically juggling a friendship/family/worker relationship so you have to keep all these in balance so you, or your host, won\u2019t be taken advantage of.\n\n\nIt also boils down to your personality. Are you willing to adapt?\n\n\nHelpX is good if you are willing to follow the schedule of your hosts, and are willing to forgo typical tourist experiences/locations. It\u2019s also great if you want to have a taste of the rural life without the long-term commitment, see if the Harvest Moon life is for you.\n\n\nWhy I support HelpX-type travel\n\n\nI believe people need to travel and see the world. Not only this is personally enriching, experiences-wise, but you also get to practice your language skills, and get to know different types of people. Your worldview is broadened.\n\n\nHowever, I also know travel \u2013 especially long travel \u2013 is not financially accessible to most people. Therefore platforms like HelpX (and WWOOF \u2013 similar but focus on farm work) allow you to save money on accommodation and food.\n\n\nYou may ask \u2013 can I do this with my friend/partner? Yes, you can. Some even travel from one host to another as a family. I\u2019ve met them on my HelpX experience. I\u2019ve even met couples with toddlers. However personally I\u2019ve only done it solo so I can\u2019t elaborate too much on this.\n\n\nIf you want to know more about how it works, or just generally more info so you can start HelpX-ing too, let me know. I would recommend it to anyone who is easygoing and open to alternative travel.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/travel/ipoh-day-trip/", "title": "Planning An Ipoh Day Trip? Here are 13 Places to Add In Your Ipoh Itinerary\n  ", "body": "\n\nPlanning a day trip to Ipoh? It\u2019s just 2, 3 hours away from KL. I lived there for a year, and here are 13 places, activities and food places that I can recommend you to add in your Ipoh itinerary.\n\n\nAs a bonus, and considering the economy, the places in this list are also budget-friendly and affordable to experience\u2026 if you don\u2019t go overboard with the shopping and eating that is.\n\n\nUnder each recommendation, I added Google Map Search keywords that you can type in to find these places. Just use Google Map to locate them.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Concubine Lane Ipoh (2 hours)\n\n\nConcubine Lane Ipoh is a must-go location. Go for a walk to look for the murals and go in the small shops selling knick-knacks. If you have the munchies, highly recommend you to buy an egg tart or two.\n\n\nGoogle map search:\n \u2018Dataran Kong Heng\u2019 ; \u2018Concubine Lane Ipoh\u2019\n\n\n#2 \u2013 Dataran Kok Heng (1 hour)\n\n\nDataran Kong Heng is very \u2018industrialist chic\u2019 with an abandoned building vibe, and a great place to take instagram pictures. On weekends, they also have a mini flea market.\u00a0\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Yasmin Ahmad Museum (1 hour)\u00a0\n\n\nIt is not a bad idea to combine #1-3 during your Ipoh day trip, especially if this is your first time visiting. Simply go to Dataran Kong Heng, walk along Concubine Lane Ipoh, then visit Yasmin Ahmad Museum. They are all located in Ipoh city center and nearby each other, within walking distance.\n\n\n\n\nThe entry fee to the Yasmin Ahmad Museum is just RM5 donation, ridiculously cheap. If you enjoy Yasmin Ahmad\u2019s work, you will like this place.\u00a0\n\n\nGoogle map search:\n Yasmin Ahmad Museum\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Eat at Restaurant New Hollywood, a halal Chinese food court (1.5 hours)\n\n\nRestaurant New Hollywood is very packed on weekend mornings, but worth going. They have chee cheong fun, curry mee, lobak, and many other delicious items. Try the famous Roti Goyang.\u00a0\n\n\nGoogle map search:\n \u2018Restaurant New Hollywood\u2019\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Drive around Tambun area, then go buy pomelo/ limau bali (2+ hour)\n\n\n\n\nTambun area and its surrounding is SO beautiful. On a good day, you can see details of the mountain range. At certain places, you can walk up and view the high, gorgeous, prehistoric walls up close. There are tiny crevices housing families of birds, and many varieties of insects (ProTip: wear mosquito repellent), and just\u2026 amazing plants that somehow grow on what is essentially a big rock.\n\n\nDrive around, enjoy the view then go buy what Ipoh is famous for: pomelo. A good-size pomelo is about RM10. Pick a shop that offers free samples. Some of them can even help you to remove the skin, so you can enjoy it on the go.\n\n\nGoogle map search:\n\u00a0I have no particular routes to suggest, but you can try\u00a0Ipoh-Tambun-Tanjung Rambutan-Tambun-Pomelo shops-Ipoh. Plenty of pomelo farms and shops along \u2018Jalan Tambun Baru\u2019\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Attend Garden Market at Food Truck Garden (2+ hours)\n\n\nGarden Market happens every Friday, Saturday and Sunday after 6pm. They have food trucks, preloved market, open cinema, and local performances.\n\n\nSuper hipster. Very cool side of urban Ipoh.\n\n\nFind out more \nhere\n.\n\n\nGoogle map search:\n \u2018P.O.R.T. (People of Remarkable Talents)\u2019\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Go to Sunday flea market \u00a0(2+ hours)\n\n\nCredit to Attila Siha\n\n\nIpoh Sunday flea market is also known as Memory Lane Ipoh, as well as Pasar Karat Memory Lane. It starts early on Sunday morning, and ends early: 7am-12pm.\n\n\nThis is probably the best flea market I\u2019ve attended in Malaysia, so far. None of those flea-market-but-actually-tudung-market. People actually sell good \njunk\n treasures.\n\n\nGoogle map search:\n \u2018Memory Lane Morning Market\u2019\n\n\n#8 \u2013 Kek Lok Tong Cave Temple (2+ hours)\n\n\nCredit: See Tatt Yeo\n\n\nIt\u2019s a temple. It\u2019s a cave. It\u2019s a park. It\u2019s Kek Lok Tong Cave Temple!\n\n\nIf you\u2019re the slightest bit interested in:\n\n\nRock formations\nCaves\nStalactites and stalagmites\nBuddhist temples\nMiniature figurines of tiny people doing stuff\nMiniature stuff in general like bonsai and stuff\nTame (?) geese (Disclaimer: results may vary)\n\n\nGo here. Entrance is free, but donations encouraged.\n\n\nGoogle map search:\n \u2018Kek Lok Tong\u2019\n\n\n#9 \u2013 Gunung Lang Recreational Park (1+ hour)\n\n\nAka the cheapskate\u2019s version of the Banjaran experience. Entrance is free, and you can purchase boat tickets to the attractions area, where apparently there\u2019s a mini zoo.\n\n\nAlternative: Sneak into The Haven. It\u2019s a luxury condominium with hotel, and security is tight, but gosh if you can bullshit your way in, the view will take your breath away. Just say you want to go to the restaurant there or something.\n\n\nAlternative if you\u2019re ballin\u2019: Have a couple thousand ringgit in loose change? Just go to The Banjaran. Even I haven\u2019t been here, but I know people who do, and every time they talk about it they have this dreamy face on.\n\n\nGoogle map search:\n \u2018Gunung Lang Recreational Park\u2019; \u2018The Haven Resort Hotel & Resort Ipoh\u2019 ; \u2018The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat\u2019\n\n\n#10 \u2013 Bike along River Walk @ Kinta Riverfront Hotel (2+ hours)\n\n\nRent a bicycle (test it first, some are wonky) then just cycle around this area. It\u2019s very cooling during late afternoons. Watch lovebirds whisper sweet nothings to each other. See a couple of displays about Ipoh\u2019s mining past. If you\u2019re lucky, you might find a couple doing their engagement/wedding shoot.\n\n\nGoogle map search:\n \u2018Kinta Riverfront Hotel & Suites\u2019\n\n\n#11 \u2013 Eat chicken wings at Wing Zone (1-2 hours)\n\n\n\n\nI lol-ed before adding Wing Zone in this Ipoh day trip guide. Wing Zone is an \nAmerican-style joint serving Americans-style buffalo wings,\n with celery and blue cheese dressing on the side. It\u2019s ridiculous and slightly pricey, but it\u2019s also delicious. The joint have non-stop MTV (or similar) music video channel and fast WiFi.\n\n\nIt\u2019s worth a visit because it\u2019s fun to choose between like a million flavours of chicken wings.\n\n\nGoogle map search:\n \u2018Wing Zone Wings Burger Flavor\u2019 (??? but that\u2019s what it says!)\n\n\n#12 \u2013 Drive to Tanjung Rambutan and see the famous hospital (1-2 hours)\n\n\nIt\u2019s really just another building, but you can\u2019t help to be excited to be in Tanjung Rambutan because of its reputation as mental illness recovery area.\n\n\nFor you non-Malaysians, let me elaborate. It\u2019s pretty common for parents to threaten to send misbehaving kids to the Tanjung Rambutan Hospital. I don\u2019t know how this came about, but it\u2019s just a place you hear about since you were little. If you tell Malaysians you visited here, they\u2019ll get a good appreciative laugh out of it.\n\n\nGoogle map search:\n \u2018Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta\u2019\n\n\n#13 \u2013 Walk and eat at a local Ipoh pasar malam\n\n\nI\u2019m not familiar with ALL pasar malam in Ipoh and surrounding areas, but I know they have it nightly or almost nightly. \n\n\n(Technically I should call this Ipoh night trip not Ipoh day trip, lol. Pasar malam\u00a0starts from\u00a0about 7pm until late.)\n\n\nEvery night @ Gerbang Malam (Ipoh city centre) \nTuesday @ Medan Ipoh (nearby AEON Kinta City Mall) \nWednesday @ Stadium Perak \nThursday @ Taman Perindustrian Tambun \n\n\nGoogle map search:\n \u2018Gerbang Malam\u2019 ; \u2018AEON Kinta City\u2019 ; \u2018Stadium Perak\u2019 ; \u2018Pasar Malam Taman Perpaduan\u2019\n\n\nNote: The days may change without notice, so if the info/location here is wrong let me know\n\n\nWhat other things to do in Ipoh?\n\n\nHope you like these recommendations! Hope you will enjoy your Ipoh day trip, while you save up for \ninternational trips\n \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nFor those of you who have been to Ipoh, what did you add in your Ipoh itinerary that is not included here? Please add in comments, would love to try your recommendations \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/travel/japan-for-rm2500/", "title": "Budget Travel Japan: 4D3N Japan for RM2500 (Osaka+Kyoto)\n  ", "body": "Fun fact: I was an exchange student to Nagoya, Japan. 1 year in 2005/06. Went to high school and stayed with a host family.\u00a0Japan is like my second home. It feels welcoming, familiar. I was happy to go back there recently, even if it was just for 4 days.\n\n\nThis was my fourth trip to Japan, and first through Kansai Airport. 4 days was way too short, but I took what I could. This is my budgeting for the trip, costing ~RM2500, covering Osaka and Kyoto. Read on for\u00a0savings tips and travel recommendations \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nRelated: Previous travel \u2013 \nKrabi, Thailand\n\n\n2 weeks before my budget travel Japan trip: Booking flight and accommodation\n\n\nI decided on Osaka because I really missed Japan and it was the cheapest flight. Then I added in Kyoto just to maximise my travel there. In hindsight, I spent way to much time transiting between places, but it was still nice. It made the trip\u00a0feel longer.\n\n\nThe exchange rate when I left was 100 yen = RM3.90. A bit too high for my taste, but still a manageable amount. Flight aside, \nJapan is expensive\n. There\u2019s no but about it \u2013 the standard of living is high, and space is premium. RM2500 is high for a 4-day trip \u2013 I can get at least 2 Asean trips out of it \u2013 but hey, \nJapan\n.\n\n\nAs such, I budgeted carefully. The RM2500 included my flight cost, which was about RM900. \u00a0I set aside 1000 yen per day for 3 days travel, with an additional 2000 yen for Osaka-Kyoto travel. I was too lazy to get the ICOCA card (like their RapidKL card), which ironically would make things more convenient, but you should get that too.\n\n\nAccommodation-wise, I budgeted RM250-RM300 per night, and there were plenty of options for non-dorm, non-capsule hotel, non-love hotel places\u00a0at this price bracket. Any lower you\u2019ll have to resort to less private, but cheaper options.\n\n\nSavings tip 1: \nI booked my flights and accommodations via \nShopback \n(note: referral link) for the 1% (AirAsia) and (Booking.com) 8% cashback, respectively. I also stayed one night in \nAirBnB\n (note: referral link; get RM90 in travel credit).\n\n\nSavings tip 2:\u00a0\nUse a cashback credit card, and layer them as much as you can. I received AirAsia BIG points for this trip as well. Read my how to maximise cashback credit card article \nhere\n.\n\n\nDay 1 \u2013 Full Day Osaka\n\n\nArrived in Kansai Airport in the morning, took the Nankai line towards Shin-Imamiya station (ProTip: if you don\u2019t know where to stay in Osaka, around this area is a good bet, especially if you value convenience to/from airport).\n\n\nVisited:\n Osaka Castle, Umeda/Osaka Station and the sprawling malls, Conan supermarket (like Mr DIY but better!)\n\n\nI didn\u2019t really notice this before, but it\u2019s really obvious now \u2013 many touristy places have signs and announcements in 4 languages: Japanese, English, Chinese (Mandarin?) and Korean. And there were a lot of Chinese tourists (characterised by big group tours and somewhat loud clothes that kinda stood out) and Korean tourists (characterised by those cheekbones and red lips) \u2013 they were everywhere at touristy areas.\n\n\nSavings tip 3:\n Use \nHyperdia.com\n to find out your train schedule and fare. I got cheaper train rides because of this website. There are many, many train lines in Osaka, and transferring between them are usually more expensive. This website helps you to find routes and stations within walking distance so you\u2019ll get to save some\u00a0money!\n\n\nSavings tip 4:\n A pocket wifi is extremely, extremely handy. In my arrogance, I almost went without it, but so glad I decided to shell out this expense. I was contemplating getting one from a service provider in Japan, but dude those were\u00a0expensive! I finally went with a Malaysian-based service provider. RM13 per day, so for 4 days my total wifi cost was just RM62 (including RM10 delivery, but you can also waive this by collecting from KLIA2). The company is called \nTravel Recommends\n\u00a0(note: referral link) and they also loan pocket wifi to other countries for reasonable prices.\n\n\nSeriously, if you go to Japan take Tip 3 and Tip 4. Trains are super confusing there.\n\n\nSavings tip 5:\n If you want to eat sushi (and you do!), but at an extremely affordable price, I highly recommend Muten Karazushi. It\u2019s a kaiten sushi chain\u00a0where each plate of sushi is just.100.yen.each. With tax, it\u2019s 108 yen, which is even cheaper than most plates at Sushi King. A big lunch for 2 cost us just 1490 yen. Look at all the options!\n\n\n\n\nSavings tip 6:\n You\u2019ll see a lot of vending machines in Japan, especially for drinks. You\u2019ll want to try some of them. I suggest Calpis Soda, interesting Coke/Pepsi (they have Pepsi Sakura, Diet Coke Lemon, etc), Green Tea, Coffees, and more. Look for 100 yen vending machines, not the 150 yen ones. Some places even have 50-60 yen drinks vending machines.\n\n\n\n\nDay 2: Travel to Kyoto\n\n\nLeft Osaka for Kyoto. With the help of Hyperdia, we got on the train with the cheaper fare. At Kyoto Station, you can store your luggage for 500 yen (instead of 700 yen for small locker in Osaka Station). Take the Bus day pass \u2013 it\u2019s only 500 yen for unlimited bus travel (each individual ride is 230yen). Kyoto was one big makan fest: I had so much food.\n\n\nThis particular gyoza place, Chao Chao Gyoza is highly recommended \u2013 had the shrimp gyoza and vegetarian gyoza. Super delicious, lively atmosphere, cute staff, foreigner-friendly. I told this one staff in particular that\u00a0he\u2019s handsome and I think he blushed.\n\n\n\n\nVisited:\n Kinkakuji (ie the temple that was so beautiful a Buddhist monk committed suicide because of it; 400 yen entrance fee), Gion area (fun area to walk through)\n\n\n\n\nAfter Kyoto city was somewhat explored, it\u2019s time to head to the hotel. Took the bus to\u00a0Yamazaki Ryokan, which kindly upgraded my room. Extremely worth the money for a Ryokan experience.\u00a0Bought lots of food throughout the day from Isetan food market and had a nice chilled out night.\n\n\nThere was this TV show about how different graters can affect the taste of grated daikons. Lady was testing at least 5 different graters, resulting in extremely fluffy grated daikons to extremely course grated daikons. Each taste-test was followed by long audience \u2018eeeehhhhh\u2019. Lol. Never change, Japan.\n\n\nSavings tip 7:\n Many malls and supermarkets sell food/have food markets that will sell food at discounted prices before they close. Go between 9-10pm and you\u2019ll get many delicious stuff at cheaper rate. I got most of the food below for good prices.\u00a0From clockwise: Matcha dessert with bean paste filling, onigiri (umeboshi, katsuo), soy sauce dango (108 yen from Lawson\u2019s), kani cream korokke, salad with goma dressing, salmon bentou, side dishes (garlic shoots and shrimp stir fry, sweet and sour shrimp, and some vege sesame dish).\n\n\n\n\nDay 3: Arashiyama and Osaka\n\n\nLeft the ryokan for Osaka, with a stop at Arashiyama. Arashiyama was dope! Go here and walk through the bamboo path. So serene, very cooling. Touristy area in a good way. Cute rickshaw abangs with beautiful, sturdy legs (\nOMG those legs\n). Old-school trams. Lots of things to see and do. Can\u2019t recommend it enough!\n\n\nSaw this cute stone couple, where people obviously balanced money on them. I thought it was adorable.\n\n\n\n\nLeft Arashiyama with a heavy heart to go back to Osaka. Spent the rest of the day at Dotonbori and just walked around. Dotonbori is massive and a great place to just go window shopping. I visited some shops but didn\u2019t really find anything I wanted (at the price I want). But I did manage to eat a lot \ud83d\ude00\n\n\nHad lunch at Yayoiken (chain store; set meals ~1000 yen). Ordering food in Yayoiken was easy \u2013 they had the automatic machine thing where you select what you want, insert money, and give out tickets. The menu comes with English translation. Hand the tickets\u00a0to the waitress and she\u2019ll bring your food to you in no time. I can recommend it.\n\n\nWalked around, had sweet potato taiyaki (180 yen) which was freshly cooked from the grill. Like a barbarian, I bit the head off first then promptly burned my tongue so naturally I angrily ate the rest until finish.\n\n\n\n\nMust-eat:\u00a0Takoyaki (600 yen for 12) and Okonomiyaki (380 yen for squid).\u00a0See the gooey bit? That\u2019s the best part. It was a hot, sticky, delicious mess of a meal.\n\n\n\n\nWalked to DenDen Town, the Akihabara part of Osaka and went through anime shops. I was really, really into anime when I was younger but now it\u2019s kinda meh, so I didn\u2019t buy anything. I also browsed through sex shops, where I saw silicone vaginas of mermaids. Let that sink in for a bit.\n\n\nSaw this Pokemon poster \u2013 had to take it discreetly. Ash said \u201cHey, be mine\u201d. Moe! Blushing cute things are my weakness. Unf.\n\n\n\n\nThere were so many visually stimulating things to see, hold and try. There were pet shops with heart-melting tiny brown toy poodles that jump around excitedly. There were young high school couples trying their luck with the crane machines (\u2018UFO Catchers\u2019). There were groups of women taking purikuras and sharing the pictures. I like the fashion and the accessories and the quality of items offered and \u2013 guiltily \u2013 the consumerist culture.\n\n\nAlas,\u00a0it got dark too fast so I had to head back to my hotel to\u00a0pack \u2013 my flight is early on the next day \ud83d\ude41 Thankfully I stayed near Shin-Imamiya so it was an easy 40 mins train ride to the airport.\n\n\nSavings tip 8:\n I\u2019m sure you\u2019ll want to get souvenirs. Kansai airport has 2 tax-free shops selling: flavored Kitkats (sighted: Hokkaido Melon, Matcha, Wasabi), Pocky, popular snacks including Shiroi Koibito. They also have mp3 players, rice cookers, watches, and some Disney stuff. If you want them to bring back home, it\u2019s a good idea to arrive earlier and just buy from here, it\u2019ll save you 8%.\n\n\nSavings tip 9\n: Or just do what I do for souvenirs \u2013 supermarket. I bought shit ton of furikake and ochazuke packs. Small, light, affordable.\n\n\nTotal cost for Osaka+Kyoto\u00a0trip\n\n\n~RM1500\u00a0for flights, accommodation, pocket wifi, and travel to airport. Plus 27000 yen\u00a0for everything else (~RM1000). So total was around RM2500. You can make your own Osaka+Kyoto trip cheaper by selecting other accommodation and maybe not eat as much as I did (but where\u2019s the fun in that?), but otherwise my budget is pretty lean as it is.\n\n\nBreakdown below:\n\n\nWant to know anything specific about travelling to Osaka or Kyoto\u00a0on a budget? Ask in the comments ? Liked this? Share it!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nItem\n\n\nBudgeted (yen)\n\n\nActual (yen)\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKansai airport to hotel (return)\n\n\n2500\n\n\n1840\n\n\n\n\n\n\n Food+Drinks \n\n\n15000 (5000 per day)\n\n\n11405\n\n\n\n\n\n\nShopping/Entertainment\n\n\n5000\n\n\n3625\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTransportation (within city)\n\n\n3000 (1000 per day)\n\n\n2620\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTransportation (Osaka<>Kyoto)\n\n\n2000 \n\n\n1710\n\n\n\n\n\n\nExtra\n\n\n7500 (2500 per day)\n\n\n5800\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTOTAL\n\n\n35000\n\n\n27000\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/travel/krabi-budget-travel/", "title": "Birthday trip: Krabi, Thailand (plus savings tips)\n  ", "body": "This year for my birthday I gave myself the gift of travel. I went to Krabi, Thailand for 3 days 3 nights. Here\u2019s how I spent my time there, and how much I spent for everything. Hope you\u2019ll find the savings tips useful, for your own Krabi budget travel!\n\n\n\n\nA week before \u2013 Booking flight and accommodation\n\n\nA week before the trip, I was still deciding where to go. I contemplated Osaka, Kathmandu and Bali before settled on Krabi. The reason? Expedia\u2019s last minute package was extremely good value for money.\n\n\nI mean, flights and accommodations for 3 nights in a 4-star resort were a whopping\u2026 RM500. There were even packages going for RM300+! Chiang Mai was more or less the same price, so that\u2019s another good budget travel option as well.\n\n\nI like value for money more than I like cheap, so I took the nicer hotel. 10/10 would recommend! It was near enough to the beach and far enough from the noise and crowd.\n\n\n Credit goes to website\n\n\nSavings tip 1: \nFor last minute trips, \nExpedia packages\n are pretty decently priced. Book from\u00a0\nShopback.my\n\u00a0and get RM66 cashback from Expedia. (note: referral link)\n\n\nSavings tip 2:\n\u00a0We didn\u2019t hire a car, but it would have been nice. If you\u2019d like to book one,\u00a0you can use\u00a0\nDiscoverCarHire\n\u00a0(note: affiliate link) \u2013 checked the rates, fairly affordable.\n\n\nSavings tip 3:\n Use a cashback credit card. I used my credit card with 5% cashback for online payments.\n\n\nDay 1 \u2013 Arrival to Krabi and going to Ao Nang\n\n\nTravelled from Ipoh to KLIA2, hopped on the flight, and arrived in Krabi International Airport by 3pm local time. Took a bus to Ao Nang (150 baht),\u00a0 checked in, oohed and aahed over the fancy amenities (Bath robes! Private verandah!), then went out for lunch at hawker stalls. Unlike my previous trips to Thailand (this was my 4\nth\n time), halal food in Krabi was easy to find \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nMy friend wanted to go rock climbing at Railey, so we walked around the shops area to look for packages. We managed to get a half-day rock climbing package including boat fee and hotel pickup for 900 baht. Considering the boat ride itself costs at least 100 baht one-way, I think we got a good deal. Full-day rock climbing costs 1500 baht.\n\n\nSavings tip 4\n: If you\u2019re going to Krabi and unsure of where to stay (your options: Downtown Krabi, Ao Nang, Railey, and Koh Lanta), I suggest Ao Nang. It\u2019s a good place to transit and (with the exception of Downtown Krabi), prices in stores are cheaper than the rest. For example, water, which you\u2019ll drink a lot of. Water in Ao Nang is like 14 baht, while water in Railey is 30-40 baht. There\u2019s also a lot more competition in Ao Nang \u2013 good for you.\n\n\nSavings tip 5: \nIf you stay at Ao Nang and want to go rock climbing, get a package from Ao Nang itself. The price for the same package is 1000 baht in Railey, and that does not include the boat rides. By the way, full-day rock climbing costs 1500 baht. It was a reputable shop, too. King\u2019s Climbing or something.\n\n\nThen we walked around on the beach, had dinner, had drinks, and on the way back to the hotel I got a feet massage for 250 baht.\n\n\nDay 2 \u2013 Rock climbing at Railey\n\n\nWere picked up from the hotel at 8.30am and joined by another girl, Yanelle from Seattle. I kinda knew she was American because she was talkative (this time, in a good way). We were dropped off at a pier, and took a longboat to Railey West.\n\n\nGuys. Ao Nang beach was beautiful, but Railey was spectacular. Beautiful, fine sandy beach. Tall, proud limestone cliffs. We chatted excitedly all the way to the shop, signed a waiver form, got fitted with shoes and harness, and our guide Han brought us to the rock climbing area. I was super excited! We were about to rock climb at Railey, one of the top rock climbing spots in the world! He said that the area is easy and suitable for beginners.\n\n\nWell, he lied. Or at least, they really overestimated their beginners, because I\u2019m an actual beginner and as nice as he was, I call bullshit on the \u2018easy\u2019 part.\n\n\n\n\nWithin 5 minutes the picture above was taken, I tore a chunk of skin from my middle finger, and heavily bruised both my knees. I failed to reach the top. At least I tried. -_-\n\n\nWe were done by 11am ish. The boat back to Ao Nang was at 5.30pm. We decided to go to Tonsai. Railey Beach and Tonsai Beach was separated by a huge chunk of limestone, so you have to either get around it, or wade your way through it (high tide). Railey Beach (not pictured) is to the left of this pic.\n\n\n\n\nFor those of you not in the know, Tonsai is where serious rock climbers go. It\u2019s a dirtbag lifestyle (this is said with pride) \u2013 small, cheap shacks with only the bare necessities, no electric during the day (unless they have generators), showers optional, drugs consumed without judgement. I did not manage to \u2018open my third eye\u2019, but bring an extra 500 baht or so if you do want to.\n\n\n\n\nSomehow \u2013 and I didn\u2019t realise this until it was too late \u2013 we took the long, jungle way in.\u00a0 It was fun at first, but as we got to the hill part, it got un-fun real quick. We trekked for almost ah hour. It was the kind of adventure that you effing hate when you\u2019re in the middle of it, but as soon as we arrived at the beach side and passed the walls of graffiti, I knew it was worth it. The walk along the graffiti-ed wall was great, I really enjoyed it. Lots of references to rock-climbing culture.\n\n\n\n\nAnd the beach. The beach. Guys, Tonsai beach was even more beautiful than Railey. I could cry.\n\n\n\n\nWe sat at a bar (Freedom Bar, above) by the beach and watched some white people climb and swim and sunbathe nearby (while I rigorously applied more sunblock). My friend was excited over the permanent slacklines (one on sand, one in the sea). I swam and lost a hairband.\n\n\nBy 4pm-ish, we decided to go back to Railey. And this time, we took the actual shortcut, so it was only 10 minutes. My friend bought kebab for dinner (of all things) and I got some local snacks from a sweet old lady \u2013 boiled corn, boiled sweet potatoes, boiled peanuts, and a young mango with chilli salt \u2013 for a grand total of 80 baht.\n\n\nBy this time I was pooped. I wanted nothing more than to go back to the hotel, have a warm shower, and rest. Unfortunately, the storm came as we walked towards the pier for the return boat trip back to Ao Nang. I was dry when I got in the boat, and by the time we arrived (which I was legit thankful for, the sea was choppy), I was soaked again from the rain and seawater.\n\n\nNoteworthy \u2013 this was the same night that KL roads got flooded after that huge thunderstorm. So yeah. Scary ride. There were some other girls in the same boat ride and let me tell you, they. were. not. happy.\n\n\nDay 3 \u2013 Chilling out in Tonsai\n\n\nWoke up SORE. Day 3 was my free and easy day, and instead of going for a massage or something sensible like that, I wanted to go back to Tonsai. I really, really liked the graffiti and the vibe in Tonsai in general. We briefly considered going snorkeling, but I brought my hammock along and dammit by hook or by crook I will use it on this trip.\n\n\n\n\nI got what I wanted: took pictures (this is big for someone who rarely takes pictures) and found a great spot for my hammock. I swear I had tears in my eyes as I took in the view, it felt perfect. I had so-bad-its-good snacks in my bag and that was lunch. It was a nice, chill day.\n\n\n\n\nUntil we had to go back to Ao Nang. It was low season, so aside from the two of us, there were no one else to share a boat with. Do you know how much it costs to take a 10-minute boat ride from Tonsai to Ao Nang, if there were 8 of us? 100 baht each. How much if just the two of us? 400 baht each. For bleeping bleep BLEEP\u2019S sake, IT\u2019S JUST A 10 MINUTES RIDE. Also, what?? This is like charging passengers double the ticket price if the bus is half-empty! Pricks.\n\n\nIn the end, we had no choice. We had to charter a whole boat to get back to Ao Nang beach, because we have to check out at 5am in the morning \ud83d\ude41\n\n\nSavings tip 6: \nIf you find yourself stuck in Tonsai like me, don\u2019t use the boats at the furthest end (where everyone tell you to go). Take the one in the middle instead. They\u2019ll go down to 600 baht.\n\n\nDay 4 \u2013 Ao Nang to Airport then back to Ipoh\n\n\n\n\nDay 4 was mostly traveling back to Ipoh. Because I got a super early flight, we could not take the cheap bus to the airport and had to take a private taxi instead.\n\n\nSavings tip 7: \nThe hotel will quote 800-1000 baht for the 30-minute ride from Ao Nang to the Airport. Ask around \u2013 you can get one for as low as 500 baht. Mine was 600 baht split between 2 people.\n\n\nSavings tip 8\n: If you can help it, don\u2019t take such an early flight. Early flight = no cheap bus.\n\n\nHow much did I spent, in total?\n\n\nTotal cost for Krabi trip\n\n\nRM500 for flights and accommodation, plus 4000 baht for everything else. Breakdown below:\n\n\nWant to know anything specific about traveling to Krabi on a budget? Ask in the comments \ud83d\ude42 Liked this? Share it!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nItem\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBudgeted (baht)\n\n\n\n\n\n\nActual (baht)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKrabi airport to hotel\n\n\n\n\n\n\n150\n\n\n\n\n\n\n150\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHotel to Krabi airport\n\n\n\n\n\n\n300\n\n\n\n\n\n\n300\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMassage\n\n\n\n\n\n\n300\n\n\n\n\n\n\n250\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBoat to Railey (return)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n300\n\n\n\n\n\n\n300\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWater/Drinks\n\n\n\n\n\n\n800\n\n\n\n\n\n\n1500\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLunch x 3\n\n\n\n\n\n\n600\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDinner x 2\n\n\n\n\n\n\n300\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSpecial dinner x 1\n\n\n\n\n\n\n500\n\n\n\n\n\n\n500\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRock climbing\n\n\n\n\n\n\n1000\n\n\n\n\n\n\n900\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nExtra\n\n\n\n\n\n\n450\n\n\n\n\n\n\n100\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00a0TOTAL\n\n\n\n\n5000\n\n\n\n\n\n\n4000\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/travel/kuala-lumpur-to-hatyai-trip/", "title": "My 2D2N KL to Hatyai Train Trip \u2013 Cost Breakdown & Tips!\n  ", "body": "\n\nIn November 2022, my partner and I took a short KL to Hatyai train trip and took the ETS to Hatyai from KL Sentral. \n\n\nThis article covers (1) how we get from KL to Hatyai via train (and van), (2) cost breakdown of our KL to Hatyai trip, and (3) general tips you can use to make the same trip \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nThe exchange rate at the time was approximately RM12.78 to 100 baht. Here we go!\n\n\nHow to get from KL to Hatyai by train\n\n\nTaking the ETS to Hatyai for a weekend trip is easy enough in theory:\n\n\n\n\nBuy ETS to Hatyai train ticket (we departed from KL Sentral)\n\n\nBook accommodation\n\n\nExchange MYR to THB\n\n\n\n\nBut, the \u2018going there\u2019 part is actually a bit more complicated, because the \nKL to Hatyai train actually stops at Padang Besar KTM, which is 1 hour away from Hatyai\n. So, you have to:\n\n\n\n\nFigure out your train to Hatyai departures and arrivals (takes 5.5-6 hours from KL to Padang Besar KTM, the last ETS train stop)\n\n\nFigure out how to get from Padang Besar KTM to Hatyai (takes 1 hour++; your options: van and/or train and/or taxi)\n\n\nMake sure to budget in enough time for 4x immigration queues per return trip (for me, as short as 5 mins and as long as ~20 mins)\n\n\nP/s \u2013 Immigration opens from 6am until 10pm (Malaysian time) and 5am until 9pm (Thai time) so if you arrive outside those hours, you\u2019ll need to wait\n\n\nDo all this while mentally factoring in the 1-hour time difference between Malaysia and Thailand so you don\u2019t accidentally miss your ride!\n\n\n\n\nSo actually, even though Kuala Lumpur and Hatyai are near geographically, you should expect the total time needed to get from KL to Hatyai \u2013 I mean from getting out the door until arrival to your hotel in Hatyai \u2013 to take around 8-12 hours or so, depending on waiting time. \n\n\nAs for where to go in Hatyai and stuff, it\u2019s not hard to find out whatever information you need when you\u2019re there. Just ask the booth attendants, or your fellow Malaysian travellers in the train or van. Most people are friendly and helpful \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nYou can also check out the blogs of these fellow travellers:\n\n\n\n\nTRIP KE HATYAI 2 HARI 1 MALAM NAIK TREN ETS DARI KL SENTRAL + TREN KLASIK + VAN\n\n\nSOLO TRAVEL TO HATYAI\n\n\n\n\nMy 2D2N KL to Hatyai train trip\n\n\nMy itinerary looked like this:\n\n\nGoing there \u2013 KL to Hatyai train and van\n\n\n\n\nETS train from KL Sentral to Padang Besar KTM \u2013 depart 10.50pm, arrive 4.18am. \nCost: RM102 per person \n\n\nVan from Padang Besar KTM to Hatyai hotel \u2013 depart 6ish am (when immigration opens; took 1.5~ hours including 2x immigration stops. \nCost: RM30 per person\n \n\n\n\n\nComing back \u2013 Hatyai to KL via van, taxi and train\n\n\n\n\nVan pickup from Hatyai hotel to Malaysia-side immigration \u2013 depart 12pm ish, took 2~ hours including 2x immigration stops. \nCost: RM25 per person\n\n\nTaxi from Malaysia-side immigration to Padang Besar KTM. \nCost: RM15 for 10 mins ride :/\n\n\nETS train from Padang Besar KTM to KL Sentral \u2013 depart 3.50pm, arrive by 9.30pm. \nCost: RM76 per person\n\n\n\n\nBut this was my itinerary, not yours. Your train timing might be different, so decide based on that. Here are all the links you need to plan your trip:\n\n\n\n\nKL Sentral to Padang Besar ETS \u2013 \nhttps://online.ktmb.com.my/\n\n\n[Option 1] Padang Besar to Hatyai \u2013 via \ntrain\n (only runs 2x a day); \n\n\n[Option 2] Padang Besar to Hatyai \u2013 via van (runs during immigration hours \u2013 will depart when van is full)\n\n\n\n\nYou can book the van from booth at Padang Besar KTM, it looks like this. When I asked around, apparently the price used to be RM20-25, but apparently it has increased to RM30.\n\n\n\n\nHatyai Makan Trip = Success!\n\n\nMy Hatyai trip was just a weekend trip and I had only one goal: to eat as much delicious Thai food as possible. Happily, I achieved that goal \ud83d\ude42 Here are some pictures of the food we had on the trip (scroll for more pics).\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nYou can\u2019t go wrong if you hit these places:\n\n\n\n\nASEAN Night Bazaar (or any of the other night bazaars)\n\n\nKhlong Hae Floating Market\n\n\nCentral Festival Mall (yes, the mall. Don\u2019t knock it, the food court area is AWESOME) \n\n\nOrder from Grab Delivery (for Muslims, you can search by Halal)\n\n\n\n\nI am happy to report that the food is CHEAP and GOOD. At most places, the range is between 40-70 baht per dish \u2013 RM5 to RM9. The seafood sets I saw cost 100-200 baht \u2013 RM13-26 per head. Unless you only eat at fancy places, I think you can eat well on around RM50 budget per person per day. \n\n\nMy 2D2N KL to Hatyai train trip: total cost \n\n\nFor 2 pax, we spent:\n\n\n\n\nRM358 on return ETS train from KL Sentral to Padang Besar\n\n\nRM125 to get from Padang Besar to Hatyai Hotel (Van + taxi)\n\n\nRM228.80 on 2 nights accommodation at hotel \n\n\nAround 1700 baht or ~RM220 on 2 days of food \n\n\nAround 300 baht or ~RM40 on shopping (mostly I bought Thai cooking paste because it\u2019s not bulky and much cheaper there than here!)\n\n\n\n\nTotal: RM971 for 2 pax. I could make it cheaper if:\n\n\n\n\nTook the classic train from Padang Besar to Hatyai (60 baht or approx RM7.70 instead of RM30 per way)\n\n\nOnly book 1 night accommodation instead of 2\n\n\nBook cheaper accommodation (you can get a pretty okay place for RM60-RM80 per night)\n\n\n\n\nIf I did all these, it would bring my trip cost down to approx RM750 or so but no regrets, we had a good time \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nGeneral tips for your own KL to Hatyai train trip\n\n\nHere are some things you might want to keep in mind for your own KL to Hatyai train trip:\n\n\n1) \nPlan around train times and immigration opening hours\n. If you don\u2019t, you might waste time just waiting\n\n\n2) The \nPadang Besar to Hatyai classic train\n is cheaper than van (60 baht vs RM30). I actually wanted to take this option instead of the van, but the timing didn\u2019t work for us. If I took that, I would need to wait at Padang Besar for 5 hours instead of 2 hours.\n\n\n3) \nBring an umbrella\n in case it rains (we almost got soaked while dropped at immigration)\n\n\n4) Unless you can sleep anywhere, I wouldn\u2019t recommend taking the \novernight ETS.\n I couldn\u2019t sleep at all on my train from KL to Hatyai \u2013 fellow passengers were noisy and the lights were bright. But up to you. \n\n\n5) If you arrive at Hatyai hotel super early and before check-in time, say 8am or so, I would recommend \nbooking the night before\n so you can check in immediately upon arrival to rest. This added RM100+ to my cost but was the best decision I made the whole trip!\n\n\nP/s \u2013 Don\u2019t forget to activate \nShopback\n when you book from Booking.com or Agoda, might as well earn cashback \n\n\n\n\n\n\n6) Recommended to \npack light \nas stairs/infrastructure are not in the best condition and you might struggle with heavy luggage\n\n\n7) You can buy Thai sim card at Padang Besar KTM, but I just bought day passes from \nYoodo\n \u2013 just RM5 per day (or RM13 for 3 days)*. I know other telcos charge waaaay more than that\n\n\n*Note: This is price for Thailand. Different countries, different prices. \n\n\n8) Bring your \nBigpay\n or \nWise\n debit card \u2013 places like malls and 7-Eleven accept them and rates are better than credit card\n\n\nAny more KL to Hatyai train trip to share? \n\n\nLots of Malaysians have made the same KL to Hatyai train trip, some multiple times, so I\u2019m sure you have more tips than I do \ud83d\ude42 What advice and tips would you give to someone wanting to make the same train to Hatyai from KL trip? Share with us in the comments!\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/travel/langkawi-weekend-trip-budget/", "title": "4D3N Langkawi Weekend Trip (On a Budget)\n  ", "body": "\n\nI feel like travelling overseas, but am not keen on the horrible exchange rates right now.\u00a0One day, while happily browsing Google Flights and dreaming of Europe (use it! You get to\u00a0\nsave money on flights\n), I found cheap tickets to Langkawi. RM102 for return tickets, including fees. Even though I didn\u2019t exactly have a burning desire to go to Langkawi, I couldn\u2019t resist the price and booked it on the spot.\n\n\nAnd that\u2019s how I went on a\u00a04 days 3 nights Langkawi weekend trip. This guide is suitable for those of you going solo/duo travelling and wants to be somewhat comfortable but on a budget. Because of the weather (it rained 80% of the time I was there), this guide is also more general and flexible in nature.\n\n\n\n\nRelated: Previous travel \u2013 \nKrabi, Thailand\n\u00a0and \nOsaka+Kyoto\n\n\nLangkawi overview\n\n\nThere are a lot of places to stay in Langkawi at various price point. If you want action/nightlife/tourist vibe, stay in Pantai Cenang. If you want laid back small town, stay at Kuah. If you want fancy as shit hotels, there are a few hotels at a few private beaches \u2013 be prepared to pay a lot for those, I\u2019m saying RM1000+ and more per night.\n\n\nMy budget for accommodation was just RM500 for 3 nights. That turned out to be fairly easy, but I think you have to book a couple of weeks in advance for the top-rated places. To make the trip more fun, I booked accommodations at two places instead of one (both at Pantai Cenang).\n\n\nLangkawi is cheap for a few things, but these 4 things stand out:\n\n\n\n\nAlcohol\n. Sighted RM2.50 cans of beer.\n\n\nChocolate\n. My sister asked me to get her Pepero. Price in Langkawi: RM21.90. Price at airport: RM42.90. BIG DIFFERENCE OK\n\n\nTobacco\n. Sighted RM6.60 packs of cigarettes.\n\n\nSeafood (selected places, mostly Malay restaurants).\n Had a huge dinner for two and ordered a whole bawal emas, tomyam, vegetables and an egg dish \u2013 the bill was just RM50+.\n\n\n\n\nI know Langkawi is also famous for a few outdoors activities. I didn\u2019t go on any of them, but I did manage to snap this picture for you guys. It\u2019s good for your budgeting\u00a0if you want to try any of them. (The first one is RM35 in case you can\u2019t see the price).\n\n\n\n\nSavings tip 1:\n\u00a0I saw the flight on Google Flights, but booked my flights via \nShopback \n(note: referral link) for the 1% AirAsia cashback.\n\n\nSavings tip 2:\n Check if your bank has collaborations with travel websites. I was going to book my accommodation via Shopback for the 6-8% cashback, but found out that CIMB offers \n10% discount for bookings on Expedia\n. I checked across several websites and found that this was the cheapest option for me at the point.\n\n\nSavings tip 3:\u00a0\nUse a cashback credit card, and layer them as much as you can. I got 5% cashback from my credit card, and received AirAsia BIG points for this trip as well. Read my how to layer in my cashback credit card article \nhere\n.\n\n\nDay 1 \u2013\u00a0Arrival to Langkawi\n\n\nAs soon as we landed, it started raining\u2026 and didn\u2019t stop until end of Day 3. In fact, it was full-on storm. I would complain, but the same storm flooded parts of Malaysia and Thailand and (last I heard) killed 18 people. So yeah, no complaining from me.\n\n\nI booked Night 1 at the famous Tubotel and drove there with my rented car (collected at airport). It was full of college-y white people, but the place itself was nice. I thought they only offer tubes, but they also had container rooms \u2013 dorms fitting up to 16 people in a room.\n\n\n Credit: http://www.thegoodsonjourney.com/\n\n\nI got\u00a0the tube with sea view, and liked the experience. The only thing was the price. At RM196.91, this was a bit higher than what I wanted to spend for a small (albeit novelty) bedroom without attached toilet. And this price is after the CIMB discount, too. Even if I thought they were pricey, to their credit, Tubotel\u2019s\u00a0breakfast service was great \u2013 really enjoyed the freshly baked bread and\u00a0drip coffee. And the bed was comfortable and I got the company of this sexy lady, so.\n\n\n\n\nSavings tip 4:\n\u00a0Try to go during low season. Accommodation, car rental and other services are cheaper. Low season means non-school and non-public holidays. Weekends are not considered peak \u2013 I know this because I was charged low season rates.\n\n\nSavings tip 5:\n\u00a0Unless you just want to stay in one spot, rent a car \u2013 taxis are expensive. Apparently it costs RM20 from the airport to Pantai Cenang, one-way. My rented Myvi costs just RM200 for 4 days 3 nights (pick up and return at Langkawi International Airport). I used\u00a0\nthis car rental service\n. Was good, but I wish they filled up the petrol beforehand so we didn\u2019t have to make the petrol station as our first stop! If you\u2019d like a more professional car company, you can use \nDiscoverCarHire\n (note: affiliate link) \u2013 checked the rates, fairly affordable too.\n\n\nDay 2: Langkawi Cable Car\n\n\nOn Day 2, I checked out from Tubotel and left for Skycab area \u2013 the home of Langkawi Cable Car and SkyBridge. I thought it would be boring, but this turned out to be the highlight of my trip \u2013 rain and all. You can easily spend a whole day there, and I think as an attraction it was extremely value for money! Here are the packages they offer (accurate as of time of writing).\n\n\n\n\nNot knowing any better, I took the Basic Package for RM30. It includes:\n\n\n\n\nCable ride to the top.\n Absolutely gorgeous view. Try to spot the two waterfalls, one of them the famous Telaga Tujuh Waterfall. SkyBridge is at the top, but it was closed due to the weather. Still had an amazing time.\n\n\nSkyDome.\n Ever wanted to ride a roller coaster ON FREAKING\u00a0MARS? Didn\u2019t expect this at all, but super fun, almost VR-experience.\n\n\nSkyRex.\n A Jurassic World-ish ride. Better than you think!\n\n\n\n\nThey also have a bunny zoo, free entry. I bought bribes (carrot sticks) for RM2 per cup. Worth it for the temporary love and affection <3\n\n\n\n\nAt this area, there are a lot of shops selling Langkawi knick-knacks and prices are surprisingly fair, considering this place is a tourist hub. Plenty of food options at affordable prices, even if \na restaurant staff did get possessed while I was having lunch\n. She\u2019s OK, it only lasted a few minutes.\n\n\nNext time, I would love to try other packages containing more attractions \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nSavings tip 6:\n\u00a0Bring your MyKad because you need that for the (cheaper) Malaysian rates at SkyCab. Non-Malaysians, you\u2019re out of luck. They will apparently check if you buy the Malaysian tickets.\n\n\nMuslim tip:\n Bagi salam kat sini wei. Macam keras sikit.\n\n\nAfter this, I went to check in at a budget accommodation called The Cottage. Booked a Malay-style cottage for 2 nights. Budget-wise, this was more my style \u00a0\u2013 2 nights here was cheaper than one night at Tubotel, and with attached toilet too! RM145.56 in total. I would recommend it \u2013 you can walk to the beach and the shops from here, yet it\u2019s still far enough from the noisy crowd. They have friendly cats and roosters that wake you up in the morning.\n\n\nAt night, we just walked along shops on Pantai Cenang. There were a lot of construction and roadwork, but I think in a couple of months it\u2019s going to look beautiful.\n\n\nDay 3:\u00a0MawArt and Night Market\n\n\nSo I was travelling with a friend who has never tried Nasi Dagang (!!!) Browsed online and apparently Nasi Dagang Pak Malau was recommended. Drove there. Alas, the shop was closed as he\u2019s on holiday -_- So we made do with a breakfast at a local warung/small restaurant.\n\n\nBy chance, another customer, a real friendly guy called Jay said hi to us. He recommended the Pulut Nasi, then invited us to come over to his friend\u2019s batik art studio nearby. Charmed, we did. And I\u2019m so glad, because we actually bumped into the good people of MawArt \u2013 they are local artists from Langkawi! Fun fact: They\u2019re called MawArt because the village they stay in is called Kampung Mawat.\n\n\nI loved chatting with them. The house is very artsy and they have a very good vibe and super hospitable. They henna-tattooed me \u2013 my favourite souvenier from Langkawi \ud83d\ude42 Their modern batik paintings\u00a0are damn cool. See their \nDragonball\n batik at their \nFacebook\n\u00a0page!\n\n\n\n\nAfter this I went back to The Cottage and just chilled out. It was raining so we watched Netflix\u2019s The Crown series (it\u2019s very good btw). The staff at The Cottage was friendly and gave us a great tip \u2013 \nNight Market/Pasar Malam at Beras Terbakar near the airport.\n\u00a0Google \u2018Beras Terbakar\u2019 and you should pass by it.Went there, was not disappointed. It\u2019s a local\u2019s market with plenty of dinner and snack choices. It\u2019s there every Sunday from 6pm onwards. If you\u2019re going for a Langkawi weekend trip, definitely make a stop here.\n\n\nSavings tip 7: \nFood at Cenang Beach was expensive. Tourist area. Drive around to the less-touristy areas to\u00a0enjoy better food prices. Just find a place where locals eat and the food should\u00a0be good. When in doubt, find Malay food \u2013 they tend to be cheaper.\n\n\nDay 4: Duty-Free and back to KLIA2\n\n\nI was ordered to bring back chocolates, so I went to a couple of Duty-Free shops to try and compare prices. They were quite similar actually, so feel free to just go to one place and buy everything from there. If you buy a variety, the cost should even out.\n\n\nSome of the things they sell at duty-free shops: Local and international chocolates and candies, tobacco, alcohol, luggage, sports/swimming attire, durian products (freeze-fried, coffee, chocolate), fish satay, shrimp crackers and squid snacks, seashell bowls and plates, batik, cookware (Pyrex, Tefal) and gamat (sea cucumber) products. Some places sell\u00a0local medicinal items, too. I tried tongkat ali tea and almost spat it out. No, I don\u2019t feel my batin improving.\n\n\n\n\nTotal cost for my Langkawi weekend\u00a0trip\n\n\nIn total, I spent RM1239.47 for this trip, all-in. It would have been cheaper if I shared some expenses, took the train and did not spend too much on chocolates, but I\u2019m happy with the savings from Accommodation, Flights and Car Rental. If you cap your meals to RM10 per meal (definitely possible), shared rooms and car rental, \u00a0and spend less on shopping, you can easily make the same trip for under RM1000. Breakdown below:\n\n\nWant to know anything specific about travelling to Langkawi? Ask in the comments \u2013 I might not know but others reading this might\u00a0? Liked this? Share it!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nItem\n\n\nBudgeted (RM)\n\n\nActual (RM)\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHouse to KLIA2 (return; Grabcar)\n\n\n150\n\n\n145\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFood+Drinks\n\n\n180 (20 per meal x 9 meals)\n\n\n200\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAccommodation\n\n\n500 (for 3 days)\n\n\n342.47\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCar Rental\n\n\n240 (80 per day x 3 days)\n\n\n200\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFlight tickets (KLIA2 \u2013 LIA)\n\n\n102\n\n\n102\n\n\n\n\n\n\nShopping/Entertainment\n\n\n300 (100 per day)\n\n\n250\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTOTAL\n\n\n1472\n\n\n1239.47\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/travel/luang-prabang-trip/", "title": "Under-RM2000 Travel: 4D3N Luang Prabang Trip\n  ", "body": "\n\nDid you know that the town of Luang Prabang is one of UNESCO\u2019s World Heritage Centres? If you didn\u2019t, the prices there will remind you, because damn do they jack it up for the foreign tourists. And it \nwas\n mostly foreign tourists \u2013 I didn\u2019t see many local tourists.\n\n\nI\u2019m not bitter or anything \u2013 it\u2019s great that the tourism industry provides such good income for the locals \u2013 but yep you definitely need some play money to make the best of your time there. It\u2019s just that I\u2019ve heard how \u2018Laos is practically under-developed Thailand\u2019, and expected lower prices, but many places in Luang Prabang charge higher than downtown KL, and even Singapore!\n\n\nI\u2019ve also heard how Luang Prabang is a \u2018sleepy town\u2019. Thought 4 days is enough to explore all of it (heck, I had enough of \nHong Kong\n after 3 days), but in hindsight I should\u2019ve stayed longer. There were more things to do than you\u2019d think!\n\n\nLuang Prabang Trip Overview\n\n\n\n\nI went to Luang Prabang in February 2019, during the Chinese New Year holidays. The exchange rate then was around 100,000 kip = RM48~. In this article, let\u2019s just round it up to RM50 to make the calculations easier.\n\n\nHere are the major costs:\n\n\nAccommodation\n.\u00a0I bought a \nflight+accommodation package\n from Expedia for RM1120.78 per person, among the lowest-priced packages offered. It was AirAsia flights without check-in bags plus 2-star but highly-rated hotel, nothing fancy. After I made the booking, I was informed that the breakdown was RM912 for return flights and RM208.78 for 3 nights\u2019 accommodation (so effectively RM417.56 for 3 nights for 2 people, or RM139.19 per room per night).\nTransportation\n. The town itself is super walkable so you don\u2019t need to spend extra money there, but you\u2019ll want to allocate some money for trips to local attractions. Airport transfers were reasonable in price. More on both of these below.\nFood\n. I budgeted a generous (or so I thought ) RM25 per meal. It was \nnot\n enough, unless if you eat mostly street food or if you\u2019re easily satisfied with small portions, which is quite the norm there. Technically you *can* get by with eating 10,000 kip / RM5 baguettes for all three daily meals, but do you wanna? I\u2019d allocate RM30-40 per meal per person the next time around. But if you are on a budget, the baguette stalls look like this.\n\n\n\n\nSavings tip 1:\n\u00a0I bought the flights and accommodation package via Expedia from\u00a0\nShopback\u00a0\n(note: referral link) and got some cashback from it, yay\n\n\nDay 1 \u2013 Arrival to Luang Prabang\n\n\nAs of writing time, there were no direct flights to Luang Prabang from KL. I had layovers at Don Mueang Airport in Thailand both ways. If you\u2019re lucky, the layover is as short as a couple of hours. Mine was five and three hours respectively.\n\n\nUnfortunately, I neglected to pack snacks so I had to get food.\u00a0\nFood prices at Don Mueang airport are expensive AF. \nI\u2019m talking about RM10 instant noodles and RM15 breads! Two small bento packs, an onigiri and two bottles of water cost me RM100!\n\n\nUpon arrival at Luang Prabang Airport, I skipped all the money changers and withdrew Laotian kip from one of the ATMs outside. The first thing I paid for was the airport transfer to Luang Prabang town \u2013 it costs 50,000 kip (RM25) per trip. That\u2019s right, per trip, not per person.\n\n\nWe finally reached Luang Prabang town by 4pm or so, checked in the hotel, and walked to the Night Market nearby. I enjoyed it so much that we went to the Night Market for all three nights. I got most of my street food and French pastries fix there, too: coconut pancakes, coconut waffles, baguettes, fruits, grilled banana and more.\n\n\nNote: the \u2018coconut pancake\u2019 is not like the usual pancake. They serve or so bite-sized morsels of deliciousness in a banana leaf bowl. Super delicious and at 5,000 kip / RM2.50, a freaking bargain.\n\n\n\n\nSavings tip 2: \nPack snacks for your layover in Don Mueang Airport to avoid the ridiculous prices. Bring a water bottle and refill for free. This unexpected cost added over RM100 to my total wtf\n\n\nSavings tip 3:\n I didn\u2019t want to hold on to Thai Baht, so I just used my BigPay card to pay for everything at Don Mueang Airport. Get extra RM10 credit if you use my BigPay referral code INLALP7ZLE. To download the app, find BigPay in \nPlayStore\n\u00a0(Android) or\u00a0\nAppstore\n\u00a0(iOS)\n\n\nSavings tip 4\n:\u00a0 It\u2019s almost impossible to exchange your RM to Laotian kip before you go. It\u2019s one of those \u2018non-tradeable currency\u2019 that\u2019s practically worthless outside of the country, so no money exchanger carry it. You can get Laotian kips at the money exchangers at Luang Prabang airport, or use your BigPay card to withdraw money from the ATMs. I did the latter; the exchange rates are better. Get extra RM10 credit if you use my BigPay referral code INLALP7ZLE. To download the app, find BigPay in \nPlayStore\n\u00a0(Android) or\u00a0\nAppstore\n\u00a0(iOS)\n\n\nSavings tip 5:\n There are about 4 or so ATMs outside of Luang Prabang airport.\u00a0\nThey have different fees that you have to pay ON TOP of BigPay\u2019s RM10 per foreign ATM withdrawal fee.\u00a0\nOne ATM charges 3% of my transaction total. One ATM charges 40,000 kip / RM20 per transaction. Another gave an error message. I absorbed the 40,000 kip fee because at least that was lower than 3% fee or 60,000 kip on my 2 million kip withdrawal.\n\n\nSavings tip 6:\u00a0\nIf you\u2019re travelling alone, it\u2019s worth joining other travellers to save up on the airport transfer fee. Each trip costs 50,000 kip / RM25, so even one other person can slash your cost in half. It\u2019s better if your accommodation is near each other, but the town is fairly small and everything is about 10-15 minutes away by foot, max.\n\n\nSavings tip 7:\u00a0\nI tried out a 15,000 kip / RM7.50 \u2018vegetarian buffet\u2019 at one of the streets at the Night Market. Basically you can fill your bowl with as much food as you want \u2013 one of the cheapest meals you can have in Luang Prabang. Sorry for blurry pic, the area was super packed with budget-conscious backpackers.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDay 2 \u2013 Exploring Luang Prabang\n\n\nIf you like exploring small towns, you\u2019ll like Luang Prabang. It\u2019s extremely walkable and there are lots of things to see. Right of the bat, you\u2019ll notice the lack of chain stores. There were no convenience marts or fast food joints or anything like that. In fact, the ONLY franchise we saw was (oddly) Minisou. I enjoyed seeing French influences everywhere amid the many temples dotted around town.\n\n\nOn this day alone, we:\n\n\nHad \u2018the best croissant in Luang Prabang\u2019 at Le Banneton Cafe, according to my hotel owner, who is French\nWalked across the bamboo bridge (5000 kip / RM2.50 per person)\nChecked out the many textile shops and boutiques\nHad local meals and snacks (oh man I enjoyed pigging out there, diet be damned)\nBought some snacks at a small supermarket (it was mostly stuff imported from Thailand, but we did buy Laotian drip coffee and Laotian rice)\nWalked along the riverbank and appreciated the view\nWent to the Night Market again\nChecked out a few Buddhist temples and pretended to not be fascinated by the monks (WHO ARE YOU? HOW DID YOU GET THERE? DO YOU GET TO MEET YOUR FAMILY???)\n\n\n\n\nThe temples are beautiful. I expected that. But I didn\u2019t expect this:\n\n\n\n\nDo I go to hell if I laughed?\n\n\nSavings tip 8:\n\u00a0Unless you really like guided tours, skip that and just explore town on your own.\u00a0 I would totally say go for it but RM175 for a half-day walking tour to free/cheap attractions is just too much (I\u2019m not kidding, you can find this on Klook). This is one of those instances where they try to squeeze money out of tourists.\n\n\nDay 3 \u2013 Alms-Giving, Mount Phousi, Kuang Si Waterfall and River Cruise\n\n\nThis was an AMAZING day. We woke up early at 5am and had back-to-back activities all day long.\n\n\nAlms-giving\n is basically watching Buddhist monks receiving food donations from the public. It\u2019s free to view, but you can pay to participate. Lots of tourists do \u2013 they bought food from vendors (something the temples discourage) or joined some overpriced package. I didn\u2019t because the commercialisation aspect of what\u2019s supposed to be a spiritual activity made me sad \ud83d\ude41\n\n\nThen we went up the \nMount Phousi\n to catch the sunrise. They charge 10,000 kip / RM5 per person to get to the temple at the top. There are two routes \u2013 take one up and the other one down. Beautiful place. Burned some calories.\n\n\n\n\nThen we had breakfast (I had rice noodle soup, the typical Laotian breakfast) and bought some in-season sweet oranges and snacks at the \nMorning Market\n. I managed to witness this cute interaction between this toddler and the vendors there. Super cute.\n\n\n\n\nOur van picked us up to go to the \nKuang Si Waterfall\n. You have to pay for the 1-hour trip there (around RM20 per person for round trip) AND the entrance fee, which is 20,000 kip / RM10 per person. DO NOT SKIP THIS ATTRACTION. Kuang Si Waterfall is gorgeous, and also surprisingly cold.\n\n\n\n\nAfter we got back to Luang Prabang town, we booked ourselves on a \nsunset river cruise\n for 85,000 kip / RM42.50 each. I can recommend \nSa Sa Cruise\n \u2013\u00a0 it was way cheaper than other dinner cruises offered (I saw a pamphlet offering USD30 dinner cruises) and I didn\u2019t feel like haggling with the locals, who were too pushy for my taste.\n\n\nI have to say, it\u2019s nice to see unpolluted rivers for once.\n\n\n\n\nAfter that we went to an awesome restaurant (\nKhaiphaen\n), dropped 150,000 kip / RM75 for dinner for two and called it a night.\n\n\nSavings tip 9\n: You can book a return trip to the Kuang Si Waterfall pretty much anywhere at Luang Prabang town, they\u2019re not hard to find. Most places charge 40,000 kip/RM20. The lowest I\u2019ve seen advertised was 35,000 kip / RM17.50, but that was not the norm. I booked mine for RM25 per person from Klook since I can get cashback and I had some credits there anyway. You can find Klook at\u00a0\nShopback\u00a0\n(note: referral link).\n\n\nDay 4 \u2013 Going back home\n\n\nOur flight was at 4pm, so we had the whole morning and afternoon to kill. I found more delicious things to eat (local coffee, local chakoi, mangoes and lots of pastries) and bought last-minute souvenirs: a cheap dress, riverweed/khaiphean and Laotian coffee. Pictured below is kaiphaen, a local delicacy. They sell it for 30,000 kip / RM15 for 10 big sheets. The lady was nice enough to sell me just 5 sheets to try out.\n\n\n\n\nFor coffee, I recommend this one by Saffron Coffee. They sell coffee beans but you can also ask them to grind them on the spot. I freaking love Laotian coffee. They smell like cocoa, highly recommend.\n\n\n\n\nAt 1pm, a tuktuk we arranged via the hotel arrived and took us to the airport (same price \u2013 50,000 kip per trip). Boy was I glad to get the souvenirs in town because they jacked up the prices at the airport. The same things cost up to four times as much!\n\n\nBtw, shoutout to the hotel, \nView Khem Khong Guesthouse\n. \nAmazing\n spectacular level of service.\n\n\nSavings tip 10\n: Use up all your Laotian kip in Luang Prabang, or turn it back to RM/other currencies. I didn\u2019t know this and brought back 200,000 kip / RM100 back and couldn\u2019t exchange it back anywhere. I wish I bought more coffee with that money \ud83d\ude41\n\n\nTotal cost for my budget Luang Prabang trip\n\n\nIn total, I spent RM1893.95 all-in. The biggest chunk was definitely flights \u2013 that alone was RM912 or almost half of my total Luang Prabang trip expenditure.I stressed a little bit over spending more than expected for food, but it didn\u2019t ruin my budget or anything.\n\n\nI had an awesome trip, but like I said, I didn\u2019t have enough time to check out everything Luang Prabang had to offer. If I had an extra day, I would totally check out the National Museum, Botanical Garden, Pak Ou Cave, and perhaps splurge on an ethical, no-riding elephant tour like the one offered by\u00a0\nMandalao\n (estimate +RM500).\n\n\nAny of you been to Luang Prabang before? Let me know your savings tips in the comments section below.\n\n\nItem\nBudgeted\u00a0\nActual\u00a0\nFlight+Accommodation (Expedia)\nRM1120.78\nRM1120.78 (RM912 for flights, RM208.78 for accommodation)\nInsurance\nRM30\nRM0 (whoops I didn\u2019t in the end don\u2019t be like me kids)\nReturn trip to Kuang Si Waterfall via Klook\nRM25\nRM21.80 (used up existing credit from previous purchase)\nFood & Drinks\nRM300 (RM25 per meal x 12 meals)\nRM374.55 (should have allocated more!)\nAirport transfers\nRM200\nRM180 (Grab in MY+Luang Prabang)\nEntertainment/shopping/souvenirs/etc\nRM200 (RM50 per day x 4 days)\nRM197.60\nTOTAL\nRM1875\nRM1894.03\n\n\nRelated: Previous travel \u2013 \nHong Kong\n,\u00a0\nMaldives\n,\u00a0\nLangkawi\n,\u00a0\nKrabi,\n\u00a0\nOsaka+Kyoto\n, and \nSaigon\n\n\nLaos is the ninth ASEAN country I\u2019ve visited. Almost there, just one more to complete the set. Wait for me Philippines.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/travel/maldives-trip/", "title": "4D3N Maldives Trip: What I got for RM3.3k\n  ", "body": "\n\nThis is slightly mean, but one of the deciding factors for the Maldives trip is the fact that Maldives will be affected by climate change in the future. In my head, it was \u2018oh, better go now in case I can\u2019t later\u2019. That\u2019s how I justified the price tag of this trip, despite costing even higher than my \nOsaka + Kyoto trip\n.\n\n\n\n\nHowever, the idea of seeing the most beautiful beaches I\u2019m ever going to see in my lifetime was a big draw. I set up a very high expectation and was not disappointed at all. Islands in Maldives are absolutely \ngorgeous, beautiful, breathtaking\n.\n\n\nMaldives Trip Overview\n\n\nI spent RM3.3k on this trip. Maldives generate almost all of their revenue from tourism \u2013 a ridiculous number like 90% or so \u2013 so I knew they\u2019d charge me premium rates where they can, but I\u2019d still consider this a successful budget trip. The accommodation cost was shared with a friend and deducted as such, but you can make a similar trip at around the same price point or even cheaper by:\n\n\n\n\nPicking a cheaper accommodation.\n I picked rooms with views instead of basic, no-frills rooms. My rooms average about RM500 per night, but you can find RM200+ or RM300+ ones and still have a good time.\n\n\nGetting promo flight tickets from AirAsia.\n I spent RM1500 for return flights KL-Male\u2019 (included in the RM3.3k overall cost). When I was writing this section, I checked Airasia again and found return tickets for as low as RM842. I definitely overpaid for my flight \u2013 the timing could be better.\n\n\nUsing public transportation (ferry and bus)\n. I used them where I could, but to/from Maafushi I splurged on a speedboat for USD25 per way. The cheaper option is to use public ferry for USD2 or so \u2013 see under Savings Tip 6.\n\n\n\n\nIf you get cheaper options, I dare say you\u2019ll be able to get the same 4D3N Maldives trip for RM2.5k or so, per person.\n\n\nMaldives is \nnot\n a foodie location, at least not for Malaysians. The best meal I had was a hot bowl of dhal at a shop next to the bus stop, a random find. Seafood is not worth splurging at their price \u2013 better go Pulau Ketam or Sabah instead for all-out seafood blowout makan session. The fish dishes I had were deep fried (served with lime) and grilled (served with lime) and was not that flavourful. As for fish curries\u2026 we have better ones here in Malaysia.\n\n\n\n\nOn choosing which islands to go to, it was either:\n\n\n\n\nMale\u2019\n (the capital; not suitable for excursion trips),\n\n\nHulhumale\u2019\n (in-development, now serves more like a transit area; not suitable for excursion trips),\n\n\nResort islands\n (plenty to choose from like Club Med and stuff; expensive as hell, quickly dismissed), or\n\n\nMaafushi\n (has a reputation as \u2018budget island\u2019; done, found my spot).\n\n\n\n\nMaafushi is like super-small, less-packed version of Koh Samui/Koh Phangan/Koh Tao hybrid, except everything is halal (save for their Bikini Beach \u2013 where white people go to sunbathe). The beaches were beautiful, and from online research, the excursion trips from there are the most value for money. It\u2019s a good hub for island-hopping.\n\n\n\n\nSavings tip 1:\n\u00a0Get promo flight tickets from AirAsia if you can.\n\n\nSavings tip 2\n:\u00a0 I bought my flights and accommodation via\u00a0\nShopback\u00a0\n(note: referral link) for the additional cashback. I think I earned back about RM100 or so, yay.\n\n\nSavings tip 3:\n To save even more money, bring your own food and snacks. Even normal meals can cost a lot more than what we normally pay for here in Malaysia. The dhal place for breakfast costs us RM30 for two people, including drinks and some other local food. Bring Maggi or whatever and use your money for experiences instead, not food.\n\n\nDay 1 \u2013 Arrival to Maldives (Velana International Airport), overnight transit at Hulhumale\u2019\n\n\nHonestly, Velana International Airport is like the main terminal hub, which is cool. You can go to most places in Maldives from there. It had the:\n\n\n\n\nPublic bus\n to Hulhumale\u2019, the only (\nman\n\u00a0person-made) island connected by road to the airport.\n\n\nPublic ferry\n to Male\u2019, the capital.\n\n\nSpeedboats to islands\n, including Maafushi. Some are tour companies, some are resort-owned and only pick up passengers going to that resort. See estimated pricing \nhere\n.\n\n\nSeaplane flights\n, to go to relatively far islands and takes hours by speedboats. These cost hundreds of dollars per person per way and will definitely jack up the cost of your Maldives trip.\u00a0\u00a0See estimated pricing \nhere\n.\n\n\n\n\nUpon arrival, I went to the \nBank of Maldives money exchange\n to convert some of my USD into Rafiyya, their national currency. You can\u2019t buy Rafiyya outside of Maldives. USD is widely accepted and legal tender, but for smaller purchases it\u2019s better to pay with Rafiyya to get a better price. When I went, 1USD = RF15 = RM4.10. During my four days there, I exchanged USD150 but spent only USD45 or so in Rafiyya equivalent, mostly for food/drinks/public bus/public ferry purchases.\n\n\nI arrived at Velana International Airport quite late, at 8pm their time, so I booked a room at Hulhumale\u2019 to sleep overnight before going to Maafushi. Male\u2019 is another viable overnight transit option \u2013 take the public ferry there for RF10-30 (IIRC) per way.\n\n\nSavings tip 4\n: Don\u2019t forget to change back your Rafiyya to USD before you leave Maldives! It\u2019s almost impossible to exchange it outside of the country. Apparently you\u2019re advised to keep your exchange slip when you want to exchange your Rafiyya back at the airport, but our teller didn\u2019t ask. Wouldn\u2019t hurt to hold on to it, just in case.\n\n\nSavings tip 5:\n\u00a0If you also arrive late and transit at Hulhumale, pick a hotel near the Main bus terminal in Hulhumale city (town? It\u2019s small). The bus cost is just RF20 (USD1.33) per person and takes just 10 minutes. My hotel wanted USD20 per taxi ride, super expensive!\u00a0\nHere\u2019s the bus schedule\n, it runs 24 hours a day. The bus stop is near the ferry ticket counter at Velana International Airport.\n\n\n\n\nDay 2 \u2013 Going to Maafushi\n\n\nThere wasn\u2019t much to do at Hulhumale\u2019. It\u2019s still being developed, and won\u2019t fully boom until at least 2020 or something. That said, the beach is beautiful and I like the building style at Beach Road. That\u2019s worth a morning stroll.\n\n\nWe checked out, took the public bus back to the airport (RF20) and waited for the speedboat to Maafushi at 1.30pm. I booked it online from \niCom Tours\n\u00a0for USD25 per person per trip.\n\n\nAfter our arrival at Maafushi, we checked in to a beautiful hotel room at Crystal Sands Beach Hotel. Friendly staff members, can recommend. I got the room for about RM500+ per night, during one of those Expedia sales. Again, use\u00a0\nShopback\u00a0\n(note: referral link) for additional cashbacks \ud83d\ude00\n\n\nThe hotel, like many other hotels in Maafushi organises \nexcursion trips\n. We booked two: sunset night fishing (USD25; 5pm-9.30pm for that night) and snorkelling trip (USD70; 8am-3pm for the next day). Because we didn\u2019t have much time, we didn\u2019t really price-compare other excursion trip packages by other tour companies/hotels, but it was definitely cheaper than what our hotel at Hulhumale\u2019 offered. Much cheaper. Like almost half price kinda cheaper.\n\n\nNight fishing was fun. I didn\u2019t manage to catch anything except a couple of corals ahahaha. Views of the sunset, as well as the moon and stars come nightfall were amazing though. The group caught like 11 fishes or so (mostly small ones), and the hotel cooked them for us after we returned. Honest opinion: the group meal was kinda awkward and they only served us fried fish with lime, rice and coleslaw. I\u2019d skip the meal and go elsewhere for dinner, but that was my experience.\n\n\n The guide explaining how to do line-fishing\n\n\nSavings tip 6:\n\u00a0To go to Maafushi for 90% cheaper, use the public ferry from Male\u2019 \u2013 see \nhere for more info\n. You have less timing options, but it\u2019s cheap and only adds up 30 mins-1 hour or so to your schedule. If I transited in Male\u2019 I would\u2019ve considered this option. USD2 vs USD25 is a big difference.\n\n\nDay 3 \u2013 Snorkelling in the sea!\n\n\nWhen we checked in the day before, Maria the reception lady explained to us all the excursion packages the hotel offered. Aside from sunset night fishing and snorkelling trip, they also offered resort trips (USD110 per person), romantic dinner package (USD120 per couple), watersports package (forgot the price) and sunset sunbank photoshoot (also forgot the price).\n\n\nBy right, my $70 snorkelling trip should include:\n\n\n\n\nSnorkelling at shark point\n\n\nSnorkelling at turtle point\n\n\nDolphin cruise\n\n\nBBQ Buffet Lunch\n\n\nSandbank\n\n\nSnorkelling equipment\n\n\nGoPro photography\n\n\nTowels\n\n\nWater and soft drinks\n\n\n\n\nBut we didn\u2019t get the dolphin cruise or the sandbank \u2013 no reasons were given. At this point I already made friends with the guides, so I (a sis by religion and all) didn\u2019t complain. Seeing dolphins and the sandbank would have been cool, but oh well.\n\n\nWhat I really liked though is that the guides were cool as heck and \nthey took action pics of us as value-added service\n. Behold, the coolest photo of me that will ever exist!\n\n\n\n\nSnorkelling in the open sea was an experience to remember, although I am a bit sad at all the dead corals \ud83d\ude41 It\u2019s a trend everywhere around the globe. Not related to Maldives, but I remember snorkelling at the \ncoast\n of Redang Island and saw colourful corals. This was 2010s, and when I went again a few months later, the corals were much dead-er.\n\n\nDuring the snorkelling trips, we saw sharks, turtles, a big stingray, random fishes (not many), some squids and a couple of starfishes. I imagine if you go to the more upscale resorts, they can (maybe) bring you to better snorkelling locations with actual living corals.\n\n\nFor dinner that night, we went to a USD12 buffet place. It was okay. Not great, just okay. On the \u2018worth it\u2019 scale, a solid 6 out of 10.\n\n\nSavings tip 7:\n\u00a0We went in December 2017. It wasn\u2019t peak season, although it wasn\u2019t low season either. I saw forum postings of people who post excursion price lists prominently displayed all around the island but didn\u2019t see them. Anyhow, our excursion trips probably weren\u2019t the cheapest, but I\u2019m happy anyway because the tour guides were awesome. Plus meals were included so I saved some money there.\n\n\nSavings tip 8:\n If you plan to go on the snorkelling trips, you don\u2019t have to bring your own snorkelling gear. They will supply them to you and include it in the price. In preparation, I bought a RM59 snorkelling kit from Decathlon and didn\u2019t use it once. I heard that snorkelling rental costs USD10 or so per equipment and wanted to avoid that charge. In this case the plan backfired :/\n\n\nRandom tip 1:\n\u00a0Apparently Maafushi has kick-ass new years eve parties, the one where its promoted mainly by word of mouth, a well-kept open secret. Kinda sad to miss it, but next time.\n\n\nRandom tip 2:\n Trips to other resorts are popular because they include unlimited alcoholic drinks as well as other amenities the resort has to offer, like house reef, buffet lunch and private beach. It will definitely cost more than USD100 per person, depending on which resort. If you wanted to try the \u2018Maldivian resort\u2019 holiday but on the cheap, it\u2019s worth it. But if not, then skip the resorts.\n\n\nDay 4 \u2013 Watersports, Male and back to airport\n\n\nWe have to check out by 12pm, but I was adamant on making the most of this Maldives trip and shopped around for watersports packages. They have many types: see below prices of excursion trips, diving and other watersports packages to use as benchmark. This one is by a company called Maafushi Dive and Maafushi Water Sports. Had to take the pics discreetly, thus why its senget a bit. Zoom in to view the prices better.\n\n\n \n\n\nI wanted to try windsurfing, but the water condition wasn\u2019t suitable for it (low tide). So I tried wakeboarding for USD60. Totally failed at it \u2013 I tore chunks of skin off my hands and kept falling in the water. But I\u2019m glad I tried it, at least. The instructors probably felt sorry for me because they offered a free 5-min jet ski ride afterwards. The water was slightly choppy, so that was fun.\n\n\n\n\nDo you have other info about the pricing for excursion and watersports pricing? If yes, share in the comments section!\n\n\nAfter we showered and checked out of the hotel, we took the 12pm speedboat back to Velana International Airport. Instead of waiting there until our flight at 8.55pm, we decided to take the public ferry (RF10 per way) to Male\u2019, the capital. Male\u2019 was meh, to be honest. We had a meh late lunch, a meh stroll around and decided to go back to the airport early.\n\n\nSavings tip 9\n: Check your balances after each purchase.\u00a0It might have been an honest mistake, but the lady at public ferry counter charged me RF20 per trip instead of RF10. Not a huge amount to lose, but I\u2019m kinda salty about it.\n\n\n\n\nTotal cost for my\u00a0Maldives trip\n\n\nIn total, I spent RM3359.25 for this trip. You can make that even cheaper by getting cheaper flights, accommodation, bringing own food and opting for public transportation where you can. Breakdown of expenses in the table below.\n\n\nPlease share this if you find it useful, thanks!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nItem\n\n\nBudgeted\u00a0\n\n\nActual\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFlight tickets KL-Maldives (AirAsia)\n\n\nRM1500\n\n\nRM1516.80\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAccommodation (Expedia)\n\n\nRM750 (my share; twin-sharing)\n\n\nRM706.72\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHome to KLIA2 (return, Grab)\n\n\nRM130\n\n\nRM134.70\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFood & Drinks\n\n\nUSD120 (USD20 per meal x 6 meals) (RM492)\n\n\nRM141.40 (for 4 meals)\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPublic transportation (bus, ferry)\n\n\nUSD30 (USD10 per day x 3 days) (RM123)\n\n\nRM19.13\n\n\n\n\n\n\nReturn speedboats to/from Maafushi\n\n\nUSD50 (RM205)\n\n\nRM205\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTours/Watersports/Entertainment\n\n\nUSD200 (RM820)\n\n\nRM635.50\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTOTAL\n\n\nRM4020\n\n\nRM3359.25\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRelated: Previous travel \u2013\u00a0\nLangkawi\n,\u00a0\nKrabi, Thailand,\n\u00a0\nOsaka+Kyoto\n, and \nSaigon, Vietnam\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/travel/rainforest-world-music-festival-kuching-weekend/", "title": "Rainforest World Music Festival+ Kuching weekend for under RM1000\n  ", "body": "\n\nI\u2019ve never attended a music festival, and never been to Kuching, Sarawak. So when I saw Rainforest World Music Festival happening on 14-16 July 2017 on my Facebook dash, it was an easy decision. Something different as a weekend activity \u2013 fly in on Saturday morning, fly back on Monday early early morning.\n\n\nIt was\u2026 amazing. Easily one of my top 10 experiences of the year. This guide is best read together with the\u00a0\nRainforest World Music Festival official website\n (RWMF for short) \u2013 I\u2019m just covering this from the budgeting/personal experience angle, so you know what to expect when you plan to go there yourself next year. For complete show and event itineraries and other information, check the official website.\n\n\n\n\nRainforest World Music Festival overview\n\n\nThe dates change every year, but it\u2019s always a three-day Friday/Saturday/Sunday event. There were a few budget components to this trip to take into consideration.\n\n\n\n\nAccommodation\n. Rainforest World Music Festival is held at Sarawak Cultural Village. That\u2019s in Santubong, about 30 minutes by car from Kuching city. I tried to find places in Santubong, but even at 3 weeks in advance everything was fully booked. So now you know you have to book earlier than that to secure accommodation in Santubong itself during the event. If you can\u2019t, no worries, just stay in Kuching city.\n\n\nTickets\n. You can buy three-day pass (pre-sale price in 2017: RM343.20 per adult), or daily pass (pre-sale price in 2017: RM131.20 per adult). Tickets at the door are available too but cost 15% more. I decided to attend 1 day only, on Saturday 15th July. There were no two-day tickets.\n\n\nTransportation from Kuching to Sarawak Cultural Village.\n Three ways: 1) Drive there, park at the dedicated parking area at Sanctuary, then take the van for RM7 per way. I didn\u2019t hire a car there so I don\u2019t know parking costs. 2) Take the dedicated RWMF bus from Kuching. RM15 per way (adult), multiple pick-up/drop-off points available. 3) Take Grab or whichever ride-sharing partner they use that year. More on this under Day 1.\n\n\n\n\nIt was convenient to check accommodation, ticket prices+authorised sellers, transportation options as it was included in the \nRWMF official website\n. They list most of the information you\u2019ll need.\n\n\nSavings tip 1:\n\u00a0I thought that AirAsia will *always* be the cheapest flight option, but it was not the case this time. After factoring in luggage, Malaysia Airlines was cheaper. It was a joy to fly MAS after a while \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nSavings tip 2:\n\u00a0Unless your itinerary is not fixed, buy your tickets in advance. I saved myself RM20 by getting the pre-sale price.\n\n\nSavings tip 3:\u00a0\nUsed\u00a0\nShopback\u00a0\n(note: referral link) to book my accommodation in Kuching, got 6% cashback for it \ud83d\ude42 I stayed at Ariva Gateway Kuching \u2013 pretty good value-for-money, central place that costs only ~RM145 per night.\n\n\nSavings tip 4:\n The cheapest possible accommodation you can get during RWMF is camping at Sarawak Cultural Village itself. Bring own tent and it\u2019s just RM42.40 per night for up to 2 pax (RM74.20 if you rent a tent; 2017 price). Then you\u2019ll save the transportation headache and costs as well. Although\u2026 you do need to prepare in case it rains.\n\n\nDay 1 \u2013\u00a0Arrival to Kuching, off to Rainforest World Music Festival\n\n\n The main stage, during the day\n\n\nMy itinerary of the day was simple. Fly into Kuching from KL International Airport in the morning, Uber/Grab to the hotel, leave unnecessary luggage, order Uber/Grab to Sarawak Cultural Village, and have fun at Rainforest World Music Festival until its time to leave. Everything was fine, except for transportation to/from there. \nApparently transportation is a recurring problem during RWMF.\n\n\n\n\nKuching to Sarawak Cultural Village.\n Ordered Uber to go to RWMF \u2013 at the time Uber\u2019s price estimate was way cheaper than Grab. Didn\u2019t think much of it but understood why later. Turns out that Rainforest World Music Festival had a partnership with Grab. \nAll non-Grab cars were not allowed to go beyond a certain checkpoint\n. Because we took Uber , we were stopped from dropped off at Sarawak Cultural Village. Our only option is to take an additional van ride, which costs us another RM7 per pax (for 5-min ride!) -_-\n\n\nSarawak Cultural Village to Kuching.\n Poor internet, could not even get a signal to order any ride-sharing. Only the bus option was available for us. \nWe waited for more than 1 hour for the bus, and we got in the line early\n. \u00a0Imagine, it took so long for the bus to come that when they finally did, the crowd cheered. Some of us (including myself) did not have raincoats and had to wait in the rain. Looking back, it was an experience but it was. not. fun. then.\n\n\nI think, one way or another, you *will* have transportation issues no matter what type of transportation you choose. The people who drove there had to park off-site and still depend and wait for the shuttle vans. There was a massive jam on the road back to Kuching. The 30-min bus ride took 1+ hour.\n\n\n\n\nBut hey, live and learn and move on. Plus the festival was worth all the effort \ud83d\ude42 \ud83d\ude42 \ud83d\ude42 I\u2019m going to break down what I personally experienced there.\n\n\nNote:\u00a0If you want to rent a car, you can use \nDiscoverCarHire\n (note: affiliate links). Checked the rates, it\u2019s fairly affordable.\n\n\nThe music at Rainforest World Music Festival\n\n\n\n\nMany types of world music throughout the day. I\u2019m not even a music lover and I still had fun listening to a bunch of different stuff. My favourite was the Borneo experimental band At Adau (pictured) and the Tahiti group O Tahiti E. To be fair, those were the only night performances I managed to watch, because it \nrained\n poured at around 8.30pm or so right until midnight. It was RAINforest Music Festival, indeed. We had to move from open-air to inside a nearby shelter and couldn\u2019t see any more performances after that. Note to self: bring an umbrella and/or raincoat next time.\n\n\nBut I have to say, dancing in the rain is pretty fun. I got an almost-cold out of it, but I heard some people got sick. So listen to your body okaaay.\n\n\nThe food at Rainforest World Music Festival\n\n\nDidn\u2019t expect RWMF to also be a world FOOD festival, but it did! I had:\n\n\n\n\nTraditional Borneo chicken and mushroom dumpling\n\n\nTapioca fritters\n\n\nMee kolok (halal!) \u2013 my first time trying it, have never found a halal one until now!\n\n\nSarawak laksa\n\n\nEgg oyster from the Chinese cultural society booth\n\n\nMatcha ice cream\n\n\nGula anong ice cream \u2013 my view is, try palm sugar before the white people \u2018discover\u2019 it and push the price high, like what they did with quinoa and coconut water\n\n\nCoconut pancake\n\n\nAnd still there were so many other food options ranging from traditional Borneo tribal food to Korean food to meat pies. I saw traditional Borneo dishes which included a keli fish the size of my arm!\n\n\n\n\n Freshly fried crunchy tapioca fritters\n\n\n Mee kolok\n\n\nThe activities at Rainforest World Music Festival\n\n\nI\u2019m a first-time visitor to Sarawak Cultural Village, and exploring traditional longhouses with its coconut trunk stairs and walking through bamboo bridges were fun on its own. Really enjoyed that.\n\n\nBut aside from that, I also joined the noodle-making workshop and the Drum Circle. Short story about the drum circle: If you\u2019ve never participated in one, here\u2019s how it usually goes \u2013 they\u2019ll pass some musical instruments to audience members and the \u2018conductor\u2019 at the center will guide rounds of music percussion. Even if you don\u2019t have an instrument you can clap and dance around. Super fun. Anyway, in the middle of the second set, apparently some \u2018VIPs\u2019 wanted a photo op hahahhahaha. They were led to the center and posed themselves participating in the event. It was so staged, I internally gagged lol.\n\n\nOther activities and things to see included wellness workshops (tai chi, yoga,meditation etc), sustainability talks and demonstrations, cultural exhibitions, arts workshops, real and temporary tattoo parlours, booths offering traditional souvenirs and more. And that\u2019s not including the improv performances that attendees decide to put on. Some people sang, some people danced, some practised their musical instruments and their flow arts.\n\n\nThe vibe at RWMF was very much positive and welcoming. Enjoyed people-watching tremendously.\n\n\n The moment I realised that I have no future as a noodle maker\n\n\nYourStory has a good roundup of Rainforest World Music Festival. See it \nhere\n.\n\n\nSavings tip 5:\n\u00a0If travelling in two or more pax, consider ridesharing to go to RWMF, but check if they partner with Grab or Uber that year to avoid that additional RM7 shuttle van ride. The bus from RWMF to Kuching was supposed to be RM15 per pax, but they charged us RM10 for some reason. I think they reduced the price to make us less annoyed about the long wait :/\n\n\nSavings tip 6:\n The food at RWMF was expensive, but you have no choice. They will confiscate all food and snacks you bring upon entry. \u00a0They seem to be more lax on drinks, so you can try bring water to save some money. Expect RM10 onward per meal. Some food booths offer discounts nearer to closing time.\n\n\nDay 2: Explore Kuching + Rainforest Fringe Festival\n\n\nContemplated attending Rainforest World Music Festival Day 3 but after Day 2\u2019s transportation problems, we decided to have a no-stress day exploring Kuching city instead. Found a half halal food court in Kuching, with halal Sarawak Laksa and Mee Jawa, had that for breakfast. The place name is \nJoy\u2019s Corner\n, you can find it in Google Maps. The food and the price was good, I can recommend it. The entrance is a bit tricky so below is a picture guide.\n\n\nNote: half-halal because one side of the same store sells halal food, another side sells non-halal food. I admire this arrangement #muhibbah\n\n\n\n\nThen we walked around Waterfront area and accidentally stumbled right into the \nRainforest Fringe Festival\n, a week-long festival celebrating everything Borneo. It was a joy to walk through the arts installations, photography and textile exhibitions. I have a new appreciation for Borneo arts and the rainforest. Sabah/Sarawak peeps, please forgive this Semenanjung girl for taking your states for granted. Your cultures are way more interesting than mine.\n\n\n\n\nAside from Borneo stuff, there was some eco-related stuff on display. Loved the work of Wild Forest Sculptor Spencer Byles. He made the installation below, gorgeous isn\u2019t it? You can find more of his work in his FB page \nhere\n.\n\n\n\n\nWalked around Little India \u2013 it was a Sunday and they had some booths selling clothes, food, local fruits and snacks. Lots of references to cats around town, this cat-lady is happy.\n\n\nAfter souvenir-shopping, we plonked ourselves at the cafe in the Old CourtHouse. A bit on the expensive side but a nice place with great decor, perfect for hanging out with friends. They had board games, including Gua! The Caving Adventure game. We tried it but couldn\u2019t get far \u2013 the board was missing a piece \ud83d\ude41 I enjoyed the vegetarian tapas, but did not enjoy the Lemon Poppy Seed cake. I think they forgot the lemon that day so it was just\u2026 poppy seed flavoured, which doesn\u2019t taste like anything tbh. Other cakes and desserts look good though, maybe it\u2019s just my luck.\n\n\n\n\nSavings tip 7:\n\u00a0You can support small shops and buy souvenirs along Waterfront and Little India. Buy clothes with Borneo designs, weaved bags and cases, music instruments \u2013 basically non-food items \u2013 there. For food items, go into Cold Storage at Green Heights Mall and get\u00a0Sarawak laksa paste, Sarawak pepper, wild rice and more there \u2013 you\u2019ll avoid tourist prices. I\u2019m sure you can get it cheaper at some other \u2018non-atas\u2019 grocery shops or if you haggle at the tourist places, but as an awkward haggler I prefer upfront price displays, so.\n\n\nDay 3:\u00a0Return to KL\n\n\nNothing particularly interesting. Ordered Uber to catch early flight back to KL. \u00a0I wish I had more time to explore Kuching and everything else it had to offer. Will try to make another trip there to check out the culture, museums and wildlife. If you have a particular must-visit location, please recommend in the comments section!\n\n\nTotal cost for my Rainforest World Music Festival+ Kuching weekend\n\n\nIn total, I spent RM975.53 for the weekend trip, inclusive of everything. I\u2019m happy with what I get to experience on such limited timeframe, and shared accommodation and transportation helped to bring down the total cost to under RM1000. My return flights took about a third of the cost \u2013 maybe you can watch for flight sales too save money there. Breakdown below:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nItem\n\n\nBudgeted (RM)\n\n\nActual (RM)\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHouse to KLIA2 (return; Grabcar)\n\n\n150\n\n\n130\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFood+Drinks\n\n\n100 (20 per meal x 5 meals)\n\n\n100\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAccommodation (shared)\n\n\n150 (for 2 nights)\n\n\n145 (my share)\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRWMF Day Pass\n\n\n131.20\n\n\n131.20\n\n\n\n\n\n\nReturn flight tickets (KLIA \u2013 KUC)\n\n\n300\n\n\n319.33\n\n\n\n\n\n\nShopping/Entertainment/Gifts/ transportation within Kuching\n\n\n200 (100 per day)\n\n\n150\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTOTAL\n\n\n1031.20\n\n\n975.53\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWant to know anything specific about Rainforest World Music Festival? Ask in the comments\u00a0?\u00a0Have you been there as well? Did you like it?\n\n\nRelated: Previous travel + breakdown \u2013\u00a0\nKrabi, Thailand\n\u00a0|\u00a0\nOsaka+Kyoto\n | \nLangkawi \n| \nSaigon, Vietnam\n\n\n\n\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/travel/saigon-trip-under-rm1000-travel/", "title": "Under-RM1000 Travel: 3D2N Ho Chi Minh City @ Saigon Trip, Vietnam\n  ", "body": "Ho Chi Minh City (young people in Vietnam prefer to call it by its original name, Saigon) is a good place to head to for an under-RM1000 weekend trip. Why not longer? It\u2019s a great city, but personally I can only handle the traffic noise in small\u00a0doses. This was my third trip to Vietnam, but first to Saigon.\n\n\nMy 3 days 2 nights Saigon trip was cheap- just RM958. Even cheaper than my 3 days 2 nights\u00a0\nLangkawi\n\u00a0trip! Saigon is good for ballin\u2019 on a budget \ud83d\ude42 There are eight savings tips in this post.\n\n\nThe currency is Vietnamese Dong. RM1 is roughly 5,000VND. Can\u2019t lie, holding a million Dongs in one hand made me chuckle.\n\n\nSaigon Trip Overview\n\n\n\n\nYou can get one-way flight tickets to Ho Chi Minh City from as low as RM40 during the AirAsia sales. But I didn\u2019t book in advance, so I paid about RM300 return for Malindo Air flights. Worth it, considering they include checked baggage and some refreshments in the price.\n\n\nAccommodation-wise, there are a lot of options. Good budget hotels can be found for as little as RM50 per night, while good hotels start from RM250 or so. I wanted comfort on this trip, and booked a RM300/night hotel that came with a small kitchen, a bathtub, and an amazing view of the river. It was also ~15 minutes away from\u00a0city centre. Still found the location noisy despite the distance.\n\n\nThis was my hotel\u2019s welcome note. Check out the last two points. This is how I know sex tourism is common in Saigon.\n\n\n\n\nFood is a bit hard to find for Muslims. Pork dishes are insanely popular, halal/vegetarian food is mostly Indian and Middle-Eastern. I had Banh Canh Cua (Shrimp and Crab Noodle Soup) twice on this trip because my tour guide said they don\u2019t contain pork/chicken/beef, but after coming back found out they usually use pork/chicken stock for the soup. Alamak. It\u2019s ok, no sin if didn\u2019t know, I tried. It was delicious though, I\u2019m sad I can\u2019t have it again \ud83d\ude41\n\n\nA bowl at stalls like these cost about 40,000VND (~RM8) including iced chrysanthemum tea\u00a0and that cakoi-like thing.\n\n\n\n\nSavings tip 1:\n\u00a0Get promo flight tickets if you can. I selected my flights on Google Flights, but booked via Expedia Flights+Accommodation package via \nShopback \n(note: referral link) for the RM55\u00a0cashback.\n\n\nSavings tip 2:\u00a0\nUse a cashback credit card, and layer them as much as you can. I got 5% cashback from my credit card. Read my how to layer in my cashback credit card article \nhere\n.\n\n\nDay 1 \u2013 Arrival to Saigon\n\n\nEven though I arrived at Tan Son Nhat Airport at about 4.30pm local time, immigration clearance, waiting for luggage and buying a SIM card took almost one hour. I booked a motorbike tour and was supposed to meet the tour guide at the hotel by 6pm! Got Uber working fairly quickly and booked a ride.\n\n\nThankfully made it in time. My guide, Yang, is a 23-year-old university student who took the job to improve her English skills. She took me to a riverside location with a great view, brought me for a Vietnamese meal and dessert, then a bar on Traveller\u2019s Street. I got to experience what Vietnam is famous for \u2013 it\u2019s motorbike-filled roads. I highly recommend it! Her company was pleasant. It was informal, like hanging out with a friend. Yang is an opinionated young adult and I enjoyed the conversations.\n\n\n\n\nThe bar part was weird. There were high school students drinking alcohol and they had drug devices on their table. I saw at least two inhalers wtf. The girls were dancing sexily to DJ\u2019s mix and one made suggestive winks to my travel companion all night long. They reminded me of Gossip Girls except that they\u2019re Asian and don\u2019t look grown up at all. Later I found out that the only reason why we went there was because it was next to another bar known for its live shows, and that one was full. I found the experience interesting anyhow.\n\n\nSavings tip 3\n: Buy a SIM card with data. Something like 3/5GB of data plan will last for a month, and they cost from 105,000VND (~RM21). \nThe counter on the furthest left has the best price, but the line can be long\n. I got mine for 150,000VND from another booth just to skip the long queue.\n\n\nSavings tip 4:\n\u00a0Saigon has both Uber and Grab, which are\u00a0\nway cheaper than local taxis\n. There are two options: Motorbike and car. Motorbike is roughly about 25-30% the price of car fares, but of course only for one passenger. Use them \u2013 I went to Vietnam (Hanoi) twice before this Saigon trip, and was scammed once (driver took the longer route) and almost scammed another time (took a motorbike taxi and midway he told me the 20,000 VND ride was actually 200,000 VND. I walked away mid-ride). Ridesharing apps are probably the safest way to travel around Saigon. Cash is accepted.\n\n\nSavings tip 5:\n I booked the Saigon at night motorbike tour from via \nTriip.me\n. It\u2019s a website that connects travellers and local tour guides. Usually a half-day tour is about $30-50 and above, but I got it for $15 from this website. There are many different types of experiences offered, including bizarre food trips and tea/coffee tasting.\n\n\nDay 2 \u2013 Exploring Saigon City\n\n\nTook an Uber from the hotel to city centre. First things first, coffee. Vietnam coffee is delicious and available everywhere. Picked a coffee\u00a0shop with a lot of locals, was not disappointed. 38,000 VND (~RM8) for Iced Coffee with Milk. Surprisingly expensive, but \ngood\n.\n\n\n\n\nThen I just walked around. Visited Notre Dame Cathedral, the post office, Ben Thanh Market. Had lunch there and bought a pack of chopsticks for 100,000VND, bargained down from 200,000VND (~RM20 from ~RM40). It was on my buy list anyway, and gosh it\u2019s pretty <3 EDIT: The chopsticks turned out to be a shit buy. It\u2019s decorative, not practical.\n\n\n\n\nThis is the post office with the portrait of Ho Chi Minh, the namesake of Ho Chi Minh City. His embalmed\u00a0body is in Hanoi, if you\u2019re into that sort of thing.\n\n\n\n\nSaigon is undeniably charming. It\u2019s very French-meet-Japan-meet-Southeast Asia, and a great place to simply explore. Go through small alleyways and find random coffee shops. Cross the roads and have motorbikes and cars swerve around you. Mind the traffic, keep your purse in front of you and apply common sense \u2013 you should be OK.\n\n\n\n\nThen took an Uber to Pham Ngu Lao Street. Picked a good spot \u2013 it was Saturday and there was a street market going on in front of Sense Market (an underground mall). I got a mango from a roadside vendor for 20,000VND (~RM4). Did not die, but results may vary. I saw quite a few rats on the streets.\n\n\n\n\nSavings tip 6:\n\u00a0Save\u00a0for truly local/rural areas, Pham Ngu Lao\u00a0Street is where you want to be for cheap rooms, massages, food, drinks and souveniers. If you don\u2019t stay there, go there.\n\n\nDay 3 \u2013 Travel back to KL\n\n\nMy flight was at 4.25pm. I was there by 11.30am wtf. Received a fake tip about needing to be at the airport five hours beforehand. Annoyed, but too early is better than too late. Still, -_- At least I managed to try banh mi with sardine filling (35,000VND/ RM7). The baguette itself was amazing, but the filling was meh.\n\n\n\n\nI had a leisurely morning though. Hotel\u2019s buffet breakfast was basic, but for some reason there was rice and kimchi, so I gobbled that. Vietnamese yoghurt is yummy (try it!) and goes well with fresh fruits. There was a grocery store near the hotel, I got some condiments. Bought another iced coffee at a local cafe for 15,000VND (RM3). It was nowhere near as good as the first one.\n\n\nUber from hotel to airport was 150,000VND. Surge pricing. Airport to hotel was 90,000VND.\n\n\nSavings tip 7:\n\u00a0Good coffee will be a bit more expensive \u2013 pay for them. I threw away the 15,000VND one after like three sips. It tasted like gasoline.\n\n\nSavings tip 8:\n\u00a0Coffee makes good souveniers. Buy coffee grounds/packets at grocery stores. The airport charges much more. I saw one brand at double the price.\n\n\nTotal cost for my\u00a0Saigon trip\n\n\nTotal damage for this trip was just RM958, excluding return ride from house to airport. You can make that even cheaper with cheaper flights, budget hotels and DIY tours. Breakdown of expenses in the table below.\n\n\nI can recommend Saigon for a short weekend trip. If you\u2019ve been, do you have any other money-saving tips? If you haven\u2019t, what do you want to know?\n\n\nPlease share this if you find it useful, thanks!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nItem\n\n\nBudgeted\u00a0\n\n\nActual\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFlight tickets (Expedia)\n\nAccommodation (Expedia)\n\n\nRM600\n\n\nRM600\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTour\n\n\nUSD15 (~RM70)\n\n\n~RM70\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAirport to Hotel (return, Uber)\n\n\n600,000 VND (~RM120)\n\n\n240,000VND (~RM48)\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFood & Drinks\n\n\n400,000VND\u00a0(100,000VND per meal x 4 meals)\n\n(~RM80)\n\n\n300,000VND (~RM60)\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSIM card\n\n\n100,000VND (~RM20)\n\n\n150,000VND (~RM30)\n\n\n\n\n\n\nShopping/Entertainment/Souveniers\n\n\n1,000,000VND (~RM200)\n\n\n750,000VND (~RM150)\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTOTAL\n\n\nRM1090\n\n\nRM958\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRelated: Previous travel \u2013 \nLangkawi\n,\u00a0\nKrabi, Thailand\n\u00a0and \nOsaka+Kyoto\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/travel/things-to-buy-in-japan/", "title": "17 Things to Buy in Japan (As a Frugal Person)\n  ", "body": "Wondering what to buy in Japan on your next trip there? Here are 17 things to buy in Japan, which I personally bought for myself and as souvenirs, as a frugal and maximum-value deal-hunter \ud83d\ude00\n\n\nSome information to start with:\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019ve been to Japan a few times, so these are not \u2018classic\u2019 souvenirs per se. In fact you\u2019ll see a lot of normal everyday things that are simply sold for cheaper in Japan. You\u2019ll also see quite a lot of food ingredients and products\n\n\nBecause I\u2019m Muslim, the food products in here are selected with care. Do note though that I care about eating as halal as possible, but I do close one eye when it comes to cooking alcohol\n\n\nPractical stuff > decorative stuff\n\n\n\n\nIf you\u2019re looking for Japan travel savings tips, check out the\u00a0\n4D3N Japan for RM2500 (Osaka+Kyoto)\n instead. Most tips are not specific to Osaka+Kyoto\n\n\n17 things to buy in Japan, in no particular order\n\n\n\n\n#1 \u2013 Various discounted (and non-discounted) supermarket food \u2013 varies\n\n\nFrom\n: The supermarket\n\n\nWhy I bought it\n:\n\n\n\n\nTo save money on food\n\n\n\n\nValue for money\n: 5/5. The supermarkets will start discounting their food items at around 7pm, depending on location and policies. I was happy to get the yellow peaches in this particular haul \u2013 it was delicious eaten with yogurt as breakfast!\n\n\nI highly recommend food from Japanese supermarkets, discounts or no. They have so much variety. The below video is ONE section out of at least six counters in one of the supermarkets I visited.\n\n\n\n\nhttp://ringgitohringgit.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/VID_20180915_135810.mp4\n\n\n\n\n#2 \u2013 A purse \u2013 1000 yen (after discount) (~RM38)\n\n\nFrom\n: A shop at Nagoya Centrair Airport\n\n\nWhy I bought it\n:\n\n\n\n\nIt was 50% off..\n\n\n\n\nValue for money\n: 3/5. Did I want it? Yes. Did I *need* it? No. This was an impulse buy.\n\n\n\n\n#3 \u2013 Lululun mask \u2013 1500 yen (~RM57)\n\n\nFrom\n: Don Quijote\n\n\nWhy I bought it\n:\n\n\n\n\nBig fan of Lululun masks and have never tried the power mask variety pack before!\n\n\n\n\nValue for money\n: 2/5. 1500 yen for 10 masks is kind of steep (for me). There are other cheaper Lululun masks (see #17). I\u2019m a sucker for variety.\n\n\n\n\n#4 \u2013 Red miso from Nagoya \u2013 600 yen (~RM23)\n\n\nFrom\n: The supermarket\n\n\nWhy I bought it\n:\n\n\n\n\nNagoya is famous for its red miso, which is a local product that barely gets exported. The ones that you see are mostly black or white miso.\n\n\n\n\nValue for money\n: 5/5. My host mum saw me put this in the shopping basket and bought it for me as a gift. Now this taste will remind me of her too, and sentimental value is priceless.\n\n\n\n\n#5 \u2013 Kishimen pack \u2013 600 yen (~RM23)\n\n\nFrom\n: The supermarket\n\n\nWhy I bought it\n:\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019ve never tried kishimen (I\u2019m told it\u2019s like udon, but different shape)\n\n\nThe pack includes 3 x servings of kishimen and easy-to-make red miso broth pack\n\n\nNo meat (I got my host mum to check)\n\n\n\n\nValue for money\n: 5/5. It\u2019s a Nagoya speciality item at such an affordable price. Packaging is cute, too.\n\n\n\n\n#6 \u2013 Curry packs \u2013 ~700 yen for both (~RM27)\n\n\nFrom\n: The supermarket\n\n\nWhy I bought it\n:\n\n\n\n\nI like Japanese curry rice, but I can\u2019t eat most of them because they have meat in them!\n\n\nThese two packs \u2013 kaki (oysters) and yasai (vegetable) are the ONLY two meat-free curry packs in the whole curry aisle. My poor host mum went over all of the selection (there must be over 50 varieties!).\n\n\n\n\nValue for money\n: 5/5. I\u2019ll take whatever meat-free product I can get. Plus the oysters one is a speciality product from Hiroshima.\n\n\n\n\n#7 \u2013 Various senbei \u2013 1000 yen for all (~RM38)\n\n\nFrom\n: The supermarket\n\n\nWhy I bought it\n:\n\n\n\n\nI like keropok\n\n\n\n\nValue for money\n: 3/5. Low marks because you\u2019d think squid and prawn senbei would be meat-free right? Nope. It was surprisingly hard to find varieties which don\u2019t include chicken or pork extract! In the end I added premium gobou (burdock root)and shiso senbei into the mix.\n\n\n\n\n#8 \u2013 Powdered matcha \u2013 600 yen (~RM23)\n\n\nFrom\n: The supermarket\n\n\nWhy I bought it\n:\n\n\n\n\nLove matcha flavour\n\n\n\n\nValue for money\n: ?/5. Not sure how much they\u2019re sold in Malaysia.\n\n\n\n\n#9 \u2013 Nori pack \u2013 300 yen (~RM11)\n\n\nFrom\n: The supermarket\n\n\nWhy I bought it\n:\n\n\n\n\nThe nori pack in this jar seems like a better alternative to the nori packs in the individual plastic wraps.\n\n\n\n\nValue for money\n: 5/5 because less plastic waste\n\n\n\n\n#10 \u2013 A foldable umbrella \u2013 1000 yen (~RM38)\n\n\nFrom\n: Don Quijote, the discount chain store.\n\n\nWhy I bought it\n:\n\n\n\n\nNeeded to replace my existing umbrella, which is getting wonky (I always carry one with me as I use public transportation often)\n\n\nThe slim design barely takes up space in my bag\n\n\nVery light\n\n\n\n\nValue for money\n: 4/5. Japanese umbrellas tend to be really good, and these are cheap even by Japan standards. Reduce one star because I saw the same one (though different colour) being sold at Narita airport for cheaper at 780 yen.\n\n\n\n\n#11 \u2013 A pack of 3 Nike ankle socks \u2013 1000 yen (~RM38)\n\n\nFrom\n: Don Quijote\n\n\nWhy I bought it\n:\n\n\n\n\nIt was time to replace my 3-year old socks\n\n\n\n\nValue for money\n: 5/5. Before I bought this, I did a quick search for Nike socks sold in Malaysia. They are at least RM55 for 3 pairs or something like that. I love getting good products that I need anyway for cheaper <3\n\n\n\n\n#12 \u2013 Bedsheets (not pictured), towel and pillowcases -5000 yen (~RM190)\n\n\nFrom\n: MUJI\n\n\nWhy I bought it\n:\n\n\n\n\nCoincidentally all of them are on sale! I got them at 15-50% normal price\n\n\n\n\nValue for money\n: 5/5. MUJI\u2019s stuff is good.\n\n\n\n\n#13 Glowsticks (pack of 10) \u2013 1000 yen each (~RM38)\n\n\nFrom\n: Don Quijote\n\n\nWhy I bought it\n:\n\n\n\n\nFor a friend, who loves this thing and uses them in performances. She usually gets her glowsticks from Daiso, so at RM3.80 per stick this is good value for money\n\n\n\n\nValue for money\n: N/A She\u2019s paying me back\n\n\n\n\n#14 Cool refresh sheet \u2013 500 yen each (~RM19)\n\n\nFrom\n: Don Quijote\n\n\nWhy I bought it\n:\n\n\n\n\nFor mom, who suffers from swelling and discomfort on her right wrist. This thing helps to cool down the swelling\n\n\n\n\nValue for money\n: N/A\n\n\n\n\n#15 Pokemon-shaped nori \u2013 150 yen (~RM6)\n\n\nFrom\n: The supermarket\n\n\nWhy I bought it\n:\n\n\n\n\nSo cute <3\n\n\n\n\nValue for money\n: 5/5. Super affordable and would make a cool gift to Pokemon fans too!\n\n\n\n\n#16 Steam eye masks- 500 yen each (~RM19 each)\n\n\nFrom\n: Drug store\n\n\nWhy I bought it\n:\n\n\n\n\nAs souvenirs. I got 5 different versions: Menthol, yuzu, lavender, chamomile and unscented (I think)\n\n\n\n\nValue for money\n: 3/5. I thought it was unique and can only be bought in Japan, but I found out Watson sells it too, boo. And the price is similar too, so no cost savings there.\n\n\n\n\n#17 Sheet masks \u2013 300-500 yen per pack of 5-7 masks (~RM11-19 each)\n\n\nFrom\n: Don Quijote\n\n\nWhy I bought it\n:\n\n\n\n\nAs souvenir for my sisters\n\n\n\n\nValue for money\n: 5/5. Super affordable for good-quality sheet masks! At least I think they\u2019re good \u2013 many of them say they got \u2018No 1\u2019 awards on the pack.\n\n\nWhat to buy in Japan as a frugal person\n\n\nI have to admit that this article idea almost didn\u2019t make it \u2013 I wasn\u2019t particularly keen to share the things I bought in Japan, simply because *I* thought they were not that special. Then I asked Twitter and surprisingly, there was demand, so here it is.\n\n\nI\u2019m not\u2026 embarrassed for being a frugal shopper. I don\u2019t mind admitting that my favourite places to shop while in Japan were:\n\n\n\n\nDon Quijote \u2013 discount chain store\n\n\nDaiso / Other 100-yen shops\n\n\nSupermarkets like AEON\n\n\nBook Off/ Hard Off / etc \u2013 Recycling/secondhand shops\n\n\nAnd similar places\n\n\n\n\n Don Quijote, Halloween edition\n\n\nHey my fellow frugal shoppers. What do\u00a0YOU tend to buy on your travels? I\u2019m really curious to know what item (not experience) that you decided was value for money.\u00a0Can you\u00a0comment and share them?\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/travel/turkey-trip/", "title": "RM10k Turkey Trip for Two: 8 Days 7 Nights in Istanbul & Cappadocia\n  ", "body": "\n\nPlanning your own Turkey trip from Malaysia? Or to them, Turkiye, the country at the junction between East and West, known for its history, art and culture. \n\n\nBut most importantly, Turkey is also one of the few travel destinations Malaysians can go to that is not recording 6-figure daily Covid cases, \ndoesn\u2019t require quarantine upon arrival\n, and pretty affordable due to the Lira crisis caused by \nPresident Erdogan\u2019s unconventional economic policies\n.\n\n\nI mean, look at the exchange rate. The Lira went down from MYR1.20 per Lira in January 2017 to MYR0.26 per Lira at its lowest in December 2021. I feel somewhat bad about taking advantage of this as a tourist, knowing that many everyday Turkish citizen is in dire financial distress. \n\n\nAt time of writing, 1 Lira is 0.31 MYR\n\n\nBecause of this, I decided to not be super budget-conscious during my Turkey trip and contribute to their tourism industry. I spent RM10k in this trip which is not high, but not low either \u2013 while I still looked for value for money, I didn\u2019t skimp or look for the cheapest possible options.  \n\n\nLook out for savings tips throughout this article for options to lower your costs, but consider this a mid-range budget for your own Turkey trip and adjust to your liking and finances. \n\n\nI\u2019ve divided this article into:\n\n\n\n\nSection 1: Travel from Turkey to Malaysia \u2013 Preparations before your Turkey trip\n\n\nSection 2: Travel from Malaysia to Turkey \u2013 Preparations before coming back\n\n\nSection 3: Our itinerary for Turkey \n\n\nSection 4: Budget breakdown\n\n\nSection 5: Things that are noticibly cheap due to exchange rate\n\n\n\n\nPlease note that all information here is accurate as of writing time, but can change anytime, as it often does in the pandemic \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nSection 1:  Travel from Turkey to Malaysia \u2013 Preparations before your Turkey trip\n\n\n There are 5 things you need to do before going to Turkey:\n\n\n\n\nBuy flight ticket\n\n\nBook hotel room(s)\n\n\nDo Home quarantine application\n\n\nDo PCR test\n\n\nExchange money to Lira \n\n\n\n\nLet\u2019s go over them one by one, in the order you should do them:\n\n\n 1) Buy flight ticket \u2013 >2 weeks before so you can get travel insurance\n\n\nOf course you have to buy a flight ticket. I was told anything below RM2k for return trip is a good price, and we got ours for RM1.7k each.  \n\n\nHow soon should you buy? Honestly, I don\u2019t know. I bought 2 months before and was constantly worried if Turkey would impose travel restrictions, causing travel cancellation. I also worried about getting Covid and having to cancel.\n\n\nI don\u2019t know if anyone has successfully claimed, but one way to reduce your risk is to get \ntravel insurance\n with flight cancellation and pandemic cover, like \nTravel Easy by Tune Protect\n. Protip: Buy it at least 30 days before your trip to get it for cheaper!\n\n\nSavings tip #1\n: Shoutout to \nPemburu Tiket Murah\n for the cheap flight info! They also shared one KUL-IST flight going for RM1.3k! \n\n\n2) Book hotel room(s) \u2013 before you do HES code (next one)\n\n\nBook your hotel rooms before you do the HES code, because you need the information to submit the application.\n\n\nAs for accommodation, everyone has their preferred hotel requirement and budget. Mine is: \n\n\n\n\nfree cancellation (non-negotiable! Just in case trip get cancelled right), \n\n\nfree breakfast,\n\n\nrated 9/10 and above, and \n\n\nnear public transport (in Istanbul) and in city center (Goreme in Cappadocia)\n\n\n\n\nIf you book early enough, there are lots of great hotels at RM200-400/night range (for 2 pax) that fit the above requirements. Price of course varies depending on low/peak season (we went during winter \u2013 low season. Summer is peak season). \n\n\nSavings tip #2\n: Don\u2019t forget to use \nShopback\n when you book your flight and/or hotel rooms from Agoda or Booking.com! Can get cashback. I will get back approx RM237 from hotel booking \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n3) HES Code \u2013 do 72 hours before leaving\n\n\nThe HES Code looks something like this:\n\n\n\n\nHES Code is like Turkey\u2019s version of contact tracing \u2013 you need it to get the IstanbulKart (to use public transportation in Istanbul) and to enter certain places, like the mall. \n\n\nRegister at \nhttps://register.health.gov.tr/\n within 72 hours before your trip\n. They\u2019ll email you a letter with a code and QR code like the above. It\u2019s a good idea to print it out, but having a copy on your phone will do. \n\n\n4) PCR Test \u2013 do 48/24 hours before leaving\n\n\nEDIT: This section is probably outdated \u2013 many countries now don\u2019t require you to submit PCR tests anymore, only proof of vaccination\n\n\nGenerally speaking, \nmany airlines and destinations require a negative PCR test result within 2 days before you board the plane\n. Check with your flight company \u2013 we used Etihad and PCR test is a requirement (but I heard Qatar airlines no need \u2013 again, check latest update on their website). \n\n\nIf you have to do it, I suggest doing the test the day before, or on the travel day itself if you have a late flight. The reason I suggest that is because they might make changes on short notice. \n\n\n(We met a guy at the airport who said the UK changed requirements suddenly and they need negative PCR test results 24 hours before, not 48 hours before. His group found out while they where checking in luggage and they had to re-do PCR test before allowed to board!)\n\n\nYou can \ntake the PCR test at KLIA airport\n before your flight. They have the 3-hour test and the 1-hour test options \u2013 more info at \nairport.doctor2u.my\n page. Yes, that\u2019s the price. No, you don\u2019t have any other choice (if you know of other options, let me know in the comments). \n\n\nMy recommendation is to go to the airport early. I don\u2019t know how it\u2019s usually like, but when I was there, they ran out of the 1-hour test so people had no choice but to take the 3-hour test. It also took us 1 hour just to be swabbed because they were short-staffed. We went to the airport 8 hours before flight time which was a bit of an overkill, but I don\u2019t regret it. \n\n\n5) Exchange money to Lira \u2013 do before you go\n\n\nAs you know, Turkey\u2019s currency Lira isn\u2019t doing too well. In October 2021, 1 Lira was MYR0.44, and by end of December 2021 it was around MYR0.30. Again, bad for them, but good for us. \n\n\nAfter a traumatising BigPay incident during my \nBali trip\n, I knew going traveling without local currencies is too risky for the Turkey trip. So I:\n\n\n\n\nExchanged some MYR to Lira \u2013 you need some for airport taxi/shuttle, emergency etc\n\n\nLoaded up my BigPay card \u2013 for the great rates. Obligatory referral code: Get extra RM10 credit if you use my BigPay referral code \u2013 download the app \nhere\n.\n\n\n\n\nCombining both was a good decision \u2013 I get the assurance of having cash and also the advantage of better rates during our Turkey trip (the Lira went down even more when we were there). \n\n\nWorth mentioning \u2013 in my experience, I had no problem using the BigPay card in Istanbul, but a few places in Cappadocia rejected the card (BigPay said it\u2019s because those merchants didn\u2019t accept prepaid card). So if you plan to go travel outside Istanbul, DEFINITELY bring cash just to be safe. You can also bring Euro because it\u2019s widely accepted too and easy to exchange there. \n\n\nThe BigPay card was also very handy to buy food/drinks at Abu Dhabi airport, where we transited. \n\n\nSavings tip #3:\n \nI\u2019ve yet to find better rates than the money exchanger at Mid Valley, near \nJaya Grocer. Change money from MYR to Lira there (or anywhere you like)\n\n\nSavings tip #4:\n I don\u2019t know if this was just my luck, but all the ATMs I tried to withdraw money from charged really high fees! It ranged from 6-9% in fees, ON TOP of BigPay\u2019s RM10 ATM cash withdrawal fee. In the end I decided to not withdraw more cash and just use the BigPay card to make payments. \n\n\nSavings tip #5:\n Abu Dhabi Airport closed all the water filter stations, so you have no choice but to buy water if you get thirsty. Get from the vending machines, not cafes. The former was AED2 while the latter marked it up to AED9! (You can pay with BigPay card)\n\n\nSection 2: Travel from Turkey to Malaysia \u2013 Preparations before coming back\n\n\nThere are 2 things you need to do: Home quarantine application and PCR test. Let\u2019s over them one by one, in the order you should do them: \n\n\n1) Home quarantine application \u2013 do 4-10 days before coming home\n\n\nUpon coming back, you have to self-isolate for 7 days. If you want to do home quarantine, then you have to submit the Home Quarantine application. Find the form at \nhttps://hso.moh.gov.my/outbreak-portal-hqa/index\n\n\nImportant: You have to submit the application 4-10 days before arrival. It takes some time to be approved, so remember to do this. \n\n\nSavings tip #6:\n Unless you have to, do home quarantine instead of hotel quarantine. Hotel quarantine costs around RM250/night at your expense\n\n\n2) PCR Test \u2013 do 48/24 hours before leaving \n\n\nYou also need a negative PCR test within 2 days before you board the plane to come home. For convenience, we booked the \nsame-day PCR test in Istanbul\n from \nKlook\n (new users get RM15 off first booking through this link). It was affordable and straightforward, plus there\u2019s an awesome grocery store right in front of the location too, I recommend it.\n\n\nSection 3: Our Itinerary for Turkey\n\n\nAside from preparations in Sections 1 and 2, everything else is more or less the same as normal travel planning \ud83d\ude42 All in all, we spent 8 days 7 nights in Turkey, divided into:\n\n\n\n\n2 nights in Cappadocia (booked our Istanbul to Cappadocia (look for Kayseri) flight from \nTurkish Airlines\n), and \n\n\n5 nights in Istanbul\n\n\n\n\nHere are some pictures from our Turkey trip \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nView this post on Instagram\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nA post shared by Suraya Zainudin (@surayaror)\n\n\n\n\nWe did KUL-IST-KAY-IST-KUL in that order, which was practical but admittedly exhausting. We also decided to save other locations (Antalya, Ephesus, Bursa, etc) for another Turkey trip in the future. \n\n\nOur time was limited, but we managed to fit in a lot of activities in both places, including:\n\n\nIn Cappadocia:\n\n\n\n\nHot air balloon (usually 65-80 Euros per pax but we got for 108 Euro/RM513 for 2 pax)\n\n\nRed tour in Cappadocia (usually 40 Euros per pax but we got for 50 Euro/RM236 for 2 pax)\n\n\nCamel safari tour (usually 25 Euros per pax but we got for 32 Euro/RM153.90 for 2 pax)\n\n\nSunset View Point (3 Lira entrance fee per person) (Sunrise View Point is nearby; same price)\n\n\n\n\nWhat we\u2019d do next time: Green tour, ATV ride\n\n\nSavings tip #7:\n How to get cheaper tours and hot air balloon in Cappadocia \u2013 book from \nAirbnb Experiences\n and set price in MYR. F\nor some reason, it is cheaper in MYR.\n I don\u2019t know why it\u2019s like that, but take advantage of it, why not. \n\n\nIn Istanbul:\n\n\n\n\nFree walking tour Istanbul\n (excellent tour. It\u2019s a pay-what-you-want concept so be sure to give your guide a tip if you enjoyed)\n\n\nBosphorus cruise tour (15 Euro, booked from guide)\n\n\nVisit the Asia side by Metro and ferry (use Istanbulkart)\n\n\nVisited one museum (Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum)\n\n\nA lot of exploring on our own in both the Historical Peninsula, European side and Asian side. It\u2019s a very walkable city and very easy to navigate around, if a bit steep and hilly at some parts\n\n\n\n\nWhat we\u2019d do next time: Explore more museums and cisterns, Turkish dinner/dance, and eat more kumpir aka baked potatoes with toppings (must try!)\n\n\n\n\nSavings tip #8:\n Having an Istanbulkart is very useful. It\u2019s like Touch n Go and you can use it for the tram, ferry, metro and busses in Istanbul. The price is 13 Lira and you can top up at the blue/yellow machines (cash and card accepted). Remember to link it with HES Code first at \nhttps://kisisellestirme.istanbulkart.istanbul/\n before using. \n\n\nEven locals told me to avoid taxis due to horrible traffic and increased price (we avoided except to go to airport), so get your Istanbulkart as soon as possible \u2013 it\u2019s sold at the airport (ask information counter) as well as the blue/yellow machines and kiosks around town. We were lucky that our hotel had exceptional customer service and helped us to both get the card at a nearby kiosk and registered it for us. \n\n\nThis video (and the whole channel) was quite useful:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSavings tip #9:\n Galata Tower is one of the main attractions in Istanbul. Instead of spending 100 Lira per person going up the Galata tower for the view, I suggest you find one of the rooftop cafes near the area and spend your money on coffee and cake. Even our guide recommended the same thing. We went to a place called Galata Konak Cafe and the view from there was great!\n\n\n\n\nSection #4 \u2013 Budget breakdown\n\n\nWe spent under RM10k for 2 people for this 8 days 7 nights trip to Turkey, which I\u2019m told is cheap \ud83d\ude42 We got a good price for the flight and tours, and didn\u2019t skimp too much on other categories (in fact we did a lot of shopping).   \n\n\nMaking the budget was hard, because Lira was (is?) volatile and prices changed all the time. You\u2019d think that EVERYTHING is cheap (and many things are, see Section 5), but the lot of tourists-targeted shops circumvented this by:\n\n\n\n\n(1) pegging their prices to Euro/USD (so you pay whatever is the equivalent to 10 Euro in Lira, for example) and/or \n\n\n(2) update their prices often (you\u2019ll see stickers with new price on menus etc)\n\n\n\n\nHere\u2019s the budget breakdown for our Turkey trip. Prices are for 2 pax\n\n\nItem\nBudgeted \nActual \nFlight KUL-IST-KUL\nUnder RM2000 each\nRM3481 (both)\nFlight IST-KAY-IST (to go Kayseri Airport)\nRM300 each\nRM589.72 (both)\nAccommodation \u2013 Cappadocia (2 nights) 2-star hotel\nRM600\nRM547\nAccommodation \u2013 Istanbul (5 nights) 3-star hotel\nRM2000\nRM2085\nPCR Test \u2013 KLIA\nRM250 each\nRM600 (both)\nPCR Test \u2013 Istanbul\nRM200 each\nRM213.38 (both)\nHot air balloon \n65 Euro/ RM310 each\nRM513.04 (both)\nRed tour\n40 Euro/ RM190 each\nRM236 (both)\nCamel safari\n25 Euro/ RM120 each\nRM153.90 (both)\nFood* (22 meals each) + public transport + shopping + fun (we spent around RM500 on shopping and the rest on food + transport)\n100 Lira per meal/ 2200 lira each\nUsed up all cash\nAirport transfers \u2013 Cappadocia\n70 Lira each per way\n280 Lira\nAirport transfers* \u2013 Istanbul (originally planned to use the Havaist bus but ended up using taxi) \n35 Lira each per way \n628 Lira (200 + 428)\nTravel Insurance (should have gotten the Covid cover actually. That\u2019s why cheap)\nRM150 each\nRM108.59 for both\nRoaming (SIM card would be cheaper but I wanted convenience)\nRM50\nRM120\nExtra/Emergency \nRM1000\nRM0\nCashback from \nShopback\n-RM237\nTOTAL\nup to RM12000\nRM9880.02\n\n\n\n\nSavings tip #10: \nYou can save money on airport transfer by taking the \nHavaist bus\n. Only 35 Lira per person from Airport to Sultahnamet (Historical peninsula), but it does take 90-120 minutes instead of 60~ minutes via taxi. \n\n\nSavings tip #11:\n We ended up using taxi to/from airport as it was rainy season. You can get a taxi from the airport, \nKlook\n (new users get RM15 off first booking through this link) or hotel (compare the price, some worth it some not). Otherwise you can also download a taxi app and book from there (don\u2019t book from the street, might get scammed), but we were too lazy to do that. \n\n\nSection 5: Things that are noticeably cheap due to exchange rate\n\n\nThe final section is about spending, the most fun part! I\u2019m just going to brain dump things that I noticed were cheap due to the exchange rate. \n\n\n\n\nTurkish food \nat touristy locations can range from 50-100+ Liras per person (RM15-30), which is very affordable. At normal restaurants that locals go to, you can get a decent meal for around 30-60 Liras per person (RM9-18). To save even more, there\u2019s Simit (their version of bagel) from the bread carts \u2013 just 3.5 Liras (RM1) and very filling! \n\n\nInternational food chains\n like McDonalds, KFC, Burger King, Starbucks, etc. A set meal is around RM9 and a Grande drink costs the equivalent of RM5. \n\n\nClothes\n from fast fashion brands like LC Waikiki, De Facto, Colins \u2013 the equivalent to RM20 for tops to RM50 for jeans and dresses\n\n\nItems from\n grocery stores\n like Migros, BIM and Carrefour. I bought a lot of teas and soup mixes \ud83d\ude42\n\n\nTypical \nsouveniers\n like keychains, pouches etc \u2013 from 5 Liras (RM1.50)\n\n\n\n\nNote:  I\u2019m using 1 Lira = MYR0.30. The exchange will probably change again by the time you go \u2013 maybe it\u2019ll be in your favour, maybe not, who knows. \n\n\nOne more thing \u2013 expect prices in Lira to increase because inflation is VERY high in Turkey \u2013 in December 2021, The Turkish Statistical Institute announced \n36% annual inflation\n (!!! normal inflation is around 2%!). \n\n\nRegardless, it\u2019s still a value for money destination for tourists, and I totally recommend Turkey as a destination. Plus, the dogs and cats are delightful \u2013 it was fun spotting them on the streets and in the unlikeliest places \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\nWith that, I\u2019m wrapping up my Turkey travel breakdown, which includes travel planning, budget and my Turkey travel itinerary. Hopefully this helps you plan your own Turkey trip \ud83d\ude42 If this article helps, please share it among friends and family and social media, I would appreciate that a lot, thanks!\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/uncategorized/link-roundup-93/", "title": "Link Roundup #93: 10 Things to Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1\n. \nHow to Catch Up on Work When You\u2019re Behind\n \u2013 Read Write\n\n\nThis article introduced me to something called the Eisenhower Matrix, a powerful decision-making framework. It works by listing all your tasks then assigning them in the right quadrant, based on their urgency and importance:\n\n\nFirst Quadrant: Do\nSecond Quadrant: Decide\nThird Quadrant: Delegate\nFourth Quadrant: Disregard\n\n\n The image below is an example of how it looks like, I think it\u2019s neat. \n\n\n\n\nI also love all the other tips shared in the article, including the 2-minute rule and \u2018switching gears\u2019 strategy. Excellent article, worth a read. \n\n\n2. \nHow to end a conversation when someone won\u2019t stop talking\n \u2013 Fast Co\n\n\nThe article also included specific tips to end conversations in ONLINE meetings!\n\n\nSpeaking of which, be aware of the human tendency to assign competence and leadership to those who talk the most. \n\n\n\n\nThe person who talks the most is the most likely to become the leader.\nData: regardless of intelligence and expertise, groups elevate those who command the most airtime.\nIt's time to stop rewarding people for dominating the discussion, and start valuing quality over quantity. \npic.twitter.com/U5h2mX0yxk\n\u2014 Adam Grant (@AdamMGrant) \nFebruary 23, 2022\n\n\n\n\n3. \nThis Little-Known Psychological Phenomenon is Affecting Your Productivity\n \u2013 Hive\n\n\n\n\nThis is an article about the Zeigarnik effect, which is \u201csimply put, the tendency to remember uncompleted tasks more than finished ones.\u201d\n\n\nAs I understand it, the Zeigarnik effect affects your productivity by making you feel anxious about the incompleted tasks while doing other work, and also during rest time. It also contributes to feelings of low self-esteem, as you don\u2019t think you\u2019re doing the best you could. \n\n\nHowever, you can also use it productively by intentionally viewing projects you want to continually innovate as incomplete, so you will keep working on it. \n\n\nFascinating thing to learn about the brain today. \n\n\n4. \nThe (Marc)Use of Surveillance Capitalism in Fast Fashion\n \u2013 Malaysian Philosophy Society\n\n\nI find this article intriguing. It\u2019s published by the Malaysian Philosophy Society and links the ethics of surveillance tech in the context of fast fashion. It\u2019s a bit jargon-y, but worth a read.  \n\n\n5\n.\n \nTikTok is full of alleged scam artists pretending to be real advertisers\n \u2013 Morning Brew\n\n\nThe most important part in the article: \u201cAlleged scam artists are running ads and posing as real brands on TikTok, offering ludicrous deals to swindle unsuspecting users.\u201d\n\n\nScammers posing as real brands is nothing new and exist on other platforms, of course. Just be aware that it happens on TikTok too, that\u2019s all.\n\n\n\n\n6. \nEarmarked paternity leave increases parental wellbeing\n\u2013 VoxEU CEPR\n\n\nVoxEU CEPR, an organisation focused on \u2018research-based policy analysis and commentary from leading economists\u2019 studied the effects of paternal leave (leave exclusively granted to fathers), and they found amazing result to parents\u2019 well-being, especially mothers:\n\n\nOur results show that eligibility for earmarked paternity leave increases life satisfaction by 10.8 percentage points. Interestingly, this effect is much stronger for mothers than for fathers, despite the earmarked leave increasing the amount of leave taken by fathers, not mothers. \nWhile both mothers and fathers benefit in terms of life satisfaction from being eligible to earmarked paternity leave, mothers\u2019 life satisfaction increases by 30% more than that of fathers.\n\n\nThose of you with paternity leave benefit + married to someone with one, you can look forward to a happier family life. It\u2019s also not a bad idea to seek workplaces that offer this benefit, for your own happiness. \n\n\n7. \nThese companies are the most impersonated in email phishing campaigns\n \u2013 Tech Radar\n\n\nAccording to \nHornet Security\u2019s Cyber Threat Report 2020/2021\n, the companies that are the most impersonated in email phishing campaigns include (the higher in the list, the bigger the volume/frequency): \n\n\nAmazon\nDHL\nDocuSign (!!!)\nPayPal\nLinkedIn\nMicrosoft\nFacebook\nHSBC\nFedEx \nEbay\n\n\nTherefore, just double check when you receive mail from these entities. Being sceptical may save you a whole load of $$$ and headache. \n\n\n8\n.\n \nVehicle Depreciation by Color Says Yellow Rules\n \u2013 Autoweek\n\n\n\n\nInteresting data of the week: According to Autoweek, Yellow cars depreciate the least in 3 years, while Gold cars depreciate the most. \n\n\n(No idea if the same depreciation order is true for cars in Malaysia)\n\n\n9. \n3 ways to stop comparing yourself to others, according to a cognitive scientist\n\u00a0\u2013 Vice\n\n\nAwesome description of the social comparison phenomenon, which can be upward or downward:\n\n\n \u2026tendency to compare ourselves to other people is called\u00a0\nsocial comparison\n, and it is a natural way for us to evaluate how we\u2019re doing. \nWhen we compare ourselves to others who are better off than we are, it is called an\u00a0\nupward\n\u00a0social comparison, and it tends to make us feel dissatisfied. If we feel that there is nothing we can do to improve our situation, then that dissatisfaction turns to frustration.\nWhen we compare ourselves to people worse off than we are, it is called a\u00a0\ndownward\u00a0\nsocial comparisons, and it may make us feel satisfied (or even smug), but it also tends to sap our motivation to work harder.\n\n\nAs for how to stop it, its nothing new or revolutionary. Just a reminder to go back to these golden advice:\n\n\nFocus on your path\nEnjoy (instead of envy) other people\u2019s success\nConcentrate on gratitude\n\n\n10. 3 Features in myASNB App You Should Know \u2013 Ringgit Oh Ringgit\n\n\nAnd last but not least, just letting you know the video version of \n3 Features in myASNB App You Should Know\n article is out \ud83d\ude42 Do me a favour and leave an upvote (and subscribe to my channel if you feel super generous?)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/uncategorized/link-roundup-97/", "title": "Link Roundup #97: 10 Things To Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nA psychologist says there are 7 types of \u2018office jerks\u2019\u2014here\u2019s how to tell which one you work with \n\u2013 CNBC Make It\n\n\nOh wow, categorisation of office jerks, so you know how to identify and to deal with them better. They even made an easy-to-read flow chart as well:\n\n\n\n\nThere is another set of flowchart to determine what kind of jerk \nboss\n you may have. People who work with difficult people and bosses, read the full article in the link above. \n\n\n2\n.\n \nThis is the right way to use LinkedIn to get noticed by recruiters\n \u2013 Fast Co\n\n\nIf you have a LinkedIn account and are looking for better opportunities, definitely read this article so recruiters have a better chance of finding you. \n\n\n3. \n7 Signs You\u2019re Being Taken Advantage of at Work\n \u2013 Hive\n\n\nFeel like something is off? I find the phrasing used in this article helpful for identifying exactly what the problem is. Do you recognise any of the 7 signs below in your workplace?\n\n\nYour relationships with your coworkers aren\u2019t give-and-take\nPeople don\u2019t ask if you\u2019re busy anymore\nYour timelines become unrealistic\nYou\u2019re being shut out of communications\nYour time off isn\u2019t considered\nYour team is getting too comfortable\nYou\u2019re getting more office work than glamour work\n\n\n4. \nMetaverse mortgages are real and they can leave you bankrupt \u2014 here\u2019s how \n\u2013 Laptop Mag\n\n\nNever thought I\u2019d see that headline but here we are.\n\n\nImage credit: Decentraland\n\n\nHere\u2019s another headline I never thought I\u2019d see, on a related topic:\n\n\n5. \nInside the lucrative business of a metaverse landlord, where monthly rent can hit $60,000 per property\n \u2013 Fast Co\n\n\nBut but, perhaps, just perhaps, it *might* be a worthwhile venture if you can lease out your metaverse land, for 70% profit like this person did? I mean, only with play money not survival money of course, but that\u2019s not bad. Metaverse properties require much less upkeep than physical properties too. \n\n\n6. \nThe 7 Insidious Ways Women Are Held Back At Work \u2013 & How To Handle Them\n \u2013 Refinery 29\n\n\n#1 on the list, Benevolent sexism just kicks it out of the park: \n\n\n\u2018Benevolent sexism\u2019 happens when \nwell-intentioned men make decisions for women that may \u2018kill careers with kindness\u2019, and it\u2019s often protective and paternalistic in nature.\n Men may try to save women from difficult challenges, for instance, but in doing so hold them back from progression. \n\u201cMany men told us that they had assumed that a woman returning from maternity leave won\u2019t want to go for a challenging assignment or one that involves travel\u201d\n\n\nFind out the 6 other ways women are held back at work:\n\n\nDouble standards\nJudged more harshly for the strengths\nExcluded from informal social networks\nLess exposure to important senior staff\nNot being credited for their contributions\nInterrupted in meetings\n\n\n7. \nHow Ramadan and Eid Have Been Hijacked by Capitalism\u00a0\n \u2013 Amaliah.com\n\n\nA wonderful opinion piece exploring how a culture of excess made its way into the month meant for self-control. \n\n\n8. \nHow to become a better listener, according to science\n \u2013 Fast Co\n\n\nIt\u2019s amazing how much you can learn from people, when you listen to them. Self-reminder for me as well to be better at it. \n\n\n9. \nHas your motivation to work declined? Maybe your values have shifted\n \u2013 Fast Co\n\n\nMaybe this can explain why the job that used to give you so much satisfaction and fulfilment is now just\u2026 meh. \n\n\n10. These Kids Are Skipping College to Be TikTok Famous \u2013 Vice\n\n\nThis is such a fascinating deep dive into the creator economy, specifically Tiktok creators. I appreciate the reporter \u2013 he is not dismissive of the desires and motivations of Gen Z kids, like many others. Thought he did a good job drawing out the good and bad aspects of being a TikTok creator, and how it is being monetised. \n\n\nThe whole segment on brand deals and the cut that managers take in is all so fascinating. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}
{"url": "https://ringgitohringgit.com/uncategorized/link-roundup-99/", "title": "Link Roundup #99: 10 Things To Know This Week\n  ", "body": "\n\nAccelerate your personal finance knowledge with this regular feature on Ringgit Oh Ringgit \u2013 the Link Roundup! I promise you\u2019ll find these 10 links informational \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n1. \nHow to Tell Your Boss You\u2019re Quitting When You Like Your Boss\n \u2013 Hive\n\n\nCost of living is rising, and your salary can no longer cope with your commitments. You know you need to find a higher-paying job but you like your boss and don\u2019t want to let her/him down. What do you do?\n\n\nThere\u2019s only two outcomes: give in to loyalty, or\u2026 find out how to leave on good terms. \n\n\n2. \nFinding a new job is possible \u2014 even when you\u2019re burned out\n \u2013 Vox\n\n\nIt sucks that we live in a world where we still have to force ourselves to work even though we feel like shit because we need the money. Great tips from workplace well-being expert\u00a0\nJennifer Moss\n, author of\u00a0\nThe Burnout Epidemic: The Rise of Chronic Stress and How We Can Fix It\n.\n\n\n\n\n3\n.\n \nThe World Has Too Much Stuff\n \u2013 WIRED\n\n\nBasically, the pandemic-caused supply chain issues freaked out retailers and consumers. Consumers ordered/bought more than they should, creating false demand and retailers stocked up more than they should, to avoid empty shelves and missing out on profit. \n\n\nAnd now, there\u2019s a bunch of stuff that retailers need to clear out, to consumers who no longer want (nor can afford) the items. \n\n\nFree market, huh. \n\n\n4. \nEverything you need to become happier, according to science\n \n\u2013 Fast Co\n\n\nThe world may have too much stuff, but nothing in this article says you need more stuff in order to be happy. \n\n\n5. \nWoman Travels the World By Exchanging Cat-Sitting for Free Accommodation\n \u2013 My Modern Met\n\n\nI\u2019m happy for her but hurts to see someone else living your dream life :\u2019)\n\n\nBy the way, I\u2019m amazed by her cat-sitting business website, \nonecatatatime.co\n which also doubles as her portfolio. THAT\u2019S how you show clients you are professional.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n6. \nIntrovert hangover: how to recover from social events\n \u2013 Psychologies\n\n\nThis analogy to explain difference between an extrovert and an introvert is perfect.\n\n\nWhen I\u2019m explaining the difference in energy levels to my clients, I use an analogy about an introvert waking up with five coins. In each social situation they encounter throughout the day, they spend a coin. By the end of the day, the coins are gone and they feel depleted,\u2019 says\u00a0\nAlison Rice, an introvert coach\n.\n\u2018Extroverts wake up with no coins but gain one for each interaction, so by the end of the day they feel rich,\u2019 Rice adds. Turning the phone to mute and curling up with a book is an introvert\u2019s idea of bliss \u2013 and essential for conserving those coins.\n\n\n7. \nHow To Flip Furniture, Even If You\u2019ve Never Done It Before\n \u2013 Brit.co\n\n\n\n\nThought-provoking read. \n\n\n8. \nHow much money do you need to live in your own apartment in Japan?\n [Survey] \u2013 SoraNews24\n\n\nSoraNews24 asked 377 respondents how much money is needed to move and live in Japan. \n\n\nOn average, you need 359,908 yen (~RM11,800) to get settled in, and 97,879 yen\u00a0(~RM3,200)\u00a0a month to cover monthly expenses, \nnot including transportation, taxes, entertainment expenses and other individual wants/needs. \n\n\nI don\u2019t know what you can do with this info. Daydream, perhaps. \n\n\n9. \n36 Questions to Improve Your Self-Understanding\n \u2013 Psychology Today\n\n\nI\u2019m sure you want to find your ikigai, yes? \n\n\n\n\nWell, the 36 questions in the article can help you figure out what you actually want. It\u2019s an excellent exercise towards self-discovery, I recommend it!\n\n\n10. I Made 13 Meals In Under 30 Minutes For 2 People On A $30 Budget \u2013 Delish\n\n\nThis is a great one for people who want to mealprep but hates eating the same things every day. June gave us a freakin\u2019 MOVIE full of practical AND cheap meal-prepping tips and ideas. You might use completely different ingredients, but the creativity can be applied!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s it for this round, catch you next time! Want to submit a link you thought was great? Reach out to me on \nFB\n\u00a0or\u00a0\nTwitter\n.\n\n\nTo read past link roundups, please click\u00a0\nhere\n.\n\n"}